Tag Archive | brothers

Hope the journey is worth it for Charlie and Me: 421 Miles from Home, by Mark Lowery (book review)

Oct15

US book cover of Charlie and Me, by Mark Lowery, published by Yellow Jacket Books| recommended on BooksYALove.com

US cover

UK book cover of Charlie and Me, by Mark Lowery, published by Yellow Jacket Books | recommended on BooksYALove.com

UK cover

It was the best vacation their family ever had,
Charlie loved the dolphins, Martin loved the sea…
Just have to go back, recapture the good times!

Most middle grade guys wouldn’t voluntarily take their very individual younger brother on a very long train trip, but Martin isn’t most guys: his extremely different brother has been his annoyance and best friend since Charlie’s premature birth ten years ago.

So if Charlie would be happiest seeing the dolphins again at the seacoast hundreds of miles away, then that’s what Martin will do! No need to involve ever-sad Mum and always-working Dad – not the same since that vacation…

Us or UK cover – which do you prefer for this journey saga?
**kmm

Book info: Charlie and Me: 421 Miles From Home / Mark Lowery. Yellow Jacket Books (Bonnier), 2018. [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Getting back to the Cornwall seaside town where they saw the dolphins will make Charlie so happy that 13-year-old Martin takes all his savings, puts their favorite Christmas cookie tin in his pack, and heads to the train station with his neurologically special little brother – later, they’ll update their parents…

If the Dolphinwatch app is correct, they can get to the coast just in time…
As long as the railway police don’t stop them, like Mum and Dad would have if Martin had told them his plans…

Will the Angry Girl they meet on the third train (or maybe fourth) help them or not?
What if they run out of money on the way or Charlie has another asthma attack?
Can Martin really pull this off for his best-bud, pain-in-the-youknowwhat, dolphin-obsessed little brother?

Each chapter begins with the distance traveled (mostly in the right direction) and one of Martin’s poems as the two brothers traverse England on this singular journey.

The raiders are coming! Evangelina Takes Flight with her family, by Diana J. Noble (book review)

Oct4

book cover of Evangelina Takes Flight, by Diana J. Noble, published by Pinata Books | recommended on BooksYALove.com Pancho Villa‘s rebels are coming!
Carry what you can and flee – or be killed!
But refugees aren’t welcomed when they cross into Texas…

So much for 13-year-old Evangelina to cope with now – a girl trying to steal her suitcase on the train (with grandfather’s secret box inside!), store signs in the Texas town that say “No Mexicans” (where can they buy food?), and wondering if they can ever go home to Mexico (is anyone safe there?).

The story is set in 1911, but many things still resonate today in the borderlands.
**kmm

Book info: Evangelina Takes Flight / Diana J. Noble. Pinata Books/Arte Publico Press, 2017. [author Facebook]  [publisher site] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Pancho Villa and his rebel soldiers are coming? As big sister celebrates her quinceanera before the family flees their northern Mexico rancho, Evangelina worries about little Tomas’ recovering so slowly from a scorpion sting, whether grandfather can travel north with them, what they will find at her aunt’s house in Texas.

By mule wagon, with the men herding their best cattle on another trail, Evangelina’s mother gets the children to the crowded train station, but the journey onward is anything but smooth, and the Texas border town holds no welcome for refugees.

Why is wailing woman La Llorona coming into her dreams?
Will the townspeople’s prejudice keep her and Dr. Taylor from saving lives?
What is in the box grandfather gave her for safekeeping?

Evangelina might even be brave enough to attend the town meeting where rich white people are demanding that only white children can attend the school!

Riding for justice, on dinosaurs! Dactyl Hill Squad, by Daniel Jose Older (book review)

Oct1

book cover of Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older, published by Arthur A. Levine Books | recommended on BooksYALove.comCivil War with dinosaurs,
Free black orphans eluding kidnapping slavers,
Actors, mystery, adventure – and pterosaurs, too!

Visit the book website for the Rescue Run video game and ride dinos like Magdalys and Mapper did! Cool map of their New York City, too.

Which dino or ptero would you ride?
**kmm

Book info: Dactyl Hill Squad / Daniel Jose Older. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2018. [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Civil War, New York City, dinosaurs everywhere – everyday life for Madgalys and friends at the Colored Orphans Asylum is shattered when riots break out and kidnappers attack!

The wonderful theater for black actors is torched, the orphanage is next, so they escape on a brachyosaur, heading for the free black neighborhood across the river, and the Afro-Cuban girl discovers that she can hear and understand the dino’s thoughts!

Riding pteros to gather information, each kid’s skills will be needed as they work together with Dactyl Hill residents to rescue kidnapped orphans from the corrupt judge who’ll send them into slavery.

Who’s this Mr. Reed noted in the orphanage register?
Can Magdalys really communicate with all types of dinos?
Will she see her soldier brother again?

First in an alternative history series, with youth fighting for justice, despicable villains opposing them, and dino battle beasts on both sides of the war between slave states and freedom.

A little witchy, a lot of Undead Girl Gang! by Lily Anderson (book review)

Sep18

book cover of Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson, published by Razorbill | recommended on BooksYALove.comUnsolved deaths of teen girls!
BFF didn’t commit suicide, Mila knows…
Now, to find the right spell to bring her back…

But of course, things don’t go the way that the teen Wiccan planned, and soon there are three zombie-like girls in their small town (two of whom she and Riley really couldn’t stand when they were alive), trying to figure out who killed them before they die for good in a week!

And the undead girls – whether they like each other or not – must stay close to Mila or their bodies go back to eewww…

Any other not-quite-zombie books to recommend?
**kmm

Book info: Undead Girl Gang / Lily Anderson. Razorbill, 2018.  [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Bringing back her best friend Riley from the dead was a little easier than Mila expected, but when her spell also calls back two classmates they can’t stand, the California teen finds herself with three undead teen girls who won’t stay out of sight during the seven days they have back on earth find out who killed them all.

What if their families see them?
What if they can’t solve the mystery?
What if Mila’s coven is right about this spell being wrong?

Change is risky – Letting Go of Gravity, by Meg Leder (book review)

Jul31

book cover of Letting Go of Gravity, by Meg Leder, published by Simon Pulse | recommended on BooksYALove.comAccepted to Harvard? Check.
Chosen for prestigious medical research internship? Check.
Eager and ready for these great opportunities? Nope.

Parker’s meticulous life-plan to cure the cancer affecting her twin brother goes way off course during the summer after graduation, as the introvert finds herself in charge of senior citizen pottery painting classes, is amazed by new friend Ruby’s open-heartedness, and just might find a connection with artistic Finn from grade school.

Happy book birthday to Letting Go of Gravity ! Have you read Leder’s 2016 novel The Museum of Heartbreak ? I recommended it here.

Is it time for you to fly away from expectations?
**kmm

Book info: Letting Go of Gravity / Meg Leder. Simon Pulse, 2018.  [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: A decade of hard work and Parker is accepted to Harvard! After twin Charlie was diagnosed with leukemia when they were kids, med school has been her sole goal (especially after last year’s relapse).

But she can’t stomach the internship at the hospital where Charlie was treated and finds another summer job at a pottery studio where she reconnects with Finn from elementary school.

Her best friend is in Europe for the summer, Charlie is acting so recklessly, and Parker isn’t sure how long she can put off telling her parents about how things have changed.

If Charlie is just flirting with Parker’s new friend Ruby…

Being yourself – hard or horrifying?

Jun21

This week’s free audiobooks from SYNC feature teens who want to be just themselves – not labeled as gay, straight, or otherwise .

Download from Thursday through Wednesday (21-27 June 2018) by clicking either or both links, then listen to them any time (be sure to save on your computer or electronic device!).

CD cover of Doctor Cerberus by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa | Read by Steven Culp, Pamela Gray, Simon Helberg, Jamison Jones, Jarrett Sleeper Published by L.A. Theatre Works | recommended on BooksYALove.comDoctor Cerberus (download here free from 21-27 June 2018)
by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Read by Steven Culp, Pamela Gray, Simon Helberg, Jamison Jones, Jarrett Sleeper
Published by L.A. Theatre Works

Maybe appearing on the Doctor Cerberus horror TV show will help 13 year old Franklin endure his terrible brother, clueless parents, and not getting the guy of his dreams.

Openly Straight (download here free from 21-27 June 2018) CD cover of Openly Straight, by Bill Konigsberg | Read by Pete Cross Published by Dreamscape Media | recommended on BooksYALove.com
by Bill Konigsberg
Read by Pete Cross
Published by Dreamscape Media

Rafe reinvents himself at a new school, this time choosing not to be openly out, until a classmate’s distress and his own writing journey make the teen rethink his stance.

Share some books about claiming your true self in the comments, please!
**kmm

Tales of despair & hope – listen up!

Jun14

So many stories of enslavement and escape – here are two to read with your ears!

Thank you to the publishers of these audiobooks for making them freely available each week through http://www.audiobooksync.com/. 

Download either or both titles by clicking on the link from Thursday through Wednesday (14-20 June 2018), then listen to them whenever you want.

CD cover of My Name is Not Friday, by Jon Walter | Read by Dion Graham Published by Scholastic Audio | recommended on BooksYALove.comMy Name Is Not Friday (download here free 14-20 June 2018)
by Jon Walter
Read by Dion Graham
Published by Scholastic Audio

During the Civil War, young free-man Samuel stands up for his brother and is sold from their Northern orphanage into Southern slavery where he vows to remember his own name and regain his freedom.

Come August, Come Freedom: the Bellows, the Gallows, and the Black General Gabriel (download here free 14-20 June 2018)CD cover of Come August, Come Freedom by Gigi Amateau | Read by J.D. Jackson Published by Candlewick on Brilliance Publishing | recommended on BooksYALove.com
by Gigi Amateau
Read by J.D. Jackson
Published by Candlewick on Brilliance Publishing

Born into slavery, talented blacksmith Gabriel is inspired by Haitian revolutionaries to organize enslaved people of Virginia to rebel in 1800 – a little-known true story.

This Juneteenth, what other historical stories of rebellion and freedom should we be hearing?
**kmm

Mysteries to read with your ears!

Jun7

Ooh, this week’s free audiobooks from SYNC aren’t your everyday tales of mystery!

Remember that although these complete audiobooks are only available from Thursday through Wednesday (7-13 June 2018), you can read them whenever you wish, as long as you keep them on your device.

CD cover of Everland, by Wendy Spinale | Read by Fiona Hardingham, Steve West Published by Scholastic Audio | recommended on BooksYALove.comEverland (download here free from 7-13 June 2018)
by Wendy Spinale
Read by Fiona Hardingham, Steve West
Published by Scholastic Audio

Peter Pan retold through steampunk goggles in an alternate history where only children survived a plague after the London Blitz where a ruthless German commandant hunts them as possible source for a cure.

 

The Just Men of Cordova (Four Just Men, book 3) (download here free from 7-13 June 2018)CD cover of Just Men of Cordova, by Edgar Wallace | Read by Bill Homewood Published by Naxos AudioBooks | recommended on BooksYALove.com
by Edgar Wallace
Read by Bill Homewood
Published by Naxos AudioBooks

Entering the shady world of horse racing and gambling, The Four Just Men continue their campaign to rid the world of evil-doers, without help from law enforcement or judges.

Taking the law into your own hands – when is it okay?
**kmm

Z is The Weight of Zero – can Catherine escape it? by Karen Fortunati (book review)

Apr30

paperback cover of Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati, published by Delacorte Press | recommended on BooksYALove.com

paperback

book hardcover of Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati, published by Delacorte Press | recommended on BooksYALove.com

hardcover

When her bipolar meds stop working (always do)

will she let herself be crushed by depression (again)

or will she beat Zero at its own game (game over, forever)?

Therapy and medications might keep Catherine’s manic-depressive swings manageable right now, but she feels like such a burden to Mom.

If she can just accomplish a few things first – like being in love or having friends again – when the giant Zero of depression hits, Catherine will end it all, for good.

Can her history project partner Michael, his loud and loving family, and a girl from daily group therapy change her mind?

That depression coming for Catherine, the bottles of pills she’s saving – paperback cover or hardcover?
**kmm

Book info: The Weight of Zero / Karen Fortunati. Delacorte Press, 2016 (hardcover), 2018 (paperback) [author site] [publisher site] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

Y = You Are Here, but where and who am I? by Jennifer E. Smith (book review)

Apr28

book cover of You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith, published by Simon & Schuster | recommended on BooksYALove.comShe had a twin brother,
didn’t know till now –
visiting his grave seems right… so far from here.

So… if you just discovered at age 16 that you were a twin, would that explain why you never felt complete?

Emma thinks it’s possible and that traveling from New York to North Carolina to see his headstone will help her in ways that her parents and much older siblings can’t.

Peter longs to escape their small town, and a trip with Emma (just friends) is one way to start.

Another satisfying story of traveling, evolving friendship, and interesting secrets from the author of The Statistical Probability of Falling in Love (my notes here) and Geography of Me and You (noted here).

Your favorite road-trip novel?
**kmm

Book info: You Are Here / Jennifer E. Smith. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015. [author site] [publisher site] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.