Black people do not always feel safe in the wilderness. There are a lot of reasons for this, some of them detailed here.
It follows that there aren't aBlack people do not always feel safe in the wilderness. There are a lot of reasons for this, some of them detailed here.
It follows that there aren't a lot of books for youth about Black kids experiencing the outdoors.
So I was excited when I heard that Rhodes would be coming out with a forest fire adventure with a Black face on the cover.
Forest fires are a fact of life in my corner of the world. When I was growing up, my dad worked for the Department of Natural Resources for the state of Washington, and he frequently spent weeks in the summer managing basecamps for fire fighters in the woods. In August and September, our skies here in Thurston County are more and more commonly filled with the haze of smoke from forest fires. And one of the things that's pretty obvious about this book from the get-go is that there's gonna be a fire.
I wasn't expecting the map element. I'm a map person. I can stare at a map for a long period of time. I've never been into drawing them, personally, like Addy does, but I dig her fascination with maps.
The impending fire should and did give the beginning of this book a sense of foreboding, but even with that element, I remember being a little disappointed at first that it was a little slower paced than I hoped. It starts on a fairly unremarkable plane ride, not in an action sequence. There's a lot of time spent building character and setting before things catch on fire. The writing is reflective, poetic. I was afraid this wouldn't capture the kids who I think should read books like this.
But now, in hindsight, when I see this cover, the first thing I remember is the harrowing journey through the woods. The terrifying journey without shoes that some of the characters undertake. The trauma and fear of being in such concrete real danger.
I love the cover of this book, and its compact size. It's easy to hold in your hands. I like the section break illustrations and the depictions of Addy's maps. It's nice to have a visual element to help you imagine the journey from point A to point B.
I recommended this to my school friends coordinating their upper-elementary Battle of the Books, and will probably take this out next time I booktalk at Middle Schools.
This was so charming! I read it a few months ago, and when I think about books that sucked me in recently, it comes to mind right away.
I loved the reThis was so charming! I read it a few months ago, and when I think about books that sucked me in recently, it comes to mind right away.
I loved the relatability and representation of large extended families. I loved that Luna wasn't always right. I liked her little gimmicks. Loved that it started with a quinceañera and ended with a mariachi band.
Definitely taking this out to local elementary schools, and probably recommending it for Battle of the Books....more
And that's what this feels like. It isn't predictable, in the best way possible. Some people I've talked to have found thiI'm a sucker for innovation.
And that's what this feels like. It isn't predictable, in the best way possible. Some people I've talked to have found this slow, but I was riveted right from the gate. I seriously get chills when I remember the opening pages, where Molly introduces the Keller School. "Ahhhh" I thought to myself, "This is why I feel indulgent when I let myself read High School stuff." It was just such a pleasure to read.
Ok, gotta stop myself here. I'm gushing waaaayyyy too much. Your expectations will rise, and you'll end up disappointed. And I hate for that. It's just been a while since I've felt comfortable really gushing about a book.
I mean, LOOK at that COVER!!!
I loved the three characters. I loved that the plot has some historical fiction elements, and some mystery elements, and some "problem novel" elements. I loved getting to know Pepper. Yes, I felt the need to search online to find out if Ava Dreymann was real.
I loved the window into East Germany. I loved the three distinct voices. I loved the twistedness.
On the short list for the Washington State Book Award. Spokane author....more
I was attracted to this because of the awesome, street-art-inspired cover. I hoped it would work for booktalking, but ultimately found it to be a littI was attracted to this because of the awesome, street-art-inspired cover. I hoped it would work for booktalking, but ultimately found it to be a little too soulful for that.
I really liked the Oakland setting, depiction of living within walking distance of familiar businesses. It's really a book more about people than about Zook. And grieving, and transitions.
Tongue-in-cheek metafiction for the upper-elementary set.
I took this out as part of my 2015 Summer Reading promotional visits to elementary schools inTongue-in-cheek metafiction for the upper-elementary set.
I took this out as part of my 2015 Summer Reading promotional visits to elementary schools in my school district. My talk about this book started by asking the crowd of kids to raise their hand if they lived with an adult*. Then, I introduced the idea that many adults have "these things called 'jobs'" that they go to instead of school**. I then asked the kids to raise their hand if they'd ever been to the place where an adult in their household worked. We then described the scene in the book where the main character meets her dad's boss (who (view spoiler)[is a whale/human hybrid and pours a bucket of seawater on his head in the company breakroom (hide spoiler)] in the scene).
This first book came out in 2005, and Anderson has continued the series with five more adventures (for a total of six books). One problem with promoting NEW fiction in my school visits is that often kids get excited about a series, and then have to WAIT for a sequel. I tried to circumvent this problem this year by promoting a few books which begin already published series.
Anderson writes cerebrally, with many adult-friendly winks to the reader, playing with genre and form and tropes in fiction. Both of the supporting players are heroes in their own book series', and the plot weaves together aspects of early 20th Century futuristic sci-fi, 90s kid-friendly monster-horror, and many other strands of fiction, to tell a new kind of tale.
While I did enjoy listening to this, I would recommend reading the book in print, rather than via audio. I flipped through the printed book after I finished listening, and regretted that I didn't see the illustrated bits and font-play on the page.
I liked Anderson's balance of wackiness, smart humor, and high concept adventure in this series. While I didn't find the characters relatable, people who enjoy language-play, innovative plots, and world-building in their fiction should dig it.
*Totally deadpan - a few of the kids usually started laughing at this point. **It's very important to me that my book blurbs not assume that every kid in the room lives with their parents, or that all of the adults in their lives are employed outside of the home....more
I'm pretty sure I read this once, but I KNOW I read an excerpt many many times over and over again as a kid. I love her spirit. And her way of being iI'm pretty sure I read this once, but I KNOW I read an excerpt many many times over and over again as a kid. I love her spirit. And her way of being in the world....more
I know, it's sad. I totally did not read this when it came out.
Luckily, Chbosky made a movie version of this story! Which kicked my ass into gear to I know, it's sad. I totally did not read this when it came out.
Luckily, Chbosky made a movie version of this story! Which kicked my ass into gear to read the classic of YA fiction.
It seems silly to tell you what happens at this point - basically, there's this kid who's starting high school, and he meets this group of seniors who are basically an orphan band of outsiders. He writes a mysterious stranger about his struggles over his first year of high school. And there are definitely some triggering parts.
But there is so much truth and wisdom and realness here.
I made a point of reading it before watching the movie, but then made a point of picturing the actors from the movie as the characters when I read it, and that strategy worked really well towards my liking both versions. Of course, it helps that the author did the screenwriting and directed the thing.
Honestly, the "big line" of the book ("You Accept the Love You Think You Deserve") didn't really land for me when I read it. In the intervening month, it really really has.
Amazing. Especially when you think about WHEN this came out....more
This was my first Balliett read, and less of a traditional mystery than I expected. Sum's story is heartbreaking, and very real.
Memorable for its setThis was my first Balliett read, and less of a traditional mystery than I expected. Sum's story is heartbreaking, and very real.
Memorable for its setting (a tiny apartment in Chicago, and then an inner city shelter), the father's job working as a paraprofessional in a library, and the relationships between the members of Sum's family....more
Holy crap, why has it taken me this long to read this book?!?!
This is So. Cute. Portia is living her underwhelming life when she meets a monster in thHoly crap, why has it taken me this long to read this book?!?!
This is So. Cute. Portia is living her underwhelming life when she meets a monster in the woods behind her house. It is an ADORABLE monster. And it is hungry. So Portia feeds it.
Adventures follow.
I love Soo's cuddly, accessible drawing style. It doesn't surprise me that he thanks Hope Larson and Kazu Kibuishi in the Acknowledgments - his aesthetic seems closely related to both of theirs. Plus Little Orphan Annie eyes. His color work is really nice. Mostly purple, with touches of a few other colors. The cuteness of that monster is out. of. control.
Soo does a really good job of telling a light story while not forgetting the darkness of the world. I won't be surprised if the whole thing is a giant metaphor, though that hasn't come to light yet. I appreciate that, like Amelia Rules, this takes on parental divorce head on.
It did slightly annoy me that it cuts off in the middle of an adventure. Talk about a cliff-hanger.
But this definitely belongs on any booklist of kids' graphic novels. It's a sweet, real story about sweet, real things. Like friendship.
T.S. is a prodigy of cartography. He is only twelve years old, and he sees his whole world through the lens of mapping. He creates maps of movement, sT.S. is a prodigy of cartography. He is only twelve years old, and he sees his whole world through the lens of mapping. He creates maps of movement, sociological phenomena, all of the possible moves from the starting position in Cat's Cradle... The possibilities are literally endless. All of his maps feature technical drawings so precise and aesthetically pleasing that he regularly publishes his maps in magazines like Smithsonian and Science.
He does all this from a ranch in Montana. His dad is a rancher who kneels at the altar of the iconic Cowboy, and his mom is an entomologist studying a quite possibly nonexistant bug. His sister is a prototypical teenage girl; none of his family knows that he is a famous cartographer (well, as famous as a cartographer can be).
One day, he gets a phone call from the Smithsonian - he has won a prestigious award, which comes with the opportunity to give a speech to the academic elite in Washington D.C. and temporary post at the Smithsonian Institute.
All this would be fascinating enough, but, as you would totally wish if you were reading this in the traditional way, T.S.'s maps are included in the book. Each page has margins of two or maybe three inches, and in many ways, we get to see the world as T. S. sees it.
As an analytical person myself, I loved this book. It's a relatively quiet book, though there is violence and adventure, and secret societies. There is a large chunk in the middle where Larsen dedicates tens of pages to a story about T.S.'s ancestor - a fictional woman who was one of the the earliest academically educated female scientists in America. I have a soft spot for quirky kids who see the world through unique lenses, and this definitely fits that set.
It's shelved in Adult Fiction at my library, which isn't misplaced, as the journey and the story will probably be appreciated the most by adults. But if you have a prodigy kid in your life, they might like it too....more
Read this for my YA Lit class in grad school, and booktalked it for the class. Then it was the only one from the class that I booktalked for actual miRead this for my YA Lit class in grad school, and booktalked it for the class. Then it was the only one from the class that I booktalked for actual middle schoolers my first year as a real live youth services librarian. Slightly creepy, Really interesting voice - actually reminds me of True Grit in the formal voice aspect. Makes me think about gender issues and animal issues. Great book....more
I'd give this one 3.5 stars if I could. This is a totally unique mystery, and I admire a lot about it. It didn't grab me like most of the books I giveI'd give this one 3.5 stars if I could. This is a totally unique mystery, and I admire a lot about it. It didn't grab me like most of the books I give four stars, but there's too much good about it to give it a simple three. Ted's mind is on "a different operating system than most people." Based on the evidence in the book, I believe he's high-functioning autistic or Asbergers. Anyway, because he thinks differently than the rest of us, he's better at sorting through clues and putting facts together to solve the mystery of his missing cousin. There are twists and turns, family awkwardness/realistic squabbles, a little bit of action. It starts a bit slow, and is heavily entrenched in Londonness. I really enjoyed such a quirky narrator (reminds me of Owl in Love or the Emma-Jean Lazarus... books, but with a boy narrator) in a mystery context, in such a definite geographical setting, with such believable relationships. Definitely a keeper....more
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree was my favorite J title of 2007. This is a great follow-up. It's a very quick read, with a quirky design. RemindsEmma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree was my favorite J title of 2007. This is a great follow-up. It's a very quick read, with a quirky design. Reminds me of a young Amelia Bedelia - Emma-Jean is extremely literal and thus has few social skills as she navigates middle school. I laughed out loud multiple times as her hijinks went on. Very sweet, true, honest humor. Great series....more
Loading...
