Middle Grade Monday and Arc Review: Wink by Rob Harrell

Image: Penguin Random House

Wink by Rob Harrell. 316 p. Dial Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Random House, March 31, 2020. 9781984815149. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)

Middle Grade Monday features Wink by Rob Harrell. All Ross Maloy wants is to get through seventh grade with his best friends, Abby and Isaac. But Isaac's been MIA ever since Ross got diagnosed with a rare eye cancer. Now he's that kid at school everyone's whispering about or pitying -the cancer kid. On top of that, the side effects of his treatments cause embarrassing situations inspiring someone to create and spread cruel memes about him. 

People who know me, know that I'm awfully hard on cancer novels. This first-person novel is not like any book about cancer you've read. It's authentic, honest and hilarious, heartbreaking and heartwarming. I even broke my "no star ratings" vow on Goodreads to give it five. I forced myself not to swallow it whole in one sitting. The spot illustrations and occasional comic strips featuring Bat Pig will appeal to fans of illustrated novels and add to the humor. You know your kids who eat up sad books will be all over this. Guess what? So will your kids who hate sad books! It's that good.

Wink releases on March 31. You'd better order multiple copies cuz this won't sit.

Picture Book Review: All of a Sudden and Forever: help and healing after the Oklahoma City bombing by Chris Barton

Image: Lerner Publishing

All of a Sudden and Forever: help and healing after the Oklahoma City bombing by Chris Barton. Illustrated by Nicole Xu. unpgd. Carolrhoda Books/ Lerner Publishing, February 4, 2020. 9781541526693. (Review of finished book courtesy of publisher @ SLJ Leadership Summit.)

I am at a bit of a loss about how to review this profound, beautiful and necessary book. April 19, 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, well past the age of the target audience of this book. Unfortunately, in those twenty-five years, there have been many mass shootings and thus, the need to explain these tragedies to young people. Barton channels Mr. Rogers, explaining the events of that fateful day and its aftermath simply and sparely. The dark and somber illustrations add gravity without overwhelming. 

There are no gory details; just a focus on recovery, healing and hope. The tree that survived the blast is a powerful symbol of resiliency. The practice of gathering seedlings to nurture, plant and pass on to those who have experienced trauma is just beautiful. 

Author and illustrator notes follow the text and include photos of the tree immediately after the bombing and after recovery. Mini-biographies of twelve people affected directly or indirectly follows and a list of recommended reading and three websites end the back matter. 

All of a Sudden and Forever ought to be in every library - on hand for the right time to share with young readers who need help confronting tragedy. 

Fact Friday: Saving the Tasmanian Devil: How science is helping the world's largest marsupial carnivore survive by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Image: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Saving the Tasmanian Devil: How science is helping the world's largest marsupial carnivore survive by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent.

Fact Friday features Saving the Tasmanian Devil: how science is helping the world's largest marsupial survive by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. It is often the fault of humans that species become threatened with extinction by way of poaching and/ or habitat loss. In 1995, scientists noted a severe drop in the numbers of Tasmanian Devils. They also observed horrifying facial tumors that seemed to be highly contagious and killed every infected devil so quickly that they feared the devil population would be wiped out within years. 

This edition of The Scientist in the Field series explains the work of four teams of scientists in their efforts to identify and cure the disease before these creatures are gone forever. As usual with this excellent series, the narrative is engaging and accompanied by plentiful full-color photos of the adorable, yet fierce marsupials as well as scientists at work. Back matter includes a glossary; one book and four websites for further reading; source notes and an index. My only criticism is the long and unwieldy title;-)

This series continues to be an auto-purchase for me. I highly recommend adding Saving the Tasmanian Devil! 

Picture Book Review: Odd Dog Out by Rob Biddulph

Image: HarperCollins

Odd Dog Out by Rob Biddulph. unpgd. Harper/ HarperCollins Publishers, December 3, 2019. 9780062367266. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publicist.)

Can one have too many books on the shelf about being oneself? Not if the book is Odd Dog Out, which is a story in rhyme that actually works in that it trips off the tongue quite easily. It's also jaunty and fun to read aloud. But the illustrations are the stars. Striking, exuberant, humorous and eye-catching all spring to mind. There's an energy that is just contagious in each spread. I'm getting ahead of myself. What's it about?

Odd Dog is, well odd. She stands out in a sea of dachshunds who all look the same. No matter what she tries to do, she just doesn't fit in, so she goes on a road trip to find her people. Of course, her people reside in Hollywood, only now everyone looks just like her. Is this a good thing?

Celebrating and encouraging differences should happen all year long; but now, during this reflective time of resolutions to be better, might be a nice time to share Odd Dog Out. As mentioned above, this book is great for reading aloud. Visit the link to the book's page on the HarperCollins website for a printable activity! 

If you have readers who love doxies (as my dachshund-loving friend calls them) they need to know about it. Display it prominently and it won't sit. I promise.  

#tbt: Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle. 352 p. Speak/ Penguin Group (USA), 2008. 9780142412145. (own)

#tbt features Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle. Let It Snow is a romance that consists of three interconnected novellas featuring teens who are snowbound over the holidays. Break-ups and make-ups, crossed signals and humor abound. What else would one expect from these YA favorites? Let It Snow  was published in 2008. It was also optioned for film, which released on Netflix this past November. 

Picture Book Review: Freedom Soup by Tami Charles

image: Candlewick Press

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles. Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara. unpgd. Candlewick Press, December10, 2019. 9780763689773. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

It was a happy accident that this review of Freedom Soup ended up being published today - on New Year's Day. It was one of the last books read during my push to complete my GR goal yesterday.

It is a snowy New Year's Day in Ti Gran's house and she has decided that her granddaughter, Belle, has a "heart made for cooking." Belle is going to help Ti Gran make Freedom Soup, a Haitian traditional soup that is made each New Year, which also happens to be Haitian Independence Day. Ti Gran is a storyteller and history-keeper. Even though Belle has heard the story before, she relishes hearing it again. Ti Gran's words paint painful pictures on the way to triumph. Illustrations pop off the pages as Belle and Ti Gran bounce to the rhythm of Haitian music as they chop and stir. Little details draw the eye and invite lingering. The text has its own subtle rhythm. 

The best picture books transport readers so much so that they inhabit the book. They can feel the warmth and love and can smell the aromas. Freedom Soup is a feast for the eyes and soul. Don't read this book hungry! Even if you're not, you will get hungry reading about how this delectable dish is created. I am so making Freedom Soup this year. A recipe follows at the end along with an author's note. There is just so much to love and celebrate about Freedom Soup - a grandparent's love, cooking and storytelling as tradition and memory, history, and community. Highly recommended!

Waiting on Wednesday: 10 Things I Hate about Pinky by Sandyha Menon

Image: Simon & Schuster

10 Things I Hate about Pinky by Sandyha Menon. 368 p. Simon Pulse/ Simon & Schuster, June 30, 2020.  9781534416819.

Publisher synopsis: The delightful follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie, which follows Ashish’s friends Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date in order to achieve their individual goals, to disastrous and hilarious results.

Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.

Samir Jha might have a few…quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.

Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions she’s made (a.k.a. boyfriends she’s had), she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer.

When Samir’s internship falls through, leaving him with an unplanned summer, he gets a text from Pinky asking if he’ll be her fake boyfriend in exchange for a new internship. He jumps at the opportunity; Pinky’s a weirdo, but he can survive a summer with her if there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they'll never forget.

I really love these books and cannot wait for this new one!