The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden by Heather Smith

December 7, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden by Heather Smith
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When the tsunami destroyed Makio’s village, Makio lost his father . . . and his voice. The entire village is silenced by grief, and the young child’s anger at the ocean grows. Then one day his neighbor, Mr. Hirota, begins a mysterious project―building a phone booth in his garden. At first Makio is puzzled; the phone isn’t connected to anything. It just sits there, unable to ring. But as more and more villagers are drawn to the phone booth, its purpose becomes clear to Makio: the disconnected phone is connecting people to their lost loved ones. Makio calls to the sea to return what it has taken from him and ultimately finds his voice and solace in a phone that carries words on the wind.

Grief can be a heavy burden to carry alone.
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I wasn’t aware of the true story of the wind phone in Otsuchi, Japan, before picking up this fictionalized version of what happened there, so it was nice to have the wind phone explained so fully in the plot. It was easy to imagine what it would be like to use such a device. The thought of picking up a phone that wasn’t actually plugged into anything and talking to a deceased loved one made me smile. What a nice way for people to make peace with their deaths but still feel like one could communicate with them in some way.

It was tricky to figure out which age group this picture book would work best for. While the tsunami that killed so many people was described gently enough for younger readers to hear, many of the themes in the storyline like how complicated and lonely the various stages of the grieving process can be seemed far more appropriate for kids who were well into their elementary school years. Had it been more specific about who the audience was supposed to be, I would have given it a five star rating.

Tragedies can affect the communities that go through them in so many different ways. It was bittersweet to see how Makio, Mr. Hirota, and all of the other survivors found ways to reach out to each other and deal with their grief after the cleanup from the tsunami ended and they had time to sit quietly with their thoughts. They seemed like such a loving and close-knit village. More than anything, I wanted everyone who lived there to find peace with what happened.

The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden was a heartfelt tale I’d recommend to adults and children alike.

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

Within the Folds of a Swan’s Wing by Jennifer Walker

November 20, 2020 By 1 Comment


Within the Folds of a Swan’s Wing by Jennifer Walker
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What if the one element that has always defined you as a geeky outcast has the potential to catapult you into being the next big thing?

A Black girl adopted into a White family, Jodie has always felt out of place, especially at her mainly middle-class, white high school. Used to being a ghost in the halls, she has always found solace alone in her room surrounded by a world of Stephen King novels, Oreo cookies, Dave Brubeck jazz riffs and origami. Forever classified as a geeky outcast, she finally finds two unlikely friends who share her interests and accept her as she is—Bethany, the visually-impaired new girl, who has autism, and Jared, the home-schooled, self-proclaimed nerdy frozen-yogurt clerk who she’s crushing on big-time.

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There is so much hope tucked into these pages.

Jodie was a well rounded and loveable protagonist who changed in so many exciting ways through the course of this novel. When I first met her, she was a withdrawn, socially isolated teen who often turned to overeating to help her deal with difficult emotions like loneliness or embarrassment. I appreciated the fact that her problems were so well written. They gave me compassion for her struggles and made me yearn to find out if she’d develop healthier coping mechanisms and if she’d find a way to make genuine connections with the people around her.

What made me adore it even more than I already did through Jodie alone was how beautifully the secondary characters were written as well. Bethany was such a sweet, gentle girl, and the friendship between these young women soon blossomed into something marvelous. Similar patterns were repeated with several other teens and adults in Jodie’s life. There were multiple times I paused from reading and wished these characters truly existed in our world. Not only did they genuinely feel real, they were also the sort of folks I’d happily become friends with because of how kind and welcoming they were to everyone.

This was one of those young adult books that could easily cross over to the adult section of any library. There were many themes in it that were just as relevant for readers decades older than the intended audience as it was for. Sometimes folks of all ages need to be reminded why inclusivity is important or how a series of small and seemingly inconsequential changes in one’s life can ultimately lead to transformation.

I’d heartily recommend Within the Folds of a Swan’s Wing to young adult and adult readers alike. This is a must-read in my opinion!

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

The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing

November 18, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing
Publisher: Candlewick
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It’s another Thanksgiving at Grandma’s. Gavin expects a long, boring day full of pesky toddlers, but his cousin Rhonda has a different idea: make a break for it to the swing set in the backyard! Gavin isn’t so sure, especially when they encounter vicious guard dogs (in homemade sweaters), overly affectionate aunts, and worst of all, the great wall of butts. Can they avoid all the obstacles and find some fun before turkey time?

Sometimes there is such a thing as too much family togetherness.
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This picture book had an excellent sense of humour that was displayed in both the dialogue and descriptions of what the characters were doing next. I couldn’t stop chucking as I read it, especially when it came to the parts about Gavin and Rhonda dodging well-meaning but slightly overbearing relatives who hadn’t quite caught on yet that these two kids were trying to escape the loud, festive house where everyone was gathered for Thanksgiving.

The ending felt a bit abrupt to me. I would have liked to see more details about how the adults in this family reacted not only to Gavin and Rhonda’s secret plan to sneak past everyone but also to how their mission turned out. There was so much more room here to develop the plot and sneak in a few more jokes about what Thanksgiving is really like for kids who find it overstimulating.

Speaking of being overstimulated, I really enjoyed this book’s take on why Gavin and Rhonda were the only members of their large, extended family to react this way to a day of togetherness. It left plenty of room for multiple interpretations of their motives and why they both yearned for peace and quiet so strongly. This meant that I could read this to kids who are simply a little shy, kids who have official medical reasons for disliking noise and large crowds, and to kids who simply want to learn to be more empathetic when they meet someone who is different from them in some way. There truly was something here for everyone!

The Great Thanksgiving Escape was a heartwarming read that should be read by anyone who gets a little overwhelmed by large gatherings or wonders why some folks react that way.

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

Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark

November 16, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark
Volume 1 – People Who Shaped Our World
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Who was Grace Hopper? A software tester, workplace jester, cherished mentor, ace inventor, avid reader, naval leader—AND rule breaker, chance taker, and troublemaker. Acclaimed picture book author Laurie Wallmark (Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine) once again tells the riveting story of a trailblazing woman. Grace Hopper coined the term “computer bug” and taught computers to “speak English.” Throughout her life, Hopper succeeded in doing what no one had ever done before. Delighting in difficult ideas and in defying expectations, the insatiably curious Hopper truly was “Amazing Grace” . . . and a role model for science- and math-minded girls and boys. With a wealth of witty quotes, and richly detailed illustrations, this book brings Hopper’s incredible accomplishments to life.

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Grace lived in an era when prejudice against women prevented many of them from achieving their goals. This book acknowledged that while also showing how this specific woman never stopped trying to push the limits of what society thought were acceptable subjects for her to study and projects for her to work on once she graduated and began putting her schooling to use. She simply refused to accept the artificial limitations placed on her due to her gender no matter what anyone said. I found that admirable and thought it was exactly the right way to approach this topic for young readers.

Not everything Grace tried to do was successful at first, of course. Failures happen to everyone eventually, and even more often for folks who are trying something completely new. Seeing how she reacted to those many setbacks only made me like her even more. Her attitude in those difficult moments showed the audience who she really was as a human being, and it also made her a great role model for readers of all ages.

Some of my favorite portions of this picture book were the ones that told funny stories about Grace’s life. She defied people’s expectations of her from a very early age, and that sometimes lead to her saying or doing things that nobody could have predicted. One of them involved clocks of all things, and the rest will be even more amusing if new readers don’t know a thing about them in advance. She had a wonderful personality that shone through at its brightest during these moments.

Anyone who enjoys using a computer or accessing the Internet should check out Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code to see how these things became possible.

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

Feelu: Explore Your Feelings by Niloufar Shafiei

November 3, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Feelu: Explore Your Feelings by Niloufar Shafiei
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Feelu is a fun adventure that can improve children’s mental health.
It helps children to explore their feelings and handle them in a healthy manner.
Feelu also encourages children to be kind and mindful, and to relax their bodies and minds.
It also gives suggestions for how to react to bullying.
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All feelings are valid.

This picture book went into a great deal of detail about what each emotion felt like. For feelings that could sometimes be difficult or overwhelming to deal with, it also gave practical suggestions of how to respond to them. I loved seeing how in depth all of this information was, especially considering the fact that this was written for toddlers and preschoolers.

As much as I appreciated the section on bullying, this was such a complex and important topic that I thought it should have been saved for a sequel. Understanding and accepting one’s own feelings as well as the feelings of others provided more than enough fodder for this tale. It would have been nice to have a comparable number of pages dedicated to explaining to young readers what bullying is, why it’s harmful, and how victims and bystanders should react if or when it happens to them in much more detail than what was presented here.

Our world needs more kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. It was refreshing to see so many examples of characters who were all of these things and more. The warm relationships between them all made me smile, especially in the section that talked about why humans come in so many different shapes, sizes,, and abilities. Once again, the narrator gave specific examples of ways to be kind to others and help make everyone feel like they belong. That was the perfect way to approach such abstract concepts with such a young audience.

Feelu: Explore Your Feelings was a heartwarming read that I’d recommend to kids of all ages.

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

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

October 29, 2020 By 1 Comment


The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall
Publisher: Yearling
Genre: Contemporary, Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.

The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they will—won’t they? One thing’s for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.

Deliciously nostalgic and quaintly witty, this is a story as breezy and carefree as a summer day.

How much trouble the Penderwicks get into?
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The Penderwick’s Summer takes an unexpected turn when the place they had planned on vacationing at is unexpectedly unavailable. When Mr. Penderwick hears of Arundel cottage, he books it sight unseen. From the moment they arrive, the Penderwicks are awed by the beauty of Arundel and are itching to explore every inch of the estate. As I read, I shared their excitement. I could clearly picture the grounds and the mansion in my mind and couldn’t wait to find out what adventures awaited the Penderwicks! Even better, Jeffrey turns out to be a great friend. Despite a rocky start, the Penderwicks welcome him into their group with open arms.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Tifton, Jeffrey’s mom, is less than thrilled to see the sisters roaming around her property. She is determined to win a prestigious garden competition and wants the girls to keep to their side of the wall. However, the Penderwick sisters can’t turn down the possibility of a good adventure. Will their curiosity get them into more trouble than they bargained for?

The Penderwick sisters are certainly an entertaining bunch! Each sister has a distinct personality. Rosalind is the oldest and is the voice of reason and caretaker of her sisters since their mother passed away. Skye the next oldest. She is a bit of a tomboy and definitely the most outspoken of the group. She often doesn’t think before she speaks. Consequently, her mouth frequently gets her into trouble. Then comes Jane. She has an amazing imagination and has her heart set on becoming an author. She is very dedicated to her craft, and I have no doubt that she will be successful! Batty is the youngest. She has a way with animals and a special bond with their loveable dog, Hound. I like them all immensely and couldn’t possibly pick a favorite!

Jeffrey had no idea how much his life was going to change when the Penderwicks arrived! Jeffrey seems very lonely to me. He has no close friends and his mother has future all planned out. Mrs. Tifton wants Jeffrey to go to a military academy. Jeffrey wants to study music. Despite her stiff and strict exterior, Mrs. Tifton means well. She truly loves her son and he loves her, but she doesn’t see how unhappy Jeffrey is. However, their relationship is not broken beyond repair! They just need to have a long, honest conversation. I kept my fingers crossed that they would make the time to talk. Fortunately, with a little help from his new friends, Jeffrey just might find the courage to talk to his mom about his dreams.

The Penderwicks is such a sweet story. While it is definitely character driven, the plot is interesting, if a bit slow at times. In the space of a few weeks, the Penderwicks find themselves experiencing heartbreak, running from a bull, tracking down lost rabbits, and facing the wrath of Mrs. Tifton!

I truly enjoyed reading The Penderwicks. It is a heartwarming tale perfect for young and old alike. I’ve grown attached to the sisters and look forward to reading more about them in the next installment of this charming series!

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

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler

October 28, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
Samurai Detective #1
Publisher: Puffin Books
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant’s son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan.

One night in the Tokaido Inn will change Seikei’s life forever.
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I recommend this book for the young adult age group if they are reading this tale on their own for a couple of reasons. First, there is quite a bit of discussion about seppuku. This is when a samurai commits suicide rather than suffer dishonor. This is significant and essential to understanding Japanese culture, but it is a heavy topic. I believe the book can be read aloud to younger children, but again I would recommend plenty of discussion on what seppuku is and why it was viewed positively in Japanese culture during this period in history. Second, there is also some gore surrounding a death near the conclusion of the book. It isn’t overdone, but there is enough detail that younger readers might be sensitive to that material.

Seikei is a very likable boy. He’s smart, curious, and honest. He tries to live his life according to the samurai ideals. In fact, he dreams of being a samurai, but as the son of a merchant he knows he can never be one. His future is already laid out for him, or so it seems. Everything changes when Seikei witnesses the crime at the inn. Seikei soon finds himself working side by side with the samurai magistrate, Judge Ooka. Not only will Seikei help solve the crime, but he’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about the ways of the samurai. For Seikei it is the experience of a lifetime. His excitement is palpable, and I admired his fierce determination to do his best. However, can Seikei ever go back to the life of a merchant after tasting the life of a samurai?

It becomes apparent about midway through the book who the thief is, but the motive remains a mystery. It soon becomes clear that there is much more to the thief’s plan than the theft of a jewel. As Seikei digs for the truth, he uncovers a plot that has been years in the making. As I raced through the pages, I found myself asking if the thief was indeed the true villain!

There is a lot of historic detail packed into this exciting mystery! Japanese customs, etiquette, class structure, religious views, etc are all explained within the context of the story. As a result, the pacing never suffers. It is all simply part of Seikei’s life. This is can spur some great discussion on Japanese class structure in the 1700’s under the rule of the shoguns, and dare I say, make learning about history fun!

I had a lot of fun reading The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. Seikei is a likable character, the mystery is compelling, and the conclusion is gripping. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a mystery with a good dose of historic detail!

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

A Sanfranciscan Dream by Saad Aman Sayyed

October 2, 2020 By Leave a Comment


A Sanfranciscan Dream by Saad Aman Sayyed
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When the adults are away, the kids will play.

Six kids: Aman Forbes Ultraviolet, Tina Gates Ultraviolet, Zee Edward D’Souza, AFN Siddharth Dikshit, John Kim Lufthaver and Heather Kim Lufthaver- differently aged, and of different ethnic identities face weird problems as they are stuck in San Francisco.
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Will they make it alive back?

Aman, Tina, Zee, AFN, John, and Heather were good friends even before this adventure began. I enjoyed seeing the way all six of their personalities worked together, or clashed in some cases, as they figured out how to spend their time until they could go home again. Someones one of them would say something that lead to the most amusing conversations. Even the best of friends don’t always agree, so it was interesting to see how they handled conflict, too.

The only thing that prevented me from giving this the much higher rating I wanted to give to it were all of the grammatical errors I kept finding as I read. There were simply too many of them for me to ignore. With another round or two of editing, this story could become a true modern-day classic. It had everything else it needed to appeal to middle grade readers and anyone else who enjoys books written for that age group.

This tale has a wonderful sense of humor. Honestly, what else could anyone expect while reading about six children who were accidentally stranded in San Francisco with a few thousand dollars in their pockets and no adult supervision? The possibilities for hijinks in that scenario are almost endless, and the author did a nice job of finding the humorous side of how the average preteen would react to that scenario.

Anyone who wants to read something funny and cheerful should check out A Sanfranciscan Dream.

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

Violet Shrink by Christine Baldacchino

October 1, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Violet Shrink by Christine Baldacchino
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Violet Shrink doesn’t like parties. Or bashes, or gatherings. Lots of people and lots of noise make Violet’s tummy ache and her hands sweat. She would much rather spend time on her own, watching the birds in her backyard, reading comics or listening to music through her purple headphones. The problem is that the whole Shrink family loves parties with loud music and games and dancing.

At cousin Char’s birthday party, Violet hides under a table and imagines she is a shark gliding effortlessly through the water, looking for food. And at Auntie Marlene and Uncle Leli’s anniversary bash, Violet sits alone at the top of the stairs, imagining she is a slithering snake way up in the branches.

When Violet learns that the Shrink family reunion is fast approaching, she musters up the courage to have a talk with her dad.
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In this thoughtful story about understanding and acceptance, Violet’s natural introversion and feelings of social anxiety are normalized when she and her father reach a solution together. Christine Baldacchino’s warm text demonstrates the role imagination often plays for children dealing with anxiety, and the power of a child expressing their feelings to a parent who is there to listen. Carmen Mok’s charming illustrations perfectly capture Violet’s emotions and the vibrancy of her imagination. A valuable contribution to books addressing mental health.

Not everyone likes loud parties, and that’s perfectly okay.

Introversion and social anxiety aren’t the same thing, but some kids do fit into both categories. I liked reading Violet’s descriptions of how overstimulated and overwhelmed she felt by even the most well-meaning parties due these factors. They were exactly how I felt about parties as a kid, and they’re not always easy emotions to put into words at that age.

Some of the best scenes to me were the ones that showed how Violet used her imagination to cope with gatherings that were too much for her. She has such a creative way of explaining how she was feeling and what she wished could have happened instead in those moments. I’d love to read a sequel someday to find out if she grows up to be a poet or something. She certainly had the artistic flair for it!

The only thing better than those scenes were the ones that explored how Violet’s father reacted to his daughter’s strong dislike of parties. He already knew they were something she was trying to avoid, but he didn’t know why. I couldn’t wait to see how his approach to parenting her might change once he realized that this was a much bigger deal to her than he’d originally thought. Honestly, his reaction alone was enough to give this book a five-star rating. That’s how perfect it was for Violet and for anyone reading this who wonders how to help shy or anxious children adapt to overstimulating environments.

I’d heartily recommend Violet Shrink to kids who struggle with parties for any of the reasons mentioned above in this review. This was such a warm, reassuring book about children’s mental health and how the adults in their lives can help them cope better.

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

What Grew in Larry’s Garden by Laura Alary

September 30, 2020 By Leave a Comment


What Grew in Larry’s Garden by Laura Alary
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Grace thinks Larry’s garden is one of the wonders of the world. In his tiny backyard next door to hers, Larry grows the most extraordinary vegetables. Grace loves helping him – watering and weeding, planting and pruning, hoeing and harvesting. And whenever there’s a problem – like bugs burrowing into the carrots or slugs chewing the lettuce – Grace and Larry solve it together. Grace soon learns that Larry has big plans for the vegetables in his special garden. And when that garden faces its biggest problem yet, Grace follows Larry’s example to find the perfect solution.

It takes more than soil and sunlight to make a garden grow.
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The friendship between Larry and Grace was lovely. I always enjoy reading children’s books about adults who are kind, patient, and helpful, especially when those adults are senior citizens. There’s something so wholesome about seeing two people in such different stages of life pursue the same goal and have a great deal of fun while doing it.

It would have been nice to see more time spent on solving the biggest problem that Grace and Larry had faced with their garden. The other problems they had with it earlier were solved with straightforward solutions. The fuzzier ending to their final conflict left me with more questions than I had answers. I liked the fact that they included something that couldn’t be fixed as easily, but I do wish it had been given more time to develop.

On that note, I did appreciate the example this story set of how to handle conflict and set-backs. Like any other hobby, gardening can be frustrating at times for novices and experts alike. There’s only so much control someone can have over how their plants develop, so it was lovely to see Larry and Grace keep persevering even when everything didn’t always turn out the way they hoped it would. That’s exactly the attitude that anyone should have when learning a new skill or practicing an old one.

Gardeners of all ages should give What Grew in Larry’s Garden a try.

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