I'm not sure I could read this out loud without crying. The story itself is pretty innocuous. Wombat keeps things tidy, definitely notices when her neI'm not sure I could read this out loud without crying. The story itself is pretty innocuous. Wombat keeps things tidy, definitely notices when her neighbors do not, but dutifully springs to assist when it becomes evident that her neighbors are in distress. Drought is closely followed by wildfire, and Wombat's particular way of life enables her to offer assistance to her animal neighbors.
On the surface, it's just a nice community tale focused on being a generous and kind neighbor. No big deal.
And then the afterward explains that this story was inspired by the Australian wildfires in 2019 and that wild wombats actually were helping other animals access water and shelter. It's heartbreaking how simple acts of kindness and survival are no longer markers of humanity, and how human accelerated climate change creates the need for these animal acts of mutual survival. For some reason this sweet little story just hit really hard....more
A ship's cat isn't quite sure of his role, and clarification from the ship's parrot doesn't help. Trim learns he's supposed to patrol t3.5 Very Cute.
A ship's cat isn't quite sure of his role, and clarification from the ship's parrot doesn't help. Trim learns he's supposed to patrol the hold for rats, but he's not sure what the hold is and has never seen a rat. Expect gently humorous misadventures, a mildly dramatic moment when a scorpion escapes its confines, and a generally cheerful vibe.
I think my favorite part was the afterward, which details the inspiration for Trim's adventures. While cat lovers might geek out over the real life Trim, I found myself giving the side-eye to the part of the story where the Captain's wife wasn't allowed on board because she was a woman....more
A teeny-weeny unicorn learns about the relative nature of size in this charming story. At first discouraged because they are too teeny-weeny, the unicA teeny-weeny unicorn learns about the relative nature of size in this charming story. At first discouraged because they are too teeny-weeny, the unicorn finds themself in a situation where they are giant.
A light, cute, funny story with softly colorful illustrations....more
The whole story bleeds. Visually, the combination of line drawings and watercolor style create a perfect visual complemeContent warning: gun violence.
The whole story bleeds. Visually, the combination of line drawings and watercolor style create a perfect visual complement to the notes of the text. Will's brother is shot right before his eyes and Will is quick to decide he will not let this offense go unchallenged. He finds his brother's gun and sets off for vengeance.
Will has steeled himself to this action that he believes he must commit. He steps into his building's elevator on his mission, and as the elevator descends he is visited, Christmas Carol-style, by several ghosts all of whom have been victims of gun violence themselves. The ghosts try to open Will's eyes to the cycle of violence he is determined to enter into, and it's this element that makes this book so horrifyingly relevant.
As I was reading this, my news feed was updating with death counts in Lewiston, Maine. And this is on the heels of the generational cycle of violence that has fired up anew in Gaza over the last few weeks....more
A fascinating look at one pivotal person involved in the founding of the United States. Baron von Steuben pops up in any good look at the early days oA fascinating look at one pivotal person involved in the founding of the United States. Baron von Steuben pops up in any good look at the early days of this country, but the focus is almost completely on his military prowess.
But here we get a more complete look at this Prussian mercenary, including his economic struggles and his sexual proclivities. The authors somewhat awkwardly, but deliberately address his predilection toward Very Young men, as well as von Steuben's status as slaveowner and general hobnobbing with founders who actively slaughtered Native American populations. And along the way, the reader gets a peek at other historical figures who were likely queer in one way or another.
My biggest complaint is that there are no sources cited or further resources listed. This has become one of my enduring pet peeves with nonfiction graphic novels, and for anyone who needs a good example, I remember being wildly impressed by the backmatter in Superman Smashes the Klan. This book is full of information, but where did it come from? The text references personal letters, but since nothing is gathered in an organized fashion, it's next to impossible to trace any of this information directly to its source. Which is a shame, because I'd also love more information on the other people who featured in Baron von Steuben's life....more
I listened to the story, and while I liked the narrator’s voice, their volume levels were erratic (any time there waI have mixed feelings about this.
I listened to the story, and while I liked the narrator’s voice, their volume levels were erratic (any time there was a thump or a knock it was like a commercial break) and their pronunciation of some words was incredibly irritating. Some of them just seemed wrong. The protagonist’s name was Marigold (Mare-ih-gold, right?) but pronounced Merry-gold, and shortened to Mari (Mary or maybe Marr-ee in my mind) pronounced Morry or Maury. Every time I heard it, it was so disjointed to hear Merry-gold and Maury.
The story itself jammed a lot in a little space. Blended family, addiction to pain medication, severe anxiety, new kid in school, racism, Detroit vibes, racial tension, for-profit prisons, gentrification, propaganda, corporate white supremacist villains, a little romance, sibling conflict, false pedophilia accusations, religious fanaticism. Some of these pieces mixed together better than others.
The corporate control that the Sterling foundation represents is totally believable, but Mr. Sterling himself reads as a caricature of a hypnotist or puppet master, with no real explanation of how he has such a high degree of control over the population. There seemed to be a long, slow build up of a culture of fear and secrets, but it was written a little more ham-fisted, especially the mob scene at the end. The neighbors lacked full human complexity, arriving only to berate Mari’s family or go on an arson spree at the behest of Mr. Sterling. Simultaneously, no one else was supposed to live on Mari’s street.
The spook factor was high and left me not sure about what was real or ghostly until the very end. And even then I was suspicious about what I was reading, like I couldn’t quite trust the textual evidence. I loved the ending. Maybe just to be contrary, but given the entire story’s muddled vibe, the minimal resolution and fade to black actually gave me a pretty solid sense of satisfaction. Not that I didn’t want to know more, but it fit with the story.
A take on Sleeping Beauty that grew out of the author’s retelling in Harriet the Invincible. The focus is on the fairy godmother, here a human child sA take on Sleeping Beauty that grew out of the author’s retelling in Harriet the Invincible. The focus is on the fairy godmother, here a human child swapped for a changeling and raised in a fairy realm. The changeling was left in her place purely to cause chaos and mayhem, and seems like she was born with a deft hand. So Toadling, our heroine, is sent back as a “fairy” godmother to try and stop the fairy child from causing too much harm. But Toadling only has weak magic and uncertain judgement; her main strength is in her dutiful persistence.
Two hundred years of persistence later, Toadling encounters a similarly uncertain knight, who is reluctant for battle but loves a good mystery. Halim and Toadling slowly build a friendship over stories and ultimately work together to try and stop the changeling.
Toadling is the low key star of this tale. ...more
This one is dark. If you're not a fan of grisly descriptions of organs and violence, go cautiously.
But I liked it all the same. The mermaid gains backThis one is dark. If you're not a fan of grisly descriptions of organs and violence, go cautiously.
But I liked it all the same. The mermaid gains back some of her power here, making friends with a Frankenstein's Monster -esque Plague Doctor. There are meditations on power, on underestimating those you oppress or abuse, and on helping people around you even when you really should escape yourself.
One moment stood out to me, in large part because it reminded me of a quote from Anne of Avonlea: “Man mistakes his own experiences as the canvas on which all truths are drawn.” It comes back to the idea that we see our worst impulses in others, in part so we can justify them in ourselves. But here it also eviscerates the powerful when they don't understand something, and allow themselves to be caught unawares because they don't like to admit to ignorance. It's a solid proverb noted by L.M. Montgomery, echoed by Teri Kanefield in her discussions about those who value hierarchy vs fairness, and reiterated here....more
Mary Fields deserves to be more well-known and this is a fantastic introduction to an under-known person. The story of the wild west has long been fulMary Fields deserves to be more well-known and this is a fantastic introduction to an under-known person. The story of the wild west has long been full of stereotypes and one-dimensional narratives, and this goes a small way to widening the lens.
A nice author's note is included at the end, and a frank discussion about the limits of known history. But no additional resources are listed....more
Banned by both Hitler and Franco, this is a simple book about a simple bull who simply has no interest in fighting. Instead, Ferdinand prefers to e4.5
Banned by both Hitler and Franco, this is a simple book about a simple bull who simply has no interest in fighting. Instead, Ferdinand prefers to enjoy a peaceful existence of smelling flowers. Ferdinand has been around for almost 90 years now, and there is something glorious about a book where the main character’s goal in life is simply observing and enjoying his own little spot in the world. ...more
Fred is an indomitable Pollyanna-styled AI determined to bring peace to the land. A little bit of Phantom Tollbooth energy combined with his can-do atFred is an indomitable Pollyanna-styled AI determined to bring peace to the land. A little bit of Phantom Tollbooth energy combined with his can-do attitude makes Fred a peace-making force to be reckoned with.
Handed this off to my nine-year-old who dove right in. ...more
“Everyone needs everyone, and no one gets what they want alone.”
A time travel paradox with a demon curse, forest spirits, demon slayers, gods, quests,“Everyone needs everyone, and no one gets what they want alone.”
A time travel paradox with a demon curse, forest spirits, demon slayers, gods, quests, family drama, and community gender tension. A bit overly twisty (where *does* the curse actually come from?), but fun nonetheless and I loved the way that different characters try to help each other.
I really enjoyed this.
Reading this at the same time as Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting, it was very funny to me how similar the two stories are. One is set in contemporary U.S. with Ghanaian mythology, and the other is set in a historically coded fantasy world steeped in Japanese folklore. Both feature young ladies trying to navigate their world who rely on help from a ragtag group of others. Both have trips to spirit realms and favors from gods. ...more
The core metaphor nails facing your fears and finding your voice. Swirling around this is a wild adventure with pirates, clowns, and a witch, all depiThe core metaphor nails facing your fears and finding your voice. Swirling around this is a wild adventure with pirates, clowns, and a witch, all depicted with beautifully detailed illustrations. ...more
It tells the story of John Brown in the two or three years before the Harper’s Ferry raid. We see this through I have mixed feelings about this book.
It tells the story of John Brown in the two or three years before the Harper’s Ferry raid. We see this through the eyes of a young teen boy, Henry (also known as Henrietta or Onion), which should give the story a personal and engaging perspective. And it does, to a degree. But the narrative is tightly bound to the battles and the long, slow travel from one hotbed of anti-slavery work to the next, and the grinding persuasive activism of Brown. It all ends up being quite dry, and somewhat difficult to get through.
I did learn that the word bodacious was in use in the 19th century. And after a soldier yelled something about turning eyeballs into marshmallows, I went down a fun rabbit hole about the origin of marshmallows.
There were moments of humor and real human emotions: courage, cowardice, love.
What I like most about this was there were no heroes. John Brown was a deeply religious, passionate abolitionist whose fiery passions for God and freeing the slaves led him, several of his children, and many others to their deaths. In the end it is ironic that his letters from jail before being hanged are more effective than his violence. Frederick Douglass appears fairly briefly, but he is shown as a powerful influencer who has grown too comfortable in his post-slavery privilege. Henry is certainly no hero, but a child who has only known slavery. He is not initially convinced of the benefits of freedom, and is more concerned with saving his own skin than laying his life on the line (this is widely relatable, but not necessarily heroic).
Overall it was a slow, poking, prodding look at the lead-up to one of the sparks that set off the Civil War. Hard to get through, but ripe for thoughtful discussion. The biggest let-down was the absence of any sources or notes about fact and fiction. I deeply appreciate novelists who acknowledge their extensive research, and those who do not are proportionately disappointing.
Note: begins with gun violence, two years take place in a brothel, ends with violence, body desecration, and capital punishment. ...more
All kinds of weird. Reminiscent of both Beetlejuice and A Dirty Job, but for kids. I was greatly entertained, particularly with the combination of a bAll kinds of weird. Reminiscent of both Beetlejuice and A Dirty Job, but for kids. I was greatly entertained, particularly with the combination of a bored, Office Space-type Death, and an adoration-hungry sparkley unicorn....more
Content warning: first and foremost, there is a graphic child rape scene. There is definitely other violence, and additional sexual violence as well, Content warning: first and foremost, there is a graphic child rape scene. There is definitely other violence, and additional sexual violence as well, but that one was especially raw and explicit.
Violence isn't really my cup of tea, but this is a biographical tale. So the rawness of those experiences directly and deeply impact the rest of Phoolan's life. She is so severely traumatized -- and stigmatized -- that when she is kidnapped by bandits and finds a man who is actually kind and considerate toward her, she falls in with their band without much reservation. And ultimately she leads it. And there is really no question that her cause is just. She and her band of dacoits fight against exploitation and poverty, and Phoolan herself is a fierce opponent of the oppression of women. But this righteous fire ultimately leads to more violence.
Phoolan Devi lived from 1963 to 2001. So her story is very recent history. This rendition is based on her own words, uncontextualized and uncorroborated. But there is a short list of further reading at the end, and there is no question in my mind that this is a story worth knowing.
Ruta Sepetys finds the cracks in general historical knowledge and finds a way to mine those cracks for stories that must be brought to light. She has Ruta Sepetys finds the cracks in general historical knowledge and finds a way to mine those cracks for stories that must be brought to light. She has a knack for chipping away at difficult times, those that are all too easy to gloss over or deliberately disguise in the overwhelming chaos of history. The communist regime of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu (pronounced as best as I can discover as Chow-shesh-koo) simply brimmed with desperation and horror.
And I was alive. I was seven years old when this story takes place.
At first, I found myself a little irritated by the hyper-alert, future-bemoaning commentary of the main character, Cristian. It's clear he is aware of the heightened surveillance around him, and with typical teen bravado he is determined to do the brave, right, thing. But then his experiences are punctuated with overly ominous phrases like, "I was an idiot. I just didn't know it yet," or "And then I was finally ready. Or so I thought" or "Because at that point I didn't really know my father. At all." His tone verged on eye-rolling. But the story itself, that of Cristian and his family, silenced even in their own home, highlights the greatest strength of Romania's communist dictatorship: using fear and distrust to isolate the country and its individuals so spectacularly that there is no opportunity for organizing, for hope, for change. Driven to desperation through communal privation, citizens leapt at opportunities to gain small comforts, to protect family members, to obtain resources to help them simply survive.
Cristian is extraordinarily relatable in the sense that he sees himself as both a hero, and yet also becomes a government informer (within the first few pages of the book -- this is not a spoiler). And it's the way those two facets play out that bring home how ordinary people can be both amazing and masters of their own (and others') oppression.
Sepetys weaves a story that follows an ordinary family through deprivation and tragedy, but ultimately leads to the same place that every story with a dictator finishes: the moment when the dictator has overplayed their hand and the balance of "what do I have to lose?" finally tips in the favor of the oppressed. It's a theme played over and over (and over and over) again in history. Dictators who convince people to support them through fear, disinformation, and promises of power both large and small always seem to think they can hoard everything for themselves, offering smaller and smaller opportunities and hope to the rest. Stories like this are why I remain simultaneously shocked and unsurprised that people support political authoritarians, that an entire political party ran a campaign in 2020 with no policy but with the sole proviso of supporting a single man. We've seen these stories before. And here is another one.
Highly recommend for fans of historical fiction, particularly lesser known episodes in world history. Special appeal for fans of light YA romance in the midst of tragedies.
Yes, I probably gave it an extra star for the simple fact of extensive resources in back combined with shining a light on a historical place and time that I was previously ignorant of.
Begins with a gender nonconforming runaway, fleeing her unloving home violin in hand. Continues with a damned music aficionado, searching for a next (Begins with a gender nonconforming runaway, fleeing her unloving home violin in hand. Continues with a damned music aficionado, searching for a next (and final) prodigy to train and soul to harvest for hell. Chapter three then takes a hairpin turn into a donut shop, newly purchased and now run by a spaceship captain in disguise. My initial expectations of a quirky sci-fi story were a little shaken by the way these disparate elements were introduced, but by the end I ended up appreciating the way these threads interacted. And each one offered opportunities for further reflection.
My biggest complaint is that the text frequently becomes so whimsical that it’s hard to follow. Italics without quotations might be dialogue, thoughts, or memories and frequently left me reading a story built on vibes alone. It was almost screenplay-like, but absent the stage directions to offer some needed context.
Each of the main characters in the three (and a half) main story threads is trying to escape or deal with something in their past. Katrina’s life as a transgender woman is fraught with persistent microaggressions all around her, but it’s the utter rejection of her parents that is the deepest haunting hurt. Throughout the story she vacillates between a deeply held belief that she is not normal and not right, and knowing that she holds inherent worth and can create beautiful things. Shizuka was tempted to accept a hell’s bargain to regain her music, and has spent a long life nurturing violinists into fame using a cursed bow. The bargain seems to have not bothered her much before, but when she encounters Katrina she begins considering whether or not to tempt Katrina to a similar fate. ((view spoiler)[While Shizuka ruminates frequently on how much she misses her own music, she never seems to regret offering damnation to the rest of her students, which sparks thoughts about unredeemable characters and whether or not she deserves any kind of happy ending. Although, in the words of Miss Prism: “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means.” So maybe this ending for her was just a little more reality-based. (hide spoiler)])
Lan is the spaceship captain, mother to several children both flesh and holographic, and new owner of a local donut shop. She fled her husband and society who were embroiled in war over the “endplague,” an end-of-society kind of violent ennui. She and her children and her aunt have chosen to hide on Earth for a period of time until it is safer to return home. But even however many galaxies away, they cannot escape the contagion of their past. Lan’s experiences resonated deeply as a mother – trying so hard to protect your family but also fearing you are messing it all up all the time. Or not even realizing how you are messing it up because you are trying so hard. Finally, Lucy’s story is more of a sidebar, but she also struggles with her past and with self-acceptance. The last in a long line of a superb violin repair crafts-family, Lucy repairs Katrina’s violin after it is seemingly mangled beyond repair. She contends with the ghosts of her dad and grandfather’s stereotypical attitudes toward females, believing that she was not good enough to take over from Matia and **sons** to run the business herself. Even though she is literally doing just that.
As these women interact with each other, they offer one another a new way of looking at themselves. Mostly in hopeful and exciting ways. There is much here about second chances, building your own dreams at any age, and forging ahead with your own vision even when tradition tells you that you can’t.
And if you enjoy reading about food or music, there is a lot here for you.
Further Notes: On being present and taking the time to create something new and variable: “Tomorrow is tomorrow. Over there is over there. And here and now is not a bad place and time to be, especially when so much of the unknown is beautiful.”
Takes a stereotypical refugee story and looks at it through multiple lenses: Katrina fleeing her parents, Lan fleeing violence and plague in her homeland.
If you had a favorite donut (or favorite food in general) do you want it to taste exactly the same every time, or do you get excited at variations? What use are flaws in creating dishes or music that we expect to be a reliable experience?
Shirley is a holographic AI “child.” Watching her grow and change and interact is fascinating in this moment when AI is garnering so much attention.
Both food and music are used to generate memories throughout the story. It makes me think about memories or feelings that I have that are inextricably tied to things like black raspberries or music from marching band performances.
How can good people be so hateful? Aoki pokes at this a bit, with some of the main characters making some very not-great choices. But even when someone who is kind and compassionate in one respect, offers up hate and bigotry or murderous evil in another aspect of their lives, at what point are we irredeemable? And when you feel that you yourself are irredeemable, “How do we mourn when we know that we, too, have been cruel to both the living and the dead?” ...more
Jose Alberto Gutierrez speaks to my very soul. As a child I wanted to be a garbage collector (not the driver — I thought it would be incredible to cliJose Alberto Gutierrez speaks to my very soul. As a child I wanted to be a garbage collector (not the driver — I thought it would be incredible to cling to the back of the truck and ride through the streets); as an adult I am a librarian. And Jose sits at the juncture of these two, both very necessary, jobs. He creates a library out of discards, and makes it available to his neighborhood. His dream is essentially to run a bookmobile, exchanging the task of picking up garbage for distributing books.
This story is a heartwarming ode to Jose Alberto Gutierrez — honoring his hard work as well as his literary passion. The illustrations lend themselves to depicting both realistic scenes as well as bookish fantasies. ...more
At just over 150 pages, I got suspense, mystery, danger, new friendships, chases, escapes, and a whole bunch of other stuff all stuffed into this miniAt just over 150 pages, I got suspense, mystery, danger, new friendships, chases, escapes, and a whole bunch of other stuff all stuffed into this mini package. Murderbot is looking for their origin story, essentially, and finds some answers. At the same time they take a job protecting a polyamorous family which is trying to get their research back from a nefarious character.
Murderbot manages to engage me emotionally, while still remaining light and humorous. I am a fan. ...more
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