Review: Damsel

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is the second 2019 Printz honor book I have been really disappointed in; though I did manage to finish this one; I really did not care for it at all. My advice is to skip it altogether.

I get that it's supposed to be a feminist fairytale re-telling, and it's supposed to be about empowering women and rejecting the patriarchy and toxic masculinity (let's see, can I come up with any more current buzzwords to throw in?) but rather than giving a nice "girl power" feeling, it had a really creepy, sinister vibe that just made me feel very....discomfitted. The summary sounded really intriguing, and the idea for the story is great, but I found the execution very lacking.

Aside from the creepy, eerie mood, the writing was laughable at times, referring to a man's penis as his "yard", or even worse "...the thick meat of him, a fleshy tusk, white like ivory in the bed of curled black hair." Are you kidding me? This is nearly-award-winning prose? I thought the historical romances I used to read were bad, but geeze louise...at least they never pretended to be anything more than the cheezy, mind-candy that they were. And referring to a baby in the womb as "...swimming in the hot stew of his mother's juice." Yes, that's a lovely way to refer to pregnancy.

The prince starts out seemingly like a brave, decent, guy, but as the story progresses he becames very unlikeable. He is possessive and controlling, humiliating the damsel when she does something he doesn't like, and sexually assaulting her. It becomes very clear that he does not see her as a person, but simply as a possession to serve his needs and bear his child. In fact, the message is quite clear and not in the least subtle: In this place and time, women exist soley to be a vessel, filled by men. The damsel is told this by everyone she comes into contact with.

While I sympathized with the damsel, at the same time she was not the most likeable character either, coming across very cold and having no emotion or personality, which made it more difficult to be truly invested in the character, and I just wanted to hurry up and get to the end to see whether she chose to give in or found a way to escape to be done with the book. She just didn't feel like a real person to me, and at times it really feels like the book was written by a man because the damsel is so two-dimensional and the writing so labored. And totally predictable.

(view spoiler)[It was so obvious from almost the very beginning that the dragon did not kidnap a damsel, the dragon WAS the damsel. As soon as it talked about the Queen always being near the fireplace, and the scent of the dragon's lair triggering Emory's memory of being in the womb (you know, "swimming in the hot stew of his mother's juice"), I knew the Queen was a dragon, and therefore the new damsel was also the dragon. I also guessed that his third weapon would be his dick, or should I say "thick, fleshy, white tusk," and the way he used it was just gross (gag). (hide spoiler)]

Unless you like predictable, obvious, cheezy-yet-dark-and-creepy, I would recommend skipping this. There are better feminist fairytales out there, like Melissa Bashardoust's Girls Made of Snow and Glass, which has not one but two strong female characters who save themselves.

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Review: Cinder

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Initially I didn't really want to read this book as the idea of a story about a cyborg girl didn't really seem that appealing to me, but it was one of our options for our series fiction module in my YA Lit class. I initially chose to read Shusterman's Unwind instead, but decided since I had heard many people mention this series I would at least check the book out and flip through to get more familiar with it. I read the first couple of chapters, and then I couldn't put it down! I ended up being very suprised by how much I liked it.

Even though this is sci-fi, it really is so much more. This story of a cyborg named Cinder with an unknown past trying to make her way in the world has a little bit of everything: family drama, bigotry, action, international intrigue and threats of war, romance, and death; the fairytale feel and "magical" abilities of some people in the story will also appeal to the fantasy lovers.

I loved how Meyer used the classic fairytale of Cinderella as the inspiration for this story, but interpreted it in such a creative and different way (the same is true for the rest of the books in the series). Cinder has no memory of her life before she woke up as an 11-year old cyborg, or the accident that resulted in her being so severly injured that extreme scientific intervention was necessary to save her. She was adopted by a man who died of a new mysterious and deadly plague before he could tell her anything about her past, leaving her with a stepmother who resents her, and two stepsisters, only one of whom accepts Cinder.

There is a prince, and a ball. But there is also the threat of war with the Lunars, the population descended from a colony on the moon thousands of years early. The Lunar people have mutated and evolved to have the ability to control peoples moods, emotions, and perceptions, which is how the cruel royal family has maintained tight control over the Lunar population. But now, Queen Levana is not content just to rule the moon, and has set her sights on Earth, though there are rumors of a missing princess who could usurp the throne. In addition, the deadly plague that killed Cinder's adoptive father years earlier continues to spread, and has now infected her youngest sister Peony.

While one significant part of the story is very predictable, so predictable it may be intentional, I found this unique re-telling of Cinderella to be interesting, relatively fast-paced, with good character development, and I think it could appeal to a wide audience. Even though it is technically sci-fi, the focus is more on the people than the science, and though Cinder is a cyborg, and her technology does play a significant role at time, the focus is really on her humanity.

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Review: The Night Diary

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is told in diary form, with each entry written as a letter from a young Indian girl to her mother, who died shortly after giving birth to her and her twin brother. Set in 1947 amidst the horrible violence that broke out among the different religious factions (Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs) in India after English rule ended and India was divided into Pakistan, set aside as a homeland for the Muslims, and "New" India for the Hindus, Sikhs, and everyone else. The caused a mass migration as Sikh and Hindu families, like Nisha's, had to leave their homes in what was now Pakistan, as Muslims moved in, and violence ensued, with many deaths.

This is a very moving story that will leave the reader shaking their head in disgust at all the senseless fighting and killing over religion. It is well-written and well-paced, and the relationship between Nisha and the family's cook, Kazi, is particularly touching. My only real criticism is that much of the time the writing was too flowery and lyrical, too mature and sophisticated to be convincing as the voice of a 12-year old, and sounded more like an adult remembering and describing events that happened when they were a child, that being written as they happened by a child. It did not bother me overmuch, except in a couple of places, but I do wonder if that would make it less accessible and relatable to children.

I would recommend this to those interested in historical fiction and learning what it is like for other children who have lived through such conflicts, ages 10-14.

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Review: The Poet X

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Like most books in verse, this one took me a little bit to get into, but once I did I couldn't put it down.

Xiomara is the teenage daughter of Dominican immigrants who are very strict and conservative, with her mother being devoutly relgious to the extreme. Xiomara's mother's religious zealotry causes her to be completely close-minded, controlling, and even cruel in the way she treats Xiomara, whose only "crime" has been being unable to stop her body from developing voluptuous curves that attract unwanted attention from boys and men. Xiomara has no voice at home, and instead pours all her feelings into her journal and her poetry. Eventually things reach a breaking point, triggered by her mother catching her kissing a boy, and skipping church to go to poetry club.

This book reminds me of a some others I've read, Gabi: A Girl In Pieces, I'm Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, and Love, Hate & Other Filters, which all feature daughters struggling to find their own identity and live their own lives under the weight of their parents' expectations, control, and obsession with them being "good girls". While these stories happen to feature Latino or Muslim families, I can attest to the fact that this type of repressive and controlling parenting of girls can happen in families of any ethnicity, culture, or religion. Though it was never taken quite to the extreme as in these stories, I grew up in a similar environment were daughters were treated as someone subservient and needing to be kept under strict supervision and tight control so they didn't become "bad girls" and go out and get a bad reputation or get pregnant.

Though I'm no poet, I could strongly identify with Xiomara's feeling like she had no voice, no identity as an individual within her home, and feeling like no one saw her for who she was, or even wanted to. In some ways, I still feel that way. I also related to her twin Xavier's feeling of just trying to lay low and suffer through until they could leave for college. My heart ached for both of them, being unable to express their true selves, and to be loved and accepted for who they were. I found myself getting so angry at the mother, but was pleasantly suprised to see their priest be the voice of reason, reminding her mother that anger and cruelty were sins as well, and encouraging Xiomara to keep asking questions and seeking answers until she was satisfied.

I think all teenagers (or people who have been teenagers) can relate to sometimes feeling like that have no voice, feeling the pressure of others' expectations, and many teen may deal with major conflicts with parents, particular when cultural and religious beliefs are extremely conservative, repressive, and fundamentalist, so this story could appeal to a wide audience.

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Review: Unwind

Unwind by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been wanting to read this for a couple of years, since my manager first told me about it, and thankfully it was on the reading list for my YA Lit class. The story is set slightly in the future, after a second civil war, this time over abortion, which was ended with a bizarre compromise. Babies would no longer be aborted, but at any time between the ages of 13-18 if parents decided they didn't want them, then could have them "unwound", which is basically chopping them up for spare parts and recycling them. The arguement was that in this way, they did not actually die, they went on living in the bodies of other people, and helped others who were sick or injured. In addition, families with 10 children were encourage to give up a child for unwinding as a tithe, which was considered an honor rather than a punishment. [Another odd part of the compromise was that babies could be "storked", or dumped on a doorstep and those that found them were obligated to adopte them, which sometimes resulted in neighbors playing "hot potato" with the poor baby until it died of neglect.]

At the time I first heard of this book, it had a bit of a morbid appeal, as I was dealing with an extremely difficult teenager, who was very rebellious, irresponsible, and getting into all kinds of trouble, much like the main character whose parents have finally reached their limit and sign the order to have him unwound (which cannot be rescinded). Connors only option is to escape, and ends up taking Lev, a tithe who is first angry for Connor interfering in his destiny, and Risa, a ward of the state destined to be unwound simply because she isn't special enough for the state to justify spending any more money on her support and education. Later they meet Hayden, whose parents ordered him to be unwould just to spite each other during a messy divorce. The story follows the trio as they try to escape and stay hidden until they are 18.

I really enjoyed this book, it is well-written, well-paced, and has excellent character development, and we see the characters grow and change as the story progresses. The plot reminded me of an episode of the modern Twilight Zone re-boot from 2002 that starred Amber Tamblyn (of Joan of Arcadia and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) as a rebellious teen whose parents have decided to take the drastic action of moving to a walled community called Evergreen Estates that is supposed to be super family-oriented, promote family values, and curb teenage rebellion (i.e. non-conformity). As it turns out, the way they do this is by executing the rebellious teens and turning them into fertilizer that the family uses to plant a tree "in their honor" (in a nod to the series in which Tamblyn was starring at the time, the fertilizer company was named Arcadia).

This book will likely spark feelings of anger and outrage at how these teen's lives could be so casually taken, and sometimes for such trivial reasons. The scene that describes the "unwinding" of a boy from his perspective (because they keep them conscious!) is very disturbing. This book also brings up questions about life and death and who has the right to decide and when, that may be uncomfortable for some to consider.

I would recommend this for ages 14 and up, for readers who are not intimidated by long books, who tend to like adventure, survival, and dystopian themes, and can handle the overall dark and morbid premise.

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Review: Lifeboat 12

Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book! Perfect for those who love stories about kids overcoming and surviving desperate situations.

Set in England at the beginning of WWII, this a fictionalized account of the experiences of then 13-year old Kenneth Sparks, who spent 8 days adrift in a lifeboat along with 5 other boys, one woman, and a number of crewman after the ship that was supposed to be taking the children to safety in Canada was sunk by a German U-boat only a few days after leaving port.

Written in free verse, the story draws the reader in and continues at a faily quick pace, with the rhythm, font, and word placement on the page helping to convey the mood and actions at points in the story. It is a fairly quick read, and while the background story is very tragic (only 13 of the 90 evacuated children on the ship survived), this story focuses on the miraculous survival of Lifeboat 12, so while there are sad parts, it should not be too much for most middle-grade/younger YA readers.

The author did extensive research, including interviewing the real Ken Sparks, and has included a great deal of factual information an extensive bibliography of source/resources in the end notes, as well as photos.

I would recommend this to any young readers from ages 10-14 who are open to books in verse and enjoy history, adventure, or survival stories, particularly fans of The War That Saved My Life, Refugee, or Hatchet.

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Review: The Outsiders

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really didn't want to read this book again, to be honest, but I had to for a YA Lit class. It's been so long, I couldn't remember exactly what happened and who died, but I knew it was sad and that somebody would die, so I had this sick feeling of impending doom the whole time I was reading it. I found it to be gut-wrenching and depressing, seeing how powerless people are to change their circumstances and are often stuck in a vicious cycle, just as many of the greasers were, but particularly Darry and Ponyboy, who were both very smart, athletically talented, not really interested in looking for violence or trouble, yet could not escape the pigeonhole they were placed in by society and poverty. I found it hard to have as much sympathy for the Socs, even though Hinton tried to show they had problems and sometimes felt as "stuck" themselves. Money may not buy happiness, but it definitely provides more choices.

When I first read this book, I found it hard to relate to. I grew up in a rural area where there was plenty of poverty, but no gangs and very little violence. Sure, an isolated fight might break out every now and then, but they weren't serious and quickly forgotten. Even though I was somewhat of an outsider, being a shy, smart newcomer moving into an area where most people's families had lived for generations and everyone knew everyone else and were related to half of them, I still didn't relate to being an Outsider to that degree. I may have felt a little left out, but never had to worry about being assulted just for being different. As an adult, I am able to look at it much less literally, and am much more able to relate to it in some ways, and of course we have much more and worse gang violence going on almost everywhere in today's society. I do sometimes feel like an outsider at work, where there is a definite and clear divide between full-timers with an MLS and part-timers without. I am friendly with several people at work, but not actually part of anyone's inner circle of friends. I can also relate to the feeling of being trapped or stuck, and not being able to make significant changes in your circumstances.

I think this feeling of being an outsider or feeling trapped in your particular "station" or circumstances in life is something many people can identify with to some degree at some point in their lives, and part of what keeps this book relevant. Gang violence is more widespread now than 50 years ago, so many more people can relate to that aspect now than before. I also think the quality writing and character development is another thing that contributes to its long relevance. Hinton really lets you get to know the characters, not just on the surface, but what they are really like, what they care about, what they dream about. We see their relationships with each other, and how even the violent street-toughened thugs that don't seem to care much about anything, including themselves, care about each other. The relationships among Ponyboy and his brothers are very touching, and Johnny's character just breaks your heart with all the abuse he's been through and the way he is described as looking like a small puppy that's been kicked too many times. We see that beneath the surface, there is some good in all of them. Hinton makes you care deeply about Johnny, just as his friends do, and about the Curtis brothers and what happens to them.

I have to say, I'm not sure exactly who I would recommend this to. While many teens could relate to feeling like outsider or powerless to change the direction of their lives, not everyone could handle how emotional and gut-wrenching it is. I do recall a patron once asking me for similar books, because she had two foster sons (biological brothers) who had been placed with her recently that were around 13-14 and had been through a lot and had read The Outsiders and really liked it and wanted more books by Hinton as well as anything similarly gritty because it was something they related to.

I was first exposed to The Outsiders at a very young age; our teacher read it to us in 5th grade, which I now find rather shocking as I would not typcially recommend it for kids that young. I think it's a bit too heavy and emotional and has too much violence and other mature content (drinking, smoking) for a 10 year old, and as I said, I did not find the content or themes at all relatable at that age, and just took it very literally. I don't think many parents would want 10-year olds reading it, either. I know I was not happy when my son's 5th grade teacher gave him The Hunger Games (great book, but not for a 10 year-old, in my opinion). I would feel more comfortable suggesting this book for ages 13 and up, though there are always exceptions.

I am just amazed and impressed that this was written by a teenager! I did not realize that until a few years ago, and always assumed it was written by someone much older, and male. I can't imagine would it would be like to be just 20 years old and have not only written a book, but had it published, and had everyone talking about it!

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Review: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"We must, we must, we must increase our bust..."

That line totally cracks me up! Believe it or not, I had never read this book, or actually any of her other children's or YA books. I'm not really sure why, unless even the ones published early enough for me to have read as kid weren't in my school library, because I read pretty much everything in my small elementary school (K-8) library. I've known of the author and this and several other of her books, but just never actually got around to reading it.

I did enjoy the book, and I think much of the content is timeless. Sure, the descriptions of clothing and absence of technology are dated, but dealing with relocating, being the new kid and making friends, girls being self-conscious about their development (or lack thereof), girls crushing on boys, gossip, and family issues never go away. The question of religion, and having parents of different religions is probably even more relevant now than in 1970.

I like that the writing was fairly simple and straightforward, and I like the device of having Margaret talking to God to be somewhat like a diary, letting us see more of her inner thoughts and feelings, as well as being part of her religious exploration.

Even though I am much older than the target audience (only 8 years younger than Margaret would be now!), I still enjoyed this book, as those awkward middle school years are hard to forget. I still remember trying to fit in and discussing bras, periods, and boys with the other girls in my class, though religious questioning didn't come until much later in my case. I think this is still a great coming-of-age book for older elementary and middle-school aged girls and would highly recommend it.

I do think this book is a good example of how murky the YA realm is, and perhaps how it may have changed, as I don't know that I'd really consider this YA but it was assigned in my YA Lit class, as I doubt anyone older than 12 would read it, and it seems to really be more for the 10-12 year olds. In the library where I work, we don't use the "YA" designation. We have Everybody (picture books, early readers, simple non-fiction), Juvenile (generally for ages 8-14), and Teen (14-18), and this book is in the Juvenile fiction there. But, I would guess that in 1970, talking so much about periods may have been considered more mature or risque than it is now (and girls physically mature at younger ages now, I believe).

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Review: Full of Beans

Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved Jennifer Holm's Turtle In Paradise, and I've wanted to read this book every since it came out, but just never found the time until now. Full of Beans is actually a prequel to Turtle In Paradise rather than a sequel as I'd first thought, and depicts Key West during the Great Depression and the reform movement that saved it by making it a tourist destination, telling the story of how Beans and his friends came to be "The Diaper Gang".

My favorite vacation spot is an area on Manasota Key that has not yet been overly developed and still has several "Old Florida" homes built in the 40's and 50's on sizeable properties with plenty of wildlife and native tropical forest remaining, so I love books like these that are set in the pre-development days (or like Carl Hiaasen's that have a conservation, anti-development message). The addition of famous authors and artists known to visit Key West is a nice touch. Holm did her research and it shows in the feeling of authenticity the story has. The only thing I question is the use of divinity candy in the plot, as I've always heard that cannot be made on humid days, so I wonder if you could really make a decent batch in Key West.

This is a farily quick, mostly light read, even though it does touch on some serious topics like poverty and consequences from using fire alarms as a distraction, and I would recommend it for young readers from 8-12 who are open to realisitic and historical fiction; it would likely appeal to fans of Beverly Cleary's books, possibly Korman fans as well, and those who aren't quite ready for the gritty reality of some of Paulen's works.



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Review: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A story that has been told before in clinical and legal terms, but deserves to be told again in human terms.

The author did an excellent job telling the story of these girls who were so callously used and discarded by their employers. She captures their joy and comraderie, as young, independent girls, working in what was perceived at the time as a glamorous job, completely oblivious to the deadly poison they were putting into their bodies every day. She also captures their pain and sufferring as they begin to develop strange symptoms and debilitating pain as their bones begin to rot away or become cancerous. We see the toll it takes on their families as well, both emotionally and financially. We also see their courage as some of them by shear force of will fight to hold their former employers accountable.

This book is very well-written and well-paced, with enough background information and details to give a full picture without becoming too boring or slow. It flows in a nice chronological sequence, making the events easy to follow, and captures the heart of the people involved. It is both enraging and heartbreaking to see how these employers treated these young girls, lying to them time and time again, hiding information, stealing bones from a dead body (!), refusing to help them, as well as how many others in the medical community let them down. We have certainly come a long way in terms of workers' rights and workplace safety, but the attitude of treating employees as expendable resources still persists, sadly.

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Review: This Book is Gay

This Book is Gay by James Dawson
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

I am hesitant to give this book a rating or a real review as I am not the intended audience of teenage/young adults who are questioning whether they might be LGTBQ, or adjusting to the realization that they are. I am middle-aged and straight, though I do have an adult child who is gay. So, I'll just share a few thoughts and concerns, rather than a true review.

As an adult, I found the breezy writing style a bit irritating after a while, and hard to take seriously. But, that's probably what would make a teen more comfortable reading it. I do think the author tries a little too hard to be funny, and I wish they had backed up their opinions with some research, in addition to the testimonials from teens. Also, at almost 5 years old now it is a bit dated, and I think there are some cultural/language differences between the UK and the USA that can cause some confusion.

I did like how a lot of basic information was presented that teens might be embarrassed to ask about, like gay sex, having babies, and emphasizing safe sex, and that there was a glossary and list of other sources of information and support. I really liked how the overall message was very positive, supportive, and affirming....basically "you do you, and that's great!"

I do think that even though the book tries to be inclusive, it is really more geared for those who are definitely male or definitely female, interested in sexual relationships, and gay. As the author states, his "experience as a gay, white man is not representative of every gay man, let alone the thousands of gay women, bisexual men and women, and trans people...." Non-binary genders and those who are asexual are not really addressed.

Which brings my to my final concern. In the quote above, the author clearly identifies himself as a "gay, white man", and is putting himself in the position of mentor and advisor to teens who are questioning their identity and orientation. Yet, as I was about to write this non-review, I discovered that just a year after this book was published, the author announced they were actually trans and would now live as a woman named Juno.

So, I can't help but question the validity of a book written to supposedly help questionning teens figure their shit out, when clearly the author had not figured their own shit out yet, and what's worse, did not even own up to their own clearly continued questionning and/or possible fear of living openly as their true identity. Yes, some or most of the information is still useful, but there is a lack of honesty and self-awareness there that I find troubling from someone putting themselves in a position to have potentially significant influence over teens.

Given that, I would imagine that in the last 4-5 years other books have been published that might be better, more inclusive, more representative of current affairs and viewpoints, and more honest and forthright.

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Review: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! It makes you feel all the feels in its depiction of life on the reservation through the eyes of Arnold Spirit, a young teen who has lived his whole life on the Spokane Indian reservation. He tells of being targeted and bullied by kids and adults alike his whole life, simply because of being percieved as weak due to health problems stemming from being born with hydrocephaly and having a generally more sensitive nature, as well as the general hopelessness of the whole population, the resistance to leaving "the rez," and perception of those who do as being traitors.

It is heartbreaking at times for sure, but Arnold, better known simply as "Junior", tells it in a very straight-forward way and with a touch of humor, and the sketches and comic panels by Ellen Forney make a great addition to the text. While the story does make the mass despair of the community, fueled by poverty, depression, and rampant alcoholsim, very clear and shows the tole it takes (Junior is only 14 and has already been to 42 funerals, and 90% of deaths are alcohol-related), it does not have an overly depressive mood, as Junior describes how his parents love him and are supportive and caring, if imperfect, and he fights for a better future. It is sad, yet also humorous and hopeful at the same time.

I know the author has now fallen out of favor due to recent allegations of sexual misconduct, but I think this is still an important book, and while I understand some may choose not to purchase it or read it because they don't want to support and imperfect author, I think it is a professional obligation to at least be familiar with it if you are a librarian or teacher. Also, I'm pretty sure if we look too closely at many famous authors we will find things we don't like. They are human and therefore flawed, and I think you have to separate your opinion of them as a person from their work.

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Review: We Were Liars

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

17-year old Cady has been suffering from debilitating migraines for the last 2 years, every since she sufferred a traumatic event that may have included a possible head injury. She knows something terrible happened, but she can't remember. She knows the rest of her family knows what happened, but won't tell her after doctors advised it was best she remember it on her own. Perhaps a summer back at the family island where it happened, where she can be with her beloved cousins and friend again, is just what she needs. But will she be able to handle the truth when she remembers?

Tear-jerker warning!! Be prepared to ugly cry when reading this book. It is so beautifully written, with such heart-warming relationships full of love and loyalty among the four "Liars", yet so tragic and heartbreaking. But not really depressing. A good choice for someone who needs a good, cathartic cry. Not a good choice to read in public or around other people in general.

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Review: Property of the Rebel Librarian

Property of the Rebel Librarian by Allison Varnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All my library friends must read this tribute to librarians and the freedom to read!

June, a 12-year old avid reader, checks out a new book from the middle school library as she's done many times before. But when her parents see it and disapprove, June's innocent choice of reading material snowballs into the suspension of her beloved school librarian, the sacking and pillaging of the school library, and a ban on all books other that what the school assigns! On top of that, June's parents confiscate all of her personal books at home (later returning them vandalized with ridiculous edits and re-writes). June is devastated, but when she discoveres a Free Little Library nearby, the Rebel Librarian is born!

I loved this book, even though it had my blood boiling by the end of the 3rd chapter. I loved June and related to her love of reading, and I was so angry and frustrated with her parents, as well as the school principal and board members. They were all absolutely narrow-minded and ridiculous, and I hope a gross exaggeration of the degree of censorship that is really out there, though I do know of some cases where communities have gotten up in arms over specific books. June also deals with budding romance, betrayal, and figuring out when and how to stand up for herself. The book is fast-paced and has a satisfying ending.

I would recommend this to all librarians and English teachers, and to kids who are passionate about reading and making their own choices about what they read. This is a manifesto of sorts, about the importance of the freedom of information, equal access, and anti-censorship in regards to children. [The author also wrote an article for Brightly recently about the importance of letting kids make their own choices about what they read.]

While the book that set off the whole book-banning frenzy in this story is fictitious, many other great children's books are mentioned, including classics like Old Yeller, popular fiction like Harry Potter, and potentially controversial books like George, and a complete bibliography of all of them is provided in the endnotes.

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Review: Louisiana's Way Home

Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have to say I was a little disappointed in this book. I was looking forward to the trio of Louisiana, Beverly, and Raymie having another adventure and getting to know them better and watching their friendship deepen and grow. Instead it's all about Louisiana having her own adventure and finding out some surprising information about her family history after her Granny takes her and sneaks out of town in the middle of the night.

The story is told in Lousiana's voice, in the form of a letter documenting the events of her unwilling flight from Florida and the events that followed. Louisiana is very precocious and adorable with the way she talks to people and relays her story, but the story seemed too short and rushed, and too much in Louisiana's head. I think it needed more involvement and development of some of the other characters, and I think we needed to get to know the Allen family a little before before Lousiana's decision.

It's okay, and I would recommend it to readers who enjoyed the first book, but I think it could've been better. I'm curious if there will be a third book about Beverly...

[I received this as a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

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Review: Merci Suárez Changes Gears

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I've read Meg Medina's Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, but I had not read any of her work for younger readers before.

In this story we see Merci, a young girl who is adjusting to changes in her life (starting middle school, ageing grandparents, older brother about to leave for college) and finding she is starting to resent all the obligations that her extended family dumps on her, and sacrifices they expect of her, without ever including her in the conversation or decision making. Plus, her beloved grandfather who she has always had a special relationship with, begins to act strangely, leaving Merci with very mixed feelings when he asks her not to tell anyone about his "incidents".

This story deals with all the typical tween-angst of navigating friendships, frenemies, changing social structures in middle school, trying to become more independent, dealing with parental and familial expectations, all with the added nuances of the cultural expectations. There is the added conflict of having a relative with Alzheimer's, at first not understanding the odd behavior, angry outbursts, and forgetfulness, and then feeling angry and betrayed after finding out the family knew of the illness for some time and kept it from her.

I thought the story was well-written and well-paced, with great characters. I loved Merci's whole extended family, but I greatly emphathized with her resentment of the unfair expectations put on her. I think this is a great story for all young readers, but those who have similar close, extended family units would appreciate seeing that type of family represented.

[I received this as a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

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Review: The Dollar Kids

The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While I had a little bit of trouble connecting with the story and characters at the very beginning, I was quickly caught up in Lowen's struggle to overcome the guilt he felt in the death of the boy who lived across the hall, and the Grover family's struggle to start over in a small town where apparently not everyone welcomed them.

There is a lot going on in this book with it's ensemble case of characters, but I think it is generally all pulled together pretty well. I thought the idea of a family buying a "dollar house" (a foreclosed, rundown house sold for only a $1, with the stipulation the purchaser perform repairs and improvements within a year) very interesting, and though the mixed reactions from the locals were spot on: some would be welcoming, some would assume they were poor, and many would regard them with suspicion as "outsiders".

Although Lowen's father remained a bit of a stranger due to his staying in the city for much of the book, I thought the characters of the rest of the family were fairly well-developed, particularly Lowen and his mother. I could relate to his mother's dream of her own business, and to feeling like an outsider in a small-town. The story touched on so many things. Initially it seemed to be all about Lowen's guilt (which I liked seeing that he used his art to work through), but it was also very much about friendship, with Lowen finally understanding there are different types of friendship and realizing he and Abe were friends, and gradually building a friendship with Dylan. It was also about starting over, working hard, overcoming obstacles, and how a dying town finally came together and reinvented itself.

I really enjoyed this and will definitely recommend it!

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Review: The Storm Runner

The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3-1/2 stars. This is the second book published under Rick Riordan's new Disney imprint "Rick Riordan Presents". In Rordan's own words, the purpose of this new imprint is:

"....to publish great books by middle grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage."

I do love the idea of an established author helping to promote new authors, especially those from underrepresented groups, and I respect Riordan for going that route rather than using unknown authors as ghostwriters and publishing them under his own name, a practice that has always seemed rather predatory to me.

However, I am not sure I really heard the author's voice in this story. I felt like it was too similar to Riordan's style and just seemed really cookie-cutter to me. It was not bad, and I can't really point out any specific flaws, other than the character development just wasn't quite there for me and it just wasn't as engaging. I usually hate to put a book down until I'm finished, but that wasn't the case with this one. I also found I was more interested in some of the supporting characters, like Ms. Cab and Jazz, than the main character. However, I have read so many middle-grade books based on mythology in the last few years I think I am just really burned out on the genre.

In this story, Zane Obispo is the only child of a single mother who feels self-conscious because one leg is shorter than the other, resulting in his walking with a limp. His seemingly normal life is interrupted by some very unusual events and a new shape-shifting friend. He soon discovers that he is the son of a Mayan creation god, and must destroy Ah Puch, the god of death, whom Zane had released from where the gods had imprisoned him.

I am still curious to see other titles from this new imprint, and I would suggest them for young readers looking for something similar to Riordan's Percy Jackson and other series.

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Review: Children of Blood and Bone

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have very mixed feelings about this book. Because of all the hype and the long wait to get a copy from my library, I had very high expectations, and I just didn't feel like it lived up to the hype. I know there's a lot of exitement about it because of having an author who is a POC, particularly in the fantasy genre.

I'll start with the good. The story did grab my interest right away, and held it most of the time. I love the cover art. I really liked the character of Amari, the princess who rebels against her father and brother to do what is right. I loved the growth in her character, from a frightened princess who made an impusive decision after seeing her father murder her maid and best friend, but not really having a clue what she was doing, to a strong fighter who had the courage of her convictions and is determined to claim the throne in order to lead her country into peace.

I would not say anything was really BAD about it, but some things were annoying. It was very preditable in many ways, especially the romance between the princess Amari and Tzain, the main character's brother, and the ill-fated romance between Zelie and crown prince Inan. Readers can see the sad end of that before it ever gets started, due to Inan's desire for his father's approval overriding any hint of decency and good character he has. In my opinion, the book would have been so much better if that romantic subplot had been left out entirely.

Zelie's character was at times very sympathetic, likeable, and admirable, but at others very annoying because of her poor choices and not learning from past mistakes, which end up costing many, many lives. I'd really like to see the characters of her brother and the princess play a bigger role. The other thing I found annoying was the juxtaposition of a setting that felt like a very anicent time and culture, and the sometimes very modern speech and phrases. Some of the dialog just didn't seem to fit the culture and time. Also, I found the adding of "aire" to the end of real animal names as a naming device for all the fantastical animals annoying, too.

And finally I wondered about the facets of Yoruba legends, mythology, and language being used in high fantasy. I would rather see folklore that is an authentic and accurate representation of an actual culture's mythology and language, or fantasy that is truly all fantantiscal and fictional, rather than a mixing of the two, and another reviewer who self-identifies as Yoruban indicated this usage and representation was problematic to them, as well.

I don't want to disuade anyone from reading this book, but since it has been hyped SO much, I felt more compelled to point out some of the potential flaws. This book is the first of a trilogy, so that's good news to the many who loved it, though I doubt I will read the rest, but will look at summaries and skim them as I am curious about what happens next.

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Review: The End of the World and Beyond

The End of the World and Beyond by Avi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not realize that this book was the sequel to The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts: Being an Absolutely Accurate Autobiographical Account of My Follies, Fortune, and Fate, which came out last year, until after I started reading it. While I would prefer to have read the first book before this one, it does work as a stand-alone since Oliver graciously gives the reader a quick summary of the events in the first book.

In this story, Oliver's misfortune contintues as he is sentenced to 7 years of indentured servitude, and sent to the American colonies, where after surviving attrocious conditions on the ship, he is eventually sold to a cruel master, who boasts of murdering another boy because he thought he was going to run away. Oliver is befriended by Bara, the slightly older black slave boy, and the two begin to plan an escape, but Oliver's recklessness causes them to have to leave immediately, escaping into the swamp. Can they evade both capture and the dangers of the swamp and find sanctuary in the legendary Maroons?

Part history lesson about the disparity between the haves and have-nots in 18th century Britain, the shockingly harsh laws of that time, and the great cruelties inflicted on people and children who were just trying to survive, and heart-stopping tale of survival, this story would appeal to middle-grade readers who are looking for adventure, stories of survival and facing adversity, and enjoy or are at least open to historical fiction. Some readers might be a little put-off by the language and writing style, but if they stick with it will soon be drawn into the story.

This book is fairly fast-paced with short chapters, with a satisfying, though somewhat contrived, ending. My biggest criticism is that the ending seemed a bit rushed, very convenient and contrived, without enough explanation. Based on the way the book ended, I would not be surprised to see a third book that reveals Bara's fate.

[I received this book as a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

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