Tag Archives: backlist

Review: The Girl and the Galdurian by Tim Probert

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,
Lightfall The Girl and the Galdurian by Tim Probert

The Girl and the Galdurian (Lightfall #1)
Tim Probert
HarperAlley
Published September 1, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Girl and the Galdurian

Deep in the heart of the planet Irpa stands the Salty Pig’s House of Tonics & Tinctures, home of the wise Pig Wizard and his adopted granddaughter, Bea. As keepers of the Endless Flame, they live a quiet and peaceful life, crafting medicines and potions for the people of their once-prosperous world.

All that changes one day when, while walking through the woods, Bea meets Cad, a member of the Galdurians, an ancient race thought to be long-extinct. Cad believes that if anyone can help him find his missing people, it’s the Pig Wizard.

But when the two arrive home, the Pig Wizard is nowhere to be found—all that’s left is the Jar of Endless Flame and a mysterious note. Fearing for the Pig Wizard’s safety, Bea and Cad set out across Irpa to find him, while danger fights its way out of the shadows and into the light.

Will these two unexpected friends find the beloved Pig Wizard and prevent eternal darkness from blanketing their world? Or has Irpa truly seen its last sunrise?

My Review

What a fun book! I loved the dynamic between Bea and Cad. Bea is more timid and anxious, and Cad is the epitome of a can-do guy. He always believes they’ll get free from every trap or bad situation. I loved the way the two of them worked together as a team.

The illustrations are gorgeous. I feel like I’m really picky about graphic novels. I tend to love ones that have a more epic fantasy feel to them with more woodsy or nature-centered artwork. So this one scratched all those itches for me. I thought there were a few panels that were maybe a little dark or lower contrast that were a bit hard for me to see, but only a very few. The whole of the story more than made up for the fact that I had to slow down a bit a few times.

I think readers who enjoyed ESTRANGED by Ethan Aldridge or the Amulet series will like this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Cad is a Galdurian, a race of people thought to be extinct. Bea is adopted by her wizard grandfather.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some cartoonish battle sequences fighting giant crabs, a tentacled monster, and hungry lizards.

Drug Content
None.

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Review: Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy
Misty Copeland
Illustrated by Salena Barnes
Aladdin
Published November 2, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Black Ballerinas

As a young girl living in a motel with her mother and her five siblings, Misty Copeland didn’t have a lot of exposure to ballet or prominent dancers. She was sixteen when she saw a black ballerina on a magazine cover for the first time. The experience emboldened Misty and told her that she wasn’t alone—and her dream wasn’t impossible.

In the years since, Misty has only learned more about the trailblazing women who made her own success possible by pushing back against repression and racism with their talent and tenacity. Misty brings these women’s stories to a new generation of readers and gives them the recognition they deserve.

With an introduction from Misty about the legacy these women have had on dance and on her career itself, this book delves into the lives and careers of women of color who fundamentally changed the landscape of American ballet from the early 20th century to today.

From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author and American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland comes an illustrated nonfiction collection celebrating dancers of color who have influenced her on and off the stage.

My Review

One of the things I love about this book is that Misty Copeland talks about how she encountered the story of each dancer she profiles. Sometimes those stories include meeting her in person, and other times how she learned of their history and what it meant to her to discover it. Always, she includes biographical information about each woman and her career as a dancer as well as challenges she faced and how she responded to or overcame them.

At first I thought the book would simply be profiles of dancers of color, each page being a biography of a different dancer’s life. I think connecting them to Copeland’s personal experience really helped paint a picture of the dance world as a whole and how some things have evolved. It also showed areas where harmful prejudices still exist for dancers of color today, which is really important.

I loved the beautiful drawings of each dancer and the descriptions of their dance styles or the memorable roles they’ve played. I want to go back through the book and search for video clips of the dancers profiled in BLACK BALLERINAS so that I can hopefully see some of those incredible performances.

All in all, I highly recommend this book for dance fans and readers interested in women’s history.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
This book tells the story of women of color and their careers in the professional dance world.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Some brief mentions of racism and colorism.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Historical, Memoir, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , , , ,

They Called Us Enemy
George Takei
Justin Eisinger
Steven Scott
Illustrated by Harmony Becker
Top Shelf Productions
Published July 16, 2019

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About They Called Us Enemy

A graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei’s childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon — and America itself.

Long before George Takei braved new frontiers in Star Trek, he woke up as a four-year-old boy to find his own birth country at war with his father’s — and their entire family forced from their home into an uncertain future.

In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten “relocation centers,” hundreds or thousands of miles from home, where they would be held for years under armed guard.

They Called Us Enemy is Takei’s firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, the joys and terrors of growing up under legalized racism, his mother’s hard choices, his father’s faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future.

My Review

I’d heard of this book before, but it was mentioned again in George Takei’s biography in MORE AWESOME ASIAN AMERICANS, a book featuring 20 biographies of Asian Americans. I discovered my library had an electronic copy, so I checked it out and read it in one sitting.

The illustrator, Harmony Becker, did an amazing job focusing each panel in on the most critical elements. There are lots of panels that at first glance seemed very simple, but as I looked at them longer, I noticed how the illustrations often drew my eye to important features.

I also thought the balance between the illustrations and the stories was expertly done. The combination felt much larger than the sum of its parts. I found so many moments deeply moving.

The story bounces back and forth between Takei’s childhood, showing his experiences with his family, and then a more present-day version of himself, reflecting back on those days or speaking to an audience about his experiences.

The story also does a great job delivering personal moments as well as the historical events that impacted George Takei and his family. I loved the way that he spoke about his father throughout the book. I loved his admiration for his dad and the treasure of the lessons he learned from him.

All that is not to say the book is without shocking or hard moments. The reality of what he and 160,000 others endured was and is terrible. I think the authors did a wonderful job speaking truth in an engaging way, great for a young audience. I found the story deeply moving and inspiring, perfect for late elementary or middle school readers.

Content Notes for They Called Us Enemy

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Major characters are Japanese American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used a couple times.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to marriage.

Spiritual Content
Reference to a Buddhist faith leader being incarcerated.

Violent Content
References to and descriptions of racist behavior toward Japanese Americans. Some panels show soldiers carrying guns.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

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A Song Below Water (A Song Below Water #1)
Bethany C. Morrow
Tor Teen
Published June 2, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Song Below Water

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Nevermind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.

My Review

I kind of feel like the cover copy sells this story a bit short. It’s told from both Effie and Tavia’s perspectives, which I loved. A lot of the story has to do with figuring out some of the things Effie is experiencing, which isn’t mentioned at all in the copy.

The characters in general hooked me into the story. Effie’s relationship with her grandparents. Tavia’s relationship with her dad. The boy at the pool. Tavia’s friends in choir. Effie’s partner at the faire. They all made the story so rich and interesting. Both Effie and Tavia felt like unique characters, too, with different voices, but they also felt deeply connected by their relationship.

A SONG BELOW WATER is one of those books that might start off a little slow, but it’s not long before the tension starts building pretty high. The story stays centered around Tavia and Effie, following them as they learn to use their voices and find confidence in who they are. This book drew me right in, and I desperately needed to know what was going to happen.

I think I bought a copy of this book the year it came out, but it took me a long time to finally get to it. I’m absolutely sure I will read more by Bethany C. Morrow. It looks like the second book in the series, A CHORUS RISES, came out in 2021, and follows one of the side characters from this book. I definitely have to check it out!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Tavia and Effie are Black. Other minor characters are Black or Latinx.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are supernatural. Tavia is a siren. Sprites make mischief, stealing items or causing mayhem. A gargoyle appears to be guarding a siren.

Violent Content
Tavia follows a news story about a woman who was murdered. No details about how the murder happened. Four of Effie’s friends turned to stone while playing in a park when she was ten. Tavia and Effie attend a political protest that turns violent when people begin attacking protestors.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, , , , , , , ,

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker
Patricia Hruby Powell
Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Chronicle Books
Published December 1, 2013

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

In exuberant verse and stirring pictures, Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson create an extraordinary portrait for young people of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who worked her way from the slums of St. Louis to the grandest stages in the world. Meticulously researched by both author and artist, Josephine’s powerful story of struggle and triumph is an inspiration and a spectacle, just like the legend herself.

My Review

I must have purchased this book when it was on sale a while ago and then forgotten that I had it until today when I was searching through a list of nonfiction e-books that I own. I’m sure I bought it because of having read and really enjoyed Patricia Hruby Powell’s book LOVING VS. VIRGINIA, which is about a couple involved in the civil rights case to legalize interracial marriage.

Since I’d read that book, I knew I loved Powell’s emotive storytelling, so I was really excited when I saw that she’d written another book, this one a biography.

When I started reading, I intended to kind of just skim the first few pages and get a feel for the book so I could put it in my blogging calendar… but I couldn’t stop reading. I fell headfirst into the incredible story of the bright, indomitable spirit of Josephine Baker and didn’t surface until the last page. She’s amazing. The stories of her performances, her daring, her ability to make audiences roar with laughter captivated me. And THEN.

Y’all.

World War II happens, and she becomes a spy for the Allies. She writes messages in invisible ink on her music sheets. I was blown away, but honestly, I shouldn’t have been, because that’s exactly the kind of courage and boldness that run throughout her entire story. What a truly amazing person.

At any rate, I loved this book. It’s a pretty quick read, but between the beautiful illustrations and the strong, spare storytelling, this is a book that demands to be read. I can’t even say how much I loved it. And now I only want to know more about Josephine Baker! I had no idea who she was before picking up this book, and I’m only sorry it took me until now to learn about her.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
This book tells the life story of Black dancer, actor, and performer, Josephine Baker. The story shows her feelings in response to segregation and racist/colorist behavior around her.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief mentions of her marriage.

Spiritual Content
Josephine adopted twelve children from various countries and brought them up with the spirituality of their cultures. She wanted to show that people of different races and religious values could grow up side by side and love one another like brothers.

Violent Content
Brief mentions of war.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman

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Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
Art Spiegelman
Pantheon Books
Published September 1992 (originally published in 1991)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale: And Here My Troubles Began

Acclaimed as a quiet triumph and a brutally moving work of art, the first volume of Art Spieglman’s MAUS introduced readers to Vladek Spiegleman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler’s Europe, and his son, a cartoonist trying to come to terms with his father, his father’s terrifying story, and History itself. Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice), succeeds perfectly in shocking us out of any lingering sense of familiarity with the events described, approaching, as it does, the unspeakable through the diminutive.

This second volume, subtitled AND HERE MY TROUBLES BEGAN, moves us from the barracks of Auschwitz to the bungalows of the Catskills. Genuinely tragic and comic by turns, it attains a complexity of theme and a precision of thought new to comics and rare in any medium. MAUS ties together two powerful stories: Vladek’s harrowing tale of survival against all odds, delineating the paradox of daily life in the death camps, and the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father. At every level this is the ultimate survivor’s tale – and that too of the children who somehow survive even the survivors.

My Review

I finished reading this book weeks ago, but I knew it was going to take some time to digest before I was ready to write up my review. MAUS covers a heavy topic, not only because the book introduces us to a man who survived the Holocaust and his son’s relationship with him, but also because at least one school district banned the book last year.

If you’ve followed my blog long, you probably already know my feelings about book banning— I’m generally against it. I read the article about the decision to ban MAUS and the comments by the decision-makers who decided to ban it. Mainly, they were concerned about nudity and violence.

So the nudity concern seems a bit wild to me because the characters are… mice. One page shows illustrations of naked characters. It’s because they are prisoners who’ve been stripped and forced to line up for uniforms. The drawings aren’t super detailed. There are basically U shapes for masculine private parts. Anyway.

In terms of the story– I’ve read other books about the Holocaust before. I’m not sure it ever gets less horrifying– nor should it. But there’s really something unique about reading a visual representation of the story and one that’s expressed with animal faces (mice for the Jews and cats for the Nazis). I couldn’t help but feel shocked and moved by the story.

Another thing that really impacted me was the juxtaposition of Vladek’s first-person narrative about his survival of the Holocaust next to the challenges his son Art faces in trying to navigate a relationship with him.

Should Maus Be Banned?

In terms of the violence portrayed in the book. So. I’m not a historical expert. But. The Holocaust was violent. Cruel. Shockingly awful. While I think, yeah, we don’t need to present every horror to kids in school learning the history, I don’t think it’s possible to learn about the Holocaust without some exposure to violence. MAUS II has scenes that I would categorize as violent. They’re brief. But they’re there. I didn’t read anything personally that left me feeling that readers ages twelve to fourteen should be banned from exposure to it.

I’m a little bit embarrassed that it took me so many years to read both volumes of MAUS. I am really glad I read them, though. I think they’re incredibly important stories and very well-told.

Content Notes

Content warning for genocide, brief nudity, and violence.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are Jewish. Vladek Spiegelman is a Holocaust survivor who recounts his experiences in Auschwitz and other camps.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief nudity in a scene that shows male prisoners after they’ve been forced to strip and line up to receive prison uniforms. The drawings are specific enough to indicate that prisoners are male without being overly precise.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to torture and abuse of prisoners. Reference to execution of prisoners in gas chambers or by burning or shooting them.

Drug Content
None.

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