Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts

Book review by Aarene Storms: Dearest

Saturday, November 21, 2020

Dearest by Alethea Kontis

Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving..
.

Friday Woodcutter is loving and giving, and kind to children, and talented with a needle, and considers herself the least magical person in the family.

Then she meets her true love: a handsome man who (with his six brothers) turns into a swan by day.

Tristan's family needs her help before the curse on his family becomes permanent. But there's an evil magician, an evil enchantress, and an evil henchman in the way.

Part Three of the Woodcutter Sisters story mostly does not stand alone, and doesn't weave in nearly as many folk tales as previous volumes. Still, there are magical people a-plenty, and a good roaring story and plenty of romance to keep readers turning pages and wishing the author would hurry up and finish writing Part Four.

No sex, no cussing, some blood, no gore, some scary elements, and quite a lot of magic.

Recommended for fans of the series, ages 14 to adult.

The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Book Review by Aarene Storms: The Meaning of Birds

Sunday, November 15, 2020

The Meaning of Birds by Jaye Robin Brown

Jess is still kind of a mess when she meets Vivi, between grieving the death of her dad and trying to curb her anger with classmates who harass the "gay girl". But Vivi changed all that. Vivi doesn't just love Jess, she also encourages Jess to pursue an artistic future.

And then, suddenly, Vivi died.

Reeling from loss, Jess retreats back into old (bad) habits to cope. She drinks, she skips schools, she gets into fights, and she throws out her art portfolio--because art reminds her of Vivi, and Vivi is dead.

The narrative skips back-and-forth in time, from scenes labeled "Then" featuring Vivi and Jess together, before Vivi got sick, alternating with scenes labeled "Now", when Jess tries to figure out how to think about her future.

This compelling story features flawed characters, including Jess and Vivi, and also their friends, families, and teachers.

Highly recommended.


Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Grand Theft Horse

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Grand Theft Horse by G. Neri, illustrated by Corban Wilkin

Gail Ruffu's life had always centered on horses: riding them, caring for them, training for them. She was a respected racehorse trainer when she became part-owner of Urgent Envoy, a promising young Thoroughbred horse. 

The horse's co-owners pushed Gail--and Urgent Envoy--to race early and fast. He sustained a minor injury, one that would heal completely given time. But the other owners wanted to win.

That's why, on Christmas Eve 2004, Gail stole her own horse.

Her memoir, as told in comic book format by her cousin G. Neri, is the story of how Gail Ruffu became the first person in a hundred and fifty years to be charged with "Grand Theft Horse," a legal case that went all the way to the California Supreme Court.

The dramatic story will ring absolutely true to horse lovers of all ages. I'll be putting my Advance Reader's Copy in the mail to somebody tonight. It goes on sale next week; buy it for the horse lover in your life. Or for yourself. Either way, it's a winner.

No sex, no cussing, some violence (towards people and animals), some (horse) drugging situations. Strong female protagonist, and great artwork.


Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Art Matters

Saturday, November 7, 2020

Art Matters by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell 

Short, sweet, and insightful, this brief book offers advice for creators of all ilks.

"The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before," is just the beginning. Chris Riddell's wistful pencil drawings make Neil Gaiman's words even better.

This book would make an excellent gift (graduation, perhaps?) for somebody else (ahhhh, that teacher who helped you!) or for yourself (because you deserve nice things). Read it, share it, know it, enjoy it.

Highly recommended for all the things, readers ages 10 to adult.


Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org




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Book review by Aarene Storms: Estranged

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge

The Human Childe was changed with the son of the King and Queen of the Fae when both were very young. In the World Above, the elvish heir to the throne lives with parents and an older sister in modern Brooklyn. 

In the World Below, the boy doesn't even have a name. Then things go terribly wrong, and the Human Childe goes up into our world to seek the aid of the changeling who was swapped.

A modern changeling story? In graphic novel format? And there's a high-speed chase through the subway with a DRAGON?

Where do I sign up?

Really nice character-based story that touches base with traditional folklore before spinning off in new directions. The relationships remind me of the friends and family in the Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl books by Ben Hatke, written for a slightly older audience. This book is cataloged for the juvenile collection at my library, but I would comfortably hand it to readers ages ten to adult.

Sword fighting, political betrayals, dysfunctional families as well as functional and "found" family, magic, epic gayness and non-binary characters, fun artwork and a DRAGON. No cussing. Kissing, but no nekkidness or sex.


Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Sauerkraut

Monday, October 26, 2020

Sauerkraut by Kelly Jones

Author Kelly Jones often makes me laugh -- in person (full disclosure, we worked together at the Richmond Beach Library some years ago) and most especially with her books.

Her new children's book Sauerkraut not only made me laugh, it also made me smile, nod, and read little bits of it out loud to other people. It even made me hungry (although we don't have any sauerkraut in the house, so I had pickled asparagus instead)!

This is the story of HD, his friend Eli, and the rest of his family and friends -- and most especially his great-great-grandmother, who is a ghost. Oma loves sauerkraut -- she loves to make it, to eat it, to share it, and to talk about it. If you read this book, maybe you'll love sauerkraut too!

The book features a diverse cast of delightful characters, including adults who act like real adults, friends who act like real friends, and a pesty little brother and a pair of goats who are just as annoying and delightful as you hope they might be. The illustrations by Paul Davey are lighthearted and perfectly suit the story.

Three cheers and an extra serving of pickled cabbage for this book -- highly recommended for kids and other people who like to laugh (and eat).


Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Book review by Aarene Storms - Crows: genius birds

Saturday, October 17, 2020

Crows: genius birds 
(Science Comics series) 
by Kyla Vanderklugt

Buddy the dog doesn't know much about crows, but that doesn't mean a crow can't teach him tricks -- like tipping over the green garbage cans to get food, while leaving blue recycling bins upright (dogs are colorblind, but crows aren't, which is something new I learned from reading this book).

Crows are amazing -- and smart. Crows can make and use tools, they remember human faces (and teach their young to remember also). Crows can imitate the sounds of other animals, like dogs or even the speech of people. Scientists study crows to figure out why they are so smart although their brains aren't very big.

Just in case you think that a crow teaching a dog skills is a little outlandish, read the introduction to this book: the author relates the story of a friend's dog who was coaxed away by a crow calling "Here boy, here boy!" 

Library crow Photo by Aarene Storms

This is a fun, quick-and-fun-to-read introduction to crow science, written by a scientist and illustrated in comic form. If you like science, you'll like this book. If you like comic books and science, you'll like this book even more. If you like science and comics a lot, I recommend this whole series!

And if you like crows, come to the Richmond Beach Library and look for the two crows we call "Patience" and "Fortitude": they live in the park near the library and frequently beg for snacks from the library staff.

Aarene Storms 
Teen Services Librarian
King County Library System




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Book review by Aarene Storms: The Seventh Bride; The Raven and the Reindeer

Sunday, October 11, 2020

The Seventh Bride
The Raven and the Reindeer
by T. Kingfisher


Retelling folktales is a time-honored tradition, but not everyone does a good job of it (looking at you, Walt Disney corporation). A proper retelling retains the base story line and a few key details, but takes the narrative into new and enlightening territory. I have strong opinions about stories, and I like my folktales and my re-told tales the way I like my coffee: strong, dark, with just a hint of sweetness. Here are two that suit me perfectly.

The Seventh Bride is a re-casting of the English folktale "Mr. Fox", in which a beautiful young woman is courted by a mysterious and wealthy stranger who invites her to visit his beautiful mansion. As she nears the grounds, she sees a sign posted, which reads "Be bold, be bold." O---kay? However, the next sign reads "Be bold, be bold--but not too bold." Can you hear the ominous music? When she reads the final sign, which says (sometimes in words as red as blood) "Be bold, be bold, but not too bold, lest your heart's blood run cold" she continues forward, always forward, until she discovers her suitor's grisly secret: the bodies of his former wives.

This story has several traditional endings, but the Disney corporation would not be able to find even one to suit their audience demographic.

T. Kingfisher's Seventh Bride re-imagines "Mr. Fox" with most of the wives still alive, but cursed in a variety of ways. Only the newest, youngest bride has a hope of finding a happy ending--and she must manage it in a very unusual manner.

Likewise, this author's Raven and the Reindeer changes just a few significant details from Hans Christian Andersen's literary fairy tale "The Snow Queen" transforming the story from one of stark good/evil contrasts to a more nuanced and relatable journey for young Gerta, who has always loved Kay more than he loved her. 

As in the Andersen story, Kay goes off with the Snow Queen to have his heart frozen forever and Gerta journeys to retrieve him... but in Kingfisher's version she discovers much more about herself along the way. The rescue of Kay becomes almost an afterthought for Kingfisher's Gerta, who learns a lot about love and life that shallow Kay may never know. The happy ending is very different from Andersen's version... and this interpretation suits me (and Gerta) much better than the original.

Both books contain dark elements, some blood and death, quite a lot of magic and a few references to sexual situations, with kissing on the page.

Recommended for readers ages 14 to adult.

--Aarene Storms



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Book review by Aarene Storms: How to

Friday, October 2, 2020

How To: absurd scientific advice for common real-world problems by Randall Munroe


Land an airplane on an Olympic ski jump... or a submarine (one that isn't submerged).

Charge your phone using water... or an escalator.

Catch a drone... with a boomerang.

Open a beer bottle... with a sword (or a nuclear bomb).


Yes, all these things can be done, but only if you know how. 

This book gives you step-by-snarky-step instructions for these tasks and many others (if you want a bigger challenge, you can always try tampering with an atomic clock).

Fun, funny, fast reading, with all the scientific citations you could possibly want, plus the stick-figure illustration style that author/artist Randall Munroe made famous in Thing Explainer and the xkcd webcomic.

Recommended for anyone who has ever wondered...anything.




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Book review by Aarene Storms: Under the Broken Sky

Friday, September 25, 2020

Under the Broken Sky by Mariko Nagai (novel in verse)

Natsu is only twelve years old and her sister Asa is even younger when the Japanese army comes to her village and conscripts all the men and boys to fight in the war. 

But when the Japanese lose the war, the whole village flees the incoming Soviets, walking across Manchuria in hopes of finding a new home. 

Their story is bleak, and seems hopeless most of the time, but Natsu is stubborn.

Here's one short poem from the middle of the book:

Water is as precious
as food here. The well
is iced over this morning.

We throw the portrait
of the emperor into the fire
to melt the ice so we can drink

the water, so we can warm
ourselves. At least he's good
for something, finally.

The publisher's blurb on the book cover makes it seem like selling Asa to a Russian family so that she will be fed and survive is the center of the narrative, but really, it's a small scene towards the end, and quickly resolved. The rest of the story is not so easily resolved, especially in light of refugees facing similar perils in the modern world.

For best results (unless you know a lot more about the history of Manchuria in WWII than I did), read the author's Afterword before the rest of the book to gain some historical perspective on the story.

Death, fear, bullying, blood, starvation. Implications of sexual situations but nothing on the page. For readers ages 14 to adult.


Aarene Storms 
Teen Services Librarian
King County Library System 
astorms@kcls.org  



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Heart Berries, A Memoir

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Terese Mailhot is the author of Heart Berries, A Memoir, which tells of her life in British Columbia and having survived a profoundly dysfunctional upbringing only to find herself hospitalized and facing a dual diagnosis of PTSD and bipolar II disorder. 

Heart Berries is a memorial for Mailhot's mother, a social worker and activist who had a thing for prisoners; a story of reconciliation with her father - an abusive drunk and a brilliant artist - who was murdered under mysterious circumstances; and an elegy on how difficult it is to love someone while dragging the long shadows of shame.

Terese Marie Mailhot


Heart Berries was listed as an NPR Best Book of the Year, a Library Journal Best Book of the Year, a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year, a Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year, and was one of Harper's Bazaar's Best Books of 2018.



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Book review by Aarene Storms: A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher
 
Griz has grown up in a world that isn't like ours. Most people are dead -- and have been dead for 100 years, as a result of a plague called "the Gelding" which greatly reduced fertility in humans (and dogs, which is important).

Griz's family lives on a secluded island in the Hebrides, where they grow crops, tend sheep, and sometimes go a-viking to scavenge supplies from abandoned places.

One day a stranger comes to the island, and this stranger steals Griz's dog. And thus, the adventure begins: across a mostly-empty land, meeting up with a few other survivors, always striving towards the dog and a safe return home.

The story is told as a series of journal entries addressed to a boy in a photograph, chronicling the journey with plenty of foreshadowed doom. I refuse to reveal the ending, except to say that I *loved* this book, and you all know how I feel about stories where the dog dies. But bad things happen, just so you know.

No cussing. Some violence, bullying and betrayal. But also art, poetry, and music, which are not quite gone, even at the end of the world. The audiobook is well done also.

Recommended for ages 14 to adult.


Aarene Storms
Teen Services Librarian
King County Library System
Richmond Beach Library (206) 546-3522
Lake Forest Park Library (206) 362-8860
astorms@kcls.org



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Hotel Dare

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Hotel Dare (graphic novel) by Terry Blass and Claudia Aguirre

Olive Dare and her adopted siblings Darwin and Charlotte agree to spend the summer at Grandma Lupé’s weird hotel in Mexico, where everything is a mess and there are no guests. 

Then they discover their grandmother's secret: each of the hotel room doors leads to another universe. One universe houses space pirates, another has long-bearded magicians... and somewhere in all this is Grandma's long-lost husband Justino.

A fun adventure story with diverse blended-family members and lots of action and suspense. I'm hoping this will be a series, because there's plenty of opportunity for more fun with these characters.

Some mild cussing, explosions, discussion of sexual identity, monsters, magic, and a pet rat called Donut. 

Recommended for ages 12 to adult.



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Book review by Aarene Storms: The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky

Saturday, July 18, 2020

The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky by Mackenzi Lee
 
This fun little novella fills the gap between the final page of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue and the first page of The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy.

Monty and Percy are ready to live their lives as a couple at last-- but they haven't actually "done it" together yet. 

That's the setup for 100 pages of nearly-slapstick close encounters: cute, funny, and well-intentioned, but without the desired result until... ahhh, but that would be a spoiler.

Some cussing, some kissing, some drinking, some lounging around in idleness, and plenty of talk of "fornication" (I do love Felicity Montague's vocabulary, don't you?), highly recommended for fans of the Montague Siblings series... and if you are not yet a fan, get busy and read the books! (But start with Vice and Virtue, not this book) ages 12 to adult.

The audiobooks are fun, too.

The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org




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Book review by Aarene Storms: They called us enemy

Sunday, July 5, 2020

They Called Us Enemy  by George Takei  (graphic novel)

One day on the drive to work, I heard a segment on the news about the state of California finally apologizing for its role in the incarceration of Japanese and Japanese-American citizens during WWII.

When I got to work, this book was on my desk.

Actor/author/activist George Takei tells his own story of freedom and incarceration in this beautifully-executed graphic novel.

From their home in Los Angeles, the Takeis were transported first to Arkansas, then to the Tule Lake internment center.

Experiences during and after the war are shown in sparse text and evocative drawings.

Recommended reading for all Americans.



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Book review by Aarene Storms: This One Summer

Monday, June 22, 2020

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki (graphic novel)

Every summer, Rose vacations at Awago Beach with her mom and dad. Her younger friend Windy is there too, and together the girls play in the water, make s'mores by the campfire, and watch scary movies, just like always.

This summer, things are changing: Rose is becoming more alert to adult situations around her, including the possible pregnancy of a local teen girl and the conflict between her own parents.

She doesn't resolve any internal conflicts or reach any life-changing decisions -- this isn't that kind of book. 

Instead, it's a portrait of a short time in the lives of a few people, mostly focused on the two girls. The illustrations are beautiful, gentle, and evocative, with just enough conversation to move the story along.

Find out why this book is a Prinz Honor and Caldecott Honor Award winner and a frequently challenged title: check it out for yourself!

Some cussing and sexual situations.


The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Deep River

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Deep River by Karl Marlantes

I grew up in a place that Annie Dillard described thusly:
God might have created such a plunging shore as this before He thought of making people, and then when He thought of making people, He mercifully softened up the land in the palms of his hands, wherever He expected them to live, which did not include here. (Annie Dillard, The Living)

Now, Karl Marlantes takes a swing at a story of life in the rough-and-tumble of early Washington State. His story centers on three immigrant siblings from Finland: Ilmari, Aino and Mattie.

Ilmari comes to America before the others, builds a home and works to survive and make a living. He, alone of the family, befriends Vasutäti, a Chinook tribal woman (who seems to be all alone in the world, her children having died of measles and the rest of the tribe ... just gone ... for some reason ... also, she can maybe do magic or something...), and he stays as separate as possible from the rapidly-changing modern world.

Ilmari is eventually joined by younger brother Matti who seeks financial stability with Scarlet O'Hara-esque fervor, and sister Aino, an ardent Marxist, whose political beliefs and actions led to imprisonment and torture in Finland. Aino soon becomes the focus of the story as she waves her socialist ideals in the faces of logger barons, rum-runners, and fish-cannery owners, with varying degrees of success.

As anyone who knows local history could have predicted, things go terribly wrong for our Finnish friends. There are logging accidents, fishing accidents, and several "massacres" between local capitalists and the union organizers. Medical science is primitive at best, and death is always nearby.

I grew up hearing stories such as these from the fishing families of my classmates, seeing pictures of tiny loggers cutting down gargantuan trees, learning about the early days of white settlement in my home state. This book tells some stories I already knew, and some that I didn't. To this day, when I ride my horse through the forest near my home, I see stumps bearing springboard cuts: remnants of the days when trees were cut by hand by a couple of guys with a cross-cut saw, hauled out of the woods on skid roads by oxen or horses instead of trucks.

It's not a perfect book, but book groups will enjoy discussing and arguing over many of the points.

Cussing, bleeding, death, sexual situations, torture, happiness, sadness, and fishing.


The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Fence - Vol 1

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Fence - volume 1 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad

Nicholas is a scrapper, an underfed, under-educated kid who loves fencing and needs to make the school fencing team to assure his scholarship. He's determined to win, but he has a lot to learn.

Though these characters in this book echo the athletic drive seen in Check Please (Ngozi Ukazu, 2018), the story lacks the good-natured comradeship between team members, leaving a lot more narrative tension.

Readers looking for a realistic sport story in graphic novel format will be pleased, and those who know nothing about epee fencing will find themselves drawn into examining the drawings for small details that make big differences in a fast match.

Bullying, some cussing, some off-page sexual situations. Recommended for sport fans, ages 12 to adult.


The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Video book review by Aarene Storms: War Horse

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Aarene Storms and friends



Aarene Storms said she wanted to record this review in a peaceful, pastoral setting - but the goats had other plans.

But clearly the horse wanted in on the act, too. It is a book about a horse, after all.

Running time: 2 min 38 sec



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Strange Planet

Monday, May 18, 2020

Strange Planet by Nathan Pyle (comic)

Blobby-bodied aliens comment eruditely on common events, like blowing out birthday candles or the delight of watching cats.

That's all this book is about. And yet, somehow, it feels like so much more.

Nathan Pyle's popular webcomic is now a book. It won't take long to read it. But once you do, you'll probably want to share it with friends.



Funny, friendly, and strange. Recommended for all beings.


The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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