Gosh, who could love this more? It's basically 4.5 if not as I think about it more, a five star book because of the subject of two characters being frGosh, who could love this more? It's basically 4.5 if not as I think about it more, a five star book because of the subject of two characters being friends, one an elementary schooler named Sophie and the other, an elderly neighbor named Sophie is the stuff of beautiful stories.
There is an impending sense of dread by the younger Sophie-- she's overheard a parental comment that the elder Sophie's son is coming to visit and it's likely that he'll be taking her to be evaluated and remove her from her home because her mind is slipping. The younger Sophie knows this can't happen because the elder is her best friend. They enjoy food, conversation, and life together. Therefore she devises a bit of a plan to do some pre-evaluative understanding of Sophie's abilities and realizes that just maybe things aren't going to go the way the younger Sophie wants and the elder is actually losing some of her faculties. It reminds me of the Shel Silverstein poem that I had in my sons' room for quite some time called "The Little Boy and the Old Man."
This is one of Lowry's best and we know her intimate connection with memory loss that gave us the ultimate GOAT: The Giver, which I recently reread.
"Dear Great-Aunt Kate, Thank you very much for the bath salts. I have never had bath salts before. In fact, I have never had any kind of bathwater additive. Isn't it interesting that they call them salts? What if they called them bath peppers? Ha ha. Seriously, the container is very pretty, and lemon verbena is one of my favorite scents. Well, lemon is. I have not smelled verbena before. But I expect I will like it very much. Love, Sophie".
And the last chapter-- chef's kiss! Ralphie for the win in the way that Arch was there for Tully in Deep Water. ...more
I'm a Marks fan so I was excited to listen to the Netgalley digital audio copy about Elise, a girl who wakes up the day after her birthday and realizeI'm a Marks fan so I was excited to listen to the Netgalley digital audio copy about Elise, a girl who wakes up the day after her birthday and realizes that she's just time jumped but no one else seems to notice but it's made quite clear that something is up because her friends are no longer her friends and she's got to uncover the mystery about why she's the only one that seems to have time jumped.
A friend jumps into the mix to try to identify what's up as well. It involves a few trips to a local store, plenty of investigation from phones to photography class clues, questions to her family, and more, plus there's some "history" by including bits about the pandemic.
The story is approachable, feels classic for the intended audience, and isn't overwritten. Enjoyable! ...more
A bit of a throwback. I remember having a few of them though I don't much remember playing with them or the stories around them however this edition iA bit of a throwback. I remember having a few of them though I don't much remember playing with them or the stories around them however this edition includes a contemporary story, a throwback story, and a mix of another short story to make it a bit of a collection of stories to bring a new generation back to My Little Pony.
Beautifully colored illustrations, uncrowded panels and pages, and a nifty little story. ...more
It's quite the middle grade. Solidly focused on Greta's start to middle school in seventh grade with her best friend Lottie by her side, Greta is apprIt's quite the middle grade. Solidly focused on Greta's start to middle school in seventh grade with her best friend Lottie by her side, Greta is apprehensive about how to approach new friendships, school, and the attention of boys. Each of these segments of her life are authentic and then her mom adds in that they'll be moving to a new home, their dream home, but that means changes in Greta's already chaotic internal life as a middle schooler and moving farther away from Lottie.
She begins to receive attention from a boy that turns out to be anything but positive at a party and because of this experience, shifts begin happening in Greta- it starts with an orange pigmentation of her skin that draws attention at school (it's middle school EVERYONE is looking at her) and then there's a luminescence and it goes from there. While her parents are concerned and seek the advice of doctors, her goofy younger brother is intrigued.
This is to say the magical takes precedent over the realistic as she metamorphoses a la Kafka as she struggles with the violation to her body that this love interest (who now pretends she doesn't exist) attacked her with.
At its core, the book is about friendship and body autonomy and I don't quite know how I feel about the magical transformation as a result of the trauma- for Greta it is freeing but does it help make real the message its trying to send for the intended audience? Either way, unique and memorable with a Barbara Dee /Kimberley Brubaker Bradley feel....more
This brightly colored nonfiction book about caves around the world features first and foremost the animal creatures that dwell in the caves in additioThis brightly colored nonfiction book about caves around the world features first and foremost the animal creatures that dwell in the caves in addition to noting the structures that make the animals the way they are who live permanently inside the cave systems or the ones that visit only occasionally.
You can bounce around the book if you'd like rather than reading it cover to cover but it's the kind of cool information that kids love to learn about and share with others or that teachers can show to their students to demonstrate that truth is often stranger than fiction. I was personally intrigued by the olm which is an eyeless salamander as well as the little-known dragon god cave loach that was discovered in 2009 in a Chinese cave.
Plus I also now want to visit Mammoth Cave in Kentucky....more
It starts off with "to kids who spend most of their time at the library" so what's not to love by the illustrators but when Weaver Jr. endears us all It starts off with "to kids who spend most of their time at the library" so what's not to love by the illustrators but when Weaver Jr. endears us all with his plight as a weirdo/nerd and finding the balance of friendships and believing in yourself.
In Weaver Jr.'s case that meant moving schools somewhat frequently and then eventually after a suicide attempt that is explained, but not in detail, in the story to share what Weaver Jr. went through until he began attending a new school in which he found a literature club and worked through being different as all the kids in the club were different- be it that they liked drama and performance, manga/anime, or were just plain weird like Weaver Jr. who still enjoyed his vivid imagination of superheroes and imagined worlds which plays into the story at various intervals.
There's a bit of unevenness to the story though- at the beginning he relied heavily on metaphors like gardens/planting and others to share what he was feeling and how he was trying to cope which all kind of dissipated when the trajectory of the story changed and then there was the pacing at the end, it felt like it abruptly came to a head with saving the school- the end! The denouement didn't exist the way the seeming buildup did.
But that's a smaller detail compared to the outsized message of owning who you are and feeling supported and being kind to yourself. ...more
The Welcome to the Museum series continues to mesmerize me with the information and the visual nature of the oversized books.
This one about trees froThe Welcome to the Museum series continues to mesmerize me with the information and the visual nature of the oversized books.
This one about trees from the zones across the planet from fruit trees to sequoias, the web of information passed along the root systems, and how they protect themselves and their seeds to name a few approaches. ...more
**spoiler alert** Isabel feels invisible because she's overstimulated by the busyness of her household between her siblings and parents. She's startin**spoiler alert** Isabel feels invisible because she's overstimulated by the busyness of her household between her siblings and parents. She's starting to notice these stomachaches appearing more frequently and that ramp up now that school has started. She's just not clicking with the girl friend group in her classroom and ends up being left out of a birthday party of Monica's though because it's a middle grade story, ends with a hopefulness that warms the heart including how to get help and keep focused rather than letting overwhelming feelings get in the way.
Not only was the stomachache a part of her neurodiversity but she ended up actually have surgery because of a burst appendix that coincided with her needing to get some help.
It's sweet and inclusive and written in a verse format to make it even more palatable.
"Isabel told Mama even more. / She explained about the Too-Muchness- / when all the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches / of the world / did a dizzy dance in her head / and unbalanced her into bewilderment. / Mama listened / and listened / and listened some more."
And the brainstorm pages about things she could do like moving her desk or writing down homework, belly-breathing, or teaching about sportsmanship and having assigned seating at lunch are all applicable in so many ways without the intensity even that Isabel has to need them. They're all useful strategies for everyone....more
Based on a true story, this graphic novel for middle and high schoolers features a girls basketball team in the middle of the country where every girlBased on a true story, this graphic novel for middle and high schoolers features a girls basketball team in the middle of the country where every girl was Muslim. It just so happened. And their new coach, a non-Muslim work together to come back from losing the first handful of games to have a winning season for which media attention was paid to them for their differences as an all-Muslim team.
A sports focused graphic novel with friendship, hard work in sports, basketball breaks, and still plenty about the girls lives it would pair well with the Huda books because there are instances where the girls are asked about wearing their hijab while playing or experiencing racism from other teams, however it's a wholesome take on a sports story that would also pair well with a Kwame Alexander story like The Crossover or Booked.
The pacing works well as does the progression however it did feel like it ended more abruptly than it should have. But the glimpse into a girls sports team that was positive was awesome. Go teamwork. ...more
The summer festival is upon us and the two, Taiki and Chinatsu are navigating their feelings for one another, living together because Chinatsu's familThe summer festival is upon us and the two, Taiki and Chinatsu are navigating their feelings for one another, living together because Chinatsu's family is away, and being the best at their sports, badminton and basketball respectively.
I adore this series for the romance, the friendships, and the sports and will continue to read it and love it and share it with others. ...more
The book refocuses plenty of character development in this fourth volume after Chinatsu helps nurse Taiki back to health and they have a little heart The book refocuses plenty of character development in this fourth volume after Chinatsu helps nurse Taiki back to health and they have a little heart to heart that ends up with her falling on him on the bed. There's less sports in this one but more about their overarching goals in their respective sports while navigating their relationship to one another through the lens of others including Taiki's friend who like Taiki without outwardly saying it. Ending up at a festival with fireworks brings them together in different circles.
So sweet and wonderful, I love this wholesome sporty romance and Chinatsu's message "not to be afraid to have lofty goals". ...more
Mia spends each summer at a STEM camp with Tariq and they have the best nerdy time together... except now Tariq will be going to her school because TaMia spends each summer at a STEM camp with Tariq and they have the best nerdy time together... except now Tariq will be going to her school because Tariq's family is moving to Mia's area and Tariq's mom will be her mom's boss. Mia is nervous because she's kind of embarrassed by her family (including her ant-loving younger brother) and her mom's obsession with clipping coupons and her grandmother's unorthodox love of science for which she does a lot of experiments in the garage.
When Tariq steps off the plane, he looks... hot. Totally different than the Tariq from summer camp and as the new school year begins, friendships are stressed while new friendships are created and everything with Tariq is a little off. But they do have the robot build in science class.
It focuses on all the right notes for middle school- budding relationships, friendships, being different while wanting to fit in, and all of the rest of it. Brings an older reader right back while reflecting the experiences for a middle schooler for them. ...more
And now this one about the bugs made me excited to know and learn more tidbits about bugs because she's exceptionHello, super big fan of Gravel here.
And now this one about the bugs made me excited to know and learn more tidbits about bugs because she's exceptionally in love with bugs and wants everyone else to love them too which she does with humor and facts. She shares antennae names and wing shapes, strong bugs and ones that look like sticks and did you know that the praying mantis is the only insect that can turn it's head?
I put these up there with the "Welcome to the Museum" series for visual learning! ...more
Gravel's humor and science mashups are the type of thing to get a kid excited about the topic of creepy crawly critters but her infectiousness lends iGravel's humor and science mashups are the type of thing to get a kid excited about the topic of creepy crawly critters but her infectiousness lends itself to simply being curious and excited about anything in science and finding a way to share it out. In her world, she loves insects and bugs and crawly things and designs humorous short books about the subject.
In this collection, she focuses on worms, flies, and spiders. She shares what she finds fascinating about them and illustrates an anthropomorphized version of their lives.
A magical world that showcases Elatsoe's grandmother in bringing the world to light in a way that focuses on the still ongoing issue of missing personA magical world that showcases Elatsoe's grandmother in bringing the world to light in a way that focuses on the still ongoing issue of missing persons. In this story, Shane's mother hunts down missing persons but when her mother and the missing boy are now missing, Shane is determined to figure out why especially because it means tracking down some experts and figuring out what is up with this fairy ring and why it matters to the disappearance.
It's an entire world that is warm and cozy while being about a strong girl looking to lean into her beliefs, culture, and find a way through, ghost dogs and all. ...more
The kind of book that libraries should own. It shows the reality of dog ownership- they're great companions but they have variable temperaments dependThe kind of book that libraries should own. It shows the reality of dog ownership- they're great companions but they have variable temperaments depending on the type of dog. They're the best to take on walks and have fun with but also you have to care for them including potty training and regular vet visits. They're entertainment but you also have to make sure they're safe from dangerous foods and you wipe them down if they're wet.
All of the items are useful tips and would be a book that a parent could read to their kid who starts asking "can we have a dog?"
The illustration quality is sparing and lovely alongside the information itself. ...more
I didn't know I was part of the Elise Gravel club but I think I clearly am. I read the Mushroom book and the first Olga book and now having read this I didn't know I was part of the Elise Gravel club but I think I clearly am. I read the Mushroom book and the first Olga book and now having read this fantastically funny graphic novel science book for kids and I'm an even bigger fan.
Who knew microbes were that adorable? Well it's because Gravel adds faces and mouths even though they don't have any. And what she also does is explains why microbes should be paid attention to, they're not just for bad diseases that no one wants but they are to help with gut health in things like bread. The families include bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, and algae. She talks about things like bacteriophage which is a virus that ONLY attacks bacteria and that the useful bacteria we have in our intestines helps us digest food, send nutrients to the rest of our bodies and produces farts.
I can learn about science all day with this exciting illustrative nonfiction book. ...more
A little bit of an oldie but my son checked it from the library so I dove in. I'm getting to enjoy a space odyssey in my old age so this science fictiA little bit of an oldie but my son checked it from the library so I dove in. I'm getting to enjoy a space odyssey in my old age so this science fiction about a girl named Amy who lives in space with her miner father and mother. But he lost his job after an accident and they'll now be moving to Earth after being cryogenically frozen for the thirty-year journey. Her friends "back home" in space will age, but she will remain the teen girl she was when she left which will make friendship with her best friend much more difficult.
The journey is successful and it seems like the family is living a fairly comfortable lifestyle. With Amy in school figuring out how to navigate her synesthesia and being very smart in the sciences but lacks in the humanities, she's also super curious about this boy-- who has no smell/aura.
I guess, to be continued...
The art style and dialogue is casual but focused so it's a literal scifi graphic novel that doesn't overcomplicate a story which I think is helpful for undiscovered readers. ...more
One of the most fun things about Yang's book is she always drops in books to read like creating her own booklist with her characters' lives. Yang alsoOne of the most fun things about Yang's book is she always drops in books to read like creating her own booklist with her characters' lives. Yang also creates basic but complex stories about characters- in this case Lina, whose mom sells bath bombs. Social media needs to be the way to win new customers and as she is on the cusp of teenagehood where a cell phone is now a rite of passage just like social media is, there's a lot to navigate when it comes to how anyone interacts and responds to social media. It's as much a teachable book as it is a sweet coming of age story.
Lina is dealing with puberty and body changes, including b-double o- b s and a like interest. ...more
This perfectly realistic story is what Dee is known for and why she is a beloved author for middle grade.
Lyla is ready to dive into to her writing worThis perfectly realistic story is what Dee is known for and why she is a beloved author for middle grade.
Lyla is ready to dive into to her writing world because ideas are overflowing, there's even an opportunity for a writing contest but putting this deadline on Lyla makes her a little... stuck. Plus she's got friendship issues when her best friend ends up at the other middle school and it's tough making new friends- the one girl, Journey is cool, but she hasn't really spent enough time getting to know her. And her older sister, a senior in high school is going through stuff related to her post-high school plans.
These feelings of being stuck are coming from a few different angles but Lyla's got a supportive teacher as one of the ways to help her through it, plus realizing that she'll have to dig deep within herself but she can come out of it just fine.
There would be no mistaking the messages of this story having been written by the awesome Barbara Dee.
... and cookies! Cookies always help! I like the connection between Dee's afterward and the chapters. ...more
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