Black Panther: The
Young Prince
By Ronald Smith
Publisher: Marvel Press; 1st Edition (January
2, 2018)
Hardcover: 272 pages
ISBN-10: 1484787641
ISBN-13: 978-1484787649
Reading age: 8 - 12 years
Lexile measure: 580L
Grade level: 3 – 7
Publisher’s Blurb:
Black Panther. Ruler of Wakanda. Avenger.
This is his destiny. But right now, he's simply T'Challa-the young prince.
This is no prestigious private academy-they've been enrolled at South Side Middle School in the heart of Chicago. Despite being given a high-tech suit and a Vibranium ring to use only in case of an emergency, T'Challa realizes he might not be as equipped to handle life in America as he thought. Especially when it comes to navigating new friendships while hiding his true identity as the prince of a powerful nation, and avoiding Gemini Jones, a menacing classmate who is rumored to be involved in dark magic.
When strange things begin happening around school, T'Challa sets out to uncover the source. But what he discovers in the process is far more sinister than he could ever have imagined. In order to protect his friends and stop an ancient evil, T'Challa must take on the mantle of a hero, setting him on the path to becoming the Black Panther.
My Thoughts:
As a fan of the Marvel Comics Universe movies, I was interested to see some backstory of T’Challa’s childhood. This was occasionally enlightening and occasionally disappointing.
Overall, though, we see T’Challa’s earnest desire to live up to his father’s expectations and legacy. Sometimes, of course, since he’s a middle-schooler, it means he makes some poor choices. As with so many middle-grade and young-adult novels, our protagonist gets into that trap of feeling like he must solve all the problems himself, whether it’s because he wants to prove his ability or because he’s embarrassed to ask for help.
In this case, the
repercussions of his independence are minor. Importantly, he makes some good
friends with other kids who are not “the popular kids.” He finds that he doesn’t
really mind people not treating him like the heir to a kingdom.
The conflict is with a mysterious group of bullies. As a sort of junior-Black Panther, T’Challa, with help from his new friends, is able to prevent their evil mentor from bringing his plans to fruition—all without getting in trouble at home.
Possible Objectionable
Material:
This middle grade novel is rather dark. The mysterious group performs magic and spiritualism. T’Challa worships the animal gods of his culture. Some violence. No swearing or romance.
Who Might Like
This Book:
Anyone who enjoys friendship stories, coming-of-age, and the MCU.
Thank you to
NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest
opinion.
By Ronald Smith
Publisher: Marvel Press (February 1, 2022)
Hardcover: 272 pages
ISBN-10: 1368071244
ISBN-13: 978-1368071246
Reading age: 8 - 12 years
Grade level: 3 – 7
Publisher’s Blurb:
Thirteen-year-old T'Challa can't wait to go back to America
to visit his friends Sheila and Zeke, who are staying with Sheila's grandmother
in Beaumont, a small Alabama town, over their summer break. He's thrilled to be
on vacation away from his duties as the Prince of Wakanda for a few weeks, and
he's taking full advantage of his access to the amazing food and the South's
rich history.
But as T'Challa continues to explore the town,
he finds that a man who goes by the ordinary name of Bob happens to be
everywhere he is―and T'Challa begins to think it's no coincidence.
When residents of the town begin flocking to
Bob's strange message, and a prominent citizen disappears, the Young Prince has
no choice but to intervene.
T'Challa and his friends start to do their own sleuthing, and before long, the three teens find themselves caught in a plot involving a rare ancient book and a man who's not as he seems.
Swept up in a fight against an unexpected and evil villain, T'Challa, Sheila, and Zeke must band together to save the people of Beaumont . . . before it's too late.
My Thoughts:
My biggest complaint with this follow-up to The Young Prince is that there were many dropped threads from the first book, and sudden mentions that probably should have been in the first book. What was M’Baku’s consequence for what happened in Chicago? What happened to Hunter? Why were T’Challa’s step-mother and half-sister never mentioned in the first book.
Putting that aside though, it is nice to see that T’Challa is able to continue his friendship with Sheila and Zeke. Once again, though, it appears that T’Challa has accidentally stumbled into some rather mysterious circumstances. And, once again, the quick thinking of T’Challa and his friends means that the day will be saved. After all, he’s a superhero-in-training.
One big quibble: There are some scenes that take place in a cave. The writer mentions the stalactites…melting? Stalactites are generally made of the minerals that are left behind as water drips from the ceiling. They don’t just melt in a fire. (I always knew those tours of Timpanogos Cave would pay off!
Possible Objectionable
Material:
This middle grade novel is rather dark. Townspeople are hypnotized. A few people are killed. Once again, the antagonist is meddling in the supernatural. T’Challa worships the animal gods of his culture. Some violence. No swearing or romance.
Who Might Like
This Book:
Anyone who enjoys friendship stories, coming-of-age, and the MCU.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This Woven Kingdom
By Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: HarperCollins (February 1, 2022)
Hardcover: 512 pages
ISBN-10: 0062972448
ISBN-13: 978-0062972446
Reading age: 13 - 17 years
Grade level: 8 - 9
Publisher’s Blurb:
To all the
world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient
Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.
The crown
prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But
he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the
girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and
the world.
Perfect for
fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive
first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling
and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.
My
Thoughts:
When I read
Mafi’s Shatter Me series, I felt like it went on waaaaay too long. I
became annoyed with several of the characters.
So you can
imagine how happy I was to discover that this book is nothing like that series!
Along with
Victoria Aveyard’s new Realm Breaker series, this is an exciting beginning
of a new fantasy world.
Set in a
fantasy version of the Middle East and leaning into Persian mythology, this
dips into familiar territory with some Cinderella-like references. Alizeh is
strong and kind…and a threat to the kingdom. It’s not that she wants to be a
threat, but her race has been subjugated and forced into hiding. Kamran has
been taught to fear and hate her people. You can pretty much guess what happens.
Yup, they are attracted to each other. There is the usual push and pull of
circumstances.
Exposition
is handled neatly without trying too hard to fill us in on background. Mafi’s
writing style in this book is superior to Shatter Me, and the setting
gives her the opportunity for some lovely descriptions.
And that
cliffhanger ending!
Possible
Objectionable Material:
There’s a
little romance. Magic. Violence. Alizeh is treated poorly by some.
Who
Might Like This Book:
Those who like fantasy worlds, references to fairy tales, mythologies of non-Western cultures.
Thank you to
NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest
opinion.
Jubilee:
The First Therapy Horse and an Olympic Dream
By KT
Johnston
Publisher: Capstone Editions (February 1,
2022)
Hardcover: 32 pages
ISBN-10: 168446255X
ISBN-13: 978-1684462551
Reading age: 8 - 12 years
Grade level: 2 – 3
Publisher’s Blurb:
Lis Hartel became paralyzed after contracting polio in 1944.
Her dreams of riding horses and competing in the sport of dressage were
shattered. After months in the hospital, doctors told her she’d never ride
again. Lis tried anyway. How do you stay on a horse without using your legs?
How do you give the subtle cues needed in dressage with limited mobility? With
hard work—and an unlikely horse named Jubilee. After years of training together
and creating a new way of communicating, Lis and Jubilee danced into the competition
ring, and eventually all the way to the Olympics. Lis Hartel was the first
woman with a disability ever to win an Olympic medal, and the first woman to
stand equally beside men on the Olympic winners' podium in any sport.
My Thoughts:
This book couldn’t have come into my life at a more perfect
time. My daughter is finally on the speech and debate team I coach, and was
beginning to write her informative speech on therapy horses. She has suffered
from anxiety for years, and horse therapy has been of profound benefit to her.
We are a horsey family; my mother was an equestrian and riding mistress in
England before she came to the United States.
I was thrilled to read about Hartel and Jubilee. The partnership between horse and rider is a mysterious, miraculous thing, and this one is no exception. Add in the excitement of Lis’ recovery from polio and being one of the first women to compete as an equestrian in the Olympics (where the equestrian sports are still the only ones where women and men compete head-to-head), and you get a feel-good story that yes, made me happy cry. Beyond her competitive success, Hartel became a pioneer in using horses in various therapies. And that is something for which I will forever be grateful.
Hartel’s story has become an important section in my daughter’s speech, and her judges are loving it. I’m so happy that the author shared this story. While this book is aimed at early elementary students, it is a story that anyone can enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance
By Lisa Yee
Publisher: Random House Books for Young
Readers (February 1, 2022)
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1984830252
ISBN-13: 978-1984830258
Reading age: 8 - 12 years
Lexile measure: 670L
Grade level: 3 – 7
Publisher’s Blurb:
Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota . . . until
now. Her mom’s plan is just to stay for a couple weeks, until her grandfather
gets better. But plans change, and as Maizy spends more time in Last Chance
(where she and her family are the only Asian Americans) and at the Golden
Palace—the restaurant that’s been in her family for generations—she makes some
discoveries. For instance:
• You can tell a LOT about someone by
the way they order food.
• And people can surprise you. Sometimes
in good ways, sometimes in disappointing ways.
• And the Golden Palace has secrets.
But the more Maizy discovers, the more questions
she has. Like, why are her mom and her grandmother always fighting? Who are the
people in the photographs on the office wall? And when she discovers that a
beloved family treasure has gone missing—and someone has left a racist
note—Maizy decides it’s time to find the answers.
My Thoughts:
The author notes that writing this book in a time of rising hatred and crimes against Asian Americans was a very emotional experience. While some of the story is based in actual history, the personalities and characters she created are not.
On one hand, this is a middle-grade book in which a girl learns not to judge others, and how to deal with illness and death.
On the other hand, this is a middle-grade book in which a girl learns the hardship of being judged simply because of her heritage.
The combination of these ideas brings a heartwarming story about embracing one’s heritage and family history while fighting to stop hate and prejudice.
I like that Yee did not always go for the simple solutions. Things aren’t always tidy, and sometimes they’re sad. But Maizy is a bright light and, as she learns, so do we.
Possible Objectionable Material:
There are going to be people who don’t want their children to read this book, because it gives both modern and historical examples of mistreatment of Chinese Americans. If you don’t think kids should know about the thornier parts of American history, pass this one by. One character is homosexual. Maizy’s mom is a single parent by choice.
Who Might Like This Book:
Those who enjoy family history, Chinese food, American history—warts and all.
The Thief and the Noble
By Dana LeCheminant
Publisher: Covenant Communications (February
7, 2022)
Paperback: 224 pages
ISBN-10: 1524417084
ISBN-13: 978-1524417086
Publisher’s Blurb:
As the daughter of a marquess, Lady Marian
Russell is poised to impress in her first London Season. She is young,
beautiful, and wealthy―but catching an eligible husband is the last thing on
her mind. Marian is disillusioned with how the upper class lives while the poor
of London suffer, and she is determined to right this imbalance. When she comes
face-to-face with a mysterious man who steals from arrogant aristocrats and
redistributes the spoils to the poor, Marian recognizes a motivation that
mirrors her own. She is determined to discover the true identity of the
unscrupulous hero and offer her assistance.
When she unmasks the bandit, however, Marian is stunned: he is none other than the elusive Lord Robin Loxley. In exchange for her silence, Robin begrudgingly agrees to train the lovely Marian in the art of thievery, quickly realizing that his heart may be stolen next. But when Robin and Marian discover a copycat thief operating in London, they are faced with a foe whose purpose is far from noble. Amid distracting suitors, becoming champions of the poor, and a growing attraction they can’t ignore, can they expose the renegade pilferer without risking themselves―and each other?
My Thoughts:
Yes, this is completely a reference to the Robin Hood stories—the characters themselves note it.
Marian is a privileged young woman who recognizes her privilege and wants to use it in order to better the lives of those who lack her privilege. Robin is a reluctant nobleman fighting the past trauma of an abusive father. He, too, wants to stop the abuses that the upper classes perpetrate on those below them.
There’s a meet cute; they are exasperated by each other while fighting their attraction. I particularly enjoyed when Robin developed a friendship with Marian’s cousin—another reluctant heir to a title. This book doesn’t particularly tread any new ground, but it was a light, entertaining way to spend an afternoon.
Possible Objectionable Material:
As with others from this publisher, this book doesn’t go beyond kissing. There are some threats of violence against Marian, and some lecherous comments. There is danger. There are robberies of course!
Who Might Like This Book:
If you like romance, especially of the clean variety, and enjoy books that allude to popular stories, this might be the book for you!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for
providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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