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Review: The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , , , , ,
The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa

The Ribbon Skirt
Cameron Mukwa
Graphix
Published November 12, 2024

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About The Ribbon Skirt

A joyful coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel by debut Indigenous creator Cameron Mukwa about the journey of a two-spirit kid who wants to create a ribbon skirt for the upcoming powwow.

Ten-year-old Anang wants to make a ribbon skirt, a piece of clothing typically worn by women in the Anishinaabe tradition, for an upcoming powwow. Anang is two-spirit and nonbinary and doesn’t know what others will think of them wearing a ribbon skirt, but they’re determined to follow their heart’s desire. Anang sets off to gather the materials needed to make the skirt and turns to those around them — their family, their human and turtle friends, the crows, and even the lake itself — for help. And maybe they’ll even find a new confidence within themself along the way.

My Review

I was a little slow to connect to Anang as a character. In the first few pages of the book, I wasn’t sure what was going on. Some of that might simply be that a graphic novel format doesn’t leave room for much exposition. I found myself picking up hints about what was going on as the scenes unfolded.

Once I understood why Anang worried so much about making a ribbon skirt, everything clicked into place. This happens on page 9, so readers aren’t asked to invest much time before the story becomes clear. I just spent those early pages feeling like I’d missed something.

I loved the way the spiritual part of Anang’s journey is represented in the story. Mukwa crafts a very visual experience and even involves Anang’s companions. (Their reactions are funny, too.)

The storytelling is gentle and warm. Mukwa lets readers glimpse some of the bullying Anang has endured without letting those moments upstage their current experiences. The focus remains on Anang’s quest to find materials for and make a ribbon skirt for the upcoming powwow.

The backmatter has a helpful note to visitors who would like to attend a powwow on how to engage as a guest and behave respectfully. The author also includes a short note explaining the history and meaning of the two-spirit identity that readers will find informative.

All in all, this graphic novel is a lovely, uplifting read.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Anang asks spirits (two turtles and a lake) for guidance about making a ribbon skirt. The spirits help them find materials and remind them to be true to themself. Others with Anang see and interact with the spirits as well. Anang offers tobacco in thanks.

Violent Content
Some transphobic comments.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Mar Julia

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,

Brownstone
Samuel Teer
Illustrated by Mar Julia
Versify
Published June 11, 2024

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About Brownstone

An exciting teen coming-of-age epic from author Samuel Teer and debut graphic novel artist Mar Julia, Brownstone is a vivid, sweeping, ultimately hopeful story about navigating your heritage even when you feel like you don’t quite fit in.

Almudena has always wondered about the dad she never met.

Now, with her white mother headed on a once-in-a-lifetime trip without her, she’s left alone with her Guatemalan father for an entire summer. Xavier seems happy to see her, but he expects her to live in (and help fix up) his old, broken-down brownstone. And all along, she must navigate the language barrier of his rapid-fire Spanish—which she doesn’t speak.

As Almudena tries to adjust to this new reality, she gets to know the residents of Xavier’s Latin American neighborhood. Each member of the community has their own joys and heartbreaks as well as their own strong opinions on how this young Latina should talk, dress, and behave. Some can’t understand why she doesn’t know where she comes from. Others think she’s “not brown enough” to fit in.

But time is running out for Almudena and Xavier to get to know each other, and the key to their connection may ultimately lie in bringing all these different elements together. Fixing a broken building is one thing, but turning these stubborn individuals into a found family might take more than this one summer.

My Review

The graphic novel format of this story really worked in terms of making Almudena’s experience at her dad’s house really immersive. It was so easy to imagine the scenes playing out in my head. I liked seeing the ways the characters reacted to her and some of the things that she might not have noticed herself.

At the beginning, Almudena doesn’t know anything about her Guatemalan heritage, and she doesn’t speak Spanish. This makes connecting with her dad even more challenging. The language barrier really highlighted the estrangement between Almudena and her dad, too. As she gets to know him, her opinion about him changes, and she begins to find ways to connect with other people in the community as well.

One of my favorite relationships was between Almudena and the shopkeeper who lives alone. I liked the friendship they developed and how that connection ultimately impacts the whole neighborhood.

If you like stories about family connections and exploring cultural heritage, definitely put Brownstone on your reading list!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong language used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Almudena realizes her dad is in a romantic relationship and has some feelings about it.

Spiritual Content
Almudena’s dad shows her his altar, where he prays according to his own ideas about faith, pulling elements from his culture and Christianity.

Violent Content
Almudena gets lost in the city at one point. At another point, she goes out alone and feels threatened or unsafe in a couple of situations.

Drug Content
One teen character smokes.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. All opinions are my own.

Review: Front Desk by Kelly Yang

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Front Desk (Front Desk #1)
Kelly Yang
Arthur A. Levine Books
Published May 29, 2018

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About Front Desk

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they’ve been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

My Review

I am amazed at how much Kelly Yang successfully weaves into this short novel. It’s under 300 pages, and the plot moves along at a reasonable pace. I felt like I got to know some of the motel residents, Mia’s family, and her friends from school.

During the story, Mia begins writing letters. She writes to someone’s potential employer. She writes to an employer who has been abusing his workers, demanding that he give back the passport and ID card to the worker. Her letters make a difference, even while Mia’s mom keeps reminding her that she wasn’t born in America, and that she’ll never speak “native English,” like the people who were. Mia’s letters prove that her voice matters, and her words have power, despite the other messages in her life.

Mia is also a first-class community builder. She connects with the motel residents, those there for a short while and those who stay much longer. She reaches out to the other business owners around the motel. Soon the Calivista is known up and down the coast.

Some parts of the book are sad. Her parents’ employer is cruel and takes advantage of them. Kids at school make fun of her for her clothes and her identity. She witnesses racial prejudice against a Black man who lives at the motel. Someone attacks another person, leaving them injured and bleeding. Mia is the first to find and help them.

But those sad moments only make Mia’s triumphs more impactful. They show the depth of her spirit and the strength of her heart. By the end of the book, I was cheering for her and her family. I definitely want to read more of this series.

One of the amazing things about the series is that the author drew inspiration for Mia’s story from her own experiences helping manage a motel with her parents when she was Mia’s age. This explains the story’s 1990s setting, too.

This is a great fit for readers looking for pre-2000s novels, especially middle grade books on the shorter side.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Two instances of mild profanity. A few instances of racist comments.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A drunk man scares Mia. One scene shows someone who has been attacked by two people. (The attack happens off scene.) References to threats from loan sharks.

Drug Content
A drunk man scares Mia. He’s quickly dealt with.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my library. All opinions are my own.

Review: Mouse and His Dog by Katherine Applegate and Jennifer Choldenko

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Mouse and His Dog (Dogtown #2)
Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko
Illustrated by Wallace West
Feiwel & Friends
Published September 17, 2024

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About Mouse and His Dog

Mouse lives in Dogtown, a shelter for real dogs and robot dogs, where the kibble is plentiful, and the rafters hide a secret community of mice. His unlikely best friend is Buster, a big-hearted real dog who attracts trouble like a burr to fur.

Determined to help Buster find his forever home, even if means losing his best pal, Mouse embarks on a bold quest with three of Dogtown’s “unadoptables”: Buster, Stewie–a huge, lovable dog whose ex-owner said he was mean, and Smokey–a robot dog hardwired with a smoke alarm he can’t control.

But Mouse is just a mouse, and the world is big and complicated. How’s a little guy supposed to find homes for the dogs he loves?

My Review

I have only read parts of the first book in the series, but I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to read this one, too. Mouse and Buster appear in the first book as side characters, so I love that this one gives us a closer look at them as characters.

The story really celebrates the work that dog shelters do, even while acknowledging that they’re not perfect. Dogtown hosts a community program called Reading Buddies, in which children get a chance to read to one of a selected group of dogs. It sounds like such a sweet program. I love that idea. The story also brushes by some of the challenges that the shelter faces, including not having enough kennel space for all the dogs that need homes. They also face a backlog of dogs needing to be evaluated by their trainer.

The true focus of the book though is on Mouse and his relationship with a golden retriever named Buster who can’t seem to find an adoption that will stick. The story shows two examples of dog adoptions that go awry. Adult readers will be able to read between the lines and note that in both instances, the people adopting the dogs weren’t making well-thought-out decisions. One couple wanted a dog at their wedding. Another wanted a dog for protection. In both instances, the adoptive person wasn’t thinking about the needs of the dog they’d be adopting.

All the adoption and shelter business aside, the story highlights a small community of misfits in the sweetest way. Rather than hiding all the time and maintaining nocturnal habits, Mouse forms bonds with the dogs and even a tentative connection with a few humans. Goofy, lovable Buster has poor impulse control, but champions the other dogs kept in the Dogtown basement.

Like the first book, this one contains a robot dog. This time, the dog is Smokey, a dog with a smoke alarm signal in his wiring. He’s also a sweet dog who has some things to learn. The story of Mouse seeking homes for his friends is heartwarming. I love that we get to see one of those special instances in which the dog chooses the human, too, and it’s a perfect fit. I definitely got choked up reading that part. (And I’m not a dog person.)

Conclusion

All in all, this is such a sweet story. The chapters are super short (most just a page or two), and the text is illustrated, so this has worked great for our family as a transition from chapter books to middle grade titles. I highly recommend it for dog lovers and/or younger middle grade readers.

You don’t have to read both books in order. I do recommend both, though I haven’t read all chapters of Dogtown. (I’ve read most of the book.)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Mouse worries that if humans discover mice living in Dogtown, they’ll call in the cats to exterminate them. Mouse worries about Buster and Stewie being euthanized if he can’t find families to adopt them.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. All opinions are my own.

Review: Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulsen

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

Garlic and the Witch
Bree Paulsen
Quill Tree Books
Published September 6, 2022

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About Garlic and the Witch

Bree Paulsen’s brave little protagonist, Garlic, is back in this charmingly illustrated standalone companion to Garlic and the Vampire, serving up another tale of friendship, magic, and self-discovery. Give both books to readers who fell in love with Tidesong or Witch Boy!

Garlic loves spending time with Witch Agnes, Carrot, and her new friend, the Count, who has proven to be a delightful neighbor to the village of vegetable people rather than a scary vampire. But despite Agnes’s best attempts to home-brew a vegetarian blood substitute for Count, the ingredient she needs most can only be found at the Magic Market, far from the valley.

Before she knows it, with a broomstick in hand, Garlic is nervously preparing for a journey.

But Garlic is experiencing another change too–finger by finger, she appears to be turning human. Witch Agnes assures her that this is normal for her garden magic, but Garlic isn’t so sure that she’s ready for such a big change. After all, changes are scary…and what if she doesn’t want to be human after all?

My Review

It’s been a while since I read Garlic and the Vampire, but I loved the sweet setting of the story and the way that it explored anxiety. Paulsen brings the same tender exploration to this novel, too.

At the beginning, Garlic notices a change to her hands. She now has five fingers on each hand, where she used to have four. She worries about what this means. As she learns more, we get to see some backstory and learn how the witch brought the vegetables in her garden to life and what will happen to them next.

Garlic also continues to help her friend Count, whom familiar readers will remember from Garlic and the Vampire. The two head out on a brief adventure, offering Garlic even more new experiences. (Her favorite.)

I love the coziness of the story world and the gentle storytelling. The characters are so cute, too. Garlic has other anthropomorphized garden friends, like Carrot and Celery. There’s a little hint of romance, but it is a minor note in the overall story.

I got this book from the library last summer for my littlest to read, and she quite enjoyed it. She ended up reading it to me, which was an excellent bonus. I think fans of K. O’Neill or The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief reference to a romance between two characters.

Spiritual Content
A witch used magic to turn vegetables from her garden into veggie-people. She makes potions for other people in the village to help them with various problems.

Violent Content
Garlic gets lost in the woods and feels anxious about her problems.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library. All opinions are my own.

Review Once for Yes by Allie Millington

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Once for Yes
Allie Millington
Feiwel & Friends
Published March 25, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Once for Yes

The Odenburgh, an old apartment building made of brick and blunt opinions, is the last of its kind in a swiftly changing neighborhood. After years of putting up with people and their many problems, the Odenburgh knows there’s no point in getting attached. They all just leave eventually. A truth that comes all too soon when the building is sold and slated for demolition, giving tenants a month to move out.

No one is more troubled by the news than eleven-year-old Prue, who refuses to leave her family’s apartment. Not when it was the last place she lived with her sister Lina, before she lost Lina forever. When Prue launches a plan to save their home, the Odenburgh joins in—flickering lights, jamming elevators, triggering fire alarms—all to try and bring a building full of bickering residents together. In the process, Prue meets Lewis, an eccentric boy who lives across the street—and the only one who can help her discover the missing elements of her sister’s story.

My Review

I love that the apartment building is such an important character in this book. The Odenburgh is a bit grizzled and feisty, but it obviously cares about the tenants, no matter how quirky they are. The story is mostly told from the Odenburgh and Prue’s perspectives, but a few other characters narrate random scenes here and there, including Lewis, the boy from across the street.

Prue’s family still grieves her sister’s death, though they have all been grieving privately. As Prue approaches her twelfth birthday, she feels everything is wrong. After she turns twelve, her sister Lina will never again be older than Prue is. At times, Prue’s grief is palpable. Her commitment to the talk show game that she used to play with her sisters is funny and heartbreaking. I love that she continues to narrate certain events, like her mother’s emotional changes, as parts of the show.

At the beginning of the book, Prue thinks she is the only one grieving. Through her connection with the Odenburgh and their attempts to save the building, Prue learns that many of her neighbors nurse secret hurts and losses, too. As they begin stepping outside their apartments and sharing memories with one another, Prue stops feeling so alone. I loved that transition in the story, when Prue and some of her neighbors start to see their grief reflected in each other’s experiences. It helped them see past the squabbles they had and work together to try to save the building they love.

I’m definitely a fan of stories that make space for grief, since I don’t think we do enough of that in real life. I’m also a huge fan of stories that explore building community– another thing we often lack. This book offers both, and though it’s got some moments that will have readers reaching for tissues, it’s also got some that leave us cheering for Prue and her neighbors.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to a crush between two twelve-year-old characters.

Spiritual Content
Prue believes the Odenburgh’s flickering lights are a sign that Lina is there with her. The Odenburgh is a character in the story and can communicate through flickering lights, shutting off power, water, and air conditioning, etc.

Violent Content
Death of a sibling (before the story begins). References to a drunk driver killing a young pedestrian.

Drug Content
See Violent Content.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle.