Review: Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery by Kevin O'Malley and ill. by Patrick O'Brien

Synopsis: A strange bright object streaks across the sky of Jurasica, the home planet of Captain Raptor. The Captain and his brave crew set out to study the object and defend their home.

Review: If Star Trek (the Original Series) and Buck Rogers had a Baby, and that Baby had a kid with the Old School Batman series, this would be it - but with Dinosaurs.

Hilarious and cheesy, with bold bright art and detailed illustrations, the reader follows the intrepid Captain Raptor and his crew to the stars. There, they face dangerous animals and intriguing mysteries.

Children will adore the fun adventures and catch-phrases tossing Dinos and parents might actually not hate reading this one more than a few times. As an adult (and sci-fi lover) I found this laugh-out-loud funny and will be purchasing the rest of the series. Onward to the Stars!

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: TBD

ISBN: 0-8027-8935-8
Year Published: 2005
Date Finished: 5-20-18
Pages: 45

Review: A Chorus for Peace: A Global Anthology of Poetry by Women ed. by Marilyn Arnold, Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, and Kristen Tracy

Synopsis: Women poets from around the world are gathered here to raise their voices together, to speak out against violence and its calamitous effect upon the human soul. Yet there is also a thread of resilience here, an undercurrent of hope that points to the human ability to move on, to build a new life out of a shattered past.

Each poem addresses difficult issues concerning conflict and the lives of women. Some are spirited statements that demonstrate courage even in brutal circumstances; others rage at the perpetrators of war or simply mourn their losses. Together, these works reveal a deep consciousness of both the effects of violence and the human ability to move forward. 

The women whose poems appear in this collection stand for peace. Many of them have seen war and strife on fronts both national and domestic; and they write graphically and poignantly, and sometimes ironically, about conflicts external and internal that tear up their lives and the lives of their families and neighbors. They write about the victims of war and oppression: bewildered and brutalized children, bereft wives and mothers, raped and mutilated women, tormented prisoners and soldiers. And they write about victims of a seemingly failed society and victims of struggling or failed human relationships. 

At the same time, these writers are also crying for peace, searching for peace, and occasionally finding peace. In their search, they point the way for the rest of us. (from the online description)

Review:

This book is broken into the following chapters:

Running from the Smoke (Children in War)
On the Sidewalks of Love and Fire (Women Surviving War)
War and So Forth (The Bitter Waste)
Now That I Am Helpless (Mothers in Ambiguity)
Who Stopped the Dance (Domestic Battlefields)
It Is The Time of Awakening (Reaching and ReBuilding)
Listen for Life (Nature Speaks)
The Heart has Found Home (Peace to the Spirit)

Most of my favorite poems fell unto the first few chapters. They include the following:

"For My Torturer, Lieutenant D" by Leila Djabali
In the Casbah by Salma Al-Khedra Al-Jayyusi
The Century's Decline by Wislawa Szymborska
I Had a Strange Dream by Irina Ratushinskaya
Every Day by Ingeborg Bachmann
Judgement by Meiling Jin
The End and the Beginning by Wislawa Szymborska

Over all, this is a fine collection of poems. They are truly gathered from poets across the world, with not preference given to any one country or conflict. Not all these poems make sense in how they connect to the theme, but that might be my own perception. I'm not skilled at finding the hidden meaning. Worth reading, particular if you are looking to find new poets to read.

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 0-87745-812-X
Year Published: 2002
Date Finished: 5-16-2018
Pages: 202

Review: The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan (The Wheel of Time, Book Three)

Synopsis: The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

 Winter has stopped the war—almost—yet men are dying, calling out for the Dragon. But where is he? In the Heart of the Stone lies the next great test of the Dragon reborn. (from the online description)

Review: In the third book, we follow our characters in the aftermath of the Battle at Falma. Rand, unhinged by dark dreams, follows the call to Tear, to the Stone and the Sword protected there. Following him, Moraine, Lan, Perrin, and Loial encounter the dangers of the road and the strange twists of the Wheel left by Rand. Along the way, they pick up Faile. Also journeying there, for other reasons, are the three women of the Tower – Nyneave, Egwene, and Elyane. We also travel with Thom and Mat, the latter learning about his strange gift of Luck. Danger lurks in the form of Black Ajah, Darkfriends, Forsaken and the zealous Whitecloaks. Will our intrepid heroes survive?

As with the other book, this is simply the continuation of the story. Jordan’s works don’t have the same feel as many series, where you get a distinct story each book. Instead, his books each feel like just another chapter in the story. Adventure and Danger, Magic and Darkness, Evil Doings and Brave Deeds abound.

High fantasy at its best!

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 0-812-51371-1
Year Published: 191
Date Finished: 05-15-2018
Pages: 699

Review: Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Synopsis: Merci Suarez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. Things aren’t going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what’s going on, so she’s left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school. In a coming-of-age tale full of humor and wisdom, award-winning author Meg Medina gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school — and the steadfast connection that defines family. (from the online description)

Review: With a deft hand, author Meg Medina brings us into Merci’s world. Starting her second year at a private school, Mercy struggles to navigate a world of privilege and expectations at odds with her personality. Normally, she would confide in her beloved grandfather, Lolo, about her struggles. But Lolo is not himself and no one tells her why. The magic of this book is how Medina takes small events, an assignment at school, a new person in class, riding a bike, a holiday – and builds them into a narrative that wonderfully explores growing up. Medina creates real people, complex, unique, flawed, and complete. Her handling of Lolo and his illness was superb, and in particular, Merci’s anger and reaction nearly made me cry. Merci, brave and stumbling and unsure, is a wonderful character. Watching her discover the truth about herself encouraged me.
I highly recommend this book for any young reader. But in particular, for children facing losing a grandparent to Alzheimer’s, this book would be particularly helpful.

Note: I received this book free via LibraryThing's Early Review Program in exchange for my fair and honest opinion

Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5

Awards: None (Yet)

ISBN: 978-0-7636-9049-6
Year Published: September 2018
Date Finished: 5-16-2018
Pages: 355

Review: American Panda by Gloria Chao (L)

Synopsis: At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents' master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies. With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can't bring herself to tell them the truth--that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese. But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels? (from the online description)

Review: After seeing this on a TBR by Tea Hags, I picked this up at the Library.

Mei is a cute, likeable character. Born from first-generation Taiwanese parents, she constantly struggles between her parents’ world and her own. Gloria Chao handled this conflict with an expert hand – giving all the character depth and flaws. This could have easily slipped into the overbearing-parent-freedom-seeking-child trope but instead, gave the reader a picture of a complex family. The story doesn’t just follow Mei’s growth, but the growth of her mother and brother as well.

The addition of the Taiwanese, including the language, gives the book an authenticity that gives the story richness. Chao includes small details, like Taiwanese food, habits, and words, which make the book so much more than just your average contemporary YA

My qualm is how quickly Mei fell in love. She was willing to defy her family after only a few moments with the boy she likes. This almost ruined the story for me. It felt rushed and silly.

If one can overlook that, this is a fun, easy read – perfect for a summer by the ocean.  

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-1-4841-9910-1
Year Published: 2018
Date Finished: 5-14-2018
Pages: 310

Review: Batman: Hush by Jim Lee, Jeph Loeb, Scott Williams et. al. (Issues 608-6019)

Synopsis:  BATMAN: HUSH is a thrilling mystery of action, intrigue, and deception penned by Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN) and illustrated by comics superstar Jim Lee (ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER) in which Batman sets out to discover the identity of a mysterious mastermind using the Joker, Riddler, Ra's al Ghul and the Dark Knight's other enemies - and allies - as pawns in a plan to wreak havoc. (from the online description)

This volume collects BATMAN #609-619

Review:  Considered a masterpiece of the Batman canon, this volume reads like a Greatest Hits of Batman’s friends and enemies.

A villain, hidden in the shadow, seems to know everyone in Batman’s life and everything about Batman’s life. Using this knowledge, he strikes at Batman, using both villain and family to threaten him. While the mystery sweeps the reader alone, with plenty of false reveals and twists, it is the interaction between Batman and Catwoman that make the story. Here, we see Bruce struggle to meld the two parts of who he is – Bruce and Batman – and to connect the two sides of his soul. The authors handle his with just enough romance and reality and never slide into the trope or the cheesy.

Fantastic art, with bold colors and dynamic lines, bring the story to life. It’s easy to see why this story arc received the praise that it did. One of my favorite arcs in the Batman story. 

Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5

Awards: TBD

ISBN: 978-1-4012-2317-5
Year Published: 2009 (Original Issues Published in 2002-2003)
Date Finished: 5-13-18
Pages: 195

Review: Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar

Synopsis: In 1942, when Mahatma Gandhi asks Indians to give one family member to the freedom movement, ten-year-old Anjali is devastated to think of her father risking his life for the freedom struggle. But it turns out he isn't the one joining. Anjali's mother is. And with this change comes many more adjustments designed to improve their country and use "ahimsa"--non-violent resistance--to stand up to the British government. First the family must trade in their fine foreign-made clothes for homespun cotton, so Anjali has to give up her prettiest belongings. Then her mother decides to reach out to the Dalit community, the "untouchables" of society. Anjali is forced to get over her past prejudices as her family becomes increasingly involved in the movement. 

When Anjali's mother is jailed, Anjali must step out of her comfort zone to take over her mother's work, ensuring that her little part of the independence movement is completed. (from the online description)

Review: Anjali lives a comfortable life as a member of the Brahman caste in 1942 India. She enjoyed the privilege of intelligent parents, private school, lovely clothes, and good food.

She struggles to understand the sudden disruption to her life. When her mother quits her job working for the British and joins the Freedom for India movement, Anjali world shifts violently. 

The story concerns the journey of both Anjali and the people around her – including the adults. Her mother, her uncle, her classmates and neighbors.

Kelkar doesn’t sugar coat the events. There is violence. There is conflict. There is pain. Not everyone is saved, not everyone survives. Change is not pleasant. It’s awkward and uncomfortable and costly. Kelkar’s characters experience this in real ways, ways that cost them more than they thought they could pay.

This is a vital lesson for all of us. Kelkar’s uses real events to highlight this fact. With clear language, complex characters, fast-paced action, and real-world events, Kelkar creates a powerful novel. She transports the reader to India. The smells, the color, the culture, food, and clothes – she describes all of it with clear and clever language.

I would highly recommend this book to parents who want to expose their children to powerful life lessons and other cultures. Excellent for public or home education, and entertaining enough for any child.

Note: I received this book free through LibraryThing's Review Program in exchange for my fair and honest opinion

Note: I received this book free through LibraryThing's Review Program in exchange for my fair and honest opinion

Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5

Awards: New Visions Awards, Winner (2017)

ISBN: 978-1-620-1435-68
Year Published: 2017
Date Finished: 5-12-18
Pages: 306