Month: September 2018

Time Shifters

Time ShiftersTime Shifters by Chris Grine
Published by Graphix on May 30th 2017
ISBN: 0545926599
Pages: 272
Goodreads
five-stars

An odd-ball adventure across time and alternate dimensions will that will leave readers laughing and wanting more.

Luke and his brother Kyle run into a gang of bullies one afternoon while playing in the woods. The encounter causes an accident in which Kyle dies. A year after Kyle’s death, Luke sees a mysterious light coming from the forest behind his house. He suddenly finds himself in possession of a strange device and is chased by a mummy, vampire Napoleon, and a skeleton astronaut. However, Luke is saved by a time-traversing group comprised of a ghost, dinosaur, robotic Abraham Lincoln, and the scientist who invented the multiverse shifting device. In order to get the device off Luke’s arm (which is locked on unless you know the code), the groups hides out in an alternate dimension of giant spiders in the Wild West. Pursued by the henchmen and dodgy spiders, Luke and the gang must keep the device away while also saving a kidnapped robotic Abraham Lincoln.

Luke is a great protagonist, and the eclectic bunch of characters are all interesting and well rounded. The slapstick humor is fitting, and is genuinely funny. The art is bright and effective, and conveys the story well. A great title for readers who loved Ben Hatke’s “Mighty Jack” series.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland

five-stars

Like Water

Like WaterLike Water by Rebecca Podos
Published by Balzer + Bray on October 17th 2017
ISBN: 0062373374
Pages: 320
Goodreads
five-stars

Savannah Espinoza had grand plans to swim for a college team and leave her small New Mexico town, but after her father is diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease her plans grind to a halt. Secretly fearing that she, too, inherited the disease, Savannah (Vanni) spends the summer after her graduation working in her family’s restaurant and hooking up with boys. When she meets Leigh Clemente, a white girl from Boston, things begin to change for Vanni. Leigh wants nothing more to leave New Mexico and head back to Boston, and Vanni and Leigh share the feeling of being stuck. An unsteady relationship begins between the two, and Vanni is forced to make a hard choice between staying with her family and pursuing a life of her own.

Podos thoughtfully and authentically explores Vanni’s self-discovery and bisexuality. Un-itilaicized Spanish is woven into the dialogue, bringing life to Vanni’s interactions with others. An excellent addition to contemporary romance collections, recommended for grades 9 and up.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland

five-stars

The Poet X

The Poet XThe Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Published by HarperTeen on March 6th 2018
ISBN: 0062662805
Pages: 357
Goodreads
five-stars

This is a compelling and emotional novel in verse about a teenaged girl from Harlem discovering herself through her writing and slam poetry. Xiomara copes with harassment, bullying, and the strictness of her upbringing with her fists, though she has so much to say to the pages of her leather-bound notebook. Xiomara struggles with her Catholic mother’s strict rules and fears of sexuality, and questions the teachings of the Catholic Church. Her twin brother and father are unavailable emotionally, which leaver Xiomara feeling isolated. When Xiomara begins to develop feelings for a boy in her class named Aman, she fears retribution from her mother, but decides to break rules anyway. Eventually she is found out, and Xiomara’s life seems to spin out of her control. Xiomara finally accepts a long outstanding invitation to join the school’s slam poetry club extended to her by her English teacher, and she finally begins to use the strength inside herself to solve her problems.

Beautiful poems tell Xiomara’s story, as she writes about many nuanced issues such as Latino culture, being a first-generation American, music, sexuality, and finding one’s voice. The ending is happy but messy, and will leave readers satisfied by the poignancy and realness of the story. Recommended for grades 10 and up.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland 

five-stars

Hamilton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary Friendship

Hamilton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary FriendshipHamilton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary Friendship by L.M. Elliott
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on February 13th 2018
ISBN: 0062671308
Pages: 448
Goodreads
four-stars

Peggy Schuyler is a spirited and gutsy young woman, who often feels overlooked in her family as her two older sisters Angelica and Eliza often take the spotlight. Peggy feels even more overshadowed when she receives a letter from George Washington’s aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton, who writes to Peggy to enlist her help in courting Eliza. This romance is set against the backdrop of the Schuyler home, where Peggy eavesdrops on her father and his wartime involvement with American Revolution. Peggy longs to have a more active role in spying for the Revolution and aides wherever she can, by opening sealed letters in such a way as to disguise that the letter was ever open, to once meeting a spy for her father in the market. Steadfast throughout the novel is Peggy’s role as a caretaker and the loyalty between the three Schuyler sisters.

Elliot’s novel is based upon meticulous research, and the afterword provides much information on the letters and documents she used to write Peggy’s story, though the title of the novel is clearly inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton. Language in the book is modern, apart from the letter excerpts that begin each chapter which are included with original spellings. The action is fast paced, and will leave any fan of Hamilton the musical satisfied. Recommended for grades 9 and up.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland

four-stars