Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka-314 pages

Krosoczka was the closing keynote speaker at the MLA Annual Conference that I recently had the pleasure of attending. I enjoyed hearing from him and seeing him draw. This book about his early life and upbringing was discussed heavily. I saw it on the shelf and decided to read it for this month's blog challenge. Krosoczka had a difficult childhood/upbringing. His mother was addicted to heroin and his father wasn't in the picture at all and wanted nothing to do with him. He was raised by his grandparents, Joe and Shirley, who he came to view as his parents. He loved his mother and had a relationship with her as best as he could in the circumstances. This graphic memoir/biography details his life up through high school graduation. He meets his biological father for the first time at age 17 and finds out he has a half brother and sister. This is a good read that is at times heartbreaking. His grandparents' personalities really stand out in this story. It is a story about family and what that means. Not everyone has a mother and father raising them.

Later by Stephen King

 Later by Stephen King-Audiobook 6 discs, 6 hrs. 32 mins. (248 pages in print)

Jamie (James) Conklin is a unique young man. He can see dead people, although (as he says in the book) not in the same way as the kid in "The Sixth Sense." He lives with his single mother, Tia, in New York City. His mother is a literary publisher/agent. The main story centers around Jamie's ability to see and speak to the dead and how that causes someone once close to his mother (and him) to use him and his ability for their own purposes. Jamie must learn to live and cope with his ability and its consequences (some good and some bad). I am not a huge King fan, but I have previously read "Carrie" and I wanted to listen to a shorter audiobook on a recent road trip. This book is pretty good, though. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky-213 pages

I have seen the film a few times, so I wanted to finally read the book for this month's challenge and compare them. I like the film slightly better than the book mostly because the main characters don't smoke in the film, but they're like chainsmokers in the book (including Charlie who's underage at 16). However, both are good and it's cool (and unusual) that Stephen Chbosky wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Because of this, many of the details from the novel are carried over into the movie. Charlie is beginning his freshman year of high school and wants to make friends. Michael, his friend in middle school, committed suicide so he doesn't really have any friends to carry over into high school. He meets Patrick and Sam, who are step siblings, at a football game and they become good friends throughout the school year. However, Patrick and Sam (and Alice and Mary Elizabeth) are all seniors, so when they leave Charlie won't have friends in high school again. I don't want to give away too much of the story, but basically it's a story about Charlie and him making friends and "participating" in life. 

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) by Marjane Satrapi

 Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) by Marjane Satrapi-153 pages

This is the story of Marjane Satrapi and her childhood in Iran. She grew up during the Iranian Revolution (aka the Islamic Revolution) of 1978-1979. A couple of years later Iran and Iraq were at war. Atrocities abounded both during and after the Iranian Revolution. The regime installed after the revolution was an extremely repressive Islamic government. Veils now had to be worn and worn properly by women. Parties, playing cards, tapes, records, and the like were banned. Men were encouraged to grow long beards and to never wear ties. Anyone found in violation of these new rules could be arrested and executed. Both Marjane and her mother had scary run-ins with patrols on behalf of the regime. Many died both during the revolution and the subsequent war and Marjane saw some of it first-hand. Bombings were frequent during the war. When Marjane turned fourteen, her parents sent her to Vienna, Austria to attend a French school (she had attended French schools in Tehran, Iran) out of concern for her safety in Iran. I didn't know much about the Iranian Revolution or the history of Iran before reading this graphic novel, but I learned quite a bit from reading this. It's not necessarily an enjoyable read, but it is an important read. 

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson

 Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson-136 pages

Ms. Marvel is still getting acclimated to her new powers and her superhero life. She continues her quest to find and defeat the Inventor. She learns more about her powers and her limits. Kamala/Ms. Marvel learns that it's good to bring friends and be part of a team. She also learns more about the origins of her powers and that it wasn't merely the effects of the Terrigen gas, but also something more. I am enjoying this series so far, but I'm still not sure if I like it as much as the Avengers video game. I look forward to continuing the story in the subsequent volumes.

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson-120 pages

This is the origin story for Ms. Marvel, aka Kamala Khan. She is a 16-year-old Pakistani-American girl in Jersey City. Kamala is still trying to figure out her place in the world and she sneaks out of the house to attend a party her parents told her she couldn't go to. During the party, she is made fun of and she runs off. As she is running away, a green mist fills the air and knocks her out. The green mist is Terrigen gas and it gives her super powers. Kamala saves a girl who was making fun of her at the party from drowning. Kamala trains and learns more about her strengths and weaknesses. She attempts to save a friend's brother from The Inventor. The first time she fails, but she prepares and succeeds on her second attempt. Her parents want her to be a good Muslim young woman. I was inspired to read this comic book series by playing the very recent video game "Marvel's Avengers." Ms. Marvel's origin story is slightly different in the video game, but the game was very enjoyable, so I wanted to read this for the monthly challenge. 

To Kill A Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel by Fred Fordham and Harper Lee

 To Kill A Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel by Fred Fordham and Harper Lee-273 pages

I have not read the original "To Kill a Mockingbird" classic novel by Harper Lee. When I saw this on the shelf I decided I would read it for this month's challenge. It is a good novel/graphic novel. It is harrowing and appalling to once again realize that this is how African-Americans were (and to some extent still are) treated during the Jim Crow Era. The way Tom Robinson is convicted even though all evidence says to the contrary is infuriating and appalling, but this is truly the way it was. This is a fairly accurate portrait of life in the 1930s in the American South. Harper Lee was from Alabama and grew up in this time, so she should have a decent grasp on the time. She wrote it from the point-of-view of a young white girl named Jean Louise "Scout" Finch. Her father, Atticus Finch, is appointed to defend Tom Robinson because the judge knows he's the only one who will treat him with dignity and truly defend him properly. It is a thought-provoking story. I am glad to have finally read it in some form. 

Boying Up: How to be Brave, Bold, and Brillant by Mayim Bialik, PhD

Boying Up: How to be Brave, Bold, and Brillant by Mayim Bialik, PhD,
200 pages

Most people know Mayim Bialik from the Big Bang Theory for playing Amy Farrah Fowler.  She is also a New York Times Bestselling Author.  She also wrote the book Girling Up for young girls.  Boying Up is much like her book Girling Up except it is written for boys.  This book contains so much information for young boys and she also includes some informative illustraions.  I highly recommend this book if you are raising young boys, and they should read it too.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audiobook)-312 pages in print

A toddler's entire family is murdered by a man, so the toddler escapes the house and somehow finds its way to a nearby graveyard and is taken in by inhabitants (dead) of the graveyard as their own. Mrs. Owens is the first to find him, so he is named Nobody "Bod" Owens by the graveyard folk. A "man" named Silas who has free access to the graveyard (as does Bod) acts as his caretaker, bringing him food, clothes, and teaching him lessons. Additionally, Silas leaves him in the care of capable others when he goes on "business" trips. Adventures abound including encounters with ghouls, night-gaunts, a witch, the Jacks of All Trades (one of which killed his family and all later try unsuccessfully to kill him again). It is a coming of age story of sorts that only Neil Gaiman could tell. I enjoyed Gaiman's narration and I enjoy reading his books, especially since he is a staunch library advocate (his books are good, too, though).

Room - Emma Donaghue

Room - Emma Donaghue - 352 pages

So, this book doesn't have aliens, an apocalypse, space travel, or a horror show of any kind outside of human indecency.  Jack, five years old and born into captivity, narrates his experience in Room.  It's an 11x11 foot shed in the backyard of Old Nick, the man who kidnapped Jack's Ma seven years ago, but it's Jack's whole world.  To him, it seems like a big one, but Jack is growing up and his Ma is desperate for both of them to escape.

MSCHMITT--- Blanket and Bear a Remarkable Pair by LJR Kelly 30

MSCHMITT--- Blanket and Bear a Remarkable Pair by LJR Kelly 30

This is the sad tale of two toys given to a boy at birth and the adventures they have as he grows; but one day when he loses them, they find themselves on the island of forgotten toys and while they are having fun they still miss the boy. ThYe travel far and wide to see him again only to find that he is grown and no longer needs them, and in the end they retreat back to the wonderful island of  forgotten toys.

The Color of Earth, by Kim Dong Hwa

The Color of Earth (Color Trilogy #1), by Kim Dong Hwa, 320 pages

The surest way to get me to read a book is to tell me that it's been frequently challenged.  Apparently this one has made the list recently, and I wanted to know why.  It's manhwa (Korean manga) about a young girl named Ehwa, living in a quaint Korean village with her widowed mother.  Ehwa learns about becoming a woman, sex, and falling in love- but in the most chaste, tasteful way I can imagine.  I found it a little slow-moving, but the story is sweet and thoughtful, and only objectionable if you were scandalized by Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.