Posts

Book Review - The Tunnel

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Howden, Sarah. (2022). Illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina. THE TUNNEL. Owlkids Books. ISBN: 978-1771474276 2. PLOT SUMMARY When something bad happens to a little boy, he feels like running away despite his mom and aunt trying to help. So, he digs a tunnel in his room and escapes, but soon realizes that he wants to go back. His mom tells him it’s okay if he wants his own space but the important part is that he returns. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS This story doesn’t focus on a specific event happening, but rather centers on the emotions and coping mechanisms after the event has occurred. No details are given as to why the little boy is sad and only the first sentence mentions anything happening at all. This works in the book’s favor to broaden the relatability and interest to the audience. It is possible to infer that the boy has lost his father due to his mother being alone and the aunt coming to help out, but that is mostly speculation. Other readers could interpret it dif...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review - Koala Lou

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Fox, Mem. (1998). Illustrated by Pamela Lofts. KOALA LOU. Voyager. ISBN: 978-0152000769 2. PLOT SUMMARY In this sweet story about a mother’s love, Koala Lou is the oldest out of all her siblings and feels overlooked. In order to gain her mother’s attention, she signs up for the Bush Olympics but comes in second much to her disappointment. However, Koala Lou learns that her mother’s love is unconditional and it doesn’t matter if she lost or how many siblings she has, her mother will always be there for her. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The story was set in Australia, a fact that the author reinforces with a koala being the main character and entering into a competition called the Bush Olympics. The illustrations in this story were realistic, sharp, and colorful, paired with expressive faces and body language of the animals. The emotions expressed were obvious and matched with the story very well. When Koala Lou was happy all her teeth were showing and when she was sad, her head...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review - Do Fish Sleep?

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Raschke, Jens. (2019). Illustrated by Jens Rassmus. Translated by Belinda Cooper. DO FISH SLEEP? Enchanted Lion Books. ISBN: 978-1592702855 2. PLOT SUMMARY In this story about coping with death and loss, big sister Jette loses her younger brother Emil to a terminal illness. She describes his passing, his funeral, and various emotions of grief and relief that she feels. The author has her wonder about death and what it really means and what happens to those left behind. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The author does a superior job of writing from a kid’s perspective about what they think death is like and describing the grief they feel about losing a loved one. Though heaven is mentioned, he doesn’t go into any specific religions and has the kid remain rather ambiguous about a higher power of any sort. This decision allows for the book to reach more audiences and provides a frank and truthful outlook on the questions kids have about death. Throughout the book, the author goes thr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review - Blood Moon

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cuthew, Lucy. (2022). BLOOD MOON. Walker Books. ISBN: 978-1536225785 2. PLOT SUMMARY In this story, a teenager named Frankie has her first sexual experience with a boy he really likes and starts her period. They agree it’s only blood, but soon a meme goes around shaming her and the moment they shared. This creates a situation for online bullying, and now Frankie has to navigate high school and struggles with deciding who to trust during this highly emotional event. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The author addresses a rather taboo subject in many parts of the world, menstruation. Specifically, she discusses it during an intimate moment that quickly becomes public knowledge in the school and surrounding area with students and other young people. Her discourse is open and honest with her vocabulary about blood, orgasms, and period symptoms, which is refreshing when content involving menstruation is usually brushed over or hidden behind vague language. Incorporating the cyberbullyi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review - When the Angels Left the Old Country

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Lamb, Sacha. (2024). WHEN THE ANGELS LEFT THE OLD COUNTRY. Levine Querido. ISBN: 2. PLOT SUMMARY An angel and demon from the Jewish religion embark on a journey to America, leaving their homeland for the first time in an attempt to rescue one of their own villagers whom they believe is in trouble. Along the way they run into the challenges of traveling to a new land, being outsiders, and making some friends along the way. They uncover a conspiracy that traps Jewish immigrants into debt and focus on taking down the men causing trouble for the community. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The author embeds Judaism seamlessly into this story depicting an angel and demon teaming up together to stop the exploitation of their people who are relocating to the United States. Even though this novel is a fantasy, the author still embeds real struggles faced by immigrants such as having to send money back to family, over working and getting underpaid, the possibility and reality of getting den...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review - The First Part Last

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Johnson, Angela. (2010). THE FIRST PART LAST. Simon & Schuster BFYR. ISBN: 978-1442403437 2. PLOT SUMMARY At the age of 16, Bobby has a kid with his longtime girlfriend, Nia. Bobby now has to adjust to his new life of taking care of a baby and not having Nia by his side. As any teenager, he makes some right decisions and some wrong and struggles with his mother frequently regarding his new responsibilities. In the end, he moves to a new town with his father in hopes of being able to start over and be the best father he can to his child. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS In this story, the author depicts the real struggles of being a new father, specifically a new teenage father. The content of the story is relevant and relatable to teens now and portrays a boy trying to do his best for his daughter. Focusing on what’s important, redirecting priorities, and accepting responsibility are themes shown throughout the book and can be relatable to all readers. Incorporating the loss o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review - Concrete Rose

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Thomas, Angie. (2021). CONCRETE ROSE. Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers. ISBN: 978-0062846716 2. PLOT SUMMARY This story details the life of a seventeen year old African American boy named Maverick living in the city. He belongs to a local gang and deals drugs in order to help his mom pay the bills until he finds out that he’s going to be a father. He tries to provide for his son by legal means but his cousin is murdered, his former gang is looking for revenge, and he finds out he’s going to be a father again. He slips back into the life he knows and struggles coming to terms with his cousin’s death, being a new dad, and trying to finish school. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS This book discusses the significant topics of drug dealing, gangs, teen pregnancy, poverty, and murder. The author doesn’t shy away from any of the difficult topics she addresses. Instead, she hits them head on with an openness that is striking at first, but needed in order to relate to r...
Post a Comment
Read more