Greenberg, Jan, & Sandra Jordan. Meet Cindy Sherman.

Greenberg, Jan, & Sandra Jordan. Meet Cindy Sherman. Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press      2017     64p.   $19.99        ISBN 978-1-62672-520-1       ms/hs  Biography  E-BN

When Cindy Sherman was little, she loved to experiment with make-up and clothing to create different characters that reflected her moods and society’s take on what it means to be female.  As her rebellious nature asserted itself in college, her artistic photographs were not appreciated. Not to be deterred, she continued her experimentation with make-up and clothing and took photos of herself to post in an artistic community and later a gallery. In this book, truly remarkable reproductions of her photos encourage the reader to tell a story based upon the characters and background of a photo. Now she is acclaimed as a revolutionary artist who helped move photography from a way of documenting events and people into the realm of creative artistic expression, and her photos sell for thousands of dollars, reflecting the numerous awards she has been given.  All illustrations and quotes are meticulously sourced.      

Summary: A biography of the photographer who turned photography from a documentary medium into a creative, storytelling medium with her selfies before the word "selfie" was coined. Many illustrations to show the diverse characters she created. Grades 7+                

Photographers, Cindy Sherman                                       --Lois McNicol

Goslee, S. J. Whatever.

Goslee, S. J.  Whatever.  Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press     2016  266p  $17.99        ISBN 978-1-62672-399-3  Hardback  hs  Realistic fiction VG

Mike is about to start his junior year of high school, and figures he has it made ... he has his friends, he has his band, and he has his girlfriend Lisa. He and his friends enjoy getting drunk on beer and stoned on pot while they party the last of the summer away. But when Lisa suddenly breaks up with him because she has developed a crush on someone else, Mike’s whole world and concept of himself begins to change. For the first time, he finds that others perceive him as possibly gay, or even bisexual, when the thought had never once occurred to him. He begins to realize that he is attracted to some boys, and he has a whole new aspect of his feelings that he must define and deal with.
The language and situations of the book will probably appeal to high-school students who enjoy realistic literature that deals with sexuality and other everyday concerns of young people. The action is described in the present tense throughout the novel, giving it a sense of immediacy that will also appeal to that group of readers.      

Recommended for upper high-school readers of both sexes who like realistic fiction.

Summary: In this coming-of-age story, Mike gets in touch with his ambivalence about his sexuality and comes to terms with it.  

Sexuality-Fiction, LGBTQ fiction                            —Carol Kennedy

Sedgwick, Marcus. Blood Red Snow White.

Sedgwick, Marcus.  Blood Red Snow White.  Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press 2016  296p  $17.99  ISBN 978-1-62672-547-8  Hardback  hs  Historical fiction  VG-BN

Marcus Sedgwick has been shortlisted for Britain’s Carnegie Medal six times, and has received two Printz Honor awards, for Revolver and Ghosts of Heaven. In 2013 he won the Printz Award for Midwinterblood. Savvy readers will appreciate the metaphor disguised as a fairy tale at the beginning of the book to describe the rise of the Bolsheviks against the Imperialists. This is not a novelization of a fairy tale; this is not a re-telling of Snow White and Rose Red. However, readers expecting a well-written historical novel will not be disappointed by Blood Red Snow White.

Blood Red Snow White focuses on writer Arthur Ransome (a real historical figure), who  leaves England to work in Russia as a journalist. He finds himself in St. Petersburg on the eve of the Russian Revolution, and is at the center of a clandestine tug-of-war as two countries want Ransome to work for them. The Bolsheviks want Arthur to send messages to England, and England wants Ransome to spy on the Russians.In time, Ransome comes to play an important role in the demise of Tsarist Russia, which in turn leads to the rise and fall of Trotsky and Lenin.

Sedgwick’s three-part plot jumps among three stories (“A Russian Fairy Tale”; “One Night in Moscow”; “A Fairy Tale Ending”) until these braid into one seamless tale. The first section is told in the style of a fairy tale.  The second section is told in the third-person voice. The last section is narrated by Ransome himself. Everything is historically accurate, and Sedgwick has obviously done his homework. While some may call this novel a fantasy, the action focuses on plots and counterplots, espionage and spies, love affairs and adventures. It is a memorable and engaging story with a superb sense of place.

Summary: Arthur Ransome leaves England to work as a journalist in Russia, where he finds himself at the center of a violent revolution that is about to unfold. “Let me tell you a fairy tale.  I used to tell stories like this all the time; it used to be so important. It even saved my life once. Now let me see, how do fairy tales begin?”

Russian Revolution-Fiction, Arthur Ransome-Fiction          -Hilary Welliver

A & E Television Networks. Young Investigator’s Guide To Ancient Aliens.

A & E Television Networks.  Young Investigator’s Guide To Ancient Aliens.  Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press  2015  106p.  $14.99  ISBN 978-1-62672-063-3  ms/hs  Nonfiction  VG-BN   

Young Investigator’s Guide to Ancient Aliens explores the controversial theory that extraterrestrials have been visiting the earth for millions of years.  The book has been beautifully organized in a way that will entice any curious mind.  The choices of examples used as evidence of visitation are positively well-thought-out and will appeal to most readers.

The content is divided into several sections: “The Basics” answers the questions of what the aliens look like, where they came from, and why.  A visually explicit timeline helps readers understand the time frame. Colorful photographs also support the text in all sections of the book.

Part II is the evidence section in which readers learn about the findings of vast underground and underwater cities, pyramids, and crop circles. I found the discovery of a birdlike relic in a pyramid (Saqqua bird, which was later proven capable of flying) very thought-provoking.
    

Part III discusses aliens in our time.  Or are they just exceptional persons?  Readers will discover crystal skulls with magical powers, legendary heroes like King Arthur and Joan of Arc, and legendary monsters like the Loch Ness Monster, chimeras, The Kracken, and Bigfoot.
    

Ancient astronaut theorists have covered noteworthy examples from the Maoi on Easter Island to the long-suspected extraterrestrial activity in the Dragon’s and Bermuda Triangles.

All in all, this will be a popular book in any library.  It is well written and very informative.  An index supports library research.
     

Summary: Young Investigator’s Guide to Ancient Aliens explores the controversial theory that extraterrestrials have visited the earth for millions of years.   

Aliens, Unexplained Mysteries                         --Linda McNeil

Greenwald, Tommy. Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Summer Vacation.

Greenwald, Tommy.  Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Summer Vacation.      Macmillan/ Roaring Brook Press      2013  222p  ISBN 978-1-59643-757-9 ms/jr  VG-BN  Realistic fiction

Charlie Joe Jackson makes another appearance, this time at a super-academic summer camp to which he is ill suited.  But he makes the best of it, and ends up having a pretty good time, with lots of laughs along the way.  Charlie Joe is a happy-go-lucky guy who purports to hate reading and academics in general.  At every opportunity he reiterates his hatred of reading and the lengths to which he will go to avoid it.  But when push comes to shove, he reads a book about Lech Walesa and is inspired to stand up for his beliefs, and become a leader among his peers at the summer camp.  With enough plot twists and humor to keep the narrative going, this one will find its readership among middle-school boys.

Summary: Charlie Joe Jackson makes another appearance, this time at a super-academic summer camp to which he is ill suited.  But he makes the best of it, and ends up having a pretty good time, with lots of laughs along the way.                 

Boys-Fiction, Humor                                         --Carol Kennedy

Silvey, Anita. Children’s Book-A-Day.

Silvey, Anita.  Children’s Book-A-Day.    Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press  2012  388p $19.99      978-1-59643-708-1       all ages  Reference   E-BN 

This monumental work can be used as a reference book, a basis for planning library or literature lessons, or just a fun resource to browse through.  There is one page devoted to each day of the year, with a listing of birthdays, anniversaries of famous events, and a specific book featured.  Most of the books mentioned are children’s books, but there are also some others.  Noteworthy information is shared about each book, some of it little known.  At the end of the book, there is a list of major children’s book awards, an index of the books and authors featured, an index of books by type and an index of books by age.  In addition, there is a list of major holidays and special months (like Black History Month) that will prove useful for planning lessons.  All in all, it is a fantastic book and one that will be well used by teachers, parents, kids and librarians alike.

Having said that, there is a GLARING double-typo on the entry for May 3.  It says “Reed Abigoys by Pete Seeger.”  Of course, it should be “Read Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger.”  More careful proof-reading is required.           

Children’s literature                                 --Carol Kennedy