Book Reviews #17-2021

Well it seems like this one will be the last one of the year. I’ve been trying to read what I want to read the last month or so since I am mostly done with required reading for book clubs at the moment. That being said I read a really random assortment of books, but that seems to be par for the course for me. I did at least pass my book challenge for the year, which was 150 books (I’ve read 158 so far). Happy Holidays to everyone!

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor written by Patricia Valdez, illustrated by Felicita Sala

I grabbed this book after my son and I got super interested in snakes/reptiles, as he got one for Christmas, and I have been wanting to know more about reptiles in general to help him. Plus the book seemed pretty cool. I mean what’s not to love about a lady scientist that studies reptiles for a living? Turns out Joan Procter was a bit of an oddball, and I mean in the most affectionate sense, because she “would rather play with snakes and lizards instead of dolls” (and I’m a little jealous that she got to, but honestly though I hate that that was pretty much the exact phrase they used in the book, like girls can’t want to study reptiles and have to conform to gender norms – ugh). Anyways, she got to hang with the curator for reptiles at London’s Natural History Museum (one of my favorites in the city) and eventually got a job there during WWI. She also collaborated with the London Zoo to redesign their Reptile House and became famous for working with them, and especially the newly discovered Komodo dragons that were brought back from Indonesia. After helping out one called Sumbawa, he followed her around the zoo for the rest of her life while she worked there. She was unfortunately always a sick child and continued to be throughout her life. She died in her early thirties. I thought the book was a nice introduction to a fascinating woman I had never heard of before, but I honestly wished the book went more in depth. There is a nice author’s note in the back, and an extensive bibliography. Recommended for ages 7-11, 3-1/2 stars.

The Search for Wondla (Wondla #1) written and illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi

Originally reviewed Jan 2011:

I knew next to nothing about this book when it came out, other than it was the new DiTerlizzi book, and since I’ve liked his other books, I figured I would eventually give this one a shot. The story is basically this: a 12 year old girl named Eva Nine lives underground but is never allowed to go to the surface until her robot, named Muthr, allows her to. Someone attacks the compound and Eva is forced to the surface, but nothing could have prepared her for what she discovers on top. She can identify none of the plant or animal species in her Omnipod (handheld computer) and then she is captured by a mysterious animal who seems to be looking for her. She escapes with another creature called Rovender, who she nicknames Rovee, and they eventually rescue Muthr. They decide to journey to the capital city to see if they can find more humans and figure out why this creature is pursuing them. Wondla is something Eva found as a child but can’t figure out what it is. You must read to discover its secret and what happens next.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book once I got into it, which pretty much coincided with Eva reaching the surface. Once she begins her travels, her time in the compound begins to make more sense than it does when you are initially reading it. The illustrations were amazing and really helped to place the story as the author creates an entirely new world and culture, even going so far as to include an alphabet and commonly used phrases in the back of the book. My favorite character was Otto and I hope we are seeing more of him. The ending was a little frustrating, but I loved it when the reader found out what Wondla is. Recommended for ages 8-12, 4 1/2 stars.

Re-reading to my son (Nov 21-Dec 19, 2021): I have been wanting to read this one to him for awhile because of how much he loved the Kenny books, though this one goes in a completely different direction. Had to put it on hold for a bit to read Rick Riordan’s Daughter of the Deep before it needed to be returned, but he is still into it so we’ll continue reading it. He really enjoyed the book and the characters and can’t wait for me to read more! 5 stars.

Mothstorm (Larklight #3) written by Philip Reeve

Originally read May 2010: Loved this book and it was so much better than the last book in the series, Starcross. This had the non-stop adventure of Larklight and yet there was more because of David Wyatt’s brilliant illustrations. He really helped make the characters come alive. This time the Mumby family is interrupted during their Christmas preparations by an SOS message from an old school chum of Mr. Mumby’s. It is coming from Uranus, whose proper name is Georgium Sidus (but of course). When the Mumby’s and later the Sophronia’s crew goes to investigate, they find a world overrun by giant moths led by another Shaper, whose intentions are pretty nefarious to say the least. So they must save the universe and the British Empire again, this time directly rescuing Queen Victoria and the royal family. Highly recommended for ages 9-12, 5 stars.

Listened to the audiobook version with my son (Nov 23 – Dec 24, 2021): My son wanted to get started on this right away, so I know he likes the series as a whole. I was probably getting more laughs from the book versus my son, but he enjoyed it as well. Plus I got to yell “Huzzah!” a lot as that was their major declaration for most of the audiobook.

Resistance Reborn (Star Wars: Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) by Rebecca Roanhorse, narrated by Mark Thompson

Was this needed after the end of The Last Jedi? No, but it was still a fun read, especially if you have listened to your fair share of Star Wars books and watched all the movies/shows. The Resistance is devastated, both in size and mentally, after the standoff at Crait. Poe has got to live with his decision that he tried to mutiny against Admiral Holdo, and try to do better. Leia is feeling weak after the loss of Luke but also because things are pretty grim right now, but she still has hope. Rey is pretty quiet this book, and I actually would’ve liked to get more in her head after everything that happened with Kylo Ren. I was psyched to hear from Norra Wexley, her son Snap, and her husband, the Wedge Antilles! I loved those characters during Chuck Wendig’s the Aftermath trilogy, and it was fun to revisit them. They end up regrouping on Ryloth of all places, the Twi’leki homeworld, and I really thought their secret ally would be Hera from Star Wars Rebels (sadly it’s someone else I’ve never heard of but apparently Leia knows). One thing this book did do was help keep me pleasantly distracted while I went through several stressful things, and also helped me remember how much I adore Maz Kanata. Seriously, why have we not written a story on her? I may try my hand at some fan fiction, especially if she gets to school Hondo! Recommended for ages 15+, 4 stars.

Tea at Five written by Matthew Lombardo, performed by Kate Mulgrew

I originally was looking for audiobooks narrated by Kate Mulgrew, as I love her voice and when I found this one, I got excited because Katherine Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses! The audiobook is only about 1-1/2 hrs and is broken into two parts. The first part is featuring Kate when in 1938, when she is waiting to hear if she got the part of Scarlet O’Hara in Gone With the Wind or not (interesting as I didn’t even know she was up for the part) and right before she made my favorite movie of hers, The Philadelphia Story. I must have forgotten that Howard Hughes was courting her and asked to marry her, but she turned him down. I kept picturing Howard Stark (from Captain America: The First Avenger and the show Agent Carter in place of him. The second half of the book was Kate when she was in her late 70s in the 1980s. Still as irascible as ever and taking no prisoners. I wanna be her when I am old. The very distinctive accent of Hepburn is pretty well done for most of the play, but it does drop a bit in places. Overall it was a delightful interlude between two weightier books. Highly recommended if you like classic films or just want a quick fun audiobook, 5 stars.

Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? written by Harold Schechter and Eric Powell, illustrated by Eric Powell

Ok confession time: I love true crime stuff. Not like I’m obsessed with murders, more just why people do/act the way they do and love solving a puzzle. My dad has been telling me forever to listen to the Harold Schechter’s book on Eddie Gein (the original murderer that Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho is based off of), in his 1989 book Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original “Psycho”. I had never gotten around to it, but then I learned about the graphic novel and I thought I could probably handle that better. The subject matter is very well-researched and the book itself is pretty wordy at times (sometimes too much), but it will give you an accurate picture of Eddie Gein, what led to his numerous crimes, and what the fallout was afterwards. I’m gonna quote a bit from the Nov 26, 2021 Goodreads reviewer Sam Quixote who talks about how Schechter created the book: “I like that Schechter stuck to the facts of the case. There was a lot of sensationalism around the story at the time that Schechter points out and instead highlights only the proven facts.” And if you don’t get a measure of the man from the text, the amazing but downright creepy/morbid illustrations will assist. That being said, do not read this before bed, you will have nightmares. This guy was seriously mentally ill (he was diagnosed with schizophrenia during the trial), and his relationship with his mother, and to a lesser degree his father, is the majority of the reason for his later behavior and actions. Gein for sure murdered two women, maybe his brother (and possibly more based off the bodies found on his property), along with grave-robbing many other female bodies for sick purposes. Sam Quixote also comments on Gein’s influence on modern movies and books: “Initially there was Robert Bloch’s bestselling novel Psycho followed by Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic movie adaptation which introduced the world to Norman Bates, and then later emerged other incarnations like Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs. Carrie’s mother in Stephen King’s debut novel was also probably inspired by Augusta Gein. It’s quite a legacy.” Overall, I enjoyed the graphic novel even if it was kind of hard to read sometimes. 4 stars.

Book Review #16-2021

Well I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Mine was low key but fun. Honestly I’m not looking forward to Christmas, but I am looking forward to cooler weather and the food. I’ve been reading a lot of good books lately so am a bit behind on my book reviews. 

Clovis Keeps His Cool written by Katelyn Aronson, illustrated by Eve Farb

This may be my favorite picture book that I’ve found this year, and definitely has the cutest cover. The look Clovis has whilst holding that dainty teacup is hilarious! Clovis has had anger management problems for years, but now that he’s inherited his grandmother’s china and tea shop and adopted her mantra “Grace, grace, nothing broken to replace,” to keep calm, things are starting to get better for him. Soon enough though, his patience is tested when a group of hecklers from his high school football days come to harass him outside the shop. Twice he is able to calm himself down by repeating the mantra, but three times is one time too many and he gets angry. He starts acting like “the bull in a china shop”, breaking the china, and following the bullies outside to yell at them. It is only when he sees a tea bag, which got caught in his horns during his rampage, that he remember his grandmother’s mantra. He takes a deep breath and decides to stop acting in anger and try to give them a second chance. The bullies take his flag of truce, and decide to help him instead of hurt him, and they become friends instead of enemies. It was an ingenious way to introduce the concept of mindfulness, second chances, and thinking before we act. Highly recommended for ages 5+, 5 stars!

Watercress written by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin

I discovered this one by accident on a Best Books of 2021 list and the concept was fascinating. Basically it’s about a young Chinese girl in the 1970s who is on a road trip with her parents and brother, when suddenly her parents pull the car over on the side of the road next to a muddy ditch, and make the kids roll up their pants to go pick wild watercress. At first, the girl is embarrassed, then resentful and wonders “Why do we want to eating weeds picked on the side of the road when we are trying to be proper Americans and buy things from the grocery store like everybody else? What if someone saw them pulling up the watercress?” As the story progresses, we learn the reasoning behind the parent’s decision to stop. The girl is a child of Chinese immigrant parents, who never share anything about their past until her mother pulls out an old photograph and explains the reason for the watercress. Both of her parents lived through some very lean times in China and there wasn’t always food to eat, but a highlight was being able to pick fresh watercress to supplement their diet. The girl eventually learns to appreciate the watercress and what it meant to her parents. The artwork was gorgeous, and the story is autobiographical courtesy of the author, and she explains the story further in the author’s note in the back of the book. Recommended for ages 5-9, 4 stars. 

Ham Helsing: Vampire Hunter (Ham Helsing #1) written and illustrated by Rich Moyer

This book was another random find but I think it will end up being one of my favorite books read in 2021. The concept is so silly and hilarious, you can’t help but laugh and devour the story quickly. Ham Helsing is the last pig in a long line of distinguished, but let’s face it, stupid vampire hunters. His brother Chad was way more adventurous and into hunting, but Ham does it very reluctantly and would rather write poetry. He mostly does it just because he’s the last one and feels obligated. With the help of a two local rats (who immediately try to swindle him out of the reward money), he heads to Mud Canyon to kill a vampire though he has no idea how to do so. Along the way, they meet a werewolf boy, an armored bear, and a female ninja Robin Hood, who join him on his quest. But things are not as they appear and it turns out the vampire is actually not the baddie in this book. My favorite character is the vampire’s evil chicken minion and how the vampire can control the “undead”, and of course because all the main characters are pigs is actually living bacon strips. I can’t wait to read the second book in the summer! Highly recommended for ages 7+, 5 stars. 

The Pet to Get: Snake by Rob Colson

I have been looking for a how-to-take-care of a snake book for a few weeks as my son and I are planning on buying a snake for Christmas, and have not been having very much luck, in children’s or adult books. I have wanted a book that both of us could read and understand. This is the first book I’ve found that accurately describes what it is like to actually own a snake. It explains simply, but clearly, what exactly a snake tank (vivarium) is and what sort of things you should put inside it, how to clean your tank and keep your snake clean and healthy, how to feed a snake, how to handle them and for how long, whether or not the snake is healthy, and five kinds of snakes and what you should expect with them. It’s basic but helpful, and hopefully I can supplement it with a reptile care book from the adult section of the library. Highly recommended for ages 7-11, 5 stars.

Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of the Nahua written by Gloria Amescua, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

I love Duncan Tonatiuh’s work so whenever he has a new book coming out, I try to get my hands on it. His artwork is very distinctive so I recognized it immediately and the book sounded intriguing too. Luz Jimenez, a Nahua (Aztec) girl who grew up hearing the tales of her ancestors and the mythology of her people, as well as how the Nahua lost their land to the Spanish. She grew up learning traditional cooking, weaving, clothes making, and harvesting from her mother. Similar to how the Native Americans were treated in America, Native Mexicans like Luz were forced to go to Indian schools which “made them modern Spanish-speaking students” and forbade them from speaking in their Native languages or celebrating their culture at all. She, her mother, and sister were forced to flee to Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution after the rebels burned and pillaged their hometown, and killed her father. Luz became a model for painters, photographers, and sculptors like Diego Rivera, Tina Modotti, and Jean Charlot. She spent the rest of her life preserving Nahuan culture and storytelling.  She helped an anthropologist create a Nahuatl dictionary, as well as assisting him to teach the language at the College of Mexico City. She was a fascinating lady, and I was glad to have learned a little bit about her. The back of the book includes an author’s note on Luz, artist’s note, timeline, glossary of terms, and a select bibliography. Highly recommended for ages 8-12, 5 stars. 

Starcross (Larklight #2) by Philip Reeve

As another reviewer has said, I looked very much forward to this book after listening to Larklight and loving it and wanted this book to be just as awesome. But it wasn’t quite as good, due mainly to the diminished parts of Art, Myrtle and Jack, although I did like hearing more from Mrs. Mumby. I thought the storyline wasn’t as good and ended too suddenly. The premise was interesting though. Creatures from “futurity” as Mr. Reeve puts it, come into the present (1851) to feed on people’s thoughts and dreams and take over the world. At the same time, a rogue French secret service agent is trying to take over the world also, but in order to crush the British empire. The Cockney nightingale character totally cracked me up, and as usual Jack and Myrtle’s romance made the story more interesting as well as Myrtle’s realization that she likes performing the alchemical wedding. Despite all of this, I do still want to read Mothstorm, the final book in the series. Recommended for ages 9-12, 3-1/2 stars.

Re-listened to book with my son (Oct 27 – Nov 24, 2021): My son was very anxious to start this book after how much enjoyed the first one. We both thought it was funny, esp the part with the Moobs.

Daughter of the Deep written by Rick Riordan

This is another one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I read this to my son as a bedtime story and it kept our attention and didn’t let go until we had finished it. The book is an awesome re-telling of Jules Verne’s classic story Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, but with a teenage Indian female main character named Ana Dakar who is thrown into the craziest situation and still manages to come out on top. She is a freshman at the prestigious Harding-Pencroft Academy, which produces the best “marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world.” Her parents died two years earlier under shady circumstances and she’s still not over the loss. Then suddenly her school is blown up while the freshman class is on a field trip to do the freshman trial (which determines if they continue at the school or not), and everything is thrown into disarray. Now her classmates have lost all of their older friends and siblings, and she’s lost her older brother Dev, her only surviving family member.  To top it all off, her teacher has just informed the class that everything told in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island are actually based on real-life accounts by the founders of Harding-Pencroft and the founders of their school rivals, The Land Institute. And all the technology talked about in the books is actually real and was created by Prince Dakar, aka Captain Nemo. As the only living Dakar, Ana is now in charge of everyone. What is a girl to do in this situation? Ana solves it by being tremendously amazing under pressure and being totally bad-ass despite being completely out of her league. The twists definitely kept us on the edge of our seat, and I liked having the Nautilus as a living character. My favorite part was definitely the parts with Romeo (don’t want to give too much away but he does make the story way more interesting). I highly recommend this book for Riordan fans, as well as anyone who loves an action-packed story. I have never read the original story, but it definitely got my son’s attention and he asked me for a copy to read in the future. Highly recommended for ages 10+, 5 stars. 

Manly Appetites: Minegishi Loves Otsu Vol 1 written and illustrated by Mito

Somewhere between a 3-1/2 and a 4 star for me, this manga is adorable! It was a little offensive, which is better explained by Goodreads review Sascha from April 23, 2021, “Otsu, the fat character, has a lot of internalized fatphobia. I don’t think this is a bad thing, and is realistic, especially for Japan. We see how he’s treated poorly for his weight, and how he developed the feelings about his body he has.” He also gets made fun of by coworkers and his boss because of his size. Minegishi, the proverbial hot guy in this scenario, does seem to adore Otsu though is incapable of actually vocalizing it out loud. All the attention Otsu gets from Minegishi boy frustrates him and seems to make him happy as well. They are mostly just clueless guys, but it is fun to watch Otsu’s friend think that they’re dating because of the way they act around each other but no one else seems to notice or at least not say anything. The double entendre with the title cracked me up, and is honestly about half the reason I picked it up. I’m hoping our library can get the next volume as it appears to be unavailable at the moment. Recommended for ages 15+.