Thursday, October 21, 2021

Brainstorm 252: The Morbid Curiosity Mystery Trio

‘Tis the season to curl up with a good mystery. If finding a good mystery is your biggest case right now, I have some leads for you in this week’s Brainstorm. I’ve been stumbling upon more and more young lady sleuths I feel like who would make for grand friends if they only lived in the same time period. They are all British, all under-appreciated geniuses, and all suffer from “morbid curiosity” that just might be their undoing but that also makes them fabulous sleuths to follow around. And they are all tweens who have the mettle to solve murder mysteries (which are few and far between for tween sleuths). So let me introduce you to Aggie, Flavia, and Myrtle. Click on the book title to see my full review including any content notes/trigger warnings.


The Body under the Piano (Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen, #1) by Marthe Jocelyn, ill. by Isabelle Follath

Aggie Morton is a most curious young lady. As in, she is curious about rather unusual things. Like just what happens after a body dies, where would one procure a particular poison, and who murdered Mrs Irma Eversham (whom Aggie just happened to be the first to see under the piano in the Mermaid Room on Saturday). The police are looking at dance instructor and sister-in-law of the deceased, Miss Marianne Eversham, but Aggie just knows Miss Marianne would never have done such a thing. With the help of her new acquaintance, Hector Perot, a refugee child from Belgium, Aggie is gathering clues to free Miss Marianne and discover who the real murderer could be.

In case you didn't guess from the title, characters, or subject matter, this is historical fiction mystery loosely based on Agatha Christie's childhood. I love how the author worked in so many nods to Agatha Christie's novels, and of course, Hector Perot reads just like a child version of Hercule Poirot. The second book in this series is a Christmas mystery I liked even better than this one, and I’m eagerly awaiting book 3 which is on order.

Target Readers:

Historical Fiction Fans, British Golden Age Mystery Fans, Agatha Christie Fans, Refugee Character Fans, Biographical Fiction Fans, Upper Middle Grade Readers (though YA & Adult readers who have read lots of Christie will get a lot out of this series too)

Premeditated Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries, #1) by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Myrtle Hardcastle has trouble with being a Young Woman of Quality thanks to her morbid fascinations. While making Observations of the neighborhood. Myrtle realizes there is something very wrong at the Redgraves estate next door. No one is following their usual routine, and that is unheard of. It is so startling Myrtle makes a little call to the police, and sure enough they show up to discover the old lady next door, Miss Wodehouse is quite dead. Of course, Myrtle must go make her own Observations, and when her evidence fails to match up with that of the local police's ruling of death by heart attack, she must help them see the error of their ways. For Myrtle is quite convinced that someone did Miss Wodehouse in. But who? And why were her prize lilies destroyed? And where is her cat? With the help of her trusty governess, Miss Judson, Myrtle is determined to see justice served.

Myrtle stands out from the rest of this trio of ladies in that she has a trusty adult by her side to offer advice, guidance, and correction when she needs it. Miss Judson is not a hindrance to the fun at all, either. She is just as determined to get to the root of the mystery.

Target Readers:

Historical Fiction Fans, Forensics Fans, British Golden Age Mystery Fans, Middle Grade Readers (though many YA and adult readers will enjoy Myrtle too) 

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1) by Alan Bradley

Flavia de Luce goes outside early one morning only to find a stranger breathing his last words in their cucumbers. Normal 11 year old girls would have screamed and fled the scene, but Flavia is 100% intrigued and when her father is arrested for the crime, is soon trying to untangle the knots surrounding the stranger, a rare stamp, her father's old schoolmaster, and the dead man in the garden.

Flavia is one plucky, precocious girl with just the right touch of crazy misfit. In her case, the misfit comes in the form of not really connecting with her older sisters and of having a better understanding of Chemistry than most college graduates; the crazy comes in a penchant for poisons. (She’s also the only one in this trio marketed to the adult reader crowd instead of middle grade.) This series is set in 1950s England, an era that often gets ignored in mystery settings. 

Target Readers:

1950s Historical Fiction Fans, Complicated Families Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)






Friday, October 15, 2021

Brainstorm 251: Survival Stories for Hatchet Fans

Some of you may have heard that Gary Paulsen, the author of Hatchet and many other books, died this week. In honor of an author who sparked a love of survival stories in so many generations of kids, I started a list of survival stories for today’s Brainstorm and realized I had WAY too many books on my list, and I needed to narrow it down. I’ve decided for today’s list I’ll stick with the books most like Hatchet, realistic fictional survival stories. I may do some future Brainstorms with the dystopian survival stories, true survival stories, war survival stories, North Korean survival stories, Amazon survival stories, etc. (Oh the subgenres of survival stories!) Obviously, the books in today’s Brainstorm are all good recommendations for readers who love survival stories and contemporary fiction so I won’t bother listing that in every single Target Readers section. Click on the titles to see my full review of each one including any content notes/trigger warnings.


The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling

It's Nora's birthday. Her dad has picked a slot canyon for them repel into and explore. Nora is super excited to be doing something somewhat normal with her father. She and her mom and dad used to go hiking and rock climbing all the time. But ever since the disaster on her last birthday, a disaster that ended her mom's life, they haven't done much, and her father has become more and more reclusive. He believes the only safe place is somewhere without any other people. Somewhere like a slot canyon in the middle of the desert. But danger lurks even in the absence of other people, and a flash flood comes and Nora and her dad are separated. The disaster makes all her anxiety and PTSD come to the surface. Can Nora conquer the Beast that stalks her in order to survive and be reunited with her dad?

An excellently written novel in verse that explores a lot of issues tactfully, features a desert-savvy girl, and moves at a good pace.

Target Readers:

Mental Health Story Fans, Canyoneering Fans, Desert Setting Fans, Novel in Verse Fans, Quick Read Fans, Middle Grade Readers

Cove by Cynan Jones

A man goes out in a kayak to spread his father's ashes in the cove. In order to not disturb some others on the beach, he decides to go further out than he intended and come back later. But during that time, a storm rolls in and the man is struck by lightning. He wakes up disoriented, with no clue how long he was knocked out, no sight of land, and suffering side-effects of being hit by lightning. Can he make it back to land?

The only reason I first noticed this book is that the cover had a note on it about the author winning a Welsh writing prize, and I couldn't think of another Welsh author I've read off the top of my head. It's a different little book that's less than 100 pages long.

Target Readers:

Sea Story Fans, Welsh Author Fans, Quiet/Introspective Story Fans, Quick Read Fans, Short Story Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to well-read YA readers)

The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens

Hannah lives in an idyllic remote community on Pelling island near Seattle. After school she heads over to one of her two neighbor's houses to babysit the Matlock kids while their mom goes to an art show in the city. Hannah is a little nervous as it is only her 2nd time babysitting ever. Just a little while after Ms. Matlock leaves, and Hannah is in the middle of a texting argument with her supposed best friend, a major earthquake hits. The Cascades never get earthquakes, or so Hannah thought. But they are definitely in the middle of one and its aftershocks now. Can Hannah and the two elementary-age Matlock kids survive on their own in their isolated community till help comes?

I could not put this one down! The characters are believable, likable kids in a very plausible situation, and they have to figure out some tricky situations all on their own.

Target Readers:

Natural Disaster Story Fans, Unputdownable Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

Mark is tired of his life being controlled by illness. He's tired of putting on a brave face. He's tired of hiding tears. He's tired of making his parents cry. And so when the latest news comes from the doctor that the cancer is back again Mark grabs his dog and decides to go climb Mt. Rainier. He's thought this through enough that he leads a false trail for the police and his parents so he can actually make it there. The way to the mountain is rough, especially for someone as sick as Mark, but he's determined to die on his own terms. He did leave a note for his best friend Jessie, giving her a clue as to where he's gone. But he trusts her to keep his secret, just as he's trusted her to let him be real when no one else would. Jessie is tormented by this burden Mark has left on her shoulders. Is it best to let him have his desire, or should she tell his worried parents where he is? As Mark sets out to conquer the mountain, he finds unexpected things the trip brings up that he must confront to get at the honest truth.

This sounds like a horribly hard read, and in some ways it is but Gemeinhart was a wizard with his writing. It isn't as gut-wrenching as you think it might be. It is a pretty even-keeled look at what a person going through cancer experiences, but it is done in an exceedingly artful way. 

Target Readers:

Pediatric Cancer Story Fans, Mental Health Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson

Victoria Secord is a musher, a sled dog racer. She grew up doing this with her dad and she's determined to win a race in his honor this year since he isn't around to win his own. When Victoria hears that Mr. Cook is possibly going to sell his sled dogs, she decides she can't miss the opportunity to snatch up some of his champions. Her mom won't drive her over, so she quickly decides to take a small team of dogs on some back trails. She throws in basic stuff she might need for an afternoon run and is off. Her plans for a quick trip are thrown for a loop when she comes across a guy who just wrapped his snowmobile around a tree and obviously needs help. She hauls him into the sled and listens to his directions to his place, only to be stopped by a blizzard bearing down on them quickly. Victoria gets them squared away to weather out the snow storm, figuring they'll be able to find Chris's place in the morning. But come morning, she finds out that Chris just moved to Alaska from Ontario yesterday, he couldn't find his way without blazing lights, oh, and he managed to get her only map caught on fire last night. Obviously Chris isn't going to be any help, so it's all up to Victoria to get them back to warmth and shelter. Without the map and in an area with no cell phone reception, though, that is going to be tricky. It'll be a battle against all the Alaskan winter wilderness can throw their way to see if they can survive.

If you're looking for a survival read that is on the cozier end of the spectrum, this is a great pick. It never gets too heavy, and even has moments of humor.

Target Readers:

Dog Lovers, Alaskan Setting Fans, Wintry Survival Fans, Light Romance Fans, Middle Grade/Young Adult Readers

Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth

Tash burns to see her people freed from the oppressive soldiers that enforce all the restrictive rules in Tibet and prevent them from singing traditional songs or even saying the name of the Dalai Lama. Tash’s parents work for the resistance. After a man sets himself on fire in the town square, the soldiers start cracking down on everyone they even remotely suspect of being involved in the resistance and throwing them in jail. Tash’s parents know they are next. As the soldiers come down their street, they sneak her out the back window and give her a backpack containing something very important the soldiers must not find. After their arrest, Tash starts to make her way to the one person she thinks can help, the Dalai Lama. Her best friend Sam joins her, and an old man in the village lets them borrow his yaks Eve and Bones. The two children must sneak out of the village, evade the soldiers, and find their way to India through the Himalayan passes to see if they can pass on whatever message the backpack contains and get help for their village.

I love the Tibetan/Himalayan setting of this story and the way it tactfully makes readers aware of the human rights issues going on there in recent years. Also, the yaks are great.

Target Readers:

Tibet/Himalaya Setting Fans, Wintry Survival Fans, Adventure Fans, Middle Grade Readers

Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick

The plan was for Sam to go to summer camp while his mom went to rehab to get her life back together. Sam made it to camp, but when wildfires break out he gets left behind when he ducks out of line to grab the phone he forgot. Now he's on a race against the flames through the Maine wilderness. After a few days he runs into Delphy, an older girl who was at another camp nearby. The two of them have to pull their know-how, grit, and resources to try and make it home.

I really liked how Sam and Delphy bonded in a quickly adopted little brother/big sister type of way. The story barely has a slow moment, but there is just enough time allotted to let Sam and Delphy work through their personal issues and experience some healthy growth.

Target Readers:

Natural Disaster Story Fans, Suspense Story Fans, Unlikely Friendship Fans, Fans of Stories about Kids with Parents in Rehab, Middle Grade Readers



Thursday, October 7, 2021

Brainstorm 250: Basketball, Maps, and Codebreakers, 3 Nonfiction/Fiction Reading Pairs

For today’s Brainstorm I have 3 sets of nonfiction & fiction books that can be read together for an even richer experience. Click on the titles to see my full reviews including any content notes/trigger warnings.


B is for Baller: the Ultimate Basketball Alphabet by James Littlejohn, ill. by Matthew Shipley
An alphabet book for little basketball superfans of NBA basketball greats current and historic (as of fall of 2018) that references basketball slang and historic basketball moments.

Goodnight Basketball by Michael Dahl, ill. by Udayana Lugo
A little basketball fan gets to go cheer on his favorite team in person and has great fun at the game before coming home to bed.

Target Readers:
Basketball Players, Basketball Fans, Picture Book Readers

 


The story of how a group of graphic designers headed by Massimo Vignelli remade the New York subway map to make it easier to read and understand.

Mapping Sam by Joyce Hesselberth
Follow Sam the cat on her nightly wanderings around town and learn about different kinds of maps and things that maps can show.

Target Readers:
Kids Learning to read Maps/Charts/Graphs, Kids Interested in Graphic Design, Curious Readers, Picture Book Readers


During WWII, as more and more men were going overseas to serve in the armed forces fighting, the US Army and Navy started secretly recruiting women to work as code breakers. This book outlines how the programs started, how the women were covertly recruited, what kind of work they did, what living and working conditions were like for these women, and how some of their lives were changed forever by their wartime jobs.


Cape (The League of Secret Heroes, #1) by Kate Hannigan, ill. by Patrick Spaziante
Josie, Mae, and Akiko were all trying out for the job that involved code breaking when they find themselves suddenly thrown together into a bigger adventure than they pictured. Despite their different backgrounds, the girls all share a love of codes and superheroes, which is good. Because after witnessing a German spy take out a superhero the girls suddenly find themselves with superpowers. They have to figure out how to control their new powers, figure out if they can trust one another with their various secrets and war time heartaches, while also uncovering a German spy ring and rescuing some kidnapped code breakers right on USA soil, all without letting their families know what is going on. (The code breakers mentioned are some of the historic ladies the Code Girls book talks about.)

Target Readers:
Code & Codebreaking Lovers, WWII Story Fans, Superhero Fans (both real and fictional), Math Lovers, History Buffs, Middle Grade Readers