51. Harriet Spies

Harriet Spies. Elana K. Arnold. 2023. 240 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: If you're not a people person, you probably wouldn't like living at a bed-and-breakfast. (Even if you really like beds, and you really like breakfasts).

Premise/plot: Harriet Spies is the sequel to Just Harriet. To refresh memories all around, Harriet is visiting her grandmother--who runs a bed and breakfast--for the summer. Her mother, who is pregnant, has been put on bed rest. Her father, who is working and trying to manage everything at the house too, thinks its best for everyone if Harriet has some special time with her grandmother. Harriet and her cat, Matzo Ball, have enjoyed many things about the summer...so far. But Harriet doesn't always get along perfectly with all the guests. In this book, Captain, who resides at the bed and breakfast, misplaces her binoculars, she blames Harriet--accuses her of theft. Harriet, who hasn't always been known for telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, isn't believed. Harriet makes a new friend, Clarence, who agrees to help her solve the mystery. Who really took the binoculars...and why????

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I really enjoyed the first novel in the series, Just Harriet. I really like this community. I like the amount of characterization. The light mystery was enjoyable. I am so glad that she's making friends her own age too.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

164. The Area 51 Files

The Area 51 Files. Julie Buxbaum. 2022. [September] 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "What happens in Area 51 stays in Area 51. Seriously, that's it. That's the most important rule here." This is what my Uncle Anish says when I meet him for the very first time. 

Premise/plot: Sky Patel-Baum, our protagonist, has moved to Area 51 to live with her Uncle Anish. (Her grandmother, who has raised her up to this point after her parents died, is moving into a retirement community.) Her life will never be the same...because there's a whole other way of living in Area 51. She might as well be on another planet...

This one is a mystery science fiction novel. Sky and her new friends (or, to be fair one new best friend and one frenemy) have to solve a BIG mystery in a limited amount of time. The characters lend to speculative fiction classifying, but it is more mystery than anything else.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this quick read. It is illustrated, but not too heavily. I think this one is definitely more mystery than anything else. There are definite suspects, definite clues, and it is all about the process of solving a crime. The premise and setting are interesting. (Plenty of aliens). The humor is a little childish (a fair amount of farting/burping jokes), but remember I am not the target audience.

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

44. The City of Ember

The City of Ember. Jeanne DuPrau. 2003. 270 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: In the city of Ember, the sky was always dark.

Premise/plot: The City of Ember is one of my all-time favorite books. Ember was built by the BUILDERS to protect humanity from its biggest threat in dark, dark days. Hundreds of years have passed, the inhabits of Ember know nothing of the world outside. They know nothing of blue skies and yellow sun. In part, the builders wanted it that way--to protect the people from knowledge of the past. But the time has come--has almost come and gone, in fact--for the people to leave Ember behind and rejoin the world above. The problem? The instructions have been lost. And only one person even knows that something important--something vital--has been lost and is worth searching for. And few take her words seriously because she's "senile" and "not herself." Lina Mayfleet, our heroine, stumbles upon these instructions quite by accident, and really all in thanks to her baby sister, Poppy. Will she be able to decode the instructions--what remain of them after Poppy's little snack--and solve the mystery? It is too big to solve on her own. But Lina has a few good friends that she thinks are trustworthy--and clever. The one who becomes her best friend is Doon Harrow. These two grow close as they work on solving the problems that threaten life as they know it.

My thoughts: I love this book. I do. I can't believe--in a way--that it was the author's first book. It is just MARVELOUS. I love the world-building. I love how thought-provoking it is. And I love the characterization. It is one of those rare books that defies expectations. It is premise-driven, plot-driven, and character-driven.

One of my favorite quotes:

The trouble with anger is, it gets hold of you. And then you aren't the master of yourself anymore. Anger is. (89)

 ETA: I have read this book half a dozen times at least. It is a true favorite. I don't always write new reviews of books that I have read *that* many times. There are only so many ways you can come up with an original-ish summary of the plot. And my love of the book hasn't diminished through the years. I believe I first read it in 2007.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

98. The Candy Mafia

The Candy Mafia. Lavie Tidhar. Illustrated by Daniel Duncan. 2020. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: The sun was bright through my office window in the backyard of our house.

 Premise/plot: Imagine a city where candy is outlawed--aka prohibited. Nelle Faulker, our twelve year old heroine, lives in such a place. Her occupation--every child seems occupied somehow--is private detective. Her current case has her investigating the whereabouts of a stolen teddy bear belonging to one Eddie de Menthe. de Menthe is one of the big players in this candy mafia. Remember how I said all the children seemed to be occupied somehow--well many of the children are involved in the delivering, distributing, and selling of illegal candy brought into the city. Nelle's investigation is anything but simple and it takes her much closer to the mafia than she's comfortable with...

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one! I loved the narrative. I loved the characters. I loved how the plot comes together. (I didn't love, love, love the cover though I liked the interior illustrations better.) It was a fun way to spend a couple of days. Definitely recommended.

This one was originally published in Great Britain in 2018. The first American publication is September 2020.

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers