The Door of No Return, by Kwame Alexander

     The latest chapter book by one of my favorite authors, Kwame Alexander! He writes most of his books in verse, which I think would be much harder than writing in a "regular" book format, and I always appreciate that about his writing. I also appreciate how good he is at it, and at how good of a storyteller he is. If you've never read Crossover, do yourself a favor and read it now!

    The Door of No Return is the story of Kofi, a young boy in western Africa living a young boy's life with his extended family and friends around him. Alexander explains in his author notes at the end of the story that he set out to write a book of African American history, a history that many of us think begins in 1619 when Africans began arriving in the Colonies as slaves. Alexander created this book to help show that the slave trade was the middle of the African American story, not the beginning, and the beginning might look something like The Door of No Return.

     I don't want to give anything away from the story, so I will say that it took me a bit to find the rhythm of this book, as I am not well versed in African names, and adding that two characters have the same first name in the story made it a little tough for me to follow. But only for a while, and then...before I knew it, I could not put this book down! This is a good book, and important book, and an important element of the history of our nation that we don't usually get to see unless we go looking for it. As Alexander writes in this book, "Until the lions tell their side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always celebrate the hunter."  In this case, the hunters are the Whites who stole Africans from their homes and families and shipped them to the "new world" as slaves. For hundreds of years.

    We need more diverse literature in young adult and teen lit, and Alexander and this book are a vital part of that need. Everyone needs to read a book like this, but especially you, so that you can be a part of a different future. 5 paws!

The Science of Breakable Things, by Tae Keller

     From the author of Newbery Award-winning author Keller comes a really heartwarming book about Natalie, a seventh-grader with a tender heart. The Science of Breakable Things is multifaceted in its themes, addressing depression, friendship, race/culture, and family in a very realistic story that is written in an easy to read style. much like When You Trap a Tiger, the award-winner. It reminds me a lot of some of my favorite realistic fiction books that are good at just telling a really good story, such as Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech or Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. As fantasy stories continue to take up more than their fair share of the new titles coming out for middle school readers, I love to find a book like this for a breath of realistic fresh air. 4 paws!

Snapdragon, by Kat Leyh

 A graphic novel, current-season ORCA book, and past OBOB book! This is a good story from a current contributor to the Lumberjanes series, which is one of my favorite graphic novel series! Snapdragon is the story of a spirited young girl who lives with her hardworking single mom and also happens to befriend the local witch, Jacks. Through this unlikely friendship, Snap finds the magic within herself, and the kindness she possesses, in spite of her rough exterior, to see other people as they are and discover that not everyone is who or what they appear to be, or who other people think they are supposed to be. Confused? You won't be once you journey into Leyh's latest offering. A blend of realistic fiction, fantasy, and an interesting meeting up of both genres. I found myself a little sad when the story was over, as I was missing Snap and her life. I think you'll like this book, too! 4 paws!

A Whale of the Wild, by Rosanne Parry

     A newer, but not necessarily new, book by Oregon author Roseanne Parry. Like A Wolf Called Wander, Parry did her research in A Whale of the Wild and documents the life of a whale pod in the Pacific Northwest, with all of its beauty and wonder as well as it's terribleness. She creates a story from the point of view of a young female whale, Vega, who will someday become a salmon finder. Vega gets separated from her pod during two drastic events and must help herself and her brother find the safety of the whale family once again. Parry places you, the reader, squarely into the mind and life of this young whale, and through Vega's eyes we experience the Salish Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and start to understand some of the challenges that face whales in our world's oceans. 

    It is a science/nature/animal/environmental story sure to catch the interest of every animal lover out there! Written similarly to Wolf, Parry documents the current condition of our fragile water system and the animals that rely on the system's balance to live. Another good book from one of my favorite authors! 4 paws!

Remain in Love, by Chris Frantz

     Once or twice each year, I find myself needing an adult book to read. Not that I don't LOVE YA and teen books - I do! But now and then I want to read something that doesn't involve kids or teens at school, losing a parent, wrapped up in some romantic trauma, or just dealing with drama in general. So, in those times, I can usually find something odd, written for adults, that tickles my fancy (another way of saying it interests me). This winter season I found this book, Remain in Love, which was written by the drummer of a 70s alt rock band named Talking Heads. I'm a Talking Heads fan, but usually everything about that band centers around the lead singer David Byrne. Being the curious pug that I am, I know that getting various perspectives on any topic offers a more well-rounded view of things, so I was drawn to this book, written in another, but valid, perspective, and I found it used on a library bookstore shelf!

    I don't think this will be a book any of you go looking for, unless you have some curious draw to 70s and 80s punk or alt rock music. Maybe you do?! But this is a decent book, not amazing. Chris dates and later marries Tina Weymouth, who is the bass player in Talking Heads, so his writing of the story of the band, and beyond, is interesting. Perhaps the most interesting parts were all of the musicians, actors, artists, and creative types Chris and Tina meet and work with over the years. I'll link a Talking Heads song here, and a Tom Tom Club song, as that is their side band, when Talking Heads were not touring or writing together during the bands' years. If nothing else, enjoy the tunes!

Talking Heads - Burning Down the House

Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love

Happy New Year!  

Efren Divided, by Ernesto Cisneros

     Another book in this season's Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) books, Efren Divided is the freshman book (meaning his first one) by author Cisneros. This book tells the story of Efren and his family - his two younger siblings, and his mom (Ama) and his dad (Apa). Although Efren and his brother and sister were all born in the United States, his parents were not, and Efren has an underlying fear that one day something will happen to one or both of them - specifically, that they will be deported to Mexico. When his worst fears come to pass, Efren finds himself trying to care for his siblings, stay caught up in school, and pretend he isn't missing his parent terribly.  Meanwhile his other parent has to rely heavily on him to keep the house together and bring the deported parent back home. That is a lot to ask of anyone, but especially a 7th grader!

    The first few chapters of this book seemed really young, like Cisneros wasn't sure how to write a middle grade book, but was instead writing for a middle elementary reader. Not that that is a bad thing, but it took me a while to get into his writing, as it seemed a bit younger than much of the other books you and I read. But Cisneros was able to get a nice flow going, and the story was a very powerful one. It reminded me of an OBOB book from a couple of years ago, The Only Road, by Alexandra Diaz, only for a slightly younger audience. Immigration is a very current topic these last few years in the United States, as we as a country struggle with who is allowed to cross our borders, how long they can stay, if they are allowed to work, how to pay for their health care and education, and more. Efren shines the light on the human element of these issues, and is a good primer for anyone wanting to think more about these issues that are currently being decided for you by adults. It's good to remember that there are real people behind the stories we hear online and read in the papers. Well done, although not an amazing first effort. But an important topic to write and read about. 4 paws!

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World, by Melissa Hart

     The second chapter book by Eugene, Oregon author Hart, and as good as her first, Avenging the Owl. Hart draws upon her own life experiences as she crafts the story of Daisy, sister to brother Sorrel (a.k.a. Squirrel), who has Down's Syndrome (as does Hart's brother). Daisy is trying to "change the world", per a class assignment in school, and in doing so faces challenges from a bully, her family, and simply the world itself. She leans on friends, some not so friendly, and her own resilience to make the changes she and Squirrel dream about. Mostly, Daisy changes herself.

    I enjoy Hart's writing, and love how she ties in parts of herself into the story. The obvious parts, such as having a brother with Down's, is more obvious, as she shares this info on the author's page at the end of the story. But some not so obvious parts are Hart's love of running, for example, and how Daisy is on a track team in the story. Hart has visited Briggs as an author, and even helped with OBOB last season by being a volunteer moderator for our region! Avenging the Owl was an OBOB book a few years ago, and I'm certain Daisy will be one as well. A cute story whose tone reminded me of Because of Winn Dixie, and a book you are sure to enjoy! 4 paws!

Pet, by Akwaeke Emezi

     This was not a book on my pug radar, but it arrived in a small box of free books from a Rainbow Book Company sent to my human because of his links to librarians and libraries. If this first book from this package is any indication of the other books sent, WOW!!!

    Pet is a fantasy story that tells of Jam, a young person living in Lucille, a futuristic town where "monsters" have been eliminated by adults. Jam's mom, Bitter, is an artist, and paints a creature into a painting that Jam accidently falls and bleeds on, and the painted creature comes alive. The creature's function is to hunt "monsters", and Pet, the painting, tells Jam that she is supposed to help in the hunt, because the hunted is someone Jam knows. The story is less confusing than I am probably making it sound, but it's also like nothing I've read before in many ways. There is a theme of child abuse in the story, so it's pretty heavy in that way. But Emezi's writing is spectacular! This may well be one of the best books I have ever read, and as a reading pug, I read a LOT!

    Jam appears to be transitioning between genders, but this is barely mentioned in the story, and is treated as if it isn't out of the ordinary. I love that part, as it really normalizes something that we, today, are still trying to come to terms with in our society. Emezi doesn't make it a major theme of the book, but it is there and adds to Jam's strengths, I think. The bulk of the story occurs around Pet, Jam, her friend and family, and the "monster".

    If strong subject matter doesn't worry you, read this. And then read it again. And then go out and read Bitter, book two in this story line. This is more than just one of my favorite books of the year, it's one of my all-time favorite books. Ever 5 paws!

Maya and the Rising Dark, by Rena Barron

  The Oregon Reader's Choice Award is one given out to the book voted best of the year in three age categories, much like OBOB. Unlike OBOB, ORCA books are chosen by readers, young and old, who must read at least two of the ORCA books in any age category before voting for their favorite (or the best book!). It's another Oregon reading promotion program, like OBOB, but doesn't require teams or competition to participate.

    There are 8 books in this season's ORCA list for middle school, and Maya and the Rising Dark is one of them. Author Barron tells the story of Maya, a young girl living in Chicago who starts to see weird beings around her town - werehyenas, for example. She quickly finds herself trying to survive, and eventually save her father, from the collision of two worlds - hers, and the Dark. Similar to a Percy Jackson adventure, or any of the newer adventure stories on Rick Riordan Presents label, Barron creates an adventure-filled story that ties African mythology to the modern day.

    Unfortunately, it didn't work very well for me. I don't want to say the same would happen for you, because this book gets really good reviews all over. But I have to admit I found the writing a little inexperienced, meaning the story idea was solid, but the writing at times jumped without offering enough details about why it was jumping, or where, or tying it to the overall story in a satisfying way. I don't want to give you the impression that you shouldn't read this, and that you will probably enjoy it. It's not that I didn't enjoy it - I did. Just not a lot, and not as much compared to some of the other titles I mentioned. I imagine author Barron getting better with more writing, but for this one, a middling           3 paws is all I can offer. This book is okay, but there are stronger books you could read.

Wink, by Rob Harrell

    Wink is one of this season's ORCA books, and a really good read! Harrell tells the story of himself, or a fictionalized version of himself, as a younger boy when he was diagnosed with cancer...in his eye. The author writes a story that is funny and real at the same time, something not easy to do with such a serious subject. One of the beautiful things about books is that they can act as windows, allowing you, as a reader, to experience things that you might not have to experience in real life. In this case, cancer. Books also act as mirrors, so that if you read a story that describes something you know or or living through, it connects you to others and let's you know it's okay, and that there are other people trying to manage the things in life that you may also be trying to manage. 

    All that is to say Harrell does a nice job with a very serious subject. His humor reminds me of Gordon Korman, who is a master at laugh-out-loud funny stories. But Harrell is also able to convey how serious real life can be - he creates a really good balance between the seriousness of life and the humor as well. It's nice to be able to laugh at ourselves at times, and of course, we sometimes cry, too.

    The usual parts of a 7th grader's life are written into this story, such as crushes, bullies, and family challenges. It just so happens that main character Ross also has a rare cancer, too. I really enjoyed this story, laughed out loud in several places, and missed Ross and his friends as soon as I completed the last page. 5 paws!