Month / August 2021

by cholliman1

“Too Bright To See” by Kyle Lukoff

Title: Too Bright To See

Author: Kyle Lukoff

Publication Year: 2021

The Plot: Growing up in rural Vermont, eleven year old Bug has always believed that her 150 year old house was haunted. With the recent passing of her Uncle Roderick, the ghosts in her house seem even more active. Life outside her house has also gotten more complicated as middle school approaches and her best friend Moira seems intent on recreating herself with lip gloss, makeup, and a new fixation on boys. Will Bug be able to also find her true self to quiet the ghosts in the house and survive the social scene at middle school?

My Take: This book did not interest me, but I believe that it is the right selection for some readers. Spoilers prevent me from saying more about this, but this book will speak to a narrow audience of young people struggling with themselves. Rather than being driven by the plot, author Kyle Lukoff prefers to draw attention to Bug’s inner life and her close relationships to her mother, best friend Moira, and her deceased uncle. Also, the supernatural elements in the book mirror Bug’s inner turbulence, a combination that works well as these elements collide to produce some unexpected outcomes. Even thought I was not captivated by this book, I can see the value in its message and believe that it will truly speak to certain readers.

One Interesting Thing About The Author: According to his website, Kyle Lukoff was hired at a bookstore when he was sixteen. Which means that he’s been working at the intersection of books and people for half his life.

by cholliman1

“The Collector” by K. R. Alexander

Title: The Collector

Author: K. R. Alexander

Publication Year: 2018

The Plot: During the summer, Josie and her younger sister Anna move with their mom from Chicago out to the countryside. They move into a large house with their Grandmother Jeannie whose health is failing. Their grandmother soon warns the girls not to go into the woods because a mysterious presence named ‘Beryl’ lives there. Mom explains that grandmother Jeannie is making stories up because her thinking is impaired. At night the girls hear strange sounds coming from the woods and wonder if their grandmother’s stories are true?

My Take: The strength of this story lies in its narrative momentum. Author K. R. Alexander chooses to stick tightly to the plot and not give extra exposition or characterization. Readers looking for world building or fully developed characters will be disappointed, but those wanting a snappy ghost story with some good scares will be pleased. Recommended to any middle grade readers who want a spooky story.

One Interesting Note About The Author: According to his website, K. R. Alexander has traveled the world and even spent time as a performance circus artist with a focus on aerial and trapeze skills. He has recently joined Ecologi, an organization that offsets carbon emissions, and pledged to plant 500 trees for every book that he publishes.

by cholliman1

“Starfish” by Lisa Fipps

The Plot: Ellie is a larger sized girl who endures chronic bullying about her weight from her peers at school, her family members, and strangers. The start of a new school year and her best friend moving away prove to be additional challenges for her. Luckily a new girl Ellie’s age has moved in next door and they start to become friends. Ellie also finds a trusted therapist who advocates for her to stay strong and face her bullies. Will this be enough for Ellie to change her life and how she sees herself?

My Take: This is a solid read for any young person looking for a book on the topic of body shaming. The plot is a little thin and the therapy plot device will feel very exhausted to seasoned readers. The bullying also comes so fast and thick that it seems overdone at times. Fipps answers this critique by stating that “every single mean thing people said or did to Ellie happened to me when I was a child.” It is perhaps that the instances of bullying are condensed into a period of several weeks that makes them feel unrealistic. These criticisms aside, Fipps does an excellent job conveying Ellie’s pain and shame to the reader. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a realistic middle grade read on empathy, body shaming, kindness, acceptance, etc.

One Interesting Note About The Author: According to the bio on her website, Lisa Fipps’s elbows ache when she sneezes! 🙂