Day: November 5, 2012

Review: Life-Size Farm by Teruyuki Komiya

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life size farm

Life-Size Farm by Teruyuki Komiya

This fourth in the “Life-Size” book series takes on farm animals in glorious full-size photographs.  Just like the others in the series, there are panels that offer more detailed information, including the animals name, age, and scientific name.  There are details about physical characteristics that are explained further as well as a list of facts.  All of these are presented in bright colors and with a playful feel.  But it is the photographs in their large size and with the clarity and detail that they offer that will have children taking this book home and lingering over it.

Several of the pages unfold to show even larger images of animals.  The huge furry alpaca and the enormous cow will generate lots of interest.  What is most amazing here is that the size of all of the animals is surprising and fun.  Even better, the quality of the photographs is always high and offer lots of small details to pay attention to.

A great pick for library shelves, though the size is large enough to make them not fit on shelves easily!  This is an excellent addition to a popular nonfiction series for children.  Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Seven Footer Kids.

Review: Ask the Passengers by A. S. King

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ask the passengers

Ask the Passengers by A. S. King

Astrid wishes there was someone who could just listen to her without pressuring her.  Her mother is too pushy and driven to confide in, her father too withdrawn and high.  Her younger sister makes jokes that would make it impossible for Astrid to tell her the truth.  The truth is that Astrid has been kissing a girl and may just be in love with her.  But Astrid isn’t sure that she is really gay.  It may be that she just loves Dee for being Dee and not because they are both gay.  To make matters worse, Astrid’s best friends are in a fake relationship to keep their own secrets.  Astrid spends a lot of time on the picnic table in her backyard watching the planes fly overhead.  She beams them her love, tells them her secrets, and asks them for advice.  When the gay club that she and her friends frequent gets raided, Astrid is forced to start to confront the truth about herself, her family, and her friends.

King has captured the story of a girl questioning her sexuality here, but the story also transcends that and will reach teens who are questioning other aspects of themselves too.  It is a story that encapsulates that particular blend of wonder and fear that comes as a teen who is learning about themselves in such a private way that the rest of the world doesn’t change along with them.  Beautifully written, this is a book that speaks to the fragility and yet strength of that time.

In addition, King has created such a strong character voice here.  It rings with truth, never becoming snarky but really capturing a teen aspect.  Astrid’s messages to the plane passengers add an additional sense of magic and wonder to the story.  As she beams her love up, passengers receive it, make decisions based it, question their own lives, and react.  It adds an important dimension to the book, showing that throughout our lives people are still questioning.

This is a striking read with a vibrant heroine and a radiant point of view that itself beams with love and acceptance.  Appropriate for ages 16-18.

Reviewed from library copy.