Expiration Dates

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by Rebecca Serle

First sentence: ” The paper is blank save for the name: Jake.” 

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Release date: March 19, 2024Review copy pilfered off the ARC shelves at the bookstore.

Content: There is some off-page sex, and swearing, including a few f-bombs. It will be in the Romance section of the bookstore. 

Since high school, whenver she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with a name and a number on it – the exact amount of time that she will be with the person. Sometimes, it comes before the meeting. Sometimes, a ways after. Either way, when the time on the slip is up, inevitably, there’s a breakup. Then one day, she receives a slip of paper with just a name. No date. Does that mean this is “The One”?

I’m still pretty new to Serle’s way of storytelling, so I don’t know if this is typical for her. I really liked the way the story unfolded, though. It’s got some twists and turns, and is a bit of a love triangle, but not really. It’s exploring the idea of destiny and how we make choices based on expectations and the information we’re presented. I adored the characters, and I thought it was fascinating as Serle presented Daphne’s history with men and with the mysterious papers.

It’s not a typical romance, though it does have a hopeful ending, but I really enjoyed my time with it.

Hands

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by Tony Maldonado
First sentence: “You promise?”
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Content: There is violence, domestic and fist-fights. It’s in the YA section (grades 6-8) of the bookstore, but I’d give it to a 5th grader. I read this book for the Cybils, and this is a reflection of my opinion and not that of the whole panel.

Two years ago, Trevor’s stepdad was arrested and sent to jail for beating Trevor’s mom. On his way, he said that he would come back for her, and Trevor’s been on edge ever since. Now at 12, his stepdad is about to get out of jail, and Trevor is determined to become the sort of person who could protect and defend his mom and sisters. Which means he needs to be stronger, better at fighting.

But, in his quest, he discovers that maybe there is more to, well, everything than he thought. There are other ways of using your hands. There are other ways of confronting the bad things in his life, his neighborhood. And that “promise” means a lot of things.

I really liked this one. Maldonado captures not only what it’s like to be 12, and have to grow up before you’re quite ready, he captures the spirit of a neighborhood and a family. It felt real, and yet it was hopeful at the same time. There was violence and danger, and yet there are Other Ways that may be better. I liked the inner conflict that Trevor had: he wants to be a Man, and protect his family, and yet he really is just a kid and he wants that, too. And a bonus: Maldonado didn’t use extra words: The short book packs a powerful uch.

Quite a remarkable small book.

Not an Easy Win

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by Chrystal D. Giles
First sentence: “Expelled.”
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Content: There is some fighting. It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore. I read this book for the Cybils, and this is a reflection of my opinion and not that of the whole panel.

Nothing has gone right for Lawrence since his dad left and his mom moved the family from Charlotte to her small hometown in rural North Carolina. He got into Andrew Jackson middle school, where most of the white kids go, but didn’t seem to fit in. That’s an understatement: he gets expelled for getting into fights (which he didn’t start). His grandma says “A man that don’t work, don’t eat”, so Lawrence needs to figure out what to do with his days. Enter neighbor Mr. Dennis, who helps run a rec center in town where the Black kids go after school. He lets Lawrence come along and work (for free), hang out, and eventually, teaches him chess.

I liked this book a lot. I am always in for a good metaphor, and I liked the way Giles used chess not only to teach non-violence, but also how to be patient, think, and connect with people. I liked Lawrence, and his growth arc, from being an angry 11-year-old kid, to learning and being one of the better chess players. I also really like that Giles didn’t give the book a Hollywood ending: while the kids make it to a chess tournament in Charlotte, it doesn’t magically solve Lawrence’s problems, and they don’t come away winning the whole thing (sorry: spoiler there). But it gives the book depth and makes it more realistic. A really solid story.

Eagle Drums

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by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson
First sentence: “Sweat trickled down his back.”
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Content: There are some intense moments and talk of death. It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore, but I’d give it to the older end of the age range. I read this book for the Cybils, and this is a reflection of my opinion and not that of the whole panel.

Pina (that “n” isn’t right, but I don’t know how to make the letter on my keyboard) is the son of Iñupiaq people, who live by themselves and work hard to survive each year. His two older brothers went missing, presumed dead, a couple of years ago, and so his parents are loathe to let him leave. And yet, they need obsidian for their spears and knives. So, they send Pina to the mountains. There he meets Savik – one of the Eagle Gods – who tells him: come with me and learn what we have to teach you, or die. So, Pina makes the only choice he can (the one his brothers didn’t make): he goes with Savik. He lives in the mountains, and learns singing, dancing, storytelling, and how to build a gathering place. All because the Eagles want to be remembered, and want their people to gather together.

This is based on a folk legend of how the Iñupiaq Messenger Feast (which is still held) began. It reads like an extended folk tale: often the prose calls the main character “the boy” and while the tasks he is given aren’t impossible, they are daunting and he has to Overcome them to return home. I liked the book, but I am not sure it’s meant for children. Sometimes that happens when a main character is a child’s age, the publisher thinks it’s for kids. But I can’t imagine a 10- or 12-year-old sitting down to this one and actually enjoying it. It lacks action, it lacks conflict (except for the main conflict of getting Pina back to his parents), it lacks humor. That’s not to say it isn’t worthwhile: it is, very much so. I just am not sure it’s a kids’ book.

Audiobook: Making It So

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by Patrick Stewart
Read by the author
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is some swearing, including multiple f-bombs. It’s in the Film section of the bookstore.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time (or if you’ve known me for any time), you probably know that I have a weakness for celebrity memoirs. Not all of them – I never did read I’m Glad My Mother is Dead – but of some celebrities who I have a passing interest in, I’m there. Especially if they read the memoir themselves. Which, of course, Sir Patrick does. 

This follows his life, from his childhood in Yorkshire through his time in regional theaters to the Royal Shakespeare Company, and finally landing as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Charles Xavier in television and films. He’s pretty open and blunt about his shortcomings and faults and the ups and downs of his career and his marriages. He was a delightful person to spend 18 hours with – you can tell he is a storyteller at heart. I think he believes in the power of telling a story, which is one of the things that drew him to acting, and that definitely shows. 

It’s not the best memoir I’ve ever read, but it’s a solid read (and a good listen; he’s an excellent narrator, which is no surprise), and I enjoyed the time I spent listening to it. 

The Greatest Kid in the World

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by John David Anderson
First sentence: “Zeke’s letter informing him that he might be the greatest kid in the world came while his brother was baking in the driveway.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There are a ton of pranks and less-than-stellar behavior, which may or may not give some kids ideas. It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.
I read this book for the Cybils, and this is a reflection of my opinion and not that of the whole panel.

Zeke is one of those kids. You know the ones: they’re smart, but almost too smart for their own good. (He tried to lead a revolution in his fifth-grade class, convincing everyone to go commando, until the teacher stopped him.) So when he got a letter saying he’s been chosen as a finalist in the “world’s greatest kid” competition, he thinks it’s a prank. Seriously: his single mom works hard to barely make ends meet, his older sister who is supposed to be watching Zeke and his younger brother doesn’t care… they’re the picture of a dysfuntional family. 

But they agree to do this competition, and over the days that Zeke is being filmed, he makes some realizations. Like maybe he really likes his family, after all. And maybe expectations for what is “great” aren’t necessarily what people thing they are. 

Oh this one was delighful. The family felt so real, from the struggles of the mom trying to make ends meet, to the exsperation of the older sister, to Zeke just trying to entertain himself for the summer. I also thought the whole competition, while silly and unreal, was handled really well. I think Anderson is exploring what it means to be “great” and the ways in which small things can be great as well. I love the way Zeke develops a relationship with his camaraman, and the way he is with his younger brother. Oh, and the ending made me ugly cry in the best way. 

I really loved this one.

The Gray

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by Chris Baron
First sentence: “All my plans for the summer are ruined.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is bullying, and an inference of sexual assault, as well as descriptions of anxiety. I read this book for the Cybils, and this is a reflection of my opinion and not that of the whole panel.

Sasha has a problem with anxiety. He gets what he calls “the gray” and disassociates. In one of these moments, when he was being bullied, he hit an ex-friend with a book and injured him. As a result, his parents decide to send him to stay with his Aunt Ruthie in the country. He doesn’t want to – there will be no friends, no video games, no Wi-Fi, and hardly any cell service. He figures that it won’t do him any good. But, once he gets there, he finds that there are friends and bullies, just like back home. There is his connection with Aunt Ruthie, who is still grieving over the death of her husband. While his anxiety isn’t cured, Sasha finds a way to handle his anxiety, and that maybe the country isn’t terrible.

I liked this book well enough. I liked the way Baron described someone having a panic attack, and the way anxiety was portrayed. I didn’t care for the bullies, though I thought Sasha did his best to handle them. I liked that nature was a healing place. But I didn’t love it. There was nothing in particular, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Not a bad portrayal of anxiety, and I’m sure it will help kids recognize and be able to deal with it.

You are Here: Connecting Flights

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edited by Ellen Oh
First sentence: “With a line this long, you’d think we were waiting to get into Disney World, or Six Flags, or something cool.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There are instances of racism, and some instances of bullying. It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.
This book is read for the Cybils and reflects my opinion and not the opinion of the panel as a whole.

In this collection of connected short stories, the authors follow a series of Asian American kids in an airport as everyone is delayed due to a rainstorm. There are a myriad of experiences – from being held up in the security line to experiencing racism from security guards to just figuring out family dynamics – and they all take place within the airport.

I usually am not a fan of short stories, but I liked this collection. I liked the different experiences of each of the kids and their families. I liked how the stories interconnected, so it felt like a more cohesive whole than many short story collections. And I liked that they were all immediate, everything taking place in one location over a short period.

A good book.

Audiobook: Legends & Lattes

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by Travis Baldree
Read by the author
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is some violence. It’s in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

Viv, an orc barbarian, is tired of being a hired thief-assassin, and so hangs up her sword (somewhat literally) and opens a coffee shop in the town of Thune. She’s starting from scratch: no one in the town has heard of the gnomish drink, and so she and the group of friends she collects once this project starts set out to create a spot. There are problems including a mafia boss to win over and a former companion who is convinced Viv has something extremely valuable. But, mostly, it’s a book about starting over, making friends, finding love, and a good cup of coffee with an excellent pastry.

The subtitle of this book is “A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes” and that pretty much sums it up. Not much happens. Even the problems don’t amount to much. But, it was delightful to listen to. Baldree did an excellent job narrating his book, and I was delighted to listen as they invented iced drinks, cinnamon rolls, biscotti, and chocolate croissants. So, no, nothing happened. But it was incredibly enjoyable anyway.

Gender Queer

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by Maia Kobabe
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There are frank discussions of bodies, of sexuality, and of sex. It’s in the Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

It was Banned Books Week last week, and I figured why not see what all the buzz is about, and read the most banned book in America.

It’s Kobabe’s memoir of the evolution of eir gender. (Eir prefers the Spivak pronouns; I’m not entirely sure how to use them, so forgive me for any mistakes.) Kobabe recounts the dissonance eir felt between what society saw and what eir felt on the inside, and the process of making those two match up. It’s only one person’s story, which means it’s not representative of the journey of all non-binary people, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fascinating or worthwhile to read Kobabe’s story.

I get why people would be made uncomfortable by Kobabe’s book: eir are very open about not wanting to fit into the gender norms that society has decreed, and open about wanting a body that is different from the one eir was born with. But that said, just because it makes a reader uncomfortable, doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s good to be challenged, to read the stories of people who have vastly different experiences than you, whether that be a different race, religion, or gender expression. I enjoyed learning about Kobabe’s journey to eir current gender expression, and I hope eir writes more. I will definitely read it!