Staff Reads: September 18, 2015

Never fear! Your book reviews are here... and just in time for Friday Reads, too.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

written by Sherman Alexie

five stars

Sherman Alexie, we want you to write more books. Want? Need. The stories in this book deftly bring to light America's marginalized native people. We see their love, their humor, and their pain, and it's simply beautiful. A re-read of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is definitely in order, but TLRATFIH is one to savor and return to again as well.

The Adventures of Superhero Girl

written and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

four stars

Faith Erin Hicks is simply amazing. Her heroine, Superhero Girl, is in her early twenties, has a roommate and a cat, and faces mundane, everyday sorts of problems like doing laundry and dealing with boys. But wait! She can leap buildings in a single bound, too. And heave things into space. And other superhero-esque things. She does all this, plus confronts superhero problems, all while wearing her cape and mask with the nonchalance only a superhero in her twenties could pull off. Witty and sarcastic, this was a hilarious read.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up:
The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

written by Marie Kondo

translated by Cathy Hirano

three stars

This book has been incredibly popular at our library, so we decided to give it a read, too. Kondo recommends getting rid of everything in your house that doesn't fill you with joy. The anthropomorphizing of objects took a little getting used to--talk to your shoes, people!--but hey, if the house is at one with itself, you can be, too.

Dash

written by Kirby Larson

four stars

This Magnolia Award nominee is based on a true story. Mitsi and her family are swept up in the anti-Japanese sentiment of World War II and are forced to move to an internment camp. Mitsi has to leave her beloved dog Dash with a neighbor because animals aren't allowed. Her worry about her dog added to the unbearable conditions at the camp-- filth, drudgery, and inhumanity--make this story an excellent introduction to American history and race relations for middle schoolers.

The Healing

written by Jonathan Odell

four stars

The Healing is a fascinating book about African-Americans before the Civil War and during the 1930s. The characters Granada and Polly will stay with us for quite some time, as well as Odell's take on midwifery, Mississippi, and life.

Staff picks this week include these books:

• The Bird's Nest
  written by Shirley Jackson
• The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
  written by Ryan North
  illustrated by Erica Henderson
• The Adventures of Beekle
  written and illustrated by Dan Santat
• The B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Cookbook
  written by Alexe van Beuren

Until next week, happy reading!