An anthropomorphized bulb of garlic boldly leaves her cozy home in Witch Agnes's garden to investigate rumors of a vampire living in the once-abandoneAn anthropomorphized bulb of garlic boldly leaves her cozy home in Witch Agnes's garden to investigate rumors of a vampire living in the once-abandoned mansion on the other side of the woods.
Garlic's emotions--fear, hesitation, anxiety--make for a surprisingly relatable and engaging story. Panels dominated by an earthy palette and stylized slang ("Oh grapes!" and "Cheese and chives!") add to the playful world-building in a charming graphic novel that takes a pleasantly unexpected turn....more
9-year-old Julian has a special gift: a unique connection to the universe and those around him that enables him to intuitively know what others are th9-year-old Julian has a special gift: a unique connection to the universe and those around him that enables him to intuitively know what others are thinking and feeling. Julian also has a congenital heart condition (tetralogy of Fallot) and loves contemplating astronomical marvels. After moving from Washington D.C. to rural Maine with his angsty teen sister (Pookie) and two moms, Julian is tasked with the job of befriending their grumpy new neighbor (Mr. X) in the hopes of convincing him to halt a pending lawsuit pertaining to a property dispute. As Julian's connection to Mr. X grows, so does Julian--and everyone in his family. Blending serious issues (anxiety, critical illness, death/grief, changing family dynamics, sperm donors) with pre-teen humor, Julian is a quirky, optimistic narrator and closes each chapter with a "FART" ("facts and random thoughts").
Few novels confront the reality of living with CHD, and this one does so in a refreshingly unique way by subtly pointing out the negative impact of anxious parents who shelter their heart warriors. Because his mother isn't upfront and honest with Julian about his heart condition, Julian erroneously assumes that he will die at the age of 18 or 21. While there are a lot of things that I liked about this book, I felt that the backstory regarding Julian's mother (an OB-GYN who abruptly stops practicing after losing one of her patients and relocates her entire family to launch a B&B) wasn't fully fleshed out or resolved. I also found Julian "uni-sensing" ability to be a bit of a leap. The twist at the end was interesting, but readers who don't share Julian's dedication to real-world magic may have a hard time embracing the conclusion. Maybe that's more of a problem for adult readers? Kids, who are naturally drawn to magic and much more open-minded than jaded grown-ups, will probably love this tale's unexpected twist....more
Even though his two new dads make him feel very welcome after adopting him, Lester feels lonely and afraid in the middle of the night until a furry frEven though his two new dads make him feel very welcome after adopting him, Lester feels lonely and afraid in the middle of the night until a furry friend comes up with the perfect solution.
A lovely last book for Vera B. Williams. I sometimes find Chris Rashcka's art to be a little too surreal for my liking, but here he provides a sunny, warm complement to William's text. It's refreshing to see two dads in this story, and kids who can relate to Lester's experiences will find a lot of comfort in this book. The story felt a little long to me--I think it could have ended a few pages earlier, and was a little taken aback by the dense paragraphs populating every page--but that's a minor quibble for a timely book that meets a bibliotherapy need. ...more
Lizzie, who is very afraid of dogs, overcomes her anxiety with the help of an understanding new friend who shows her how to take small steps toward a Lizzie, who is very afraid of dogs, overcomes her anxiety with the help of an understanding new friend who shows her how to take small steps toward a big goal.
Lovely idea, and I enjoyed the twist at the end, but some of the dialog didn't flow quite right to my ear (i.e. "She is quite adoring being with you") and that took me out of the story a bit....more
Little Elliot and his friend Mouse visit an amusement park, but Elliot finds that everything is too wet, too fast, and too scary to be fun--until MousLittle Elliot and his friend Mouse visit an amusement park, but Elliot finds that everything is too wet, too fast, and too scary to be fun--until Mouse helps him overcome his fears.
A sweet story with a sweet moral ("Being with you is my favorite part of every day!"), and further proof that everything is better with ice cream....more
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