Rutabaga's Reads 2023: Part 12

Thanks to my local library, I’m back with a second chapter books compilation post.

Miss Banks Pulls Lots of Pranks (Feb. 14, 2023) by Dan Gutman.

   Jim Paillot, illustrator.

*This is the first story in a series.*

At this weirdtastic school, A.J. is entering fourth grade. He wants to eat Oreos and continue summertime and has no interest in being like his classmate, Little Miss Know-It-All a.k.a. the Human Homework Machine. (Her name’s Andrea.) The Domebooks (“very advanced laptops”) seem cool, until their new teacher tells them they can’t play video games on them during school hours. Then there’s Miss Banks herself. She’s always pulling pranks on the class and A.J. feels especially picked on. Eventually, he declares, “This means war!” Will Miss Banks prevail as the ultimate prankster? Or can A.J. and his classmates one-up their fourth grade teacher?

            The first in the My Weirdtastic School series certainly makes being weird a fantastic thing. The practical jokes are tame, the mischief and mayhem youthfully silly. There’s the occasional moment that an adult can appreciate, like pranking the class with brownies that are actually cutouts of Es on brown-colored paper. But mostly, I found Miss Banks to be annoying, because her pranks are too many. While I won’t be reading anymore of any of these series, I do expect that these goofy little stories captivate many a young reader. I hope they find entertainment in them that I do not. I’m young-at-heart, but not young-at-heart enough for these books.

The School is Alive! (June 24, 2014) by Jack Chabert.

   Sam Ricks, illustrator.

*This is the first story in a series.*

There’s a new hall monitor at Eerie Elementary, and Sam Graves wants nothing to do with his orange hall monitor sash. But he isn’t any hall monitor, he’s the new protector of the school. The school is alive! It breathes – he’s felt it – and the school is a beast, a monster. It’s hungry for students! Mr. Nekobi, the old man who cares for the school, tells him these things, if Eerie Elementary’s first hall monitor is to be believed. And Sam believes Mr. Nekobi, but his best friends – Antonio and Lucy – do not. Not about the quicksand, nor the oak tree. Mr. Nekobi chose Sam, because the janitor is now too aged and weak to fight the school, and the school knows it. So Sam’s job is to make sure everyone gets to class on time, and he’s got to protect everyone from the school, too. How do you train to fight a school building?

            While I don’t plan to continue the series, this is a safe-scary choice for young readers who want horror without actual, can’t-fall-asleep scares. They can read this first in the Eerie Elementary series before graduating to Goosebumps by R.L. Stine. For a simple story, the plot and tamely ominous storyline flowed well, though any school assembling a successful theater production in a week’s time is ludicrous, especially when it’s Peter Pan, and it involves “flying” students. Still, the cartoonish sketch illustrations work well. The story has an overall gloomy vibe, but it remains playful. There is a lot of text on each page considering it’s a chapter book, but hopefully that won’t discourage would-be readers of the series.

The Triplets Get Charmed (June 1, 2021) by Laura Brown and Elly Kramer.

   Sarah Mensinga, illustrator.

*This is the first story in a series.*

Eight-year-old triplets Emmy, Clare and Giselle are actually found sisters. They were found by Dr. J.A., a veterinarian, when he was feeling lonesome caring for the animals of the forest by himself. Together with little brother, Zee, they’re readying to celebrate “Founding Day,” the day he found the triplets and they became a family. The girls were found alongside their young animal companions a.k.a. “mini’mals” – an eaglet called Soar, a bear cub called Claw and a wolf pup called Fluffy – and three trillium flower petals, the latter of which Dr. J.A. has saved for them. Dr. J.A. is off tending to Bruce the Moose while the triplets and Zee go off to seek strawberries for their trillium pancakes. When Zee’s in trouble, the trillium charms activate to form a glowing flower, giving the girls superpowers. How long will those powers last?

            The first in the Trillium Sisters series carries an upbeat tone, and the woodsy setting and animals are charming, but I found the story to lack substance. It suffers from the blandness that comes from characters not developed enough and a plot that should be happily magical but falls short. It’s an uncomplicated story that highlights family, which may suit beginning chapter book readers who want to read something cute and simple.

Rutabaga's Reads 2023: Part 11

Why do I find picture books so fascinating? Well, they’re quick to read, have pictures and are especially easy to check out, as I regularly help cover the Children’s Library. These five are all library checkouts.

Just Because (Sept. 12, 2023) by Matthew McConaughey.

    Renée Kurilla, illustrator. 

Life’s contradictions can be confusing enough when you’re an adult, so imagine how perplexing it can be from a child’s viewpoint! “Just because I forgive you, doesn’t mean that I still trust./There’s what you do, there’s what I do,/and yours is not my must.” From moments of kindness to hurt, achievement to catastrophe, from calmness to dramatics, things crystal clear to things clear as mud, this is a story of rhyming assertions for every age. Why? Just because.

            Academy Award-winning actor McConaughey’s picture book debut is expressive, youthfully bold and charming throughout. The rhyming text is complemented by Kurilla’s uncomplicated but graceful illustrations. If there’s any question, the illustrations make the text easy to interpret. Reading all of the contradictory messages is thought-provoking. The rhythm of the rhyme didn’t always seem to sync, and the messages don’t always land right, but McConaughey’s influence and celebrity will give this book a big reach.

            Author’s dedication highlight: “To my kids, your kids, and the kid in all of us. We’re all as young as we’re ever gonna be, so let’s just keep learning.” –McConaughey

Kimchi, Kimchi Every Day (Oct. 4, 2022) by Erica Kim.

“I eat KIMCHI every day. / I like KIMCHI every way!” The young girl (perhaps an illustrated iteration of the author/illustrator) featured in this story eats kimchi every day but also enjoys eating it. Readers get a literary taste of multiple ways kimchi can be enjoyed, from straight up kimchi to kimchi pancakes, kimchi fried rice to mixing it with ramyun. Kimchi is NEVER BLAND!

            I am a sucker for rhymes, but that isn’t the only reason I love this story. What shines through is the author/illustrator’s pride in her Korean roots and Korean food culture, focusing on this traditional Korean staple. Kim’s illustrations are vibrant and dimensional but not cluttered, the page spreads following a day-of-the-week format. I like how she features kimchi in different ways, showcasing that it truly is “never bland.” The pacing of the rhyming is excellent, the text is uncomplicated, and the young girl’s culinary buddy, a gray bunny, is adorable. The back matter includes a Kimchi Glossary, Kimchi Facts and ideas for adding kimchi to American staples such as hamburgers or hot dogs. Kimchi burger, anyone? Someone pass me a plate of kimchi fried rice, please!

Star Fishing (Feb. 22, 2022) by Sang-Keun Kim.

   Ginger Ly, translator.

A white-bunny-suited, un-gendered child is having one of those nights where sleep won’t come. The sleepless night turns marvelous when the child is reeled upward by Little Rabbit on a crescent moon. They’re joined by Crab, Fox, Big Bear and Little Bear. They continue to want to play and wonder if the rest of the world is sleeping … but it turns out that the “stars aren’t sleepy, either!” Fun is had and constellations are made until Little Rabbit sends each character home, finally slumbering peacefully.

            Kim is both the author and illustrator of this story. The book states that the illustrations consist of colored pencil, pastel, pen and digital art mediums. Having read Kim’s “Little Mole’s Wish” last year, I was pleased that my local library ordered this story, in which Kim’s illustrations are like a lullaby, the text (with spare dialogue) youthful and dreamlike. I love the muted illustrations, highlighted by the bright moon and stars. The pictures are luminous and the tale includes a bit of folklore, for those who’ve heard of the Korean moon rabbit. A gently sweeping picture book fit for every family with young children.

Whatever Comes Tomorrow (Mar. 7, 2023) by Rebecca Gardyn Levington.

   Mariona Cabassa, illustrator.

“Tomorrow may bring laughter, love, confusion, fear or fun / an angry, rainy hurricane or peaceful seaside sun.” Readers don’t always know what tomorrow will bring or what the future will hold, but this story in rhyming text acknowledges and reassures. It recognizes that it’s natural to have concerns and anxiety and uses positive prose to assure readers that they’ll make it through, because “…you’ve confronted fear before and reached the other side.”

            This picture book is amazing. It reminds kids that anxiety isn’t bad, even when it feels like it is, and empowers kids to manage it through a playful yet poignant story that features vibrant yet uncomplicated illustrations. The wisdom is gentle yet captivating. It’s a delight to read, and while I checked it out from the library, I wish I owned it. I’m no mental health expert (though I did study psychology as an undergrad), but this reads like a book that should be in all school counselor and therapist offices. It’s a beautiful story that tenderly showcases the importance of focusing on mental health (not only for kids, but adults, too). The back matter may be helpful for those wanting activity ideas to help manage worries by a licensed Child Development Specialist.

Yetis Are the Worst! (Nov. 22, 2022) by Alex Willan.

<This is part of a series.>

What is Gilbert the Goblin up to now? He’s going up and up the mountain (“still more mountain”), determined to find the legendary yeti. He is envious that others may view yetis as cooler and more mysterious than goblins like himself. His ascending journey takes him past snow formations he mistakes for yetis and even a snowboarding unicorn in a puffy coat. But strangely, Gilbert doesn’t see any yetis (readers, on the other hand ...). That will take an avalanche-fueled descent down the mountain!

            My first story in Willan’s The Worst! Series is an absolute delight. From the soft, snowy palette of Gilbert’s winter wonderland to the humorous prose and the engaging illustrations (also by Willan), it’s no wonder that these stories are entertaining for kids and adults alike. I like that the author/illustrator presents yetis as big, but not so imposing and intimidating as lore tends to represent them. Far from being THE WORST, these cryptids are friendly, fascinating and very un-mysterious. A giggle-worthy picture book that I’d be happy to own.

"Ink Blood Sister Scribe" by Emma Törzs

Ink Blood Sister Scribe (May 30, 2023) by Emma Törzs.

<This is a standalone novel.>

The Kalotay family guards ancient, rare books of magic. The magic in them is typically finite, not to be rechargeable, but they might do anything from spell a person invisible to allow someone to walk through walls or even to pass non-living objects through mirrors. Joanna has been tasked with maintaining the library’s wards after their dad is killed by, unbeknownst to them at the time, a vampire book. Meanwhile, Esther was told at age 18 that she must move every year on November 2^nd to protect her sister, so she’s normally done this every year for a decade. She tried to stay somewhere once and someone attacked. Now she’s decided to stay in Antarctica, but she notices the mirror magic. She has never been able to feel magic and therefore can’t read spells, can’t be affected by spells, and wards do not make her feel horribly ill, but she recognizes the blood on the corners of the mirrors. Is the person who killed Esther’s mother after her? Esther’s path diverges with Nicholas – an anemic Scribe who’s slowly bleeding to death with all the spells he’s written, but also cannot read – and Collins, Nicholas’ bodyguard. Nicholas looks expensive and smells expensive and has a posh English accent to go with his look. Collins is American, but due to his magical staff NDA, he can’t talk about many things, including his own life. Together, they will uncover secrets originating from their own parents and find a world of magic far more sinister than they could’ve imagined.

            I’m blown away by this debut, speculative fiction novel with its immersive-yet-contemporary world-building, rich tone, complex plot of twisty turns, engaging characters and straightforward system of magical books. It is spellbinding and has dark notes, but the story is balanced with threads of hope and humor. This astute and sophisticated fantasy novel lured me in straightaway, wrapping me in extraordinary enchantment. What an incredible, indelible novel!

            P.S. Beware of any vampire books. “A vampire is a fifteenth-century spell that protects activated books. It kicks in as soon as anyone attempts to add their blood to the spell in progress...”--Nicholas to Joanna, Esther and Collins (p.282)

The Positive Page-turner's Challenge: Take 18

The Positive Page-turner’s Challenge: Take 18

Look at that, we’re in the final month of 2023, but I’ve managed to compile enough personally purchased books to present a third Positive Page-turner’s Challenge for 2023 and my eighteenth overall. I’ve found 17 books to be my perfect number for setting up my little book photo shoots, so there are 17 books in this photo. At $5/book, I donated $85 to my local church. It went in this past Sunday’s offering plate, and I designated it to the General Fund, to be used as the church needs.

            “Delivering Hope Through Bars of Soap” is my motto when it comes to my unofficial Special Project for Haiti. If you refer to Take 16, you’ll discover that donating soap’s turned out to be a bigger help than I imagined. Recently, a box of soap I’d filled got sent with a trailer full of donations, including boxes of donated health kits, layette kits and three pallets of food. My box of bar soap came to 19.4 pounds.

            What compassion projects are you passionate about?

"Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens" by David Mitchell

Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England’s Kings and Queens (Oct. 3, 2023) by David Mitchell.

            Do you fancy yourself knowledgeable in the history of England’s kings and queens? Do you reflect on the reigns of Anglo-Saxon kings like Ceolwulf of Northumbria, Aethelwulf of Wessex or Aethelred, also of Wessex? Or do you prefer England’s first kings like Athelstan, Sweyn Forkbeard or Harthacnut? You were thinking about Henry VIII or Elizabeth I or Bloody Mary, weren’t you? “Unruly” will subject its readers to an exploration of England’s very earliest monarchs, one of whom certainly didn’t exist (King Arthur) to others that may not have actually existed (like Vortigern, Aescwine, Icel and Cerdic) to those who definitely did exist (like the line of Plantagenets). The history is bloody, gory, backstabbing and violent, which surprises no one. Also no surprise? That all of these rulers were a bunch of long-ago lucky people trying to rule a piece of the world where lines of conquer battled back-and-forth as each ruler vied for the most glory. The rulers were feared for good reason (lots of executions), but they’re a bunch of narcissists who display terrible self-control, engage heavily in uncivil wars and pretty much declare themselves divine. It’s a mess, and Mitchell isn’t letting England off the hook for any of it!

            Ridiculous history at its most regal! So opulent, so refined. Okay, mostly it’s bloody and violent with more than one king battling the runs before succumbing to dysentery. There is no king or (rare) queen that you want to root for. From the perspective of someone who’s not English (or British/Welsh/etc.) and is certainly no monarchist, this nonfiction novel is wildly amusing, cleverly written, irreverently glorious and knife sharp. Mitchell, an actor and comedian, is also, clearly, a skilled historian. Far from boring, Mitchell takes this vast swath of brutal history and makes it entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny even as it’s steeped in deep, historical knowledge. I mean, how can you not be drawn in by lines like, “Apart from seizing the throne and having his nephews murdered, Richard seems comparatively nice” (p. 340)? Mitchell breathes freshness into what might otherwise be dusty, super dated history with jocularity and erudition. It truly is a funny book that takes history seriously.

            P.S. I took many notes, too many to post, even in the Comments section. I would happily own this book (*library checkout*).

            P.P.S. “Unruly” ends with Elizabeth I’s reign in 1603. Mitchell has covered England’s medieval history. There’s been plenty of history between then and 2023, meaning I’d love a sequel. However, he says in the last couple pages, “...kings and queens become less dominant after 1603 – not immediately, but relatively swiftly. This book is about rulers and, by covering them, the political story of the age is more or less told.” (p. 402) So, perhaps I won’t hold out too much hope for a sequel.

"The Warsaw Sisters" by Amanda Barratt

The Warsaw Sisters (Nov. 7, 2023) by Amanda Barratt.*

<This is a standalone novel.>

It is the eve of the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939 when sisters Antonina (Tosia) and Helena (Hela) Dąbrowska bid goodbye to their father as he leaves to serve as an officer in the Polish army. The following day, bombs fall on Warsaw, annihilating the sisters’ beloved city and eventually destroying the home of their youth. They are able to move in with Aunt Basia, a physician and sister to their father, and they both find work, especially needed when Basia is executed. Antonina goes to work at a cafe, waitressing and playing the cafe’s piano, while Helena works as a secretary for a German official. Antonina eventually moves out, leaving Helena alone to find a new roommate.

            Antonina’s beloved Marek Eisenberg is forced behind ghetto walls with his family and Warsaw’s Jewish population. After hearing he and his entire family have been sent to Treblinka, Antonina turns her grief and anger into action, becoming one of a network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. She meets Jolanta (the renowned Irena Sendler, an actual person from history). Meanwhile, Helena joins the ranks of Poland’s secret army, the Armia Krajowa, to fight to free her homeland from occupation. Their secrets are their own, not even shared with each other.

            My first story from Barratt is this Christian, historical fiction tale that is sincere and has heart. There is deep poignancy surrounding the sisters striving to survive in a country ravaged by the atrocities of war, and it’s no wonder that faith struggles in the face of those atrocities. It is apparent that Barratt has done extensive research, but there were parts that didn’t seem realistic. For example, how could Helena slap a German policeman’s hand away with no consequence? Fortunately, that doesn’t deter from the courage, sacrifice and resilience seen throughout the book (not only by the lead characters). Here’s a country that’s fighting to gain back its freedom and clinging to humanity in a deep, dark time. It’s not an easy story to read, but it is richly-plotted and emotively-written.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"The Name Drop" by Susan Lee

The Name Drop (Sept. 12, 2023) by Susan Lee.

<This is a standalone novel.>

I’m Lee Yoo-Jin. I’m Lee Yoo-Jin. Is there an echo in here? No. Jessica Lee and Elijah Ri (he’s going by Ri to be more difficult) are two teenagers who happen to have the same Korean name. They’re both set to work at tech giant Haneul Corporation’s NYC office, Elijah as the Executive Training Program intern in the fancy clothes residing in a spacious brownstone in the Upper East Side and Jessica as a summer intern at the bottom of the corporate cesspool ladder in her cheap clothes residing in a shoebox apartment with nine other interns in the Lower East Side. What happens is that Jessica finds herself in the gorgeous brownstone with an all-new upscale wardrobe and an office on the executive level, while Elijah is the one in a shoebox wearing a t-shirt lent to him by his bunkmate, Jason, working at the bottom of the totem pole for $15/hour.

            The two catch on quickly that there’s been a mix-up, but they decide to leave things as is. Operation Name Drop is a go. Elijah likes the anonymity and the chance to discover what he wants, and Jessica thrives in her role, leading the other interns in their summer project, a hackathon. The risk of discovery is omnipresent. If not amongst their fellow interns, then by their fathers. There’s Lee Jung-Woo, who’s always concerned about money and wants Jessica to keep a low profile in her internship, not wanting anyone to know they’re related. Then there’s Lee Jung-Hyun. He’s the controlling chairman and CEO of Haneul that’s outdated in terms of misogynistic attitudes and behaviors, which Hee-Jin, Elijah’s brilliant 24-year-old sister, deals with daily despite being Chief Operations Officer and second-in-command. If this charade blows up in their faces, they don’t only risk humiliation; it would be disastrous to both their futures, but especially Jessica’s, because she doesn’t come from a chaebol family. Will the spark between them ignite a flame of success or disaster?

            While this YA novel is grounded in serious themes of discovering your own life so you can live it, social class and combating misogyny in the workplace, it also has in its foundation an energizing framework of humor, big-heartedness and budding romance with a healthy K-drama vibe. When a male exec says to Jessica, “Please use feminine cursive handwriting to make it lovely and pleasing for us to read later,” I wanted to spit. And when I read the line where Elijah thinks of himself as “emotionally constipated,” I laughed out loud. Lee’s writing is current and whip-smart, though I will forever say that expletives do not move a story forward. However, don’t let language deter you from this story (thanks to The Good Place, I use “fork” and “shirt” as replacers) that is swoony, comedic and well-turned-out.

            Favorite line: “If anyone looks at you weird, look at them back even weirder.” --Elijah to the intern cohort (p. 110)

            Also by Susan Lee: Seoulmates

"The Chalice of the Gods" by Rick Riordan

The Chalice of the Gods (Sept. 26, 2023) by Rick Riordan.

<This may be the first novel in a new trilogy.>

Where Percy Jackson is concerned, no trouble will follow. Right? Yeah, he wouldn’t believe that, either. Percy’s thinking he’ll have a nice, normal senior year in high school. Alternative High takes him on, despite his record of, um, being kicked out of schools. He’ll graduate, then go onto New Rome University with his girlfriend and daughter of Athena, Annabeth Chase. Calm. Simple. Cue laughter, for things are never so easy for Percy, especially when there are gods involved. His Nereid (sea spirit) school counselor, Eudora, explains that he must fulfill three quests in order to obtain three letters of recommendation from Mount Olympus to apply to New Rome. Is it too late to consider a local, technical school? And no, he can’t ask specific gods to write him letters. They must seek him out. And someone does. That someone is Ganymede, the cupbearer to Zeus, once a mortal who was kidnapped by Zeus (in eagle form) for his unparalleled beauty. The goblet has been stolen, but by whom? It must be found before Zeus declares his next feast, but gods forbid that the gods be able to complete their own quests (they can’t, they are most skilled at laziness). Percy, Annabeth and Grover Underwood will embark on the quest to retrieve Ganymede’s goblet. Who knew that getting into college would be this challenging?

            The trio is back! Although I wrote that this may be the first novel in a new trilogy, readers may also consider it “Percy Jackson 6.” That said, readers with no prior knowledge of the Percy Jackson series don’t have to start at the beginning. This tale is what I expect from Riordan: hilarious, fast-paced, sarcastic. It’s a world that’s easy to want to be a part of IRL, though preferably with less dying by mythological monsters or by an infuriated god/goddess. For those familiar with the Percy Jackson series, this is a reunion we’ve been waiting for, though I wish the book had been much longer. Note to all of you demigods out there: Stay away from the “happy golden death juice.” It is, “One hundred percent pure concentrate. Collected from the dew in the groves on Mount Olympus at dawn on the first day of spring.” FYI: One drop of unblended nectar can burn a demigod to cinders. Try not to get flushed. Okay, have fun! Bye!

            Percy Jackson: Books 1-5