TWO BOYS KISSING by David Levithan

 

After watching MSNBC's Ali Velshi's Banned Book Club segment this past Saturday, I realized that TWO BOYS KISSING by David Levithan was on my bookshelf, but I had never read it. I pushed it to the top of my TBR pile. Since its publication in 2013, this book has frequently been on banned and challenged lists. According to the author himself, many of those challenges and bans were because of the title and the cover art. All I can say is, "What a shame."

Craig and Harry used to be in a relationship, but not anymore. They are still friends and are determined to make it into the Guiness Book of World Records by beating the record for the longest continuous kiss. They've practiced and trained. They know how to sneak drinks without breaking the kiss and how to communicate with signals. They've had plenty of help planning the event. Everything is set and ready so let the kissing begin.

Woven throughout their kissing story are the stories of others. Avery and Ryan (meeting for the first time), Peter and Neil (sure of their love, but experiencing different reactions from their families), and Cooper (so frustrated, alone, and sad, that ending things seems like the only answer.) Holding all their stories together are the countless gay men of past generations who lived and died from a disease (AIDS) that the world declared was their fault.

Author David Levithan deftly moves from one voice to another in bold, tender, and honest conversations that will help readers feel closer to and more understanding of a subject not easily dealt with in the past or present. Understanding and acceptance have come a long way, but Levithan lets us know it's not enough.

THE INFINITE QUESTIONS OF DOTTIE BING by Molly B. Burnham

 

According to Grandma Ima, "the solution to every problem starts with a question." Dottie lives by this rule, and it has been serving her well. Now that Grandma Ima has passed away and Grandpa Walter has come to live with Dottie's family, she is hoping Ima's philosophy will help her overcome the sadness she feels every day.

When Grandpa Walter showed up unannounced, he brought with him a can of Chock full O'Nuts, but instead of being filled with the famous coffee, it is filled with Grandma Ima's ashes. Grandpa carries it with him 24/7. He pours two cups of coffee every morning so Ima can have one. He chats with Ima all the time, and he even plays cards with her to pass the time. Dottie is completely frustrated. Not only does she think Grandpa is weird and unhappy, but he has moved into her room, so she has to share with her little sister Jazzy.

The only thing Dottie thinks can help with how she is feeling is to use her energy to build a tree house. She has always wanted one, and she remembers Grandma Ima also mentioned wanting to have one when she was a girl. With the help of her best friend Sam and her new friend Miles, Dottie embarks on a mission to build her dream. No matter how hard she works, it seems like there's one problem after another.

Author Molly B. Burnham's sweet story helps explain feelings and how they often take over our lives. Using imaginative characters and wonderful humor, Burnham shares the ups and downs of losing someone special and all the feels that result. THE INFINITE QUESTIONS OF DOTTIE BING is a surefire winner in my book! 

THE GOOD BRAIDER by Terry Farish

 

Viola was born in South Sudan, Africa. She experienced the horrors of war and poverty. When her mother decided to buy passage to America, Viola hoped life might improve. What followed were years and miles of travel from Juba in South Sudan to Cairo, Eygpt. Immigration involved more poverty, filth, and disease and the death of her five year old brother before she and her mother arrived in Portland, Maine.

Adjusting to life in America was difficult for Viola's mother. She worked hard and tried to impose the Sudanese lifestyle on Viola. Viola, now going to school and meeting American friends, loves her mother, but wants to be more American than Sudanese. Her struggle to survive and combine her two cultures is inspiring and brave.

Author Terry Farish uses free verse to tell Viola's story. THE GOOD BRAIDER is a powerful and often painful read that focuses on the refugee experience of a young girl from Sudan.

ALWAYS, CLEMENTINE by Carlie Sorosiak

 

Clementine is a lab mouse. All she has ever known is her cage and a maze. She is part of a research study on the intelligence of mice. Clementine is one of the stars of the research. She has knowledge of over fifty subjects. In addition to doing her lab mouse services, she has discovered a friend in a nearby cage. Rosie, a chimpanzee also being researched, has become Clementine's best friend.

Able to pick the lock on her cage, Clementine escapes each night and visits Rosie. She loves curling up in Rosie's hand and being stroked on the head by the kind and gentle chimp. The two form a friendship that allows them to tolerate the lonely lab and the not very kind researchers who insist on picking Clementine up by the tail.

One night a lab assistant named Felix grabs Clementine and another mouse named Hamlet and takes them out of the lab. He knows he could be fired, but he is determined to save at least these two little mice from the researchers. He deposits the two mice in a mailbox along with a note asking whoever finds them to protect them and keep them from being sent back to the lab.

While huddling in the mailbox, Clementine decides to "write" a letter to Rosie. She composes the letter in her mind knowing that if she ever sees Rosie again, she will be able to remember the events of her escape and share them with her friend. 

Clementine and Hamlet are rescued from the mailbox by a young boy spending the summer with his grandfather. What follows is an amazing adventure that Clementine relates in further letters to Rosie. 

Author Carlie Sorosiak takes readers on a roller coaster of an adventure as the two mice meet humans much kinder and understanding than the researchers from the lab. The mice amaze the humans with their intelligence and easily convince them they are mice who should never be returned to a lab where their talents could result in their demise. ALWAYS, CLEMENTINE is perfect for animal lovers looking for a heartwarming tail (tale).

MESSY ROOTS: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao

 

MESSY ROOTS takes readers on a journey both past and present of author and artist Laura Gao. Born in Wuhan, China, Laura was raised there until her family immigrated to Texas. Frustrated that no one could pronounce her Chinese name, she demanded that she be allowed to choose a new name, hence the name Laura.

That name change didn't solve all of her problems. Most people had never heard of Wuhan and insisted that she must be from Taiwan. Little did she know that years later with the arrival of Covid-19, she would be heckled and jeered as being responsible for the disease. 

Laura shares the frustration of having a Chinese family whose expectations didn't match what she wanted for her life. Her parents were thrilled when she showed promise as a mathlete/nerd, and they were angry when she dropped Math Club in favor of basketball. Years of Chinese lessons on the weekend didn't really help Laura pick up the language. It wasn't until the family traveled home to Wuhan one summer that she recognized the important of learning the language. 

High school offers the usual teen drama - dating, studying, friends, and sneaking out at night. It isn't until everyone begins talking about college choices that Laura realizes that might be just the escape she needs. Leaving Texas for a university in Pennsylvania means Laura will be in charge of her own life for the first time. That's when experiences lead Laura to the realization that she is queer. This opens the world for her as she confronts her family about her real dreams and wishes.

Gao's artwork enhances the amazing story of her life as she struggles to please family, fit in with her peers, and still stay true to herself. I highly recommend this for any high school graphic novel collection.

THE TRYOUT by Christina Soontornvat & Joanna Cacao

 

Starting seventh grade has its ups and downs. Christina and her best friend Megan vow to take on everything together. When they witness the eighth grade cheerleaders welcoming returning students, they decide to tryout for the seventh grade squad.

The training for tryouts begins. Christina never thought it would be so tough, but she's determined to earn a spot on the squad. The first round of tryouts requires groups of two to perform a cheer and jumps. Christina assumes Megan will be her partner, but Megan breaks the news that she will be picking a different partner. Why would she do that? Christina decides to make the best of a difficult situation and offers to partner with someone else.

Christina's family and friends are totally supportive of her efforts. Her parents both give her advice as they cheer her on. As the final tryouts approach, Christina begins to wonder if she really wants to cheer or is she looking for the popularity associated with being a cheerleader. Is possibly losing her best friend worth winning a spot on the squad? Time will tell.

Based on real life experiences of author Christina Soontornvat, THE TRYOUTS is an excellent graphic novel that both entertains and educates readers about subjects like friendships and fitting in. 

THE SWITCH by Roland Smith

 

It is the day after Henry's birthday. His father offered to take him to the zoo, but since his dad is the director, Henry goes to the zoo all the time. His goal at the moment is to avoid having to help with Tuna Day. There's not much he can do to avoid the smell, but he doesn't want to be dragged directly into the smelly operation. 

The zoo and tuna end up being the last things on Henry's mind when he watches a jetliner crash into the Ludd's family farm compound. The jet and the hundreds of dead bodies are just the beginning of what everyone will call "The Switch." According to Henry's uncle the disaster is the result of an EMP (electromagnetic pulse). Anything that runs with the aid of computer chips is kaput. That means no cell phones, computers, most cars and trucks, and the electric grid that powers homes and businesses. 

Lucky for Henry and his large extended family, his uncle recently erected a huge wind turbine. Most of the family and close neighbors called the thing a monstrosity, but the power it generates might just be what saves them. It might also be trouble when others without power get wind of the turbine's benefits.

All attention is focused on survival. The dead as a result of the plane crash must be buried, available food must be preserved and stored, and the farm compound must be secured. In the midst of the chaos, Henry is worried about his father who hasn't returned from his trip to the zoo. What follows is a series of frantic rescue missions involving a trip to the city, car chases, a dangerous trip down the river, a hideout in the forest, and more bad guys than you can shake a stick at.

Author Roland Smith, a personal favorite of mine when it comes to adventure and hijinks, has created an action-packed, dystopian tale you won't want to miss. Perfect for middle grade readers and up, this one doesn't disappoint.

IVELIZ EXPLAINS IT ALL by Andrea Betriz Arango

 

Iveliz "Ive" is starting seventh grade. She has a list of goals and she hopes to meet them all. What she really hopes is that someone might "explain it all" to her.

Ive misses her father and blames herself for the accident that took his life. He was always the person who understood her the best. Her Mami works all the time and never was much of a hugger, and having a hug now and then would go a long way Ive thinks. 

Mimi has moved in with them. She lived in Puerto Rico, but due to damage from the hurricane and her dementia, it isn't safe for her to live alone anymore. It is difficult to see her beloved Mimi confused and forgetful. Mimi also criticizes the medicine and therapy Ive relies on since her father's death.

Author Andrea Beatriz Arango highlights mental health in this novel in verse. Ive has trouble being honest about her feelings unless she is writing in her journal. With the help of therapy, she slows learns that sharing her true thoughts and feelings with family, friends, and teachers just might make things easier. 

A LIST OF CAGES by Robin Roe

 

Adam is a senior and Julian is a freshman. One wouldn't think these two boys would form a friendship. When Adam sees Julian, he remembers he is the boy who years ago lived with him as a foster child. Adam's social worker mother is thrilled to hear about Julian and asks how he is doing. Adam will no doubt be finding out since the school counselor has asked him to help out by meeting with Julian.

Years ago Julian's parents were killed in a car accident which was why he came to live with Adam and his mom. When a long-lost uncle surfaces, Julian is whisked away to live with his Uncle Russell. Julian is withdrawn and quiet and when not in class, spends time in a secret hideaway he discovered above the stage in the school's theater. Adam is popular with everyone and the perfect person to bring Adam out of his shell.

As the two boys become closer, Adam suspects that Julian's life with Uncle Russell isn't all that wonderful. Julian misses school often claiming he's had the flu, but when he shows up with cuts and bruises, Adam suspects something's wrong. 

A LIST OF CAGES is told through the alternating voices of Adam and Julian. Readers will immediately connect with Author Robin Roe's characters as their stories intertwine. Roe is also the author of DARK ROOM ETIQUETTE.

ODDER by Katherine Applegate

 

What a delightful way to start the new year! ODDER by Katherine Applegate is a precious book I will be recommending to everyone. 

Odder's mother named her little sea otter appropriately. Curious, adventurous, and often a rule breaker, Odder believes her purpose is to play in the sea. Separated from her mother early in life, Odder was found and taken to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There her rescuers did their best to teach her the rules of being an otter. These people tried to think like an otter as they interacted with their tiny, active guest. 

When Odder returns to the sea, her fearless playfulness leads to numerous misadventures. She gets too close to humans, she gets too close to things she doesn't understand, and she gets too close to sharks. When one of those sharks mistakes her for lunch, she ends up back at the Aquarium with bite marks on her side. While recovering she meets more kind humans and a couple of elderly otters who offer her their own sage advice.

Readers will immediately fall in love with Odder. They will gasp at the dangerous chances she takes and laugh at her antics amidst the kelp as she dives for clams and plays endlessly. Odder's story teaches as well as entertains. The humans learn much about sea otter behavior through years of working with Odder and others. 

Applegate's use of flowing free verse is perfect for following Odder's life in the Aquarium and beyond. This is truly a magical story I could read again and again.

THE DOOR OF NO RETURN by Kwame Alexander

 

In THE DOOR OF NO RETURN, author Kwame Alexander reminds readers that Black history didn't start with slavery in the good ole' USA. The history begins in the homeland of Africa with rich stories and wonderful experiences.

Kofi begins his life on the Offin River. He has family and friends he loves dearly. His mother cooks for him and tells him stories, and his father warns Kofi and his brother of the dangers of the river after dark. Kofi and his cousin swim in the river when they aren't occupied with school and chores. The river takes center stage as Kofi challenges his cousin to a swimming race. 

Coached by his father, Kofi and encouraged by Ama, the girl he just might love, Kofi dreams only of defeating his cousin until the stories about the nighttime river come to change his life. Men Kofi describes as "pale and pink as rotten coconut meat" kidnap him and others from the region. They are loaded onto a ship that sets sail on the sea. 

Told in vivid verse, THE DOOR OF NO RETURN brings Africa to life as the slave trade brings the threat of dislocation and death. 

HOLLOW by Shannon Watters, Branden Boyer-White, Berenice Nelle

 

HOLLOW is a great read anytime, but when you are looking for something special around Halloween, be sure to check out this graphic novel.

What happens when you move to a new town and find out the story of the Headless Horseman is true? And, if your name is Isabel "Izzy" Crane, folks may be a bit surprised.

Izzy makes friends with Vicky Van Tassel only to find out her life is in danger at Halloween. There's history in the town involving the Van Tassels. Vicky is expected to participate in the yearly festival every October, but the strange deaths of family members in the past have Vicky questioning her own fate. Since Izzy has a crush on Vicky, she has vowed to do whatever it takes to protect her.

Set in Sleepy Hollow, yes, that Sleepy Hollow, this story will have readers flipping pages as they speed to the end to find out if the creepy substitute teacher will make Vicky the next Van Tassel victim. Fast and fun, HOLLOW is a scary good addition to any graphic novel collection.

DARK ROOM ETIQUETTE by Robin Roe

 

Sayers Wayte is surrounded by riches. He drives a cool car, lives in a mansion, and has money to spend on anything he desires. He loves to party and invite anyone and everyone who is popular. He dates pretty girls. Currently, it is Bria who will be his homecoming dance date. He and his friends get a kick out of bullying the weak kids. A personal favorite is a kid named Evan.

When Sayers decides to skip classes and join a group headed on a field trip, he doesn't know everything about his life will soon change. Opting out of riding the bus, Sayers drives his awesome car instead. On the way home after the field trip his GPS cuts out leaving him stranded on a country road. A stranger offers him a ride, but Sayers doesn't end up at home.

Sayers is kidnapped and taken to a house where he is held captive. No ransom is demanded, instead Sayers is held by a man who claims to be his father. Fear convinces Sayers to buy into this new reality. Chained to the bed in his room, he listens to this man named Caleb tell him that he was really kidnapped years ago and subjected to experiments that have scrambled his mind. Time passes as Sayers begins to forget what his real life was like. At one point the man even brings home a girl named Penny, who despite her own fear, provides comfort and hope that Sayers might eventually escape.

Based on research about traumatized youth, author Robin Roe has created a psychological thriller with enough twists and turns to satisfy readers despite the book's 500 page length. This is a great one for reading on a cold winter afternoon.