Oona and the Shark by Kelly DiPucchio

August 25, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Oona and the Shark by Kelly DiPucchio
Oona #2
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Oona loves to share her inventions with her friends. They’re big and bold and LOUD—just like her! But there’s one underwater creature who doesn’t seem to enjoy Oona’s company, or her creations.

Stanley the shark! He doesn’t care for her squeaky unicorn. And he’s far too busy for the Sea Horse Carousel. And oh GOODNESS! Oona’s latest hopping, chopping, and popping inventions just make him angry.

Oona may not know what Stanley likes, but she does know what he doesn’t. And maybe that’s a good place to start. Because mermaids never stop trying…not when there’s a friend out there to make.

There’s no such thing as having too many friends.

As I mentioned in my review of Oona, the first tale in this series that happens to share the same name with the protagonist, she was such a persistent and likeable girl. Oona made me smile every time I turned the page and saw what she’d decided to do next. She was the sort of character who could accomplish just about anything she set her mind to do!

I did find myself wishing that someone had reminded Oona to respect other people’s body language and boundaries. She ignored several clear examples of things someone will do and say when they’re uninterested but don’t feel comfortable clearly saying no to an offer. While there were reasons other than an overall disinterest in Oona’s friendship for this behavior in the shark’s case, I think it’s also important for kids and sweet little mermaids to learn how to gracefully accept when someone doesn’t want to play with them. I am saying this as someone who loved the storyline in general and would happily read it to the little ones in my life after explaining to them that it’s just as important to respect people’s boundaries as it is to find common interests with a potential new friend.

With that being said, the author did a wonderful job of showing how neurodivergence affects friendships. Shark’s precise diagnosis was never shared, so this could apply to all sorts of children. What mattered was that he was a little different from the other inhabitants of the ocean and that Oona needed to try something new in order to reach him. It was beautiful to see how much effort she put into understanding him and trying to find something they could enjoy doing together.

This is the second story in a series that does not have to be read in order. Definitely do check out Oona’s first adventure if you like it, though!

Oona and the Shark was a heartwarming summer read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Loukas and the Game of Chance by Anthony L. Manna

August 23, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Loukas and the Game of Chance by Anthony L. Manna
Publisher: Mascot Books
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

While Loukas is playing his flute at the seawall one day, he befriends a mysterious talking, dancing snake that rewards him with fortune and favor. Some years later, tempted by greed and pride, Loukas loses all his riches and his family. He must now set off on a treacherous journey through a frightening forest filled with suspense and strange creatures to find Destiny, her son Ilion, the Sun, and her daughter Luna, the Moon. These celestial guardians will surely allow him to reverse his misfortune, restore his honor, and win back all that he loves and treasures, won’t they?

A reimagined Greek folktale, Loukas and the Game of Chance is illuminated with dramatic and evocative pen and ink drawings that provide an ideal backdrop for the dark intrigue that fills this haunting story of human struggle, courage, and resilience.

Everyone deserves a second chance.

It’s tricky to describe Loukas in a few sentences. He was a talented musician who was deeply loyal to and generous with his friends and relatives. With that being said, he also had moments of selfishness, greediness, and thoughtlessness just like many folks do sometimes. I had a wonderful time peeling back the various layers of his personality and figuring out how all of them were connected. He felt so three dimensional to me that I could have easily accepted the idea of him being based on a real person.

My favorite scenes were the ones that explored what true repentance and forgiveness mean. When someone makes a terrible mistake that harms others, the damage can’t be undone with a simple apology. Instead, Loukas needed to demonstrate that he regretted his actions and was going to make things right again. I found myself smiling and nodding along as he searched for ways to repair everything he’d destroyed.

Folklore appeals to me because of how often first impressions can be deceiving in this type of storytelling and how many lessons it can teach us about being what it means to be a good person. For example, not every powerful character is necessarily trustworthy, and wealth is only as good as how it is used. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this story and seeing how they treated one another. As much as I want to gush more about this topic, it’s best for other readers to discover everything for themselves.

I should also mention that the author’s note at the end provided some helpful backstory for readers who aren’t familiar with the Greek legends this story was based on or who want to read more about this topic. It does contain spoilers, though, so keep that in mind when deciding when to read it!

Loukas and the Game of Chance was perfect.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Sleep Train by Jonathan London

August 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Sleep Train by Jonathan London
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A little boy climbs into bed with a book and starts counting the train cars in it, between the engine and caboose. “Ten sleepy cars going clickety-clack,” reads the refrain. But as the boy counts cars and gets sleepier and sleepier, his room looks more and more like one of the train cars from his book–the sleeping car, of course!

Rhythmically told by the author of the Froggy books, Sleep Train is also stunning to look at. 3D illustrator, Lauren Eldridge, has sculpted an entire train full of intricate details. Part bedtime story, part counting book, part children’s fantasy, Sleep Train is a magical ride to dreamland.

Learning to count is easy when it’s tied to such a memorable train!

It was intriguing to read a picture book that was almost entirely about inanimate objects. This isn’t a common choice in this genre in my experience but was certainly unique. I liked the way the narrator inserted hints about what kind of train it was without making any of the individual portions of it too much like humans or other living beings. Each car had a unique personality, so to speak of, that the audience had plenty of opportunities to get to know. The sleeping and dining cars were my personal favorites, but they were all worth reading about for sure.

I struggled with the thin plot. There were so few details shared about why the main character was on a train and where he was going that the line between his vivid imagination and something magical actually happening never appeared. This is something I’m saying as a reader who enjoys ambiguous storylines and filling in details on my own. If only there had been more clues!

With that being said, it was soothing to read about ten peaceful train cars clacking down the track after dark. I enjoyed the repetition of certain key words and phrases. Not only were they fun to read, but they also lulled my brain into a calm and happy state. This is something that seems perfect for a bedtime story because of how reassuring it was and how easy it is for readers to relax their muscles and fall into the rhythm of what was happening to the train and the little boy riding on it.

Sleep Train was a nice way to unwind before bedtime.

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Bats, Bandits, and Buggies by Nancy Oswald

August 18, 2022 By 2 Comments


Bats, Bandits, and Buggies by Nancy Oswald
Publisher: Burro Books
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.) Historical, Fiction, YA
Rating: 5 stars
Review by Snowdrop

Bat, Bandits & Buggies is the fourth book in the Ruby and Maude Adventure Series. These books can be read in any order.

In Colorado Springs, the summer of 1898, thirteen-year-old, Ruby is bored, bored, bored. What starts out as a plan to train her donkey, Maude, to pull a buggy, ends up in a prickly business deal with her friend Roy, who has run away from Cripple Creek to escape his misery of working in the mines.

Roy lives with his peculiar Aunt Agnes, the caretaker of a mansion where things go bump in the night. Ruby suspects his aunt is involved with two bandits who dress in black and appear and disappear without a trace.

After eavesdropping on a mysterious couple, Ruby is terrified Roy may be the bandits’ next target. Her suspicions come true when the gun-brandishing bandits capture her and Roy.

Will the two escape? Is there a connection between the bandits, Aunt Agnes, and the mansion? What other surprises await Ruby and Roy in their seemingly sleepy little town? Find out in Bats, Bandits, & Buggies.

While I am not of this reading age anymore (9 to 12), who could possibly ignore a book with this title? Regardless of age, I had a blast. Set in the late 1800’s, this middle grade children’s historical fiction story would be a quick and fun read for anyone. Ruby and Roy with her donkey Maude, decide to run from bad personal situations and end up right in the middle of a mystery. In some ways, out of the fire and into the pot, a possible very dangerous place to be.

What a neat change in genre this is. It’s almost a cozy mystery for middle grade readers. I love the historical fiction setting. This is clearly written and very easy to follow, but it sure never lets up on suspense.

Of course, it’s biggest draw is what I mentioned previously. Who can resist two kids, a donkey, some bandits, and a mystery?

Bats, Bandits, and Buggies is Book 4 in a series titled “Ruby and Maude Adventure”. Check it out.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Always the New Girl by Kelly Vincent

August 17, 2022 By 3 Comments

Always the New Girl by Kelly Vincent
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Knitting nerd Sarah Redmond is always the new girl, never the popular one.

Moving all over the country with her flighty mom seemed to be her lot in life, but her junior year at Sierra Vista High School feels like it could be different.

She’s finally on the verge of a social breakthrough.

But when she gets publicly punked at her first party, she and her new friends find a creative way to use their shared obsession with knitting to exact sweet revenge.

And when their efforts lead to a lucrative business, Sarah knows she’s set.

But when her deadbeat dad comes back around she starts to wonder if she should try for a different life, instead of following the paths her parents have chosen.

She’d always half thought her small-time knitting channel could grow into a big-time knitting channel, but maybe college as a backup plan isn’t such a ridiculous idea, after all.

But is that something a girl like her can really make happen?

This is a look at a girl who is determined not to follow in her mom’s footprints. Ms. Vincent has a gift for putting herself in the life of teenagers and sharing that life with us. Written in the first person, we are right with Sarah when she moves, with her mom to Sierra Vista, following yet another boyfriend, to start her junior year of high school. After some mean kids set her up (why do kids do that?), she is able to find friends who really like her the way she is.

The book is written in six parts with each part reading like a short short story. This can be a bit disconcerting, because there are times she refers back to something that happened in the previous part – like when you are reading the next book in the series. Other than that, which tended to take me out of the story briefly, I liked the pacing of the story.

Each section of the book had its own conflict, which kept the action moving and gave a good luck at the relationship she has with her friends. And, there is relationship drama – as an aside, I love the character of Alex and only wish all teenage boys were as mature as he is in the book.

The characters are well-drawn and three dimensional, which leads to a richer experience. I admire the main character a lot. She went through a lot during her life, and I enjoyed hearing how she became her own person in the two years this book covers.

Recommended for all teenagers.


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Ugly by Kelly Vincent

August 16, 2022 By 2 Comments

Ugly by Kelly Vincent
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: YA
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Sophomore Nic Summers tries to ignore the taunts of “ugly lesbian.”

Because she’s not sure they’re entirely wrong. But she also has bigger concerns for now, including prepping for the school’s art contest. And while she isn’t certain of her sexuality, she does know her life is on the verge of falling apart when her best and only friend, Sam, drops the bomb that her family’s moving to Scotland. Together, to soften the blow and distract themselves from the inevitable, they start Operation Social Interaction for Nic—or OSIN for short—to try to find her some new friends.

But it’s an uphill battle for the introverted teen artist.

As Sam’s last day nears, Nic’s self-confidence wavers even more, and she starts questioning everything. If lesbian doesn’t feel quite right, maybe she’s transgender? It isn’t until she stumbles across the label “gender nonconforming” that things start to make a little more sense, and fall into place. But finding the right label doesn’t really tell her what to do next, and before she knows it, Sam is gone.

Mustering all her resources, Nic realizes she needs to find her own path and live her own truth.

What a heartrending book about a girl who doesn’t seem to fit in with anyone. Nic doesn’t feel like a girl, but doesn’t feel like a boy either. She’s confused. Her self-confidence is nonexistent. She’s carrying a secret burden. And, on top of it all, her best (and only) friend is moving away.

I enjoyed the book. I liked the growth that Nic makes through the story, and the way she is able to open up and see that there is more to life for her. Even though I’m way past the target age, I was able to remember back to my own high school years and remember the feelings of not quite fitting in. Thankfully, though, I never had to go through the bullying that she did… even from people she didn’t know. It did make me wonder if there weren’t any nice kids in that school.

I think it’s a book that all kids could benefit from reading… no matter how they feel about themselves. Kind of a “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes” kinda thing. This would be an excellent book for discussion.

I’ve not read anything by this author before, but I’m looking forward to reading more. Thanks for a job well done, Ms. Vincent.


Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Born to be Naughty by Hina Nauman

August 15, 2022 By 3 Comments


Born to be Naughty by Hina Nauman
Hanna the Guardian of Nature Book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

How naughty can one child be? Did you ever put lizards in the food to end some boring adult party or did you ever wear a secret ink ring to mess with kids who annoy you, did you ever had this motto :

If someone gives you pee to drink, simply give them a potty to eat.

Imagine a kid like this.

And then imagine a kid like this makes her naughtiness double with a perfect addition of a best friend forever in her life.

If you have imagined all this, then it’s time to meet Hanna from the series Hanna the Guardian of nature. Hanna’s mischievous spirit is about to press her to one of her most daring thrills in these summer vacations.

Don’t confuse your head with Guardian and naughtiness going hand in hand. Simply read the book and let the confusion rest in peace.

Getting into trouble is easy when the adults aren’t paying attention!

Hanna was such an amusing main character. I adored her spirited personality, limitless energy, silly sense of humor, and cleverness. She was the sort of kid who made everything exciting and unpredictable. I could never guess what sort of mischief she was going to get into next or how the adults in her life would react to her hijinks! There was a lot of room left here for character growth, and that’s something I always like to see in the beginning of a new series. Hopefully, future sequels will spend more time exploring her personality and showing how she will change as she grows up.

It would have been helpful to have a tighter storyline in this book. The narrator often wandered off into tangents about Hanna’s early life, explanations of why Allah created so many different skin colors for people, or other topics. As interesting as they were to read, they were also a distraction from what was currently going on in her life. This was the only thing holding me back from giving a full five-star rating.

The relationship between Hanna and her parents made me smile. They were loving and accepting of her no matter what was going on in any of their lives. This isn’t always an easy thing for grownups to do when looking after an intelligent and hyperactive child, so it was nice to see her surrounded by understanding people who knew the difference between misbehavior and exuberance.

Born to be Naughty (Hanna the Guardian of Nature Book 1) was a funny and heartwarming read.

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Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze by Benjamin Roech

July 31, 2022 By 2 Comments


Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze by Benjamin Roech
Publisher: Deep Hearts YA
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Fifteen-year-old Rainey Cobb never thought meeting someone could actually change her life. But, then again, she’s never met anyone like Juliet.

It’s 1995 and The Cobb Family Band, led by Rainey’s rock star parents, has arrived for a week-long gig at the Midwestern resort owned by Juliet’s family. Dazzled by Juliet’s carpe diem attitude, DIY tattoos, and passion for grunge, Rainey falls hard. And when Juliet gives Rainey a mixtape that unlocks her heart’s secret yearnings, Rainey starts seeing herself-and her vagabond, show-biz life-through new eyes.

If Rainey quits the band, her parents’ fading career might never recover. But if she doesn’t leap now, she might be stuck forever in a life she didn’t choose…and always wonder who she could have been.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Miscellaneous Musings, Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With:

Little Pig Saves the Ship by David Hyde Costello

July 26, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Little Pig Saves the Ship by David Hyde Costello
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Little Pig is back in Little Pig Saves the Ship! When the sea-faring pigs go a-sailing! Intrepid Little Pig — still the littlest pig in the family — is too little to go to summer camp with his older brothers and sisters. He is left behind with Grandpa and Poppy. Little Pig and Poppy make and sail a toy ship all week, but on Saturday a gusty wind takes the ship into the current, and Little Pig has to use his newfound knot-tying skills to save the day.

A sweetly told intergenerational story about how even the littlest can make a big difference.

It’s never easy to be left behind.

Little Pig was such a sweet main character. I empathized with his dismay at not being old enough to join his siblings on their exciting trip. He wanted so badly to be included and would have done anything to go with them. Seeing how he chose to spend his time once they left made me smile. The adults in his life had clearly put some work into finding fun activities that he was currently big enough to do. These scenes made me wonder how he’d describe this part of his childhood when he grew up. He was having a wonderful time, but he was also in such a hurry to become big and independent like his sisters and brothers!

There are a lot of picture books out there about LGBTQ+ parents these days, but I haven’t seen as many about LGBTQ+ grandparents or other relatives. The subtle inclusion of Grandpa and Poppy made me smile. They clearly loved their grandchildren and had spent a lot of time developing a close relationship with them. I enjoyed watching them cheer Little Pig up with games and other diversions as he counted down the days until his older siblings would return home from summer camp.

As much as I enjoyed the beginning and middle of this tale, the ending was what convinced me that this was a five-star reading. It was exciting in some scenes and sentimental in others. I also appreciated the references it made to the first scene that described Little Pig’s disappointment. While I can’t say much else without giving away spoilers, seeing everything tied together so perfectly made this a must-read in my opinion.

Little Pig Saves the Ship was a heartwarming snapshot of family life in the summertime.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze by Benjamin Roech

July 22, 2022 By 4 Comments


Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze by Benjamin Roech
Publisher: Deep Hearts YA
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Fifteen-year-old Rainey Cobb never thought meeting someone could actually change her life. But, then again, she’s never met anyone like Juliet.

It’s 1995 and The Cobb Family Band, led by Rainey’s rock star parents, has arrived for a week-long gig at the Midwestern resort owned by Juliet’s family. Dazzled by Juliet’s carpe diem attitude, DIY tattoos, and passion for grunge, Rainey falls hard. And when Juliet gives Rainey a mixtape that unlocks her heart’s secret yearnings, Rainey starts seeing herself-and her vagabond, show-biz life-through new eyes.

If Rainey quits the band, her parents’ fading career might never recover. But if she doesn’t leap now, she might be stuck forever in a life she didn’t choose…and always wonder who she could have been.

One summer really can change everything.

Some of the most memorable scenes were the ones that addressed Rainey’s summer romance. She and her love interest were both so young and still unsure of where they might land on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. It was interesting to see how they addressed their feelings as they both explored their identities and tried to figure out what they wanted out of life. I don’t want to give away any spoilers here, but this was nicely written and felt very realistic for their ages and for the era they lived in.

I also enjoyed the subplots about Rainey’s complex relationships with her parents. She was beginning to grow up, and her mother, Tracy, wasn’t always ready for all of the changes that was going to bring to their band and to their lives in general. While there were a few times when I shook my head at how much effort Tracy was putting into preserving traditions that were not necessarily working so well as her children asserted their independence, even these moments were genuine and necessary for what was to come. Adjusting to change isn’t easy, especially for parents who have given their children such unconventional upbringings so far.

The character development was handled beautifully. Every member of the Cobb family was three dimensional and well written, and this was especially true for Rainey. I found myself wishing that she were a real person so we could talk about poetry and make mixtapes for each other all summer long. It was delightful to see how she, her brother, and their parents all grew as individuals over the year that this novel covered. If the author ever decides to write a sequel, I’d love to find out what happened to these characters next!

Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze was utterly perfect.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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