Review & Giveaway: Public School Superhero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

Everywhere you look these days people are talking about comics and graphic novels. And we all know that many middle-grade readers are particularly drawn to the medium. But because comics are geared to a broad range of readers, parents may wonder about which ones are appropriate for their young readers.

Fortunately, there are a lot of kid-friendly choices, and James Patterson's fun and funny middle-school graphic/illustrated novels are always a safe bet. Patterson's newest is Public School Superhero, which is written with Chris Tebbetts.

On the outside, Kenny Wright is a mild-mannered chess club geek who is finding it really hard to stay out of the way of the tough kids at his new school. But on the inside he's really Stainlezz Steel Man, defender of the weak and doer of good deeds.

Of course, Kenny knows he's not really a superhero, but a kid can dream, can't he? And in his urban neighborhood, it's a good idea to feel strong. Unfortunately, Kenny's image isn't helped by his watchful grandmother, who insists on walking him to school, even though he's in sixth grade--practically grown up already.

When, after a rocky start to the school year, Kenny is tasked with teaching chess to one of the tough kids, he is stunned. Unfortunately, he understands it's pretty much the only way he'll be able to navigate the roiling waters of middle school. Let's hope Stainlezz Steel Man can lend a hand.

Although Patterson and Tebbetts address a lot of important issues in Public School Superhero, they avoid being preachy. The humor and black-and-white illustrations and short comics (drawn by Cory Thomas) help keep the tone light, even while the story explores bullying, family, friendship, honesty, and helping others.

In addition, the book highlights some of the concerns that inner-city schools face on a daily basis, such as no gymnasium, antiquated technology, and overcrowded classrooms.

Even though every problem has not been solved, the book ends on an upbeat. Kenny, with the help of some caring adults and a vivid imagination, manages not only to make through the first couple months of sixth grade but to find his place at school and at home.

For more information about the book, visit the website for Public School Superhero and follow #PublicSchoolSuperhero on your social media sites. For more on James Patterson, visit his website, follow him on Twitter, and like his Facebook page.

The Giveaway: Thanks to Little Brown I'm able to offer one of my readers with a U.S. mailing address a fabulous prize pack of four books. One lucky reader will get a copy of Public School Superhero along three more of Patterson's middle school books: I Funny, Treasure Hunters, and House of Robots. All you have to do to be entered to win is to fill out the form. I'll pick a winner using a random number generator on March 20. Once the winner has been confirmed, I'll erase all personal information from my computer. Good luck.

Click for more

Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Sometime in the past, in an alternate history, humans and dragons live together, keeping the peace under an uneasy treaty. Some dragons have chosen to live in their own lands, but others, the Saar, have learned to take a human shape and hold positions at court and as teachers.

As the fortieth anniversary of the treaty approaches, the murder of the crown prince of Goredd threatens to irrevocably shatter the tenuous bonds between the species. Popular human opinion has it that dragons are responsible for the death, and prejudice and hate rise to the surface.

The eponymous heroine of Rachel Hartman's Seraphina finds herself unexpectedly at the forefront of the unrest. As the eldest daughter of the treaty's author, Seraphina knows the law. But that's not why, at age sixteen, she has come to court. She is there to assist the royal musician and to provide lessons to the new heir apparent, Princess Glisselda. Seraphina, however, has secrets, and those secrets just might hold the key to a lasting peace.

It's easy to see why Seraphina earned so many awards and starred reviews. Although the idea of dragons and humans living in close proximity is not new, Hartman has given us a fresh take on the theme and a strong, smart main character. Seraphina doesn't always make wise decisions, but she doesn't approach life recklessly. She has talents, but she is also flawed and struggles with self-acceptance.

I chose to listen to the unabridged audiobook read by Mandy Williams. Despite being an avid audiobook fan, I think Serphina is one of those novels that should be read in print. Or perhaps it was that Williams was not a good match for Seraphina.

My primary issue with the audiobook is that Seraphina is old enough to leave home and work in a prestigious position at court. She is intelligent, thoughtful, and troubled. Unfortunately, Williams's voice sounded much too young for the character, which strained my ability to believe in the story. I often had to step back from the audio to remind myself that Seraphina was not twelve.

Although Seraphina is a fantasy, the novel touches on several deeper themes that resonate in modern times. The most important of which are prejudice against those who are different and the problems faced by people of mixed heritages. You see, Seraphina is an abomination and is thought impossible to even exist: her mother, who died in childbirth, was a dragon, but her father is all too human.

In one scene that would have been gut-wrenching in print, Williams fails to convey the depth of Seraphina's self-loathing and utter despair at the physical reminders of her dragon heritage. This same issue is found in the dramatic action scenes. Williams's narration is a little flat, and she would have served listeners better by increasing her pace and sharpening her tones to help us relate to Seraphina's fear and bravery.

Seraphina has a reputation of being a talented musician with an arresting singing voice, and I love that Williams, who has a nice voice, chose to break into song whenever Seraphina performs for an audience. This was a welcome treat, although I'd be remiss not to mention that when singing, Williams came out of character, sounding older and dropping Seraphina's accent.

Recommendation: Seraphina is a complex novel with a likable, smart, and flawed heroine. Rachel Hartman has created a unique, yet familiar world in which beings are struggling to understand each other and to find a middle ground in which both sides can embrace their differences. Even the obligatory love story is realistic and slow-building. Hartman has nicely balanced the action, the world building, and the characters' personal stories. Seraphina well deserves its awards and rave reviews.

Unfortunately, the audiobook does not do this novel justice. My suggestion is to stick with print. I understand that the print book contains a glossary and a list of characters. It's too bad these materials were not available as PDF downloads for listeners.

Note: Veteran narrator Justin Eyre has minor role in Seraphina. Her performance was well done. For a sample of Mandy Williams's performance, hit the play button in the widget below.

Print: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2012
ISBN-13: 9780375866562
Audio: Listening Library; 13 hr, 15 min
Source: Review (audio) (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

Click for more

Wordless Wednesday 333

Sparrow, 2015

Click image to see full size. For more Wordless Wednesday, click here.

Click for more

Today's Read: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

What if you were the only witness to a kidnapping but found you were incapable of helping the investigation? Although Finn O'Sullivan saw the abduction of his brother's girlfriend, he finds he can't identify the tall man who took her away. All the mug shots look alike to him because Finn suffers from a condition known as face blindness (prosopagnosia).

The people of Bone Gap called Finn a lot of things, but none of them was his name. When he was little, they called him Spaceman. Sidetrack. Moonface. You. As he got older, they called him Pretty Boy. Loner. Brother. Dude.

But whatever they called him, they called him fondly. Despite his odd expressions, his strange distraction, and that annoying way he had of creeping up on a person, they knew him as well as they knew anyone. As well as they knew themselves.

—Big Gap by Laura Ruby (HarperTeen / Balzer + Bray, 2015, p. 1 [ARC])

Quick Facts

• Setting: Midwest, small rural community, contemporary times
• Circumstances: Roza, a beautiful young girl, is kidnapped and held captive by a tall man, whom Finn, the only witness, cannot ID. Besides being frustrated by his handicap, Finn finds himself slipping out of favor when the townsfolk begin to doubt his story.
• Characters: Finn and his brother Sean; Roza and Priscilla, their girlfriends; the tall man Finn cannot identify; quirky neighbors and friends
• Genre & audience: literary fiction, mixed with folklore, mystery, and a little magic; young adult
• Themes: love, friendship, forgiveness, self-acceptance, family, women's strength, handicaps, being different
• Miscellaneous: the story is told from multiple view points; we learn about the real condition of facial blindness
• Early thoughts: I meant to look at only the first paragraph but ended up reading about a third of the book before I realized it. I love the writing style, deep emotions, and vivid characters.

Click for more

Reading on Topic: Seven Orphaned Novels

Am I the only one who has noticed the publishing industry's interest in orphans? Over the last couple of years there's been an upswing in books with the word orphan in the title and in books that feature orphans as the main characters. I'm not sure what this means, but it's a trend that caught my attention.

Today's Reading On Topic covers seven books I've shelved under the general category of orphans. They range from creepy to thoughtful to light-hearted, so I'm sure there's a title that's just right for you. They all look great to me.

A Little Bit Scary

Sophie Hannah, The Orphan Choir (Picador; ISBN: 9781250063755; 2015) Life in the city becomes unbearable for Louise Beeston after her young son leaves for boarding school and joins a famous boys' choir. It's not only that she misses her son but that she can no longer bear the noise of her neighbor's music and of the workmen who are sandblasting her house. After talking her husband into relocating to the country, Louise is distressed to discover she cannot outrun the ghostly choir that, apparently, only she can hear. As she begins a downward spiral, Louise tries to uncover the secret meanings behind the music. Recommendation: Perfectly spooky for readers who love psychological suspense.

Catherine Jinx How to Catch a Bogle (Harcourt Children's; ISBN: 9780544087088; 2013) Ten-year-old Birdie loves her job with Alfred the Bogle catcher, especially because she knows how bad it can be for an orphan in Victorian London. Birdie and Alfred's services are required whenever a village child goes missing. But when the number of disappearances gets out of hand, the pair relies on friends to help them figure out what is happening. Quirky characters, plenty of action, and a surprising dilemma for Birdie perk up this fun start to a promising middle grade trilogy. Recommendation: Perfect for anyone who likes a engaging mix of mystery, fantasy, and folklore seasoned with a little creep factor. Don't miss the book trailer.

Friends and Family

Christina Baker Kline, Orphan Train (William Morrow; ISBN: 9780061950728, 2013) In modern times, Molly, a troubled Native American teen, meets ninety-something Vivian when fulfilling a community service obligation. Eventually bonding over their shared orphan status, Vivian opens up to Molly about her experiences after being sent to the Midwest on a orphan train in the 1920s. Alternating between early-twentieth-century Minnesota and contemporary Maine, Kline takes readers on an emotional journey of survival, forgiveness, and self-acceptance. Recommendation: For readers who like stories of overcoming hardship, female friendships, and historical fiction. Based on a real policy for placing orphans in family homes.

Patry Francis, The Orphans of Race Point (Harper Perennial; ISBN: 9780061950728; 2014) From a childhood friendship that was forged over a tragedy, Gus and Hallie's feelings blossom into love, only to be shattered around the time they graduate high school. Decades later, Gus finds himself once again caught up in violence, and Hallie is drawn back into his life, hoping to prove his innocence and recapture the closeness they once felt. This emotionally deep saga follows the two motherless children over almost thirty years and explores family, friendship, domestic violence, parenthood, and redemption. Recommendation: For readers looking for a heartfelt story of friendship, love, and loyalty.

Cathleen Schine, Fin & Lady (Sarah Crichton; ISBN: 9780374154905, 2013) When eleven-year-old Fin is orphaned, he is uprooted from his mother's dairy farm to live with his much older, flighty half-sister, Lady, in Greenwich Village. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s, practical Fin and the free-spirited Lady must learn to negotiate life both on their own terms and as a team. Schine brilliantly captures the inner thoughts of the young boy, from his initial adaptation to city life to his maturing reactions to Lady's sometimes questionable choices. Recommendation: For fans of family stories, coming-of-age tales, and the sociopolitical atmosphere of the 1960s.

Maybe Not So Orphaned

Jamie Ford, Songs of Willow Frost (Ballantine; ISBN: 9780345522023; 2013) Twelve-year-old William Eng has been at a Seattle orphanage for almost half his life, but after a rare trip to the movie theater he is convinced that the star of the film is really is presumed-dead mother. Accompanied by a friend, the boy scours the city in an attempt to discover the true story of the actress Willow Frost. More than a tale of a young orphan searching for family, this novel explores Depression Era economic hardships, the plight of Chinese-American women in the 1920s, family, religion, and friendship. Recommendation: For readers who love historical fiction, family stories, and emotional journeys.

Paulette Jiles, Lighthouse Island (William Morrow; ISBN: 9780062232502; 2013) We all know the future of the world looks dark, but for orphans like Nadia, life is particularly hard. Remembering her parents' parting words before they abandoned her years ago, Nadia is convinced there is a haven from the overcrowded, drought-ridden existence that passes for normal. When she sees a chance to escape government control, she leaves the city for the uncharted wilderness to chase her dreams and find her parents. Nadia's journey is fraught with danger as well as unexpected alliances. But can reality ever match our expectations? Recommendation: This tale of desperate hope is perfect for lovers of adult dystopian fiction.

Which one would you read first?

Click for more