Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets by Eric Luper

Jeremy Bender loves to tinker on his father's antique boat with dreams of driving it himself one day. When he accidentally damages the engine and finds out it will cost over $400 to repair he despairs. Argh! His dad will never let him touch the boat again, much less drive it, he thinks.  When he spots the poster for the Windjammer Whirl contest with a $500 first place prize, he sees the answer to his problems. So what if the competition is only for Cupcake Cadets, a girl organization like Girl Scouts or Campfire Girls. When the boys masquerade as girls they have no clue how difficult it is going to be.


The humor in this story is in the embarrassing moments and mistakes Jeremy and his friend, Slater, have while trying to earn Cadet badges. They can't cook. They can't camp. They can't play lacrosse. When another cadet learns their secret and blackmails them, they learn that being a girl isn't as easy as it looks and that even their blackmailer has some redeeming qualities. A subplot involving a bully has the boys creatively trying to deal with him as girls. The contrast between how genders treat each other would make for good book club or classroom discussions. The end has them getting along better with girls, bullies, and each other. A funny book that is good for grades 4-6.

3 Smileys

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

I read this book last week and already can't remember the plot that well. I liked the book but obviously it was a forgettable. The story was entertaining if unbelievable. I think the author nails it better in "Lions of Little Rock," with a stronger emotional pull. Dit Sims lives in Alabama in 1917 with so many brothers and sisters, his dad forgets his name. When the new Post Master comes to town with his family, Dit becomes friends with their daughter, Emma. She's black and he's white. Problems ensue and thirteen-year-old Dit starts to like Emma as a best friend. When it takes a romantic turn things turn ugly with his friends.

As Dit becomes aware of other townspeople and their prejudice toward blacks he is still naive when it comes to the fact that people will kill over this issue. His youth makes him blurt out things and act in a way that threatens the black people in the community. When he challenges another black man to take a stand, he has no clue that he is asking him to risk his life. When he learns of some history regarding the white Sheriff and black barber, his interference has terrible consequences. The justice system did not favor blacks in the early 20th century and Dit's ignorance adds to the poignancy of his actions.

I didn't really buy the romantic part between Dit and Emma and the cock-a-mamy staged death was fun, but far-fetched. I do think Levine is quite good at creating characters and their internal struggles with friendships and life choices. The plot has plenty of action and tension but I would have liked a bit more history on why Emma was so educated for a black girl. I have read about the black middle class in the north and found the book, "Crow" by Barbara Wright, on the 1898 Wilmington race riots quite fascinating. I wanted more regarding Emma's background and her father's rise to becoming a Post Master. The author addresses it a little. I just wanted more.

3 Smileys

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski

Living overseas overtimes feels like living in an alternate world. I slip into a Chinese world where I go from having 3 degrees to being illiterate; unable to read street signs, unable to understand conversations, unable to make friendships because of communication barriers, and being dependent on others to help with all of the above. Students laugh at my horrible pronunciation of the few meager Chinese words I do know. Not that I blame them. I can't get the tones right and while the students are not malicious, I do get tired of tripping over my tongue as it stubbornly refuses to form Mandarin words. When I "portal" back to home to the USA, I tend to be overly friendly greeting people I pass on the street, yapping to the checkout people at Target or any other poor stranger who gets sucked into my vortex. When 16-year-old Darcy Jones gets dragged into an alternate world in Chicago and finds out she's not human, I couldn't help but compare her loneliness and confusion to being an "alien" in another country. 

Darcy is a foster child abandoned at the age of 5 after the Great Chicago fire. She can't remember her past and jumps from home to home because odd things seem to happen wherever she lives. When a mysterious new boy, Conn, starts at her high school she is attracted to him as they work together on an English project about T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". Strange powers start to manifest in her that she doesn't understand, but Conn does. He kidnaps her and drags her into an alternate world where she discovers she isn't human but a Shade. In Conn's world her race is despised and hunted with a devout fear that comes from a history of terrorist activities from Shades. In response to the terrorist activities, humans use torture on Shades that sometimes results in death.

This can be a discussion point for whether or not torture is ever justified by governments. With the movie, "Zero Dark Thirty," and the "War on Terror," the question of how governments can best fight terrorism and still represent democratic values is controversial, to say the least. While torture is used in many regimes no one admits this taboo. This message is one of the many layers in this book that can be explored, but doesn't interfere with the story or become didactic. Details of torture methods enacted on Shades is told secondhand and not described in gory details. The content of this novel makes it more appropriate for students in middle school and up.

I admire how Rutkoski crafts her story creating complex characters who struggle with self-identity, friendships, and ethics. For instance, the weaving of Eliot's poem with Darcy's narrative adds more depth and introspection in understanding the world around her. The alternate world where the author takes famous artists with new works or Jane Austen writing a book that doesn't exist on Earth but does in the alternate world called "Alter" are other creative twists that pay homage to a rich artistic and literary history that evolves even today in cultures all over the world. This symbolism of writing as an act of storytelling, making up imaginative worlds, and creating something brand new adds to the novel's rich layers.

The secondary characters are a hoot with distinct voices and a confidence that comes from consciously choosing to not be a part of the popular group. They come across as a bunch of geniuses who see right through cliques and don't need them for security or friendships. They are protective and loyal to Darcy and add great comic relief. The ending with the popular girl jumping ship from her clique as a result of working on a play with Raphael suggests that the odd group out can influence those around them or the popular girl is just growing up and maturing.

The plot has the secondary characters entering the alternate world and looking for Darcy and while it is a bit of a stretch I welcomed them back in the storyline with their wit and humor. The author does give a plausible reason for them getting past the guards but I did find it unbelievable that they would find a job and miss weeks of school forsaking family in search of a friend. The resolution wraps up a bit quickly; I would have liked Conn's point of view and confrontation with his enemies in a final scene. The world of Shades could have been defined a bit more as well. While the Interdimensional Bureau of Investigation, or IBI, that protects the borders between both worlds is clearly crafted, I wanted more regarding the factions between members of the Shade Society of violent versus passive members. 

The romantic triangle, prejudices, and terrorist angles add for plenty of tension making this a page turner. Action steamrolls from the first sentence, "Knowing what I know now, I'd say my foster mother had her reasons for throwing a kitchen knife at me." Darcy needs to figure out who she can trust and while she hates Conn at first she realizes she needs his help to get out of captivity. He struggles with his decision to follow orders and is baffled by Darcy who does not fit the profile of a Shade. By meeting her, he questions his career and perception of seeing Shades as inhuman. Tolerance is a timeless message and Rutkoski does a great job getting the reader to think more about the human condition in social, cultural, and personal ways. Perhaps Rutkoski can work some magic and teach me how to speak Mandarin. Sigh.

Young Adult
5 Smileys

The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan

Riordan explains myths in a way that makes sense to young readers with funny mnemonics and galloping action. The strength of the story lies in this formula and he sticks to it with every book. What I am not liking so well with this series is the deluge of characters that has watered down the development of each of them. As the series has progressed there seems to be a snowball effect of  many characters telling their feelings more than showing them. While the book is entertaining, I am not lovin' it as much as the first two books in the series.

Percy and Annabeth have to hike through Hades trying to breathe poison air and dodge every monster that they've ever killed in the other series. (Reminds me of my trip to Beijing and trying to breathe. An entrepreneurial man was selling bottled fresh air on the streets.) They are trying to get to the Doors of Death before the other five demigods seal it to keep the giants from escaping and raising Gaea, the Earth goddess. Great action along with plot twists have the two trekking through the Underworld with exciting adventures. Percy's internal change is the realization that he takes people for granted and uses them to serve his own purposes whether it is Bob or Calypso. Bob was the most interesting character who has a moral dilemma of choosing good over evil. Percy hasn't changed much since the first series so it was interesting to see a bit of growth as a leader.

Other characters that change are Frank who becomes confident and decisive. Hazel learns to use her powers and believe in herself. Leo falls in love and stops teasing others in a way that hurts feelings. Jason struggles with his identity as a Roman influenced by the Greeks, and Piper still has issues with self-confidence. Nico has the biggest change but we never have his point of view; instead he sulks and withdraws from everyone. Jason is the only one who can interact with Nico because he knows what it going on with him.  Jason reacts with such tolerance and maturity it didn't come off as authentic for me, but didactic. I would have liked Jason to struggle internally with Nico's revelation. Coach Hedge changes from Mr. Reckless to Mr. Careful and for a good reason. I won't tell and spoil it for you. I know that the heroes are going to come out on top so I like it when the tension is not only in the action but with complex character development. Riordan tries with Nico, but it fell flat in my opinion.

I like the gods and goddesses best. This is where the creation myths and the unique mythical personalities are woven into the plot in a fascinating way. Hecate and Frank's ancestors pull in Greek and Chinese myths while Percy and Annabeth deal with creepy mythical creatures and monsters. The symbol of Hazel being at a crossroads and having to make a choice, as Hecate presents her options is a nice representation of the choices people make in life. If you liked "The Mark of Athena" then you'll like this one because it is quite similar to it.

Reading Level: 5.7
3 Smileys

The Celestial Globe (The Kronos Chronicles, #2) by Marie Rutkoski

Oh bother. Pop a great book in my hands and the day careens off course. Duties? What duties? Students? Ummm... yep, I see 'em. Sort of. My nose sticks to the inner spine of a terrific book like a barnacle. Take "The Celestial Globe." Fingers twitch as they near the glossy green-covered novel that rests on my desk. Eventually, I stash it under my jacket sneak-reading every chance I get in-between library classes. In the evening, a pungent scent from my burnt dinner swirls in the air reminding me that the story's climax was more exciting than cooking spaghetti. Gobs of action, complex characters, and an engrossing plot sucked me into this book from the start. I have a good crick in my neck and dent in my reading chair from a late night of blazing through this paperback that was worth every bit of bother.

Prince Rodolfo has sent the Gray Men, or Gristleki, to the home of 13-year-old Petra and her father after she stole back her father's eyes from him in "The Cabinet of Wonders," book 1 of the Kronos Chronicles. Gristleki were once men transformed into monsters with scales for skin, no lips, no eyebrows or eyelashes, and claws that slowly poison victims. They can run unnaturally fast and are difficult to kill. When magician John Dee saves Petra from them using a Loophole, you would think she'd be grateful, but Dee has imprisoned her in his London home. For her own good, so he claims. She's a caged tiger who is hot-headed and angry because she wants to rescue her father captured by Rodolfo. She sees Dee for his manipulative ways and is extremely rude and belligerent towards him. Astrophil, her mechanical spider, is there to advise her as she sorts out Dee's odd family members and political alliances.

Meanwhile, Tomik decides to rescue Petra and ends up falling through a Loophole where he is captured by a boatload of Roma sailors who are on their way to Morocco to get the celestial globe, a device that allows people to portal all over the world. Neel is with them and the two strike a tenuous relationship deciding to work together to find Petra as they sail to Africa. When the three heroes meet in London, they are embroiled with Prince Rodolfo and traitors to the crown. The different points of view allow for action on the seas as well as action in London as the reader gets to know the traits and motives of the different characters.

Fiction is full of likable characters and unlikable characters. A skilled author creates unlikable characters compelling enough to keep readers hooked to the story. Petra's defiance with John Dee, her stubbornness and ferocity, make her unlikable at times. Yes, as readers, we revel in characters such as Junie B. Jones whose bad behavior makes us feel superior or laugh because we'd never have the guts to do what they do or say what some characters say, but in Petra's case, her unlikable traits aren't off-putting because it shows her vulnerability and lack of control over adult authority. In the first book Dee establishes a mind link with her so that the two can communicate through thoughts, but he never gets her permission and tricks her into it. In this book, he makes her a prisoner in his home even though it is so she won't run off and get killed freeing her father. He's never straightforward with answers and she is unbelievably rude, yet justifiably so, in responding to him.

In addition, her defiant character is a clever creation of subtext that reflects the dual meaning of the mythical creature she represents in myth and genetics. Don't worry, I won't reveal the creature and spoil it for you. This subtext explains on a deeper level her fearlessness and impulsive behavior along with her link to water. None of this is explained. I looked up the mythical creature and my research made me realize how closely Petra represented its traits and gave an additional reason as to why the wind spirit didn't consume Petra. The result of the subtext is more complexity to the plot and characters; thus, creating a richer understanding of the character's behaviors and motives. Quite fascinating.

Rutkoski's mixes quite a bit of history and magic that made me enjoy the story even moreso than if it was a straightforward fantasy. Her author's note usually points out what is factual but I think it is fun figuring it out as I read along and researching historical figures on my own. Many of her descriptions of paintings and artifacts are real in both books of this series. Magical powers and their backgrounds are built on from the first book with John Dee taking a larger role in this story. Historically, the real John Dee was a famous alchemist and the author's fictionalized account uses real people that he influenced or who studied him such as Robert Cotton, Francis Walsingham, and William Cecil to name a few. I recommend reading the first book to get the most out of this book. Back to work. Bother.

5 Smileys

The Cabinet of Wonders (The Kronos Chronicles #1) by Marie Rutkoski

When I was young I hated to cook. I remember purposefully burning the lefse so I could get out of making it with my mom and two sisters. As a newlywed I'd be asked by my mom to bring a dish to some family holiday and it never tasted very good so eventually she asked me to bring the rolls or pickles. Alas, I wasn't trying to get out of that duty, but cooking for me is like flying. I'm only good at it in my dreams. When Petra gets a job at the castle with the plan of stealing back her father's stolen eyes from the prince, she doesn't get along with the cook and purposefully sabotages her recipe. How can I not love a character like that? She's good at using her brains to solve problems and she's courageous; yet flawed. My kind of story. My kind of gal.

Petra's father is a skilled craftsman who builds a clock for the prince that not only tells time, but has the potential to control the weather. The prince takes her father's eyes planning to finish the clock on his own by building the last part to it. (This is a fantasy. Eyes can be surgically removed and popped in and out of sockets like contact lenses.) Petra is spitting mad and with the help of her friend, Tomik, Neel, and Astrophil, she sets off for the castle in search of a job that will give her access to the prince's chambers. She begins in the kitchen before getting shipped off to a job nobody wants with Iris, the "acid lady" that makes fabric dyes for the prince. Iris has skin that oozes acid when she's upset making her a pariah even though she descends from royalty. Gears, metals, and clockworks make this steampunk novel quite different from the usual fantasy trope. 

The plot is organized with the two characters in the beginning having critical parts toward the end of the story. The setting and description of guilds and clocks made it easy for me to picture Prague or even Brussels. The use of the prince as a Hapsburg firmly placed the setting for me in Europe and made me think of World War I starting as a result of a Hapsburg being assassinated, but the end notes explain that the setting presents the 16th century European renaissance. The use of horses as transportation and reference to the historical figure, Dee Smith, placed it at an earlier time and helped give me a clear picture of a place. Clues are given as the story progresses with most of my questions answered except the time Astrophil fell asleep. It progressed the plot so Petra got to go to the Roma camp but it didn't make sense why he passed out. He's a machine. I liked how the Danior story ties in with Jarek and the noble elephant protecting Petra and Neel. Neel's tale of fiddler is a true Roma folktale that reminded me of the Charlie Daniel Band's famous song, "The Devil Came Down to Georgia." I knew the song, but not the origins of the folktale.

An important question that the plot hinges on is why would Petra's father build a clock that controls the weather in the first place? Who would be crazy enough to think of this and why would he not think that the person, such as the prince, would use the weather to attack other countries or use it to his or her advantage? The author presents the father as a bit of a creative ditz who could only see the challenge of building such a machine rather than the consequences. The stronger argument is that Petra's father wanted to be paid for building the clock by getting a full scholarship for Petra to the Academy. Education is only available to the elite and he saw this as an opportunity for his daughter. Her father is presented as a scholar with his own library and this crucial explanation strengthened what could have been a weak plot point. As such, the author gives plausible motivations by the father even if they are not wise.

The author doesn't present the Roma people as stereotypical and when Neel explains the mathematical concept of zero I loved his insightful comment, "The best thing about wandering everywhere is that you can choose what you like of a place and take it with you, like almonds off a tree." As an international teacher, I can relate to the worldly wanderlust of the Roma people. They are good people who take in Petra and give good advice. Even the man who doesn't like Petra is painted in a complex and sympathetic way. 

The characters are particularly well-drawn, pulling me along the storyline like a hooked fish. Tomik is the gadget-man and childhood friend of Petra. Neel is the thief who helps her break into the prince's "Cabinet of Wonders." He helps Petra so he can help his people too. Astrophil is the adult-like person who imparts or teaches background information that explains topics and history that Petra wouldn't know on her own for her age. Petra has flaws but is basically strong and good. She reflects on things such as if she is being selfish or unreasonable (which she was) or how a person can look and act sweet but has evil actions. Her internal struggles with not being sure about wanting to discover if she can work magic or not, to not trusting or trusting other people, to being mentored by her mechanical spider, Astrophil, along with nice pacing and action make for a terrific read.

Reading Level 4.9
4 Smileys

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer (Dreamdark #1) by Laini Taylor

Well lassies, I waffled between a two and three star. The potential is there but the book falls short on plot and character development. Magpie Windwitch is a roaming faerie who fights devils that humans are releasing from bottles that had been sealed by fairies long ago. When she finds a devil that threatens to devour the world she seeks the help of the Djinn King that sealed it thousands of years before. In the process she discovers how she came to have strange powers that help heal a world that is slowly unraveling. She must use those powers to defeat the most threatening devil yet, Blackbringer, and save her friends from an inky fate of living in an empty vacuum unraveled but not dead.

The book sets up Magpie's powers and how they came to be. The pace in the beginning as this is revealed is at times confusing and slow. While there is plenty of action, there isn't enough sub-characters that interact with the protagonist. The crows are the main ones and they love her and fuss over her, but they don't really do or say much to talk her out of dangerous adventures. I needed more character traits than an Irish accent, to become vested in their actions. Maniac doesn't mean anything to me, so when something awful happens to him I didn't have the emotional - oh no! - that I should have had at that part of the story. Bored, I started to skim ahead until page 150 when Magpie meets the Djinn King. Shortly after that Talon enters the plot along with another villain and their interactions create enough tension to pull me into the story.

At the heart of this plot is a creation story with the Djinn King being one of the creators. He is awakened by Magpie and finds hope again in her belief that things can change. Magpie is not a flawed character who grows throughout the story. She's impulsive and courageous, but she mainly is trying to survive one adventure after-the-other. She and Talon disagree but it isn't much. She and Poppy are the best of friends who work side-by-side to defeat evil, but their dialogue has little page time. I kept waiting for more emotion and internal struggles, but it is mostly external struggles. There are many creation stories and some really well-written ones such as "The Thief" by Megan Whalen Turner. Rick Riordan uses creation myths in his stories. While I loved the creativity of this book combining faerie and djinn, it comes up a wee bit short - as the crows would say.

If ye be like me and loves a good monster, the author does a nice job creating a creepy Djinn King and Blackbringer. The snag or character of Batch Hangnail seemed to have been a missed opportunity of working in the theme of low creatures being prejudiced by others who considered themselves better. It is touched upon but I kept waiting for the author to go into more depth and instead got a quick wrap-up at the end. For the most part the story follows the formulaic quest of a hero saving the world with unusual powers. She is interested in a prince but the two are too busy saving the world to think much about their feelings for each other.

All ends happily, but I wanted more of an explanation about Queen Vesper's history with Batch. The world and time shifts were confusing and abrupt in spots. I thought Magpie was dreaming in the castle but she was out fighting the Blackbringer in reality. I wasn't sure why she didn't have reinforcements and got a bit confused. Then the action picked up and with a shoulder shrug I plowed onward. The world building was sketchy here-and-there and clear in others. I do think this author shows promise but the pacing and evolving plot lines were not on target for me. If you like faeries, djinn, and a strong heroine with little internal struggles then you'll enjoy this one.

2 Smileys