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MADreads

Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors

Doing justice

Cover of Razorblade Tears
A review of Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby

Sometimes when I read a book that is stellar I'm a little nervous about writing a review. I fear that I will not be able to capture the magic of the book and do it justice. Razorblade Tears is just such a book. And yet here I am and here's the deal: It's a book that is getting all the buzz, being named on all the "best of the year so far" lists, and will definitely be an award-winner (in fact it may already be nominated for something). So whatever I write here, know that this is a book you should read.

Jul 23, 2021

Embracing your super self

Cover of Measuring Up
A review of Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte and Ann Xu

Cici's family moves from Taiwan to Seattle when she's twelve and it's a shocking adjustment. They leave her A-má (grandmother) and many traditions behind. Cici is determined to bridge the gap by exploring more American customs and cuisine and by vowing to bring her A-má to Seattle in time for her 70th birthday. 

Jul 21, 2021

Refugee Life

Cover of Where will I live?
A review of Where will I live? by Rosemary A. McCarney

People all over the world are often forced to leave their homes. Sometimes they leave because of war, hunger, or disaster. Sometimes they leave to find better opportunities. But the question that comes next is always “Where Will I Live?” In this photo-story children from all over the world are depicted as they leave their old homes and journey to find new ones. No matter where someone comes from we all need the same things: a place to sleep, food to eat, and someone to love us.

Jul 15, 2021

Finding and found family

Cover of The Opposite of Everyone
A review of The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson

Since I came across gods in Alabama a dozen or so years ago, I’ve been a fan of Joshilyn Jackson. Her writing is so enjoyable, witty and astute, her characters unconventional but winning, that I always look forward to her books. The Opposite of Everyone didn’t let me down. The narrator, Paula Vauss, is a hard-edged, biracial divorce lawyer in Atlanta, known for making the bad guys pay up.

Jul 13, 2021

Historias con elementos de suspenso / Stories with a twist

Un Zorro book cover
A review of Un Zorro: Un libro (de miedo) para contar by Kate Read

Este libro sencillo cuenta de uno hasta diez, con un sentimiento de suspenso aumentando mientras un zorro hambriento se acerca a las gallinas, y la conclusión sorprendente me hizo reír! Perfecto para leer con niños de 2-5 años, y a niños más grandes les gustará imaginar sus propias historias con elementos de suspenso.

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Jul 9, 2021

Second chances and healing

Cover of The Castle School (for Tro
A review of The Castle School (for Troubled Girls) by Alyssa Sheinmel

Moira is a senior in high school when her best friend, Nathan, dies of cancer. Nathan was not only her best friend, he was Moira’s only friend, the only person she thought she needed or wanted in her life. Before Nathan got sick, Moira spent more time with him and his family than her own. After he was diagnosed with cancer, she started skipping classes and meals to spend every minute she could with him. Moira’s world crashes when Nathan dies, and her parents are at a loss as to how to help her. They decide to send her to Castle School, far from home, deep in the woods of Maine.

Jul 7, 2021

Urban adventuring

Cover of Strollercoaster
A review of Strollercoaster by Matt Ringler

One cranky preschooler plus one desperate dad, a purple stroller and an urban landscape, equals a ride as exciting as any tilt-a-whirl. Strollercoaster is an invention created by Matt Ringler for his own daughter when the daily frustrations got to be too much, and an exciting distraction was just the ticket.

Jul 1, 2021

Mystery that's killer diller

Cover of Fortune Favors the Dead
A review of Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood

Mystery devotees could long argue over what period represented the peak era of American noir/mystery writing, but it’s likely all would agree that the 1940s would be high on everyone’s list. With such luminaries as Rex Stout, Raymond Chandler, and Dorothy Hughes established and up and comers Mickey Spillane and Jim Thompson making their mark in the pulp magazines, the culture of World War II America was ripe for literary inspiration.

Jun 29, 2021

Cómo viven los árboles / How trees live

Cover of Árboles
A review of Árboles by Lemniscates

Este libro con dibujos magníficos explora las vidas de los árboles, perfecto para leer con un grupo interactivo o con niños de 2-5 años. Después de leerlo, vayan de paseo para ver los árboles en su barrio!

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This beautifully illustrated book explores the lives of trees, perfect for reading with an interactive group or with kids ages 2-5. After reading this book, go for a walk to see the trees in your neighborhood!

Jun 25, 2021

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