The Slatebreakers Do Your Holiday Shopping: A Gift Guide

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Brianna

It’s that time of year again, when all of your favorite blogs post holiday gift guides – and Slatebreakers is joining in on the fun! As voracious readers and book bloggers, we find that books make excellent gifts. We brainstormed the best books to give to everyone on your list this year.

Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Review: Flora’s Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall, illustrated by Matt Phelan

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Brianna

Flora’s Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall. Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Clarion Books, 2010. Currently available.

Genre: Picture book

Face Value: Captivating! Phelan’s gorgeous artwork is so graceful and animated. There is a terrific sense of movement in this cover image, whisking Flora and Crispin off into the sky for their windy day adventure.  I love Flora’s half-smile – it is almost a smirk, and it conveys her sense of agreeable willingness to experience whatever adventure ensues.

Does it break the slate? It does! Flora is a determined little girl, and she is tired of dealing with her irritating little brother. She is clever enough to cook up a scheme that will get rid of him for good. However, in a crucial moment, Flora decides to save the day. She actually has to stand up to forces of nature (not exaggerating) to remedy the situation, but she does it and she does it well. It’s tough to be a good big sister, and Flora models that role in a Slatebreaking way.

Who would we give it to? Girls who have younger siblings that occasionally drive them up the wall! I am a big sister, and there were times when my sister made me feel crazy. (No offense to my sister Alanna, if you’re reading this. It was when you were very little. But sometimes you bit me, and once you threw my favorite shoes in the trash and covered them with applesauce.) Flora’s Very Windy Day models “sibling tolerance” in a unique way. This would also be a great seasonal book to read with preschool or kindergarten-aged children in the fall, because the pictures of orangey-red leaves and the fall clothing of the characters give it an autumnal feel. Continue reading →

Posted in Picture Books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review: Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Sarah

Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Simon Pulse, 2011 (Currently Available)

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Face Value: Ok, no. This is not acceptable. Publishers of Leila Sales’s books, we need to have a talk. This is great content you have going here. Seriously! These books are smart and it’s funny and it’s clever and realistic and about real girls with real problems who deal with them in real (if sometimes slightly wittier) ways. And yet what you’re selling is something totally stupid. Here is what Past Perfect is about: teens working as junior interpreters at historical reenactment villages; friendship; dating; the complexities of how we see/perceive/remember our first loves; ice cream. Here is what Past Perfect is not about: A girl in a raincoat closing her eyes and sticking her tongue out to catch imaginary chalk drawn raindrops. THERE ARE NO CHALK RAINDROPS IN THIS BOOK! THERE ISN’T EVEN ANY RAIN AND IF THERE WAS, CHELSEA WOULD HAVE TO BE WEARING HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE RAIN GEAR LIKE A BONNET OR SOMETHING.

I think what makes me particularly upset about this cover is that this book has so much good cover potential! I mean, there’s a ton of great content. And the whole concept – Modern Teen Working at Colonial Reenactment Village  – there’s SO MUCH to work with! Especially when you add in the war with the Civil War Reenactment Village down the road. I can just picture it. Publishers – please take note and come up with something fabulous for the paperback release. I am begging you.

Does it Break the Slate? Yes! Chelsea’s journey is profoundly realistic. A whole lot of girls are going to empathize with her, because who can’t identify with the feeling of not being over a relationship that ended before you wanted it to? And though she’s a little short-sighted at times, and hung up on all the wrong things, I couldn’t help but cheer for her as she grew up and got over Ezra over the course of the book. Her ability to grow up and start to see her first real relationship for what it really was is absolutely Slatebreaking. And, of course, for the times when she starts to doubt herself into a sulky, non-Slatebreaking hole, everyone should have a best friend like Fiona who can drag us out of it.

Who would we give it to? Leila Sales is a relatively new author, and I think she’s about to get a big fan following over the next couple years if she keeps writing books like these. She would be first on my list to hand to a reader who’s fond of Meg Cabot and Maureen Johnson and is looking for similarly well written yet lighthearted contemporary romance +. Or someone who really likes The Gilmore Girls. I find myself pretty confident that Leila Sales watched The Gilmore Girls.*

Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Review: Junonia by Kevin Henkes

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Brianna

Junonia by Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow Books, 2011. Currently available.

Genre: Middle Grade Realistic Fiction

Face Value: I love this cover. It’s recognizably a Kevin Henkes book (because who else would draw a seashell and a little girl like that?) but it’s also decidedly more grown up than his picture books. Holding this book makes me feel like I am at the beach.

Does it break the slate? Not, not really. And that’s too bad because this is a nice book. Alice is a smart little girl, but she’s not bold. She’s very passive. And this book gives just a snippet of Alice’s a life – a few days at the beach. We do not get to see Alice with her peers, so we have no idea how she would interact in that setting.

I want to point out that just because this book isn’t slatebreaking doesn’t mean that I don’t recommend it. It’s incredibly interesting, and really quite an impressive work from Henkes. It just doesn’t show a female character actively changing the circumstances around her.

Who would we give it to? I would give this book to introspective, young types. Anyone who summers (or winters) in a seaside setting might like this book for its rich description of the environment. I think it would make a great vacation book for a young reader. Continue reading →

Posted in Middle Grade, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Review: Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Sarah

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Viking, 2011 (currently available)

Genre: Fantasy

Face Value: This is a great cover. Love the illustration of the girl, love the white background and the use of color. No headless stock image here: the girl on this cover was clearly drawn by somebody who read the book first.

Does it Break the Slate? YES! Sunny Nwazue shatters the slate. In fact, she might be my new hero. This girl is tough – she has to be to deal with the teasing and harassment she gets from her schoolmates in Nigeria being both Albino and American raised, not to mention the dismissive treatment from her father and brothers. She’s also incredibly smart (best in her class), very practical, an all star soccer player, and one of the Leopard People (meaning she has magical abilities). She’s thoughtful, fierce and brave. If I had to fight a battle between good and evil, well, I would absolutely want Sunny on my side, not to mention the rest of her Oha coven.

Who would we give it to? I think I’d start with Harry Potter fans. Don’t get me wrong – Akata Witch is a fantastically unconventional story, and Nnedi Okorafor blends fantasy with realism in a totally original way, leaving you with a story like nothing you’ve come across before. Still, there are some serious Harry Potter elements at play. Sunny is an outcast, misunderstood and dismissed by her family and classmates. But when she discovers her powers and a community of others who share them, she embarks on a journey of learning how to use her juju, saves her friends and community and figures out a whole lot about herself in the process.  If you have any interest in fantasy, or in magical coming of age stories, I recommend that you get your hands on this book immediately. Plus, it’s always great to read a fantasy story that includes: 1) non-white characters 2) a non-American or European setting and 3) not only a strong female protagonist, but strong female supporting characters. Put it in your library today!

Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Review: Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Brianna

Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell. Little, Brown and Company, 2011. Currently available.

Genre: Picture book biography

Face Value: Little Jane is just the cutest thing, and she and her stuffed chimpanzee are front and center. This cover is charming and beautiful. It combines the cartoon styling and the vintage inspiration that makes the artwork in this book so unique. I especially love the expressive eyes on the animals in the background (although the lion looks like he may have just had an accident).

Does it break the slate? Yes! It is subtle, because this book is a quiet little story that would work well for one-on-one reading and cuddling with young readers. Although little Jane in the story is darling, she grows up to be a tremendously slatebreaking woman. I loved watching young Jane pursue her dreams and then wake up to see that they had come true. How terrific to have a picture book showing an adventurous little girl who grows up to be Jane Goodall, a huge influence in the scientific field.

Who would we give it to? This book is perfect for young animal lovers, or girls and boys with a sense of wonder about the natural world. If you have an outdoorsy type for a friend, and that person happens to have a kiddo, this would be a lovely gift for them to share with their child. Continue reading →

Posted in Picture Books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review: Flesh and Blood So Cheap by Albert Marrin

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Sarah

Flesh and Blood So Cheap by Albert Marrin
Random House, 2011 (Currently Available)

Genre: Nonfiction

Face Value: THIS is how to do a nonfiction cover. On top of an eye-catching title, Flesh & Blood So Cheap boasts one of the best covers I’ve seen in awhile, the kind that makes you want to pick it up and look carefully. So nice to see an image that’s not a stock photo, but a carefully selected image of young women working in a factory. And the flames creeping up along the side give the exact right terrifying effect without being gruesome. This is a cover to turn outward on the shelves of your library, bookstore or personal collection, because it’s going to grab attention.

Does it Break the Slate? Yes, I think it really does. Historically speaking, we’re dealing with Slatebreaking subject matter, but beyond that I felt that Marrin did an excellent job here of framing this book to really focus on the women who worked, fought and died throughout the buildup to the fire, the tragedy and it’s aftermath. This is a story about women who died because women, immigrants and poor people weren’t treated as well as people of privilege. Albert Marrin acknowledges that fact, and contextualizes it into the present as well. This book is a great example of a “feminism as human rights” narrative, very worth reading.

Who would we give it to? That’s a little trickier. The subject matter and presentation are fascinating, but the book itself is pretty wordy. It offers great information for a kid who’s already interested in the content, but I wouldn’t offer this up without some previous interest in the topic.

Continue reading →

Posted in Middle Grade, Nonfiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Review: Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Brianna

Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming. Viking, 2010. Currently available.

Genre: Middle Grade Non-Fiction

Face Value: I have a penchant for all things vintage, and this terrific cover evokes 1930s print advertisements in homage to Amelia’s media heyday. I like it and I think it will look good on a shelf. I am glad that the cover features Amelia standing atop an airplane. It could have been one of those famous portraits of her in the Lindbergh-style aviator cap, but we are fortunate enough to get an image of Amelia standing tall with the machine that liberated her, defined her, and ultimately ended her.

Does it break the slate? Yes yes yes! This biography focuses on Amelia’s push to find independence. We see how Amelia persuaded her family to support her aviation career, and how she abandoned more traditional career opportunities to become an aviatrix and media superstar. Admirably, Fleming also addresses Amelia’s progressive views on marriage and her unconventional relationship with George Putnam in a way that is appropriate and clear for young readers. Fleming fully acknowledges Earhart’s feminist tendencies and points out the many ways in which she defied cultural expectations.

Who would we give it to? This would be an excellent reading option for those girls who like to break rules or do things that border on dangerous. Amelia’s adventurous nature becomes infectious through Fleming’s biography, and I could easily see a young woman asking for flying lessons after reading this book. I think the best audience for this book is right around the middle school age level. Continue reading →

Posted in Middle Grade, Nonfiction, Reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Review: The Trouble with May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Sarah

The Trouble With May Amelia, Jennifer L. Holm
Atheneum, 2011 (currently available)

Genre: Historical Fiction

Face Value: Yikes. This cover is pretty bad. I mean, on the one hand, I appreciate that I can see the girl’s face. But on the other hand, this stock photo of a girl holding a chicken photoshopped over a nondescript landscape doesn’t speak much to what actually happens in the book. If you needed any more clues about how unexceptional this is, look no further than this upcoming tile from Egmont:

And the worst part of this cover? A closer look at the girl reveals not only overalls with undeniably contemporary stitching and buttonholes, but a pink bra strap. It’s 1900 and May Amelia is the only daughter in a family of boys that’s barely getting by in a tiny logging town. Are you kidding me with this? You would think that a sequel to a Newbery Honor book might merit more thoughtful and appropriate cover art.

Does it Break the Slate? Yes! May Amelia is dictionary-definition Slatebreaker (well if Slatebreaker was in the dictionary anyway). Cover aside, we’re dealing with a fantastic main character here. May Amelia is tough and loyal and in possession of a remarkable work ethic and enough good humor to survive being the only girl in a family full of boys.

Who would we give it to? If you like historical fiction, you’re almost guaranteed to like this book. Jennifer Holm has a remarkable gift for crafting historical novels and anyone who read and liked Our Only May Amelia, Holm’s first book about this character (based on her own family history) will enjoy hearing more of her story, but you don’t need to have read the first book to enjoy the second one.

Review:

“We live on the Nasel River in the state of Washington. It is 1900 and I Am in Trouble Again.”

With these words, we are drawn into the word of May Amelia Jackson. If you read Our Only May Amelia, you know that May Amelia is the youngest child and only girl in a Finnish family full of boys that farms along the Nasel River in Washington State in the late 19th/early 20th century. Picking up more or less where the first one left off, this book documents more of May Amelia’s triumphs and struggles as she fights to define her place in her family. Continue reading →

Posted in Middle Grade, Reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Review: The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Brianna

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. Hyperion Books for Children, 2007. Currently available.

Genre: Middle Grade Science Fiction. No, not really. Speculative Fiction. Ummm, no, it’s not that either. Humorous Fiction? I give up. It’s unclassifiable. Just know that it is really, really good.

Face Value: It’s futuristic and attention-getting. The comic-inspired, space age artwork continues throughout the novel. And it’s all done by the author, Adam Rex! (He writes and draws, folks. We have a winner.)

Side note about the cover: When I first heard about this novel, I was surprised to learn that the protagonist was a young female. I wasn’t getting a “girl reader vibe” from the cover art.  But then I realized that I love this cover because it is gender neutral and doesn’t feature pink sparkles or fiery dragons or anything else that would target an obvious reader group. It doesn’t scream sci-fi either, even though the story incorporates elements from that genre.

Does it break the slate? This book breaks the slate, crams the broken pieces into a jetpack, and shoots them into outer space. Gratuity Tucci, the central character and primary Slatebreaker of this story, is incredibly resourceful and great at getting out of scrapes. She manages to survive in dire situations despite depleted resources and lack of adult assistance. Gratuity also shows great compassion as she becomes acquainted with a character from another culture. She chooses to ignore stereotypes and take the time to learn what the Boov are really like. It’s impressive to see a heroine model such excellent intercultural understanding. We also witness Gratuity’s mom, Lucy, go through a Slatebreaking transformation at the end of the book, which is both surprising and gratifying.

Who would we give it to? There are a few young readers I know who are addicted to reading sci-fi novels and are reluctant to read anything else. I think that I could slip this book into their to-read pile and they would be willing to give it a try. I would also give this to any teen with a sparkling wit and sarcastic sense of humor.

Review: I love a child character who is self-sufficient. If you can write a fictional kid who can survive without adults in a time of crisis, you’ve got a character that young readers will connect with and admire. Independence is one of the great desires of childhood. I remember those moments as a kid when I read about young characters that were able to take care of themselves, and I was so envious. I had déjà vu with those feelings while reading The True Meaning of Smekday. Continue reading →

Posted in Middle Grade, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment