Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger

 

Over the last few days, I read Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger. The prequel to Elatsoe, this fantasy novel is about Shane, a seventeen-year-old Lipan Apache girl who helps her mom, Lorenza, track down missing persons with their two living dogs, Neal and Nealey, and ghost dog, Nellie, in an alternate version of 1970s Texas in which extradimensional magic and supernatural beings, like fae and vampires, exist. When two siblings, Donnie and Bobby Park, vanish along the railroad tracks running behind their house in Less Crossing, Lorenza leaves to investigate but disappears herself. With the help of her younger brother, Marcos, and unreliable Grandpa Louis, they discover a mysterious group of mimic rings that look like fairy rings. Although Shane is able to find Donnie quickly in the Ozarks when she is accidentally transported by one of the mimic rings, Bobby and Lorenza are still missing. Over the next week, Shane, Marcos, Grandpa Louis, Donnie, Donnie's grandparents, and Shane's friend, Amelia, work together to figure out where Bobby and Lorenza are, or if they're even together, and rescue them. As they learn more from the people they meet along their journey, Shane begins to realize that Bobby and Lorenza may not be anywhere in this world or place in time.

Although I generally like books that mix fantasy and mystery elements, I was a tiny bit apprehensive before reading this book, but it was much better than I expected. I especially loved the world building, which was inspired by Lipan Apache oral history. Shane was an amazing character and I admired her determination to find her mom and Bobby no matter what it took. Her story was especially emotional because her family was displaced after Hurricane Alda flooded their home in la rancheria de los Lipanes and her father and three of her grandparents soon passed away. I also liked how the story took Shane to different parts of America. The road trip to Tanner, Colorado, was especially revealing because they visited the location of the Longfire Incident with Dr. Richards, a man who had done biological research relating to what exactly happened there. Additionally, I enjoyed Shane's friendships with Donnie and Amelia and her relationship with Marcos, and it felt realistic when she confronted Grandpa Louis about abandoning her family. The one part of Sheine Lende that I'm not sure how I feel about is the very end because I found it somewhat cryptic regarding Shane's mom. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm not going to say anything else besides that I did like how the epilogue connected to Elatsoe, the original book in the series. The line drawings at the beginning of each chapter were a nice touch, as well. Finally, I read an advance uncorrected proof and there's a note on the title in the back of the book. As a young adult fantasy, I recommend Sheine Lende to mature middle school students who enjoy fantastical stories that mix mystery and adventure with alternate history.

Facing the Enemy: How a Nazi Youth Camp in America Tested a Friendship

 

Over the weekend, I read Facing the Enemy: How a Nazi Youth Camp in America Tested a Friendship by Barbara Krasner. This historical fiction novel in verse is about Tommy Anspach and Benjy Puterman, two teenage boys who are growing up in Newark, New Jersey, in the 1930s. Despite the fact that Benjy is Jewish American and Tommy is German American, they are best friends, at least until Tommy's dad forces him to start going to Camp Nordland, a camp for kids with German parents that opens in July 1937. Tommy doesn't realize that it's a Nazi youth camp, but he quickly learns that Jews are the enemy. Meanwhile, Benjy is hurt by the loss of his best friend and decides to form a version of the Newark Minutemen, an anti-Nazi vigilante group, for teens to help close down Camp Nordland. Over the next few years, Benjy hopes that Tommy will abandon his extremist beliefs so that they can be friends again, but they continue to grow apart until a series of events convinces Tommy to run away from the camp.

This book was such a compelling read and I devoured it because I had no idea there were actual Nazi youth camps in the United States during the late 1930s and early 1940s. I enjoyed how the author told the story from both Benjy's and Tommy's perspectives because it showed the impact of Nazism on young people on both sides. It's a highly relevant topic these days because I've heard about teenage boys being exposed to right-wing extremism on the Internet. It seems like although the methods have changed, young people have always been targeted by those who don't have their best interests at heart. I thought that was interesting. It was heartbreaking as Benjy fought for their friendship, even though Tommy refused him so many times. There were definitely moments I wasn't sure if it was worth it because Tommy said some things that were downright cruel. I desperately wanted them to repair their friendship, though, and continued to hope that Tommy would see the light. The climax of the story was actually pretty terrifying, revealing just how horrible the camps were, but it showed how Benjy would do anything for Tommy. Benjy's courage and forgiveness were definitely the highlights of the story. I also liked how some of the poems gave historical context to the story by describing what was happening in Europe at the time. The copy I read is an advance uncorrected proof and the back matter includes an epilogue describing what happened after Camp Nordland closed, images, an author's note explaining her inspiration, a glossary, a timeline of events, source notes, a bibliography, a list for further reading/viewing, and picture credits. Facing the Enemy is a powerful story and anyone who enjoys friendship stories and/or World War II fiction should read it.

You Are Here: Connecting Flights edited by Ellen Oh

 

This week, I read You Are Here: Connecting Flights edited by Ellen Oh. This realistic fiction story collection is about twelve young Asian Americans who all happen to be in a crowded Chicago airport on the same date when flights are delayed and cancelled due to a thunderstorm. The series of events kicks off when Paul's grandma brings her late husband's ashes in a coffee canister through the TSA checkpoint without declaring what she's carrying to an airport official. Paul's sister, Jessie, wanders off by herself in the midst of the chaos and rumors begins to spread throughout the airport, impacting the young Asian Americans and their families. As their paths cross in the airport, they meet fellow travelers that are helpful or hostile and grow from their experiences, discovering courage and belonging.

This book was such a fun read because it reminded me of Grounded by Aisha Saeed, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, and S.K. Ali, a book I read two years ago. Airports are definitely a great setting for a story because a lot of crazy events can happen. While Grounded is about Muslim kids, You Are Here focuses on kids whose family roots are in East and Southeast Asia. Unlike most of the story collections I've read, all of the stories in You Are Here are interconnected. It's similar to a traditional novel, but a different author wrote each of the chapters. You definitely can't skip any because the main character from one story may make a cameo appearance in one or more of the other stories. I also liked how several of characters found the courage to stand up to racism even though they're just kids. Some of the characters needed courage to speak up to family and friends, as well. For example, Mindy wasn't ready to go to Korea with her dads and Natalie got into a serious argument with her friend, Beth. While I enjoyed all the stories, the one with the most unique format was Ari's, narrated completely in lists. Out of the boys, I loved Paul's relationship with his grandma and Jae made the right decision to leave the employee break room to look for Jessie and return her to her family, even though he didn't have permission. Jae's interactions with Jessie were very sweet and I was relieved when he wasn't in too much trouble after the ordeal. The stories demonstrate how Asian Americans have variety of interests, too. While Lee plays guitar, AJ plays basketball, as just two examples. The last story, which is about Soojin, ties everything together nicely and is among the most emotional in the collection. I felt so bad that Soojin and her mom were moving to Korea even though Soojin really didn't want to leave her dad and New York. For most of the story, I wasn't sure that things would work out in her favor, but the climax ended up being fantastic. Finally, I would like to note that You Are Here factors in the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Asian Americans, which I think was very important to show because it's been a huge part of their experiences in recent years. At the end of the book, there is a note from the editor that explains the inspiration behind this story collection. Overall, You Are Here is a wonderful choice for anyone and can be an excellent conversation starter between children and adults.

The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle by Taryn Souders

 

Last weekend, I read The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle by Taryn Souders. This mystery is about Grady Judd, a boy who lives in the small town of Gifton, Georgia, and inherits a sampler from the town eccentric, Eudora "Kooky" Klinch, after she passes away and includes him in her will. The first night that Grady and his dad are in possession of the sampler, someone tries to break into their home. Grady's dad has been struggling to make ends meet ever since Grady's mama died, so he asks Grady the next day to take the sampler to the Hairless Monkey to pawn it, but Grady is reluctant because the note left with it explained that it's a treasure map and he wants to save his family from having to move. Grady hides the sampler in his ammo box, puts his mama's Civil War replica in the original frame, and brings it to the Hairless Monkey instead. With help from his friends, Thad and Clemmie, and the town dog, Ophelia, he works on solving the riddles from the sampler to find the treasure. When the Hairless Monkey is burglarized overnight and its co-owner, Arliss McGinter, ends up dead after a confrontation with the intruder, Grady realizes that his life might be at stake as he continues his search for the treasure.

Reading this book was so exciting for me because it combined a treasure hunt with a murder mystery. It was suspenseful and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the reveal of who was responsible for Arliss's murder because they wanted the treasure map so badly. There were several suspicious characters, but they felt like red herrings and I was genuinely surprised by who actually did it. I was also rooting hard for Grady to find the treasure because I didn't want him to have to move away from his friends. The book didn't end exactly how I expected, but it was still super satisfying. All of the characters had unique personalities and I loved the small town setting because everyone knows everyone. It seemed like it would be hard to keep a secret like murder for very long. Additionally, I liked how the story incorporated the real-life history of the War of Jenkins's Ear, which was a lesser known conflict between the British and the Spanish that happened before the American Revolution. I had never heard of it before, so I was fascinated reading the section about it after the last chapter. The back matter includes a list for further reading, as well. I recommend The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle to anyone who enjoys a mystery with both treasure and murder.

It Found Us by Lindsay Currie

 

Yesterday, I finished reading It Found Us by Lindsay Currie. This horror novel is about Hazel Woods, a 12-year-old girl who wants to launch a podcast called What Hazel Knows and enjoys solving mysteries even if some consider it snooping. After she overhears her brother, Den, on the phone talking to his best friend, Everett, about going to the graveyard for a game of hide-and-seek, she secretly follows him that evening because she wants to figure out if it's really haunted. When the game ends and Hazel and Den see no sign of Everett, they realize that Everett has vanished. Although there is a search party, which includes Hazel and Den's parents, looking for Everett, they decide to do their own investigation, along with Hazel's best friend, Maggie, to find him. As the ghost of a child haunts them and terrifying clues, like the smell of smoke, footprints, and smiley faces, are revealed to them, they must solve the mystery relating to the history of the cemetery to save Everett before it's too late.

I was so excited to read this novel for a long time because I had previously read Scritch Scratch by the same author and it exceeded all my expectations. It Found Us was perfectly creepy and I really enjoyed the mystery of why Woodlawn Cemetery is haunted. I don't want to say too much, but it incorporated the real life tragedy of a train wreck and I found it utterly fascinating. I also really liked the characters. Even though Hazel and Den sometimes have trouble getting along as siblings, it was truly satisfying how solving the mystery of Everett's disappearance brought them together. Maggie was really awesome, as well. She's a good listener and her knowledge of everything going on in their town came in handy. I'm glad the siblings had her help. There were also two standout adults, Mrs. Forster, a woman who used to work in the front office of the cemetery, and Mr. Jeffries, a groundskeeper. Hazel was able to interview them to gather more clues. The suspense built over the course of the story and things became quite terrifying before the climax, but I loved the ending because it shows how important forgiving yourself is when feeling guilt. I highly recommend reading the author's note at the back of the book because she shares a little bit about how the "lost" history of the Hagenbeck-Wallace train wreck inspired the story. Additionally, I read an advance reader's copy. Anyone who enjoys a mix of horror and mystery should read It Found Us.

Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed. This paranormal thriller is about Safiya Mirza, a 17-year-old high school senior who dreams of becoming a journalist and making the world a better place. She is the editor of the Spectator, the newspaper at her private high school, DuSable Prep, in Chicago and has a crush on Richard Reynolds, the captain of the swim and lacrosse teams. After the website for the Spectator is hacked, someone spray-paints a swastika on the facade of her school, and Jawad Ali, a 14-year-old boy who built a cosplay jetpack that a teacher mistook for a bomb, goes missing, Safiya is determined to figure out what is going on at school and in her community and what happened to Jawad. With the help of her friends who also work on the Spectator, she follows the clues left by Ghost Skin, who wrote the racist manifesto posted to the Spectator website. She is immediately suspicious of Nate Chase, a boy in her current events class who comments about how they lack freedom of speech at school and quotes Nietzsche, and his friend, Joel, but as she gets deeper into the mystery, she begins to suspect someone closer to her. When she follows the guidance of Jawad's ghost and finds his body in a culvert in Jackson Park, she seeks to expose his murderers and remember his life.

This novel was absolutely riveting. I was intrigued at the very start when it was immediately revealed that Safiya found Jawad's body and had to know everything that happened leading up to that point. I also really enjoyed the innovative format of the novel. In addition to traditional chapters from Safiya's and Jawad's perspectives, there were news articles, interview transcripts, phone call transcripts, diary entries, and more. I especially liked the drawing of Jawad's cosplay jetpack that was shared during his first chapter because it proved that it didn't look anything like a bomb. I began suspecting the identity of the second murderer less than halfway through the book, so I can't say I was surprised when Safiya figured it out, but I was still on the edge of my seat because I was afraid she would get hurt during her investigation. I don't blame her for not trusting the police, though. The story really emphasizes the harms of bigotry (especially Islamophobia and white supremacy) and alternative facts, the privilege of white men and boys, and how they can get away with hate crimes and murder if not for the persistence of those who are dedicated to finding and sharing the truth. Not to mention, tt's chilling how evil can hide in plain sight. I certainly admired Safiya's courage, even while Jawad's story left me heartbroken. Included at the end of the book are a historical note explaining the true crime on which Jawad's murder is based and an author's note sharing her inspiration for writing Hollow Fires. Although the story is quite dark and does have swearing, it's not particularly graphic, so I think it can be enjoyed by most teens who have an interest in social justice and/or crime.

Those Who Saw the Sun: African American Oral Histories from the Jim Crow South by Jaha Nailah Avery

 

Earlier today, I finished reading Those Who Saw the Sun: African American Oral Histories from the Jim Crow South by Jaha Nailah Avery. This nonfiction book is a collection of ten oral histories from Black people who grew up in the South during Jim Crow. The author, Jaha Nailah Avery, has family roots in North Carolina dating back 300 years and compiled these interviews as a personal passion project as she's traveled across the South to meet with elders and listen to their stories. Through their oral histories, the interviewees recall their childhoods, educational experiences, and careers, reflect back on how racism and activism affected their lives, share their thoughts on segregation and integration, and answer whether or not they believe Dr. Martin Luther King's dream is possible in America.

Those Who Saw the Sun was excellent. Although I've read a few books about the Civil Rights Movement over the years, this book was the first time I read interviews with Black elders who experienced the hardships of the Jim Crow era. I really enjoyed all ten oral histories and I liked being able to compare and contrast the experiences and opinions of the interviewees. Although they do have similarities, they also have a lot of differences. I particularly found it surprising to learn that there were actually pros to segregation and integration made some things worse. That had never crossed my mind before, but it makes sense that they often felt more supported in their communities. They all faced so many obstacles and I can imagine it was sometimes hard to find joy. It was also interesting how most of them didn't know anyone personally who was lynched. While lynchings are awful, I hadn't expected that. I think it demonstrates how vast the Black community is, but they did suffer in other ways. Another intriguing part of the oral histories was learning if they believed that Dr. King's dream is possible in the U.S. Although some of them were optimistic, quite a few towards the end were pessimistic. In my opinion, that just goes to show that although strides have been made forward, racism is still an issue in this country and it would take an effort to change hearts, not just the law. Although there weren't that many, I loved that this book included photographs. At the end, there is an appendix that briefly describes important people, places, events, groups, organizations, magazines, newspapers, laws, and more. The copy I read is an uncorrected proof. Those Who Saw the Sun shows the importance of recording the memories of Black people, and it's an exceptional choice for anyone who has an interest in Black and civil rights history.