Matt > Recent Status Updates

DNF. Nah.

https://thinkingautismguide.com/2023/...

Very, very good at its heart, but like so much J and Y today, the 2nd act drags. This one is only a little guilty of it, but some others books are much worse and overly-long. There's just a couple too many chapters in the middle of these books. Regardless, this is feeling like a 4/5. Really wonderful characterizations, themes, and (mostly good) pacing. I adore the main character!

It's incredible, revisiting some of these with my son over the past 2 years, just how short these are, and how little plot happens, over 25 chapters, 2 pages each, before anything starts to happen in chapters 26-29, and the book ends and gives you the middle finger sometimes. A big nothing sandwich of fake-jumps and the most minor of tension building. LMAO

So far, one of the best Youth books I've read in years. Let's hope that holds up.

I just love this predictable trash so much. #90s

****.

Fantastic start.

Yeah, ooof. Religion, and specifically Christianity, in this mother character, certainly causes a lot of family dysfunction and trauma. Some reviews I've already seen criticize the book for not representing their religion in their idealized understanding of it. Haha! Religions plague humanity, causing more death and trauma for children than practically anything else in human existence.

Choldenko, Gennifer—The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
Day, Nicholas (Illustrated by Helquist, Brett)—The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, A Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity
Mendez, Jasminne—Aniana Del Mar Jumps In
Pla, Sally J.—The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn
Russell, Ally—It Came from the Trees
2026's Black-Eyed Susan Tapestry Award Selections grade 6-8

eh . . .