library – Page 14 – One Chapter

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason

4.5 stars Children’s

Cute book with the premise that it’s okay to be different. Little Ghose didn’t like being different as he didn’t fit in with the other ghosts that were just like him. Little Ghost wasn’t white like a sheet, he was a patterned quilt. A heavy patterned quilt that could not fly carefree in the sky, like the other ghosts. When Little Ghost attempted such a feat, it would end in disaster.

Playing in the park with his friends one day, Little Ghost couldn’t hide fast like his friends, when they heard someone approaching. What happened at the park that day would change the life of Little Ghost. It would soon be Halloween, Little Ghost favorite day of the year, and he decided that he would do something different this year. No longer would he watch the trick-or-treaters from afar, Little Ghost wants to see them up close.

Little Ghost wants to be brave yet it’s scary doing something different. Little Ghost goes on a new adventure filled with uncertainty and unease, but the experience is well worth it.

I really enjoyed this book and how the story plays out. I liked how Little Ghost wants to try something new and how he attempts it, but he doesn’t go how he anticipated it would. Rather than getting upset or discouraged, he goes with it and waits to see how things play out. It’s a great story for children, I think.

“Everything that had happened was because he was a little bit different. Everything had happened because he was a quilt.”

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

4 stars Thriller

There were parts about this book that I really enjoyed as I thought they were very unique. I thought this story had great potential. I loved how the story was being shared and the energy that the story was taking on but as the intensity started to build, I found myself doubting the scenes that were playing out before me.

The formatting of this story must be mentioned because I feel that this plays a big role in this story. The story is told through the eyes of eight-year-old Bela who lives with her Mommy and Daddo. This being the case, the story is made up of mostly short choppy sentences and the placement of these sentences on the page varies. It takes a bit to get used to this type of reading but once you do, I feel it adds to the intensity and the implications of what is happening in the story.

Bela has an imaginary friend at home, Other Mommy. Other Mommy comes out of Bela’s closet, only when Mommy and Daddo leave the room. Seems harmless until Other Mommy starts talking to Bela about entering her heart. Confined to her room, Bela knows Other Mother’s wants now and Bela knows how to control her friend. Other Mother is not about to let Bela’s get away though; she wants her. Bela goes with her mother to the park one day and while out on that outing, Other Mommy leaves the bedroom. Other Mother is spotted by Bela, at the park. Bela though, is not the only person who sees her. Other Mommy, this once imaginary friend of Bela’s, is no longer Bela’s imaginary friend.

Questioned by her parents, Bela describes Other Mommy as, “tall, sometimes slides on her belly.” Yeah, that creeped me out a bit. What kind of imaginary friend named Other Mommy would “slide on her belly?” I can’t even describe the image that came across my head when I read that. If Other Mommy is not imaginary, what was she? With these intense moments, the anticipation of turning the page was fantastic. I wanted to know more about Other Mother, yet I wanted more storyline and the chaos that she was creating for this family. The ending was a disappointment for me. Why did the author have to end it like that? After everything that had occurred, it seemed like such an easy solution to an outstanding event.

Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson

4.5 stars Fiction

It’s the BIG one! Located in Hawaii, there are 2 volcanoes who have the scientists’ nervous. Mauna Loa is one of the largest active volcanoes in the world and Mauna Kea, a volcano which hasn’t erupted in over 4,000 years. The tremors have begun and now, they’re starting to intensify. Fear begins to take root, but horror takes ahold of those who really know the truth. The truth of what an eruption could mean to those in Hawaii and those around the world when the earth unleashes its blazing inferno.

I liked the little twists on this volcano disaster, and I liked how no one wanted to or took responsibility for how these problems came about. How did the canisters get placed at the base of Mauna Kea and how did so many of them got there, these are questions no one wants to answer, or so they claim. Add to this, the integrity of the containers and their content, I felt on edge reading this book. The containers themselves were a huge concern but when you add in a volcanic eruption on top of that literally on top of that, you have…… craziness!! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and I swear I could have been watching a movie as the story fell out of the pages of the book.

Talk about intense, I couldn’t put this book down as I needed to know how they were going to stop a volcano and safely do something, anything with those containers at the base of Mauna Kea. They had to do something as they couldn’t kill millions of people, could they??

An action-packed book with loads of drama and tension. There were quite a few characters and there was quite a lot of dialogue between them. The book was predictable at times and that was okay with me. I thought the authors did a good job with researching the details in the book and making the book feel realistic. I feel this would make a fantastic movie. 4.5 stars as sometimes I felt the points repeated over and over again.

Garvey’s Choice: the Graphic Novel by Nikki Grimes

4.5 stars Graphic Novel Children’s/ Middle School

It’s bullying….short and simple. Everyone is different and that even goes for family members, yet Garvey’s father wants his son to be more like his sister. He wants an athletic son, a son who plays football, someone who can score points, a son who can shoot a basketball but unfortunately, Garvey doesn’t do any of these things. Garvey likes science, he likes space, he likes reading and because he knows he doesn’t fit the mold for his father, Garvey likes food. Garvey uses food to escape, and his classmates have notice and their comments have fallen upon Garvey.

Garvey just wants to be accepted for who he is. He doesn’t feel safe at home or at school. At school, his friend Joe suggests a new club to him and unfortunately, his mind drifts to thoughts of his father. This was Garvey’s choice, but he did it, he made up his own mind and jumped in! He joined a club which ends up being life changing.

This was a great graphic novel to read. I liked how Garvey found himself and his growth throughout the book. Being able to see the characters facial expressions helped tell the story. Most of the text in this graphic novel is found in the captions inside each of the text boxes. This text is quite lengthy on some pages. I find it interesting that some pages do not have any speech bubbles on them while others only have one or two. The text is not difficult to read, and the story is easy to follow. The color palette was nice and keeping all the chapters separate was nicely done. Definitely worth picking up. 4.5 stars

And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps

5 stars Fiction Book in Verse Children’s/ Middle School

And then, WOW! This book really packs a punch, and I loved it so much. Written in verse, this book is powerful as it deals with issues that many young adults unfortunately must face today. It’s just not the poverty that Joe needs to adjust to but it’s also the abandonment, the insecurity, and the loneliness that just keeps on popping up in his life. When will it ever end?

Mom gets “the itch” and before you know it, she’s out the door. Sometimes its weeks, months, or just a few days, that she’ll be gone. They lived with Joe’s grandmum in her house until she lost it on legal matters for Joe’s mom. Now, Joe and grandmum are living in a car and using food stamps to eat. My heart was breaking as Joe fought to use public bathroom facilities to maintain his appearance. They’re hungry but they’re doing the best that they can. As he tries to go to school, he struggles to hide his life from others that are around him. One of his best friends finds them a place to stay and finally, things change direction.

The mobile homeowner, Uncle Frankie is an amazing person, and he becomes a fantastic friend to Joe. One obstacle is taken down but the others remain. One moment in this book which has stuck with me is when Joe wins at Jeopardy in his classroom. Able to take any prize out the storage closet, which is filled with games and puzzles, Joe picks……. Yes, this is a storage closet so it’s also storing cleaning items and extra supplies. Joe picks out “an enormous box of toilet paper.” This is a 6^th grade boy, and he picks toilet paper as a prize. Yep, that got me……..

I can’t tell you much more about what happens inside the pages of this emotional read but I loved so much about it. I love how Joe gathered strength from within to keep moving forward. From everything that happened in his life, Joe could have lost hope or retaliated but he didn’t. His friends stood by him, and he learned many lessons along the way.

This is such a great read, one in which I could read it again and again. Read it because this is real folks, this is what is happening all around us whether you want to see it or not.

“Every time I hugged Grandmum,

I’d breathe in her scent.

When I miss her a lot,

like tonight,

I open the bag in the back of my closet

where I keep Grandmum’s quilt

and breathe in her scent.

I call it, “Grandmum in a bag.””

The Emperor’s New Clothes: a Graphic Novel by Stephanie True Peters

4.5 stars Graphic Novels Childs/Middle School

Almost perfect. Had it not been for the faces on the characters, I would have loved this book. I’ve been looking for a copy of this story which stays true to the original version without being too wordy or too childish and I think I might have found it. I found this graphic novel invigorating and entertaining, as it tells the fairy tale of the self-centered emperor.

In the faraway kingdom, there lived an emperor who cared more about the clothes that he wore than his own kingdom. He could and he would, change his clothes hourly and in fact, he never wore the same clothes twice. In fact, instead of inspecting his kingdom, the emperor liked to show off his clothes to his kingdom and would have his servant drive him through his kingdom so others could see him. While out one day, the emperor spotted some fantastic cloth that he had to have.

The weavers spun a tale so outlandish to the emperor, about a cloth that they could weave for him. This cloth would be so amazing that he absolutely had to have them come live with him in his castle, so they could create it for him. For this cloth was so magical, “only clever people can see it! To fools, it is invisible!” This was exactly the plan the weavers had in mind, for they were swindlers.

The emperor is smitten with pleasure as the weaver’s work. The weavers can’t believe their good fortune as they’re living their best life inside the castle watching their scheme unfold. The conversations taking place inside the castle made me laugh as both the emperor and the weavers are both pleased with the situation unfolding. The servant is running around trying to please everyone and he’s caught in the middle. The emperor’s new clothes are finally finished, but who can see it? The emperor’s apprehension grows, will he be able to see it? He loves to parade around his kingdom, but will that be a huge mistake this time?

I thought this would be a good read for my grandkids as I think it will keep their attention as the story moves quickly and the illustrations are interesting. I really enjoyed the color scheme of this graphic novel as it wasn’t bright and colorful but rather a dull and washed-out color palette which was perfect. The captions within some of the frames helped move the story along and were short in nature and easy to read. The speech and thought bubbles were easy to follow and read too. There are not a lot of characters to keep track of and their images made them easy to keep them distinct. As I said before, I was not a fan of the faces of the characters. They look clownish to me, and I didn’t like not seeing very many facial expressions in this story. 4.5 stars

After Annie by Anna Quindlen

5 stars Realistic Fiction

This was a sad story to read. My heart went out for Ali as the story played out. Dad was just going through the motions as his children looked to him for something, anything. The friends and family who tried to step in but lost their way. What a powerful book.

Annie was finishing making up dinner while some of her children waited at the table for her. She had a killer headache, but she continued preparing dinner as she asked for some pain reliever. Annie hits the floor! Immediately her family runs to her side and an ambulance is called. Leaving by ambulance, dad accompanies his wife, leaving his four children home alone. I can’t even imagine what those children were thinking now as they sat home waiting to hear from their parents.

Annie never makes it back home, leaving her family broken. Annie was a special woman. Having only lived thirty-seven years, she lived life to its fullest. Each of her children handle their mother’s death differently, her death will have a lasting effect on them. Dad is not ready for help yet emotionally he is not present. Family and friends are on the scene, but Annie’s death has hit them hard too.

We walk this difficult road for one year, after Annie’s death. It’s an moving, emotional read with characters that could be my own family. 5 stars

Eagle Drums by Nasugraq Rainey Hopson

4 stars Middle School Fantasy/Mythology

Can he, do it? Will he have the same fate as his brothers? Told in prose, I found myself reading this book slower than I typically read a book because I found that the book was loaded with power words. There is nothing wrong with using such language, but I found myself reading slower and deciphering the story. So instead of some authors stating, they sat around the fire, this book would state, they were “lounging near the fire.” The image between these two statements is totally different. I enjoyed this journey, and the imaginary used as the boy makes his way to the mountain to find food.

When the young boy encounters the eagle Savik, he learns of the fate of his siblings, and I knew immediately that he is smarter than his brothers, but will he make it back home safely when his journey with Savik is completed. There is much to learn and remember as Savik tries to explain it all to his young warrior. I think of the responsibility this young man has and how his life has changed as he makes his way with Savik. This was an interesting read. 4 stars

Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry

5 stars Middle School Realistic Fiction

Writing a story is making spaghetti sauce, according to Sophie. When I read this, I knew this was going to be a story for me. Sophie Henry Winslow is eleven and her best friend is seven times as old as she is. Sophie Gershowitz, 77, is Sophie’s next-door neighbor and best friend. There’s neighbor Ralphie who lives across the street from the pair, and he goes to school with Sophie W.

I like the closeness that Sophie W. has with her friends. Ralphie and Sophie W. are close friends, yet Sophie W. says Sophie G. is her best friend. Ralphie helps Sophie W. stay grounded and since they’re the same age, they have more things in common. Sophie W. and Sophie G. share a unique bond. They’re close but I think their friendship is constructed with more maturity and compassion. These relationships are important for Sophie since her relationships at school have vanished away.

When Sophie G.’s son comes for a visit, Sophie W. discovers that it’s not just a social visit. Sophie W. hears talk that Sophie’s problem is getting worse and that he’ll be taking her to see the doctor. Sophie G. doesn’t understand what problem Sophie G. has but she knows she must do something. Sophie G. is too important for something to happen to her but what can she do?

Having a mother with dementia, I understood exactly what Sophie W. was trying to do when she talked to her parents and when she consulted the Merck. Sophie W. was determined to help her best friend and the feelings that she was having as she struggled to come to terms with the results were spot-on. Her emotions pulled at my heart as she felt powerless and small when reality started to sink in. So, Tree. Table. Book. Yup, this book hit home. I’m a huge Lois Lowry fan (The Giver is my favorite) and I felt that she created this book just for me. Thanks Lois! 5 stars ++

“Begin on the day that is different” – start your story with this day an author suggested, yet Sophie points out every day is different 😊

“And I think that learning from each other is one of the most important parts of friendship.”

Home Away From Home by Cynthia Lord

4.5 stars Middle School Realistic Fiction

Sometimes life is not all about yourself. This is something that Mia learns in this middle school which captured my heart. Mia’s parents have divorced, and Mia is having a hard time finding her place. Her father has remarried, and they have a new baby while her mother and current boyfriend have decided that they’re going to move in together. Mia likes Scott and was okay with them moving in together until she found out that they would be selling her childhood home and they’d all be moving into a new home together. This was too much change for Mia and their yearly mother-daughter visit to grandma’s is now just going to be a month-long visit for Mia. Mom and Scott can deal with the house details while Mia has grandma’s attention all to herself.

Mia has made plans for this visit with grandma, after all she’s been coming here for years. Grandma has a new cat which Mia can handle but there’s another addition that Mia feels is invading her space. This was supposed to be grandma and Mia’s time – a month of exclusive grandma time and now, there’s Cayman. This neighbor boy seems to know too much about Mia’s grandma and her life. Mia is finding him annoying, and I find myself laughing at her as he moseys his way onto the scene. There are these emotions that Mia is having, when Cayman is present and when he is gone. They’re not romantic but Mia is confused about this boy who has popped up in her life. I like Cayman’s attitude and Mia’s confusion causes quite the drama she wasn’t looking for.

It’s a fun and entertaining read. I enjoyed how openly and honestly the emotions were portrayed in the book and I think young readers will be able to relate to the characters. This was an Iowa Children’s Choice Award Book 2024-2025. 4.5 stars.

““That’s all you can say?” Cayman snapped. “I’m telling you that it upset my mom and you want nosy details? Why? So you can blame her, too? You don’t understand anything!” He started running away from me up the path.”