community

Review: One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath

| Tasha

one year in coal harbor

One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath

Return to the world of Horvath’s Newbery Honor winning Everything on a Waffle in this follow up.  Primrose Squarp is back living with her parents in Coal Harbor and everything should be just fine, but there’s more trouble brewing in town.  Primrose just knows that if people would listen to her, it would all work out fine.  Like Uncle Jack and Kate Bowzer: Primrose knows they are in love, but they just won’t admit it.  Then there’s the lack of a best friend, though the new foster kid might just be the right person.  And finally, there’s logging happening outside of town that’s bringing in protesters and developers, making for all sorts of excitement.  Horvath lives up to the first book here, giving readers another chance to spend time in Coal Harbor.

Horvath has created a beautiful setting for her book that is so much a part of the story that it could not have happened anywhere else.  She has then taken that setting and populated it with amazing characters.  There are snotty girls, loving friends, intriguing strangers, and at the heart an extended family that provides support through everything.  While the characters may be wild at times, there is such a network of community in the book that it all makes merry sense.

Though there is a sense of community and family throughout, Horvath also deals with some darker issues here.  There is the question of development of wilderness and the death of a pet.  While this darkness is there, it is not all encompassing.  The town continues to function and life goes on. 

Horvath’s writing is also exquisite.  I particularly enjoy the parts where Primrose (who is wise and interesting and exactly the sort of person any reader would want as a best friend) is thinking about life.  Here is one of my favorite passages from page 148:

…but it was as if he and I and the hills were all part of one thing, separate from other things on Earth. Just as my mother and father and I were part of one thing, separate from all else. And these small subsets within the universe, I decided, are maybe what people love best. Whether it is you and the ocean or you and your sisters or you and your B and B, your husband and children.

Fans of the first book should definitely read the second, and truly, who in could ever pass it up!  I envy new readers of the pair of books who can read them back to back and spend an extended time in Coal Harbor.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from digital galley from NetGalley.

Review: Amelia Anne Is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

| Tasha

amelia anne

Amelia Anne Is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

When the girl is found dead on the highway near Becca’s small hometown, the entire town is enveloped in the question of who she was and who killed her.  All Becca knows is that she is going to leave town at the end of the summer, and leave her boyfriend behind too.  But then her boyfriend breaks up with her right after they have sex, and Becca’s world shifts.  She too becomes captured by the drama of the murdered girl and finds herself unable to move forward with her plans to head to college.  Amelia Anne, the dead girl, was already in college.  Caught with a boyfriend who no longer understands her, Amelia continues to date him waiting for the best time to break up.  Two girls who end up in the same small town for very different reasons, one at the beginning of her life and the other at the end. 

Rosenfield’s writing is unique and heady.  She writes with all of her senses, creating a feeling that is almost smothering at times, flying high in others, and always remarkable.  Her writing is best when creating a world for just two people, something that happens often here.  Those dynamics ring true and painful and wistful. 

Her writing about the small town and its history of death is also beautifully done.  As readers, we inhale along with the characters, breathing in the scents of the woods and the roses.  We witness the fact that small town knowledge can also kill, work through grief with people, and jump to the wrong conclusions.  It’s an exhilarating ride of a novel that also takes the time to truly create its own setting and history.

Amazing writing, a violent mystery and a small town setting create a book that is impossible to put down, yet invites you to linger with it longer.  Appropriate for ages 16-18.

Reviewed from copy received from Dutton Books.

Review: A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham

| Tasha

bus called heaven

A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham

It all started when the bus with a sign that said “heaven” was abandoned on Stella’s street.  Traffic slowed, people gathered, and Stella took her thumb out of her mouth and suggested that the abandoned bus could be “ours.”  So everyone helped move it out of the street and into Stella’s front yard.  It stuck out a bit into the sidewalk and took up the entire yard.  The next morning when Stella looked out her window, things had changed again.  Now there were people sitting on their front wall, children wrestling in the grassy shade under the bus.  The adults began cleaning things up.  When some boys spray painted the side of the bus one night, they were invited back to paint one of Stella’s designs instead.  The bus had become a hub of activity for the entire community.  But then one Saturday morning things changed again, when a tow truck arrived.  What will happen next to the bus called heaven?

Graham creates books that have a special sort of feel to them, a sense of place and community, but that are also infused with a wonder and magic all their own.  Here he takes one abandoned bus and creates that community in our modern world where it is lacking.  This is not a statement about the problems of our society, but rather a look at what it could be if we were only willing. 

The illustrations are done in his signature style that has lots of details, fine lines, and soft colors that manage to be bright too.  He plays with color here, making Stella almost ghostlike in her paleness.  When she gets excited two dots of pink appear, but she does not ever fully become colored like the other characters.  She is a pale but very solid young character.

This is an uplifting read about the little changes that create a community and the little children that can lead us there.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Under the Baobab Tree by Julie Stiegemeyer

| Tasha

under the baobab tree

Under the Baobab Tree by Julie Stiegemeyer, illustrated by E. B. Lewis

Brother and sister, Moyo and Japera, travel to a neighboring village to gather under the baobab tree, the tree of life.  Different people gather under the baobab at different times.  Sometimes the market wagon is there selling pots, pans and cloths.  Other times, the elders are gathered there talking.  Sometimes it’s a storyteller sharing stories.  As the children walk to the tree, they see all sorts of wildlife like weaver birds, gazelle, and a termite mound.  The siblings reach the baobab tree and more and more people join them, along with the minister and his Bible for church under the tree.

The setting of this book is clear from the very moment you open it.  For some people, from reading the title.  The setting stays true throughout the story, as details about Africa are woven into the story.  The children pass all sorts of creatures as they travel.  The different people under the baobab tree are shared in detail as well.  Clues about what will happen under the tree today are also shared in the text, so religion is tied nicely throughout as well.

Lewis’ art really make this book appealing.  He uses soft lines and almost gauzy colors to tell the story.  The watercolors seem to shimmer in the heat of Africa.  At times there is clarity in the images and great detail, other times the reader is moved further back and the scene itself is captured in its vastness and heat.

A picture book that embraces religion with a gentle touch, this book is a heartfelt welcome to Africa.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Tracing Stars by Erin E. Moulton

| Tasha

tracing stars

Tracing Stars by Erin E. Moulton

Indie Lee Chickory is heading to her last day of school where she really doesn’t fit in.  Her older sister Bebe fits in perfectly, dresses like the others, and never seems to smell like rotting fish like Indie does.  That’s what she gets for feeding Monty, her golden lobster, before coming to school.  So whenever Indie does something that draws attention to herself, Bebe is embarrassed.  When Indie accidentally carries Monty to school on that last day, she does a lot more than draw attention, she runs away from school to get Monty into the water he needs.  But when they reach the sea, she loses him and he won’t return to her after the sirens from the police car go off.  Now Indie has to figure out not only how to get Monty back but also how to not be so weird and not embarrass Bebe anymore.  Bebe has a part in a summer musical, so she has a lot at stake.  It’s up to Indie to see how normal she can be.

This is a wonderfully deep and thoughtful book for preteens that explores expectations and sisterhood.  While Indie’s own plans may be to not stick out and not be unusual, readers will be delighted to find out that is not the message of the book.  Instead Indie is clearly her own person and unable to fit into any mold, no matter how much she may want to.  Bebe is actually the sister in crisis, the one desperate to be perfect, the one who would do almost anything to belong.  The book allows readers to figure that out on their own as the book progresses. 

While the book is deep, it is also a great read for summer because it has plenty of humor and action to keep things moving.  The setting is clear and used throughout the story almost as its own character.  The dynamics of a small tourist town, the beauty of the natural setting, and the sea herself all play into the action and the story.  The addition of a theater performance and Bebe being an actor and Indie working on set construction gives the book another element that works particularly well, and also gives the book some of its most interesting characters.

This pre-teen novel about a young girl who is unique in many ways but also wants to fit in will resonate with young readers who will be buoyed by the way the story works out.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC received from Philomel.

Review: The Hueys in The New Sweater by Oliver Jeffers

| Tasha

hueys in the new sweater

The Hueys in The New Sweater by Oliver Jeffers

All of the Hueys are the same.  They are all white ovals with skinny, stick legs and arms.  They even acted and thought the same, until one day when Rupert knitted himself a sweater.  It was a bright orange sweater with zig-zags and it made him stand out from all of the other Hueys.  Rupert was very proud of his sweater, but the other Hueys often reacted in shock and horror at it.  Rupert went to talk with Gillespie, who was also intrigued by being different.  Gillespie knitted himself a sweater just like Rupert’s and that way they could both be different together!  Slowly, the other Hueys started to accept that Rupert and Gillespie were different.  In fact, they embraced it, and everyone knitted themselves orange sweaters just like Rupert’s.  Now everyone was the same again, until Rupert decided to try a hat!

There is something completely winning about these little creatures that Jeffers has created.  So much of this book depends on the images, the style, and the feel.  Jeffers manages to create a community that is completely homogenous but not cult-like or frightening.  Instead it’s a community that has tea, hangs pictures, and seems very friendly.  Even their reaction to Rupert’s sweater is never angry, more one of disbelief, shock and even some tears. 

The writing is light and merry, keeping the entire book positive.  Jeffers has cleverly created a book that speaks to creativity and being your own person, not being afraid of leaving the crowd, but also one about what happens when your idea is taken over by the crowd.  The answer?  Do something else!

A great pick for a bedtime read, the book is a smaller format than many picture books and will not work well with a large crowd.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Philomel Books.

Review: The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle

| Tasha

pirates next door

The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle

This book first came to my attention when it won the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize in the UK.  It is the story of a girl living in a neighborhood where all of the lawns are neat and tidy, until the pirate family moves in next door.   They arrive complete with pirate ship, treasure chests and barrels of grog.  There is a pirate boy named Jim Lad, his parents, his grandfather, and his little sister, Nugget.  Jim Lad and the girl quickly became friends, but the rest of the community was not as welcoming to the pirate family.  Rumors spread quickly about all the nasty things the pirates were up to and the fear was that if one pirate family lived there, then more would come.  But this pirate family is only there while their ship is being repaired, so soon Jim Lad is off again, leaving behind a touch of pirate treasure for everyone.

Duddle has written a child-friendly book about segregation without ever using the word or focusing on that concept.  It is a book about people who are different from you moving into your neighborhood.  Happily, the pirates expect to be shunned to a large degree, and just live their lives the way they always would.  They are unapologetic, make no efforts to fit in, and then disappear, but not without making a real impact and changing people’s minds. 

The illustrations in this book really set it apart.  They have that lush feel of cinematic animation.  Each character has a unique feeling to them, effortlessly distinct and interesting.  That’s true of the pirate family and also of the many elderly neighbors who gossip about them.  The effect is rich and striking.  The illustrations also use the color palette of cinema, with the dramatic lush colors, deep blues of night, and often playing with light and dark. 

This exceptional book takes the appeal of a pirate story and weaves in social commentary with great restraint.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Seed Magic by Jane Buchanan

| Tasha

seed magic

Seed Magic by Jane Buchanan, illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb

Rose and her brothers make fun of the old man who feeds the pigeons all day long from his wheelchair.  When Rose asks him why he likes pigeons so much, he tells her how beautiful they are.  But Rose can’t see it at all; she thinks that gardens are much more lovely than birds.  So Birdman gives her some seeds to put outside her window and grow a garden on her windowsill.  Rose knows that it won’t work, since there’s no dirt for them to grow in, but Birdman is insistent that they will grow a garden on her bare windowsill.  Her brothers make fun of her for even trying, but Rose starts to dream of the incredible flowers that could sprout there.  Then one day, something magical does happen, much to her surprise and delight.

Buchanan’s writing is poetic.  It has a strong rhythmic quality that beats to the heart of the urban setting perfectly.  She plays with imagery, describing the sunflower seeds as “black as tar, slick as oil” as Birdman share them with Rose.  This is a book that speaks to the power of making connections, rather than dismissing those around us.  It is also about beauty and seeing it in the most unlikely places.

The illustrations have a wonderful texture and thickness to them, the paint layered and deep.  Riley-Webb uses plenty of color to depict the urban park: greens, blues, and rich browns.  There is movement to her illustrations from the people, the birds and the gardens.  It is a fresh way to show a city, rather than the cold of concrete.

This book celebrates nature in an urban setting and the sharing of beauty.  Thanks to the rhythm of its writing, it’s a great read-aloud as well.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Peachtree Publishers.  

Review: The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford

| Tasha

secret tree

The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford

The neighborhood that Minty lived in had some very interesting stories.  There was the Man-Bat, a huge combination of man and bat that lived in the woods.  On the other side of the woods was the Witch’s House, where Minty’s best friend Paz was brave enough to knock but then lost her little sister’s favorite stuffed animal when the witch emerged and grabbed her.  When Minty saw a flash in the woods one day, she headed off to see what it was. That’s how she met Raymond, a boy who lived alone in the new development model house.  She also discovered the Secret Tree, a hollow tree where people in town left their secrets.  She and Raymond started collecting the secrets and trying to match them with people.  Who is the person who is only loved by their goldfish?  Who has put a curse on their enemy?  Who is betraying their best friend?  And what secrets are the people closest to Minty keeping?

Standiford has created a compelling story about the power of secrets, but also the necessity for them at times.  The slow unraveling of the mysteries of the secrets makes for fascinating reading that will capture the interest of children.  It is one of those books that reads lightly, but has a great deal of depth behind it, especially as the secrets of the community are revealed. 

Minty is a great heroine.  She is at the cusp of becoming a teen and her best friend is maturing faster than she is.  Minty isn’t interested in laying out in the sun at the pool (at least not without eating a snow-cone) and she doesn’t like the new, older girls her friend is hanging out with.  Instead Minty wants to plan on becoming a roller derby star, discover the secrets around her, and just be herself. 

This rich novel will be a great pick for classroom reading and discussions.  It is also the ideal summer read, especially for all of us who love a great secret.  Appropriate for ages 10-13.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic.