Title: Can You Believe It?: How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts Author: Joyce Grant, Kathleen Marcotte (illustrator) Genre: Children’s, Nonfiction Publisher: Kids Can Press Source: Publisher Format: Hardcover Release Date: June 7, 2022 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
For today’s tech-savvy kids, here’s the go-to resource for navigating what they read on the internet.
Should we believe everything we read online? Definitely not! And this book will tell you why. This fascinating book explores in depth how real journalism is made, what “fake news” is and, most importantly, how to spot the difference. It’s chock-full of practical advice, thought-provoking examples and tons of relevant information on subjects that range from bylines and credible sources to influencers and clickbait. It gives readers context they can use, such as how bias can creep into news reporting, why celebrity posts may not be truthful and why they should be suspicious of anything that makes them feel supersmart. Young people get most of their information online. This must-read guide helps them decide which information they can trust — and which they can’t.
Author and journalist Joyce Grant is an expert on how young people interact with and think about online media. Never judgmental, and often hilarious, she encourages readers to approach what they find online with skepticism and helps them hone their critical thinking skills to make good choices about what to believe and share. Engaging text is broken into manageable chunks, with loads of Kathleen Marcotte’s playful illustrations on every spread to help explain tricky concepts. Two fake articles are deconstructed step by step using the information found in the book, and an additional article allows readers to test their skills. This comprehensive book has strong curriculum connections in language arts and social studies. Endmatter features a glossary, an author’s note, sources and an index.
Review:
Can You Believe It? gives tips on how to spot fake news on the internet. There are tons of fake new articles posted on the internet every day. Some are clickbait, some are satire, but many are complete lies. It’s important to be able to spot them so that lies aren’t spread. This book is a helpful guide for kids (and adults) on how to identify fake news to stop it from spreading.
I’ve been so excited about this book since I found out that my friend Joyce Grant was writing it! Now more than ever, it’s so important to be able to spot fake news articles. There are many lies on the internet and children have so much access to technology, the internet, and fake news. It’s important to teach children critical thinking so they can find reliable news sources.
There were many practical examples of determining if an article is from a reliable source. Joyce referenced a fun Canadian ad for the “house hippo,” which was a tiny hippo that could live in your house, eating peanut butter crumbs and sleeping in shoes. That ad was meant to teach children that not everything that you see on TV is true. The commercial was actually brought back recently in an updated version featuring technology. It was a believable commercial, but obviously we don’t have tiny house hippos hiding in our houses. I loved seeing these kinds of real ads analyzed in this book using the tips on how to spot fake news.
Can You Believe It? is a great resource for children!
Thank you Joyce Grant and Kids Can Press for sending me a copy of this book!
Have you read Can You Believe It? What did you think of it?
Title: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet Author: Jen Ferguson Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Publisher: Heartdrum Source: Purchased Format: Hardcover Release Date: May 10, 2022 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
In this complex and emotionally resonant novel, debut author Jen Ferguson serves up a powerful story about rage, secrets, and all the spectrums that make up a person—and the sweetness that can still live alongside the bitterest truth.
Lou has enough confusion in front of her this summer. She’ll be working in her family’s ice cream shack with her newly ex-boyfriend—whose kisses never made her feel desire, only discomfort—and her former best friend, King, who is back in their Canadian prairie town after disappearing three years ago without a word.
But when she gets a letter from her biological father—a man she hoped would stay behind bars for the rest of his life—Lou immediately knows that she cannot meet him, no matter how much he insists.
While King’s friendship makes Lou feel safer and warmer than she would have thought possible, when her family’s business comes under threat, she soon realizes that she can’t ignore her father forever.
Review:
Lou is spending her last summer before starting university working at her uncles’ ice cream shack on the prairies. Her best friend Florence is working with her, as well as her newly ex-boyfriend Wyatt, who she wasn’t physically attracted to, and her old friend King Nathan, who is visiting from Toronto. One day, she receives a threatening letter from her biological father, who is supposed to be in prison for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, her mother is away for the summer, and she doesn’t want to share her troubles with her uncles who are struggling to pay the bills. Lou finds comfort in reviving her friendship with King, while trying to figure out how to stop her father from destroying her and her family.
This was a very emotional read. Lou had a lot of trauma in her past, from what happened to her mother and generational trauma as a Native woman in Canada. I appreciated that the author had a note at the beginning that warned of some potential triggers that are in the book, and she said it was okay if you couldn’t read it at this time. I tend to avoid emotional reads but after reading that author’s note, I felt like I was in safe hands with this book.
This book dealt with serious issues, such as racism, rape, and sexual assault, but it was written in a beautiful way. Lou was half white and half Métis, so she could pass for white, which she did when she was in school. That was compared to her friend King Nathan, who was Black, and couldn’t pass for white. Lou’s biological father threatened to take her family’s land from them, which reflected the way the land was stolen from the Indigenous peoples in Canada. Though these were serious topics, this story was beautifully crafted.
Most of this book was difficult to read because of the trauma that Lou and her friends faced, and if it’s difficult to read on a page, I can’t imagine what it would feel like to experience these things. At the same time, I’m very glad that this story has been written for a younger generation, and I’m glad that I read it.
What to read next:
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
Have you read The Summer of Bitter and Sweet? What did you think of it?
Title: Slip Author: Marika McCoola, Aatmaja Pandya Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, LGBTQ, Contemporary Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: June 7, 2022 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
From Eisner-Award nominated writer Marika McCoola and debut artist Aatmaja Pandya, an emotional coming-of-age graphic novel for fans of Bloom and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me.
Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on herself right now?
But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic opportunities she’s been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat, comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her creatures in the kiln, something unreal happens: they come to life. And they’re taking a stand: if Jade won’t confront her problems, her problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them all—if Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she leaving Phoebe behind?
Review:
Jade is a young artist who has the opportunity to go to an art camp and possibly get a scholarship to an art school. However, right before she leaves, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. Jade is reluctant to leave her, but Phoebe needs to go into treatment. Jade finds it hard to stop worrying about Phoebe and blaming herself for what happened, but when she reaches deep down for those strong emotions, she can make her best art yet.
Jade’s art form that she created was pottery. I took pottery classes for years, so I loved seeing all of the familiar tools. One tricky thing about pottery is that the creation is partly out of your control when it’s put in the kiln. Jade had to deal with one of her pieces ruining the work of another artist. It’s a tricky art form but can be beautiful.
I appreciated the portrayal of mental health in this graphic novel. Though it doesn’t show the perspective of the person who attempted suicide, we can see the way it affected people around her. Jade blamed herself for not being there for Phoebe and she didn’t want to enjoy her time at the art camp because of it. In this way, Phoebe’s mental health struggles were reflected in Jade.
Slip is a beautiful graphic novel with an important message.
Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for providing a digital copy of this book.
What to read next:
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki, Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
Title: Family of Liars (We Were Liars #0) Author: E. Lockhart Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Historical Fiction Publisher: Delacorte Press Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: May 3, 2022 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The prequel to We Were Liars takes readers back to the story of another summer, another generation, and the secrets that will haunt them for decades to come.
A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts. A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow. A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictable boy. A summer of unforgivable betrayal and terrible mistakes.
Welcome back to the Sinclair family. They were always liars.
Review:
In this prequel to We Were Liars, we visit the island off the coast of Massachusetts with the Sinclair family in the 80s. Carrie is the eldest daughter, with her youngest sister, Rosemary, having drowned the summer before. The family returned this year without acknowledging the missing family member. Then, a boat full of boys arrives at the island with a lot of drama for the Sinclair girls. The sisters have to navigate their new life with some betrayal and mistakes along the way.
This prequel starts off with spoilers for We Were Liars, so it shouldn’t be read first. Carrie narrated the story as her adult self looking back on that particular summer where her life changed. It was similar to We Were Liars in the way that it was the same family on the same island but it was quite different as well.
This story was a lot darker than We Were Liars. There were serious issues, such as drug and alcohol abuse, drowning, murder, cheating, and homophobia. Some of these scenes were really uncomfortable, but they also honestly showed the flaws in this upper class family, which led to the events of We Were Liars.
Family of Liars was a great prequel to We Were Liars.
Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for providing a digital copy of this book.
Title: A Magic Stepped in Poison (The Book of Tea #1) Author: Judy I. Lin Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Publisher: Feiwel and Friends Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: March 29, 2022 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.”
For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.
When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.
But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.
Review:
Ning was responsible for brewing the tea that killed her mother and poisoned her sister, Shu. She needs to find the antidote for the poison before Shu dies. When Ning finds out there is a competition at the palace to find the best shennong-shi, master of ancient and magical tea-making, she knows she must compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, and Ning wants to request something to cure her sister. However, the competition becomes deadly and political, so Ning must race to save her own life.
This was a beautiful fantasy story. I loved the magical elements involving the tea. The tea was brewed with magic that could give the drinker or the brewer magical abilities. The competition was thrilling and suspenseful because each challenge had a dangerous twist.
This story moved along at a fast pace. There were lots of twists, especially in the final chapters. I couldn’t figure out how Ning was going to get out of her challenges in the final chapters, so I was surprised when she did. The story also ended on a cliffhanger, so I’m glad the sequel will be published so soon!
A Magic Steeped in Poison is a great fantasy debut!
Thank you Raincoast Books and Feiwell and Friends for providing a copy of this book.
What to read next:
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea by Axie Oh
Have you read A Magic Steepedin Poison? What did you think of it?
Title: Spineless Author: Samantha San Miguel Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction Publisher: Union Square Kids Source: Publisher Format: Paperback arc Release Date: June 7, 2022 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
This exciting middle-grade adventure is Hoot for the Gilded Age—with scientific discoveries, secret plots, and surprisingly enormous fauna.
When his asthma lands him at a health resort in the wilds of Gilded Age South Florida, twelve-year-old Algie Emsworth is over the moon. The scientific treasure trove of unexplored swamps may launch his dream career as a naturalist. But even Algie is startled when he happens upon a brand-new species and her brood in the karst springs surrounding the resort. Algie quickly realizes he must keep his discovery a secret: a famous collector of exotic animals is also staying at the hotel, and the new species is threatened by his very presence. An apparent curse has also descended upon the hotel, bringing with it a deadly red tide. But when the pool starts filling with ink and guests start getting mysterious, sucker-shaped wounds, Algie must pluck up his courage to find the truth about the goings-on at the Grand Hotel—and save the new species from destruction.
Review:
In the late 1800s, twelve-year-old Algie Emsworth goes to a Florida health resort with his mom and brother to improve his asthma. Algie quickly befriends the resort owner’s daughters, Lulu and Frankie, and they explore the swamps surrounding the resort. The three friends discover a new species of octopus and her eight babies. Algie knows he must keep this discovery a secret, because there is a collector of exotic species also staying at the resort. When strange things start happening, like pools filling with ink and a guest being attacked, it becomes more important than ever for Algie and his friends to protect this new species.
This story explores the dangers of exploring nature and how it can be affected by humans. There is a fine line between exploring and discovering a new species, and exploiting and disturbing nature. Once Algie and his friends had discovered the octopus, it was no longer in a completely natural habitat, without human interference. It’s important to learn about nature and try to preserve it, but we also need to let these species live their own lives without disturbing them for our own human gain.
Algie had asthma which really affected what he could do. He had to be careful not to overexert himself, and he always carried an inhaler ball with him. I think asthma is much more common today, but it was interesting to see how it affected Algie’s life more than 100 years ago, and the medicine of inhalers is still used today.
Spineless is a great story about species discovery!
Thank you Union Square Kids for proving a copy of this book.
What to read next:
The Nest by Kenneth Oppel
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Have you read Spineless? What did you think of it?
Title: Book of Night Author: Holly Black Genre: Fantasy, Contemporary Publisher: Tor Books Source: Purchased Format: Hardcover Release Date: May 3, 2022 Rating: ★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Holly Black makes her adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies.
In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.
Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgängers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows.
Review:
In this world, shadows can be altered and can sometimes take on a life of their own. Charlie Hall is a con artist with a bartending day job, with a sister who is obsessed with shadows. When Charlie is approached for a new job, she reluctantly takes it. This job thrusts her into the world of shadows, which is closer to her than she imagined.
I’m sorry to say this book was disappointing for me. I went into the story blind, and I had no idea what was going on for quite a while. The first third of it was slow paced, then there was a surprising twist that made it pick up the pace but then the momentum slowed when the story became too complicated.
I think this story should have been longer, with more descriptive characters or shorter with a simpler plot. By the end, I had most of the male characters mixed up, especially when they were in the same room. The characters were also so similar that I couldn’t differentiate between them.
I really wanted to love this book, but it didn’t work for me.
What to read next:
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Have you read Book of Night? What did you think of it?
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