Saturday Morning Cartoons- Operation Cover-Up

Goodwin, Tate. Operation Cover-Up (vol.1)

January 21, 2025 by Andrews McMeel Publishing

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sy and his mother (cats) have moved to a new town in the middle of the school year while his father is on the west coast  making a movie, and Nick and his father (rabbits?) have also moved to town for the father's job. They are in different 5th grade homerooms, and while Sy is trying to establish himself as a class clown, Nick wants to broadcast his intellect and cement his reputation as a brainiac. Somehow, they are perceived as just the opposite! When they find this out, they decide to hang out together secretly, and coach each other. Nick helps Sy with his math, and Sy tries to teach Nick how to tell a joke. They are also both approached to participate in the school talent show... just a week away! At first, they think they can wear an ear piece and talk each other through a routine, but their parents encourage them to embrace what they really love. They are helped by classmate Violet, who hangs out with them. Violet doesn't know what her talent is, so the three try lots of different things before Violet tells them that she loves to draw comics but is afraid to show them to others. Encouraged by the boys, as well as a neighbor, Violet even tries to overcome her own fears by showing her comics to people in the park. Meanwhile, Sy and Nick's identities have been discovered by their classmates, who are angry that they lied. This causes them both to rethink their talent show acts. Nick, who loves hip hop, decides that he will perform one of his songs. In the days leading up to the talent show, Nick and Sy also make amends with Chuck and Annabelle, and while they can't help their new friends themselves, they trade their talents to help out the other's new friend. The talent show is a success, and Sy, Nick, and Violet all make peace with their talents as well as the things they enjoy doing. 

Strengths: I really enjoyed the parents in this one; Sy's mother gardens, and Nick's father makes weird pastries like pickle doughnuts. In fifth grade, parents are a huge part of kids lives, and I don't think we see this portrayed in middle grade literature enough. The illustrations in this graphic novel are bright, and it's good to see a range of activities and interests represented. I'm not sure how many of my students do hip hop, but video games do figure largely in far too many of their lives. The message about being true to oneself is on trend. 

Weaknesses: Sy and Nick's worries about establishing themselves as a "type" and their desire to lie and embrace false identities felt very early 2000s to me. I see my students change their personae constantly, and no one accuses them of lying. Not wanting to be seen together also seemed odd, as did the reactions of the classmates. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Chmakova's Berrybrook Middle School or Sax's Picture Day but prefer anthropomorphic animals to real life characters. The second book is  Operation Make a Splash, but I have not seen a publication date. 

Fairbairn, Nathan and MSASSYK (Illustrations).

Hazel Has Her Hands Full (PAWS #4)

January 14, 2025 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

After Gabby Gets It Together, Mindy Makes Some Space, and Priya Puts Herself First, we get to see the inner workings of the PAWS dog walking group from the point of view of Hazel. Hazel, who has spinal muscular atrophy, uses a wheelchair because standing and walking for too long is tiring, Her arms sometimes are tired, too, but she is glad to be able to move more quickly in her wheelchair, even if Nosy neighbors like Olga are condescending and pitying. She's not a fan of her mother's reactions to people like Olga, though, and wishes that her mother wouldn't get so angry. She also wishes that her mother would let her have a little more freedom as she is getting older. It's usually a good thing that the other PAWS members have to accompany her on their dog walking ventures, but when she gets a chance to cat sit for her friend Carlos in his wheelchair friendly house, she doesn't want to turn it down when none of the other PAWS members are available. The other campers have some challenges as well; Mindy has to spend time with her father and his new girlfriend, Heather, and Gabby has a housemate. Jill is from a farm in the country, and isn't impressed by anything about Vancouver, and even has horrible things to say about one of the dogs they walk, claiming a small dog is not a "real dog"! Cat sitting goes well for Hazel, but when her mother finds out that she is working on her own and goes to Carlos' house to check on her, the cats Eggs and Bobo get loose. The other members and their families scour the area, and do find both animals. Hazel comes clean to Carlos and his dad, who are understanding. Hazel makes her mother see her point of view, but also knows that it's time for her to use a motorized wheelchair on some of her longer journeys. 

The authors did a great job using sensitivity readers and getting the information surrounding Hazel's condition correct. There's a lot of good wheelchair etiquette represented; the PAWS girls always ask Hazel if she needs help rather than just grabbing her chair and pushing her. I sort of wish that there had been a conversation with the unpleasant neighbor, because that could have been informative. I had a little trouble telling the other three girls apart, because it's been some time since I read the other books. These graphic novels are popular in my library, and I think they are quick, interesting graphic novels to read. 

Under Attack (Kidnapped from Ukraine #1)

Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk. Under Attack (Kidnapped from Ukraine #1)
January 7, 2025 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In Mariupol in February of 2022, Dariia Popkova is awakened by bombing sanctioned by Russian president Putin, claiming that Ukraine was suffering under a "Nazi regime". She knows this is ridiculous, and points out that President Zelensky's first language was Russian, and he is Jewish as well. Dariia's father has to report for duty, since he is in the reserves. He wants Dariia, her mother, and her twin sister Rada to stay put, but Dariia and her mother run out to the grocery store to pick up a few things. While there, a bombed is dropped on the area, and the storekeeper is killed. The two run to the mother's place of work, a nail salon, to try to take shelter there, but are concerned about the flammability of the salon products. They end up in the basement of school supply store, which is very crowded. It's a particularly brutal time, and the people are there for months. Natalia is there, with her dog Mimi, as is Rustem, whose mother is dead. Sonya, and her four year old daughter Ariadna also stay close to Dariia. There is a message from Rada, to go to Zaporizhzhia and delete phone data, but it's impossible to leave because of the constant bombing. In mid-April, the shelter is bombed. Sonya and Natalia are killed, but Dariia and her mother find a car and leave with Rustem, Ariadna, and Mimi. They don't get very far before they are stopped by the Russians. They are luckier than the people who lined up at a bread truck and were all killed, but still humiliated and abused. Eventually, the children are put on a bus, and Dariia is separated from her  mother. The children are taken to Taganrog, Russia, to the Romashka Children's Camp. At least they get a shower, clean clothes, and toothpaste, and are temporarily safe, but they are also prisoners and cut off from their families. Dariia is in a dorm with Katya and Liliya. None of the children have documents, and they are forced to go to school where they are taught to speak only Russia, and are offered "true" history. The only options after the camp are to be adopted by Russian families or to go to reeducation facilities. When Dariia speaks up, a guard tries to drown her in pool, so she learns to keep her thoughts to herself. When it is clear that the children are going to be placed with Russian families, Liliya and Vadim show the other children a shared G Mail account they have, so that all of the children can put their contact details. Rustem's Russian grandmother picks him up, and Dariia is turned over to Myroslava. She has a son, Anton, and is fostering two other Ukrainian children for money. Sasha is an infant, but Genya is Dariia's age. Myroslava, whose husband is fighting, makes money commenting on social media with pro Russian sentiments, and also sells good stolen from Ukrainians. Anton helps, and believes all of the Russian propaganda until his father shares some experiences with him. This cracks his belief enough that when Dariia and Genya tell him about what happened to them, he believes them and helps them contact their families. Eventually, Dariia's mother works with journalist to get power of attorney to come to Russia and retrieve stolen children, and Dariia, Genya, and several other Ukrainian children are rescued. 

Strengths: The author's note at the end is very helpful in laying out the real historical events on which this fictional story is based. This is a heart wrenching book, and doesn't gloss over any of the horrible things that happened to Dariia in Mariupol and beyond. Skrypuch, who has written many books about Ukraine during the 1930s and WWII, not only shows Dariia's experience, but also gives a Russian perspective from Anton. It's interesting to see his reactions as he compares the information he thinks is true with Dariia's lived experience. There is a bit of hope, since Dariia and a few other children are rescued, but the note at the end estimates that as many as 700,000 Ukrainian children may have been kidnapped, and that fewer that 300 have been found. 

Weaknesses: I wouldn't have minded a little bit more about Dariia's life before the attack, like in Senzai's Escape from Aleppo. This sort of scene setting makes it easier for my students to imagine what it would be like if something similar happened to them. 
What I really think: This is a very realistic look at a horrible, useless war, and might be a little much for elementary readers who might not have the background knowledge to understand why so many people are being brutally murdered. This is the first book I have seen on this modern historic event. We can only hope that the war ends before there are others. 

Music for Tigers

Kadarusman, Michelle. Music for Tigers

November 5, 2024 by Pajama Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Louisa isn't thrilled about going to Tasmania to spend the summer with her Unlce Rufus while her mother and father are slogging around wetlands studying endangered toads, but since her older system visited when she was Louisa's age, and the camp is going to be razed to make way for an access road and bridge for local tin and iron mines, they want Louisa to experience it. Louisa, for her part, would rather stay at home and practice her violin so that she has a successful try out for the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Instead, she's relegated to a musty cabin deep in the woods, where all manner of creepy creatures stare at her from the darkness, and giant spiders take up residence on her bedroom walls! Uncle Ruff isn't a great housekeeper, and his cooking leaves something to be desired, but luckily Mel, who runs the "next door" Eco Lodge, steps up to help. Of course, "next door" in this area involves a car ride, but she brings food, helps Louisa clean, and even has her son, Colin, stay with Rufus so Louisa has someone her age to talk to. Colin is on the Autism Spectrum and sometimes struggles to connect to people, but seems to get along with Louisa, and she enjoys his company as well. Rufus has a pig footed bandicoot named Piggy who is ailing, and he's very upset because the animal is the last of its kind, and the species was thought to be extinct in the 1950s. He encourages Louisa to read the journals of her great Grandmother Eleanor, who spent years trying to bring back not only the bandicoot, but also the Tasmanian tiger, also thought to be extinct. Louisa finds that there is one remaining Tasmanian tiger, a marsupial with tiger like markings, who has been close to the house, enticed, perhaps, by the music of her violin. Rufus tells her and Colin that Eleanor had relocated the animals to Convict's Rock, an island that local legend deemed to be haunted, so the animals lived in peace. With the new bridge and access road, the rock will be destroyed, so Rufus wants to relocate the animal, whom he calls Ellie. In order to do this, they need to be able to safely trap the animal. Since Ellie seems to enjoy Louisa's music, they try to lure her out, but start to realize that they need to go to the island to find the animal. Will they be able to relocate the animal in time?
Strengths: I would have loved this book as a child, since it is a virtual trip to a place that I will probably never get to visit. While Louisa isn't all that keen on going, she quickly gets over herself, and doesn't complain too much, even though the living conditions aren't that great. She throws herself into researching family history, and is willing to try to help the Tasmanian tiger that meant so much to her family. She is also kind to Colin, and there is some good information about Austism Spectrum Disorder. There are also some great notes from the author; as far as she knows, the bandicoot and Tasmanian tiger have been extinct for a long time, but there is some hope that perhaps they can be brought back. Readers who enjoyed this author's Girl of the Southern Sea will want to take a look at this title. 
Weaknesses: I found myself humming Waltzing Matilda for hours after I read this! Today's readers probably won't be familiar with this tune, and I did enjoy reading a little history of the song, but I could not get it out of my head! 
What I really think: Readers who enjoyed stories about helping endangered animals, like Haas' Rescue, Marquez' Crocodile Rescue, or Schrefer's Ape Quartet will enjoy this virtual trip to Tasmania.  

2024 Reading Statistics

As we head into 2025, and my 14th year of posting a review every single day (we'll see; I'm scheduled through May at this point), I'm not feeling terribly motivated. The extreme number of books read this year reflects the fact that I wasn't able to walk for five weeks following Achilles replacement surgery, which did not improve my mood! I'm setting my goal for 2025 at a more reasonable 700 books, and planning on spending less time reading, and perhaps more time walking and sewing!

Yes, I read 1,032 books. If you don't believe that, I wrote reviews of 856 of the books, about 83%.

I'm only buying 294 of these titles. My district budget is $6,000, and the cost of those 294 titles would be about $5,960. I donated $2,400 worth of books that I got from publishers and Young Adult Books Central  in exchange for reviewing them. I refreshed some of my nonfiction, which is expensive, so those numbers make sense. 

The graphic novels, which are about 10% of what I read, are spread across all genres. The average length of the books I read was 215 pages. Since fantasy is a harder sell in my library, and many of these books are in lengthy series, I read much more realistic fiction. 

I've seen a lot of graphics (mainly from 2018) on social media complaining that books are still not diverse, but 60% of the books I read had some significant representation of cultures. These broke down into the following categories: Asian: 122, Black: 120, Health (both mental and physical): 64, Jewish: 29, Latine: 40, LGBTQIA: 30, Muslim: 17, Native American: 12, and various (either multiple identities, or specific groups for which there were fewer than ten books): 186.

I told my students last year that I would read 1,000 books. Mission accomplished! Knowing what titles are available and being able to tell students about books when recommending them is why I read. I'd like to think that my efforts could also help other librarians and teachers who don't devote 4-5 hours a day to reading, but because I am not adept at social media, I fear that this is not the case. There are a lot of book promoters on Twitter, Instagram, and now Bluesky, but having book content does not seem to translate directly into followers or reknown. Personality leakage seems to help, which explains my misguided foray into Outfits of the Day, to no avail. 

Caring about social media also would help, but I just... don't. Need to keep in mind that I read and review mainly to be able to do my job well and get the right book to the right child at the right time. The rest is just distraction. 

Radiant

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Radiant
January 7, 2025 by Dutton Books for Young Reader
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this novel in verse, Cooper Dale is in fifth grade in 1963, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She lives with her father, who is a baker, her mother, who cleans houses, and her older sibling Fred and Maxine. She has the "meanest" teacher, Mrs. Keating, and often experiences horrible treatment by classmate Wade Carter, who is very racist towards her, calling her names like "Mud Face" and "Pooper". The only black student in class (N.B. The book uses this term, and discusses that this is becoming more popular as "colored" falls out of favor. Today, we capitalize Black.), Cooper struggles a bit to find good friends; while the girls in her class are generally nice to her, they don't live near her, and the girls with whom she is friends in church also don't have many opportunities to come to her house. Cooper tries very hard to do well on her school work, and has taken her parents' message that she should shine in everything she does to heart. She is glad that the man who comes in to teach penmanship once a month thinks her handwriting is good, but is dismayed when Mrs. Keating tells her her letters are too large; to get back at her, she writes her weekly spelling test in tiny letters, only to get an F even though her spelling is fine. Cooper starts to notice that something is going on with Wade; he doesn't always walk home for lunch, and seems sadder than usual. When her mother gets a job cleaning for the Carters because the mother has cancer, Cooper is appalled. For one thing, she has told her classmates that her mother is a home decorator, and for another, she doesn't want her mother to have to deal with Carter. Cooper starts to think about what it would be like if her own mother were sick, and starts to have some sympathy for her nemesis. Cooper is very aware of being the only Black student in her class, and doesn't understand why Mrs. Keating thinks people should be "color blind". Her mother's mother is white, and Cooper sometimes wishes that she were white. When another Black student, Robert, joins the class, this is a new experience. Much of Cooper's time is spent in typical tween pursuits of the time; waiting for The Wizard of Oz to play once a year on television (a BIG deal!), listening to the exciting new musical group, The Beatles, and hanging out with family and at church. She does start to understand Mrs. Keating and Wade more as the school year comes to a close. 

Strengths: 1963 is an excellent year to have as the background of a novel, and it's a little surprising that we don't see the death of John F. Kennedy portrayed more, since it is the touchstone of several generations. I loved the thread of The Wizard of Oz woven through the story, and didn't know that it was shown around Christmas time; I was familiar with the late winter showings. Working in Pittsburgh radio station WAMO was a nice touch, and I adored how Cooper saved up her money to buy Meet the Beatles. There's some character growth as Cooper starts to understand others around her, like Wade and Mrs. Keating, but it's also good to see Wade become less racist, at least in his actions. There are plenty of good historical details of daily life that make it clear that Cooper and Ms. Nelson are contemporaries. 
Weaknesses: This was more a novel about how Cooper felt instead of what she did, so is rather more introspective and lyrical than many middle grade historical novels. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want a look at this point in history from the perspective of a Black tween. The early sixties haven't been represented all that well in middle grade fiction; there's Moses' We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963, Curtis' The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963, Robinson's memoir Child of the Dream, Rosengren's The Cold War on Maplewood Street, or Hood's She Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, which is the only other book that really addresses the fascination with the Beatles. There are some books that are set slightly later in the 1960s, like Jackson's The Lucky Ones (1967), but there are still not quite as many as I would like to see.