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Review - Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros

Efrén Divided is about a seventh grader who must help keep his house running after his mother is deported on her way to work. It’s recommended for grades three to six (NoveList, n.d.) and offers children a glimpse into the lives of children of illegal immigrants and the disruption deportation causes for families. Cisneros creates realistic characters, especially in our lead Efrén, and masterfully combines hope and heartbreak to create a sense of empathy for the injustice of deportation. I also appreciate the book’s focus on incorporating Spanish and Mexican American culture to give readers an authentic portrait of Mexican American communities.

I read this as an eBook through CloudLibrary, and while I don’t think it took away or added much to the impact of the content, the convenience of the eBook format was wonderful! I mostly read this book between patrons while working the desk at my library, however it also came in handy when I had a spare moment but was away from my iPad. In one instance, my cat had fallen asleep on my chest, and I was able to pull the book up on my phone and read without disturbing her (I highly recommend this reading experience, by the way). For readers who are frequently on the go, including students who may not want to weigh down their backpacks with print books as they go from class to class, the eBook format is wonderful. For readers who have certain disabilities like dyslexia or limited visibility, the ability to change text size and background makes reading far more accessible than what might be available in print.

The characters in Efrén Divided feel very real and are immensely lovable. Efrén is guided primarily by a sense of responsibility for the people he cares about. Having a central motivation for his character that guides all his actions gives his character a realistic and understandable psychology that allows us to better empathize with his journey. However, even though his central motivation is noble, he is not immune to making mistakes and even hurting his friends which allows him to be likable without being unrealistically perfect. The other characters in the book are equally humanized, which makes watching them struggle through Amá’s deportation truly heartbreaking.

This heartbreak is especially felt towards the end of the book, where Cisneros refuses to give readers a traditional happy ending. The whole book, we watch Efrén struggle without his mother, we see his father working himself to the bone and his younger siblings weep for their mother. After all this hardship, when the arrangements are finally made for Amá to come home, the reader experiences the same joy and hope that the family does, only for it to come crashing down when it’s revealed that Amá won’t be coming home after all. Mixing hope and heartbreak like this highlights the painful reality of deportation for readers. While some readers, particularly those in more conservative areas, might have only heard of deportation as justice for illegal immigration, seeing the cruel reality in this book might cause some to reconsider whether there is any justice in deportation.

Aside from the valuable look at deportation and the experiences of undocumented immigrants, the book also naturally incorporates Spanish as an everyday aspect of the majority Hispanic community. One of my close friends teaches English in a school with a large Spanish-speaking population, and one of the difficulties he’s faced is trying to teach writing and literature to students who often struggle to read in English. Reading this book made me think of his students and how they might enjoy reading this book because of the casual inclusion of Spanish and authentic portrayal of Mexican American culture. In fact, I plan on getting him the English and Spanish language copies of this book for his classroom so his students will know that their language is respected in his classroom, even as his job is to teach them English. It’s my hope that this book will act as a mirror for them and make them feel more welcome.

I read this book as my Pura Belpre winner, and it was great! I can see this book being a valuable window for kids who don’t have a great understanding of how harmful deportation can be and a great mirror for children who might relate to Efrén and his family’s situation. Cisneros does a wonderful job making these issues more nuanced and accessible for younger audiences and I could easily see this being incorporated into a social studies class.

References

Cisneros, E. (2020). Efrén Divided. Quill Tree Books. NoveList. (n.d.).

Efrén Divided. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=5a5ad040-ca23-4db3-86d8-161890e6013c%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=10849555&db=neh.

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Review - Dig by A. S. King

For my Michael L. Printz Award winner, I chose Dig by A. S. King. This story follows the grandchildren of Marla and Gottfried, two former potato farmers who became wealthy but refused to share that wealth with their children and are now seeing the ways their choices have torn their family apart. It’s recommended for grades nine through twelve (NoveList, n.d.). This book is highly regarded for the way it navigates racism, classism, and privilege for a teen audience. While I agree with that praise, I found the audio book to be quite a slog to get through. The book is technically strong, but a majority of the book fell flat for me. The characters are realistic, but often annoying (particularly Canihelpyou? who is so pretentious it hurts). The plots are realistic and handle important topics, but some are way less interesting than others. Each aspect of the novel fits into the overall themes effectively, but I just didn’t enjoy listening to this.

I must note before anything else that I hate audio books. I’ve tried them a few times and I simply hate the way they’re read, even if I speed up the recording. This book was not an exception, which is likely why I have so many problems with it. When I told a coworker I was listening to this audio book and it wasn’t resonating with me, she was shocked and immediately handed me a print copy. I’m so glad she did this, because looking through the pages made me realize how important the layout of the chapters and paragraphs are to this book. Until I was reading reviews, I didn’t realize that the book is written in a surrealist style (Jensen, 2018), and flipping through the print book I saw how King uses layout to clarify the train of thought prose. Audio books are wonderful for struggling, busy, or reluctant readers, but I think this is the kind of book that should be read in print whenever possible.

The book is technically strong- the characters and plots feel mostly realistic (ghost cousins excepted) and neatly support the novel’s overall theme. However, some characters are borderline unbearable and some of the plot moments pale in comparison to others. I particularly had an issue with Canihelpyou? (who I will call Katie because I think “Canihelpyou?” is annoying), a weed-dealing rich girl who constantly looks down on everyone around her. Her angst is not unjustified. Her mother is a racist who tells Katie to stop seeing her best friend Ian because he’s mixed-race and uses money as a means of control over Katie. However, when Katie interacts with anyone who’s not Ian, she expresses nothing but disdain despite not really knowing anyone beyond their drug order. She presents herself as so perceptive, but all she really does is project her own biases onto others. At the end, there is a somewhat satisfying moment where she comes to the realization that she’s no better than anyone, but it doesn’t make up for her being so pretentious for the previous two hundred and fifty pages. The other characters are not nearly so irksome in my opinion and are fully fleshed out, so I would say King does a wonderful job creating characters that have effective arcs for expressing the importance of breaking racist and classist behavior cycles.

The plot in this novel largely focuses on the family coming back together after being torn apart by greed and resentment for so long. The most interesting parts of the book to me were the parts where the children and grandchildren interacted with Marla and had to navigate her casual racism and greed. Growing up in the South, there are a lot of people I know to be good people who have internalized aspects of white supremacy without realizing it. I struggled for a long time in my teens to know how to interact with those people and the scenes with Marla would have made me feel seen and supported as a teen. However, almost everything else in the book fell flat for me. It all neatly ties into the resolution and the overall themes of the book, but they were not nearly as interesting as the moments where characters are directly confronted with their relatives’ racism and must navigate that without causing the rift in their family to grow even larger.

Many of my critiques are a matter of personal taste, to be fair, and since I understand how each element is well-crafted and feeds into the novel’s larger ideas, I still recommend it. I read several other reviews to try and understand why this book wasn’t resonating with me, and I ultimately think I would have appreciated it much more if I had consumed it under better conditions.

References

Jensen, K. (2018, September 26). Book review: Dig by A. S. King, an important reflection on white privilege in YA literature. School Library Journal. https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2018/09/26/book-review-dig-by-a-s-king-an-important-reflection-on-white-privilege-in-ya-literature/.

King, A. S. (2019). Dig. Dutton Books.

NoveList. (n.d.). Dig. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=29a76800-e19b-4817-8644-049a9e89fbee%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=10760987&db=neh.

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Review - Huda F are You? by Huda Fahmy

Huda F are You? is a graphic novel by Huda Fahmy that hilariously documents a young Muslim girl’s mission to discover her identity now that she’s in a new school where being “the hijabi girl” is no longer unique. It’s recommended for grades eight through eleven (NoveList, n.d.). I chose this book for the graphic novel prompt because it was on the TLA 2023 TAYSHAS reading list (Texas Library Association, 2023) and because I can’t remember having ever read a book with a Muslim lead. I’m always trying to diversify my reading and decided to rectify that gap in my reading. Huda F are You? was a delightful book for learning about Muslim American culture. It shows us Huda’s struggles in ways that are universally relatable but still highlight unique experiences hijabis face growing up in America. The relatable story and characters are highlighted through cute, expressive cartoon illustrations and the humor is delivered through expertly crafted page layout and plot pacing.

The central plot in the book is Huda figuring out her identity amidst the chaos of starting at a new high school where her role becomes unclear. In her previous community, she was the only hijabi in her community, and though she has a larger community in her new high school, there are also several people who make their disdain for Muslims known in big and small ways. The relatable teen moments (like telling a boy you like them only to realize you mostly just want their approval) and the moments of Islamophobia (such as a teacher repeatedly describing Muslims as inherently violent) are seamlessly intertwined. I don’t want to make it seem that diverse fiction’s value should be based on whether white people can relate to it or not, but as a white woman I really appreciated that this book acts as a wonderful window into Muslim American girls’ experiences.

The characters are my favorite part of this book. Huda, our lead, is hilariously self-deprecating but isn’t a clown. She is a fully realized character who demonstrates intelligence, kindness, and grows a lot throughout the story. A particularly strong moment is when Huda realizes that she doesn’t wear her hijab and go to halaqa because she must, but because she likes those parts of her Muslim culture. It’s an empowering moment that reveals Huda’s values and her growth into a more self-assured individual. The other characters in the book are just as well rounded, with Huda’s mother having a heartbreaking backstory told in an impressive three pages. With identity and belonging being central themes of the book, it’s important to have realistic characters for the audience to love and root for, and Fahmy’s character development is wildly successful.

Fahmy is a master at storytelling through comics. Her cartoony style allows for funny, heightened expressions that do a lot to communicate characters’ thoughts and deliver punchlines. The page layouts also carry much of the humor by guiding the book’s pacing. The book is a very quick read, in part because the illustrations are cartoony with minimal detail and frequently take up full two-page spreads. This layout establishes a quick, energetic pace that supports the book’s humor by delivering punchlines with perfect timing.

Huda F are You? is a delightful read. The humor and characters offer a witty, accessible look into Muslim American experiences. It’s also a perfect book for reluctant or struggling readers because of the casual language and heavy reliance on visual art to tell the story. It’s a short, highly enjoyable book that is sure to engage any reader.

References

Fahmy, H. (2021). Huda F are You? Dial Books.

NoveList. (n.d.). Huda F are you? https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=135ee496-5f4c-447f-adaf-c46d86b4e6ac%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=11024940&db=neh.

Texas Library Association. (n.d.). 2023 TAYSHAS List announced. https://txla.org/news/2023-tayshas-list-announced/.

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Review - The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm

One of my favorite things about reading is finding a book that offers a little slice of utopia. People work together for the common good, they overcome their disagreements and find a power based in peace rather than domination. Books like that just make me feel good. It’s not something I actively look for when choosing books, but when I come across a world like that, the book automatically gains my favor, even if the story is a little weak. That was my experience with The Lion of Mars.  

The Lion of Mars follows eleven-year-old Bell who has been raised on America’s Mars colony. He must find his courage when a disease incapacitates all the adults in the colony, so it’s up to him and the other Mars children to get help from the other colonies despite contact with them having been forbidden for as long as Bell can remember. This sci-fi novel is recommended for third through sixth graders (NoveList, n.d.), and was a Booklist Editor’s Choice pick for 2021 (Booklist, 2022) and a Texas Bluebonnet Nominee in 2022 (Texas Library Association, n.d.). While the pacing of the book is weak, the world and the characters more than make up for it and create a fun reading experience in which kids are brave, smart, and heroic. 

This book’s greatest strength is its world. The Mars colonies are already established and have been running for some time when the book begins, so our narrator is able to take us through the unfamiliar environment very naturally and seamlessly. I hate sitting through lengthy worldbuilding passages in books, favoring instead the approach of this novel in which the character goes about their life and leaves the reader to absorb the world naturally. This approach allows the focus to remain on the story without interrupting the flow with explanations on how everything works. Holm explains daily life on Mars and even international conflict with immersive naturalism that gives a full sense of the world without weighing down the story with exposition. 

Holm populates this world with interesting characters who all feel distinct, though some of the other children feel a little flat. Seeing these characters interact is what made me feel that this book was a little slice of Utopia. Every character has deep love and respect for one another and is willing to all work together to make their little colony functional. It’s a model of a functional family that made this book such a pleasant read. Bell, the main character of the novel is smart without being overly precocious and goes on a moving journey where he must learn to be brave for the sake of others. The commander of the colony, Sai, is perhaps the most interesting character in the novel with the most moving arc. While he doesn’t wear his grief on his sleeve, it is slowly revealed that he still feels the loss of Lissa, a fellow Mars dweller who was left behind in a rover crash by his former friends from the neighboring colonies. He can’t let go of this loss, and we discover the ways it affects him years later and prevents him from forgiving and making friends with the other nations’ colonies. I find Sai to be a complex, realistic, and highly sympathetic character, and being in Bell’s perspective allows us to see both his warmth and his shortcomings. 

The book’s weakest point is its pacing. I chose to read this book because I’m familiar with children’s fantasy and wanted to try a science fiction novel; since I love medical science fiction, I figured a book about kids having to save adults from a mysterious disease would be a perfect fit. While the blurb makes it seem that figuring out the disease is the focus of the plot, none of the characters get sick until about halfway through the book. The much larger focus of the novel is family and community, and the book handles these themes well, but in terms of plot and events it is sorely lacking. I never found myself bored while reading, but upon reflection there aren’t many discrete events that happen before the adults finally start getting sick at the halfway point.  

Despite the poor pacing, the book is redeemed for me by its world and characters. I really enjoyed reading it and was glad to have sampled children’s science fiction with this title. I can see many children being inspired by this book and it makes me very happy to know children have a model of community based on cooperation. Hopefully, it will inspire children to make our world more like Holm’s vision of society on Mars. 

References 

Booklist. (2022, January 1). Booklist editor’s choice: Books for youth, 2021. https://www.booklistonline.com/Editors-Choice-Books-for-Youth-2021/pid=9758517.  

Holm, J. L. (2021). The lion of Mars. Random House. 

NoveList. (n.d.). The lion of Mars. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=7bf18312-146f-4d25-8894-58e08c717d9d%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=10938587&db=neh.  

Texas Library Association. (n.d.). 2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet Award master list released. https://txla.org/news/2022-2023-texas-bluebonnet-award-master-list-released/. 

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Review - All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

All Boys Aren’t Blue explores the difficulties of growing up Black and queer in the US. It is a powerful memoir that introduces basic concepts relating to queer theory and critical race theory and is recommended for grades ninth through twelfth (NoveList, n.d.). It also has the distinct honor of being one of the most challenged books in the US in recent history, clocking in at number two on the ALA’s Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2023 (American Library Association, 2023). The book is challenged for queer content and sexually explicit content; while there is some harrowing content including details of a sexual assault, Johnson handles these topics gently and in a voice that offers both the comfort of elder experience and resonant raw emotion. While the voice is strong, the choice of anecdotes is sometimes only loosely related to Johnson’s larger points, but overall, themes are communicated effectively and consistently. 

The strongest part of this book is Johnson’s voice as an author. Each chapter revolves around one or two anecdotes from his life that tie into a larger message about queer and racial equity. These stories are often intimate and at times hard to read, but Johnson writes in a combination of conversational vocabulary with lyrical rhythm that eases the reader through each chapter and reminds them that each difficult memory serves a larger hopeful purpose. This style creates a sense of familiarity between Johnson and the reader, strengthening the emotional impact of the book’s themes. It encourages a visceral empathy in readers unfamiliar with some of Johnson’s experiences and a sense of validation in readers who are familiar with Johnson’s struggles. 

While each chapter of the book offers a lesson that encourages empathy and solidarity with Black and queer communities, some of the anecdotes used to introduce these lessons are somewhat flimsy in their relation to the theme. He spends a chapter discussing the distress of discovering his first name is “George” and not “Matthew,” the name he had gone by since birth. Personally, I can’t relate to the experience of going by a middle name, but growing up it was never uncommon or weird for someone to go by their middle name. Johnson portrays learning his first name as a life-altering experience with all the adults around him treating the moment with the same gravity one might treat the revelation of being adopted. This transitions into a discussion of the power of names and how they are essential to a person’s identity and rounds out with an affirmation of trans identities and it being essential to respect a person’s true name. To me, the anecdote is related but is perhaps made greater than is realistic. While his writing about names and identities is moving, the story choice weakens the chapter. 

Despite the occasional weak anecdote, the overall messaging of the book is consistent and effective. Johnson repeatedly affirms the inherent dignity and value in all people, offering Black and queer readers the opportunity to be reflected and celebrated despite the challenges they face in a white and hetero-centered society. It offers a guide for young people to challenge the status quo and lovingly claim their space in the world, despite the attempts by others to suppress their identities. While this book is especially helpful for teens, having been written expressly to reach Black and queer youth, the raw, intimate look at Johnson’s inner world would undoubtedly help parents understand the queer teens in their lives. 

I read this in fulfillment of this project’s “Banned or Challenged Book” prompt and chose this specific title because I am passionate about preserving queer voices in the library (and I had already read the number one most challenged book- Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer). I am so glad I’ve read it, and I proudly recommend it for any queer teen who wants to feel seen or any straight person who wants to gain empathy for that community. 

References 

American Library Association. (2023, April 21). Top 10 most challenged books of 2023. https://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10.  

Johnson, G. M. (2020). All boys aren’t blue: A memoir-manifesto. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. 

NoveList. (n.d.). All boys aren’t blue: A memoir-manifesto. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=a5010ec4-959a-4c19-ad89-f596c4ef8c8d%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=10923496&db=neh. 

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Review - Standing in the Need of Prayer by Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Frank Morrison

Spirituals are a form of religious music created by enslaved Black people in America. This book honors that heritage by creating new lyrics for a classic spiritual to introduce children to various events and people in Black American history and inspire them to continue the fight for racial equity and justice. I was drawn to this book as my Coretta Scott King Award winner because of my background in music, including worship music. The poetry in this book is simple but moving, reminding the reader of the violent oppression Black people in America have had to combat, and it is accompanied by gorgeous paintings that link past and present struggles seamlessly. Its overall theme, that much has been done but there is still much left to do, is inspiring and important for today’s children. This book is recommended for children in the first through fourth grade, and I think it is a wonderful tool for introducing African American history and Black American culture to young people.

The poetry in this book is based on the classic spiritual “Standing in the Need of Prayer,” and the author explains in a note at the back of the book that she followed the spiritual tradition of improvising new lyrics to the song. Her lyrics reference many events in American history, including slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and Colin Kaepernick, in mythic language. This elevates these events into inspiring milestones of progress, feeding into the inspirational tone of the book.

The illustrations are also beautifully done and create a beautiful visual timeline throughout the book. These illustrations are expressive, conveying Black people as strong in the face of racial oppression and violence. Several times in the book, a scene from the past is painted over the head of a more recent historical figure, conveying a sense of connection between current fights against oppression, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, and their roots in a long past of overcoming oppression. Particularly lovely to me, are the illustrations in the front and back covers. These are big, powerful paintings depicting children, standing strong in the face of racial injustice. The first shows an enslaved child chained but standing tall in front of a man with a snake-like whip; the violent and intimidating stances of the two men are in stark contrast to the strength and composure of the child, setting up this story of resilience and courage. The final illustration is a Black girl walking into a sunset with a protest sign. We saw this little girl in a previous illustration, so we know this is a BLM sign. Her walk away from the viewer is relaxed with one hand in her pocket and her head tilted casually. These bookending images encapsulate the book’s overall theme that there is still much to be done, but looking at the triumphs of past African American figures can provide hope and inspiration to keep fighting for equity.

The overall theme of the book is perhaps its strongest point. This book came out in 2022 during a heightened conversation about racial justice that had become widely popular after the BLM protests of 2020. In the face of a highly polarized political moment, it’s easy to fear that you’ll never reach a moment of justice, peace, and equity. I think this book gives people, especially children, a much-needed lesson from history that equity can and will prevail, we just have to keep fighting for it. It uses examples from the relatively distant to the very recent pasts to give examples of African Americans who didn’t give up their fight and made bold progress that brought us to the current moment and encourages children to then take up this mission and keep the movement going forward.

I love this book. It’s both a beautiful work of art and an inspiring experience to read. It has many uses for children – as an introduction to African American history, as an introduction to spirituals as Black culture, and as an inspirational piece for young activists. I personally found it very inspiring and will be recommending it for the staff picks display at my library.

References

NoveList. (n.d.). Standing in the need of prayer: A modern retelling of the classic spiritual. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=8e136d72-9e1b-4138-9fbc-ca6664275f22%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=11077253&db=neh.

Weatherford, C. B. (2022). Standing in the need of prayer (F. Morrison, Illus.). Crown Books for Young Readers.

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Review - Truly, Devious by Maureen Johnson

A true-crime obsessed teen is accepted into an elite academy where learning is a game, but is the prize worth it? Stevie goes to Ellingham Academy, drawn in by the unsolved murder that happened there in the 1930s. She’s determined to crack this mystery, but when a classmate dies, she finds that investigating murders can be more harrowing than she thought. It’s recommended for grades eight to twelve (NoveList, n.d.). I saw this book on YALSA’s (2019) Best Fiction for Young Adults list and chose it because of its popularity on BookTok. This book gripped me first with its thick and dark atmosphere, then with its realistic characters, and sealed the deal with its exciting twists and turns.  

Reading lists based on aesthetics have really taken off recently, with libraries (Ramsey County Library, 2024) and even Libby (Suhy, 2023) making reading recommendations based on aesthetics popularized by TikTok. While there are perhaps some issues with sorting books into aesthetic categories, when it comes to teens it’s a great way to get them interested in reading and that’s what counts. I would sort Truly, Devious into the Dark Academia aesthetic, and not just for its literal academic setting. The opulence of the academy is tempered by the weight of the mysterious tragedy the school is known for. Additionally, while the literal setting of the novel is this dark, secluded mansion academy, throughout the novel we are mostly inside Stevie’s head, creating this highly cerebral and emotionally driven atmosphere. Johnson’s world building and perspective choices create a book that you want to live in, despite all the murders. 

Johnson also does a wonderful job creating realistic characters whose actions, though often imperfect, always make sense and incur realistic consequences that allow readers to really get to understand these characters. While it would have been easy for these characters to become archetypes – the detective, the nerd, the actor, etc. – but enough is revealed about these characters through their behaviors that they become fleshed out and real. Our protagonist Stevie is a wonderful example of this, using detective skills as a coping mechanism for her anxiety which naturally leads her to go too far and drive people away as she becomes singularly focused on solving the mystery. However, the exception to this is the artist, Ellie. Ellie is peak stereotype, having grown up on a commune, her full name is literally Element, playing a saxophone and dancing at the most inopportune times without any real reason. It makes me feel like she’s got to be based on someone that Maureen Johnson hates, but that might be projection because I hate Ellie. However, Ellie’s role in this novel is small enough that she didn’t take much away from the reading experience. 

The novel’s plot is packed, but clear and engaging. While Stevie becomes obsessed with solving not one but two murders, she’s also trying to get used to a new school with a new social environment while adjusting to living on her own for the first time. There are introductions to new people and places, romantic dilemmas, assignment deadlines, and, of course, murders. Johnson does a wonderful job of establishing a character who is intelligent and capable of juggling all these activities, but who also tends to hyperfocus. It’s a great use of perspective to help balance and focus the plot so the book doesn’t feel too crowded or too fast to process what’s happening. Every event in the plot is believable but also surprising, which is exactly what you want from a mystery novel. The final whodunit twist of this book, however, does not have a satisfying sense of “all the clues make sense now,” but the rest of the plot is so strong that this minor shortfall again doesn’t bother me much. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I think both teens and adults will have a blast reading through the mystery and getting to know the characters. While this of course would be a hit among mystery fans, I also think it can be used as an example for aspiring writers of how to craft characters and plots that are engaging and believable. As someone who isn’t big into mysteries, I found it accessble and highly entertaining! 

References 

Johnson, M. (2018). Truly, Devious. HarperCollins. 

NoveList. (n.d.). Truly, Devious. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=89425a9c-d774-4372-9c8b-6a3114927208%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=10617196&db=neh.  

Ramsey County Library. (2024). Tik Tok inspired reads. https://www.rclreads.org/explore/?tag=tiktok-inspired-reads.  

Suhy, A. (2023, June 28). The books to read based on your aesthetic. Libby Life. https://www.libbylife.com/2023-06-28-the-books-to-read-based-on-your-aesthetic.  

YALSA. (2019). 2019 best fiction for young adults. American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/yalsa/2019-best-fiction-young-adults.

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Review - Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

Julián is a Mermaid is about a young boy* who becomes enamored with three mermaids he sees on the train. When he gets home, he tells his Abuela that he’s a mermaid and while she showers, he creates his own mermaid costume using the houseplants and curtains. Rather than scold Julián, Abuela celebrates him by taking him to a parade so he can march with all the mermaids just like him. I have been wanting to read Julián is a Mermaid for a while because I was aware of its reputation as a wonderful picture book about transgender children. It is recommended for grades While the book is not explicitly about being transgender, the depictions of a young boy playing dress up and identifying with more feminine-coded aesthetics are very true to early gender exploration and nonconformity. Love’s sparse writing style allows her to use dynamic and vibrant illustrations to tell this feel-good story about accepting and celebrating yourself. 

The prose in this book often takes a back seat to the illustrations, but what little is there is immensely effective. While the illustrations are dynamic and flowing and imaginative, the language is grounded and creates a clear delineation between Julián’s imagination and reality. Abuela’s voice is particularly clear, as she is usually the one snapping Julián back into reality. Her mix of Spanish and English and her short sentences creates the impression of a tired but loving Abuela, setting her up to go either way when she discovers her grandson playing dress up.  

The true highlight of this book are the illustrations. Love’s art is vibrant and dynamic, capturing movement and emotion. Through these illustrations, we get to see Julián’s inner world where he imagines himself turning into a mermaid and swimming through the ocean. One brilliant touch is the inclusion of a large blue and white fish in the first episode of Julián’s imagination that presents him with a pink wreath of seaweed to wear around his neck. Later in the book, Julián’s abuela wears a blue and white dress in the same pattern as the fish’s and presents him with a string of pink pearls as a gesture of acceptance. It’s a beautiful and subtle moment that is likely to resonate with many gender non-conforming people who want their families to accept their identities. 

This book is known for the way it presents gender nonconformity in children. It features a male-coded child exploring female-coded aesthetics and being loved and celebrated for it. The overall theme is that it’s okay to like things that are considered outside the norm for your gender, and I think that’s a very valuable lesson for all children – cis and trans. Some boys may want to play with barbies or dress up clothes and some girls may enjoy hot wheels and Pokémon cards. Some young boys may want to grow their hair long and even go by a more feminine name, some young girls may hate wearing dresses and prefer to be considered one of the guys. This book shows these children and their peers that it’s okay to like things outside of the typical gender roles and that the loving and kind thing to do is accept those kinds of differences in ourselves and others. 

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was entranced by the gorgeous illustrations and moved by the story. Librarians and educators refer a lot to Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s (1990) metaphor of books as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors because it is a wonderful explanation of why diverse books are so important both in the public library and the classroom. I think this book can act as all three. Children who feel pulled towards gender nonconformity can see themselves reflected in Julián; children who don’t have that experience can gain understanding of the kids they know who do; and children who weren’t aware of gender nonconformity might be interested in playing with gender expression after reading this book. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to explain or introduce the idea of gender expression and gender nonconformity to children in a positive way. 

*Many readers understand Julián to be a transgender child, but the book doesn’t explicitly state his gender identity. I’ve been seeing other reviewers use he/him pronouns for the character, so I will do that here as well. 

References 

Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, 6(3). https://scenicregional.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Mirrors-Windows-and-Sliding-Glass-Doors.pdf.  

Love, J. (2018). Julián is a mermaid. Candlewick Press. 

NoveList. (n.d.). Julian is a mermaid. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=7743c694-befb-499c-8af6-5df52c5e55aa%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=10659115&db=neh.  

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Review - Watercress by Andrea Wang, Illustrated by Jason Chin

Watercress is about a young girl who is embarrassed by her Chinese family when they pull over on the side of the road to harvest watercress and eat it for dinner that evening. It’s a story about connecting to your heritage and appreciating the aspects of yourself that are different, told powerfully by Andrea Wang. This book won a Caldecott Award in 2022 and is recommended for children in Pre-K to third grade (NoveList, n.d.). I chose this book because one of my main goals with this project was to read wider than I normally would and prioritize books about the cultures and experiences of marginalized communities. While I’m sure many children of immigrants and Asian American children have found valuable representation in this book, I am from a non-immigrant white family so I’ve focused my perspective on how children with similar backgrounds to mine would experience this book. The combination of relatable characters and a plot about unique cultural experiences, presented with beautiful illustrations, makes this book a perfect window into the experiences of children of immigrants. 

While many children reading this book may not immediately relate to the events in this book, the characters are immediately relatable to any child. The protagonist of the book is a little girl who is embarrassed when her parents do something she doesn’t consider “normal”- gathering watercress off the side of the road for dinner. Her embarrassment and anger are recognizable to any child who wants to fit in but feels like there’s some fundamental aspect of them that makes them stick out. There’s also the little brother who doesn’t seem to mind that his family is different, which of course only enhances the girl’s feelings through a sense of isolation. The girl’s emotional journey resolves when she gains a deeper understanding of why her family has different cultural practices and her love and care for her parents overcomes her desire to be like everyone else, another emotional experience children from all backgrounds can empathize with. 

These relatable emotional experiences can ground the unique events for children who don’t share the characters’ culture. Maybe a white middle-class child hasn’t had the experience of gathering watercress for dinner on the side of the road, but they have been in a situation where their family does something “out of the norm” and causes them to feel embarrassed. Having a relatable character creates a window for children to better understand how they are similar and different from others. They have gone through similar emotions which can allow them to empathize with the unique experience. It garners empathy and appreciation for the characters’ culture which can open readers’ minds.  

All of this is presented through illustrations by Jason Chin, which are aesthetically beautiful and greatly enhance the experience of this book as a window to the experiences of children of immigrants. In the note at the back of the book, Chin explains the choice to use watercolor and traditional Chinese techniques to reflect the book’s message that it’s good to embrace your heritage, even if it makes you different. I think any reading of this book, especially in classrooms, should include a discussion of the artistic techniques used to create the illustrations. This would further enhance the main lesson of the book, but it also is a culturally inclusive way to encourage visual literacy in children. Understanding the significance of how the illustrations were created and encouraging them to consider what the techniques and images do to enhance the story gets children to think about how we use images to communicate. While these are conversations that can be introduced using any picture book, I believe it is especially important with this one due to the illustrator’s careful and thoughtful approach to this book. 

Overall, this book is wonderful. It’s enjoyable as a story and valuable as a lesson. It encourages empathy for different cultures for those using this story as a window, but it also lets children know how important it is to embrace your heritage. It shows children how we can be connected to our pasts and our families, and that these connections are valuable and deserve to be honored. It’s a beautiful book with a wonderful message, and I loved it.  

References 

NoveList. (n.d.). Watercress. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=206df4d8-f3ed-4efa-b476-196dc8307eaa%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#db=neh&AN=10947582.  

Wang, A. (2021). Watercress (J. Chin, Illus.). Neal Porter Books. 

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Review - Starfish by Lisa Fipps

Starfish by Lisa Fipps is a verse novel exploring the bullying fat kids can face from their peers and even the adults around them. It follows Ellie, who is taken to therapy after being harassed, bullied, and monitored because of her size. In the process of learning how to love her body and stand up for herself without compromising her kindness, she stands up to her biggest bully – her own mother. It is recommended for readers in 5th-8th grades (NoveList, n.d.), but is being reviewed here for the 6th grade and under audience since my local library shelves this with the middle grade fiction (Hurst Public Library, n.d.). I chose this specific book from recommendations from the head of youth services at my library and because of its inclusion as Fattie Book Club’s (2024) October read.  

This book was easily the best book I’ve read so far for this project, though admittedly I am a fat woman, and I’m involved in fat justice discourse so there is an element of personal connection to the subject. Fipps’ language is often lyrical and evocative, using the poetic format to put the reader in Ellie’s mind. Fipps also creates realistic characters that spark genuine emotions in the reader through their actions and journeys. Perhaps the only somewhat weak point of Starfish is the plot; Fipps does a wonderful job showing the constant barrage of harassment fat people can face from peers, strangers, and even their own family, but she stops short of calling it abuse. This leaves an unignorable hole in the messaging of this book. 

I confess I don’t usually like verse novels. My previous experience has been reading Impulse and Crank by Ellen Hopkins, and my main issue with those novels was that the verse style didn’t seem to add anything to the story. After a certain point, I stopped thinking about the rhythm of the poetry, which since Hopkins uses such naturalist language would be the main benefit of using a free verse structure. Starfish, however, is very thoughtful about the rhythm and language in ways that do enhance the story and contribute significantly to Fipps’ successful messaging. The rhythm of the prose mirrors natural thought patterns that evoke the same emotions in the reader as those Ellie is experiencing throughout the story. It makes the character real and her experiences more harrowing because the reader is experiencing all her joy and distress with her. The language Fipps uses is also often lyrical and beautiful, while remaining natural. Her use of rhyme is spare, bringing attention to the moments when it is used and enhancing their impact. Overall, Fipps’ style elicits empathy in the reader and makes her successful in making the reader consider their attitudes towards fat people, self-esteem, and empathy. 

The true strength of this book is the characters. Starfish follows Ellie, who has always been a fat kid but as she’s grown older, she has faced more and more pressure from those around her to shrink herself. Since she can’t shrink her body, she shrinks her personality and adheres to her harsh but relatable “rules for fat girls.” It’s not until her father takes her to a therapist that she is able to become comfortable taking up physical and emotional space and break free of the judgement and bullying she has always faced. Since we are in Ellie’s mind, she is the character we get to know most, and we see all her strengths and flaws. These are believably balanced, especially for a girl of twelve, who often acts out though she knows she shouldn’t and has to grow into self-love and leave behind a desire to retaliate. This is a relatable journey for kids who face bullying, and Ellie’s success at finding this inner peace is a hopeful and beneficial message for those children. 

The only weakness in this novel was with the plot. I felt that Fipps shied away from an aspect of the plot that was staring me straight in the face: abuse. The mother in this novel is constantly pressuring Ellie to lose weight, often through unhealthy means like restricting food, oppressively monitoring her behavior, and verbally abusing her daughter. The mother even takes the daughter to a doctor to discuss weight loss surgery, a surgery which killed Ellie’s aunt and that both Ellie and Ellie’s father express is out of the question. This is abuse. It’s not bullying, this is child abuse. Fipps says she’s writing this novel to reach out to kids who are victims of bullying to give them hope, but she stops short of calling the mother’s behavior abusive and giving the mother tangible consequences for that abuse. While it is powerful for Ellie to confront her mother and reject her self-centering sorrow and express that their relationship is forever strained because of her behavior, without calling out the mother as genuinely abusive and having her face consequences like divorce or legal action, it sends the message that children facing abuse for their size will not be protected by the adults around them, even the ones like Ellie’s father who actually care about their wellbeing.  

Though I have serious issues with Fipps dancing around the abuse label, I did adore this book. I found it harrowing to read at times but overall, it was uplifting and beautifully written. 

References

Fattie Book Club [@fattiebookclub]. (2024, August 24). Join us virtually on October 16 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT for our discussion about “Starfish” by @authorlisafipps Register [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/fattiebookclub/p/C_D7_fRRALO/?hl=en.  

Fipps, L. (2021). Starfish. Nancy Paulson Books. 

Hurst Public Library. (n.d.). Search results for starfish. https://hrst.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=starfish&te=.

NoveList. (n.d.). Starfish. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=fb16e089-c227-4620-8ea3-c388df400b02%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#db=neh&AN=10947429.

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Review - Ketanji: Justice Jackson's Journey to the U.S. Supreme Court by Kekla Magoon, Illustrated by Laura Freeman

Ketanji is a picture book biography describing the life and career of Ketanji Brown Jacson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Beginning with Jackson’s parents giving her a name from West African culture, the novel follows the now-Justice Jackson as she develops a passion for improving society for marginalized people using the law and follows that dream to the highest court in the land. This book is a Texas Bluebonnet Nominee for 2024 and is suitable for first through third graders (NoveList, n.d.). 

This book offers a lot for its readers - children will learn about the perseverance and intelligence it takes to be selected for the Supreme Court, they’ll get to witness an inspiring journey of a woman from a less privileged background achieving national acclaim, and they’ll even get introduced to some issues that are still widely discussed today. And though the book provides a factual and engaging discussion of these topics, I found that the book didn’t stand out for me personally. The illustrations are pleasing and create a great sense of specialness and movement to the story, though I didn’t find them particularly creative or especially expressive. The text offers great explanations, not only of Jackson’s life but also of various issues such as the value of public defenders and the controversy around the Confederate flag, but aside from these discussions being clear and concise they’re not any more or less engaging than any other biography. 

Freeman’s illustrations create the pace and tone of the book. The star emanating from Jackson’s head throughout the book create a sense of magic around her, and an arrangement of portraits along a winding dotted line give the impression of forward motion to the narrative. Alongside these illustrations, the text highlights the careful work and perseverance that helped Jackson achieve success as a lawyer and a judge. The reader is left with both an appreciation for Justice Jackson’s natural talents and intelligence, as well as the belief that anyone can achieve great things with dedication. 

I appreciate that this book was nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award, but I find its value to mostly be in its representation rather than its construction. It’s important for children to have books with stories from all kinds of backgrounds, and Black women and girls are underrepresented in children’s literature (Greenspan, 2023). Award lists like the Texas Bluebonnet Awards play an important role in pointing children towards quality literature that can expand their views of the world, so including this book allows Black girls to see themselves in Justice Jackson and see the possibilities for their own successes. Children from other backgrounds get exposed to the perspectives of some African Americans and may also become more open-minded to African American success. This is an important lesson, given it was only recently that America had its first Black president and, as Ketanji explains, even more recently that a Black woman began serving on the Supreme Court. 

While it would be easy for any biography to fall into a dry description of events, Magoon does a great job of making Justice Jackson into a hero. Jackson is constantly described as “shining” and we get insight into her values of equality and justice inspired by her upbringing. The writing makes Justice Jackson more real, so the reader comes out with a connection to Jackson as a person as opposed to simply understanding her as a political reference. It’s an approach that is sure to help students better remember what they learn about Justice Jackson and better understand the importance of her role as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. 

Justice Jackson’s story is inspiring and the Magoon does a wonderful job guiding the reader through the winding path that led Jackson to the Supreme Court, but for whatever reason it simply didn’t strike me. Though this book didn’t stand out to me, I would still recommend it and believe it has plenty to offer any child who reads it. 

Greenspan, J. (2023). Are children’s books improving representation?. Scientific American Magazine, 329(5), p. 12. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican1223-12b 

Magoon, K. (2023). Ketanji: Justice Jackson’s journey to the U.S. Supreme Court (L. Freeman, Illus.). HarperCollins Children’s Books.  

NoveList. (n.d.). Ketanji: Justice Jackson’s journey to the U.S. Supreme Court. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=8f81f729-6c40-40f5-9e35-23e90a02daa8%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=11133210&db=neh.  

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Review - Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Last Night at the Telegraph Club follows Lily, a young Chinese American girl growing up in 1950s San Francisco who begins to question her role in the tight-knit Chinatown community as she develops romantic feelings for another girl at school. The book examines the fear that can accompany change, both in ourselves and in our worlds, and makes the reader reconsider this fear through empathy for those society has pushed to the margins. This young adult novel is recommended for readers in 9th through 12th grades (NoveList, n.d.), however I think even older readers would find this novel relatable and valuable as well. Lo cultivates a deep empathy for Lily and creates a richly detailed world through her writing style that opens the reader’s mind to the theme of the novel – there is room for everyone. 

Our protagonist Lily is a highly intelligent, perfect Chinese daughter at the beginning of the novel. But when Lily sees an ad for a male impersonator and realizes that she’s attracted to women, her role in the Chinatown community begins to change. Every beat of the story is accompanied by commentary from Lily, describing her emotions and thoughts and shifting beliefs. The reader might find themselves with a small knot in their own stomach as they accompany Lily through this bildungsroman. Cultivating this empathy for Lily allows the reader to reconsider whether the fear that leads society to marginalize people, such as queer and non-white individuals, is warranted. Ultimately, Lo’s novel asserts that it’s not warranted and that we need to make room in society for these marginalized people to thrive, and because they’ve experienced Lily’s internal world the reader will likely agree. 

The novel is written in the third person, which might create a sense of separation from the protagonist. However, in this novel the third person perspective allows Lo to create a more complete picture of life as a Chinese American in the 1950s. Not only does she explore other characters’ perspectives, such as brief chapters about Lily’s family members and their experiences as Chinese Americans prior to Lily’s story, but the third person narrative acts as a camera, zooming into aspects of the scenes such as the atmosphere and larger cultural environment that makes Lily so hesitant to accept her queerness. Lo is also very thoughtful in how she utilizes the Chinese language to communicate character and environment. In her author’s note, Lo explains her consideration of dialects and even era-appropriate Chinese terms. As a monolingual English reader, including Chinese enriched the world and characters of the novel, and this impression was further enhanced when reading about the thought that went into this inclusion. 

Every aspect of the novel directly enhances the novel’s theme. Lo wants her readers to know that change can be frightening, but overcoming our fear of difference is important. In her author’s note, Lo discusses the rapid changes throughout the U.S. and the world that lead many to act out of fear. She discusses McCarthyism and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments that dominated the culture in response to the rapidly changing economic and social conditions of the world. Similarly, Lily faces tremendous upheaval as she prepares to leave high school and discovers her homosexuality. Lily reacts to these developments with fear, but as she grows into her identity and learns to accept herself and reject shame, she and the reader discover that fear of differences and changes is irrational and that there must be space for everyone in our society. Themes about acceptance and embracing diversity are common to LGBTQ+ novels, but Lo develops these themes and makes them personal to the reader in ways that would make any reader more inclined to agree with her. 

Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a special novel that is sure to make queer teen readers feel seen and comforted, but the novel’s value extends beyond this much needed representation. It is beautifully written, engaging in its plot, and richly detailed. Lo has created a novel that, through its sweeping story and lovable characters, is sure to resonate with every reader. 

Lo, M. (2021). Last night at the Telegraph Club. Dutton Children’s Books. 

NoveList. (n.d.). Last night at the Telegraph Club. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=neh&AN=10945196&site=novp-live.  

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Review - The Cursed Moon by Angela Cervantes

The Cursed Moon by Angela Cervantes follows Rafa, a young boy whose scary stories seem to have awoken an evil spirit in the woods that’s coming after him and his friends. However, the adults around him think Rafa’s fear comes from his addict mother’s impending return from jail, leaving him to solve the mystery and save the day on his own. This horror novel is a Texas Bluebonnet selection for 2024 and is best for kids in fourth to seventh grade (NoveList, n.d.).

I chose this novel from the Texas Bluebonnet list because of my personal love of horror. In my library job, I’ve also helped several kids who show an interest in horror and was excited to read this so I can better relate to them when helping them use the library. While there are some unnecessary and contrived elements, such as the plot around the superstitious Ms. Martin, overall, Cervantes does a wonderful job bringing to life these brave characters and establishing a tense and spooky atmosphere.

This story has all the proper tension and stakes, but there are some plot elements that I feel could have been eliminated. Ms. Martin is the superstitious neighbor who is introduced in the first chapter to warn Rafa not to tell any scary stories during the blood moon, for fear of awakening some evil entity. For the rest of the book, Ms. Martin takes on the role of occult knowledge guide, a common trope for the horror genre that spoon feeds the audience lore about the evil antagonizing entity. While this book does balance Ms. Martin’s input with personal revelations from Rafa, the scenes with Ms. Martin felt like a shortcut around a potentially more interesting journey of Rafa having to converse with the ghosts and make discoveries about the town and his family’s history on his own.

Though Cervantes does falter with Ms. Martin, the other characters are well developed and great companions through this journey. This book centers on Hispanic characters in a majority-Hispanic community, and Cervantes does a wonderful job of creating a cultural window for me by including details about the characters’ cultures and heritages as set dressing throughout the book. Cervantes also skillfully avoids the horror genre trap of characters who act without logic or self-preservation and instead creates intelligent kids who are brave without making stupidly dangerous choices. Standouts are, of course, Rafa who has taken on a semi-parentified role due to his mother’s addiction. When we meet him, he has been able to heal some because of the support he’s received since being able to live with his grandparents, however he still exhibits some hyper-independent and protective behaviors - particularly with his sister Brianna. Brianna is another wonderfully fleshed-out character who is younger and thus more forgiving and eager for their mother’s affection. As the story develops, a wedge grows between her and Rafa due to Rafa’s compulsive independence and their differing views on their mother’s potential to heal. It’s not just the main characters who are offered rich backgrounds, like Cash, a minor antagonist with a difficult home life, and Jayden, who wants to be canonized as a saint but still enjoys horror and is an occult skeptic.

These characters are bright spots in this spooky and tense atmosphere. Cervantes doesn’t shy away from life-or-death stakes and skillfully uses pacing and impending events to create a sense of urgency in the characters and the readers. There is some disturbing imagery such as the gray, waterlogged ghost who warns and works with Rafa to resolve the curse. Rafa also experiences moments like waking nightmares which are disorienting and troubling both for him and the reader. While it would be easy for a horror book for children to seem toothless, Cervantes trusts that her readers can handle the tension and fear that makes this story so engaging and effective.

My personal impressions of children’s horror media were continuously challenged while I read this book. I did not expect the troubling descriptions of the drowned ghost boy or the genuine threat of death throughout this plot, but upon reflection I loved the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books as a kid and those books are downright graphic in some spots! Reading this was very valuable to me, especially as a librarian, because it reminded me that children aren’t so fragile, and they can delight in the macabre and frightening just as adults reading Stephen King can. I appreciate that Cervantes is writing for the “baby bats” (to borrow a term from goth culture) and providing engaging literature that will help them develop a love of reading.

Cervantes, A. (2023). The cursed moon. Scholastic.

NoveList. (n.d.). The cursed moon. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=7b22a9a6-283e-4048-b030-d10c847a45c5%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=11141325&db=neh.

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Review - Can You See Me? by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott

Can You See Me? is a novel following an autistic girl named Tally as she goes into the sixth grade and must adjust to changing social landscapes, unfamiliar locations, and increasing pressure to mask her autism. This novel was recommended by We Need Diverse Books (2020) and is a valuable look into the autistic experience. NoveList (n.d.) describes the genre as "Realistic Fiction" with a target age group of fourth to seventh graders. I’m reviewing it for the “Disability and Differences” requirement for INFO 5421.

I have a personal interest in library services for autistic patrons, so I sought out books about autistic kids and chose this one because one of the authors, Libby Scott, is autistic herself. The book offers great representation for autistic readers who want to see themselves in a book, but it also offers wonderful insights for neurotypical readers looking to better understand and relate to autistic people. While it can be didactic at times, the Tally’s voice is clear and charming, and the plot is highly relatable.

The book is very clear in its messaging that autistic people are highly unique and deserve to be included and accommodated in neurotypical spaces. Tally writes diary entries where she explains various aspects of autism such as pathological demand avoidance (PDA) and stimming, offering insight into what goes through her mind when she’s experiencing these symptoms. While these are illuminating and consistent with Tally’s voice in the narrative passages, sometimes these inserts cause the story to halt for a moment while Tally’s behaviors are explained. This supports the book’s overall mission to help readers gain insight into autistic experiences, but I wonder if there was a way to include these insights in a way that doesn’t stop the plot.

Tally’s voice is clear, allowing the reader to connect with her and develop a deep sense of empathy for her and her struggles. The diary entries are the only points in the book where Tally speaks in the first person, however these entries share a tone and vocabulary with the third person narrative sections so that we always experience the story through Tally’s eyes. This consistent voice supports the book’s mission of helping readers get to know an autistic person and creates a personal connection between Tally and the reader.

The plot is relatable to anyone who has dealt with a big transition. Children going to new schools, whether that’s because of a move or, like Tally, starting a new grade, will understand the fear and trepidation Tally goes through. Everyone can also relate to Tally’s difficulty adjusting to changing social landscapes and the pain and confusion that can come from friendships seeming to change overnight. This plot also encourages the reader to empathize with Tally and gain greater understanding of the ways they are similar and different to people with autism.

Can You See Me? is a wonderful glimpse into the mind of an autistic kid which succeeds in its mission of fostering understanding for autistic people. The book makes it clear that this is just one girl’s experience with autism but gives some insights into common behaviors that autistic people may exhibit so readers can go forward with a better understanding of the autistic people around them. This book would be wonderful for autistic people looking for representation in their literature, but I think the book would be most beneficial to neurotypical readers who want a better understanding of the unique ways autistic people process the world.

Novelist. (n.d.). Can you see me? https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=2&sid=dc433105-4223-46fe-ae2a-2617e1ed01f9%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#db=neh&AN=10872599.

Scott, L. & Westcott, R. (2019). Can you see me? Scholastic Press.

We Need Diverse Books. (2020, April 1). 15 books to read for Autism Acceptance Month. https://diversebooks.org/15-books-to-read-for-autism-acceptance-month/.

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Review - Crunch the Shy Dinosaur by Cirocco Dunlap, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli

In this adorable children’s book, Dunlap and Pizzoli introduce readers to a very shy dinosaur named Crunch, and teach us the best ways to interact with him. We learn how to regulate our volume and tone so we don’t startle him, his favorite songs that will bring Crunch out of his shell (or, rather, his tree), and when it is best to give Crunch a little space and let him come to us in his own time. This book is a Texas 2x2 selection from 2019, with a suggested audience of Pre-K to Kindergarten readers (NoveList, n.d.). I chose this book on a recommendation from the head of Youth Services at the library I work at. It’s a wonderful selection for Storytimes, offering interactive elements and a theme that encourages patience and consideration when making friends with shy people.

Crunch the Shy Dinosaur aims to teach children how to best engage with shy people. Interactive storytelling gives children experience in regulating their volume and tone. In one instance, the readers are instructed to sing the Happy Birthday song to lure Crunch from his hiding place, causing Crunch to put on his best hat and dance. These punchlines are not only funny but show children that having patience and being considerate of shy people’s feelings is worth it - making friends with shy people can reveal their vibrant personalities.

The language and tone of Crunch enhances the theme, as it evokes the voice of a parent or teacher speaking to a child. The interactive instructions are phrased as suggestions as opposed to commands, and the language is positive and gentle. Children are guided through these interactions, giving them a sense of agency. The guided interaction also creates an engaging experience for young children, allowing them the opportunity to actively participate in the story. It’s a book perfectly built for Storytime.

The illustrations in the book are simple and pleasant. The textured outlines and color selection create a vibrant and silly tone that compliments the gentle voice of the text to keep the book fun and light. Crunch’s design is simple, but his bold red causes him to pop off the page and even hints at his silly and fun personality once he becomes comfortable with the reader. Illustrations are also used to enhance the humor of the book. In one section, the reader is encouraged to use a soft voice to avoid startling Crunch, only to turn the page to find a huge drawing of him, indicating that they were too quiet, causing crunch to get “uncomfortably close” to hear them. These illustrations bring to life this shy, silly dinosaur, showing us all of Crunch’s lovable quirks.

Crunch the Shy Dinosaur is tailor-made for Storytime and would be perfect for events focused on making friends or in a classroom setting where children may need to gain understanding of how to embrace their shy peers. The book’s merit goes beyond its theme, however. The language and illustrations come together to create an engaging experience for readers that will entertain and educate. And, of course, the book is simply adorable so adults will have just as much fun reading as kids will have listening.

Dunlap, C. (2018). Crunch the shy dinosaur. (G. Pizzoli, Illus.). Random House Studio.

NoveList. (n.d.). Crunch, the shy dinosaur. https://web.p.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=5&sid=7b22a9a6-283e-4048-b030-d10c847a45c5%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#AN=10658137&db=neh.