Review - I'm Glad My Mom Died [AUDIO]

I'm Glad My Mom Died
by Jennette McCurdy
Date: 2022
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Reading level: A
Book type: memoir
Length: 6 hours 26 minutes
Format: audio book [unabridged]
Source: library

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I heard a lot about this book last year. With a title like that, how could a reader not be intrigued?

This is a rather harrowing memoir of Hollywood, abuse, illness, family dysfunction, and, yes, love. The provocative title seems to have turned a lot of people off. After listening to this audiobook, though, I can understand why it was chosen. Emotions are complicated. Families are complicated. When there is such emotional chaos in a family, it's understandable that there might be a certain amount of relief when the source of much of that chaos is removed from the picture.

Jennette's mom put her through a lot. The woman was not well, physically or mentally. She was a hoarder. She had extremely narcissistic behaviours. She lived vicariously through her daughter, seeming to see Jennette as little more than an extension of herself. The harrowing depictions of abuse (that Jennette didn't even realize was abuse until years later) are hard to listen to. Coming out with the raw details must have been incredibly difficult, and I applaud Jennette for being courageous enough to do so.

This is an important book, especially for people who may have similar relationships with family members. Ignoring the abuse doesn't help. Keeping secrets doesn't help. All those things serve to do is push the problem further into the future... where it will have to be dealt with at some point, especially if you want to have any semblance of a healthy, normal life.

I just want to add that I'm not the biggest fan of audiobooks in general. But, in this case, I would recommend listening to this book rather than reading it. Jennette does a great job with the narration. Her dry humour comes through when it's appropriate, and yet there are other times when you can hear the genuine heartbreak in her voice. This is her story, after all... and it's wonderful to get to hear her tell it to us.

Overall, this is a really strong memoir. I've never seen iCarly, and I didn't even know who Jennette was before this book came on the scene. But I found this to be a fascinating memoir, and I would definitely recommend it to others.

 
Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Performance: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Coat of Many Colors

Coat of Many Colors
by Dolly Parton
illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes
Date: 2016
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Dolly Parton lends the lyrics of her classic song "Coat of Many Colors" to this heartfelt picture book for young readers.

Country music legend Dolly Parton's rural upbringing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee provides the backdrop for this special picture book. Using lyrics from her classic song "Coat of Many Colors," the book tells the story of a young girl in need of a warm winter coat. When her mother sews her a coat made of rags, the girl is mocked by classmates for being poor. But Parton's trademark positivity carries through to the end as the girl realizes that her coat was made with love "in every stitch." Beautiful illustrations pair with Parton's poetic lyrics in this heartfelt picture book sure to speak to all young readers.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a cute book, based on a song inspired by Dolly Parton's childhood, about bullying and being proud of the person you are.

I've only heard brief snippets of the song that this book is based on. So it was a little difficult for me to get the meter right as I was trying to read it. Those familiar with the song probably wouldn't have the same problem.

That's really my only complaint, though. The illustrations are adorable, and the message (about valuing what's really important to us, even if others don't agree) is great.

I'd recommend this one to readers looking for books about bullying, being yourself, and close family ties.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.57 out of 5

Review - The Bug Girl: A True Story

The Bug Girl: A True Story
by Sophia Spencer & Margaret McNamara
illustrated by Kerascoët
Date: 2020
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 44
Format: e-book
Source: library

Real-life 7-year-old Sophia Spencer was bullied for loving bugs until hundreds of women scientists rallied around her. Now Sophie tells her story in this picture book that celebrates women in science, bugs of all kinds, and the importance of staying true to yourself.

Sophia Spencer has loved bugs ever since a butterfly landed on her shoulder--and wouldn't leave--at a butterfly conservancy when she was only two-and-a-half years old. In preschool and kindergarten, Sophia was thrilled to share what she knew about grasshoppers (her very favorite insects), as well as ants and fireflies... but by first grade, not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Some students bullied her, and Sophia stopped talking about bugs altogether. When Sophia's mother wrote to an entomological society looking for a bug scientist to be a pen pal for her daughter, she and Sophie were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response--letters, photos, and videos came flooding in. Using the hashtag BugsR4Girls, scientists tweeted hundreds of times to tell Sophia to keep up her interest in bugs--and it worked! Sophia has since appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and NPR, and she continues to share her love of bugs with others.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Bug Girl is a wonderful (true) story of a young girl who follows her passion, even if the other kids her age don't understand it.

Sophia loved bugs from an early age. And the other kids thought that was cool... up until first grade. And then she was bullied for her interest. (Kids get mean earlier and earlier, it seems.) Hating to see her daughter so sad, Sophia's mom reached out to entomologists for support. And support they got! Sophia was inspired to allow herself to keep loving bugs and exploring the world of insects.

The story is lovely and the illustrations, done by husband-and-wife team Kerascoët, complement the text perfectly. There's also an informative (but easy-to-read) section at the back where Sophia shares facts about some of her favourite bugs.

This would be an excellent title for other budding entomologists, as well as for readers looking for books about bullying with an ultimately uplifting message.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - I'm Not a Girl

I'm Not a Girl: A Transgender Story
by Maddox Lyons & Jessica Verdi
illustrated by Dana Simpson
Date: 2020
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Based on a true transgender identity journey, the picture book I'm Not a Girl is an empowering story from writers Maddox Lyons and Jessica Verdi about a boy who is determined to be himself, illustrated by Dana Simpson.

Nobody seems to understand that Hannah is not a girl.

His parents ask why he won't wear the cute outfits they pick out. His friend thinks he must be a tomboy. His teacher insists he should be proud to be a girl.

But a birthday wish, a new word, and a stroke of courage might be just what Hannah needs to finally show the world who he really is.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I've read very few books about transgender kids. I'm Not a Girl is based on the transgender identity journey of 12-year-old Maddox Lyons. It skilfully shows Hannah's emotional reactions to trying to navigate between how the world sees him and how he sees himself.

The story is clear and simple, and offers a main character that other transgender kids will be able to relate to. Illustrated by Dana Simpson of Phoebe and Her Unicorn fame (who is a transgender woman herself), this book would be a useful, reassuring tool for kids who are just starting out on their own journey to live as they truly are.

The notes at the back add some interest (there's a great list of transgender figures in recent history, for example) and help the reader understand a bit about the background of the story. There's also a nice bibliography with resources for kids and parents.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - A Ride to Remember

A Ride to Remember
by Sharon Langley & Amy Nathan
illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Date: 2020
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

The true story of how a ride on a carousel made a powerful Civil Rights statement

A Ride to Remember tells how a community came together—both black and white—to make a change. When Sharon Langley was born in the early 1960s, many amusement parks were segregated, and African-American families were not allowed entry. This book reveals how in the summer of 1963, due to demonstrations and public protests, the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park in Maryland became desegregated and opened to all for the first time. Co-author Sharon Langley was the first African-American child to ride the carousel. This was on the same day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Langley’s ride to remember demonstrated the possibilities of King’s dream. This book includes photos of Sharon on the carousel, authors’ notes, a timeline, and a bibliography.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

A Ride to Remember is a lovely picture-book memoir recounting the story of the first African American child to ride a previously segregated carousel in Baltimore.

The main narrative features strong writing. While there is a lot of text, it's uncomplicated and tells the story clearly, in such a way that even young listeners will understand what's going on. The soft illustrations are a beautiful complement to the story. At the back are some pages with facts, a timeline, and a bibliography.

Overall, this is quite strong. I would definitely recommend it to those interested in the Civil Rights movement, as well as those who enjoy historical picture books about real events.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.67 out of 5

Review - Bird Brain (DNF)

Bird Brain: Comics About Mental Health, Starring Pigeons
by Chuck Mullin
Date: 2019
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Reading level: A
Book type: comic collection
Pages: 144
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Bird Brain is a collection of brutally honest, brilliantly weird comics exploring what it’s like to live with mental illness... using pigeons.

When Chuck Mullin began experiencing anxiety and depression as a teenager, she started drawing comics to help her make sense of the rollercoaster. Eventually, she found that pigeons—lovably quirky, yet universally reviled creatures—were the ideal subjects of a comic about mental illness. Organized in three sections—"Bad Times," "Relationships," and "Positivity"—and featuring several short essays about the author’s experiences, Bird Brain is a highly relatable, chuckle-inducing, and ultimately uplifting collection of comics for anyone who has struggled to maintain their mental health.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

DNF @ 54%

It's tricky when you're reviewing something so personal. But I couldn't finish this one, and I feel I should mention the reasons why, since it might save someone else an unpleasant experience.

Let me start by saying I have no problem with the premise or the intent behind these comics, at least individually. It's brave for anyone to share their mental health struggles with a bunch of perfect strangers. No, my problem is not so much the subject matter. In the case of this book, it's a quality versus quantity issue... and the quantity is what's causing the problem.

If I'd come across these as web comics, encountering them one at a time, I might have liked them more. The problem, as I see it, comes when they're all put into one place. It leads to overwhelm (especially for those who might be suffering from mental health issues themselves). I felt the same way about The Grumpy Guide to Life, which was a book that collected a bunch of Grumpy Cat memes. One or two are amusing. A whole book of them leaves you feeling like you hate humanity. Bird Brain suffers from the same problem; where one comic might have seemed insightful and witty, a whole bunch of them together feels like the book is starting to beat the reader over the head. I had issues with the "Bad Times" section, because all of those comics about the pigeon getting overwhelmed at parties just left me scratching my head and wondering why the pigeon didn't just stop going to parties if they were that torturous. But it was the "Relationships" section that really put the nail in the coffin for me. One or two comics about relationship insecurities and a great partner would've been fine. Comic after comic about how supportive and perfect the pigeon's partner is comes across as a bit tone deaf (many people with severe mental health issues don't have a partner, and it kind of rubs salt in the wound to see this point belaboured the way it is). I don't think it was the intent, but this section comes across as a little braggy; I don't think I would've felt the same way had I encountered the comics one at a time in some other format.

I'm also not a fan of the huge chunks of explanatory text (I thought I was getting a collection of comics, not a prose memoir) or the way the author generalizes mental illness as if all conditions are the same. You don't see people trying to compare a broken finger to colon cancer, even though they're both physical ailments... so I don't appreciate having all mental illness lumped together, either.

The pigeons are amusingly drawn and, like I said, I might have liked these better if I'd encountered them one at a time. In a collection, it's all just too much. Sometimes comics work better in a serial format; not every comic needs to be collected into a book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a digital ARC.

Review - A Perfect Tree

A Perfect Tree
by Denise Dunham
illustrated by Samantha Wade
Date: 2018
Publisher: Capture Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book memoir
Pages: 39
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Trying to stay cheerful about her new school's 2018 Christmas exchange, DeeDee is betrayed by a cunning little girl who lies about the present with Dee-Dee's name on it. Did Evelyn steal it?

DeeDee's winter holiday becomes a downsizing nightmare when her parents move into an oh-so tiny house. Added to this, dad explains that their new house is too small to set up a holiday tree. She gets ANGRY. In DeeDee's spiral of disappointments, all is not lost! Surprises are in store when accidents happen. Find out, what all the buzz is about!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

When a book is this overtly Christian, it has to be very strong for me to like it. Sadly, this is a very weak holiday offering with problems such as incorrect and inconsistent grammar, a poor layout, a confusing narrative timeline, and lacklustre illustrations.

DeeDee moves with her family into a new house (apparently sight unseen, as even her parents are surprised by its diminutive size). She looks forward to celebrating Christmas in their new home. One day at school, the kids have a gift exchange, but DeeDee doesn't get anything (except the emergency present her teacher kept on hand). Then she finds out that their house is too small for a Christmas tree. So she prays to God, and a tiny Christmas tree blows off the back of some guy's truck. Hallelujah!

Aside from the Christian propensity to attribute everything good to God, the story didn't impress me in other ways. When DeeDee and her family move in, we only see her and her parents. Then the book talks about a dining table that seats six, and I was confused. Turns out, DeeDee has three sisters! They're not even mentioned until the ninth page. The next confusing bit came with the tree. The book says that one of the family's traditions is to hunt for a perfect tree. The illustrations show them out in the woods, doing just that. Then DeeDee talks about her memories of decorating the tree, and there's an illustration of the family with their Christmas tree. So, naturally, I assumed that the tree had been acquired and decorated. But ten pages later, Dad tells the girls they don't have room for a Christmas tree that year! The other part that could cause some confusion is the gift exchange at school. It's not really explained how it works, so when Evelyn tells DeeDee she got her a Barbie, and then Santa hands out the presents, I assumed that every kid was assigned a giftee to buy for. But Evelyn didn't buy anything, leaving DeeDee to try to be grateful for the hat and scarf her teacher gives her. (A couple of problems I see here. Maybe this was based on what really happened, but what kind of clueless teacher buys a hat and scarf as an emergency present? And why was this gift exchange not monitored more closely so horrible little brats like Evelyn couldn't torment the kids they didn't like?) The story ends abruptly after a tiny tree is serendipitously gained, and the reader is tossed onto a page with an author's note about God and praying.

The layout of the book isn't very good. There's one page that has what looks like placeholder text layered under the actual text (hopefully, this has been corrected in other editions), and one page's background is so busy that it's difficult to read the text at all. The illustrations themselves are kind of rough, and the characters suffer from perspective issues.

This could have been a good story about a childhood incident if the narrative hadn't been so confusing. Events and characters needed to be mentioned earlier (or just mentioned, period) for the story to have a more cohesive flow. Right now, I just have too many questions about the story that are still bothering me: Why didn't the parents know that the house they were moving their family of six into was so tiny? Why wasn't the school's gift exchange monitored more closely by the teacher? Why didn't the teacher have an age-appropriate present on hand? Why was Dad so averse to cutting the branches off a little tree to make it fit in the house (he did know the whole trunk was cut, right)? These questions are distracting, and they didn't need to be. With some tighter storytelling, most of these issues could've been resolved to make the story flow more smoothly.

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

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

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.5 out of 5

Review - Phoenix Goes to School

Phoenix Goes to School
by Michelle Finch & Phoenix Finch
illustrated by Sharon Davey
Date: 2018
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book memoir
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

My Mommy tells me I'm perfect and to be brave.

"You know who you are," she says,

"Just be yourself and always listen to your heart."

With those words of encouragement from her Mom, Phoenix is preparing for her first day of school. She is excited but scared of being bullied because of her gender identity and expression. Yet when she arrives at school she finds help and support from teachers and friends, and finds she is brave enough to talk to other kids about her gender!

This is an empowering and brightly-illustrated children's book for children aged 3+ to help children engage with gender identity in a fun, uplifting way. It supports trans children who are worried about being bullied or misunderstood.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a short little picture book memoir by 7-year-old Phoenix Finch, written with the help of her mom, Michelle. In it, she talks about the first time she went to school wearing a dress and the emotions surrounding that event.

While I appreciate the book and its premise as an adult reader, I'm not sure if kids are really going to get it. Phoenix does talk about how, when she was born, the doctors told her parents she was a boy. But that's about as deep as the transgender issue gets, and we're basically left with a story about a little girl who wears a dress to school. That kind of makes for a weak plot, especially for those who don't really understand the significance of what Phoenix is doing. (Also, Phoenix worries that she might get teased or bullied for wearing a dress, but she doesn't. I realize this is a memoir about her own experiences, but it might not be so helpful for kids who are bullied because there's not much advice about how to deal with such a situation, other than to be brave.)

The illustrations are okay, but they're not really my style. They've got that sort of look to them that almost makes one wonder if they were drawn by a child. (They're too consistent for that, but still... I'm not a fan of this particular type of illustration.)

I have a feeling that this is one of those books where kids will either just accept the premise and go with it, or they'll need a lot more explanation from an adult. For that reason, I'm not really sure if I'd recommend it to a general audience. It would be great for other transgender or gender non-conforming kids, but even then probably only as a book to show them they're not alone. (As a teaching tool for cisgender children, I'm afraid there might not be enough explanation.)

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War

Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War (CitizenKid)
by Jessica Dee Humphreys & Michel Chikwanine
illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Date: 2015
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel memoir
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

Michel is like many other five-year-olds: he has a loving family and spends his days going to school and playing soccer. But in 1993, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Michel and his family live, is a country in tumult. One afternoon Michel and his friends are kidnapped by rebel militants and forced to become child soldiers. Child Soldier is the sometimes heartbreaking but ultimately inspiring true story of the triumph of the human spirit.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

It's unbelievable what some children are forced to endure. Child Soldier tells the story of Michel, who was kidnapped and recruited as a child soldier at the age of five. This very important book tackles a heavy subject in a way that makes it suitable for young readers.

I was impressed by the careful approach this book takes. Although some horrible things happen, the illustrations are never too graphic. Reading the words about what happened to Michel and his family is difficult enough; the text gets the point across without the book needing to resort to overly graphic imagery.

The notes at the end are really interesting, too. I didn't realize that countries like Canada technically use child soldiers (since a child soldier is defined as anyone under 18 who's engaged in military activity, and Canada allows 17-year-olds to join up with parental consent). Also, did you know that Africa is home to half of the world's child soldiers? It's so sad that, in many places, kids aren't allowed to be kids.

This is a strong graphic novel for children, and even though it's short, it's very powerful. This is a topic that probably doesn't get discussed very much in schools, so this book would be a great way to start a conversation about child soldiers.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.75 out of 5

Review - Be Prepared

Be Prepared
by Vera Brosgol
Date: 2018
Publisher: First Second
Reading level: MG
Book type: graphic novel memoir
Pages: 256
Format: e-book
Source: library

A gripping and hilarious middle-grade summer camp memoir from the author of Anya's Ghost.

All Vera wants to do is fit in—but that’s not easy for a Russian girl in the suburbs. Her friends live in fancy houses and their parents can afford to send them to the best summer camps. Vera’s single mother can’t afford that sort of luxury, but there's one summer camp in her price range—Russian summer camp.

Vera is sure she's found the one place she can fit in, but camp is far from what she imagined. And nothing could prepare her for all the "cool girl" drama, endless Russian history lessons, and outhouses straight out of nightmares!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

In the vein of graphic novel memoirs such as Cece Bell's El Deafo comes Be Prepared, a funny look at the author's experience at a Russian summer camp.

Like El Deafo, the author makes it clear that some parts of the story have been fictionalized, either for simplicity or for interest's sake. But I'm not sure if it really matters if it's 100% true or not (and at least she didn't pull a James Frey and try to pass it off as a completely true story). Anyone who's been to summer camp (or even camping) can probably relate to a lot of the issues that Vera has to face during her time at camp: the crappy (pun intended) facilities, the level of stinkiness (probably due in part to the crappy facilities), the bugs, hearing weird noises in the woods, rain, the annoying people you have to share your tent with, etc.

I felt so sorry for Vera as she struggled to make friends. She thought going to camp would do it for her, that she would finally have something in common with all the other girls in school: summer camp. But that's not the way it turned out. As one of the younger campers in her group, she was often used by the older girls when they wanted something... and inevitably blamed when something went wrong. When she finally found her footing and started to understand what she needed to do to be happy at camp, I was so glad.

The illustrations are cute, and Brosgol really captures the personalities of the characters with her drawing. Everyone--from the boy who everyone thinks is cute to the chipmunks to Vera herself--is rendered in an accessible way. (Unlike some graphic novels I've read where you kind of have to squint and turn the page sideways to figure out what the heck you're looking at, Be Prepared uses clean lines and minimal shading to great effect.) I am a little disappointed that the book isn't in full colour like the cover, though. I might've given it an extra star had that been the case; as it is, it's all in black and white and puke pea-soup green.

The ending suggests that the author's had an interesting life. I wonder if she'll write any more partially fictionalized memoirs about growing up. If she does, I wouldn't mind reading them.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - From Far Away

From Far Away
by Robert Munsch & Saoussan Askar
illustrated by Rebecca Green
Date: 1995
Publisher: Annick Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

When Saoussan immigrated with her family from war-torn Lebanon, she was only seven years old. This picture book tells the story of how she had to adjust to her new home in Canada. She describes the frustration of not understanding the teacher when she started school, not knowing how to ask to go to the bathroom, and being terrified of a Hallowe'en skeleton. This is the perfect book to help kids empathize with immigrant children whose experiences are very similar to Saoussan's.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I've read plenty of Robert Munsch's picture books, but this one is a little different. Written in conjunction with Saoussan Askar, From Far Away is a mini memoir about Saoussan's journey and integration into Canadian society after fleeing war-torn Lebanon with her family. It's a book that is just as timely today, especially with the current refugee crises around the world.

The story talks a little bit about why Saoussan and her family had to leave their home, but most of the story is about the girl's struggles in her new country. She didn't speak any English at first, so she had a hard time understanding what to do and didn't always understand what was going on (the paper skeleton in her school scared her pretty badly). As children do, though, she picked up the language and began to make friends.

It's awful when a child has to say things like "nobody shot at us the whole time" when they go to the zoo. The sad reality is that many children don't have the safety and security that many others take for granted. That part of the story struck me the most, I think, and it left me wondering how many Saoussans are out there right now, hoping for a place to live where they can go about their lives without having to worry about being killed at any moment.

The illustrations are different in this one. Most of my favourite Munsch books have been illustrated by Michael Martchenko, but his funny, upbeat style wouldn't really fit here, so I can see why a different illustrator was used. The pictures are nice, and help to tell the story well. I didn't love them, but they're perfectly adequate.

Overall, this is an important book that's still relevant today. The people currently fleeing violence might not be from Lebanon, but their hopes and dreams are probably similar. Every child should be able to find a safe home where they can grow up to reach their potential. (The edition I read is from 2017, and it features a little note in the back from Saoussan that tells us what she's been up to since the book was first published in 1995.)

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5

Review - My Friend Dahmer

My Friend Dahmer
by Derf Backderf
Date: 2012
Publisher: Abrams ComicArts
Reading level: A
Book type: graphic novel memoir
Pages: 224
Format: e-book
Source: library

You only think you know this story. In 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer—the most notorious serial killer since Jack the Ripper—seared himself into the American consciousness. To the public, Dahmer was a monster who committed unthinkable atrocities. To Derf Backderf, “Jeff” was a much more complex figure: a high school friend with whom he had shared classrooms, hallways, and car rides. In My Friend Dahmer, a haunting and original graphic novel, writer-artist Backderf creates a surprisingly sympathetic portrait of a disturbed young man struggling against the morbid urges emanating from the deep recesses of his psyche—a shy kid, a teenage alcoholic, and a goofball who never quite fit in with his classmates. With profound insight, what emerges is a Jeffrey Dahmer that few ever really knew, and one readers will never forget.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm not quite sure how to review this one. As a graphic novel, it did what it set out to do: tell the story of some of Jeffrey Dahmer's formative years, exploring how he might have come to be a serial killer. In that respect, it succeeded. In fact, despite knowing on a visceral level how very wrong Dahmer's crimes were, this book makes you feel somewhat sympathetic toward a young kid who was pretty much screwed from the beginning. The people who could've changed the course of his life did nothing. The people who were supposed to be there for him weren't. As the author says, it's a tragic story.

My problems with this book are mainly technical ones. The artwork is visually arresting, but not really to my taste (although other readers might love the style). I'm also not a fan of all the extra crap shoved into the back of the book, which accounted for 1/4 of the page count (in very small print). Just when I thought I'd gotten to the end, I was faced with pages and pages of endnotes and deleted scenes. Some of the endnotes were interesting, but much of that information could've been gleaned from other sources.

There's also a rather large generational divide that some readers might be uncomfortable with, as evidenced by the casual ableism shown throughout the book. I'm not even entirely sure the author is aware that times have changed, because he referred to "spazzes" outside the context of actual dialogue from the time period. Younger readers might find these 1970s attitudes to be eye-opening and distasteful.

This is a decent graphic novel memoir about a fascinating subject, but it's not quite strong enough for me to really like it. Readers who enjoy true-life crime stories will probably have a more favourable opinion on this one than I did (especially if reading lots of fact-laden endnotes is your cup of tea).

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 2.63 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Malala's Magic Pencil

Malala's Magic Pencil
by Malala Yousafzai
illustrated by Kerascoët
Date: 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Malala Yousafzai's first picture book, inspired by her own childhood.

Malala's first picture book will inspire young readers everywhere to find the magic all around them.

As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for. She saw a world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true.

This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala's story for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed Malala to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a lovely little book. Between the uplifting, hopeful message and the delightful illustrations, it's an enjoyable and educating read.

I haven't read Malala's full-length memoir, but this picture book is a nice introduction to her story. It doesn't get too scary or graphic for kids (for example, what happened to her at the hands of the Taliban isn't explicitly stated), but it's still able to get the main points across, showing children how much of a struggle getting a basic education is in certain parts of the world.

I highly recommend this one for those looking to introduce their kids to the inspiring person that is Malala Yousafzai. (Although, as an adult, I enjoyed it, too.)

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - Brown Girl Dreaming

Brown Girl Dreaming
by Jacqueline Woodson
Date: 2014
Publisher: Penguin Books
Reading level: MG
Book type: verse memoir
Pages: 336
Format: e-book
Source: library

Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

When I first started this book -- in fact, for about the first half of it -- I was pretty bored.  Not much seemed to be happening, though the writing did invoke a sense of place and time.  That was probably what kept me going.  In the latter part of the book, as Jacqueline grows older and begins to understand more about the world around her (and her place in it), the story becomes much more interesting.  I suspect that's because those parts were based on her own memory, rather than other people's recollections.

The years covered in the book were a time of great change.  Segregation was over, but prejudice remained.  The Civil Rights movement was in full swing.  Feminism was coming to the forefront.  The Vietnam War was going on.  On top of all that, Jacqueline's family went through many changes.  They moved around quite a bit, from city to country to city again.  Family members died, new ones were born, some walked into their life, others walked out, new friends came into the picture, new teachers became encouraging voices...

As an adult, I found the book weirdly nostalgic in places, though I'm neither black nor a child of the 1960s.  Some parts of childhood remained constant for a long time, at least until recently: hopscotch and jump-rope with friends, songs on the radio, old-fashioned board games, treats that cost less than a dollar...  And then there were the parts of Jacqueline's childhood that were foreign to me, but that I could picture so well from her descriptions: hair ribbons and hot irons, Maria's mother's cooking, the red dirt roads around her grandparents' home, the lingering unease after the end of segregation in the South.  Jacqueline's family members came alive on the pages, and when I looked over the family photos at the back of the book, I wasn't really surprised by many of them; they looked pretty much as I'd pictured them in my mind.

While I did end up enjoying the story, I wasn't all that crazy about the writing.  It wasn't bad, but I didn't like all the comma splices.  Yes, it is a verse novel, but I would've rather seen more line breaks than the comma splices (the author used both in her verse... which seemed a little weird).  I'm also not sold on the use of italics to set off dialogue.  Alice Hoffman used the same technique in Incantation, and I thought it was kind of pretentious.  What's wrong with good old quotation marks?

In all, though, I did enjoy this book, though I think the intended audience might find it a little bit boring and intimidating -- and might give up on it before they get to the best parts.  And I have to say, I really like that cover.  The combination of colours plus the silhouette make it really beautiful.  I would recommend this one, but maybe to teenagers or adults; I can't see it being that appealing to younger readers, even though the main character is a child.

Quotable moment:

The walk home from the candy lady's house
is a quiet one
except for the sound of melting ice cream
being slurped up
fast, before it slides past our wrists,
on down our arms and onto
the hot, dry road.

Recommended to: older fans of American historical fiction

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 3.71 out of 5 ladybugs