1. Home for the Holidays: This got the number one spot because it brings the biggest plot twist and potential status quo changer in the form of Katie and Maddy bonding in New York. There’s also the possibility that she’ll move to NY permenantly to live with her father and boring Beth so Maddy really begins to question whether she wants to continue her time as cheerleader or go back to her artistic roots. So yes, a lot of plot done here that moves Maddy’s characterization and the story along. Also Laine’s crush on Dustin Parker (a clear Justin Bieber ripoff) is just hilarious here.
2. Confessions of a Wannabe Cheerleader: I love Evan’s work here in creating such a distinct, cheerleading obssessed voice in Maddy when she fails during her Titan’s tryout and ends up on the dreaded B-team. But as she is the most cheer-happy person on this side of California she puts in the work to make this ragtag group into cheer boot camp experts. I admire how Maddy begins to see each of her teammates more than the losers she first saw them as but as people (with some coordination problems). It also has a decent mother-daughter subplot as she rebels against her mother’s smothering and Maddy gains a new cheerleader friend in the form of Jacqui that bolster her self-esteem after her disasterous tryout.
Mia’s Boiling Point: This takes a well-treaded upon subject. Mean girls. But there are different types of mean girls and Olivia Allen is lying, using drama queen. She’s the type whose charismatic so Mia is inadvertedly drawn to her web with their shared love of fashion and Mia understanding the perils of being a new girl gives her too many benefits of the doubt. But Simon does an excellent job in depicting the separation between sneaky insults and genuine mistakes and setting boundaries when splitting from the mean girl’s web and her potential wrath.
Makes a Rainbow: Honestly this one was always my favorite was because I love rainbows. So man colors and Ms. Frizzle shares how the color spectrum interacts with the eye and how we perceive color. Which is a good thing too because they need to know their rainbow magic in order to help Ms. Frizzle save her arcade game from the Principle.
Takes a Dive: This book introduces another infamous Frizzle ancestor, her great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-greatgrandfather Red Beard was a pirate and for their field trip, they’re gonna find his sunken treasure! On the way they turn into various sea animals and learn about aquatic ecosystems and symbosi.
Wet All Over: The group takes a field trip through the water cycle and is quite memorable to me for how they end up in the water faucet, scaring Arnold’s poor crush for life.
Going Batty: Ms. Frizzle’s outfits are always creative but this one takes the cake during Parent-Teeacher Conferance Night. No wonder Ralph is convinced that Mrs. Frizzle is part of the vampire spieces. Of course, he’s seen one too many Dracula movies but the kids and parents learn a bit about bats, ecolocation and more on the way.
Gets Cold Feet: Liz has disappeared and the kids are sure Ms. Frizzle know where the lizard is and follow her to a upscale terrenium hotel where they not only learn a bit about Liz’s biology but that of all other cold blooded creatures.
1. The Slippery Slope This gets number one spot for not only having the suspense of Sunny’s second kidnapping (or perhaps third) but placed in very real danger on the aforementioned slippery slopes. Not to mention, finally seeing the Quagmire triplets again with a rather sweet, censored interaction between Violet and Quigley allowing some happiness for those unfortunate orphans. Also Olaf and Esme adopt Carmalita and it’s as hilarious and horrible as you can imagine.
2. The Penultimate Peril: If a book has a trial in it, I’m sure ot like it and this was no exception as the Bauldiares and Olaf go on trial in a kangaroo court. A rather confused kangaroo court but that only adds to the humor when every ridiculous character gets their chance onto the stand. Plus as it is the 12th book, we get to some very important information regarding the occupation of the Bauldiare parents, the V.F. and we finally meet Kit Snicket.
3. The Austure Academy: An important book that introduces the Quagmire triplets and Carmalita, this is one where the Bauldiares really begin to earnestly investigate the V.F. and find some steadfast allies as they do so.
4. The Grim Grotto: I heartily enjoyed this nautical change of pace with Fiona and the Captain onboard the submarine. Even though it ends up a bit of a red herring as the kids do not find the truth they were looking for. But it provides several important items that will be relevant in later books.
5. The Erastz Elevator: This one was just funny to me even though its another sad chapter in the Bauldiares’ tragic lives. But poor Jerome’s spineless personality along with Esme’s maniacal evil pair-up with Olaf is always surpremely entertaining to me.
1. Charmed Forces: As a super special, this one gets number one as it provides double the fun and some magical surprises when Alyssa, my favorite of the campers, finds a crystal that really does seem to gift her with prophetic dreams. I enjoy the bit of magical realism as well as putting the spotlight on the shyer, more artistic character. Literally as her new “powers” makes her Miss Popular at camp but soon backfire when she misinterprets a dream wrong. I enjoyed the fun as well as the conflict, not to mention the forshadowing of the bittersweet ending of summer.
2. Wish You Weren’t Here: At Camp Lakeview, Sarah is able to be the athletic superstar. A team player and all around pal. Nothing like her more introverted, bookish self at home. At camp, she feels free but then a classmate from school joins camp, disrupting the separation between home and summer and threatens to expose her “nerdish” side of her “real life”. Now she feels she must answer for hiding herself away to home, a fact that she resents and takes out on when Phoebe when she reasonably asks her why she never tries out for sports at home. I enjoyed how
3. Grace’s Twist: Grace is feeling left behind as her friend Alex bonds with other girls in the cabin so Grace is drawn to Tori as a semi-replacement BFF when Alex is busy. However, Tori’s bossy nature is a bad influence on Grace as she neglects her summer school work and almost puts the cabin at risk during a nightly prank. A good story about setting boundaries and recognizing toxic friendships. Also sweet in how the Cabin 4A girls help Grace combat her reading boredom so she’s able to go on the waterpark trip.
4. RSVP: Technically does not take place at camp but it’s a Cabin 4A reunion when Natalie and her friends arrange for them to meet up in New York. However, things go a bit haywire from Natalie feeling disconnected from Alyssa who doesn’t vibe with Natalie’s friends from school to Chelsea on the defense when the girls find out about her father’s cancer diagnosis. Like above, I enjoy how Morgan is able to balance the varying POVs, and the differing personalities and dynamics that make up such a close knit group in the midst of friendship and growing pains.
5. Best (Boy) Friend: Priya and Jordan have long been best friends but they’re teens now and there are expectations. Everyone thinks they got the hots for each other but Priya doesn’t. She’s sure she doesn’t so why does it annoy her that Jordan is hanging out with Sarah a lot more now. Morgan does a nice job in portraying the tricky balance between boys and girls as friends, romance and the confusion of feelings as Priya begins to believe her feelings are actually infuation thanks to everyone planting the idea in her head. Plus Jordan and Priya are able to have a pretty mature conversation about their relationship and feelings.
1. Everyone’s a Critic: This book comes at number one because of the major shift in character development and aspirations for the series’ protagonist, Bryan Stark. And it’s only the second episode! Bryan has always wanted to be an actor, not on Meryl Streap-level, that’s his best friend’s Sam’s perogative but he is fine with the idea of becoming a character actor with steady income of supporting roles. He’s an observer by nature. But that dream goes to pieces when famed Hollywood director and critic comes to Orion Academy’s Summer Stock and brutally rips apart everyone’s auditions. Sam is too practiced. Hope is too broad, only good for comedy. And Bryan. Bryan gets no critique at all because Blackstone proclaims he will never be an actor.
From there, Bryan spirals in his life’s focus and no one cna get their head in the game for their second audition, an ensamble piece that is supposed to help two students clinche the chance of working with Blackstone. You can see the series is living up to its name and it’s thoroughly enjoyable in not only exploring what it means when confronted with your dreams being too unrealistic to pursue but resolves Bryan’s crisis with a new goal that was in him all along.
Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescues by Laurie Zeleski
This lovely memoir combines the thoughtful examination of ‘s life with her mother after she escaped her abusive husband with her kids to create an animal rescue with stories of the animal residents that occupy her farm.
I enjoy the narrative she weaves around her parents, the complexities of having a mother providing such an independent and compassionate role model while also having some pretty big lapses when it comes to the men in her life. Same with her father who continues to be an erractic presence in her life. She also tackles the highs and lows of caring for an elderly parent as well taking over and expanding the farm, providing reason for why we should treat humans and animals with compassion.
The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
1. Best Friends and Drama Queens: This was really enjoyable as it was relatable. the new girl, Cheyenne seems super cool and everyone wants to befriend her including Allie and her group. Her stories about Canada (ah the days when you were young and Canada seemed as far away as Europe) and latest fashion make her awe-inspiring and she enjoys the power she weilds over he other girls. She chooses who’s cool and who isn’t and sets Allie in her sights as an immature baby for not wanting a boyfriend yet. I enjoyed the message Cabot sends in learning to stand up for yourself and not bowing to peer pressure as Allie finds comfort in her real friends against Cheyenne’s nastiness.
1. Out of Sight, Out of Mind: This was one of the first big changes in Abby Hayes’ world with Jessica moving to live with her Dad and step-family. Not only is Abby losing her best friend but her other friend, Natalie is drifting away from her leaving Abby isolated and lonely. I really enjoyed the real life lesson here about fading friendships as well as the small sadness at realizing Jessica has truy changed over the months and her old relationships won’t ever be the same. It’s not a big conflict but its a relatable one that I think all kids could connect with at one time or another.
2. Everything New under the Sun: This one is a bit more cliche as Abby encounters her cousin Cleo while staying with her dear old Gram over the summer. Cleo is everything she think she’s not, sophiscated, rich, a total-know it all with a laptop that she’s dying to have. Meanwhile, Cleo thinks she’s a slob, over-talkative and rude. They’re both writers too so they inevitably compeate in their writing program and for their Grandma’s praise. As you can imagine, they learn to find common ground but I think the choice in having them work together on a flip book to be creative and quite funny. Also maybe I have some nostalgia goggles here so its humor and my sentimentality bring it to the top 5.
Just in time for the holiday season, I didn’t get to any Christmas romances but. .
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
With all those Christmas romances, here’s a Hannakuh surprise! Sort of. Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a rare Jewish MC with a huge secret. Her bestselling books are Christmas romances. Yes, she’s a Christmas junkie with their reindeer, peppermint sticks and happily ever afters by the fire with a cup of cocoa.
But when her editor suggests she tries a Hannuku romance to reflect her own faith, she comes at a complete block. While Hannakuh is moving, it’s origins and its celebration do not lend itself to mistletoe kisses or any sort of cheer. So she agrees to help at a fundraising “Matzah Ball” in hopes of finding inspiration.
She isn’t expecting to meet Jacob Greenberg, who is doing his best to make the most successful 8-day celebration ever. He certainly wasn’t expecting Rachel to offer to help as they both tightly hold to their summer camp grudges against each other.
While Rachel may not see much to be jolly during Hannakuh, this was a very joyful book. It helps that Rachel and Jacob may hold some bitterness about their ill-fated summer romance and breakup when they were teens, they are able to connect better as adults especially as Rachel reveals her secrets. Not just the Christmas one but her chronic fatigue syndrome that makes 8-day volunteering more than a bit exhautsing but crippling after awhile. Nonetheless, together he helps to cheer her and break through her resentment against herself and her body and her fear that holds her back.
Jacob had his own troubles but honestly, his story kinda faded in the background compared to Rachel. That was a bit disappointing as a good romance in my opinion would make me equally interested in both MCs as an individual and a couple. However, the book is clearly steeped in the traditions of Juddaism, showing that it may not have the iconic sleigh-ball rides with your sweethearts, it does bond family and community.
Even though the idea that these two would still be so hung up on their romance from years seems a bit unbelievable, I enjoyed the premise focusing on a different holiday romance.
#andrewnette, #dangerousvisionsandnewworlds, #drawnandquarterly, #enoughalready, #funnyfarm, #gabriellemoss, #graphicnovel, #ianmcintyre, #issarae, #julieleung, #lauriezeleski, #memoir, #nonfiction, #paperbackcrush, #quirkbooks, #rachelreads&reviews, #simon&schuster, #st.martinspress, #themisadventuresofawkwardblackgirl, #tianveasna, #valeriebertinelli, #whenthelightsarebrightagain, #whodiditfirst, #yearoftherabbit
Rachel Reads & Reviews 