#amreading Cautiously

Book Report 33

Every so often, I’ll hit a patch of books that I’d be cautious to recommend (for one reason or another). Unclaimed Treasures is a slice-of-life story with a quirky cast. I did a double-take when it opened with an open casket in the parlor and serving wine to children. And it did get odder (in parts), but was also sort of wistful and lovely (in parts). Such is life? Starfire introduces us to herds of winged horses and the plight of the single black foal who’s a child of prophecy. Beware. Vicious, with vivid descriptions that would unsettle sensitive children. No Such Thing as Dragons is one of those rare MG thrillers. Solid storytelling with edge-of-your-seat action. It’s basically a monster movie. Many things (and people) die messily.

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#amreading Playfully

Book Report 32

King of Shadows is about a young actor pulled back into the past, where he joins William Shakespeare at the Globe Theater, playing Puck to his Oberon. (So many feels!) Definitely one of my favorite books for the year. Felix Yz is certainly off-beat, but in ways I completely enjoyed. In the lab accident that killed his father, Felix is fused with an alien entity. Mostly about family, the story also slips into LGBTQ territory. My favorite character was Grandy, Felix’s father’s parent, who sometimes goes by Vern and sometimes by Vera and has invented veir own set of gender-neutral pronouns. In Enchanted Glass, Andrew Hope inherits his grandfather’s field-of-care, although he’s a bit vague on what that entails. He has his hands full with the housekeeper and his gardener, who dislike change almost as much as they dislike each other. Then young Aiden shows up on his doorstep. Magical realism in true Dianna Wynne Jones style!

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#amreading Whiplash

Book Report 31

“Middle grade” isn’t a genre. It’s a recommended age level. Which is just about the only thing these titles have in common. Half a Chance is a slice-of-life summertime story about a girl whose family moves a lot and her love for photography. (Adored the “scavenger hunt” style photography challenge.) In When You Reach Me, Miranda tries to make sense of the things that are going on around her—the notes, on-again-off-again friends, who likes who, and the best way to win at a game show. And At the Bottom of the World is the first book in the Jack and the Geniuses series, which succeeds in making science fun. (Makes sense, considering Bill Nye is part of the project.)

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BYWAYS: Vanek Johns

Vanek Johns

As soon as the boys were gone, Ian turned to his uncle. “What just happened?”

Vanek chuckled. “Did you really think cramming those boys into a carriage would fix things?”

“But to send them out alone? Laurel won’t like it.” Ian fiddled with the buttons on his cuff. “I don’t like it.”

—excerpted from Byways, Book 1: On Your Marks

Ian’s overly optimistic plan was doomed from the start, but thanks to wise Uncle Vanek, the brothers will each have a chance to prove themselves. This big bear of a man is the Postmaster’s business partner, his trusted friend, and his uncle. Vanek Johns is the person who helped Ian establish the postal system that serves Liberty’s people. He has a booming voice and a deep laugh. The father of six grown children, he’s wise when it comes to helping young ones grow up.

 

#amreading Boldly

Book Report 30

Loser is an endearing story about a boy who’s … a little different. I picked up The Vanishing Game to fill a slot on my A-Z Reading Challenge and was intrigued to find that the Hardy Boys have been dragged into the modern era and equipped with cell phones and contemporary slang. Not too shabby, though this particular mystery had a slap-dash finish. Jungle of Bones is a survival story in which an angry boy behaves stupidly, then has to live long enough to learn from his mistakes. Lots in this about WWII in the Pacific and respecting our veterans.

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