To: Night Owl From: Dogfish, by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer

 One of my favorite books is called Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan. It reminded me a lot of Wonder but I thought it was a bit better, maybe because it became less commercialized. So when Night Owl showed up from Sloan as one of this season's OBOB books, I was tail-wagging happy!

Unfortunately, my wagging didn't last long. This story, on the surface, is a good one. Two girls meet because their dad's have started dating, and things appear to be serious, and the girls, who don't know each other when the story begins, are determined not to become friends, and hope that this relationship their dad's are building won't work out. However, the entire story is written as emails back and forth between Night Owl and Dogfish. I admit I have a bias against authors who cannot come up with a better way to tell a story than through letters, or emails, or texts. This seems way too easy, as an author, to let a story unfold. I know both of these veteran authors can, and have, done better. But...ugh. 3 paws just because I love Counting by 7s, I guess, but you could probably find better stories than this, either in other OBOB books this season, or by either of these authors. Oh well, looking forward to another OBOB read!

Born to Fly, by Steve Sheinkin

 The newest book from my FAVORITE non-fiction author Steve Sheinkin! Several of his books have been OBOB books over the years - Benedict Arnold, Bomb, Port Chicago 50 - and if you've never read a book by him, do yourself a favor and read one now! Hey, why not this newest one?

Born to Fly tells the story of the first women's airplane race, which occurred across the United States in 1929. Names you may know, like Amelia Earhart, were there, but also were many names you might not know - but should! In larger part, this book tells about some of the best of the best in women's aviation history, when airplanes were new, pilots were few, and many people (men, mostly) believed flying was no place for a woman. Sheinkin points out that one hundred years later those feelings still hold true in many ways, which is a tragedy. It would seem society would have evolved past such ignorant sexism in the 21st century, but...we still have a long way to go.

The book started a little slow, and it was hard to follow all of the names as Sheinkin tries to introduce a few dozen of the women who would make up part of the Derby field. But if you are patient, and don't get too caught up in remembering who is who at the beginning, it really falls into place about halfway through, and from there until the end will hold you riveted!

I recommend any and all books by this author, and although this still isn't my all-time favorite of his, it is exceptional, and important, and part of our nation's history...and you should give it a try! 5 paws!

Genesis Begins Again, by Alicia D. Williams

 A debut novel by author Williams, and an OBOB book for the coming season as well. Genesis Begins Again is the story of Della, growing up with an alcoholic father and a mother who is trying to help her family stay afloat. The story is told by Della, and I don't know if I can remember reading another book where the narrator's voice was so real and strong as it is in this story. I feel like I know Della, and like I am Della, from almost the first page. She is wonderful and flawed all at the same time, and the situations she finds herself in leads to some decisions that don't always turn out to be good. She is very real, very human, and I could not turn the pages in this book fast enough!

The story reminded me of some of the best storytellers I have read - Sharon Creech, Kate DiCamillo, Jerry Spinelli, Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, Kwame Alexander...because Williams is already that good! This may be my favorite book of the year so far, and is certainly one of my favorite books of all time! Read this! 5 paws!

Where the Watermelons Grow, by Cindy Baldwin

     I've been hearing great things about the realistic fiction story by this debut author Baldwin. Watermelon is the story of 12-year-old Della, who lives in a very hot and humid North Carolina town with her mom, dad and baby sister. Her mother has had bouts of schizophrenia since Della was born, and as her mom's symptoms amp up in the story, Della can't help but feel responsible for causing the disease, and thus somehow figuring out how to help cure it.

    I can't recall reading anything else that details schizophrenia so precisely, but this book did remind me of some other really good books about diseases and disorders that affect people, kids and parents, and make for heart-wrenching stories. Wonder and Crossover come to mind. The writing style of this book reminded me of some other good books, like Moon Over Manifest and most of Kate DiCamillo's books.

    So there is a lot that this book made me think of, and it was written well and carries important messages. But I couldn't help but think that some of the other books mentioned above are...well, just a bit better. Watermelons is a very good first book for Baldwin, and I would be interested to see what she writes in the future. This is a good read if you have an interest in schizophrenia. And it isn't a bad book, so if you just happen upon it and read it through I don't think you'd feel like you wasted any time. But it isn't great, and there are others that do this better. How's that for being noncommittal? 3 paws, and a wag for addressing a topic not seen often in YA or teen books.

The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge, by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

 Sometimes I read a book that I don't know how to describe...in fact, I don't even know if I like it until I'm half way through and realize I can't wait to read the next chapter. The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge is one such book. It's Fablehaven on Red Bull. It's the book that the Monty Python group (ask your parents) would have written, had they written books for teens. It's whimsy and fantasy and reality all mixed together with striking artwork to help tell the story, like Hugo Cabret, perhaps. 

Anderson, who has written books such as Feed and Whales on Stilts, creates this world where elves and goblins coexist apart from each other, in their own kingdoms, but who also have a bloody history with each other that is thousands of years old. An elf is sent to the goblin world to make peace, but in reality has gone to kill the goblin king and finish, once and for all, the battle between the two civilizations. With strange art. And humor. And a bit of George Orwell thrown in. Confused? Yeah...you should read this, and when you are 50 pages in and are thinking about giving up because you don't know who is who or what is going on, keep reading. It comes together, and then you can't put it down. Wonderfully odd! 4 paws!