Rutabaga's Reads 2024: Part 14

I’m back with more middle-grade novels in this third compilation of 2024. In here, you’ll find Wonderland, Korean mythology and mischievous magpies.

Beyond the Isle of the Lost (May 7, 2024) by Melissa de la Cruz.

<This is the fifth novel in a series.>

You are unwelcome to Wonderland, where the Queen of Hearts hosts the un-parties of the year, and despite the scrumptious-looking sweets, no one can ever eat them. Treats are discouraged, especially cupcakes, and having fun is unacceptable. Birthdays remain illegal. There are so many ridiculous rules, and Red of Hearts, the Queen’s daughter, loathes the idea of following in her mom’s red-heeled footsteps. She’s heard that, in faraway Auradon, they get to do things like sing and laugh and run “around willy-nilly like little white rabbits.” Red is ready to perform the ultimate rebellion: throw an actual party! She’s gained two new friends in Chester and Ace, and they’re on-board with planning this rebellious party. What Red doesn’t know is that this party will set off a chain of un-events that will have unforeseen consequences.

            Falling down the rabbit hole to the land of Wonderland is madcap and enchanting in thrilling, equal measure. It has the fun, adventure, heart and humor that readers recognize throughout the entire Disney’s Descendants series with a new protagonist, new friendships and a familiar antagonist (“Off with their heads!”). It’s been five years since we’ve had a Descendants novel, and it’s an entertaining treat to read. It’s sweet fuel for my soul, as stylish as any dessert from Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs, with the tastefully dark vibes of Gideon’s Bakehouse.

            Book One: Isle of the Lost

            Book Two: Return to the Isle of the Lost

            Book Three: Rise of the Isle of the Lost

            Book Four: Escape from the Isle of the Lost

Fox Snare (Oct. 17, 2023) by Yoon Ha Lee.

<This is the final novel in a trilogy.>

Being the bearer of the Dragon Pearl carries duty and weight, which is how Min the fox spirit finds herself involved in a mission to cement peace between the Thousand Worlds (of which she’s a part of, growing up on Jinju) and the Sun Clans with her ghost brother, Jun, Sebin the tiger spirit and Haneul the dragon spirit. Min is surprised to meet Yang Miho, the Thousand Worlds assistant minister, as she is a fox spirit with a high-ranking title in a realm that doesn’t think highly of fox spirits. Despite wanting to feel a natural camaraderie with another fox spirit (and a nine-tailed one, at that!), she withholds her own fox heritage. After an explosion finds Min, Jun, Sebin and Haneul in an escape pod, they crash-land on Jasujeong, a planet claimed by both the Thousand Worlds and the Sun Clans. It’s also said to be the resting place of the Sejong-Dehwang, a dreadnought with superweapon capabilities that doesn’t exist on any current or recent battle cruisers, guarded by its ghosts. The planet is home to plants and creatures unfamiliar to the group, and Min carries the power to terraform Jasujeong with the Pearl. But journeying across Jasujeong is tricky, especially when Haneul falls ill. Someone else has landed on the planet, too, but the character’s goals might not actually align with Min’s, and that could prove dangerous, not just for her and the others stranded with her, but for the two nations.

            It turns out that Korean mythology melded with space opera science fiction is a brew that I never knew I’d enjoy until I read it, and I’ve now read the full trilogy. Lee’s world-building contains rich detail, dynamic characters and high-octane adventure that leads to a satisfying conclusion. The story alternates between Min’s and Sebin’s perspectives. The centuries-long conflict between the Thousand Worlds and the Sun Clans references the historical struggle between Korea and Japan in a boldly subtle way. It’s in the smart way that Lee blends science fiction with Korean culture and folklore that gives this cohesive trilogy complexity and, I hope, wide appeal amongst teens and sci-fi-loving adults.

            Book One: Dragon Pearl

            Book Two: Tiger Honor

Winston Chu vs. the Wingmeisters (Feb. 6, 2024) by Stacey Lee.

<This is the second novel in a duology.>

Thanks to Winston Chu, his older sister Philippa and his friends (Mav, Cassa, Bijal and Monroe), San Francisco has been saved from magpie-turned-human Mr. Pang. They should brush off their hands and enjoy teenager-hood. Right? Wrong. Now they’ve got to face an even bigger problem and not only because he’s the front-runner to be San Francisco’s next mayor. He’s magpie-turned-human Mr. Gu, and he’s Mr. Pang’s brother. Behind Mr. Gu’s sunny laugh and loudly-colored tropical shirts, he’s hiding something in the eerily-timed fog around Treasure Island, an island long-abandoned ... or so everyone thinks. There’s a mysterious flocking of exotic birds to San Fran that has no obvious explanation. It might have something to do with the CHUs (Community Hi-tech Units), but could they really be taking humans and turning them into Birdbrains? There is definitely something fowl going on. The mischievous mustache is back (when it wants to be), Philippa convinces Sir Huxbury, the suit of armor, to talk, there are magical Kaleido Beans, a Destiny Racket, a Mirth Ball and a Banana Mike (yes, that’s correct), and it turns out that they’re going to need Mr. Pang’s help to best his own brother.

            Lee wraps up her debut middle-grade duology with an action-packed novel that is part bildungsroman, part chaos-adventure, part magic, and all entertaining, inspired by Chinese mythology and featuring a racially diverse cast. Winston’s got a lot of big feelings – pride, anger and jealousy – and he needs to determine what type of son/brother/friend he wants to be, as the group tries to save San Francisco again. Those sorcerous magpies sure are troublemakers! This duology-closer is fun and fantastical, but readers will want to be familiar with the events of the Whimsies before diving into the Wingmeisters.

            Book One: Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies

Rutabaga's Reads 2024: Part 13

Here comes the next compilation of picture books! I thought I’d have more than two picture book compilations this year, but alas, no.

The Bakery Dragon (Oct. 1, 2024) by Devin Elle Kurtz.

As a dragon, Ember wants to bring home spoils and hoard gold like the other dragons do, but he’s little and only produces a very small flame. Ember flies into a nearby town and gets caught in a fierce storm. A nice baker allows Ember to ride out the rainstorm in her bakery and teaches him to help her bake. “Ember watched, full of wonder, as the gooey blobs of dough transformed like magic into ... shining gold.” She gives him a tray of “baker’s gold.” It’s the most glorious thing he’s tasted, and when he returns home, its delectable aroma draws the other dragons. The baker isn’t thrilled when Ember returns with the other dragons, because they’ve done “an awful lot of stealing.” But, as they all learn, “...baking gold is better than taking it. And sharing it is best of all.”

            This story is *chef’s kiss* with its sweet storyline and warm illustrations that are so engaging that readers can smell the wafting deliciousness of fresh-baked bread and feel the decadent warmth of bread straight from the oven. The author-illustrator’s stunning pictures are as golden as the gold dragons want to hoard. This cheerful picture book is friendly and has a good message about sharing and generosity. I absolutely ate up this radiant picture book!

The Barnabus Project (Sept. 1, 2020) by Terry Fan, Eric Fan and Devin Fan (The Fan Brothers).

In a world created for Perfect Pets, half mouse, half elephant Barnabus is a Failed Project. His friend, Pip the cockroach, tells him stories about things like a sparkling silver lake and “mountains that reached all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars.” Barnabus believes that nothing is impossible, and on the day that the Failed Projects receive a “strange red stamp” (it says FAIL), Barnabus decides they all need to escape. Barnabus doesn’t want to be “recycled” and come out fluffier and cuter. He likes himself just the way he is. But how can Barnabus and his fellow Failed Project friends escape their confines in the hidden lab deep underground and avoid the Green Rubber Suits?

            The Fan brothers create an epic adventure of escape, rebellion and suspense that is moving and magical with detailed worldbuilding (the two-page illustration of the lab is fairly meticulous). It’s easy to root for Barnabus and his friends who want freedom and who accept each other just as they are. This picture book is stunning as it showcases bravery and diversity in a unique way. Fun and tender with beautiful imagination and glorious illustrations besides. The adventure is ambitious, it is perilous, and it has such heart.

Cozy in Love (Nov. 8, 2022) by Jan Brett.

In this second story featuring Cozy the musk ox, Cozy is downhearted after losing a test of strength with another in his herd. He wonders how he’ll gain the admiration of lovely Lofti, but he doesn’t wonder long, because one of his puffin friends alerts him to an emergency. Bella, their young beluga whale friend has played too long in Teardrop Inlet, and its entrance to the Bering Sea has frozen. If the entire inlet freezes over, she’ll lose access to air. Cozy devises a plan to use “simple science” and his own ox strength to help Bella over the ice wall. Little does Cozy know that someone is witnessing the entire scene and is admiring his strong, smart, bighearted self.

            With her signature storytelling, gorgeous illustrations and artwork vignettes, which also accompany the storytelling, Brett gives readers another quintessential Jan Brett picture book. The kindness and quick-thinking at the book’s heart reminds us that it’s always in-style to help friends in need. Brett’s rich artwork lends stunning beauty to a frigid Alaska backdrop and reminds us to care for all of the creatures of the world. This book is essential for any Brett fans and all libraries who carry her stories. It is a sweet, enchanting story.

The Goblin Twins (Sept. 5, 2023) by Frances Cha.

   Jaime Kim, illustrator.

Meet the goblin twins (Korean: dokkaebi). Doki likes conjuring gifts of gold or silver with his magic club (bangmangi) instead of scaring people. He also loves reading one of his three abandoned books. Kebi likes scaring people too much and gets in trouble for it with the elder dokkaebi. He loves exploring. The twins are young, only 601 years old! When they have to move out of their abandoned house, most move to a graveyard, but Doki and Kebi move from Seoul to a strange land called New York City. Trying to find the perfect place to live, they spot houses that are too cheerful or too new or already occupied by “New York monsters” (people) who aren’t very friendly. When they find the perfect house, what will they think of trick-or-treaters?

            As soon as I read the goblins’ names, my mind automatically thought of dokkaebi. This not-so-scary Halloween picture book is an entertaining treat. In other versions of Korean mythology, dokkaebi are to be avoided at all costs, for they cause dreamers to dream their worst fears, and then the dokkaebi feed on those fears. Yeah, not so nice. But even with Kebi being the mischievous of the two and the darkly bold, yet colorful, illustrations, this is overall a friendly tale. It’s not a fright, but a delight. It’s mythology, but cartoonish. It is adorable, and my nephew enjoyed it, too. I’d totally want to adopt book-loving Doki, but I’d watch out for Kebi’s shenanigans!

We Are Definitely Human (Aug. 6, 2024) by X. Fang.

It’s midnight when three strangers (aliens) crash-land outside Mr. and Mrs. Li’s house. The strangers’ “shape was very hard to describe,” and “their skin was very blue,” but they inform Mr. Li (Mrs. Li’s a very sound sleeper) that, “We are DEFINITELY human.” They are “…from…Europe.” Their “car” (UFO) has broken down and needs repair, but with the stores being closed for the night, Mr. Li, being a kind human, invites them into their home for the night and offers to help them repair their car. While Mrs. Li is surprised to see houseguests the following morning, she takes it all in stride, and asks what they do in Europe. They “make business,” “play sportsball” and “wear hat.” Fixing their car becomes a community event, and when they leave, Mr. Li declares, “Yep, they are DEFINITELY not from Europe.”

            While this story is fantastical with its not-remotely-human-looking aliens, their vehicle a.k.a. UFO and interplanetary interactions, it’s a story of kindness. Kindness radiates through the story, first with Mr. Li and then with the townsfolk, who, like Mr. and Mrs. Li “were all kind humans.” It’s a sweet, feel-good story with a message of kindness, yes, but of acceptance, too. The author/illustrator’s illustrations are fun but not over-the-top. It is pleasantly wise, pleasingly diverse (the Lis cue as Asian, the townsfolk vary in skin tone, and the visitors vary in size and height) and perfect for earthlings of any age.

Rutabaga's Reads 2024: Part 12

Because all of these books are short and follow the level and genre theme of the first Hodgepodge post of 2024, I decided to complete a second Hodgepodge compilation. I love that there are books for all reading levels. Don’t knock them because they’re geared for youth. All readers must start at the beginning. I had to. You had to. We all have to!

All the Books (Oct. 1, 2024) by Hayley Rocco.

   John Rocco, illustrator.

Children’s picture book.

Chipmunk Piper Waterstone loves books so much that she takes hers everywhere she goes. She never leaves home without them. She also never shares them, not even with her friend Gregory, a raccoon. He decides to visit the library instead, which Piper does not understand the value of, as she’s never stepped foot in a library. Until her worst day, when her personal collection gets soaked by the rain. The local librarian, a kindly mole, invites her in out of the rain, and Piper is in awe of all the books the library holds. He explains that the books are hers, but also everyone’s. Having a library card only works if everyone is willing to share the library’s books. Is Piper ready for a library card?

             “All the Books” is an adorable ode to reading, libraries, librarians and sharing. Reading as Piper’s worst day becomes her best day is a delight with Hayley’s writing and John’s rich, warm illustrations. The anthropomorphized animals look to exist in a charming town with a honeyed, old-fashioned air. There are no iPhones in this story. The problem-solving is the warm-fuzzy type, but since this story is geared for four-to-eight-year-olds, that is not a detriment to this sweet tale.

The Mystery of the Snow Puppy (Jan. 1, 2022) by Fran Manushkin.

   Tammie Lyon, illustrator.

Early-Reader fiction chapter book.

<This is part of an unnumbered series.>

Kids everywhere dream of having their own pet, and Katie Woo is no exception. Katie has a new puppy named Koko, but the little white puppy is lost. Along with Pedro, the two best friends investigate. Many times the pair think they’re hot on Koko’s trail, but the clues don’t lead to her. Like any seasoned detectives, they don’t give up. “Burgers for supper!” might be a clue to solving this mystery.

            This Early-Reader (E-R) mystery is the perfect length for emergent readers wanting to read on their own and for those readers who like to solve mysteries along with the book’s characters. The text is simple with complementing, unfussy illustrations. The endpages include a Glossary, tips regarding mysteries, story questions and a guide on how to survey animal tracks.

Pizza and Taco: Best Christmas Ever! (Oct. 1, 2024) by Stephen Shaskan.

Junior fiction graphic novel.

<This is the eighth graphic novel in a series.>

For best friends Pizza and Taco (and for us, too, not coincidentally), Christmastime is approaching, and their lists detail everything that they expect Santa Slaw to bring them. They will spend the next few months being good children. They’ll even be pleasant toward Cheeseburger! When Pizza is disappointed that he didn’t receive everything on his Christmas list, and Taco mentions that he didn’t, either, they manage to turn their disappointment into positivity and festivity.

            This is my first Pizza and Taco graphic novel, and it’s a simple delight. Shaskan’s dialogue is unfussy, the story’s structure is uncomplicated, and his digital collage Photoshop illustrations are unpretentious. Fans will be reading this, especially as Christmas soon approaches, and beginning readers will be able to do much of the reading on their own. For those who are looking for a religious story, this is not it. It has a secular focus on Christmas festivities and gifts with a smidge of showing goodwill toward others.

The Quest of Danger (Nov. 7, 2023) by Stuart Gibbs.

   Stacy Curtis, illustrator.

Middle-grade illustrated fantasy fiction.

<This is the fourth book in a series.>

<Alert: Spoilers for those who haven’t read the previous stories.>

The peasant-turned-knight, Tim, and his ragtag crew of friends, Belinda the peasant-also-turned-knight-by-pretending-to-be-a-boy, Ferkle the highly intelligent village idiot (it’s the family business), Princess Grace of Merryland and Rover the fr-dog, have been rescued from certain death by Princess Piscina, a Kingdom of Merland princess. In return for rescuing them, her father, King Neptuna, obligates them to retrieve his stolen trident. They will journey to the magnificent city of Atlantis, which is the safest city on Earth and should never do anything like sink. Along the way, there will be krakens, plus a Cyclops with “no depth perception” and who’s “probably myopic.” When they reach Atlantis, they’ll have to confront their nemesis, Prince Ruprecht, and his evil, so-called-wizard adviser, Nerlim. Prince Ruprecht is scheming, which everyone knows is always sure to end in disaster. How will the group retrieve the trident and all of the other stolen treasures, while also overcoming a scheming prince, his nefarious wizard, traitorous knights and a band of pirates?

            To read the fourth story in the Once Upon a Tim series is to set sail on a seafaring quest where are encountered monsters of lore (with horribly sharp teeth) and an ancient city famously known to be lost. IQ Boosters return in this story to improve young readers’ vocabulary and surely impress parents, teachers and random passersby alike. Like the others, this book cascades with hijinks and hilarity. Yes, Prince Ruprecht is mired in his own cesspool of underhandedness and greed, and he keeps trying to kill Tim and his friends, but the danger never truly feels treacherous. Laughs come easily throughout the story.

            Book 1: Once Upon a Tim

            Book 2: The Labyrinth of Doom

            Book 3: The Sea of Terror

Where Is Yellowstone? (Nov. 5, 2024) by Sarah Fabiny.

   Stephen Marchesi, illustrator.

Early-Reader nonfiction chapter book.

<This is an official Who HQ book.>

Most people know that Yellowstone National Park is home to Old Faithful, the most famous geyser in the world, but did you also know that most of the world’s geysers reside in only five countries (the United States, Iceland, Russia, New Zealand and Chile) and that half of the world’s roughly 1,000 geysers are in Yellowstone alone? The Who HQ books, while slim, pack a lot of information into them. Readers discover how Yellowstone came to be, not only the United States’ first national park, but the world’s first national park. They’ll learn how many bison roam and even read a special segment on the Gray Wolf Project. Where is Yellowstone? It has land in three different states: Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.

            If you look back at my first “Hodgepodge” post of 2024, you’ll notice that I had read my first Who HQ book. I’d say my interest in the series is going strong, as I have now read over 80 of them and hope to read a couple more before this year ends. I have only visited Yellowstone once, when I was 12. Reading this E-R book has me wanting to plan a trip out west to visit it again through an adult lens. I love how detailed these books are, and they don’t gloss things over. For example, they are straightforward in saying the government originally told lies about the native tribes, so that visitors would think Native Americans had never lived there (they’d actually lived there a long time). This is a perfect book for explorers both young and young-at-heart. Please be respectful of the park, and all of its inhabitants. Remember, it may be fluffy and friend-shaped, but it can be very dangerous. Maintain a safe distance at all times. Happy exploring!

            P.S. Did you know that Yellowstone National Park is home to three plants unique to this area? They are: Ross’s bentgrass, Yellowstone sand verbena and Yellowstone sulfur wild buckwheat.