The Arrival

I read The Arrival by Shaun Tan for my graphic novel class. Written entirely in pictures (no words), this book shows a man leaving his wife and daughter to immigrate to a new country. As he repeatedly faces the unfamiliar, he meets helpful people along the way who each faced difficult times in their pasts as well and share their experiences. With the use of an invented alphabet and unfamiliar locations and animals, the author/illustrator portrays settings that could represent any location.

This was such a great book! At the beginning, I was kind of confused and worried I was missing something because I kept seeing fantastical creatures and settings and didn't really understand. But as I kept reading, I understood what the author was trying to portray. The illustrations really articulated the feelings of immigrants and showed the goodness of people in taking care of each other. I really related to this book because it brought out the feelings I felt when we lived in Japan--just the feeling of being in a new, unfamiliar place where everything is different and confusing. Even though this is listed as a young adult book, I think it's one my 10-year-old daughter could read and understand.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Green River Killer

I read Green River Killer by Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case for the graphic novel course I'm taking this semester (for my MLIS). This book follows Tom Jensen (the father of the author), the lead detective on the case of the Green River Killer, a serial killer in Seattle in the 1980s. When the killer, Gary Leon Ridgway, was eventually caught, Detective Jensen spent time with him doing interviews before Ridgway was convicted of killing 48 women and girls.

I picked this book from the list provided by the professor because I have always been interested in true crime and thought I'd enjoy the story. It did end up being very fascinating, and it made me interested in learning more about the case afterward. The book is definitely adult content because this guy was a creepy murderer and rapist, and there are lots of pictures of dead bodies and gruesome things. There were two things I didn't love about the book--1) It jumped back and forth in time (originally when killings happening and then once they caught the killer), and I sometimes got confused. 2) I sometimes had trouble telling certain characters apart because their appearances were similar, which led to me having to do lots of double takes. But overall I enjoyed the read.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Only Child Booklist

Here's my PBS booklist for kids who are an only child.

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/childrens-books-about-being-an-only-child

Women's History Month Booklist

Here's my booklist for PBS for Women's History Month back in March.

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/childrens-books-to-celebrate-womens-history-month

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team

I saw All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat on the list of Newbery Honor books for this year and was immediately intrigued because I had been fascinated by that news story back in 2018. I had to wait on hold for the book at the library for several months but just got it--and finished it in one day! This is a nonfiction account (written for a children/young adult audience) of the 13 Thai boys (ages 11-16) and their soccer coach who went on a fun outing through a cave and ended up getting trapped deep inside when the cave flooded. Miraculously, they were found after 9 days and then all rescued 8 days later.

This book was AMAZING. The author told the story so well--it was engaging, well organized, fascinating, etc. I came away from the book just amazed at the miracle of the rescue and so touched by how much a human life matters. So many experts from around the world came and dedicated their time and skills (and some even risking their own lives) to save these boys. The book really showed how many people put their efforts into this rescue and how much work it truly required to make the miracle happen. This book was interesting and inspiring, and I highly recommend it.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

From the Desk of Zoe Washington

I read From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks aloud to Emmeline for our Girls' Book Club in May. It is the story of Zoe, who has never met her birth father because he's in prison for a terrible crime. However, when she receives a letter from him on her 12th birthday and starts corresponding with him, she finds out he claims to be innocent. Zoe works to uncover the truth--while trying to keep her family from knowing what's going on.

This was a great read. Emmeline and I both enjoyed it, and all the girls in the book club gave it a thumbs up (meaning they loved it or really liked it). The author had a good balance of hard stuff (father in prison, accused of murder, etc.) with fun stuff (Zoe creating a cupcake recipe of her own and trying to be on a kids' cooking show). The story was engaging (almost too stressful for me at times!) with likable characters. The book does have Zoe lying a lot to her parents and grandma, which is tricky because I don't think that's a great example to kids--and yet all her lying paid off in the end. Tricky. :) I liked that this book is Own Voices (black author writing about a black character) and that it addresses the issue of parental incarceration because I always think it's good to expand kids' experiences and understanding.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Orbiting Jupiter

My mom recommended Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt, so I got it from the library. The dust jacket reads, "When Jack meets his new foster brother, he already knows three things about him: Joseph almost killed a teacher. He was incarcerated at a place called Stone Mountain. He has a daughter. Her name is Jupiter. And he has never seen her." This book follows 13-year-old Joseph as he tries to find peace in his new foster home.

This was an engaging story that had me rooting for Joseph throughout the story. It was a really sad book all the way through, but it was pretty much unbearably sad at the end. For that reason, I don't know if I'd actually recommend it to others unless you enjoy super sad books. The author did a great job developing the characters, and I loved watching the actions of the amazing foster parents. When I talked to my mom after I finished the book, my mom said she thought this would be a great book for teens to read and then do a writing exercise afterward where they write their own ending. I completely agree because I would have chosen to end the book much differently. (Aka happily.)

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)