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A gentle dystopia, rather well done. I do wish the ending wasn't so abrupt, but a book that keeps you wanting more is a good thing.
Recommended next read: My Life with the Liars, by Caela Carter https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817346-my-life-with-the-liars
Recommended next read: My Life with the Liars, by Caela Carter https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817346-my-life-with-the-liars
I felt so conflicted about this book, but in the end I come down on the side of not recommending it AND following this author for future reads.
On the plus side, it's #ownvoices about a multiracial child with Lebanese heritage, there is nuance and no magic including "shadow creatures" is bad necessarily, and obstacles are overcome with mindfulness and deep breaths and self knowledge. I love that!
On the minus side, the plot is confusing, and in the end and that really bothers me.
Children who might have grandparents in similar situations would not be helped by this ending, and that is why I cannot in good conscience recommend this book. I would, however, read more this author writes, because as I said above I love the way the magic works, and the #ownvoices aspect really comes singing through beautifully.
On the plus side, it's #ownvoices about a multiracial child with Lebanese heritage, there is nuance and no magic including "shadow creatures" is bad necessarily, and obstacles are overcome with mindfulness and deep breaths and self knowledge. I love that!
On the minus side, the plot is confusing, and in the end
Spoiler
the magic saves the grandmother such that she no longer has dementia. And.. maybe I'm just too much an adult reading this book, but I don't think "saving from dementia" should be a thing. At all. Come to peace with it, find connection and love anyway, grieve as needed, yes to all that. But like the grandmother gets to come home from the care facility she was in because she doesn't have dementia anymoreChildren who might have grandparents in similar situations would not be helped by this ending, and that is why I cannot in good conscience recommend this book. I would, however, read more this author writes, because as I said above I love the way the magic works, and the #ownvoices aspect really comes singing through beautifully.
Wonderfully balancing the heavy topics of racism and school-to-prison pipeline with the fun read of a sports story, complete with final match against a rival, this book is perfect. I fell right in.
What do you do when you know you re meant to fly, but you are a hedgehog without wings? This is a sweet tale of friendship, along the lines of Frog & Toad or Elephant & Piggie. Fully color illustrated, this book walks the line between early chapter books and easy reader in a helpful bridge.
Advance reading copy provided by NetGalley
Advance reading copy provided by NetGalley
This book is pure fat shaming vitriol. The plot revolves around the rabbi outgrowing his vest, popping the buttons, being embarrassed and ashamed of that fact, and then working out to lose weight. Each Jewish holiday is presented as nothing more than an opportunity to guilt each other into eating traditional foods, portraying the religion in a very poor light indeed. Not only that, but it doesn't accomplish the apparent educational goal of the book, which is to present an overview of the Jewish calendar. One major Jewish holiday, Shavuot, is skipped over entirely!
Lacking the brilliance of the other novellas in this series, but maybe that's just Still, I love this world and was so so happy to return to it.
Grover Gardner continues to be an amazing and soothing reader.
Spoiler
my being sad that we got no godly encounter, and Penric doesn't even adopt the orphans.Grover Gardner continues to be an amazing and soothing reader.
Queer characters galore! The plot isn't much, the main character is confused too much of the time for the reader to figure out wtf is going on, and the ending is meh. BUT. I would forgive almost anything for the world in which casual acceptance of the lady ruler taking a wife isn't an issue, not even once. I fell in love with Inkar, and with this book as a consequence. I am also intrigued by the world building, of a magic that makes a palace on ice, and want to spend more time in it. A prequel could do the trick. Prequel, please? Similar to [b:Bitterblue|12680907|Bitterblue (Graceling Realm, #3)|Kristin Cashore|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331532273l/12680907._SY75_.jpg|6508730]Bitterblue in tone and setting, with much better execution, mostly as a consequence of Inkar.
Super sweet, completely on point culturally and emotionally. Would probably remind reading with a slightly older kid than mine (5yo), but with a few explanations we made it work.
Surprisingly gentle for the content, in a way that warmed me all over. One might think that in the midst of COVID19 this book would be too difficult to read, but I found it to be endearing. So expressly midgrade and not YA! SpoilerYes the adults were all lying to her (which would have happened in the YA version) but it was just for her own good (which is not hte YA version at all). Yes there was a difficult decision to make, but she got to decide both instead of one or the other. All in all, a delightful read.
Perkin's Perfect Purple: How a Boy Created Color with Chemistry
Tami Lewis Brown, Debbie Loren Dunn
Delightful biography which completely captures its young audience (aka my 5 year old). I love the combinations of history and science, as well as the photographs in the back which make it all real.