Review - The Water Princess

The Water Princess
by Susan Verde
illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Date: 2016
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Based on supermodel Georgie Badiel’s childhood, a young girl dreams of bringing clean drinking water to her African village

With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own.

Inspired by the childhood of African–born model Georgie Badiel, acclaimed author Susan Verde and award-winning author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds have come together to tell this moving story. As a child in Burkina Faso, Georgie and the other girls in her village had to walk for miles each day to collect water. This vibrant, engaging picture book sheds light on this struggle that continues all over the world today, instilling hope for a future when all children will have access to clean drinking water.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This would be an eye-opening book for a lot of kids. Imagine having to spend all day walking just to get clean water. You couldn't even go to school because of this! It's hard to believe that in the 21st century, almost a billion people still don't have access to clean water.

This book introduces this idea in an accessible way, with a sweet story about a little girl who goes with her mother each day to collect water. Gie Gie wishes the water were closer, but there's really nothing she can do about it.

The illustrations are really beautiful, evoking the plains of Africa and really setting the scene for the simple story.

I would definitely recommend this book, even to older kids who might think they're too old for picture books; it could start an interesting discussion about wells and water and inequality.

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4.33 out of 5

Review - Because You Love to Hate Me

Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy
edited by Ameriie
Date: 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Reading level: YA
Book type: short stories
Pages: 320
Format: e-book
Source: library

Leave it to the heroes to save the world--villains just want to rule the world.

In this unique YA anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential BookTubers to reimagine fairy tales from the oft-misunderstood villains' points of view.

These fractured, unconventional spins on classics like "Medusa," Sherlock Holmes, and "Jack and the Beanstalk" provide a behind-the-curtain look at villains' acts of vengeance, defiance, and rage--and the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that spurned them on. No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again!

Featuring writing from...

Authors: Renée Ahdieh, Ameriie, Soman Chainani, Susan Dennard, Sarah Enni, Marissa Meyer, Cindy Pon, Victoria Schwab, Samantha Shannon, Adam Silvera, Andrew Smith, April Genevieve Tucholke, and Nicola Yoon

BookTubers: Benjamin Alderson (Benjaminoftomes), Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia), Whitney Atkinson (WhittyNovels), Tina Burke (ChristinaReadsYA blog and TheLushables), Catriona Feeney (LittleBookOwl), Jesse George (JessetheReader), Zoë Herdt (readbyzoe), Samantha Lane (Thoughts on Tomes), Sophia Lee (thebookbasement), Raeleen Lemay (padfootandprongs07), Regan Perusse (PeruseProject), Christine Riccio (polandbananasBOOKS), and Steph Sinclair & Kat Kennedy (Cuddlebuggery blog and channel)

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I don't know why I keep reading these short story collections. They're usually a mixed bag for me. But sometimes there are a few gems, and I might come across an author who has a style I really like.

Here are my thoughts on the individual stories and commentary (only the stories will get ratings, though):

"The Blood of Imuriv" by Renée Ahdieh - Well, that was a disturbing way to start the book. Yes, villains can be compelling, but in this case, I didn't care for Rhone at all. He was a silly little boy, pissy because he had to put up with being second best, just like pretty much every woman in actual recorded history (in this story, the society is matriarchal). He was an entitled brat, and a possible psychopath. Gee... I wonder why nobody thought it was a good idea to let him have too much power.

"The Evil Vaccine: Keep the Darkness at Bay" by Christine Riccio (PolandbananasBOOKS) - Amusing, but fairly pointless. I'm not sure if I'm going to like this commentary business...

"Jack" by Ameriie - I was really enjoying this one until the ending. You'd think that, with the ability to watch TV, the giantess would have understood about things like the placebo effect. Heck, even Jack talked about certain stuff being all in the head! But then I guess there couldn't have been that rather disturbing ending.

"Giants and Tyrants" by Tina Burke (The Lushables) - My eyes sort of glazed over a bit reading this commentary; it reads like a textbook. But I am glad that it pointed out that the bronze bull was a reference to Philaris of Agrigento; I wouldn't have caught that on my own.

"Gwen and Art and Lance" by Soman Chainani - I found the format of this one really hard to read. It was a series of text messages, and that wouldn't have been so bad if it had just been between two people... but it wasn't. I really kind of despised Gwen by the end of this; she was a manipulative bitch.

"The Bad Girl Hall of Fame" by Samantha Lane (Thoughts on Tomes) - I found this commentary rather disturbing. The author asserts that "there is no clear distinction between hero and villain anymore". Um... yes, there is. Also, this attitude is starting to make me a bit uncomfortable; when we start to romanticize sociopathic behaviour ("Our obsession with antiheroes and antivillains is a result of social ideals being rewritten."), we have a serious problem.

"Shirley & Jim" by Susan Dennard - I'm starting to think that people don't even understand what heroes and villains are anymore! A hero isn't a hero simply because they don't get caught when they do bad things. A villain isn't a villain because they blow the whistle on the "hero". What the heck is going on with these stories?

"Dear Sasha, the 411 for Villains" by Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia) - This commentary was self-indulgent and just plain stupid. I really have nothing else to say.

"The Blessing of Little Wants" by Sarah Enni - This story obviously had no editor, judging by the misused words and repetition throughout. Which is a shame, because the premise is compelling. I couldn't figure out what was going on until the very end, and that ending brings up more intriguing questions. However, I just can't rate a story very highly when it's as rough as this one, technically speaking.

"Will the Real Villain Please Stand Up?" by Sophia Lee (thebookbasement) - I don't think Lee really understood the story or the character arc. And her confusion kind of ended up colouring my opinion. From now on, I need to be more careful to write down my thoughts on the story before reading the commentary.

"The Sea Witch" by Marissa Meyer - This is more along the lines of what I thought I'd be getting when I picked this book up: a well-known story told from the point of view of the villain, perhaps in a way that makes them more sympathetic. The story was good enough (if predictable), although the editing left something to be desired.

"Villain or Hero? You Decide!" by Zoë Herdt (readbyzoe) - Again, I'm disturbed by how the younger generation views right and wrong. No, you were not a coward for refusing to cheat on a test because you knew it was wrong; a coward would've cheated because they were afraid of failing the test. Doing the right thing is never cowardly. (I'm not sure if I should be worried about the morals of the millennial generation, or if they're just all in need of a good dictionary. Cowardice. Look it up.) Oh, and the quiz was pretty pointless. Was there a word quota that needed to be filled?

"Beautiful Venom" by Cindy Pon - Aside from some editing problems, this wasn't bad. The villain wasn't really the villain, though, except in the sense that she was made one by the actions of an even worse villain. But I was kind of distracted the whole time I was reading it by this question: Would this have been acceptable if, say, a white author had retold and recast a Chinese tale with white characters and a Western setting? That leads to a longer answer than a basic book review warrants. But it still made me think... a lot (about the question rather than the story, unfortunately).

"Without the Evil in the World, How Do We See the Good?" by Benjamin Alderson (Benjaminoftomes) - Reading this glowing commentary (he really loves this story), I realized how heavy-handed the statement about consent and rape and victim-blaming was. I picked up on it while I was reading the story (it would be pretty hard not to), but now that I think about it some more, it was a little much. The Goddess of Purity was almost a stereotype of every entitled old white man who's ever asked a stupid question like, "What were you wearing?"

"Death Knell" by Victoria Schwab - Finally, a good one! This is an interesting take on death personified. Although we're still left with some questions, the story as a whole is coherent and intriguing. I liked this!

"Dear Death" by Jesse George (JessetheReader) - I don't even know what to say about this commentary. It was just... I don't know. Boring. Personal, and yet too general to be really interesting.

"Marigold" by Samantha Shannon - This was just okay. There were no surprises, just a couple of historical sexist pigs who arrogantly tried to take on the elves.

"Evil Revealed" by Regan Perusse (PeruseProject) - Thanks for explaining the purpose of folklore. I had no idea! (Seriously, though, this commentary is kind of unnecessary. The story is clear enough with its themes and intent that, if you didn't understand it, extra explanation probably isn't going to help.)

"You, You, It's All about You" by Adam Silvera - This was actually fairly good, and I didn't see the twist coming. The second-person POV threw me off a little, but it didn't really stand in the way of a decent story.

"Behind the Villain's Mask" by Catriona Feeney (Little BookOwl) - Yes, I think we all understand the symbolism and meaning of masks. Moving along...

"Julian Breaks Every Rule" by Andrew Smith - I thought this was a decent story with an intriguing premise... until I saw what it was supposed to be: a psychopath in a futuristic setting. Not only was the setting not futuristic (it was contemporary, small-town Iowa), but Julian didn't really seem like a psychopath until the last few lines (and even then, we don't know if he's just posturing). It wasn't his fault he couldn't get into trouble; heck, he tried to get into trouble. The fact that Steven Kemple never died makes me wonder if Julian really had any power at all, or if the other deaths were merely coincidences... which kind of blows apart the whole psychopath theory.

"Julian Powell: Teen Psycho Extraordinaire" by Raeleen Lemay (padfootandprongs07) - This Raeleen person claims to have read the story multiple times, but I almost wonder if she's read it at all. Julian is a "typical psychopath" who can talk his way out of anything? That's not what I read. He actually called the cops on his own house party to get it cleared out, told the trooper he needed everyone gone, and the guy just walked away while offering to order more pizza. Sorry, but that doesn't seem like a psychopath trying to talk his way out of anything. (I think part of the problem was that Raeleen set the story challenge, so she was expecting a psychopath. Even though that's not what Smith gave us, she still thinks it is. Interesting how her expectations shaped her reading of the story in a way that's probably unique to her alone--for those of us who didn't know what the premise was supposed to be, it's likely we saw Julian in a much less menacing way.)

"Indigo and Shade" by April Genevieve Tucholke - Sorry, but I didn't see Brahm as the villain here. Yes, he was a horrible person (sexist, narcissistic, and more than a little entitled), but he also--in effect--saved the girl.

"Glamorized Recovery: Expectations vs. Reality" by Whitney Atkinson (WhittyNovels) - I have no idea what the point of this commentary was. I thought these things were supposed to address the stories that came before. But this was just a generic ramble about villains that seemed to ignore the story for the most part.

"Sera" by Nicola Yoon - That was interesting, although I'm still not sure who the "villain" was supposed to be. And why the stereotypes about males? If you're going to gender-flip the premise, why stop at the main character? (Sera had as much reason to have it out for females, based on experiences in her own life.)

"The Bad Girls' Guide to Villainy" by Steph Sinclair and Kat Kennedy (Cuddlebuggery) - Again, kind of generic. Oh, well.


I don't think I'll ever want to read an anthology in this format again. The commentaries were either boring, redundant, confusing, or not related to the stories they were supposedly discussing. Just give me the stories and let me come to my own conclusions; if I want to read reviews, I'll go find a book blog!

Overall: 2.85 out of 5

Review - Sweetheart

Sweetheart
by Abbey Mei Otis
Date: 2010
Publisher: Tor.com
Reading level: A
Book type: short story
Pages: 5
Format: e-book
Source: Tor.com

Paxton and the neighbor’s kid are inseparable—sweethearts, even, and Paxton barely six. He doesn’t mind her antennae and clicking mandibles at all....

(read more at Goodreads)

That was really disturbing.

So, basically, by rounding up/detaining/killing(?) the "other", we can have peace, which is more important even than love.

No. Take your second-person, no-quotation-mark, pretentious sanctimony and shove it.

In other words, I don't recommend this.

Plot: 1/5
Characters: 1/5
Pace: 2/5
Writing & Editing: 1/5
Originality: 1/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall Rating: 1.14 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Little You

Little You
by Richard Van Camp
illustrated by Julie Flett
Date: 2013
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

Richard Van Camp, internationally renowned storyteller and bestselling author of the hugely successful Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns, has partnered with talented illustrator Julie Flett to create a tender board book for babies and toddlers that honors the child in everyone. With its delightful contemporary illustrations, Little You is perfect to be shared, read or sung to all the little people in your life--and the new little ones on the way!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The illustrations looked familiar as I started reading this, and I recognized the name... from a book I read earlier this week called My Heart Fills with Happiness. Little You is in the same vein. It's a very simple picture book, with a gentle rhyming text that would be lovely read aloud. I liked the pictures just as much as the ones in My Heart Fills with Happiness; there's something about their minimalist style that's really charming.

This seems like the perfect bedtime read for little ones. I highly recommend it!

Premise: 3/5
Meter: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.57 out of 5

Review - Today I Feel...: An Alphabet of Feelings

Today I Feel...: An Alphabet of Feelings
by Madalena Moniz
Date: 2017
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 64
Format: e-book
Source: library

Beautifully illustrated by Madalena Moniz’s subtle watercolors, Today I Feel... follows a child through a whole range of emotions, from adored to curious to strong. Not all of the emotions are positive and not all of them are simple, but they are all honest and worthy of discussion with a young child.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm afraid I'm not very impressed with this one. It just seemed like an excuse for an illustrator to make 26 pictures. Calling some of these "emotions" ("Brilliant", "Tall", etc.) is a bit of a stretch. I'm always curious how alphabet books handle certain letters like Q, X, and Z. This book kind of missed the mark. Sure, you can feel "Quiet", but "X.O.X.O.'ed" is going to provoke a lot of questions, and "Zzzz" just feels lazy.

I also didn't feel comfortable with D, which was for "Daring". Unless C is going to be for "Consent" and E for "Empowered" (with the little girl fighting back against unwanted advances), then I don't think we should be teaching little boys that kissing girls without their consent is a good thing.

The drawings are cute, but not particularly memorable. While the book could lead to a discussion about feelings between children and parents, I have a suspicion that there are better books out there that would achieve the same thing... without the awkward alphabet setup and the questionable message of the letter D.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 1/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2 out of 5

Review - The Old Woman Who Named Things

The Old Woman Who Named Things
by Cynthia Rylant
illustrated by Kathryn Brown
Date: 1996
Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

How does an old woman who has outlived all her friends keep from being lonely? By naming the things in her life she knows she will never outlive--like her house, Franklin, and her bed, Roxanne. When a shy brown puppy appears at her front gate, the old woman won't name it, because it might not outlive her. Tender watercolors capture the charm of this heartwarming story of an old woman who doesn't know she's lonely until she meets a plucky puppy who needs a name--and someone to love.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is one of those books that just makes you want to say, "Aww!" It's an interesting premise, and not something I would've expected to see in a children's book. The old woman lives all alone, and she names her house, her car, her chair... anything that will outlive her. One day, a little puppy shows up, and she's afraid to give it a name for fear she might outlive it (the same way she's outlived all of her friends). I'm not quite clear on why she hesitates to name the dog--wouldn't that mean she expected it to outlive her?--but her reluctance to do so helps drive the story, so I guess it kind of had to be that way. Basically, I guess, she didn't want to get too attached for fear of losing yet another friend, but she got attached, anyway. I mean, it was a puppy. How do you not get attached to a puppy?

The illustrations were gentle and sweet, and fit the tone of the story perfectly. I particularly liked the old woman's awesome hairstyle.

This is a fairly strong picture book, even if the reasoning of the main character is a bit wobbly. The prose flows beautifully and the illustrations are a perfect accompaniment.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie

The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie
by Chris Van Allsburg
Date: 2014
Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

From two-time Caldecott winner Chris Van Allsburg, creator of Jumanji and The Polar Express, comes a poignant story of one hamster's struggle with destiny. Being a pet store hamster isn't much fun for Sweetie Pie, but life in human homes proves downright perilous. As Sweetie Pie longingly gazes out of his cage at the squirrels frolicking in the trees, he wonders if he'll ever have the chance to feel the wind in his fur. Allsburg's expressive, soft-hued illustrations artfully capture a hamster's-eye view of the wide and wonderful world where maybe, just maybe, Sweetie Pie could someday run free.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I don't even know what this was supposed to be. The nearest I can tell, it's written out of guilt.

How about, instead of writing a potentially traumatizing children's book, you pay attention to your children's pets so they don't meet untimely demises?

The illustrations in this one were odd, too. It was as if someone decided after the fact that everything needed to be outlined in black ink. It made for a rather strange look, and I didn't really like it. The expressions on some of the kids' faces were also super creepy; one little girl in particular made me afraid she was going to eat the hamster.

The moral of the story seems to be one of the following: 1) hamsters shouldn't be kept as pets; 2) children are evil little creatures who can't be trusted; or 3) it's easier to write a creepy picture book about your children's failings as pet parents rather than keep an eye on their pets so they don't die.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 1/5
Originality: 1/5

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 1 out of 5

Review - Sharky Malarkey

Sharky Malarkey
by Megan Nicole Dong
Date: 2018
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Reading level: A
Book type: comic collection
Pages: 224
Format: e-book
Source: library

Sharky Malarkey follows the adventures of Bruce, a washed-up shark actor, and a colorful assortment of dysfunctional people, animals, and inanimate objects.

Bruce is equally outlandish and relatable—he’s vain but insecure; hotheaded but cowardly; craves attention but fears intimacy—his over-the-top antics are all too human. Based on Megan Nicole Dong’s popular webcomic, Sketchshark, her debut print collection mines the absurd in everyday life.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is, hands down, one of the stupidest things I've ever read. It's definitely not for kids, but it's so puerile that you might be confused at first glance.

If you enjoy looking at pictures of hastily sketched boobs and butts, then you'll love this. If you don't enjoy looking at such things, then you're in for a world of pain. The overall impression I got was of some kid who'd just discovered they could draw realistic body parts, so they went ahead and put them on everything. I am not kidding. The very last picture in this book was of our planet... with an ass.

As a result of all this tits-and-ass nonsense, the commentary on racial/societal issues in the last chapters was kind of lost, even though it was so heavy-handed as to be kind of insulting. And the synopsis? Well, that was a bunch of crap, too; the parts about Bruce the shark take up only a small portion of the book.

I probably shouldn't have read this so soon after one of Sarah Andersen's books, because this one paled miserably in comparison. I got the feeling that Dong was trying really hard to be like Andersen, but her obsession with drawing prehensile boobs and buttcracks on everything meant that her message was overshadowed by silly illustrations most of the time. There were a few gems in here, but the problem is they're hidden within the 90+ percent that's pretty much crap.

As a technical note, I found this really hard to read. It looks like all the text is written by hand (rather than done with a handwriting font), and it's not particularly neat. I had to zoom in (on a 21" computer screen) multiple times before I could make out what some of the words were. This book would be near impossible to read on a device like a Kindle!

If I never see another crappily drawn animal with a human butt, it'll be too soon. Where's the brain bleach when you need it?

Writing & Editing: 1/5
Illustration: 1/5
Originality: 1/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall Rating: 1 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - The Tea Party in the Woods

The Tea Party in the Woods
by Akiko Miyakoshi
Date: 2010
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Kikko sets out after her father with a forgotten pie for Grandma. When she arrives at a strange house in the wintry woods, a peek in the window reveals that the footprints Kikko had been following did not belong to her father at all, but to a bear in a long coat and hat! Alice in Wonderland meets Little Red Riding Hood in this charmed tale.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This wasn't really what I was expecting... but more on that in a moment. This is a cute little story about a girl who's on her way to her grandmother's house when she stumbles upon a very strange tea party in the woods. The animals are all very kind and welcoming, and help her solve her dilemma. The illustrations are an intriguing mix of cartoonish and realistic, with a bit of creepiness thrown in (there was one illustration in particular, where all the animals were looking at Kikko, that was a little unnerving). Overall, I quite liked the story and the tone.

There was one thing I found a bit confusing, though. (This doesn't affect my rating at all, but I just wanted to point it out.) When I picked this one up, I noted the Japanese author, and then saw that it had been translated from the Japanese. So I expected a story with Japanese flavour and characters. Instead, I got a very European-flavoured fairytale with a little blonde heroine. I was dismayed when, earlier this year, I saw that some people had down-rated the absolutely adorable Natsumi! simply because neither the author nor illustrator were Japanese. The Tea Party in the Woods highlights the problem of doing this; if the Japanese books made available to English-speaking readers don't feature Japanese culture, it seems unfair to penalize non-Japanese authors for filling that gap.

In any case, judging this book simply by the story and pictures, it's a lovely little picture book with a whimsical feel that offers a sweet look at the kindness of strangers.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey
by Margriet Ruurs
illustrated by Nizar Ali Badr
Date: 2016
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 28
Format: e-book
Source: library

This unique picture book was inspired by the stone artwork of Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr, discovered by chance by Canadian children's writer Margriet Ruurs. The author was immediately impressed by the strong narrative quality of Mr. Badr's work, and, using many of Mr. Badr's already-created pieces, she set out to create a story about the Syrian refugee crisis. Stepping Stones tells the story of Rama and her family, who are forced to flee their once-peaceful village to escape the ravages of the civil war raging ever closer to their home. With only what they can carry on their backs, Rama and her mother, father, grandfather and brother, Sami, set out to walk to freedom in Europe. Nizar Ali Badr's stunning stone images illustrate the story. Orca Book Publishers is pleased to offer this book as a dual-language (English and Arabic) edition.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I don't think I've ever read a picture book quite like this one. A collaboration between a Canadian author and a Syrian artist, Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey is a picture book that takes a sensitive look at the plight of ordinary families who are forced to flee their homes due to war.

The illustrations are all created with stones and then photographed. Somehow, the artist manages to create living, breathing pictures with rocks that show a family's journey to freedom and safety. Each picture on its own is beautiful enough, but, put all together with the simple but poignant story, this turns into a book that's really a work of art.

I might exercise caution giving a book like this to very young children, as there is one depiction of little stone people who perished in the sea. It might be a little too much for small children, but ones who are old enough to understand the dangers facing these families can see how perilous a journey it is for some. (It's not graphic, really, but it is disturbing when you realize what those stones are depicting.)

Overall, I think this is a very strong picture book about an important topic. Something like this can help foster understanding and empathy. I'd definitely recommend it.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5

Review - Red's Planet

Red's Planet (Red's Planet #1)
by Eddie Pittman
Date: 2016
Publisher: Amulet Books
Reading level: MG
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 192
Format: e-book
Source: library

Red’s Planet, an intergalactic graphic novel fantasy series from award-winning cartoonist Eddie Pittman (writer/story artist for Disney’s hit TV series Phineas and Ferb), is a nonstop adventure with a unique cast of characters unlike any you’ve ever seen before.

Meet Red, a quirky, headstrong 10-year-old who longs to live in her own perfect paradise far away from her annoying foster family. But when a UFO mistakenly kidnaps her, Red finds herself farther away than she could have possibly imagined—across the galaxy and aboard an enormous spaceship owned by the Aquilari, an ancient creature with a taste for rare and unusual treasures. Before Red can be discovered as a stowaway, the great ship crashes on a small deserted planet, leaving her marooned with a menagerie of misfit aliens. With her newfound friend, a small gray alien named Tawee, Red must find a way to survive the hostile castaways, evade the ravenous wildlife, and contend with Goose, the planet’s grumpy, felinoid custodian. Surely this can’t be the paradise she’s been hoping for.

Fans of Mike Maihack’s Cleopatra in Space and Ben Hatke’s Zita the Spacegirl will embrace Red’s Planet, a boldly illustrated and imaginative new series for readers of all ages.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a graphic novel that relies heavily on pictures. So heavily, in fact, that many of the characters don't even have names! Even Red herself is only ever identified by her nickname.

The plot is extremely thin, and rather boring. It starts off well enough, after Red runs away from her foster home and gets tossed in the back of a police cruiser. Before she can be returned home, the police car is stolen by aliens, and in an attempt to run from space pirates, the ship ends up on the other side of the galaxy, crashed onto an alien world (which, luckily enough, supports all sorts of oxygen-breathing life forms). Unfortunately, that's about all the plot there is. The various castaway aliens (including Red) wander around on the planet, meet its cranky caretaker, and try to figure out what to do while they wait for rescue. And... that's all you'll get until Book 2.

I wasn't a fan of the writing. Aside from not being able to consistently spell the characters' names, the text had lots of bolded words, seemingly for emphasis... but they often seemed like the wrong words to emphasize, which made the text seem clunky.

There were a few pop culture references that I don't know if middle graders would even get, so at times the book seemed like it was winking at adults... but the cast of characters that looked like it was out of a cartoon for preschoolers just seemed so juvenile; I was never really sure what this book wanted to be.

I wasn't impressed. I don't think I'll be reading any more of this series. The pictures are nice enough, but I need more of a story in the graphic novels I read.

Plot: 1/5
Characters: 3/5
Pace: 2/5
Writing & Editing: 2/5
Illustration: 4/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall Rating: 2.25 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - My Heart Fills with Happiness

My Heart Fills with Happiness
by Monique Gray Smith
illustrated by Julie Flett
Date: 2016
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

The sun on your face. The smell of warm bannock baking in the oven. Holding the hand of someone you love. What fills your heart with happiness? This beautiful board book, with illustrations from celebrated artist Julie Flett, serves as a reminder for little ones and adults alike to reflect on and cherish the moments in life that bring us joy.

International speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote My Heart Fills with Happiness to support the wellness of Indigenous children and families, and to encourage young children to reflect on what makes them happy.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is the second picture book I've read by this author, the first being You Hold Me Up, which I didn't really like much. I think the pictures in this one were a lot better, helping to illustrate the tender moments in the book. There's really no story, just a collection of happy thoughts. It reads almost like a child's gratitude journal.

There's not much in the way of text (so read-out-loud storytime will be very short), but the pictures are nice to look at and illustrate some cultural traditions that many kids might not know much about.

Overall, it's a cute little book, with a nice message and simple pictures. I'd recommend this one over You Hold Me Up for the illustrations alone.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Review - Have You Seen Elephant?

Have You Seen Elephant?
by David Barrow
Date: 2015
Publisher: Gecko Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Elephant wants to play hide and seek. Though readers will deduce that his hiding skills aren't all that good, his human friend plays along.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I guess today is the day for elephants! This is the second picture book I've read about them today (the other one being Pete With No Pants by Rowboat Watkins). Have You Seen Elephant?, however, is the stronger of the two, both in story and in illustration.

Even though Elephant warns the boy that he's very good at hide-and-seek, the boy agrees to play, anyway. Elephant's hiding places are painfully obvious, and although it's not clear if the boy is just humouring him or if he genuinely can't see him, the illustrations still made me smile. And the ending, staying in the same whimsical vein as the rest of the story, is a nice twist.

This is a cute book that kids will probably get a giggle out of. I know I did.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - Pete With No Pants

Pete With No Pants
by Rowboat Watkins
Date: 2017
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Meet Pete.

Pete is gray. He's round. And he's not wearing any pants.

So Pete must be a boulder. Or is he a pigeon? Or a squirrel? Or a cloud?

Join Pete in his quest to answer the world's oldest question: Why do I have to wear pants? Wait, that's the second oldest. Born from the one-of-a-kind imagination of Rowboat Watkins, this hilarious book (the asides just beg to be read aloud) about finding out who you are features a satisfying and touching ending that will encourage young readers to be true to themselves as it reminds the adults in their lives to support them no matter what.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This story seemed a little... thin. Even though it's about an elephant. The gimmick is Pete's (and the other animals') reasoning: he's grey and he's not wearing any pants, so he must be [insert funny object here]. That's amusing, but it doesn't really make for a plot. And the book almost seemed to need one. Pete was looking for a friend to play with, but he didn't have much luck (when the boulders won't respond and the other animals assume he's a boulder himself, well, he's kind of on his own). The "problem" was solved too easily by his own mother; while this is sweet, it doesn't really empower kids at all.

My favourite thing about this was the look of it. The pictures are kind of rustic and rough, but they're also whimsical and cute. I especially liked seeing Pete's bedroom with all the stuff hanging on his walls.

This could have been a really good children's book if the story had had a little more heft to it. As it is, it's more of a novelty, and I don't really have any desire to flip through it again (other than to maybe have another look at the pictures).

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.5 out of 5

Review - Big Mushy Happy Lump

Big Mushy Happy Lump (Sarah's Scribbles #2)
by Sarah Andersen
Date: 2017
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Reading level: A
Book type: comic collection
Pages: 128
Format: e-book
Source: library

Sarah Andersen's hugely popular, world-famous Sarah's Scribbles comics are for those of us who boast bookstore-ready bodies and Netflix-ready hair, who are always down for all-night reading-in-bed parties and extremely exclusive after-hour one-person music festivals.

In addition to the most recent Sarah's Scribbles fan favorites and dozens of all-new comics, this volume contains illustrated personal essays on Sarah's real-life experiences with anxiety, career, relationships and other adulthood challenges that will remind readers of Allie Brosh's Hyperbole and a Half and Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened. The same uniquely frank, real, yet humorous and uplifting tone that makes Sarah's Scribbles so relatable blooms beautifully in this new longer form.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I know this is the second book in the series, but I figured that since it featured a series of comics, it wouldn't really matter. (It didn't).

For the most part, I enjoyed these. Andersen is very astute, putting into amusing pictures what many young adults are probably thinking. The little illustrated essays near the end of the book were also neat to read.

My one complaint was that there were a couple of comics that seemed to take cheap shots. One went after people who avoid gluten, implying that the only reason to do so is because you're a trendy millennial (which is kind of offensive to people who might have to avoid it for legitimate health reasons, such as celiac disease). Another seemed to bash people who ate organic. I can overlook these things, but they do make the author look a bit ignorant.

Overall, though, this was a cute collection of comics. It looks like there are at least two other books in the series; I'll probably read those, too, if I get the chance.

Quotable moment:

Writing & Editing: 4/5
Illustration: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Fake Blood

Fake Blood
by Whitney Gardner
Date: 2018
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Reading level: MG
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 336
Format: e-book
Source: library

A middle schooler comes head-to-head with his vampire slayer crush in this laugh-out-loud funny graphic novel that’s a perfect coming-of-age story for anyone who’s ever felt too young, too small, or too average.

It’s the beginning of the new school year and AJ feels like everyone is changing but him. He hasn’t grown or had any exciting summer adventures like his best friends have. He even has the same crush he’s harbored for years. So AJ decides to take matters into his own hands. But how could a girl like Nia Winters ever like plain vanilla AJ when she only has eyes for vampires?

When AJ and Nia are paired up for a group project on Transylvania, it may be AJ’s chance to win over Nia’s affection by dressing up like the vamp of her dreams. And soon enough he’s got more of Nia’s attention than he bargained for when he learns she’s a slayer.

Now AJ has to worry about self-preservation while also trying to save everyone he cares about from a real-life threat lurking in the shadows of Spoons Middle School.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Awful, awful, awful. I would actually recommend that people avoid this one. Why? Because it's creepy as hell, that's why. I thought this was a contemporary story. And it seems like it is for most of the book. Which makes it really bone-chilling when the love interest (yes, in a middle grade book; that part of the plot seemed too mature... especially when these kids are finger-painting at one point) suddenly tries, in all seriousness, to stab the main character. Then the book devolves into absolute stupidity, with the teacher turning out to be a real vampire who was planning on killing all the kids. (Luckily, the protagonist's 15-year-old sister pops out of nowhere to save the day.)

I thought maybe this would be a book that showed the dangers of trying to change who you are to make someone like you. I just didn't think that it would show someone trying to kill you because you'd changed!

Oh, and the cheap shot at the French was just the icing on the cake. I know it's an American pastime to throw shade in their direction, but come on. This is a middle-grade book. Should we really be encouraging our kids to make fun of other cultures?

I'd give this zero stars if I could. Not even the pictures could save this one for me. The sooner I can get the taste of this one out of my brain, the better.

Plot: 0/5
Characters: 0/5
Pace: 0/5
Writing & Editing: 1/5
Illustration: 1/5
Originality: 1/5

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall Rating: 0.38 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - All's Faire in Middle School

All's Faire in Middle School
by Victoria Jamieson
Date: 2017
Publisher: Dial Books
Reading level:MG
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 248
Format: e-book
Source: library

Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she's eager to begin her own training as a squire. First, though, she'll need to prove her bravery. Luckily Impy has just the quest in mind—she'll go to public school after a life of being homeschooled! But it's not easy to act like a noble knight-in-training in middle school. Impy falls in with a group of girls who seem really nice (until they don't) and starts to be embarrassed of her thrift shop apparel, her family's unusual lifestyle, and their small, messy apartment. Impy has always thought of herself as a heroic knight, but when she does something really mean in order to fit in, she begins to wonder whether she might be more of a dragon after all.

As she did in Roller Girl, Victoria Jamieson perfectly—and authentically—captures the bittersweetness of middle school life with humor, warmth, and understanding.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Near the end of last year, I read the delightful Roller Girl. It was the best graphic novel I'd read all year (or, ever, at that point, since I was fairly new to the format). So when I saw that the author had a new book out, I was eager to have a look. Maybe it's because my expectations were really high after Roller Girl, but... I wasn't crazy about this one.

One thing I do love about Jamieson's books is that she introduces readers to experiences they might not be that familiar with. In the case of Roller Girl, it was roller derby. I learned a lot about the sport, and even wished I had the courage to try it (she made it look so fun). With All's Faire in Middle School, the focus is on Renaissance faires. The main character, Imogene, is the child of a couple of professional faire actors, so she spends a lot of time immersed in that world. That part of the book I liked. The rest of it... not so much.

There was so much focus on middle school in this book, and I just couldn't relate. The way my school system was set up, we didn't have have middle school. Elementary school went to grade 7, and high school took care of the rest. So I never really had to navigate the halls of a building that's populated almost entirely by a student body that's in the throes of puberty. I've read a few books now that deal with middle school (mostly focusing on how awful it is), and it makes me kind of glad I never had to go through that. It can be interesting, if it's done right. In the case of this book, however, my eyes kind of glazed over with all the preteen drama.

I also had issues with some of the characters. In particular, those in Imogene's family. I thought her six-year-old brother wasn't very consistent (one moment he was pretending to be pregnant and making jokes about his water breaking--do most six-year-olds even know what that means?--and the next he was running around the apartment in his underwear like a feral toddler). He was also annoying rather than cute. Then there was her father. He was kind of useless. At one point, he told his 11-year-old daughter that it was "fend for yourself" night... while he was making a nice big sandwich for himself. Sure, Imogene could probably have made herself something (although she said she'd probably be eating a handful of croutons and a slice of cheese), but expecting a 6-year-old to get his own dinner was asking a lot. Then there was the scene where he purposely tried to embarrass her at school. See, Imogene used to be homeschooled, but she wanted to try public school. Just because her parents didn't agree with her decision didn't mean it was okay for them to try to sabotage her social life.

Bullying was a topic that was addressed, but I found that a bit lacking, too. At one point, Imogene got into trouble for bullying because of the school's zero-tolerance policy. But another girl, who engaged in more habitual bullying, was never punished for anything. Was it zero-tolerance or not?

One thing about the writing that I found really annoying was the constant tense switching. Imogene's narrative was sometimes told in present tense, sometimes in past tense. But there seemed to be no reason for either, and you never knew when it was going to switch. (Sometimes both tenses were in the same text box!)

As in Roller Girl, the illustrations were adorable. They were probably my favourite part of the book, and despite this not-so-great experience, I'll probably pick up whatever Jamieson writes next. I'm excited to see what interesting experiences she'll choose to write about in the future.

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 2/5
Pace: 3/5
Writing & Editing: 2/5
Illustration: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.13 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Annie96 is Typing

Annie96 is Typing
by Pascal Chatterjee
Date: 2014
Publisher: n/a
Reading level: YA
Book type: text chat
Messages: 116
Format: website
Source: stories for your screen

(find more information at Goodreads)

Well, this was different. It's a short story, told in a series of text messages. Even the way you read it is interesting: you have to click the screen or press "Enter" to get the next message. At first the lax grammar (i.e., textspeak) annoyed me, but I figured that was just part of the format.

Two teenagers named Annie and David are chatting when Annie hears something strange and looks out the window. From there, it's kind of a "There's a weird man in my yard! Now he's in my house! Now he's coming up the stairs!" sort of horror story, like the kind my friends and I used to tell each other in elementary school. It was a bit silly, and I was never really scared while reading this (but, full disclosure, I tend to laugh during horror movies rather than scream; I just can't take many of them that seriously).

However, the twist at the end was pretty clever. I thought about this one for a while after I finished reading it, and it's always good when your reading material makes you do that. We don't get all of our questions answered, but that's part of what makes you keep thinking about it. So while it wasn't the most mind-blowing example of horror fiction I've ever read, it entertained me for a few minutes. I like the title, too (it will make sense after you read the story).

I just wish there was a cover to go along with this one.

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing & Editing: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.14 out of 5