Book Review – Refugee: The Graphic Novel by Alan Gratz

  

 Refugee: The Graphic Novel by Alan Gratz is a graphic novel about three young refugees searching for safety and freedom and the invisible thread that connects them.

Josef is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany with his family. When his father is captured and released from a concentration camp, the family decides they need to leave the country. They find safe passage and board a ship to Cuba on the other side of the world.

Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. The country is plagued by riots and political unrest. She and her family set out on a raft after her father was beaten for participating in a political demonstration. They hope to find safety in America.

Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015, and his homeland is being destroyed by violence and war. After a missile destroys their home and nearly kills them, he and his family decide to emigrate to Europe.

The graphic novel is beautifully written and illustrated. It alternates among each child’s point of view. The author and illustrator do a great job showing their emotional and harrowing journey, filled with dangers. It is an informative and timely read that helps young readers develop empathy and understanding for others.

 

Book Review – The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts

  

 The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts follows the unlikely friendship between two women, Delilah Evans and Emma Mullet, as they try to heal after the deaths of their children.

Delilah is the wife of an African American preacher. After the loss of her young son, Carver, her family moves from Montgomery, Alabama, to Sinking Creek, Pennsylvania, in search of a fresh start. Consumed by grief and despair, Delilah has little interest in connecting with others, especially her neighbor, Emma, a reclusive Amish woman.

Emma is burdened by her own struggles. She feels estranged from her tight-knit Amish community due to the secrets she carries and is deeply isolated in her grief. However, her trauma and regrets ultimately create a bridge between her and Delilah, allowing an unexpected friendship to form.

Meanwhile, Delilah’s eldest daughter, Sparrow, believes she is responsible for her younger brother’s death and is overwhelmed with guilt. When the tension at home becomes unbearable, she turns to Emma for comfort. Emma grows fond of Sparrow and begins to see her as the daughter she always wanted. But Sparrow is also keeping secrets, ones that could threaten to unravel everything.

This book can be a heartbreaking read at times, but it is also filled with themes of love, forgiveness, and friendship. The writing is beautiful and evocative. I did feel conflicted while reading, though. While I liked many of the characters, I struggled to empathize with Delilah. She was often quick to blame others for her son’s death and seemed unwilling to extend forgiveness or understanding. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but overall, I would still be open to reading more from this author.

Book Review –Maysoon Zayid, the Girl Who Can Can by Seema Yasmin

 

Maysoon Zayid, the Girl Who Can Can by Seema Yasmin is about Maysoon Zayid, a woman with cerebral palsy who dreamed of becoming a dancer.

Maysoon Zayid was born in New Jersey and grew up with three older sisters. She often felt like she lived in their shadow, but she had big dreams of making a name for herself. She wanted to become a comedian, dancer, and actress.

Achieving those goals was not easy. As a Palestinian Muslim girl born with cerebral palsy, Maysoon faced many challenges and obstacles. Despite the opposition she encountered, she refused to give up. Instead, she followed her passions and eventually became one of America's first Muslim women comedians, as well as an actress on one of her favorite television shows.

The book is a short, quick read with cute black-and-white illustrations. I found it interesting and well written. I especially liked that it focused on a woman of color with a disability, as those stories are not always widely represented. I think this book would be a great choice for young readers because it is both inspirational and encouraging. It highlights the importance of following your dreams, even when they seem impossible, while also teaching readers not to judge or treat people differently based on their appearance or abilities.

One thing I noticed was that the book mentions Maysoon being Muslim, but it doesn't really discuss how she practices her faith or how it influenced her journey. I'm not sure whether that was intentional or simply outside the scope of the story. Overall, I enjoyed the book and am curious to see who will be featured next in the series.

Book Review – The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff

 

  

The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff is about a young girl, Penelope Weaver, who is excited to attend Anaximander’s Academy, a school where students discover who they are meant to be.

Penelope has spent her entire life looking forward to the day she can finally attend Anaximander’s Academy. The school teaches students about Greek mythology and helps them discover which Greek god’s principles they embody most strongly. Through their studies, students learn who they are meant to become and are guided toward serving as patrons of their chosen god.

Penelope is certain that her patron god will be Athena, just like the rest of her family. She is intelligent, practical, and always follows the rules. However, when Penelope and her twin brother, Paris, arrive at the academy, things do not go as planned.

Instead of being placed with Athena, Penelope is assigned to Aphrodite, whose students have a reputation for partying and carefree behavior. Her experience only becomes more frustrating when her assigned muse is rarely around to help, and the task she is given seems impossible to complete. What was supposed to be the experience of a lifetime quickly becomes overwhelming, and Penelope finds herself wishing she could leave. As she struggles to adapt, an unexpected event sets off a chain of dangerous consequences. Will Penelope be able to rise to the occasion and save the day before it’s too late?

I was torn on this book. I really liked the premise, but I wasn’t a fan of the execution. It felt like there was always something happening to Penelope, and every time she had a moment to breathe, another crisis immediately appeared. I also felt like the book introduced a lot of interesting ideas without fully explaining them. Strange or unusual events would happen, and the characters would acknowledge them with an “Oh, that’s interesting,” but then there would be little to no follow-up or explanation.

I also didn’t like how quickly problems were resolved before the story rushed on to the next urgent situation. As a result, many plot points felt underdeveloped. I thought it was weird that her family were Athenas, but they barely made time for the first day of school, nor did they prepare for it. When something went wrong and they were rushing, their excuse was, "we thought it would be a nice surprise." That seems contrary to the Athena's ethos. 

Another issue I had was the lack of worldbuilding. I wanted to know more about the school, its history, the people who attended it, and how the gods fit into this world. The book had a lot of potential, but it often felt like the author introduced too many half-developed ideas and hoped something would stick.

While I was initially interested in continuing the series, I’m hesitant to pick up the second book because I’m worried it will suffer from the same issues and rely on another half-baked premise.

 

Book Review – Golden Boy by A. J. Symon

 

Golden Boy is about a young girl, Emma Branch, who will do anything to save her dog. Emma is a teenage genius who loves science and spends much of her time caring for the animals on her family farm. She is used to feeling like the odd one out among her family and classmates, especially since everyone around her seems obsessed with football. Emma doesn't mind spending time alone as long as she has her best friend, her golden retriever, Hudson.

Hudson was the last gift her mother gave her before she passed away. Emma promised her mother that she would always look after him, so when Hudson is involved in an accident, she is devastated. She cannot bear the thought of losing her only friend and her last connection to her mother. Determined to save him, Emma is willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means testing an experimental drug on him. However, instead of helping Hudson heal, the drug turns him human. Emma must find a way to help Hudson before it's too late.

The book is a cute and entertaining read. However, I was a bit confused about the time period and how Emma was able to access some of the chemicals needed to create the drug. For much of the story, I did not realize it was set in modern times because there was very little mention of electronics or other aspects of contemporary life. It also caught me off guard that the Branch family seemed to hold some fairly antiquated views about family roles and values.

Setting aside the implausibility of creating such a drug in a classroom lab, I still found the story enjoyable. It was fun watching Emma come out of her shell and develop stronger relationships with her family and classmates, even if she could be a little annoying at times. The book also offers positive messages about treating others fairly, allowing people to shine in their own ways, and showing grace and understanding.

Readers who love golden retrievers will especially enjoy this story. Hudson's antics provide plenty of humor and charm, making the book a fun treat for animal lovers.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.