The Society for Soulless Girls

December 8, 2023

The Society for Soulless Girls by Laura Steven
Published by Delacorte Press on July 7, 2022
ISBN: 059370391X
Genres: Horror
Format: Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Carville Academy of Arts – historic convent turned elite liberal arts college, and scene of four unfortunate deaths at the school’s North Tower. The school was forced to close, but ten years later is now reopening. Lottie Fitzwilliam is a new freshman attending on a field hockey scholarship. Friendly, athletic, and cheerfully outgoing, she also harbors a secret – one of the dead girls was from her hometown, and she is focused on solving the mystery of the deaths. Alice Wolfe, her new roomate, is a beautiful, standoffish goth girl. She too harbors a secret – she is constantly angry at the world, and has a hard time not succumbing to her pervasive violent thoughts. Once school begins, terrifying, strange occurrences start to plague the girls, who initially suffer in silence. However, after a rocky start to their relationship, they finally admit to each other the terror they’ve been experiencing when the incidents start to escalate. Lottie and Alice eventually set aside their differences and work together, along with their new friend Hafsah, to solve the mysteries of Carville Academy. Demonic possession, evil professors, soul splitting rituals and the tortured ghost of a long dead nun contribute to the horror as new deaths start to plague the school. The two enemies turned friends turned lovers soon find out that what or who is causing these deaths is much more complicated than they could have imagined.

What is interesting about this book is that while on the surface it’s a fun horror story written along the lines of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, along the way it turns into a social commentary on women and anger, and the patriarchal vision of how women should act and what their place in society should be.

Recommended for grades 7 and up.

Lee Remick, York Middle School, York

Mr. Whiskers and the Shenanigan Sisters

December 6, 2023January 17, 2024

Mr. Whiskers and the Shenanigan Sisters by Wendelin Van Draanen
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on October 2, 2023
ISBN: 0593644301
Genres: Humor, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Zelda and Misty’s father, a professor, has been kidnapped by people claiming to be FBI agents. Mr. Whiskers, the local stray dog , witnesses this and follows the car. What ensues is a light-hearted mystery as Mr. Whiskers teams up with the Shenanigan sisters to unravel the puzzle of who kidnapped the professor and why. This book is narrated by Mr. Whiskers and readers will no doubt enjoy his personality, as the author has given him a unique voice that makes him easy to distinguish from the human characters. Readers who like puns will be entertained by this novel as it is full of dog related word play and humor. The pace of this novel is quick as the trio frequently discover new clues that lead them in and out of danger. This novel is ideal for readers in 2nd-4th grade who like mysteries that aren’t scary or dark. Not a must-have, but still an enjoyable, light book to add to the collection.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

The Puppets of Spelhorst: a Norendy Tale

December 5, 2023

The Puppets of Spelhorst (The Norendy Tales) by Julie Morstad, Kate DiCamillo
Published by Candlewick Press on October 10, 2023
Pages: 149
Genres: Fairy Tale
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Told with DiCamillo’s trademark elegant simplicity and wit, this first in a series of original fairy tales will not disappoint her many fans.

Five friends, puppets all: a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl, are taken from a shop window and become part of a Story. They are at first together in their story, which takes them by a roundabout route to the home of two young girls, before each has an adventure of their own – sometimes gently harrowing – before they are happily reunited. DiCamillo creates wonder in simple pleasures such as a rising moon, and a song, and a puppet show that magically reflects life.

Chapters are short, and black and white pencil drawings by Julie Morstad beautifully illustrate the text. Text is straightforward enough for a reader of short chapter books, but never feels like it is being simplified. It would also make a lovely read-aloud for slightly older children who do not need an illustration on every page to remain engaged.

5 Stars

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta

Her Radiant Curse

December 5, 2023

Her Radiant Curse (Legends of Lor'yan) by Elizabeth Lim
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on August 29, 2023
ISBN: 0593300998
Pages: 416
Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Folklore
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This prequel to Lim’s bestselling Six Crimson Cranes duology tells the story of Channi, who is offered up by her father in sacrifice to the Demon Witch when she is two years old to save her mother, on her deathbed after birthing a second daughter.

But it is not Channi that the Demon wants; it is Vanna, newly born and somehow in possession of half of a dragon pearl, which gives her otherworldly, radiant beauty, and a magical ability to charm everyone in her orbit. The Demon, who possesses the other half of the broken pearl and desires the power of both together, curses Channi with the face of a serpent. The only way to break the curse, she tells Channi, is to sacrifice Vanna. She will return on Vanna’s 17^th birthday to collect her prize.

Chianni is determined to save her beloved sister, and that sets the course of her life. When the time comes, Chianni must use every part of her physical and mental power to rescue Vanna from the Demon, setting off a chain of intrigue, battles, alliances formed and destroyed, and a (very light) potential for romance. But behind everything she does lurks the demon’s cursed promise: one sister must fall for the other to rise.

Fans of the Six Crimson Cranes duology will love this well written, fast paced and original backstory, set in the same mythological Asian world of Lor’yan. Channi figures in that duology as the much reviled, but ultimately heroic stepmother, and other significant characters in this tale will be familiar as well. Readers will be glad to have this satisfying tale to round out the series. A must-have for any library with the duology already on the shelf; but also a worthwhile purchase for anyone to boost their fantasy collection. It is a fine stand-alone, or could be read before the previously published books; either way it will certainly gain Lim more fans.

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta

Nell of Gumbling

December 5, 2023

Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life by Emma Steinkellner
ISBN: 0593570669
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Graphic Novel
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life” is a middle grade graphic novel by Emma Steinkellner. The main character, Nell, is a normal seventh grader in the magical city of Gumbling. All seventh graders get assigned an apprenticeship and instead of getting to intern with a famous artist, Nell ends up apprenticing under Mrs. Birdneck, the city archivist. Nell ends up needing to use her archival skills when two adults show up wanting to completely change Gumbling into essentially a theme park.

Written as if we are reading Nell’s journal (complete with her many illustrations), the book alternates between large amounts of text and more standard graphic novel comic style. The illustrations are colorful, bright, and silly. If you pay attention to the details, you’ll find a lot of little jokes that are easily missed. Recommended for ages 8 to 12, this book is a recommended purchase for middle grade graphic novel collections everywhere.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

The 21: The true story of the youth who sued the U.S. government over climate change

December 4, 2023December 5, 2023

The 21: The true story of the youth who sued the U.S. government over climate change The Twenty-One: The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S. Government Over Climate Change by Elizabeth Rusch
Published by Greenwillow Books on August 8, 2023
ISBN: 9780063220850
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
This narrative nonfiction explores the ground breaking case, Juliana v. United States, where 21 young people sued the national government over its actions contributing to climate change. The book introduces readers to the 21 plaintiffs from around the United States who have each been negatively impacted by climate change and walks readers through the legal process of this case. The way this book is structured is exceptional. It is broken into 4 large sections, but each section contains many small chapters. The small chapters allow readers to easily digest the rich amount of content covered. Some of the chapters focus the mindset of the youth and their lawyer at different points throughout the trial. The narrative text reads like fiction, so readers will be familiar with the style as they learn a lot of new information. Other chapters focus on the legal aspects of the case. The author does a great job of explaining the legal process, so while the focus of this book is the environment and the impacts of climate change, readers will also learn some important civics concepts as well.

This young adult nonfiction book would be great for older students who are passionate about helping the environment and are interested in learning about young activists. High school teachers might use this as part of a science or social studies curriculum, but outside of these niche audiences, this book, despite being well written and compelling, probably has limited broad appeal.

Stickler Loves the World

December 4, 2023

Stickler Loves the World by Lane Smith
Published by Random House on 08/22/2023
ISBN: 0593649834
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Stickler is a uniquely optimistic woodland creature, who sings the praise of all the overlooked & underappreciated wonders of the world, especially – you guessed it – sticks! Brown ones, knobby ones, and knobby brown ones alike!

While eagerly heading to show its jaded friend, Crow, some particularly impressive sticks, Stickler comes across a tin-can wearing alien, who must be freshly arrived on Earth and unaware of the beauty it contains! With gusto, Stickler takes on the challenge of showing its new friend the marvels its world has to offer – from the sunshine beaming down, to the wind rushing by, the flowers, the ocean, rocks and fish, the colors of the sunset – and of course, sticks! After Stickler’s tour de force, it’s revealed that our alien was Stickler’s good friend Crow stuck in the can all along. Stickler is afraid it has bored Crow by showing them things they’ve already seen, but Crow was thrilled to see the magic of the world as viewed by Stickler.

Natural, flowing illustrations don’t just jump off the page, they reach out and invite the reader to step into the story to take this journey right alongside Stickler and Crow.

An enchanting story with a wonderful message to enjoy the world around us ferociously & never stop sharing our enthusiasm, this book will be adored by preschoolers, elementary schoolers, & adults alike. Another must have from Lane Smith!

Reviewed by Paiten Price – Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, ME

Monstrous

December 1, 2023

Monstrous by Jessica Lewis
Published by Delacorte Press on September 12, 2023
ISBN: 0593434811
Genres: Horror, Supernatural
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars
Monstrous by Jessica Lewis is undeniably a page turner. The main character, Avie, is a confident, snarky, star athlete about to set off for college who is stuck living with her aunt in a strange Southern town run by a powerful religious cult. When she is sacrificed by the cult to a giant snake that lives in the woods she is able to save herself by making a deal to help the snake escape in exchange for her life, special powers, and the safety of her cousin and her crush.

This book is in the female revenge genre like award winning, The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson, but I never found myself rooting for Avie like I rooted for Jackson’s lead Maddy. In order to get the plot moving the author sacrifices the tension and character development needed to feel like a “good for her” horror novel. As a result, Monstrous had the pace of a thriller, the tone of a rom com and the complexity of a middle grade mystery.

There needs to be more Black, queer, female leads in the horror genre and the premise of this book is so original and interesting that I was really rooting for it, but ultimately this isn’t a necessary addition to a YA collection.

Reviewed by Ivy Burns, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

Mercy Watson is Missing!

December 1, 2023

Mercy Watson Is Missing!: Tales from Deckawoo Drive, Volume Seven by Chris Van Dusen, Kate DiCamillo
Genres: Animals, Humor, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“Mercy Watson is Missing!” is the seventh book in Kate DiCamillo’s “Tales from Deckawoo Drive” series, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. In this beginner chapter book, the titular character and fan favorite, Mercy Watson (a pig), has gone missing. The Watsons don’t know where she could be. They try the police, who are no help, so they seek the help of a private detective. Percival Smidgely, the ineffective private eye, luckily has help from his pigeon friend, Polly. With lots of fun words and amusing characters, readers will enjoy following along as (spoiler alert!) the family finds Mercy in the end. Black and white drawings are mixed in with full color illustrations by Van Dusen. Artwork adds to the silliness of the story.

Written for ages 6 through 9, this is a recommended purchase for all libraries where beginner chapter books are popular, and wherever the previous series titles have done well.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.