Shelf Awareness--Ophelia After All

YA Review: Ophelia After All

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie (Feiwel & Friends, 352p., ages 13-up, 9781250797308)

In Ophelia After All, debut author Racquel Marie serves up a humorous and compelling slice of high-school life that's lovingly populated by characters with varied sexual orientations and racial and ethnic backgrounds, all intent on finding their way through a year of tumultuous romantic ups and downs.

Senior prom is quickly approaching, and Ophelia Rojas is indulging in many a "swoonworthy" fantasy involving the perfect date. She wants "the pretty poster, the bouquet of flowers, the silly social media post with the punny caption about saying yes to the promposal." Ophelia has always been known for "drooling" over cute guys, and her friends and family assume that she's on the alert for new crush-worthy male specimens to romanticize.

Sometimes, though, when Ophelia lets her mind wander, "someone stands out against the collection of boys" she dreams about, and this one "shouldn't--doesn't--belong there." Ophelia is becoming increasingly fascinated with Talia Sanchez, a classmate Ophelia knows "once kissed a girl and liked it." And, when one of Ophelia's literature professor mom's students launches into a homophobic monologue regarding a performance casting Hamlet as a lesbian, Ophelia surprises herself by dumping a drink on his head. Ophelia is worried because admitting she may be questioning her sexuality goes against everything everybody knows about her, including her Cuban American father and white mother with whom she has always happily shared her emotions. In anger and frustration over her inability to share her newfound feelings, she manages to alienate almost everyone she cares about. How can Ophelia be sure her loved ones will like this new version of her?

Marie's story of questioning and coming out in high school is a multilayered look at high school romance and the benefits, as well as the confining aspects, of long-held group friendships. Her fully realized characters believably love, fight, banter and support one another during this momentous last year of high school. Ophelia is the ultimate romantic, and the story paints a compelling picture of a young woman coming to terms with what exactly that word means for her. Whether accepting who she is will get her more dates than before remains to be seen, but readers will hope she "[w]on't miss being straight. Not one bit." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Talker: In this funny-yet-fraught young adult novel, boy-crazy high school senior Ophelia's world is upended when she finds herself crushing on a girl.

January Recommendations

Graphic Novels:

In MONSTER FRIENDS, by Kaeti Vandorn, timid monster Reggie is looking forward to a quiet summer. He’s housesitting for Aunt Agnes after too many wild adventures with his friend Clovis. But he keeps encountering new monsters, including and especially Emily, a lively, bunny-eared little beastie. She’s fun and kind, and determined to be his friend. Vandorn’s story is sweet, and her art sparkles with energy and a cheerful palette.

GARLIC & THE VAMPIRE, by Bree Paulsen, is a story about the very stressed out Garlic, her best friend Carrot, and all the other vegetables who were brought to life by kind witch Agnes. Even though Garlic always seems to mess up, the other veggies are certain she’s the only one who can confront the terrifying vampire who’s newly established himself in the castle nearby. Even though she’s certain she'll fail, Garlic gathers her courage and sets off, only to learn a lot about herself, her fellow vegetables, and their mysterious neighbor. The art for this story is terrific, and the deep, rich colors of her palette skew beautifully towards earthy greens and browns. Yes, Paulsen really has created a believable main character with a bulb of garlic for a head!

Picture Books:

OVER BEAR! UNDER WHERE? words by Julie Hedlund and pictures by Michael Slack, is a fun romp, with plenty of action and wordplay. Two friends, Over (a bird) and Under (a mole), are having fun see-sawing and swinging over and under each other at the park. They’re joined for a hot dog by a hot-dog dog. And then a bear (but no underwear)! The digital art is bright and bold. This punny, rather-more-sophisticated-than-it-would-seem book is a fun read-aloud and a great choice for beginning readers, as well.

In SWEATER WEATHER, written and illustrated by Matt Phelan, a papa bear tries to wrangle his cubs into their sweaters so they can play outside. “‘Sweaters on?’…THUMP WHUMP OOF!…Not yet.” It’s quite the production, and by the time everyone is dressed, night has fallen. Fortunately, there’s plenty of wonder and excitement, no matter the time of day. Sketchy, expressive pencil, ink, and watercolor art perfectly describes the charming chaos. Simply told and SO much fun!

In WINTER LULLABY, written by Dianne White, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, as “autumn clouds sweep overhead,” it’s time for Small Bear and Mama Bear to go to bed. But as Small Bear asks why the other animals are still scurrying, romping, and stompingly awake, Mama Bear responds with soothing answers that slowly guide her little one to sleep. Gorgeous, lyrical, rhyming poetry will likely guide many human little ones to sleep, and Kautlitzki’s digital art should make the journey all the more delightful.

ON THE TRAPLINE, by David A Robertson, illustrated by Julie Flett, is the story of how one young boy and Moshom—his grandpa—visit the trapline Moshom hasn’t seen since he was young himself. “Traplines are where people hunt animals and live off the land,” Moshom says, explaining how he grew up, here “in the north.” This is a heartfelt, poetic picture book—one that’s quiet and powerful and deeply affecting—and it’s greatly enhanced by Julie Flett’s pastel on paper, digitally composed art, which shows the journey from both real and imagined perspectives.

--Lynn

January's Book of the Month--Little Witch Hazel

Happy New Year!

January’s Book of the Month is LITTLE WITCH HAZEL: A YEAR IN THE FOREST, by Phoebe Wahl.

The book consists of four chapters, one for each season:

In Spring, Little Witch Hazel finds an orphaned egg. When no one claims it, she rolls it home, makes it a nest by the fire, and the next morning there’s “a poof of a bird staring at her.” Her new friend is an owl named Otis, and she cares for him until he leaves “as mysteriously and suddenly as he had arrived.”

In Summer, Little Witch Hazel gets grumpy when she has too many errands to run, and “everyone else in the forest seem[s] to be out enjoying the day.” Things improve greatly when she joins in the fun, letting her previously urgent tasks wait for the time being, because, right now, “all she had to do was sit, and listen, and breathe in the fragrant summer air.”

In Autumn, there’s a noise like “the laugh of a hobgoblin robber” coming from a haunted tree stump. Little Witch Hazel leads the terrified forest creatures straight to the source, and finds, in “a burst of bravery,” what the trouble is. (They all make a new friend in the process.)

And, in Winter, while out checking on a chipmunk with a toothache, a mole with a thorn in his paw, a lonely dryad, a crow with a frog in its throat, and Mrs. Rabbit and her four rabbit kits, Little Witch Hazel gets lost in a blizzard. Things look very bleak until a surprising rescue happens!

This beautiful, charming, unique picture book is packed full of magic—the kind that happens when one reads the very best of stories. It’s longer than a typical picture book, which is for the best, since readers will want to live within these pages for as long as they can. The digital art (with colored pencil textures) on every page is worthy of framing. There is humor and love and quirkiness throughout.

“Towering toadstools!” this book is a wonder!

--Lynn