tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38730360115300333352024-03-06T03:17:49.146-05:00Adventures of Cecelia BedeliaCeceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.comBlogger1068125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-24361229525244973902023-06-26T06:00:00.006-04:002023-06-26T06:00:00.148-04:00witch kingOne of my most successful reading recommendations
(and most successful sci-fi series out there right now!) in recent years is
Martha Wells’ Murderbot series. I got my dad and several friends hooked on it
and never looked back. While I haven’t read any of Wells’ other work, I’ve heard
good things about her fantasy fiction for… decades?! When my preorder of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61885085-witch-king"><i>Witch King</i></a> came in (and Wells is now at auto-buy status, because OF COURSE) I
didn’t put it off until summer – I read it immediately and loved it.
<p> </p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cF82Md5Ne2Y7c0MJAo-qjdfM1eM0UHzkUU0qkKGBvkf8eKj4zt5hpezA4sQYeOZ_7vGJyINJfxBlvwuUh-2DxVNxAEfGuwiiRPqi5pEKz7-IL6oozIt66V0YAyxtoTkvv27_uHhvWVBBlNVqEJwkOhjDMf9ErdQy6NjDTMlIoBHjT02chhSNzlMb/s921/witch%20king%20by%20martha%20wells%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="witch king by martha wells book cover" border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cF82Md5Ne2Y7c0MJAo-qjdfM1eM0UHzkUU0qkKGBvkf8eKj4zt5hpezA4sQYeOZ_7vGJyINJfxBlvwuUh-2DxVNxAEfGuwiiRPqi5pEKz7-IL6oozIt66V0YAyxtoTkvv27_uHhvWVBBlNVqEJwkOhjDMf9ErdQy6NjDTMlIoBHjT02chhSNzlMb/w130-h200/witch%20king%20by%20martha%20wells%20book%20cover.jpg" title="witch king by martha wells book cover" width="130" /></a></i></div><i>After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the
passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to
find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own
advantage. That was never going to go well.<br /><br /> But why was Kai
imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his
assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be
growing in influence?<br /><br /> Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions.<br /><br /> He’s not going to like the answers.</i><br /><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Kai is a demon who can never go back home, thanks to the
mysterious and awful conquering Hierarchs. In the process of dominating the world
as Kai knew it, the Hierarchs also destroyed his culture, family, and changed
the course of the future. Although Kai himself can’t die, he also can’t go back
to “before” and the innocence of youth. That’s the past. And now Kai has to
deal with deception and betrayal in the present too – who tried to murder and
trap him forever in a watery tomb? He’ll need to quickly eliminate suspects,
gather allies, and survive those hunting him.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It's been a minute since I read a truly EPIC fantasy – one with
so many characters that you need a cast list at the front of the book, and a
map to keep track of the scope of their adventures. Wells asks the reader to immediately
dive into her epic, and to juggle dual perspectives of baby Kai of the past and
betrayed Kai of the present. It is gripping reading – after all, the past is
slowly being unraveled and understood, and the present is all about figuring
out who tried (and almost succeeded) in ending Kai. Kai himself has a limited
omniscient perspective – he lived “the past,” but he wasn’t around for every
single speck of it and didn’t get into the motivations of each of his allies and
enemies. I wouldn’t recommend this read as an audiobook due to the sheer number
of characters and the intermingling of past and present narratives, but I do
think most everyone has the stamina to take it on, if willing to put in a
little effort. You have Wells’ trademark loveable killers as a reward if you
do!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So what are the tasting notes of this book? One of the most pervasive
themes of <i>Witch King</i> is the effect <i>and</i> aftermath of empire, as
seen through one demon’s eyes. Kai experiences profound personal loss and sees
even more devastation in the world at large, but also (as an undying character)
has unique hindsight/insight to evaluate both his own actions and those of
others at a remove. Does outliving those who made the world as it is fundamentally
change a person? It’s an interesting question, and one that Wells attempts to
answer in the person of Kai. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another important theme is that of found family, and what
friendship is made of. Kai has trust issues after the murder attempt at the start
of the book, and throughout the story he grapples with distrust and cynicism,
while also longing to connect with those around him. The other characters that
populate <i>Witch King</i> of course have their own desires and ends – and Wells
does an excellent job of rounding them out and making the whole cast dynamic. I’d
love to read a series of standalones based in this world – there is enough
detail, backstory, and angst to fuel more stories! </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the most interesting bits for me as a reader was
unraveling what fueled the magic in Kai’s world. Magic = power, and of course
the conquerors had their own sources, different than that of those they subjugated
and destroyed. It was a complex and interesting puzzle. And a final note, I
loved the way Wells played with gender and social constructs related to it – I feel
like I need some visual aids (quick, someone go make fan art!) to really
picture it all. But regardless, it was unputdownable. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Witch King</i> is an epic fantasy for those who
love thinking about power, rebellion, and the different ways that humans
respond to terrible events. In Kai, Wells has created a sharp-edged but lovable
immortal who reluctantly charms both his book compatriots and readers.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: fans of Martha Wells, and those who enjoy
reading speculative epics in fully realized worlds like those of Herbert,
Sanderson, Novik, etc. </p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-58582392593114384442023-05-25T13:30:00.001-04:002023-05-25T13:30:00.144-04:00the moth keeper<p class="MsoNormal">Author K. O’Neill may be familiar to graphic novel fans already
as the author of <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2019/06/the-tea-dragon-society.html">The
Tea Dragon Society</a></i> series from Oni Press. I started reading O’Neill’s
stories even before that, as webcomics! Now with a new publisher, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61356477-the-moth-keeper">The Moth
Keeper</a></i> is their most recent graphic novel, and a delightful one at
that. <i>The Moth Keeper</i> is evidence of the evolution and maturation in O’Neill’s
art, and as such it is a delight to behold, while maintaining the cozy charm inherent
in their earlier works.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm29-eL2qctmwikxyk7g5F1W24_hVttnJYzkdLN7apWFAYWWq1x-PCVCem-S5QInrPWPuMeThwJGz0oVOHxQElVKA69_tFGuzyEqIJNXcoeqkH68paC_e4DYj4tIxZnI_QV5MYiSltmyAkyhY_Fy0YG6V2qdqIFkUDnyf_2KG5KJtxUG7lBj3v2KWR/s700/the%20moth%20keeper%20by%20k.%20o'neill%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the moth keeper by k. o'neill book cover" border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="481" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm29-eL2qctmwikxyk7g5F1W24_hVttnJYzkdLN7apWFAYWWq1x-PCVCem-S5QInrPWPuMeThwJGz0oVOHxQElVKA69_tFGuzyEqIJNXcoeqkH68paC_e4DYj4tIxZnI_QV5MYiSltmyAkyhY_Fy0YG6V2qdqIFkUDnyf_2KG5KJtxUG7lBj3v2KWR/w138-h200/the%20moth%20keeper%20by%20k.%20o'neill%20book%20cover.jpg" title="the moth keeper by k. o'neill book cover" width="138" /></a></div>Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that
allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. Her village needs the
flower to continue thriving and Anya is excited to prove her worth and
show her thanks to her friends with her actions, but what happens when
being a Moth Keeper isn’t exactly what Anya thought it would be?<br /><br />Night
after night, it is lonely in the desert, with only one lantern for
light. Still, Anya is eager to prove her worth, to show her thanks to
her friends and her village. But is it worth the cost? And yet something
isn’t right. When Anya glimpses the one thing that could destroy what
she’s meant to protect, her village and the lunar moths are left to deal
with the consequences.<br /><br />K. O’Neill brings to life a beautifully
illustrated fantasy with lush, gorgeous art and intricate
world-building. A story about coming of age and community,</i> The Moth Keeper<i> is filled with magic, hope, and friendship.</i></blockquote><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Anya lives in the Night Village, a small nocturnal community
of animal-human hybrid creatures in the desert that depends on the Night-Flower
and its Moon-Moths for survival. As the story opens, Anya is just starting an
apprenticeship as a Moth Keeper. While it’s one of the most essential and
important jobs in the village, it is also isolating and lonely – the Moth Keeper
must be away from the community working during both the everyday and special ceremonies.
Will Anya learn to make her peace with a life of solitude, or let her memories
and the pressure of her new role overwhelm her?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While this heartwarming middle grade fantasy has many highlights,
one of the most magical elements is its mythology. O’Neill has created a whole
world, including a creation myth, festivals and rituals to celebrate important
moments, an ecology and economy tied into the climate and nocturnal/diurnal rhythms,
and characters with struggles and strengths, extensive backstories, and
flashbacks. In other words, there are layers upon layers of history, care, and
society in this graphic novel, and they are all skillfully interwoven and
expertly illustrated. I particularly enjoyed how O’Neill revealed the history
of the moths and the village’s dependence on them, and the moon-blinded ghost –
those scenes were clever, poignant, and dreamy. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The</i> <i>Moth Keeper</i> is a story told almost
entirely in the visual medium. Dialogue is not missing, but on many page
spreads is not the point – O’Neill asks readers to connect with the landscape,
the dreams, and the multitude of details of Anya’s world through observation.
Taking the time to fully take in the art is a must – this is not a volume to
rush through. And the art itself does not disappoint!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of the art, the areas where I see the most evolution
in O’Neill’s style are the linework, illustration of light (or lack thereof in
a nighttime world), and in the illustrations of the desert landscape and
ecosystem. In scenes where characters discuss the past or historical tradition,
the linework is thicker and more smudged, paired with missing borders around
each panel for a less finished look. This lends a dreamlike feeling to those
images. In contrast, the rest of O’Neill’s artwork is contained neatly within hand
drawn, black-bordered panels with a white gutter. Most pages have many smaller
panels of varying sizes and shapes – there is a sort of magic in the studied
irregularity throughout the book as a whole. Full two-page spreads are few and
far between, and startling for that. O’Neill’s work with light – especially the
bobbing lantern that Anya carries each night to lure the moths into following
her, and the gradations of sunrise – is of especial note. I was enchanted
following light sources from panel to panel (that might make me a special comics
nerd, who knows!) almost as much as by the variety of creatures populating the
Night and Day villages. At the end of the book O’Neill discusses her inspiration
for the landscape and ecosystem of <i>The Moth Keeper</i>, and includes rough landscape
and plant studies – these will help readers understand the many, many hours of
work, research, and care that go into creating the details of a graphic novel
world. The art as a whole is particular, full of depth, and at the same time
dynamic and engrossing. It is an artistic feast.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On its surface, <i>The Moth Keeper</i> is a story about
adjusting to adult responsibility, making peace with the past, and finding one’s
place in the world. However, it invites deeper reflection and multiple rereads,
and reveals more secrets and beauty each time, as only a masterpiece can. I
adored it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
Recommended for: fans of K. O’Neill and the Tea
Dragon series, Wendy Xu, <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2020/10/snapdragon.html">Snapdragon</a></i>,
and <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2017/12/the-witch-boy.html">The
Witch Boy</a></i>, and anyone looking for fantastical middle grade graphic
novels with lots of heart and gorgeous artwork.Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-69186857486935326552023-04-10T06:00:00.002-04:002023-04-10T11:45:38.976-04:00mina<p>Goodness, it’s been months since I posted a book review! Life gets in the way – and it’s easy for me to prioritize anything else (especially as a schoolteacher during the school year!). I haven’t abandoned books… but I have been reading them more slowly than expected. What better way to ease into reviewing again than to pick up an excellent picture book? Matthew Forsythe’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57250247-mina"><i>Mina</i></a> is a vibrant, funny, and inventive tale for the younger set. </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3hXUl1vGCQK2uzAB0LT3p-B4hNYXPUQHYyKViNFNXLlQ4bjGqAh3prHUl_NGnHRii65BRucd1j2Ax3saIGBI8DXvo5UgzfsVDvDhRzySzIk013mOwncw9ZpS_eesubgwwpxd2qYwnpRxkKDx5ruJCFlHWAUIqVtxyz_kvVG3Z7NsU-T97mR5H_JR/s900/mina.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="mina by matthew forsythe book cover" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="707" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3hXUl1vGCQK2uzAB0LT3p-B4hNYXPUQHYyKViNFNXLlQ4bjGqAh3prHUl_NGnHRii65BRucd1j2Ax3saIGBI8DXvo5UgzfsVDvDhRzySzIk013mOwncw9ZpS_eesubgwwpxd2qYwnpRxkKDx5ruJCFlHWAUIqVtxyz_kvVG3Z7NsU-T97mR5H_JR/w157-h200/mina.jpg" title="mina by matthew forsythe book cover" width="157" /></a></div>Mina and her father live in a
hollowed-out tree stump on the edge of a pond on the edge of a forest. Nothing
ever bothers Mina, until one day, her father brings home a suspicious surprise
from the woods.</i><p></p><i>Should Mina trust her father—or listen to her own instincts?</i></blockquote>
<p>
</p><p>Mina the mouse lives with her
father, and mostly doesn’t mind that his ideas are big and not always… <i>wise</i>.
She distracts herself with books and things turn out alright in the end, after
all! But when her father brings home a squirrel – something doesn’t seem right.
And that’s because the squirrel isn’t a squirrel at all! The book's marvelous detail and silly-serious adventure dovetail nicely with an important message: trust your instincts!<br /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>Mina</i> is a funny and beautiful
picture book with a twist, featuring anthropomorphic animal shenanigans and delightful
details that will entrance readers of all ages. The story is simple, and the
text brief – most of the plot is revealed through Forsythe’s lush art. There are
several jokes throughout that rely on visuals for the punchline – antique art
(stamps) on the walls of the mouse abode, the “squirrels” Mina’s dad takes in
are cats – and one or two jokes that are a silly fun in their juxtaposition (stick
bugs with charismatic voices who have stolen Mina’s books!).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That art I keep mentioning is
uniquely lovely. The mice (and various other foregrounded characters) are fairly
flat, two-dimensional figures against more meticulous and light-filled backgrounds.
Fosythe’s linework changes colors and has a textured feel. Each spread looks a
bit like a marriage between Alice in Wonderland and Studio Ghibli, if they were
created using only pastels. The real star of the show is the subtle lighting and
shadow Forsythe plays with, to create variations and depth. It is a delightful
read, and a feast for the senses.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In all, <i>Mina</i> is a fun and
funny book — perfect for springtime, with a bright color palette and outdoor
adventures. It is sure to please as both a read aloud and an independent read
for six- and seven-year-olds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Recommended for: storytimes with
kids ages 4 and up, fans of Kate Read and Bethann Woollvin’s <a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2019/10/one-fox-counting-book-thriller.html">picture</a> <a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2020/04/bo-brave.html">books</a>, and
anyone who enjoys beautifully illustrated volumes with a sense of humor.</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-216661223374718842022-12-29T06:00:00.003-05:002022-12-29T19:23:47.089-05:00across a field of starlight<p class="MsoNormal">I am <i>always</i> happy to read science fiction. That’s especially
true in today’s modern sci-fi landscape, where more queer, diverse stories are available
from major publishers all the time. One of the titles that I’ve had on my radar
for a while is Blue Delliquanti’s young adult graphic novel <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43864953-across-a-field-of-starlight" target="_blank"><i>Across a Field of Starlight</i></a>. Reading for the graphic novel panel for the <a href="https://www.cybils.com/">Cybils Awards</a> gave me the nudge I needed to pick
it up, and I fell in love with its innovative plot, excellent characters, and
themes. It was one of my favorite books of the year!</p>
<p><br /></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcs74HoT1gziZej9TwQf51GgFetDJ-hkTBH8fYTa_0eiM_V7bsgVXitVhoWUxn43h4NNdQtCN_tZxE7echAaI9SJmZVwp3oJNlNEgg4Wv8KZYU-yZv5Ew4qBI0sF2zthMWL9byxDSASKgE2wZvkfDSwfOTwoB_lnh2DTSWTZn8eHgqEHJk3aAGuBp/s450/across%20a%20field%20of%20starlight%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="across a field of starlight by blue delliquanti book cover" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcs74HoT1gziZej9TwQf51GgFetDJ-hkTBH8fYTa_0eiM_V7bsgVXitVhoWUxn43h4NNdQtCN_tZxE7echAaI9SJmZVwp3oJNlNEgg4Wv8KZYU-yZv5Ew4qBI0sF2zthMWL9byxDSASKgE2wZvkfDSwfOTwoB_lnh2DTSWTZn8eHgqEHJk3aAGuBp/w139-h200/across%20a%20field%20of%20starlight%20book%20cover.jpg" title="across a field of starlight by blue delliquanti book cover" width="139" /></a></div>When they were kids,
Fassen's fighter spaceship crash-landed on a planet that Lu's survey
force was exploring. It was a forbidden meeting between a kid from a
war-focused resistance movement and a kid whose community and planet are
dedicated to peace and secrecy.<br /> <br />Lu and Fassen are from
different worlds and separate solar systems. But their friendship keeps
them in each other's orbit as they grow up. They stay in contact in
secret as their communities are increasingly threatened by the
omnipresent, ever-expanding empire.<br /> <br />As the empire begins a new
attack against Fassen's people--and discovers Lu's in the process--the
two of them have the chance to reunite at last. They finally are able to
be together...but at what cost? <br /> <br /> This beautifully illustrated
graphic novel is an epic science fiction romance between two non-binary
characters as they find one another through time, distance, and war.</i></blockquote><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Across a Field of Starlight</i> is a sci-fi epic. The Ever-Blossoming
Empire and the Fireback resistance are at war, and almost everyone is caught in
the cross-hairs – including young Fassen, a resistance orphan, and Lu, part of
a neutral party survey team who find them stranded planet-side in the aftermath.
These two, in a moment born of stress, find a way to stay in touch despite
diverging paths, and the rest is a story of resistance, of broadening perspectives,
of unimaginable technology, and of finding ways to do the right thing, even
when it is hard. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fassen has grown up in the resistance, and knows no other
world but one of duties, working for your food allotment, and dreaming of
destroying the Empire at all costs. Lu, on the other hand, has a best friend
who is an AI, pilots their own small research vessel, and lives in a secretive
community that doesn’t welcome combatants on either side of the galactic war.
They maintain a friendship based on storytelling and delayed communication but
cannot share most of their lives with each other. When Fassen is faced with choices
that stretch their understanding of right and wrong, Lu and the Field community
show them another way of being – but there are deeper and more dangerous
elements at play than culture clash. The future of the resistance, and the
future of humanity, may be at stake. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really appreciated the way that this story was one that
echoed themes in other popular sci-fi franchises (the Star Wars films, for one),
while making its own, hopeful way. Fassen’s place in the Fireback resistance is
one that depends on healthy soldiers, and each soldier only has as much value
as they bring to the war effort. Lu’s world is completely different – a commune
based on mutual aid, sharing, and personal choice beyond subsistence.
Author-illustrator Delliquanti asks the reader, through their characters, to consider
a kinder, less capitalistic, and more peaceful future for humanity, and resists
falling into the storytelling pitfalls of white saviorism and all resistance =
good. <i>Across a Field of Starlight</i> is amazingly complex for a young adult
graphic novel, and while it won’t appeal to all readers, I loved it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I also appreciated the fact that Lu is Black and fat, and
there’s no discussion of that at all – it’s just the way they are, and Fassen
(and other characters’) genderqueer/trans identities are only brought up in the
context of being able to afford meds, or what accommodations they must make to
appear in a way that matches their identity, or why they might idolize certain
other characters. The narrative doesn’t ask them to suffer, or give up their
ideals, or even to fall in love, to be who they want to be. I found that added
a refreshing, optimistic, and satisfying note to go along with some heavier,
more serious notes in the story.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Delliquanti’s art is a major highlight of the book – it’s
colorful, imaginative, makes great use of lighting, and totally sells the
sci-fi elements of the plot with small details and costuming. A note in the
book shares that Delliquanti plots & thumbnails on paper, and then completes
the rest of their process digitally. The result is a polished, warm, and
interesting take on science and space. There is no cold distance in Delliquanti’s
art – it is amazingly cozy, with a rainbow palette. It doesn’t dwell much on the emptiness of space, but instead on the human lives that
people it, and how they intend to survive (and thrive) together.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Across a Field of Starlight</i> is not to be
missed – it’s beautiful, hopeful, and set in a galaxy that will feel welcome
and unique all at once.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: all young adult graphic novel enthusiasts,
fans of LGBTQ+ fiction, and anyone who likes their sci-fi with a heavy dose of
hope and cozy vibes, <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">à la</span> Becky Chambers’ <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22733729-the-long-way-to-a-small-angry-planet">The
Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet</a></i>.</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-58111938250697599592022-12-22T06:00:00.002-05:002022-12-22T09:41:17.673-05:00the wolf suitI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m glad, as an
adult with limited free time for reading, to have the motivation (and a list of
nominees!) of being a panelist for the <a href="https://www.cybils.com/">Cybils
Awards</a>. It focuses my reading, forces me to set aside the time in my
schedule, and picks some of the best titles of the year that I might not have
heard of already. A book I wouldn’t have selected on my own, but enjoyed
immensely, was Sid Sharp’s elementary/middle grade graphic novel <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59880647-the-wolf-suit">The Wolf Suit</a></i>.<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzH6zpaJBbKfvwx7q6o5TUWVYSyYzB9ek_-jHQabqUdZ8jaVWLKjnyC1Ht4jRnFABC6ykwEIQwNA-DLQRiqvbzG9gYwnJMdm7Fw9RuRVysDsa_xOU_pm8ukUH9F1ojSATIYSNQNhTGAi-8W8AYWzVZFMMfVfwedv0vdUb41l9taw8TJJfPyl04HVi/s400/the%20wolf%20suit%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the wolf suit by sid sharp book cover" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzH6zpaJBbKfvwx7q6o5TUWVYSyYzB9ek_-jHQabqUdZ8jaVWLKjnyC1Ht4jRnFABC6ykwEIQwNA-DLQRiqvbzG9gYwnJMdm7Fw9RuRVysDsa_xOU_pm8ukUH9F1ojSATIYSNQNhTGAi-8W8AYWzVZFMMfVfwedv0vdUb41l9taw8TJJfPyl04HVi/w159-h200/the%20wolf%20suit%20book%20cover.jpg" title="the wolf suit by sid sharp book cover" width="159" /></a></div>Bellwether Riggwelter is, once again, out of blackberries. This time, rather than tiptoe through a forest full of predators, he comes up with a new plan. He will keep himself safe by blending in—he will sew a Wolf Suit! The disguise works perfectly... sort of. Bellwether realizes he can’t enjoy the forest in a bulky suit, and he may not be the only creature in the forest who feels that way. Perhaps not everyone is as wolfish as they appear.</i></blockquote><p></p><br /><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Bellwether the sheep is afraid… of wolves. And since wolves live
in the forest, he’s afraid of the forest as well. Since his house is *in the
forest* this is really cramping his flower-smelling and blackberry-eating
lifestyle! In a fun and funny graphic novel for the ages 7+ set, author-illustrator
Sharp plays with the traditional tale of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Their lovely,
stylized, and slightly unsettling artwork is juxtaposed with humor, and twists
and turns for a thoroughly entertaining volume.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Wolf Suit</i> features themes of changing yourself to
fit expectations or face your fears and finding unique ways to cope with the
tough moments in life. But really, the themes take a back seat to the entertainment
factor, which I think is just right for the target age of the audience. Bellwether
the sheep also has some mad quilting skills – I appreciated that were no gendered
activities/expectations in this book! The moments of hilarity resulted most
often from the creatures’ expressions, the situation, and the narrative’s
surprises.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Graphic novels live and die by their art, and this title is
no exception: it features lush full-color art done in pencil, watercolor, ink,
acrylic, and dirt (yes, that last one was a surprise to me too!). In my notes I
originally wrote that the art was gorgeous – and I do think it is. But it won’t
be everyone’s cup of tea because it’s not cute and sanitized. It’s meant to
have a bit of an edge, and I loved that. Mushrooms and spiders appear on
several pages, so young readers accustomed to reappearing motifs in picture
books will have fun looking for those. The endpapers featured beautiful details
of the natural world, with slightly creepy offset eyes – all adding up to a
whole that is a little zany and a lot of fun.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>The Wolf Suit</i> is beautifully designed,
engaging, and just sinister enough. It’s the next step up from Bethann Woollvin’s
picture book fairy tale retellings, and features funny anthropomorphic fantasy with
no magic, but <i>with</i> a twist.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: graphic novels for the younger end of the middle
grade reading category (ages 7-9, most likely), and anyone who appreciates
twists or new takes on fairy tales.</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-61118240944017376972022-12-19T06:00:00.013-05:002022-12-19T06:00:00.205-05:00numb to this: memoir of a mass shooting<p>There’s a lovely tradition in the high school I work at where
teachers to post the title of the book they’re currently reading on their
classroom door. I was puttering around last Friday, packing up before Winter
Break, and I changed my sign over to show my latest read, Kindra Neely’s
graphic novel <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56903806-numb-to-this">Numb to This:
Memoir of a Mass Shooting</a></i>. A student who has struggled in my class
asked me about it, and then wanted to see the book, and then asked <i>when is
it gonna be on the bookshelf?</i> I was reading a library copy, but you can bet
I placed an order for this one as soon as I had a spare moment. In my opinion, there’s
nothing better than finding a book (the right one, the one <i>they</i> choose!)
for that student who needs it. And on top of that, this book is a must-read – an
important, shattering story from a gun violence survivor – a chance to listen
to someone share what that aftermath looks and feels like. </p><p> </p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4772QfSj2_Kb6PpA4InvTAbdPGOEew6vrsKTgYmJ3wWvrrnKyx7BOnJpJsfD13hzLsF3BnoJItQ5FpvSBS4kenhr_e39ysqXB0GnX1oVpR_tLt_PskX1vwAG15Nr2qHhX0R7o_BUk1baz5wQycx3G60Y7CwequbWKgDF2jFq-DkHgpo9Vet53qlr/s675/numb%20to%20this%20book%20cover.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="numb to this: memoir of a mass shooting by kindra neely book cover" border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4772QfSj2_Kb6PpA4InvTAbdPGOEew6vrsKTgYmJ3wWvrrnKyx7BOnJpJsfD13hzLsF3BnoJItQ5FpvSBS4kenhr_e39ysqXB0GnX1oVpR_tLt_PskX1vwAG15Nr2qHhX0R7o_BUk1baz5wQycx3G60Y7CwequbWKgDF2jFq-DkHgpo9Vet53qlr/w133-h200/numb%20to%20this%20book%20cover.webp" title="numb to this: memoir of a mass shooting by kindra neely book cover" width="133" /></a></div>Kindra Neely never expected it to happen to her. No one does. Sure, she’d sometimes been close to gun violence, like when the house down the street from her childhood home in Texas was targeted in a drive-by shooting. But now she lived in Oregon, where she spent her time swimming in rivers with friends or attending classes at the bucolic Umpqua Community College.<br /><br />
And then, one day, it happened: a mass shooting shattered her college campus. Over the span of a few minutes, on October 1, 2015, eight students and a professor lost their lives. And suddenly, Kindra became a survivor. This empathetic and ultimately hopeful graphic memoir recounts Kindra’s journey forward from those few minutes that changed everything. <br /><br />
It wasn’t easy. Every time Kindra took a step toward peace and wholeness, a new mass shooting devastated her again. Las Vegas. Parkland. She was hopeless at times, feeling as if no one was listening. Not even at the worldwide demonstration March for Our Lives. But finally, Kindra learned that—for her—the path toward hope wound through art, helping others, and sharing her story.</i></blockquote><p> </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Kindra Neely survived the Umpqua Community College mass
shooting in Oregon in 2015, and her beautiful, poignant, and searing memoir of
the years after is absolutely required reading. There’s some background and
context-setting, but the majority of Neely’s book focuses on the day of the
shooting and what happened next: how she reacted in the short- and long-term, the
impact of PTSD on her life, and the reality of a suicide attempt: all while
presenting a front to the world. In the 300 pages of this debut graphic novel,
Neely lays herself bare for a purpose, saying “I…went looking for a book about
how to deal with the aftermath of a shooting, but I couldn’t find one. Maybe I
could make a book to show people like me that they aren’t alone, or that their
feelings are normal.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Neely’s story is not just one of trauma, though it does deal
with that. It keeps the tension between hope (she survived, she keeps
surviving, she finds meaning in making art & helping others) and realism (there
are bad days full of fear, depression is very real, and some people are
uncomfortable around those who are open about their trauma). The pacing and
scene changes are also telegraphed well and keep the “journey” of Neely’s life (narrative)
moving. It is also heartwarming to see the real-life friends come alongside
Neely in tough moments, and vice versa, even though no one is without flaws
(except maybe Neely’s mom). The supportive, healthy relationships and networks from
her life are excellent guides for young readers to follow, internalize, and model
in their own lives.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pacing and storytelling in the graphic novel format rely so
much on the art… and I just want to say that Neely’s art is fabulous. I would have
no idea that this was a debut – her style and linework are polished, modern, and
evocative. The emotion bleeds through the pages, and while this volume is in
full color, I think Neely’s neat linework and focus on facial expressions would
work in any color palette. There’s doesn’t seem to be a predominant or overarching
color theme, but teals and purples show up quite a bit in scenes set in Oregon,
and harsh yellows and reds during moments of stress and trauma. Overt symbolism
of dragonflies appears throughout (and is explained directly in the text). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, Neely’s story and art are indistinguishable/inseparable
– and the result, a compulsively-readable volume, allows her to be vulnerable
in the service of helping others. <i>Numb to This</i> is heart-wrenching and incisive
and belongs in every high school library in the country.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: high school nonfiction collections, and
anyone ages 14+ who has been touched by a mass shooting in some way (at this
point, everyone in the US).</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-31082987180137106942022-12-07T06:00:00.009-05:002022-12-07T11:32:01.105-05:00alte zachen / old things<p>One of the things I value about volunteering as
a <a href="https://www.cybils.com/">Cybils Awards</a> judge is the element of book
discovery. I have publishers, authors, librarians, bloggers, etc. that I trust to
suggest excellent titles, and I don’t step outside that circle very often. But
the Cybils push me to read more widely within a genre (in this year’s case, in graphic
novels). One book that I’m not sure I would have picked up on my own? Nominee <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60491051-alte-zachen-old-things">Alte
Zachen / Old Things</a></i> by Ziggy Hanaor, illustrated by Benjamin Phillips.
And that would have been a tragedy because it’s a heart-<i>full</i> title, and
one I’ve been thinking of over and over since I put it down. </p><p> </p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYoNwGSgThzkRXiiaBbDqc4Sa3sVr_2NRtwQffM6JUKpdSh2IEDFDpJTpPEVQWbaEyNj4gsMRirC6GPdzgK65MY4T_CHn3P4QdA2ZzFJF6rp6adM7BwNPvJ_6fC8z3NYJwm-gW-CmH_vP9T3HBgPXcz4z12mk3rdl_9vN6KLglKW3akSLaG9uRj7D/s1258/alte%20zachen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alte zachen / old things by ziggy hanaor, illustrated by benjamin phillips book cover" border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYoNwGSgThzkRXiiaBbDqc4Sa3sVr_2NRtwQffM6JUKpdSh2IEDFDpJTpPEVQWbaEyNj4gsMRirC6GPdzgK65MY4T_CHn3P4QdA2ZzFJF6rp6adM7BwNPvJ_6fC8z3NYJwm-gW-CmH_vP9T3HBgPXcz4z12mk3rdl_9vN6KLglKW3akSLaG9uRj7D/w159-h200/alte%20zachen.jpg" title="alte zachen / old things by ziggy hanaor, illustrated by benjamin phillips book cover" width="159" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">A beautifully illustrated and presented intergenerational graphic novel that follows 11-year-old Benji and his elderly grandmother, Bubbe Rosa, as they traverse Brooklyn and Manhattan, gathering the ingredients for a Friday night dinner.<br /><br />
Bubbe’s relationship with the city is complex – nothing is quite as she remembered it and she feels alienated and angry at the world around her. Benji, on the other hand, looks at the world, and his grandmother, with clear-eyed acceptance. As they wander the city, we catch glimpses of Bubbe’s childhood in Germany, her young adulthood in 1950s Brooklyn, and her relationships; first with a baker called Gershon, and later with successful Joe, Benji’s grandfather. Gradually we piece together snippets of Bubbe’s life, gaining an insight to some of the things that have formed her cantankerous personality. The journey culminates on the Lower East Side in a moving reunion between Rosa and Gershon, her first love. As the sun sets, Benji and his Bubbe walk home over the Williamsburg Bridge to make dinner.<br /><br />
This is a powerful, affecting and deceptively simple story of Jewish identity, of generational divides, of the surmountability of difference and of a restless city and its inhabitants.</div></div></i></blockquote><p></p><p>
</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">In <i>Alte Zachen</i> (Yiddish for “old things,” as the
title suggests), grandmother Rosa and her young grandson Benji zigzag New York
City on a mission: to gather the necessary ingredients for Friday night dinner.
Along the way Rosa comments on the changes in the city, and in life and culture
over time. Some of these remembrances and flashbacks are sweet, but many are
bittersweet, or sad, or resonate with unfulfilled longing. The parallel
journeys of a modern-day shopping trip and a long life, combined with watercolor
illustrations in a wash of grays and other muted colors, create a deeply
impactful narrative.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some of the most poignant moments in the book occur when
Bubbe Rosa is rude, and Benji must deal with this embarrassment in the moment,
and buffer between her and others. These moments aren’t indicative of a cruel
temperament, but rather open the way for the reader to learn about some of the
traumas of Rosa’s life: escaping to Switzerland from Germany ahead of the Holocaust,
the loss of old love, changes to cultural norms, and more. At the same time,
you feel almost viscerally for Benji, who loves his grandmother but is trying
to gracefully manage in the real world. His Bubbe is trying to impart words and
traditions (there’s a Yiddish glossary at the back for context if the reader is
struggling), and Benji is just trying to get them to the shops and back without
incident. It’s sweet, authentic, and entirely human. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Phillips’ art – a muted watercolor palette in the book – contrasts
with the bright orange of the book’s spine, title, and end papers
(illustrations of lots of everyday food items in black-and-white on an orange
background in a repeating pattern). The art feels unfinished and unpolished in
a way, even as it washes over memorable architecture in precise detail. There
are wordless stretches, where the art is the only context, and Phillips’ art
then shines with the attention to expressions, small details, and the elements
of culture: dancing, music, and family. Somehow, they all come to life, in real
ways. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Alte Zachen / Old Things</i> is a tribute to
memory, to culture, and to intergenerational relationships. It’s a lovely meditation
on how we pass on ourselves to our loved ones – imperfectly, but with care (and
feeding). I loved it, and I think you will too.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
Recommended for: fans of contemporary graphic
novels featuring intergenerational relationships, Jewish traditions and
culture, and city life. Excellent reading and art for the 12+ set, though appropriate
for younger ones as well.
Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-43212986812157063422022-12-05T06:00:00.001-05:002022-12-05T09:17:25.592-05:00counting board books for art lovers: kahlo's koalas and one white crane<p class="MsoNormal">I like gifting board books and picture books whenever I visit
the children in my life – it is not-so-secretly my ambition to be remembered as
<i>that aunt</i>, the one who always gave interesting books! (and maybe also in
some small way sparked a love of reading) I’ve noticed that at most baby
showers and birthdays, folks give the same board books they cherished as
children. And that’s lovely – who wouldn’t want to share the books they hold
dear! I am a little paranoid, however, that I will copy the same book that
someone else just gave, so I am ALWAYS, always on the lookout for standout board
books to add to my gifting repertoire. Grace Helmer’s <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40622474-kahlo-s-koalas" target="_blank">Kahlo's Koalas</a></i> and
Vickie Lee and Joey Chou’s upcoming <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59406567-one-white-crane" target="_blank"><i>One White Crane</i></a></i> are two that I
wholeheartedly recommend for art-appreciating parents and their little ones.</p><p>
<br />
</p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-left-style: dotted; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-right-style: dotted; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: dotted; border-top-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 1em; margin: 1em 20px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding: 5px;">
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEHWdzSnUeWgFy1Lu-enAiydtODhEAkV1A12GuDAFThIyS9-GiWqFXx4bdsMGvqeSMBTuZQb5y4iTqpczlwFGfKMAo2BqJFITuJgOg0GteLoKJF2E7nWISYcPSyZN778jAkvepoVx3Ak/s1600/kahlo%2527s+koalas.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kahlo's koalas by grace helmer book cover" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEHWdzSnUeWgFy1Lu-enAiydtODhEAkV1A12GuDAFThIyS9-GiWqFXx4bdsMGvqeSMBTuZQb5y4iTqpczlwFGfKMAo2BqJFITuJgOg0GteLoKJF2E7nWISYcPSyZN778jAkvepoVx3Ak/s200/kahlo%2527s+koalas.jpg" title="kahlo's koalas by grace helmer book cover" width="200" /></a><i>From Henri Matisse’s monkeys and Jackson Pollock's poodles to Roy Lichtenstein's llamas and Wassily Kandinsky’s kangaroos, this beautiful 1-10 counting book provides an imaginative learning experience that will appeal to adults and children alike.</i></div>
<i> <br />
Introduce your little one to some of the world’s best artists while teaching them their numbers 1 to 10. With illustrator Grace Helmer's quirky renderings of animals in the style of world-famous artists, Kahlo’s Koalas extends the basic counting concept in a simple, one number, one image per spread format that introduces the smallest children to their first concept of numbers, animals and art appreciation.</i></blockquote><p> </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">On each page of <i>Kahlo’s Koalas</i>, a different animal and
number are featured in the style of a different artist. For example, the book
starts with 1 Picasso panda, 2 Kahlo Koalas, and goes from there. The
alliterative animal choices make for a fun tongue twister with the artists’ last
names, and there are playful artistic choices as well (the Monet mouse in an
inner tube among the water lilies was a fun touch!). The artists featured
within hail from a wide range of styles and eras, but there are none who are
pre-Modern – it’s all Impressionists and onward. One final page at the back of
the book talks about each artist’s style and “how” they made their art. Helmer focuses
on creating illustrations that mimic the artists’ styles, and leaves the text simple
– an effective choice among complex images.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Kahlo’s Koalas</i> is a beautiful, interesting board
book introduction to art and counting that is sure to appeal to both toddlers
and their parents.</p>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-left-style: dotted; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-right-style: dotted; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: dotted; border-top-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 1em; margin: 1em 20px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlc6jmWyix9A4rD-OdvMNYNVpMpsMsvPwP1TxEq_Wlkt6NrtgrjCGURC2e-_esLeTZf5x3hpHuQjoX5PRaCkAZMP4Uhk5ja8X4cnxficN_3P2WRUASiz3McFHDuL8SdP3gnmsxvvNYrwSU562g3R98pdLgspGmEXsGmnM5inXu7ZHfC4MoYj0aBrIX/s600/one%20white%20crane.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="one white crane by vickie lee, illustrated by joey chou book cover" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlc6jmWyix9A4rD-OdvMNYNVpMpsMsvPwP1TxEq_Wlkt6NrtgrjCGURC2e-_esLeTZf5x3hpHuQjoX5PRaCkAZMP4Uhk5ja8X4cnxficN_3P2WRUASiz3McFHDuL8SdP3gnmsxvvNYrwSU562g3R98pdLgspGmEXsGmnM5inXu7ZHfC4MoYj0aBrIX/w200-h200/one%20white%20crane.jpg" title="one white crane by vickie lee, illustrated by joey chou book cover" width="200" /></a></div>One white crane, two black bears . . .</i><br /><i><br />Simply
told and beautifully rendered, this counting board book takes young
readers through the months of the year. Each month focuses on a new
animal, from seals in May to cicadas in September. Sweet, accessible
text in English and Chinese pairs with eye-catching art for a wonderful
repeat reading experience.</i></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>One White Crane</i> is a bilingual (English and Mandarin)
counting book that also teaches the months of the year, and colors as well! Given
the twelve months, the count goes up to 12, and there are 12 different animals.
The gorgeous Charlie Harper-esque geometric art is featured on each left facing
page, and text in English and Mandarin on the right. It is a simple, effective,
and quite frankly, beautifully designed book – even if you don’t speak Mandarin
and don’t intend to learn! I enjoy gifting bilingual books to children even
when their parents don’t speak both languages because any language exposure is
good exposure, but this could be a fun way for parents and children to learn
side-by-side, or for bilingual parents and families to share their language
culture together with their children.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>One White Crane</i> is a delightfully simple
board book with beautiful art and a lot of learning potential.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p></p><p>One White Crane <i>will be available from Henry Holt & Co./Godwin Books on December 13, 2022.<br />
</i>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received a finished copy of <i>Kahlo's Koalas</i> and an ARC of <i>One White Crane</i> from the publishers for review consideration. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-57987364122714245102022-11-28T06:00:00.062-05:002022-11-29T08:55:51.132-05:002022 book gift guide<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaCUwZks8WGPVWlmcJeBk3Z5N06im8Mqgc7CcNJ1aAX6l9ERL4Ape0RjtWapBBi_HOPjwHAvuEpCk_TgbaUc_MjC4m5Wsz3VxL_Gp0VIVGPFa8dQ7oiSVkfXLPqflO3XGX0d6VurglFsU_LCpKn85ZqdQH7FhDQAtPTbd4Vexn_n0iZl4qPQ3Cdap/s1920/2022%20book%20gift%20guide.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaCUwZks8WGPVWlmcJeBk3Z5N06im8Mqgc7CcNJ1aAX6l9ERL4Ape0RjtWapBBi_HOPjwHAvuEpCk_TgbaUc_MjC4m5Wsz3VxL_Gp0VIVGPFa8dQ7oiSVkfXLPqflO3XGX0d6VurglFsU_LCpKn85ZqdQH7FhDQAtPTbd4Vexn_n0iZl4qPQ3Cdap/w640-h360/2022%20book%20gift%20guide.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It’s time for my annual book gift guide! This is only the
second time I’ve done one, and <a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2021/12/2021-book-gift-guide.html">last
year’s effort</a> was a last-minute, slapdash list of the books that I was gifting
to friends and family. That’s what this year’s list is too, but at least it’s
not the 11th hour. [Insert laughing crying emoji] As always, these
aren’t all newly released books, but they’re books I found this year & am
gifting for the holidays!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Friends and family: If you are seeing this, it might be a
spoiler alert for you and/or your child. Read on at your own risk!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Board books for babies (ages 0-2):</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52254336-what-is-a-sloth">What is a
Sloth?</a></i> by Ginger Swift, illustrated by Manu Montoya – A shiny, short, lift-a-flap
board book for babies. I’m getting this one for the newest nibling.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58739665-crack-crack-who-is-that">Crack-Crack!
Who Is That?</a></i> by Tristan Mory – There’s a handle to pull, sound effects,
and baby animals appear – this board book is inventive fun and sure to delight
the youngest readers, either read independently or with an adult for storytime.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30086716-little-red-barn">Little Red
Barn</a></i> by Ginger Swift – This board book has a unique shape and fun lift-a-flap
adventures on a farm with a little red barn. Nothing new or spectacular, but a
solid choice!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58837290-bumblebee-grumblebee">Bumblebee
Grumblebee</a></i> by David Elliot – The only board book on this list without
an interactive element on the page. Instead, this one has fun wordplay that
will make little ones smile and allow adults to play along with silly rhymes
and made up words.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Picture books for littles (ages 3-5):</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34593564-pip-pup">Pip & Pup</a></i>
by Eugene Yelchin – A wordless picture book featuring a tiny chick and a
farmhouse dog who fears storms. Expressive features and layouts help parents
(or children themselves) tell this empathetic story.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58783430-farmhouse">Farmhouse</a></i>
by Sophie Blackall – New from the Caldecott Award-winning artist, this title’s meticulously
detailed pages feature dollhouse-like cutaways of a house and the many generations
and families who lived in it. For little ones who might someday grow up to read
& love the <i>Little House</i> or <i>Anne of Green Gables</i> books.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2022/08/the-city-under-city.html">City
Under the City</a></i> by Dan Yaccarino – A charmingly illustrated picture book/early
reader with an intriguing sci-fi premise. Great pick for a wide range of ages –
I can see this being a hit read aloud choice with a four-year-old, and also a
very proud accomplishment independent read for a six- or seven-year-old. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2022/09/full-moon.html">Full Moon</a></i>
by Camila Pintonato – Answers the ever-pressing question: What do animals get
up to after small children are tucked in bed? Lovely art and simple, whimsical
story.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2022/11/only-trees-know.html">Only the
Trees Know</a></i> by Jane Whittingham, illustrated by Cinyee Chiu – Nondenominational
wintertime story with anthropomorphic animals and beautiful snowy forest
scenes.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57318744-hey">Hey!
A Colorful Mystery</a></i> by Kate Read – Read’s picture books are clever,
colorful, and both surprise and delight from start to finish. This one’s set underwater
<i>and</i> features a MYSTERY.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57008035-george-and-his-nighttime-friends">George
and His Nighttime Friends</a></i> by Seng Soun Ratanavanh – Seriously gorgeous
art is Ratanavanh’s trademark, but this one takes it up a notch with the story
of a lonely boy whose mind won’t stop racing when the lights go out. An
excellent bedtime read for ages 3+, with details and easter eggs on every page.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Graphic novels for early readers (ages 6-7):</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56980392-cranky-chicken">Cranky
Chicken</a></i> by Katherine Battersby – A funny early reader graphic novel featuring
a dynamic duo (think Norma & Belly from <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51375722-donut-feed-the-squirrels">Donut
Feed the Squirrels</a> </i>or the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/193429-narwhal-and-jelly">Narwhal and Jelly
series</a>), one of whom is… well, a cranky chicken!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60307100-two-headed-chicken">Two-Headed
Chicken</a></i> by Tom Angleberger – A funny, frenetic graphic novel from the
author of the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/60281-origami-yoda">Origami
Yoda series</a>. Could be a good choice for kiddos up to age 9, depending on their
reading confidence and sense of humor (the premise is goofy, with several long-running
gags!).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Slightly older elementary school kids (ages 8-12):</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2022/10/my-aunt-is-monster.html">My Aunt is
a Monster</a></i> by Reimena Yee – From my review earlier this year: this
graphic novel “is FUN, silly, pretty, and a breath of fresh air. For… anyone
with a large imagination and a hankering to explore the unknown.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52750868-the-nutcracker-and-the-mouse-king">The
Nutcracker and the Mouse King: The Graphic Novel</a></i> by E.T.A. Hoffman,
adapted by Natalie Andrewson – The nostalgia of The Nutcracker paired with the
updated whimsy of Nat Andrewson’s fantastic graphic novel art, for a middle
grade crowd.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Books for the teen crowd (ages 13-18):</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61777359-supper-club">Supper Club</a></i>
by Jackie Morrow – A brightly colored graphic novel about the final year of high
school and a club centered around cooking & food for those who loved Raina
Telgemeier’s books when they were a bit younger.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2022/09/victory-stand-raising-my-fist-for.html">Victory.
Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice</a> </i>by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and
Dawud Anyabwile – One of the best books I’ve read this year, and a shoo-in favorite
for anyone (ages 13+) interested in history, social justice, sports, and
underdog stories. You don’t have to be all of those – just one will do. I’m sending
it to my high school student cousin and pushing it on my own students in the
classroom.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
<b>For adults:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60321437-g-teau">G<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">â</span>teau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes</a></i> by Aleksandra
Crapanzano – I saw a very positive review of this cookbook in Shelf Awareness
and thought it might be the perfect gift for my college roommate and best friend
who is a baker and studied abroad in France.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2022/09/the-wild-hunt.html">The Wild Hunt</a></i>
by Emma Seckel – For anyone who likes a bit of romance, historical fiction, and
a touch of fantasy. This one takes place somewhere in Scotland in the aftermath
of WWII, and isn’t tidily characterized as literary fiction or horror or
romance or anything else! Sending to my friend who adored <i>All the Light We
Cannot See</i>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2022/09/remote-control.html">Remote Control</a></i>
by Nnedi Okorafor – Okorafor (author of <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2017/04/binti.html">Binti</a></i>) writes inventive,
layered science fiction. In <i>Remote Control</i>, Okorafor imagines a “weird,
haunting, and visceral future” in a tidy novella package. I’m getting this one
for my brother who likes sci-fi and fantasy!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42036538-gideon-the-ninth">Gideon the
Ninth</a></i> by Tamsyn Muir – Giving this one to myself for the holidays! I’ve
heard others rave about it online for years (it won a Goodreads Choice Award in
2019!), and one of my coworkers finally convinced me to give it a try. After
all, lesbian necromancers?! Sounds fun, and like the perfect read for grown-ups
who obsessed over Garth Nix’s <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2009/07/sabriel.html">Sabriel</a></i> as
young adults.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Not books, but gifts you can find in a bookstore (links
to Barnes & Noble):</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gnome-for-the-holidays-advent-calendar-workman-calendars/1140439957?ean=9781523516896">Gnome
for the Holidays Advent Calendar</a></i> – A punny, funny advent calendar with
jokes for every day of the advent season. Each day’s “surprise” (not hidden by
doors, so it’s more about taking them out of their places) is an ornament, so
could be a fun way to decorate a small tree or add new festive cheer to a holiday
collection by stringing them into a garland! For the friend or family member
who likes wordplay or is always making dad jokes.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/2023-nathalie-lete-woodland-dreams-wall-calendar-workman-calendars/1141671181?ean=9781523516346">Nathalie
L<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">été Woodland Dreams </span>2023 Wall Calendar</a></i>
– Fanciful watercolor art of mushrooms, birds, butterflies, and other woodland delights
populate the pages of this full-color, maximalist calendar. Perfect for that friend
or relative who is into loud florals and/or vibrant colors.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/genius-music-rik-lee/1129942258">Music
Genius Playing Cards</a></i> – For the music-lovers in your life! Test musical
knowledge or create playlists of some of the greats while you play cards. Each
suit (spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs) features a different musical genre.</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-76141705238307554222022-11-22T06:00:00.055-05:002022-11-23T09:32:21.284-05:00the woman in the woods and other north american stories<p>After my own years in school ended and before my teaching
days, I didn’t take much notice of themed months of the year. For instance, did
you know that November is National Native American Heritage Month in the United
States? I didn’t! Luckily it’s been mentioned in several teaching and book
publishing newsletters I subscribe to. What I find helpful is that those
newsletters often come with book recommendations or lists included – titles that
I can add to the shelf to make my classroom library (or even just personal
library!) a little more inclusive and representative of my students and the US
as a whole. One book I haven’t seen on any lists but want to make sure you know
about is the young adult graphic novel anthology <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59455891-the-woman-in-the-woods-and-other-north-american-stories" target="_blank"><i>Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories</i></a>, edited by Kel McDonald, Kate Ashwin, & Alina Pete. It is the fifth installment
in the Cautionary Fables & Fairytales series, and if the others are
anything like this slim volume, they are treasures! </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnpcICVYkB3JfW9LZj171rqvRvmPO6oUAoet8gKu0nKWllIyrhIJuInkCiFKyeeqS8aKYdwsrK-aVB6um_UrnM1-vo6xbBc86vNBbcS4rzgyKvS_OFBg12QBTWRrKdmXHA4QuSjY36qGiITC5um9IaymCKPfXzMdmeId62thAYeRtGkyUd5qyQw3y/s1500/the%20woman%20in%20the%20woods%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the woman in the woods and other north american stories book cover" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnpcICVYkB3JfW9LZj171rqvRvmPO6oUAoet8gKu0nKWllIyrhIJuInkCiFKyeeqS8aKYdwsrK-aVB6um_UrnM1-vo6xbBc86vNBbcS4rzgyKvS_OFBg12QBTWRrKdmXHA4QuSjY36qGiITC5um9IaymCKPfXzMdmeId62thAYeRtGkyUd5qyQw3y/w133-h200/the%20woman%20in%20the%20woods%20book%20cover.jpg" title="the woman in the woods and other north american stories book cover" width="133" /></a></div><i>Tricksters? Rabbits? Rougarou?<br /><br />Shapeshifters
so frightening you shouldn't speak their name? That's just the start of
this collection of folklore from the Indigenous people of North
America, retold in comic form.</i><br /><br /><i>The fifth volume of the </i>Cautionary
Fables and Fairytales<i> graphic anthology series is a thrilling, funny
and totally unexpected take on stories spanning North America, with
loads of traditional stories from Indigenous Nations such as the Taíno,
Navajo, Odawa, and more!</i></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Woman in the Woods</i> is an excellent collection of
Native American legends and stories from across North America. While the title
of the series is Cautionary Fables & Fairytales, these are no gory, fright-filled
stories. Instead, they read like the sort of tales you’d share around a
campfire – a little bit of cultural history, a dash of tall tale, and an
uncanny thing that happened to someone you know/one of your ancestors, etc.
They range from a creation tale that deals with two spirit and trans identity
to a diving encounter with a monstrous octopus on the sea floor of the Puget
Sound. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While each chapter was written and illustrated by a
different duo (and is handed down from/told according to different indigenous peoples and traditions), a
universal theme running throughout all of them is acceptance of difference, the
other, and the strangeness that is present in the world. A couple of the
stories deal with some element of gender nonconformity, and others speak to a diverse
understanding of how humans function in society. Some are teaching tales; some
merely point to the unexplained and ask the reader to make of it what they
will. Some aim to make the reader uncomfortable, or to challenge their disbelief.
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The standout comic of the collection is the Métis story <i>The Rougarou</i> by Maija Ambrose Plamondon,
illustrated by Milo Applejohn. This story’s length (a bit longer than the others
included in the volume), gorgeously detailed line art, and theme of transformation
all combine to create an exceptional entry. I will be keeping an eye on Plamondon
& Applejohn’s work in the future!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The art throughout the volume is in black and white and styles
vary from artist to artist. Several employ strong or thick line work and varying
shades of gray and black for a feeling of heaviness and (at times) menace. While the standout is
mentioned above, there was no weak link – the writing and art in the volume is
strong all the way through.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>The Woman in the Woods</i> is a varied anthology in
terms of setting, societies, norms, and time periods. It’s an interesting collection,
and an important one for libraries large and small!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
Recommended for: fans of fables and fairy tales, especially those adapted into
graphic novel format, anyone looking to diversify their shelves with more
indigenous American literature, and readers ages 10+ who are interested in
campfire tales they may not have heard before!</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-80700739785323116122022-11-15T06:00:00.006-05:002022-11-16T20:06:11.641-05:00the thank you book<p class="MsoNormal">I’m always on the lookout for standout picture books – gifting
“good ones” is a point of pride for me (hey, if you can’t be proud of your book
taste, what is the point?). A couple of years ago a sweet and gorgeously
illustrated picture book about why we say “thank you” debuted: Mary Lyn Ray’s <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37569326-the-thank-you-book">The Thank You Book</a></i>, illustrated by
Stephanie Graegin. At the time, I wrote a couple of words about it in my journal.
I’m sharing that short review today, during this season of thanksgiving. </p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-left-style: dotted; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-right-style: dotted; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: dotted; border-top-color: rgb(221 , 221 , 221); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 1em; margin: 1em 20px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding: 5px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Xe2mCJ2hf3MuAB2J3U3pYlNf0DlazXEW_xmyuImUjUh_pQHzMorZ3MGxR0De4JF4n8t_FsCOn5dd5aUiRJEmJhAQMCeLllgiv8MsMN5XNdhEe5UTtNoRbpsEIL6a05GcH0mFbB9dxLY/s1600/The+Thank+You+Book-9780544791367.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the thank you book by mary lyn ray, illustrated by stephanie graegin cover" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1298" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Xe2mCJ2hf3MuAB2J3U3pYlNf0DlazXEW_xmyuImUjUh_pQHzMorZ3MGxR0De4JF4n8t_FsCOn5dd5aUiRJEmJhAQMCeLllgiv8MsMN5XNdhEe5UTtNoRbpsEIL6a05GcH0mFbB9dxLY/s200/The+Thank+You+Book-9780544791367.jpeg" title="the thank you book by mary lyn ray, illustrated by stephanie graegin cover" width="161" /></a></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perfect for fans of Margaret Wise Brown and Deborah Underwood's </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The Quiet Book</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i>The Thank You Book <i>explores the many ways of being thankful that can fill a child's day. Timely, wise, and accessible, the poetic text and tender illustrations celebrate the powerful impact gratitude can have on our lives.</i><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;">Thank you isn't just for learning manners.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;">It's also for when something wakes a</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;">little hum</span><span style="background-color: transparent;">—</span><span style="background-color: transparent;">a little happy hum</span><span style="background-color: transparent;">—</span><span style="background-color: transparent;">inside you</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;">and you want to answer back.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;">The Thank You Book</span><i style="background-color: transparent;"> explores the many ways we can be thankful for the pleasures great and small that await us every day. Tender and poetic, it reflects on the role gratitude can play in our lives and celebrates the powerful impact it can have on us.</i></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Thank You Book</i> explores themes of gratefulness, not
just during November, but year-round as well. It also extolls seeing the wonder
and good in every small moment and thing, and would be ideal for curious young
ones, perhaps paired with <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2018/06/tiny-perfect-things.html">Tiny, Perfect
Things</a>.</i> Ray’s prose is lyrical, rhymes once or twice, and is meant most
of all to evoke feeling (and it does!).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Beyond the words on the page, Graegin’s pencil and watercolor
art is the focus throughout: it is very whimsical, colorful, and is meant to be
pored over multiple times. On some pages the illustrations are framed in a
circle, sometimes full spreads, and then there are free-floating illustrations:
the variety is endearing. The book’s “characters” are a mix of animal and
human, with diverse skin colors. I can’t label it anything other than <i>adorable</i>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The small format of the picture book version is comfortable
for small as well as large hands, and the pretty cover is sure to make it a favorite.
The text is a good size for one-on-one reading, but not as ideal for
storytimes. I personally loved the title page, which looked like it was straight
out of one of my bookstagram photos. This title is available in multiple
formats: picture book, padded board book, and just this fall as a bilingual
board book. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>The Thank You Book</i> is exactly what the title describes:
a book about saying “thank you” – but also learning <i>why</i> we do that, and
appreciating the world and people around us. It’s perfect for year-round
reading, but perhaps especially in November, as we celebrate Thanksgiving. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: little ones ages 2-5 and their adults, and
fans of adorable, personified animal art.</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-22892965304227783282022-11-09T06:00:00.012-05:002022-11-09T13:12:37.001-05:00only the trees know<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve attended School Library Journal’s Picture Book Palooza
(held over the summer) twice now, and I am a big fan. I can attend during the
day because it’s summer, and I find lots of beautiful picture books to share
with friends and family for the holidays, and of course the blog! in the
intervening months. I always have my eye out for beautiful illustrations, and
that is what drew me to Jane Whittingham and Cinyee Chiu’s picture book <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60021407-only-the-trees-know" target="_blank"><i>Only the Trees Know</i></a>.</p><p><br /></p><i><p></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxdv0qDk8iOhgIp3bh7HeGyz6ofFgMOajIOavJ98OiduGImhT4VUFxuK_0Zs7z_ULPKUCTerilMScU-oCTLlmoneOk80jhVerd3c2xTHTpWT2j5S-lRDkM6Uz963KPyOG58xp4cxuUsss5j-LqM8fyHBpnud-RQeQn3XZBFOHaUOM0R0tA0osyTxX/s800/only%20the%20trees%20know%20book%20cover.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="only the trees know by jane whittingham, illustrated by cinyee chiu book cover" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxdv0qDk8iOhgIp3bh7HeGyz6ofFgMOajIOavJ98OiduGImhT4VUFxuK_0Zs7z_ULPKUCTerilMScU-oCTLlmoneOk80jhVerd3c2xTHTpWT2j5S-lRDkM6Uz963KPyOG58xp4cxuUsss5j-LqM8fyHBpnud-RQeQn3XZBFOHaUOM0R0tA0osyTxX/w200-h180/only%20the%20trees%20know%20book%20cover.jpeg" title="only the trees know by jane whittingham, illustrated by cinyee chiu book cover" width="200" /></a></div>A little rabbit, who doesn’t like waiting, longs for spring.<p></p><p>Little
Rabbit is hungry, bored and very tired of winter. “When will it be
spring?” he asks his parents. When they aren’t sure, he turns to his
wise grandmother. “Only the trees know,” she says. “Ask them, and they
will tell you.” So Little Rabbit does. But the trees don’t answer him.
He tries shouting, jumping, listening hard. Still nothing. Then, just
when he’s about to give up, he notices something different in the
forest, something that’s right underneath his nose …</p><p>For every bunny who has a hard time waiting, this is the perfect story to show them how.</p></blockquote></i><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">The pages of <i>Only the Trees Know</i> are full of a Little
Rabbit impatient for spring. He longs for soft grasses and friends (a bird
flown south for winter and a squirrel in its den) to come back and play. When the
Little Rabbit asks his parents when spring will come, they say “be patient.”
Well! That is something neither small children nor Little Rabbits like being
told! So Little Rabbit goes to his wise grandmother, and she advises him to ask
the trees, because only they know. Thus, Little Rabbit begins an asking
campaign. The trees don’t answer the first time, so Little Rabbit tries
changing his physical presence, altering his listening skills, and being louder
and trying different sounds. In the end, the trees provide their own signs and
voice, and Little Rabbit learns to hear them.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Little Rabbit is of course an anthropomorphized figure – the
stand-in for the child being read to, who might think the same way and ask the
same sorts of questions about winter. It’s charming here, rather than false,
and I think that is down to the author’s way with words. The text is poetic,
especially on the opening page, and when describing snow and wind: with alliteration,
personification, and repetition. Whittingham does not rhyme, but there are several
poetic devices throughout. There’s child appeal not just in the art and cadence
of the text, but in Little Rabbit’s jumping about, raising and lowering his
voice, and trying different listening techniques.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cinyee Chiu’s art is full of gorgeous brush strokes, and many
shades of white and winter. I particularly liked the landscape spreads, with
their imprecise snowflakes – they gave the impression of looking through the
forest into the scene of the story. Chiu’s medium is gouache and pastel,
finished in Photoshop. Chiu makes terrific use of perspective, from treetop
height down, and from ground level up to the sky. The only thing about the book
design I didn’t love? The title font. And that’s out of sight as soon as you
turn a page.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Only the Trees Know</i> is a more active than
meditative take on seasonal change, and the perfect book to share with a child
impatient for sunny days and playgrounds once more.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: fans of <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2014/12/over-and-under-snow.html">Over and
Under the Snow</a></i>, anyone looking for beautifully-illustrated picture
books about the seasons, and for nondenominational winter storytimes.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received an advanced digital copy of the text from the publisher at Picture Book Palooza. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span><br /></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-12928487252164455002022-10-25T06:00:00.001-04:002022-10-27T11:50:52.013-04:00my aunt is a monster<p>As a reader I prefer standalone books, but it
can be a little harder to keep track of an author if you don’t have the easy
classification of a series to follow. One new-to-me author from a couple of years
ago, whom I loved (and was determined to follow!) was Reimena Yee. Her newest middle
grade graphic novel, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60343786-my-aunt-is-a-monster">My
Aunt is a Monster</a></i>, is not directly related to her debut, <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2020/10/seance-tea-party.html">Séance Tea
Party</a></i> – which I enjoyed very much – but it has some of the same fantastical
charm (and of course Reimena’s whimsical storytelling and artistic style!).
</p><p><br /></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb9sEPCcQEQo-2qfYA2ihlWZe6m_pXHu5Vp3WrrtXqsETEVs8lEhkavFz2hsKlEcgSFCAWQWNjuTX8FFT0RU-hgprfMHzFeuaWj1a0yB_lsnjm7n66hhgShHYfJpo6Uv9DYP662Sz6xBCI2MQlPW2JBnoL_cnieIMNC0UQJKqyz6YzJIr__3sZz4Z/s2400/COVER.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="my aunt is a monster by reimena yee book cover" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1650" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb9sEPCcQEQo-2qfYA2ihlWZe6m_pXHu5Vp3WrrtXqsETEVs8lEhkavFz2hsKlEcgSFCAWQWNjuTX8FFT0RU-hgprfMHzFeuaWj1a0yB_lsnjm7n66hhgShHYfJpo6Uv9DYP662Sz6xBCI2MQlPW2JBnoL_cnieIMNC0UQJKqyz6YzJIr__3sZz4Z/w138-h200/COVER.jpg" title="my aunt is a monster by reimena yee book cover" width="138" /></a></div>Safia thought that being
blind meant she would only get to go on adventures through her
audiobooks. This all changes when she goes to live with a distant and
mysterious aunt, Lady Whimsy, who takes Safia on the journey of a
lifetime!<br /><br />While the reclusive Lady Whimsy stops an old rival from
uncovering the truth behind her disappearance, Safia experiences parts
of the world she had only dreamed about. But when an unlikely group of
chaotic agents comes after Whimsy, Safia is forced to confront the
adventure head-on. For the first time in her life, Safia is the hero of
her own story, and she must do what she can to save the day.<br /><br />And maybe find some friends along the way.<br /><br />Reimena Yee returns with an all-new graphic novel filled with action, magic, and family. </i>My Aunt Is a Monster <i>explores how anybody can do anything as long as they are given the chance and have the right people behind them.</i></blockquote>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Safia Haziz, a blind girl who dreams of visiting the far-off
places in the audiobooks she reads, once had a happy family. When tragedy
struck, she was placed with her mysterious Aunt Whimsy, a famous (retired)
adventurer – who happens to have a monstrous secret. Safia finally gets her
chance to travel when Aunt Whimsy discovers that her rival rediscovered her
discovery (yes, that’s a mouthful), and they set off to protect the world from secrets
that should remain hidden. Along the way, Safia will make a friend, Aunt Whimsy
must confront her nature and stop running away from the world, and everyone
must unite and use their strengths to save the day!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Things I loved: the disability representation in the book, Yee’s
humor (look no farther than the family pet Lord Fauntleroy, an invisible animal
no one can identify), and the variety of texts within the text: newspaper
clippings, magazine covers and articles, maps, etc. I also appreciated Yee’s
inclusion of a complicated friendship – one where the characters do not know everything
about each other, but connect and want good things for each other anyway. Also,
the charming and ridiculous institutions in the story made me smile every time –
who wouldn’t, with names like the Bureau of Suspicious Intent (mission: sow
chaos) and the Institute of Extremely Found Things in Lost History.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I also loved that there’s a Cecilia in the story, even if
she was Pineapple Tart (so-named for her favorite dessert), Aunt Whimsy’s nemesis!
Aunt Whimsy’s inventive wardrobe choices made me want to stock up on flowy
blouses, tailored slacks, and neckties of all shapes and sizes. One thing I
found especially sweet was that both an adult AND a child had a lesson to learn
in this story – a good reminder that we are all on a lifelong learning journey.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Reimena Yee’s art is a delightful mix of thickly drawn lines
and bright colors without shadows, which give the comic a 2D, classic storybook
feel. This feels just right for the intended audience’s age range and tastes,
but it’s fun to take in as an adult, too. There’s nothing muted about this
book! Yee draws and colors her art online (except for thumbnailing), and shares
a fun and informational look at her process and timeline for creating a graphic
novel in the backmatter, which will interest aspiring artists.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>My Aunt is a Monster</i> is FUN, silly, pretty,
and a breath of fresh air. I’ve never read a graphic novel quite like it!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: middle grade graphic novel readers, fans of
fantastical stories, and anyone with a large imagination and a hankering to
explore the unknown.</p>
<p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received a digital ARC of this
title for review consideration from the publisher. I did not receive any
compensation for this post.</span></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-58547544652711668422022-10-13T06:00:00.024-04:002022-10-14T08:53:40.918-04:00slip<p>The bright coral pink monster hovering over the
main character on the cover of Marika McCoola and Aatmaja Pandya’s young adult
graphic novel <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58328364-slip" target="_blank"><i>Slip</i></a> caught my attention several months ago. Still, I didn’t
sit down to read it until yesterday. I’m on the 2022 CYBILS Awards graphic
novel panel this fall, and <i>Slip</i>’s nomination was a great nudge to
finally check it out of the library and commit. I fell in love with the story,
and I think you will too – it has emotional depth and the art is just as lovely
and inventive as the cover promises.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFWyp1NtJg1JWcnLP4U419CgDwczR-FupWObjxnRV1l-nQ_t-9oEBVI_aFti7dw8kcCvvdXSpb7Y6Sf_s2S9x223gtJfa3exUeTy0FpnRJfofVRqEGaHqVLUkt9vRC0n2yPpw_S6IKmQPOJ3lfAQqCueOSHNpmyOfj3xbJnhZYAmdjNcU_sGcbEya/s2550/slip.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="slip by marika mccoola and aatmaja pandya book cover" border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1710" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFWyp1NtJg1JWcnLP4U419CgDwczR-FupWObjxnRV1l-nQ_t-9oEBVI_aFti7dw8kcCvvdXSpb7Y6Sf_s2S9x223gtJfa3exUeTy0FpnRJfofVRqEGaHqVLUkt9vRC0n2yPpw_S6IKmQPOJ3lfAQqCueOSHNpmyOfj3xbJnhZYAmdjNcU_sGcbEya/w134-h200/slip.jpg" title="slip by marika mccoola and aatmaja pandya book cover" width="134" /></a></div>Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on
herself right now?<br /><br /> But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic
opportunities she’s been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to
know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat,
comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic
monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her
creatures in the kiln, something unreal happens: they come to life. And
they’re taking a stand: if Jade won’t confront her problems, her
problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them
all—if Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she
leaving Phoebe behind?</i></blockquote><p></p><p> </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Slip</i> is Jade’s story (Jade is a ceramicist and artist
who is struggling to find meaning in her work and herself), but it’s also
Phoebe’s story. Phoebe is Jade’s best friend, and she attempted suicide right
before Jade went off to art camp. At art camp, Jade can’t escape thoughts of
Phoebe, wondering WHY and wishing she could be with Phoebe, even as camp
challenges her to be at her best artistically, and to stretch her wings in new
and interesting ways. When Jade’s pottery starts taking on a life of its own
(and I mean that literally & magically), she must finally confront some
thoughts and feelings that have been running amok inside her. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jade’s story in <i>Slip</i> covers one month – an important moment
in time, and one of intense learning – but still only a month. The reader doesn’t
get too much back story, nor too much of a sense of what will happen after art
camp ends, but that’s okay. In that short time, we see Jade not only create and
think about art, but process grief and relationship loss/change, redefine her identity,
discover new love, and play with ideas and sources of inspiration. It’s a lot
to pack into one story, but McCoola and Pandya work some magical alchemy to make
it happen – the result is an ode to art as therapy and art as a reflection of reality.
My favorite scenes were the ones of Jade working alongside fellow creatives,
those talented and motivated campers and mentors: folks with big goals. Their
questions and actions spurred her on to greater heights and insights.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Throughout most of the book, Jade’s friends and mentors are
asking her: what is the concept behind your work? What is the thing that
holds you (or your art!) together? While Jade wrestles with these questions, the
book does an excellent job of showing what a mess our internal selves can be
when we experience trauma or are trying to come to grips with hard changes. I can’t
get over how accurate some of the illustrations felt: a jumble of words competing
inside Jade’s head but never making it outside her mouth, memories revisited
over and over, a friend’s words haunting you in very specific ways. <i>Slip</i>
is full of gentle ways of thinking about, talking about, and feeling hard
things – I don’t know when I have ever felt so cared for by a story at the end –
and I love that.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s not perfect (for instance, I’d like more of an explanation
of the pottery that comes to life, and what that means about Jade’s own mental
state), but overall <i>Slip</i> is a lovely mediation on art-making, processing
trauma, coming of age and creating an identity all on your own for the first
time.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s talk about the art! The most noticeable thing is that <i>Slip</i>
is illustrated in a limited color palette – most pages are in a dark blue gray
with gradients, and there are occasional splashes of that vibrant coral pink
from the front cover. Pink seems to herald strong emotions, change, and magic, and
the pops of pink startle the reader into a new frame of mind. The linework is well-defined,
without being too delicate or precious – it works for the medium and the story.
In a book with a limited color palette, the details matter a lot, and Pandya has
those locked down. I got an excellent feel for the process of pottery throwing
and firing – even in a limited time frame – through Pandya’s artistic renditions.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Slip</i> is a lovely thing: a graphic novel that
tackles art and identity in complex and gentle ways.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: fans of Kat Leyh’s <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2020/10/snapdragon.html">Snapdragon</a></i>
and <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2020/02/laura-dean-keeps-breaking-up-with-me.html">Laura
Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me</a></i>, and anyone interested in sensitive, quiet
young adult fiction and expanding their graphic novel collections. </p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-16392583796914792952022-10-10T06:00:00.019-04:002022-10-10T06:00:00.199-04:00a land of books<p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t need to read further than the title to know that <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60310652-a-land-of-books" target="_blank"><i>A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexicuh Word Painters</i></a> was for me! But
then of course there was also author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh’s art style (distinctive
and an homage to his homeland’s cultural history) to add to the allure as well.
I loved Tonatiuh’s picture book <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2016/12/the-princess-and-warrior.html">The Princess
and the Warrior</a></i>, and I keep his graphic novel <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/38251799">Undocumented</a></i>, on
undocumented immigrants and labor organizing, in my classroom library. What more
perfect title to feature on Indigenous Peoples’ Day than one that celebrates
their contributions to culture, bookmaking, and storytelling!</p>
<p><br /></p><p>
</p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2rUHGDcGKAQy74q0OH-mxv_Pwx_KtVZggYr9FoRB_S13muCGu6vmb5ClNfAcQ7eGJZYgzOQZ5moOar1YJrQFNdJzwiIZMqVDVgWY9dHqWv7DbUHgo_WOdVDqlsicYn7WTU6Olqh9JrP4brLZLeNXyPqUvRo12gWGyHjJbdQuAChXLGjqD70Vxfvp/s400/a%20land%20of%20books%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a land of books by duncan tonatiuh book cover" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2rUHGDcGKAQy74q0OH-mxv_Pwx_KtVZggYr9FoRB_S13muCGu6vmb5ClNfAcQ7eGJZYgzOQZ5moOar1YJrQFNdJzwiIZMqVDVgWY9dHqWv7DbUHgo_WOdVDqlsicYn7WTU6Olqh9JrP4brLZLeNXyPqUvRo12gWGyHjJbdQuAChXLGjqD70Vxfvp/w200-h200/a%20land%20of%20books%20book%20cover.jpg" title="a land of books by duncan tonatiuh book cover" width="200" /></a></div>Our world, little brother, is an amoxtlalpan, a land of books.<br />In the jungles where the jaguar dwells, the Mayas make books.<br />In the mountains the cloud people, the Mixtecs, make them as well. So do others in the coast and in the forests.<br />And we the Mexica of the mighty Aztec empire, who dwell in the valley of the volcanoes, make them too.<p></p><p><i>
A young Aztec girl tells her little brother how their parents create
beautiful painted manuscripts, or codices. She explains to him how paper
is made from local plants and how the long paper is folded into a book.
Her parents and others paint the codices to tell the story of their
people’s way of life, documenting their history, science, tributes, and
sacred rituals.</i></p><p>Duncan Tonatiuh’s lyrical prose and beloved illustration style, inspired
by the pre-Columbian codices, tell the story of how—contrary to the
historical narrative that European colonizers bestowed “civilization”
and knowledge to the Americas—the Aztec and their neighbors in the
Valley of Mexico painted books and records long before Columbus arrived,
and continued doing so among their Nahua-speaking descendants for
generations after the Spanish Conquest. From an award-winning
author-illustrator, A Land of Books<i> pays tribute to Mesoamerican ingenuity and celebrates the universal power of books.</i></p></blockquote><p> </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>A Land of Books</i> begins with an unnamed storyteller
sharing who makes amoxtin (books), how they are made, how tlahcuilohqueh (bookmakers)
are trained, the types of materials and dyes they use, and who has access to
and can read books. Then the book transitions into a dream sequence, telling a creation/origin
story, and ends with an example of the type of celebration where books and
bookmaking were featured in pre-Spanish Conquest Mesoamerican cultures. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The pictographs used in amoxtin (or <i>codices</i>, as they are
referred to today) are a major focus of the story, and the illustrations
throughout mimic them or use them directly. Small children familiar with the rhythm
and ritual of reading aloud will likely find the circumstances of when and where
certain books were read (or sung!) draw their attention, along with the 2D art.
Readers of all ages will likely start trying to decode the pictographs!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you can likely tell from the language in this review, Nahuatl
(a living language today!) is included within the book, and most of it can be
decoded while reading from context clues and the illustrations. Tonatiuh has
included a glossary at the back with a pronunciation guide and definitions if
you want to brush up before reading aloud. There’s also an excellent, extensive
author’s note, bibliography, and website where you can view the few historical codices
that survived Spanish colonization.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 351.75pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 351.75pt;">In a picture book about making
books, the illustrations are of particular interest. Tonatiuh’s images are
hand-drawn, and then collaged digitally. He specializes in flat, two-dimensional
illustrations, with figures who are always in profile, and <i>not</i> always in
proportion. Color also holds specific meaning. All of these elements are based
on the artwork of the amoxtin/codices, which Tonatiuh touches on in the story
as well.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 351.75pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 351.75pt;">In all, <i>A Land of Books</i> is
a book to be treasured – it not only tells the story of how books were made in pre-conquest
Central America, but it will also likely inspire a new generation of bookmakers,
researchers, and questioners.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 351.75pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 351.75pt;">Recommended for: anyone
interested in bookmaking, indigenous histories and culture, book lovers young
and old, and storytimes with curious young ones.</p>
<p><br /></p><p>A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexicuh Word Painters <i>will be available from Abrams Books for Young Readers on November 15, 2022.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received a digital review copy from the publisher via Edelweiss for review consideration. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span><br /></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-22128259422787552082022-09-29T06:00:00.001-04:002022-09-29T06:00:00.187-04:00full moon<p class="MsoNormal">New, impeccably designed picture books that appeal to a discerning
artistic eye AND to kiddos are sometimes hard to find. It’s my favorite sort of
picture book to gift – not only to give my friends-who-are-parents a break, but
also because as a child, I was fascinated most by the picture books that <i>weren’t</i>
endlessly cheery cartoonish escapes, and instead had what felt like grown-up
art, excellent use of negative space, and details to pore over read after reread.
In case you too are looking for this sort of picture book, Princeton Architectural
Press publishes several each year! And while I missed it when it came out in
2021, I’m happy to report that Camilla Pintonato’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54817797-full-moon" target="_blank"><i>Full Moon</i></a> fits the mold beautifully.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ad5WhYh65_8cEUFzkXVTqHklBFTrd1KZRYEtcE0M2wviN00QYcAnrxuRCxrEA2mGHULXI3bVC_iDdkV4eYCtI8hDe1TzKYN1PkN2BZVgsW8-Vw9olTQL1vbhkorxH1prJFK7CkeIgZsifXA0XjZ-Ax_cm7vyM-9TFXGiKLI-gQJOTLELiDudtLU2/s1478/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-28%20at%201.36.30%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="full moon by camilla pintonato book cover" border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="1338" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ad5WhYh65_8cEUFzkXVTqHklBFTrd1KZRYEtcE0M2wviN00QYcAnrxuRCxrEA2mGHULXI3bVC_iDdkV4eYCtI8hDe1TzKYN1PkN2BZVgsW8-Vw9olTQL1vbhkorxH1prJFK7CkeIgZsifXA0XjZ-Ax_cm7vyM-9TFXGiKLI-gQJOTLELiDudtLU2/w181-h200/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-28%20at%201.36.30%20PM.png" title="full moon by camilla pintonato book cover" width="181" /></a></div>As
the sun sets, the little gray rabbits are busy in their secret
workshop, but what could they be making? Follow along as the rabbits
prepare for the big event, inviting all of their forest friends to the
celebration. The mice, foxes, porcupines, and other forest creatures
gather as the full moon rises, and finally the big surprise is revealed.
The little rabbits release beautiful paper lanterns into the sky, where
they sparkle like stars in the light of the full moon.</i><p></p><i>
</i><p><i>Camilla
Pintonato's endearing illustrations invite us into a secret world,
where wonders take place while the humans are away and the animals play.
Striking, full-spread images of the rising moon and sun illuminate the
magical way the natural cycle of the sky unites us in wonder, giving
children a connection to nature they can experience from anywhere in the
world.</i></p></blockquote><p> </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">I was immediately charmed by cover art featuring small gray
rabbits wearing bright orange backpacks. If you were too, let me assure you: Pintonato’s
story lives up to that first charming image. Created originally as a wordless
picture book, and then published first in French and now in English, <i>Full
Moon</i> is a nighttime adventure full of animals, mystery, and important
questions – such as, “What are they carrying in their backpacks?” The answer to
that includes forest shenanigans and lots of industrious bunnies, and is a fun, fresh
flight of imagination.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In <i>Full Moon</i>, author-illustrator Pintonato taps into some
enduring themes and visuals in children’s books: what happens when the world
goes to sleep, the movement of the planets, the wonder of the natural world,
and whimsical, personified animal societies. These will be familiar to little
ones and adults alike from classic picture books such as <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32929.Goodnight_Moon">Goodnight Moon</a></i>.
However, Pintonato puts her own spin on these themes with humor and illustrations
full of vibrant color and detail. The rabbits are preparing for a big event,
and they have many things to coordinate to make it happen! I think my favorite
page was the one of the bunny with the orange flags, directing the start of the
“show.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The story would not have the same impact without Pintonato’s
excellent art. When you first open the book, you’ll notice that the endpapers are
illustrations of sunrise, and throughout several page spreads break from the busy
world of the bunnies on the ground to look at the night sky above. This
alternating focus slows the pacing down and makes it a perfect bedtime read. Pintonato’s fuzzy linework and varied colors feel reminiscent of the bleed
of water-based markers and watercolors, but her illustrations are created completely
in Photoshop. My brain wanted to say that it was all hand drawn, so I looked up
that fact to confirm. After taking in the art, you might be similarly amazed!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Full Moon</i> is a delightful picture book about
what animals might get up to after small children are tucked in bed. Its whimsical
art is sure to appeal to both children and the adults reading aloud to them.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: read alouds and storytimes, children ages 3
and up, and anyone who likes rabbits, parties, tales about the moon, and beautiful
books that demand several rereads.</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-2094747633716435312022-09-19T06:00:00.002-04:002022-10-19T14:08:14.679-04:00talli: daughter of the moon<p class="MsoNormal">The art is the first thing I notice when I pick up a graphic
novel. I know this isn’t groundbreaking, but stay with me. If the art appeals,
I am sold on reading the story. I have a particular weakness for detailed linework and
innovative use of perspectives, and Sourya’s young adult graphic novel <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60320663-talli-daughter-of-the-moon-vol-1" target="_blank"><i>Talli: Daughter of the Moon</i></a>,
translated by François Vigneault, has these in spades. Ergo, I was interested
immediately in its classic adventure story, set in a fantastical medieval past.
</p>
<p></p><p> </p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswfR2pMAtc2Yg6BBDMkKJOl33KjoN1UVFz5wXcds_yjWVRnriNqqRX4EACW2xL8vBrwhErHYUNn-VPYZ4rlorLydU8zU5mmXkYWJNVQSGd178Hi_gQjnm3_NbVKuvyLzjyAdGFR1oSH9au18BjeBjkDzinKRyO2z-OEVKLP9798giELgwLDJIVPcf/s2013/talli%20daughter%20of%20the%20moon%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2013" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswfR2pMAtc2Yg6BBDMkKJOl33KjoN1UVFz5wXcds_yjWVRnriNqqRX4EACW2xL8vBrwhErHYUNn-VPYZ4rlorLydU8zU5mmXkYWJNVQSGd178Hi_gQjnm3_NbVKuvyLzjyAdGFR1oSH9au18BjeBjkDzinKRyO2z-OEVKLP9798giELgwLDJIVPcf/w139-h200/talli%20daughter%20of%20the%20moon%20book%20cover.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>Talli
is a Summoner: a nearly extinct people, hunted by those who fear their
mysterious powers. As a baby, she was adopted by Lord Koska, and all was
well for many years... But one day, their castle is sacked by Koska's
rival, Lord Ulric. Talli escapes in the chaos and darkness with the help
of the noble (some might say </i>too noble<i>) knight Sir Alan.<br /> <br />With
Ulric's forces hot on her heels, Talli and Alan keep one step ahead,
gathering a motley crew of companions and protectors that includes the
lethargic-but-incredible swordsman Lélo. Ulric's Captain Nina pursues
them doggedly, but she is unaware of the secret of Talli's blood: the
secret of the Summoners!</i></blockquote><p></p> <br /><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Title character Talli (or Lady Talli to you, commoner!) is a
girl with mysterious antecedents, distinctive hair and jewelry (think Sailor Moon,
but medieval), and a history of being locked up in her adoptive father’s castle
for her own good. When other nobles sniff out her powers (?!), she must flee
before they capture her. On the way, she amasses a crew made up of a loyal-but-dim
knight, an oddball merchant with an uncanny nose for treasures, and a young boy
with excellent sword skills. Will they be able to evade the special brigade? Will
Lady Talli’s past and powers be revealed? Read to find out!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As with the first in any series, there is a lot of
exposition in this volume, though it is broken up by fight scenes as various
people discover that Talli is on the run and try to capture her for profit.
Talli herself doesn’t know her past or the extent of her powers, and doesn’t
say or do a lot (aka doesn’t have agency) for the first three quarters of the volume.
I realize that this is the first in a series, but it doesn’t quite coalesce
until the final few pages. Talli’s band are in a rush to make it to asylum in a
foreign land, and they respond more to the fight others bring to them than
anything else.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, the dialogue does not flow easily in parts,
and it seems as though some humor is lost (in translation? unclear) as well. There’s
also a creepy bit about Summoner powers manifesting during menstruation that
feels gender essentialist and like a throwback to fantasy stories from 30-40
years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be clear, I don’t think
menstruation is creepy, but I am wary of how it will be treated in the
narrative, since it is tied to Summoner magic. Menstruation = calling monsters
into being? Seems like a bad formula! But what do I know.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s get back to positives, aka the art! Sourya’s
illustrations are exquisite: black linework on white pages in pen and ink, with lots of heavy lines, fine cross-hatching, and finer details around the characters' faces. The art was penciled digitally,
and hand-inked on paper, which the artist demonstrates in a mini "The Making of Talli" comic in the backmatter. There are a wide variety of perspectives (many aerial views),
and several panels focus not only on the characters, but a sense of the land and
landscape that feels video game-inspired. It is truly beautiful, and I am just
as much a fan of the art as I was at the start!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Talli: Daughter of the Moon</i> is an adventure
story with some promise. Volume 1 lags in parts, but fans of sword fights, daring
escapes, and a video game-crossed-with-manga aesthetic will love it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: fans of historical fantasy graphic novels
and manga, and anyone who likes to play video or computer games set in medieval
Europe or a quasi-medieval setting. </p>
<p></p><p> </p><p>Talli: Daughter of the Moon <i>will be available from Oni Press on October 25, 2022. </i></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received an ARC of this title for review consideration from the publisher. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-58531332566425161972022-09-15T06:00:00.021-04:002022-09-15T06:00:00.192-04:00victory. stand!: raising my fist for justiceI’m always on the lookout for graphic novels and books that
will appeal to my students (9<sup>th</sup> and 11<sup>th</sup> graders). Often
that means finding and reading nonfiction, sports books, science books – things
that aren’t necessarily in my own reading wheelhouse but would spark the
interest of a kid who has given up on reading for pleasure. The upcoming
young adult graphic novel <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60165401-victory-stand" target="_blank"><i>Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice</i></a> by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile is just such a book. I’m so glad I took a moment
to read it after Norton sent me a copy – I can tell that it will not only
resonate with my students, but it is a fantastic text, and it meant a
lot to me. <p><br /></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAoT4AEUnYWQecAyeXtF2T-uUFEqu2xaoSrEY_d5w_PJoonvIRqOnkVFYgNNxqm06947zMx3cLizgYv9XuGQTzHmJxCA4ja9vBOS1fjjaSKeFemR11_T5Ed2DVD0CfAvNhGOsul4cjnhe-fWA382wVSJrRdS-j478DSKuu45RS78IAgZZ6TPurdEB/s1200/victory.%20stand!.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="victory. stand! by tommie smith, derrick barnes, dawud anyabwile book cover" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="826" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAoT4AEUnYWQecAyeXtF2T-uUFEqu2xaoSrEY_d5w_PJoonvIRqOnkVFYgNNxqm06947zMx3cLizgYv9XuGQTzHmJxCA4ja9vBOS1fjjaSKeFemR11_T5Ed2DVD0CfAvNhGOsul4cjnhe-fWA382wVSJrRdS-j478DSKuu45RS78IAgZZ6TPurdEB/w138-h200/victory.%20stand!.jpg" title="victory. stand! by tommie smith, derrick barnes, dawud anyabwile book cover" width="138" /></a></div>On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships. </i><p></p><p><i>In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award–winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, </i>Victory. Stand!<i> paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.</i></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Tommie Smith is famous for a stand he took after accepting
the gold medal for running and winning the 200 meters (and breaking the World
Record) at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. That photo, of Smith’s and bronze
medalist John Carlos’ fists raised in the sky on the Olympic podium, is an iconic
protest image. But who is (and was) the man behind that gold medal? In <i>Victory.
Stand!</i> Tommie Smith tells his life story for young adults: how he grew up
as a sharecropper’s son in rural Texas, moved out to California with his family,
focused on his education, gained cultural consciousness, how his sporting life proceeded,
and eventually, how he ended up in that fateful race and made a stand for justice.
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve read Smith’s story before, and I remember being horrified
at how his moment in the spotlight prompted almost 50 years of racist backlash –
death threats, economic hardship (he was fired immediately and then had a hard
time finding a job for years), and awful vitriol directed not just towards him,
but towards every member of his family. Only in the last couple of decades has
there been some softening into acceptance, appreciation, and acknowledgement of
Smith’s legacy. The end of this book does not shy away from those hard truths –
in concise terms, Smith details what a life of uncompromising morals and
purpose may result in. He also makes a connection to others in the current
spotlight or not-so-distant past who have stood up for what they believe is
right, and faced the consequences.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As a graphic novel memoir, <i>Victory. Stand!</i> is tight,
focused narrative told in linear format interspersed with flashbacks. The “present”
is the race for Olympic gold, and the flashbacks are to Smith’s early childhood
in Texas. There is a constant feeling of moving forward with purpose, and Smith’s
connection to places and family share the focus for much of the story. It’s a
gripping tale, and one with excellent: pacing, mix of dialogue and narration,
and artwork. The full package, if you will. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of artwork, Dawud Anyabwile’s black and white linework
and art is exceptional. Each panel is considered, framed for effect, and
contains gradations of black and white that make the scene pop. In the action moments,
there’s a palpable sense of movement and focus, and the use of shadow and
lighting that merge with the text to tell a story. A variety of the panel sizes
keep the reader’s eye moving. While there is quite a bit of text on the page,
it the book never feels text-heavy – it is just right: balanced, moving, and electric.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Victory. Stand!</i> is a standout graphic memoir.
I can’t wait to put it in kids’ hands. I think Tommie’s message will
resonate with not only those who remember the Olympic moment, but also folks learning about it now, and those with eyes and hearts open to the world today.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p>
Recommended for: readers ages 10 and up, fans of American history, graphic novels, and sports, and anyone interested in learning how to use their unique talents to be a better person in the world. </p><p> </p><p>Victory. Stand!<i> will be released by Norton Young Readers (W. W. Norton & Company) on September 27, 2022.</i><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received an advanced copy from the publisher for review and course adoption consideration. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span><br /></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-9929638042125077082022-09-13T06:00:00.000-04:002022-09-13T06:00:00.194-04:00the wondrous wonders<p class="MsoNormal">I love graphic novels. They are fun to look at, quick reads,
and for my students, they are accessible texts. You don’t have to be the
strongest reader in the class to get something out of the story in a graphic
novel. I have a poster in my classroom that looks like lines on a chalkboard, with
the words “AUDIOBOOKS ARE NOT CHEATING” listed over and over. I wish I had one
for graphic novels too! Anyway, all that to say, I pick up graphic novels
whenever I can, and my latest read was Camille Jourdy’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59251225-the-wondrous-wonders" target="_blank"><i>The Wondrous Wonders</i></a>,
translated by Montana Kane. It is a whimsical and funny portal fantasy for the
middle grade set.</p>
<p><br /></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JUVKJpTJEAm9JypYLeYyHq04UXbSyzb2mX4mCTxB1WjHXd6S4O8SH7XdwdMh0UxJOGa4LFojwQrFkXBg14X2LZaIkv1Z3MhWi3rzwyXfiEOz_Ax49ujtLIm6yVxBsWXK-SRpCv80cO3vgs4oN_Exi1yNW5QH0-vM85QIGrUxISLR8FYXYQ4edvEE/s400/the%20wondrous%20wonders%20by%20camille%20jourdy%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the wondrous wonders by camille jourdy book cover" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JUVKJpTJEAm9JypYLeYyHq04UXbSyzb2mX4mCTxB1WjHXd6S4O8SH7XdwdMh0UxJOGa4LFojwQrFkXBg14X2LZaIkv1Z3MhWi3rzwyXfiEOz_Ax49ujtLIm6yVxBsWXK-SRpCv80cO3vgs4oN_Exi1yNW5QH0-vM85QIGrUxISLR8FYXYQ4edvEE/w157-h200/the%20wondrous%20wonders%20by%20camille%20jourdy%20book%20cover.jpg" title="the wondrous wonders by camille jourdy book cover" width="157" /></a></div>From Camille Jourdy comes a magical graphic novel filled with gentle, offbeat humor and gorgeous watercolor artwork, </i>The Wondrous Wonders<i>.<br /><br />It’s
perfect weather for a family picnic, but Jo is in a bad mood. Hurt by
her parents’ recent divorce and struggling to accept her new stepmother
and sisters, she decides to run away and make a new life for herself in
the forest. She soon finds herself tumbling through a weird and
wonderful landscape, in a realm ruled by an evil cat prince and the
dream-logic of a child's imagination. She'll need courage, hope, and
heart to overcome all the obstacles she encounters on this adventure.</i></blockquote><p></p>
<p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Young Jo is unhappy with her parents’ divorce and her new
stepfamily, and so she runs away to the woods one day. What she finds there is
unexpected – a whole world peopled with elves, talking animals, a dastardly Emperor
Tomcat, and Wondrous Wonders: beautiful wild horses (ponies?) in all colors. Jo
almost immediately joins a rescue mission with her new friends. On this
adventure, she meets characters (and I do mean <i>characters</i>) who speak
bits of wisdom to her, mock her, and make ridiculous asides. It’s a fun and
funny – but the lingering question remains – where will the adventure end?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I first heard about this title, my attention was caught
by the beautiful watercolor artwork, and the phrase “offbeat humor.” I have complicated
feelings about that phrase regarding this title. It’s not strange or weird humor
– it’s just adult? And I don’t mean that it’s inappropriate. There are simply all
sorts of conversations going on around Jo that don’t involve her. And they’re
funny! As a child reading this book, the jokes might or might not make sense,
but it’s exactly the sort of language that children figure out by listening to
adults talk to each other. I think it’s charming that Jo’s adventure, while
fantastical, still has so many elements of “real life” in it. And Jo herself, a
bit fractious and feral – but open to friendship – is like a lot of little kids
I knew or know now.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I also appreciate that there’s no heavy-handed moral at the
end of the story. Jo’s adventure is just that: a widening of perspective and
trying something new, and if she learns a little bit from the characters she
encounters, then good for her. But if she doesn’t, she wandered through a
beautiful land, saw lots of weird things, and adapted well. There are themes of
course, but they’re not overt, and some things Jourdy leaves the artwork to express
best.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of the art! Jourdy’s panels are watercolor
delights, rarely enclosed in black lines. The vibe is classic storybook-turned-graphic
novel, and the text’s playful feeling manifests in many ways, including the costumes
the characters wear: Maurice the fox in a creampuff suit and Pompom the dog in
rainbow-striped boots, for instance. Lots of small panels, set in an ever-changing
landscape, keep the adventure moving not only pacing-wise, but distance-wise as
well. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Wondrous Wonders</i> is a delightful, quirky story
that recalls <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/858152.Puss_in_Boots">Puss in Boots</a></i>,
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21787.The_Princess_Bride">The Princess
Bride</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24213.Alice_s_Adventures_in_Wonderland_Through_the_Looking_Glass">Alice
in Wonderland</a></i> all in one go. In other words, it’s got adventure, quips,
antics, and a safe landing for its young readers. I enjoyed it!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: graphic novel readers ages 8 and up,
fantasy fans young and old, and anyone who liked Johan Troïanowski’s <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45864036-the-runaway-princess">The
Runaway Princess</a></i>.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">The Wondrous Wonders<i> will be available from First Second on November 1, 2022. </i><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher for review consideration. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span><br /></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-8508314240387492532022-09-07T06:00:00.078-04:002022-09-07T19:36:33.206-04:00the wild hunt<p>I had a heck of a week last week. A list of things that happened: the
first four days of the school year, a traffic ticket & car trouble, a
stolen wallet, a lunch left in a ride share car, a trip to Iowa, and a
general feeling of possibly being cursed? So in the midst of it all I
obviously bought a book I had barely heard of before in an airport
bookstore and read it in the space of the weekend. Emma Seckel’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59580653-the-wild-hunt" target="_blank"><i>The
Wild Hunt</i></a> is a haunting and harrowing historical adult fantasy, and it
was an excellent escape from the world. </p><p><br /></p>
<p></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFciNjczTrjPS6FnG4eZtUZfHLXbVE0kRY8OiXcqV-dW9SC2Vwf1R0cvGwiVdu0AF6GKiq2U8In0dz2INI56Lt7p9_7pxm4L-7st3acBDcKoBomrGNdAZQSXXHJMy5yl0wgvwCyG4w0g_EcW6DT2qUXbX-zaQ3dUoT_IpLLEKTDYEDuPbzioakW9W/s1200/the%20wild%20hunt%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the wild hunt by emma seckel book cover" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="777" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFciNjczTrjPS6FnG4eZtUZfHLXbVE0kRY8OiXcqV-dW9SC2Vwf1R0cvGwiVdu0AF6GKiq2U8In0dz2INI56Lt7p9_7pxm4L-7st3acBDcKoBomrGNdAZQSXXHJMy5yl0wgvwCyG4w0g_EcW6DT2qUXbX-zaQ3dUoT_IpLLEKTDYEDuPbzioakW9W/w129-h200/the%20wild%20hunt%20book%20cover.jpg" title="the wild hunt by emma seckel book cover" width="129" /></a></div>The islanders have only three rules: don’t stick your nose where it’s not wanted, don’t mention the war, and never let your guard down during October.
<br /><br />Leigh Welles has not set foot on the island in years, but when she finds herself called home from a disappointing life on the Scottish mainland by her father’s unexpected death, she is determined to forget the sorrows of the past—her mother’s abandonment, her brother’s icy distance, the unspeakable tragedy of World War II—and start fresh. Fellow islander Iain MacTavish, a RAF veteran with his eyes on the sky and his head in the past is also in desperate need of a new beginning. A young widower, Iain struggles to return to the normal life he knew before the war.
<br /><br />But this October is anything but normal. This October, the </i>sluagh<i> are restless. The ominous, bird-like creatures of Celtic legend—whispered to carry the souls of the dead—have haunted the islanders for decades, but in the war’s wake, there are more wandering souls and more </i>slaugh<i>. When a local boy disappears, Leigh and Iain are thrown together to investigate the truth at the island’s dark heart and reveal hidden secrets of their own.
<br /><br />Rich with historical detail and a skillful speculative edge, Emma Seckel’s propulsive and pulse-pounding debut </i>The Wild Hunt<i> unwinds long-held tales of love, loss, and redemption.</i></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Leigh Welles is accustomed to loss—her mother disappeared into the sea
when she was ten and never came back, her brother left for university
soon afterward and then disappeared into the Second World War and never sailed back
home, she lost her own big city dreams in the slog of trying to make it
on the post-war mainland, and now she’s finally returned because her
father fell and drowned, and there’s a funeral to attend and a discarded
life to shake the dust off of and return to. Put all that together with
the fact that on their remote Scottish island, something uncanny happens
in October, and you have the setting for <i>The Wild Hunt</i>. How the next
month plays out—the unrest and cruelty of the <i>sluagh</i> (spirits who take
the form of crows and only appear in October) will either make or break
the island, and Leigh and those she loves will be closest to it all. <br /><br />This
book does a lot: it is a post-war imagining, both pastoral and
historical. It is also speculative and literary, and dips into horror in
places as well. It succeeds as a narrative because of the pervasive
atmosphere Seckel creates within its covers. There’s an overarching
heaviness and darkness in Seckel’s tale, a countdown sounding in ominous
bass notes in the background, the unbearable weight of history and at
the same time tradition and superstition knocking up against the modern
world. There’s a sense of isolation that butts up against belonging, and
cloying despair battling it out with small moments of hope. I found it
fascinating, but I like a slow build and excessive world building. The
gathering unrest of it all—contained, quiet, and devastating, did not
feel fully resolved, but it did feel fitting. If you like stories that
slowly sink their claws into your psyche and leave small openings for
what may come next, you’ll like this book. <br /><br />As mentioned above,
loss colors much of the narrative, and no one’s loss seems more personal
or immediate than Leigh’s…until you meet the wreck that is Iain
MacTavish, slowly sinking in a sea of guilt over death — those island
boys lost in the war, a wife lost in the Blitz, and survivors carried
away in senseless post-war slaughter, both memory- and <i>sluagh</i>-caused.
Seckel skillfully interweaves Leigh and Iain’s voices, dreams, pieces of
the past (long-gone and near), and other villagers’ perspectives to
create a poignant whole. The characterization rests against a foggy and
indistinct background, on some small Scottish isle — never positively
identified by name but described in eerie detail. Aside from loss, the
most immediate themes are the futility of war, legend and myth crossing
over into reality, and community identity. The fact that this story is
not easily categorized, but still succeeds, is a credit to Seckel’s
writing ability: neither spare nor overblown, and careful in its
urgency and construction. <br /><br />In all, <i>The Wild Hunt</i> is convincing
and emotion-laden. It’s a trip straight into the past, into the liminal
spaces between worlds, and to an island held in the malevolent spell of mysterious
creatures and too-present grief. <br /><br />Recommended for: fantasy fans
who enjoy a dark fantasy/horror vibe, readers who think mythology-meets-post-war-despair sounds intriguing, those who enjoy bird-based horror and myth, and anyone (quite
rightly!) obsessed with Scottish coastline, expertly and lovingly
described. <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-48295691641170640692022-09-05T06:00:00.000-04:002022-09-05T06:00:00.194-04:00remote control<p class="MsoNormal">As an English teacher now, and a book blogger of longer
standing, I am asked quite often for book recommendations. If someone wants
science fiction, I nearly always steer them towards Nnedi Okorafor. Her stories
are inventive and deeply interesting, and novella <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53205922-remote-control">Remote Control</a></i>
is no exception. It is a concise, layered, and wondrous mystery.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VBbntaSH1mqxCFpP19Y_EcBdQezFadZYyjVhZUyAdy7CPibu1utf7ZWKi9alY79fN1Vo0OhgFuk6Tf6nq4S7pEoWytO8xyj5klu589iUX4cW42TEh_Vnikv7dHYHzymmkAdOBSHXfDUFgKkJ4N34AbZDpcfe_02PPtzZEUqE7AFoZsUUDplWthB5/s750/remote%20control%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="remote control by nnedi okorafor book cover" border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="496" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VBbntaSH1mqxCFpP19Y_EcBdQezFadZYyjVhZUyAdy7CPibu1utf7ZWKi9alY79fN1Vo0OhgFuk6Tf6nq4S7pEoWytO8xyj5klu589iUX4cW42TEh_Vnikv7dHYHzymmkAdOBSHXfDUFgKkJ4N34AbZDpcfe_02PPtzZEUqE7AFoZsUUDplWthB5/w133-h200/remote%20control%20book%20cover.jpg" title="remote control by nnedi okorafor book cover" width="133" /></a></div>"She’s the adopted daughter of the Angel of Death. Beware of her. Mind her. Death guards her like one of its own."<i><br /><br />The
day Fatima forgot her name, Death paid a visit. From hereon in she
would be known as Sankofa--a name that meant nothing to anyone but
her, the only tie to her family and her past.<br /><br />Her touch is death,
and with a glance a town can fall. And she walks--alone, except for her
fox companion--searching for the object that came from the sky and gave
itself to her when the meteors fell and when she was yet unchanged;
searching for answers.<br /><br />But is there a greater purpose for Sankofa, now that Death is her constant companion?</i></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">A young girl mysteriously glows with a green, killing light,
can stop a bullet, and is widely feared – this is how <i>Remote Control</i> begins.
Author Okorafor spends the rest of the story unraveling just how Sankofa became
this creature of legend. How can she emit and evade death all at once? What
about the uncanny red fox Movenpick who follows her everywhere? Does the ever-present
and ominous corporation LifeGen have something to do with her powers? Or the
mysterious glowing green that came from the sky when she was small? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Remote Control </i>is a masterful, open-ended tale, rich
in imagery and allusions, history and the future, natural world and the human-constructed
one – and it is also a science fiction puzzle. Sankofa knows little about why
and how she came to be who she is, and this guides the storytelling structure.
Also unavoidable are tragedy, sorrow, and close encounters with fear and
violence – some of the byproducts and antecedents of death. As she wanders
Ghana on foot, first in a chase and then in avoidance, Sankofa studies human
nature, even as she is held apart from it. Sankofa’s musings are perhaps best represented
by this quote, from pages 112-113:</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="margin-left: 40px">“…people were complicated. They wore masks and guises to
protect or hide their real selves. They re-invented themselves. They destroyed
themselves. They built on themselves.”</p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Okorafor’s tale is not especially kind to humanity, nor to
those who find themselves with money and power – it is interested in how we
treat those on the margins, and perhaps those who choose to unplug from the
digital detritus of modern life. It also feels – in a very distant way – like a
riff on the Superman mythos, if the only thing you knew about it was that the
mysterious object that emits green light kills him.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Remote Control</i> imagines a weird, haunting, and
visceral future where perhaps alien contact has mingled with the mythos of the
harbinger of death, and a young girl has been caught in the crosshairs.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: fans of Okorafor’s <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2017/04/binti.html">Binti</a></i>, those on
the lookout for original science fiction, and anyone looking for adult sci-fi
and fantasy with YA crossover appeal.</p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-90466557468930521562022-08-31T06:00:00.059-04:002022-08-31T17:49:25.149-04:00city under the city<p class="MsoNormal">I had the pleasure of hearing Dan Yaccarino,
author-illustrator of picture book- slash early reader-hybrid <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59892535-the-city-under-the-city" target="_blank"><i>City Under the City</i></a>, speak on a panel at Picture Book Palooza last month. He and the other
panelists had very interesting things to say about how they create images to go
with picture book words – telling their stories through images as well as (or
married to!) the author’s text. Yaccarino’s title is science fiction for very
young readers, and its words AND images evoke a whole different world.</p>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3er5AJzYk9bKV-SbNn-tYVs4g8UmVFP8Vxh_CoRWq8NPq5FC9RtsLCkI5uEtj-iZTK6zfEYxNOLkBUIdSKj-kuVTCnJQkCuIpMk3eMJ8_hX6K54TnHmy5_6Z7661O7ynCJT6r4h9FOpVu6FPzifpJUbQeh2cinwo6Fme0DjBQocdP37VDC5Y4xSa/s911/city%20under%20the%20city%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="city under the city by dan yaccarino book cover" border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="747" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3er5AJzYk9bKV-SbNn-tYVs4g8UmVFP8Vxh_CoRWq8NPq5FC9RtsLCkI5uEtj-iZTK6zfEYxNOLkBUIdSKj-kuVTCnJQkCuIpMk3eMJ8_hX6K54TnHmy5_6Z7661O7ynCJT6r4h9FOpVu6FPzifpJUbQeh2cinwo6Fme0DjBQocdP37VDC5Y4xSa/w164-h200/city%20under%20the%20city%20book%20cover.jpg" title="city under the city by dan yaccarino book cover" width="164" /></a></div>Bix lives with her family in a city where people rarely talk or play together, and no longer read books. Instead, they stare at small portable screens, monitored by giant eyeballs. The Eyes are here to help! With everything. But Bix would like to do things for herself. Running from an Eye, she discovers another world: the City Under the City. There, she befriends a rat who leads her to a library and its treasure trove of books and knowledge. As she explores the abandoned city, she’s thrilled to learn about the people who lived there, with no Eyes. But she misses her family, and decides to head home, where, just maybe, she can help defeat the intrusive Eyes—and show her people how to think for themselves and enjoy each other’s company. </i><p></p><p><i>Told through Dan Yaccarino’s stunning graphic style, this page-turning picture book/early reader crossover will spark a new appreciation of reading, books, independence, friendship, and family.</i></p></blockquote><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">The people in Bix’s city are watched by the Eyes, who see,
direct, and know all. Bix, unlike the rest of her family, does not like the help
of the eyes, and tries to refuse their directions (this does not go well). One
day she spots a rat and follows it through a crack and into… a hidden city
below her own. There she sees many strange sights and learns to read books,
which teach her about a great many things: history, music, art, animals, and
friendship, for starters. She also lives by herself and cares for herself for the
first time. But after a while, and a great deal of learning, Bix wants to go
back to her family. What will happen next? Revolution!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With a premise that’s a cross between <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61439040-1984" target="_blank"><i>1984</i></a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/307791.The_City_of_Ember" target="_blank"><i>The City of Ember</i></a>, <i>City Under the City</i> takes some classic science
fiction tropes and adapts them for young readers. While the idea of an AI surveillance
state that controls humanity and doesn’t allow for noncompliance is a familiar storyline
in modern media, it may be brand new for little ones just starting to read
independently. Bix’s flight to an unknown world below, where mysteries abound
and are unraveled, is another familiar premise – for <i>adults</i>. <i>City
Under the City</i> has the potential to create and/or nurture the next
generation of science fiction fans.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yaccarino indicates full immersion in the worlds above and
below through use of a limited color palette – purples and yellows for the
world above, and deep orangey-red for the city below. He also includes allusions
in his illustrations that adults will be sure to pick up on: distinctive landmarks,
a very famous painting, etc. His style (ink on vellum, rendered digitally) relies
on fluid linework in varying shades, architectural details, inventive use of perspective
and lighting, and that limited color palette described above. The result is a
picture book with: A) more to discover upon each re-read, and B) a deceptive
simplicity with layers of meaning. It's also impeccably designed, with fun and unusual end papers and some page spreads that read like a graphic novel.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>City Under the City</i> is simple enough for
independent reading, but also complex enough (particularly with the help of
images) for a science fiction premise. I loved the plot, the cheerful
illustrations, and Bix’s can-do attitude. It is sure to delight readers young
and old.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: storytimes and independent reading for children
ages 4-7, for anyone looking for unique picture books with distinctive plots
and artwork, and for young science fiction and fantasy aficionados. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p></p><p>City Under the City <i>will be available from mineditionUS/Astra Books for Young Readers on November 15, 2022. </i><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received an advanced copy of this title at Picture Book Palooza. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span><br /></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-49850579275150707642022-08-15T06:00:00.017-04:002022-08-15T06:00:00.188-04:00shifting earth<p>I don’t want to admit it quite yet, but the end of summer is
almost here… and I’m still thinking about all the books I meant to read over
the summer. I was very ambitious, and I haven’t finished enough of them, but I’m
an incurable book collector – it’s a law of the universe. Speaking of
universes, Cecil Castellucci, Flavia Biondi, and Fabiana Mascolo’s new sci-fi graphic
novel <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61085412-shifting-earth" target="_blank"><i>Shifting Earth</i></a> imagines our own future world ravaged by climate
change contrasted with a mirror universe where the population works together in
astonishing ways, but cannot completely escape human darkness.</p>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWdgLw4TYXSzvbGTehGxp43QzprWE60yKQjubfcfLaARSuUsjqYh9Cf7ly1hA50HwlhalZyMyj71XmKgjcAygJSpqc2LDCbMynJ4SuaPq28IPMACPdtSAivKsrV6jtUwPF0tQZfxF8Zt_2Kssoj4inrsalAzGNtA4XbCEgGQ9JQ_QtMEpDekP3bo3/s700/shifting%20earth%20by%20cecil%20castellucci,%20flavia%20bioni,%20fabiana%20mascolo%20book%20cover.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="shifting earrth by cecil castelluci, flavia biondi, fabiana mascolo book cover" border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="505" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWdgLw4TYXSzvbGTehGxp43QzprWE60yKQjubfcfLaARSuUsjqYh9Cf7ly1hA50HwlhalZyMyj71XmKgjcAygJSpqc2LDCbMynJ4SuaPq28IPMACPdtSAivKsrV6jtUwPF0tQZfxF8Zt_2Kssoj4inrsalAzGNtA4XbCEgGQ9JQ_QtMEpDekP3bo3/w144-h200/shifting%20earth%20by%20cecil%20castellucci,%20flavia%20bioni,%20fabiana%20mascolo%20book%20cover.jpeg" title="shifting earrth by cecil castelluci, flavia biondi, fabiana mascolo book cover" width="144" /></a></div>In a not-so-distant future, a freak particle storm has landed botanist Dr. Maeve Millay on an idyllic yet strange parallel Earth, with no way back home.<br /><br />Here, two moons rule society, and nature outshines science. But just like her own climate ravaged planet, this verdant Earth has a sinister side. Children are rare. Humans must serve a purpose or pay an unthinkable price. Astronomer Zuzi battles this underlying darkness every day—just like Maeve did at home. Both women are fighters, and both face a choice: forge new paths, or save the worlds they've always known? Maeve will have to decide, and fast—because she's fighting for more than just herself.</i></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">In <i>Shifting Earth</i>, botanist Maeve is frustrated and,
in some ways, hopeless – humanity has wrecked her near-future planet, and she’s
struggling to preserve wild seed varieties to find something that will help
humanity survive growing plagues and devastation. When she connects with an old
friend at a conference, he urges her to come see his work, and this leads
eventually to Maeve’s landing on an alternate earth with two moons and very
different problems. On this other earth, usefulness is the true measure of
value, and astronomer and scientist’s Zuzi’s work has been deemed useless. Maeve’s
arrival unsettles Zuzi’s utopian-esque world in new ways, and it will take the
effort and will of many to unravel what happened, and how to send Maeve back
home.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I liked that this graphic novel asked some big questions in
a fairly short volume. What is the good life? How do we create it for ourselves
and generations to come? How do we preserve what we have and remain adaptable
and open to the future and change? All of these are good questions, and
Castellucci’s story not only poses them, but tries to begin answering them
through Maeve and Zuzi’s intertwined narrative as well. I also liked that a
variety of relationship dynamics were portrayed in the story, and the déjà vu interactions
between Maeve and the alternate universe versions of her loved ones and
friends.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One thing I had complicated feelings about: *spoiler alert* (highlight if you want
to read) <span style="color: white;">the forced birth plotline.</span> *end spoiler* I also didn’t feel as
invested in Zuzi’s portion of the story – perhaps partially because the stakes
did not seem high until later in the narrative. It felt as though she and her
partner did not get as much page time as Maeve & co. The stars of this
story are the premise (getting sucked into an alternate universe: COOL!) and
the climate change urgency driving the plot forward. The conclusion is meant to
be a stunner but is weakened by neatly-tied resolution on one hand, and a sort
of blank, unknowingness on another. After thrilling build-up, I felt
unsatisfied.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s talk the art, an ever-important part of any graphic
novel experience! Biondi’s creativity comes through – especially in the depiction
and imagination of what the shifting particles scenes that transport a
character from one universe to another might look like, and in the visual
conception of alternate earth. The art reminded me of the clean, professional lines
of the Saga series, and it’s clearly created for the discerning adult comics
reading fan. The palette contains a lot of earth tones (apropos for an earth-y story,
ha ha) and what I call muted brights – colors that would be vivid at full contrast
but are darkened or muted a bit. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Shifting Earth</i> is a thought-provoking science
fiction graphic novel about climate change, alternate universes, and the essential
humanity that ties us together, for good and bad.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: fans of science-heavy science fiction and inventive
adult graphic novels.</p>
<p></p><p> </p><p>Shifting Earth<i> will be available from Berger Books/Dark Horse on August 30, 2022.</i><br /></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received an ARC from the publisher as part of a giveaway. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span><br /></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-1088408669701728142022-08-10T06:00:00.003-04:002022-08-10T08:18:34.492-04:00a marvellous light<p class="MsoNormal">When people ask what your favorite book is, how do you
answer? I never know quite what to say – my tastes are ever-shifting, and so
many favorites are books the questioner will not have heard of. But if I had to
fill out a questionnaire about what I’d <i>enjoy</i> reading most, Freya Marske’s
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53217284-a-marvellous-light" target="_blank">A Marvellous Light</a> </i>would tick almost
all of the boxes. It feels almost tailor-made for me, with 1920s-era shenanigans,
a m/m relationship that goes from strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, magic,
British manners and dressing, and trying to solve a mystery at a country house.
</p>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p><i></i></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItaDAO3Bra1IqCvd3RZ2fmlGGiyToBdVbHUjH86WOea1Ib9yr1L3LSJs4ZTeEx568Umsx6BZjs2Dn6CWmmsKCz2WFC9SHLddu5HG--83sNPD0nmSJHW04qEfn1-JH7wBp0EGCBedHFByZRkh9WrghSR5dhE6VzID6aD7qJZgELF66GlXdO7xhIGJ6/s1126/a%20marvellous%20light.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a marvellous light by freya marske book cover" border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="740" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItaDAO3Bra1IqCvd3RZ2fmlGGiyToBdVbHUjH86WOea1Ib9yr1L3LSJs4ZTeEx568Umsx6BZjs2Dn6CWmmsKCz2WFC9SHLddu5HG--83sNPD0nmSJHW04qEfn1-JH7wBp0EGCBedHFByZRkh9WrghSR5dhE6VzID6aD7qJZgELF66GlXdO7xhIGJ6/w131-h200/a%20marvellous%20light.png" title="a marvellous light by freya marske book cover" width="131" /></a></div>Robin Blyth has more
than enough bother in his life. He's struggling to be a good older
brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat
gutted by his late parents' excesses. When an administrative mistake
sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he
discovers what's been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality
he's always known.<br /><br />Now Robin must contend with the beauty and
danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions
of the future that come with it--not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold
and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes
Robin were anyone and anywhere else.<br /><br />Robin's predecessor has
disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling
truths about the very oldest stories they've been told about the land
they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected
dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician
in the British Isles--and a secret that more than one person has already
died to keep.</i></blockquote>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">What is <i>A Marvellous Light</i>? A lot of fun!! As I told
a reading friend, it feels like a mashup of Garth Nix’s <i><a href="http://www.ceceliabedelia.com/2014/04/newts-emerald.html">Newt’s Emerald</a></i>
and Susanna Clarke’s <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14201.Jonathan_Strange_Mr_Norrell">Jonathan
Strange & Mr Norrell</a></i>. By that I mean it has some of the hallmarks
of a British historial romance/romp, but there’s also a strong thread of
philosophical inquiry into magic throughout the book, which makes sense as Edwin
Courcey is into spellcraft, and Robin Blyth is new to magic and must have
everything explained to him. Academic theory gives way to hands-on mystery and
crime-solving, peppered with musings on specific patterns of wallpaper (??!), magical
party games, and interpersonal conflict. It works, especially because of the growing
sympathy between the main characters. There’s also a murder and a missing
object right off the bat – and the main character Edwin and Robin spend most of
the rest of the book trying to solve it (aka it is structured as a murder
mystery).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now I’ve also said the words romance and romp, and I don’t
want to mislead you, so there are NO: formal dances, dinners, Season, or
courtship. There ARE: curses, hedge mazes, spunky younger sisters, unpleasant
characters, family trauma, and interesting digressions into how magic might
work in an already classist system. At the heart of <i>A Marvellous Light</i> are
two imperfect and dissimilar men doing as best they can with the hand they are
dealt, both lonely in their own ways, meeting and finding something within each
other to trust and cherish. Not really a romance (though we do leave them happy!),
but an interesting historical mystery with a heaping helping of finding unexpected
love.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, the world in <i>A Marvellous Light</i> is not
a great alternate world for women: they have no rights of their own, and the
male characters in the book, even if they recognize the harm, do not do anything
or think of it beyond a passive sort of “oh, right, that’s the way things are,
seems a bit unfair.” Characterization of Edwin’s sister Bel and her marriage is
particularly unfinished: she’s portrayed as an extremely selfish, awful person,
who runs a house and a social group… but she cedes always to her husband, and lets
him mansplain happily – does she have agency or no? Robin’s sister Maud is mad
to go to university, and Robin is passively undecided about the whole thing for
most of the book – and this is his sister’s FUTURE he has in his hands, and he
claims to love her. In addition, the inclusion of the Morrisey sisters (both
secretaries, women of color, and seemingly doing men’s jobs for them) felt a bit
tokenized, but I will leave that to others who know more.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of course, you can fully enjoy an imperfect book, and I did.
This title was 100% my catnip. I loved the descriptions of English houses and
grounds, the complicated magical system that we only scratched the surface of, Robin’s
cluelessness giving way to insight, Edwin’s slow progression towards trust, and
various adventures in curse breaking. I can’t wait to see what Marske writes
next.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>A Marvellous Light</i> is a romp of the first
order. Not completely fault-free, but marvelous fun! (see what I did there?)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: fans of UK-set romances and mysteries,
anyone who likes historical AUs (basically, stories with murders and house
parties and man-eating hedges), and those interested in queer fantasy. </p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3873036011530033335.post-89538661840757045942022-08-03T06:00:00.012-04:002022-08-03T06:00:00.206-04:00lakelore<p class="MsoNormal">Want some silly, unimportant life advice? Enter contests and
sweepstakes! If you do, once in a long while you’ll win something cool. At
least that’s been the case for me! At the start of the summer I won a box of
Pride books from Fierce Reads (Macmillan’s YA publishing arm). It was a lovely
surprise, and I immediately was interested in one of the books in particular: Anna-Marie
McLemore’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56978096-lakelore" target="_blank"><i>Lakelore</i></a>, because A) I’ve read their work before, B) the
cover was *fire emoji*, and C) the title was just too perfect – I’m spending
this summer on a lake.</p>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><blockquote style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px dotted rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 1em 20px; padding: 5px;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIr4Rr8CAmmnXvn9xIOjsjjNpCArdA7h6wWQmyrqNJ5mQjCwnLuarkfi3yKlaifZYAtt6Y3Cy4MWLQEJir-M0U13f8MlRmFq_6qHA9j0HsPeShHZ81xLDyL9hSci8BjHgDzZNS7bMNqqnEw-qPJEsNyrs5nVr72cBIyTNA7TOq4wlsO_DDdbehMKQB/s1023/lakelore%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lakelore by anna-marie mclemore book cover" border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="662" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIr4Rr8CAmmnXvn9xIOjsjjNpCArdA7h6wWQmyrqNJ5mQjCwnLuarkfi3yKlaifZYAtt6Y3Cy4MWLQEJir-M0U13f8MlRmFq_6qHA9j0HsPeShHZ81xLDyL9hSci8BjHgDzZNS7bMNqqnEw-qPJEsNyrs5nVr72cBIyTNA7TOq4wlsO_DDdbehMKQB/w129-h200/lakelore%20book%20cover.jpg" title="lakelore by anna-marie mclemore book cover" width="129" /></a></div>Everyone who lives near the lake
knows the stories about the world underneath it, an ethereal landscape
rumored to be half-air, half-water. But Bastián Silvano and Lore Garcia
are the only ones who’ve been there. Bastián grew up both above the lake
and in the otherworldly space beneath it. Lore’s only seen the world
under the lake once, but that one encounter changed their life and their
fate.<br /><br />Then the lines between air and water begin to blur. The
world under the lake drifts above the surface. If Bastián and Lore don’t
want it bringing their secrets to the surface with it, they have to
stop it, and to do that, they have to work together. There’s just one
problem: Bastián and Lore haven’t spoken in seven years, and working
together means trusting each other with the very things they’re trying
to hide.</i></blockquote><p></p><p> </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">In short chapters, and using dual perspectives, McLemore
spins up a world where two trans/nonbinary teens visit a weird and mystical alternate
universe that has something to do with the local lake and its folklore… and
maybe their relationship? Lore and Basti<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">á</span>n
met once as children, and now through circumstance these two queer Mexican
American teens are thrown together again, in a vibrant narrative with little
sense of the passage of time and/or place (it’s America, and probably California,
but it’s not clear where). The work of the book is quiet: unraveling identity,
trauma, how the world responds to neurodivergence, how to let others see who
you truly are, and more – in a sometimes-dreamlike contemporary fantasy
setting.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">McLemore’s extensive use of metaphor and personification
infuse the text with emotion, and lead to ever-rising stakes until there’s a crescendo
– an unraveling and unknotting of stories, hurts, feelings. Both narrators have
a lot in common: the way their brains work require adaptation, the trans or
nonbinary experience, supportive parents and families, and Mexican American
identity. However, they are working with a different set of formative
experiences. Lore has recent trauma that is school bullying-related, and Basti<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">á</span>n is coping with feelings around starting testosterone (T) and
brotherhood.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Things about this book that are absolutely lovely: the way
that Basti<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">á</span>n describes their mental health
as weather, the way Lore expresses their reading process, how old and new
trauma are tied up for them with learning, reading aloud (as an educator, this
breaks my heart – knowing that even though Lore is fictional, there are
children who have been failed just like Lore), the way both characters think
and speak about color and art. The way that difficult words and memories can haunt,
especially when we are young – but also how acceptance and new experiences can alter
our perception, blunt the sting of hurts, or simply bring them into a kinder focus.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So that’s what the book is <i>about</i>, approximately. Let’s
get down to business: this book *wrecked* me. Over the final 45 pages, I was crying
too hard to read at points, but also simultaneously smiling – feeling heart-full
and heartsick, hopeful and tasting that bittersweetness of life that is good
and hard at the same time. I cannot believe that McLemore’s writing keeps
getting better and better. I felt so deeply during the reading, and I also couldn’t
stop thinking that this book would be incredibly important for young queer
folks, and also for anyone trying to relate to young LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent kids
(especially those dealing with dyslexia and ADHD). It was lovely, literary, and
necessary, all in one. And the prose flowed! I’m almost mad at how much I loved
this book.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all, <i>Lakelore</i> is a queer group hug in book form, featuring
an in-depth look at the neurodivergent experience, magical realism, and lyrical
prose.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recommended for: fans of A.S. King, soft, mystical fantasy,
and LGBTQ+ books, anyone who loves character-driven stories, magical realism, and
literary young adult fiction, and teens who really need to see themselves in
books, even though they may not know it yet.</p>
<p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fine print: I received a finished copy of this book in a publisher-sponsored giveaway. I did not receive any compensation for this post.</span></p>Ceceliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249223364936344560noreply@blogger.com0