Our Subway Baby by Peter Mercurio
Publisher: Dial Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe
This gentle and incredibly poignant picture book tells the true story of how one baby found his home.
“Some babies are born into their families. Some are adopted. This is the story of how one baby found his family in the New York City subway.”
So begins the true story of Kevin and how he found his Daddy Danny and Papa Pete. Written in a direct address to his son, Pete’s moving and emotional text tells how his partner, Danny, found a baby tucked away in the corner of a subway station on his way home from work one day. Pete and Danny ended up adopting the baby together. Although neither of them had prepared for the prospect of parenthood, they are reminded, “Where there is love, anything is possible.”
Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Our Subway Baby by Peter Mercurio
Front Pivot by Chris Boucher
Front Pivot by Chris Boucher
Publisher: Wings ePress
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeNoel’s brash front masks a secret past. No one knows how hard he works on his game or how far he and his brother will go to find their answers.
A high school legend, Pax forgoes college ball after becoming obsessed with their father’s Afghanistan War experience. Officially, he died a hero. But the journal he left behind suggests it’s more complicated.
Pax blames their dad for not finishing the job and decides it’s his responsibility. Noel isn’t so sure about either. And, if everyone in his family has to be a hero, how will he measure up?
Who should decide whether or not someone is a hero?
One of my favorite subplots involved a journal Noel’s father wrote when he was a soldier in Afghanistan. The entries gave Noel and his brother a peek into parts of their father’s life that they would have otherwise known about. I enjoyed seeing how they reacted to the stories their dad told about what it was like to be a soldier overseas and how he felt about his mission. The more they learned about him, the more curious I became about what they’d discover next.
It would have been helpful to have more character development. While I liked Noel and the people closest to him quite a bit, I never felt like I got the opportunity to see them grow and change in the ways they could have despite all of the dramatic shifts happening in their lives in many cases. This was something I mentioned about the first book in this series as well. It’s my hope that any future sequels will dive into this part of the storytelling much more deeply as the storylines themselves were well done and memorable.
The plot twists were well written and exciting. This was especially true as the ending grew closer and the stakes were higher. I had a good time taking note of what had happened so far and trying to guess what might occur next. There were a few times when I was completely surprised by what the author had in store for his characters. It’s always neat to read something that keeps the audience on our toes like that!
This is the sequel to Pivot Move. I’d recommend reading this series in order to get the most out of it.
Front Pivot was a thought-provoking read for anyone who likes tales about basketball or uncovering old family secrets.
Worries Are Not Forever by Elizabeth Verdick
Worries Are Not Forever by Elizabeth Verdick
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeGive young children strategies to ease anxieties and worries and feel better again.
Everyone feels worried at times, and young children are no exception. Friendly and reassuring, this book geared to preschool and primary children explains what worries are and how it feels to be worried. The book assures children that lots of kids—and grown-ups—feel worried, and that they can learn to make their worries “smaller and smaller and smaller.” Talking about worries, moving around, keeping hands busy, breathing deeply, getting a big hug, and thinking good thoughts are all ways for children to cope with worries. The book includes a special section for parents and caregivers with activities and discussion starters.
Sometimes the world can feel like a scary place for kids.
The beginning was beautifully open-ended. It mentioned a few general possible reasons why young readers might worry, but it left plenty of space for the grown-up reading it to include specific areas of concern if needed. That was a nice way to introduce this topic, and I’m glad it was written so inclusively. It even mentioned the fact that adults have worries, too, which could lead to all sorts of fantastic conversations about the things people worry about in general.
I do think it would have been helpful for the narrator to explain the difference between normal, everyday worries and anxiety. This is something I’d happily read to young children who worry occasionally but are otherwise okay. However, I would like to add in some caveats for kids who suffer from serious or long term anxiety as there are other coping mechanisms that might work better for them. This is a minor criticism of a picture book I thought was otherwise excellent and wish I’d had access to when I was a kid!
My favorite section was the one filled with ideas of how to cope with worries. They were all wonderfully age-appropriate and helpful. I loved the fact that the author came up with so many of them. There truly was something there for every kid and type of personality, from little athletes who might find relief in running around to cuddly children who might feel better with a hug from a loved one.
Worries Are Not Forever was a reassuring tale that I highly recommend.
Tough Like Mum by Lana Button
Tough Like Mum by Lana Button
Publisher: Tundra Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeKim’s mum is tough. Everyone says so. She can deal with unruly customers at the Red Rooster with a snap of her fingers.
Kim is tough, too. She doesn’t need to wear a hat to keep her ears warm. And she can make soup all by herself, even without the stove.
Kim and her mum are tough.
But Kim is learning that sometimes toughness doesn’t look like what you’d expect.
In this tender exploration of a mother-daughter relationship, Kim and her mother learn that in order to support and truly take care of each other, they need to be tough — and that sometimes being tough means showing vulnerability and asking for help.
Explaining mental health problems to kids isn’t easy, but this book can help.
Kim was such a brave and upbeat kid. I immediately began rooting for her and hoping her life would improve soon. She had a marvellous way of finding the positive side of even the toughest circumstances no matter how many times things didn’t go the way she hoped they would. I admired her determination and grit.
Some of the situations Kim found herself in as a result of her mother’s mental illness came pretty close to crossing the line into child neglect due to the almost total lack of proper supervision for this little girl. While I had a great deal of compassion for her mother, I did find myself wishing the storyline had been a little clearer about the fact that this wasn’t a healthy situation for a child to live in.
With that being said, I definitely did appreciate the honesty of the storyline. Many children grow up with parents who struggle to meet their basic needs occasionally for all sorts of different reasons, and I liked the fact that the author was straightforward about how hard it was for Kim to not have an observant parent reminding her to bring her hat to school on a cold day or to pack a nutritious lunch for her. This was something I think would be quite appropriate to read to preschool and young elementary-aged children, especially if they’ve been through a similar situation or know someone who has.
Tough Like Mum was a thought-provoking read.
I Can Be Kind by Rainbow Gal
I Can Be Kind by Rainbow Gal
Publisher: Fat Cat Publishing
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeWhen a headstrong goldfish stands up to a Piranha and shows him what it is like to be kind, caring and generous, it enriches and transforms his life forever.
This hilarious picture book about a Piranha who is always in a terrible mood is perfect for young children learning how to deal with confusing anger, making friends and standing up to bullies.
Throughout this remarkable short story, Oscar the Piranha will learn what kindness means and understand what it is like to be sensitive, caring, and generous.
Oscar, the Piranha, has a bad temper, bad manners, and a bad attitude. But when one bold little goldfish named Marla decides to confront Oscar and even goes to the extent of befriending him, the outrageously bitter Piranha starts to feel happy for the first time in his life.
This Rainbow Gal’s charming short story, which includes dazzling illustrations, and delightfully practical LARGE PRINT, is a funny yet touching tale that reminds us of the classic “Beauty and the Beast” with the remarkably transformative potential of willpower, acceptance and friendship.
I can be kind — proves that positive changes are possible for each one of us.
Love is a powerful force even for mean piranhas.
I enjoyed the sections of this picture book that talked about how much someone can change if they’re shown kindness and genuinely want to improve. This was such a hopeful message, and it was one that’s important for little readers to learn early on. It’s definitely a good thing to treat others with compassion and be forgiving of them if they make mistakes along the way.
With that being said, I was concerned about the concept of Marla the goldfish being put in danger in order to see if Oscar truly had changed. He had a long history of eating goldfish, after all! I believe we can have compassion for people or piranhas who have a history of harming others while also teaching kids to protect themselves. It would have been helpful to have stronger examples of him beginning to change for the better before Marla was tossed into his tank. Her safety and comfort was important, too.
The ending made me smile. Obviously, I can’t go into detail about it here, but I liked the fact that the narrator tied up all of the conflicts so nicely. That gave me a strong sense of closure for these characters. It was rewarding to see where they ended up when it was all said and done. There was space for a sequel if the author ever decides to read one, but I was also satisfied with everything the audience learned about these characters.
I Can Be Kind was a thought-provoking read.
Our Subway Baby by Peter Mercurio
Our Subway Baby by Peter Mercurio
Publisher: Dial Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe
This gentle and incredibly poignant picture book tells the true story of how one baby found his home.
“Some babies are born into their families. Some are adopted. This is the story of how one baby found his family in the New York City subway.”
So begins the true story of Kevin and how he found his Daddy Danny and Papa Pete. Written in a direct address to his son, Pete’s moving and emotional text tells how his partner, Danny, found a baby tucked away in the corner of a subway station on his way home from work one day. Pete and Danny ended up adopting the baby together. Although neither of them had prepared for the prospect of parenthood, they are reminded, “Where there is love, anything is possible.”
Every child deserves a happy, loving family.
I was delighted by the fact that the author included a scene talking about why he and his life partner were a little hesitant to adopt little Kevin when the topic first popped up. Their reasons were sensible, and yet I couldn’t help but to hope they’d figure out a way to make it all work.
There were a few moments of unexpected humor in the beginning that made me giggle. Danny clearly wasn’t expecting to find a newborn baby lying on the floor in the corner of a subway station, but he leapt to action immediately. The way he described this discovery to Pete only grew funnier each time I reread it.
My favorite scene happened after Kevin was sent to a temporary foster home while the court system tried to figure out where this child should grow up. Danny and Pete were given permission to visit him there. Something remarkable happened during that visit that I can’t wait for other readers to discover for themselves. It was as heartwarming as it was delightful.
This was such a sensitive and thoughtful tale. It explained topics like foster care, adoption, and infant abandonment in honest but completely age-appropriate ways. Small children can understand more than they’re sometimes given credit for, especially when everything is laid out for them clearly and with plenty of compassion for everyone involved. The author excelled at all of this.
Our Subway Baby brought a tear to my eye. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
A Darkness of Wolves by Nicole Bea
A Darkness of Wolves by Nicole Bea
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: YA (14+), Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by LavenderOne weekend changed everything for eighteen-year-old Wynrie Lowe, and she’s been on a downward spiral ever since. Her moods change from one extreme to the other, happiness to sadness, with nothing in between. Something is very wrong, and she doesn’t know how to fix it.
As Wynrie’s emotions grow dangerously unstable, her boyfriend, Ezra, struggles to weather the storm. But will he even still want her once he learns the truth about that weekend? And as her world is torn apart and rearranged, can Wynrie find the strength to reach out for the help she needs before it’s too late?
What would you do if one moment you were on top of the world and the next, crashing down hard? Wynrie (Wyn) goes through this regularly and without provocation. What could be the problem? True, she kissed her best friend even when she had a boyfriend, and true, she felt guilty about it, but there is more to the matter.
Things get worse. Something is definitely not normal. Wyn is trying to deal with the mood swings while also trying to figure out her feelings for both her best friend, Dawson, and her boyfriend, Ezra. These two story-lines support each other and tell a story of a young woman trying to find herself and lead a normal life.
Wyn’s ups and downs are described very well, so well that readers can gain an understanding of just how difficult of a struggle this is. Dawson and Ezra are quite likable characters. There is suspense about who Wyn will choose, and how she will live through her mood disorder.
The author has written a realistic story with characters readers will engage with. If you’re a fan of YA fiction, why not give this one a try?
A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt
A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeDr. Villapando told me to get a good attorney. He wasn’t serious. But I am. I’m going to sue my parents.
Juniper Jade’s parents are hippies. They didn’t attend the first Woodstock, but they were there for the second one. The Jade family lives an all-organic homeschool lifestyle that means no plastics, no cell phones, and no vaccines. It isn’t exactly normal, but it’s the only thing Juniper has ever known. She doesn’t agree with her parents on everything, but she knows that to be in this family, you’ve got to stick to the rules. That is, until the unthinkable happens.
Juniper contracts the measles and unknowingly passes the disease along, with tragic consequences. She is shell-shocked. Juniper knows she is responsible and feels simultaneously helpless and furious at her parents, and herself.
Now, with the help of Nico, the boy who works at the library and loves movies and may just be more than a friend, Juniper comes to a decision: she is going to get vaccinated. Her parents refuse so Juniper arms herself with a lawyer and prepares for battle. But is waging war for her autonomy worth losing her family? How much is Juniper willing to risk for a shot at normal?
Nobody wants to catch a vaccine-preventable illness, but not everyone agrees on the best way to avoid it.
This story took a balanced but painfully honest approach to the question of why vaccines are such a crucial part of modern healthcare. I appreciated the fact that the perspectives of Juniper’s vehemently anti-vaccine parents was represented so fairly. They were depicted as well-rounded humans beings who loved their children and honestly thought they were doing the best thing for Juniper and her siblings. With that being said, the narrator also went into explicit detail about how heartbreaking and dangerous it can be when vaccine-preventable illnesses are allowed to circulate freely in a community.
As much as I liked both of the characters who fell in love during the course of this novel, the romantic subplot felt out of place. There were so many other important conflicts and moments of character development happening in the storyline that I think it would have made more sense to save this for a possible sequel. It wasn’t needed here in my opinion. I would have chosen a much higher rating if these scenes had been replaced with ones that explored the main themes in greater depth.
Speaking of character development, it was well done. This was especially true for Juniper who matured beautifully after her terrible experience with contracting the measles and dealing with the physical and social repercussions of this disease afterwards. She definitely still felt like a teenager to me by the final scene, but I also saw so many indications of the brave adult she was going to become soon.
A Shot at Normal was a thoughtful book I’d recommend to any teens who would like to explore this issue in depth.
Signs We Don’t See by Carrie Beamer
Signs We Don’t See by Carrie Beamer
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeEtta Litali has grown accustom to the superstitious behavior that comes along with being in an Italian family. But when her dad begins to spend his nights stealing signs from every city pole within three miles of their home, her house becomes overrun with dirty poster boards and the neighbors begin to notice. Stressed her dad will end up on Oprah as the man who hoards stolen signs, Etta distracts herself with a boy named Jordan. Despite the ban Jordan’s clique has on Etta, their connection grows into something special. Jordan starts to miss school and disappear leaving Etta confused and wondering if their relationship was ever real. Knowing Jordan is hiding something, Etta has to find a way to show Jordan he can trust her or she will lose him. The only way to do that is to reveal to him that she’s been keeping a secret too.
Everyone struggles with something.
This was such a compassionate take on how one working class family handled mental illness in the 1980s. Obviously, the medical treatments and community understanding of the disease Etta’s father was eventually diagnosed with was not as advanced as it would be today. It was fascinating to me to see how everyone tried to understand what was going on with him. Their reactions were as true to the era they lived in as they were true to the individual personalities of the family members, friends, and medical professionals who were trying to help in the best ways they knew how.
It would have been useful to have a little more time spent developing the romantic plot, especially during the last few scenes. While I appreciated the slow, natural pacing of it during the beginning and middle of the story, I did think there was space to explore it further once the main conflicts had been resolved and Etta had enough emotional energy to devote to lighthearted matters like these. This is a minor criticism of something I thought was otherwise well written. If the author ever writes a sequel, I hope the romantic subplot will be given more attention then as it really was a delightful part of this character’s personal growth.
I absolutely adored Etta’s relationship with her best friend, Nessa. Their personalities and interests complemented each other beautifully. The only thing better than seeing how they used their strengths to improve each other’s lives was how loyal they were. No matter what they were going through, they were always there for each other.
Signs We Don’t See was a thought-provoking read that I’d recommend to anyone who is interested in mental illness or 1980s culture.
Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Griffin
Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Griffin
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeA heartfelt story of changing perspectives, set in the Midwest. Ten Beautiful Things gently explores loss, a new home, and finding beauty wherever you are.
Lily and her grandmother search for ten beautiful things as they take a long car ride to Iowa and Lily’s new home with Gran. At first, Lily sees nothing beautiful in the April slush and cloudy sky. Soon though, Lily can see beauty in unexpected places, from the smell of spring mud to a cloud shaped like a swan to a dilapidated barn. A furious rainstorm mirrors Lily’s anxiety, but as it clears Lily discovers the tenth beautiful thing: Lily and Gran and their love for each other.
Ten Beautiful Things leaves the exact cause of Lily’s move ambiguous, making it perfect for anyone helping a child navigate change, whether it be the loss of a parent, entering or leaving a foster home, or moving.
Kindness makes everything better.
Lily and her grandmother had such a warm and loving relationship. I appreciated the fact that the narrator focused on what a big change it was for a young child to move in with her grandmother instead of explaining to the audience why this was necessary. Leaving that background detail up to the audience’s imagination meant that this story could appeal to children who need to adjust to living with new legal guardians for any number of reasons. What mattered was that Lily was frightened by this move and that her grandmother had come up with a clever way to help and comfort this girl.
One of my favorite scenes happened early on when the grandmother asked Lily to come up with ten beautiful things as they drove home. The protagonist was skeptical of this idea for understandable reasons, but what happened on the next page instantly endeared me to both of these characters. It was simultaneously delightful as well as something that felt realistic and natural for the plot.
It was also delightful to see how these two characters learned to agree upon what should count for their list. They took a creative approach to filling out certain portions of it. Not only did that work nicely for the storyline, it also made perfect sense based on how Lily was feeling about all of the transitions in her life. I appreciated the fact that the narrator continued to acknowledge the mixed emotions in this child while also gently encouraging her and the reader to look forward to better days.
Ten Beautiful Things was a remarkable tale that I’d enthusiastically recommend to readers of all ages.
