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[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Carry On

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Copyright: 2017

Summary: Simon Snow is the Chosen One, destined to save everyone from the evil Humdrum. He also must share a room with his “mortal enemy”, Baz, who he’s pretty sure is a vampire. With the point of view switching from Simon to Baz to Penny, it’s an enjoyable story that’s similar to Harry Potter

What I thought: At first I was hesitant to like this book because it felt so similar to Harry Potter. I was also annoyed by Simon at times, but overall I loved this book. Yes, it feels like a knock off Harry Potter at times, but Baz’s perspective is honestly the best at times. I also liked the way the magic worked, with popular quotes and sentences being the spells (memes as spells? I love it). Overall, an enjoyable (if slightly exasperating at times) story. 

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Geekerella

Author: Ashley Poston 

Copyright: 2018

Summary: Elle is a huge fan of Starfield, an old sci-fi space adventure series akin to Star Trek. When she finds out they’re remaking it, and that heartthrob Darien Freeman is set to play the show’s lead she (and the rest of the fandom) is less than pleased. With the story being told from both Darien and Elle’s perspective this Charleston-based book is a modern take on the classical Cinderella tale.

What I thought: I absolutely loved this book, and was really excited to see a modern book version of Cinderella that delved into fandom and con culture. I also loved the switching of perspective in this book (even though I generally dislike being pulled away from one character to start over with a new one), and even enjoyed some of the background characters. Darien’s bodyguard is the best. I’d honestly recommend this book to everyone, but especially people who want to see a celebration of fandom in a very sincere and excited story.

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Darius the Great is Not Okay  Author: Adib Khorram Copyright: 2018

Summary: Darius doesn’t fit in at his school, mostly because he’s a huge nerd, but partially because he’s a Fractional Persian. When Darius and his family have to go to Iran to visit his grandparents he’ll have the chance to find out if he finally fits in somewhere. 

What I thought: I absolutely loved every single Lord of the Rings/Hobbit joke made in this novel, especially the one about boring hobbits. I also appreciated that Khorram made a point to show that even in Iran (where Persians are more common than in the US) Darius was singled out for being different than the standard Persian. Then there’s the fact that Darius is suffering from depression (inherited from his father) that seems to help create a wall between father and son (when they eventually discuss it, it feels so cathartic). It was important to show the struggle that someone who is of mixed race has to deal with (especially if they’re depressed), and how there are always people who will find some way to make you feel excluded because you don’t fit the mold. Another note is Darius’ friendship with Sohrab, which felt like Darius’ first real male friend, and how they weren’t automatically perfect friends, having to work to keep their friendship alive despite the struggles/suffering that was happening around them. This book is definitely worth including on a multicultural display, especially with how much the reader gets to learn about Iran, Persian culture, Farsi, and how Persian culture regards mental illnesses.

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Pumpkinheads Author: Rainbow Rowell Copyright: 2019

Summary: Halloween is Deja and Josiah’s last night working at the pumpkin patch before they head off to college. Instead of actually working, they spend their last night chasing love (and snacks).

What I thought: I really enjoyed this book, and how no one really mentioned that Deja had dated almost every other person working at the patch regardless of gender. I didn’t like how quickly Josiah switched from liking Marcy to realizing he wanted to date Deja, because it felt like it moved too fast. Otherwise, the artwork was beautifully drawn, and the running goat gag was hilarious. I think this book should be included in any fall-themed book display, or even in an LGBTQ display, because of how easily everyone just accepts Deja’s preferences, and the discussion they have about how they decide they like people. I also think it’s a good book for kids who don’t like to read, because this felt very easy to get through in one sitting. 

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Glow Author: Megan E. Bryant Copyright: 2017

Summary: When Julie finds a series of paintings with a mysterious glow she sets out to find out the secret trick to do it herself. These paintings connect her to three young girls in the past, Radium Girls who also have a story to tell. 

What I thought:  I absolutely loved this novel. I was sucked in immediately, and found the entire storyline of Julie slowly finding more paintings to her own detriment. I also loved that there was a subplot of Julie’s father leaving and her having to take on this huge burden to keep her mother’s house, because it felt like it helped connect her to Lydia’s story of trying to save her own family from devastation. It was also interesting to learn about The Radium Girls in a way that wasn’t just facts, with characters you could sympathise with. Also, the idea of painting with radium before finding out that it was slowly killing you made me worry so much about those girls, I wanted to tell them to stop painting on themselves/eating the powder but I couldn’t!

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Beyond the Bright Sea Author: Lauren Wolk Copyright: 2017

Summary: Crow has never known her parents, only a man she calls “Osh” who raised her, ostracized by the islanders who fear she comes from an old abandoned leper colony. Now that she’s older she thinks it’s high time to set out to find out where she came from and just who she really is. 

What I thought: I think we can all empathize with Crow’s desire to know her parents, especially when the people who live on the island refuse to touch her or anything that she’s touched. After years of being an outsider on the island, with only Osh and Miss Maggie not afraid she’ll get them sick, I can completely understand why Crow would want to prove she isn’t the child of lepers. Crow’s story shows that family isn’t just the people you are related to, but the people who take you in and care for you. I think this would be a good novel for any sort of “family” display, to show the different types of families that are out there. It’s important that kids/teens are able to see stories where people are experiencing some version of the same things they are

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: A Wreath for Emmett Till Author: Marilyn Nelson Copyright: 2005

Summary: This work is a “crown of sonnets”, written in remembrance of Emmett Till, who was lynched in 1955. This work combines a mournful, yet beautiful, work with the horror of what happened to Emmett

What I thought: This book is so beautifully written that it breaks my heart every time reference is made to just how young Emmett was.  The way the poems are set up is really interesting to me, too, because I’d never heard of a “crown of sonnets”, and I cannot imagine how difficult they would be to write. The pure skill that went into this work, to help memorialize Emmett Till just astounds me. I also really like the illustrations, and how they add to the poems themselves. This work is extremely important because it serves as a reminder to those reading it that bad things happened to good people in the name of racism, which is why it’s important to speak out against it. This is especially important in the library, because everyone is welcome and no one should ever feel excluded based on race, or any other factor. 

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Fruits Basket (Vol 1) Author: Natsuki Takaya Copyright: 2016

Summary: Tohru Honda, temporarily homeless after the loss of her mother (and grandfather’s house repairs) finds herself living with her classmate and his family. It isn’t long before she finds out that Yuki and several other members of the Soma family are actually reincarnated spirits of the Chinese zodiac.  

What I thought: I really enjoyed this manga, thankfully it had a story to introduce us to the Chinese zodiac because other than knowing I’m a horse I wasn’t sure what other animals were a part of it. I also liked how Tohru found herself a home with people who were outsiders as well, just like her. I know Tohru had her two friends, but it felt like she was very separated from the rest of her class until she makes friends with Yuki. Once that happens and she knows their secret it feels like she becomes a part of something and isn’t just on the outside looking in (or the onigiri in a basket of fruit). Overall, it was a cute manga and I’m sure the rest of the series is just as good (what do the other animals look like?!)

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: The Scorpio Races Author: Maggie Stiefvater Copyright: 2011

Summary: After her oldest brother decides to leave the island of Thisby, Puck Connelly must enter the Scorpio races to keep what’s left of her family and their house safe. Along the way she meets seasoned racer Sean Kendrick who will teach her a few tricks and offer her support in the deadly races. 

What I thought: I loved this book and wish there was an entire series about Thisby and what Puck and Sean’s lives were like after she won. It was important to the story that Puck rode a regular horse, but it also showed that just because someone says something is impossible doesn’t mean it actually is. She was the underdog, but it didn’t feel as though she was guaranteed to win the races with the way the story was set up, which I was glad of. I also wish that we had more information given on the water horses, besides the random tidbits that were thrown out by Sean and the other stablemen. This is one of those books that I think would be checked out pretty often from any library that it’s added to. 

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Spinning Silver Author: Naomi Novik Copyright: 2018

Summary: The evil race of winter beings called the Staryk that come every year to steal gold from the mortal world are somehow making winter longer. After a bit of bragging gets back to them, it’s up to Miryem, Wanda, and Irina to work together with their families to make sure the long winter finally comes to an end.

What I thought: I loved this book and its revamped take on Rumpelstiltskin. I also appreciated the commentary of how terrible people can be when they think they owe you something. The fact that it was women coming up with plans and ideas, and being the heroines of the story was amazing, and I feel like we need more stories like this. One thing I didn’t like about this novel, however, was how often perspective changed, and not just between the three main characters. Occasionally it would switch to a completely new perspective without telling us whose eyes we were seeing through, which was confusing.

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime Author: Mark Haddon Copyright: 2004

Summary: Christopher John Francis Boone lives with his father, loves animals, and has a hard time understanding emotions. After finding his neighbor’s dog skewered with a garden fork he decides to start investigating, something that starts him on a path that might just get him convicted of the dog’s murder. 

What I thought: Christopher John Francis Boone is a fifteen year old boy who lives with his father, loves animals, and doesn't understand human emotions-including his own. I liked that Christopher had a completely different way of thinking than I did, but that he wasn’t that hard to follow or understand. I cannot even imagine how I would feel if I had been the one to find Wellington in the middle of the night, but I probably would not have held him where the neighbors could accuse me of murdering him. I appreciated that he often pointed out the hypocrisy of adults (for instance: you have to tell the truth, but not always, because you can’t just tell people that you don’t like them unless they’ve been mean to you). This book is a good way for students and young adults to view a completely different perspective to their own, and to open a discussion about how neurodivergent people might see the world in ways that others might not. I think it’s a great addition to any mental health awareness display as well. 

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: The Silence of Murder Author: Dandi Daley Mackall Copyright:2011

Summary: Jeremy Long, who is a selective mute, has been accused of murdering the coach of the Panther’s baseball team. It’s up to his sister, and her belief that he could never have done it, to figure out who really killed Coach Johnson.

What I thought: When Hope said that sometimes she’d get bored with a book after a few chapters and then just read the end I was surprised because that’s something I do, and I wasn’t aware that anyone else did it. I also really loved Hope’s assertion that her brother wasn’t insane, just different, and that his quirks were just things that made him him. That’s something that doesn’t often get said or discussed in YA literature, I feel like big deals are always made of a character’s diagnosis in books, and in this one Hope didn’t want people describing Jeremy by any sort of mentally ill label. I also enjoyed how hard she worked to prove that her brother was innocent, and having to put those pieces together with her was great because you could almost see where it was going but it wasn’t until Hope figured it out that I, too, put the whole story together. I think this is another good work where teens can see themselves as a character, and question how they would deal with that situation and who might be on their side.

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: What If? Author: Randall Munroe Read by: Wil Wheaton Copyright: 2014

Summary: Ever had a weird but scientific question you wanted to know the answer to but don’t know any scientists/botanists/physicists you can ask? This book answers those questions, and many more that you might not have ever wanted to think about.

What I thought: I need to firstly state that this book and it’s random assortment of facts and questions was greatly improved by Wil Wheaton’s voice. He brought the facts and the sass in a way that I don’t think any other person could have, and since he was on Star Trek I completely trusted the facts that he was reading to me. On another note, this book is fantastic for people like me who love weird facts, or who are constantly asking “what if x happened? Wouldn’t that be weird?!”. I also loved that no matter how weird the question was, Monroe was ready to jump in and figure out an answer. I love audiobooks because people who have trouble reading, or who don’t have time to sit down and focus solely on a book are able to get the knowledge and story without having to stop what they’re doing to pay attention. 

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: The Nazi Hunters Author: Neal Bascomb Copyright: 2013

Summary: This book depicts the hunt for and capture of Adolf Eichmann, a major organizer of the Holocaust. These people, some who have suffered in the camps directly, will make sure that Eichmann pays for the crimes he committed, and the ones he helped commit.

What I thought: This work is incredibly important, especially when it comes to discussions of Nazis and what eventually happened to those in charge, even more so because it’s a true account and not a fictionalized one. It helps to fill in the gaps of what teens might be taught in schools about the Holocaust (which is mostly glossed over after the camps are liberated). I also think it helps with the conversations that start about Nazis in today’s political climate, with the resurgence of nationalism and those willing to kill for what they think their country should look like. It’s important for young adults to know that there are people fighting against Nazi ideals, and that even if it takes a little longer to find those responsible they will be made to pay for their crimes against humanity. This is definitely a book that should be included in any historical/WW2 display because of the conversations it can start. 

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: Just as Long as We’re Together Author: Judy Blume Copyright: 1987

Summary: Stephanie, Rachel and Allison are in for an interesting year, if they can make it as friends that long. Growing up, dealing with parental issues, and crushing on boys adds a lot of stress to a young girl’s life, but these girls have a friendship that can overcome just about anything. 

What I thought:  I enjoyed parts of this book, but I spent a long time being frustrated with a lot of characters. Especially Stephanie’s parents who didn’t seem to want to find out what was actually going on with her, even after she lost her best friend. To add to that her best friend makes assumptions about her and decides to just spill Stephanie’s family business in store filled with students from her class, which had me almost throwing the book away. Also, I was upset that everyone seemed to tell her that she needed to just get over her feelings and apologize without looking at how Stephanie felt. It was a great portrayal of the drama that happens when you’re young, but overall I wasn’t too happy with the novel. 

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: The Prince and the Dressmaker Author: Jen Wang Copyright: 2018

Summary: The Prince has a secret that he doesn’t want to get out, but he just can’t help that Lady Crystallia has become a French fashion symbol. With help from his dressmaker, Frances, he’ll figure himself out and find true love along the way. 

What I thought: The art in this graphic novel was beautiful (especially that bright yellow dress at the beginning!!). That’s what made it so easy to read, and is a good fit for teens who aren’t strong readers or who just don’t like to read. I appreciated the story without feeling like I had to imagine what the characters were feeling, because I could see it on their faces. I think this is also a great story for LGBTQ teens who might see a bit of themselves in Sebastian (or in Lady Crystallia!), and need a bit of a confidence boost from Sebastian’s family accepting him as he is. Though, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get over the picture of the king rocking that gorgeous dress!

[heykidsreadingisfun]

Title: I’ll Give You the Sun Author: Jandy Nelson Copyright: 2014

Summary: Noah and Jude are twins, never one without the other, hoping to gain a coveted spot at CSA art high school. After the loss of their mother, however, the two have grown apart and have to figure out where they belong and just what they’ll do to finally feel like they deserve to be forgiven by the ghosts of their pasts. 

What I thought: As a twin myself I was really drawn to how different Noah and Jude’s relationship was to me and my brother’s relationship. I have never been as close with my twin as these to were with each other, and that made me even more sad when it switched to the present day and they were no longer on speaking terms with each other. I think this novel is important in explaining that even if you make a mistake you still deserve to be happy. I also really appreciated the fact that every character had something that was hidden and that those secrets did eventually come out, making them happier in the long run. It’s important that teens know secrets being revealed aren’t necessarily the end of the world, and that sometimes it takes that secret being out to really set you up for success.