Number seven is exploring a strange New World. They fall into a gem cave awaken two weeks later. A new astronomer has been sent to that location as Astronmer 7 was not “found”. Now seven and eight are there trying to figure out what happened and where seven was for 2 1/2 weeks. They eventually figure out that it’s stress and that a crystal found by seven sends someone into the “oatmeal”. The oatmeal is between space-time, so it feels like instant. Like a warm hug. But it’s actually taking you through time. Eventually the astronomer, seven and eight end up with as many as 16 astronomers in a quest to put the crystal back, and discover more about the planet, in which they are inhabiting. This was a fun, middle grade book. There are a few extra stories in the end, each done with different illustrators, and writers that give a different feel to the main story. Overall I did like this but it was a tad long. 

 

This is a gruesome and very graphic novel. It is not for the faint of heart.  It is a graphic, graphic novel, full of bloody body horror. This book takes place at various time periods time. In 1966,  and in two different 1985 within two weeks of each other. In 1966, as a child, Dr. Shaw found a film strip about something called unit 731. We don’t know what that was. In 1985, in Atlanta  strange murders were taking place and it sent Dr. Shah way from the hospital and into the arms of doctors without borders. While in Honduras, the same type of gruesome murders are happening again. The reader is treated to knowledge of someone who wears a punisher type mask and he has nefarious and evil plans, but no idea why. Dr. Shaw has run away from what happened in Atlanta just to find out it’s happening again and unit 731 keeps coming up. This is only 90 pages and there’s not enough to tell you what is happening. However, it’s enough to get you intrigued to say I need a volume two. I want to know what’s going on because certain characters aren’t what they seem and who is the man behind the basket, and what happened to Dr. Shaw. I need to know! 

 

Isume is back in the sequel to Tokyo Ever After. The new princess is learning more about Japanese life and her family every day. This book picks up right where a book one leaves off and the first event is Isume, is dumped by her bodyguard boyfriend. And while it is sad, she takes it well because there’s romance all around her. Her mom and her dad are finally getting together, and they want to marry. But they need the Empresses and a group of loyal advisers to all agree to the marriage. This will only happen if Isume can be the perfect princess. So Isume jump into this effort by deciding she is going to attend a school in Japan, but first she hast to get in. Which means she hast to study and practice for a special exam as well as do a very complicated interview. And with the help of her new tutor, who also has things to gain and lose from this tutelage, she is going to do her best to help her parents’ marriage succeed. This book is all about family, both new and old. It’s about more than just her mom and dad. It brings in other royal family members like her cousins and finding out what she is and is not willing to do to make the world happy. Overall, this book was adorable. It includes tropes like fake dating, parent trapping, and sibling rivalry via What a Girl Wants (the movie). But it’s still a perfect princess story to put a smile on someone’s face. This book is a little steamy towards the end, but it is a cutaway scene, not spicy. It’s still good for a variety of teenage readers. And if I could have my perfect wish, it would be for Disney to make these books the new princess diaries three and have some sort of handoff between princess Mia to the new princess Isume.  Until then these books will do. They are currently a duology. A third book is not needed but could still be done. 

 

Gemma‘s family life is a bit of a mess. This is illustrated best through her inability to complete a family tree. Her mom walked out on the family a year ago and has left her playing mom to her younger and older brothers. The one thing she has going for her is baseball. She doesn’t play. She just pitches balls to her big brother, who is the towns biggest sports star. He’s headed out to a fancy sports team that travels in Florida. That’s going to be a big change from living in Rhode Island. This book is lovely and one can feel the love of the sport. I think, even non-baseball lovers will find the story of t Gemma, on the brink of womanhood, an interesting read. We see her come to terms with life and realize that certain things are not as bad or as good as she thought they were, and that she is OK with that. 

 

It is no secret that I love these books.  The author does such a good job telling a funny and relatable story.  The illustrations with the random farts keep the kids laughing.  And while these books do not have a true cadence and some of the rhymes are a stretch, it all works and comes rolling of the tongue in a slick way.  This butt is going to continue to read these books as long as the author continues to write them. 

 

This graphic novel was sweet. It’s about two friends growing up growing together and growing apart. The timeline constantly shifts back-and-forth between current and various times in the past. These girls are at a summer camp for problem kids and they have to pass camp in order to go back to high school in the fall. It takes about 3/4 of the book to find out why they are in camp. The reader watch their relationship build, not just his friends, but as more than friends and learn that it’s not always enough. This is a heartwarming story. It’s very touching and it works as a standalone but I really hope there’s a sequel. 

 

Growing up is hard.  As girls age, they find different likes, and can start to stray from long held friendships.  In Roller Girl, Astrid falls in love with Roller Derby.  It is so geeky, but edgy at the same time.  Her friend, however, is more into dance.  Their friendship starts to splinter as Astrid pulls more to Roller Derby.  She is not very good and does a lot of falling but she is learning to get up on her own feet and to find the courage to go forth without her best friend.  It also means she learns to make new friends, and in the long run how to be a better friend overall.  This book was a Newberry honor book and it deserves that honor.  It is a timeless tale of friendship and growing up. It shows that growing up, and growing apart is not always a bad thing, but sometimes what is needed to broaden horizons, try new things, and become the person on the outside you feel on the inside. 

 

Who needs another unicorn book?  There are already too many of them.  Instead, it is time for a nice book about cowboys.  But it would be better than ever if there was a unicorn in it.  But no.  No Unicorns in this book!!!  Or are there????????  This was fun.  The book is the unicorn, pug, and narrator talking, or arguing back and forth about what the story is or should be.  The illustrations are just as fun as the story and there will be kids that want this book read over and over and over again. 

 

It’s a jungle out there…an urban jungle.  Bob is a cat who lives in luxury.  They have their entire building cuddling up to them and giving treats, pets, and play time.  The members of the building all come to Jungle Cat’s rescue when the jungle gets to be too much. This was a fun book about cats, and community.  The illustrations are lively, and the story is relatable. 

 

Adorable.  Simply Adorable.  This would make an excellent puppet show.  It also works quite well as a story.  But the story is missing. It’s just two mice trying to find the story.  But there is still a story.  It all works and is fabulous.