The Bold, Brave Bunny by Beth Ferry
“B is for Brave; B is for Bold. B is not only for … bunnies!” And we see the bold bunny Teetu show us how he can be brave, how much beauty there is in the world, how one bunny can make a book and how there is no place like home even if there are so many bunnies it is not funny. Beth Ferry’s The Bold, Brave Bunny is simple, but far from simplistic. There are some grand details with Chow Hon Lam’s illustrations, […]
Apocalypse Taco by Nathan Hale
When I first saw the cover of Apocalypse Taco, I was wondered if it was going to be a mystery or a cultural coming of age story. I never expected mutant tacos that replicate cars or a multiple armed and legged person who is besties with a tooth monster. Never having read Nathan Hale, I had no idea what to expect. But then again, I did not expect mutant bee-squid creatures or alien dimensions. But, of course, neither did our main characters, 11-year-old twins Axl […]
Under the Broken Sky by Markio Nagai
I was taught that if writers have a negative comment about what they are reviewing, they should start with a positive comment. However, I am going to be a rebel and start with the negative: If I have one complaint about Under the Broken Sky by Markio Nagai it is that the language is too modern. The contemporary voice of the narrator occasionally took me out of the (historical) moment, making me backtrack to get back to Manchuria mid-1940s. Now that is over, the good […]
Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen
**possible spoilers** I read Pilu of the Woods by accident. I was looking at graphic novels and meant to just look at it, but it got into my purchase pile. And even though it was a surprise find, I strongly recommend Mai K. Nguyen and their graphic novel about loss, family, grief and coming to terms with it all. In fact, so much so that I am planning on donating my copy to my library in honor of a friends first grand-baby. (Which I know […]
The Evil Princess vs. the Brave Knight by Jennifer Holm
The Evil Princess vs. the Brave Knight (Book 1) strikes me as The Pain and the Great One for the 21st century. The Evil Princess and The Brave Knight are two siblings who do not always get along. And with the talents of sibling team Jennifer and Matthew Holm, one creative funny story about brothers and sisters comes about. I am assuming this story might be “close to home” for the author and illustrator. Or in other words, they are the inspiration for said siblings. Evil Princesses […]
My Father’s Words by Patricia MacLachlan
#cbr11bingo #TwoHeadsareBetterThanOne My Father’s Words by Patricia MacLachlan is a modern story with the classic elements of loss, family, friendships and growth. While some areas are based on the authors own life, this is a fictious story about a young girl, Fiona, and her family dealing with the loss of her father. Told in Fiona’s voice, we see the past mixed in with the current grief the characters all share. But a grief all must process differently. Like many of MacLachlan’s stories, this is a sweet story. […]
