One Chapter

Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis

5 stars Middle School/ YA Fiction

There’s something about these stories that draws me in repeatedly. Fud and his mother lived with Larry in his trailer. Fud doesn’t know much about her father except that he returned to Spain after learning her mother was pregnant with Fud. Mom thought their life would be better with Larry and I guess if living with fear and anxiety is better, then she is right.

See, mom tries to be the perfect woman for Larry, but nothing makes him happy. He’s demanding, he likes to yell, and he likes his drink. Fud tries to block out the yelling but sometimes it gets to be so loud. Fud is worried about their future with Larry, but her mother doesn’t see it that way. Larry has been physical with her mother, yet Fud doesn’t understand why her mother keeps hanging onto Larry, doesn’t she see the danger that lies up ahead? Larry was a boxing champion and he’s a big talker about his days in the ring. He’s determined that he’s headed back into the ring. Those dreams are suddenly taken away and Larry pulls a massive, defeated boat into the yard.

Larry new plans are to rehaul this shipwreck. He plans to create a new houseboat for his new family and set sail. Warning lights immediately go off inside Fud! This cannot be happening! Out on a boat, in the open waters, alone with mom and Larry, this sounds like a horrible situation! Can’t mom see this? Fud starts to calculate how long it will take Larry to overhaul this boat and what she can do to prevent them from boarding it.

Meanwhile, new neighbors move in, and Leigh seems like a nice girl which is too bad. Fud knows that Ava will add her to her posse the minute she walks into the school. It’s a shame too as Fud needs a friend. It’s surprising how much Fud and Leigh have in common and how well they get along, considering Ava influence on Leigh. Leigh ends up being the branch that Fud needs when she mentions a pageant with a cash payout as the prize. If Fud could only win that pageant, it just might be their ticket to freedom. Their ticket away from Larry.

I enjoyed how realistic this book felt and how quickly the story moved along. Great relationships and the dramatics between the characters created powerful connections with the characters that made me feel like I was part of the story. Leigh was a neutral character when she arrived, and I liked how she tried to fit in. Leigh saw individuals for who they were, even though others were trying to influence her. Fud wanted/needed a friend yet when she found Leigh, she was reluctant to really embrace her. I feared the day that Larry would finish his boat and what that would entail and as Leigh and Fud’s pageant day crept closer, these days seemed to be on a collision course. There were a lot of factors playing into Fud’s future and as the pages of this book started to dwindle, I just didn’t expect this book to end the way that it did. Such a powerful story about status, acceptance, family, friendship, poverty, and abuse. 5 stars

“To Leigh, this was plain old hair cream. To me, it was friendship in a bottle.”

Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart

5 stars Middle School/YA Fiction

It’s been almost a year since Coyote and her father settled into this small Oregon town. Parking Yager, they’ve hung-up their traveling shoes for a more permanent home and now, Coyote is trying to find her place amongst her 7th grade peers. There’s been so much to adjust to and none of it has been easy nor does Coyote feel that her life will ever be the same. My heart starts to soften as I flashback to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, the first book that introduced Coyote and her family. Back then, her life seemed carefree and simple but turned tiring and complicated as troubles began. Now, she’s living with her dad in a house, trying to establish a new life.

As we’re introduced to Candice, you can immediately get a feel as to how Coyote feels about that situation. Candice isn’t in Coyote’s face flaunting her relationship with Coyote’s father, yet any scene that Candice is present in, it’s just too much for Coyote. Emotions come flooding out of the pages when Coyote sees, hears, and or even thinks about Candice. Coyote doesn’t need another adult figure in her life, nor does she like seeing their PDA’s, and deep down inside there’s some jealousy there. Adding Candice to everything else that Coyote is trying to adjust to could be a good thing or a bad thing and right now, Coyote sees her as a threat.

Chilling out inside Yager, Coyote discovers a hidden box. This was a shocker for both Coyote and her father but now, they must face reality. I could understand the state their family is in but now, they must decide what happens next. Mom can’t stay hidden inside Yager forever, she must find a permanent resting spot. But where?

Dad knows the location, but he needs Coyote’s help getting there. It’s time for another road trip so with Candice, dad, Coyote and Salvador, it’s time to load up Yager and hit the road. Coyote is determined to make this a great trip but sometimes things don’t go as planned as she’s faced with complications and plans that are out of her control. Coyote learns to grow her own wings and she begins to find peace within herself. Such a great continuation of Coyote’s journey, I hope we get more stories about Coyote. 5 stars

“” But when this girl calls, I answer. Every time. And I always will. No matter what. I don’t even answer every time when my mom calls. But I do for you, Coyote.” …….”And you don’t even answer my texts,”” he said.

“Boy. He was right. He was one hundred percent right. Leave it to a best friend to make you feel like a million bucks and a total piece of crap in one conversation.”

“And I’m afraid that …. that…that I’ll never find where I fit.” (she’s a work-in-progress).

Pizza and Taco: Wrestle Mania! (graphic novel) by Stephen Shaskan

5 stars Children’s Graphic Novel

Pizza and Taco are back with another 5-chapter book. The Sign-Up sheets have been posted for sports and both of their mothers want them to sign up for one of them. Unfortunately, Pizza and Taco do not like sports. Hum, will it be baseball, football, soccer, or wrestling? They want to sign up together for the same sport, but which one will it be? They eliminate the ones that they visualize will be disasters for them and the only option left is wrestling.

They decide that they must come up with cool names like their favorite wrestlers, so Pizza thinks that he’ll become The Underwear Taker and Taco will become The Tac ‘N Roller. The illustrations of what their wrestling costumes will look like are hilarious as Taco claims he will “rock your world” and Pizza wants everyone to “be afraid! Be very afraid!” (so, protect your underwear from Pizza). They also have a conversation about what each of their patented moves will be inside the wrestling ring and boy, these two will definitely be putting on a good show.

They first need to get to wrestling tryouts to see if they can even make the team. Can Pizza and Taco become one of the Farefield Fighting Flapjacks? They’re excited to get started and want to jump right into the heart of the sport but Coach Donut starts them out with some basic’s firsts. Can Pizza and Taco handle this first day?

I enjoy their friendship; I like their differences and how they solve issues. I like their honesty and how they value each other. The expressions and emotions in this book are great. The book is easy to follow and understand. There are not a lot of words to read so young children can read this book for themselves and the illustrations are bright and aren’t full of extra pointless fillers. 5 stars

My Dog and I by Luca Tortolini

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

I really liked this book. One of my grandsons thought this book was funny and the other one didn’t quite understand the humor of it. They’re both 4 years old. From the title, you think that you’ll be reading a story about a dog, and you will be, but the illustrations are of a brown bear. A big brown bear! The little girl calls it a dog and there’s no explanation why she thinks this bear is actually a dog so as a reader, you figure it out.

She’s always wanted a dog. One day while out at the park, she sees something over by the trees and decides that the scared and lost animal should go home with her. She has finally found the dog that she has always wanted! She immediately commits to taking care of it. I love how she does everything that she can to show her love to her dog. She builds him a house, feeds him, plays with him, and she even makes sure that he’s not someone else’s dog. Wait? How can he be someone else’s dog when her dog is actually a big brown bear!

Yes, I kid you not! She’s excited that she finally found a dog but it’s not a dog at all. This “dog” is a huge bear that she rides on and is almost twice the size she is. As she walks him and takes him throughout the town, people gasp and stare at them. I had to wonder if anyone was going to mention to her that he was a bear but nope, nothing was said.

She loves her new “dog” and she seems very happy until the day that he disappears. She’s overcome with sadness now but her “dog” never came back.

Again, she returns to the park to play, and she hears something in the shrub. Could it be? Holy moly! She finds another scared and lost animal. This time, it’s not a dog but she loves it just the same. So sweet and funny! The illustrations are bright, and the text is easy. I highly recommend you pick this one up! 5+ stars from me

Wilfred by Ryan T. Higgins

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

What a gem of a book! Wilfred is a humongous, hairy giant who lives all alone and he wants a friend so badly. One day, Wilfred discovers a little town that has a lot of little people in it. Wilfred notices that all these individuals have no hair on their heads. Wilfred wants to join in with the kids who are playing but when they see him, they run. Well, all of them run except for one boy. This boy is curious about Wilfred and after getting to know each other and playing, they decided they would play together tomorrow too. Finally! Wilfred has a friend!

I loved how this boy was cautious at first but then he accepted Wilfred for who he was.

Returning the next day, Wilfred is met with resistance. The townspeople now want something from Wilfred. What?!? This is just crazy that they expect Wilfred to abide by their wishes! Wilfred wants to play with his friend, so he gives them exactly what they want. As the young boy waits for Wilfred, he waits and waits. When the young boy sees some townspeople, he notices that they have changed. I mean they have really changed! Panic stricken, the young boy knows his new friend is in danger and races to save him. The ending of this book is sweet, and I loved all the messages this book has in it.

Wow, I think the more I read this book, the more I love it! Wilfred just wanted a friend, and, in the end, he got much more but he sacrificed a lot to get it. I loved the facial expressions on the characters in the book and I loved the character of Wilfred. Although Wilfred was huge, he was a tender loving soul. 5 stars

We Don’t Lose Our Pet Goldfish by Ryan T. Higgins

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

Yes, big Penelope is afraid of Walter, the goldfish (I still laugh about the first book in this series and how this fear all began). Penelope has feelings just like all her friends at school, but Walter is her biggest fear and she’s going to have to face that fear in the upcoming coming weeks.

Ms. Noodleman, Penelope’s teacher announces to her class that the whole class will have the opportunity to take Walter home for the weekend. While the whole class is overjoyed with this opportunity, Penelope starts to worry. Week-by-week, her classmates share their positive weekends with Walter with the class. For Penelope doom day is today, Walter is coming home with her. You have to laugh as she tries to entertain Walter at home, her creative activities are entertaining, yet I don’t think they fit something Walter is capable of enjoying. It’s been quite the weekend and it’s quite possible that Penelope developed a liking for Walter, but I don’t think she’s ready for her own pet yet.

With fantastic illustrations you’ll fall in love with Penelope as she deals with some common childhood issues in this series. Penelope isn’t afraid to show her emotions and she’s a character that’s likeable and one you can relate to. A great book. 5 stars

We Will Rock Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

4.5 stars Children’s Picture Book

Being a dinosaur is hard especially when you’re the only one. Penelope finds that out as she’s the only dinosaur in her school. Penelope is almost like the other human boys and girls in her classroom, almost. At least now, it seems like Penelope is trying to fit in with the other students in her class. Readers learn that Penelope’s favorite thing to do in the whole world is to make music. Rock and roll music to be exact, whether she’s singing it or playing it on an instrument, rock and roll is her favorite music. So, when her teacher tells the class that there’s going to be a talent show, Penelope is pumped as she knows exactly what she was going to do.

Penelope’s name is on the first line for the talent show signup, she was that excited! She knew exactly what she was going to do and had everything all planned out yet when the time came for rehearsals, she froze. Not one peep or roar came out of Penelope as she stood in front of her peers. All of her self-confidence drained right out of her. So much for the talent show now.

Penelope can’t perform because, “I am a dinosaur.” Sad and depressed Penelope arrives home, and daddy takes her aside and talks to her. He doesn’t try to convince her, but he shows her and allows Penelope to see things through her own eyes. The next day, Penelope arrives at school hopeful and determined. The Talent Show is tonight, and she hopes she can rock the building.

It’s a cute story and I like the lesson that Penelope learns. The story touches on a variety of emotions as she navigates life. I like how dad explains the situation to her and he doesn’t preach but shows by example and lets her see things for herself. Penelope still has issues with being a dinosaur around her human friends which she still struggles with daily, and I like that about her. I love the illustrations in this book. I highly recommend reading one of these books in the series if you haven’t, they’re good. 4.5 stars

A First Time For Everything by Dan Santat

4 stars Graphic Novel Middle School

If only life was like elementary school, where life was simple and good. Unfortunately, Dan got a rude awaking when he entered middle school and he saw how some individuals really were. His life got worse after rehearsing his speech in front of his peers, as his peers started to bully him. Luckily with a few close friends by his side, Dan survived those awful years physically with the emotional damage locked away within him. Hoping that high school would be different, Dan didn’t know why his parents were pushing him to go to Europe this summer to study abroad. He wanted the summer off, Europe would always be there, and why go to Europe with some classmates that weren’t even his friends.

That summer trip to Europe the summer before Dan begins high school proves to be a life-changing event for Dan. Leaving for Europe, Dan’s confidence and negativity are at a all-time low and during this trip, he has some experiences that he never could have had at home, had he just continued on with his daily life at home. Meeting new people, getting lost, having new adventures, learning to trust, depend, and go out of his comfort zone really helps Dan become a better person. He grows as a person and when he steps back on U.S. soil, Dan is not the same person he was when he boarded the plane 3 weeks ago.

There has been a lot of hype about this book, I knew that I had to read it. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and how realistic the story felt. There was quite a bit of dialogue and action in this book as Dan travels to Europe, but it was easy to follow this story using the text boxes. The different font sizes and styles that were used throughout the story enhanced different parts of the story, which I thought added to the book. Dan didn’t expect to enjoy his time with his peers, he just wanted to get the three weeks over with. As he starts to realize his potential, you can feel him change and his view of the world changes with him. The negativity that has been riding on his shoulders starts to lift and possibilities await. 4 stars

Tell Me About Space by Lisa Varchol Perron

5 stars Children’s Nonfiction Picture Book

SO much information! This is definitely a book for school age children and not one for toddlers unless your toddler is well-advanced for their age. This book briefly explains gravity, earth’s rotation, the solar system, the moons, and the galaxies.

As a boy talks with his mother and asks her questions about space, the book expands on his questions and answers them in a direct manner. I like the one-one dialogue they have and how the book gives a brief, direct answer without giving a too complex and overwhelming answer. The text is easy to read, and I like the different fonts that were used in the book.

The illustrations are soft, and I liked the different color schemes that they used within the book.

It really is an educational book without being too wordy and overwhelming for a child. It’s a book that will answer their questions about space and could lead them to seek more information, if they so desire. It’s a book that could be read repeatedly and one with great illustrations and pictures that children can understand. 5 stars

“Tell me why I’m standing still if Earth is spinning around.”

“Everything is moving – you and me, the air, the ground!”

“Although we feel like we are staying in one place, we are always spinning along with Earth – about a thousand miles an hour! We don’t perceive the movement because it is constant.”

Pretty Ugly by David Sedaris

4.5 stars Children’s Picture Books

Wow, that was some story! Anna is an ogre and lives with her family. She does things that typical orges do: stomp on flowers, make the house dusty, and talks with her mouth full. Her family loves her so much! Like all children, Anna likes to make faces and try on masks, but her family doesn’t like it. They’re afraid her pretty ogre face might be replaced by something Anna creates and they warn her to be careful.

The day came when it happened, she made the most “scariest face of all…..and it stuck!” Unfortunately, no one could help her, and she was forced to wear that face forever. Anna hated her new face, but her family accepted her because they knew who Anna really was and that her “real beauty is on the inside.”

People made fun of her now and Anna decided she needed a break so she locked herself up in the woodshed for a while to think.

You’ll never guess what came to her while she was thinking and what she did. What an ending!!

An interesting read and one that will have you thinking. The illustrations are simple, as is the colors they used on them. I liked the message the book has but for some children, you might need to explain the message. It’s a book where you’ll need to read it a couple times – you really will. 4.5 stars