Ancillary Justice and Monstress

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Katy K.

Here is some of my recent reading for grown-ups – two beautifully detailed, intricately plotted, and female-focused worlds.  Both of these showed up in my Top 10 New-to-Me Authors I Read for the First Time in 2016.

Ancillary Justice by Ann LeckieAncillary Justice. Imperial Radch 1 by Ann Leckie. Read by Celeste Ciulla. Recorded Books, 2013.
Ancillary Sword. Imperial Radch 2 by Ann Leckie. Read by Adjoa Andoh. Hachette Audio, 2014.
My friends have been raving about these since they came out, but it took me a while to decide that I really was up to tackling Serious Adult Science Fiction.  My love and I bought the audiobooks, so we could listen on our separate commutes and then discuss.  He’s already listened to the third book, while I’m waiting until after my Cybils listening.

Breq used to be the mind behind a gigantic space ship, with thousands of bodies to command.  Now she is down to her last one, and it’s spent the last 20 years on a mission to get revenge on the person responsible for the loss of her ship and the lieutenant she loved.

Ancillary Sword by Ann LeckieThe first book goes back and forth between that present hunt and the story of the events that prompted the current quest.  It’s a multi-faceted story set in a deeply layered world of empires and the different cultures across the planets, a view from an insider to the empire who’s very much aware of the shortcomings of empire.  And this is only scratching the surface of the many aspects to think about and explore, from music and tea to gender roles and the ethics of artificial intelligence.

The narrator on the first book was not my favorite, though not bad enough to stop listening.  Ciulla reads with a flat tone that is perhaps appropriate considering she’s representing an AI, but was nonetheless a little tough to focus on.  There are also numerous references in the text to different accent, languages and dialects, but no attempt to reproduce anything like it in the audio.  I much preferred the second narrator, who was more expressive and had more differentiation in accents.  She also pronounced many of the names differently – fans of continuity, you are warned!

It’s true these aren’t something to read if you have absolutely no brain power left – but they are also not so difficult as I had feared.  I was pulled completely in, and look forward both to finishing the series and to re-reading it.  Make sure you have a cup of tea at hand before you start reading.

cover of Monstress by Liu and TakedaMonstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. Image, 2016.
This graphic novel takes us to an Asian-inspired fantasy world where arcanics battle witches in bloody battles.  Maika Halfwolf is an arcanic sold to the witches.  She’ll do anything to escape and to help the other imprisoned children get out – even as she knows they’re in danger from the monster inside herself as well.  The illustrations are lush and detailed art-deco styled, so that even the violence comes out beautiful – though there is more of this than I would ordinarily prefer.  Maika’s companions on the first part of her escape are an adorable part-fox girl named Kippa and a two-tailed cat.  (The narrative is punctuated by scenes from a cat university, where a cat professor explains the history of the worlds.)  This is a fairly short graphic novel that packs a lot in.  I’ll definitely be watching for more in the series.

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TTT: Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read For the First Time In 2016

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Katy K.

Top Ten TuesdayIt’s Tuesday!  I’m still a week behind on the Top 10 Tuesday challenges from the Broke and the Bookish, which does seem to be about how my life is running right now. I do want to figure out what books I most want to read next year – but for right now, I’m taking a look back at some of the new authors I read this year. I’m skipping the picture book authors for now, as that would be a whole top 10 of its own.

Middle Grade

  • Adam Gidwitz
  • Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
  • Robin Stevens
  • Rita Williams-Garcia

 

Teen

  • Alwyn Hamilton
  • Jenny Han
  • Tanita S. Davis

 

Adult

  • Ann Leckie
  • Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
  • Zen Cho

It looks like I’m short on new middle grade fantasy authors, that I read more contemporary realistic teen fiction  than usual this year- but true to form, my  favorite new adult authors all write speculative fiction.

Who or what were your favorite book/author discoveries this year?

 

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Diversity on the Shelf November Update

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Katy K.

I am participating in the Diversity on the Shelf Challenge hosted by Akilah at The Englishist.  I finished a total of 23 books in November, and started but didn’t finish an additional 9 –ouch!  That’s because of the Cybils Audiobooks, where I have to try but not necessarily finish way more audiobooks than I can actually listen to straight through in the time period.

diversityontheshelf2016.png

Here are the books by authors of color.  I had already read the first two of these in print, and am hoping it counts to reread on audio.

  • When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin
  • Booked by Kwame Alexander
  • Rebellion of Thieves by Kekla Magoon
  • Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes
  • Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off by Jacqueline Jules and Miguel Benitez

Here are the additional books by white authors with main characters of color:

  • Summer Showers by Kate Hannigan
  • Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick (the boy in the background is actually the POV character.)

 

And for a different type of diversity, a Jewish trans teen speaks out:

Being Jazz by Jazz Jennings

  • Being Jazz by Jazz Jennings

 

This puts me at 29 books by white authors with main characters of color and 55 books by authors of color.  I might reach my goal of 60 by the end of this month!  But maybe I should read a couple extra to make up for the rereads…

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TTT: Holiday Gift Guide: Books for a 9-Year-Old Boy

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Katy K.

It’s taken me a little while to put together this response to last week’s Top 10 Tuesday prompt (hosted as always by the good folks at the Broke and the Bookish), a free form gift guide. What direction did I want to go?

Top Ten Tuesday

Then a friend wrote me asking for help picking books for a nine-year-old boy, reading level and interests unknown.  Third grade is a tricky spot – some kids are still on early chapter or picture books, while some have moved on to middle grade, and the “official” reading level falls somewhere in between the two.  Graphic novels are pretty universally popular.  Here are some suggestions:

Early Chapter Books

  • Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off (series) by Jacqueline Jules
  • Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look

Not Quite Middle Grade

Graphic Novels

  • Dragons Beware by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre
  • Hilo: the Boy who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick
  • Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke
  • The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks

What books are you looking forward to giving this year?

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#WNDB Wednesday: the Treasure of Maria Mamoun and Summer Showers

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Katy K.

An island mystery – and cupcakes for the county fair.  What could be better?

cover of The Treasure of Maria Mamoun by ChalfounThe Treasure of Maria Mamoun by Michelle Chalfoun. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2016.
Maria Theresa Ramirez Mamoun lives with her mother Celeste in New York City.  When her mother finally realizes how bad the bullies in the building are, she takes a nursing job on a tiny New England island, where they can stay in a cottage on the property of wealthy Mr. Ironwall.  Maria starts looking into an old treasure map she finds wedged in her attic bedroom, and reluctantly makes her first friends in Brutus, Mr. Ironwall’s dog, Mr. Ironwall himself, and Paolo, the housekeeper’s son.  Together, Paolo and Maria restore a sailboat and try to decode the clues on the treasure map, while avoiding the bullies that crop up even on isolated islands.  It’s filled with the joy of exploring nature and good food, from Celeste’s Lebanese cooking to the seafood and cinnamon rolls of the island.  Nature and friendship helping a scarred child recover aren’t new themes, but the issues are fresher and I will probably never tire of stories of introverts finding safe places to unfold and make friends.

 

Summer Showers by Kate HanniganSummer Showers. Cupcake Cousins Number 2 by Kate Hannigan. Illustrated by Brooke Boynton Hughes. Scholastic, 2015.
I read this second Cupcake Cousins book aloud to my daughter following the first one.  She’s much more interested in realistic fiction than my son, and this series, set in our own state of Michigan and featuring a perfect blend of fun and real-life issues is perfect.  This time, the story of two best-friend cousins is told from the perspective of Delia, originally from Detroit, and the more responsible of the two cousins.  Willow may like to take life as it comes, but Delia notices and plans and worries.  A year after the first book, Delia’s father is now a full-time artist with his art hanging in the new Arts and Eats Café – but so far, the out-of-the-way gallery and café isn’t attracting much notice.  Would entering something in the upcoming county fair help? The family is gathered this summer not only for their traditional Saugatuck vacation, but also to have a baby shower for Aunt Rosie and Uncle Jonathan, whose wedding was the highlight of the previous summer. Delia and Willow of course want to showcase their baking skills at the shower – but since Willow’s hurt her hand in karate, everyone seems to think they won’t be baking anything.  Can they throw Aunt Rosie and Uncle Jonathan a fabulous baby shower, save little Sweet William and his ever-growing menagerie from thunderstorm trauma, and put the Arts and Eats Café on the map?  Don’t tell my daughter, but the third and final volume in this series, Winter Wonders, will be under the tree for her.  Maybe we’ll even find the time to try some of the recipes over break. Winter Wonders by Kate Hannigan

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The Birchbark House and The Game of Silence

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Katy K.

For the past 14 years, I have recommended this series to every family that’s come to me asking for something to read after reading the Little House books. This year, I finally started the series myself.  I am so glad I did!


book cover: The Birchbark House by Louise ErdrichThe Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich. HarperCollins, 1999.
In this book we are introduced to seven-year-old Omakayas, Little Frog, and her Ashinabe/Ojibwa family as they journey through the year in their village on Lake Superior.  It’s a warm, loving family consisting of Omakayas’ parents, her grandmother, her too-beautiful teenage older sister Angeline, her annoying five-year-old brother Pinch, and sweet baby Neewo. Though the book copy doesn’t make any comparisons to those books, it has such a similar feel, the journey through a year with a family illustrated in soft pencil drawings, that I couldn’t help doing so.  It’s set earlier than the Little House books, when there is still only minimal contact with whites – but enough that the dreaded small pox makes its way through.  I remember reading a factual look at the Little House books in high school and learning that Laura left out mention of her deceased siblings.  Erdrich is more honest, and even though this is very difficult, it’s important.  Amazingly, despite the heartbreak, the overall feeling of the book is loving and hopeful.  My son’s favorite part of the Little House books was the descriptions of the technology and the methods for making the things they needed – those kinds of things are here, too, but of course different.  Descriptions of the beauty of nature are present in both, as are stories from a beloved family member – in The Birchbark House, mostly from the grandmother.  Omakayas’s family is also tightly connected with the surrounding community.  No matter how many times I stopped the Little House CDs to discuss the unjustly negative portrayals of the Native Americans there, me saying that the portrayal is racist and untrue doesn’t build any kind of positive portrayal in its place.  Whether you want to branch out beyond the Little House books, are looking for a sensitive portrayal of a historical Ashinabe family from an Ashinabe author, or want a look at the time period that avoids the problems of the Little House books, or just want some beautiful, well-written historical fiction, this is an excellent series.   

The Game of Silence by Louise ErdrichThe Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich. HarperCollins, 2005.
We rejoin Omakayas and her family two years later, in a story that’s a pleasing mix of big events and observations of daily life.  Omakayas is trying to decide when it will be the right time for her to undertake her dream journey, when she will spend nights alone in the woods with her face painted black, waiting for the spirits to speak to her.  Maybe the spirits are trying to speak to her now – but Omakayas isn’t yet ready to listen.  Word comes that their people may be forced west, towards the hostile and violent Bwaanag people, and this rumor is confirmed when a large group of starving refugees arrives by canoe from father east.  Omakayas’s family adopts a baby, while her cousins take in a boy Omakayas’s age whom she names the Angry One.  The Game of Silence comes as the adults get together to discuss what to do about the changes they see coming, and set out a variety of tempting prizes for the children who can stay silent the longest.  Meanwhile, Angeline shocks Omakayas by deciding to go to the school run by white people in town. As in the previous book, even when outside events are difficult, the strength of family and community carry through, while Omakayas herself grows and finds her place within them.

Further books in this series are The Porcupine Year, Chickadee, and (just out this year) Makoons.  While this is an excellent series, we need more!  My daughter’s 2/3 class is reading The Birchbark House now, and I read them the beautiful contemporary picture book Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith to help balance the historical setting of the former.  On my radar in the middle grade category is In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse   by Joseph Marshall, recommended by both Debbie at American Indians in Children’s Literature and Brandy at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.  I’d love to hear if you have any more recommendations for Native children’s books, especially fantasy.

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The Lioness and the Spellspinner

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Katy K.

Elements from many different fairy tales combine in this story that works as a prequel to Mahoney’s “Twelve Dancing Princesses” retelling The Storyteller and Her Sisters.  If you missed it, be sure to read my latest interview with Cheryl.

The Lioness and the Spellspinners by Cheryl MahoneyThe Lioness and the Spellspinners by Cheryl Mahoney. Stonehenge Circle Press, 2016.
The life of peace- and yarn-loving Forrest is disrupted by the sudden arrival of an armed and trousers-wearing young woman in his family’s barn.  He doesn’t trust her at all – but his family seems determined to welcome her.  For her part, Karina doesn’t trust people who are as open and welcoming as Forrest’s mother and gaggle of younger sisters.  His distrust seems much more appropriate.  But when random bits of magic start appearing around the farm – the horse starts speaking in rhyme, the eggs have gold-plated shells – Karina and Forrest reluctantly team up to figure out what to do.  Soon the trouble that Karina was running from catches up to both of them – trouble that could have horrific consequences for everyone on Forrest’s tiny island.

The story is set in what I would describe as Renaissance Faire era, a comfortable setting focused solidly on the fun of the story.  In a historical setting, for example, Karina’s trousers would be much more shocking.  Here, Forrest doesn’t seem to have too much trouble accepting the trousers, Karina’s independence or her remarkable abilities with knives.  She, on the other hand, takes some time to come to terms with his knitting (and appreciate the beauty of the local yarn), though he is untroubled and says that everyone on their island knits.  As with the other books in the series, this is a feel-good adventure with appeal for everyone from middle grade kids who won’t be put off by mild romance up to adults.

There’s another knitting fairy tale hero in Jessica Day George’s Princess of the Midnight Ball, also a “Twelve Dancing Princesses” retelling.

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Four Fantastic Fantasies

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Katy K.

Here are four mostly recent middle grade fantasies, all by authors I’ve enjoyed in the past.

Unidentified Suburban Object by Mike JungUnidentified Suburban Object by Mike Jung. Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, 2016.
Chloe Cho is the only Asian in her small town, tired of stereotypes about ASIANS – why must her violin playing be compared only to that of famous Abigail Yang, for example? She’s still trying to learn about her Korean heritage, a topic on which her parents are silent – but learning to cook from Korean cooking blog posts isn’t the easiest.  When she’s given a family heritage project at school by the first Korean teacher she’s ever had, it goes horribly wrong and leads to a Revelation of (spoiler) a sci-fi nature that turns her world upside-down.  Chloe has a wonderfully snarky sense of humor and I really enjoyed her drama.  Despite things that are decidedly unique to her situation, there’s a lot in here about what makes best friends and what might make a straight-A student stop caring about grades.  The sci-fi element is light enough to give this plenty of appeal to kids who might not normally go for it. Mike Jung’s Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities is one I’ve gone back to more than once.

cover of Zahrah the Windseeker by OkoraforZahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor. Houghton Mifflin, 2005.
Even though Zahrah lives in a world where technology and buildings are grown, the vines, or dada locks, that grow naturally in her hair are rare and suspect – a sign of magic that’s no longer believed in.  She doesn’t show any other signs of magic until her first menstruation, when she starts floating – awkward for a girl terrified of heights.  Her best friend, Dari, is thrilled when he learns of this, and uses it as an opportunity for the two of them to explore the Forbidden Greeny Jungle.  When he’s bitten by a rare and extremely venomous snake, Zahrah will have to journey even farther in and explore the full reach of her powers to find a cure.   The fairly standard quest narrative is lifted out of the ordinary by the world-building, an African-inspired setting with absolutely unique technology, like computers that grow from seed – Zahrah’s has grown with her since she was a small child and works much better than a generically grown CPU.  Zahrah, too, has a nice character arc, going from feeling very young for a middle grade character to an accomplished young woman. The story is on the slow-moving side, but this is one that fans of world-building and character-driven stories will enjoy. I also recommend Okorafor’s Akata Witch.

Baker's Magic by Diane ZahlerBaker’s Magic by Diane Zahler. Capstone, 2016.
Orphaned Bee journeyed through the beautiful tulip fields surrounding the coastal city of Zeewal.  She didn’t mean to steal the delicious-looking bun in the bakery window – but it lands her a job as an apprentice to Master Bouts the Baker. As Bee starts to settle in, she also learns to be careful what’s she’s feeling as she’s baking, as her customers are likely to start feeling the same way.  When delivering baked goods to the castle, she meets both sweet Princess Anika and the wicked Master Joris, her guardian.  Soon Bee, her new best friend Wil, and Princess Anika are off on an adventure involving a pirate queen and missing trees.  But can Bee’s small skills with baking be enough to hold off a power-mad and vengeful wizard?  This is light and sweet and cinnamon-scented with substantial undertones.  I liked this even better than Zahler’s Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling, The Thirteenth Princess, which leads me to

Of Mice and Magic. Hamster Princess 2 by Ursula VernonOf Mice and Magic. Hamster Princess Book 2 by Ursula Vernon. Dial Books, 2016.
Princess Harriet Hamsterbone may no longer be invincible, but that doesn’t mean she’s happy to hang around her own castle waiting to be married.  She craftily accepts a quest (and a poncho of invisibility) from a fairy and sets off to rescue twelve dancing mice princesses, even if the king their father was expecting a man (and preferably a prince) to rescue them.  There, she finds an old friend working in the stables with the riding quail – useful for filling her in on castle gossip – and meets the princesses, each named after a month of the year.  It doesn’t take her long to figure out that the king is off his rocker, and not in a good way.  I’ve read a lot of 12 Dancing Princesses retellings, and this is an exceptional one – funny and adventurous while still being an age-appropriate treatment of abuse and victim blaming.  (Maureen at By Singing Light has more great thoughts on this.)  I’m looking forward to reading more of Harriet’s adventures!

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War: The Lost Heir and Guts and Glory: WWII

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Katy K.

Cybils listening continues with two books about war, one fantasy with dragons and one historical.

cover of The Lost Heir, Wings of Fire book 2 by SutherlandThe Lost Heir. Wings of Fire Book 2 by Tui Sutherland. Read by Shannon McManus. Scholastic, 2016.
This is book 2 in the Wings of Fire series. While I read Book 6, Moon Rising (a subseries starter) last year, I’ve never read the first book in this original series. Tsunami and the other Dragonets of Destiny, having escaped from the caves where they were being kept by the Talons of Peace organization and from captivity in another dragon kingdom, know they are being followed by enemies who don’t care if war between dragon tribes continues as long as they might win.  The dragonets hope that Tsunami’s mother, Queen Coral of the Seawings, will keep them safe.  Tsunami also secretly hopes that she might be the future queen of the Seawings, despite never having been to the underwater kingdom.

The setting in a new kingdom makes it easy for new readers (or listeners, in my case) to slip in.  Tsunami has always thought she was treated badly by the Talons of Peace, but now she has to confront prejudice against her best friends, as well as seeing the severe lack of freedom given to her young sister, Anemone.  There’s a mysterious menace in the hatching grounds that Tsunami is determined to thwart.  She’s also inadvertently befriended a cute boy sea dragon – who’s loathed by the Queen.   This is a really impressive series, with great character growth and a sophisticated plot – Charlotte has been raving about it for years and I really should just read the whole thing.  Shannon McManus does a fine job distinguishing the voices of the many characters.  My only caveat is that while my son would love it, there’s far too much violence for my seven-year-old daughter to want to listen as well, despite the dragons.

Guts & Glory: World War II by Ben ThompsonGuts and Glory: World War II by Ben Thompson. Read by Aaron Landon and Kiff VandenHeuvel. Landmark Audio, 2016.
Stirring military music introduces this entertaining 6-cd history of World War II.  The telling is shared between two narrators, one with a young, enthusiastic Popular Mechanics for Kids-style voice, and one with a gruff army sergeant voice who also does accents for quotations from major leaders of the time.  I was impressed when it started the history not with Czechoslovakia but with China and Japan, because (to paraphrase) “previous histories were written by old white dudes who thought only Europe mattered”.  Broad stroke history is mixed in with tales of brave individuals and small groups from all sides, including women and people of color.  Between chapters are “Know Your Vehicles” sections where two similar vehicles from opposite sides compared, with a paragraph of how the differences mattered, e.g. “French tanks at the beginning of WWII were every bit as tough as the German Panzers, but made to stand still….” I had a hard time focusing on the technical details and really appreciated the summaries, while my son ate up the details.  Even the seven-year-old was taken with stories like that of Vojtek the bear who officially joined the Polish military.

This is mostly about the battles rather than the Holocaust – it says straight up that that’s outside the scope of the book, but the story of a Jewish Russian soldier who staged a successful break from a death camp is included, along with pointers to further references.  I don’t think I’ve ever read straight-up military history before, but I was kept interested except for those brief vehicle moments and learned lots of things that definitely weren’t covered in my high school history class, all told in kid-friendly, colloquial language that talks about things like “kicking Hitler right in the Panzer”.  A pdf with over a hundred pages of photographs, illustrations and those Know Your Vehicles charts is included.  I’d say this definitely lives up to its 100% Not Boring Guarantee and would make for entertaining family listening with older kids.

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2 Diverse Audiobooks -The Inquisitor’s Tale & Momotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Katy K.

And now for some Cybils listening, in hopes of catching you up to the many great books I’ve been listening to.

cover of the Inquisitor's Tale by GidwitzThe Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz. Read by the author and a full cast. Features Medieval Music performed by Benjamin Bagby of Sequentia. Listening Library, 2016.
Travelers meeting at an inn share stories with an unnamed narrator, who wants to know why it is that King Louis of France has declared war on three children and their dog. Every one of the guest at the inn has some connection to at least one of the children – Jeanne, a peasant girl who sees visions of future; William, an enormous part-Moorish novice monk with super strength; and Jacob, a small Jewish boy with the gift of healing. Also Gwynfort, a magical greyhound.  Many of the guests are convinced the children, and perhaps even the dog, are saints. Either that or possessed by demons.

It’s set in the 13th century, with multiple narrators, yet the characters of the children (and the narrators) come through loud and clear.  Even the king isn’t given the simple black-and-white treatment he could have been. The tale is full of gore and humor and plenty of slapstick action despite the kingdom-level forces arrayed against them.  The thirteenth century is one of which I’m particularly fond, and this book does a wonderful job illustrating the glory and prejudice of that time, so different and yet not different from our own.  The multiple narrators keep the setting vivid, though the illustrations I peeked at in the print version are great, too, so take your pick there.  This was so fabulous I nominated it for the Cybils before I even finished it, in case I didn’t finish it before the deadline.

cover of Momotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters by DillowayMomotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters by Margaret Dilloway. Read by Chris Patton. Dreamscape Media, 2016.
Xander Miyamoto has never taken much notice of the Japanese legends his father researches.  He’s more into trying to stay out of the way of a teacher who has it in for him, playing video games with his best friend Peyton, and wondering why his mother left him four years ago.  Then, that climate change he was ignoring in class hits hard – there’s water all around his house and his father has vanished.  It turns out that Xander is a Momotaro, the Peach Boy hero of Japanese legend.  The oni monsters have taken his father, and it’s up to Xander, Peyton, and Xander’s dog to rescue him.  Is a comic book story that Xander doesn’t remember drawing really enough of a guide to the Island of Monsters?  And is being only half Japanese weakness or strength?

The comparisons to Percy Jackson here are easy and apt – the story is full of action and humor in a story that feels like an authentic companion to Rick Riordan’s books.  In addition to being a very welcome mixed-race hero, Xander struggles at school, where he is labelled as AD/HD.  Chris Patton reads in a voice that brings out the rollercoaster plot – maybe a little too dramatic for me, but I bet I know quite a few adventure-loving kids who would eat it up.

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