A cute little paranormal middle grade graphic novel about a young girl who discovers that she's a werewolf, her struggles with controlling it, her relA cute little paranormal middle grade graphic novel about a young girl who discovers that she's a werewolf, her struggles with controlling it, her relationship with her mother and the family of werewolves she meets, and a budding friendship/romance with a girl her age. I liked the art style a lot; I usually prefer more vivid colours, but the muted scheme worked with the theme here. There's something really physical and satisfying about the style and the facial expressions. I loved all the hair styles, and this is simple, but I really liked seeing the head ties and hair bonnets when people went to sleep, haha. The plot itself was fine, mostly standard paranormal fare, but I do think it'd be entertaining for its intended audience. The little romance was very adorable, and it had all the expected themes and messages.
Listened to a lot of this alongside the audio, which was interesting, if not ideal. I wanted to try it since it was available. The pages turned automatically and if there was a page with mostly art and only a little dialogue, the pages would turn before I got the chance to really look at the art, which wasn't always ideal. So I ended up pausing the narration in a few parts to just read it myself. Cute stuff; I'll recommend it to my nieces....more
2.5 stars. Fun little fantasy/adventure romp about a kid who goes to spend the summer with his uncle and cousin in the Louisiana bayou, and ends up le2.5 stars. Fun little fantasy/adventure romp about a kid who goes to spend the summer with his uncle and cousin in the Louisiana bayou, and ends up learning a bunch of secrets about the family, their powers and his deceased father. It has a creative little magic system (absorbing animal powers through their teeth and claws, which is both macabre and cool) and the plot isn't quite as straightforward as I'd thought it was gonna be. One particular plot point made me kinda emotional. I caaaaaan't say I was riveted by the mystery or fell in love with the characters, but it was a fun time. Listened to the audiobook as read by Josh Hurley, who did lots of great voices, and there were a lot of sound effects and music for ambiance. Another book I'll happily pass along to my nieces....more
2.5 stars. I wanted to read some classic fairy tales from the source, since I have vague future plans of reading a few retellings based on some of the2.5 stars. I wanted to read some classic fairy tales from the source, since I have vague future plans of reading a few retellings based on some of these. I realised soon after borrowing that this isn't the source; the translator pretty much rewrote the stories after translating them, and put his own spin on most of them. Particularly Beauty and the Beast by de Villeneuve. And he also adjusted the Perrault stories, I believe. Ah well. It was still an enjoyable read. Not as much whimsy as I would have expected to get, and quite a lot more moralising than I did expect, but still good. Listened to the audiobook as read by Roe Kendall, who has one of those lovely, classic voices. I'm not quite confident enough in my French to read the old French straight from the source, so I guess until I am, this'll have to do....more
A cute little middle grade mystery about a young girl visiting her grandmother in New Orleans and getting involved in a treasure hunt for a long lost A cute little middle grade mystery about a young girl visiting her grandmother in New Orleans and getting involved in a treasure hunt for a long lost family relic. It's wrapped up in clues that follow a popular nursery rhyme, and Viva visits the French Quarter, libraries, circuses and zoos in her little quest to find the truth. It was creative, though not super absorbing.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Bahni Turpin, which is what elevates this from a 2.5 to a 3. Not only is the narration really good, but there are lots of sound effects and music (lots of jazz) that make it super atmospheric and fun to listen to. I'm keeping a little list of books I can recommend to my nieces, and this is going right on it....more
2.5 stars. As always, I'll start with a disclaimer about how this clearly isn't written for me and might probably do better in the hands of the intend2.5 stars. As always, I'll start with a disclaimer about how this clearly isn't written for me and might probably do better in the hands of the intended age group, but even so, I found this little collection a bit underwhelming? I grew up with a lot of R.L. Stine, and I feel like he's usually more creative than this? Most of these stories just felt very bland, sadly. EXCEPT for the last one, which went places I didn't think it would (especially for a middle grade book) and got kinda creepy. So kudos to Ellen Oh.
Listened to the audiobook as read by a full cast, and that was really really fun. Lots of actors and neat sound effects made it like a little mini movie. I have to admit, all of the stories seemed to really skimp on the prose, and a lot of things were awkwardly put into dialogue (characters narrating their actions aloud, etc) but I got used to it, I guess. I'll recommend this to my nieces! And I get to finally cross this off my list of 'For some reason I bought this so by God I'll read it' books.
2.5 stars. A cute little middle grade fantasy about a mischievous young girl who finds a djinni in a sardine tin outside her boarding school, and the 2.5 stars. A cute little middle grade fantasy about a mischievous young girl who finds a djinni in a sardine tin outside her boarding school, and the adventure and troubles that fall out from it. Historical fantasy is always fun, and I like a good headstrong heroine. But this wasn't really the kind of charming fantasy I was hoping it'd be, and even though the morals it imparts come from a good place, I found myself a little disappointed by a few things. But, as I always say: I am not the audience! Listened to the audiobook as read by Jayne Entwistle, which was quite charming. As far as books for preteens/young teens go, you could definitely do worse....more
3.5 stars. I think I can safely say that this was not what I was expecting when I picked up a middle grade science fiction book. Parts of it feel alm3.5 stars. I think I can safely say that this was not what I was expecting when I picked up a middle grade science fiction book. Parts of it feel almost young adult and some other parts feel like they were aimed at adults. Not that I think that this is inappropriate for the age group that it's aimed at, but it was just surprising. Mostly in a good way. The author did a good job of getting into our main character's head, exploring those frustrations when you're a kid and you feel so misunderstood/ignored/disappointed, and it's all wrapped up in a really difficult and visceral adventure on an alien planet. I mostly really liked this.
We're following a boy whose parents are wannabe space prospectors, in search of new life on alien planets, trying to make discoveries that no one else has made before. Micah wants to go home to his friends and school and everything he knows; his parents do not. When Micah gets stranded on the alien planet Sovereign, he has to survive the harsh world and all of the unexpected things he finds there, while trying to make his way back to his parents. I really like survival stories, especially when we're on new or different worlds, so I liked that aspect of the plot. The things that Micah has to go through are genuinely very tough and I feel like the author did a good job of conveying that through words, all of the danger that he was legitimately in. There were some great, really harrowing moments. I enjoyed the way this connected back to his life on Earth, his friends and everything about his frustrations with his parents. The book did flashbacks in a way I didn't actually hate! The approach to alien flora/fauna/life wasn't completely unique but it was still really interesting, and again, just not something that I expected to find in a middle grade book. Ultimately I wasn't totally convinced by the story, because it is middle grade and that's just not something that I love reading, but the sci-fi aspects were things I really like, and in general it was super solid.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Jesse Einstein, and while it wasn't a super memorable performance, I did like the time that I spent with it. This was something that I got for free a while ago and I wanted to read it just to get it off of my list, but now I think I'll be genuinely interested in reading further books if and when this author does put them out. Kudos....more
This was really adorable! Just sat down and read it with my niece; we both had a great time. The illustrations are so bright and lovingly rendered; thThis was really adorable! Just sat down and read it with my niece; we both had a great time. The illustrations are so bright and lovingly rendered; the perfect vehicle for its message. <3...more
This is an audiobook I got for free a while back, and I only picked it up because I'm trying to listen and t
“What did you think it was? An alien?”
This is an audiobook I got for free a while back, and I only picked it up because I'm trying to listen and to read more things I own rather than borrowing them. I'm so glad I did, because I genuinely enjoyed this so much! It's a really fun middle grade science fiction/adventure book; perfect for kids. I've seen a lot of people describe it as "Home Alone... in space" and that's actually spot on as a description. Zero and his family are aboard a colony spaceship, leaving from Earth and bound for a new planet 20 light years ago. Everyone's supposed to be in stasis for over 100 years, but Zero's pod malfunctions, waking him way too early, and he finds that the ship is being boarded by space pirates who want to hijack it. What follows is a really fun caper that manages to be scientifically sounds (as far as I could tell, as a layman) and sometimes serious, but also really entertaining.
The full cast audio was perfect; I haven't listened to one of those in a while and I forgot how immersive and entertaining they can be? Especially with all the side effects. This was great from start to finish, and had so many of my favourite science fiction tropes, so I'm super happy I read it....more
“This time, I didn’t trouble trouble. Trouble came troubling me. And I intend to do something about it.”
This one joins the ranks of books that did
“This time, I didn’t trouble trouble. Trouble came troubling me. And I intend to do something about it.”
This one joins the ranks of books that didn't quite work for me, but that I'd still readily recommend to people interested in these genres.
Although, I mean, it's not that it didn't work for me. A lot of things about this certainly seem as if it's catered to me. It's a children's/middle-grade fantasy/folklore book that draws onCaribbean history and mythology. When I saw that the author is a fellow Trini, I was beyond excited to read this. It's a story about a young girl, Corinne, who with the help of some friends finds herself facing up against an ancient, malevolent jumbie, bent on revenge for something that Corinne doesn't quite understand.
My biggest and main disappointment with this book is how it was written. In complete, standard English. It's set on an unnamed island that's very clearly supposed to be in the Caribbean, and I recognised Trinidadian fruits and customs and sayings on every other page, but there was pretty much no dialect or slang. And the thing is, this isn't a critique of the book. The author is writing for an international audience, and for a younger age group. I definitely don't think that either of those things is exactly a barrier to writing with dialect, but I understand that even if the author had wanted to do it, a publisher/editor might have thought differently. But I'm still hugely disappointed, because it made everything about that story and the setting seem washed out and sterile to me. Two orphan bush boys talking with near perfect grammar and syntax? I couldn't get behind it.
Again! This is not a critique; it's simply something that made me enjoy the story a little less than I might have. I'm someone who adores reading dialect in books, and I thought I would get it here, and I didn't, and I was sad. And I mean, that's fine. I'm also just not the audience for this. There are some children's/middle grade books that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and some that are written purely for children, and I think this sits squarely in the latter category. And that's okay.
This is a really creative and inventive book that draws on the stories and legends that I grew up hearing, and I really appreciate that. As Baptiste says in this clip, she's taking something that's been largely oral tradition, and trying to write it for a larger audience (including people in the Caribbean, and the Caribbean diaspora). And that's important.
If you like middle grade fantasy, and learning about different types of folklore, give this a try.
"My Ritu didi is getting married today, and I'm going to dance in her baraat all the way!"
Absolutely adorable and important children's book that follo"My Ritu didi is getting married today, and I'm going to dance in her baraat all the way!"
Absolutely adorable and important children's book that follows a young Indian girl at her cousin's wedding. But her cousin is marrying another woman, and not everyone is happy about that. It's a simple book with a strong message about standing up to intolerance, and finding joy and happiness despite adversity. It's written simply enough for its audience, and has a nice little glossary of Hindi words at the end. The art is really really good, and absolutely what makes this work! A lot of the storytelling is left to the art, and it does a great job with it. It's so vibrant and bold, with a unique style that strikes the perfect balance: very eye-catching and cartoony enough to be engaging for kids, while also being beautiful on a general scale. This would be a great one to read with kids, or give to little readers to peruse on their own.
Could use a closer edit for clarity in some sentences, and a couple of tense errors.
Really lovely all in all. I love seeing books about same-sex relationships that are written for younger audiences, and it's great to get those stories from diverse voices and cultures. <3
“You don’t need other people to know the truth also. Just as long as you got that truth in you.”
A really sweet and moving story about working through “You don’t need other people to know the truth also. Just as long as you got that truth in you.”
A really sweet and moving story about working through grief, family, fears, prejudice, and coming to know and accept yourself. It has a sweetly fantastical feel to it, almost ethereal, that works through the wonderful descriptions, the setting and the use of dreams. Our protagonist King is such a good kid, in all his anger and confusion and mourning. I love how the author manages to make Khalid such a rich and brilliant character, even though he's already passed away when the book begins. And the premise itself is so lovely. This book has a lot of good things to say, especially about death and grief coming near the end, that I think will be really good for children to read.
"Yeah," I said. "At least, I was sure. And I don't like changing my mind."
This was an extremely charmi"And you're sure you hate Michael?" Sage asked.
"Yeah," I said. "At least, I was sure. And I don't like changing my mind."
This was an extremely charming read, light-hearted and sweet, funny and mild, while also tackling a few serious issues in a way that's perfect for younger readers. Jeremiah is chill with his parents' divorce, and his dad being bi; he's not so chill with his dad's new boyfriend Michael, with his unicorn bike and fussy parenting tips and organic food. Over the summer Jeremiah makes a few new friends, changes a few attitudes, and learns a bit more about the nature of growing things. The book was very grounded, kind of matter-of-fact in the way it approached certain issues, and I found I appreciated that. We see a bit of all sides of the LGBTQ community, which is just great to see in a book for kids. I loved Jeremiah as a protagonist; a little long-suffering and set in his ways, but also open-minded and really good-hearted. I was rooting for him through all the highs and lows. I loved all the art as well.
I do think that the blurb can stand to be revised a bit, so that it gives away just a bit less info?
This was a wonderful read; it makes me so happy that kids have access to books like these. We need more of them in the world.
Adorably drawn, sweetly told, with a nice easy rhythm that'll definitely be fun for kids to listen to. It's a little tale of a kid with two great momsAdorably drawn, sweetly told, with a nice easy rhythm that'll definitely be fun for kids to listen to. It's a little tale of a kid with two great moms, and who he turns to in different situations. The art is bright and fun and just very cute.
Yeah... this one went past apathy; I distinctly dislike this book, and I disliked almost every second of reading it. But I swore, I swore to myself I Yeah... this one went past apathy; I distinctly dislike this book, and I disliked almost every second of reading it. But I swore, I swore to myself I wouldn't abandon any more books, so I powered through.
I didn't like the plot, if you can call it that. It was so fearsomely dull. I know I keep saying this about these books, but it just had none of the charm of the early chapters of the first book, that I liked so much. This is supposed to be a children's/young adult book, but it seems to be written for adults, and it's definitely worse off for that. All of the characters were so much of the same, and nothing could make me care about them. And god, so many saemy naemes, it was like being in a Targaryen nightmare of GRRM's making. And I hated the idea that what, Gwyddr's evilness had travelled through his bloodline down to Mad Dog and made him the way he was, it was so silly. It's also worth mentioning that I listened to the audio-book of this, and that didn't endear me to it at all. I think I can safely say I'm not a fan of Jennifer Ehle and her one singular tone of voice that she uses for everything.
Honestly this had gone on long enough, I hated this book and I'm definitely not going to waste any more time on it by writing a proper review....more
There's nothing about this book that I particularly dislike, more than the last one, there's just... I don't know. There's nothing about it that I likThere's nothing about this book that I particularly dislike, more than the last one, there's just... I don't know. There's nothing about it that I like either. Its moral lessons are so heavy handed, the characters have lost all their charm and I just... didn't care about the plot. I like Charles Wallace a lot, so I cared in that respect, but who cares about mitochondria?
I already started the third book so I guess I'm giving this series one last try before I jump ship....more
I liked this? Mostly. It had a very strong start, and a good enough ending, but everything from chapter five onward left me pretty 'meh'. I loved Meg,I liked this? Mostly. It had a very strong start, and a good enough ending, but everything from chapter five onward left me pretty 'meh'. I loved Meg, she's a really good kid, and Charles Wallace was also pretty standout, but so much about the middle of the book seemed DULL. And the heavy Christian themes got to be a bit much.
I do wish it had lived up to the promise of the first three chapters, which were extremely charming, but all in all I still liked it. I'll give the other books in the series a try....more
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