Shelf Awareness--Wake the Bones

YA Review: Wake the Bones

Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne (Wednesday Books, 320p., ages 12-up, 9781250790828)

Wake the Bones is a marvelously eerie, atmospheric debut novel in which four teenage friends face hauntings and pure horror as they try to simply survive.

Anna, Laurel Early's "strange" mother, had a suspiciously green thumb, given the name of their farming town, Dry Valley. When Laurel was a baby, Anna's body was found at the bottom of a well. Now 19-year-old Laurel has "strange gifts" of her own and is known in town as "the devil's daughter." Since college didn't work out, Laurel, her best friend Isaac, and their respective sometime-crushes Ricky and Garrett, are in Dry Valley working with Laurel's uncle Jay growing tobacco. Laurel makes extra money by collecting bones for her growing taxidermy practice. When the teens find Anna's "watery grave" bashed open with "a whole wash of" blood around it, they go into the woods to find what was bleeding. They discover a "morbid mandala of old bones pointed like an accusatory finger at a dead deer" stuffed with flowers. Turns out, the inhabitants of Dry Valley weren't entirely wrong: there is a devil haunting the Early farm. Anna was taken by this devil and Laurel, who "reek[s] of destiny and uncontrolled magic," is its next prey.

Elizabeth Kilcoyne delivers a contemporary Southern gothic novel that illuminates the difficulties inherent in being different in a small town. She laces her mesmerizing prose with the darkness of death, the heat of summer and the uncertainty of destiny, and she uses magic to define the tenuous relationships between life, love and loss. There is beauty and horror here that's not to be missed. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

July's Book of the Month--Endlessly Ever After

July’s Book of the Month is the endlessly amusing ENDLESSLY EVER AFTER: PICK YOUR PATH TO COUNTLESS FAIRY TALE ENDINGS! written by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by Dan Santat.

This 86-page picture book begins the tale of Little Red Riding Hood innocently enough: Mama tells Rosie her granny is ill, and Rosie must hurry over with cake to cheer her up. But will Rosie wear her “coziest (faux) fur coat,” or her “favorite red cape?”

It’s up to you, the reader, to decide!

If you pick the coat, you’ll turn to page 20, where new decisions await. Does Rosie knock on the fine, blue door of an unfamiliar house she finds along her path? Or does she hurry to Gran’s instead? Each of her two choices leads to new story possibilities.

However, if you pick the cape, Rosie encounters the wolf along the path, which leads to another decision and even more story possibilities.

This interactive picture book is humorously told by a narrator who alternates between bouncy, rhyming exposition and commentary—peppered with just the right amount of snark—about the myriad decisions being posed. The watercolor and Photoshop illustrations have a comic/graphic novel-style feel that use lots of dramatic angles to amp up the fun, and the large trim-size makes for an impressive presentation.

A hunter, a boy in underpants, and plenty of fairy tale character cameos are all part of the strange, ever-changing adventures to be had within ENDLESSLY EVER AFTER’s covers. With all of the story combinations to pore over, you may never read this book the same way twice!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Goblin Market

MG Review: Goblin Market

Goblin Market by Diane Zahler (Holiday House, 256p., ages 10-14, 9780823450817, August 16, 2022)

Goblin Market is a delightfully imaginative story about the unbreakable bond between two sisters, one who unknowingly falls in love with a goblin, and the other who is driven to save her.

Sisters Lizzie and Minka are extremely close despite being very different: vivacious and outgoing Minka enjoys going into town to sell the family's bread and vegetables; quiet and introspective Lizzie, for whom "each sound [is] a color," prefers to stay near home. One day, when Minka comes home from the market, Lizzie immediately notices that her words are "a little brighter than usual." Apparently Minka met "the handsomest boy," who gave her a "gorgeous" piece of fruit. The next week Minka gives a lock of hair to the boy, Emil, in exchange for more fruit, then develops a fever. By evening, her hair turns gray and falls out. Delirious, Minka begs Lizzie for more fruit.

Lizzie reluctantly agrees to go to town on the next market day. She hopes to find Emil and bring Minka the fruit she desperately craves. But when Lizzie finds Emil, she's disturbed to realize that, unlike everyone else, his words have "no color at all." Soon after, Minka falls into a comatose state. Lizzie goes back to town accompanied by steadfast, cheerful neighbor Jakob. They confront Emil, who tells them he has promised Minka "her heart's desire." But Jakob can't see Minka's suitor, and Lizzie notices flickers of "something quite different standing in his place." Lizzie and Jakob realize that Emil is a zdusze, a forest goblin out of a children's story, and when Minka disappears, the children plunge into the dark Wood to save her. Ultimately, it's only when Lizzie figures out what she has, and the zdusze does not, that she can save her sister.

Dianne Zahler (Baker's Magic) spins a terrifically timeless upper-middle-grade story of sisterly love, goblin magic and overstepped boundaries. Her lush language describes a fully realized fairy tale world, wherein Lizzie and Minka's cozy cottage at the edge of the Wood sets off the creepy, menacing realm of the goblins hidden within. Though Minka is the love interest--the author wisely points out and then expunges the blame associated with her victimization--this is Lizzie's story from start to finish. Her indomitable spirit and unusual abilities allow her to shine. Share this book with anyone who loves their stories located in far off lands potentially inhabited by monsters. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Talker: Goblin Market is a splendid, folklore-inspired story of sisterly affection in which one sister falls in love with a goblin and the other must save her.

Shelf Awareness--Rosa's Song

PB Review: Rosa's Song

Rosa's Song by Helena Ku Rhee, illust. by Pascal Campion (Random House Studio, 40p., ages 4-8, 9780593375495)

The duo behind The Paper Kingdom comes together again for the kind and reassuring picture book Rosa's Song, about the joy of discovering new friends when they are needed most.

Jae has moved far away from his "old village, his old home, his old friends." His mother encourages him to meet other kids, so Jae rings the bell of the apartment below. Rosa, her parrot Pollito perched on her shoulder, opens the door and a friendship is born. Jae sadly remarks that there are no mountains outside his window; Rosa clambers on the couch saying, "I'm climbing up, up, up a mountainside," the illustration showing the white couch melding into the snow-white heights of the imagined mountains. Jae misses familiar street vendors; Rosa helps him imagine "the scent of fresh fruit" and "the melody of a pretty song." The two friends explore the apartment complex to find "lost llamas, golden Inca treasures, and a rainforest with parrots--like where Rosa was from." And they sing with Pollito. But Jae wakes one morning to find Rosa and her family "had to leave quickly," and he doesn't know if anything, even Pollito, whom Rosa left in Jae's care, can make the sadness go away.

Helena Ku Rhee's story skillfully demonstrates a compassionate cycle of friendship in which Jae learns that just as Rosa once welcomed him, he can now welcome others. Animator and illustrator Pascal Campion's art seamlessly meshes the children's real and pretend play. Rosa's Song is a quiet, gentle book about the importance of finding--and being--a good friend. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

June Recommendations

Picture Books:

In SMILE SOPHIA, written and illustrated by Skylaar Amann, Sophia is smart, strong, and “really good at digging holes.” What Sophia loves most of all is searching for dinosaur bones. Unfortunately, her mom wants her to put away her “dirty trowel and pickax,” her teacher wants her to stop looking angry, and all everyone wants her to do is smile. But Sophia is not angry (nor is she giving up her pickax). She just doesn’t see what there is to smile about…yet! Tight text and detailed pencil and Photoshop illustrations beautifully bring to life this winning story of a strong-minded, science-loving girl who sticks to her own agenda. Eureka!!

PATIENCE, PATCHES, written by Christy Mihaly and illustrated by Sheryl Murray, is the story of Patches, a dog who is “good at waiting.” This is a good thing, because his puppy life is full of waiting: for his “loud-laughing person” to throw the ball, for his “soft-singing person” to throw the ball and, more importantly, for his beloved people’s “blanket bundle” to do something interesting. The author does a great job channeling Patches’s voice and perspective, and the pencil and digitally-colored illustrations give a nice feel for both the active moments and the quiet ones. This is a sweet, sweet story about a loving family—made up of two moms and a dog—who find even more love when a baby comes to join them.

THE LITTLEST AIRPLANE, written by Brooke Hartman and illustrated by John Joseph, tells the story of a little bush plane that is smaller than the “sturdy and quick” turbo prop, the “brawny and long” cargo plane, and the “super fast” jet plane. While the others are busy soaring and rumble-roaring around, the little bush plane worries that he’s not strong enough or speedy enough to take to the sky. But when a storm strands two people in the wilderness, it’s the little bush plane who may have what it takes to save the day. Told in rhyme that’s fun to read aloud and accompanied by brightly-colored illustrations of the personified planes, this book is sure to be a winner at storytime!

In PEGA SISTERS GO TO CAMP, also written by Brooke Hartman, this time illustrated by MacKenzie Haley, Lilly has waited—and waited—for Pegasus Camp, and she’s beyond eager to soar and craft like she has in summers past. What’s different this year, however, is that her little sis Filly will be there, too. Now, wherever Lilly turns, Filly is there, too, spoiling everything until Lilly sends her away. But can Lilly soar without Filly to cheer her on? Again using rhyme to distinguish her story, the author leaves plenty of room for the illustrator to decorate each page with the glam, sparkling, “most marvelous magic” of these adorable pegasi.

In SO NOT GHOUL, written by Karen Yin and illustrated by Bonnie Lui, it’s Mimi’s first day to haunt a new school, but all she has to wear are “old Chinese gowns from her great-great-great-great-great-ghost-grandmother.” And she gets lots of advice about what “good Chinese girl ghosts” should do. But Mimi is Chinese American, and she knows that her family’s ideas are “SO NOT GHOUL!” Mimi tries hard to blend in with the other ghosts at school, but when the most popular one steals her look, Mimi doesn’t hesitate to set her straight—and to feel SPECTER-TACULAR doing it! This digitally-illustrated, ghostly tale about speaking up and speaking from the heart is full of pluck and puns.

FRANS’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE, written by Beth Anderson and illustrated by Caroline Hamel, is the story of a boy who is obsessed by how things work, a boy who feels called to “imagine, discover, create.” But his mother, his father, and the farm leave no time for inventing. When Franz grows up, he dreams… of a “”fantastical magical phantasmagorical machine!” But, there is no time for playing, dilly-dallying, or lollygagging. Until, after viewing the marvels of the world’s fair in Belgium, Franz finally listens to his imagination and begins to piece together his creation. RATTLE, CLATTER, CLANG! Franz’s machine comes to life and, twenty-three years later, he’s finally ready to share it with the world. This fascinating story, about the joys of creating is beautifully told and boldly-yet-whimsically illustrated. WHOOSH! DING! FLASH! Don’t miss it!

--Lynn

June's Book of the Month--Courage Hats

June’s Book of the Month is the warm, wise, and admirably quirky, COURAGE HATS, written by Kate Hoefler and illustrated by Jessica Bagley.

“Not everyone loves a train… But sometimes, you have to take one anyway.”

When Mae must take a train ride through “bear places,” she wears “a special hat, so a bear would think she was just another bear.” When Bear needs to ride through “people places,” he wears a hat, too, “so a person would think he was just another person.” Indeed, when they sit together on the train, Mae thinks she’s found a safe seat near a big grown-up. Bear thinks he’s found a safe seat near a small cub. But, by the time the ride is over, Mae and Bear have each found their courage, and made a friend in the process.

This thoughtful, lyrical picture book offers a way for readers to look for their own courage, whether it be in their hearts or on their heads. COURAGE HATS is about seeing beyond our differences to the deep and important places, and how that can make us all feel a little less lost. Because “when you take your hat off, someone else will, too.” The graphite and watercolor illustrations help make this story especially endearing.

COURAGE HATS is warm and sweet and just odd enough that kids should love it.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Francis Discovers Possible

PB Review: Francis Discovers Possible

Francis Discovers Possible by Ashlee Latimer, illust. by Shahrzad Maydani (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 32p., ages 4-8, 9781419749100)

In this warm and appealing picture book by debut author Ashlee Latimer, with art by Poetree illustrator Shahrzad Maydani, word-loving Francis faces classroom unkindnesses in a way that may encourage young readers.

Pig-tailed, rosy-cheeked, brown-skinned Francis loves words. And she loves Tuesdays because that's the day Mr. Prewett asks a student to pick a letter. It's Francis's turn and she is ready to choose the letter "P." But first the class reviews letters already chosen: "A is for antelope... R is for rainbow... T is for trampoline." When Mr. Prewett asks about the letter "F," Tabitha whispers "Fat," and Jericho adds "like Francis." Francis has always thought of Fat as something that's warm, like "belly rubs for [her] puppy," or "using Mama's fluffy arm as the best pillow." But Tabitha makes Fat "cold" and Jericho makes Francis feel small. After school, Baba takes her to the park, where Francis, snuggled safely under his arm, comes up with a brand-new P word: Possible. Possible is learning to swim, is planting, is leaves dancing in the wind. "Possible made Francis feel warm and big--like Fat." It makes her feel like she can once again "take up space and share her words, and wish and dance and play."

Latimer says in an author's note that her moving narrative was written to allow people with bodies like hers to see themselves as the protagonist instead of the "plucky best friend." Maydani's fanciful pastel and watercolor illustrations are expressive, calling attention to Francis's feelings while also showcasing a wonderfully diverse neighborhood where the realm of imagination (and the Possible!) is never far away. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Discover: In this gentle, appealing picture book, Francis faces unkind remarks from classmates and regains self-esteem by embracing what’s “Possible.”