A New York City Weekend

A few pics from our Spring Break getaway last weekend!

We stayed at the Pod Hotel - Times Square and it was great. The room was the perfect size for what we needed (aka, just a place to sleep), and since they don't have all those "extras" that no one wants anyways, the price was right too! Definitely recommend for travelers trying to save a few bucks (to be spend on food, duh).

While most everything you can do in New York you can also do in Chicago, it was still fun to get away for a bit. We did so much walking and tried to do as many free things as we could so that we could splurge on pizza and dessert!

Riding the Staten Island Ferry there and back was a relaxing (and free) way to see the Statue of Liberty, and taking MTA to Brooklyn then walking back to Manhattan across the Brooklyn Bridge allowed us to see some great views of the skyline. Another walk on The High Line reminded us of our own 606. Madame Tussaud's and the American Museum of Natural History were must-see for us, two museum fiends who also love anything weird. We walked around One World Trade Center and the nearby underground mall, saw Times Square in daytime and at night, and made sure Jesus got his photo op at a bridge in Central Park featured in his favorite movie.

As the perfect end to a weekend getaway, we saw Aladdin on Broadway. Genie stole the show, but Jonathan Freeman as Jafar was a fun throwback to our childhoods.

Coco

I'm not sure how I didn't review Coco when I first watched it back in December...but seeing as it was recently released on DVD and just won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the Oscars (along with all of its other awards), I guess now is as good a time to remind everyone here to go watch the heck out of it.

Not only does this movie look and sound amazing (the colors! the music!), the story is important and told with heart, and the characters are funny, charming, and heartbreaking.

Jesus and I can't wait to watch it in Spanish with his family, though I know I'm going to ugly cry (again). Worth it.

Nice Try, Jane Sinner

Nice Try, Jane Sinner by Lianne Oelke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Told as a series of diary entries and screenplay-style dialogue, Nice Try, Jane Sinner sits comfortably in the realm of current pop culture’s focus on self expression. Our titular protagonist enrolls in community college after dropping out of high school, for reasons eventually explained, but only after securing herself a place on (and residence in) House of Orange, a film student’s made-for-YouTube reality show. Living with five other students and enduring weekly challenges keeps Jane’s mind off her past life while helping her create a new one.

As relationships and alliances form in the house, Jane struggles to keep her former self hidden from her new friends. When the fictional Dr. Freudenshade reminds her that the past is “just a story we tell ourselves. And stories change each time you tell them” (p. 414), Jane discovers the satisfaction of allowing her stories to co-exist.

Jane’s sarcasm and proclivity for mixed idioms provides plenty of opportunity for humor, usually at her own expense, and contrasts with her parents’ conservative leanings. Readers who enjoy a self-deprecating narrator will appreciate Jane’s modest-yet-snarky confidence, which shows in conversations with her younger sister who adores her, a best friend who isn’t afraid to challenge her, and a psychiatrist who is completely made up.


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Kindred

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damian Duffy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I read both the original novel and the graphic adaptation of Kindred, and I was impressed/horrified/entertained by both. I don't like to compare books by format, or stories by medium, so I won't. I'll just say that the audiences for each version are slightly different, with some overlap, and I think I'm in both.

The basic premise of the story is that Dana, a young black woman living with her white husband in Los Angeles in the 1970s, suddenly and inexplicably travels to pre-Civil War Maryland where, over the course of several visits, she realizes she has met one of her white ancestors, Rufus, the son of a slaveholder. While at first she is only in the past for several hours, and then several days (the equivalent of a few minutes in the present), eventually she finds herself truly living in the past, struggling with the contrasts and intersections of her blackness and womanhood in both her modern life and the life she creates with her ancestors, both free and enslaved.

Not quite sci-fi (the time-travel is never explained, nor is it the focus of the story), Kindred captures and examines the absurdity of slavery from a modern and female angle. It explores the complexity of living as a black woman with a white husband, especially when viewed from a historic lens. It's a powerful story that translates well as a graphic novel.

The grim tone of the story comes across immediately in the muted illustrations, and the choice to give more color to scenes set in the past enforces the fact that this is where the main action of the book takes place. Much of the dialogue remains, and that is what moves the story along to its stark conclusion.


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Black Panther

Watch it:
 if you're a Marvel fan.
 for the music.
 if you like your heroes brave, funny, nuanced, strong, complex, and visionary.
 if beautifully choreographed fight scenes are your thing.
 for the drama.
 if you've ever wondered:

1. What a car chase would look like with a remote driver.
2. What a battle would look like with a rhinoceros army.

 if you love gadgets or clothing with style and function.
 for the sweeping landscape views of Wakanda.
 even if you don't think it's for you.
 because basically everyone else has.

Black Panther is both a standalone and part of a larger universe, giving it broad appeal to fans of Marvel comics and those who just want to see a good movie alike. This isn't your basic good guy versus bad guy (in capes and tights) fare - the conflict is nuanced, and highlights tensions that play out in the real world. The acting is stellar, the drama hits all the right notes, and the visuals had my jaw dropping. See this one in theaters, people.



Extra: What to read after you watch!

The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. This book is powerful, funny, heartbreaking, important, and so thoughtfully written. It's been impossible not to hear about it in the past year, and I'm grateful to have gotten to read it for my YA class and discuss it with other librarians-to-be.

Starr is such a dynamic character - stubborn and proud, sensitive and insightful - she felt very present. I loved her narration, even when her story broke my heart. Thomas writes from reality (police brutality, racial profiling, code-switching, interracial relationships, current pop culture references...), and the accuracy of her story is shattering, convicting, and empowering. This should be required reading, and is definitely a book unafraid of telling it like it is.

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Extras: Book Riot's list of books to read after reading The Hate U Give.

From Brooklyn to Wakanda to Chicago: 2 YA Superhero Adaptations

Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Quippy dialogue, a friendship I could see existing in reality, and loving and understanding parents made this a joy to read. (Okay, so Jason Reynolds could write a novel adaptation of a QVC commercial and I'd read it, but still.) All of this isn't to say Miles Morales is a happy-campy-fun time book - there's a real villain, and real evil, and while Miles as Spider Man prevails on the page, racism and its effects are still a real threat after the book ends. Miles Morales isn't just "Black Puerto Rican Spider Man" - his story is completely unique to his experience, not a "diversity" retelling of Peter Parker. He is a super hero, undoubtedly, but that doesn't mean he isn't affected by our country's history of racial discrimination in his daily life.

This book is cinematic and action-packed, as expected, but it also has currency and a poetic tone that sets it apart from other similar superhero adaptations.

Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Before T'Challa becomes King of Wakanda, he is a pre-teen, sent to live in Chicago with his friend M'Baku and attend middle school there. His father thinks he'll be safer away from political unrest, but bullies, cultural differences, and evil villains don't make it easy for T'Challa to be away from home. This was a quick and fun read, made all the more relevant with the upcoming release of Marvel's Black Panther. As someone who doesn't read comic books, and isn't well-versed on the Marvel Universe in general, I enjoyed getting some (well written) back story on a unique character. T'Challa is both royalty and (future) superhero, with imaginative and useful gadgets and wisdom beyond his twelve years.


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This Blog is a Tide Ad

The real and one true winner of Super Bowl 52 was Tide. What teams even played? Who cares.

I knew Tide was the winner when an ad for a different laundry detergent started playing and the entire room went, "Wait, is this a Tide ad too?" - like, no one remembers what brand of detergent was actually being advertised.

And do you see any stains here? Nope - this blog is a Tide ad too.

The Boy in the Black Suit

The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After 17-year old Matty's mom passes away, he finds himself working in a funeral home, hoping the grief others feel will help him with his own. Things change when he meets Love at her grandmother's funeral. She doesn't seem to grieve in the same way, and she "gets" his conflicting feelings of both wanting to move on and wanting to go back in time.

This YA novel feels more mature than similar stories - Love and Matty are thoughtful teenagers. They develop a shy friendship that grows into romance, and Matty works through some rough stuff. Besides grieving his mother, he becomes the parent figure for his father, who doesn't handle her death very well. He also learns what it means to forgive, what it means to have regrets, and why comparing trauma is never a good idea.

Fans of Jason Reynolds will embrace this sweet story, one with heart and characters to care about.


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Cheers to January

January, the month that still feels long, even as time seems to pass quicker and quicker. Artist Mari Andrew gets it:

A post shared by Mari Andrew (@bymariandrew) on Jan 26, 2018 at 5:02am PST

Perhaps it's because I'm coming off several months of overeating, celebrating everything, and travel (wedding+honeymoon+holiday season), but I'm truly appreciating this crawl back to "real life" that January has been. It's been the perfect month to weed out my closet and to start buying groceries and cooking for myself again - with no events to plan for or attend and no visitors to entertain, just me, my husband, and stacks of YA novels to read.

Cheers to long nights, long socks, and long books.

2Birthdays & 2Cellos

Yes, our birthdays are in the summer...but our birthday gift from Mom & Dad got postponed until last weekend - a sold out 2Cellos concert!

Neither Jesus nor I have ever seen a show at the Chicago Theatre, so we enjoyed seeing the inside of this landmark building. The music was pretty alright too. ;) 

The Witch Boy

The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of the graphic novels I read last semester for my children's materials class was a new release by Molly Knox Ostertag. I book-talked it in class, and though I was nervous (as a book talk newbie), most of my classmates seemed really interested in reading the book after hearing what I had to say about it. Fans of colorful and fantastical graphic novels will also want to add this one to their TBR piles.

Imagine knowing exactly what (or who) you want to be, but not being able to show it because of rules created long before you were born. Such is Aster's predicament - he wants to be a witch, but in his family, only women are witches. Men become shapeshifters. When his boy cousins start disappearing, leaving him behind, Aster's secret talents at witchcraft just might save them. Will he risk exposing his secrets? Besides all the real life parallels that can be drawn with this tale, it's wonderfully written and illustrated, and features a wide variety of characters - in personality, looks, sexual orientation, and magical abilities.


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Welcome to the Jungle(s)

In the dead of winter, sometimes what you need is a total escape in the form of a movie. What's a total escape from dry, cold Chicago? A hot, humid jungle filled with giant monsters.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

The most recent of my jungle movie picks, this indirect Jumanji sequel (takes place in the same world, but only barely references the original movie) sends its characters into the game, which has been updated from board to video for a 21st century audience. Once in the jungle, our four protagonists become the avatars they play - so a nerdy teen becomes a ripped explorer (Dwayne Johnson), the football player becomes a much smaller zoologist (Kevin Hart), the brainy overachiever becomes the sexy martial arts expert (Karen Gillan) and the vapid selfie-taker becomes the overweight cartographer (Jack Black). Learning how to work together, and growing more comfortable with their new personas, they play to win the game - the only way back to real life.

I found this movie hilarious, and all the actors did a great job of showing us their distinct personalities, which were usually at odds with their outward appearances. The video game rules made sense and were followed (mostly) consistently, and while the ending is predictable, the journey there is lots of fun.



Godzilla (2014)

We've seen several iterations of Godzilla in recent years, but this reboot marks the beginning of a MonsterVerse series with several films to follow, and because of this makes an effort to build a complete world with characters we are invested in and writing that gives depth and variety to the plot. This movie reveals Godzilla's origin through a narrative that stretches back to the 1950s and carries into present day, and introduces other MUTOs (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms), and while only a portion of the movie actually takes place in a jungle, it's still worlds away from a Chicago winter.



Kong: Skull Island (2017)

This King Kong reboot fits into the MonsterVerse franchise along with Godzilla as an origin retelling and a way to introduce future (upcoming) monsters. Set primarily in the 1970s, the story shows us scientists and soldiers traveling to an uncharted island and discovering Kong, along with other larger-than-life monsters. Plot-driven action and dynamic characters advance the story and keep it from getting bogged down with monster fights, and the gorgeous cinematography matched with a setting-appropriate soundtrack make this movie both visually and aurally appealing.

While You Are Sleeping

While You Are Sleeping by Mariana Ruiz Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If I've learned anything from my time working with children's literature, it's that there's something to be said for wordless picture books (silent books). They're accessible to children of all ages and speakers of any language, and because different things stand out during each read, the story is stays fresh. The ability to tell a story with illustration alone is not a skill all authors/illustrators have, so it's a treat to see it done well.

Mariana Ruiz Johnson's While You Are Sleeping is an example of wonderful storytelling through imagery. She helps children imagine what goes on in the world right outside their windows while they sleep - and it's a world many parents will recognize as neighbors walk their dogs, go out for dinner, have a glass of wine before bed, and pursue hobbies late into the night. Of course, adventures await the later it gets, but when morning comes, we're back and safely tucked in bed, ready to face the day (and ready to read the book again and again).


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Still in the Honeymoon Phase

In celebration of two months of marriage, here are a few photo highlights from the first day (evening) of our honeymoon!

We flew into Tokyo the Monday after our wedding (Sunday night in Chicago) and stayed awake as long as we could to battle jet lag, which meant going for a long walk around the neighborhood our hotel was in (Ueno) and checking out Tokyo Skytree for a view of the city from above.

Since we left for Osaka the next afternoon, our first night in Tokyo feels much different from the few days we spent there at the end of our trip. That, plus airplane sleep deprivation, a smidge of culture shock, and leftover wedding elation means my memories of that Monday evening will always be a bit hazy, so I'm extra grateful for these photos!

Our first hotel had all the space we needed for the night!

The walk to the Skytree was serene & surreal. 

Lit up green for Christmas!

 

The first of many shoe pics, this one featuring the streets of Tokyo.

Our exhausted "We Made It!" faces.

Novel Novels: Two Reviews

Last semester, the Butler Center hosted a Mock Pura Belpré Award event. I somehow found the time to read all but one of the books on the reading list, and I'm so grateful I did. Two of them, novels for middle grade readers, don't let traditional "novel" formats limit them, which helps to show instead of tell their stories. The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez includes zines (homemade mini-magazines) created by the story's protagonist and Forest World by Margarita Engle is told in dual-narrative poems, allowing the reader to see into both protagonists' thoughts.


The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

MaLu is exactly the type of kid I would have wanted to be friends with in middle and high school - she knows who she is and what she stands for, and she's not about to let any sort of authority tell her differently. The adult in me had a few moments of "yeah, I don't think so honey," but middle school Rachel loved MaLu's artistry, earnestness, and fashion sense. What really makes The First Rule of Punk stand out is the inclusion of zines, collage-style mini-mags that show just how passionate MaLu is about being her most true self.

Forest World by Margarita Engle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Edver isn't quite sure what to think of his older sister Luza when he meets her for the first time during a visit to Cuba, made possible by relaxed travel laws and his mother's hope that Edver spend some time with his father, away from his precious cell phone. Luza, though, remembers Edver and their mother, and wants to reconnect with the family she was forced to say goodbye to so many years ago. Told in a series of poems from both Edver and Luza's perspectives, Forest World is as beautiful and stunning as the Cuban forest it's set in.

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The Lob

Turning the page on my calendar wasn't all the motivation I needed to get my hair cut, but it does help to be in a clean slate kinda mood. Also, being so. totally. done. with winter static and dry, damaged ends and zipping my hair into my coat and having to wash AND brush all of it just to pull it back into a ponytail and do it all again in 2-3 days...yeah, I needed to chop it off.

Much thanks to Nina at the Hair Cuttery in Skokie for seeing my desperation to have something new and taking charge! She said "I love transformations" as she tied my hair into four sections and chopped each one off, holding them up for me to see.

I'm loving my wonderful Lob (Long Bob)!

1.8.18

Eight years blogging has meant wildly different things in each year: travel journal, cookbook, confessional, poem diary, photo album, review site, scrapbook...what I appreciate most about this space is its adaptability. Cheers, As The Romans Do, and here's to another year of failing big and following curiosities.

Greenglass House & Ghosts of Greenglass House

Milo Pine lives with his mom and dad in an inn called Greenglass House, and he's looking forward to a quiet winter break, thank you very much. Unfortunately for him, the inn has guests - two winter breaks in a row! Greenglass House, and its follow-up, Ghosts of Greenglass House are both super fun novels to lose yourself in during your own winter break, or snowed-in weekend, or even on a quiet Friday night when you refuse to wander into freezing temperatures. Plenty of mystery, quirky characters, and a protagonist any introvert can relate to make these books great for middle grade readers and adults alike.

Greenglass House:

Greenglass House by Kate Milford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What secrets do the stained glass windows of Greenglass House hold, and why are so many guests suddenly interested in them? Milo and his snowed-in friend Meddy create mystery-solving characters for themselves to help his parents figure out which of the new guests is stealing others' possessions and creating havoc in their cozy inn. Is everyone telling the truth about who they are and why they chose to stay at Greenglass House?

I was totally taken in by Milford's world-building and loved the way she incorporated role-playing games and unique takes on traditional mystery tropes. Milo is nothing short of adorable, a kid that young Rachel would've befriended and adult Rachel wants to adopt herself, and Meddy provides just the right amount of snark and wit to keep the very grown-up capers from bogging the fun of the story down.

Ghosts of Greenglass House:

Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Milo's back and ready to finally enjoy a quiet winter break, even though there's no snow yet...and then the guests start to show up. Again. A few old friends plus some new faces appear just as the Winter Solstice begins, and this time of mystery and magic has odd events occurring throughout the house and its surrounding grounds. Milo really hopes Meddy joins him again, as it seems there are a few more mysteries for them to solve, and he could use a sidekick to boost his confidence.

I'm glad I read this sequel fairly soon after finishing Greenglass House, as it helped to place returning characters quicker (and I also didn't have to spend so much time away from the world of Nagspeake & the inn). These books are undeniably winter books, and go so well with a cup of tea or hot chocolate, under a blanket, with a fire by your side (or a radiator hissing steam). It should also be mentioned that while the setting is immersive, the characters realistic, and the story engrossing, the relationship between Milo and his parents is what really makes this book stand out for the middle grade crowd especially. Ben and Nora Pine are loving, but they have their own lives as well. They allow Milo to make mistakes, they answer his questions honestly, and they trust him to make good decisions (because that's how they've raised him). They never hover, but they're also not missing from the story - they are two of the most authentic parents I've read in children's fiction, which always seems to sway too far to one extreme or the other.


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Re.w.or.d.a.ble

What it is: A 2-8 player competitive game. Players collect word fragments (1-3 letters long) and combine them to create complete words, adding fragments to their own or other players' words to "reword" them for extra points.

What it includes: The diminutive box holds 120 word fragment cards, 16 bonus tokens, and rules.

Gameplay: Each player holds 5 cards in their hand, and 3 extra cards are placed on the playing surface, along with 3 bonus tokens. On their turn, a player can either build a word (using at least one card in their hand, and optionally in combination with cards already in play) to add it to their lexicon or discard their hand to get new cards. Once a word is in play, any player can add to it (beginning, middle, or end - but no reordering of letters/fragments) and steal it for their lexicon. The game ends after a pre-determined amount of plays, or when cards run out.

Winning: Players count the amount of letters in each word in their lexicon (each letter is worth one point), then add 4 points for each bonus token earned. The player with the most points wins!

Recommended for: This game could be marketed towards a young crowd - it would definitely help elementary (3rd-5th grade) age kids learn different word variations, could be played cooperatively (using teams) for middle school age, and is a unique challenge for adults as well. Because of how the word fragments are split onto each card, playing this game in other languages is also a possibility. (Spanish seems to work pretty well, at least.)

Positives: Easy to set up and play starts quickly, since there aren't a lot of rules to go over. Super portable, and rules can be adapted to player skills (allowing abbreviations, proper nouns, or words in other languages). Graphics on the cards are readable - good use of size/font/color.

Drawbacks: While the ease of play and small size of the box makes this game perfect for bringing along to parties/on vacation/etc, the cards sometimes feel a bit too small - they are hard to shuffle. Not a dealbreaker, but something to consider if playing with an older crowd.

Overall: Rewordable is like Scrabble or UpWords, but with cards. Common words and word combinations are emphasized over obscure words. Wordies will enjoy its many possibilities and competitive gamers will appreciate the variety of challenges.

12.31.17

Jesus and I don't really have NYE traditions yet - we've done different things each year of our relationship. I guess that's our tradition: switching it up. This year we're celebrating with my parents, which means plenty of snacks, board games, fireworks on TV, and potentially falling asleep before midnight. :)



Extra: last year, the year before, and the year before that

2017 By the Books

I read 196 books in 2017...thanks to library school and my job at a children's literature center (helloooo, picture books!). A Land of Permanent Goodbyes will be #197 if I finish it this weekend, but all stats are pre-completion. Here's a breakdown of what I read (using my Goodreads account as my source):

Total Number of Books Read: 196
Total Pages Read: 35,603
Shortest Book: Ghost Poems by Daisy Wallace (30 pages)
Longest Book: The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (637 pages)
Average Rating: 3.8 stars
Most Popular (according to Goodreads): The Help by Kathryn Stockett (read by over 2 million)
Least Popular (according to Goodreads): The Long Island by Drew Beckmeyer (it doesn't actually come out until 2018...)
Highest Rated (by Goodreads): Refugee by Alan Gratz (4.66 stars)
Highest Rated (by me): There were a lot of 5-star books this year, I'm happy to say!
Re-reads: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (very excited for the film adaptation), Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (doesn't quite hold up), Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (definitely holds up), The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (it's complicated)
Series I Finally Finished: The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
Women Authors: 55% (108/196)
Authors of Color/Minority Authors: 40% (78/196)
Translations/Bilingual: After a very brief scroll through my list, I think about 12 of the books were either translated into English, included bilingual text, or were foreign language titles altogether. Several others were written by non-American writers in English.
Most Popular Author (according to my list): Margarita Engle (Forest World, Drum Dream Girl, Bravo!, and Miguel's Brave Knight). Jason Reynolds and Carole Boston Weatherford tied for second with three books each.
Audiobooks: 11, and I can pretty safely say that I am not a good listener...I much prefer reading text. If I have to listen, please let it be a comedy book (Yes Please was delightful) or a book featuring music (Solo and Echo had several musical moments).
Fantasy: 18
Horror: 3
Comedy: 9
Mystery: 10
Non-fiction: 53
Non-fiction for adults: 27
Biggest Surprise: All These Wonders (a collection of stories told on various Moth stages) gave me life. Miles Morales is hilarious and important. Out of Wonder is unbelievably beautiful. Greenglass House (and the follow-up, Ghosts of Greenglass House) is so. much. fun.
Biggest Letdown: On the whole, I was disappointed by self-help books this year (lesson learned, I guess?), but the biggest letdown was The Arrow Finds Its Mark (a collection of "found" poetry). It had extreme potential to be innovative and original, sure to be beloved by this found poet, but it lacked creativity and design.
Still Thinking About: the beauty of some of the picture books and graphic novels I read this year. It was an amazing year for illustrators! Also, lots of WOW moments in YA fiction, novelizations of comic books, and historical fiction with plenty of heart.
Something I Learned (about reading): Something I've known, but that was reaffirmed for me this year is that representation matters. I read a lot of "window" books this year (as opposed to "mirrors"), and I loved it. I can only imagine how affirming it is for non white/straight/English-speaking/etc kids and adults to see their lives in the books they read, and I'm excited to continue exploring a wide range of narratives from a wide range of authors.
Goal For 2018: Keep on keeping on.

Extra: 2016 By the Books

Take Me Away: Seven Mystery & Adventure Titles to Capture Your Attention

The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit by Octavia Spencer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Randi Rhodes is exactly the girl detective I wanted to be growing up - I tore through Nancy Drew, Harriet the Spy, and other similar books in elementary school. Randi is tough and headstrong, but she has heart too. The tension of moving away from Brooklyn is compounded by the mystery of the time capsule, and there’s no break from the action as Randi meets D.C. and they team up to solve the mystery. Of course, as an adult, I wondered about the believability of some of their adventures, but nothing strayed too far from reality, and most kids will be too focused on trying to solve the mystery along with the protagonists to care about small details. I finished this book in an afternoon at the airport and felt fully immersed in the story!

Maximilian & the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller by Xavier Garza

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fun read! I loved that it was bilingual, and that the translations matched up so well. The direct, simple language made it easy for even this beginning Spanish reader to compare the pages. The actual story was also fun, and I enjoyed solving the mystery along with Max, cheering for heroes and booing the villains all along. Max develops slightly as a character, becoming more confident in himself and the action was paced nicely. I’ll definitely be recommending this book!

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book gave me major Willy Wonka vibes, as Grabenstein intended, which had me guessing the whole way through - How will kids start being eliminated? What’s Lemoncello’s actual intent? Where are the Oompa Loompas? A fun ode to libraries with plenty of solvable puzzles, this bookworm was happy to read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library all afternoon. I was invested and curious the whole way through!

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading Hatchet in elementary school. Growing up in north/central Wisconsin, winter survival was a popular topic and kids would build elaborate forts during recess as if we’d be out there longer than 20 minutes. We read Hatchet in class, and I remember both boys and girls getting into the story. When I tried to read more Gary Paulsen on my own though, I wasn’t as interested, and I definitely wasn’t as into the action this read through. Yes, Brian goes through a “coming of age” in the wilderness, learning about himself and the world around him, but I wasn’t as into the action as I remember being as a 10 year old. I think the plot was interesting, especially considering the age of this book, and most kids reading are able to guess at what Brian needs to do next, or at least think about what they would do in his situation.

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book to read one week after a trip to Japan. Preus did her research, though some details of the book felt forced (ie, “I did my research on this can’t you tell?!”). Manjiro’s adventure moves right along, and he grows and changes as he experiences new things. I felt invested in his story, wanting to know if he made it back home, and what happened if/when he did. There were a few problematic bits, details that were glossed over (though explained more in the epilogue/glossary), but nothing that a child reader would care much about, or need to appreciate the story. Preus is clear about the things she created for the story, and the inclusion of Majiro’s drawings adds context.

Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, which I hesitate to recommend - the added music was a nice touch, but the actual narration left something to be desired. Also, I personally am not a great audiobook listener so I know I missed some things. I want to reread this in print to get the “full” story because I’m pretty sure I liked it. I know I liked each individual story, learning about the characters and their motivations. I didn’t read anything about the book before listening, so it took me a bit to realize Echo is 4 different/connected stories. The connections at the end were sweet, if convenient.

Thriller by Jon Scieszka

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Besides the unnecessary gendering of this collection, I found the stories inside to be fun and interesting. As in any book of short stories, some resonated more than others, but altogether I found they worked well at keeping my attention with good pacing and just enough tension throughout. I felt involved in reading most of the stories, especially “Believing in Brooklyn” and “Nate Macavoy, Monster Hunter” (which felt like a Junior X-Files). Snakes aren’t my jam, so I checked out while reading “The Snake Mafia” and “Boys Will Be Boys” felt too simplistic (and that title, ugh).

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Winter Solstice Check-In

Winter Break is so close!

• Finals: finished (one paper, two projects - one being a new page on this blog)
• Presents: four left to wrap
• Thank You Notes: we're down to co-workers & friends!
• Travel Journal: one day left to recap

Of course, I've already sort of started the relaxing & celebrating...

• Reading: ARCs that I've been saving up all semester
• Dipping: into my winter wine stash
• Watching: all the Harry Potter movies
• Vacuuming: hey, it calms me, okay?

Extras: last year's Winter Solstice thoughts (feeling similarly this year - cautiously grateful)

Using Children's Fantasy to Talk About Family, Memory, and the Power of Knowledge: Two Reviews

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is a lot going on in The Girl Who Drank the Moon, but it is beautifully written. While I had to reread a few passages to make sure I understood what was happening, I was engrossed in this story, its characters, and in learning the mystery of magic and the power of stories. The setting is familiar, though unique in its particularities. The themes of family and the power of memory and knowledge in this story repeat themselves, like refrains, and and are woven into each character’s actions, so that each page enforces the universal truths explored in the book as a whole.


Jinx by Sage Blackwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sage Blackwood creates a magical world with dynamic characters in Jinx. While an intriguing conflict and plenty of mystery kept me reading, the fantasy itself was also compelling. Jinx is set in a fictional time and place, but aspects of the world are recognizable. The magic used along with other imaginative characteristics follow the “rules” of the world, lending credibility to the fantasy. Similarly to The Girl Who Drank the Moon, family, memory, and the power of knowledge are key themes, and the reader learns from both the mistakes and the victories of the characters. The setting of Jinx is similar to ones I’ve read elsewhere, but shows originality in its treatment of nature and the concept of a “Listener” along with not revealing all the details of the world (you have to keep reading the series to find out more!). I enjoyed trying to figure out each character’s motivations, and wondering who could be trusted as I read.


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Finding Their Way Home: A Review of Refugee by Alan Gratz

Refugee by Alan Gratz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Told in three separate yet connected stories, Refugee is a historical novel of perseverance and commitment to one’s identity in the face of persecution. It will resonate with middle grade readers of today.

Josef flees from 1930s Nazi Germany and the threat of concentration camps with his parents and sister. He struggles with the responsibility of taking care of his family when he still feels like a child.

Isabel, her parents, and her neighbors use a makeshift raft to escape Cuba in 1994, during the unrest of Castro’s regime. Though never one to retreat from a challenge, Isabel worries for her pregnant mother during the dangerous journey.

Mahmoud, along with his parents and younger siblings, leave the violence of war in Syria in 2015, traveling through Europe as they search for a safer place to live. Unsure of the future of his country, Mahmoud wonders if his family will feel at home if they make it to Austria.

Though the details of their stories are unique, Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud share more similarities than just their situations. Gratz gives attention to creating characters with heart and conviction, while the conflicts they face ensure none of their stories muddle in the emotions of the book as a whole. Refugee tells an important story without preaching or sensationalizing the experiences of refugees past and present. Maps and an author’s note highlight the reality of Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud’s stories and show the readers how they can help with relief efforts.


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JAPAN

It's honeymoon time! I'm excited to get back to my blogging roots and discuss travel destinations and reviews...after I get back (and after I finish my finals!). :)

See you in two weeks!

#bricksandbananasforever

J: I love you tons and bunches.
R: A ton of bricks and bunches of bananas?
J: Yes, bricks and bananas.

Today is the day I marry my love & I couldn't be more excited. Or more prone to breaking out in happy tears.