Reviews

Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends by Kaz Windness (Juvenile Graphic Novel)

I appreciate how this series has a spread that introduces readers to comics, which early reader graphic novels do not always have. This book was very sweet with a great lesson about how our best friendships are often with others who are different from ourselves. I thought the text flowed well, and the font was bold and easy-to-read. The illustrations were fun, quirky, and powerful enough to make me a little teary when caterpillar is inside the pupa and worm doesn't understand what's going on or what happened to his friend. I will definitely be recommending this book to kids and am hopeful this is the beginning of a series.

October, October by Katya Balen and illustrated by Angela Harding (Juvenile Fiction)

I was thrilled to be plopped right in the middle of October’s world, living off the grid with her Dad, enjoying all their tender and beautiful rituals. I was equally devastated when October was ripped from that world due to a tragic accident and thrown into the chaos of living in London with a mother she didn’t know. The writing is dense, poetic, and a little bit wild just like October. October is such a lovable, resilient character who eventually finds a tiny wild niche on the shores of The River Thames mudlarking with new friends.

Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme by Avery Monsen and illustrated by Abby Hanlon (Picture Book)

This hilarious book will encourage readers to help Chester Van Chime to match up sounds. If you're not hollering out the rhyming words with each of his attempts to rhyme, it's because you are laughing too hard to say anything.

Fire Chief Fran by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Picture Book)

I loved spending a shift with Fran as she raced to help others. I enjoyed reading about the variety of emergencies her fire department responded to and also learning about what she did during her "down" time, which included training, giving a tour of the fire station, and exercising. Included in the back is an exciting fact page about firefighting. You can read about the different kinds of calls firefighters respond to, whether fire stations have poles, the different uniforms firefighters wear, and a lot of other fascinating information. 

The Guncle by Steven Rowley (Adult Fiction)

At first, I thought Patrick needed more parenting than his niece, Masie and nephew, Grant. In his defense, the sudden guardianship of these two kids comes without any warning. Patrick has a lot of growing up to do, but I found myself sending silent encouragements and hoping he could handle the enormous task of taking care of two children who lose their mom to cancer and their Dad to drug rehab (but only for three months and the kids don’t know this last part). 

I think I was rooting for Patrick because his love for the kids was present in his actions, and he had clever ideas and didn’t talk down to the kids. Most importantly, he was involved every step of the way. He didn’t find a nanny or ignore the kids. Having said all that, my feelings were all over the place. Everyone was lugging around a lot of grief and trying to process it with each other. This coupled with the weight of uncertainty created a lot of angst and sometimes turmoil for me. Thankfully, there is so much humor here. Yes, his conversations with the kids were at times appalling, uncomfortable, and inappropriate, but sometimes this had me laughing uncontrollably. 

Their family was incredibly messy with big problems, tragedy galore, and adults who didn’t have it together at all. But there is so much love here, and I think that love shines on every page. My favorite moment happened when Patrick received the note from a couple at the restaurant telling him, “Every parent has these days. You’re very good with them. Your breakfast is on us.” Though this moment was particularly lovely, there were many lovely, real-life moments like this where I wondered just how much of this book was plucked from truth.