Impossible Escape

Impossible Escape
Steve Sheinkin
Roaring Book Press, 2023
243 pages
Grades 8-Up
Non-Fiction

Three different points of view relate the story of two teenage Slovakian acquaintances who must escape the Nazis when their world crumbles at Hitler's rise to power. The primary story is seen through the eyes of Rudolf Vrba. After trying to escape multiple times from the Nazis he ends up in the worst imaginable place: Auschwitz. Once there it is an unbelievable fight for survival. After lucky breaks, near misses, and heroic actions, Rudi is the first person to actually escape from the Nazi death camp and tell his story to the Jewish underground. After joining the resistance and pulling his life together after the war, Rudy dedicates himself to telling his story so that it will never be repeated. We also experience the war through Rudy's friend Gerta, who though not initially arrested, experiences her own near-misses, relocations, hiding, and courageous acts of survival and resistance. The third voice is a narration offering the historical account of the war during this time period in order to educate the reader and give them context to the accounts of the two young people.

Sheinkin has won numerous awards for his non-fiction and this book is also worthy of praise. Meticulously researched, the back of the volume contains incredible source notes, a bibliography and an index. That said, the book reads like a novel. Sheinkin does add dialogue, but relied on the writings and accounts of the subjects and so it is based on actual memories. The plight of these two young people is staggering and though what happens to them is horrific, it is impossible to stop reading. They left accounts of their lives, so we know they must survive and that is what kept me going even as I was getting upset at the brutality of the Nazis. Maps are included within the text along with one photo of the young people after the war. That was all I need to get a visual in my head--and to know that they turned out okay. I love that Sheinkin did not rely on illustrations to tell this tale. An author's note at the end gives his account of following Rudi's heroic escape on foot, complete with some photos of this trek. The book was just the right length, every word mattered, and I felt different after reading it. Readers will be inspired by the actions and courage of these young people and will be left to ponder, as Sheinkin leaves the reader with this thought at the end of the book, "You read the story, you know what to do". In this crazy world, we are challenge to not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Rosie Frost & the Falcon Queen

Rosie Frost & the Falcon Queen
Geri Halliwell-Horner
Philomel, 2023
452 pages
Grades 4-7
Mystery/Adventure

London native Rosie is having a bad day. She is being framed by bullies for wrong doing and is in trouble--yet again. Once at the principals office she finds that her problems are much worse than simply getting detention. Rosie's mother is suddenly dead of unknown reasons and she must be instantly transported to a boarding school on a remote British island. Rosie is devastated and thrown off-balance, further complicated by a shaky helicopter ride and a dump-and-run once on land. At the school Rosie is greeted by a sinister deputy headmaster, who confiscates a case belonging to her mother and puts her in the care of the school rich-girl/bully, who locks her in the creepy portrait gallery. In the middle of the night Rosie is visited by the ghost of Anne Boleyn, for whom Queen Elizabeth I dedicated the school. Known as the Falcon Queen, Anne has a code of conduct, which she shares with Rosie as she helps her along the way at the new school. Rosie is just in time for the annual Falcon Queen Games. She must win in order to gain an audience with the true headmistress and inform her of the evil doings that she begins to uncover. Despite her unwillingness to make friends, Rosie manages to find allies, both human and otherworldly, and get to the bottom of the mysterious happenings on the island.

Rosie Frost is a new hero in what seems to be projected to be a new mystery series penned by former a Spice Girl. There is a lot I liked about this book, including that it has more layers compared to other mysteries. At it's core this is a friendship story and Rosie begins to work through the loss of her mother by opening up to and trusting her new friends. She is a strong character, who is also a song writer. The author adds a QR code to the back of the book, which will lead readers to the song that Rosie writes in the story. I also like that the tale is seeped in British history. Fans of the Broadway show Six will be naturally drawn to the premise. The main arc reaches a satisfying conclusion and the mystery is solved. Left hanging is the whereabouts of Rosie's mother, who the reader will be left to assume is still alive somewhere. There are Harry Potter connections (British boarding school where students have to save the day), but it is more mystery and less fanciful. The fantasy element is slight and it is mostly realistic, save the ghostly Falcon Queen showing up. What I didn't like was the length. It is Waaaay too long and will turn off all but the most ambitious readers. I found myself struggling at the end and can't imagine that kids wouldn't feel the same. The end contains a glossary of British terms and a cute family tree of Henry the Eighth and his wives. A great choice for smart readers looking for a book to bite into.

Lo and Behold

Lo and Behold
Wendy Mass
Gabi Mendez, Illustrator
Random House, 2023
205 pages
Grades 3-7
Graphic Novel

Ever since Mom's bicycle accident, nothing has been right in Addie's family. Finally, Mom is off getting help and Addie and her dad are traveling across the country so Dad, a college professor, can work with a group of students developing VR games. Addie is carrying a lot of baggage and is unwilling to make friends, although Mateo, a cheerful guy from the down the hall, starts to wear her down. Mateo has troubles too. His brother spends a lot of time in the hospital fighting illness and he understands an unstable family. Meanwhile, the VR college gang are kind and cool. They are developing some amazing products and Addie and Mateo enjoy testing them out. Sometimes Addie feels as if it might be easier to live in the VR world and it is through the games that she starts to let her guard down and find some healing. One day while at the hospital they get a great idea: what if they develop a VR game to distract kids who are scared to get their treatments? With help from the college team Addie and Mateo set out to use the new technology to make a difference.

Mass, a middle grade author who is not afraid to dive deep, tackles a graphic novel that will attract readers, all while giving them an extra layer of content. At first glance I thought that this book was science fiction, but it is fully in present reality. All adventuring is done through VR goggles and Mass demonstrates how the technology can be used for healing and positive distraction. I liked the friendship between Addie and Mateo and thought that they were both great characters. Both young people are dealing with troubles that though present in the story and the catalyst behind their invention, do not overwhelm the plot. The full color illustrations by Mendez are expertly done, cheerful, and will attract readers. The coloring used when the kids are in VR land is slightly different, cluing readers in that this is not reality. I appreciate that Mass shows a positive side of technology besides video games and at the end of the volume she elaborates on her love of virtual reality and the path that lead her there. Also included are some notes from the illustrator on her process. This is a great recommendation for both boys and girls who are looking for a realistic memoire-type graphic novel, but don't want to get too heavy and will also appeal to reluctant readers.

Alebrijes

 Alebrijes

Donna Barba Higuera

Levine Querido, 2023

399 pages

Grades 5-8

Dystopian/Science Fiction

Leandro and his sister Gabi are trying to survive as Cascabeles (second class citizens) in the pocket of civilization known as Pocatel. Life is hard. They must forge in the fields for scraps and work for the ruling class, much like slaves. To make a little money to escape, Leandro turns to pickpocketing, which is a risk. If caught, he could be turned out of the safety of the city and into the wilderness with no food or water and where the dreaded and deadly wyrms hunt for prey. One fateful day Gabi steals a precious strawberry and Leandro must take the fall. He is exiled, which means certain death. A kindly scientist offers him a deal. If Leandro agrees to have his essence put inside an ancient drone, she will help him to live. In exchange, Leandro must try to find the scientist's daughter, who was previously exiled and is currently also existing inside a drone. Leandro takes the deal and for the first time sees what life is really like outside the city walls in the body of a zippy hummingbird. He finds an unexpected haven for drone refugees and learns that maybe there really is hope to be found on this barren planet. If only he can get back into his body, rescue his sister, and lead others to the new paradise without getting caught by the evil rulers of Pocatel.

In Mexico Alebrijes are brightly colored animal statues often representing people's unique spirit animals. This is a fitting title for a story about young people finding hope and independence while taking refuge in the body of animal drones. Higuera, Newbery winner for The Last Cuentista revisits the last days of an environmentally ravaged earth, offering a cautionary tale for what is to come if we don't act now. Other themes include loyalty, greed, the importance of community, and little guys can do big things. For a dystopian novel, which is a saturated field, this one felt fresh and original. I liked the concept and thought that the young people escaping and exploring the world through drones was a great idea. I also liked the wyrm (giant worm-like monsters) and the secret behind them. Set up as if this is a true account, readers will fall right into the story--and especially pour over the included map. Leonardo is a great character. Though often referred to as "he", he felt very gender neutral and everyone will relate to this character and tap into their better selves through him. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout and context clues will help readers decipher the meaning. Though loosely connected to the previous Newbery winner, I didn't quite enjoy this book as much. I felt that it went on for too long and became a bit of a slug at points. I would recommend this book to smart kids who want something that will challenge them and fans of the author's first.

Dear Mothman

Dear Mothman

Robin Gow

Amulet, 2023

313 pages

Grades 6-8

Narrative Poetry/Realistic Fiction

Unconventional formatting and narrative poetry convey the story of Noah, a transgender boy, who is dealing with the loss of a best friend and revealing to the world his true identity during the spring of sixth grade in a small Pennsylvania town. Noah processes his feelings by writing a series of letters to Mothman, a cryptid who has been sighted in the area and was greatly followed and adored by Lewis, the departed friend. Noah, who is on the spectrum, has a hard time understanding other people's intentions and often is confused when other kids make fun of him. It is with trepidation and cautious optimism that Noah begins to make some new friends: three girls who also march to the beat of their own drummers. One of the girls, Hanna, might even turn out to be a possible crush and love interest. The kids have a sleepover at Noah's house to try to catch Mothman on his daily nocturnal visits. They think they see him--and all run away scared. Noah feels terrible. He now has proof that Mothman exists, but needs physical evidence in order to make the other kids believe and get a passing grade in his science project. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Noah takes it upon himself to go into the woods to track down Mothman with predictably disastrous results. Will Noah survive the adventure? Will the world finally believe in Mothman and learn to accept Noah for who he truly is?

Well, its that time of year. I am reading all of the newly reviewed books of the year that are showing up on the "best of" lists. This is another beautifully written and powerful book--that the target audience is not reading. Thirty-three libraries in my consortium bought this book and only one is out--checked out to me! That said, Dear Mothman is deserving of all of it's praise. The poetry is gorgeous with every word important. The format is eye-catching. Different fonts are used for the narration and the letters with Hanna and Noah each getting their own distinct font. Pencil illustrations seem child-like and appear to be taped into the book scrapbook style. The edges of the pages are shaded to make the volume look like a journal. The representation is important, featuring a transgender autistic kid. The plot, though quiet, is interesting and I caught myself holding my breath to see if Mothman would really appear. I found certain situations a bit contrived. I was surprised that Noah managed to find such like minded and well-adjusted friends so quickly. In some ways Noah felt very immature, and in others the opposite was true-especially in the dating realm. I listened to the audio, which lost something without the benefit of seeing the formatting and I didn't quite believe the narration. This is a story best enjoyed by the physical book, which will require a bit of handselling to the right reader.

The Cursed Moon

The Cursed Moon
Angela Cervantes
Scholastic, 2024
221 pages
Grades 4-7
Horror

Rafael loves to write and tell scary stories. This is a release for him after living through a pretty scary early childhood with a mother struggling with addiction. Now he lives peacefully with his grandparents and little sister, but Mom is getting released from prison soon and he is very apprehensive about this new development. One day he tells a group of friends a new story about a creepy character named The Caretaker, who lures kids into a neighborhood pond. A neighbor overhears him and freaks out because he told the story under a Blood Red Moon and that means that the tale will come true. Is the neighbor crazy? Maybe, but her brother did disappear years ago as a child and he also told scary stories, so maybe she knows something about this. A mysterious large cat creeping around the neighborhood puts everyone further on edge and then bad news arrives when Rafael is suddenly not allowed to go on the neighborhood camping trip for the kids. He is disappointed--but also nervous for his sister. Will the Caretaker strike? He needs to figure out how to stop this sinister menace before more kids disappear. Help comes from unexpected places and Rafael dives deep to find the wits and courage to save the day.

Veteran author Cervantes serves up a spine-tingler seeped in realistic dilemmas. Horror is currently trending and this title will fill the bill for kids looking for scary fare. It is seriously creepy with a repeating scary refrain (One, two, he's coming for you...) and the situation feels plausible. Kids will be scared without being scarred and no one is permanently injured or killed. There are other levels to the story. Rafael is dealing with a parent that is overcoming addiction and is currently incarcerated, an absentee father, and friendship problems. Meanwhile, he feels very responsible for his younger sister, who he has always had to care for. I also like the representation of kids living with their grandparents of which there are a lot these days. Another layer is that Rafael's family is Hispanic and Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the text and the culture is represented. At the end of the day, Rafael finds the courage to beat the monster, make friends with his enemies, and give his mom a second chance. Not your run of the mill horror story, this is one with a bit of depth and more content than simply screams.

Remember Us

Remember Us

Jacqueline Woodson

Nancy Paulsen/Penguin, 2023

178 pages

Grades 5-7

Realistic/Historical Fiction

Short chapters and lyrical writing captures the reminiscences of Sage, a rising seventh grader experiencing a pivotal summer in her beloved neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn. It is the 1970's and much of Bushwick is on fire, earning the nickname of "The Matchbook". As Sage goes through her summer playing basketball with her friends the constant background noise of sirens keeps everyone on high alert. A new boy moves to the neighborhood and Freddy and Sage become instant friends, supporting each other and sharing the love of basketball. This is the summer that Sage begins to question if its okay to want to hang out with the boys and play basketball instead of hopscotch with the girls. When an older boy calls her gender into question and steals her deceased father's basketball, she starts to feel "less than" and begins to fade away. A supportive mother, Freddy, and a neighborhood tragedy recalibrate Sage and she emerges more sure of herself and ready to embrace being who she is and doing what she loves. As the summer winds down Mom has some devastating news. Sage begins seventh grade in a place in which she didn't imagine living, yet pushes through, makes new friends, and continues her journey.

I am a huge fan of the writing of Jacqueline Woodson. She is one of those authors that is super intentional and every word included counts. This new book I particularly enjoyed because it harkens back to my childhood. Though I did not grow up in Brooklyn, there were enough references that made me feel as if I was back in the 1970's on a hot summer day with a popsicle dripping down my arm. Although the story is written as a narrative, it feels almost like poetry, much like the author's Brown Girl Dreaming, and is also semi-autobiographical. Themes such as overcoming gender norms, the importance of community, finding friends who get you, being true to yourself, and mourning the loss of a parent are prevalent within the pages. The format is unconventional, the chapters are sometimes very short (there are 77 of them), and there is a lot of white space on the page, so this book reads quickly. Though it is relatively short, it is jam-packed with content and is meant to be savored. It would make an excellent read-aloud and would benefit from some adult context. There is an author's note at the end with some historical information, but I am not sure that young readers will make it there on their own. Though beautifully written, this is not a book that kids will understand or pick up to read. I think it is thoughtful adults who will make the best audience. It reminded me a bit of Spinelli's Hokey Pokey, a story written to capture a long-ago childhood and not something necessarily intended for consumption by today's youth.

Warrior Girl Unearthed

Warrior Girl Unearthed

Angeline Boulley

Holt, 2023

396 pages

Grades 9-Up

Mystery

Perry Firekeeper-Birch loves her life as a tribal member of Ojibwa Indians living on Sugar Island in Michigan. As summer begins she is looking forward to fishing and taking it easy. After an accident that messes up her truck, Aunt Daunis forces Perry to join the same internship program as her ambitious twin Pauline. Pauline is assigned the plume role at Tribal Council, while Perry is sent to the local museum with the eccentric director. A meeting for the re-appropriation of tribal artifacts at a local college brings Perry face to face with the Warrior Girl, the skeleton of a long-deceased ancestor. The artifacts and actual remains of previous members of Perry's tribes are scattered all over the region--and even all over the globe. As Perry's eyes open to this travesty, she gets angry and decides to take matters into her own hands, leading to a bad decision that lands her in a new placement. Now it is Perry at the Tribal Council and Pauline reassigned, because of inappropriate advances made by the chief. Perry is now assigned to the tribe's second in command, who is sympathetic to her cause to reclaim their ancestors and historic possessions. When Perry discovers some atrocities, she comes up with a plan to retrieve the sacred items, possibly putting herself and those she loves in danger. Throw in a murder, missing girls, and a possible love interest and you have another winner from a Printz winning author.

Boulley revisits the same family and location of her award winning book Firekeeper's Daughter. It is ten years later and though Daunis is a character in the story, we now are focused on her twin nieces Perry and Pauline. The relationship between the two girls is interesting and both grow a lot during the story. I learned about Indian Repatriation of artifacts and human remains. I really had no idea of the extent of the theft from native peoples and now that my eyes are open I will be more cognizant moving forward. Not as much of a sequel, but more as a companion novel, readers can dive into this story without having read the first, but certain characters and items are richer with prior knowledge. The plot is super absorbing and I was instantly swept up and enjoying the twists and turns of Perry's crazy summer. For some reason both this book and the predecessor are not big hits with teens readers in Bergan County New Jersey. Although practically all of the libraries in my consortium bought them, very few are out. I think in this case the cover does not help the book and it may require some handselling. Both mysteries, the missing girls and the murder, are solved by the book's end in a satisfyingly manner and readers will have closure. Set in 2014, maybe next the author will skip ahead to the present and we can see the fate of the Warrior Girl.