Brainstorm 354: Chernobyl stories

This past week marked 40 years since the Chernobyl disaster. I thought it would be an opportune time to share some stories that bring to life what the people living in the area experienced. My full summary and review of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings is down below for those who don’t have access to GoodReads.

Full Summaries/Reviews

Anya Flees the Fallout: a Chernobyl Survival Story (Girls Survive) by Erin Falligant, ill. by Soia Di Chiara Manetti

Anya’s family has a comfortable life in Pripayat where her father works as a firefighter. They are looking forward to the May Day festivities coming up. But when a fire starts at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Anya’s father is called to put out the flames, and no one realizes just how dangerous or serious things are about to get. Soon Anya and her mother and brother are evacuating, leaving behind their stubborn grandfather Dido who refuses to leave his farm and their dog, Bear, who isn’t allowed to evacuate with them. Their father has been sent to Moscow for treatment because of radiation burns. Will they ever be together again or able to return to their home?

This book really brings to life how sudden the evacuation came on the average person in Pripayat and how the repression of information by the Soviet government made it so that people really didn’t understand how much danger they were in. The book has Anya and her mom and brother go to stay with an uncle who is a nuclear scientist and he has insider knowledge of what kind of danger they are in and how to treat their clothing and such to be safer. Anya’s brother so staunchly believes in the government that he refuses to listen to some of the things his uncle tells him. It was a clever way for the author to educate readers on the dangers that the average person wouldn’t have known about and why some would have refused to believe the truth even if they were told. The book ends just a few weeks after the event, so we don’t get to see the long-term effects on residents of Pripayat, but the back of the book touches on them.

Notes on content: Language: None. Sexual content: None. Violence: One of the other firefighters dies off page of radiation poisoning. Ethnic diversity: The characters are all Russian/Ukrainian. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Anya’s brother is pretty brainwashed by Soviet teaching. Anya’s forced to abandon her pet dog and it is mentioned that soldiers may kill some of the pets left in Pripayat. Anya’s family has to abandon their home without knowing they can never go back.

The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

n 1986, Valentina and Oksana barely stand each other at school. Oksana's father has warned her that Valentina is a cheat and a liar like all Jews so she should steer clear. Valentina tries to avoid Oksana's snide comments about her heritage. Both girls' fathers work in the nuclear reactor, and neither came home that morning after the test last night. There's also weird blue smoke filling the sky and a red haze from fires. But everyone knows that nuclear power is perfectly safe and an emergency there is practically impossible. At least, that's what they've been told. As the day goes on, people are increasingly concerned and eventually both girls find out something has gone badly wrong. Soon they find themselves on the run from the radiation, desperate for a place to stay, and forced to go together to stay with Valentina's grandmother. A grandmother she's never met because her mother says she's dangerous.

In 1941, the Germans are closing in on Kiev, and Rifka finds herself on the run, trying to find a safe place in a world that is decidedly unfriendly to Jews. Where's a girl to go when she's separated from her family and the world is at war?

Valentina, Oksana, and Rifka all have things to learn about trust, their personal worth, and seeing people for who they truly are as they look for a home.

This was a fascinating read for the historical tidbits on what it was like for those living in the town around Chernobyl in 1986. The author shares in the back that she has a friend who lived through the experience and her story inspired this story. I loved watching Valentina and Oksana grow under Babulya's care. Oksana's story, especially, was very touching. She blossoms as she learns she is treasured and talented and valued was really touching (she comes from a physically and emotionally abusive home). (There's an important note in the back of the book about abuse and where readers can get help if they experience things similar to Oksana.) It was also heartwarming to hear Babulya share with Valentina why she clings to her Jewish faith, despite it being illegal in the USSR. The way the different time periods had similar themes and eventually come together was done very well. Overall, this is a powerful story of hope in the midst of bleak times, and the way kindness and love can bring down walls and heal hearts.

Notes on content: Language: No swearing, but there is some verbal name calling by parental figures to children (this is portrayed as being very bad). Also Jews verbally attacked. Sexual content: None. Violence: Deaths from radiation poisoning are mentioned. Deaths in WWII are mentioned. Some beating and burning of a child by parental figures is somewhat described (again, this is portrayed as very bad and there is a good note in the back of the book about how this is wrong and where to get help). Ethnic diversity: Jewish and Gentile Ukranians/Russians. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Alcohol consumption of adults mentioned, usually resulting in worse tempers.

Escape from Chernobyl by Andy Marino

Yuri is an intern at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. He was super excited about the position. He left his home to come live with his Aunt & Uncle and cousins Alina and Lev, but when he arrived he found that it really just means he's a janitor. His uncle is a well known radio announcer who spouts the Party stuff on the radio but lets his children listen to Western radio stations at home and isn't afraid to criticize the powers that be within his own walls. That really rubs Yuri the wrong way, but his Uncle says he'll learn. The one bright spot of his time in Pripyat has been meeting Sofiya, a friend of Alina's whose father also works at the plant. All of their lives will be forever changed on April 26, 1986 when something goes very wrong at the plant.

Marino obviously did his research. He weaves stories of all these various characters so that each of them know different truths about the disaster and how much the government is keeping from the general public and what should be done. You really get to learn what happened in and around the plant in the hours after the disaster from all these various perspectives. Most of the characters Marino made up, while a few are real. It was interesting to have characters on a spectrum of dedication to the government to see how fast each is able to accept the truth of the depth of the emergency and just how brainwashed some Soviets were at this time. There is also a character with severe anxiety who uses music and repetition to try and cope. It was an interesting choice to include such a character in a tense situation, but also makes readers aware that anxiety issues aren't new, that people in the past in these horrible circumstances also often had to deal with ongoing emotional health issues too. This isn't a very easy read, as you know many of the characters aren't going to make it, but there is hope in that some do. Due to the nature of the story and the fact that the main characters range from 12 to 16 this feels like a borderline middle grade/YA book good for those segueing from one to the other. Recommended to disaster story fans, Russian setting fans, and historical fiction fans.

Notes on content: Language: About 2 minor swears as I remember. Sexual content: None. Violence: Radiation poisoning is accurately described and all that happens along with that. Some are severely injured in the explosion and there's some description of a couple of those injuries. There's one shooting that results in an injury. Others are threatened with death or know they are likely not to survive after the levels of radiation exposure they are getting. Ethnic diversity: All characters are Russian LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Sudden upheaval from homes. Yuri is wrestling with the Party lines he's been fed all his life, and the truths his uncle shares with him. One character deals with anxiety/mental health issues.

Brainstorm 353: Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball Stories

This week's Brainstorm features basketball, soccer, and volleyball reads for a variety of ages. My full summary and review of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings is down below for those who don’t have access to GoodReads.

Full Summaries/Reviews

🏐Volleyball books🏐

Spike It, Mo by David A. Adler, ill. by Sam Ricks

Mo and his family are at the beach when Mo and his dad are invited to join a volleyball game. Mo is frustrated he isn't tall enough to spike the ball, but he still has fun.

I'm pretty sure this is the only picture book featuring volleyball I've ever seen. It does a pretty good job of explaining the basic terminology and parts of volleyball for kids.

Haikyu!! Vol. 1 by Haruichi Furudate, transl. by Adrienne Beck

When two volleyball players who were rivals in middle school end up at the same high school, they are both thrown for a loop. Their new captain locks them out of the gym until they can learn to work together, but that may take a while. Kageyama just wishes he could play all by himself because he doesn't trust anyone else to play well enough to win. Hinata just wants to play. He cobbled together enough friends to play one official game in middle school but hasn't really had anyone to practice with. He has crazy natural skill, but needs some practice. Also, in the one game he got to play, Kageyama brutally killed his team and Hinata was looking forward to getting better and trouncing him in high school. To prove they can work together, the boys must win a game of 3 on 3 versus 2 other first years with a 3rd year on each of their teams.

Oh man, I just wanted to take both Kageyama and Hinata's heads and bang them together a couple times. They are just so prideful and stupid. Hinata isn't quite as stupid so I liked him more. This book ends in the middle of the game of 3 on 3 so if you want to know whether they make the team or not you'll need book 2. I'm not a huge volleyball fan and I work with real live teens enough I don't need any fake teen angst, so I didn't super enjoy this myself, but that's just me. I can totally see this appealing to volleyball fans, though. And it is a pretty clean manga for those on the hunt for "safe" manga for teens. I also like the messages about being a good teammate and having good sportsmanship woven in. This is hands down the most popular manga series in our library.

Notes on content: Language: If there was any swearing it was just a couple minor swear words. I don't remember any. The boys call each other some names but they are pretty mild. Sexual content: None. Violence: Just some sports bumps and bruises. Ethnic diversity: Japanese. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: There's quite a bit of pressure that some teammates put on each other and it isn't exactly healthy, but you can tell the book is trying to work towards those people learning to be better teammates. 

🏀Basketball books🏀

Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros

Isaac and Marco are best friends, even though they don't have a ton in common except living next door and having tough family situations (Marco's parents just divorced and his dad ignores him, Isaac's parents are in the process because of Isaac's dad's drinking problem). They are starting middle school and each is both excited and anxious for different reasons. Marco is excited for the bigger academic challenges and opportunities, and he wants to try a sport for the first time. However, he's super short and he doesn't like the girls calling him cute and the boys making fun of him for his stature. Isaac is excited for better basketball and further developing his game. He is worried about keeping his grades up; he's always forgetting things and academics doesn't come naturally for him. The two friends will need each other's help to make it through the challenges of middle school, from basketball to academics to their family situations.

This was a sweet story of two opposites being good friends through thick and thin. Through a series of misunderstood conversations, Marco ends up on the basketball team and Isaac has to figure out how to help him be a contributing member of the team without hurting his feelings. Isaac needs Marco's help with homework and getting through what's going on at home. They are a great example of good friends. I liked how Cisneros managed to write something that could be very serious with heart and humor. There's a scene with Marcos and the principal talking that made me unexpectedly laugh out loud, it is comedic gold for the way they completely misunderstand each other and the unexpected results of that. It's also humorous how Marcos gets on the team. Cisneros handled the topic of a parent dealing with alcoholism tactfully and in a way appropriate for the target reader group; he doesn't disparage Isaac's dad but does convey how the problem affects the whole family. There are positive steps in that area by the end of the book. A great contemporary fiction read for middle graders.

Notes on content: Language: None. Sexual content: None. Violence: There's some bullying, and Marcos gets picked up at one point, but others intervene before it gets bad. Isaac pushes a bully and a sprained ankle results; both are sobered by the event. An accident puts a character in the hospital. Ethnic diversity: Both boys are Hispanic American. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Alcoholic parent, bullying, divorce, a distant father who doesn't pay attention to a child unless they succeed athletically.

Games of Deception by Andrew Maraniss

The history of the Olympic debut of basketball, a brief history of the game, how the US team was chosen that year, and a look at human rights/racial issues of the time and how the Nazi's were using the Olympics for their own purposes in 1936.

An eye-opening look at how basketball came to be an Olympic sport and the turmoil surrounding the 1936 Olympics both in the US and in Germany. I've read lots of books on WWII, but none that looked at how the Nazis used sports for their own ends or how it kind of backfired on them in some ways at the Olympics. The conditions that the first US Olympic team had to play under, the weird way the team was formed, and how racial issues in the US even came to bear on the US selection of Olympians were fascinating (sometimes in a horrifying and/or sobering way). This isn't just a sports read. It has a lot of depth in the look at culture, racial issues, politics, and how neutral things like sports can be used for great good or great evil.

Notes on content: Language: About 4 mild swears in quotes, and one strong use of profanity in quotes. Sexual content: None Violence: Both Nazi persecution of Jews and persecution of black people in America are talked about, including killings. Nothing graphic, but definitely sobering.Ethnic diversity: Black and white Americans, Jewish Americans and Europeans, white EuropeansLGBTQ+ content: None specified that I rememberOther: Racism

⚽️Soccer books⚽️

G is for Golazo by James Littlejohn, ill. by Matthew Shipley

An alphabet book of soccer terms, slang, player nicknames, and famous moves. Each page highlights a different famous player or players from around the world.

Soccer is insanely popular with our students so I am very happy to be able to add this to our elementary shelves. The book introduces a whole host of players past and present and manages to include three women players who are well-recognized internationally. I felt like the country representation of the players was quite balanced and no one country dominated. It's a truly international book, and every little soccer/football fan's perfect book. Highly recommended.

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

When the Unseen University professors discover that much of their comfortable living (and multiple meals) depends on a bequest that demands they enter a football game at least 1x per century, they are a bit worried. Football is a back alley game that is illegal, has a huge fan base, and an astonishingly high mortality rate. But their addiction to a good cheese board, means the Archchancellor works up the nerve to go approach Lord Vetinari about the game. Much to his surprise, Vetinari wants Unseen University to set up an official football league, reinstate some old rules that have been found, and help make the sport legit (which of course is handed off from Ridcully to the overworked Ponder). Mixed up in all this are the candle workers at UU Trevor Likely and odd newcomer Nutt, as well as the Night Kitchen staff at UU Miss Glenda and Juliet. There are secrets about Nutt, Miss Glenda takes to worrying about everyone and doing something about it, Trevor is trying to avoid following in his father's football steps, and the rather simple Juliet is about to find her calling.

This ranks right up there in Discworld novels with Guards! Guards! and Going Postal as one of my favorites. It's actually got some hidden depths to the moral of the story, with recurring themes about not judging others based on their genetics or where they grew up but by their actions and heart. The reinventing of soccer Discworld style is quite humorous. Nutt is a delightful character to follow around and watch him discover his worth. Glenda is the best. And Vetinari and the UU profs are all their inimitable selves. You don't have to read the Discworld books in order, but it does help to have read the Night Watch books before this as some events in that subseries are referenced quite a bit.

Notes on content: Language: Occasional mild swearing, but it felt less than normal for a Discworld book. Sexual content: Some couples are told they can hang out as long as there is no "hanky panky." There's a couple kisses on page, but that is it. Violence: The back alley football before Vetinari gets his hands on it is like rugby meets streetball times 11. Multiple fatalities are mentioned, and some disturbing little facts about heads being mistaken for balls and such are woven in with morbid humor. A past war is mentioned in which certain creatures took out a whole lot of people and then were themselves wiped out. Pratchett manages to convey how much you are supposed to be disturbed without giving you much of any of the actual gory details. Ethnic diversity: Most characters are vaguely European/Eastern European in their descriptions, and others are fantasy creatures/animals. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Some prejudice based on where someone is from or genetics.

Brainstorm 352: Food Brings People Together

This week’s Brainstorm features several stories in which food brings people from a variety of different cultural backgrounds together. They celebrate the ways in which food can strengthen community and cross language/culture barriers. My full summary and review of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings is down below for those who don’t have access to GoodReads.

FULL SUMMARY/REVIEWS

Dumplings for Lili by Melissa Iwai

Lili and Nai Nai are making bao when Nai Nai realizes they are out of cabbage to line the steamer. She sends Lili up to ask Babcia for some cabbage which sets Lili off on all sorts of errands for the grandmothers in the building borrowing ingredients from each other for their cultural version of dumplings, from pierogis to Jamaican beef patties to tamales and fatayer and ravioli.

The best part of this story is that it is entirely believable. I can just see a little girl staying with her grandma, the elevator being out of order, and she is sent on a chain of missions up and down and up and down the stairs to get ingredients to all the busy, cooking grandmothers. I really appreciate that though Lili is obviously tired as this goes on, she doesn’t complain and she is always kind and respectful to the grandmas. This story was a clever way to compare different dumpling foods from around the world.

Hot Pot Night by Vincent Chen

A group of neighbors comes together to make hot pot for dinner. Told in simple, rhyming text.

This is a fairly simple book, but it celebrates neighbors sharing food and community. The rhyme is well done. The font is nice and large so easier for developing eyes to read. And most of the text would be easy for beginning readers to sound out since it primarily involves hot and pot. There's a little paragraph about what hot pot is and where it came from in the back as well as a recipe. Do not read this on an empty stomach, or at least make sure you have some ingredients for hot pot if you do. :) This would be great to read as a compare/contrast with a Stone Soup folk tale. It very much reads like a modern community version of that, minus any mention of a stone. (Note: I wrote that about Stone Soup off the top of my head and then I went to catalog the book and the cataloging summary for the book calls it a version of the Stone Soup tale too so I guess I was on to something there.)

Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang, ill. by Hyewon Yum

At the daycare provided for parents learning English, a group of multicultural children who don’t share a common language are all playing by themselves. Luli was sad the first day and came prepared for the second day. She brought tea. And as she says the Mandarin word for tea and offers it to the other children, their similar words for the beverage and common tea-drinking cultural practices bring all the children together and breaks down barriers.

The author explains in the back of the book that the word for tea is very similar across languages because the word was taken along with the product to different countries centuries ago. Different cultures may prepare it differently, but the practice is common in a number of countries all over the world. The words for tea in each country's most common language is used in the story (and phonetically spelled out too). The back of the book talks about the countries represented and how people there like to typically drink their tea. The countries represented in the book are China, Morocco, Chile, Iran, India, Turkey, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Brazil, and Germany. This is a sweet tale about finding common ground for friendship despite language barriers.

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen

Under Queen Charlotte's reign, in England in the 1830s certain occupations have been opened up for women. One of them is becoming a Culinarian, a chef at the pinnacle of the food scene. Helena Higgins and Penelope Pickering are in their final years at Culinarian school. Penelope is doing her final project on food from the Americas since she just returned from traveling there with her parents. Helena is yet to land on a project that is challenging enough for her tastes. But then the two young women taste street peddler Elijah Little's empanadas and are intrigued by the flavors. Helena proclaims she could train him up to be fine enough to own his own shop some day, and doesn't think much more of it. But when he shows up at her house the next day for this training, she realizes this could be the most stunning final year project. And getting him skilled enough for his own shop is too little for Helena, she wants to pass him off as a Culinarian himself before royalty. Penelope is a little worried. She considers Helena a dear friend, especially since her half-British/half-Filipina heritage doesn't seem to phase her, but she knows Helena takes some getting used to and doesn't have the best people skills. Will Elijah survive her tutelage? As for Elijah, he knows this is his best chance for a step up in life but he's worried what would happen if Helena or Penelope learn that he's Jewish.

In case you didn't figure it out, this is a My Fair Lady rewrite focused on cooking skills more than diction (though Elijah also gets some lessons in passing as a gentleman). Cohen had a lot of fun reimagining various aspects of the musical's plot line in this new scenario. I really, really enjoyed it. I felt like it honored the musical but also created something delightfully new as well. The time period is an imaginary one. Princess Charlotte was a real person in line for the British throne, but she didn't live long enough to become queen. So this imagines what might have happened if she did live to be Queen instead of Victoria. (There's an author's note about this.) It gives the author freedom to reimagine some bits of women's rights in England. But there are some aspects that are kept true to the Victorian age, like the racism and prejudice of many people at that time. Both Penelope's mixed racial heritage and Elijah's Jewish roots allow the story to explore topics of racial prejudice, and it does so tactfully and honorably, in a way that addresses what needs to be talked about but also doesn't bog down the flow of the story or feel jolting to the tone. It definitely deserves that Sydney Taylor honor. Overall, this is a very fun read for My Fair Lady fans, foodies, cute romance fans, multicultural cast fans, and reimagined history fans.

Notes on content: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content beyond a kiss. No violence. There's some racist and unthoughtful comments, but as mentioned, they are addressed well.

Brainstorm 351: Mythical Horse Reads for the Year of the Horse

This week’s Brainstorm has some of those more mythical horse stories for the Year of the Horse I didn’t include in last week’s Brainstorm. There are tons of unicorn stories out there, but I also tried to include some lesser known horse-like mythical creatures like merhorses, night mares, kelpies, and fireborn. (The Pegasi books I know of didn’t make the cut, but there are several out there.) Like last week, if you would like to read my full reviews for any of the titles and don't have a GoodReads account, I'm pasting those full reviews including any content notes/trigger warnings at the bottom of this post.

FULL SUMMARIES/REVIEWS

Margaret's Unicorn by Briony May Smith

Margaret and her family have moved to a new house to be closer to Gran. The move is rough for Margaret, but while out exploring the hills on her first day she finds a baby unicorn that was left behind when the rest of the herd migrated. With her Gran's instructions and the rest of her family's help, Margaret cares for the unicorn throughout the fall and winter until his family returns in the spring. And he may be just what Margaret needs to help with this transition.

A sweet and whimsical story about changes and how helping others can often get us through rough personal emotional times. The illustrations are delightful. I like how the story flips the usual anticipation for spring into Margaret wanting the fall and winter to last as long as possible as she relishes the cold weather time she has with the unicorn before his family returns. Briony May Smith does such a good job of transporting readers into Margaret's slightly magical world in mountains of the UK.

Merhorses and Bubbles (Zoey & Sassafras, #3) by Asia Citro, ill. by Marion Lindsay

Zoey is excited to go look for insect nymphs in the stream, but when she goes to look she can't find any of the mayfly or caddisfly nymphs she usually sees. Then Pip, a magical frog comes to let Zoey's mom know that the merhorses are suffering from a strange affliction. They have burning eyes and skin rashes. Zoey and her mom test the water and find out it is being polluted by a kind of soap. But where is the soap coming from, and can they stop it?

The source of the pollution in this will be an eye-opening peak into a real life potential environmental hazard readers can help prevent. I like that Zoey's mom lets her help do real tests on the water to see what is going on. The illustrations found throughout the book are very cute, and help bring the story to life. They also, combined with the larger than normal font, make this a very quick read. Hand this to beginning readers who love mythical creatures and are wannabe scientists.

Of Fire and Ash (The Fireborn Epic, #1) by Gillian Bronte Adams

As war comes to Soldonia, traitors arise, unlikely heroes find courage, and those who don't feel like they deserve a second chance may see a second and a third.

Ceridwen has been disowned by her father since her ambition to capture a fireborn got her brother killed. Now she works with her fireborn, Mindar, to redeem herself by putting her life on the line as an outrider to stave off the attacks of the invading Nadaari threatening to overwhelm her father's kingdom. She's been partnered with Finnian who is a shadowrider. She can't wait to shake him, his horse, or his wolf. She works better alone.

Rafi has already died a couple times. He used to be a prince, but now he's just a fisherman living on the coast trying to forget his troubled past. But when trouble and his past are coming for him.

Jakim is a freed slave who survives a shipwreck only to find himself in shackles once again. He's the translator for the invading Nadaari's scientist/inventor who knows he can bring this invasion to a quick conquest if they will only listen to him. Jakim would think all hope is lost, if not for the prophecy his sister game him long ago that he would bring freedom to his people.

I read the first chapter of this a while ago and put it down, and now I'm kicking myself. This is my favorite YA/adult fantasy read of the year so far! I gave up way too quickly. This was marvelous! Gillian Bronte Adams has thought out a fantasy adventure that is epic in scale and scope and characters, and she's done a marvelous job with it. I like all the fantasy horses with super capabilities (some breath fire, some can melt into shadows, some basically are hard as rock, some can fly and cause storms, and some can melt into water). And I felt like all different voices were distinct and so interesting in all their different background stories. They all have different issues and challenges to face, which allows the book to explore a number of themes. By the end of this book the main characters were starting to cross paths somewhat. Jakim's story is somewhat inspired by Joseph's story in the Bible, but there are plenty of unique aspects. I didn't notice any other inspired parts other than maybe the Nadaariians being inspired by the Roman empire, and overall the book feels exceedingly imaginative and unique. And the world building is absolutely phenomenal. I can't wait to return to this world in book two! (And things end on a bit of cliffhanger so it can't come soon enough.) This is marketed a bit as YA which is probably because some of the main characters we follow around are teenagers, but the plot is definitely sophisticated enough to be marketed as adult.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a kiss. There's a lot of battles, fighting, injuries, death, and accidents. Some of the injuries and fatalities are somewhat described including an arm being cut off and a beheading (more emotionally described than physically). There is a lot of death and dying, but the author treats it with an appropriate seriousness and it isn't there just for shock factor, it drives in the seriousness of the conflict and you can feel how the characters long for peace and an end to the war.

Once upon a Unicorn by Lou Anders

In a magical land ruled by Titania the Fairy Queen, night mares and unicorns are mortal enemies. But when Midnight the night mare sees kelpies trying to drown Curious the unicorn, she decides to prove that night mares are better than unicorns by helping save him. After the unexpected rescue, the two find out they were both chasing the same wispy wood wink. Curious wants to do some experiments with the blue magic. Midnight wants to see if eating it will help her get better control of her fire. And they have a bit of a disagreement as to who gets the wispy wood wink. They need to settle their argument, get Curious back to the unicorn side of the river, and deal with a sinister fairy who has his own plans for them.

This was a very fun fantasy that introduces some lesser-seen fantasy creatures and some interesting unicorn mythology. I like the message that what makes something beautiful or good isn't how they look. I also like seeing two characters who've been told all their lives that they should be enemies realizing that maybe the borders should be brought down, their differences aren't that big, and being friends has great worth. The bad guy in this is a bit creepy if you have a good imagination (mythical creature based on a certain character in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" but WAY scarier) so know who you hand this to and whether they can handle the few scenes with the baddy. Anders employed a unique, quirky, humorous voice for the narration, and there's some really fun wordplay (this would make a great read aloud but then you'd miss some of the word play stuff). I am going to have to hunt down more of his middle grade stuff. I'm quite pleased that this is a unicorn story that isn't necessarily "girly" and should be enjoyable for all fantasy adventure fans. My favorite part was the writing.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Violence is threatened by some nasty creatures, the kelpies threaten to drown characters and others aren't very nice, but no one is permanently hurt.

Brainstorm 350: Horse Reads for Year of the Horse

The Brainstorm is back after a break for the new year. I hope your 2026 is off to a great start. As the Lunar New Year approaches, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some horse stories. Everyone's familiar with National Velvet, Black Beauty, and those from the Queen of horse stories, Marguerite Henry's books (like Misty of Chincoteague and Justin Morgan Had a Horse). So we're venturing beyond the horse stories everyone's familiar with and sharing some maybe you haven't heard of. I'm also focusing just on realistic/historical fiction or true horse stories, and I'm saving the slightly more magical horses for another time. It appears that GoodReads is now requiring a sign-in to view reviews, so if you would like to read my full reviews for any of the titles and don't have a GoodReads account, I'm pasting those full reviews including any content notes/trigger warnings at the bottom of this post.

FULL SUMMARIES/REVIEWS

Hello, Horse by Vivian French, ill. by Catherine Rayner

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A little boy meets Catherine, a nice lady who introduces him to Shannon the horse. Catherine shows him how she cares for Shannon and then takes the little boy on his first horse ride.

A simple introduction to horses and horseback riding for kids. There are little strings of additional text on several pages telling readers about various aspects of horses and equine equipment. The illustrations are beautiful and match the calming sense to the story as the boy's nervousness about riding are allayed in meeting Shannon and learning things from Catherine. A great read for any child who is about to go horseback riding for the first time or horse lovers.

Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum by Dr. Seuss, ill. by Andrew Joyner 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Seuss gives a history of art and tour of art styles by looking at the many ways people have created artwork about horses and the various things the horses can symbolize in those pieces. The book uses famous pieces of artwork that feature horses to introduce children to symbolism in art and the main art styles.

Make sure you read the back of the book to learn more about each individual piece of art featured, as well as how they found this unpublished Seuss book. It seems that Seuss did an art history TV show and this was based on that script. I'd heard several people say they were disappointed in this book, but I'm guessing that's because it is so different from most of Seuss' other things. If you pick this up expecting an art history lesson, it's quite creative and a great way to introduce kids to famous art styles.

A Horse Named Sky by Roseann Parry, ill. by Kirbi Fagan

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Sky is a wild mustang born in the Nevada Territory in 1856. We follow him and his herd as he grows, and then discover how he ends up a horse in the Pony Express.

There aren't a whole lot of books on the Pony Express around any more. This brings it to life from the horse's perspective. It was also really interesting to learn that the current location of Reno, Nevada used to be a wetlands and was dramatically changed by the silver mining in the area. It was also sobering to learn about the laws in early California that allowed people to kidnap Native peoples and make them slaves as young as 3 years old and this law wasn't repealed until several decades into the 20th century! (Make sure you read the extensive back matter to read about this and other things that are hinted at from Sky's perspective but further explained later for readers.) Parry has a decided bias to the tale, in that Sky wants to be free and chafes at life under the humans and constantly looks for a way to escape. He thinks the horses happy living with humans are delusional. So those who work with horses or ride horses may not all find this their favorite read. I did appreciate the way Parry wrote the voice and the history covered that I haven't read about anywhere else.

Notes on content:

Language: None

Sexual content: None

Violence: A human shoots an attacking wild predator. One of the riders is mean, and one of the station masters has a child slave and beats him at one point. An animal is whipped and teased by humans. Two animals die.

Ethnic diversity: White men and Native Americans.

LGBTQ+ content: None specified

Other: Child slavery. Trapping of wild animals. Mining devastates a habitat.

The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis by Elizabeth Letts

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A look at the Nazi plan for the Lipizzaners and other thoroughbred horses in Poland, Germany and Austria, and the men instrumental in keeping them safe through a war many other people and animals did not survive.

I'm always wary of these animal histories, as sometimes they can seem to go a bit overboard on either singing the praise of the animal to the point you think they can fly and talk, or the history lauds them to the point of making humans seem like pond scum. This did a great job in balancing those out. It did talk about the extraordinary training of the Lipizzaners in the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, but it does not overestimate their value to society. And the author uses the Nazi treatment of horses to point out how upside down some of their values were when horses got padded and spacious train compartments while at the same time humans were being shipped in overcrowded and horrible conditions. So the horse rights actually serve to point out how grossly skewed human rights were at the time. The author also discusses how the Nazi views on pure blood were influenced by horse breeding philosophy and vice versa. And the stories of how the horses were moved around to be kept safe are infused and often taken over (in a good way) by the stories of men who wanted to do something kind and peaceful in a time of so much violence. You meet some very interesting men from both sides in this. The Austrian leader of the Spanish Riding School, a German Czech resident, the German put in charge of horses for the Nazis, some Poles who were in charge of the major Polish thoroughbred farm, and Americans instrumental in the rescue of horses from the Russians (the Russians primarily viewed horses as a food source by this point). It was particularly amazing how the American commander in the right place at the right time to rescue one of the major groups of horses near the end of the war from the encroaching Russians was a former calvary man, huge horse lover, and close friend of Patton and knew the General was also a huge horse lover. (I learned several things about Gen. Patton from this that I'd never heard before, including his polo expertise, his olympic experience, and how he died. How is it I've read dozens of books about WWII and this is the first to include Patton's death?) The book also gives an interesting history lesson on the role of horses in war and society in general and how WWII was a drastic turning point. A fascinating history, that yes, is going to be most popular with horse lovers, but loving horses is not necessarily a precursor to reading this. It should appeal to anyone interested in history. There are some horsy and riding details, but not so many that I got lost or bored. And I'm not a horse person. Any knowledge I have of them or riding is thanks to my sister who has the equine science degree, but even my secondhand knowledge is flimsy. And yet I survived this just fine and enjoyed the read.

Notes on content: Quotes of Patton include some of his trademark "colorful" language. That's pretty much the only swearing. No sexual content. There are a few deaths on page in the war, both human and animal. The deaths are not overly graphic in description.

Poppy the Police Horse by Gavin Puckett, ill. by Tor Freeman

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Poppy may be blind, but she is a horse with an exceptional sniffer. PC Smith knows that Poppy would be a great addition to the police force. But once Poppy gets settled in her cozy new digs at the police station she doesn't want to do anything. Will the thieves get away, or will Poppy decide to put her lazy ways behind her?

It may end a teensy bit preachy, but the illustrations are quite fun. And on top of that the entire multi-chapter book is told in well done rhyme! Hand this to kids who like detective animals, and well done rhyming.

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero by Patricia McCormick ill. by Iacopo Bruno

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The true story of an abandoned little horse who did mighty things for US troops in the Korean War, and was instrumental in helping them win a major victory.

It sounds like this little horse was part goat. She'd eat anything! Poker chips?! But her big appetite helped make it easy to train her and she was super instrumental in some big battles. It is an amazing and mostly humorous true animal story. McCormick keeps the gory war details minimal for kids too (a little blood shown but it is just a little and no big wounds or dead soldiers or anything like that shown). If you're looking for something about the Korean War or true animal stories, this would be a good pick. Don't miss the author's note with some more info about Reckless in the back.