Brainstorm 266: Funny Series

This week’s Brainstorm brings you those funny series I promised you last week (see Brainstorm 265 for more funny reads). Highlighting a whole series can be challenging, so I’ll give a little summary of the series, and then the review for my favorite in the series (or at least one of my favorites). Click on the titles from each series featured to see my full review for that book and to get an idea of any content issues/trigger warnings (search for my reviews of each book in the series to get an even better picture).

The American Heiresses series by Jen Turano

Jen Turano writes Christian historical romance adventures about young ladies of fortune in turn of the century New York City. And the seriously funny scrapes they get themselves into. Each book in this series of 3 highlights a different young lady in a circle of friends. While some elements of her books are predictable, they incorporate faith elements in natural ways and include some of the funniest scenes I’ve ever read. Turano has several other series that are also quite funny and in a similar vein.

Flights of Fancy (#1)

Isadora Delafield is one of the most eligible heiresses in America (in other words, she has a very large dowry and is beautiful). Her mother is delighted when the Duke of Montrose becomes enamored with Isadora, but Isadora finds the man slimy and despicable. When he refuses to stop pursuing her hand even after she gives him the cut direct very publicly things get more serious. Because Isadora finds out that the man never gives up when he sets his mind that he wants something and that his past three wives all died under mysterious circumstances. Her best friend and two servants come up with a plan to save Isadora. She must go to the countryside and hide out as a servant until her father can get back and deal with the Duke. Isadora, soon to be Izzie Delmont agrees. How hard can being a housekeeper in the backwoods of Pennsylvania be?

Target Readers:

Laugh Out Loud Funny Fans, Christian Fiction Fans, Historical Romance Fans, Adult Readers (though very approachable to YA)

 

Elephant & Piggie Like Reading series by Mo Willems & friends

Piggie & Gerald do the intros and conclusions to these wildly imaginative, and reliably humorous little beginning reader stories written and illustrated by the likes of Dan Santat, Laurie Keller, Ryan T. Higgins, and LeUyen Pham. There are currently 8 books in the series, with #9 due out in May 2022. 

I’m on It (Elephant & Piggie Like Reading, #8) by Andrea Tsurumi & Mo Willems

A goat and a frog challenge each other to carry out various actions. But will they take things too far? 

This goat and frog get up to some wild shenanigans that will have kids very entertained and is great for preposition learners & idiom learners.

Target Readers: 

Humor Fans, Beginning Readers, Elephant & Piggie Fans, Imaginative Readers, Picture Book Readers

 

FoxTrot series by Bill Amend

The comic adventures of the FoxTrot family with Mom’s culinary creations that send the family running, Dad’s grilling mishaps, Peter’s sports and academic foibles, Paige’s teen girl drama, and Jason’s nerding out to the nth degree. There are many, many FoxTrot book collections at this point. I’ll just highlight the most recent.

Deliciously Foxtrot

A laugh out loud collection of comics featuring the Fox family's daily antics all throughout the year. This one includes some of what I’d consider all-time best FoxTrot comics.

Target Readers:

Family Story Fans, Humor Fans, Comic Fans, Scifi/Fantasy Film Fans, Math & Science Nerds, Middle Grade Readers on up 

 

Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist series by Jim Benton

Franny is a young mad scientist who loves to experiment, has a part-dog part-something assistant named Igor, is a work in progress in the social skills area, has plotlines that give nods to famous scifi books and movies and tropes, and as the series progresses Franny learns and grows to be nicer and nicer, and sneakily works in moral lessons readers will never notice coming.

Bad Hair Day (#8)

Franny scoffs when her mom suggests she might want to try using a hairdryer, makeup, or hairspray. But then she realizes she scoffs because she doesn't understand, and science is all about figuring out that which you don't understand. So Franny decides to tackle the unknown and puts her own spin on beauty products. Yes, she may also inadvertently create a monster rampaging through town. But that's all right. She and Igor can handle a little hair, right? But everyone knows hair is very hard to tame.

Target Readers:

Humor Fans, Scifi Fans, Science Lovers, Lower Grade/Middle Grade Readers

 

The Genius Factor series by Paul Tobin

Nate Bannister is a genius. When he gets bored, he likes to create challenges for himself, which always gets a bit…exciting for his friend Delphine, and the rest of their town. An extremely imaginative and very funny series.

How to Capture an Invisible Cat (#1)

Delphine's life is pretty normal. Ok, as normal as can be for an outgoing girl a little prone to escapades that may get her in trouble. But that all changes the day she becomes friends with the class genius, Nate. Nate gets bored being so brilliant all the time and ever Friday the 13th he schedules in to do 3 dumb things just to keep life interesting. There was a Friday the 13th recently and one of the dumb things Nate did was to enlarge his family cat Proton to the size of an elephant, turn him invisible, and hide seven molecules around town that contain clues how to change Proton back and then purposely forget the formula so he has to find the clues. Nate has his trusty talking dog Bosper to help him, and he and Bosper have decided that Delphine would make a good friend so they recruit her too. Soon Delphine finds herself doing a number of things she never dreamed of when she woke up that morning, like talking to a dog, becoming friends with a sentient car, and being stalked by a gigantic invisible cat that escapes Nate's house and goes on an invisible rampage around town. It's a good thing Delphine likes adventures.

Target Readers:

Laugh Out Loud Humor Fans, Scifi Fans, Adventure Fans, Imaginative Readers, Friendship Story Fans, Genius Character Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

Katie the Catsitter series by Colleen AF Venable, ill. by Stephanie Yue

Katie is a teen trying to earn some money and becomes the catsitter for her neighbor. That job isn’t anywhere near as simple as it sounds. Her neighbor has 217 cats, and the cats can do things like hack, design spy tech, and other things Katie is NOT prepared to handle. While Katie juggles friendship issues and life in general, the cats provide hilarious comedic relief in the background. So far there are 2 books in this graphic novel series.

Katie the Catsitter (#1) 

Katie is trying to find a way to earn money so she can join her two best friends for at least one week of camp this summer. So far, she's learned that the older gentleman in her apartment is crazy fit and she's a wimp at carrying groceries. She is better at killing plants than watering them. And she's not so gifted in the cleaning department either. When her upstairs neighbor Ms. Lang hears that Katie is trying to earn money for camp, she offers her a catsitting gig. Every night Katie goes and spends a few hours with Ms. Lang's 217 (!) cats and tries to survive the experience. These cats are insane! But rather than give up, Katie is determined to beat these felines at their own game and win this battle of wits. But what is going on with the superheroes in the city? And why does Ms. Lang happen to be gone every night the villain Mousetress strikes? And why has her best friend stopped writing her as frequently from camp?

Target Readers:

Graphic Novel Fans, Superhero Fans, Cat Lovers, Laugh Out Loud Humor Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Scifi Fans, Middle Grade Readers on up

 

Lesser Spotted Animals series by Martin Brown

Martin Brown uses this nonfiction series to let the animals who never make it into books have their day. 

Even More Lesser Spotted Animals (#2)

Martin Brown introduces 24 critters who are literary underdogs. They don't make it into books much, so you've likely never heard of them before. Each animal gets a full or half page illustration, a couple paragraphs about their unique attributes, and a fact box about where they live, their diet, their endangered status, and one other random fact.

Martin Brown sure knows how to add just the right dashes of humor to a fact-filled book. It is both extremely informative and filled with chuckles (but no misinformation).

Target Readers:

Reluctant Nonfiction Readers, Animal Lovers, Fans of the Obscure, Fact Collectors, Humor Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

The Ministry of S.U.I.T.s series by Paul Gamble

Jack and Trudy are recruited to join a secret group of undercover agents working out of Northern Ireland to save the world from Strange, Unusual, and Impossible Things. Their training and missions are wildly imaginative and very, very humorous. If you ever wished James Bond could have had a herd of dinosaurs at his disposal for missions, this is the series for you.

The Ministry of S.U.I.T.s (#1)

Jack is a pretty normal boy. He's not super smart or dumb. He's not super popular, but he is generally well-liked. There's just one area where Jack stands out. He's super curious. Curious to the extent he gets that thing about cats and curiosity and death quoted to him all the time. After rescuing a man from being mauled by a bear in morning traffic, Jack's curiosity leads him to find the organization the man works for, the Ministry of Strange Unusual and Impossible Things. Becoming an agent for the Ministry of S.U.I.T.s is easier than Jack ever would have imagined. Staying alive as an agent and figuring out how to complete missions... that's a bit more challenging. And it is up to Jack and his partner to figure out what is going on at their school and save several fellow students (and maybe all of Northern Ireland). If you like random and silly humor, you NEED this book.

Target Readers:

Zany Laugh Out Loud Humor Fans, Fantasy Fans, Scifi Fans, Spy Fans, Northern Ireland Setting Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

Mother Bruce series by Ryan T. Higgins

Bruce is a grumpy bear who begrudgingly ended up the parent of some goslings. Behind the gruff exterior, he has a big heart (but don’t tell anyone), though the forest residents and the geese definitely like to put his patience to the test which generates lots of fun for readers. There are currently 6 full length picture books in this series (#7 comes out in September 2022), 2 Little Bruce books (shorter in stature and page length), a few board books and some leveled readers featuring Bruce.  

Spring Stinks (A Little Bruce Book, #1)

Ruth the bunny wants Bruce to join her in enjoying all the smells of spring. While Ruth is excited, Bruce is not.

Just wait for that 4th thing Ruth has Bruce smell. It had me laughing out loud.

Target Readers:

Animal Lovers, Humor Fans, Loveable Grumpy Character Fans, Adopted Family Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

No Fuzzball series by Isabella Kung

A look at a cat’s life from the perspective of her furry majesty. The 2nd book in this series comes out in November 2022.

No Fuzzball! (#1)

A cat who introduces herself as Nofuzzball introduces us to her kingdom and subjects. But then they disappear so she decides to fix the place up and make it an even more appealing so they will return home. A pitch perfect book for cat lovers, especially those who have ever lived with a cat. And very funny.

Target Readers:

Cat Owners, Cat Lovers, Humor Fans, Point of View Studiers, Picture Book Readers

 

Oh No! series by Mac Barnett, ill. by Dan Santat

A young inventor’s science experiments go rather epically wrong, to the delight and humor of readers.

Oh No!: Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World (#1) 

A little girl realizes some serious flaws in her science fair project robot just a little bit late. But never fear, she'll think up something to save the day...probably.

Target Readers:

Scifi Fans, Humor Fans, Inventor Story Fans, Problem Solving Story Fans, Time Travel Fans, Robot Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Polite Predators series by Rachel Poliquin, ill. by Kathryn Durst

Celeste the Cockroach is here to help you know how to politely interact with predators who are oh so desperate to spend some quality time with you, while also providing loads of scientific facts about said predators. There are currently 2 books in this educational fiction series. (#2 just came out this past Tuesday.)

How to Promenade with a Python (and Not Get Eaten) (#1)

Celeste the cockroach is here to help a young man who has been invited to go on a moonlight promenade by a python. Celeste knows all about pythons, and has loads of ideas about how to avoid getting eaten by them. But will her ideas work?

While giving advice, Celeste also dispenses much knowledge about pythons, and comes up with some wild ways to circumvent the potentially deadly bits (like wearing an upside down lampshade on your head to make it too big to swallow, or freezing your clothes so the python's heat sensors won't pick you up). Along the way readers will learn all sorts of things about pythons without even realizing it.

Target Readers:

Animal Lovers, Curious Readers, Educational Fiction Fans, Humor Fans, Lower Grade Readers

 

Space Drifters series by Paul Regnier

A light-hearted space romp that feels like old school Star Trek meets Guardians of the Galaxy. Their captain has a bounty on his head and a tendency not to take things serious enough, the crew members have been thrown together and each have some very quirky issues to manage while learning to get along, and their missions never go like planned. One of the characters is a Christian who talks about his faith sometimes; this happens naturally and fits what is going on.

The Emerald Enigma (#1)

Captain Glint Starcrost doesn't have to look for trouble, it seems to find him quite easily. All he wants to do is look for the legendary Emerald Enigma. But for some reason he has a staggering bounty on his head, which brings all sorts of interesting people into his life. First, there's bounty hunter Jasette. Of course it isn't Glint's fault that she then in turn gets captured by his academy rival along with him, his first mate Blix, and the kid who randomly appeared after a time travel incident, Nelvan. From there it is out of the frying pan and into the fire for the thrown together crew as they try to escape one bad situation after another.

Target Readers:

Scifi Fans, Adventure Fans, Humor Fans, Christian Fiction Fans, YA & Adult Readers

 

Strange Planet series by Nathan W. Pyle

Comics featuring aliens who restate everyday Earth occurrences and experiences in their own unique phrasing, putting a comic twist on things.

Strange Planet (#1)

It's kind of amazing how just using creative vocabulary to describe everyday experiences can give you some poignant realizations and a new perspective. As well as some good laughs. Trying to describe these comics won't do them any justice. Go find some and enjoy. It's safe for all ages, and will build vocabulary and help you practice using semantics and pictorial context clues to find meaning. A brain exercise that's fun!

Target Readers:

Humor Fans, Word Puzzle Fans, Scifi Fans, Everyday Life Events Comics Fans, All Ages

 

Wallace the Brave series by Will Henry

A collection of comics set in New England coastal town Snug Harbor featuring Wallace, his crazy little brother, his fisherman father, his comic-loving mom, his scaredy-cat best friend Spud, and daring adventurer friend Amelia. And of course, his long-suffering teacher and classmates at school. There are currently 3 books of comic collections out with #4 due out May 2022.

Wallace the Brave (#1)

I think my favorite strip in here was the one where Wallace asks his mom why she’s taking him to the comic book store, and she admits that she’s more than slightly addicted to comics after sampling some to make sure they’re kid appropriate. Wallace’s ideas for alternate modes of transportation are always good for laugh out loud moments. And you know if Sterling shows up, it’ll be disturbingly hilarious. There are definite moments when this reminded me of the antics found in Calvin & Hobbes comics.

Target Readers:

Comic Fans, Humor Fans, Calvin & Hobbes Fans Looking for a New Comic, Family Antics Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Misadventure Fans, Middle Grade Readers on up

 

Yotsuba&! series by Kiyohiko Azuma, translated by Amy Forsyth

In this manga series, a precocious little girl keeps her adopted dad and their neighbors on their toes in contemporary Japan. There are currently 15 books in this series in English.

Yotsuba&! 1

Yotsuba has adventures meeting the new neighbor girls who are all older than her, but welcome her like a little sister. She has adventures with her dad in the process of moving and going to the store to get things for their house, and then she catches cicadas with her dad's friend and one of the neighbor girls.

The first couple of stories in this were cute but nothing extraordinary. But then the third story or so Yotsuba's antics and the things that come out of her mouth got hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud repeatedly. Yotsuba is probably 3-4 years old, and true to the age she has no filter on her mouth. She's also quite the bundle of energy and does things you'd expect a 3-4 year old to do. Kiyohiko Azuma writes these situations that are so believable, but also hilarious.

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Manga Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Japan Setting Fans, Middle Grade Readers on up

Brainstorm 265: Funny Stand Alone Reads

Being April 1 today, I thought it would be fitting to share some humorous tales with everyone. I did 2 other Brainstorms on funny reads back in 2015 and 2017, Brainstorm 65 & Brainstorm 120, so I won’t repeat any of those books here, but definitely check those out for even more humorous reads. I came up with way too many titles for today, so I’m splitting it into stand alone funny reads and funny series (which I’ll share next week). Click on the titles to see my full reviews for each book as well as any content notes/trigger warnings.

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes with Joe Layden, fwd by Rob Reiner

A look behind the scenes of the making of The Princess Bride from the perspective of Cary Elwes, aka Westley.

This is a behind the scenes book that will make you love the movie and creators even more. And many of the stories shared are humorous.

Target Readers:

The Princess Bride Fans, Behind the Scenes Fans, Light & Cozy Nonfiction Fans, Movie History Fans, Memoir Fans, Adult Readers (though totally approachable to any age Princess Bride fan)

 

Beanstalker and other Hilarious Scarytales by Kiersten White

Rapunzel, Snow White, Jack, Goldilocks, Cinderella...you know their stories, right? Think again. Keirsten White takes the stories and characters you think you know and ties them together in a tale about a boy who can't hold down a job, a slowly spreading zombie problem, a vampire bent on gathering a crowd of adoring fans, a girl with a really weird pet, a pyromaniac, some royal parents having a really hard time finding a good wife for their son, and an overworked stepmother trying to keep her stepchildren out of trouble.

The narrator brings the humor in this one, as well as the fun had with the fairytale characters and readers’ expectations of them versus what they are really like in this story. The book looks creepy, and it is dark, but it is much further towards the funny end of the spectrum than the horror end of the spectrum.

Target Readers:

Fractured Fairytale Fans, Humor Fans, Fantasy Fans, Slightly Dark Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

The Big Bad Fox by Benjamin Renner

Fox is a horrendously unsuccessful raider of the farm. To the extent that instead of stealing chickens he usually gets beat up by chickens and the other farm animals give him pity turnips as he hightails it out of there. Wolf can’t get anywhere near the farm because the dog actually goes after him (the dog ignores Fox). So Wolf gets the grand idea to have Fox steal some chicken eggs, raise them for a few months, and then they’ll split a meal of the tender chicks. The first part goes ok, Fox manages to get and hide the eggs from the farm residents. The second part also goes well, Fox hatches and raises the three chicks. But therein lies the problem to part three, Fox becomes a bit attached to the three chicks in the process. When Wolf tries to hold Fox to the deal things get interesting.

Target Readers:

Laugh Out Loud Funny Story Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Animal Fiction Fans, Middle Grade Readers (or anyone wanting a laugh)

 

Bodie Troll by Jay Fosgitt

The adventures (and misadventures) of Bodie the troll. Bodie wishes he were big, strong, and super scary. But he's small, fluffy, and way too cute to be taken seriously. He gets his beloved fill of roots by doing odd jobs for Miz Bijou, the fairy who runs the Drunken Pumpkin, and Cholly, her barmaid and ward. During his jobs for Miz Bijou or his outings with Cholly, Bodie inevitably finds trouble.

Target Readers:

Fantasy Fans, Mythical Creature Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Humor Fans, Adventure Fans, Middle Grade/Young Adult Readers

 

The Discovery of Dragons by Graeme Base

Venture along with explorers as they write letters home about their discoveries of dragon species on every continent. 

Base’s illustrations are jaw-dropping, and the wry humor is very entertaining. And like every Base book, there is a hidden picture element throughout for sharp eyes.

Target Readers:

Dragon Fans, Fantasy Fans, Humor Fans, Epistolary Fiction Fans, Art Lovers, Hidden Picture Fans, Middle Grade Readers (though the humor will likely appeal to older readers, and illustrations to all)

 

Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion by Alex T. Smith

Little Red is taking a basket of spot medicine to her Aunt Rosie through the African savannah. On her way, she stumbles across a very hungry lion who decides that Red and her Auntie are just the thing he needs to satisfy his rumbling tummy. But the lion doesn't know who he's messing with.

Target Readers:

Fractured Fairytale Fans, Humor Fans, Red Riding Hood Rewrite Fans, African Setting Fans, African Character Fans, Etiquette Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Mary Had a Little Lizard by Kayla Harren

Mary is packing up to go to school, which makes her pet lizard sad. But then while Mary and Mom aren't looking, lizard sneaks into Mary's open backpack and smuggles into school. What will a little lizard do while Mary does school work?

This funny twist on the Mary Had a Little Lamb rhyme is entirely wordless, but it doesn't need any text. The illustrations speak volumes. They are both beautiful and hilarious.

Target Readers:

Lizard Lovers, Humor Fans, Nursery Rhyme Rewrite Fans, Wordless Book Fans, Art Lovers, School Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Norman Didn’t Do It!: (Yes, He Did) by Ryan T. Higgins

Norman the Porcupine and Mildred the Tree are best friends. They do everything together. But when another tree sprouts up and starts growing closer and closer to Mildred, Norman gets seriously jealous, and decides to do something. But is it the right thing?

The hyperbole in this makes readers laugh but also points to a very real jealous tendency in each of us, and shows a better way to respond in a genius mix of funny and feel-good.

Target Readers:

Friendship Story Fans, Jealousy Wrestlers, Humor Fans, Hyperbole Studiers, Fable Fans, Animal Fans, Tree Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex

When a little girl gets gum in her hair, everyone has ideas of how to help get it out. But everyone's ideas seem to end very, very badly.

Absolutely hilarious, highly imaginative, excellently rhymed, and gives Alexander a run for his money on his horrible, no good, bad day.

Target Readers:

Epic Bad Day Story Fans, Humor Fans, Rhyming Story Fans, Picture Day Reads, Picture Book Readers

 

Quick Curtain by Alan Melville

When the male lead of Douglas B. Douglas's new musical gets shot for real during a supposedly fake shooting scene in front of the opening night's audience, Scotland Yard Inspector Wilson is in the house and immediately on the case. Dealing with theater people will take all of Inspector Wilson's patience (and his journalist son/unofficial assistant Derek's too). It looks like an open and shut case, but after the funeral and inquest, several people come to Inspector Wilson with doubts and further information. Can he puzzle out the truth in a world that makes money off of lies?

Imagine that Jerome K. Jerome had turned the wit he employed in Three Men in a Boat to write a murder mystery starring a father/son version of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore who solve crimes in mid-1900s England, and this just might be what you get. It is hilarious!

Target Readers:

Mystery Fans, Laugh Out Loud Humor Fans, Historical Fiction Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)

 

See the Cat: Three Stories about a Dog by David LaRochelle, ill. by Mike Wohnoutka

Dog is just resting minding his own business when the narrator of a book starts telling the reader to see a cat. Max tries to correct the narrator, and then ensues a battle between narrator and dog in three stories. Who will win?

Target Readers:

Animal Story Fans, Humor Fans, Narrator/Protagonist Battles Story Fans, Award Winner Readers, Beginning Readers, Picture Book Readers

 

Too Many Curses by A. Lee Martinez

Nessy is faithful castle housekeeper and general manager for Wizard Margle. When he manages to get himself eaten, the castle's abundance of residents cursed by Margle gets really excited. But then they figure out their enchantments aren't tied to whether or not he's alive. While they try and figure out how to escape now that Margle is gone, Nessy is trying to keep the castle upkept as normal. She's also trying really hard to make it look like nothing is out of the ordinary lest other wizards start pouncing on Margle's collections with him out of the way. Things get more and more challenging the longer Margle is gone, though. Certain things that Margle was keeping in check are now running loose in the castle. So Nessy has her hands full of dusting, feeding of cranky foul creatures, restless cursed ones, and things like wayward doors hiding malicious evil back and hellhounds on the loose. Oh, and is that a knock on the front door?

This sounds dark, but it is lots of fun, is full of goofy situations, Nessie is an unflappable rock star, she has an extremely entertaining bunch of side characters, and the content is very clean. 

Target Readers:

Fantasy Fans, Fantastical Menagerie Fans, Magic Castles with Character Fans, Fans of Characters Cool in a Crisis, Humor Fans, Problem Solving Story Fans, Young Adult Readers (though approachable to Middle Grade readers, and appealing to Adult readers too)

 

The Truth about Old People by Elina Ellis

A child shares the things he's heard about old people. That old people are slow, like quiet, and don't like new things. But his grandparents seem to defy the stereotype, and he knows a secret.

Delightful illustrations clash marvelously and hilariously with the rumors this child has heard.

Target Readers:

Grandparent Story Fans, Spunky Character Fans, Humor Fans, Illustrations & Text Humorous Juxtaposition Fans, Picture Book Readers

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death by Caitlin Doughty

Mortician, Caitlin Doughty, answers real questions about the dead and death posed to her from, as she puts it, "100 percent ethically sourced, free-range, organic children."

Doughty has a delightful writing voice that carefully balances solid science, cold hard facts delicately stated, and witty (but respectful) humor.

Target Readers:

Curious Readers, Nonfiction Fans, Humor Fans, Forensics Fans, Science Nerds, Middle Grade Readers on up 

 

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

Mona considers herself a very minor magically gifted person. After all, her magic only affects breads and cookies and other baked goods. She can entertain customers in the bakery with dancing gingerbread men, she can convince the biscuits not to burn, and she kind of accidentally created a sourdough starter monster that lives in the cellar, but she's not much good at any big magic. But when magically gifted people start disappearing from the city state and a dead minor magician is found in the bakery, Mona quickly finds herself the only person with magic left to help save the kingdom from treasonous traitors. But what can a girl who can magic dough do against big bad guys?

There's a murder mystery and nefarious things happening in this story, but it never felt too heavy thanks to Kingfisher's humorous writing (and I expected nothing less from the author some might recognize better as Ursula Vernon).

Target Readers:

Mystery Fans, Fantasy Fans, Underdog Story Fans, Imaginative Magic Fans, Humor Fans, Young Adult Readers (though appealing to Adult reads, and approachable to Middle Grade readers who want murder mysteries)

Brainstorm 264: Math in Fiction

This week’s Brainstorm features math whizzes and lovers …and those working their way toward loving math (who would probably label themselves math survivors) in fictional books. Also mixed in here are a few books that illustrate mathematical concepts well. Click on the titles to see my full review and any content notes/trigger warnings.

Dragonslayer (Babymouse, #11) by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm

Babymouse fails her math test and her teacher offers her an unusual makeup option - joining the mathlete team. Babymouse isn't sure about this. She doesn't feel like she is very good at math or has much to contribute. The team really wants to win the Golden Slide Rule back from the Owlgorithms but is Babymouse the prophesied one or will she doom them all?

This book gives nods to classic fantasy stories in Babymouse's daydreams, like Narnia and Lord of the Rings. And though many will agree with Babymouse's sentiments of math feeling like a horrifying dragon, the book does a fantastic job of encouraging readers like Babymouse to persevere and maybe they'll find math isn't so bad.

Target Readers:

Those Wary of Math, Graphic Novel Fans, Humor Fans, Fantasy Fans, Math Team Competition Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light

A little boy is looking for his dragon. He starts in his apartment building and works his way all over New York City while his dragon is never too far away. At each stop, only one type of object appears in color and a box on the upper right counts these things from 1-20.

Target Readers:

Counting Practicers & Number Learners, Hidden Picture Fans, New York City Setting Fans, Dragon Fans, Art Lovers, Picture Book Readers

 

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder

A young woman gets a new posting of housekeeper to a man who has managed to go through nine housekeepers in a very short period of time. She proceeds to the new situation warily. It turns out the job is relatively easy. The house is small with just two rooms, and the professor who lives there is very easy going about his meals. The tricky part is that the professor was in a car accident in 1973 and since then he cannot remember anything new for longer than 80 minutes. He tries to compensate by leaving himself notes (which cover the suit coat he wears every day). Each morning, though, she shows up and has to reintroduce herself. The meeting is awkward until the professor asks her a number of questions. Before the accident, the professor worked at the university and taught mathematics. Thankfully, math doesn't change much so it is his one safe haven in an very confusing world. One day the housekeeper mentions that she has a son. Now, her contract has her at the professor's house till 7pm every weekday. As soon as the professor finds out that this 10 year old boy is alone for so long every day, he demands that the boy should come to the house after school and never be alone. And to make sure that she follows through, he leaves himself a note that the housekeeper has a 10 year old son. The professor nicknames the boy Root for the shape of his hair (similar to a square root symbol), and the two take to each other from their first meeting. The professor provides another adult role model for Root who has no father or grandparents, and the professor finds an eager math pupil and fellow baseball fan. The story tells how the professor changes the housekeeper's and Root's lives, and they change his.

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Feel Good Story Fans, Math Lovers, Intergenerational Friendship Fans, Books in Translation Fans, Japanese Setting & Author Fans, Quick Read Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to MG & YA readers)

Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum (Storytelling Math) by Natasha Yim, ill. by Violet Kim

It's Luna's birthday. She and her family go to the dim sum restaurant to celebrate. The three siblings are very excited to eat pork buns, but when 1 bun falls on the floor and they are left with 5 buns to divide amongst 3 siblings, they have to brainstorm how to make it fair. Should the eldest get more or the birthday girl, or should they go by their Chinese zodiac animals, or maybe could they figure out how to divide them evenly?

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Foodies, Asian Characters & Creators Fans, Biracial Family Fans, Division and Fraction Learners, Problem Solving Story Fans, Birthday Story Fans, Sibling Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

Lucy was struck by lightning as a child and the strike rewired her brain, turning off more of the emotional side and turning her math skills way, way up. She's been homeschooled for a few years now and Lucy wants to start college for real this year. Her grandmother and uncle, though, are more concerned that she doesn't have any friends outside of a math chat and hasn't left the house in x number of days. They have another plan. They are going to make Lucy survive a year as a 7th grader. Lucy is literally calculating the hours and minutes to her freedom from the moment she walks into middle school. She's decided to tell no one about the lightning and to get some math problems wrong on purpose so she can pull off an average A and not get any special attention. Except, she also has OCD which is much more obvious and kids are much more eager to pounce on. For no reason whatsoever, though, Windy has decided that Lucy is now her best friend. And since Windy is pretty nice, Lucy doesn't mind. When the two of them need a third partner for their 7th grade service project, they get saddled with Leo. Lucy and Leo got a rough start when he tried to cheat off her the first day in math. And Windy and Leo are like flint and steel. The trio has to find a way to work together and find something that will engage Lucy's brain, satisfy Windy's desire to save the entire planet in grandiose ways, and use Leo's photography skills. And in the meantime, Lucy's just focusing on surviving the social minefield that is 7th grade.

Target Readers:

Neurodiverse Character Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Middle School Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Animal Lovers, Math Lovers, Middle Grade Readers

 

Much Ado about Baseball by Rajani LaRocca

Trish isn't thrilled to be moving to Comity. She loved her old baseball team who all appreciated and liked her, even if she was the only girl on the team. Now she has to convince a new group of boys that she can hold her own, and even worse, one of them is the boy she beat in the Math Puzzler championship last year. Everyone thinks she and Ben should be best friends since they love math and baseball, but Ben is still bitter about last year. And it isn't just about not being top in math, now he has to go out for baseball cause that was the deal with his best friend Abhi that if he lost he had to play again. And Ben has reasons he doesn't want to play baseball any more. Abhi has a plan to make the two be friends. And it seems like someone else does too when they both receive books of math puzzles. Ben is convinced the math puzzles book is magic, because when he starts answering them correctly he suddenly goes from sucking to being amazing. Or is it the snacks that their sponsor provides from Mr. O's shop The Salt Shaker? Whatever it is, will it last?

This explores the team Oberon side of what is going on in LaRocca's Midsummer's Mayhem. A few of the characters from Midsummer's Mayhem have brief appearances, and you better understand what is going on with The Salt Shaker if you've read the other book, but you can read this on its own. The common theme of the Fibonacci sequence and Pi that is woven throughout and tied in with the fairies from the Shakespeare element was done superbly. There's a lot going on in this with the baseball season, the friendship issues, the child/parent issues, the math puzzles, the background fairy battle, secrets the kids are holding, etc. but LaRocca manages to pull it all together and wrap it all up flawlessly, AND offers good friendship/life advice along the way.

Target Readers:

Light Fantasy Fans, Multicultural Cast Fans, Baseball Lovers, Math Lovers, Puzzle Fans, Shakespeare Fans, Midsummer’s Mayhem Fans, Fibonacci Sequence Fans/Studiers, Pi Fans/Studiers, Friendship Story Fans, Parent/Child Relationship Growth Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

The Multiplying Mysteries of Mount Ten by Krista Van Dolzer

Esther is supposed to be headed to the exclusive and amazing Camp Vermeer art camp for the week. But in the middle of a horrible storm when GPS signals go awry and roads get flooded, Esther finds herself instead at Camp Archimedes. A math camp. Esther and her stepfather are stuck until the torrential downpour ends, and during that time Esther manages to solve the extremely challenging First Problem that few others manage to solve ever in their time at Camp Archimedes, and Esther uncovers a riddle that may or may not be threatening that someone at the camp is in grave danger. Can Esther and the other math nerds solve the riddle before someone is murdered?

I liked that none of the kids at this camp are the stereotypical math nerds. It helps show that a wide variety of personalities can enjoy math. Logic puzzles are primarily the kind of math involved in this book. The First Problem Esther solves can be done with algebra, but she solves it with logic. The puzzles are presented for the readers so they can see if they can beat the characters in solving the mystery, which is always fun. And for those worried, the mystery element turns out to be not nearly as sinister as it seems.

Target Readers:

Summer Camp Story Fans, Puzzle & Riddle Fans, Math Lovers, Mystery Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

1 2 3 Cats by Lesléa Newman ; illustrated by Isabella Kung

A simple rhyming counting book of a growing number of cats.

There's a fun variety of cats in coloration and breed in this, and they engage in very realistic cat behaviors. Oh, and Kung's illustrations are so cute, even if you know your numbers really, really, REALLY well, totally pick this up to look at the pictures.

Target Readers:

Cat Lovers, Number Learners & Practicers, Art Lovers, Picture Book Readers

 

Pitter Pattern by Joyce Hesselberth

Lu learns about patterns on Sunday and then notices patterns everywhere she goes all the rest of the week, from the pattern of days of the week to colorful patterns to animal coats to music and dance.

Target Readers:

Pattern Learners & Fans, Puzzle Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Days of the Week Learners and Practicers, Picture Book Readers

 

Pool Party (Farmer Brown’s Backyard Tales) by Doreen Cronin, ill. by Betsy Lewin

Farmer Brown and the animals are HOT. Farmer Brown's brother Bob has a pool and invites them to come over to swim. But they have a lot of animals, and once everyone else is in the cows aren't so sure about getting in with all the splashing and noise. Will everyone be able to enjoy the cool waters, or will someone be left out?

There's a 1-5 counting element to this and you could also do adding activities to figure out how many total are in the pool at any one time.

Target Readers:

Summer Story Fans, Pool Party Story Fans, Farm Animal Fans, Humor Fans, Counting Beginners, Addition Beginners, Leveled Reader Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Stack the Cats by Susie Ghahremani

How would you stack various amounts of cats? What if there are too many for one stack, what are your different options? Kids get to play with numbers and cats in this book.

This is definitely not your typical 1-10 counting book. The way it gives different arrangements of the cats for the numbers really sets a great foundation for adding, subtracting, fractions, and multiplying. 

Target Readers:

Number Play Fans, Counting Learners & Practicers, Sorting Fans, Cat Lovers, Picture Book Readers

 

Superhero School by Aaron Reynolds, ill. by Andy Rash

Leonard is super excited to start Superhero School. He can't wait to practice stopping speeding trains and flying. So it is an incredible disappointment for Leonard and the others to realize that their teacher, the Blue Tornado, seems to want them to practice fractions and division more than using superpowers. School is such a bummer, until the day the ice zombies kidnap all the teachers and the students finally get to use their superpowers to rescue them. What they don't realize though, is how much they're also using those math skills too.

A very funny way to show kids how math does get used in everyday…or even superhero situations.

Target Readers:

Those Wary of Math, Superhero Fans, Math Lovers, Humor Fans, Science Fiction Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

We Need More Nuts (Fenske’s Squirrels, #1) by Jonathan Fenske

Two squirrels are counting the nuts they're storing. Well, one of them is counting and stuffing the cheeks of his mostly willing helper. One of them thinks they have plenty of nuts, the other one thinks they need more and more.

A fun and funny, rhyming leveled reader graphic novel. There's lots of work with numbers here, counting (and checking order), adding, subtracting...and all the way up to 24.

Target Readers:

Squirrel Lovers, Graphic Novel Fans, Humor Fans, Leveled Reader Fans, Counting Learners and Practicers Ready for More Numbers, Easy Addition/Subtraction Learners and Practicers, Rhyming Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

Brainstorm 263: Thai Settings & Culture

Today is Thai day at our international school in Thailand. Students and teachers dress up in Thai traditional styles, and there are activities throughout the day that celebrate Thai culture. I thought it was a perfect time to share books that either are set in Thailand or celebrate Thai culture/language. Click on the titles of the books to see my full review and any content notes/trigger warnings.

All Thirteen: the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

The story of the rescue of the boys' soccer team from a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.

Soontornvat's telling stands out for the way she can relate aspects of Thai culture and Western culture, and how the two cultures perspectives on leadership, how to respond to stressful situations, and how to handle a crisis sometimes resulted in misunderstandings or tricky situations for rescue workers. Soontornvat is Thai American and has family who still lives in Thailand, so she was able to get inside the heads of the boys, their families, and the Thai rescue workers AND the foreign rescue workers like few others could. She relates the story in a high action way, so that even though you know the outcome, it is still a riveting read.

Target Readers:

True Thriller Fans, Rescue & Survival Story Fans, Soccer Fans, Nonfiction Readers, Thai American Author Fans, Thai Setting Fans, Award Winner Readers, Middle Grade/Young Adult Readers

 

Drawn Together by Minh Lê, ill. by Dan Santat

A little boy gets dropped off at his grandfather's house. But the boy only speaks English and his grandfather only speaks Thai. Things are pretty awkward until they find that they both like and can communicate with art.

For those who can't read Thai, the translations of what the grandfather says can be found on the copyright information page. The grandfather's drawings look like traditional Thai folklore art, while the boy's looks more modern. This is a beautiful celebration of a grandparent/grandchild relationship that breaks a language barrier. The artist, Dan Santat, is Thai American. And fun fact, the title font is inspired by the Thai alphabet (the a, w, n, and o are real Thai letters though most make different sounds in Thai, the e is an upside down version of another Thai letter and the r is a backwards version of yet another Thai letter). 

Target Readers:

Grandparent/Grandchild Story Fans, Art Lovers, Bilingual Book Fans, Thai American Artist Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

The Floating Field: How a Group of Thai Boys Built Their Own Soccer Field by Scott Riley, ill. by Nguyen Quang & Kim Lien

A picture book history of a group of boys on an island in Southern Thailand who built themselves a floating soccer field in desperation for a place to play. Their first competition against other teams, and how their island supported them is also related.

The back of the book gives further information about the boys (who are now grown, the first floating field was built in the 1980s), the accolades of the team, and the current state of the field (which has been upgraded by the government). 

Target Readers:

Soccer Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Ingenuity Story Fans, Thailand Setting Fans, Picture Book Readers/Lower Grade Readers

 

Frost Friends Forever (Diary of an Ice Princess, #2) by Christina Soontornvat, ill. by Barbara Szepesi Szucs

Lina is super excited that her best friend Claudia is going to sleep over at her family's castle during the school break. But she's also nervous. She's never had Claudia over to spend the night and she's worried about making everything perfect. And that gets even more challenging when her Great-Aunt Eastia shows up for a visit at the same time. Can Lina make sure Claudia has a good time?

If you think the author’s name looks familiar, it’s because she also wrote All Thirteen mentioned above. Soontornvat has created Lina's mom's family to have touches of Thai culture mixed in with their magical weather abilities. The lovely multicultural set of characters, relatable issues, and fun weather magic all combine to create a great book and series.

Target Readers:

Fantasy Fans, Sleepover Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Thai American Author Fans, Multicultural Story Fans, Thai Influence Fantasy Fans, Lower Grade Readers

 

Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho, ill. by Holly Meade

A simple tale of a Thai mother trying to quiet all the animals and people down so baby can sleep, but baby has other plans.

The onomatopoiea made by the people and animals is fun because it is written "Thai style," not necessarily the sounds that Americans use. If you like this book, see if you can find Minfong Ho & Holly Meade's other similar title, Peek!: a Thai Hide-and-Seek. 

Target Readers:

Thai Countryside Setting Fans, Animal Sounds in Various Cultures Studiers, Animal Story Fans, Humorous Story Fans, Award Winner Readers, Picture Book Readers 

Mela and the Elephant by Dow Phumiruk, ill. by Ziyue Chen

Mela sets out to explore the river, ignoring her brother's pleas to take him with her because he has nothing to give her in exchange. But when Mela gets swept downriver and attempts to barter with various animals for kindness, she finds kindness can't be bought.

There's a great note on life in Thailand and Thai customs in the back of the book. And this is another book by a Thai American author (who also illustrates books, look later in this list for one of the books she’s illustrated).

Target Readers:

Fable Fans, Animal Lovers, Sibling Story Fans, Kindness Story Fans, Thai American Author Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Nu Dang and His Kite by Jacqueline Ayer

Nu Dang loves his kite, so when the wind snatches it away he paddles all over the village to see if he can find where it flew off to.

The premise of the hunt allows readers to see much of Nu Dang’s 1950s Thailand (which is also when this book originally came out), with a much more water-based transportation system than today. Modern readers will have fun spotting things that have changed since then, and things that have remained pretty much the same (like the types of vendors at the market). 

Target Readers:

Historical Fiction Fans, Slice of Life Story Fans, Kite Story Fans, Thai Setting Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Tara and the Towering Wave: an Indian Ocean Tsunami Survival Story by Cristina Oxtra, ill. by Francesca Ficorilli

Tara and her mother are headed to Thailand for the Christmas holidays. Her mother wants to explore the place where her parents immigrated from in Koh Lak, near Phuket, Thailand. At first Tara isn't too excited about the long trip from Minnesota, but once she gets there the beautiful beach and yummy food start to grow on her. The day after Christmas she and her mom decide to go to the market for breakfast and some touristy shopping. While there a tsunami hits and Tara must struggle to survive and then find her Mom.

This is part of the Girls Survive series which features fictional stories of girls set in historic disasters. They are all under 120 pages and include illustrations that help make the story move quickly. This book in the series is a well done reimagining of what it would have been like for a girl who is of Thai heritage but doesn't know any Thai language to have been caught in the 2004 tsunami. It is sobering but done in an age-appropriate way for middle grade readers.

Target Readers:

Survival Story Fans, Disaster Story Fans, Thailand Setting Fans, Thai American Character Fans, Reluctant Readers, Quick Read Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

Titan and the Wild Boars: the True Cave Rescue of the Thai Soccer Team by Susan Hood & Patthana Sornhiran, ill. by Dow Phumiruk

A picture book retelling of the rescue of the Wild Boar soccer team from the cave they were stranded in because of monsoon rains.

For those who aren’t ready for the length of details involved in All Thirteen, this is a splendid picture book retelling of the cave rescue of the soccer team. The co-author is Thai, and the illustrator is Thai American (if her name looks familiar, she wrote Mela and the Elephant mentioned up above).

Target Readers:

Rescue & Survival Story Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Soccer Fans, Picture Book Readers, Lower Grade/Middle Grade Readers

 

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Pong is itching to be free. But freedom can’t be anything but a dream for a boy who was born in Namwon prison. He and his best friend Somkit are stuck in the prison until they are 13 just because their moms were put in prison. Their mothers are both gone, but the boys have to stay. And there isn’t much hope for them once they get out. Everyone believes that those born of prisoners will just end up back in prison, and in Chattana that happens frequently. When Pong sees his chance to escape one day, he takes it, though he feels guilty for leaving Somkit behind. The years pass and the boys find themselves reunited in the middle of a city that is tired of chafing under the Governor’s rules that favors the rich and keeps the poor and downtrodden in poverty. The Governor brought magical orbs of light to Chattana and helped rebuild it after the Great Fire. But his light has come at a price. The prison warden’s daughter is also on Pong’s trail, determined to prove herself with his capture. She was brought up believing that the Governor’s rules were all good and right, but her quest to capture Pong is leading her to areas where everything she has believed comes into question. Is freedom even something a kid like Pong can dream about, or is it an impossible dream?

Soontornvat has recreated a fantasy version of Thailand here. The food, the customs, the names are all authentically Thai. But the political situation and the magical orbs that the Governor can create are fantasy (and inspired by Les Miserables). The book tackles questions of justice, poverty, wrongful incarceration, and other human rights issues in creative ways. How can people stuck in cycles of poverty can get out when the system is set up against them? When do the punishments stop for people who were once incarcerated? Are laws really just, or are they merely convenient for certain people? Those are deep, hard questions, but wrapped up in a dystopian fantasy they are a little easier to start thinking about. This is a book to chew on long after the covers are closed. And yes, this is Christina Soontornvat's 3rd book in this list. She has done so much to bring Thai culture into the English-speaking book world of late!

Target Readers:

Dystopia Fans, Fantasy Fans, Thai Inspired Fantasy Fans, Fans of Books That Make You Think, Les Mis Adaptation Fans, Human Rights Issues Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Adventure Fans, Award Winner Readers, Middle Grade Readers