Our Subway Baby by Peter Mercurio

July 19, 2021 By 1 Comment


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

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

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!

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

A Darkness of Wolves by Nicole Bea

July 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


A Darkness of Wolves by Nicole Bea
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: YA (14+), Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

One 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?

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

A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt

July 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


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 Astilbe

Dr. 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.

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

Signs We Don’t See by Carrie Beamer

July 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


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 Astilbe

Etta 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.

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

Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Griffin

July 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Griffin
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A 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.

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

Collector of Things & Other Poems by Riya Aarini

July 2, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Collector of Things & Other Poems by Riya Aarini
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Collector of Things & Other Poems is an illustrated collection of light verse for children. Featuring whimsical characters, like Millionaire Montgomery and the Bigalaboo, this collection of over one hundred humorous poems is sure to inspire bellyfuls of giggles!

Sometimes the smallest things in life turn out to be more important than anyone would have imagined.

One of my favorite themes that was explored here had to do with how we should all respond to people who are different from us in some way. “Country Twang” talked about a farmer who pronounced certain words so similarly that no one could tell which one he meant. What made me smile as I read this was how gentle and accepting the narrator was of his uncommon speech patterns. His accent was one of the unique things about him, and the audience was encouraged to embrace him exactly as he was. This theme continued on with entries like “Long Underwear,” in which Benny Blare insisted on wearing long underwear everywhere he went. That’s the sort of message I love seeing, especially when it’s written for impressionable kids who might be confused by someone who speaks a little differently from others or who dresses out of the norm for whatever reason.

There were some poems that I wasn’t sure many children this age would understand due to their subject matter or the open-ended way their final lines were written. For example, “Sweet Deal” discussed a kid named Lou who agreed to eat all of his meals if candy was the only thing he was expected to eat. The premise was adorable, but the final lines were so vague about why his deal didn’t go through that I’d expect to need to explain them to the little ones in my life. “Conversation,” a poem about gossip, was another example of this. It’s point was once again hinted at but never outright stated. The pattern repeated itself with other poems, too. This technique works well for adult readers, but it’s not something I think is as effective for kids who are still such concrete thinkers.

With that being said, there were moments of pure delight in this book. “Contagious” appeared early on and it made me rethink my understanding of that word in the most lovely way. Without giving away too many hints about that one, diseases aren’t the only things we can catch from each other! “Chocolate Sea” was another winner in my opinion. The title was beautifully descriptive and the sea itself sounded like my version of paradise. Who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by chocolate, after all? The author was at her best when she took common words or phrases like these and examined them from angles that most people wouldn’t think to use.

Collector of Things & Other Poems was a whimsical collection that I’d recommend to poetry fans of all ages.

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

Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World by Linda Gruenberg

June 30, 2021 By 4 Comments


Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World by Linda Gruenberg
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Children’s
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Good Luck Chestnut is a picture book full of colorful horses and colorful kids. In theory, the watercolor paintings illustrate horse colors, but in practice, they also capture the way children use horses as jungle gyms. The children sit backwards, hop on by leapfrogging, belly-flop off the horse into water, everything but sit forward in a saddle, riding-lesson proper. The names of horse colors are embedded in the text, while the various nationalities of the children visually round out the book’s concept. Any child should find themselves somewhere in the illustrations. This book is just yearning to be read aloud. The whole thing is a playground of rollicking slant rhymes hurtling itself toward the last simple message that every child deserves to hear.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Other, Reviews, Uncategorized, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: ,

Awakened Are the Starry-Eyed by Christine Dore Miller

June 11, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Awakened Are the Starry-Eyed by Christine Dore Miller
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), LGBTQ, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A new city and unexpected freedom give Andrea the fresh start she craved, but her haunting past threatens to unrest an already tangled future. In this tense and emotionally stirring sequel to Forgiven Are the Starry-Eyed, Awakened will leave you breathless as it navigates the heartbreaking disquiet of one survivor’s scattered and uncertain path towards healing.

Healing can be hard work, but it’s always worth it.

Andrea had a wonderful support system. Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that showed how her parents and two best friends reacted to her when she was really struggling with her mental health. They were so kind and compassionate even when they didn’t always necessarily understand why she was behaving the way that she did.

This book’s depiction of the trauma, anxiety, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Andrea faced as a result of the abusive relationship she was in when I first met her was realistic and well written. Healing can be a painfully slow process sometimes, and I appreciated the fact that the author was so honest about that. There were times when I wanted to hug the main character and other scenes when I wished I could drive her to a therapy appointment myself.

My review of the first instalment of this series mentioned some pacing issues I noticed in it. I was quite pleased with the fast but even pacing this time around! Naturally, there were times in Andrea’s life when things were quieter or busier than usual, but I always felt like I had exactly the right amount of time with her no matter what she was going through. It’s a thrill to give a five-star rating to an author the second time around, and I’m excited to do it for her today. She did a wonderful job smoothing out the pacing and keeping this reader sitting on the edge of my seat from the first scene to the last one.

This is the sequel to Forgiven Are the Starry-Eyed. I’d strongly recommend reading this series in order due to how much character development takes place during it.

Awakened Are the Starry-Eyed should be read by anyone who is interested in a compelling example of what life can be like after escaping an abusive relationship.

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

Good Luck Chestnut by Linda Gruenberg

June 8, 2021 By 3 Comments


Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World by Linda Gruenberg
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Children’s
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy
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Good Luck Chestnut is a picture book full of colorful horses and colorful kids. In theory, the watercolor paintings illustrate horse colors, but in practice, they also capture the way children use horses as jungle gyms. The children sit backwards, hop on by leapfrogging, belly-flop off the horse into water, everything but sit forward in a saddle, riding-lesson proper. The names of horse colors are embedded in the text, while the various nationalities of the children visually round out the book’s concept. Any child should find themselves somewhere in the illustrations. This book is just yearning to be read aloud. The whole thing is a playground of rollicking slant rhymes hurtling itself toward the last simple message that every child deserves to hear.

Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World is a delight to read, look at, and share. Delightfully dappled with cleverly combined words, the phrases all enhance the pictures. The book features horses, as one might guess, but also, features children! Smiling faces fill every page.

There is a bit of a clever ‘find it’ built into the pages, as certain items are mentioned within the sentences that can be located in the pictures. An unexpected item is often to be found decorating a corner or a t-shirt in the picture. However, the book is a collection of these delightful pages and does not build an actual story. Children won’t miss that if they take the time to enjoy each page and search out all of those subtle connections.

Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World is a sheer delight and deserves every one of its 5 stars.

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

Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer

June 8, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer
Publisher: Dial Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

This fun, inclusive board book celebrates the one thing that makes every family a family . . . and that’s LOVE.

Love is baking a special cake. Love is lending a helping hand. Love is reading one more book. In this exuberant board book, many different families are shown in happy activity, from an early-morning wake-up to a kiss before bed. Whether a child has two moms, two dads, one parent, or one of each, this simple preschool read-aloud demonstrates that what’s most important in each family’s life is the love the family members share.

Every happy family shares at least one thing in common. Keep reading to find out what that is!

Parents and caregivers show love for the children they’re raising in countless ways. I adored seeing so many different examples of what this can look like as people go about their ordinary daily routines. The author covered everything from comforting a child after they scraped their knee to baking a special cake for them on their birthday. The wholesomeness of it all shone out of every scene, and it was absolutely perfect for this age group.

Writing a simple but compelling board book for toddlers isn’t easy. Ms. Beer did an excellent job of plainly stating what she thought the smallest members of society should know about the beautiful diversity of family life while also including deeper meanings for the adults or older kids who will be reading this out loud to the little ones in their lives.

Just about every sort of family you can possibly imagine was included in this tale, including LGBT+, interracial, adoptive, and single-parent families. No matter who was being shown helping their child find a lost toy or having a tea party, the love that each parent felt for their child or children shone through in every scene. It made me smile to see how much effort the author put into focusing on what we all share in common no matter who we are or what we look like.

Love Makes a Family was a heartwarming read that I’d heartily recommend to families of all shapes and sizes.

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