101. Still Sal

101. Still Sal. Kevin Henkes. 2024. 256 pages. [Source: Library] [j fiction, j realistic fiction, family, school, 5 stars]

 First sentence: "You're embarrassing me," Sal said to her father. Her voice squeaked with emotion. Papa had been singing. He stopped. He glanced around the kitchen. "It's just us," he said. "How can I be embarrassing you?" "Well," said Sal, "then you're practicing for when you'll embarrass me later."

Premise/plot: Still Sal is the sequel to Oh, Sal. Oh, Sal is the spin-off of Kevin Henkes' The Year of Billy Miller. Sal, our heroine, is now six (Poppy, her younger sister, is two; Billy, her older brother, is ten) and preparing for the first day of first grade. She has a vision, a plan, she knows exactly how she wants first grade to go. Fortunately-unfortunately, things don't go according to plan. She's in the "wrong" class with the "wrong" teacher and separated from her neighbor-friend, Griff. Meanwhile at home, Sal is having to learn how to share her room with Poppy who has graduated to a big-girl bed. Sal's struggles are super realistic.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I loved Oh, Sal and Still Sal so much--much more than The Year with Billy Miller. I love the emotional life of the character. The problems or obstacles that Sal faces are realistic and relatable. The writing and characterization are great.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

89. Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop

Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop. Joshua S. Levy. 2024. 256 pages. [Source: Library] [MG Speculative Fiction; Friendship; MG Fiction] [4 stars]

First sentence: My first bar mitzvah took forever.

Premise/plot: Two strangers become friends when they realize they have much in common: a) they are both celebrating their bah mitzvah (in the same hotel, different ball rooms) and b) they are both stuck in a three-day time loop (Friday morning through Sunday afternoon). Can Ezra and Finn find a way to move ahead into the future? Or will they be reliving the same weekend hundreds or thousands of times. Is there anything worse than being stuck in a time loop? Maybe. Maybe not. 

My thoughts: This speculative fiction time-loop themed novel has dual narrators--Ezra and Finn. I enjoyed both narrators. I enjoyed meeting both families. The boys definitely have some adventures and misadventures as they brainstorm potential ways out of the mess. Time loop stories (along with time travel stories) are among my favorites. This one did not disappoint.   

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

88. The Last Dragon on Mars

The Last Dragon on Mars. Scott Reintgen. 2024. 384 pages. [Source: Library] [MG fantasy, MG science fiction] [3 stars]

First sentence: There's a storm coming that looks right nasty.

Premise/plot: For readers wanting DRAGONS in their science fiction (colonization, space flight, survival), readers should consider picking up this new middle grade series. The first book, The Last Dragon on Mars, newly published, introduces readers to Lunar Jones, an orphaned boy living on a cursed planet. Mars (the planet) has been cursed since first colonized by humans generations previously. It is NOT a hospitable, homey place, however, it is the only home he's ever known. And even though every single day is a struggle for resources, a struggle among many for those extremely limited resources, he's not ready to give up on Mars just yet. (Then again, what choice does he have?) 

Dragon-lore is plentiful in the world-making of this speculative fiction series. To go into details of why planets, moons, and stars have dragon [avatars] would be tedious. That is, my description of the book's world would be tedious. 

In some ways this is a typical quest-adventure book where a young, thoroughly unprepared boy is thrust into a position where he must save the world. However, I haven't read many science fiction novels set in space involving dragons.

My thoughts: I liked it well enough. It is certainly on the eccentric, taste-specific side. But then again that is how science fiction works. It was a quick read that was enjoyable enough. I didn't love it as much as I was hoping. But I think the target audience could certainly find it appealing.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

79. The Hotel Balzaar

The Hotel Balzaar. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Julia Sarda. 2024. [October] 160 pages. [Source: Library] [illustrated chapter book; magic realism; j fantasy] [4 stars]

First sentence:  In March of that year, Marta and her mother arrived at the Hotel Balzaar. They were given an attic room that contained a bed, a sink, and a battered chest of drawers. The small room had a round window that faced east, and the sun, when it rose each morning, shone into the room with a beguiling brilliance--lighting up the bed frame, the porcelain of the sink, and the faded flowers on the wallpaper.

My thoughts (preview): I was NOT a fan of the first book in the "Norendy Tales" series). My expectations were low. Would I love it? Would I hate it? Would I be bored? Charmed? I can say that personally I liked it BETTER than the first book in this series. And that as far as I could tell, there was no real connection with the other book.

Premise/plot: Marta, a young child, lives a quiet, sheltered life. She's the daughter of a maid at a hotel. She's to be invisible, quiet and inoffensive. But one guest--an elderly woman (a countess) with a parrot--arrives and notices Marta, welcomes her, encourages her. Marta and the countess become friendly. Every day of her stay, Marta goes to her room to listen to a series of stories--fantastical stories. Marta hopes that there is some truth in these stories. That somehow, someway these stories will bring her father back to them. 

My thoughts: I liked this one. The writing was good. The story had me intrigued. I wanted to keep reading. There were some great quotes. 

Quotes:

Life always wins. Life and its crooked lines will always win.

Marta, I want you to know that war destroys everything, always. That is its intent, its only intent.

"It takes no courage at all to doubt, Marta," she said. "And we are not beyond rescue. We are never beyond rescue."

"The parents," said the countess, "loved the boy beyond all reason. They lived in fear of losing him. They were happy. They were terrified. This is what it means to love.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

78. When We Flew Away

78. When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary. Alice Hoffman. 2024. 304 pages. [Source: Library] [mg historical fiction; mg fiction; world war II] [5 stars]

First sentence: There is a day you never forget, the day the whole world changes. When you close your eyes, light becomes dark, night never ends, beasts walk freely down the street, stars fall from the sky. You were young one second, and then you were far too old. You lived years in minutes and decades in weeks.

Premise/plot: When We Flew Away is historical fiction. It follows Anne Frank from the age of eleven to thirteen. The novel concludes with the family going into hiding.

My thoughts: I had not--for better or worse--stopped to think deeply about Anne's life BEFORE the diary, before going into hiding, before the Holocaust. I've read biographies, of course, that covered her whole life. This is definitely an imaginative, creative spin on Anne Frank. There are a few concrete details that are known but oh-so-much that is not known and can only be speculated. Still I think it is helpful, perhaps, in showing that Anne was a real-life GIRL, a kid, someone with her whole life in front of her. The diary can be SO dramatic and melodramatic--and rightly so in many, many ways. I highly recommend the diary, no question. I DO think that EVERYONE should learn about the Holocaust. I cannot understand how some would "ban" Anne Frank OR other books about the Holocaust from school libraries. I just can't.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

75. Mouse and His Dog (Dogtown #2)

Mouse and His Dog (Dogtown #2) Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko. Illustrated by Wallace West. 2024. 336 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [animal fantasy, j fiction, illustrated chapter book]

First sentence:  I want to be one of those brave mice you read about in books. A mouse in a friar's robe brandishing a sword, a mouse in short sleeves paddling a canoe, a mouse in a pullover sweater who saves a princess. But I'm an ordinary field mouse, the size and weight of an average tomato. The only thing I ever wear is slippers.

My thoughts (preview): I have WANTED--no NEEDED--this book since the summer of 2023. I finished Dogtown (the first book) and NEEDED more, more, more. I wanted all the books, forever keep them coming. I loved Dogtown so much I read it TWICE within a couple of months. It is my emotional support library book. So obviously I was excited and counting down the months, weeks, and days until it was released.

It did not disappoint.

Premise/plot: Mouse, whom readers first met in the book Dogtown, returns for another adventure set at the Dogtown animal shelter. Buster, a golden retriever with a high return rate or bounce back, is the star of this one. Mouse's goal throughout the book is to help Buster (and Stewie) find their forever home(s). This one does also feature a robot dog, Smoke Alarm (aka Smokey).

"Smokey's problem was that he'd been put together in a factory that also made smoke alarms, and wires got crossed. Buttons got switched. Gears got shifted. In some home somewhere, there was a smoke alarm that barked. And in Dogtown, we had a metal dog with a smoke alarm that went off when you least expected."

Plenty of adventure and HEART packed into this dog adventure.

My thoughts: How does Mouse compare to Chance as a narrator?!?!?! I loved them both. But Mouse loves, loves, loves, LOVES to read. So Mouse's narration is PACKED with book references.

I loved the narration. It is just a WONDERFUL read. I do think it would be an excellent read aloud. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

74. Pearl

74. Pearl. Sherri L. Smith. Illustrated by Christine Norrie. 2024. 144 pages. [Source: Library] [Graphic novel, historical fiction, coming of age, world war II] [4 stars]

First sentence: My great-grandmother was an ama, a pearl diver from the shores of Honshu in Japan. I loved the stories my family would tell about her. Of mermaids and pirates and cities underwater...and the pearl she found when she was a girl--it was round and perfect, the size of her fist. I knew the stories were only half true, but I loved them just the same.

Premise/plot: Amy, our heroine, was born and raised in Hawaii to Japanese-American parents. When her great-grandmother becomes ill--thought to be dying--her family sends her in their place. Then Pearl Harbor happens and it changes everything. Amy finds herself 'stuck' in a country that "her" country is at war with. But as she spends the war years growing up in Japan with her family, she struggles with the idea of home. Which country feels more like home? Where does she belong? Can she be both Japanese and American? Can she forgive America for dropping nuclear bombs on Japan? 

My thoughts: This one is a HISTORICAL, coming-of-age story set mainly in Japan during the Second World War and its immediate aftermath. It is told in graphic novel format. It is told primarily in blue, black, gray, white. I didn't love that jacket flap description of the book and the author and illustration information was blue ink on black background. Fortunately the graphic novel itself was more accessible.

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

73. Westfallen

Westfallen. Ann Brashares and Ben Brashares. 2024. 384 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [MG speculative fiction, MG science fiction, MG dystopia, TIME TRAVEL, alternate history]

First sentence: Let me ask you this: What's the worst thing you've ever done? Really think about it. Well, multiply your thing by a billion and you don't even get close. Sorry to brag. It's just...your thing? It's the Cheeto-dust thumbprint you left on the basement sofa. It's an ant's toe you stepped on. And then you said, "Sorry!" and the ant went, "No worries, mate!" Because the ant's British, I don't know. 

My thoughts (preview): Ever been HOOKED on a premise????? It doesn't happen all that often, though it does happen. This is the case with Westfallen. The premise had me at HELLO. Reading the synopsis raised my expectations immeasurably, and it did NOT, I repeat did NOT disappoint. 

Premise/plot: Six kids working together (with the best intentions)--separated by time--manage to destroy life as we know it. Shocked I was able to sum up an entire book in one sentence? Me too. 

Henry, Lukas, and Frances were at one time best, best, best friends though in recent years they've grown apart--far apart. Alice, Lawrence, and Artie are friends as well. These six friends become connected by a radio.

Alice "saves" her brother's radio from the trash. It's broken and her brother, Robbie, is gone--presumably for the war. Her two friends, Lawrence and Artie, are near by and interested in seeing if they can fix the radio.

Henry is burying his gerbil, Zeus, when he discovers a long-buried radio. His (former) friends are there for the funeral. All are interested in this buried "treasure" of sorts. 

All six kids are SHOCKED when the radio works. The two sets of friends refer to themselves as "Mars" and "Jupiter." It takes time for them to realize that the new friends they've made aren't living in the same year. Henry, Lukas and Frances are in 2023....and Alice, Lawrence, and Artie are in 1944. Both are in the same house, same street, same city. 

Will innocent casual conversation lead to the unwinding of the universe?????

My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THIS ONE. Mostly. I will say that the CLIFF HANGER ending was while not a huge surprise a bit disappointing. If the cliff hanger leads to a book two, then YES PLEASE. If it does NOT lead to a book two then readers everywhere have been robbed. 

I loved the premise. I loved the characters. I loved the plot. This is one I could easily see myself reading again and again and again. 

 

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

71. Not Nothing

71. Not Nothing. Gayle Forman. 2024. 288 pages. [Source: Library] [MG Historical Fiction] [3 stars]

First sentence:  Let me tell you a story. Actually, it's two stories, one you will recognize and one you won't. One is about me and you. The other is about the boy. But it's also about me. And about you. I know. I'm not making sense. I'm 107 years old. It goes with the territory. Forgive me my meanderings.

Premise/plot: Alex, aka "the boy," has an opportunity--or "opportunity" to change direction in his life--as appointed by the court. He'll be doing time--community service--at Shady Glen Retirement Home. He's reluctant, as you might expect, in part because everything that could be going wrong in his life has gone wrong and is continuing to go wrong. Nothing is going his way. As he's doing his service, he forms a bond with a resident, the 107 year old narrator, Josey (aka Josef???) who hasn't spoken in years (in fact those that work there thought he was unable to speak.) He tells the boy his life story--primarily focusing on the second world war. Meanwhile, there's things happening at Shady Glen and he's becoming friendly with others as well. 

My thoughts: Definitely an almost. The premise seems like it would be an absolutely perfectly perfect fit for the kind of book that I would love. I love intergenerational stories. I love stories with a strong focus on friendship...and stories with a strong focus on storytelling. Yet I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. This might be ALL on me. Reading is subjective. This might be a little well everyone (and their dog) is saying that this is the best book of the year so therefore I can get contrary at times when a book doesn't live up to the hype. Or it could be merely the timing of when I read it. 

The narration did not always seem cohesive to me. I found myself slightly confused at times. Never knowing if I'd dropped the plot and spaced out for a few pages or if the book was written in a disorienting way. I also thought the narration wasn't constant; that is a horrible way to describe it. But if the narrator is stuck in his room AND/or he's stuck at Shady Glen 24/7, then I think he knew too much and the focus was too wide for it to be truly his perspective. I would have almost preferred third person omniscient. It was also weird for me--personally--that the narration continued after the character's death. I also thought the "big reveal" of the crime was a little clunky in that wouldn't Shady Glen have known ahead of time????

 This one just didn't sit "as right" with me as I wanted it to. Again, I thought it would be a book that I absolutely loved and I ended up in a very meh place. 

--This one is being called
timely
timeless
book we all need
perfect
life-affirming
mind-expanding
heart-wrenching

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

67. Tig

Tig. Heather Smith. 2024. 160 pages. [Source: Library] [MG Fiction??????? MG Realistic Fiction?????] [4 stars]

First sentence: We're different now, me and Peter. That's the thing about being left behind--it changes your whole being. It's like how abandoned animals stop trusting humans. They go wild and crazy and when they're rescued it takes ages for them to calm down, to love and be loved again. Don't get me wrong, Uncle Scott is a decent guy and Manny makes the best grilled cheese I've ever had. But me and Peter? We're still in the hissing and biting stage.

My thoughts (preview): I am SO conflicted on this one. I am. On the one hand EXQUISITE, beautiful writing. On the other hand, the trigger warnings this book needs is longer than a Walgreens receipt. No lie. Here's the thing just because real life can sometimes have ALL THE TRAUMA (and then some) does not mean that most/many readers in the [so-called] target audience are mentally and emotionally prepared for the trauma in the pages. That's why I'm conflicted. I don't want to deny that bad stuff happens to kids. I might be a horrible person to think that the real target audience should be adults who work with kids--teachers, librarians, principals, counselors, foster parents, etc. I can see why books like this exist, even perhaps need to exist, but should it be sorted as children's or middle grade???? [Goodreads lists both in the target age range]. 

Premise/plot: Tig (and Peter) have been "rescued" from a dangerous situation. They've been living on their own in a house without electricity for months ever since they were abandoned. Now Tig (and Peter) will be living with Uncle Scott and his partner, Manny, but Tig equates this new situation as fake, too good to be true. She trusts NO ONE, not even a little bit. With Peter by her stand she holds onto a bit of dignity but not a smidge of hope for a new beginning. 

My thoughts (continued): The novel is on the shorter side--which is good. I think it's a potent novel. The emotions are so concentrated, so focused, so negative, so raw, that I wasn't aching for a longer read. There are layers. There are twists and turns. This is one of those where knowing that actual-actual-actual plot would spoil too much. So yes, one can say oh it's about a girl living with her uncle and his partner...but beyond that, well, you can't talk about the plot or the characters or the character development. 

I am again so conflicted with this one. There are scenes that are so hard to read because of how disturbing the situations are.

Quotes: 

The sympathy on his face leaked out his pores and dripped on the floor. I put on my imaginary boots and splashed in his pity puddle. He got drenched. I stayed dry. My yellow raincoat matched my boots.

We didn't know when the hour was up because seconds don't hang around, they tick away, and it's not like you can collect them and count them up. Once they're gone, they're gone.

If you were a clean slate, you wouldn't be you. And knowing who you are, it kind of helps you, you know? It's what keeps you going.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

66. The Dark Skies Mystery

66. The Dark Skies: A WWII Thriller. Deron R. Hicks. 2024. 336 pages. [Source: Library] [MG Fiction, MG Historical Fiction, MG Mystery] [3 stars]

First sentence: It was almost time. Henry Hamilton plopped down on the well-worn braided rug that occupied most of the floor in his family's living room. 

Premise/plot: Henry Hamilton, our twelve-year-old narrator, works for his school paper as a reporter. He is fascinated with journalism--particularly high-stakes war journalism. As he follows the clues in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, he might just find himself in great danger from an outside threat. And he might not be at home in time for his banana pudding.

This one is a middle grade mystery set in 1942 on the American homefront. 

My thoughts: I am so conflicted. On the one hand, I enjoy mysteries, most of the time. I enjoy historical fiction, most of the time. I love middle grade fiction. World War II is one of my favorite time periods to read about. On paper--in theory--this one should have been a great match for me. On the other hand, Henry Hamilton does hundreds of things that could lead to his death. And if he's dead, there's no story to be told, no warning message to get out to the proper authorities. He doesn't really have a plan on how to escape all the dangerous situations he finds himself in. He's twelve and invincible? I suppose that's the theory? I don't know that the target audience would have the same concerns I did. Probably not.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

62. Winnie the Pooh (Graphic Adaptation)

62. GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION. Winnie the Pooh: The Graphic Novel Adaptation. A.A. Milne. Illustrated by Travis Dandro. 2024. 248 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] 

First sentence: That buzzing noise means something. You don't get a buzzing noise like that, just buzzing and buzzing, without its meaning something. If there's a buzzing noise somebody's making a buzzing noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing noise that I know of is because you're a bee and the only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey and the only reason for making honey is so as I can eat it.

This is a graphic novel adaptation of A.A. Milne's classic Winnie the Pooh. The original, I believe, has always had *some* illustrations. Now it gets the graphic novel treatment. The dialogue remains much as it always was. Though I haven't read the original in a few years so I cannot say with one hundred percent certainty that all of the dialogue has made the transition. I only noticed a few additions to the text. Notably, the bees get some dialogue which is adorable. This is just the first book, so NO Tigger. 

For me the first and second books blend together into "The World of Pooh" (quite literally that is the omnibus edition I grew up with). These illustrations are not exactly like the original OR like Disney. I thought most characters were illustrated fairly well. The only one I did NOT care for was Rabbit. But I did appreciate revisiting the book, the characters, and the HUMS.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

61. Grace Notes

61. Grace Notes: Poems About Families. Naomi Shihab Nye. 2024. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [poetry, nonfiction]

First sentence (from the introduction): Families. They're our first circle. We wake up to them as babies, clicking into focus, identifying, absorbing...forever discovering who they are. Who we think they are is only one little window.

First poem:
My whole life
would not have happened without
a man whose name I do not know
who died in the snow.
He was young,
had been married only three months
to my mama's best friend.

 

This one is a themed poetry collection; it is without a doubt POETRY. But is it also a memoir or autobiography??? I think one could argue that it might very well be. I believe the author is writing personal poems about HER family. But it's not described as a memoir in its description so I'm hesitant to say emphatically that all the poems are autobiographical and this is a memoir in verse.

The target audience? I think the target audience would be older and not younger. These poems are COMPLEX, layered even. Sure, the words themselves may not be mature in nature, but the meanings and themes are so deep--philosophical and/or abstract in nature--that readers need as much life experience as possible to unpack the meaning. The poems are also REFLECTIVE and best read in the context of how they were written--during the grieving process. The parent-child relationship can be complex no matter the age, but the parent and adult-child relationship is more at play in this collection. It is more a journeying alongside the author as she explores relationships in the family through more adult eyes.

I do NOT under any circumstance expect all books to be written with a Christian point of view. I don't. I don't think that would be fair in general, however, I will note that this one is a patchwork--piecework--of many, many, many religions and spiritual faiths, none of which are particularly Christian. So you have a very reflective, philosophical, abstract book of poetry without a christian world view. This is neither good nor bad--it just is. Again, I do not expect all books to be Christian. 

Quotes

From "How Parents Ever Get Together Anyway"
The fact we exist at all
is a random grace note
of a forgotten symphony.

From "Mother Muscle"
Mother muscles become tough. They have to.
People pulling on them
all the time. Ferocious mamas
stomping through the tangled wilderness
searching for berries. Mamas worrying
night and day.

From "Sides of the Family"
These grandmas did not meet. But I think there were little lines
between them like dotted ripples in a star constellation diagram.
Big Dipper, small dipper, they both shone down on us
all our lives. They were constants.

From "Union Boulevard, St. Louis"
Life
is full of mysteries.
They're not mine, not yours.
They're life's.

From "Out"
No one is big enough to notice
all that might be noticed.
No one is small enough,
no one is big enough.

From "Every Age"
If you open the door
to happiness
what comes through?
Friends come through.
Something new comes through.

 From "Every Age"
Is it possible
to be every age at once,
forever?
Some say so.

From "The Pleaser"
Why do we need someone to say
you make me happy,
you're great.
Is that a basic need
like sleeping and eating?

From "In Morning"

Each morning
we put ourselves together
Try to imagine
what we will do,
gathering tools and
thoughts.
We carry the mysteries
no one explains.

Title: Write a seven-word autobiography right now

• Addicted to simplicity from very first day.
• Ever hopeful, every growing always asking why.
• So many places we haven't seen yet.
• The space around the poem is best.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

54. Tree Table. Book.

Tree. Table. Book. Lois Lowry. 2024. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: I am going to tell you three words. I'm choosing them at random. Listen carefully. This will be important. House. Umbrella. Apple. Remember those. I'll explain later.

My thoughts (preview): I kept this one waiting. I have absolutely loved Lois Lowry's work in the past. I have. Yet the title was odd--for me (though trust me, it works). The cover was not one that made me want to drop everything and read it. I wasn't quite sure what this one was about. I thought it would likely be worth reading...at some point. Lowry's books rarely disappoint me. 

In a way, I'm glad I waited to read it. Now I can tell EVERYONE go read this book and it will actually be available at libraries and bookstores. 

Premise/plot: What is this one about? Friendship. Friendship. Friendship. Friendship can be complex, nuanced, wonderful, perplexing. Young Sophie (our heroine) is VERY dear friends with a much older Sophie. The two have a wonderful, sparkling friendship--vibrant and delightful. Yet the older Sophie is beginning to 'show' her age, if you will. No matter how much young Sophie does NOT want to admit it, acknowledge it, accept it, things can't stay the same forever. This Sophie is not Sophie's only friend. There are others in her life that are DIFFERENT yet special. There is only ONE Sophie--irreplaceable. 

My thoughts: I purposefully kept the premise/plot on the VAGUE side. Because the JOY of this one is in the unfolding. The less you know about the specifics of the plot, the more you will enjoy the journey. You should know it is character-driven. This isn't an action-packed novel with twists and turns. Nor is it a thriller. But for readers who LOVE character-driven novels that are ALL heart, ALL soul, written with care and beauty, this one is a must. It breaks you, in a way, but it also mends.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

53. My Lost Freedom

My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story. George Takei. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [Nonfiction picture book, World War II]

First sentence: Hi, I'm George Takei, an eighty-seven-year-old actor.

Premise/plot: My Lost Freedom is a picture book biography for older readers. It is an autobiographical picture book of George Takei's time in several Japanese Internment camps during the Second World War. He was a young child--a very young child, just four years old. His earliest memories, his core memories, if you will, were formed in these war years. The picture book shares about this time in American history through a personal lens. It is personal yet broader than that. 

It would be easy to assume that this is a bleak, glummy, downer of a book. But it isn't. The book shares memories of his family life, his friendships, his community. I think he was young enough to not know just how unjust and wrong it was. Know might be a very poor word choice, feel to the depths of his soul might be better but more wordy. I think his memories would be different if he'd been twelve or thirteen when he entered the camp with his family. I also am guessing that his family chose to make the best of an absolutely horrible situation. I think they chose to make it as much a home as possible for their children. 

My thoughts: I didn't know what to expect from this one. I'd read a few books for older readers (middle grade, high school, adult) on this subject. These especially from older perspectives are rightly so angry and bitter. This may be the youngest 'memoir' perspective I've read. It does include plenty of general information about this time period in history.

Easily a five-star read.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

52. Operation Happy

Operation: Happy. Jenni L. Walsh. 2024. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [j historical fiction, mg historical fiction, animal fantasy]

First sentence: A dog is at the top of my wish list. I unwrap number three: a Monopoly board game. Then I pluck number five from under the Christmas tree: a Shirley Temple doll. And number two: a new Nancy Drew book. But number one is still very much missing. 

Operation: Happy is historical fiction--set around the Second World War--narrated by a girl, Jody, and her dog, Happy. Jody is used to moving frequently; her dad is a marine. Happy will be a constant in her life. No matter how many places, how many schools, how many friends she leaves behind--her and Happy together forever and ever. The family's newest home is [near] the naval base Pearl Harbor. Her mom--who is mentally and emotionally unstable--is fearful of the island. She has visions of great doom--even before they arrive on the island. Her daughters--Jody and Peggy--try to make the most of things. Sure Mom has horrible feelings about Hawaii but should they??? Jody may not share her mom's concerns exactly, however, she does begin to worry that Happy may die soon among other things....

This historical middle grade novel is set before, during, and after Pearl Harbor. It is told from both her point of view and that of Happy. 

My thoughts: I was NERVOUS. Dog on the cover: check. Set during a war: check. Possible foreshadowing in the first few chapters that the dog's health is declining: check. Would Happy survive to the end of the book? Would I be okay if Happy didn't???? Putting aside the dog issue, there is plenty of peril for the humans involved in this story. 

I am glad I read this one. I've been in a huge reading slump. I've lacked motivation to keep turning chapters. Maria and Operation: Happy are proving to me that I do still want to read.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

49. The Kill Factor

The Kill Factor. Ben Oliver. 2024. 368 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Emerson Ness had not been scared in a very long time. Now she was terrified.

Premise/plot: YA dystopia is not as prevalent [abundant] as it used to be ten years ago. The Kill Factor IS YA dystopia with a unique premise. Fifty contestants for a brand new television game show that are facing varying sentences for crimes they've committed. They will face challenges from the Producer [the powers that be] and one another. The winner will essentially be acquitted and have the charges dropped. The losers, well, the losers will face life-time sentences. Signing the contract to participate in the game show has huge risks and low odds of success. Yet for those who feel helpless and hopeless, a little hope is better than none. Emerson Ness, the narrator, has been charged with arson and murder. (I'm not certain at all what degree for the murder charge. I don't think the judicial process had gotten far enough along for official charges to have been made.) Her social-media obsessed dad is at first pushing for her to compete. Her fame could lead to his fame. She is conflicted. But ultimately she chooses to be a contestant so the book would be longer than two chapters.

The book is action-packed with definitely more emphasis on premise and plot than characterization. But Emerson Ness definitely is developed as a character.

My thoughts: I found this a compelling read. I was a big fan of the YA dystopia trend. I'd be happy to see a few published each year. This one definitely has some similarities to The Hunger Games, but also a little darker.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

48. Olivetti

Olivetti. Allie Millington. 2024. 253 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It's quite possible you've never spoken to a typewriter before. This is not your fault. Humans tend to think we can't understand them. But when you sit still for long enough, there is much you can learn. 

Premise/plot: Can a typewriter save a dysfunctional family? 

My thoughts: I am SO tempted to leave that description so sweet and short. Olivetti is a typewriter who sees all, hears all, and knows MUCH. The typewriter can type on its own to communicate with humans. Olivetti has lived with the Brindles [his human family] for many, many, many years. But when his owner suddenly takes him to the pawn shop and sells him...and then 'runs away' from her family....life gets messy. 

The premise isn't really one that grabbed me. It is strange, strange, super strange. However the writing/narration is great. I would say the writing was incredible. It is dual narration. Ernest Brindle (a young boy) is the other narrator.

The premise will either grab your attention or perhaps do the opposite. It really is STRANGE, but I would say the writing more than makes up for it. I wouldn't be surprised if this one got some award attention.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

47. The One and Only Family

 

The One and Only Family. Katherine Applegate. 2024. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I am Ivan. I'm about to become a dad. I'm hoping it's as easy as it looks.

Premise/plot: The One and Only Ivan is the fourth book in Katherine Applegate's series. Previous titles--as I'm sure many know--include The One and Only Ivan, The One and Only Bob, and The One and Only Ruby. Ivan and his gorilla partner, Kinyani, are going to be parents. This book--written in verse--chronicles Ivan's adventures/misadventures as a dad as "Big Daddy."

My thoughts: I LOVED this one. Is it for kids? Maybe. Maybe not. Is it for adults who read children's books? Almost definitely. Perhaps not exclusively. But The One and Only Ivan has been published for over ten years. He is such a memorable character that readers of all ages may want to read this one. The Ivan books (and sequels) have a timeless feel to them. This one gets VERY reflective and philosophical. I think adults will almost definitely connect with the narration. The writing just resonates at times. So many places I ended up highlighting. I am so glad I read this one.

Quotes:

Look at a gorilla infant's hand. Or a human baby's hand, if you don't happen to have access to a newborn gorilla. Which I suppose is quite likely. How could anything possibly be so small and so perfect? Now extend a finger, the way I am doing, the way every father since the beginning of time has done, and watch the way that tiny hand grabs hold as if it means the difference between life and death. Because perhaps it does. My son is holding on to me. Maybe it is not because of love, or need, or purpose. Maybe the movement is ingrained in a way we can't begin to understand. Perhaps babies hold on to fingers because they must. And perhaps that's all we need to know. 

I have my story. The twins will have theirs. Stories, it seems to me, are living things. Once you set them free, they're like offspring. They have destinies of their own. They're no longer your responsibility. They belong to the world. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

46. Unhappy Camper

Unhappy  Camper (Graphic Novel) Lily LaMotte. Illustrated by Ann Xu. 2024. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [Middle grade graphic novel]

First sentence: Claire and I had many daring adventures with our dolls.

Premise/plot: Michelle (our narrator) and Claire (her older sister) are at odds in Unhappy Camper. Michelle wants to blend in--fit in, be liked, be popular--with her friend group and peers. Claire wants to be true to herself and express her most true self--which in this case means embracing her Taiwanese culture a thousand percent. Claire has gone many years to a Taiwanese-American summer camp. Michelle has never once wanted to go. This year her parents have decided she HAS to go. They hope these two sisters will learn to get along better and become greater friends. Michelle, meanwhile, spends a good deal of time worrying about her friends back home. Her friends seem to pity her for having to go to this "weird" "awful" camp. [That's the impression I got.] What will Michelle learn about herself? her sister? her friends? 

My thoughts: Graphic novels are not my go-to choice at the library. But I always try to read a few per year. This graphic novel is a coming of age novel that deals with relationships--the relationship between two sisters, the relationship(s) with friends. Michelle is building towards an "aha" moment where she realizes that her friends may not be true friends that truly care about her.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews