Kat B., 12The Fox Maidens is an amazing graphic novel set hundreds of years ago, but real-world issues are still acknowledged in this heart-wrenching book by Robin Ha. It quickly took a turn from a fairly realistic story about a girl who wants to fight to an epic action-packed novel filled with love, anger, and hope. My only criticism of this book is that it packed a ton of action into the end of the book, and it seemed rushed. If all of the action at the end hadn’t been squeezed into one chapter, the book would’ve been a 5 star read. All in all, I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who likes mythology, feminism, and action. I really enjoyed this book and hope that others do as well. REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2023). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images, Genre/Themes, and Read-alikes]. (2023). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Kat B. (2023, November). Teen Review. Libby (Overdrive) Catalog. (2023). Retrieved from: https://libbyapp.com/library/cin NoveList Plus [Referenced for Read-alikes]. (2023). Retrieved from: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10778912&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Robin Ha [Author's Official Website]. (2022). Retrieved from: https://robinha81.wixsite.com/robinha
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Anna M., 17As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh is a tale about a young woman named Salama Kassab. She was a former pharmacy student in Syria until a revolution tore her city apart uprooting her life and claiming much of her family. Having a strong need to help, she works at the hospital healing innocent people every day while also taking care of her pregnant friend, Layla. Salama has found herself stuck between choosing to stay and fight for her country or to leave in hopes of finding a better life somewhere else. Her decision becomes much easier when she meets a boy who encapsulates her “might” life before the military took control of her city. While all of these hardships happen, Salama also faces Khawf, a hallucination caused by her PTSD, who pushes her will to survive with doubts and fears. As the book begins, the readers are instantly thrown into the despair of the protagonist and her city leaving people wondering how it all got to this. The author of the story has a beautiful way of writing her tales, and while it is elegant Zoulfa does not hold back on describing the gruesome side of war. Twists and turns are everywhere in the story leaving the reader to wonder what is real and not. The main character, Salama, is realistic and has depth to her character because of all the doubt, fear, love, and hope that she showcases throughout the story. There are also many allusions to Studio Ghibli works, which I personally enjoy as a fan of the animation company, adding an excellent contrast between reality and fantasy in the story. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading stories about fictional historical events without it being sugar coated; however, it is still through a YA lens. Although please be mindful of the trigger warnings. ReferENCE
Anna M. (2022, August). Teen Review. CIN Catalog. (2022). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images, Genre/Themes, and Read-alikes]. (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Overdrive Catalog. (2022). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ Zoulfa Katouh [Author's Official Website]. (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.zoulfakatouh.com/
Teen Review by Hannah H., 16The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones, by Daven McQueen, is a charming tale of an unlikely friendship between yin and yang kids in the summer of 1955. Ethan Harper, a biracial teen whose fist in another boy’s face landed him three months with his aunt and uncle, only wants to stay in his room to read comics or listen to records. That all changes (although not so suddenly) when he meets the spirited Juniper Jones of Ellison, Alabama. With fiery-red hair and a spirit for adventure to match, Juniper and her bicycle are the exact opposite of the relatively mild Ethan. What challenges and explorations will the pair experience over the next few weeks? This page-turning work tackles injustices young Harper experiences in his three months at Ellison, such as ugly name calling, protests, and an intense and deeply tragic ending. Consequently, I feel as if most who read this book will shed a tear or two while immersing themselves in its pages. Although newly written, this deep yet light-spirited tale gives me the feeling that I am reading an amazing classic composition. Of the books I have reviewed so far, this one is my favorite, and I definitely recommend it to a teen/young adult audience. Make sure to check it out at the Coeur d’ Alene library, along with other interesting volumes like it! Read-alikes references
CIN Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Daven [Author's Official Wattpad]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.wattpad.com/user/keyframed Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Hannah H. (2020, October). Teen Review. Interview with "The Summer of Juniper Jones" author Draven McQueen. (2020, June). Retrieved from: https://sobookingcool.com/2020/06/09/interview-with-the-summer-of-juniper-jones-author-daven-mcqueen/ NoveList Plus: The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10899995&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Overdrive Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/
Teen Review by Hannah H., 16This phenomenal book, 28 days: A Novel of Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto by David Safier, features a tale of suffering, struggle, and unrefined bravery. Courageous yet fearful, the protagonist Mira has to risk everything to smuggle food from the Polish outside into the Ghetto to keep her family, and herself, alive. In the start of this paperback, Safier describes Mira in the first person while she tells of life in the Ghetto, the peril of smuggling, and the horrible ways the Nazi police treat the desperate Jews. Terrified, Mira almost gets caught by szmalcowniks, or Jewish bounty hunters, and is saved by an unlikely hero: an apparent Polish teen boy who turns Mira’s world upside down. Safier does an excellent job of describing the action-packed scenes of his novel, which make this published work a real page turner. However, some of his descriptions are distasteful and unnecessary, and even with my love of war films and books, I still frown upon some of his more gruesome passages. Even with the cons, this Safier novel is outstanding I would definitely recommend it. At the beginning of this volume, I was always thinking, “What will happen next?” and I constantly learned something new while reading this book. Learning of life in the Warsaw Ghetto really opened my eyes to what a girl my age would have to endure for her family. Protagonist Mira is constantly making sacrifices and life-or-death decisions, something a 16-year-old in the modern world rarely has to worry about. What would it have been like to be in Mira’s shoes? What if I had to smuggle food to keep my family fed? What if I had to join a resistance to defend my home? I definitely recommend this work, and make sure to stop by the Coeur d’ Alene library to enjoy it and many more amazing books like it. Read-alikes REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Hannah H. (2020, July). Teen Review. NoveList Plus: 28 Days: A Novel of Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10884560&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Official Discussion Guide. (2020). Macmillan. Retrieved from: https://images.macmillan.com/folio-assets/discusion-guides/9781250237149DG.pdf Overdrive Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ |
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