Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating

This is a appealing picture book biography of an impressive female scientist. Eugenie Clark was fascinated with sharks from the time she was a small child.  When she got older she earned a bachelor's, master's and PhD in Zoology in a time when there were not many women in the sciences.  She studied sharks in the Mediterranean Sea, wrote many articles and two books about her adventures, and worked as a professor. The book is written in simple prose that is accessible to even early grade students.  The illustrations are clean watercolor cartoons done in light-filled summer colors. The author includes a time line and extra facts about sharks and oceanography as end notes.  This is a great STEM choice for both younger and older grade school age children. (2017, unpaginated)

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I have read Little Women several times now.  This time I read it because I watched the new PBS Little Women mini series.  I am so familiar with the Winona Ryder version, when I watched the PBS one I thought, 'humm, this is really different.  I wonder which one is closer to the book?'  The answer is that the PBS series got more of the actual story elements and chronologies correct, but I personally believe the older video got some of the personalities better.  I especially didn't like the new portrayal of Amy.  She is certainly not as bratty and spoiled in the book as in the new PBS series.

A couple of things struck me as I read this beloved classic again.  I had forgotten how moralizing it is.  It is very preachy, and every event has its edifying moral lesson.  Another interesting observation is that the book really follows all four girls in their life journey, focusing whole chapters on just Meg, or just Amy, while all the movies mostly focus on Jo.  I don't know why that is.  I guess it is because Jo best represents the author, and maybe has a more interesting romantic journey.

I enjoyed reading the book again, and I don't mind the little moral lessons. There are some issues with ethnocentrism and negative stereotypes of foreigners, but they were not beyond what was normal for the time period. The message of enduring hardship through faith and close family ties is so delightful that I think families, especially families with girls, would do well to read the book together.  (400 p.)

The Trouble Begins at 8: the Life of Mark Twain in the Wild Wild West by Sid Fleischman

This is a lively biography of Samuel Clemens by one of my favorite children's nonfiction writers.  Fleishman draws a lot from Clemens' own writings and the accounts of other contemporaries, but, of course the difficulty when writing about "Mark Twain" is separating fact from fiction.  Clemens lived a life as adventurous and exciting as many fictional characters.  He wrote about his adventures but often embellished them to make the writing more entertaining. In this biography Fleischman includes the fun parts but is careful to mention when scholars have debates about the historicity of certain events.  I actually learned new things about Clemens from this biography.  I didn't know that his novel writing came relatively late in his life, and that much of his earlier fortune came from his performances on the lecture circuit. I also didn't realize that he had traveled so widely. Fleischman adds an extensive appendix that contains one of Clemens short stories, and a good time line with historical notes.  Kids could certainly read this for fun or as a report biography.  This is not a new book, but I am glad I picked it up. (2008, 224 p.)

The Problim Children by Natalie Lloyd

Seven children with the last name of Problim, live in a swamp on their own while their parents are on an archaeological expedition.  When the kids' bungalow gets destroyed, they go into town hoping to live in their grandfather's house until their parents arrive.  Their next door neighbors in town are the O'Pinion family, and Evil Desdemona O'Pinion is convinced there is a treasure hidden in the Problim mansion.  Even though Desdemona tries to turn the city against them, the other neighbors are intrigued by the strange children, who are totally uncouth in an mysterious and exciting way.

Of course you can tell from the family names that this book is a kind of satire.  It is a comic trial between the good-hearted, but unconventional "Problim Children" and the conventional and critical family that represents public "O'Pinion."  It is not super serious though.  Fart jokes and potty type humor abound. Each of the children have an odd super power and unique quirky personality.  The whole book is a bit of a high spirited romp and I think kids will really like it.  It would appeal to either boy or girl. The story doesn't completely resolve, so if you start this one do so knowing you will have to commit to waiting for the sequel. (285 p. 2018)

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

Estaban, Haley, Amari, Ashton, and Holly are 5th and 6th graders who have different ways of learning.  Their school starts a program where they are put together in a small class.  At first they don't know each other, but as their wise teacher gives them time alone to talk, they start to share some of the struggles they each have.   Their willingness to be vulnerable with each other creates a family-like bond between the children.

This book has received a ton of starred reviews this year.  It has a lot going for it.  Woodson is a well known and lyric writer.  The kids are diverse and each has a really difficult, but totally realistic, challenge.  One has a parent in jail, another has a parent who has been deported, another has ADHD, one is struggling with racial prejudice, and another is being bullied.  I really believe this will be on everyone's potential Newbery list.  The thing is, I didn't like it that much.  I didn't hate it like I hated Wolf Hollow two years ago but I didn't love it.  The reason is that I was never convinced that they were real 10 and 11 year old children.  The way they talked and the way that they were totally supportive of each other and philosophical about their lives was not realistic to me.  If they had been fifteen or sixteen, maybe. There were moments when they sounded more like their supposed ages, but much of the book I felt the author was putting her own thoughts and ideals in their mouths instead of letting them tell their own story their own way.  There was an interview at the end of the recording of Ms Woodson talking with her 11 year old son.  It made me a little amused that in the interview she was kind of putting words into her son's mouth just as she had put words into her character's mouths.  It will be interesting to see if it wins any awards.
(2018, 176 p.)

Samurai Rising : the epic life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela Turner

Yoshitsune was one of Japan's most famous Samurai.  He was bold, reckless, and a fierce and cunning warrior.  This engaging biography recounts his life and the complicated warlord culture of 12th century Japan.  Turner does a good job of making the arcane time period accessible. It is no surprise it won a boat load of awards the year it came out. I especially liked some of her analogies to modern life e.g. when she said that Yoshitsune was like the star quarterback, but his older half brother was like the owner of the team.  Her biography is carefully researched, and she mentions her sources in text and in an author's note at the end.  Medieval Japan was a cruel and violent place, and Turner doesn't shellac any of the graphic details of her heroes' exploits.  This is not a good choice for the squeamish at heart.  It might be a great choice for a teen who loves action video games and is required to read a bio of a historical figure.  (2016, 236 p.)

The Boys in the Boat: Young Reader Adaptation by Daniel James Brown

Joseph Rantz started life as a normal kid in a normal working class family.  All that changed when his mother died and his father remarried.  Joe's step mother didn't like him, and by the time Joe was 15, he was kicked out of the house and fending for himself.  He managed to earn enough money to go to one semester at Washington University, where he tried out for the rowing team.  His hope was that if he got on the team he would be able to also get a job working in the athletic department and earn enough money to stay in school.  The place on the rowing team lead him to more than a job; it eventually lead to a gold medal in the 1936 Olympics.  More importantly it taught him that he could trust people and risk being part of something again.

When this book first came out in 2015 it got a lot of attention from review journals.  It is a well written and inspirational story of young men who get through life by working together and pushing themselves.  I actually didn't like it quite as well as Steve Sheinkin's Undefeated.  Brown's descriptions of Joe's struggles and the team's efforts to pull together are great, but his attempt to tie it in with all that was going on with the rise of Hitler is a bit tenuous.  Still, it is a engaging book, and I never got bored reading it. It would be a good choice for a junior high-age-boy who is a reluctant reader but likes sports and has to read a historical nonfiction book. (or for adults who were kind of interested in the original version, but don't want to wade through 400 pages of a sports narrative.)(2015, 240 p.)

Facing the Lion: Growing up Maasai on the African Savana by Joseph Lemasolai Lukuton

Joseph starts life in a nomadic Maasai tribe. His tribe keeps cows, and moves from place to place to find adequate food and water for their herds. When the government requires each family to send one child to school, Joseph, who was sometimes teased because he is chubby, volunteers to go.  School introduces Joseph to the outside world, and as he advances as a student, his view of the world grows.  Despite his broadening horizons he clings to his Maasai culture and family.

This is a fascinating autobiography.  The language is simple and direct, but the reader can feel Joseph's pride in his culture, and longing to be a brave as the great warriors of his people.  So often people in modern cultures feel that they are superior to tribal groups, but Joseph's story shows that the people in his tribe, despite the challenges of finding basic subsistence, live happy lives full of meaning and purpose.  This is a great book to give to a children who like, (or need) to learn about people who live very differently from themselves. (2005, 125p)

note: Amazon lists this book as appropriate for ages 12 and up.  That is probably because of the chapter that describes the circumcision ceremony men in Joseph's tribe undergo as a rite of passage.  I would feel comfortable giving it to a 5th or 6th grade child, as long as their parent was aware of that chapter and could answer questions about that for them.

The Power of Moments by Chip & Dan Heath

Two brothers, one a professor at Stanford, the other a professor at Duke, explain how stand-out moments can change the course of a business transaction, a company, or a life. Many of these moments happen surreptitiously, but the authors argue that by understanding the elements of these kinds of experiences business owners and other individuals can engineer them to produce dramatic positive outcomes. After the introduction, the book has four main sections, each one talking about one of the aspects of a impactful moment: Elevation, Insight, Pride and Connection.  Each of these sections starts with an extended story of a life changing moment, and then goes on to elaborate the idea it demonstrates with other research and case studies.  The four sections each end with a thought exercise for the reader to try to practice applying the idea in a real organizational situation.

This was very well written and I never found myself tempted to skip over parts to get to the next idea as I have done with some similar business-type self-help books.  Instead, I found myself coming up with ideas of how I could use the principles in my new job as a library director and in my personal life.  This book was given to me by my good friend and boss at Provo Library when I left there, and I may, at some time, give it to someone I care about who has to take on a managerial position for the first time.  It really has some good ideas presented in an interesting and accessible way. (2017, 307 p.)

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

This is the first in a series about an amateur sleuth,  Hannah Swensen, who is a young single adult who owns a cookie shop in a small tourist town in Minnesota. One morning she finds the neighborhood milkman murdered in his truck, surrounded by some of her half eaten chocolate chip cookies.  When her police detective brother-in-law asks her to help him in his investigation she is only too willing to jump into the search.  Using her delicious cookies as the ready door into almost all social situations, Hannah keeps her eyes and ears open for any information that might lead to the murderer.  While she is watching others, someone is watching her and that person is hungry for more than just her famous pecan delights.

This was a delightfully light read, and Hannah is endearing because of her self deprecating manner and spunky personality. The inhabitants of the little town where she lives fit a variety of fun stereotypes.  Overall, the book kind of felt like Nancy Drew for grownups.  It is what publishers call a "cozy mystery," and I think it will be one of my favorite adult genres. I enjoyed it very much, especially since I was listening to it at the same time as the heavier historical fiction. It provided some needed comic relief. There are cookie recipes at the end of many chapters, which is an added little bit of fun. (2001, 336 p.)

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner

15-year-old Emmy Downtree lives with her single mother and little sister, Julia.  Emmy longs to be a dress designer and is delighted to get a job in a bridal shop. Her ambitions are interrupted when she and her sister are sent away from London at the beginning of WWII to live with the kindly Charlotte in the country.  Emmy still yearns to follow her dream so she runs away from the safety of the country, Julia in tow, and arrives back in London on the day the Blitz begins.  Emmy and Julia are separated, and as Emmy searches desperately for her sister, she comes to learn the importance of family and the bitterness of learning to live with your mistakes.

I picked up this book because two of my co-workers recommended it.  It did not disappoint.  The vivid descriptions of London at war, and the heart-wrenching inner turmoil of the Emmy, her mother and her sister, make this a very engaging read.  The emotional intensity is eased a little by the kindness of secondary characters; Charlotte, the dress shop keeper, and Emmy's boyfriend.  I also liked the fact that Emmy's early single-minded pursuit of her dream gives way to a less self-centered reality in the end.  This is a good choice for those looking for a soulful historical fiction. (416 p. 2015)

An Heiress at Heart by Jennifer Delamere

Both Ria Summerville, and Lizzie Poole have fled London to live in Australia for different reasons.  Ria, a wealthy heiress fled London because she was being forced to marry the heir of the Summerville fortune, but was in love with the younger brother, Edward.  They fled together to try to make their own way in a new land.  Lizzie is the offspring of a commoner and an indiscreet nobleman. She runs away with her brother to Australia to escape an aristocratic lover who has become abusive.  The two women meet in Australia, and are amazed at how similar they look.  When Ria become fatally ill, the two women hatch a plan whereby Lizzie can gain a better life, and Ria can make amends to her family for the heart ache she has caused them. Lizzie returns to London and assumes Ria's identity.  Everything is going well until she starts to fall in love with the one man who, as Ria, is forbidden to her.

My regular readers know that I like to indulge, occasionally, in a clean historical romance.  I have really enjoyed some of the books by Georgette Heyer, but with this book I have had to face the fact that not all clean historical fiction books are created equal.  Don't get me wrong. This book was OK.  It was pretty clean and the story was interesting and about what you would expect from the genre.  The thing that bugged me about it was the writer spent too much time describing the mutual attraction between the two characters--the heat of the other's body, the thrill when the other kissed their hand,  the touch of their breath on their neck, etc, etc.  It was the same problem I had with the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer.  I know some people read romances because they like that kind of thing. I am sure there are plenty of readers out there who would love this book, but it was just too much for me. (2012, 416 p.)

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

Colonel and Mrs Bantry wake up one morning to find that someone has left the body of a young women in their library.  Mrs Bantry is a friend of Miss Marple, and immediately calls on her to help solve the case and deflect suspicion from her dear husband.  Local and regional investigators look in to all the probable suspects, but it is Miss Marple's shrewd knowledge of human nature and ability to read people's characters that finally solves the mystery.

I started to listen to this one and realized that I had read it before.  I checked my blog, and I didn't have a post for it, so it must have been before I started blogging.  I actually couldn't remember how the story ended so I decided I might as well listen to it again.  Agatha Christie is one of my favorites.  She must have been a remarkable woman, much like her character of Miss Marple, to be able to pick up on all the subtle gestures and comments that communicate character and internal thoughts.  All through the book when Miss Marple would point out one thing or another of how certain people act, I kept thinking to myself, "yeah, that's right.  I have seen people do that." Her plotting is  clever, but it is the characterizations that make Christie so fun to read. Stephanie Cole is a great reader for Christie.  She has just the right British accent.(1942, 242 p.)

A note to my faithful readers

Hello faithful reader (all 8 or so of you). I just wanted to let you know that after 17 years of working as a children's librarian I have made a job change.  I am now the director of a small but charming suburban library.  As a result my reading habits might change.  Whereas I have primarily read children's literature, my selection may expand to include more adult titles. If you need a good source for kid's lit specifically may I refer you to the Provo Library children's book review blog. Of course you are welcome to click in as I make this new voyage into largely uncharted territory.

Waste of Space by Stuart Gibbs

This is the third in the series that started with Moon Base Alpha. In this one Dash has now been on the moon for 8 months and it isn't getting any funner.  Quarters are cramped, the food is lousy, and there isn't much for the kids in the space station to do. Dash enjoys his occasional visits from the alien, Zan, but otherwise he is pretty bummed that he still has 28 months left on the moon. Things get a little more exciting when someone tries to kill the most unpopular resident of the station, and the Nina, the base commander, asks Dash to help her find out who did it.

I enjoyed the first two books in the series, and looked forward to reading this one.  It did not disappoint.  It has so much going for it; strong characters, an interesting setting, a well crafted plot and a generous helping of humor. This is a great choice for kids who love mysteries or who are interested in science fiction.  (2018, 321 p.)

Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty

Willa is a night spirit, a kind of humanoid nature creature that lives with her clan in late 1800's in the U.S.   Her clan used to live in harmony with nature, but since humans have arrived the leader of the clan has trained the young ones to steal from them to support the hive.  On one of these forays into human territory, Willa is shot by a human, Nathaniel.  When he sees Willa, instead of killing her as she expects, he takes care of her until she is well enough to return to the hive.  When he does return, the kindness she received from the human contrasts with the cruel punishment she receives from the clan chief.  She begins to question all that she has been taught about humans, and to see her clan with new eyes.

This new fantasy based on Native American folklore is getting starred reviews everywhere.  It is a well crafted and very emotionally impactful story. By the end of the story I decided that I liked it, but I felt emotionally drained.  Beatty makes Willa a very sympathetic character, but her situation at some times so dire, and at other times so sad, that it is a little bit exhausting.  I know some of my avid fantasy readers at the library will love it, though, and I imagine it is on a lot of potential Newbery lists. (276 p. 2018)

The Beloved Life of Sonia Sotomayor (autobiography)

This is a children's version of an autobiography published by Sotomayor in 2013. It chronicles Sotomayor's early childhood as a type 1 diabetic in the projects in Brooklyn, her upbringing by a single mother, her acceptance at Yale and then at Harvard, her career as a DA and corporate lawyer, and her final confirmation as a district judge.  It is a very inspiring story told with engaging prose and endearing candor.  Sotomayor is modest in her account, expressing surprise at each honor she received.  She talks about turning points and how she learned from mistakes.  She is an amazing example of someone who took on each challenge with unflagging effort and enthusiasm.  I think this book would be a great choice to give to girls who have that extra spark of ambition and ability.  (2018, 343 p.)

Lions and Liars by Kate Beasley

Frederick is one of the "losers" in his grade, but he dreams of being one of the "cool" group.  The one "cool" thing he does is go on a cruise with his family each year. When he long anticipated cruise is canceled Frederick runs (or rather floats) away from home and finds himself at a camp for at risk boys. Assuming someone else's identity Frederick sees his chance to be the kind of kid he has always wanted to be. 

I have mixed feelings about this book.  On the one hand there are some funny moments, and Frederick does seem to come to terms with his nerdy identity by the end of the book.  On the other hand, I always struggle with books with kids that make stupid decisions.  Frederick makes one misstep after another and it made me cringe a little to watch him in action.  I guess because I was, myself, so socially awkward as a kid, I have a hard time reading about someone else who is. It is amazing how embarrassment we feel as an adolescent sticks with us, seemingly forever. (288 p. 2018)

Spooked! How a Radio Broadcast and the War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America

This month is the 80th anniversary of the War of the World's broadcast by Orson Wells.  This interesting nonfiction book discusses how the broadcast came about and its short term and long term consequences.  Jarrow's writing is interesting and the text is illustrated with both artwork and archival photographs.  Jarrow includes extensive end material including sources, a time line, and further reading.  This book has gotten a lot of starred reviews and has made it onto the library's mock Newbery list for this year.  I enjoyed reading it, but it is not, in my opinion, Newbery, or even Sibert material. I think the main reason it is getting a lot of attention is that Jarrow compares what happened in 1938 to the "fake" news of today. She urges young readers to be careful about what they read or watch online.  Her warning is timely, but I don't see it as award worthy. (2018, 129 p.)

Daisy's Decorating Dilema by Brandi Dougherty

Daisy is a flower fairy in charge of the decorations for an upcoming party, the Blossom Bash.  Each of her flower fairy friends wants the decorations to look like their favorite flower.  Daisy doesn't want to offend any of them, but they can't all have their way, can they?

This is the first in the new chapter book "Wild Fairies" series.  The story is not that special, but the color illustrations are darling.  At the end of the book, Dougherty includes information about  each of the fairies, a recipe, a "spot the differences" game, and a game to find your "fairy name". I think I would have loved that kind of thing when I was seven. The text density is pretty low, so I think I will be recommending this book for kids who like Princess in Black, but are looking for the next step up in reading level.  (2018, 97 p.)

Calling All Minds by Temple Grandin

This is an interesting nonfiction written by the famous animal scientist, Temple Grandin.  It is part craft book, part memoir and part motivational handbook.  In it Grandin talks about projects that she did as a young person, and how they helped prepared her to be an inventor and scientist as an adult.  She also discusses challenges she faced as a person with autism and how doing science and crafts helped her gain self confidence. As she discusses the projects she did, she gives instructions how the reader can make the same or similar project.

The writing in this book is disarmingly candid.  Grandin talks about her struggles and her victories with equal honesty and sprinkled with rather dry and delightful humor.  The craft projects are grouped roughly by theme: paper crafts, projects about flight, projects about simple machines, etc.  Some of the projects are as simple as drawing a basic optical illusion.  Others are very complex and require specialized materials to complete.  The difference in difficulty level makes it so that there is likely to be something for everyone. I really enjoyed reading this book and I truly admire Ms Grandin.  If I still had kids at home I would have spent the afternoon today trying out some of her craft ideas with them.  No wonder this title has received a number of starred reviews. (2018, 228 p.)

Digging for Trouble by Linda Fairstein

In this second in the Devlin Quick mystery series we find Devlin and her friend Katie working as volunteers at a dinosaur dig in Montana.  Katie finds some fossils that are quickly snatched away from her by one of the dig team members.  Later when they are returned to Katie, they have been altered.  Devlin suspects that something is going on and starts to investigate.  Her suspicions follow her as she returns to New York, and lead her to the Museum of Natural History.  

In my post about the first one in this series, I said I probably wouldn't bother to read the second, but I found myself between books so I checked out this one.  It was pretty much like the first one.  Devlin is still a risk-taker, who is really good at rationalizing rule breaking.  This one had the added problem of having questionable science in it.  The author clearly didn't do very extensive research in how paleontologists handle dinosaur bones.  Some of her facts were correct, while others made my eyebrows raise. Still, it is an entertaining book that I think kids who like mysteries would enjoy.   (2017, 331 p.)

Otis and Will Discover the Deep by Barb Rosenstock and Katherine Roy

Otis Barton and Will Beebe were the brave scientist explorers who did the first deep sea dive in 1930 in a submersible called the Bathysphere.  This nonfiction picture book tells how the two men got started and tries to communicate what it might have been like descending into the deep ocean.  The text is sparse, but nicely crafted.  Roy's illustrations are what makes this a stand-out STEM offering. Done in careful watercolors, they are at the same time realistic and artistic.  A fold out page with a host of unusual deep sea fish marks the climax of the story at the nadir of the voyage. Rosenstock adds an interesting historical note at the end, and Roy discusses the challenges in illustrating the story. This would make a great teacher read-aloud for a 2-4 grade class who were studying oceanography. (2018, 40p. )

The Reckless Rescue by Adrienne Kress

In this second in the Explorer's Club series Sam has been kidnapped, and Evie and Kate are determined to find him and another member of the Filipendulous Five, Benedict.  The book alternates chapters from Sam's point of view and Evie's.  Both kids have outrageous adventures including a shark and a K-Pop boy's band, but somehow (spoiler alert) manage to find each other and the next clue in the mystery of Evie's lost grandfather.

The plot line of this book is pretty darn random, but I enjoyed reading just the same.  There is a lot of humor, a lot of action, but the thing I like best is watching the kids face their fears. The scene with the K-Pop boy's band was especially well crafted. It had me grinning from ear to ear. It made me wonder if the author had experience standing in front of an audience of thousands of screaming fans. The series is far from over and this one was fun enough I will probably keep reading.  Give this to kids who liked the Mysterious Benedict Society. (2018, 371 p.)

Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner

In this new graphic novel AJ has a crush on a girl who is obsessed with vampires.  When they get put together on a history project about Transylvania, he decides to pretend to be a vampire to impress her.  Little does he know that she is not a Bella, but a Buffy.  AJ fnds himself desperately trying to convince her that he isn't really a vampire, while discovering that another he knows may not be faking it.

I thought this was a pretty funny book.  Gardner has fun with a lot of vampire tropes, especially those found in the Twilight series.  She adds in a cute relationship between AJ and his older sister, and between his two best friends who are always competing against each other.  I wouldn't call the illustrations awesome, but they convey the awkward junior high social drama believably enough.  This is a good choice for boys or girls who like Telgemeier's graphic novels. (336 p. 2018)

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

I was going on vacation to visit my son and his new baby, so I checked out the latest children's novel on overdrive so I would have something to read on the airplane on my Kindle.  So I get on the plane, and pull out my kindle, and low and behold, I hadn't downloaded it completely.  I am thinking, Oh No! 1 1/2 hours in the plane and nothing to read.  So I am looking through what is already on my Kindle, and I see "The Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell."  Hooray!  I knew that I would not have any trouble passing the time on the plane pleasantly.

If you don't know Elizabeth Gaskell, she is a wonderful writer roughly contemporary, but a little later than Jane Austin.  She writes similar kinds of historical romances, but hers feature characters from one step lower on the social rung than Jane Austin's characters.  Molly is the daughter of a country doctor.  Her mother dies when Molly is quite young, but she has a happy life with her attentive father.  When Molly is 16, her father decides to remarry, and his new wife has a daughter just Molly's age.  The two girls become quick friends, but whereas Molly is shy and modest, Cynthia is worldly and gregarious.  As the two make their way through their later teens, we get to see their romances, and their folly, as well as their innate goodness and loyalty.  If you have seen the BBC miniseries of Wives and Daughters you have pretty much read the book.  Almost every important scene from the book is in the movie, and the actors have captured Gaskell's characters pretty well.  That said, I enjoyed reading the book immensely.  Gaskell wrote these books near the end of her life, and her knowledge of human nature, and her ability to suggest fully rounded and human characters is masterful. I didn't realize when I started to read the book on the plane how long it was, (607 pg in paperback) but I really did not get tired of it.  My only disappointment was to find out at the end that this is one of Gaskell's unfinished works.  So even thought the author left notes about how the story ends, we don't get to see Molly and her true love's final tender proposal scene.  I am equally unsatisfied with how the movie portray's the ending, though the last meeting in the rain, though not is the book, is pretty good.  (672 p. 1865)

Grump by Liesl Shurtliff

Here is another in the series that started with Rump.  In this one Borlen is dwarf who has an unnatural interest with the world above ground.  As hard as he tries to fit in with the tunnel loving dwarfs, he constantly feels the pull of the surface.  Once he does go above ground he quickly meets the Queen, and is delighted when she is much kinder to him than stories from his childhood would have lead him to believe.  Only later does he begin to suspect that her goodness is an act meant to cover much darker intentions.

Shurtiff once again shows herself as the current master of the fractured fairy-tale.  She deftly creates a back story that explains some of the unanswered questions of the Snow White story.  Why was the queen obsessed with her beauty?  Where did the magic mirror come from? How did the dwarfs get their goofy names, and why was Grumpy so, well, grumpy.  Fans of Rump, Jack, and Red will enjoy this one as well, but those who have not read the others will have no trouble following and enjoying this one (but I recommend you eventually read the others, they are a delight.) (2018, 295 p.)

Bob by Wendy Mass

Livy does not remember when she visited at age five her grandmother in Australia.  When she returns at age ten she finds that a little green man has been living in the closet waiting for her to return for five long years.  When they are reunited, Livy sets out to discover what Bob is and how he can return to his own people.

This is a charming little fantasy story that would be appropriate for a variety of ages.  There are no huge social issues, or big battle scenes, just a little girl and her unsusual friend trying to figure things out. This is a great choice for kids who like a good story, but are sensitive about violence or scary things.  (2018, 201p.)

The Boo-Boos that Changed the World by Barry Wittenstein

Here is a cute picture book nonfiction to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the invention of Band-aids. Earle Dickerson's wife, Josephine, was a little accident prone.  She kept cutting herself while fixing dinner.  She would wrap her injury in gauze, but that was awkward was she tried to continue her work.  Earle came up with a solution where he stuck a small piece of gauze on an adhesive strip and wrapped it around the wound.  Ta da! The Band-aid was born.  Earle worked for the Johnson & Johnson company who took his invention and made it into the multi-million dollar industry we all know and love.  The story is told in simple but charming language with colorful child-friendly illustrations. (2018. 40p)

Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli by Kylo Maclear

I must admit I had never heard of Elsa Schiaparelli before reading this cute picture book biography.  I guess she was quite a character.  As a child she made herself sick by "planting" seeds in her hair, nose and mouth, hoping they would grow flowers.  Later as a young adult she went to a dance in a dress that was pinned together with pins, instead of sewn.  The dress was a hit until the pins started falling out.  She went on to be a famous fashion designer, know for her unconventional use of materials.  Morstad's colorful illustrations match the whimsical text.  This is a good book to give to the girls that spend their recess drawing fancy dresses. (2018, 40 p.)

Meet the House Kittens by Patrick Green

This is the first in a new series of graphic novels called Kitten Construction Company. Marmalade is an amazing architect, but she is also an adorable kitten.  Because she is so little and cute nobody will take her seriously. When the city planner rejects her plans for the new Mayor's Mansion, Marmalade takes things into her own paws. She recruits other kittens with serious construction skills, and together they work to overcome kitten prejudice.

This a cute new graphic novel great for younger readers.  Children will relate with the challenge of being considered too little or too cute to do anything important. Green includes some funny kitty tropes. For example at one point someone starts shining a laser pointer at the construction sight and Marmalade struggles to keep her crew from chasing it.  Green's color illustrations are as adorable as, well, a kitten!  Even though the main character is a girl, others on the crew are male, and since it is about construction I think it would appeal to both boys and girls.  (72 p. 2018)

The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood

Here is the last in the series that began with The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place.  As this episode begins, Miss Penelope Lumley is in Russia working as governess to the terrible Babushkinoves. She knows that time is running out before the Ashton family curse reaches its tragic fulfillment.  Armed with nothing but a quick wit and plenty of pluck, she must find a way to return to England and save her family.

This is a fun and fitting finale to a series that I generally enjoyed.  Ms Wood has infused it with the high spirits and rollicking action readers have come to expect from Miss Lumley's adventures.  I appreciated that fact that not only did Penelope's character develop, but so did those of secondary characters like Lady and Lord Ashton.  All loose strings are tied up nicely, and fans of the series with not be disappointed.  (440 p. 2018)

Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel

Caleb is 12 years old and has cystic fibrosis.  His condition makes daily life a challenge.  He has to spend time every day in different medical devices, and has strict eating requirements.  Because of his condition, his mother and older brother, Patrick, are very protective.  Over summer break his mother arranges to send him to a day camp, but a few days before the camp starts Caleb meets a girl his age, Kit, in the small stand of woods behind his house.  The girl's mother is struggling with substance abuse problems, and Kit is totally unsupervised.  Caleb is enchanted by Kit's free spirit and wild imagination and, for the first time, defies his mother's directions and sneaks away from camp to spend his days with Kit.

This book was well done, and deserves the starred reviews that it received.  The reader feels the exhilaration Caleb feels as he breaks free from the strict rules that have governed his life from birth. As the consequences of Caleb's actions start to catch up with him, the reader feels the discomfort Caleb experiences as he grapples with moral questions about friendship and loyalty.  The reader also comes to learn a lot about the challenges of those who live with cystic fibrosis.  I can see that this is a really good book, but I must admit that I didn't really enjoy reading it.  Caleb's uncomfortable situation near the end came to be like a painful blister that I was eager to drain and have things over with.  I guess I just wasn't in the mood for this type of book this week.  People who liked Rain Reign would probably like this.  (256 p. 2017)

The Daybreak Bond by Megan Frazer Blackmore

Mori, Julia, Benji and Theo leave their isolated utopian town of Old Harmony, to try to get help for their friend, the cyborg Ilana.  As they experience the outside world for the first time they discover that it is both less, and in some ways more horrifying than they had thought.

I didn't realize until just now when I looked this book up on our catalog, that is this the second in a series.  I thought the beginning was a little ambiguous, but I guessed it was a stylistic choice not to explain what was going on at first.  Ha, ha!  I don't think I will go back and read the first one.  This was only a B level science fiction because the author was more concerned with plot than personality.  I never really felt like there was a difference in the personalities of the main characters.  The author kept telling us that they were different, but she didn't do a great job of showing us they were different.  I never really connected with any of them.  Maybe if I had read the first book, I would have liked this one better.  I guess I will never know. (326 p. 2017)

Inspector Flytrap in The President's Mane is Missing by Tom Angleberger

This is another in the very silly intermediate series by Tom Angleberger.  In this one our hero, a Venus flytrap PI, is called upon to find a missing mane of a statue of the President (who is a horse).  The story involves giant flies from outer space and is nearly too ridiculous for words.  Bell's illustrations match the over-the-top tone of the story. The thing is, I could imagine that a 6 year old might think it was hilarious. (2016. 96p.)

Chasma Knights by Boya Sun and Kate Reed Petty

Beryl lives in a world where animals and insects are all toys, and most people can temporarily meld, or "catalyze", with the toys to make something new.  Beryl, however, is a Neon Knight and cannot catalyze with toys.  To compensate she has become an inventor.  One day in the Toy Market, she meets an Oxygen Knight, Coro, who is very good at catalyzing. Can their rivalry become a friendship?

Here is my graphic novel for the month.  The illustrations and story are cute, and will probably appeal to little girls rather than boys.  The premise is a little weird.  Animals and insects are really toys, and you can take out their "cores" and merge them together to make new things.  It is portrayed in a cutesy way, but when I think about it, it is seems a little Dr. Frankenstein-ish to me. No attempt at an environmental message here.  There is, however, some hidden science.  Neon Knights can't catalyze, but Oxygen knights are really good at it, because Neon is an inert gas and Oxygen is a highly reactive chemical.  So that part is a little clever.  Still, I am not sure this one is going to go far enough to warrant a sequel (though the ending suggested one.) (2018, 110 p.)

Murphy and the Great Surf Rescue by Gill Lewis

Murphy has always wanted to be a surf rescue dog.  When it comes time for him to earn his surf rescue badge, he finds that the waves in the ocean are much bigger and scarier than he had imagined.  After he fails on his first attempt, and embarrasses himself in front of his hero, he is afraid to try again but when he sees a boy in real trouble, he finds the courage he needs.

I didn't realize when I took this book off of the New Book cart that this is in the same series as another intermediate I read, Star on Stormy Mountain. This book had almost the exact same plot as that one did.  That is not necessarily a bad thing for an intermediate series.  If all the books have similar plots, it helps emerging readers gain confidence and speed because they don't have to spend a lot of effort figuring out what is going on.  This book has simple black and white illustrations that add to the kid appeal and is a good choice for any dog lovers. (109 p. 2016)

Howard and the Mummy:by Tracey Fern, illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Howard and the Mummy: Howard Carter and the Search for King Tut's Tomb is an informational picture book about the man who, through persistence and meticulous attention to detail, discovered the most impressive archaeological find of the 20th century.  The text is written in engaging narrative, and the stylized watercolor illustrations add interest to the story.  Fern mentions that Carter was not necessarily the most pleasant person and emphasizes that he succeeds because he refuses to give up.  She also focuses on that fact that he was more careful and methodical than may archaeologists of the age. A blend of history and STEM principles, this is a great choice for kids interested in archaeology, but I think any middle grade reader would likely enjoy it. It is not surprising that it has received 4 starred reviews. Set it out on a table, and just see how many kids pick it up. (32 p. 2018)

The Truth as Told By Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

Mason Buttle's family, what's left of them, are still reeling from the "bing, bam, boom" the death of a father, a mother, and a friend all in the same year.  Mason also struggles with sever dyslexia and a disorder that makes him sweat profusely.  That and his living conditions in the "cumbledown" house make him the butt of relentless bullying from the kids on his bus.  Mason gets by with the help of a compassionate resource room teacher, and when he finds a friend in little Calvin Chumpsky, things seem to be looking up.  But Lieutenant Baird keeps hounding Mason for more details surrounding the death of his friend, and Mason just can't seem to move past the clouds of green sadness that swirl around him and the whole town.

That plot summary makes it sound like this book is a real downer.  It does deal with some heavy issues, but the overall feeling of the book is one of hope rather than despair.  Mason has such and open, resilient, and likable personality that the reader can't help but feel like things will come around right in the end.  I really liked this book.  It might be my favorite I have read this year.  Part of that is because the reader on the audiobook, Andrew Eiden, did an amazing job of recreating Mason, Calvin and the whole cast of characters.  (326 p. 2018)

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser

The Vanderbeeker family includes two parents, four kids and three pets.  They have lived in the same brownstone in Harlem as long as any of the kids can remember.  One day, right before

Christmas, their landlord and upstairs neighbor decides he is not going to renew their lease.  The kids are horrified at the thought of having to move, so they start a campaign to convince reclusive old Mr. Biederman that he really does not want to make them leave.  

This was a really interesting book to read right after reading Ghost Boys.  I kind of think that Ghost Boys with its tales of gun violence and drug dealers on every corner is a more realistic view of what Harlem is probably like than this book where everyone on their block is their friend. 

That said, I enjoyed this book. The antics of the kids are funny and each child has an individual and endearing personality.  It has great parent/child relationships, and all the protagonists are trying to do what is right.  It reminded me a lot of the Penderwicks series.  Since the story takes place during the Christmas season, it is a good choice for a read-aloud over Christmas break or as a book on CD to listen to during a holiday road trip. (2017, 297 p.)

The Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park

Two brothers in ancient Korea love the annual New Year's Kite Festival.  Kee-sup loves to make kites using amazing care and exactness.  His younger brother Young-sup has a natural gift for flying kites, reading the wind and instinctively knowing how the kite will react.  The two boys catch the eye of child emperor, and break with tradition while forming a special friendship.

This is an interesting historical fiction.  It is not new but it is on The Battle of the Books list this year so I thought I would read it.  It has some relational conflicts, but it is completely devoid of violence or malice. There are no fight scenes or battles, or evil overlords. It is a good choice for a younger advanced reader, or for kids whose parents don't want their kids reading the rougher stuff.  (2000, 136 p.)

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Jerome is 12 year-old-boy from the ghettos of Chicago.  The story starts when he is shot in the back by a white police officer.  The story follows Jerome over the next year as he wanders as a ghost around the city, unseen by everyone but Sarah, the daughter of the police officer that shot him.  At first he is angry but over time he sees how grief is affecting everyone who cared about him. With the help of other Ghost Boys, like Emmet Till, he gradually learns what he must do so that he, and those he left behind, can move on.

Wow, this is a super gritty book.  Rhodes doesn't sugar coat a single line of the difficult narrative.  She thankfully resists the temptation to vilify the white police who shoots Jerome, but instead shows that his family is in need of healing as much as Jerome's family.  Even though Rhodes doesn't flinch with her descriptions of the tragedy, I never felt overwhelmed.  She does an amazing job of telling things straight, but on a level that I think most 12-year-olds could emotionally process. Throughout the book the reader is hoping that Jerome and Sarah will be able to forgive, and in the end, they do.  Rhodes does get a little preachy during the courtroom scenes, and in the final chapter, but it is not in excess.  This is certainly on my potential Newbery list for this year (and probably, because of its graphic descriptions and politically charged topic,  on several banned books lists as well). (214 p. 2018)

The Endling by Katherine Applegate

Byx is dairne, a species of intelligent dog-like animals that are near extinction. When Byx's family is discovered and killed, Byx goes on a quest to discover if there are any more of his kind or if he is, indeed, the endling, the last of his species.  On the way he meets a strange array of creatures who come to form a kind of family, and who are willing to risk their lives to help Byx reach his goal.

This is another book that is getting a lot of critical acclaim this year. Applegate won the Newbery with The One and Only Ivan, and will certainly be a contender for the Newbery with this one.  Byx's quest feels like an epic action adventure, with fully developed (if a little stereotypical) characters. The political message (that Human greed is harmful to other species) is not subtle but that did not get in the way of my enjoyment of the book. This is the first of a series, and if Applegate does as well with the sequels as she has with this first one it could become a classic. (2018, 383 p.)

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

 Brené Brown is a research social worker and a Ted Talk superstar.  In this book she focuses on learning to be "wholehearted" by accepting who we are and letting go of shame.  She explains her main terms in the beginning chapters, and then talks about 10 "guideposts" or strategies for embracing authenticity.  Her suggestions are based on a series of interviews she conducted about shame, and similarities that she discovered are shared by those she defines as wholehearted. 

This is a very readable self-help book with a lot of good ideas.  If someone could actually do all the things she suggests, they would probably have a happier life.  I read this with my husband, and we got a little tired during the "guideposts" section of her always saying "I discovered during my research".  We started keeping track and she said a variation on that phrase within the first two paragraphs of every chapter.  It might have been nice if she had been able to actually include anecdotes from her interviews, but she does not, probably because she promised confidentiality when she interviewed people. As a result, we just have to take her word for it that the conclusions she draws are legitimate. Still the writing is accessible and engaging and I would recommend it to someone looking for a life pick-me-up.(2010, 137 p)

Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald Smith

When I checked out this book I thought it would be a novelization of the recent movie "Black Panther" but it turned out to be a prequel to the movie.  In this story T'Challa is a young teen (middle school aged).  When war threatens Wakanda, T'Challa's father, the king of Wakanda, arranges for T'Challa and his best friend, M'Baku, to travel to America incognito. The goal is to get them out of harm's way and let them experience a different culture. Once in Chicago, the boys have a falling out and M'Baku starts hanging out with the basketball team while T'Challa makes friends with the nerdy kids.  The head of M'Baku's crowd, Gemini Jones, is a self proclaimed warlock.  T'Challa doubts that his boasts of magic power are true, but as time goes on, he begins to suspect that there is something sinister happening among the "in" crowd of boys.  T'Challa has a Vibranium suit that his father gave him "in case of emergency" and T'Challa has to decide whether to use it and reveal his true identity, or let his best friend follow a path that leads to mortal danger.

Ronald Smith is a veteran author that has written a number of successful series for children.  This may not be one of his best, but it was still an entertaining book to read.  The story is very Marvel-esque. As I listened to it I imagined how the different scenes could have played out in a comic book or on the big screen.  There was one part near the end where I thought, "Ok, someone didn't do their physics research when writing this scene." I actually laughed out loud and rolled my eyes it was so ridiculous.  Still, it was a fun book to read.  T'Challa  is a likable character, and though I haven't seen the movie yet I imagine there was a ton of foreshadowing of future events and characters that will make more sense once I do see the movie.  All in all it is a good choice for superhero fans, and fans of the recent Black Panther movie in particular. (2018, 272 p.)

Beep and Bob: Too Much Space by Jonathan Roth

Bob lives 200 years in the future and attends a school in the rings of Saturn.  He has a friend alien, Beep, who goes everywhere with him and talks kind of like Elmo.  In this adventure they visit the dwarf planet, Pluto, and later, a black hole.  The author adds some scientific notes at the end. 

This is a cute little intermediate with simple plot, language and characters.  There is absolutely no attempt to be scientifically accurate in descriptions of space or space travel, but the note in the end includes a few interesting facts about Pluto. The book is illustrated with cartoon line drawings.  Not a likely award winner, but not a bad choice for younger kids looking for science fiction. (2018, 104 p.)

Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dave Pilkey

Dog Man has had such great success in his first three adventures that a big movie studio wants to make a movie of his life. Dog Man leaves little Petey with a babysitter who turns out to be evil big Petey in disguise.  They go to the movie studio and try to wreak havoc, but Dog Man, Sarah, Chief and little Petey save the day.

Dog Man is one of the hottest comic series of the past year.  It is written by the same guy that does "Captain Underpants" and has the same format and style.  Pilkey is so in tune with 4-5th grade humor.  He includes all the best gags.  I actually haven't read the first three Dog Man books, but Pilkey writes enough of the back story in the beginning of the book so the reader can understand who everyone is and what is happening.  (253 p. 2018)

Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea by Lynne Rae Perkins

Alix and her older sister Jools are off with their parents for a week's vacation at the sea shore.  They soon make a friend with a girl whose grandma lives upstairs and have fun making sandcastles, playing in the waves and exploring nearby.  And that is basically it.  I kept expecting them to have some crisis or tragedy.  At the end I was amazed that this book even got published without a huge social issue.  No divorce, no physical or mental handicap, no racial tension, no death in the family.  Wow.  I guess it helps to be a previous Newbery winner. There wasn't even any reference to gender identity, and yet, it was a thoroughly enjoyable book. Imagine that!  This is a great choice for families about to go on vacation, or for those that hanker for the old, more innocent, days in children's literature. (2018, 232 p.)

One Mixed-up Night by Catherine Newman

Frankie and Walter have always loved IKEA.  They love to play the "picking game" with the IKEA catalog.  They love to imagine living in one of the mini demo houses.  Then one day when both of their families are planning to visit IKEA together, they hatch a plan to stay back and spend the night in IKEA just like the kids in the book, "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler." Their ploy of telling their parents that they are each staying at the other's for a sleepover works, and they find themselves alone in their favorite place for the night.  While there they have adventures, and finally talk about the hidden grief that has been plaguing them both.

This is a fun and tender book about friendship and grief.  It is also a bit of a wish-fulfillment book, because what kid hasn't dreamed of spending the night in a department store? Parents will cringe at the amount of destruction the kids cause with their antics, but Newman glosses over consequences. It will be easy to recommend this book to kids.  (2017, 191 p.)

P.S.
You know how it seems that every children's book now has to have a GBLT reference to get published.  Well, Newman was very creative with her little reference.  Frankie and Walter both have cats as pets.  At the beginning of the book they imagine their cats getting married, both dressed in tuxedos, because they are both boy cats.  Total eye role!

The Playbook by Kwame Alexander

This is a nonfiction companion to Alexander's Newbery winning book, The Crossover.  It is a collection of advice about basketball and life, supported by examples and quotes from famous people, mostly black athletes but including some whites, and some non-athletes, like Michelle Obama and Sonia Sotomayor. The advise is solid, and is couched in sports terminology to appeal to a young athlete.  Alexander also includes some autobiographical stories of how he came to embrace and succeed in tennis and what he learned from that. Alexander's examples from the lives of famous people are well chosen and inspirational. They are illustrated with photographs of the people who are quoted/highlighted. This would be a great book to give to a reluctant reader athlete as a gift or as part of a recognition.  (2017, 169 p.)

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

Here is a book that is going to be on a lot of potential Newbery lists this fall.  It already has 4 starred reviews.  Candice has moved in to what used to be her grandmother's home for the summer. There she meets the neighbor boy, Brandon, and together they start to investigate the circumstances surrounding an event many years ago that had brought disgrace on her grandmother.  Candice finds a letter among her grandmother's things that tells of a hidden treasure and contains clues to how it could be recovered. As Brandon and Candice follow the clues, they learn about the town's past which is steeped in prejudice and injustice.

In this book Johnson unfolds two stories from two different generations. One deals with the people in the town during the 1950's and their struggles with racial prejudice and segregation. Candice and Brandon have to deal with other kinds of prejudice and bullying while they search for clues in the present. There was a tacit comparison of the racial prejudice of the 50's with the GBLT prejudice today and I haven't quite decided if I think it was a little too heavy handed. The beauty of the writing is not quite par with some other Newbery winners, but the plotting is pretty amazing and is equal to Holes or When Your Reach Me. This is a book that grown-ups will like but it would take a pretty mature child reader to really enjoy it. Still, the Newbery committee is made of adults, and this book does deal with current hot topics.  If it won the Newbery, I wouldn't be too disappointed. (331 p. 2018)