Monthly Archives: September 2023

MG – The Storyteller

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Hobson, Brandon. The Storyteller. Scholastic, 2023. 978-1-338-79726-8 224 p. $17.99. Grades 4-6. 

Sixth-grader Ziggy Echota is diagnosed with anxiety, likely stemming from his Cherokee mother’s disappearance ten years ago when Ziggy was just a baby. Despite efforts to locate his mother, his family has no leads, and Ziggy’s pretty sure his dad gave up hope when the police did. Ziggy’s grandmother and older sister Moon have shared with him stories of the Nunnehi, wise storytelling spirits who protect Cherokees. Ziggy asks an acquaintance Alice for help in searching the desert for Nunnehi caves, in hopes of finding answers to his mother’s disappearance. Soon Ziggy, Alice, and Moon have begun their nighttime journey, and their encounters range from a coyote and a buzzard to a Shakespearean actor and a fortune teller. In each chapter they meet a different spirit, with Ziggy learning something from each of their encounters, which he logs diligently in each chapter. By the end, he doesn’t have clear answers, but he has worked through some of his grief and finds he has community and strength to go on.

Realistic Fiction
Fantasy (Magical Realism)

THOUGHTS: This story is a helpful way to showcase realistic Cherokee beliefs–and realistic disappearances of Native American women.

YA – Kismat Connection

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Devarajan, Ananya. Kismat Connection. Inkyard Press, 2023. 978-1-335-45368-6 304 p. $18.99. Grades 9-12. 

Madhuri Iyer and Arjun Mehta have been friends all their lives. They know just about everything there is to know about each other, and now they’re facing their senior year together. Vedic astrological foretelling is Madhuri’s aunt’s strength, and in the first chapter, she foretells Arjun’s and Madhuri’s futures. For Arjun, “your hard work will be rewarded in the fields of education, athletics and love,” and for Madhuri, “expect mediocre grades, misunderstood emotions, and failed relationships.” The negative horoscope and the ‘family curse’ of women marrying the first man with whom they fall in love infuriates Madhuri, who has never met a challenge she hasn’t overcome. She devises a plan to foil kismat (fate) and the curse: dating the one person she’s sure she wouldn’t fall in love with: Arjun. Unknown to her, Arjun has been in love with her since they were 13. He agrees to her scheme, and Auntie Iyer’s predictions begin to come true: Arjun finds success in all he attempts whether scholastically, socially or athletically, while Madhuri faces trials and, worst of all, fails to gain acceptance at Stanford, her dream school. Meanwhile, Arjun faces a chronically absent mother who has placed her career above him since his father’s death, and Madhuri finds it difficult to reconcile her once-loved Indian heritage with the mockery of her American classmates. Madhuri’s being drawn to Arjun, but she’s determined to be the master of her own destiny, and that means ending their relationship. What will become of these two best friends?

THOUGHTS: Devarajan presents a fun romantic story with strong cultural roots and real relational problems for her characters.

Romance

YA – Spin

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Caprara, Rebecca. Spin. Simon & Schuster, 2023. 978-1-665-90619-7. 393 p. $19.99. Grades 9-12.

“You must learn to question/ the stories you hear” (84). “The bards and poets/ often get it wrong, especially/ when they speak of/ girls and women” (4). Arachne is unattractive and destined to be nothing and be heard by no one, they say in town. But Arachne grows, learns to weave from her mother, loves her younger brother and friend Celandine fiercely, and questions the wisdom of the gods. Even as her mother shares stories of the gods (including Persephone, Leucothoe, and Aite) and leaves gifts at Athena’s altar, Arachne in her anger dares to question what the gods have done for them in their harsh, illiterate lives. As the years pass and Arachne grows from girl to young woman, she avoids others, distrusts the gods especially in their treatment of women, and learns to weave so skillfully she begins to feel pride in her own abilities as well as earn approval from others, including her father. But tragedy steals her family, and when beautiful Celandine is assaulted by a group of boys, the two flee to the city of Colophon. There, finding work as a weaver, Arachne again becomes known for her increasingly exquisite handiwork, but she will not give credit to the goddess Athena, who Arachne feels never offered her anything. Even as Arachne feels an attraction to Celandine, the two are pulled apart by anger and misunderstanding, and Arachne pours her emotions into her weaving. The resulting showdown between Arachne and Athena is powerfully described as Arachne stands boldly–in words and in weaving–for herself and all women misused, overlooked, and judged harshly. 

THOUGHTS: This masterful novel in verse will appeal to young readers, especially those interested in mythology or strong women.  

Fantasy (Mythology)

YA – The Monster’s Bones: The Discovery of T. Rex and How It Shook Our World

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Randall, David K. The Monster’s Bones: The Discovery of T. Rex and How It Shook Our World. Norton Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-324-06453-4. 192 p. $19.95. Grades 7-12.

This captivating read reveals the birth of American paleontology, the dogged determination behind the discovery of the first T. Rex fossil, and the making of a modern American museum. The title is a bit misleading; while T. Rex is included in all its glory, the real focus here is on the young scientist, enthusiast, and adventurer Barnum Brown.  How did a young man born & raised on a Kansas farm and coal mine become an unstoppable world explorer? How did a centuries old fossil, admittedly large, come to capture the imagination of Americans and revolutionize history, science, literature, film and more? Randall succeeds in providing a detailed account of Brown’s life and his surprising skill at locating dinosaur bones. When in 1902 he dug up the first Tyrannosaurus Rex, the world noticed. Put on display in the struggling American Museum of Natural History, led by the wealthy Henry Fairfield Osborn, the colossal one-of-a-kind fossil ignited the public and ushered in support for the fledgling field of paleontology, and a race for who would find the next fossil as well. Brown never stopped and became the undisputed expert on dinosaur fossils. His energy seeps through every page of this book.

THOUGHTS: This young readers’ edition of Randall’s The Monster’s Bones (2022) will draw in readers interested in dinosaurs, American history, and excellent narrative nonfiction. This is a must-purchase for all middle and high school collections.

973 American History

YA – Mental Health Crisis (Series NF)

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Mental Health Crisis. Reference Point Press, 2023. 64 p. $33.05 ea. $132.20 Set of 4. Grades 7-12. 

Castillo, Kristina C. Anxiety and Depression on the Rise. 978-1-678-20274-3. 274-6.
Mooney, Carla. Drug Overdoses on the Rise. 978-1-678-20276-7. 276-2.
Nardo, Don. Eating Disorders on the Rise. 978-1-678-20278-1. 278-1.
Steffens, Bradley. Teen Suicide on the Rise. 978-1-678-20280-4. 280-4.

Note: This review is for the titles Eating Disorders and Teen Suicide. This series seeks to shed light on how mental health issues among teens have increased since the pandemic and relate ways to help teenagers facing these issues. Eating Disorders on the Rise first identifies ‘the big three’ eating disorders as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. It also describes less common disorders such as orthorexia (‘clean’ or ‘pure’ eating) and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. A chapter is devoted to how the social isolation of the pandemic led to increased levels of eating disorders and clarifies problems faced by men and the LGBTQ+ community. Distorted body image, trying to excel in sports, and social media pressure are factors known to harm teenagers. Treatment aids offered include hospitalization and residential care, medication, counseling, and various types of therapy, and all are respected, since eating disorders often persist for a lifetime. Teen Suicide on the Rise shines a spotlight on social media as a risk factor for teen girls, the impact of the pandemic on teen mental health, and LGBTQ+ teens at risk. A chapter is devoted to the impact of suicide on survivors (grief, regret, guilt, and suicidal tendencies) and a final chapter offers treatment options. The stories shared are compelling and the advice to all who work with youth is “talk about suicide and let young people know you care.” A new tool, the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) aka the Columbia Protocol, is under study and appears to identify needs well. Various apps are mentioned as useful for teens, such as the Virtual Hope Box, notOK, and BetterHelp.

THOUGHTS: The books in this series will help teens to understand these issues and gain help for themselves or friends when needed.

155.4 Child Psychology
362.29 Substance Abuse
616.85 Mental Disorders
362.28 Suicide

YA – Teen Guide to College and Career Planning

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Roland, James. Teen Guide to College and Career Planning. Reference Point Press, 2023. 978-1-678-20358-0. 64 p. $33.05. Grades 7-12.

This title seeks to provide guidance to teenagers who are considering–or about to consider–their career options. It is divided into five chapters, covering Career Investigation; College and Career Prep; Outside of the Classroom; Applying for College; and Making the Right Choice. The overall tone is calming and encouraging; while giving broad roadmaps and suggestions, it encourages students to question and continue on their career journeys.  It wisely directs students to their guidance counselors, career and personality tests, and job shadowing.  It also includes helpful reminders to consider work-life balance, ‘think about the money’ (of the job), and ‘embrace the unknown.’  College is not the only avenue considered; career and technical education as well as skilled trades and a gap year are presented. Extracurricular activities, soft skills, part-time jobs, internships, community service, family responsibilities, and ‘being unique’ are examples given as worth building or worth mentioning in applying for college or careers. The book ends by noting that “only 27% of college graduates have jobs in their major fields of study” and advises students to stay open to changes in themselves and careers.

THOUGHTS: Overall, a serviceable title for the topic.

331.7 Career Planning

YA – Vaping: Considering the Risks

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Dougherty, Terri. Vaping: Considering the Risks. Reference Point Press, 2023. 978-1-6782-0360-3 64 p. $33.05. Grades 7-12.

Dougherty delivers a solid, intense overview of the rise of e-cigarette use and its dangers to users. Although ostensibly begun as a smoking cessation tool for current smokers, vaping quickly made smoking socially acceptable and developed into a billion-dollar industry which increased rates of teen vaping to 25% in 2019. These rates have since decreased to 19.6% in 2020 and 11.3% in 2021, due to the effects of regulations, COVID, or under-reporting by teens. As the U.S. Surgeon General and the FDA responded to vaping’s popularity with warnings and regulations that limited sales to adults, then banned flavors, the industry only shifted to introduce one-use devices, then synthetic tobacco. Stricter regulations continue to be made as calls continue for long-term research on the effects of e-cigarette use, especially as compared to traditional tobacco use. This book makes the risks clear: addiction, damage to lungs, decreased dental health, cancer concerns and even social stigma. The book also gives insight on quitting vaping, with ample resources to support anyone’s efforts to do so. 

THOUGHTS: Considering the fast-paced changes occurring in the vaping industry and legislation, this book is a must-have. Libraries should update their vaping resources, seeking publication dates of 2022 or later to adequately convey the legal and societal changes.     

362.29 Vaping

Elem. – The Artist

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Vere, Ed. The Artist. Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-525-58087-4. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2. 

Someone asked artist Ed Vere, “What is an artist?” and he created this book in response. The artist of this book is a multicolored dinosaur who ‘tries to see it all’ in the beautiful world. The outside world combines with the ideas in her imagination, which combine with her crayons, paint and pencils, and she creates more to share with the world. She journeys to the city where she shares her art (on the sides of buildings) and her work comes to be appreciated and anticipated until–she colors outside the lines. Her embarrassment leads her to stop painting (she’s literally blue). A little girl in the crowd approaches to say, “Mistakes are how you learn! Heart is what matters. And your art is full of heart… please paint again!” The artist tries again, again looking to the beauty of the world, “all its messy beauty,” and this time doesn’t stop painting. Vere concludes, “And maybe that is what an artist is…So keep drawing…because maybe you are an artist too!”

THOUGHTS: A colorful, thoughtful way to encourage kids to notice the world, be artists, and persist beyond “mistakes.”

Picture Book

Elem. – Nubby

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Richards, Dan. Nubby. Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. Illustrated by Shanda McCloskey. 978-0-593-38109-0 Unpaged. $18.99 Grades K-2. 

Nubby has had it. He’s a favorite blue stuffed bunny who has seen too many puddles, been used as a tissue too often, and felt unloved with constant mistreatment by his boy. Nubby wants appreciation, and he sets out to find it.  With the help of the family dog, Nubby escapes to adventure and acceptance–perhaps with real rabbits? No, they just ignore him. Perhaps as part of a magic act? No, the act is forgotten when the audience fails to care. Perhaps finding treasure digging with the dog? No, he’s left with strewn stuffing, dirtier and alone. Then Nubby thinks back to his boy. “It had been messy and loud and unruly. But it had also been close, and unspoken, and … real.” Fortunately, older brother discovers Nubby, mom sews him up, and his boy loves and adores him once again. Only this time, Nubby and his boy appreciate being together far more.

THOUGHTS: This is a sweet book about appreciating what–and who–you have and might make children re-consider their care of their own favorite toys.

Picture Book

YA – Scurry

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Smith, Mac. Scurry. Skybound Comet. 2023. 978-1-534-32436-7. 333 p. $14.99. Grades 7-12.

Scurry is a tale of tiny critters and high stakes with jaw-dropping artwork by author and illustrator Mac Smith. In a world without humans, a colony of mice led by an Elder Council must learn to survive despite scarce food and seemingly endless winter. Wix is a skilled and savvy scavenger, while Pict has been raised by her father Orim to one day lead the colony. Meanwhile a duplicitous mouse named Resher has concocted a scheme to eliminate his rivals and seize power. Threats outside the colony also abound: vengeful cats, vigilant hawks, and mysterious wolves. When Wix and a team of mice venture out to scout a new location for the colony, Resher sets his plan in motion with disastrous consequences. Wix and Pict are swept up in an epic journey to return home and reunite the colony as new friendships and alliances are forged with creatures both large and small. Debut graphic novelist Mac Smith excels at illustrating motion, which adds drama to Scurry’s many close calls. Mice escape extended cat claws by a fraction of an inch, a hawk swoops down with deadly talons, and a thumbtack doubles as a deadly weapon in page after exciting page.

THOUGHTS: Mac Smith’s webcomic has transitioned beautifully to the graphic novel format. Readers will be overjoyed to see “to be continued” on the final page of this fantastic volume!

Graphic Novel