June 2023 Book Bracket

Alright: summer has begun! And that means that it is time to get some quality reading time in! Especially since I'm not planning a wedding this summer! Woohoo! (And that is more than the quota of exclamation points for one post.)

Books Read

The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown**

A brand new robot stranded on an island in the Pacific Northwest must learn how to "survive" in the midst of wilderness and wild animals.

Why I picked it up: It has been on my "to read" list for a long time since a student at a previous job first talked about it and said I should read it. It also meets the criteria for the summer adult reading program for listening to an audiobook. 

My impressions: I didn't think this book was going to do too much for me. It looks like all the other flash-in-the-pan books that find their way through the Scholastic book fairs at elementary schools these days...a quick read, but not much substance or enduring power beyond the current fads of publishing.

I think I might be wrong.

The fact that it was a read-aloud in a classroom at a different school should have tipped me off, but that isn't always a good indicator of a book's quality.

I think this book might have the elements of becoming something of a beloved childhood favorite. It may not quite reach "classic" status, but there was a lot to recommend this book. First of all, it was a survival story. Second of all, it wasn't your typical survival story. It was an artificial-intelligence-endowed robot that has to adjust to a life in the wilderness when it was designed for work in a civilized setting. The robot has to learn, and the animals adjust to life and grow in their relationship with the robot. There is an exciting climax, and the ending doesn't resolve the problem - it sets up nicely for a sequel, which - happily - is already out as an audiobook and is reserved on the waiting list for me. Speaking of audiobooks - I listened to the audiobook version and really appreciated the good job the reader did. She had a range of voices, all of which worked. She had an excellent robot voice that wasn't boring or too monotonous. The audiobook started with music, which was a little too much for me, but that quickly faded out and I was able to appreciate the story. 

Back to the story itself: this is very clearly a book that has to be modern, as it is about an AI-endowed robot, but it still had a pretty timeless feel to it. It was an interesting twist to have the robot abandoned on a Pacific Northwest (I'm guessing) island instead of a desert island, and it helped make it feel familiar and yet foreign simultaneously. This story doesn't shy away from animals facing death, but it has a nice balance of happy, exciting, and sad moments. There were some points where I found the tone of narration was an issue: the author directly addresses the "listener" (or probably "reader" for the print version) several times to make a point or emphasize something being unusual and I thought that that was a poor choice. It reminded me that Tolkien regretted his tone in The Hobbit, reflecting that he spoke down to his readers when he did that. The author several times says that robots can't feel emotions in the same way that humans can, but that the robot felt something "like" gratitude, for example. I understand the reasoning behind this, but for the robot to be endearing to the reader, I think it has to basically feel emotions - otherwise, it's just a machine and it's hard to care about a machine that doesn't really care. I spent a lot of time on these two shortcomings, but they are really minor when considering the whole scope of the book's overall solid qualities.

I would recommend this book to students at this reading level - maybe third or fourth grade at the earliest (for advanced readers), but also still good for middle school readers. I think a good number of adults would appreciate this book, and that it would be a good read aloud for a family.

The Betrothed, by Alessandro Manzoni

A young couple, told on their wedding day that they can't wed yet due to the threats of a powerful noble, must endure many trials as a result of this interference and disasters of a larger scope.

Why I picked it up: This was a book I was determined to read this year! I tried last year, failed, and renewed my goal this summer.

My impressions: Think of this as an Italian version of something like The Count of Monte Cristo or A Tale of Two Cities or other Victorian novels of that sort. It's set in the 1600s and, as I learned from Google research, is very well-researched itself - to an annoying degree at times. In fact, it was the overlong explanation of historical documents quoted and treated in the first chapter that prevented me from making progress in my first attempt to read the book. I found out that, once past the first chapter, things improved...at times. There were still slow bits, but many gripping parts to help the story along. I cried, I cheered internally, I couldn't resist flipping ahead once or twice just to figure out what exactly happened in one or two instances. It was a great book even with its flaws. It's one of those books that had me telling my husband about it as I came to new passages that gave me cause to reflect - more thoughts on this book will be in a separate blog post. I've already recommended it to two people today (the day after I finished reading it), and I would recommend this book as a solid contender to take on other literary classics of its type. I read in an article that this could be a good book for a betrothed couple to read, but it is one that is definitely better for me now that I'm already married. There are some pretty heinous deeds committed by ruffians, as well as a character with an extremely checkered past (her story troubled me), so I don't know that I'd necessarily say any high schooler is ready for it; it's a book for a more mature reader. But it is excellent and I think it'd be great if more people read it.

Jack Zulu and the Waylander's Key, by S. D. Smith and J. C. Smith**

This fantasy adventure, part 80's Stranger Things and part The Magician's Nephew, follows some middle schoolers as they discover a portal to fantastic realms and beings, with the fate of the universe at stake to boot.

Why I picked it up: I've read the Green Ember series by this author; fell into Audible Prime for one month with two credits; and was curious about it.

My impressions: It's a pretty good children's fantasy story for it's type, but it is a take on a type, not its own thing. The characters were full of life, the story was engaging, and I got concerned about the choices the main character would make for a while, but I can't say this story has the originality I'd want. I understand wanting to write new stories with an old soul, but...the old soul books have tropes that are somewhat predictable. I don't know if I can give a fair assessment of the story since I found such strong echoes of Lewis' and Tolkien's fiction in it. I think some kids would love this book and some adults enjoy it, but others - myself included - may not be swept away by it. It's not a bad book, and I'm somewhat curious about what happens in the story next, but it's not one that I'm planning on rereading.

The Wild Robot Escapes, by Peter Brown**

The Wild Robot, Roz, is refurbished and sent to work on a farm, from which she attempts escaping back to the island where she originally lived in a community of wild animals.

Why I picked it up: I enjoyed the first auidobook so much that I put the second one on hold through the library. It came in sooner than I expected.

My impressions: This book was well written and stylistically in line with the original...but it just wasn't as good. This wasn't a survival story as much as it was an escape story. It had many of the characters we came to know and love in the first book, as well as many new ones, and a satisfying ending - it doesn't set up for a third book. It's kind of nice to have a story line start in one book and end in the next, especially in an age when everything seems to have to be at least a trilogy or a tetralogy or longer. I will say that I didn't find the climax quite as compelling as in the first book, but it was still good. I wasn't a big fan of how the father farmer is portrayed - it's another one of those books where the kids are more understanding or aware or intelligent in a certain way than the parent(s) and therefore go behind the parents' backs to accomplish something. It was also noteworthy that Roz lied during refurbishment to preserve herself and engaged in other deceptions to escape. Another interesting character employs a bit of deception late in the book as well. How "bad" these acts are is difficult to state...I suppose there are some ethical questions that will come up more frequently depending on how AI is applied, but I have my thoughts on the subject now (although I won't go into them in detail). The main character is well developed and so lovable for a robot. The author did a great job portraying a realistic look inside her decision-making skills as a programmed entity. It was a neat book and probably a good read for anyone who enjoyed the first book, so long as they're aware that there are a few things (noted earlier) that might be worth discussing.

Mandy, by Julie Andrews Edwards

Mandy, a spunky orphan, secretly refurbishes a quaint little cottage behind the orphanage's orchard wall and tries everything in her power to keep the place her own.

Why I picked it up: I remembered writing it on my "to read" list long ago. It came up recently somewhere in one of my Facebook groups, and when I found out my local library system carried it, I put it on hold.

My impressions: This book was both sweet and stomach-turning in spurts. It was lovely reading about how Mandy turned the dilapidated little cottage into a delightful quasi-residence by beating back the weeds, cleaning out the house, and planting flowers. It was painful to read about the measures she took to ensure it remained a secret: lying, stealing, sneakily borrowing items, and refusing to confide in anyone. It is an interesting painting of a person - one who is selfish and willing to do whatever it takes to have her way, but also a child who is hurting and lonely and longing for a home and family so strongly that her desire comes out sideways. The author does well to not really justify Mandy's actions, but sometimes implies how such a child comes to express herself in an unhealthy way. It ends as a story about an orphan should, so the ending hits nicely, as well. SPOILER HERE: It makes a smaller resolution post-illness-climax extremely important because it shows Mandy recognizing her selfishness and trying to not let it affect others when she has to return to the orphanage, which I thought was a good move - especially since there was quite a bit of story left. This book didn't have a strong plot, but it had more than those stories which just follow a season or year in the life of a child or group of children and the everyday adventures they have (sorry, E. Nesbit - not my style). It was a sort of in-between story. So, Mandy is a conflicted character. She's a heroine who makes lots of poor decisions, but I think it's pretty clear that the narrator isn't condoning those decisions when they are made, making this book one that I think would be appropriate for elementary-age readers. It has many sweet moments, so adults might appreciate the story, too. 

You Did It to Me, by Fr. Michael Gaitley

Father Michael explains the importance of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and outlines in detail what specific things Catholics can do to perform those work of mercy.

Why I picked it up: I needed a book to read in the mornings after I meditated on the Mass readings for the day and I saw my husband had all the Fr. Gaitley books in his possession; I hadn't read this one yet.

My impressions: This book has brought the works of mercy more to the front of my mind. I can think of several situations in which I've tried to do an act of mercy because of this book, or consciously thought about making an act I already do an intentional work of mercy. Thinking of those examples reminded me to pray for the poor souls in Purgatory just now. In that way, this is a good book to read. It is straightforward, extremely practical, and conversational. I feel bad about saying this, but I tend to not appreciate Fr. Gaitley's more conversational style of prose. A small chunk of the last part of the book was dedicated to lengthy appendices that I chose not to read; the main content of the book was good for me. I think this is a good book for those who feel like they may be stagnating in their faith life a bit; as in, they're not necessarily falling away from God, but they're not doing anything particularly faith-nurturing from day to day. It's also a great book for those who need practical applications for what they read, as well as the details of how to make it happen.

Ragweed, by Avi

Young country mouse Ragweed catches a train ride to a city, Amperville, learns about city mouse life, and clashes with a cat duo that want the mice element rousted from their city.

Why I picked it up: I needed to read a librarian-recommended book for the adult summer reading program and I wanted an easy read.

My impressions: Yeah, I wasn't too impressed with this book. There were some annoyances - a weak plot that didn't draw my interest; the main character picking up city slang and saying "like" every five words; a strange half-developed love triangle in the last part of the story...but I think what really prevented me from liking the story was I didn't develop any emotional attachment to the tale. I didn't particularly like the characters, although they were all distinct and Avi sometimes walks the reader through characters' backstories and motivations. They were there, doing things, and the problem was solved because main mouse was just a bit more clever - or desperate - than the others. The one part of the story that I really liked was one in which a little girl researched mice for a school project and brought home books - some nonfiction, but several fiction, with Redwall being one of the fiction works! Redwaaaallllll! Although the story ends with Ragweed heading to the forest, and that sounds infinitely more interesting than city life, I'm not really that interested in trying to track down any sequels or related works. This book might be appreciated more by a younger reader, but I wouldn't recommend it as anything some has to read.

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen, by Lucy Knisley

A young cartoonist grew up in a family of food lovers and created a memoir of her life, as depicted through memories of food.

Why I picked it up: Summer reading program requirement and it was the best recommendation I had from a Facebook book suggestion post. 

(Seeking a recommendation was actually a very funny experience. I went to a FB group that usually has amazing book suggestions, especially in children's literature, which I love. 

This is part of what I posted:

"Any recommendations on an enjoyable, not-too-demanding graphic novel? I enjoy a bunch of British authors (CSL, Tolkien, Austen, etc) and definitely like children’s books, too!"

This is some of what was recommended:

4 books about World War II or those who survived it

1 book about the Great Depression

1 book about growing up in a refugee camp

1 book about if a famous superhero had been raised in the U.S.S.R. instead of the U.S.

1 book about a girl living in the Middle East and the influences of political ideologies and Western culture

The Walking Dead (in jest)

I did not see how the wording of my suggestion question implied anything other than a request for something lighthearted and easy, but here we are, looking at recommendation for reads about the generational impact of war or serious politico-economics.

There were also some books that fell outside my scope of interest, although they met the criteria of what I was hoping to consider. And, there were actually looked interesting enough to me to add to my "to read" list! 

Bea Wolf

Queen of the Sea

Works by Ben Hatke (Zita the Space Girl being one, I think))

My impressions: I think what I liked best about the book were the illustrations of food - it all looked delicious! The author had some fun reflections, like how her chocolate cookies differed from her mother's, and how she didn't write off fast food just because it was unhealthy (after all, some of the best gourmet food, she points out, is pretty unhealthy, too). I didn't find this book particularly life-changing...it was what I expect most illustrated food-based memoirs would probably be. I decidedly disliked Chapter 5 because it involved some more "adult" content. I also found parts of the book sad that the author probably didn't intend to be so - those parts being about the divorce of the author's parents and how that affected her. The book has me looking forward to going out to eat somewhere fancy sometime to relish the delicious food, but also questioning how much I really enjoy fine food when my palate is so uncultured. I wouldn't recommend this book to other people, as I see it mostly as "fluff" reading, and certainly would recommend that no one younger than an adult read it, but I also recognize I'm more on the sensitive side.

Bracket Play

It's been a long time since I made it through eight books in a single month. I definitely have to thank the inventors of audiobooks for that accomplishment.

Really, it was a straightforward bracket, even with there being more competitors than usual. I knew going into this bracket who the winner would be. All the same, we'll walk through the bracket. The original Wild Robot book beat the sequel - as original books so often will do. The new young adult fiction Jack Zulu lost without a fight to the classic, The Betrothed, while the unimpressive graphic novel fell to the spiritual reading work by Fr. Gaitley. Mandy easily beat Ragweed in the first round, but fell promptly to Fr. Gaitley's work. The Wild Robot was a fine book, but nothing compared with The Betrothed, which I've been recommending to other people all month. Manzoni's classic beat the spiritual book, but I have no qualms about that sort of thing this month - The Betrothed is just that good of a book, and it provides lots of content for meditation and spiritual reflection to boot.

It was really satisfying seeing the bracket fill up this month. Some of the books are more "fluff" than I would like, but I was reading them with the intention of achieving prizes for a summer reading program. I don't intend for this to be the case every summer, and I am already putting out feelers for an idea I have for next summer.