(Actual rating: 4.5 stars) Books like this lay bare a lot of uncomfortable truths. It takes a skilled author to handle these truths and the fallout fro(Actual rating: 4.5 stars) Books like this lay bare a lot of uncomfortable truths. It takes a skilled author to handle these truths and the fallout from everything involved. Sawyerr is one such author. My words pale in comparison to the actual narrative so I will direct you there. I highly recommend this book....more
(Actual rating: 3.5 stars) This was not a bad book but it's also not a book I will remember for long. The main character lives her life in an area with(Actual rating: 3.5 stars) This was not a bad book but it's also not a book I will remember for long. The main character lives her life in an area with a magically created wall, an area populated by the ruling fae who have elemental powers. Two other races, witches and humans, live in subjucation while others are not supposed to exist inside the wall, others like the siren that the main character is. She uses a sort of magic to hide her identity but end up becoming a guard to the crown prince so that she can uncover who is threatening to reveal the identity of her sister who is also in hiding but is not a siren. Of course, the prince turns out to be the love interest and also someone the main character should not trust. (I really do not like him.) As far as the events of the plot go, just imagine all the typical twists and turns of YA fantasy and you have this book. I will not hold onto this special edition or continue in the series....more
While I may never read E. Lockhart's much more well known book, We Were Liars, I really enjoyed her take on a superhero origin story. She created a loWhile I may never read E. Lockhart's much more well known book, We Were Liars, I really enjoyed her take on a superhero origin story. She created a lovable and street smart main character who chose to confront those closest to her who were doing reprehensible things even though it put her and her mom in danger. I will definitely add this one to the classroom shelves....more
I loved this volume. Larson created a spunky, queer Black heroine who puts Nancy Drew to shame. As a reader who as a child/middle schooler loved NancyI loved this volume. Larson created a spunky, queer Black heroine who puts Nancy Drew to shame. As a reader who as a child/middle schooler loved Nancy Drew and Scooby Do, this was right up my alley. I also really enjoyed the art style in this issue. This one will definitely get added to the classroom shelves along with the sequels as soon as I get my hands on them....more
Going into this one, I was a little wary due to an accidental spoiler that I read in a review prior to starting. Thankfully, although that event did oGoing into this one, I was a little wary due to an accidental spoiler that I read in a review prior to starting. Thankfully, although that event did occur, the reviewer mischaracterized it a little. I enjoyed being back in this world and wrapping up Iko's story. I would hesitate a little before putting this on the shelves due to my students propensity to disregard series order. If they read the books in order, many would definitely enjoy them....more
Um. What even was this? Although all of the previous Comix kid subscription picks have been hits for me, this one did not quite work. It's incredibly Um. What even was this? Although all of the previous Comix kid subscription picks have been hits for me, this one did not quite work. It's incredibly short, only 56 pages, but it has the type of absurdist humor that some kids at that age range enjoy. It reminds me of some Nickelodeon shows popular back in the 90s and early 2000s. Even if I had been allowed to watch them, I had no inclination to do so. If I had not already owned this courtesy of the subscription, I would not have gone out of my way to purchase it....more
Most books - of all formats - set in this time period, have to do a lot to stand out and engaged me as a reader because there are just so many. This oMost books - of all formats - set in this time period, have to do a lot to stand out and engaged me as a reader because there are just so many. This one did a decent job but does not quite stand out. I appreciated the focus on the photography and its use in showing us how the main character saw her world. I would not decline to put this on my classroom shelves but I also would not make it a priority....more
I appreciated how the author chronicled the main character's journey to find his superhero origin story as well as the incorporation of other superherI appreciated how the author chronicled the main character's journey to find his superhero origin story as well as the incorporation of other superheroes in a way that a relative newbie like me would not be put off by. I may add this one to the shelves but because I consider it to lean towards the upper YA age range, it's not a high priority for my middle school shelves....more
(I do not rate memoirs.) I always appreciate the ability to learn from someone else as they tell their story as the author does in this graphic memoir.(I do not rate memoirs.) I always appreciate the ability to learn from someone else as they tell their story as the author does in this graphic memoir. I also tend to recommend these books to my students as well as stock my classroom shelves with them. This one is no exception. The author tells his immigration story with most of the focus on his childhood and middle grade years although the later portions include a section from high school and then his later adult years when he finally became a naturalize citizen. I think this story was well told although I wish the author had given a little bit of transition between the high school section and the adult section because I found myself a little bit confused and know that others might be as well....more
This is the first book from this author that did not completely knock it out of the park for me. I still think that she did an excellent job with the This is the first book from this author that did not completely knock it out of the park for me. I still think that she did an excellent job with the narrative. This particular story, though, had a pretty big hill to climb. This book is set in Amsterdam during Nazi occupation just at the start of the forced relocation of Dutch Jews. I have read - and found an all-time favorite book set at that same time and in that same place, The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse. I could not help comparing the two while I read. In this book, the main character, and her father, are artists with a gallery. Her father can no longer support them (I forget why) so the main character resorts to selling a forged painting to a German soldier to pay rent although she ends up enmeshed in a scheme to smuggle out as many Jewish babies and small children as possible with the help and additional risk of a deserting German soldier. Cameron does what she does best in this narrative, exploring moral nuances through unenviable dilemmas. However, I do not think that this is a YA novel. Most of the characters are 18 or older and some of the scenes/scenarios that the main character finds herself in lean much more to the adult experience. The text itself I believe a bit too advanced for most YA readers. On these fronts as well as the ability to empathize with a morally gray main character, The Girl in the Blue Coat does it much better....more
The abrupt ending confused my thoughts a little on this book but I will get to that in a moment. I tend to not prefer books that cover large swaths ofThe abrupt ending confused my thoughts a little on this book but I will get to that in a moment. I tend to not prefer books that cover large swaths of time, years or longer, in the life of a singular character. However, certain books surprise me and work really well. This book is one of them. I also appreciate the skill of the translator with the book, originally published in Japanese. The author created a beautiful world with a nuanced conflict over complex magical creatures and their care. I do, however, wonder about the ending of the book because while the plot reached somewhat of a conclusion, the events end right in the middle of a rescue of sort. I will continue on however because I am sufficiently intrigued. ...more
(Actual rating: 4.5 stars) I picked this one up after DNFing "The Bone Ships." It's always a relief to find a book that works on the heels of one that (Actual rating: 4.5 stars) I picked this one up after DNFing "The Bone Ships." It's always a relief to find a book that works on the heels of one that does not. Owens creates a complex world with an unjust caste system that unspools in a way that keeps the reader engaged. I really appreciated how Owens developed the complex main character who struggles to adapt to the new mantle of leadership thrust upon her as well as the drive to fulfill her oat to the potential future leader of the kingdom that ruthlessly oppresses her people simply for the fact that they exist. Owens also adds depth to the side characters which helps the reader fully immerse in the story. I look forward to reading the sequel as well as her recently concluded trilogy....more
(Actual rating: 3.5) This book was not what I expected, especially since I frequently see it recommended on middle grade graphic novel lists. This grap(Actual rating: 3.5) This book was not what I expected, especially since I frequently see it recommended on middle grade graphic novel lists. This graphic novel is definitely not middle grade; it is clearly YA and an older type of YA at that, one that might come out of the early 2000s rather than the subsequent decade in which it was actually published. I also never really engaged with the main character who read rather like a brat even though this brat of a main character did meet someone even worse to teach her some sort of lesson. This one will not make it to my classroom shelves....more
I did not realize when first reserving this book that it connected to the Lunar Chronicles series. As soon as I opened the first page and found out, II did not realize when first reserving this book that it connected to the Lunar Chronicles series. As soon as I opened the first page and found out, I became even more engaged. I really like Meyer's writing as well as this series which is probably my favorite of hers, so getting to return and see Iko's story felt like a treat. As far as whether I would put it on my classroom shelves? Definitely. The reader gets even more out of the graphic novel if they read the original series but, in my opinion, this duology is separated enough that it can stand on its own....more
(Actual rating: 4.5 stars) I really enjoyed this book which tells the story of several students who live in Himawari House in Japan while they study Ja(Actual rating: 4.5 stars) I really enjoyed this book which tells the story of several students who live in Himawari House in Japan while they study Japanese, at least while three of them study. Of the five residents, two are Japanese and good friends. The other three are exchange students, one from South Korea, one from Singapore, and one from the United States. I will not, however, add this to my classroom library because this is a YA or NA novel not middle grade....more
This is the first of the freshman class of Bindery published books that I have read. I hoped for better than what I ended up getting. This was not a bThis is the first of the freshman class of Bindery published books that I have read. I hoped for better than what I ended up getting. This was not a bad book, just a rather basic one. Everything read formulaic and flat with stereotypical characters and plot events...more
(Actual rating: 3.5 stars) Am I just too skeptical a person? I did not feel any sort of tension or suspense throughout this purported horror novel. Gra(Actual rating: 3.5 stars) Am I just too skeptical a person? I did not feel any sort of tension or suspense throughout this purported horror novel. Granted, I believe that the author went more for psychological horror than anything graphic. Even with that, the creep factor did not really enter the story until well after the first 25%. The opening quarter sets the novel up as more of a survival story with these supposedly troubled teens sent ot a wilderness camp. These types of stories I tend not to enjoy so I had already started to pull away from the narrative which, perhaps, contributed to the minimal effect of the horror elements once introduced. I also figured out one of the twists long before any of the characters did. So ... this was fine but I will not keep my copy....more
(I do not rate memoirs.) Yet again, this is a case of mis-categorization. I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience and learning from the author's e(I do not rate memoirs.) Yet again, this is a case of mis-categorization. I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience and learning from the author's experience. However, this graphic novel tells the author's story of a year she spent in Japan, going "home" as a haifu - half Japanese - for the first time since she left as a five year old. She does this the year after graduating from high school thus making a categorization of YA much more appropriate than middle grade....more
(Actual rating: 3.5 stars) This graphic novel tells the story, with minimal words, of an American born first generation Japanese American who travels t(Actual rating: 3.5 stars) This graphic novel tells the story, with minimal words, of an American born first generation Japanese American who travels to Japan to be with her grandmother in her final days and ends up trapped in Japan when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. She was then also coerced into working as a spy because she's bilingual. The graphic novel presents a scenario that I have not ever really considered before and definitely challenges the reader. However, I do not think that the intended audience is middle grade due to the age of the protagonist and the subtly of some of the messaging....more
(This is a combined review.) Both of these are entries in the DC universe which I know little about. That made Mister Miracle especially difficult to u(This is a combined review.) Both of these are entries in the DC universe which I know little about. That made Mister Miracle especially difficult to understand since it takes place on a different planet with an odd structure to a school of sorts that likely has background given in other comic installments. I enjoyed Nubia much more, mainly because its setting is here on earth and also has another character come in and give some backstory explanation....more
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