Soccer Switch by Jake Maddox

Soccer Switch by Jake Maddox is a fun quick read. It's a story about a boy named Andre who was on a soccer team with his friends. He finally is old enough to be on a team with a really well-known coach, but the coach retires right before the season starts.

He and his friends get a new coach, Coach Barnes. Coach Barnes has some strange ideas about what they should do at practices, and many of the boys aren't sure about his methods. Andre has to decide if he's going to do what his coach asks him to do and see if he can figure out the reasoning behind the training or quit the team like some of his friends.

This graphic novel is a bit different than the other ones I've read. It actually starts out with Andre reading a paper he wrote about what he did over the summer to his class at school. The whole book is his paper he's reading to his class, so it has him narrating the story, and then the pictures with the dialogue illustrating everything that actually happened. The other graphic novels I've read didn't really have much narration as the whole story was mainly told just through the pictures and dialogue.

I feel like this is a good medium for telling this story, as there is a lot of action in playing a soccer game that would probably cause a reader to get really bogged down trying to get through a description of what was actually happening in the game. But, as a graphic novel, there are short narrations and dialogue, and then the pictures fill in the rest, keeping it moving.

There are questions in the back about the book, including some about using the illustrations to help the reader understand what is happening in the story that I think would be really good for kids, especially if they had never read a graphic novel before.

At the back of the book, there is a list of soccer moves with descriptions of how to do them. I felt like this section, you have to know soccer terms to really understand how to do these moves - but it would be great for soccer enthusiasts! There was also a glossary in the back that explained some of the words used in the story.

This is a great book for kids. The entire book is in full color, and the story flows quickly. There are some good themes about not giving up, giving people a chance, as well as realizing there are other ways to do things besides the way that's always been done.

Ever the Hunted

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill caught my eye with its beautiful cover first. I picked it up and read the back cover
blurb and found the story idea to be intriguing. A girl is caught poaching in the King's forest and in exchange for her life and her home, she is asked to track down and bring back her father's killer. It just so happens that all the evidence points to her best friend that she's come to think of as more than a best friend.

The beginning of the book was pretty slow, and it took me a while to actually get into it. There are flashbacks continuously throughout the book, and the story takes place shortly after her father's murder but without explicitly saying anything about it until later on. This and the fact that the worldbuilding is done bit by bit as the story unfolds makes it a little confusing and hard to know what is happening for a while.

But then it started to really pick up, and I didn't want to put it down. This book is full of secrets, betrayal, magic, and mystery. The main character, Britta, ends up in a race against time as she tries to find her father's murderer, find out who she really is, and decide what her relationships really are and should be with the other characters, all while two neighboring kingdoms are on the brink of war.

Britta has a hard time trusting people. And it's no wonder she does since there is a constant question about people's motives throughout the entire book. She's constantly questioning everything people are doing, and while it makes it hard for Britta to trust people, it also helps her to look at the bigger picture of what is going on in her world and to not always trust what has always been taught to her.

I really liked how this book focused not only the characters and their personal developments and relationships with each other but also had them questioning the world and the way things were. I think this is a great book for YA readers as they're reaching that age where they are more able to make a difference not just in their own lives but in the world around them.

There are several plot twists that keep the characters (and the reader) guessing which makes for a more pleasant reading experience in my opinion.

There was one aspect about the story that took Britta so long to figure out that I thought was pretty obvious from the beginning that made me wonder why it would take her so long to figure it out. She explains in the story that it's just something her father always told her, but it seems strange to me that she would just believe him and not ever question it when she questions everything else.

I really started caring about the characters though and what happened to them, so I was pleased (while also a little frustrated since it left a couple loose ends) when I found out that there is a sequel so I can read more about these characters.

Just a note: This is not a book for younger readers. It's classified as a YA book for a reason - not only because the characters are that age, but there are also some innuendos as well as some crude language that some of the soldiers use when describing Britta.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon Hale

My husband and I have been trying to keep up with all the Marvel superhero movies that have been coming out over the past several years, but apparently, there was another Marvel superhero that I hadn't yet heard of: Squirrel Girl.

Doreen Green (a.k.a. Squirrel Girl) is a teenage girl who has just moved with her family to a new city. She's doing what any teenager would do when moving to a new school in a new city, and that is trying to make friends. But she's not a normal teenager. She has a big, bushy tail like a squirrel that she keeps tucked in her pants, and she talks to squirrels. But even trying to make friends with the squirrels in this new place is hard.

As Doreen tries to become friends with Ana Sofia, she learns that there has been an increase in crime over the last two years and that people in the city are not like her at all. They aren't positive and optimistic, and they definitely don't talk to squirrels.

Doreen accidentally gets seen one night with her tail out when she was trying to clean up the garbage with her newly found squirrel friend that she made after saving it from an evil trap, and pretty soon all everyone at school wants to talk about is Squirrel Girl.

Doreen has always dreamed of being a superhero like the Avengers, and she takes it upon herself to take up her secret identity of Squirrel Girl and find out who is trying to kill the squirrels and why anyone would want to kill squirrels in the first place.

The narration of the story switches between Doreen's point of view, a squirrel named Tippy Toe's point of view, Ana Sofia's point of view, and then later to the villain's point of view.

Throughout the whole book, there are footnotes that are commentary from Squirrel Girl. At first, they were really strange and distracting, but they actually helped me as a reader get to know Squirrel Girl's personality a little better. And I did appreciate that they were just footnotes, and if they bothered the reader, they could just be ignored.

I thought it was pretty strange at first and wasn't really sure what I thought about it, but it ended up being a cute, fun story about a girl who is trying to discover herself, although she very much acts like a squirrel.

There are some really funny moments, some of which are when she is texting the Avengers. Her squirrel friend apparently got some of the Avengers' numbers for her so she could ask them for some advice on the villain in her town. But since she doesn't know which number belongs to which Avenger, she just starts talking to them and there are some really funny exchanges.

It was interesting to read this story to see a different aspect of the Marvel Universe and the birth of a new superhero who is quite a bit different than the others. One thing that bothered me though is that there was never any explanation in the whole book of why she has a squirrel tail or how that would even be possible, but there are some interesting facts about squirrels that can be learned by reading the book, and I was pleased that Squirrel Girl's abilities followed those of a real squirrel.

When the squirrels talk to each other, they are sometimes hard to understand, but it's fun to try to figure out what they're saying. Every once in a while, Squirrel Girl will provide a translation in the footnotes. When the squirrels are talking to Squirrel Girl, it's written as a bunch of chittering, which is then translated in the story by Squirrel Girl.

The story ends with a section with the villain that opens it up for a sequel, which upon looking it up, I found that there is one called 2 Fuzzy, 2 Furious which I plan to read when I can get my hands on it. It was nice to have a change from some of the other superheroes to something a little lighter. And I think it also helps that this one is only 14 and has things to worry about like making friends, homework, and getting grounded.

Utah Beehive Book Nominees 2019

The Utah Beehive Book Award winners are chosen by children. A list of nominees is provided, and children are encouraged in school and libraries throughout Utah to read the books on the list and vote on them. This year, there are 6 categories of books on the list. These categories include Children's Fiction, Picture Books, Informational, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, and Poetry.

After seeing the display at our local library for the Beehive Book nominees for 2019, I decided I was going to try to read the books on the list. As I read them, I'll write a review of the book and add the links on this post.

Here are the Beehive Book nominees for this year:


Children's Fiction:


Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis

Overboard! (Survivor Diaries) by Terry Lynn Johnson

Refugee by Alan Gratz

Restart by Gordon Korman

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon Hale

Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors

Wolfie & Fly by Cary Fagan

Word of Mouse by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein


Picture Books:


Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth by Jarvis

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt

Lion Lessons by Jon Agee

Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima

Penguin Problems by Jory John

A Perfect Day by Lane Smith

Toad on the Road: A Cautionary Tale by Stephen Shaskan

What to Do with a Box by Jane Yolen

Where Is Bear? by Jonathan Bentley


Informational:


Beauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3D-Printed Beak Rescued a Bald Eagle by Deborah Lee Rose

Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton

Kid from Diamond Street: The Extraordinary Story of Baseball Legend Edith Houghton by Audrey Vernick

Moto and Me: My Year as a Wildcat’s Foster Mom by Suzi Eszterhas

Pedal Power: How One Community Became the Bicycle Capital of the World by Allan Drummond

Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire by Amy Guglielmo

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. vs. Inequality by Jonah Winter

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant

Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness by Donna Janell Bowman


Young Adult:

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Ever the Hunted (Clash of Kingdoms) by Erin Summerill

Exo by Fonda Lee

Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kremmerer

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe) by Neal Shusterman

Starflight by Melissa Landers

A Taste for Monsters by Matthew Kirby

Warcross by Marie Lu

Wingsnatchers (Carmer and Grit) by Sarah Jean Horwitz


Graphic Novels:


Drawing Lesson: A Graphic Novel that Teaches You How to Draw by Mark Crilley

Real Friends by Shannon Hale

The Sand Warrior (5 Worlds) by Mark Siegel

Soccer Switch by Jake Maddox & Brandon Terrell

Ugly Dino Hatchling (Far Out Fables) by Stephanie True Peters


Poetry:


Best in Snow by April Pulley Sayre

Catching a Storyfish by Janice Harrington

My Daddy Rules the World: Poems About Dads by Hope Anita Smith

One Minute Till Bedtime: 60 Second Poems to Send You Off to Sleep edited by Kenn Nesbitt

Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner


Feel free to add your own recommendations, comments, and reviews on any of the books on the list you've read.