Monday, December 31, 2018

Review - The Story of Christmas

The Story of Christmas
from the King James Bible
illustrated by Pamela Dalton
Date: 2011
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Pamela Dalton's exquisite, intricate scissor-cut illustrations wonderfully illuminate The Story of Christmas. Deeply reverent, richly detailed, and teeming with life, Dalton's images follow the story of the Nativity from the appearance of the Angel, to the shepherds who came from the fields, and to the three wise men who followed the star to pay respect for their new king. Working in a Pennsylvania-German folk-art tradition, rich with lovingly rendered animals and figures, Pamela Dalton has created a book that takes a deserved place among the finest celebrations of Christmas.

(see this book on Goodreads)

Since I've exhausted pretty much all the holiday e-picture books at my local library (with the exception of toy and TV tie-ins), I was left with little to review on New Year's Eve but this book that tells the story of Christmas from a very Biblical perspective.

I'm probably not the audience for a book like this, as I'm not a Christian. However, I can appreciate a well-done Nativity story; one of my favourite holiday reads this year was Mary Engelbreit's A Night of Great Joy. The Story of Christmas, however, left me cold... for a few reasons.

The artwork is somewhat impressive, although it isn't really something I, personally, like. I also don't like the stereotypical blond Jesus and the fact that Joseph looks old enough to be Mary's grandfather (he's mostly bald... and what little hair he does have on his head is white). The black backgrounds make the artwork striking, but I'm not sure if it will be something that will appeal to kids.

And that brings me to my main complaint with this book. It appears to be marketed as a children's book, but the old-fashioned language and mature subject matter (we're dealing with the version from the Gospel of Matthew here, so we've got a murderous king trying to kill a baby) don't seem appropriate for kids. (The nastier elements aren't really spelled out, which could lead to further confusion unless one is familiar with the story. Near the end of the book, we see Joseph taking his family into Egypt for their protection because Herod sought to "destroy" the child. So that's probably going to require some explanation, which will have to lead into a discussion about the Massacre of the Innocents.) This particular edition might make a lovely coffee table book for adults, but I would hesitate to give it to children.

This book didn't work for me, but I can see how it could have appeal for others, both for the illustrations and for the story.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.17 out of 5

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Review - Untangling Christmas

Untangling Christmas (Dear Canada Christmas Story #1)
by Jean Little
Date: 2009
Publisher: Scholastic
Reading level: MG
Book type: short story
Pages: 28
Format: e-book
Source: library

A holiday treat for fans of the Dear Canada series, and all lovers of historical fiction!

Share in the excitement leading up to Christmas morning. During the euphoria towards the end of World War I, a different enemy stalked the land, killing by the hundreds and thousands. First Fee's twin Fanny, then her older sister Jemma, caught the dreaded Spanish Flu. Fee's family struggled to pick up the pieces, to put the War behind them, to face an even deadlier enemy. But finally, there is bright spot on the Macgregor family's horizon.

(synopsis from Amazon.ca)

I haven't actually read any of the Dear Canada books, which are middle-grade historical fiction novels featuring female heroines. This short story is apparently based on one of those books, If I Die Before I Wake, a story about the Spanish Influenza epidemic. There were one or two spots where I kind of wished I had read that book (because it might have explained why elder sister Jo was spending Christmas Eve in the hospital), but for the most part, this story stood fairly well on its own. Fee explained all the family connections right at the beginning, so you weren't left wondering why she called her parents "Father" and "Aunt".

The story is written as a series of letters as Fee makes a little memento book for her baby brother, Ben. Starting in early December, she makes an entry each day detailing the family's preparations for Christmas (and Ben's first birthday on Boxing Day). In addition to the regular Christmas trappings, the story also features a little subplot with Fee's twin, Fan, and her attempts to fit in with some new friends (while simultaneously leaving Fee out in the cold).

The realities of post-war poverty are shown and dealt with. With so many men disabled or otherwise unable to find work, many families were struggling. The Macgregors seemed to be doing okay, so they decided to play Santa for a neighbouring family in need. It was sweet to see the way all the children got into the spirit of giving.

This story surprised me by being better than I expected. I'm more inclined to try one of the full-length Dear Canada books now. Untangling Christmas is a sweet story about family and kindness... the perfect subjects for a holiday read.

Quotable moment:

Ben, Aunt must truly like my writing. Otherwise she would not ask me to do this. This thought just lit a fat spark of joy inside me and almost banished my bad mood. I do love writing. Perhaps writing this Birthday Book for you will be fun, after all. I will begin tomorrow. Ignore this first bit. It doesn't count.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 ladybugs

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Review - Sanity & Tallulah

Sanity & Tallulah
by Molly Brooks
Date: 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Reading level: MG
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 240
Format: e-book
Source: library

Sanity Jones and Tallulah Vega are best friends on Wilnick, the dilapidated space station they call home at the end of the galaxy. So naturally, when gifted scientist Sanity uses her lab skills and energy allowance to create a definitely-illegal-but-impossibly-cute three-headed kitten, she has to show Tallulah. But Princess, Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds is a bit of a handful, and it isn't long before the kitten escapes to wreak havoc on the space station. The girls will have to turn Wilnick upside down to find her, but not before causing the whole place to evacuate! Can they save their home before it's too late?

Readers will be over the moon for this rollicking space adventure by debut author Molly Brooks.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sanity & Tallulah seemed like it should check all the boxes for me. But, due to a number of factors, I ended up not enjoying this one very much at all.

First, this is a graphic novel that really needs to be read in a larger format. I read the e-book on my laptop, and even then, I couldn't clearly see some of the pictures or read all the text without zooming in. This would be impossible to read on something like a Kindle. It doesn't help that the actual innards of the book only use a couple of colours (navy and dull red). Sometimes it was difficult to make out what I was looking at. (It's always disappointing when the cover promises something other than what you actually get. I might have liked this a bit more--and been able to see it better--if it had been in full colour like the cover.)

Second, I'm not a fan of the way the punctuation was used. Question marks versus periods were used not so much to differentiate between questions and statements, but to indicate inflection. Unfortunately, a lot of those characters are the kind of people who make everything sound like a question, making their voice go up at the end of every sentence. So there are question marks everywhere. I was not a fan.

Third, I didn't really like the way the book couldn't decide whether or not the adults were stupid or smart. When things started to go really wrong on the station, there were engineers and specialists running around all over the place trying to find the source of the problem. It wasn't until the girls found the problem (in a place that seemed like a really obvious place to start looking, given the situation) that the plan for saving the station could be put into place. I thought that was kind of stupid. On the other hand, some of the adults were also portrayed as capable, loving parents, which is a nice change from some middle grade books where parental involvement is almost nonexistent.

The main problem I had with this book, however, was simply that it was boring. The plot was quite thin, and it seemed like there was quite a bit of filler. (Searching for the escaped mutant cat took up way too much of the first part of the book, in my opinion.) There were some fun touches like the taffimatter (no matter how scientifically implausible it might be), duct weasels, and plums that could power light bulbs, but there weren't nearly enough of those kinds of things to hold my interest. I honestly thought I might DNF this one because I was just so bored.

A science fiction graphic novel for middle graders featuring two young girls as the main characters sounds like it should be great. Unfortunately, it wasn't... and I'm just glad I'm done.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall Rating: 2.25 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - The Runaway Santa

The Runaway Santa: A Christmas Adventure Story
by Anne Margaret Lewis
illustrated by Aaron Zenz
Date: 2015
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Once there was a jolly Santa who wanted to leave the North Pole on a worldwide vacation! He decides he wants to visit Mount Rushmore and see the stone faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Then he’ll ski the silky slopes of the Swiss Alps. And after that, he’ll ride an elephant in South Africa on a safari. Santa is eager for a new adventure, but Mrs. Claus isn’t so sure he’s ready just yet. Before he takes off, she’s going to make sure he’s got his rock climbing gear. And his skis, and his hat. He must be ready!

It isn’t long before Santa realizes that maybe his adventure would be more fun with a friend. Mrs. Claus is clearly an expert adventurer herself, and so the two take off together on a runaway adventure. They have a little time before Christmas, after all, and everybody needs a break sometimes!

(see this book on Goodreads)

Do yourself a favour and just read the Goodreads synopsis of this one. Seriously. It gives away everything, and it's much less squicky than the actual book.

I felt very uncomfortable reading this. Santa comes across as someone with the mental age of a young child, and it just feels wrong when Mrs. Claus is brought into the equation as an equal. For most of the book, she's more of a caregiver, making sure he doesn't get hurt or run into any trouble, and constantly talking to him like he's three years old: "After all, you are my jolly Santa."

Santa is insensitive (or narcissistic... I can't quite tell which) as he talks and talks and talks about all the adventures he's going to have on his vacation without Mrs. Claus. She stands by and thinks of ways to keep him safe on his travels. He doesn't seem to think it's a bit rude to gloat about this solo vacation he's going to have without his wife; in fact, his only thought about her is to think about how she'll miss him! Only at the end of the book does he decide to let her come, and then it's with the rather thoughtless line: "If you think a vacation adventure might be fun, then you may as well come with me." WTF, Santa? Is that any way to treat your wife?

Santa's in for a rude awakening when he actually goes on this trip, too. I doubt he's going to be allowed to climb Mount Rushmore with a pick axe, walk the edge of the Great Wall of China like it's a tightrope, or ride on an elephant while he's on safari in South Africa. (As Santa is imagining all of the things he'll do on vacation, we can see his wife peeking out from behind various objects in the scenes, further emphasizing that Santa needs a caregiver so he doesn't do anything too stupid.)

I guess this book could work if we assume Santa has a bad case of age-related dementia and needs 24/7 care. But then that just brings up the question of who's going to deliver the presents, and that would make for quite a confusing children's book.

Skip this one if you don't feel like trying to explain a Santa who needs a full-time caregiver.

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

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 1 out of 5

Friday, December 28, 2018

Review - Frosty the Snowman

Frosty the Snowman
by Diane Muldrow
illustrated by Josie Yee
Date: 1992
Publisher: Golden Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

Everyone's favorite snowman with a magic hat, a button nose, and eyes made out of coal comes to life on Christmas every year. Based on the beloved 1969 television special, this Little Golden Book retells the whole magical story of Frosty the Snowman for boys and girls 2–5!

(see this book on Goodreads)

I'm so glad I'm almost done with December. My plan to read at least one holiday book a day hasn't gone so well. Today's book is one of the reasons why this month has been such a painful one when it comes to reading.

The problem here is that the story is condescending and very, very juvenile. It's aimed at ages 2 to 5? It almost sounds like it was written by a five-year-old in places... like when Santa tells the villain to write "I am very sorry for what I did to Frosty" a hundred bazillion times or he won't get any presents. Way to be specific, Santa. (Also, the villain wanted the magic hat because he thought it would make him rich. He gave up way too easily when threatened by Santa. I'm pretty sure a magic hat would be worth far more than whatever piece of mass-produced crap Santa would leave in his stocking.)

The premise here is pretty flawed, too, and I don't like the way the book scoffs at science (implying that the North Pole's temperatures are always below freezing, or that blowing December wind over a puddle of water will turn it into snow) and shows children doing dangerous things (like jumping into refrigerated box cars and riding the rails).

The story is pretty weak, and the illustrations just seem to mimic the TV special. There's not much here that I can recommend.

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

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 1.17 out of 5

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Review - The Christmas Quiet Book

The Christmas Quiet Book (The Quiet Book)
by Deborah Underwood
illustrated by Renata Liwska
Date: 2012
Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

The holidays are filled with joyful noise. But Christmas is sometimes wrapped in quiet: "Searching for presents quiet," "Getting caught quiet," and "Hoping for a snow day quiet." Irresistibly cute, soft colored pencil illustrations of bunnies, bears, and more paint a magical holiday picture indeed.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This would make a lovely before-bed read on Christmas Eve. The book has no story, but is instead filled with examples of different kinds of quiet one might find during the Christmas season: knocking with mittens quiet, cocoa quiet, star on top quiet, and breathing clouds quiet... just to name a few. Each type of quiet is accompanied by an absolutely adorable illustration. The style is different than anything I've seen before, and I quite like it. All the fuzzy creatures almost look like they've been knitted out of yarn and then felted.

There are a few funny touches in some of the pictures, but the overall vibe is very peaceful and relaxing. It might be just the thing to inject a few moments of quiet into an otherwise hectic and noisy holiday season.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Review - Kevin's Kwanzaa

Kevin's Kwanzaa (Fall and Winter Holidays)
by Lisa Bullard
illustrated by Constanza Basaluzzo
Date: 2012
Publisher: Millbrook Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

Kevin's family is celebrating the seven days of Kwanzaa! They light candles and learn a special word each day. They talk about working together. On the sixth day, everyone dances at a big feast! Find out the different ways people celebrate this holiday.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I might have liked this book more if I hadn't already read Together for Kwanzaa this year, which is a much better Kwanzaa picture book for kids. The only thing I liked about this one (that wasn't included in the other book) was the short mention of the originator of the celebration, and when it came about.

Kevin's Kwanzaa is one of those books that seems more like it's aimed at kids who already celebrate the holiday... which is odd, because it's part of a series that seems to be aiming to teach kids about other cultures' celebrations. Aside from a poster the grandfather has that shows the Seven Principles, there isn't much explanation about the significance of the seven days and the word that goes along with each. Some days are skipped over, so the reader doesn't really get a good idea of how the whole celebration unfolds. The sixth-day celebration with food and dancing is mentioned. So are presents. But there's not much significance placed on many of these things.

Even the names of the objects used in the celebrations are just in English here, rather than in Swahili. This leads to a weird glossary that defines things like "candleholder", "creativity", and "slave", which seems awfully generic. Where's the mention of the kinara? Or the mkeka? It almost seems like whoever wrote this book wasn't all that familiar with the holiday themselves!

The pictures here are just okay. They're bright and cartoonish, and show people enjoying themselves... but they're nothing special.

Granted, I've only read two picture books about Kwanzaa, but this one is by far the weaker of the two. It doesn't really have a story; it's almost more of a textbook. Pages are wasted at the end with an unnecessary glossary, an index (in a picture book?!), and some rather confusing instructions on how to make a drum from an oatmeal container. I'd give this one a pass. If you (or the children in your life) are keen to learn about Kwanzaa, I'd recommend Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford instead.

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

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2 out of 5

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Review - Richard Scarry's The Animals' Merry Christmas

Richard Scarry's The Animals' Merry Christmas
by Kathryn Jackson
illustrated by Richard Scarry
Date: 1950
Publisher: Golden Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 26
Format: e-book
Source: library

Today’s kids will love this holiday story collection, brought to life by Richard Scarry, of animals in cute winter clothing having merry, mischievous fun! Out of print since the 1950s, this Little Golden Book reissue is adapted from an oversized edition of the same title. Now this charming book is just the right size, and price, to give everyone on your list.

(see this book on Goodreads)

Little Golden Books brings us yet another strange book featuring stoned-looking animals and extremely simple stories. I don't remember reading this one when I was a kid, and we read lots of Little Golden Books; nothing seemed familiar, in any case.

This book is actually a collection of short stories and poems. My reactions to them varied quite a bit, so I thought I'd say a few words about each one:

"Mr. Hedgehog's Christmas Present" - This is a simple little story about a hedgehog trying to find a gift for his wife. In the end, it turns out to be as simple as giving her the apple he finds on the street (after polishing it up nice first). It's an okay story, but very short.

"Green Christmas" - This one is the first of a couple of poems. It talks about a Christmas without snow. The animals lament all the things they won't have... but then find pleasure in the things they will have instead. It's kind of a nice sentiment, especially since there are lots of kids who celebrate Christmas during the summer, or who simply don't get snow for whatever reason.

"The Singing Christmas Tree" - This story is about a little fawn who sees a Christmas tree in a human window and wishes he had one of his own, complete with twinkling lights and decorations. His mother concocts a plan to make it happen for him... and while the tree turns out not to be like the humans', it's perhaps even better.

"The Cold Little Squirrel" - This story will eventually end in tears. Basically, there's a little squirrel who's always cold. So he goes out and tries to find warmth. He finds a house and climbs up to the chimney, where he hears a little raccoon girl inside wishing Santa would bring her a real live doll. The squirrel slips and falls down the chimney, the raccoon girl thinks her wish has been granted, and the squirrel is warm... for now. (I just can't help wondering what's going to happen when the squirrel gets tired of being a toy and wants to go home.)

"The Long-Ago Donkey" - This is a take on the Nativity story that perpetuates the myth that Jesus was born in the middle of winter; much emphasis is made about the cold. The story itself is too simple, and the donkey comes around to his mother's way of thinking so quickly that it almost seems like there's something wrong with him. (He's highly suggestible, in any case.) Some of the illustrations in this one are just weird; there's one scene that looks like the baby Jesus is being shot with a laser beam.

"A Very Small Christmas" - This is the second of the two poems in the book, and it's about chipmunks getting ready for Christmas, going to bed, and waking up to find a tree decked out in peanuts and tiny candles. It's fairly cute.

I think I enjoyed the poems more than most of the stories, although "The Singing Christmas Tree" was pretty cute. Overall, this isn't a terrible collection.

I still feel sorry for that squirrel, though.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Monday, December 24, 2018

Review - A Night of Great Joy

A Night of Great Joy
by Mary Engelbreit
Date: 2016
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 34
Format: e-book
Source: library

Mary Engelbreit presents A Night of Great Joy, a delightful picture book that celebrates the joyful season of Christmas. This book tells the story of the nativity through the performance of a children’s Christmas pageant. With adorable illustrations and simple storytelling, Engelbreit paints a wonderful picture of the night that Jesus was born. A Night of Great Joy recalls that fateful night with wonder and awe. From the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem to the gathering of many before the baby Jesus, this holiday treasure leads children through the tale of the birth of Jesus, guiding them with the star of Bethlehem. Mary Engelbreit, New York Times bestselling illustrator of the blockbuster Christmas classic The Night Before Christmas, brings readers a new holiday picture book that’s sure to become a family favorite.

(see this book on Goodreads)

Finally, a Christmas picture book that I'd actually want to recommend! A Night of Great Joy tells the story of the Nativity, but in a way that's accessible for kids (including kids who might not be Christian themselves). The whole story is staged as a children's pageant, with an adorable group of diverse children taking on the roles of Mary, Joseph, and all the others.

The last book I read about the Nativity was based on the Gospel of Matthew, and I was a bit disturbed that someone thought that that version (with the baby slaughtering) was appropriate for a children's book. A Night of Great Joy, however, appears to be based on the Gospel of Luke. I should've listened to the quote at the very beginning when the angel said, "Do not be afraid." There's nothing to be afraid of in this version; King Herod doesn't even make an appearance.

I really liked how the premise of this one was a children's pageant. That allowed for some really cute touches in the illustrations: a couple of shepherds fighting over a toy sheep, an overly exuberant angel in the choir who seems to be annoying her peers, a little sheep having to lead a horse across the stage because his/her particular costume doesn't have any way to see out, and one of the wise men wearing sneakers. Joseph and Mary are a biracial couple (Joseph's a freckled redhead with glasses and Mary appears to be Hispanic) and Jesus is a rag doll. They arrive with Mary riding on their "donkey" (which is a little red wagon with a cardboard donkey's head attached).

Mary Engelbreit does a wonderful job of illustrating the story. Her pictures are always so colourful and cute. I really can't find much to complain about with regards to the aesthetic of this one.

All in all, this is a strong picture book about the religious story behind Christmas, and it's also one of the best Christmas picture books I've read this year. I would definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a story about the Nativity for younger readers.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Review - Leroy Ninker Saddles Up

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up (Tales from Deckawoo Drive #1)
by Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
Date: 2014
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Reading level: C
Book type: illustrated chapter book
Pages: 96
Format: e-book
Source: library

Yippie-i-oh! Saddle up for the first in a spin-off series starring favorite characters from Kate DiCamillo’s New York Times best-selling Mercy Watson books. Leroy Ninker has a hat, a lasso, and boots. What he doesn’t have is a horse—until he meets Maybelline, that is, and then it’s love at first sight. Maybelline loves spaghetti and sweet nothings, and she loves Leroy, too. But when Leroy forgets the third and final rule of caring for Maybelline, disaster ensues. Can Leroy wrestle fate to the ground, rescue the horse of his heart, and lasso loneliness for good? Join Leroy, Maybelline, and a cast of familiar characters—Stella, Frank, Mrs. Watson, and everyone’s favorite porcine wonder, Mercy—for some hilarious and heartfelt horsing around on Deckawoo Drive.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I expected a cute story when I started this, and I wasn't disappointed. Leroy Ninker Saddles Up tells the story of a man and his horse, with plenty of beautiful words (which is appropriate, since Maybelline the horse loves beautiful words so much). After Leroy brings Maybelline back to his apartment, he realizes she won't fit through the front door. Later that night, there's a storm, and as Leroy goes to fetch an umbrella, Maybelline gets scared and runs away. Then it's up to Leroy to find his horse. The search leads him to Deckawoo Drive, where Mercy and the Watsons make cameos.

I like the story for the most part, except for one small thing: the problem of Maybelline not fitting through Leroy's front door is never addressed. Yes, Mrs. Watson makes a comment about how there's always a way to make things fit, but that's about much resolution as that plot point gets, and it leaves me wondering how the same thing (Maybelline freaking out and running away after being left outside) won't happen again... repeatedly.

Other than that, though, the writing is strong and intelligent, just the way I've come to expect from DiCamillo. The illustrations are nice, too, although I'm a bit disappointed they aren't in full colour like the ones in the Mercy Watson books. Overall, this is a strong chapter book for young readers (and it's not so juvenile that older readers can't enjoy it, too).

Quotable moment:

"You are the most splendiferous horse in all of creation," he said.
Maybelline whinnied long and loud. She nodded in agreement.
She truly was an excellent horse.
Leroy didn't think he would ever be done admiring her.


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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Peppa's Christmas Wish

Peppa's Christmas Wish (Peppa Pig)
by Scholastic
illustrated by eOne
Date: 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

Snuggle up with Peppa Pig in this 2-in-1 wintertime storybook! It's Christmas Eve, and Peppa is hoping for a very special gift from Santa Claus. Will her wish come true? Then, Peppa and George decide to build a great, big snowman.

(see this book on Goodreads)

Okay. That's the second Peppa Pig book I've read. I'm officially not a fan. It's not that there's necessarily anything wrong with the characters or stories here; they're just a bit young and simple for my taste.

This book features two stories, one about Santa forgetting to deliver Peppa's gift (and this mistake ends up granting her wish, anyway; how convenient) and one about Peppa and George playing in the snow (which ends with the whole family laughing hysterically over nothing until they fall over).

These books are obvious tie-ins for the TV series. There aren't even any authors or illustrators listed. I'm generally not a fan of books like this, because they seem to be pumped out just to cash in on little kids' obsessions. These books appear to be no different.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.17 out of 5

Review - Christmas with Peppa

Christmas with Peppa (Peppa Pig)
by Scholastic
illustrated by eOne
Date: 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 16
Format: e-book
Source: library

Peppa Pig and her family have many special Christmas traditions. They mail letters to Santa, decorate their Christmas tree, and leave milk and cookies for Santa by the fireplace on Christmas Eve. Will Peppa and George sneak a peek at Santa this year?

(see this book on Goodreads)

This book is just... really boring. I guess if you like Peppa Pig, you might get something out of this, but otherwise, probably not. It's a pretty generic story--one I've seen done better many times before--about getting a Christmas tree, putting out cookies for Santa, and then waiting for him to leave presents.

I'm not a fan of the style of illustration. It's colourful, though, and kids might like it.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2 out of 5

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Review - The Hunter and the Bear

The Hunter and the Bear
by Caitlin Timmerman
Date: 2017
Publisher: East of the Web
Reading level: C
Book type: short story
Pages: 4
Format: e-book
Source: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/

Snow fell steadily in the wild woods of Siberia...

(synopsis from Goodreads)



Parts of this felt like it could've been a really cute illustrated children's book. But, again, we're anthropomorphizing real bears without enough demarcation between fantasy and reality... which I don't think is a great idea for kids.

At times, this story also felt way too simple. Man meets bear. Man gets stuck in bear's house by a storm. Man and bear chat. Man and bear become BFFs and live happily ever after. There really isn't much of a plot. And the part where they both explain why they hurt each other is silly; hunters don't hunt solely because bears attack (which also makes the reason bears attack--because hunters hunt them--kind of weak).

This story is set in Siberia, and there are some nice touches of that Russian flavour with the names. However, then the bear and the hunter are playing "O! Susanna" (written in the story as "O Susannah") on their harmonicas. Why aren't they playing Russian folk tunes? Why are they playing American minstrel songs by Stephen Foster?!

The writing is okay for the most part, but the author has some bad punctuation habits. I'm also not clear on the target age range for this story; it was in the children's section, but it used some fairly advanced words.

Overall, this isn't bad, but it isn't great. I think it would work better as a picture book (especially once those anatopisms are cleaned up).

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

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall Rating: 1.71 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Death By Scrabble

Death By Scrabble
by Charlie Fish
Date: 2006
Publisher: East of the Web
Reading level: A
Book type: short story
Pages: 4
Format: e-book
Source: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/

A game of Scrabble has serious consequences.

(synopsis from Goodreads)



Hmm... okay. That was short and strange. I'm not sure whether to feel Schadenfreude, or whether I should be very, very concerned about the author's real-life marriage.

For what it is, this story is okay. I didn't much like the narrator. If he hates his wife so much, why doesn't he just leave? Why does he have to sit there willing her dead? There's not much reason given for his hatred, except that she sleeps well and makes tea when it's hot out... which are not exactly hangable offences.

The writing is okay for the most part, though it gets a little weird right toward the end with the first-person narration telling us something that the narrator wouldn't be able to see himself unless he were looking in a mirror. Other than that little slip-up, there aren't many other problems.

I felt uneasiness more than enjoyment for most of this... so I kind of hoped it would end the way it eventually did.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.14 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Mickey's Christmas Carol

Mickey's Christmas Carol
by Christy Webster & Jim Razzi
illustrated by Phil Wilson
Date: 1983
Publisher: Disney Publishing Worldwide
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 38
Format: e-book
Source: library

With a brand new cover and updated story selections featuring dozens of full page illustrations, the second edition of this popular storybook collection stars favorite Disney characters in festive Christmas stories.

(see this book on Goodreads)

I've never really understood why this is called Mickey's Christmas Carol, since Mickey Mouse plays Bob Cratchit... and it's not really his story.

In any case, this is an accessible version of the Dickens classic, shortened and secularized and made more palatable for kids. (Although, I did find the implication that Scrooge's chains would be there no matter what he did--just perhaps not as heavy as Marley's--a little weird. Was that in the original? What motive did that give Scrooge to change if he was screwed no matter what he did?)

The illustrations here are really nice. If you like Disney-style pictures, then you'll find plenty to like here.

Overall, this is one of the stronger Christmas picture books I've read this year. It brings back memories from my own childhood (we saw the movie this book is based on many times).

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Friday, December 21, 2018

Review - Mickey Mouse Flies the Christmas Mail

Mickey Mouse Flies the Christmas Mail
by Annie North Bedford, Julius Svendsen & Neil Boyle
illustrated by the Walt Disney Studio
Date: 1956
Publisher: Golden/Disney
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 26
Format: e-book
Source: library

IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE, and Mickey must use Santa's sleigh to help deliver the Christmas mail! Originally published in 1956, this classic Little Golden Book features vintage Disney artwork that is sure to delight young readers.

(see this book on Goodreads)

This is actually pretty cute. A bit dated, yes, but it also has a fairly decent story.

Mickey Mouse gets lost on Christmas Eve delivering mail in his plane and ends up at the North Pole. There, he's offered the use of Santa's old sleigh and his retired reindeer (which are actually kind of hilarious, with their glasses and little white beards) to finish the job.

This one's been around for a while, and with the exception of a few illustrations that look like they're from the 1950s, it's held up pretty well. I don't know why the airport needs Mickey Mouse in particular to deliver mail, but whatever.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read

How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read
by Andrew Katz & Juliana Léveillé-Trudel
illustrated by Joseph Sherman
Date: 2018
Publisher: CrackBoom! Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

A tale of two book lovers and one unlikely friendship

Julia has many friends in the forest by her house. She climbs trees with Scotty the squirrel, plays hide-and-seek with Abigail the groundhog, and has farting contests with Frieda the skunk. Julia dreams of meeting a bear, a bear she could play with and hug. But no bear has ever shown its snout.

One day, inspired by a book she’s reading, Julia brings honey (the perfect bear snack) into the woods. The next day, she tries bringing blueberries. But to her great surprise, it’s not just sweet smells that can attract a bear!

So begins a thrilling quest that will bring Julia to new corners of the forest—and of her heart. Introducing a spunky young heroine with a nose for books, How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read invites children to share their love of reading—and of bearnormous hugs—with Julia.

(see this book on Goodreads)

No. No, no, no, no, no. Who thought this was a good idea? Honestly... This came out of a Canadian publisher, no less. I can't believe it.

Look, I'm fine with books about anthropomorphized bears. What I'm not okay with are books that show a realistic little girl living in a house in the woods trying to lure a bear with "bear snacks" (not little girls, in case you were wondering) so she can ride it like a raft down the river and give it hugs. Whoever thought this book was a good idea needs to be sat down and forced to watch Backcountry. Or told the story of Valérie Théorêt and her 10-month-old baby who were recently killed by a grizzly bear. Bears are not cute and cuddly creatures to be played with like pets. The line between fantasy and reality is way too blurred here (especially when the girl is trying to lure the bear with honey and blueberries).

Sorry, but I can't recommend this one at all. Even the farting skunk isn't enough to save this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and CrackBoom! Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 0/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 1/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 1 out of 5

Review - How Long 'til Black Future Month?

How Long 'til Black Future Month?
by N. K. Jemisin
Date: 2018
Publisher: Orbit
Reading level: A
Book type: short stories
Pages: 416
Format: e-book
Source: library

Hugo award-winning and New York Times bestselling author N. K. Jemisin sharply examines modern society in her first short story collection.

N. K. Jemisin is one of the most powerful and acclaimed speculative fiction authors of our time. In the first collection of her evocative short fiction, Jemisin equally challenges and delights readers with thought-provoking narratives of destruction, rebirth, and redemption.

In these stories, Jemisin sharply examines modern society, infusing magic into the mundane, and drawing deft parallels in the fantasy realms of her imagination. Dragons and hateful spirits haunt the flooded streets of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In a parallel universe, a utopian society watches our world, trying to learn from our mistakes. A black mother in the Jim Crow South must save her daughter from a fey offering impossible promises. And in the Hugo award-nominated short story "The City Born Great," a young street kid fights to give birth to an old metropolis's soul.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I haven't read any of this author's longer works yet. I figured trying some of her short stories might be a good introduction to her writing (and a quick way to figure out if I'm going to click with it).

Here are my thoughts on the individual stories:

"The Ones Who Stay and Fight"

It's the Day of Good Birds in Um-Helat, where every soul matters, and even the idea that some might not is anathema.

I have a feeling that I might not have gotten as much out of this story as I could have, as I suspect that it's emulating (or at least heavily referencing) Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas"... which I haven't read. The story is told from a second-person point of view, and ostensibly to some sort of bigot who can't bear to hear about an egalitarian utopia. This threw me at first because, being unfamiliar with the author and the short story that's referenced, I wasn't sure if the "you" the narrator was addressing was supposed to be the reader (which would be both presumptuous and condescending) or simply another character. I figure it's probably the latter, though I couldn't say for sure.

I'm not sure how I feel about a short story that requires the reader to be familiar with another author's work; I think I prefer it when stories can stand on their own. That said, this one was fairly strong, technically speaking, and I found myself wanting to know more about the city of Um-Helat and its history. We're given tantalizing glimpses of it, but I wouldn't mind seeing those ideas fleshed out in a longer form.


"The City Born Great"

I curb stomp it with the full might of Queens and something inside the beast breaks and bleeds iridescence all over creation. This is a shock, for it has not been truly hurt in centuries.

Well, that was different. I'm not sure that I liked it, but it was interesting. The basic premise is that cities need to be birthed as living, breathing creatures... but there are also other forces that don't want them to be born at all. The story is told from the perspective of a black street kid in New York City, and the Enemy takes the form of cops. It was an interesting way to work through a fascinating premise, while also making a statement about race in America.

For some reason, though, I just didn't click with the main character. I didn't feel the peril as much as I thought I should. Part of that might just be because of the short format; we don't really have time to get to know this nameless kid before we're being asked to care about what happens to him. The writing itself is decent, but I just didn't feel much about this one.


"Red Dirt Witch"

Emmaline groaned and put a hand in the air for strength; all of her children had forgotten how to mind, all at once.

I can't really say I loved this one. The premise of the fey (or White Folk, as they're known here) preying on black children in the South is interesting, but for some reason, I found myself a little bit bored. (I'm not the biggest fan of evil fey stories to begin with, so maybe that's all it is.)


"L'Alchimista"

"More problematic than they're worth," Franca said, putting her free hand on one ample hip, "and so will you be if you're here a-begging. Or if you're a flasher, go find the widow Annabella down the street; I hear she's not picky."

Sometimes short stories seem almost like appetizers, leaving you hungry for more. This was one of those. I want to know what happens to Franca and the mysterious man after the end of this little morsel.


"The Effluent Engine"

As she moved her brocade bag, she noticed the young woman's eyes, which were locked on the bag with a hint of alarm. Jessaline was struck at once with unease--had she noticed the derringer handle?

I didn't really like this one. It was too long, and the writing was quite a bit weaker than in the other stories I've read so far. I almost wonder if it was written years ago, when the author hadn't found her style yet.

It's a sort of alternate-history thing, set in New Orleans in the 1800s (I'm guessing). Jessaline has been sent to find someone who can help her build an engine that will run on the waste produced by rum production. We've got a bit of a F/F romance here, but I didn't like the way the story ended. Jessaline is this kick-ass spy character throughout most of the story, but then at the end, her love interest, Eugenie, basically informs her that she (Jessaline) will be retiring for her own safety and that Eugenie will be making enough money for the both of them. I don't really like this "kept woman" trope, no matter whether it's a man or a woman doing the keeping. What's Jessaline going to do with the rest of her life? Sit around all day and eat penuche? (One thing I did like about this story were the little touches--like the mentions of food and language--that brought the setting to life.)


"Cloud Dragon Skies"

I looked over at my suitor. His face was jubilant, adoring. This was his gift to me. I was touched by it, even as my soul wept in anguish.

The last story I thought was a bit too long. This one I thought was a bit too short. It's an interesting premise: the world was dying, so there was an exodus to a colony beyond Mars. Some folks decided to stay behind, and they've chosen to live simply and in harmony with nature. The narrator, Nahautu, is the unmarried daughter of a village elder. One day, people from the colony come back in their hazmat suits to study the sky, which has turned all kinds of weird colours because of the poisons in the atmosphere. They've figured out a way to change the sky back to blue. Nahautu and her father don't like the idea; they've gotten used to their colourful sky full of dragon-shaped clouds.

There are hints of a romance between Nahautu and one of the young men from the sky, but it was more Nahautu telling the reader she was falling for him than anything we could actually see. This needed to be developed more, because what happens in the end of the story seems really disempowering, like Nahautu had no say in the matter, and it makes the ultimate resolution of the romance a little questionable. Was it really her choice?


"The Trojan Girl"

The emulated warehouse dissolved in a blur of light and numbers. Meroe let himself dissolve with it, leaping across relays and burrowing through tunnels in his true form. Zo ran at his side, a flicker of ferocity. Beautiful. Behind them came Faster, and a fire-limned shadow that was Never. Diggs moved in parallel to them, underneath the Amorph's interaction plane.

This story has a highly imaginative premise. It takes place inside a computer network of some sort. The characters are all basically code, originally created by humans, but now beings in their own right. I thought it was a really interesting place to start but, like with some of the other stories, I was let down by the execution. The character development just didn't seem to work for me. I get that Meroe is a piece of code, part of a "wolf pack" that are essentially predators. However, based on some of his actions, I felt he was a bit different from the others. Not so violent, not so willing to tear others apart simply for his own gain. But then, after something pivotal happens, the story makes reference to his "newfound compassion" and I was just sitting there thinking, "Wasn't he always kind of like that?" It's one of those cases where we're being told something rather than shown it.

Aside from that, there was one rather cringe-worthy bit that kind of reinforced stereotypes about Asians: namely, that they all look the same and have no imagination. (This could've easily been avoided by making those characters something other than Asian, if the author wanted them all to look identical. As it was, though, it just read like an uncomfortable stereotype.)


"Valedictorian"

It is so easy to have principles. Far, far harder to live by them.

This has an interesting premise, but it's kind of short. It reminded me a little of The Hunger Games at first, with the tributes of teenagers, but it ended up being something else entirely. It's a good start, but... I want to know more about this world and how it came to be.


"The Storyteller's Replacement"

So many dead to speak for. And in every palace I visit, so many tales to tell.

This story takes the form of a story within a story. The main tale is one of King Paramenter, who has an unhealthy obsession about appearing virile. He thinks eating a male dragon's heart will help him in the bedroom, but all he can find is a female dragon's heart. You can guess how that goes.

I liked the old-fashioned fairy-tale flavour of this one. Pride and greed always go before a fall, it seems. I'm not sure if the whole framing device with the storyteller was actually necessary (unless there was some significance there that I missed), but I enjoyed this story overall.


"The Brides of Heaven"

A tendril of mist hung above the liquid's surface, curling slowly in the still air as if to beckon her. Such was the aura of the place that it seemed wholly natural to whisper aloud, "Hello?" And even more natural to wait for an answer.

I'm not sure if this was meant to be a cautionary tale, but that's how I read it. (It's also slightly Islamophobic, but I can't really speak to the intent there.) Basically, there's this colony of Muslims on a foreign planet. But they're all women, because the men's stasis unit malfunctioned before they landed. One woman is a zealot, and she basically ends up screwing over the whole colony because she thinks she's doing God's will.

I wasn't really a fan of this one. Aside from the names and the mentions of prayers, the Islam part seemed like it had been really glossed over. (The mention of facing east to pray didn't help. Why would you do that on an alien planet? Not all Muslims on Earth face east, anyway.) The idea of a dying colony of women was interesting, and I guess the segregation of the sexes because of religion made sense for plot purposes, but I couldn't help but think this was a warning against doing any sort of colonization missions like this in the future. Basing the composition of the colonists on something like religion is risky. What happens if someone turns into an extremist? What happens if someone wants to turn their back on the faith? Those are interesting questions that could've been explored, but the story was too short to do anything other than throw in a little shock value because of a zealot/madwoman (we're never really sure which) and her actions.


"The Evaluators"

"Well, we have a problem with overpopulation and its effects: overcrowding, homelessness, starvation, worse. We're correcting now, but the problem took a long time to develop, so it will take a long time to resolve."

"And in the meantime, your people must simply suffer?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

This story is a good example of human hubris, although I doubt the author intended it to be. Humans are probably the last species who should be getting all self-righteous about killing. We do it all the time for no good reason. Stories like this just make me think that it's a good thing we haven't encountered any alien species upon which we'd force our "values".

Aside from the subject matter, this one was hard to read. It's written as a series of transmissions/messages/e-mails/records, with lots of dates and bracketed notes. I wasn't a fan of the format.


"Walking Awake"

"Go away," she said. "I don't want to dream about you anymore." She had not been happy before these dreams, but she had been able to survive. The dangerous thoughts were going to get her killed, and he just kept giving her more of them.

One thing I've noticed is that quite a few of these stories have microaggressions. Sometimes they're racial, but in this story they were ableist. The use of the words "defect" and "defective" when referring to someone with bipolar is insulting. Yes, it may have been part of the attitude of the characters in the story; unfortunately, since it was told in the third person, that wasn't necessarily clear (I would've have less of a problem with this if the story had had a first-person point of view, because then we would've known we were just reading the narrator's judgments... not necessarily the author's).

Aside from that, I didn't really like this one. There were some continuity problems, and I just couldn't get behind the premise, which is more of an urban legend than anything (i.e., if you die in a dream, you die in real life). It just didn't seem like a plausible mechanism for achieving the goal. The story had a cool overall premise with villains that might give one nightmares, but a weak execution.


"The Elevator Dancer"

Shift change, changeshift, humdrum and ho hum, and on the little screen a woman dances. She is in the elevator. She is alone in the elevator and she is dancing because there is no one to see her but the security camera, and the security guard who watches its output on the little screen.

This story takes place in some sort of theocratic dystopia. It's very short, but I wasn't a fan of the style. It's too artsy, with stream-of-consciousness passages that are more like run-on sentences, and a culmination that looks like it came out of a book of pretentious poetry (complete with lowercase letters and weird line breaks). It's an odd shift away from the style of most of the other stories. Though the author was able to cram a lot into just a few pages, I can't really get excited about it either way.


"Cuisine des Mémoires"

Someone had looked into my heart and found a long-forgotten moment of love, plucked it forth and dusted it off and polished it up and shoved it back in, sharp and shiny and powerful as it had been on the day the memory was made.

I quite enjoyed this one. It involves a mysterious restaurant in New Orleans that can recreate any dish from any moment in history. It examines the nature of memory and why it's important, and how we can end up living within it if we're not careful. The premise is kind of supernatural, but the themes are more universal.


"Stone Hunger"

It's hard to think through the clamor of fever and pain, even the air sounds loud in her ears, but she decides at last that the city-dwellers have peculiar taste in art.

This is a weird story, and I couldn't figure out what was going on at first. Was the girl tasting earthquakes? It took a while before I understood what the deal was. This is sort of a post-apocalyptic fantasy, and it introduced so many ideas and so much history that I don't think it really worked as a short story. I would've much rather seen some of these ideas fleshed out in a longer work.

The writing gets a little artsy at times, resorting to run-on sentences, sentence fragments, strange uses of italics, and even a lack of punctuation. Those bits are kind of random, too, so they feel more like places where the editor just fell asleep.


"On the Banks of the River Lex"

He was not like many of his fellows, who were confined to the places where they had been conceived and nurtured. Where there was life, there was death, and where there was death, was his domain. He was one of the few who could, if he wished, travel the whole world. It was good to be Death.

This story takes place in the ruins of New York City after some unspecified apocalypse, where all that remains of humanity are our thoughts and myths, personified. The plot follows Death as he encounters an intelligent octopus at a ruined aquarium, and witnesses the cycle of life. It's an interesting little snippet of a premise, but I found myself wondering more about what had happened to the world than about the octopus and its descendants. Maybe that's missing the point, but... that's just how I felt.


"The Narcomancer"

The land of dreams was as infinite as the mind of the Goddess who contained it. Though every soul traveled there during sleep, it was rare for two to meet. Most often, the people encountered in dreams were phantoms--conjurations of the dreamer's own mind, no more real than the palm trees and placid oasis which manifested around Cet's dreamform now. But real or not, there sat Namsut on a boulder overlooking the water, her indigo veils wafting in the hot desert wind.

In trying to create a world that values inclusion, the author inadvertently made it even more sexist. It's a world where the major religion involves goddess worship... and yet most of the clergy are male. The exception is the Sisterhood, and they're looked down upon by the men. Having a male as part of the Sisterhood struck me as both ridiculous and as a misguided attempt at inclusion. In a world where women already have so little of their own, why would a man be allowed into that sacred space? And why would women have so little of their own to begin with--in a world where they're nothing but property to be raped and mistreated--if their entire religious system is based on worship of the feminine? That didn't make a lot of sense.


"Henosis"

The woman was breathing hard, barely coherent. "When they give you that award, your legacy ends. It means they think you've done all you're going to do, the best you'll ever do. It means they stop listening."

This story is truly bizarre. Aside from the premise (which is unique and weird enough that I don't want to spoil it), it's told in a series of six chapters... which are all out of order. It's experimental, to say the least. And rather disturbing. I really don't know what to make of this one.


"Too Many Yesterdays, Not Enough Tomorrows"

It had taken the threat of true isolation, of wandering lost through endless wastelands until thirst or exposure killed her, to make her see the apartment as haven and not prison. So half-blinded by tears she had run back, thanking God that her shoes were cheap. One of them had an uneven sole, which scuffed a little crescent-shaped mark into the dusty soil. The moon had led her home.

The premise of this one is really interesting. A group of random people, connected by the Internet, are all that's left after some sort of quantum apocalypse. Each exists in their own pocket universe, but if anyone forms too close of an emotional bond with another, they disappear. Nobody knows if they cease to exist or if it's some form of escape from this new world. It's a really neat idea, and I can't help wondering about the word choices, especially toward the end; are they random, or are they hints at what happens next?


"The You Train"

There was a T train waiting at the platform this morning. Did you see it? No, I never heard of the T either. Maybe it's new.

The doors were open when I first stepped onto the platform, but when other people showed up, the doors closed and the train left. I wonder where it went?

I have no idea what this one is about. Sentient subway trains? A metaphor for suicide? I honestly have no idea. Sometimes I just want to read a story and not have to analyze it for meaning; I hate feeling like I'm back in high school, reading for grades rather than enjoyment. (The stream-of-consciousness style--complete with run-on sentences--and second-person POV didn't really work for me here, either.)


"Non-Zero Probabilities"

Adele finds others, all tired of performing their own daily rituals, all worried about their likelihood of being outliered to death.

This is an interesting premise. New York City is suddenly under the control of luck... both good and bad.

It's yet another one of those stories that act like an appetizer. Nothing really gets resolved. There's potential there for a much longer story. Just when you start enjoying the ride... it ends.


"Sinners, Saints, Dragons, and Haints, in the City Beneath the Still Waters"

The lizard laughed. Its laugh was a strange, high-pitched trilling sound, and with each exhalation, the water around Tookie reacted, tiny pointillations dancing on the murky surface. When it stopped laughing, the water became still once more.

I don't know if this was supposed to be the show-stopper piece of this book, but I found it a little dry. It takes place during Katrina (and shortly thereafter) and involves talking dragons. There was something about the way this one was written that made it really grate against my brain. It could've been the dialogue. (I've never seen people replace "there's" with "it's" before; it took me a while to figure out it was part of the vernacular and not an error.) The story is an indictment of hatred and apathy, but... it just didn't excite me, one way or the other.



So... I'm not quite sure what to make of all this. I think I have one of the author's novels in my TBR pile, and collection didn't make me not want to read it, so that's something. I'm really wondering why I didn't enjoy these stories more, though. The writing in most of them is pretty strong, and the subject matter is interesting. A lot of them, though, felt incomplete, or just not long enough; that may be why I didn't like some of them more than I did.

Overall: 2.84 out of 5