4.5 stars rounding up for how much I enjoyed it. Upper middle grade, genuinely spooky, Halloweeny. Didn't love the "now you're grown --> romantic feel4.5 stars rounding up for how much I enjoyed it. Upper middle grade, genuinely spooky, Halloweeny. Didn't love the "now you're grown --> romantic feelings" at the end....more
Really loved this. I think the comparison to If You Reach Me is apt in vibes as well as plot. A sweet, thoughtful middle grade SF pick from Erin EntraReally loved this. I think the comparison to If You Reach Me is apt in vibes as well as plot. A sweet, thoughtful middle grade SF pick from Erin Entrada Kelly. ...more
Loved the representation and all the supportive, accepting family love. The exposition in the first half really dragged and I'm not sure the plot realLoved the representation and all the supportive, accepting family love. The exposition in the first half really dragged and I'm not sure the plot really held together? Not really for me but I'm hoping it's for other readers....more
Mmmmmm. Still looking for an Ojibwe reviewer's opinion on this one. Some scathing criticism of his first one that I didn't find until I was searching Mmmmmm. Still looking for an Ojibwe reviewer's opinion on this one. Some scathing criticism of his first one that I didn't find until I was searching for reviews on this just now.
It's possible I just wasn't the reader for this book, and what felt clunky and artificial to me was a function of the audience or style?
ETA: it's 4am and I've been stuck awake for half an hour because I keep thinking of things that bother me about this story. I kept thinking of her as like 16 rather than 13, until I was reminded at the end that she's his age because of the odd shoehorned romance. And then I was like wait, her dad is the tribal leader and she's expected to take his place... there's no way he's ignorant of power structures and how she'll have to operate within them but he wants to pull her out of school at 13? I get it if she was 16 and was like eh, this is what I want, I'm getting my GED or whatever. But middle school? (School related side note: George was homeschooled but it was "too expensive"??? Homeschooling definitely *can* be expensive depending on how you do it but it doesn't have to be. Weird.)
Also is this historical fiction?!?!?!?!? Genuine question, not snark. What year is it? There's a laptop and email and Google, George is playing a video game w other ppl online. WHERE ARE THE CELLPHONES? I'm trying to think back and there are zero cellphones? No texting? There's no way this kid was fencing stolen goods in Duluth in the last 15 years with no phone! Maybe his mom took his phone away, that makes sense in terms of punishment, but he doesn't think about it or mention it? And nobody else has a phone either? Internet is expensive but phones can be cheap even with data. I understand not wanting to wrestle with the messiness of tweens/teens and social media in your plot, but to just ignore cellphones entirely feels like something an editor should have caught so it was addressed at least?
Ok. Hoping to get back to sleep now that's out of my system....more
Clearly a labor of love. The poems didn't always work for me -- poetry aimed at young people and novels in verse rarely do -- but I loved how she connClearly a labor of love. The poems didn't always work for me -- poetry aimed at young people and novels in verse rarely do -- but I loved how she connected and contextualized them with the prose afterwards, and especially all the quotes and images of Butler's writing....more
Well, that was FASCINATING. 4.5 stars -- some of the humor was a little too corny even for me, and I wasn't in love with the cartoons --Rec by Lani W.
Well, that was FASCINATING. 4.5 stars -- some of the humor was a little too corny even for me, and I wasn't in love with the cartoons -- but rounding up for how purely INTERESTING it was. I learned so much!! I was disabused of so many incorrect ideas that I'd half learned or just thought I knew or that hadn't been discovered yet when I was taking science classes! I have already shared so many facts with so many people and I literally just read it all that! Highly recommended (and probably several of you will be getting a text or message from me shortly about how you or your kids should read it.)...more
Rereading all of them again in anticipation of the last book and it's so flipping good.Rereading all of them again in anticipation of the last book and it's so flipping good....more
Oh man, so good. I cried. It's so easy to be overwhelmed by the feeling that we're in the end times and to forget that political bigotry and racism haOh man, so good. I cried. It's so easy to be overwhelmed by the feeling that we're in the end times and to forget that political bigotry and racism have happened over and over again... and in some cases been defeated or at least made a few steps towards justice.
Kelly Yang has such a gift for storytelling and characters. (Hank!! ...more
ELEVEN HUNDRED STARS. I truly, truly loved this book. I want to read it again right now. There was honestly not a single thing I did not adore. It wasELEVEN HUNDRED STARS. I truly, truly loved this book. I want to read it again right now. There was honestly not a single thing I did not adore. It was funny and smart and had SO MUCH HEART.
I super enjoyed THE ASSIMILATED CUBAN'S GUIDE TO QUANTUM SANTERIA a few years ago -- and rec'd it on a Geek Girl Con RA panel! -- but I'd never have guessed that Carlos Hernandez could make the leap to middle grade so beautifully.
I just. I don't even know where to start with a review because I'm all just flailing limbs of delight. What was my favorite thing, even? Gabi's multiple dads, who are basically Flourite from Steven Universe? Gabi, the ultimate Hermione Granger fix-it? Almost every single adult? The school?? Sal's character growth and essential goodness despite sometimes being a thoughtless jerk? I can't possibly choose.
Pure Katie O'Neill! Soft, adorable, sweet, loving, earnest, gentle, gorgeous illustrations. Lana's grieving her mom and her dad doesn't really get whaPure Katie O'Neill! Soft, adorable, sweet, loving, earnest, gentle, gorgeous illustrations. Lana's grieving her mom and her dad doesn't really get what she needs... but he's not a villain, just going through his own process of grief. Auntie Mae is a straight-up hottie willing to listen and learn and earns her the right to get back together with her unicorn-riding mermaid in the end. All of this plus a handy message about environmental interconnectedness, fixing mistakes, and sustainability!
tl;dr: QUEER, MER-UNICORN-RIDING MERMAIDS. A perfect gift for all the queer moms with young kiddos in your life. They'll honestly not even know what hit them....more
Re-read (after many years' hiatus) for book club and it totally held up for me. Things I did not remember: there are virtually no men in this book (evRe-read (after many years' hiatus) for book club and it totally held up for me. Things I did not remember: there are virtually no men in this book (even Gilbert, who is in fact dreamier than I remembered, has only, like, five lines) and the non-Gilbert ones who are there are mostly only there as placeholders to be pretty or provide comic relief or act as catalysts for the ladies' self-determination; whereas the cast of lady characters is big, complex, and glorious. Here for it.
It's funny and a total delight to re-read. Going to reread them all and also rewatch the wonderful CBC miniseries because Colleen Dewhurst will always be Marilla to me. ...more
HEA! #rippedbodicebingo square: queer + historical. (Actually a little conflicted on that, but I think that Sebastian's gender-nonconformity and potenHEA! #rippedbodicebingo square: queer + historical. (Actually a little conflicted on that, but I think that Sebastian's gender-nonconformity and potentially non-binary identity falls under the QUILTBAG umbrella.)...more
Adorable, quiet, sweet queer romance between two cute brown boys, one fat (who receives sincere and well deserved compliments on his hefty arms). GentAdorable, quiet, sweet queer romance between two cute brown boys, one fat (who receives sincere and well deserved compliments on his hefty arms). Gentle, fluffy, lovely soft pastel art that perfectly matches the dreamy, soft story. No villains, just sweetness. Feels like a contemporary webcomic to me in tone and scope.
Def has a (fabulous) Voltron Lance/Hunk fanart feel, too, visually.
tl;dr: a lovely addition to school and public libraries, esp middle school. excited to bring this to our mini pop up library at emerald city comic con this year!...more
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