Miiddle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera

Image: Recorded Books

Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~10 hours. Narrated by Cisco Fernandez and Frankie Corzo. Recorded Books, October, 2023. Review of e-audio borrowed from public library. 

Thirteen-year-old Leandro and his nine-year-old sister, Gabi are Cascabeles, living in extreme poverty and at the mercy of the Pocateles, the ruling elite in what seems to be California in a post-apocalyptic world. What little food that can be farmed from the once fertile land, goes to the Pocateles. But, Leandro has grown up with stories about the once fertile lands and has a plan to get out with his sister. Unfortunately, that involves pickpocketing, and when Gabi gets caught, Leandro steps up to take the fall. Judgement is swift and severe - banishment outside the city, where wyrms burst from the soil to swallow any who walk there. But, Leandro has been given a reprieve, of sorts. If he agrees to leave his body behind, a doctor will remove his essence and implant it into the body of a hummingbird drone, leftover old-tech from the before-times. She wants Leandro to find and return her daughter. 

This dystopian adventure grabs you by the throat, lets up from time to time, but doesn't let go. Vivid world building and sympathetic characters kept me listening. The narrator sounded convincingly youthful and I appreciated the fluent shift to Spanish words that I would've butchered had I read with my eyes. I will reread it with my eyes soon, though. The physical book, which I have/ had in my library is utterly gorgeous, with its  intriguing die-cut cover and illustrations. 

Alebriges was a "Best of the Year" book for Kirkus, Booklist, New York Times and the Chicago Public Library. It was also named a Pura Belpré Honor Book. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

Image for HC/ Levine Querido 

A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~11 hours. Read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Kindle Hueston. Recorded Books, November, 2021. 9781705045039. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

As Indigenous Peoples Month winds down, Teen Tuesday features A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger. This immersive dual-narrative shifts point of view between sixteen-year-old Nina here on Earth and fifteen-year-old Olli who resides in the Reflecting World. The two worlds were once joined thousands of years ago. Nina's family is linked to it through her grandmother, who is a healer. Nina is intent on figuring out a story that her great, great grandmother Rosita told her and also intent on saving her grandmother from a man who may be poisoning her land. Olli is a cotton mouth snake person who reluctantly leaves his mother's home to make his own way in the world. Eventually, he settles down close to two coyote sisters and a frog named Ami and the four become friends. When Ami falls ill, it is up to Olli and the sisters to save him. That's when the two stories converge.

The narrators' performances were  well-paced and beautifully inflected. As always, I appreciate hearing the proper pronunciation of unfamiliar names and words.  

This genre-blender won the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, a Newbery Honor and was longlisted for the National Book Award. It also appeared on many Best Books of the Year lists including the Chicago Public Library and the New York Public Library. Readers looking for a layered, nuanced adventure will enjoy A Snake Falls to Earth.

Middle Grade Monday and Audio Review: Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker

Hardcover Image: Macmillan

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker (HC illustrated by Junyi Wu.) Unabridged audiobook, ~7 hours. Read by the author. Recorded Books, August, 2020. (Review of e-audio downloaded from the public library. Own HC)

Happy Monday! My spring break is over! It was relaxing and filled with books, long dog walks, yard clean-up and family visits.

Middle Grade Monday features Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker and illustrated by Junyi Wu. This collection of connected scary stories is not for the faint of heart. Seven fox kits disobey their mother and trek into the woods to visit an old vixen.They want to hear her scary stories, and she delivers. First, she tells the story of Mia, who survives an attack by her teacher, Miss Vix, who has rabies and infects Mia's other siblings and forcing Mia and her mother to flee. Next, she tells the story of Uly, the lone male kit born in a litter of seven, but born with a deformed front paw. His sisters not only tease him mercilessly over it, but also steal his food in order to starve him. As each story draws to a close, there is one less fox kit remaining to listen until a single kit remains. 

These are scary!. Not ghost scary, but real world, bad stuff can happen scary! The author's narration was understated and well-paced. Listening deprived me of the illustrations though. 

Scary Stories for Young Foxes was the author's middle grade debut and published in 2019. It earned a 2020 Newbery Honor, made the ALA Notables List and was a Booklist Editor's Choice. Last year, Scary Stories for Young Foxes: the City was published.

Audiobook review: Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle. Unabridged audiobook on 5 compact discs, 5.75 hours. Narrated by the author. Recorded Books, May, 2013. 9781470369385. (Purchased)

Thirteen-year-old Nate Foster is the odd man out in Jankburg, PA. He loves theater in a family and community that is football obsessed. He and his bfs, Libby are plotting his getaway. She learned that there is an open audition for ET: the musical and Nate is Broadway bound on a Greyhound bus. 

Nate's observations of New York City are precious and absolutely hysterical. We learn that life at home and at school is not easy for Nate. He reveals this so breezily that it takes a beat or two to realize just what he deals with on a daily basis and it's heartbreaking. He is resilient though and, maybe even optimistic. He constants puts a positive spin on things and gives people the benefit of the doubt. He is so, so kind despite the lack of kindness he regularly receives.

Now, I'm not usually a fan of author narrations, but Tim Federle's narration was perfectly paced. He sounded appropriately young and his comedic timing was subtle and flawless. I laughed and teared up all over again. It was such a pleasure to reread this favorite of mine with my ears.

Coincidentally, I finished listening as I pulled into my hotel's garage in Philadelphia last Friday. I was in town for ALAMW. I cheered very loudly when Better Nate Than Ever received a Stonewall and Odyssey honor.

Tim is currently on book tour for Five, Six, Seven Nate! and my school was lucky to be a stop. His presentation to my students was great. The kids connected immediately and Tim was comfortable, charming and quite funny! I could tell the kids were really listening because their questions at the end were quite thoughtful. The fifty minutes were soon over and no one wanted to leave the auditorium.