Vacation Reading Roundup

 

During the past few weeks, my husband and I took a long road trip from Connecticut to Florida to visit our families. One of my goals for the trip was to keep up with my reading while we were away, and I actually did it. I read at least 100 pages each day we were gone and I ended up finishing six books and liking all of them. Of course, I didn't have time to sit and blog during those days, as most of my spare time was filled with socializing (the horror). Since we're at the end of the month already, I have decided to combine my reflections on my vacation reading into one post. Strap in, we've got a lot of ground to cover.

Violets are Blue by Barbara Dee

**Slight spoilers ahead**

This middle grades contemporary fiction novel centers around a seventh grader named Wren and her difficult family life. Her parents have recently divorced and things are tough. Her dad has remarried a new woman and is expecting twins. He is happy. Her mom is sinking deeper and deeper into depression and is starting to display some worrying behaviors like missing work, feeling ill, and disappearing for long stretches of time. Wren lives with her mom, and constantly feels caught in the middle. She finds escape through her passion - special effects makeup. When she is transforming herself or her friends into different characters, she is able to take her mind off her troubles. When the situation with her mother takes a dark turn, however, she is unable to ignore the problems and must face the hard truth of what is happening.

This was an excellent book, and I liked it a lot. Barbara Dee's writing was easy to read and I thought that Wren's character felt genuine and was very likeable. This novel deals with the difficult topic of addiction, and it was handled very well here. It was totally appropriate for middle grades readers while still being truthful and emotional. The element of Wren's special effects makeup was interesting too, and different from the hobbies usually present in these types of stories. It was nice to break away from sports, traditional art, and music and see something different. One small issue I had was that I thought Wren should have figured out her mom's issues with addiction earlier in the story - there were a lot of clues pointing in this direction - but overall, this was a great book and I can definitely see myself recommending it to students in the future.

Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 18/24

Total Books Read in 2022: 60

The Aquanaut by Dan Santat 

This middle grades graphic novel follows Sophia, a young girl who has been struggling since her father was lost at sea. She spends most of her time at Aqualand, a marine theme park that her father created, and hangs out with her uncle Paul, who also works at the park. One day, she is shocked to find an "aquanaut" dressed in an old fashioned diving suit arrive at Aqualand. Before long, she discovers that this mysterious character is actually four little sea creatures piloting the water-filled suit. They have decided to leave the sea to seek safety on land and need Sophia's help to stay undercover. She must try to protect them from Aqualand's main investor, a callous man that values profits over the welfare of the animals in his care. 

This was a very cute story with a great message about caring for others, animal welfare, and the importance of family. The art and illustrations were charming and the plot was incredibly sweet. This was an easy novel to read and one that I will definitely be putting in my classroom library. There were times where I wished it was a little bit deeper or more complex, but it was still a great reading experience.

Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 19/24

Total Books Read in 2022: 61

Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff

This middle grades contemporary novel follows an eleven-year-old kid named Bug. Bug's uncle has recently passed and away, and as they were very close, she is devastated by the loss. Bug lives in an old house that she has long believed is haunted, and soon after her uncle's death, she begins experiencing some alarming supernatural phenomena. She comes to believe that he is trying to deliver her an important message, and figuring out what that message is leads her to realize some important truths about herself. 

This was a beautiful novel, and well deserving of all the awards it has been nominated for. It contains a unique blend of supernatural elements alongside LGBTQIA+ topics. I was surprised by how well it handled realistic and deeply emotional issues through this otherworldly lens. Everything remained respectful, appropriate, and full of love. The whole novel is overflowing with love, actually. It was a pleasure to read Bug's journey. This is a wonderful addition to any young reader's library, as it delivers important messages about being yourself and accepting others. 

Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 20/24

Total Books Read in 2022: 62

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

 

This young adult fantasy novel follows a fourteen-year-old girl named Mona. She lives in a world where a small percentage of the population is born with magical abilities. Some people are born with very strong powers and can control elements like water and fire. Others are born with less impressive abilities. Mona, for example, can control dough and baked goods. She coax dough into the perfect consistency and achieve perfect bakes every time using her magic. She works at her aunt's bakery, which is the ideal place to use her talents. Her quiet little life, however, is soon disrupted when a dead body turns up in the bakery's basement and Mona is implicated in the crime. She soon uncovers a nasty plot to rid the world of magical people and must find a way to use her modest abilities to help her kingdom defeat those who seek to dismantle it.

This was an excellent story and surprisingly funny. I really enjoyed the world-building in this one and the quirky magic system. Mona doesn't wave a magic wand or say a spell to use her powers. Rather, she touches dough and convinces it to do things. She persuades it in her mind to move, bake, dance, rise, etc. She can also bring baked goods to life, and her sourdough starter, Bob, and a clever little gingerbread man serve as her familiars. The writing was witty and Mona as a narrator was very likable and genuine. One aspect of the story that I particularly liked was Mona's continued assertion that it was ridiculous she had to step up and be a hero for her kingdom. She acknowledged that many adults had to fail in their responsibilities for things to deteriorate to a point where a fourteen-year-old had to step up and fix everything. This was both a good point and a funny way to consider the situation. I'm used to kids in fantasy novels believing their own hype a little too much. This was a very fun little novel and well worth the read.

Challenge Tally

Total Books Read in 2022: 63

Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden and Brenna Thummler

This middle grades graphic novel is an adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's classic about the young, whimsical orphan named Anne Shirley. The story follows her as she is adopted by brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert and comes to live with them at Green Gables, a beautiful farm in the small, picturesque town of Avonlea. Anne's quirky and romantic personality leads her into several adventures as she grows up, makes friends, and attends school. Her optimistic outlook on life brings happiness to almost everyone she meets and encourages them to find the magic and wonder in everyday things.

I already loved Anne of Green Gables before reading this, so there was no way I wasn't going to also love this beautiful adaptation of it. It's just a shortened version of the original story, but all of the most memorable parts are there. It's a nice introduction to the original for younger readers. The illustrations are absolutely stunning, and the perfect accompaniment to the text. I kept stopping to marvel at the art as I was reading. Mariah Marsden and Breanna Thummler took an already charming story and somehow managed to make it even more charming. It's worth a read for the pictures alone, but of course, the story is wholesome and wonderful too. It has worthy themes of individuality, kindness, and family, and Anne is just so winsome that you can't help but root for her. This is a book you read when you want to smile. I liked it a lot.

Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 21/24

Total Books Read in 2022: 64

The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu

This middle grades fantasy novel follows Marya Lupu, a young girl growing up in the kingdom of Illyria. Magic exists in Marya's world, but only boys manifest it and become sorcerers. Sorcerers are very important in this world, as they are the people's only defense against the Dread, a terrifying magical force that can wipe out entire villages if left unchecked. Her brother Luka, with his mature demeanor and uncommon intelligence seems destined for this role, and everyone is waiting for the day when he will be selected for magical training. As such, Marya has grown up very much in his shadow. She becomes the unwitting center of attention, however, when an unfortunate accident with the family goat leads to her being sent away to the Dragomir Academy, a school for troubled girls. Right away, Marya can tell that things aren't quite right at this school, and she begins poking around and asking questions. What she uncovers about the school, her classmates, and the Dread is shocking, and will change Illyrian society forever if she can find a way to put all the pieces together and communicate what she has learned.

This novel was amazingly good and I was very pleasantly surprised by it. When I started reading, I figured I was in for another mildly enjoyable magical adventure, but The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy is a book that actually has something to say. Marya has to grapple with complex issues like injustice, power imbalances, sexism, gaslighting, and questioning authority. She learns that the world she lives in has ugly problems that can't be neatly solved. She learns that family can disappoint you on the most fundamental levels. It's easy for readers to draw parallels between what Marya goes through and real problems present in the world today, making this a very thoughtful and smart read. At the same time, it's easy for middle grades readers to understand and contains a very engaging plot. I really loved this one and I appreciate Ursu's clear effort in delivering a message about social justice. This is a little gem of a book and well worth the read for people of any age.

Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 22/24

Total Books Read in 2022: 65

Whew! That was a lot of reading and mini-reviewing! My trip home was nice, but I am happy to be back to a normal reading and blogging schedule now. July should be back to our regularly scheduled programming.