![]() This is the first book I have read by TJ Klune. I picked it up after a recommendation by a colleague in one of my graduate classes. I am going to let you all know right now that this book is not going to be for everyone. There is an LGBTQ+ element in the book as well as some irreverence towards religion, so if these are deal-breakers for you, you can stop reading this review now. The basics of the story is that it is set on an island, and on the island is an "orphanage" where magical children live and are overseen by a caretaker. One of the children is a child of Lucifer and is referred to as the anti-Christ (which is where some of the jabs at religion come in). A worker for DICOMY which oversees the orphanages is sent to check in on the orphanage and the children to make sure they will not bring about the end of the world. There are some comical and endearing scenes that follow. I enjoyed the writing style of the author as well as the development of the characters. The author does an amazing job of helping the reader get to know each of the characters and developing the magical island where they live. There are also some great themes about inclusivity within the book Approximate Grade Level - 6th-8th (As previously mentioned, due to the inclusivity of a homosexual romantic relationship and some jabs taken at the Christian religion, this is not a selection I would recommend for everyone. I know these are controversial topics to many so just be aware before you read.)
0 Comments
![]() In this delightful picture book, Julian loves mermaids and dreams of becoming one. After he sees a group of women dressed as mermaids, Julian pulls some ferns off a plant and ties a curtain around his waist. When his abuela finds him, instead of fussing at him, she embraces him and takes him to see some others dressed in fantastical mermaid and sea creature costumes. This is a lovely story of love and acceptance, and it is absolutely enhanced by the beautiful and fanciful illustrations. There are more illustrations than text, and I think students will enjoy looking at the beautiful illustrations. Approximate Reading Level - Kindergarten-2nd grade (there is no heavy LGBTQ+ stance in this book; this story could help introduce a discussion on gender norms) ![]() The Parker Inheritance was recommended to me by a former colleague, and I am quite glad she recommended it to me because I always have students ask me for mystery recommendations, and I just rarely read mystery books. The protagonist of the story is a young Black girl named Candice who works with her friend Brandon to solve a mystery involving her grandmother. As Candice works to solve her grandmother's mystery she encounters historical information and racism. The plot line bounces from current times to the 1950s seamlessly as the reader learns what is happening with Candice as well as what happened with her grandmother. Students who like a mystery and historical fiction will love this book. There are some discussions of racism in the book as well as a character who is LGBTQ+. Approximate Reading Level: 4th-6th grade ![]() While this book might be a good choice for many, it was not a good fit for me. I was not a fan of the author’s writing style and the multiple grammatical errors within the text. I also felt there was just too much going on with this book. There was the main plotline which I found interesting. Louisa was sent to a mental asylum and doesn’t know why and has to figure a way out, but then the author kept adding in subplots - Louisa’s brother and his issues in London, Grace and her fiancé, Beatrice and her baby, and then finally the fact that Louisa discovers she is attracted to women. It all began to feel like a soap opera with just a hodgepodge of storylines. Because of all of the aforementioned items, I would not recommend this book to students because I think I could locate a book that would offer a better representation of LGBQT+ feelings and thoughts that my students could actually relate to. There are a few scenes in the book where Louisa struggles to feel like she belongs and with her choices that some of my students might see as a mirror unto their own personal feelings, but on the whole, I do not see this being a book that many of my students would enjoy or that they would feel represented by. Perhaps the way Louisa was treated could open a door to discuss women’s rights and changes that have occurred over the years. The only thing I felt was a window in this book was the window into how women may have been treated in Victorian England. The author’s note at the end of the book mentions that the book was written in response to information about how women were incarcerated in mental institutions. I wish Eagland would have extended this in the story and made this the major focus of the book. Focusing on the historical fiction angle and saving the LGBTQ+ portion for a different story, would have allowed the author to effectively present both ideas because as the book is written, the LGBTQ+ portion of the story is not explored or extended to the full extent. Approximate Reading Level: 8th-12th grades (some sexual and LGBTQ+ themes) |
Archives
August 2022
Categories
All
|