The Umbrella Maker’s Son
About This Book:
Oscar Buckle lives in a city where it’s always raining. And when it isn’t raining, it’s about to rain, so the townspeople have learned to embrace it. Oscar’s father is an umbrella maker—appropriate for a place where you can’t leave home without one!—but while Buckle Umbrellas are strong, reliable, and high quality, they’re expensive. Because of this, people are buying from the competitor instead, which is threatening Oscar’s family’s business.
To make ends meet, Oscar is forced to quit school and work in his father’s shop as an apprentice. But when extraordinary events start to occur in their rainy town, Oscar becomes suspicious of their competitor. Desperate to save his town, Oscar must enlist the help of his best friend, Saige, to discover if there’s more than nature involved in their city’s weather.
*Review Contributed By Mark Buxton, Staff Reviewer*
Uncovering a Hidden Secret
What worked:
A setting of never-ending rain is very unique and Oscar is the only character who doesn’t mind getting wet. The author introduces forty-seven different types of rain and it feels like the narrative includes every one of them! The opening pages describe a looming blanderwheel, like a monsoon, but the narrator teases that its deadly force won’t become part of the story until later in the book. A wall separates the Toe from the wealthier parts of the city and the constant rain inexplicably falls only on the Toe. The buildings in Oscar’s apartment complex are given bird names, he lives in Dove, and his father’s workshop is located in the Alley too. The Gray Lighthouse was built offshore to warn of dangerous waters but it now sits vacant and unused. Ships no longer dare to sail the Gray Sea.
Saige is Oscar’s best friend even though her cousin is a neighborhood bully. Saige is confined to a wheelchair but it rarely seems to be a handicap for her. Oscar says Saige is the smartest person in the world and the inventions she creates and things she pulls from her backpack reinforce his thinking. The two devoted friends meet every night in Fort Cleverbuckle, their hideout atop Saige’s apartment building, to support each other through tough times. Saige learns that her family is moving to the other side of the wall. Oscar is told that he’ll need to leave school and become his father’s apprentice even though his true love is carving wooden figures.
Footnotes can be found on almost every page to explain the abundant vocabulary distinct to this book. Some of the footnotes act as aside comments to readers that often add amusing touches to the narrative. The book includes a glossary at the end with descriptions of all the different types of rain, food, and geography found in the story. Random chapters are titled Blanderwheel (Part 1), Blanderwheel (Part 2), and so forth to remind readers that a huge storm can strike the characters at any moment. The whole story is written like the narrator is speaking directly to readers and the informal style makes it approachable to a younger audience.
What didn’t work as well:
For a place that’s seen non-stop rain for ten years, it’s amazing the citizens aren’t wading through water every day. The rain doesn’t seem like much of a problem except that everyone except for Oscar carries an umbrella wherever they go. It’s not a big deal but it’s something that bugs me.
The Final Verdict:
Oscar’s kindness and loyalty will endear him to young readers and the author’s writing method blends levity with Oscar and Saige’s adventure. The setting and conflict are innovative and the author’s use of sentence structure develops suspense as the plot nears its climax. Overall, I highly recommend you give this book a shot.
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Between Monsters and Marvels
About This Book:
Dare Coates is sure of it. No drifter or ruffian could have killed her father, the Captain of the Guard, while he was on patrol. But everyone insists that monsters have been gone for years now. Dare’s mother. Her classmates. Even the governor, who swiftly marries her mother just months after her father’s death.
Dare’s suspicions grow even stronger when the governor suddenly ships her off to the mainland, away from any hope of uncovering the truth about her father’s death.
Or so she thinks. Soon Dare finds solid proof that monsters still exist and she starts to question everything she’s always known. Was her father who she thought he was? Who can she trust? Where is the line between good and evil?
The truth hides behind danger and deception. But with the help of an unlikely crew of cohorts and a stray beastie, nothing can stop Dare from finding out what happened to her father and exposing who the real monsters are.
*Review Contributed By Mark Buxton, Staff Reviewer*
A young girl fights for what’s right
What worked:
The author creates a wonderful underdog story as a young girl is determined to uncover the truth behind monsters and her father’s death. Dare is incessantly teased and ridiculed at school but she draws a line when insults are directed toward her father. She views herself as an awful person and that emotion is emphasized in the book’s opening pages. Dare resists any attempts to transform her into a proper girl and her awfulness really rears its ugly head when she’s angry. She’s sent away from Barrow’s Bay where the privileged citizens live and she ends up on the mainland where she lives among the impoverished, filth, pollution, and crime. Strange that she forms two strong friendships there.
The plot becomes a bit of a mystery when Dare discovers monsters are more common than she thought plus other characters share information about her father that doesn’t match her memories of him. She thinks all monsters should be killed until they’re extinct but she learns others have contrasting thoughts about the existence of monsters. Some people, like Dare, think they are dangerous, vile monsters while others see these creatures as marvels. Dare’s feelings are a result of her upbringing and she’s never considered the possibility that the knowledge she has learned might be flawed. The monsters versus marvels conflict becomes the main focus of the plot and the author saves many surprises for later.
The author presents a cast of puzzling characters to develop more mystery and keep readers thinking. Gil is a boy who pops up whenever Dare needs help but she doesn’t believe anyone shows kindness without a reason. The book’s ending lends a curious twist to his character. Padgett, the owner of a popular theater, provides Dare with money and information about her father but she’s surprised to learn part of Padgett’s story is a lie. Nell is a young, popular performer in Padgett’s show but she becomes one of Dare’s closest allies. She helps with investigating the disappearance of Dare’s pet “chinchilla” and her fame and charm are valuable assets. However, Nell’s mother (Dare thinks of her as Foghorn) is a whole other story.
What didn’t work as well:
I hesitate to write in this section because the problem is in my own mind. Gil’s character always manages to come to Dare’s rescue before he goes off somewhere unknown. His character is quite compelling but there’s always a shroud of mystery surrounding him. The mystery is revealed in the end and I curse myself for not paying close enough attention to the clues along the way.
The Final Verdict:
Readers can form analogies between this story and the real world. The rich and powerful often control the narrative concerning issues so their lies may seem to be the truth. Rules don’t apply to them until someone refuses to let injustices go unchecked. Young readers will enjoy Dare’s character and her intriguing battle against influential people and politicians performing shady, loathsome atrocities. Overall, I highly recommend you give this book a shot!
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Daughters of Oduma
About This Book:
This is the life of the girls who compete in the Isle’s elite, all-female fighting sport of Bowing. But it isn’t really Dirt’s life anymore. At sixteen, she is old and has retired from competition. Instead, she spends her days coaching the younger sisters of the Mud Fam and dreading her fast-approaching birthday, when she’ll have to leave her sisters to fulfill whatever destiny the Gods choose for her.
Dirt’s young sisters are coming along nicely, and the Mud Fam is sure to win the upcoming South God Bow tournament, which is crucial: the tiny Fam needs the new recruits that come with victory. Then an attack from a powerful rival leaves the Mud without their top Bower, and Dirt is the only one who can compete in the tournament. But Dirt is old, out of shape, and afraid. She has never wanted to be a leader. Victory seems impossible—yet defeat would mean the end of her beloved Fam. And no way is Dirt going to let that happen.
*Review Contributed by Mark Buxton, Staff Reviewer*
What worked:
The author artfully crafts a rustic world where there’s a definite hierarchy of social levels. Bowers like Dirt and her four “sisters” are at the top and spend every day training for competitions. Bowing seems to be a form of sumo wrestling with a bower throwing her opponent to earn points or forcing them out of a circle of sandbags to end the match. Dirt is part of the Mud Fam and she’s the Second Sis in the clan. The First is expected to represent the Mud in the God Bowing tournament and this year’s results will be extra important. Dirt will soon become a woman and leave her sisters and they’re already at the minimum number to remain together. The winning Fam will inherit all of the new bowing recruits and the Mud Fam will disband without that happening.
The most interesting part of the story is Dirt’s character and her internal struggle to become a champion bower. She’s out of shape and unmotivated and one of her younger sisters can even kick her butt. On the other hand, she knows the importance of the God Bowing tournament and how her family’s survival is at stake. To not compete would insult the Mud Fam but her skills and moves are slow and clunky and she tires too easily. The First has confidence in her and offers unwavering compliments and support. So why does she listen to the doubting voice in her head that always leads her to defeat? She is brave. She is fat. She is Dirt. This is what she must remember.
Different chapters focus on different characters to provide various perspectives on the story. Dirt’s sisters love living in their Mud Fam but they’re uncertain about their futures. Swoo aspires to become a champion bower and she resents Dirt’s attitude toward the championship. Nana has dreams beyond bowing but tradition dictates the direction of her life. Verdi isn’t the First of the Vine Fam but she manipulates Carra Carre to do her bidding. Carra Carre is obsessed with winning to help her Vine Clan but Dirt eventually realizes they share some of the same vulnerabilities. Verdi’s distorted vision of future Fams will result in drastic changes and it requires sacrifices and destruction in its wake. The various points of view allow readers to develop an overall picture of conflicting events.
What didn’t work as well:
Part of the world-creation includes dialogue specific to the story so the vocabulary sometimes affects understanding. Readers should still be able to get the gist of what characters are saying but the exact ideas may require inferencing. That being said, a unique language is necessary in order to effectively immerse readers in the culture.
The Final Verdict:
The unique culture and conflicts in the story are highly engaging. The author crafts an emotional tale where the dramatic suspense builds to an epic climax between two formidable forces. Overall, I highly recommend you give this book a shot.
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The Great Texas Dragon Race
About This Book:
Thirteen-year-old Cassidy Drake wants nothing more than to race with her best dragon, Ranga, in the annual Great Texas Dragon Race. Her mother was a racing legacy, and growing up on her family’s dragon sanctuary ranch, Cassidy lives and breathes dragons. She knows she could win against the exploitative FireCorp team that cares more about corporate greed than caring for the dragons.
*Review Contributed By Mark Buxton, Staff Reviewer*
Sometimes, you can’t do it alone
What worked:
The plot is interesting as it’s related to a couple of current, real-world issues. The story is set in West Texas on a farm dedicated to protecting abused and lost animals. Okay, the animals in question are dragons but the focus on rescuing creatures from deplorable conditions and death is similar to actual dog shelters today. The nation’s largest oil company, FireCorp, is the main violator of dragon mistreatment and their attitude is that they can do whatever they want and solve any problems with money. FireCorp wants to buy the dragon sanctuary property in order to build another refinery. Big business versus the common man is a universal conflict in many novels.
The opening pages display pictures and brief descriptions of dragons appearing in the story. It’s not overly critical to memorize them but they’re nice to reference if readers desire. Cassidy rides a Polychromatic Dragon called Ranga that she rescued when he was quite little. He’s fast but unpredictable due to what I’ll call PTSD at the hands of FireCorp. The author blends real descriptions of the desolate, dangerous Texas desert with the make-believe world of dragons that will make readers feel like their part of the race. Water and food are scarce and wild dragons are an ever-present danger so the dragon race is also a survival test. Riders are required to perform dragon-ranching skills along the way as they receive hologram clues from past race winners telling them various destinations. However, the riders must be wary of dirty tricks and sabotage from their competitors.
Cassidy wants to win the race to help with her family’s money problems but other issues make the plot more intriguing. FireCorp has dominated the winners in past dragon races and this year’s team of riders continues to intimidate everyone else. However, their sabotage and shady tactics frequently target Cassidy more than others and they’re determined to keep her from winning. Is it because her deceased mother was a former champion, because they want to get her family’s dragon ranch, or is it because of another unknown reason? Cassidy has a bad experience with one of the FireCorp riders but he apologizes afterward and says that wasn’t really him. Cassidy is well aware that ALL of the dragon riders only care about themselves and winning so she’s very reluctant to trust any of the competitors.
What didn’t work as well:
This is pretty petty but the words used to describe dragon sounds are generic and don’t work. I’m looking for onomatopoeia or additional descriptions to really help readers experience the noises.
The Final Verdict:
The story is about a fun, deadly adventure in the Texas desert where problem-solving, survival skills, and perseverance are requirements to reach the finish line. Cassidy learns valuable lessons about teamwork, friendship, and what’s important and the author wraps up the conflict in an unexpected way. I recommend you give this book a shot.
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Skyriders
About This Book:
Wings of Fire meets Pax in this epic fantasy adventure set in a world where human and skysteed share a deep bond of friendship and love.
When monsters emerge to attack the empire, it’s up to Kiesandra and her beloved winged horse N’Rah to prove to herself and the imperial army that she has what it takes to lead them to victory . . . and survival.
Thirteen-year-old Kiesandra’s best friend isn’t human, but that doesn’t stop her from sharing jokes and secrets with her winged horse, N’Rah. She, like every other person with a skysteed, can communicate with N’Rah through her mind. Their bond is critical when one day, monsters from long ago reemerge to ravage a nearby village. No one knows how to fight the fearsome chimerae except Kie’s uncle . . . and now Kie.
Injured in the battle, Uncle Dug makes her promise to bring his attack plan and weapons to the capital. Kie reluctantly agrees. At the palace, she and N’Rah attempt to gain the trust of the royals and train the army in Dug’s lessons. But how can a young girl and her skysteed convince anyone that only they know how to defeat the deadly monsters?
Buzzing with action, heart, and friendship, this first book in the Skyriders series show that kids can achieve the impossible—especially with flying horses on their side.
*Review Contributed By Jan Farnworth, Staff Reviewer*
Knowledge is Power
What Worked:
Skyriders is an action-packed fantasy adventure for middle-grade readers with a young female character who must pluck up all her courage to change the grownups’ minds about war tactics before destroying her world. Kie and her sky horse N’rah are great characters to look up to and show that sometimes the younger crowd knows more than you think they do. Kie is tasked with convincing the king that his proven battle tactics against another foe will not work against the ancient chimera who has returned to destroy the world.
Final Verdict:
Kie learns a lot about challenging authority, bravery, and her unique talents as she attempts to share her grandfather fighting manual with the adults. Kie could easily have given up and returned to her life as a courier and let the king continue along his arrogant path, but instead, she persists. Kie has a lot of heart and is a strong female character who shows a lot of bravery against an evil monster. I am unsure if I could have bravely done what she did and still be alive to tell the tale. Skyriders is an adventure story with talking horses and would be a great summer read as we eagerly await the sequel.
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