Review: Make Your Home Among Strangers

Make Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capo Crucet
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book started out strong for me. The scenario of going off to college in a culturally different environment is partly my story, too. But the story veered off for me when it spent so much time on the Ariel Hernandez incident. Yes, I know it was important to the MC, but it wasn't important enough to me as a reader. It wasn't the MC's concern, but the concern of her mother and her mother's community - too far removed from the character we really were interested in.

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Review: P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever

P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever by Raj Haldar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When reading this book, I think you have to keep in mind who the target audience is, or rather, isn't. It ISN'T, in my opinion, young readers. They are too busy focusing on the immense task of learning to read words that are mostly predictable. This book is targeted to older readers, ones who can read proficiently and can be thoroughly amused at how weird reading English is. They can read well enough that they are proud to have overcome the challenges of this weird language, the language that runs rough-shod over all others, incorporating absurdities and inconsistencies galore - and then having the gall to change even those. I am even thinking that adults would find this hugely amusing, one adult in my family in particular.

That said, I am greatly disappointed at the omission of "llama". ONE of those ls is silent.

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Review: All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome

All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome by Kathy Hoopmann
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I seem to be an outlier on this one, but, although I love cats, I am not entirely comfortable with comparing their characteristics to the characteristics of humans with Aspergers. Yes, sometimes their behaviors are similar (refusing to look at you), but I am suspicious of anthropomorphizing cat behaviors and am feeling that, although this is an attempt to be playful, it feels a bit disrespectful.

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Review: Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge: George and Martha Washington's Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away; Young Readers Edition

Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge: George and Martha Washington's Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away; Young Readers Edition by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am currently in the middle of this book and I am finding it interesting and compelling, but I am finding some of the writing a bit over the top. In the attempt to be completely factual, the author all too often (for me) writes that Ona "would have" seen this; "would have" done that. This kind of speculation is probably necessary, but after a while, it seems a bit condescending to the reader. Like saying: Reader, take note, any smart person could tell this was important, so pay attention, this is important.
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Finished now. I am thinking now that this style of writing is more: "Reader, remember, I am making a lot of this up, but we know that Ona was brave and smart, so we can assume that these things would be true. I just want to remind you over and over again that I am making a lot of this up from as many sources as I could find."

The book is enlightening, especially about the white privilege of the upper classes. George and Martha's attitudes, especially, are illuminating. I am a little bit sad, though, that I didn't feel as emotionally close to Ona herself. I am wondering now, if that is because I am white and have never been enslaved or because the speculation mentioned above in the discussion of style conveys a certain distance. Rather than "Ona felt", we read (over and over) "Ona would have felt".

Still, I recommend the book. It is readable and accessible for young teens.

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