siblings

Fresh Start

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by Gale Galligan
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy pilfered from the ARC shelves at work
Release date: January 7, 2025
Content: There is some online bullying and talk of periods. It will be in the Middle-Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Ollie moves a lot because of her dad’s job and so she’s decided that nothing she does really matters. Embarrassing moment at school? Doesn’t matter; we’re moving soon. Fallout with friends? Doesn’t matter; we’re moving soon. Until her dad takes a job in Virginia (after being overseas for much of Ollie’s 12 years) and her parents buy a house: they’re going to stay put for a while.

Which means Ollie actually needs to adapt and figure out how to make friends and find her place in the world.

This one was super fun and charming. I loved Galligan’s illustrations, and I liked that she balanced Ollie figuring out how to fit in with people who had grown up together and stay true to herself. I loved the relationship Ollie had with her sister, Cat, and that they had some honest struggles with their parents. I liked that Ollie’s mom is Thai, and there was that cultural element as Ollie struggles with not being “Thai” enough.

It was just all-around enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Audiobook: Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment

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by Arushi Avachat
Read by Nikhaar Kishnani
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is mention of mental illness, including depression, and some kissing. It’s in the YA section (grades 6-8) of the bookstore.

Arya’s senior year has been super complicated so far: she’s ben at odds with the school council president, Dean, since the year started; and her older sister has finally come home after three years to get married. It’s a lot to deal with, especially since she might have feelings for Dean. The question is: how is she going to manage everything.

Yes, it’s a fluff plot, and not a very deep book, but it was cute. The narrator was fun to listen to and there was enough to keep me entertained, My favorite part about it all, though, was the Bollywood references. I desperately needed a playlist (both audio and video) for the book, and was sad that I couldn’t find one.

So, no, not the best book out there, but a fun one.

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman

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by Gennifer Choldenko
First sentence: “My name is Hank Hooperman, but my little sister calls me Pooperman.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is some mild swearing and bad parenting (including drinking and driving). It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.

Hank has a problem: his mother left a week ago to run an errand, leaving 11-year-old Hank in charge of his three year old sister Boo. They’ve managed, so far, but they’ve run out of food and money. So, Hank decides what he needs to do is find Lou Ann, the person his mother put down as his emergency contact. Once there, though, Hank has a whole new set of problems: Lou Ann isn’t fond of “teenagers” (even though Hank is only 11), and she really isn’t fond of the way his mother just left. As Hank tries to find her, and to find footing in this life that he’s suddenly been thrust into, the only thing that grounds him is he knows that he and Boo need to stick together.

This was a gut punch of a book that went down so well. Choldenko knows how to write kids, and knows how to write difficult situations that give the A book weight without dragging it down. I liked that Hank still had good days – he made friends at his new school, found out that he liked basketball, and learned to rely a bit on the adults around him, instead of needing to do it all himself – and yet, Choldenko didn’t brush over all the trauma that Hank had to deal with. His mother being unreliable, Lou Ann being super strict and not liking Hank much at all, the fear that he and Boo would be separated. There was a lot of heartbreak here. But there was also a lot of joy, which I suppose is what life is.

I’m not sure if it’ll appeal to kids, but I really liked this one.

Dear Brother

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by Alison McGhee, Illustrated by Tuan Nini
First sentence: “Dear Brother, I am writing this note of apology from my room, where I have been sent to spend the rest of my life for referring to you as America’s FAmous Nothing.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: It’s got lots of illustrations and not too many words It’s in the Middle Grade section (grades 3-5) of the bookstore. I read this book for the Cybils, and this reflects my opinion and not that of the whole panel.

Sister is tired of being the younger sibling. She never gets anything: attention, her way, her desires. Brother is the one who gets what he wants, like a bearded dragon as a pet instead of a dog; or getting to go to sleep away music camp. But Sister learns that maybe a bearded dragon (and Brother) aren’t so bad, and Brother learns that maybe his little sister is okay as well.

This one was… fine. It bothered me that the characters didn’t have names besides “sister” and “brother”; I’m sure it was to make them feel universal, but I just felt like it was stupid. (I suppose I have a thing about calling people by their names..) I did like the Lessons Learned, but there wasn’t much else to the book besides learning lessons. The illustrations were good – it borders on being a graphic novel, but not quite – but there wasn’t much else to it.

I’m sure there is a 3rd grader out there for whom this is their favorite book, and I don’t want to take that away from them. It’s just not for me.

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.

Hooky Volumes 2 and 3

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by Mariam Boastre Tur
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there! (Volume 2, Volume 3)
Others in the series: Hooky, Volume 1
Content: There is some violence, most of it fantasy, and some awful parenting. There’s also some romance and kissing. it’s in the middle-grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Twins Dani and Dorian Wytte are still out to stop the witches from usurping the non-witch king (and Monica’s dad); rescue their friend Monica’s fiance, Will; and make their parents (and maybe their older brother, Damian) see sense: witches and non-witches can live together in harmony. Of course, things don’t go well – they wake up Will (sorry: spoiler), but Dani is kidnapped by the witches and forced to be their queen, though she’s Different, and doesn’t remember any of her old friends. There’s a time skip between volumes 2 and 3, in which Dorian is asleep for three years, and everything goes south, until they find him, wake him up, and can put things to rights again. There are some romances, some fights – a pretty good dragon one at the end of book 2, and a lot of trying to figure out what to do next.

It’s a fun series, and I’m glad I waited to read Volume 2 until Volume 3 came out. (I didn’t remember anything from volume 1, but I managed.) I liked that Bonstre Tur created some interesting characters and world. I really liked the way she color-coded the speech bubbles; it made it easier to follow who was speaking. And I liked the way the story ended on a hopeful note.

A fun series!

Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novel Round Up 1

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I thought about giving each one of these their own post, but then I realized that’s a lot of posts, and its just easier for me to lump them together as I finish them. I’ll try and do two a week – one for EMG and one for YA graphic novels. Enjoy!

Ride On
by Faith Erin Hicks
Support your local independent bookstore: Buy it there!
Content: There is some bullying by older siblings It’s in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Victoria has left her old riding stable, primarily because of a falling out with her best friend over competing (Victoria has lost her taste for it, and her friend wants to keep leveling up), so she moved to Edgewood stables. There she meets Norrie, Sam, and Hazel. At first, she shuns their friendship, thinking that she just wants to focus on the horses and riding, but over time she learns that friendship is important too.

I am not a horse girl. I never really was a horse girl, and I’m not sure I understand the appeal. But, I loved this graphic novel. I loved that it focused on friendship and connecting with the horses, rather than the competition aspect of it. I loved that there was a diverse cast, even though I’m pretty sure the sport is pretty white. I loved that there was a way for the kids t earn their riding lessons and that they, for the most part, weren’t kids of rich parents. It made it so much more accessible. And I loved that friendship was at the heart of it all. A good book for horse girls, sure, but one for anyone who likes friendship stories.

Twin Cities
by Jose Pimienta
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is a character that smokes weed and tires to get one of our main characters to sell it. It’s in the middle grade graphic novel section of the bookstore.

Teresa and Fernando are twins growing up in Mexicali, just south of the US border. They have done everything together, but in 7th grade, Teresa decides to go to school on the US side, and Fernando decides to stay in Mexico. Their closeness is tested as Teresa finds new friends, and Fernando feels left behind. He eventually makes a new friend who is strongly pro-Mexico, but also is a negative influence on Fernando. The challenge is for the twins to stay close as the stresses mount, and they grapple with their priorities and their relationship with each other.

I thought this one had some pretty heavy material for an EMG graphic novel. It almost felt YA in spots; no romance, but that Alex was doing andpushing weed on Fernando was a bit of a red flag for me or this age gropu. That said, I did like the issues that Pimeienta brought up. That of belonging, of friendship, of family, and of creaign your own place. I liekd the lookat Mexican culture from a Lantins writer and appreciated the nuanced way they looked at life on the border.

Red Scare
by Liam Francis Walsh
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is bullying by other children, some pretty intimidating FBI agents, and a pretty intense chase scene at the end. It’s in the Middle grade graphic novel section of the bookstore.

It’s the 1950s and Peggy has polio. Which is not just painful, it makes her a target of bullying. Even her own brother doesn’t want to spend time with her: she’s too slow, she’s too much of a hassle. Then, one day, she finds a red glowy thing (as a man dies in a hotel room that she’s hiding in) which gives her something she never had: freedom. She can fly, she is fast. The problem? The FBI is after her because of the red glowy thing, and they don’t want it to fall into the hands of the “commies”.

This one, I thin tried to do too much. communist scare, aliens, FBI, Korean war vets, poilo… its like if it was in the 1950s, it ended up in this book. And while I get that history needs to be told, it just felt like a LOT. The adults in the book were all pretty horrific and while I liked the idea of a kid finding a magical red thingy, it also felt ablist – like Peggy wasnt a whole human being until she had a super power and was no longer on crutches. Just not at all my jam.

Did not finish: Paws: Gabby Gets It Together

On the Hook

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by Francisco X. Stork
First sentence: “Hector could tell that Ai wanted to discuss something.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There was a lot of violence, and some talk of drug use and addiction. There is swearing, but in Spanish. It’s in the Teen section (grades 9+) of the bookstore, but I think it’d be good for younger kids as well.

Hector lives a very small life. His father passed away a few years ago, and he and his mother, brother, and sister are all trying to scrape by. They had to move from their home and into the projects, wher ethey live next to drug dealers, one of whom, Chavo, has a beef with Hector’s brother, Fili. Hector just wants to stay out of the way. But Chavo’s brother, Joey, seeks him out to intimidate and assault Hector, and gets into Hector’s brain. Suddenly, Hector is convinced he’s not a “real man”, and when Chavo and Fili get into an altercation (over a girl), both Hector and Joey do rash things and end up in the same juvenile rehabilitation center. Hector has to deal with feelings of hate and revenge, and learn to live with them.

I struggled with this one. Stork played into all sorts of Mexican stereotypes: drug dealers, macho men who can’t deal with feelings except by drinking or through violence, women who really don’t have a say and men who fight over them. Hector has embraced this toxic masculinity and struggles against it, but fails: he has determined that the only way to “balance” things is to kill Joey. I found myself loathing Hector as the book went on; he wasn’t a fun character to live with.

And I know there are always truth to stereotypes, and books need to be written about people who struggle with toxic masculinity and come through on the other side, which Hector did. (The one thing I did like: Hector and Joey never became friends. That would have been much too maudlin.) But that doesn’t mean it was fun to read.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

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by Karina Yan Glaser
First sentence: “In the middle of a quiet block on 141st Street, inside a brownstone made of deep red shale, the Vanderbeeker family gathered in the living room for a family meeting.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There’s a wee bit of “romance” (one of the siblings “likes” a boy and ends up going to the 8th grade dance). The chapters are short, and there’s a lot of white space. It’s in the middle grade (grades 3-5) of the bookstore.

The Vanderbeeker family — mom, dad, and five children (four girls and a boy) — are perfectly happy in their brownstone apartment (one of three) in Harlem. They know the neighborhood, and even though they’re a bit squished, they love their home. That is, until their landlord, Mr. Beiderman, tells them a few days before Christmas, that he’s not renewing their lease for the next year and that they have until December 31st to get out. The Vanderbeeker parents are upset and resigned. The kids? Upset, but they’re going to do something about it! They being Operation Beiderman, They set about doing nice things for their grump of a landlord, in hopes that he will realize what a wonderful family they are and not kick them out.

You can probably already guess how this will end, but the plot really isn’t the point of the book. It reminded me of All of a Kind Family or The Penderwicks, where the actual point of the book was this charming, boisterous, delightful family that I loved getting to know. It was sweet and delightful and I loved the family dynamics between all the characters. This one is perfect for those who want a classic feel to their books. And I’m sure this would make a fabulous read-aloud to younger kids.

Definitely recommended.

Legendary

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by Stephanie Garber
First sentence: “While some rooms on the estate had monsters hiding beneath the beds, Tella swore her mother’s suite concealed enchantment.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Others in the series: Caraval
Content: There’s some violence and intense moments. It will be in the Teen section (Grades 9+) of the bookstore.

Spoilers for the first one, obviously.

I had high hopes for this one, even though it’s been a long time since I’ve read Caraval and admittedly I don’t remember much. And while Legendary was good, I don’t know if it lived up to my high hopes.

It’s shortly after the Caraval that Scarlett won, and Legend has already set up another one. This one is  in the capital city, and it’s Tella’s turn to play. The prize? Legend’s name. The cost? Tella’s mother’s life. She’s made a bargain with a criminal: the location of her mother in exchange for Legend’s name. She has to win, but at what cost?

I did find this one engrossing; Graber has created a very unique world, full of magic and deception. But, maybe because it wasn’t new like it was in Caraval, I just wasn’t that thrilled by it. It could be that Tella’s journey wasn’t as interesting as Scarlett’s or that I just didn’t find the villain of the book that enticing, or even the final reveal all that shocking. I definitely found the ending unsatisfying. I probably just wanted… more.

It’s not that it’s a bad book; it’s not. And maybe if you read it right after Caraval, it would come off as better. Whatever the reason, I was a little disappointed.