Category Archives: Reviewer’s Library Type

Mall Goth by: Kate Leth

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Reviewed by OHS Library Secretary Mikel

This colorful and easy-to-read graphic novel will appeal to a young adult reader who enjoys a book set in the early 2000’s and can empathize with an outcast goth girl.

Liz Holme isn’t a good fit at her new high school and is struggling with multiple social issues. Just as she finds some sanctuary in the mall scene, gets a job, and makes a few new gaming friends, a possibly dangerous situation develops with a creepy teacher.

Liz’s realistic experiences will resonate with contemporary teens, especially those who may be negotiating a parental divorce or are dealing with being LGBTQ issues. I like that Liz is a strong character who demonstrates resiliency in the face of many odds; however, it was a bit clunky for me to read – the transitions were not very smooth in the storyline.

Mall Goth: 9781534476943: Leth, Kate, Leth, Kate, Sousa, Diana, Crank, Robin: Books - Amazon.com

Betting On You by: Lynn Painter

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Reviewed by OHS Student, Eliza T.

This book beautifully combines a soft romance with the challenges of having divorced parents.

Bailey and Charlie first meet on a plane when they are both flying to live with their other parent. They meet again when they are older, and their initial hate blossoms into a beautiful romance as they connect through their shared parental experiences.

This book is perfect for those looking to better understand the life of a child of divorce, or those who just want to cozy up for a sweet romance. I loved the banter throughout the book, as Charlie and Bailey learn that the other might not be so bad. Bailey’s mom’s boyfriend has a daughter, and I think there could have been more conflict there, where it felt very understated.

A Suffragist’s Guide to the Antarctic by: Yi Shun Lai

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Reviewed by OHS Staff M. Debuse-Losh

This high-adventure novel takes place in the frigid Antarctic in the early 1900’s. It has a gripping storyline but I felt the narrative was somewhat too elementary and I didn’t care for the diary format.

Clara has just come from the front lines of the violent suffragist movement in England, where women were being beaten for their demand that women have the same rights as men. She signs up for an Antarctic expedition just as WWI is starting, and encounters many challenges with the tortuous expedition itself and the all-male crew.

History buffs may enjoy the rendition of the famous Shackleton expedition told from a strong female protagonist’s point of view. Trigger warning: there is an attempted sexual assault in the story.

I enjoyed the extreme adventure depictions, and the descriptions of surviving in the Antarctic. I disliked the diary format spoken in a peculiarly juvenile voice (I imagine even an 18-year-old in 1914 would be a tad more sophisticated).

Ice Skating

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This book fulfills the idea of “Let’s Get Outdoors!” for the title ICE SKATING, but only provides a little information on the actual mechanics of ice skating. If a picture (photo) is worth a 1000 words it’s a good thing this title has a glossary. It shows what ice skating looks like but does not tell you how to ice skate. The color photos of young ice skaters build excitement for the sport.

The book contains a Table of Contents: ‘What is Ice Skating?’, ‘On the Ice’, ‘Ice Skating Gear’, and ‘Ice Skating Safety’ , before the glossary, index, and their safe internet search website for more information – Factsurfer.com. This title’s Factsurfer has two good site for more information of the three provided.

Submitted by Mary Pong

Snowshoeing

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This book fulfills the idea of “Let’s Get Outdoors!” for the title SNOWSHOEING, but provides minimal information on the actual mechanics of snowshoeing. If a picture (photo) is worth a 1000 words it’s a good thing this title has a glossary. It shows what snowshoeing looks like but does not tell you how to snowshoe. The color photos of young snowshoers build excitement for the sport.

The book contains a Table of Contents: ‘What is Snowshoeing?’, ‘Walking on Snow’, ‘Snowshoeing Gear’, and ‘Snowshoeing Safety’ , before the glossary, index, and their safe internet search website for more information – Factsurfer.com. This title’s Factsurfer has only one good site for more information of the three provided.

Submitted by Mary Pong

Cross-country Skiing

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This book fulfills the idea of “Let’s Get Outdoors!” for the title CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, but only provides a little information on the actual mechanics of cross-country skiing. If a picture (photo) is worth a 1000 words it’s a good thing this title has a glossary. It shows what cross-country skiing looks like and tells you how to ski both classic and skate. The color photos of young skiers build excitement for the sport.

The book contains a Table of Contents: ‘What is Cross-country Skiing?’, ‘Classic or Skate?’, ‘Cross-country Skiing Gear’, and ‘Cross-country Skiing Safety’ , before the glossary, index, and their safe internet search website for more information – Factsurfer.com. This title’s Factsurfer has two good sites for more information of the three provided.

Submitted by Mary Pong

Downhill Skiing

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This book fulfills the idea of “Let’s Get Outdoors!” for the title DOWNHILL SKIING, but provides minimal information on the actual mechanics of downhill skiing. If a picture (photo) is worth a 1000 words it’s a good thing this title has a glossary. It shows what skiing looks like but does not tell you how to ski. The color photos of young skiers build excitement for the sport.

The book contains a Table of Contents: ‘What is Downhill Skiing?’, ‘On the Hill’, ‘Downhill Skiing Gear’, and ‘Downhill Skiing Safety’ , before the glossary, index, and their safe internet search website for more information – Factsurfer.com. This title’s Factsurfer has only one good site for more information of the three provided.

Submitted by Mary Pong

Curious Tides

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Emory is a student at the Aldryn College for Lunar Magics. Each student’s magic is based upon the lunar cycle they were born under. For Emory, her magic has always been that of a healer, but she’s never been very accomplished. When her classmates, including her roommate, Romie, venture into a cave and all turn up dead, Emory is left with the feeling that there is something more behind their deaths, and the many others that came before them. What she begins to discover is that her magic is changing and there are secrets to her past she is only now discovering. Teaming up with Romie’s brother, Baz, who she believes can help her unlock the truth behind Romie’s mysterious actions leading up to that fateful day, they may be in way over their heads and not ready for the reality of their relationship. Although the plot concept was creative, I sometimes felt a little lost in the details and it often felt fragmented or forced. The story had a distinct progression but was a bit predictable in the end. If considering this for your library, I’d recommend this for high school ages as there is a significant bit of language and one romantic encounter, although the details were minimal.

When the MOON Became the MOON

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The Moon is personified as it tells its life story in cute illustrations with smiley faces on the heavenly bodies. It is presented in eleven chapters using cartoon bubbles with the sun and moon giving factual information in a non-so-factual format.

I particularly liked the illustration of the orbiting moon around the earth while the earth is orbiting around the sun on pages 20-21, the waning and waxing moon on pages 36-37 and 40-41. The new moon on page 39 is subtle but very revealing. Having seen a solar eclipse in person, I especially enjoyed the illustrations of its approach on page 51 and at totality on page 53! While this book would be hard to use for a research project it has excellent illustrations for younger readers to understand the moon and its phases.

Submitted by Mary Pong

Big Bub, Small Car

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Beginning readers, who enjoy slap-stick humor, will want to read how Big Bub-the purple blob with arms and legs- makes it to the birthday party after he finds out his bicycle has two flat tires. Big Bub is too big to fit into the taxi, too heavy for the pick-up truck, and too slow to catch the bus. Then he sees the junk yard where he spots two old bumper cars which he uses as roller skates to get to the party.

Before the story, there is a list of “Word Families” (7), “Sight words” (25), and “Bonus words” (16) to warm the young reader up for success. After the story, there are three questions demonstrate the reader’s success in reading.

Submitted by Mary Pong