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taliaissmart
Such a delight. Unlike the reaction I had to rereading [b:Madeline and the Bad Hat|1027760|Madeline and the Bad Hat|Ludwig Bemelmans|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355497395s/1027760.jpg|1092326], I loved experiencing this one again. The illustrations are gorgeous, the story is funny, and Olivia is so relatable.
As an added bonus, I was treated to the rare experience of being read TO instead of reading to someone else. The second-grader I was babysitting picked this book out and read it to me, with character. I was able to witness his joy in the act of reading, as he tried to convey Olivia's mother's exasperation while simultaneously being unable to stop himself from cracking up. I love kids, and I love books.
As an added bonus, I was treated to the rare experience of being read TO instead of reading to someone else. The second-grader I was babysitting picked this book out and read it to me, with character. I was able to witness his joy in the act of reading, as he tried to convey Olivia's mother's exasperation while simultaneously being unable to stop himself from cracking up. I love kids, and I love books.
This book seriously gave me anxiety when was little!! Now, I appreciate its humor and ridiculousness. The illustrations are so much fun, and the mind bending is clever and impressive!!
Months after his older sister died, Quinn begins to reach out to old friends and come of age. This book is light, a super fast read, and told with an original voice. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting to the characters, though, so the intended emotional impact was lost on me. Quinn's sarcastic, over the top narration also got increasingly wearisome over the course of the novel.
It was, like, fine, I guess??
It was, like, fine, I guess??
This was cute! Pix is a fairy princess/superhero/teenage girl who loves her friends and the kid she babysits. She fights enchanted tech, a dragon, and more in this first volume.
I liked Pix, but I did think there was a little too much going on here for me to properly get in the characters' heads. Pix faces off against many obstacles in the five issues of the volume, and the sheer quantity of episodes makes each one seem a bit trite and unthreatening. In other words, you know Pix will work out the issue in a few pages because she'll have to move on to the next crisis.
Pix and her friends Seth, Cherry, and Regie are very simplistic in terms of characterization, with each character having a certain identifying characteristic rather than a well-rounded personality (for example, Cherry speaks Spanish and loves boys). This boiled-down quality reminded me of Archie- it's not necessarily a bad thing, but it definitely situates this comic in the kids' market. I can see my 11 year old cousin loving this; it has a distinctly preteen vibe.
I liked the colorful art and I thought the writing was decent enough- I just wanted a bit more substance.
I received a digital review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss.
I liked Pix, but I did think there was a little too much going on here for me to properly get in the characters' heads. Pix faces off against many obstacles in the five issues of the volume, and the sheer quantity of episodes makes each one seem a bit trite and unthreatening. In other words, you know Pix will work out the issue in a few pages because she'll have to move on to the next crisis.
Pix and her friends Seth, Cherry, and Regie are very simplistic in terms of characterization, with each character having a certain identifying characteristic rather than a well-rounded personality (for example, Cherry speaks Spanish and loves boys). This boiled-down quality reminded me of Archie- it's not necessarily a bad thing, but it definitely situates this comic in the kids' market. I can see my 11 year old cousin loving this; it has a distinctly preteen vibe.
I liked the colorful art and I thought the writing was decent enough- I just wanted a bit more substance.
I received a digital review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss.
Squirrel Girl Doreen Green and her squirrel friend Tippy-Toe go to college in this super-cute comic.
Doreen is a mutant with the proportional strength and speed of a squirrel (plus a tail), and she uses these talents to take down criminals and supervillains. Meanwhile, she's moving into a dorm, getting to know her roommate, Nancy, and developing a little crush.
I love the humor and characterization that Ryan North brings to this volume. I don't especially love the art, but I think it works for the story.
I did NOT care for the back issue at the end of the volume. The art was, like, scary. Could have done without.
Doreen is a mutant with the proportional strength and speed of a squirrel (plus a tail), and she uses these talents to take down criminals and supervillains. Meanwhile, she's moving into a dorm, getting to know her roommate, Nancy, and developing a little crush.
I love the humor and characterization that Ryan North brings to this volume. I don't especially love the art, but I think it works for the story.
I did NOT care for the back issue at the end of the volume. The art was, like, scary. Could have done without.
In this inconsistent collection, Bradley weaves alternately beautiful and unsatisfying poems and stories about latinx communities and supernatural beings. Some of the content in this book is absolutely entrancing, but some is confusing and/or poorly written.
Stop reading here if you're not interested in a case-by-case breakdown, because that's what I'm about to provide!!!
POEMS
I love most of the shorter-form poetry in this volume. Beautifully crafted phrasing and interesting, speculative concepts make for lovely poems. My favorite, perhaps, is "Three Things":
The things my love left behind:
blood spattered on the bed sheets
gold hairs coiled in my fist
a fingernail broken in the back door.
"Enough," the hoodoo woman says, "to bring her back."
I find the long-form poems perplexing and memorable, but I'm not sure that I understood them well enough to appreciate them fully. "Teratoma Lullaby" centers around a girl and her twin, a dangerous growth on her shoulder. "we come together we fall apart" is about a family made up of three sisters married to three brothers, all of whom may or may not also be the same person?? It explores sexuality in a unique way.
STORIES
"The 'Ludes" - 4.5 stars
A woman attends local music recitals while high on pills, hoping to temporarily sink into an oblivious state of mind. This effort is spoiled by the appearance of another strange concert viewer. This story is so original and well-written and engaging. I wanted to stay in it.
"Gehenesis" - 4 stars
Not for the faint of heart. A goddess of destruction and death exchanges babies' heads for sexual favors with the ultimate goal of sparking global chaos. Grim but fascinating.
"Blood Is Thicker than Water" - 1 star
Three supernaturally gifted brothers fall apart in their small town. I'm not sure what happened here, but this story is not good. Stilted dialogue and inconsistent, unbelievable characters.
"The Pearl in the Oyster, and the Oyster under Glass" - 2.5 stars
A bear-man works to save the environment despite feeling out of place in the world. This story was okay but ultimately unmemorable. It began potential threads and then abandoned them, leaving me feeling unsatisfied.
"Bilingual, or Mouth to Mouth" - 3.5 stars
Beto, a young man who can sense the essences of people by tasting things they've touched, accidentally stumbles upon the poisonous saliva of a fairy. I appreciated what this story was doing in terms of sexuality and romance, and I liked the concept, but I didn't really feel any tension (and I should have, considering that the main character's life was at stake).
I enjoyed this book, but it was definitely a mixed bag!!
Stop reading here if you're not interested in a case-by-case breakdown, because that's what I'm about to provide!!!
POEMS
I love most of the shorter-form poetry in this volume. Beautifully crafted phrasing and interesting, speculative concepts make for lovely poems. My favorite, perhaps, is "Three Things":
The things my love left behind:
blood spattered on the bed sheets
gold hairs coiled in my fist
a fingernail broken in the back door.
"Enough," the hoodoo woman says, "to bring her back."
I find the long-form poems perplexing and memorable, but I'm not sure that I understood them well enough to appreciate them fully. "Teratoma Lullaby" centers around a girl and her twin, a dangerous growth on her shoulder. "we come together we fall apart" is about a family made up of three sisters married to three brothers, all of whom may or may not also be the same person?? It explores sexuality in a unique way.
STORIES
"The 'Ludes" - 4.5 stars
A woman attends local music recitals while high on pills, hoping to temporarily sink into an oblivious state of mind. This effort is spoiled by the appearance of another strange concert viewer. This story is so original and well-written and engaging. I wanted to stay in it.
"Gehenesis" - 4 stars
Not for the faint of heart. A goddess of destruction and death exchanges babies' heads for sexual favors with the ultimate goal of sparking global chaos. Grim but fascinating.
"Blood Is Thicker than Water" - 1 star
Three supernaturally gifted brothers fall apart in their small town. I'm not sure what happened here, but this story is not good. Stilted dialogue and inconsistent, unbelievable characters.
"The Pearl in the Oyster, and the Oyster under Glass" - 2.5 stars
A bear-man works to save the environment despite feeling out of place in the world. This story was okay but ultimately unmemorable. It began potential threads and then abandoned them, leaving me feeling unsatisfied.
"Bilingual, or Mouth to Mouth" - 3.5 stars
Beto, a young man who can sense the essences of people by tasting things they've touched, accidentally stumbles upon the poisonous saliva of a fairy. I appreciated what this story was doing in terms of sexuality and romance, and I liked the concept, but I didn't really feel any tension (and I should have, considering that the main character's life was at stake).
I enjoyed this book, but it was definitely a mixed bag!!
