Favorite October Reads Part 2

Here we go with a few more reviews!

Prairie Days by Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Micha Archer (Picture Book)

With a picture book duo like Patricia Maclachlan and Micha Archer, this was one of those books I knew was going to be amazing even before I read it. Patricia Maclachlan paints a picture of a long-ago prairie summer day. The book is a feast for all senses. I can smell the flowers, taste the pop from the cold-water lift-top tanks, feel the wind from the horse rides, hear the dogs barking as they herd sheep, and feel the coziness of reading beneath a family quilt at the end of the day (my favorite moment). Though Maclachlan doesn't need help bringing her vivid imagery to life, Micha Archer's illustrations (read her bio about how she creates them) bring Maclachlan's words to life in an explosion of warmth, texture, and color.

Donust and Other Proclamations of Love by Jared Reck (Teen Fiction)

Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love is one of those long books that weaves in and out of conflicts that last the entire story. I appreciated how it took its time and gave each conflict plenty of attention and respect. 

Oscar is in his senior year and knows what he wants to do after high school. His plans do not involve college. His dream is to continue working with his grandpa (Farfar) on their beloved Food Truck, Hej Hej. Farfar wants Oscar to keep an open mind and explore all his options. Farfar and Oscar’s relationship is one of the sweetest, realest, and most complex relationships I’ve encountered in a teen book. Farfar wants everything for Oscar, but more than anything else, he wants Oscar to be happy. 

Oscar begins his senior year hoping to get the last bit of coursework done without a lot of effort. This is where Lou comes in. Lou, also a senior, is extremely driven, has her sights set on a bunch of serious colleges, and is annoyingly smart and focused. She gets Oscar involved in a plan to reduce food waste, and before he knows what’s happening, he’s cranking out hundreds of apple treats with the apples students toss (a ridiculous amount of apples by the way). He’s initially bitter about being blindsided by the force that is Lou, but after a while his feelings become conflicted. To make matters even more confusing for him, Lou and Farfar hit it off and soon Lou is working in the food truck with them. 

I was completely won over by the characters in this story. I enjoyed their growth, not only as characters but also how their relationships grew. Lou is almost immediately embraced and included in Oscar and Farfar’s small family (mostly by Farfar in the beginning), which includes a darling cat who everyone sweet talks. There are also a handful of supporting characters who are equally interesting and really help flesh out Farfar and Oscar’s characters and roles in their community.

Witches of Brooklyn series by Sophie Escabasse (Juvenile Graphic Fiction)

When Effie shows up on Carlota and Selimene’s doorstep, nobody has any idea who is who or what is going on. Effie needs a home, and Selimene (stepsister of Effie’s mom) and Carlota are surprised by her arrival. Selimene is furious about being disturbed so late in the evening she throws a proper fit and says all kinds of dastardly things to the social worker. In one short evening, Effie, Carlota, and Selimene become a family for better or worse. 

Effie can just about match Selimene’s saltiness, but underneath all the salt, they are true softies. Carlota is wise and nurturing and provides a dose of calm and reason when Effie and Selimene become loud and moody. Watching them grow as a family is pretty special. It’s rocky, hilarious, sweet, and enchanting. 

While they are working on becoming a family and Effie is navigating a new school and friends, a special musician and her entourage show up in the middle of the night with an unusual problem. This is when Effie discovers her aunts are witches! And she is too! 

As you can tell, this book has a little bit of everything, but I would be doing the book an injustice if I didn’t mention the illustrations. They are spectacular - full of emotion, not too wordy, and there is a librarian knight with his own font and a quirky pink pet dog/cat (it's tough to tell) who shows off a little magic of his own in the second book in the series.

The Doran series by Monica Furlong (Juvenile Fiction)

I have read the first (amazing) and second (BEAUTIFUL cover but not as good as the first) and am eagerly waiting for the third.  My library doesn't own these books so I have been requesting them from other library systems.  

Wise Child lives with her grandmother in a small village in remote Scotland. Her mother left when she was a small child and her father is at sea. When her grandmother dies, the only person who will take Wise Child is Juniper, a healer and Doran (the closest word I can think of is witch and a Doran is so much more) who is both revered and feared by the village. 

Initially, Wise Child is a brat who cannot take care of herself. Juniper immediately begins teaching her everything – herbs, school subjects like math and Latin, and home skills such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of their animals. Wise Child does not like the hard work, but she flourishes thanks to it and Juniper’s unconditional love and interest in her. 

Wise Child’s mom is a sorceress who does not use her powers to heal. She makes multiple attempts to steal Wise Child, and the struggle Wise Child feels between her mom (who is not a good person but has an easy life) and Juniper (who loves her unconditionally and wants to teach her everything she knows) is raw and intense and really pulls the reader into the struggle. 

I admired Juniper’s wise, gentle, and stark observations on life and human behavior. I also appreciated how Wise Child grew to understand that Juniper’s silence held more weight than words at times. Juniper truly appreciates that there is a lot of beauty and peace found in everyday work and routines, and she is patient when she repeatedly shares this lesson with Wise Child. I quickly disappeared into the evolution of their relationship and Wise Child’s character growth. Though Wise Child’s struggle to find out where she belongs is painful at times, I finished the book with feelings of warmth, comfort, and curiosity.