The Mighty Bite by Nathan Hale

 

Yesterday I read The Mighty Bite by Nathan Hale. This humorous graphic novel is about Trilobite and Amber, two prehistoric creatures who dream of being rich and famous. After they meet paleo-newscaster, Tiffany Timber, they go looking for a tablet in order to go into show business. Instead of finding a tablet, they end up in the trap of Opabinia. When Tiffany comes looking for them, she and Amber get booted out while Opabinia lets Trilobite go. Trying to catch up to Amber and Tiffany, Trilobite meets Tiny Spinosaur and Radcliff, an ape god, who help him reach the other two on a houseboat, despite nearly sinking it. After Trilobite plugs the power back in, they learn that Opabinia has framed Tiffany, making her look like she is an evil meanie who murdered Trilobite. Although they try making video rebuttals to clear her name, it doesn't work and they challenge Opabinia and his accomplices to a video battle.

This graphic novel was delightful and absolutely hilarious. I definitely laughed several times throughout the story. Even though they got off on the wrong foot, I enjoyed how Trilobite, Amber, Tiffany, and Tiny Spinosaur made a great team once they were in the later stages of the video battle. I also loved to hate Opabinia, who was somehow both funny and nefarious. Additionally, the hand-drawn images are chaotically amazing. I really liked looking at the details throughout the book, especially the shadowing during the lighting round of the video battle. Overall, my favorite part was the climax when both of the teams had to create a final video in under an hour. The theme was the supernatural and I had no idea what would happen. It was fantastic. The Mighty Bite is a wild and wacky ride, and anyone who likes paleontology or humor should read it.

Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

 

Yesterday evening, I finished reading Dear Mothman by Robin Gow. This supernatural fantasy novel in verse is about Noah, a trans boy whose best friend, Lewis, dies in a car accident while they are in sixth grade. Lewis was the only other trans boy in school and believed that cryptids, like the Mothman, really existed. Lonely and seeking understanding, Noah begins writing letters to Mothman and looking for proof that Mothman is really out there. He even decides to make his science fair project about Mothman despite suggestions from his parents and his teacher to change his project to something "real". Soon, he befriends a group of girls in his grade, Molly,  Hanna, and Alice, and opens up to them. Developing a crush on Hanna, he sometimes hangs out with her alone. After Noah and his friends see Mothman during a sleepover and Mothman returns later, leaving a handprint on the door, Noah decides to go into the woods alone to find Mothman.

I thought this book was breathtakingly beautiful. Although the story is sad at times because Noah's best friend died, I enjoyed his letters to Mothman and his new friendships with Hanna, Molly, and Alice. I thought it was sweet how he formed a crush on Hanna because she understood him the most out of the three girls. I also loved the sense of adventure, especially as the story headed towards the climax. It was suspenseful and I was genuinely nervous if something bad would happen to Noah in his search for Mothman. Additionally, I found myself missing Lewis throughout the book, just like Noah did. Dear Mothman is a phenomenal story of grief, identity, and friendship, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever felt lost or lonely.

The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black

 

Yesterday evening, I finished reading The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black. The conclusion to The Stolen Heir duology, this fantasy novel begins shortly after Wren locks up Prince Oak in the prisons of the Ice Needle Citadel for his betrayal. While Oak still loves Wren and wants to find a way for her to trust him again, he also knows that High King Cardan and High Queen Jude will do anything to bring him home to Elfhame. After Wren releases him from the prisons, he uses the opportunity to become engaged to her, so he has a reason to go back to Elfhame without any blood being shed. Aware of a greater conspiracy and the lingering possibility of war, Oak must decide if he can trust Wren or if he should remain loyal to Elfhame, even if it means ending Wren.

I was so excited to read this sequel and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I really liked how this book was from Oak's perspective after The Stolen Heir was from Wren's because I was curious about what he was thinking after everything that happened and it filled in the blanks. While I wanted to be right about the thoughts I had after reading the first book, because the story is told through Oak this time, I wasn't completely sure of Wren's loyalty, especially when it seemed like she was working with her biological mother, Bogdana, to take the throne of Elfhame. I didn't want Wren to be one of the villains, though, and I had hope that she and Oak would work things out. This book was filled with suspense and plot twists and it kept me guessing as to how it would end. I was definitely anxious that either Wren, Oak, or another beloved character would die and that feeling wasn't exactly misplaced, but the ending was beautiful and made the pain worth it. It also made me happy that the author left a loose end for another book taking place in Faerie. I read the Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition, so there was an interview with Holly Black at the end of the book, which I thought was super interesting because she discussed her inspiration for writing the duology. Anyone who enjoyed The Stolen Heir should read The Prisoner's Throne.

Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater and Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín

 

Over spring break, I finished reading two books: Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater and Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín. The first book I read, Accountable, is a narrative nonfiction book about a high school student in Albany, California, who shared racist and sexist memes on private Instagram account to make his friends laugh. Initially, only a few kids were aware about it, but eventually everyone in the community knew. In the weeks and months that followed, those featured in the memes sought justice while coping with feelings of fear, hurt, sadness, and anger. On the other side, the boy who created the account and those who followed it had to deal with the consequences of their actions. No one remained unchanged.

I found this book utterly fascinating. I've long known that a lot of negativity can be spread on social media, so it didn't surprise me that a high school student created a social media account to share prejudiced memes just to get a laugh out of his friends. What did shock me was how the school handled the situation. It seemed like they only made things worse initially by having a group discussion at the school between the "harmers" and the kids impacted by the account without appropriate preparation. Although I think the "harmers" were certainly in the wrong and should be held accountable for their actions based on individual level of involvement, I was terrified for them as they left the school and there was a mob of students. I truly had empathy for everyone involved and it really seemed like the only thing that helped them heal and grow was time and space. Additionally, I liked that the author included information from experts to explain how and why something like what occurred at Albany High School could happen. My hope is that anyone who reads this book can advocate for educational measures to prevent a similar incident from happening in their school community. Overall, Accountable shines a light on an issue that is currently impacting schools nationwide and I recommend it to students, educators, and parents alike.

The second book I read, Mexikid, is a graphic memoir about an experience that the author, Pedro "Peter" Martín, had when he was a kid in 1977. Born in the U.S. to Mexican immigrants, Pedro loves Star Wars and grew up hearing stories about his legendary abuelito. When his parents decide it is time for his grandfather to move in with them, he goes on a road trip with his family to Mexico. Although Pedro is worried about Abuelito coming to live with them because he thinks they won't have anything in common and doesn't speak Spanish that well, they end up connecting and he learns more about his Mexican identity. While Pedro's five oldest siblings leave early for school, Pedro doesn't go home with his parents, three of his brothers, and their grandfather until Abuelita has completed a mission for Abuelita.

This graphic memoir was absolutely hilarious. Even though there were emotional moments relating to Abuelita and a deer, I mostly laughed out loud at all the shenanigans that Pedro got up to with his brothers. I couldn't imagine having that many siblings, but it seems like he always had someone to hang out and play with while growing up. I also loved his relationship with his oldest sister, Lila, because she was someone he could talk to about more serious stuff, when his brothers would joke around instead. I thought it was pretty cool that Pedro learned that Mexico wasn't so bad during his family's road trip and it was enjoyable how he got to really know his abuelito instead of relying on exaggerations from his imagination. It seems like he really grew up from his experiences on that trip. With beautifully colorful illustrations, Mexikid is perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about familia (family).