October Girls Read/ Guys Read

Did you know that we have two parent/child book clubs every month at the Provo City Library? They are for children ages 9-12 and a caregiver. This month, they will meet virtually on Zoom on October 22 (guys) and October 27 (girls). Preregister under the Kids Corner/Program Registration tab on the library website. We have two great books to discuss this month:

Guys

Small Spaces

By Katherine Arden

New York: G.P. Putnam & Sons, 2018. Horror.

Ollie has a feeling that something weird is happening in her small Vermont town when she encounters a woman weeping at the edge of the river, preparing to throw an old book away. This is even before Ollie's school bus breaks down in a field filled with frightening scarecrows -- stranding Ollie and all her classmates. As things get more and more paranormal, Ollie follows the advice of the mysterious book she stole from the woman at the water's edge -- stick to small spaces. This fast-paced adventure propels readers from start to finish with a cast of likable characters. The chills will be the biggest draw to this book, but the emotional depth will make it hard to forget.

Girls

Coraline

By Neil Gaiman

New York: HarperCollins, 2002. Horror.

After moving to a new apartment in an old house with her parents, Coraline is desperate to find adventure and excitement to break her boredom. While exploring one day, Coraline discovers a passageway to a creepy world that mirrors her own, complete with an "other" mother and father who have nothing but time and attention to dote on Coraline (unlike her real parents). Things in the mirror world quickly turn from spooky to nightmarish, leaving Coraline desperate to escape from the Other Mother and save her real parents from their clutches. This scary story is unnerving and totally haunting - a perfect read for October.

Comments

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester 2008

J Fiction 328 pages I almost didn't finish this book. I got to Chapter 4, and was just about ready to quit (a kind of slow story about a girl, name of Piper McCloud, who discovers she can fly, parents freak out, she becomes a social outcast, yadda, yadda) but suddenly, right there in Chapter 4, the story takes a sharp turn and becomes really interesting . Piper finds herself in the company of others like her, but not "fliers", and under the care and authority of Dr. Hellion. I won't even tell you any more. Read this book. Forester does a great job of keeping you wondering who's the good guy and who's the bad? Piper is a likeable, strong, endearing character that girl readers will enjoy. But don't NOT give it to boys! The main male character is an extremely intelligent young man who is one of the ones you wonder about . . . good or bad? This is a good one, well worth your time.

Review: Super Boba Cafe

Super Boba Café By Nidhi Chanani New York: Amulet Books, 2023. Comics. 215 pages. 14-year-old Aria is excited to spend her summer in San Francisco getting quality time with her Nainai. She loves helping at her grandmother's Super Boba Café. But she can't help but notice that her grandmother is acting strange and secretive. She refuses to let Aria into the kitchen at all and she disappears at the same time each night without telling Aria where she goes. Meanwhile, Aria is eager to drum up more business for Super Boba Café. She gets a major windfall when the shop cat, Bao, surprises them by having kittens, and Aria realizes this is a major social media opportunity. She knows this will help Nainai's shop, but she is apprehensive to get back on social media after a terrible cyberbullying experience she had back home. As the shop starts to get busier, Nainai is more and more anxious about her secret project. This prompts Aria to investigate with help from her Nainai's neighb...

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