Brainstorm 275: Dystopian survival stories

For this week’s Brainstorm I have some dystopian survival stories for you. If you thought dystopia died out when the Divergent series ended and Katniss hung up her bow, well, that isn’t quite the case. It is still alive, kicking, and has a steady stream of readers heading for those books. And there’s more books being added to those genres. Today I’m sharing some of the more recent dystopian books that are also survival stories (leaving out some of the societal upheaval ones that aren’t so much survival tales). Click on each title to see my full review for the book including any content notes/trigger warnings.

 

Alone by Megan E. Freeman

Maddie has hatched a scheme with her two best friends for a secret slumber party at her grandparents empty condo for the weekend, but she ends up the only one who makes it. She's told her mom she's at her dad's for the weekend and her dad that she's at her mom's. And in the middle of the first night the entire area is evacuated by the government in response to some vague threat. Maddie hears something going on, but doesn't want to be caught somewhere she isn't supposed to be so she goes back to bed and wakes to an entirely empty town. At first she is sure her mom and dad will soon figure out that she's been left behind, but as the days go by and no one shows up, Maddie has to figure out how to survive on her own and not go crazy as the only human in town with only her neighbor's Rottweiler, George, for company.

An excellently written novel in verse that focuses not just on a modern twelve year old figuring out food and water and such on her own, but also the psychological aspects of being alone for a long time (which was way longer than I first guessed it would be). There's some references to The Island of Blue Dolphins that help set up the book to naturally explore those psychological aspects and may also prompt readers to pick up that modern classic.

Target Readers:

 Survival Story Fans, Light Dystopia Fans, Dog Lovers, Novels in Verse Fans, Quick Read Fans, Upper Middle Grade/YA Readers

 

The Ark Plan (Edge of Extinction, #1) by Laura Martin

Scientists figured out how to bring back dinosaurs using DNA from fossils. For a while, things were really cool with new dinosaur pets and zoo attractions. But then the dinosaur flu hit. Thanks to an ancient microbe that got revived with the dinosaurs, there was a massive pandemic that wiped out a huge portion of the Earth's population. Now the dinosaurs rule most of the Earth, and the few people who survived the pandemic have retreated underground into one of the 4 Compounds set up by the Noah. The Noah is the ruler of the world now. Life is pretty good for most of the humans in the compounds, except for Sky. Sky's father disappeared above ground five years ago and was labeled a spy. Since then, Sky has been a ward of the compound but not treated very well. On her birthday, she discovers that her father did leave a note for her those five years ago. It was hidden in the compass he gave her. The note says that if he didn't come back within 4 years, she needs to get a data plug to a spot in Lake Michigan. Sky has been told all her life that going topside is suicide. But her dad's note says the survival of the planet depends on her taking this message North.

This duology is a great mix of action, survival, and great characters along with the dinosaur-invaded world. For those already wondering, Martin addresses the potential elephant in the room by having the characters in the story analyze the similarities and differences between Crichton's Jurassic Park and their actual history in a literature class at the beginning of the book which I thought was clever.

Target Readers:

Adrenaline Junkies/High-Action Fans, Dystopia Fans, Survival Fans, Scifi Fans, Mystery Fans, World Building Fans, Dinosaur Lovers, Illinois/Indiana Setting Fans, Duology Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

The Barnabus Project by the Fan Brothers

Barnabus and his friends are failed pet projects. Perfect Pets sells the cutest and best pets designed in their secret lab. But failed projects will be recycled. Barnabus likes the way he and his friends are, but the men in green suits disagree. Barnabus' friend the cockroach tells them that there's a whole world above with stars and big buildings and Barnabus dreams of escaping and going there. But it seems impossible. Can Barnabus and his fellow rejects escape before they are recycled?

This sounds like it could be a very harrowing and scary tale, but the Fans tell it with tenderness and it comes off as a very cute and sweet light dystopian picture book. I love how Barnabus is comfortable in who he is, even though others tell him he's less than perfect, and how well the friends work together. And of course the illustrations are amazing (we wouldn’t expect anything less from the Fan brothers).

Target Readers:

Dystopian Fans, Scifi Fans, Daring Escape Story Fans, Art Lovers, Fans of Characters Comfortable in Their Selves, Friendship Story Fans, Teamwork Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

June's Wild Flight (The Last Kids on Earth, #5.5) by Max Brallier, ill. by Douglas Holgate

After a new shield testing session goes epically wrong, June learned that ogres, chains, and doom karts are not a good combo and finds herself way out of Wakefield. One of the friendly little monsters who lives at the pizza place, Globlet, has managed to follow June, but also doesn't know where they are or how to get home. As they set out, they come across some monster pirates trying to catch a baby Watcher. And though June has had bad experiences with Watchers, she can't just let it be harassed. Especially when she hears the pirate guys talking about taking it to Thrull! So now June and Globlet must figure out how to save the baby Watcher and get it home, while also getting info out of the pirate guys about what they know about Thrull's latest whereabouts.

This series is insanely popular with the middle grade crowd. I know this book is in the middle of the series, but it is my favorite book in the series thus far. Jack, Quint, and Dirk are fun to hang out with but June, Globlet, and the baby Watcher are even better to spend time with.

Target Readers:

Dystopia Fans, Adventure Fans, Survival Story Fans, Humor Fans, Suspense Fans, Mixed Full Text & Graphic Novel Book Fans, Upper Middle Grade Readers

 

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

Petra Peña shouldn't have made it onto one of the last ships off the planet before Haley's comet made one last journey a little too close to the Earth. Her degenerative visual disorder was kept a secret, and her parents doctorates were tickets for both of them and Petra and Javier to head off to humanity's new home. But when Petra awakes from stasis, she discovers that the Collective, a fringe group on Earth obsessed with eliminating all differences has seized control of the ship and purged those they couldn't reprogram. Petra quickly realizes she must keep the fact that she remembers who she really is and the ship's original mission a secret while she figures out what, if anything, she can do. She has no family members with her and no friends, only her abuela's stories.

This is the most recent Newbery Medal winner, and the complexity of the story definitely deserves the shiny sticker. It includes great messages about even “imperfect” members of society having value and things to contribute and the power of stories to get through to people when other methods fail.

Target Readers:

Dystopia Fans, Scifi Fans, Suspense Fans, Survival Story Fans, Space Travel & Exploration Story Fans, Power of Story Fans, Fans of Characters with Disabilities, Fans of Characters of Mexican Heritage, Award Winner Readers, Human Rights Story Fans, Middle Grade & YA Readers

 

The Mother Code by Carole Stivers

In an effort to cripple a troublesome terrorist group isolated in a certain locale in the Middle East, the US developed a bioweapon that combines viruses and nanotechnology that hijacks the respiratory system but cannot spread from human to human. The scientists who worked on the tech thought it was a hypothetical idea and cautioned the government not to release the weapon ever. Their warning came too late. The disease is spreading, and if they can't figure out a way to stop it, all human life is going to be wiped out in a matter of months. Fast forward several years into the future and watch a very sophisticated robot act as mother to a young child in a remote part of the desert. But the robot mothers were released in a rush and some of their programming has potential glitches. As readers turn the pages they will learn how the robot mothers were developed, what went wrong, and whether these robot mothers are the best hope for the future of humanity or their greatest danger.

I went into this very wary that it was just a rip-off of the WondLa series by DiTerlizzi rewritten for adults because the premise sounded VERY similar, but this is definitely its own story. I was pleasantly surprised by the smart scientific base to the story, how much it makes you think, and how clean it is for an adult scifi novel. I also like the role the Hopi play in the plot. The story goes back and forth between the present and the past, but it is done in such a way to get you turning the pages even faster to see how things went from point A to point B.

Target Readers:

Dystopia Fans, Smart Scifi Fans, Survival Story Fans, Thriller Fans, Fans of Stories to Chew On, Hopi Character Fans, Robot Story Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to Young Adults)

 

Secrets in the Mist (Skyworld, #1) by Morgan L. Busse

Ever since the Plague Wars the Mist has covered the valleys and is slowly eating up more and more land as it inches upward, killing any humans that stray into its tendrils with spores that take over the body. The upper echelons of society have it fairly well, but the lower crust are constantly being sacrificed in Purges to make sure there's enough land for those they deem deserving. Cass's parents sacrificed themselves so she could survive a Purge and ever since she's been on her own on the streets. That is until the day she tries to steal food from an airship and is caught. But the Captain gives Cass a job opportunity instead of throwing her to the authorities. He offers to train her as a diver on his ship. It's a dangerous job, but to not be constantly hungry or on the run is a very tantalizing offer. Elsewhere Theo is sure there must be a cure for the Mist, but most tells him his research is pointless while a few others point out that all who go looking for a cure end up suddenly dead.

A steampunk/zombie/dystopia adventure that gallivants around in airships and gliders definitely doesn’t sound like your typical Christian fiction offering, and I love how far Christian YA fiction has come in the variety of stories offered. It is a very engaging world with one of the most scientifically plausible zombie apocalypses I’ve come across (don't worry, it isn't THAT plausible, but there is a solid science base). The Christian parallels were worked in well and questions of faith came naturally with the situations faced. I can’t wait until our copy of book 2 arrives.

Target Readers:

Steampunk Fans, Dystopia Fans, Survival Story Fans, Mystery/Thriller Fans, Fans of Airships and Floating Islands, Zombie Story Fans, Adventure Story Fans, Christian Fiction Fans, Young Adult & Adult Readers

Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1) by Ryan Graudin

What if the Japanese joined the Nazis in attacking Russia instead of attacking Pearl Harbor? And what if the USA's isolationists won the day and they never entered WWII? Then you end up with Europe and Asia divided between the winning Axis powers, and Hitler still in charge in the 1950s. Each year there is a motorcycle race for teens from Germany to Japan to celebrate the Third Reich's and Imperial Japan's victory. Yael was once a Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz and experimental subject of the Angel of Death. The experiments were horrific but spared her life, and gave her abilities that allowed her to escape Auschwitz as a child. Now a teen operative, she is the underground Resistance's best hope of assassinating Hitler. The paranoid ruler never goes in public any more, but last year he danced with Adele Wolfe, the first female winner of the motorcycle race (she entered as her twin brother and only revealed her true identity upon winning). Yael is going to take Adele's spot in this year's race. But she has to pull off pretending to be Adele throughout the race and also beat the 13 other competitors to have a chance at ending Hitler's evil reign. The race is brutal and anything goes when the cameras aren't filming the competitors.

As you read about Yael's prep for the race and then the race itself, you get interspersed sections of her backstory, the people she lost in the concentration camps, how she escaped, and her training with the Resistance. The other racers have unexpected depths, and you really don't know how much Yael is fooling them and/or how much she can trust them. The locations they visit as they race take you across the world from Europe to Asia, so the settings are adventurous and exotic, and of course, dangerous. There’s just touches of survival sections in this one (mostly during Yael’s past and on the race), and a lot more in book 2 of the duology.

Target Readers:

Dystopia Fans, WWII Story Fans, Reimagined History Fans, Adventure Fans, High Stakes Competition Fans, Thriller Fans, Superhero Story Fans, Travel Story Fans, Young Adult & Adult Readers 

Brainstorm 274: England in the 1950s

In memory of Queen Elizabeth II, I have some books that shed light on the England she became Queen of in the 1950s. Click on the titles to see my full reviews and any content notes/trigger warnings (except for the Tommy & Tuppence book…it’s been several decades since I read that one).

84 Charing Cross Road, and the Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff

The first half of this book is the original 84, Charing Cross Road which consists of correspondence between Helene Hanff, a TV script writer in New York City and a used book store's staff in London. Over many years of ordering books from this company, she strikes up relationships with several of the staff members and their families through correspondence back and forth. Eventually, she turns the letters into a book which funds the trip to London they've all wanted her to take for ages. And her diaries of this trip to London make up the second half of the book, originally published as The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. The correspondence starts in the late 1940s just after WWII and give a unique perspective of post-war England. Her tours of London are largely guided by history and literature so that part reads like a classic book lover's tour of London.

Target Readers:

Memoir Fans, Brit Lit Fans, Cozy Read Fans, Light Humor Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Epistolary Literature Fans, Travel Literature Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA) 

MI5 and Me: a Coronet among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham

Charlotte Bingham was called into her father's office at 18 and told she needed to do something with her life. Oh, and her father works for MI5 and he's getting her a job as a secretary there. After recovering from that bombshell Charlotte was sure life as an MI5 secretary would be miserable and boring. Only time would tell if she was right or not.

This is a fascinating and very entertaining memoir about what real life was like in the 1950s as a secretary at MI5.

Target Readers:

Memoir Fans, Light Spy Story Fans, Cozy Read Fans, Light Humor Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA readers)

 

Partners in Crime (Tommy & Tuppence, #2) by Agatha Christie

Tommy and Tuppence are a married couple who work together as private investigators. In this volume in their cases, they are busy tracking down spies in 1950s Great Britain.

Target Readers:

Agatha Christie Fans, Mystery Fans, Spy Story Fans, Modern Classic Fans, Historical Fiction Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)

 

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.

This series is set in 1950s England, and though it features an 11 year old, it feels like a Golden Age crime mystery such as Christie might have written.

Target Readers:

Precocious Sleuth Fans, Mystery Fans, Historical Fiction Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA readers)

Brainstorm 273: Japanese Manga

As promised this week I’m continuing the theme of books by authors of Japanese descent that give readers a window into Japanese life of the past or present, and this week I’m featuring manga series. I’m sticking with strictly no fantasy elements, or I’d have included one of Kanata Konami’s cat manga series (Chi’s Sweet Home, FukuFuku Kitten Tales, or the new Sue & Tai-chan) which do give insights into everyday modern life in Japan, but the cats talk so they get an honorable mention but no full highlight. Click on the series title to see my full review of the first volume in each series and any content notes/trigger warnings.

Cat + Gamer by Wataru Nadatani, translated by Zack Davisson

Riko is an office worker by day who is superhumanly efficient at work and always clocks out at 5pm on the dot and declines invites to hang out afterwards with co-workers. She's a bit of a mystery to the people at the office. Readers soon discover that Riko really comes alive at home. She's a gamer. A serious gamer who is pretty good. She works so she can afford the latest game tech, and celebrates game accomplishments with splurges on expensive food. One day at work the security guard finds a stray kitten and asks if anyone at the office would like to adopt it. Riko surprises everyone at the office and herself by saying yes. She knows nothing about being a cat owner, or how this could potentially affect her gaming life. But how could she say no to such a cute face? Riko's world is about to be turned upside down by four little paws.

This is a believable and cute concept of an introvert gamer who suddenly becomes a cat owner slave. I’ve only read the first in this series (only volumes 1 & 2 out of 8 currently are available in English), but so far it is fun with some quite funny moments.

Target Readers:

Cat Lovers, Animal Lovers, Slice of Life Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Gamers, Graphic Novel Fans, Manga Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to Young Adult readers)

 

Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate, translated 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.

This series is insanely popular with middle and high school students! It is now finished with 45 volumes.

Target Readers:

Sports Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, High School Story Fans, Volleyball Lovers, Graphic Novel Fans, Manga Fans, Young Adult Readers (though approachable to Middle Grade)

 

Laid-Back Camp by Afro, translated by Amber Tamosaitis

The story of two teen girls, Rin who is an avid winter solitary camper. She enjoys the peace and quiet, even if it gets a bit cold. Nadeshiko has just moved to the area, gets lost, stumbles across the Rin's camp site, gets some much-needed heat, and is able to contact her sister thanks to Rin's help. Nadeshiko is then inspired to join the Outdoor Explorer Club at her school. The club (which consists of just two other girls) spends much of the book planning for their first camping trip. Meanwhile Rin goes camping by herself a few more times but contemplates the concept of camping with others, though she is too reluctant to act on it.

This series is ongoing at 11 out of 13 volumes in English currently (and more Japanese volumes are on the way).

Target Readers:

Nature Lovers, Camping Fans, High School Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Manga Fans, Young Adult Readers (though approachable to Middle Grade) 

Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa, translated by Amanda Haley

Yuugo Hachiken has chosen to go to high school at Hokkaido Ooezo Agricultural High School, a boarding school that has multiple hectares of land, and gives students hands-on experience in many of the agricultural fields. All of Hackiken's classmates seem to know exactly what they want to do in the future. The only goal he's sure about is that he wants to be top of the class (he's a little obsessed about it). Most of his classmates come from farming families, and he feels like an oddball for more than one reason. Can he survive at a school for agriculture when he doesn't know the first thing about crops or domestic animals? Or is he going to be trampled to death while he mucks out stalls at some ungodly hour of the morning?

This series is now complete at 15 volumes and sees Hachiken and his classmates through graduation. It is fun to watch them grow as individuals, in their agricultural knowledge, and in their friendships.

Target Readers:

Boarding School Story Fans, High School Story Fans, Those Curious about Modern Japanese Farm Life, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Manga Fans, Young Adult Readers 

Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiko Azuma, translated by Amy Forsyth

Yotsuba is a precocious little girl who has just moved into a new neighborhood. She 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.

Yotsuba’s antics are so believable for an outgoing little girl, and at least once a book she will make readers laugh out loud with the things she says and does. This series is still ongoing with 15 volumes currently out.

Target Readers:

Community Life Story Fans, Contemporary Story Fans, Family Life Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Humor Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Manga Fans, Middle Grade/Young Adult Readers

 

Yuzu the Pet Vet by Mingo Ito in collaboration with Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd., translated by Julie Goniwich

Yuzu is staying with her uncle, a vet, while her mom is in the hospital with pneumonia. Yuzu isn't so sure about this. She's kind of afraid of animals and her uncle wants her to help out at the practice. Is this just going to be a disaster?

This series balances Yuzu’s family life and friendship stories with realistic vet cases and stories of pets and pet owners often inspired by real stories. Yuzu's stories are still coming out with 7 volumes currently available.

Target Readers:

Animal Lovers, Future Vets, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Manga Fans, Middle Grade Readers

Brainstorm 272: Japan Reads

The Seniors at our school are gearing up to host a Japanese-themed Carnival next Saturday and as their supervisor I’ve been finding myself thinking ALL about Japan. So I thought, why not fully embrace Japan on the brain and also do a Japanese-themed Brainstorm this week? I’ve narrowed things down to books by Japanese authors or authors of Japanese descent that highlight what life in Japan is or was like. To help myself further narrow down the list I reserved all the manga to share next week. Click on the titles to see my full review of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings.

The British Museum Haiku edited by David Cobb

The British Museum has compiled a selection of haiku by renowned Japanese poets both ancient and modern, organized them by their seasonal setting (which is traditional for haiku according to the intro), and paired them with Japanese artwork. The result was a very artistically pleasing little book. Whoever paired the poems and artwork did a fantastic job; they complemented each other exceptionally well.

Target Readers:

Poetry Fans, Works in Translation Fans, Art Lovers, Seasons Celebrators, Adult Readers (though approachable to Middle Grade & YA Readers)

 

Drawing from Memory by Allen Say

Picture book author and illustrator Allen Say illustrates an autobiography describing his childhood in Japan and path to becoming an artist. There’s a sequel that talks about his move to America as an older teen.

An eye-opening look at what life was like for Say as a child. The way he was tutored by a popular Japanese cartoonist was fascinating. The book looks like a picture book, but the layout is often more graphic novel-like and blends real photographs with illustrations.

Target Readers:

Autobiography Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Art Lovers, Japanese Culture Studiers, Japanese History Buffs, Nonfiction Fans, Upper Middle Grade/Young Adult Readers

 

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

An aging math professor with brain trauma-induced memory issues and a housekeeper and her son are forever changed when an agency pairs the housekeeper to work for the professor. 

A sweet story of the healing and blessings friendship can bring.

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Translated Fiction Fans, Feel Good Story Fans, Math Lovers, Intergenerational Friendship Story Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA and even high reading Middle Grade readers)

 

I Really Want to See You, Grandma by Taro Gomi

Yumi really wants to see Grandma. Grandma really wants to see Yumi. But what happens when they both leave to go visit the other at the same time? Will Grandma and Yumi ever meet?

This had a good touch of humor and also featured a variety of transportation methods for kids who love things that go. This was originally written in 1979 in Japanese so kids get a look at what things were like pre-cell phones.

Target Readers:

Humor Fans, Things That Go Fans, Grandma/Granddaughter Story Fans, Translated Fiction Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw

Yuriko is a well-off girl in Hiroshima during WWII. Her father runs the newspaper. She lives with him and her aunt and younger cousin, both of whom she can only tolerate. Her best friend lives just down the street, and they like to listen to jazz secretly together. As 1945 draws closer, a lot of changes are on the way for Yuriko as her father remarries, a deep family secret comes out, and 1945 itself will change all of their lives forever when the bombs fall.

This is biographical fiction heavily based on the author's mother's childhood. The book does a fabulous job of bringing to life what life was like for an average, upper-middle class Japanese girl during WWII.

Target Readers:

WWII Story Readers, Historical Fiction Fans, Biographical Fiction Fans, Survival Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

The Mystery of the Masked Medalist (Kudo Kids, #1) by Maia & Alex Shibutani with Michelle Shusterman

Andy and Mika are super excited to be traveling to the summer olympics in Tokyo with their parents. Their mom is covering events for a sports website, and their dad is a food writer who will be doing a little work too while they are there. Andy and Mika have plans to play an online game that introduces players to various parts of Tokyo while they try to figure out who the former Olympian designer of the game is to win the chance to be beta testers for the Olympian's future video games. Andy and Mika are playing in a team with two friends in California. Andy and Mika will play live, while their friends play in VR. All of them are very motivated to win, but someone is sabotaging the game and stealing clues. Can Andy and Mika figure out who it is and unmask the Masked Medalist? And what is going on with Mika when she isn't playing Masked Medalist?

This is a good mix of tour of Tokyo, description of being at live Olympic events, and a competition mystery.

Target Readers:

Mystery Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Olympics Fans, Travel Story Fans, Sibling Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

Newcomer (Detective Kaga, #2) by Keigo Higashino, translated by Giles Murray

A woman has been murdered and the unassuming Detective Kaga is on the case. But this story is told from the perspective of the people who are interviewed over the course of the investigation. Each of them has little secrets or mysteries that they each have. And one of them is a murderer. Through the points of view of all this disparate people, the course of the investigation slowly comes to light to the reader, and eventually the case is solved.

Hands down one of the most unique and cleverly written murder mysteries I’ve ever read! Don’t worry about jumping into this series at #2, you don’t have to read #1 to understand what is going on.

Target Readers:

Mystery Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Translated Fiction Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to Young Adult)

 

The Sakura Obsession: The Incredible Story of the Plant Hunter Who Saved Japan's Cherry Blossoms by Naoko Abe

This is both the history of Japan's relationship with cherry blossoms and how it evolved over time (and continues to evolve), and the biography of Collingwood Ingram, a man who in collecting as many varieties of flower cherry trees as he could and talking about them, managed to save several varieties from extinction and encouraged the planting of flowering cherries over several nations.

You would think a book on trees and a man who liked collecting them would have a high probability of being dry as dirt (or bark as it would be), but this was an absolutely fascinating read. Naoko Abe shares that she originally wrote a shorter version of this in Japanese and was asked numerous times to translate it. In order to do so she realized she'd need to explain parts of Japanese culture and history to the English speaking world, so she expanded it for a non-Japanese audience and this is the result. And it is absolutely fascinating.

Target Readers:

Biography Fans, Japanese History Fans, Japanese Culture Studiers, British History Fans, Cherry Blossom Lovers, Botany Enthusiasts, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA Readers)

 

The Star Festival by Moni Ritchie Hadley, ill. by Mizuho Fujisawa

Keiko, her mama, and her Obaasan are getting ready for Tanabata Matsuri, aka Star Festival, in Japan. The dress up in their special summer kimonos and Oba relates the folklore behind the festival to Keiko. They then tie their wishes to the bamboo outside, and go to the festival to enjoy special foods. But when Oba disappears, Keiko recreates events in the folklore to find her grandmother.

This is a cute story of 3 generations celebrating a festival together with illustrations that are absolutely stunning.

Target Readers:

Japan Festival Explorers, Japanese Culture Studiers, Art Lovers, Grandmother/Granddaughter Story Fans, Japanese Folklore Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown

When Waka was finishing up 6th grade, she ignored her mom asking in Japanese for her to help fold laundry. Her mom decided her Japanese must be suffering horribly from life in the US, and so she sets up for Waka to go to public school in Japan for 5 months from the end of 6th grade into her 7th grade year. Waka is horrified. She's going to have to live with her strict grandmother who even adults in the family avoid. She's sure she is going to be horribly behind in reading and writing, and she's afraid she won't have any friends. But as the months progress, Waka finds happy surprises in store, and much to learn from her time in Japan.

An honest memoir of an immigrant kid trying to navigate the tightrope walk between cultures. It is at times bittersweet, but relatable to any expat or immigrant.

Target Readers:

Memoir Fans, Cross-Culture Experience Story Fans, Immigrant Experience Story Fans, Japan History Studiers, Japanese Culture Studiers, Third Culture Kid Story Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Middle Grade & YA Readers

Brainstorm 271: STEAM Reads

It’s the first Friday of the school year, so the Brainstorm is back from its summer hiatus. For this first Brainstorm of the school year I have some STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) books for you and your student readers. Click on the titles to see my full reviews and any content notes/trigger warnings. 

For those who are new to the Brainstorm this year, a note on some terms used frequently:

Lower Grade= K-3 grade

Middle Grade= 3-8 grade

Young Adult= Teenagers

Book by John Agard, ill. by Neil Packer

Book introduces readers to his earliest origins and many forms, from clay to leaf to skin to paper to digital, and the various cultures who influenced his development. Book also gives readers little history lessons on alphabet origins and other writing and printing tools that have revolutionized his from over the years. And lastly, he gives a little shout out to libraries through time. 

A creative way to teach kids about the history of books over time that is shorter than it looks and acknowledges both Eastern and Western contributions. The only bad thing about it is that the title is notoriously hard to find in a search (search by the author’s name).

Target Readers:

Curious Readers, Nonfiction Readers, History Buffs, Creative Writing Fans, Book Lovers, Reluctant Readers, Middle Grade Readers

 

Built for Speed (Layla and the Bots, #2) by Vicky Fang, ill. by Christine Nishiyama

Layla and the Bots are slotted to perform at a go-kart race. They are excited to watch the race, but find that one of the would-be contestants can't race because she can't use her feet to control the gas and brakes. Can Layla and the Bots modify a go-kart so Tina can race?

I love that Layla and the Bots are helping a girl in a wheelchair get the opportunity to race too. There's some great problem solving of very real engineering issues along the way, and problem solving about how to make the race fair for all after Tina gets this souped up kart. This whole series excellently models empathy, business, invention, coding, and problem solving skills.

Target Readers:

Robot Lovers, Budding Scientists, Graphic Novel Fans, Scifi Fans, Tinkerers, Problem Solving Story Fans, Lower Grade Readers

 

The Crayon Man: the True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons by Natascha Biebow, ill. by Steven Salerno

A picture book biography of Edwin Binney, who led a team to invent the Crayola crayon and bring color to children's everyday drawings.

Biebow did a stunning job in presenting the information that helps readers easily grasp how revolutionary Binney's invention was, the invention process, enough introduction to the time period and major players to easily follow, and doing all that in just a few sentences a page. It's an exceptional picture book biography. And the artwork is fittingly bright and colorful.

Target Readers:

Crayon Aficionados, Art Lovers, Invention Story Fans, Picture Book Biography Fans, Lower Grade Readers

 

Deliciously FoxTrot by Bill Amend

A collection of comics featuring the Fox family's daily nerdy/humorous/realistic antics all throughout the year.

Target Readers:

Comic Readers, Humor Fans, Science/Math Nerds, Scifi/Fantasy Fans, Family Story Fans, Middle Grade through Adult Readers

 

The Gift of Pain by Dr. Paul Brand with Philip Yancey

Dr. Paul Brand grew up in India and England, the son of British Christian missionaries to the mountainous region of India. He was sent to England for schooling, and then he went on to university eventually ending up in the medical field. He finished up his program with the military as WWII hit England, and eventually made his way back to India where he and his wife practiced medicine. Originally a hand surgeon, Brand found himself more and more working with lepers in India and went on to make some revolutionary discoveries about the disease and how to help people live without sensation in their extremities. For decades it was thought that the lost fingers, toes, and noses were just a part of the disease, but Brand discovered all these losses were due to lack of pain receptors. He became a world-renowned expert on working with people who lacked pain messages, and as a by product, had a unique perspective on pain and why pain is not always a bad thing. In working with patients in India and the US, he also had a unique perspective on the role of culture in pain and how we view it.

What a book! With stories that really stick with you, make you think, and amaze, this also reveals just how intricately our bodies are created.

Target Readers:

Autobiography Fans, Medical Case Studies Fans, Medical History Fans, India Setting Fans, Christian Nonfiction Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)

 

If You Love Robots You Could Be… by May Nakamura, ill. by Natalie Kwee

A leveled reader that gives readers a quick taste of the kinds of things a robotics mechanical engineer, an electrical engineer working with robots, and a systems engineer working with robots would do. The back of the book briefly outlines 5 other occupations that also work with robots.

The book also includes ideas of how kids can try out some of these fields right now.

Target Readers:

Robot Lovers, Curious Kids, Occupation Studiers, Tinkerers, Picture Book Readers 

 

Machines That Think (Big Ideas That Changed the World, #2) by Don Brown

A nonfiction graphic novel that explores the history and development of machines that can perform calculations from ancient times to present and upcoming computers.

The graphic novel format and length are perfect for even kids reluctant to read nonfiction.

Target Readers:

History Buffs, Curious Readers, Tech Lovers, Graphic Novel Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Reluctant Nonfiction Readers, Middle Grade Readers

 

The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizabeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life by Amy Butler Greenfield

A biography of Elizebeth Smith Friedman who became an instrumental code and cipher breaker in the first half of the 20th century, bringing down mob and drug leaders, figuring out WWII secrets, and paving the way for women leaders in the field.

Amy Butler Greenfield did a phenomenal job of presenting Elizebeth's story for teens. It was expertly researched, included lots of photos, and had just the right amount of code breaking details to show Elizebeth's genius without causing readers to get lost in the technical details. I think this was just as good, if not even better than the adult bio I read on this amazing woman.

Target Readers:

Spy Story Fans, Biography Fans, Code & Cypher Fans, Curious Readers, History Buffs, Nonfiction Fans, YA & Adult Readers (though approachable to high reading Middle Graders)