Tag Archive | friendship

May the Fourth be with you! Back to William Shakespeare Star Wars, by Ian Doescher (fiction book review)

May4
Large sketched image of Darth Vader in embellished armor is surrounded by smaller images of Star Wars tie fighter, X-wing craft, Luke with sword, and Princess Leia, above book title: William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope, by Ian Doescher

Favorite holiday for that “galaxy far, far away” is today, so I celebrate the reissued books of Ian Doescher’s mashup series, retelling Star Wars tales in William Shakespeare’s style.

I recommended the original editions over a decade ago, beginning with William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope, the story that started it all, completely and lovingly rendered in epic Shakespearean verse: https://booksyalove.com/?p=3298

Next was The Empire Striketh Back (Star Wars: Part the Fifth) which I introduced with several original verses in iambic pentameter; here we meet Yoda who speaks in haiku: https://booksyalove.com/?p=3307

Rounding out the series based on the original movie trilogy is The Jedi Doth Return (Star Wars Part the Sixth), which I recommended here with a bit more verse: https://booksyalove.com/?p=4219; it even has a book trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVp5XZEang4

Doescher thought that the original trilogy was the end of his collaboration with masters Shakespeare and Lucas, but nay, good friends, the saga continueth!

I recommended William Shakespeare’s The Phantom of Menace (Star Wars, Part the First) here https://booksyalove.com/?p=5811 again penning my own iambic pentameter plot summary, but missed out on The Clone Army Attacketh (Star Wars, Part the Second) and Tragedy of the Sith’s Revenge (Star Wars, Part the Third).

Past the original trilogy are William Shakespeare’s The Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh, Jedi the Last: Star Wars Part the Eighth, and The Merry Rise of Skywalker: Star Wars Part the Ninth (newer titles, different subtitle format…)

Sadly all were out of print until Insight Editions began reissuing the series last year; find the whole list at https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Ian-Doescher/232868011 including new works featuring the Mandalorian and Ashoka (publishing Sept. 2026).

Darth Vader, a woman in pink blouse, Storm Trooper stand in front of Death Star backdrop, with caption "May the force of reading be with you - Abdo - TLA 2012 - Star Wars"

Look for them all at your local library https://search.worldcat.org/libraries or independent bookstore https://bookshop.org/!

Which is your favorite Star Wars episode?
**kmm

(thanks again to Abdo Publishing for this photo op and their long-time support of Texas readers, librarians, and the Texas Library Association)

Y is for THE MANY MISFORTUNES OF EUGENIA WANG, by Stan Yan (MG Graphic Novel) #A2Z

Apr29
A column of flames roars upward against a black background with gray images of her family, friends, and dog. In front of the flames, a tween Chinese-American girl wearing glasses clings to a PE climbing rope, looking anxiously upward at book title The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang, graphic novel by Stan Yan.

Only turn 13 once!
Can’t her party be on her birthday?
Bad luck, bad luck!!

Eugenia loves drawing and wants comics camp as her 13th birthday present, but her stereotypical Chinese-American mother says no art, only study hard, play violin, become a doctor or lawyer.

And she can’t even have her party on her actual birthdate because the Cantonese words for ‘four’ sound like death, so April 4th is doubly cursed, according to Mom.

Eugenia and bestie Keisha decide to have a party on 4/4 at her friend’s house (with K’s dads’ permission) for their classmates, including cute Enrique (swoon).

After a concussion in PE class, Eugenia keeps having a terrible nightmare of fire and disaster. Each time it hits her – day and night – the terrible vision’s scope shows her more and more people dying, even her annoying little brother and her dog, then she draws comics of it in her sleep! Is a spirit trying to warn her? A demon?

Yes, she will get to summer art camp, even if she has to use her own money and the nightmare comic as portfolio piece!

As the days before her birthday march on, Eugenia tries to figure out what the nightmare is telling her and how she can save her family and friends and pet from the disaster it foretells!

Don’t miss the debut author/artist’s notes in the back of this red-hot graphic novel!

What was your most memorable birthday party?
**kmm

Book info: The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang / words and art by Stan Yan. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025.[author/artist site https://www.stanyan.me/] [publisher site https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Many-Misfortunes-of-Eugenia-Wang/Stan-Yan/9781665943321] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

X is for LEON THE EXTRAORDINARY, by Jamar Nicholas (MG Graphic Novel) #A2Z

Apr28
A sneaker-clad Black boy wearing green gloves, goggles, cape & utility belt is in mid-air in front of city skyscrapers with 2 different superheroes far behind him in the partly cloudy blue sky, below book title Leon the Extraordinary, by Jamar Nicholas

Superheroes – yay!
Supervillains – boo!
Ordinary people… yawn.

In a town filled with superheroes and supervillains, Leon is just…not-super. Best friend Carlos draws amazing comics, and Carlos’ mom is a super baker, but ordinary Leon can’t even convince his mom to get him a cellphone.

Wearing superhero garb to school can’t give the fifth grader superpowers, but he can feel his common sense tingling when there’s a problem situation.

Uh, oh. Clementine and her hall monitors are charging kids money to get to class safely? And she invites Leon to her superhero birthday party just to make fun of him! Grrr…she’s a problem that Leon can’t solve (yet).

Yikes! This new game Bholder has kids glued to their cellphones, making them act like zombies – real zombies who are ordered to get Leon!

Somehow Leon and Carlos must team up with Clementine to solve this problem before everyone in town with a cellphone is part of the mob.

Which of Leon’s inventions can help them free their classmates?
Who is behind this terrible game app?
Why are some people superheroes and others supervillains?

First in the series, followed by Leon: Worst Friends Forever (book 2) and Leon and the Big, Big Problem (book 3, releasing January 2027).

Who’s your favorite less-known superhero?
**kmm

Book info: Leon the Extraordinary / Jamar Nicholas; color by Bonaia Rosada. Graphix/Scholastic, 2022 [author/artist site https://jamarnicholas.weebly.com/jamar-nicholas.html] [publisher site https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/leon-the-extraordinary-1-9781338744156.html] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

W is for WINGING IT as new kid, far from friends, by Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter (MG Graphic Novel) #A2Z

Apr27
A moving van is behind a Black tween girl laden with satchel, duffel bag, and rolling suitcase. Above her is book title Winging It and a luna moth flying away.

Moving to Virginia?
Leaving all her friends in California?
Oh, Dad….

Luna’s mom died long ago, so the 12 year old only has photos to remember her by and definitely didn’t inherit her love of nature and the outdoors.

Staying with so-strict Grandmother until they find their own place near DC is going to be rough – so many rules! No shoes indoors, don’t touch this, always do this.

At least the neighbors have kids – same-age Oliver who wear hearing aids and younger Sophie who wants to be a detective. One of their moms is Black and one isn’t, like Luna’s dad and mom were.

Grandmother lets her look through Mom’s collection of nature journals, and Luna decides to start her own. Big goal – see a Luna moth in the wild next spring!

Month by month, Luna gets used to having seasons, meeting with the Environmental Club at her new school, gardening with Grandmother.

Seventh grade is a hard time to start over, but Luna makes the best of things in this big-hearted graphic novel.

What’s your favorite part of nature?
**kmm

Book info: Winging It / Megan Wagner Lloyd; illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter. Graphix / Scholastic, 2025. [author site https://meganwagnerlloyd.com/winging-it/] [illustrator site https://michellemee.com/] [publisher site https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/winging-it-9781338818529.html] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

O is for OUTSIDE, where she may never go! But why? by Jennifer L. Holm (MG fiction book review) #A2Z

Apr17
Back view of a red-haired tween girl and 4 children in a dark place, looking toward a hole in the wall. The girl approaches the revealed trees, blue sky & flying birds shown below the book title - Outside, by Jennifer L. Holm.

Danger!
Stay hidden, stay alive.
But never see the sky…

After Ollie died when he went out on the Refuge’s roof, twelve-year-old Razzi is the oldest kid and tries to set a good example for the others.

The Great Poisoning a decade ago sent her family and a few others to this remote abandoned estate, escaping from a world filled with brain-poisoned humans and death and danger. Now they get their supplies when Rusty goes out raiding or the scary Dealer comes to trade with Papa.

But she dreams of going Outside and experiencing what the Refuge’s school-age kids only see in books and old videos.

Oh, dear! Razzi’s heart is failing! They replace it with a greyhound’s heart – thank you, Wind the dog and robo-surgery and anti-rejection drugs.

Weird. She used to hate ham; now she loves it. She dreams of running Outside…on dog’s paws.

Why does Bing’s new pet bunny think Razzi is an enemy? Why does Razzi want to chase it?

Razzi feels Wind’s memories in her dreams more and more, seeing a blue-eyed greyhound named Poppy who is in trouble!

When Rusty promises to look for Poppy on his next raid, Razzi hides in his old truck to help and gets Outside, with room to finally run like Wind!

Can she and Wind avoid the Poisoned?
Can they find Poppy?
Can they get home to the Refuge alive?

Compelling post-apocalyptic story with a real twist!

What animal’s thoughts would you like to hear?
**kmm

Book info: Outside / Jennifer L. Holm. Scholastic Press, 2025. [author site https://www.jenniferholm.com/new-page-99] [publisher site https://clubs.scholastic.com/outside/9798225024673-rco-us.html] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

L is LOVE AT SECOND SIGHT & supernatural danger! by F.T. Lukens (YA fiction) #A2Z

Apr14
In front of school lockers, a pale teen boy with growing-out dyed blond hair whispers to a taller dark-haired teen boy with claw-like fingernails, on book cover of Love at Second Sight, by F. T. Lukens

A vision in moonlight,
a muddy field,
a murder about to happen!

Human teen among paranormal classmates, Cam is glad that he and best friend Al (witch) will be back together at the new high school, nervous about seeing his crush Mateo (werewolf), still sad that big brother Aiden purposely vanished a few months ago.

Caught in a sprite vs. werewolf melee, the sophomore crashes headfirst into lockers and is pulled from the pile-up by a girl whose touch throws him into a vision – of a wounded girl being attacked with a knife!

Not telling his anti-paranormal parents about his glimpse of the future, Cam asks Al to quietly find out more and agrees with them to carefully test his clairvoyant abilities.

There’s no escaping his new truth: he can indeed see the future, and he goes to school with a murderer!

A viral video of Cam’s next vision being proven true catches his parents’ attention; he hears them whispering about what went wrong with his big brother…

Now all the paranormal factions in town are eager to ally with Cam, the first seer in a century – so many feuds between them…

Ooh, invited to a cookout at Mateo’s! < swoon >

Will he have to always wear gloves to prevent unwanted visions?
How does Cam decide which faction to join?
Can he and his new friends stop that girl’s murder?

Fantasy-mystery-paranormal-romance releases in paperback today! (April 14, 2026)

By the author of magical, adventurous, affirming tales In Deeper Waters (my recommendation https://booksyalove.com/?p=12378), So This is Ever After (https://booksyalove.com/?p=12989), Spell Bound (https://booksyalove.com/?p=13689), and Otherworldly (https://booksyalove.com/?p=14421).

Which paranormal neighbor would you like to have?
**kmm

Book info: Love at Second Sight / F. T. Lukens. Margaret McElderry Books, hardcover 2025, paperback 2026. [author site https://www.ft-lukens.com/] [publisher site https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Love-at-Second-Sight/F-T-Lukens/9781665950947] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

K is for Korobá: THE CASE OF THE MISSING KOLO in her fishing village, by Àlàbá Ònájìn (kids graphic novel) #A2Z

Apr13
Three kids and a puppy race down the wooden dock-walkways of a Nigerian fishing village, following a trail of wet footprints, on the book cover of Korobá: the Case of the Missing Kolo, kids' graphic novel by Àlàbá Ònájìn.

A visitor,
a theft,
a mystery to solve!

Korobá enjoys exploring the waterways and walkways of her Nigerian fishing village with best friends Saldat and Joba – and her dog Popi, of course!

During school holidays, the ten-year-old helps her mother at the fish market (but can’t stand eating fish). Someday her little brother and baby sister will, too.

The harvest festival is soon, and the kids of Makoko will break open their wooden Kolo banks and use their saved coins to buy clothes for the Festival…and treats! Joba will unveil his newest invention then, so don’t even try to sneak a peek now.

Saldat has been too busy noting how much money she’s put in her Kolo to decorate it with paint and beads like her friends do. Her snobbish cousin visiting from city thinks everything here is terrible – such a bad attitude!

Oh, no! Saldat’s Kolo has been stolen! The three friends must think like detectives from their favorite books to find it – fast!

Was it the carpenter working at Saldat’s house?
Could it be snooty cousin Risi?
Can they find the Kolo before Breaking Day?

Run the wooden walkways of Makoko village with Korobá and her friends as they try to solve the mystery, first in a new graphic novel series!

What’s your favorite festival tradition?
**kmm

Book info: Korobá: the Case of the Missing Kolo / Àlàbá Ònájìn. Holiday House, 2026. [author/illustrator site https://www.alabaonajin.com/about] [publisher site https://holidayhouse.com/book/the-case-of-the-missing-kolo/] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

F is for FREE PIANO (NOT HAUNTED), by Whitney Gardner (YA Graphic Novel) #A2Z

Apr7
Book cover shows a teen girl carrying a ukulele case walking from a stormy dark seashore toward a glowing red synthesizer keyboard which has handwritten sign attached "Free Piano (not haunted)" = title of graphic novel by Whitney Gardner

Summertime!
Songwriting time!
Nope, just not clicking…

Throwing weird stuff off a high platform has earned her pals “SonsOfSmash” a good following online, but lonely teen Margot’s original tunes on ukulele? Hardly any.

So she claims the old electronic keyboard left on the curb with sign “Free piano (not haunted)” – to learn to play, not to smash.

But her musician dad leaves for LA instead of teaching her, the guys are busy filming more smashes, and mom is working even more hours in their small coastal town…sigh.

What weird sounds this synthesizer makes! And it totally IS haunted, by 1980s bubble-gum pop star Vision!

Vision says making music is important because of how it makes you feel; Margot claims that only the number of fans and followers counts – who’s right?

Whoa! If Vision isn’t sitting at the unplugged keyboard, who’s playing it now!?

Flashbacks to Vision’s meteoric rise to stardom help her talk to aspiring songwriter Margot about staying true to your own soul’s melodies in this graphic novel, available in hardcover or paperback from your local library https://search.worldcat.org/libraries or independent bookstore https://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder.

Would a resident ghost help or hinder your creativity?
**kmm

Book info: Free Piano (Not Haunted) / Whitney Gardner. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. [author/illustrator site https://www.heywhitney.com/] [publisher site https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Free-Piano-(Not-Haunted)/Whitney-Gardner/9781665938129] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

D is detective daring to venture into ODDITY WOODS, by Kay Davault (YA Graphic Novel) #A2Z

Apr4
Teen girl holding a glowing magnifying glass points to her right, followed by a teen boy in glasses grasping an electronic device, with a ghostly dog floating behind them as they run away from a spooky building and red-eyed creature - book cover of Oddity Woods, graphic novel by Kay Davault.

Dad suddenly missing,
town police won’t help…
teen detective has her first case!

“Deep in the woods, a ghost train appears, then steals your soul if you ride it.” (pg. 38) – made-up story to keep kids away from the deep forest or how The Conductor kidnapped her dad?

Three weeks since receiving a strange transmission sent Dad from their remote cabin to the woods, and Marietta knows it’s time to go find him, armed with his magical magnifying glass.

Rebuffed by local police, the 13 year old heads into the woods alone, encountering a ghost dog, a terrified (alive) young man, and a derelict train station – where the ghost train stops!

Can they ride the ghost train and stay alive?
Which beings at the Labyrinth Inn are the real monsters?
Will the creatures of Oddity Woods let Marietta and Wyatt live?

Trying to locate Marietta’s dad and find their way back to the real world, Marietta and Wyatt must solve puzzles, outrun evil, and decide who they can trust in this vibrant graphic novel, first in a planned trilogy.

What’s your favorite paranormal beastie?
**kmm

Book info: Oddity Woods / Kay Davault. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025. [author/illustrator site https://www.kaydavault.com/about-contact] [publisher site https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Oddity-Woods/Kay-Davault/Oddity-Woods/9781665915830] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

Six kawaii kitties on holiday – so cute! FALLING IN LOVE WITH A TRAVELING CAT, by Juno (Graphic Novel)

Jun26
Book cover of Falling in Love With a Traveling Cat, graphic novel by Juno. Six kitties standing on their short hind legs are moving to the left, ready for travel with backpacks, rolling suitcases, snack bag, camera on strap around one's neck, another with purse slung across its body. Most are tabby cats colored orange, tan, grey & white.

First, we plan.
Next, we pack.
Then, we go traveling!

Six soft, cute, often bemused Mofusand cats prepare to travel all over Japan, and their illustrator Juno invites us along for the fun.

Squished in the subway, relaxed on the plane, their first stop is the aquarium, where they talk to dolphins, enjoy the Baby Penguin Cafe, and walk with them in the parade.

On to the amusement park, with exciting rides and yummy snacks served by roller-skating kitty waitresses.

Ahh, relaxing outdoors, cooking over the campfire, napping in hammocks, whooshing on bicycles, and watching birds at a picnic.

Beach time! So many water activities and lovely frozen treats! [short-legged, long-bodied cats in bikinis = not your everyday swimsuit models]

Every prefecture of Japan is represented as the cats wear symbolic costumes like a white peach for Okayama and a deer from Nara.

These cats love eating, so they try food from every prefecture, too – curry soup from cold Hokkaido, Takoyaki octopus balls from Osaka, crunchy waffle cookies from Hyogo.

Relaxing at the hot springs is a great way to wrap up a vacation, as the kitties soak in hot tubs large and small, enjoy the sauna and massage – and evening banquet, of course!

Heading home with lots of souvenirs and treats and great memories, as well as the “Mofustagram” posts they sent along their journey.

Perhaps you’ve seen Mofusand cats with fried shrimp as headwear on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mofu_sand/; this first Mofusand illustrated book was published in Japan in 2022, then recently brought to English-language audiences.

Where in Japan would you like to visit with these traveling cats?
**kmm

Book info: Falling in Love With a Traveling Cat / Juno; translated by Mari Marimoto. Kakadawa, 2022; Udon Entertainment, 2024. [artist site https://mofusand.co/blogs/news/who-is-juno-the-artist-behind-mofusand] [publisher site https://store.udonentertainment.com/products/falling-in-love-with-a-traveling-cat-mofusands-1st-illustration-book] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher via Publisher Spotlight.