Month: December 2022

My Best of 2022

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I had an unusual reading year this year. Overall, my reading was down; more than half of my reading was graphic novels. I lacked the time and attention span to read longer books. I also listened to a lot more audiobooks than I usually do; it was a way to fit books in the cracks of the busyness that was my life this year. I want to be able to sit down and focus on reading; There is a part of me that misses doing that, but I also don’t quite know what to read anymore. With my current position at the bookstore, I’m hardly ever on the floor, so knowing what books are out and reading them has slipped in priority for me. Maybe I can change that in 2023.

Here are the numbers:

Middle Grade: 12
Young Adult: 22
Non-Fiction: 13
Adult Fiction: 23
Graphic Novels: 92 (be sure to check out our finalist lists at Cybils tomorrow!)
Total: 162

Number of those that were audiobook: 23
Number of speculative fiction (not including graphic novels): 29
Number by BIPOC authors: 30 (18.5%; I need to do better.)
Number by Latinx authors: 8
Number I reread: 13
Number I abandoned: 11

Out of those, here were my favorites:

There is a 10th, but it’s a graphic novel and so I’ll let it go this year because I was on the Cybils panel.

Some themes that I noticed this year:

So many memoirs!


I read/reread so many series (these are the first books):

Plus the next/last in continuing series!

And started new series:

So many series.

I (re)discovered an author I loved:

And fell into all the romance books:

Okay, not all Just five.

It wasn’t a bad reading year, in the end. I’m still hoping that next year will be better.

Monthly Round-Up December 2022

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As per usual, I’ll round up the whole year tomorrow. As for December… It was another graphic novel-heavy month, but I didn’t mind. I was buy at work,a nd having a graphic novel to come home to was perfect. That said, my favorite wasn’t one

Nettle & Bone

I picked it up because it made a friend’s best-of list this year, and I was not disappointed.

As for the rest:

Non-fiction:

Beyond the Wand (audiobook)

Young Adult:

Lightlark (audiobook)
The Shepherd’s Crown (reread)

Graphic Novels:

Captain America: The Ghost Army
Clementine
Victory for Ukraine
Magical Boy
Unretouchable
Ducks
The Wolf Suit
Fibbed
A Tale as Tall as Jacob
The Doors to Nowhere
Just Roll With it
Cat’s Cradle
The Greatest Thing
Messy Roots
AlteZachen
Adora and the Distance
Numb to This
The Golden Hour
Enemies
The Woman in the Woods
Miss Quinces
Smaller Sister
Wingbearer
PlayLike a Girl
Victory. Stand!
Tiny Dancer
Slip

Stay tuned tomorrow for my best-of-the-year!

Audiobook: Beyond the Wand

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by Tom Felton
Read by the author
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is talk of substance abuse, and swearing including a handful of f-bombs. It’s in the film section of the bookstore.

An admission: I’m not really a fan of Tom Felton’s. To be honest, while I liked the Harry Potter movies well enough, I was too old to get into being a fan of the child actors. It’s kind of creepy, at any rate. Let them be kids.

But, on the encouragement of a co-worker, I picked up Felton’s memoir on audiobook. And honestly? It’s delightful. I liked Felton’s devil-may-care attitude and the humor that he expresses looking back at the sort of kid that he was to land the role of Draco. He talks about how he ended up acting (it was a good way to skip school!) and talks fondly about his older brothers keeping his ego in check. He devotes a chapter to each of the people in the Potter films that influenced him (he has very kind things to say about Emma, Ruper, Daneil, and Jason Isaacs among others) and then goes into the past ten years after Potter. It wasn’t a great time for him. But he found his way through, and honestly, he sounds like a pretty decent man. He’s a delightful narrator (and does a spot-on American accent!) and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one.

YA Graphic Novel Roundup 7

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This is the last roundup for the year. My panel has met, and we’ve talked about all the books and come up with her our lists., which I’m quite proud of. It’s a good list, reflective of all the good graphic novels that have been published hits year We’ll announce it on January 1st!

Victory. Stand!
by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabile
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is racism and depictions of injustice. It’s in the Middle Grade Sports section of the bookstore.

This is the story of how Tommie Smith got to the 1968 Olympics, and the story behind the famous picture of him and John Carlos raising their fists at the medal ceremony. It’s a remarkable story, one full of sacrifice and good luck and determination and support. There is fighting for equality and civil rights, as well as excellence in sports.

I know I’ve seen the photo lots of times, but honestly, I’ve never thought about the story behind it. As a result, this book was incredibly fascinating. I liked hearing Smith’s story and the sacrifices and hardships as well as the opportunities he had on his path toward the Olympics. it was a reminder that racism was (is) everywhere, not just in the South, and that things were (are) much harder for Black people than it needed to be. The amount of racism that Smith faced is astounding, and it’s a little-known civil rights story that deserves to be told. An excellent book.

Tiny Dancer
by Siena Cherson Siegel and Mark Siegel
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Other ins the “series”: To Dance
Content: There are some mild swearing, divorce, and body image issues. It’s in the Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

About 16 years ago, the Siegels wrote a middle-grade graphic novel about Siena’s experience being a ballerina. It’s a good book, one that talks about the path to being a professional ballerina, and the subsequent injury that derailed Siena’s career. I thought it was a good story, a complete story, but the Siegels must have thought there was more to tell. Enter Tiny Dancer, where Siena goes deeper into what it takes to be a ballerina on the highest level and the consequences and aftermath of her injury. I don’t know if this book was necessary, but I found it interesting and worth reading. It hits some of the same beats as To Dance, but it adds another, deeper layer to the story. And, as usual, Mark Siegel’s art is beautiful, capturing the elegance of the dancers as well as the pain and indecision post-injury. A good book, overall.

Slip
by Marika McCoola and Aatmata Pandya
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is talk of mental illness, as well attempted suicide, and some swearing, including a couple f-bombs.

Jade has gotten into a prestigious art camp, a place for her to hone her art and get ready for art school. Right before she leaves, she finds out that her best friend Phoebe has attempted suicide and has been hospitalized. Jade still goes to the camp, but finds that she can’t focus because she’s worried about Phoebe. She also feels guilty as she develops feelings for another camper, Mary. It’s compliated dealing with everything, and Jade is not quite sure how to move on.

I really liked this one. I liked the discussion of mental illness and the difficulty it is when friends don’t know what to do when their friends are sick. I liked the art aspect, and the slight magical realism in it. It’s beautifully drawn, and I think it opens up an avenue for discussions of suicide and how to deal with friends who are suffering. Really really good.

Nettle & Bone

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by T. Kingfisher
First sentence: “The trees were full of crows and the woods were full of madmen.”
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Content: There are some intense moments, discussion of domestic violence, and some other violence. It’s in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

Marra is the third daughter of the king and queen of the Harbor Kingdom, and she never really expected her life to amount to much. She went to serve in the convent of Our Lady of Grackles when she was 15 and has spent half of her life feeding chickens and doing embroidery. But, after her neice dies unexpectedly and she discovers that her sister, married to the king of the Northern Kindom, is being abused, Marra decides to take matters into her own hands. With the help of a dust-wife, a disgraced ex-knight, and a reluctant fairy godmother, she attempts to tackle the impossible: rescuing her sister without disrupting the precarious political balance of the kindgom.

I’ve read several Ursula LeGuin books and loved them, and this is my second by Kingfisher (same person, diffrent nom de plumes) and loved this just as much as I did her other one. She has such a way with telling a story with heart and humor and embracing the tropes (the hero’s journey, in this one) while subverting them. She makes characters that are just wonderful to spend time with, real and complex and funny and grumpy — all of it. I loved every minute of reading this slim book, and I will happily read anything else that Kingfisher has out. I’m definitnely a fan, now.

EMG Graphic Novel Roundup 8

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Last one!

Smaller Sister
by Maggie Edkins Willis
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Content: There is talk of eating disorders and body dysmorphia. As well as a lot of talk about crushes. It’s in the Middle Grade graphic novel section of the bookstore.

Born close together, Livy and Lucy were super close as kids. They played together, building imaginary worlds. It seemed to Lucy that they would always be inseparable. But then, their parents moved them to a different school and Livy became… different. She hung out with the popular girls, started talking a lot about boys, stopped eating, and (worst of all) stopped talking to Lucy. As things got worse, and Livy developed an eating disorder, Lucy was left to unravel things all by herself.

This one was just so good. I loved all the aspects of sisterhood that Willis touched upon, how the girls were close, and then grew apart as the oldest one got older. (They did make up in the end, and find their way back to friendship.) I also liked the focus on eating disorders from the outside. There is one scene, later when Lucy is in 6th grade when she decides to control her food, and Livy is able to talk to her and tell her from experience what was going on. It was an incredibly touching scene. A very good book.

Wingbearer
by Marjorie Liu and Teny Issakhanian
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Content: There are some intense/scary moments. It’s in the Middle Grade graphic novel section of the bookstore.

Zuli has been raised her whole life in the Great Tree, the place where the spirits of birds come to rest before being reborn. She is content there, communing with the birds, until the day that the spirits stop coming. Concerned, the birds send one of Zuli’s bird friends out to find out the cause, but when he doesn’t come back, Zuly and her companion Frowly set out into the wide world to find the problem. Once there, they find a world of danger, hardship, and a witch queen who wants to take over. On their journey, though, they find friendship and companionship, and most of all, Zuli finds out who she really is.

This is a really excellent hero’s journey tale. It has shades of Warrior Cats (there were at least a few pages that gave off strong Warriors vibes), but it’s still a solid tale. I love the world and the mythology that Liu has created and Issakhanian’s art is absolutely gorgeous. Definitely an excellent start to what could be a great series.

Play Like a Girl
by Misty Wilson and David Wilson
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Content: There is a bit of bullying and some friendship issues. It’s in the Middle Grade graphic novel section of the bookstore.

In this graphic memoir, Wilson recounts her seventh-grade year when she was on the football team. She was always an active girl, in sports, and not really terribly feminine. So when the boys tell her she “can’t” play football, she sets out to prove them wrong. On the way, she loses a best friend – Bree, who doesn’t want to be all sweaty with the boys, but instead befriends the mean girl in the school, shunning Misty – and gains some new ones, as well as the respect of some of the boys (but not all) on the team. She learns new skills and works hard to play the best and hardest she can.

I’m always down for a girl in a non-traditional sports book, and this is a good one. I loved Misty’s determination to do anything she puts her mind to, even in the face of opposition from her teammates. I’m glad she had the support of some of the adults in her life, and I appreciated that Wilson didn’t shy away from the costs Misty paid for being on the football team. The art is really good as well. An excellent graphic novel all around.

EMG Graphic Novel Round Up 7

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The Golden Hour
by Nikki Smith
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Content: There is some depiction of a school shooting, talk of PTSD, and depictions of anxiety attacks. It’s in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Manuel is just getting back to school after witnessing his teacher get shot in a shooting (it was during the break; he happened to be at school helping his teacher when it happened). He’s not going great, mostly because he keeps having panic attacks that get triggered by his environment or the words being said. But he makes friends with Sebastian and Cayasha, who are part of the ag club. He goes out to Sebastian’s family farm and learns about cows and chickens and farm work. He also discovers that taking photographs helps ground him in the present and reduces his panic attacks. But, when he goes off to camp with Sebastian, they come back strong. Will Manuel ever recover?

I really liked this one. Not only because it was set among the wheat fields of Kansas (and written by someone who grew up here!), but because Smith focused on the healing aspect of a shooting and not the terror part. I liked that she addressed PTSD in kids, and how to handle it (with a therapist, of course). A really solid graphic novel, and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Enemies
by Svetlana Chmakova
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Others in the series: Awkward, Brave, Crush, Diary
Content: There is verbal fighting and sibling rivalry. It’s in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Felicity is an artist and a gamer and has tons of friends at middle school. What she is not: good at making deadlines. Her younger sister, Letty, who is accomplished in all the “right” ways, likes driving that point home. So, when Felicity sees a poster about a “pitch the future” contest, she figures it’s her chance to actually win for once. The problem is that when she shows up to the meeting, her ex-friend (now enemy?), Joseph Koh is there. How will she be able to come up with an idea and deal with the drama surrounding Joseph as well?

I’ve liked this series by Chmakova in the past (I’ve read three of the five now), and this one is no exception. They work well as standalones, but you can also read the entire series and get to know all the kids from the middle school. It’s a good depiction of middle school and the different challenges kids have. I liked that this one featured a black girl who liked art and gaming. I liked her parents, and I liked that the friendships weren’t always smooth. It’s a solid book in a solid series.

The Woman in the Woods
Edited by Kei McDonald, Kate Ashwin, & Alina Pete
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Content: A couple of the stories could be scary for sensitive readers. It’s in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

In this collection of short folktales based on Indigenous mythologies and stories, there are trickster rabbits, shapeshifters, Rougarou, and other stories from differing tribes throughout the Americas.

All the stories were well-drawn and interesting, though my favorite was the Rougarou myth. Rougarou was a monster that existed because someone looked at a Rougarou. If you look at it, you turn into one, and you’re that way for 100 days. if you can survive the 100 days, you turn back, but with no memory. In this story, a boy finds the Rougarou in the woods, and knowing what he’s seeing, blindfolds himself. And then he proceeds to befriend the monster. It’s really sweet. It’s a good collection of stories and one I’m glad to have read.

Miss Quinces
by Kat Fajardo
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Content: There is a death in the family, which might be difficult for some readers. It’s in the Middle Grade graphic novel section of the bookstore.

Sue just wants to go to sleepaway camp with her friends this summer, but her mami won’t let her go anywhere without her sisters, and besides, it’s their family trip to Honduras. Once in Honduras – away from cell phones and the internet! – Sue discovers that her mami has decided that Sue needs a quinceañera. Sue puts up a fight, initially, until her abuela (who isn’t doing too well), helps her find ways to make it more, well, Sue-like.

This is a super charming story about finding one’s place. Fajardo got across how hard it is to be a child of immigrants; not American enough to quite fit in (her mami has super strict rules, and doesn’t understand some of the things that Sue is into), but she doesn’t quite fit in with her family in Honduras, either (she doesn’t speak Spanish terribly well, and doesn’t want a quinceañera). I liked the story, overall, and there were some tender and touching moments. It’s an excellent graphic novel.

Audiobook: Lightlark

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by Alex Aster
Read by Suzy Jackson
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Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is violence, including multiple deaths and one (mostly off-screen) sex scene. It’s in the Teen Section (grades 9+) at the bookstore.

Lighlark is in a world that has been plagued ed with a curse for the past 500 years. Isla knows this: as the Wildling ruler, she has been raised to go to the Centennial, compete, and win – all to break the curse and get the power she has been wanting. But, once she gets to the competition, she realizes that it’s not as simple as all that. There is love, pain, betrayal, and a twisting, winding path to get to the end, and hopefully break the curse.

Is this book a good one? Well, if you mean well-written, with a tight plot that kept me guessing? No, it’s not. But it is fun. I guessed the twist about a quarter of the way into the book, and the love story was SO smarmy. There’s a love triangle between an 18-year-old girl and two 500-year-old men! Ugh. But, it hit every single YA trope you can think of, and it was fun getting to the end of the book – the narration was excellent – even if it wasn’t a good book. Am I clamoring for the next one? Not really. But I don’t regret listening to this one.

YA Graphic Novel Round-Up 6

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The Greatest Thing
by Sarah Winifred Searle
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Content: There is an instance of sexual harassment, some swearing including a couple of f-bombs, and talk of eating disorders. It’s in the Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

It’s her sophomore year, and Winifred is forced to reinvent herself. Her best friends have both opted to go to a private school, leaving Winifred all alone at the public one. She ends up making new friends, but invention comes slowly. She has a negative body image and a poor relationship with food. She hates herself and is sometimes crippled with anxiety and depression. But more than anything, she has a secret that she doesn’t quite know how to share.

There has been several graphic novels that are dealing with both mental health as well as body image, and I appreciate the way Searle tackles both. I liked the way she depicted Winifred’s anxiety and depression in her art, and that she didn’t shy away from making Winifred a larger girl. There was a sense of time – early 2000s – which explains the homophobia of certain characters, but Searle also made the town diverse; it wasn’t just white characters, which I appreciated. It all was done well, and even if there wasn’t a firm “happily ever after” it was hopeful. I really enjoyed this one.

Messy Roots
by Laura Gao
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Content: There are racial microaggressions against the Chinese main character, as well as some blatant racism. It’s in the Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

In this graphic memoir, Gao reconstructs her life from being a small child in Wuhan, China, to moving to Texas when she was four to be with her parents and her childhood, to her moving away to college and figuring out herself. Gao talks not only about her challenges with being both in America as well as trying to keep her Chinese roots, and her struggles with accepting both of those. She talks about the struggles of her parents and the way her Chinese family both felt oppressive and supportive. It’s a remarkable story and a good picture of one immigrant’s experiences in America.

I loved everything about this one, from the art style to the way Gao told her story. She wove past and present effortlessly together, using the Asian racism surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as a framing device. It was a bit of history, a bit of cultural exploration, and a bit of finding oneself. And it was altogether an enjoyable read.

Atle Zachen/Old Things
by Ziggy Hanaor and Benjamin Phillips
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Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There really isn’t anything. I don’t really know why this is geared toward older kids; I think younger ones would enjoy it as well. It’s in the Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Benji and his grandmother, Bubbe Rosa, are going out to Brooklyn and New York to gather ingredients for Sabbath dinner. Throughout their trip, Bubbe, whose memory is failing, reminisces about growing up in Europe before the War, and immigrating to Palestine and then Brooklyn. She often forgets where they are, and which stores are which, but Benji is a good, patient companion, helping his bubbe and guiding her throughout the day.

This was a very sweet book. I liked the inter-generational aspect of it, and how Rosa and Benji connected. He was interested in her memories, but also kept her grounded in the present. The art was kind of abstract, mostly grays and sepias except for Bubbe’s memories, which helped add to the mood of the book. It’s a good grandparent story and a good WWII story without actually being wholly about the war.

I really liked it.

Adora and the Distance
by Marc Bernardin, Ariela Kristantina, Ryan Valenza, and Bernardo Brice
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Content: There is violence, and people do die on the page. It’s in the graphic novel section of the bookstore.

Adora is the adopted daughter of the leader of a vaguely Spanish nation. She’s got a routine, she’s loved, and she’s happy. Except she has terrible dreams about something coming, and it’s coming for her. Her adopted father asks around and discovers that it’s The Distance, a vague darkness that will devour anything in its path. So Adora, with her trusty handmaiden, and some faithful companions, set out to face the Distance head-on. The journey is perilous, and many will die.

And then it turns out to be an allegory for Autism?

Things I liked: a Hero’s Journey with a black girl as the main character. I liked the idea behind the book, that there’s something Out There you have to confront. I didn’t hate the way the story was executed; I did get the idea that these characters were archetypes willing to sacrifice themselves for the Hero rather than actual characters. But it bothered me that the main character was nine and yet the book is geared toward teens. It really bothered me that instead of actually finishing the adventure, the authors chose to make it about autism. Which really doesn’t make much sense.

I wanted to like this one a lot more than I actually did.

Numb to this: Memoir of a Mass Shooting
by Kindra Neely
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Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There is a mass shooting, and while she doesn’t depict the event itself, the fallout is pretty hard. There are depictions of a suicide attempt and panic attacks. There is also swearing, including a few f-bombs. It’s in the graphic novel section of the bookstore.

Kindra was born in Texas, but after things got too bad – there was a drive-by shooting on her street – her mother moved them to Oregon. There, Kindra made friends, and eventually went to community college. One day in 2015, though, a shooter terrorized her campus, 9 people and wounding 8 others. Kindra was on campus that day, and this is the story of what happened After.

This was a hard one to read – PTSD and anxiety are no joke- but I think Neely is telling a story that needs to be told. She is making points and asking questions that need to be made – not just about mass shootings, but about our (the Nation, politicians, the media) response to them. The title is not just about how Neely ended up feeling, but about mass shootings as a whole. Are we, in fact, Numb to This?

Not an easy read, but a very good one.

EMG Graphic Novel Roundup 6

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The Wolf Suit
by Sid Sharp
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Content: There are some scary moments, and handwriting might be difficult for younger children to read. It’s in the Middle-Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Bellweather is a simple sheep: he just wants to live in his little house by the forest and eat blackberries. However, in the forest are some Scary Wolves, who make it difficult to enjoy the delights of the forest. So one day, Bellweather decides to make a wolf suit and put it on, so he can go into the forest and enjoy it. However, there are Complications with being a wolf, and as Bellweather makes more wolf friends, he discovers that maybe being a wolf isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Oh my heavens, this was so cute. From the super-charming illustrations to the laugh-inducing twist (it’s even funny if you see it coming), it’s just all-around enjoyable. I loved it so much.

Fibbed
by Elizabeth Agyemang
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Content: There are some scary moments. It’s in the Middle-Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Nana is a storyteller – she tells the things she sees. However, she seems to be the only one who sees them! Which means that everyone around her thinks that she’s a liar. And when she is sent to be with family in Ghana for the summer, it only intensifies. Especially when she starts seeing Ananse, the trickster god of stories, and learns about the evil that is going on in the forest.

This was a really intriguing way to approach the Ananse tales. I liked that Agyemang updated them, making them more contemporary while keeping the traditional feel. I liked Nana and the way she learned and grew in Ghana and the friends she made. I also liked the way that she and her friends were able to work with Ananse and defeat the colonizers. It’s a solid retelling with a modern spin, and I liked it a lot.

A Tale as Tall as Jacob
by Samantha Edwards
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Content: There is a lot of baby destruction and some sibling fighting. It’s in the Middle-Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

in this graphic sort-of memoir, Edwards recalls her childhood with a brother who was (eventually) diagnosed with ADHD. Jacob was rambunctious and sometimes violent, and often intrusive in Samantha’s personal space. It was challenging to be Jacob’s sister, but there were some good parts, too.

I thought this was an interesting look at ADHD. I feel there is a lot about how the person with ADHD feels or reacts to the world, but it’s not often we are given the perspective of a sibling. I appreciated that outside perspective, and how Edwards reacted to and with her brother. There were some genuinely sweet moments as well as more tense ones. It’s was really an insightful and interesting (and short) book.

The Doors to Nowhere
by Chris Grine
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Content: There is death and some scary moments. It’s in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Willow and her friends have gotten to know an old vampire, Elric, who happens to be caught up in this centuries-old conflict after stopping a grand spellbinder from becoming immortal (by killing a baby, who happened to have been Willow’s great-grandmother). In book one (I love it when I get sequels without reading the first one first!), Willow made a wish and it comes true in this book: she can read and speak Gnomish, which allows her to open her great-grandmother’s spellbook. They are chased by the weird museum curator in town (who happens to be an evil elf), who wants to resurrect the grand spellbinder. The kids can stop him, but at what cost?

If you’re lost, well, it makes a bit more sense while reading the book. I think it would make a LOT more sense if I had read the first one as well. I liked the story well enough: it was quick-paced, full of action, and I liked the way the kids – who all had different abilities – worked together. It’s the start (I think?) of a series, that I think kids will like (it’s giving off strong Amulet vibes). Not bad at all.

Just Roll with It
By Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie
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Content: There is discussion of mental illness and anxiety. It’s in the Middle-Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Maggie just wants to be like everyone else. But, starting sixth grade has increase her anxiety, and she finds that she has to do certain things to make it through the day. She switches the light switch on and off when she gets home from school (or the house will be sad and might break down), she can’t lend her books out to her new friends. And, most importantly, she needs her d20 to let her know what she can and cannot do. But, as she makes more friends through the after-school RPG club, she finds ways to be more confident. And when she gets professional help for her OCD, she is finally able to become her best self.

There’s a lot of talking about mental illness in the graphic novels this year, and this one is no exception. Aragwal and Durfey-Lavoie provide a look into what having OCD might be like for one person. I was concerned that Maggie and her parents would try to solve this one by themselves, and was gratified when they got a professional invovled. I’m not sure it stood out to me, but I like that it’s out there for kids to be seen as well as for others to learn more about what OCD really is like.

Cat’s Cradle: The Golden Twine
by Jo Rioux
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Content: There are monsters and some scary moments. It’s in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Suri is a storyteller and a foundling that has found a home (sort of) at a traveling carnival. What she wants to be, though, is a monster hunter. Her stories all involve monsters and their capture, and she’s sure she can do that job. If anyone will let her. When the carnival stops, there are rumors of a caitsith, a cat-like monster who can pass for a human. Suri inadvertently encounters one, and takes their golden twine (it’s what makes the caitsith’s human), and then is chased by the monsters before realizing that the carnival has taken off without her.

If you can’t tell from the summary, there’s not a lot to the graphic novel. It’s nicely drawn, but the story…. lacks something. Well, maybe a lot of things. It’s got the bones of a good book, though maybe it’s just the set-up for more adventures (it is book 1, after all). Unfortunately, it’s not quite there as a really good book for me.