From a middle-grade sci-fi thriller to a Word War II story of resistance; a yeti who yearns to dance and a story about combating boredom--Grand Rapids Area Library children's librarian, Tracy Kampa, shares this new batch of recommendations with What We’re Reading.
Abominable Snow Dancer, by Steph Lau
Tracy’s take: "Have you ever had a dream? Something that felt so far away, yet you still yearned, regardless how far down into your heart you squished that dream. Well, so did Otto. But tradition prevented Otto from living that dream, for you see, Otto was a yeti. Or rather, an abominable snowman. A most excellent, dedicated, and accomplished yeti, to be sure. He scaled mountains, scared off beasts, and spent his days doing all the yeti things.
"Deep in his heart, however, Otto had one desire. Otto wanted to dance. But as the story tells us, “Dancing felt too big and shiny to ever happen to him.” Besides, everybody knows that yeti don't dance, and even when he tried, it ended in failure. Until the fateful day when Otto somersaulted down a mountain and found himself in a sparkly unicorn place where there were dance auditions happening. This must be fate. Otto, however hard he tried, though, just doesn't have quite what it takes, especially when asked to dance the can-can with the unicorns. As Otto slunk away in defeat, though, his unique talents and abilities are demanded as he is required to save the day. How does he do it? I certainly don't want to spoil the ending for you. Rather, I encourage you to check out Abominable Snow Dancer, by Steph Lau."
Bored, by Felicity Sala
Tracy’s take: "Rita is bored, but her family doesn't seem to care. They didn't respond to her seven loud bored yawns, nor could she surprise herself by jumping in and out of view in front of her mirror. In her boredom, she daydreams about other bored people in the world. Maybe all the other bored, yawny people could be invited on a bus, and they might be taken to a non-boring place. Their boredom, however, causes them to float in the air through the bus windows, and they all land on Bored Island.
"On the island, they discover their boredom is the seed that creates wonderful advancements in humanity. A girl from Dubai yodels and discovers how to communicate with whales. A professor was so bored that he accidentally discovered three new galaxies. And on it goes. So many adventures, so many breakthroughs, so much wonder, all springing from boredom. And when it comes time for dinner, Rita is far too busy to join her family. If you yourself need a little motivation, or perhaps you know people suffering from boredom, you may find inspiration in Felicita Sala's wonderful picture book, Bored. And side note, the cover illustration will put you right in the mood."
Boy 2.0, by Tracey Baptiste
Tracy’s take: "As we may have established, science fiction as a genre is not my go-to. There are some like A Wrinkle in Time that I love, but I generally prefer my reading to be of the feet planted firmly in the ground, reality-based sort. And then came Cole.
"Cole Keegan is a foster child, and we meet him as he's being transported to a new home. He is processing a great trauma, as his foster father of three years just had a mental break and is hospitalized. His new family seems welcoming, though, and Cole is relieved when he finds he can still attend the same school and see his friends. Cole likes to draw, and chalk is his preferred medium. On his first day with the new family, his foster brother shows Cole a news story, in which a black woman was killed by the police. Trying to process this, Cole went for a long walk and brought his chalk along, planning on drawing a memorial to the life taken. However, as Cole was drawing, a man came out of his house, threatened Cole, and shot at him.
"Cole ran, ultimately hiding behind a dumpster. The police searched for him, but even though they were looking directly at him, they didn't seem able to see him. Cole looks down at his skin and realized he was invisible. And all of this in the first 40 pages of the book! Now, normally, when I get to the boy turns invisible part of the story, I quietly close the book and return it to the shelf. I was so invested in Cole, however, that there was no way I was going to put this book down.
"Layer by layer, we learn along with Cole about his past and about how he came to be with his foster family. It wasn't coincidence, and the turning invisible part may not be simply a superpower, but indeed something that is hidden within Cole's very DNA. This book has villains and heroes, an evil military medical facility, jump drives and notebooks hidden in the floorboards, and a storyline that just doesn't stop. I can't give it a more enthusiastic thumbs up than to tell you that I've already started the sequel. If you are looking for a science fiction-y adventure mixed with a whole lot of humanity, pick up Boy 2.0, by Tracy Battiste, and then follow that up with the brand new sequel, Kid X."
The Lions’ Run, by Sara Pennypacker
Tracy’s take: "As a reader, I am continually amazed at both the depth and the breadth of World War II stories. There are so many angles to the horrors, and I learn a bit more with each read. Sarah Pennypacker, in her stunning novel The Lions’ Run, set in occupied France, introduces me to the Lebensborn, or the houses where young women pregnant with the babies of German soldiers and others who display the correct coloring and genetics are very well taken care of, as they are literally carrying the future of Germany. Taken care of, at least, until they give birth. The baby is then taken from them and sent to Germany, where it will be raised by German people, who are, of course, very loyal to the Führer.
"Enter Lucas, a French boy who is being raised in a local orphanage. Lucas saves a litter of kittens after some boys attempt to drown them and takes them to a stable to hide them. There, he is surprised to find Alice, a young woman from a wealthy family who is hiding her horse. All horses have been conscripted by the Nazis to be used for the war effort, but Alice thinks she has a way to get her horse out of France to freedom. Lucas also befriends Claire, a young mother from the Lebensborn, who is nearing the end of her six-week period of nursing her son Felix. She knows they will be soon separated but is convinced that she will know her son and will find him after the war. Jacob knows that if Felix is allowed to leave France, Claire will never see him again.
"So, the plot lines are drawn with boy, baby, and horse all needing to escape. I'm not giving any spoilers, but at one point I cheered out loud at Lucas's ingenuity. The adventure in this book finds little parallel, but where I really think this shines is in the acknowledgement and illustration of how nearly every character Lucas knows is somehow a part of the resistance. While he doesn't learn this until he himself is needed as a courier, it proves that each individual act of resistance snowballs into a way that maybe will have an impact on this terrible war. Indeed, it is probably these individual acts of resistance that allowed the Allies to claim victory. For a unique take on the courage, strength, and resourcefulness of the people living through this horrible war, check out The Lions’ Run, by Sarah Pennypacker.
"Happy reading!"
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