Book Reviews, Children's version-almost

 Here are a few more book reviews. 

Counting Lost Stars, by Kin Van Alkemade, adult historical fiction, 2023

This is a complicated story about two women during World War II. One, Corneila, is a Christian who realizes that she is working with a computer project that is helping Hitler find Jewish people. She hides extra punch cards to have some kind of record of people who are being targeted.

Meanwhile, she falls in love with her Jewish neighbor, Leah, and they devise a plan for her to escape before the soldiers come for her. However, plans go awry, and it is Corneila who ends up in a concentration camp. 

This story alternates with one in 1960, where Rita becomes pregnant by a college professor, which gets her kicked out of college. Her college experience lands her a job working with an old computer, and with some sleuthing, she eventually finds Corneila's computer cards, which help a friend uncover the truth about his mother, who had been in a concentration camp. (How's that for a run-on sentence?)

(Now, how about some sentence fragments. 😀)

Interesting early computer discussions. Main characters are likable. Jewish treatment during WWII horrendous. Two lesbians, loving relationships. Lot's of examples of how there were double standards between men and women. When people were upset, they threw up a lot. 

Good book. Recommend it.

 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, children's mystery (ages 9+), 1978

This is a children's classic that won the 1979 Newbery Medal for the year's most distinguished contribution to American Children's Literature, along with several other awards.

The Amazon synopsis:

"A highly inventive mystery begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of the very strange will of the very rich Samuel W. Westing. They could become millionaires, depending on how they play the game. All they have to do is find the answer—but the answer to what? The Westing game is tricky and dangerous, but the heirs play on—through blizzards, burglaries, and bombings. Sam Westing may be dead ... but that won't stop him from playing one last game!

Ellen Raskin has created a remarkable cast of characters in a puzzle-knotted, word-twisting plot filled with humor, intrigue, and suspense."

This book is beloved by many, and I read it with my kids when they were younger. I don't remember much about it except that Wally and Theo liked it. I decided recently to give it another try. This time, I listened to it with Ward.

Ward and I both had mixed reactions. First, there were some beautiful descriptions and writing within the complicated story. However, the story didn't always make sense. Characters did things without obvious motivation or significance to the story. Also, not everything in the book seemed child-friendly. Many bad things happen in kids' books, but they are usually viewed from the perspective of the child. Not so much in this book. 

In the preface of the book, it was mentioned that while Raskin was writing this book, she didn't think about whether it was for adults or children; she just wrote. Also, she said she never plots a story. She just writes and sees where the story takes her. Both of those statements seem to explain the flaws we found. With all that being said, there are some interesting twists to the story. 

I didn't like the book as much as I had hoped, possibly because I was reading it with adult sensibilities. Ward didn't like it at all. But I know we're in the minority. The School Library Journal ranked it #9 of all time in a survey of the best children's novels. To each their own.

Breaking into the Light by John Cochran, children's fiction (grades 5-8), 2024

This is a serious children's book about Reese, whose father is addicted to opiates. The situation reaches a breaking point, prompting Reese and his mother to leave his father and live in a trailer on a farm owned by his mother's friend. Also, on the farm are two other kids who are living with their grandparents after their parents died in a traffic accident. The older brother has Down syndrome.

The book does a good job exploring the feelings of Reese and his mother in this roller-coaster story. There is personal growth for everyone, and the book ends with hope.

The author of the story watched family members struggle with addiction and wanted to help them, but didn't know how. He wanted to write a book for kids who may be struggling with the same thing. I think he has done an excellent job with that and highly recommend this book.

Library Girl by Polly Horvath, children's fiction (ages 9-12), 2024

You know me, if there's the word Library in the title, I will be drawn to it, and this book was no exception.

This is a fun little story about Essie, who was found in the stacks of a library and raised there by 4 single librarians who always wanted a baby. They are afraid to turn her in, so they set up a room for her in their inner office. She doesn't go to school, but is educated by reading extensively. Eventually, when Essie is eleven years old, they let her take short trips outside the library. And that's where the story really begins when she meets a boy who she thinks looks like her. There are some interesting plot twists that come with this.

The style of the story reminds me of a fairy tale in that the characters are mostly one-dimensional, and they all live happily ever after. 

I enjoyed the book and recommend it, especially for elementary school children. 

Until next time...