Cybils Review: PASHMINA by Nidhi Chanani

Synopsis: This was such a charming, delightful story about the many questions that come up for kids whose families have in some way crossed cultures. I found a lot to relate to personally here, as the daughter of an immigrant from India/Pakistan. I also really enjoyed the fantastical twist. From the jacket copy:

Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? But Pri’s mom avoids these questions―the topic of India is permanently closed.

For Pri, her mother's homeland can only exist in her imagination. That is, until she find a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase. When she wraps herself in it, she is transported to a place more vivid and colorful than any guidebook or Bollywood film. But is this the real India? And what is that shadow lurking in the background? To learn the truth, Pri must travel farther than she’s ever dared and find the family she never knew.

Observations: Pashmina is a wonderful and colorful rendition of growing up Indian-American, with all the cultural baggage (sometimes literal baggage) that entails. Children of immigrants in particular will see a lot they recognize here, and those who aren't children of immigrants will catch a vivid glimpse of what it's like to have that relationship with the "old country," its traditions and religion and even cultural mores. The shock of what it's like to visit India for the first time is also nicely rendered.

The book is nicely pitched to appeal to a wide range of ages. The cute animal characters in the world revealed by Priyanka's shawl are adorable and mysterious, and the elements of darkness in this tale are thought-provoking without being scary. I loved the deceptively simple, appealing style of the artwork, too. The drawings of places in India contrasted well with America, and the images were easy to read.

In terms of the language used, the use of Hindi and "Hinglish" was really well done, and provides not just a particular "flavor" for non-Indian readers but is accurate and recognizable for those American-Born Confused Desis among us. The glossary is a great addition, too, although the visuals make it possible to figure out vocabulary from context.

Conclusion: This is one of those books I wanted to hug (but I couldn't, because it was a digital review copy!). There still aren't enough stories about and/or featuring 2nd-generation Indian-Americans—it's such a complex and multilayered and varied experience—so I was happy to see one that not only covers the topic an a thought-provoking and satisfying way, but also doesn't limit itself to being a particular "type" of story. (Priyanka draws comics, and has an identity that isn't just about being South Asian.) I look forward to seeing more from this author!

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher for Cybils. You can find PASHMINA by Nidhi Chanani at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Cybils Review: THE BIG BAD FOX by Benjamin Renner

Synopsis: I can't really beat the flap copy for this one, in terms of plot summary, so here you go, fresh from Amazon:

Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Fox? No one, it seems.

The fox dreams of being the terror of the barnyard. But no one is intimidated by him, least of all the hens―when he picks a fight with one, he always ends up on the losing end. Even the wolf, the most fearsome beast of the forest, can’t teach him how to be a proper predator. It looks like the fox will have to spend the rest of his life eating turnips.

But then the wolf comes up with the perfect scheme. If the fox steals some eggs, he could hatch the chicks himself and raise them to be a plump, juicy chicken dinner. Unfortunately, this plan falls apart when three adorable chicks hatch and call the fox Mommy.

Beautifully rendered in watercolor by Benjamin Renner, The Big Bad Fox is a hilarious and surprisingly tender parable about parenthood that's sure to be a hit with new parents (and their kids too).

Observations: Funny cartoon animals and a classic-comic vibe will make this appealing for younger readers with a sense of humor that will appeal to somewhat older readers as well. New and returning fans of classic cartoons will enjoy all the silly visual gags and Looney-Tunes-style cartoon violence. It's a fun take on the Big Bad Wolf and classic animal story tropes, turning them on their head and making kids think twice about who the real bad guy is. The fun simplicity and humor of the cast of characters is appealing, and I enjoyed the lack of panel boundaries—it had a very loose but clear and easy-to-follow style.

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Conclusion: Fans of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Chicken Run, and Calvin & Hobbes should enjoy this one—the humor is fun for a wide range of ages and types of readers. Another winner from First Second!

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher for the purposes of Cybils judging. You can find THE BIG BAD FOX by Benjamin Renner at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Monday Review: IN SOME OTHER LIFE by Jessica Brody

Synopsis: I've finally been able to get back to some pleasure reading after a long stint of Cybils reading (which has now slowed down), and I picked up Jessica Brody's In Some Other Life for a bit of fun escapism—and I was not disappointed. As you might know, I enjoy fiction about parallel universes; this one follows high-achieving Kennedy Rhodes, superstar of the student newspaper at Southwest High. Her life seems great: cute longtime boyfriend, supportive family, ever-loyal best friend, and high hopes for getting into the Columbia journalism program. Her only secret regret is that she didn't attend the prestigious Windsor Academy, which sends 89 percent of its graduates to Ivy League schools.

Then, the disasters start piling up, culminating in one fateful moment: Kennedy takes an accidental fall down the steps and wakes up….in the life of some alternate version of herself: an alternate version that DID end up at Windsor Academy. As you might guess, at first it seems amazing and incredible, but looks can be deceiving…

Observations: This book was, above all, tongue-in-cheek funny. In some ways it felt like something I'd pair with my book The Latte Rebellion in terms of tone and style, as well as underlying theme—a well-meaning, earnest, but flawed main character gets caught up in circumstances beyond her control, and has to own up to her decisions in order to truly make good. While Kennedy isn't perfect, sometimes to the point of being annoying, her imperfections are completely relatable, and are in fact necessary for her overall growth.

I did end up guessing the big story twist relatively early on: the clues were clear and it seemed fairly obvious that alternate-Kennedy was up to something, and so I assume the reader is meant to realize what's going on before the narrator does. That was my only quibble with the story, though. The way everything wraps up was very satisfying, and I enjoyed how the various loose ends are dealt with, leaving things just a bit open-ended. And, as a bonus, the chapter titles were really fun.

Conclusion: This was a highly enjoyable story, with good pacing that kept me wanting to read it even when I probably should have been reading more Cybils finalists. Recommended for fans of paranormal and/or spec fic with a humorous twist.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of my library's ebook collection. You can find IN SOME OTHER LIFE by Jessica Brody at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Turning Pages Reads: MS. BIXBY'S LAST DAY by JOHN DAVID ANDERSON

Welcome to another session of Turning Pages!

While I love John David Anderson's books, I was scared to read this one, because "last" is a word for me that contains expectations of OTT emotion and pathos. But, then, I remembered who I was dealing with. John David Anderson writes books with heart, but they are always, always, always, in tiny, screwball ways, or in ridiculous, massive, exploding building fashion - funny. So, content commentary for this book: Some may need tissues, others might only feel heart pinches and not need them. Most young readers I would expect will come away feeling a bit melancholy, but Anderson artfully ends the novel with its beginning, to help keep the focus on the theme of the story, and to bring the question back to the reader: what would make for your perfect last day?

"We all have moments when we think nobody really sees us. When we feel like we have to act out or be somebody else just to get noticed. But somebody notices, Topher. Somebody sees. Somebody out there probably thinks you're the greatest thing in the whole world. Don't ever think you're not good enough."

MS. BIXBY'S LAST DAY, pp. 232-3

Synopsis: Topher, Steve and Brand are sixth graders in Ms. Bixby's class at Fox Ridge Elementary. They're thoroughly different - Steve is Japanese American and the genius of the group, with his eidetic memory and a head full of stats and detail. Brand is the biggest - calm, serious, full of smart, made-up words, and could probably beat up Trevor Cowly, or even a seventh grader, if he put his mind to it. Topher is the artistic one - full of wild stories and amazing drawings. On the surface, the three of them don't have that much in common, except pizza, video games... and Ms. Bixby. But, a look beneath, and Steve, wilting under the sky-high expectations of his parents is a lot like Topher, withering under the busybusybusy-lack-of-attention from his, who is just like Brand, who is struggling with a father who fell down, but lost the heart to get up again.

When their favorite teacher lets the class know that she's withdrawing from school to fight the cancer she's just been diagnosed with, the three boys - so different, and so much the same - don't know how to manage. To each of them individually, Ms. Bixby has been Their Person - the one who sees something good in them, cheers them on, only minimally rolls her eyes when they're being doofusy, and who never gives up on them. Without her, who are they? When on the day of the planned class farewell party, they arrive at school to find a substitute teacher, they embark on The Plan - a plan to bring the party to her, to make it a perfect last day of school with three of her favorite students. They plot to cut school - which makes Steve's knees shake - and go see her in the hospital. Topher's already imagining chases with police and truant officers. Brand is making detailed lists. The genius is that The Plan will to give Ms. Bixby back everything that she's given to them.

It's ...a disaster.

It's also, perfect.

Observations: I can't say much about The Plan without ruining the story, but I think the genius here lies in the character shading. Anderson takes the time to explain why Brand would pick Steve's nose for him - (it made sense at the time. Kind of) that gives us insight into the rigid rules that Brand is locking himself into. That, in turn, explains at least in part why Steve kind of couldn't stand Brand for a long, long time, and there's another part of Steve that isn't all the way filled yet, at least not by Steve. Topher, whose easy acceptance of Brand is hard for his best friend Steve to accept, likes lots of people and lots of different things, and has a running screenplay in his head that makes him imagine himself to be a lot of other people, all the time. Who wants to be just himself, when he could contain multitudes? All three of these aspects of the boys' characters enlarge the story and help make it memorable.

Conclusion: There really are no perfect books, but this book has both wit and emotional resonance. The imperfection of its characters - and even of Ms. Bixby - step it back from being a overly-sweet paean of tribute to being a slice-of-life-ordinary, rare-and-extraordinary love story between a group of students, and one of The Good Ones; an excellent teacher.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of my personal library. You can find MS. BIXBY'S LAST DAY by John David Anderson at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Turning Pages Reads: THE SUPERNORMAL SLEUTHING SERVICE by GWENDA BOND & CHRISTOPHER ROWE

Welcome to another session of Turning Pages!

Happy Summer! It's the bright, shiny time of year when you're supposed to have lots of time to do nothing but read. Bring back those lazy, hazy, crazy school vacation days, right?! Well, if you can't get time off of school - or work - the least you can do is pick up a book that brings you joy, right? This one will. Guaranteed.

Synopsis: Stephen Lawson's life isn't particularly interesting. Back home in Chicago, school, while okay, is just one of those things to put up with. Stephen's been a loner, really; his Mom left them when he was a little guy, and his Dad is a busy chef. Stephan might be alone a lot, but he isn't unloved. He and his Dad are buds, and the frequent letters from his "Chef Nana" prove that. Like most of the Lawson family, Stephen's Nana is indeed a cooking genius who works at a hotel in New York. Her entertaining letters to Stephan are filled with funny stories about the colorful "monsters" for whom she cooks and caters. When Nana dies, Stephan's life changes drastically. First, he and his father attend the service in New York... where he and his father will now be moving, now that Dad is taking over Nana's job. Next, it turns out Dad's part of some kind of knighthood...? Weirdest of all, Stephen learns that Nana hasn't just been amusing him, with her funny stories of fauns and ghouls and vampires and stuff. She's been telling him the truth. There are monsters - really "supernormals" in New York, a hotel full of them, in the New Harmonia Hotel... now Stephen's new home.

But, not everyone is happy for Stephen to settle in...

Stephen's second shock is to discover that his long-lost mother's family is also staying at the hotel. The Baroness - he's related to a baroness!! - has invited him to move in with them, but Stephen is a bit unsettled by that whole family -- and later, by the fact that they're not taking rejection well.

There's a whole lot of Stephen's life that's suddenly much more interesting than he thought!

Observations: Because this thick and juicy novel (a full 407 pages) is a beginner's mystery, I'm not going to be able to talk about it much except in the most general of terms, because readers will want to come to this spoiler-and-clue free. Like the very best of the Harry Potter novels - the first two, in my opinion - there are tons of new-things-per-page, the sorts of amazingly fun details that keep you turning pages, even when you're supposed to a.) be going to bed, b.) be going to work. And while this book is marketed to middle graders, it's an all-ages bit of fun -- great for reading aloud before bedtime, and for sharing. I can imagine the audio version of this will be a hoot as well. This is authors Bond and Rowe's first published attempt at writing together, and they have that rare magic in spades. I foresee this series really going some fun places.

Stephen Lawson is a kid who asks questions, which stands him in good stead. Instead of jumping to anger when an awkward person asks him an awkward question, he asks, "Did you just insult me?" Instead of accepting things the way they are, he asks, "How can I change this?" Stephen is always looking for loopholes, which is a great character trait for someone who is going to end up being a detective. Of course, Stephen didn't know he was going to be a detective, but his loophole sense, his friend Ivan's meticulous observations and preparedness and Sofia's knowledge of social mores and hotel etiquette area all necessary things to make them the best junior supernormal sleuths in the hotel... second only to Ivan's parents, of course. What all three of them possess is the ability to own their mistakes and keep moving. This will, in the long run, keep them friends, and help them solve the mystery.

Conclusion: With charm and humor, this sweet story of a boy embarking on a move -- and discovering some truths about the world he's never known -- begins as comfortably and familiarly as a well-loved blanket. This blanket covers some strange bedfellows, however, and readers will be pleased by the diverse and genuine friendships, odd sidekicks, and amusing inanimates discovered therein - and they'll be waiting eagerly for the additional adventures, too!

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of the public library. You can find THE SUPERNORMAL SLEUTHING SERVICE by Gwenda Bond & Christopher Rowe at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Thursday Review: ROLLER GIRL by Victoria Jamieson

Synopsis: As Tanita and I have observed on multiple occasions, it's hard to write up a review of a book knowing that all you want to do is gush about it. That's how I feel having (finally) read Roller Girl, a delightful middle grade graphic novel by Victoria Jamieson. Not only was it a Newbery Honor Book, it was also a 2015 Cybils Award Winner, so I knew I had a good chance of enjoying it. Turns out I also want to hug it. Also, how much do I wish roller derby had been a thing (or, anyway, a reasonably popular thing) while I was growing up? It would've been better than hanging out at the roller rink, skating in circles, and hoping cute guys from my school would randomly talk to me.

My parents would almost certainly have put the kibosh on it, though—unlike Astrid's mom, who is the one to suggest they check out a derby bout in the first place. The amazing jammer Rainbow Bite (I LOVE EVERYONE'S DERBY NAMES) quickly becomes Astrid's hero, so when her mom suggests summer roller derby camp, Astrid is so there. Unfortunately, there's just one thing making it less awesome than she'd hoped—the fact that she's a total beginner and can barely skate. Okay, maybe two things—her best friend Nicole, instead of going to derby camp with her, wants to go to ballet camp instead…with her new friend Rachel, who Astrid can't stand.

Observations: Astrid is twelve, and this book is a perfect portrayal of the changes and realizations that happen when you're twelve. Astrid is figuring out who she is, and so is Nicole, but that also involves coming to terms with the fact that you aren't exactly alike and might have different interests. Whether or not that's a deal-breaker for the entire friendship is something that has to be muddled through sometimes. Astrid's story shows the ups and downs of friendship—and of learning a new sport—with humor, heart, and pitch-perfect art. If and when I ever write and illustrate my own graphic novel, this is one I'd love to emulate and learn from.

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I also got a kick out of the inside look at roller derby in Portland. I have friends who have done roller derby (props to Malice Sanchez of the DC Rollergirls' Majority Whips!), and I even have a friend who is IN OREGON (not Portland, though) who is a derby referee. Thanks to this book, though, I have a much better understanding of what is actually happening, not to mention a realization that I probably wouldn't be able to channel sufficient aggro to ever be good at it. Plus our local derby team wears way too much pink. But it sure was fun to read about.

Conclusion: I can't resist saying that this is one "jammin'" adventure that will "roll" right into your heart. (Derby puns! You're welcome.)

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I received my copy of this book thanks to a kindly gift. You can find ROLLER GIRL by Victoria Jamieson at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Cybils Finalist Review: TRASHED by Derf Backderf

Synopsis: This is my last Cybils 2016 graphic novel finalist review! Last but not least is Trashed by Derf "Not His Real First Name" Backderf, an edutaining chronicle of the life cycle of garbage, and the trials and tribulations of a garbageman (apparently loosely based on a job the author actually held for a while).

Observations: I enjoyed the blending in of factual sequences describing the job details of a garbage collector and the journey garbage takes from curb to landfill and into the environment. It's bound to make readers think more about the trash they produce and about garbage as a global issue. As an older reader and homeowner, it was eye-opening to see things from the garbageman's perspective, and how we might not think twice about dumping random crap in the trash but it is truly somebody's job to deal with it, and it may have ramifications beyond just the mess in your garbage can.

The comic-strip style of this one was also enjoyable--plenty of humor in both the writing and the images, distinctive character art, and easy-to-understand diagrams in the educational portions. Having said that, because it IS distinctive, it won't be to everyone's taste; I wasn't sure if I'd like it at first because the characters have a weird blockiness to them that was a little off-putting, but it grew on me. (Which, in retrospect, seems like a terrible word choice for a book about garbage...)

Conclusion: There was plenty of hilarity here, in an old-school comic strip kind of style, and it offers an intriguing, humanizing window into the life of a garbageman as well as the life of garbage itself. The combination of educational elements with slice-of-life stories about the protagonist J.B. and his buddies was well done. The characters, of course, of necessity are adult characters, so that part doesn't feel very YA, I suppose, but older young adults might enjoy this one.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. You can find TRASHED by Derf Backderf at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Cybils Finalist Review: LUCKY PENNY

Synopsis: I love getting to catch up on graphic novels during the Cybils season! This one was a finalist in the YA Graphic Novels category--a funny, surprising, heartwarming story about a young woman with the worst luck who figures out that, in the end, sometimes what seems like bad luck works out for the best after all. The cover copy:

If Penny Brighton didn't have bad luck, she'd have no luck at all. She lost her job. And her apartment. In the same day. But it's okay, her friend has a cozy storage unit she can crash in. And there's bound to be career opportunities at the neighborhood laundromat―just look how fast that 12-year-old who runs the place made it to management! Plus, there's this sweet guy at the community center, and maybe Penny can even have a conversation with him without being a total dork. Surely Penny is a capable of becoming an actual responsible adult, and if she can do that her luck’s bound to change! Right?

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Observations: I should quickly note that this one will be more interesting for the older YA set—the protagonist is 18 and working and living on her own. But Penny's general hilarious unluckiness and the obstacles she faces on the cusp of adulthood definitely are appealing—her attempts to deal with middle-school-aged bullies are weird and comical, and her awkward navigation of a new relationship is relatable. She is quirky, but so is her love interest, and their quirks complement one another.

Lucky Penny's got very well done and very funny art—it reminds me of Raina Telgemeier's work, in that the emphasis is more on action and humor in the storytelling, and things are kept generally simple, depending on what the specific scene or panel demands. The characters are the focus, of course, and they are depicted in an endearingly silly way.

Conclusion: Ultimately, this is a great story about a character who feels like an outsider—her bad luck is a good ongoing gag, but really, it's Penny's personality and heart that shine through and give the story weight. She forges ahead and doesn't give up when faced with obstacles—instead, she finds creative (if sometimes misguided) solutions. And she wins out in the end.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of my library. You can find LUCKY PENNY by Ananth Hirsh and Yuki Ota at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Cybils Finalist Review: MIGHTY JACK by Ben Hatke

Synopsis: I was a big fan of Ben Hatke's previous Cybils winner Zita the Spacegirl (reviewed here), and Mighty Jack--a Cybils finalist this year for Elementary/Middle Grade graphic novels--was a very fun reimagining of the Jack and the Beanstalk story. It's got lots of action and adventure, with imaginative killer plants and monsters and a dragon, and a strong female sidekick for the hero. It also definitely leaves things open-ended and ready for Book 2, so don't fret that you're left hanging at the end! There will be more to this story...

Observations: I like how this story depicts the idea of Jack and his family being poor in a modern setting rather than a fairytale one. His mother is working two jobs, and Jack is tasked with caring for a sister with challenges. He buys the magic seeds at a flea market. It's a very creative and intriguing reinvention of a familiar story. I like that there's a homeschooled friend, too—at heart these are all characters whose stories aren't shown as often, placed into the context of a story we all know. I sort of wish there wasn't such an abrupt ending to Book 1, though--as mentioned above, readers are kind of left hanging. That always vexes me a little when I don't have the sequel immediately at hand.

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Art-wise, I thought this one was wonderful! The pacing of the visuals vs. the dialogue was, in my opinion, perfect, and lends a lot to the storytelling style. The book was chock full of appealing characters and monsters, and I liked the scratchy-pen quality of the illustrations.

Conclusion: I honestly think you could hand this to any kid, especially fairy-tale fans--the balance of humor, fantasy, and adventure is perfect, and it isn't too scary for younger readers.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. You can find MIGHTY JACK by Ben Hatke at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Cybils Finalist Review: FAITH, VOL. 1: HOLLYWOOD AND VINE

Synopsis: This was another one of our finalists for this year's Cybils Awards in YA Graphic Novels, and it features a body-image-positive, female, smart, butt-kicking superhero. I'm going to let the jacket copy speak for itself here, since I can't really improve on it!

Orphaned at a young age, Faith Herbert – a psionically gifted "psiot" discovered by the Harbinger Foundation - has always aspired to greatness. But now this once ordinary teenager is taking control of her destiny and becoming the hard-hitting hero she's always known she can be - complete with a mild-mannered secret identity, unsuspecting colleagues, and a day job as a reporter that routinely throws into her harms way! Well, at least she thought it would... When she's not typing up listicles about cat videos, Faith makes a secret transformation to patrol the night as the City of Angels' own leading superhero – the skysoaring Zephyr!

But flying solo is going to be tougher than she ever thought when Zephyr uncovers a deep-rooted alien conspiracy. Two-bit burglars and car thieves are one thing, but when the world needs a hero to stave off a full-blown extraterrestrial invasion, will Faith find herself in over her head...or ready for her biggest challenge yet?

Observations: One of my usual comments in this genre is that superhero comics aren't everyone's cup of tea, although this one brings forth a protagonist who is much more of an everywoman, and more broadly relatable as someone who doesn't have an impossible body type and is a recognizable fangirl. However, the character—though she is a younger adult—is not a teen character per se. Not that that has ever been a problem for YA readers who like superhero comics, but this one seemed a bit older YA/adult to me, so I'd add that on as a possible asterisk.

Kudos, though, to the authors of this comic for their everywoman, fangirl superhero and for having fun with tropes like the Clark Kent-journalist cover identity--Faith works for an entertainment news website by day, as a mild-mannered nerdy reporter. I also appreciated the fact that this superhero DOESN'T have an impossible, gravity-defying perfectly sculpted Learn-to-Draw-the-Marvel-Way body. At the same time, body image is also not an issue or even really a topic of conversation. (I don't know about the realism of that--our society is not known for being able to shut our mouths about other people's perceived imperfections--but far be it from me to criticize realism in a superhero comic.)

Visually speaking, this is pretty good stuff—very fitting to the traditions of superhero comics in terms of style and overall feel. Very solid, easy to tell what was happening for the most part, and while it wasn't really to my personal taste in terms of visuals, it was well done.

Conclusion: Definitely hand this one to young readers who like comics and/or the superhero genre. It's a fun read, and it's great to see more titles that are turning superheroes into something that any gender can enjoy.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of my library. You can find FAITH, VOL. 1: HOLLYWOOD AND VINE by Jody Houser, Francis Portela, and Marguerite Sauvage at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Thursday Review: THE ORDER OF ODD-FISH by James Kennedy

Synopsis: This is another one I acquired and got signed at the KidLitCon in Wichita a couple of months ago—and I got to meet and hang with the author as a fun bonus! Interesting aside—James Kennedy is founder of the really awesome 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, which brings students, teachers, and librarians together to produce condensed, often hilarious film versions of Newbery Award winners. As it turns out, he was in the running for the Newbery himself for this very book, but lost out to that pesky Neil Gaiman and his Graveyard Book. *shakes fist* NEIL GAIMAN!!!

Neil may have won, but this book still has it all. Hilarity: check. Mayhem: check. A level of quirky-cool-things-per-page that is heretofore unseen: check. Jo LaRouche, our thirteen-year-old protagonist, lives with her aunt Lily LaRouche—who seems to be an aging Golden Age film star of sorts—in a wild, gaudy mansion in the California desert. Jo was dropped on the doorstep as an infant, bearing only a note saying she was a "DANGEROUS baby." This is intriguing, since for much of the book, we bear witness to Jo being possibly the least dangerous or threatening (and definitely the least weird) in a rather amusing lineup of characters that includes a vengeful Chinese millionaire, a freakish reality-show host known only as the Belgian Prankster, various cockroach butlers, and previously unheard of orders of mysterious knights.

Of course, these orders of knights include the Order of Odd-fish, for which the book is named…and as the plot unfolds, the reader finds out the nature of Jo and Lily's connection to the Odd-Fish, as well as the secret of Jo's birth and her ultimate destiny in the magical realm of Eldritch City….

Observations: I see this one appealing greatly to fans of Terry Pratchett, in its combination of silly-yet-serious. Also, like Tiffany Aching, Jo LaRouche is kind of the heir apparent to a hidden world of magical weirdness. And boy, is it weird! And fun. And hilarious. Ever read something and think, in reference to the author, "Good grief, is THAT what it's like inside your brain? Whoa, man." It takes quirky to epic heights. And as such, it might not be for everyone—the ever-growing whirlwind of bizarre might be too much for readers who prefer realistic fiction—but I thought the author maintained the balance with a believable, relatable main character who somehow manages to remain a regular girl in many ways, despite all the strangeness going on around her.

Conclusion: Very, very enjoyable. Also impossible to really describe, so you'll just have to go read it. I'd call it middle-grade-ish, but appropriate for older audiences, too.

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I acquired my copy of this book at KidLitCon 2016. You can find THE ORDER OF ODD-FISH by James Kennedy at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Turning Pages Reads: HOLDING COURT by K.C. Held

Welcome to another session of Turning Pages!

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Jules Verity - whose last name does indeed mean "truth" - can't stop herself from blurting the truth. All of it. All the time. The weird thing is, though, that she can't exactly recognize it as truth. She normally can't recognize the sentences and phrases she blurts out as... anything. Her best friend, Cami, calls it "Psychic Tourette's Syndrome, which is also inaccurate, but whatever it is, it's caused Jules to be fired from every single job she's ever had and to be regarded as somewhat of a freak in the quirky small town of Lunevale. If she'd stop fighting it, her Gran assures her, her gift would sort itself out. All of the Verity women have some sort of gift; Gran helps people find their true love, while Jules' mother can tell the provenance of anything, making her a very useful sort of antique dealer. Jules can't figure out what her gift is good for, and only wishes to get rid of it, buy a car, and drive out of town, in that order. Oh, and if she could somehow separate Grayson Chandler, the boy she's been crushing on since the sixth grade, from his perfect girlfriend, Bree, her life would also be improved. Unfortunately, the thing with Grayson is not going to happen - Bree is way too sweet, and Jules is not like that, anyway -- and Jules' dream of buying a car (and avoiding her Gran's hot pink electric golf cart) are derailed when her mother announces she's traveling to Europe on a buying trip - and plans on the antique store for the summer. Without her usual summer gig, Jules is at a loose end until she meets Henry VIII at the antique shop - Hank Bacon in costume. She blurts out something odd to him, but only later she finds out it means that Tudor Times, Hank's mansion-turned-dinner-theater which once belonged to the Lunes who founded the town, will have an opening. Jules rapidly finds herself employed - but not some gorgeous Tudor princess, but as a mad nun who spouts prophesy. Regardless of the fact that this is one job she can't possibly get fired from, things get dicey the first day -- Jules, trying to hide her black-swathed nun's outfit from Grayson's eyes, trips a switch, finds a secret room and - falls over a dead body. Which, when she screams and finds her way OUT of the secret room, disappears.

It is seriously shaping up to be a LONG, weird summer.

Observations: This book is a ROMP. I love the whole RenFaire vibe, costuming, dinner theater, and all of that - it is a rich, rich setting. Add in Jules' particular "gifts" and the whole thing is just over-the-top awesome. The novel is the kind of deliciously delirious, frothy fun that I love to read in cozy mysteries. It is JUST. TOO. SHORT. I wanted more, more, more - reader greed will bite you badly with this novel.

My cry of "more" can be said of a lot of things: the characters, the town (LUNEVALE. I mean, come ON, it's like Nightvale only...weirder? Is that possible?) the length, yes, but also the emotional detail. We know that Jules is twisted in the clutches of a crush, but we don't really know... why. The way we like people in the sixth grade has to change if we still are crushing that hard sophomore year. What is it about Grayson - other than his resemblance to Prince Wesley and his stunning abs - that make him swoonworthy? I wanted Jules to dig deeper into her own emotions - I know that in many ways, the novel was action focused - that made it really, really fun - but I would have loved to slow down and really feel Jules' emotions of sheer terror, anger, and disgust. She's sometimes just a bit unflappable. Except about Grayson, which, okay, got it: she's crushing.

There is diversity in this novel, but I wanted more of that too - essentially, a deeper exploration of the choices and the emotions behind the discovery. I'll leave it there to avoid spoilers, but if there's anything I'm mildly critical of in the novel, it's that both the emotion and the resolution were just handed to us as faits accompli, which robbed the narrative of a texture and depth it could have really developed. I wanted a little backstory, a little...depth to the Verity family magic as well. If I couldn't have it in this book, I'll accept a sequel. Just putting that out there, Entangled Teen, and Ms. Held. Just putting that out there...

Conclusion: The Verity's are hilarious; Jules is amazing, and this absolutely fantastic debut novel feels like a gift you give to yourself. A quick, light, funny read, the book will leave readers happily clamoring for more.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. After March 1, you can find HOLDING COURT by K.C. Held at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Us and Books: We Ship It...A CYBILS WINNER UPDATE!

And now for THE WINNERS of the 2015 Cybils Awards! We listed Speculative Fiction books from both age categories, since they are of particular interest to us, and then the YA categories:

MG Speculative Fiction

The Fog Diver
by Joel Ross
HarperCollins
Nominated by: PLCarpenter

The Fog Diver is a fun, exciting adventure set in a dystopian future where remnants of humanity live on the highest mountaintops and in airships above a deadly fog of microscopic robots covering the planet. The nannites were created to clean up Earth’s pollution, but got out of control and the fog they created killed billions of humans. A boy named Chess is lowered into the fog each day by his crewmates on a salvage ship flying above the clouds to scavenge on the earth’s surface. He is the best fog diver there is—the fog mysteriously energizes him. The secrets behind his fog-diving ability put a target on his back and will impact the survival of his family, and the fate of humankind.

The strong cast of multi-cultural, under-privileged kids who make up the salvage crew are fiercely loyal to each other, and to the one adult who’s cared about them, Mrs. E. But Mrs. E is dying from fogsickness, and the kids set off on a dangerous quest to save her, while struggling to keep Chess and his secret safe.

The Fog Diver is filled with action, drama, and mystery (with bonus steampunk air pirates). The author addresses the exploitation of others, poverty, the conflict between the haves and have-nots, and the dangers of messing with technology and Mother Nature. The tension created by the conflict in the plot is lightened by the author’s use of word play, as characters try to make sense of stories they’ve heard about the past. “May the horse be with you,” a constellation called Oprah, and a red-caped hero named Superbowl are a few mixed-up historical references. In this culture, cash is worthless except when used as toilet paper. The book moves with brisk assurance toward a thrilling conclusion, with plenty of intrigue left for the future.

Young Adult Fiction

Every Last Word
by Tamara Ireland Stone
Disney-Hyperion
Nominated by: Jennifer Donovan

Samantha McAllister, a “normal” teen in almost every way, hides a secret from her closest friends: she lives with Purely-Obsessional OCD. For better and for worse, Tamara Ireland Stone asks us to step into the shoes of our leading lady, navigating through the murky waters of high school cliques, bullying, weekly therapy sessions, and a new passion that she has to keep secret from her friends. When Sam’s new friend, Caroline, introduces her to the clandestine meeting of Poet’s Corner, her life changes forever.
Every Last Word stands out because of its honest, moving portrayal of mental illness. But it also stands out because of Sam’s hard-earned character growth. After being a bully just to fit in with her toxic friends, becoming a member of Poet’s Corner allows her to right some past wrongs and learn that finding your unique voice is more important than blending in with your friends. Along the way, we experience the highs and lows of high school cliques, show how there are always ways to redeem yourself even if they aren’t easy, and feel the emotions of all involved from every angle. The poetry included helps break the ice on what can be a difficult topic, making it more accessible, while the “feels” you succumb to will make and break your heart. It’s not always pretty, but it’s real and fair, making it a story that Young Adult readers can connect with on many levels.

Graphic Novels

Nimona
by Noelle Stevenson
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Liviania

Nimona is the snarky, shape-shifting sidekick to a supervillain. Her unwilling employer, Lord Ballister Blackheart, plays his part promoting evil and clashing against the hero Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin. Pulling Blackheart along with her overenthusiasm for wrongdoing, Nimona forces everyone to look deeply into questions of good and evil. She reopens old wounds between villain and hero, and tears into her own enemies with a vengeance, regardless of the consequences. But she also foils a nefarious government plot and is a fierce protector. Who is good? Who is evil? And who decides, anyway? In NIMONA, the answers keep shifting, and the results are awesome. We loved the way Noelle Stevenson created complex, sympathetic characters who subvert traditional understandings of beauty, power, and morality. And NIMONA is riotously funny to boot!

Non-Fiction

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War
by Steve Sheinkin
Roaring Brook Press
Nominated by: Benji Martin

Using historical data and interviews, Sheinkin sets a vivid, you-are-there scene, allowing readers to see Daniel Ellsberg move from enthusiastic Department of Defense political analyst to anti-war activist as he realizes that the President would continue sending American soldiers into this unwinnable war. Although Ellsberg is the title character, Most Dangerous is much more than a biography. It covers nearly three decades of US defense and political history, giving readers a front-row seat into the complexity of national security and decision making.  

Compelling, thought-provoking and timeless, Most Dangerous delivers readers not only an historical account of a time period in our history often confusing, but offers readers a critical eye towards the future as well.

Speculative Fiction

The Walls Around Us
by Nova Ren Suma
Algonquin Young Readers
Nominated by: Esther Braithwaite

Maybe, long ago, we used to be good. Maybe all little girls are good in the beginning.”

 – THE WALLS AROUND US, Nova Ren Suma

The concept of good came up frequently among the judges in the Cybils Speculative Fiction list, as the Round One crew offered up seven novels which were very good indeed, and left to the Finalist judges the struggle to elevate one above the shining host. Intriguingly, the concept of “good” and “good enough,”  repeated within the narratives as well. Whether any of the protagonists in SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS, edited by April Genevieve Tucholke, can be considered “good” is debatable unless you’re a fan of horror, as many of our judges are. Ultimate good is at issue in THE SIX by Mark Alpert, as characters sacrificed their bodies to become mechanized weapons.

And then, there was “good enough;” Hallie struggled to be good enough to be loved by her sister in AN INHERITANCE OF ASHES by Leah Bobet; In MORTAL HEART by Robin LaFevers, Annith longed to be good enough to leave the convent of St. Mortain to do real work. Sierra Santiago must fight monsters AND patriarchy to prove she’s good enough to own her own magical heritage in SHADOWSHAPER, by Daniel José Older. In the novel by Laura Ruby, Finn O’Sullivan has to fight the belief of the town of BONE GAP that he and his brother aren’t good enough for the people they love not to just leave. There were a lot of “good” reasons to choose any one of these books, because they all have skillful writing and teen appeal. But, eventually, we realized that few books could be more appealing than what some of us referred to as “the killer ballerina book.”

Ballerinas, normally the artistic apex of beauty and grace, were shown as something violent and unfamiliar, underscoring themes of innocence and its loss.  Nova Ren Suma’s THE WALLS AROUND US provides an unhinged look into the competitive, obsessive world through the eyes of Amber and Violet, two girls with vastly different futures: one in a Juvenile Detention Center; the other on her way to a promising career at Julliard. A challenging narrative with definite speculative, creepy supernatural elements, the novel’s shadowy, edgy setting with its distinctive voices, together with the atmospheric beauty of the writing convinced even the dubious to embrace this psychological thriller. We cordially invite you to weigh the good in these selected books, and do the same.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS!

EVEN MORE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE READERS!

May you have a lovely, lazy Sunday with the beau of your choice: a book, or a friend.

 Visit the Cybils website to read about the winners in Poetry, Picture Books, and more.

Thursday Review: EXQUISITE CORPSE by Penelope Bagieu

Summary: This graphic novel isn't technically a YA book, but since it's about a 22-year-old young woman trying to muddle along in early adulthood, it makes a great crossover title. And because I loved it so much I want to hug it, I'm going to review it here. (How could I not like a book that references the Simpsons on the first page? Let me just say..."Canyonero!")

Zoe, the protagonist, has a rather underwhelming career as a booth babe at car shows and the like, and when she's not fending off the ham-handed advances of trade show attendees, she's at home "enjoying" the company of her somewhat loser-y boyfriend. So, one day, when she meets a rather odd, reclusive, but intriguing man who says he's a bestselling author, her life gets a little more interesting. And then it gets a LOT more interesting when she finds out what he's hiding and why he's so reclusive...

Click to embiggen

Peaks: This book was not only hilarious and charming, but the plot had fun twists, and the ending...the ending was just PERFECT. I can't go into too much detail with spoilers, so I'll keep it brief. Zoe is a wonderfully relatable protagonist whose life has that jogging-in-place feel that nearly all of us are familiar with, and her inability to resist a tiny infusion of adventure sets the story going in an all-too-believable way. The portrayal of author Thomas Rocher (and the authorial lifestyle) is highly entertaining, and the banter among the characters is so well-written and made me laugh out loud. There is something indefinably very French about it, something I also enjoyed. And the artwork is simple, cute, and down-to-earth, and also very funny. If you like Vera Brosgol or Faith Erin Hicks, you'll want to check this one out.

Valleys: I don't really have any valleys to report, per se, except that this one's probably best for older YA readers (there's a bit of mature content, i.e., sex and the F-word) unless you are French and lack our American puritanical hangups, in which case, go nuts.

Conclusion: This is another funny and all-around excellent contribution from the world of French comics, which, I have to say, has a lot of amazing stuff going on for all ages. My last review of Last Man: The Stranger was another originally French-language publication, and I've been impressed for a long time by animation coming out of France, too. Don't miss this one--it's a laugh, and I look forward to reading more from this clearly very talented author.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of First Second Books. You can find EXQUISITE CORPSE by Penelope Bagieu at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

TURNING PAGES: CASTLE HANGNAIL by URSULA VERNON

So, when Sir Terry Pratchett died in March, and we descended into the fifty year mourning period, there was the tiniest, infinitesimal twinkle of light in a dark place. All was not lost. There were other authors. One of them was even well versed in drawing wombats, and she was going to take a stab at publishing a novel, in her actual own name this time (instead of writing as T. Kingfisher). When this little novel came out in April, it was a little piece of heaven, just in the nick of time.

Summary: A somewhat run-down manor in a very small village, Castle Hangnail is in dire need of a new Master. Its Minions, who call the Castle home, are deeply worried that if no real Master has come along to take up residence, the authorities will come along and de-magic the place, and they'll be homeless. So, when a wee girl named Molly comes along and announces herself as a Wicked Witch... well, minions need a strong Master, and a Wicked Witch is much nicer than an Evil Sorceress or a dread Vampire Lord, right? It's just... she looks about twelve. And, her magic is... somewhat unimpressive. When she begins to check off the requirements of a Master put out by the Board of Magic, most of the Minions are inclined to be impressed, but one of them longs for a REAL Master to put things to rights. And then one comes. Readers learn that not only should Minions be careful what they wish for, but that Wicked Witches, even ones who have told a tiny lie that has grown beyond them - have to stand up for what they believe, and sometimes say, "No."

Peaks: Molly is an eminently likeable, eminently sensible, perfectly reasonable... Wicked Witch. As opposed to EVIL witch, she just... likes her space, doesn't need pink, glitter, or kittens about, and is partial to the odd magical mole or bone chandelier. She's observant, and works her way through the myriad challenges to her Castle tenure with boots-on good sense. I could read more Molly adventures, any day.

Like the Potter books, this latest Vernon novel is a nice long middle grade fantasy, which makes my inner fifth grader pretty darned happy. There's enough of a story here to get into it, to look forward to coming back to it, and to make for many breathless bedtime readings.

And then there's the illustrations! Myriad Digger and Danny Dragonbreath novels, Ursula Vernon's various art sites and online journals and alllll of the things from Red Wombat Studios have already let her fans know just how well-versed she is with the art - the graphic novels, painting, clay and leather modeling, doodling, etc. The artwork in this book is SO nice a touch - not only can the lady tell a darned good story, but she makes it jump off the page.

I love the Minions, who are mostly the supporting cast, but sometimes have the lead in the story. I love that this book has quirk, but not in exhausting supply. Sure, the cook may have the head of a cow, but she's ...otherwise pretty typical (if you ignore that Q thing). The goofy but endearing group of supporters is what everyone would be lucky to have. I need minions!

Another peak for me is the plot layering - and that's a thing at which Terry Pratchett excelled, and the rest of us can only hope to emulate as well as Vernon. If the child in you is alive and well, you, too, will find much to love in this book, and much to inform you even in your adult state. For very young readers who enjoy fantasy, there are lots of fun beasties and small, magical moments -- for older kids, it crosses really well into tween/teen territory due to its subtly funny bits and its emotional resonance - Molly's eventual realization of the truths of Eudaimonia is one of the "ribs" of the body of the plot, as it were. Like the Tiffany Aching books, which also broadly appealed for a more physical humor/adventure trope, this novel would have been fun without the internal arc of emotional truth, but it would not have stood as tall or appealed to so many.

There are so many positives to this novel, but if I mention them all, I'm going to get into spoilers, so I'll suggest that you just pick it up. Go on, now.

Valleys: No valleys, except that there's no sequel immediately to hand. I need to reread the Digger books and BRYONY AND ROSES (review to follow shortly!). I need this author to keep writing...

Conclusion: RUN, don't walk, to the library and pick up a copy of this book - and then buy yourself a copy, because it's the sort of thing you'll want to keep. This author remains one whose work we'll be enjoying for years to come.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of the public library, but you can bet this one is going to be purchased and put into the permanent home library. You can find CASTLE HANGNAIL by Ursula Vernon at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

Kids Comics Q&A Blog Tour: Interview with Gene Luen Yang

Children's Book Week was just last week, and thanks to First Second we're still celebrating--throughout April and May, MacTeenBooks has organized a massive multi-blog tour featuring Five Questions with a wide range of amazing cartoonists for kids and teens, with all interviews conducted by by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado, the authors of Dragons Beware! If you check out the list (RIGHT HERE!), you'll see familiar names like Cece Bell and Mariko Tamaki and Cecil Castellucci and tons of other great graphic novelists. It really is a wonderful virtual event, and it's co-sponsored by the Children’s Book Council, Every Child a Reader, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Without further ado, but WITH an awesome imaginary drum roll I'd never be able to pull off in real life, here are Five Questions with one of our favorite (and local) graphic novelists, Gene Luen Yang. He's the author or co-author of so many GNs we've really loved here on Finding Wonderland: American Born Chinese (reviewed here), Level Up (reviewed here), The Eternal Smile (reviewed here), Boxers & Saints (previewed here), Prime Baby (reviewed here) and Shadow Hero (reviewed here). We've also interviewed him before, way back in 2007 (gulp). We're stoked to welcome him back again!

RAFAEL/JORGE: Gene, when our first book came out, you let us interview you, and now that our second book is coming out, you are allowing us to bombard you with questions yet again.  You're a good man, Gene!  Thanks, again!
 

GENE:  Thank you guys for getting in touch again!  I thoroughly enjoyed the first volume of Giants Beware!  Can’t wait to find out what Claudette and her friends are up to next!

QUESTION:  The last time we interviewed you, we asked you about something we’re still struggling with:  how do you balance a day job with creative endeavors. You recently discussed your work as a High School Science Teacher.  Has the balance of day job and comics gotten tougher or easier for you since we last spoke?  Have you learned any tips that you can share with us and others? 
 
GENE: It’s funny you should ask about this.  I recently made the decision to leave my day job.  For the past seventeen years, I’ve worked at a high school in Oakland, California.  I started as a full-time teacher.  These days, I’m down to just one class, plus some database work.

Leaving will be hard.  I love the community.  I feel like I’ve learned so much from my students.  But recently, DC Comics offered me the opportunity to write Superman and I couldn’t pass it up.

I know some folks hate their day jobs, but I loved being a teacher.  Still do.  Teaching and making comics provided a great balance for me.  Teaching’s incredibly extroverted, making comics is the exact opposite.  Being around people all day often gave me the source material I needed to write and draw stories.  Though I’m concentrating on my cartooning career for now, I hope to end my working life as a teacher.

Balancing a day job with creative work can be difficult.  For a few years, I would wake up early and go to sleep late to get my comics done.  I think you have to find the right day job, one that leaves you with enough energy to finish your own stuff.  For me, teaching and comics drew from different “energy buckets” – they wouldn’t exhaust me in the same way, so it worked!

QUESTION:  We can't wait to read your Superman! Was that a goal of yours to write for the Man of Steel?  How did that come about? Any chance for a Superman - Green Turtle team up?
 
GENE: I’m definitely excited to be a part of Team Superman!  Because he’s such a popular character, Superman is the star of four different titles from DC Comics.  I’m working with the other writers to build something new for the Man of Steel, something that will hopefully be a springboard for some good stories.  I’ve learned so much from seeing how those other guys work.

I’d love to do a Superman-Green Turtle team up!  Not sure it’ll ever happen, though!

I do want to mention that Sonny Liew, my partner on The Shadow Hero, is drawing the Dr. Fate comic for DC.  I’m super-excited about it.  Sonny, of course, is one of my favorite artists, and Dr. Fate is one of my favorite superheroes!  I got really into him when I was in high school, during J.M. DeMatteis' run on the character.  Can’t wait to see what Sonny and writer Paul Levitz do with him.

QUESTION: Speaking of the Green Turtle, "The Shadow Hero" only whetted our appetite for his adventures.  Can we hope to see a sequel or two or three?
 
Thank you!  Sonny and I have talked about doing two more Green Turtle stories.  I want to do one that’s set right before America enters World War II, and one right after the war ends.  Hopefully we’ll be able to actually do it someday.  Right now, though, we’re both busy with other projects.

QUESTION:  Who are you reading these days or who are your current influences? 
 
These days, most of my reading is research.  I’m almost done with Glen Weldon’s excellent Superman: An Unauthorized Biography.  I’m also reading a couple of books about basketball because I’m working on a graphic novel about the subject.

In terms of comics, Jason Shiga’s Demon is brilliant.  Not for kids, not even for some adults, but brilliant.  Jason is one of the most innovative – and bizarre – cartoonists to have ever walked the planet.  Mind-blowing stuff.

Jillian and Mariko Tamaki’s This One Summer has won a bajillion awards, and if you read the book you’ll understand why.  Absolutely masterful comics-making.

The comic I most recently read is Superman #23.4, written and drawn by Aaron Kuder. Aaron’s another member of Team Superman.  He’s most well-known as an artist, but he’s an excellent writer as well.  The issue focuses on Parasite, who is arguably the best purple-skinned supervillain ever.

QUESTION: Is Superman the next thing you're working on or are there other things on your plate you're working on these days?
 
Cartoonist Mike Holmes and I are busy with Secret Coders, a middle-grade graphic novel series all about computer programming.  I’m really, really excited about it.  I finally get to combine my two careers – cartooning and teaching computer science – into a single project.  I’m doing the writing, Mike’s doing the art.  Mike’s stuff has this Saturday morning energy to it that’s perfect for the story—you’ll see what I’m talking about when it comes out in September.

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Thanks so much to First Second and the generous book-loving sponsors who made this blog tour possible! We're excited, too, about the upcoming Secret Coders, and can't wait to add it to our TBR pile. Thanks to Gene for taking the time to answer Jorge and Rafael's questions, thanks to the interviewers, and thanks to the amazing Gina Gagliano. Don't forget to go check out the other stops on the blog tour!

LIMERICK REVIEW: SISTERS by Raina Telgemeier

click to embiggen

A surfeit of conflicts sisterical
Makes this graphic novel hysterical -
And a journey by car
Makes it all worse by far
A truce would be some sort of miracle!


Other Noteworthy Info: This incredibly fun graphic novel, published last year, is the companion to Smile and continues Raina's autobiographical childhood/tween adventures. Anyone who has siblings, or stepsiblings, or even aggravating cousins, will laugh and relate, and the author's engaging, friendly, funny drawing style is sure to appeal to a wide reading audience. Honestly? It made me REALLY GLAD I did not grow up with sisters... 

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I received an ARC of this book courtesy of last year's KidLitCon, after which it promptly got mislaid for several months. Oops! Hopefully the poetry makes up for it.

You can find SISTERS by Raina Telgemeier at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

TURNING PAGES: ENCHANTMENT LAKE: by MARGI PREUS

One of the things I love about mysteries is how much they vary. This mystery could be described as "cozy," because of the presence of old ladies, but the main character is an out of work child actress who really is the most reluctant of Miss Marples. A little bit of humor, a lot of atmosphere, and a bit of a mystery make this a perfect complement to a wish for summer-to-come. It's difficult to describe without spoilers, so I won't go into it too much - but pick this up if you need a break from annoying characters who don't ask enough questions -- Francie is insatiably curious, quick on her feet and determined - even when she doesn't intend to be.

Summary: Seventeen year old Francine - "Frenchy," to her nutty aunties, Astrid and Jeanette, and "Francie" to the people around the lake where they live - has been left behind one time too many. First, by an absent mother, and than by a father who died too soon - in an inexplicable car accident. Packing her heart away, Francie's preferred interaction with the world is taking on other roles and other personalities, though it seems those other roles are drowning her. A former child star, Francie's auditioning in Manhattan and going to summer school as her grandfather wants her to when she receives a baffling phone call from the aunts in northern Minnesota. Something is happening, or has happened. Maybe. People are dying - they're in imminent danger - or they're not. Francie isn't clear what's going on, and by the time she gets all the way out to Enchantment from New York, the water is even muddier. People around the lake have been dying - lots of them. But in odd little accidents, not murders. A tree falling through a roof. A well being poisoned. Snakes -- on the island which has none. Nobody could be doing all of that, no matter what the Aunts say. Unless the developer who wants their land has been offing them all? Are her aunts in danger? Or did they just want her to come back to Enchantment - to the dark little box in her heart she's been avoiding since her mother's desertion and her father's death?

“To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.

~ Wendell Berry, "To Know the Dark"
from Farming, A Handbook (Harcourt Brace, 1970)

Peaks: Francie reads poetry, which is a delight. At times she seems a bit world-weary and mature for seventeen, but she is a loner, an independent who has chosen to fend for herself, instead of getting too involved with others. Much of who Francie is comes through in the snippets of poetry -- but mostly what she's NOT is bandied around the town. Loudly. She's NOT a detective - but she did play one on TV...

This is a wonderfully evocative novel; the sense of place is second to none. The screen door's slap, the trill of the chickadees and the sound of the boats on the lake give deeper layers to the idyllic town of Enchantment. The friendly, slightly scruffy people who make it their home are charming and real. Francie alone seems solitary and aloof. She's a stranger to herself, but Astrid and Jeanette help her begin to see who she is again. Returning to Enchantment only focuses her view.

The mystery in this novel isn't hard-edged or hard-boiled. There really ARE mysterious deaths, spooky sounds in the woods, watchers and stalkers and kinda-confessions -- though it's all introduced in as bumbling and roundabout a way as the aunts minds work. The reader shares Francie's affection for - and exasperation with - the pair of them. Hints about a mystery under the lake, environmental issues, unscrupulous real estate agents and land grabs are derailed with red herrings in killer casserole dishes. Nerve-wracking night-walkers are diffused by an indifferent, near-retirement Sheriff but a sweet legal assistant who pays attention gets things stirred to a nice simmer, and finally - eventually - things reach a surprising boil. A quiet novel, but don't let that fool you.

Valleys: While this isn't a particularly diverse cast of characters, this is nonetheless a lovely afternoon read and a perfect lakeside accompaniment to a float chair, sunscreen and mosquito coils. (Let's all think hopeful thoughts that direction, right?) Some readers who like a straightforward plot, and to be told everything rather than allowing it to unfold may be impatient with the pacing, but I feel that this moves along in exactly the right way, and will find its home as the returned-to favorite of many readers.

Conclusion:A quirky, disarming gem of a mystery about the lovely, lake-filled Midwest, this moves as sweetly and simply as a loom skimming over sunlit waves - but as with every lake, there's more than you imagine underneath. I'm hopeful we'll see Francie again.

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I received my copy of this book courtesy of University of Minnesota Press. You can find ENCHANTMENT LAKE: A Northwoods Mystery by Margi Preus at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!