Snow White: A Graphic Novel

Snow White: A Graphic Novel
by Matt Phelan
Illustrated by Matt Phelan
Candlewick, 2016, Unpaged, Graphic Novel

The Grimm's fairy tale of Snow White has been retold many times, but this charming retelling in set in New York; beginning at the end of WWI and ending during the Great Depression. Snow White looses her mother to the Spanish Influenza and her father "the King of Wall Street" later marries "the Queen of the Follies." The seven dwarfs are seven little boys Snow White finds in Hooverville. Short, but sweet, this version holds to the original tale while at the same time creating a brand new story.

All the illustrations are done in pencil, pen, and ink with very little color. This enhances the early 20th century feel of the book. As with many Graphic Novels it's a quick read, especially if the reader is familiar with the original tale. Still this book is enjoyable. This is a great read for fans of Graphic Novels who need something new, or those who have never tried one before. It could also be appropriate for younger readers as this is a clean read with minimal violence.

Booked

Booked
by Kwame Alexander
HoughtonMifflin, 2016, Intermediate Fiction, 314 p

Nick has a sweet life.  He is the star of his soccer team and has a best friend who loves soccer as much as he does.  He even gets to dance with the prettiest girl at school in the dopey ballroom dance class his mother made him take.  Everything starts to fall apart when his mom and dad announce that they are separating.  All of a sudden he can't sleep at night and often has a stomach ache.  The bright side of his life is still soccer and when his team qualifies to go to a national soccer competition it seems like things might be looking up.

I really liked Crossover, Alexander's book about basketball that won the Newbery Award, and this book is very much like that one.  It is written in free verse poetry, and like Crossover has some really good sports action narrative.  The relationships within the family are sweet and Nick's reaction to his parent's breakup is sympathetic.  I love it that there are good sports books out there for guys who might otherwise be reluctant readers.

Elevation

Elevation
By Stephen King
Scribner, 2018, 146 pg., Adult Fiction

Scott McCarey is not concerned about his weight loss, until he notices the thing with his clothes. No matter how much he wears; his weight does not increase. He also shows no signs of losing weight, though he is steadily losing a pound or two a day. Neither he nor the retired Dr. Ellis knows what is happening, or how to stop it. As he looses weight he notices that his physical abilities increase. He can run and jump with ease and this in part inspires him to enter the yearly Turkey Trot 12K. However, he also enters because of his neighbors Deidre and Missy; a married lesbian couple who opened  a Mexican restaurant in town. Scott has not been on the best of terms with his neighbors, but wants to make an effort to change that. Through the course of his "illness" Scott learns what really matters, and helps others to learn to see life from an "elevated" perspective.

King's new novel is short, but powerful. His excellent story line and writing bring into focus the feelings a person may experience when they stop to admire a sunset, a blooming flower, or a new born baby - but may not be able to put into words. It highlights the classic argument of what matters most in life. Not being a fan of scary stories that keep you awake at night, and having never read a Stephan King novel for that very reason, I was nervous about picking up this book. But I am glad a did. I enjoyed it and have thought about it's message more then once since finishing it. This is a good choice for someone who wants a book with a deep resonating message or a quick read for an airplane or short road trip. And don't worry - there are no scary monsters anywhere in this book.

Readers should note that there is strong language used in this book.

Chasing Helicity

 

Chasing Helicity
by Ginger Zee
DisneyHyperion, 2018, Intermediate Fiction, 204 p

Helicity is fascinated by weather, so when she rides away from a party one day on her horse, she is fixated by a quickly developing storm on the horizon.  Instead of hurrying back home, she photographs and records the event until her phone battery runs down.  Too late she realizes that the storm has turned into a tornado, and by the time she returns home, there is no home to return to.  Her family is alive, but not unscathed, and the event has lasting consequences, both for her and for those she loves.

This is a heart-thumping, adrenaline-ride of a children's novel written by a meteorologist. The accounts of the tornado and its aftermath are authentic and awesome. Zee deals sensitively with Helicity's quest to enter a very dangerous profession, and her brother's growing dependence on pain meds after his injury.  She resists the temptation to tie everything up into a neat bow at the end and leaves the reader with interesting ethical questions. This is a great book for kids interested in the thrills of nature unleashed.

The Orphan Band of Springdale

The Orphan Band of Springdale
By Anne Nesbet
Candlewick Press, 2018, 435 p., Youth Fiction

The Orphan Band of Springdale is not actually about true orphans, but it is about a band; a band of three young girls in Springdale, Maine just before World War II. America has not joined the war when the book opens, but fear, prejudice, and patriotism are on the rise. As the main character, Augusta, tries to do what's right she finds that things keep going wrong. But she keeps trying - even if it means having to sell her beloved French Horn. The best thing about this book is the story. It's the kind of story that has you celebrating with the character's success, and frustrated on their behalf when they are treated with injustice. This a great story about honesty, bravery, friendship, and family. It also provides a fascinating glimpse of what the United States was like on the brink of World War II. Reader's who liked books such as The War That Saved My Life or Wolf Hollow may enjoy this book as well.

Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair Disney Artist Extraordinaire

Pocket Full of Colors
by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville
Illustrated by Brigette Barrager
Anthem Books for Young Readers, 2017, unpaged, Youth Nonfiction

Mary Blair was an American artist and illustrator. When she began working for Disney, the other animators thought her style strange, but Walt Disney loved it. Her work influenced Disney classics like Cinderella, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and The Three Caballeros. Her artwork was also featured in numerous advertisements through the 50's and 60's and Little Golden Books. Though surely many people are familiar with any one of these example's of her work, there is more that may surprise and delight fans of her art. Mary Blair designed Disneyland's It's a Small World.

The illustrations is this book are done after the fashion of Mrs. Blair's work. Blair's art made our world a more colorful place and this darling book is a fantastic story of perseverance, pursuing what you love, and daring to be yourself. This is a great book for little Disney fans and budding artists alike.

The Department of Sensitive Crimes

The Department of Sensitive Crimes 
by Alexander Smith McCall
Little Brown, 2019, Fiction. 229 p.
Detective Ulf Varg is part of the Department of Sensitive Crimes in a small police agency in Sweden.  He, along with two colleagues, investigates cases that are unusual or have elements that require that they be handled discretely.  In this book, Ulf and his partner, Anna, along with Blomquist, a regular officer, deal with three different cases that are funny and interesting. Beneath the plot line, Ulf carries on a pensive exploration of the meaning of love, friendship, and kindness.

This is by the author of the outrageously popular series, The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency.  This first book in a new series is more of a "cozy mystery" than an action adventure. None of the mysteries the detectives encounter are especially tricky or thrilling. Some are kind of funny, but even the humor is rather subtle.  The characters are quirky and endearing and the mood of the book is relaxing, almost soothing.  It would be the perfect read for someone who was fed up with their anxiety-filled life and wanted to escape for an afternoon into an interesting but completely non-confrontational world.   I rather enjoyed it.

Like the Willow Tree: The Diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce

Like the Willow Tree: The Dairy of Lydia Amelia Pierce
By Lois Lowry
Scholastic, 2011, 216 p., Youth Historical Fiction

"It is called Spanish Influenza. I do not know a single person who suffers from it and think it is all quite silly." (pg 4) In the Fall of 1918 the Great War was coming to an end when the Spanish Influenza epidemic swept up into Maine. This forever change the life of Lydia Pierce. Within days she and her brother Daniel were orphans. Soon they found a new home with the Shaker community of Sabbath Day Lake. Life is different with the Shakers, but is different a bad thing? Can Lydia find a new family with these kind people?

This book is one of the Dear America series. All these books are written as diaries of fictional girls who live through historical events and meet real people who lived there too. These books provide engaging stories with real events. At the end of every book is a section explaining what was true and what was not. It's great for elementary kids, but adults may enjoy them as well. Scholastic also has My Name is America, where boys are the focus of the diaries, and The Royal Diaries, which focus on true life princesses. This one focuses on the Shaker community as it neared its decline. At the time this book was written in 2011 there were only 3 Shaker's left in the whole world, but the community at Sabbath Day Lake that Lydia and her brother are sent to is real, and still exists. You can even visit it if you ever travel to Maine. This book does deal with death, and while it's not violent, it is tragic and may upset sensitive children. It is written by the award winning author Lois Lowery who wrote Number the Stars and The Giver.

The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden

The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden
(The Vanderbeekers #2)
by Karina Yan Glaser
HMH Books, 2018. Juvenile Fiction, 327 p.
This is the second adventure of the Vanderbeekers who are members of a biracial family who live in Harlem, NY. In this story, their elderly friend, Mr. Jeet, has a stroke, and the kids decide to create a garden so that Mr. and Mrs. Jeet will have a nice place to visit when Mr. Jeet gets out of the hospital.  They choose an empty lot next to their church, and make their improvements without really getting permission from their pastor.  The road to good intentions has its pot holes, but the children overcome them through persistence and a healthy disregard for rules.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and I enjoyed this one as well.  The children's personalities and interactions are charming and funny. Even more appealing is the sense of community Glaser creates for her characters and that we all wish we enjoyed. This is a great choice as a read aloud for families with mixed age children or as an audiobook (available to download with your library card through RBDigital) to listen to on your next family road trip.

Dinosaurium

Dinosaurium
by Lily Murray
Illustrated by Chris Wormell
Big Picture Press, 2017, 95 p., Youth Nonfiction

Did you know that there was a winded dinosaur whose wingspan was about the length of a school bus? Or that scientists now think that most dinosaurs were covered with feathers at some point in their life? Or that there is a dinosaur named after the Harry Potter books?

Dinosaurs have a way of fascinating us, whether we are adults or children, these giants have the ability to make us stop and stare. In recent years the Paleontology world has made some amazing discoveries and advancements in our understanding of dinosaurs. This colorful book is written as a museum. Each gallery (section/chapter) will introduce you to dinosaurs and tell you fascinating facts about them. The displays (pictures) are done is highly detailed digital engravings. Admission is free and worth the trip. This book will probably be better suited to older elementary school kids then preschool toddlers, but any adults who want to know what's new with dinosaurs will enjoy this book too!