Shelf Awareness--Demon in the Wood

GN Review: Demon in the Wood

Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo, illus. by Dani Pendergast (Roaring Brook Press, 208p., ages 13-up, 9781250624642)

Demon in the Wood is an alluring graphic novel origin story that should invite new readers in, while deepening fans' understanding of the tyrannical Grisha leader from Leigh Bardugo's immensely popular Shadow and Bone trilogy.

The Grisha hide from the drüskelle, witchhunters who stalk the "cursed" witches across the land, from the northern "cold wilds of Fjerda" to the southern "forests and fields of Ravka." Aleksander (Eryk) and his mother, Lena, are powerful Grisha who are always on the move. They have "a hundred names, a new story for every town, camp, and city," but now they would like to spend the winter in one place, learning what they can from a Grisha chieftain. When Eryk meets witch sisters Annika and Sylvi, he impresses them with a display of his rare shadow-summoning power. Annika, whose powers are weak, convinces Eryk to help her hunt a large bear that has been sighted nearby; its bones might enhance her power. But when the new friends find the bear, it is already dead, and a potentially fatal accident on their trek home exposes Eryk's biggest secret.

Bardugo (Ninth House) depicts the antihero of her trilogy with empathy in this graphic novel rendition of a previously published short story. Eryk emerges as a complicated character, with his harsh and unavoidably solitary youth. Debut book illustrator Dani Pendergast's sophisticated illustrations allow the moody story to play out against shadowy blacks, chilly whites, grays, mauves and blues that elegantly describe a frigid, cloud-covered landscape. This is a worthy (albeit somewhat slight) addition to the canon that will surely leave readers wishing for more. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

October Recommendations

Picture Books:

In RICK THE ROCK OF ROOM 214, written by Julie Falatko and illustrated by Ruth Chan, Rick sits on the Nature Finds shelf in Room 214, “with an acorn, some moss, and a piece of bark.” Rick doesn’t get to sing, jump, draw or read with the students in his classroom, he just gets to sit. But Rick begins to wish he was doing some majestic posing and jutting and tumbling like the outdoor rocks he sees in books, so he waits for his chance… Rick soon finds that the outdoors isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and maybe there are adventures to be had back in Room 214, after all. This story has just the right blend of warm-hearted and silly. Falatko’s entertaining text is accompanied by Chan’s delightful ink and digitally colored illustrations, both of which ensure that Rick has a boulder-sized personality and plenty of charm.

In THE MOUSE WHO CARRIED A HOUSE ON HIS BACK, written by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, Vincent is a traveling mouse, with “boots on his feet, a hat on his head, and a house on his back.” One day, Vincent sets his house down on a hill, because that’s “where he need[s] to be.” Soon, a tired bullfrog, a cat, a family of hedgehogs, a fox, two badgers, a herd of deer, and even a bear find that Vincent’s house is “much larger than it appear[s].” This gentle, Mitten-like tale of generosity is deftly illustrated with gouache, ink, cut paper, and die-cut art, making it quite a lovely package.

IF YOUR BABYSITTER IS A BRUJA, written by Ana Siqueira, illustrated by Irena Freitas, warns readers to “be wary,” because if it’s almost Halloween, then your new babysitter “might be a bruja! A witch!” If she zooms and cackles, you’ll need to “cook up a plan!” If she if she gobbles, spits, giggles, and cackles (again), you’ll want to “flee to the magic garden!” Steal her broom if you can, but odds are you’ll end up in a “bubbling cauldron with starving ¡¡¡cocodrillos!!!” But all is not lost, so read this book to find out the rest! Colorful, cartoony digital illustrations add to the fun, beautifully showcasing the mayhem.

Like the title implies, THE SWEETEST SCOOP: BEN & JERRY’S ICE CREAM REVOLUTION, written by Lisa Robinson and illustrated by Stacy Innerst, is the story of Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, and how they founded their great ice cream empire. Apparently, these “two groovy guys” met when they were twelve. One liked art and one liked science, but they both loved food. They figured out how to make ice cream, how to sell ice cream, “how make their flavors stand out,” and they figured out how to “use ice cream to make the world a better place. Chunky Monkey, Wavy Gravy, Cherry Garcia. Save our Swirled, Empower Mint, Imagine Swirled Peas. Yum! A super-engaging text is peppered with riddles and accompanied by playful watercolor, ink, and Photoshop illustrations. This book’s a treat!

AMERICAN DESI, written by Jyoti Rajan Gopal and illustrated by Supriya Kelkar, portrays a young girl’s earnest look at what it means to belong to two cultures. Is she “Bollywood moves” or “hip-hop grooves?” Is she “cricket wickets… and screams for all” or “football scrimmage, sacks, and calls?” Using colors to define the different strands that pull and tug at her heart, this affirming picture book written in rhyme assures readers that our main character has “no need to hide/The many colors of me.” The paper, fabric, mixed media, and digitally collaged illustrations are bright, full of energy, and work in perfect harmony with the text.

LOOK, by Fiona Woodcock, is an intriguing concept book that restricts itself to only words spelled with two Os in a row. As sun rises, it’s time for “FOOD” then “BOOTS,” after which a sister and brother “ZOOM” to the “ZOO.” They see a kangaroo, and a cockatoo, and a panda eating bamboo, and you get the idea. Finally, things wind down at bedtime with a shampoo and a book, while outside there’s some more double-o magic to end this most interesting of days. Hand-cut rubber stamps, stencils, pen and pencil art, all composited digitally, bring to life this clever idea with a text that seems to achieve its goal effortlessly.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Curve and Flow

PB Review: Curve and Flow

Curve and Flow: The Elegant Vision of L.A. Architect Paul R. Williams by Andrea J. Loney, illus. by Keith Mallett (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 48p., ages 4-8, 9780593429075)

Curve and Flow tells the inspiring story of Paul R. Williams, a gifted architect who worked hard to achieve success despite early 20th-century racism in the U.S.

Los Angeles-born Paul "loves to draw and draw--especially buildings!" As a boy who dreams of designing his own home someday, he delights in the "swooping lines of L.A. [that] curve and flow around him." Unfortunately, the "big stone wall of racism" blocks his path. But Paul "loves a challenge," and even though no one has "ever heard of a Negro architect," he's determined to "take a curve and flow around" the problem. He studies, hones his skills and wins contest after contest with his clean and clever designs. He's hired by a top architectural firm in L.A., then starts his own business. Paul designs "bold, dazzling, innovative, and unforgettable" homes--houses he's not allowed to live in because "a huge invisible wall of laws... blocks Black people from living in many parts of Los Angeles." But he never stops believing he'll design his own home, never stops working, planning, building, curving and flowing until he makes his dream come true.

Andrea J. Loney's (Double Bass Blues) lyrical approach and recurring metaphors allow her to relate Williams's story deftly and with a gentle hand. Her back matter contains an extensive timeline that grounds and expands her focused text. Keith Mallett's (Sing a Song) detailed digital illustrations--including stunning endpapers--give a strong sense of the era; blues, browns and yellows lend an appropriately old-timey feel. Curve and Flow delivers an accomplished and uplifting biography of a Black man who "created more than 3,000 structures around the world" and is integral to the history of Los Angeles. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger and children's book author.

October's Book of the Month--The Ogress and the Orphans

October’s Book of the Month is Kelly Barnhill’s THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS, a masterful middle grade fantasy by a masterful storyteller.

Stone-in-the-Glen “used to be a lovely town. Everyone said so.” It was full of all kinds of trees, and friendly, helpful neighbors. At its heart was the Library. But after the library burned down and then the school, after the trees died and the light became a “constant, searing whiteness,” the good people of Stone-in-the-Glen squinted angrily at each other and retreated inside their homes.

This suits the Mayor just fine.” With his “blinding shock of blond hair,” the Mayor, who “glitter[s] when he [speaks],” had once been a “World-Famous Dragon Hunter,” but now he simply lives in the Mayor’s mansion and dazzles the people of the town.

By the time the Ogress arrives, the town is a wretched place. No one helps anyone else, and the orphans—all fifteen of them—as well as Matron and her husband Myron, really do need some help. The Ogress decides to deliver gifts to everyone in the sad little town, excess bounty from her garden baked into sweet treats, lovingly placed on doorsteps by herself, the crows, and Dog. No one knows who brings these gifts, and the townspeople are all too miserable to care. But when a child from the orphanage goes missing, the Mayor is quick to stir up plenty of anger, and point the increasingly angry mob in the direction of the one villager who appears to be most different—the Ogress.

This is one of Barnhill’s best. Ogres, dragons, orphans, and books, all lovingly spun into a truly delightful and thought-provoking read. Like the Ogress’s treats, there should be plenty for young readers to chew on here.

--Lynn

September Recommendations

Picture Books:

In EVERY DOG IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, written by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Matthew Cordell, Louis wants a dog more than anything, but his grandma, who “knows everything,” tells him there are already enough dogs in the neighborhood. Of course, Louis then wants to know how exactly many, and when Grandma won’t answer and the folks at City Hall can’t answer, Louis decides to count them himself. He is thorough, and kind, and, while he counts all the dogs, Grandma is busy with her own civic project. The text is moving without being overly sentimental, the pictures nimbly tell their half of the story, and it all comes together beautifully.

TELLING STORIES WRONG, written by Gianni Rodari, illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna, and translated from the Italian by Antony Shugaar, is full of charming interplay between a girl and her grandpa as he attempts to tell her the story of Little Red Riding Hood. As the title indicates, Grandpa gets many things wrong, but the girl helpfully sets him straight and keeps the classic tale on track. This impish ode to storytelling is gorgeously illustrated by the ever-wonderful Alemagna with both playfulness and sophistication.

In another old tale, THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF, this one retold by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen, there’s a poor hungry troll who’s only recent meal was “a leather boot and some goop he’d found in his belly button.” But then “Clip, clop! Clip, clop!” a “goat smorgasbord” comes his way. Told with droll wit and a fair amount of rhyme, Barnett’s delivers a fine version of this familiar story that’s illustrated with Klassen’s signature, minimal style that’s populated by oddball creatures and rendered mostly in browns and tans. Read it aloud for maximum fun!

In LITTLE HOUSES, written by Kevin Henkes and illustrated by Laura Dronzek, when a girl visits her grandparents at the beach, in a house “so close to the water, you can hear the waves,” she and her grandma spend their mornings looking for shells. And when Grandma “reminds [her] that shells are little houses,” the girl begins to wonder about many things… Intelligent and lyrical, thought-provoking and full of wonder, this gentle book takes a deep dive into beach treasures and what makes a house.

And since I love monsters so much, here are two commendable board books about monsters:

In I’M THE BOSS, by Elise Gravel, a little monster named Lulu wants a lot of big things, but her caregiver keeps saying no. Finally Lulu asks for the perfect big thing and is appeased. Playful text and adorable art that’s simply and effectively done.

MONSTER CLOTHES, by Daisy Hirst, shows all the fun things that different monsters might wear. And then there’s Evie…! More adorable monsters in this one, also rendered cleanly and clearly.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Moon Dark Smile

YA Review: Moon Dark Smile

Moon Dark Smile by Tessa Gratton (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 432p., ages 12-up, 9781534498150)

Tessa Gratton's (Strange Grace; Night Shine) affecting fantasy introduces readers to a world of sorcery and intrigue, where great strength lies in stepping beyond limitations of binary choice.

When she was seven, Raliel Dark-Smile's father, the emperor, insisted she choose her own identity. She chose the moniker of a legendary dragon and "declared her name." Since then, Raliel's only true friend has been Moon, the great demon who represents "the power of the empire" and is bound to the palace. The emperor and his consorts are also bound, as Raliel will be once she's completed her upcoming Heir's Journey. But both Moon and Raliel long to be free. They create a magical amulet and, when Raliel is 18, she begins her Journey with Moon secretly nestled "just beneath her heart." Osian Redpop, a young guard with dangerous secrets of his own, is ordered to accompany them. As Raliel and Moon seek a way to expand their world beyond the palace walls, the odyssey leads them to sorcerers of great knowledge and power. It's only when the three companions start to understand the meaning of "liminality" and begin to move beyond the binary, though, that they learn how to break the bonds that imprison them.

Gender fluidity is at the heart of this lush yet ethereal fantasy populated with demons, spirits, witches and sorcerers. Gratton's characters repeatedly slip outside traditional dualities, and her concept of liminality offers a path to the power that Raliel and Moon need to succeed. Mellifluous writing delivers a compelling story that, like Raliel Dark-Smile herself, is nimble and strong, its magic unspooling as effortlessly as a dragon splashing in a pool. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Awareness--Three Little Vikings

PB Review: Three Little Vikings

Three Little Vikings by Bethan Woollvin (Peachtree, 32p., ages 4-8, 9781682634561)

Three Little Vikings is a cheerfully told Nordic adventure that features three small but plucky friends, a mysterious BIG something in the woods, piles of gold and a delightful dose of comeuppance.

The "Viking folk" are busy celebrating newly acquired treasure, but Ebba, Helga and Wren are worried. There's "something scary outside," they tell the Chieftain, who responds, "Nonsense!" The next morning the village is in shambles. Helga says it looks like "something very BIG" is the reason, but the Chieftain again insists this is "nonsense!" When Helga, Ebba and Wren inform him that a "BIG, angry, noisy creature is roaming the forest," the Chieftain booms "nonsense!" a third and fourth time. He blames a thunderstorm, a fox, rotten trees and pesky ravens, then dismisses the girls so he can take care of more important matters, like who is stealing the village treasure. The three friends decide it's up to them to save the village. They do their research and hatch a savvy plan to take care of the bashing, smashing trouble all by themselves.

Bethan Woollvin (Little Red) delivers a merry olde story that's chock full of modern-day appeal. Her Viking girls are steadfast and wise, and they earn their right to one-up their stubbornly oblivious Chieftain. Woollvin's distinctive design is defined by characters with overlarge eyes, and she uses strong, flat blocks of color decorated with whimsical patterns and details, which give her gouache and digital illustrations a singular look. Share this triumphant tale with little Vikings everywhere. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger and children's book author.