Book Review: Frightlopedia

Frightlopedia: An Encyclopedia of Everything Scary, Creepy, and Spine-Chilling, From Arachnids to Zombies by Julie Winterbottom. Illustrated by Stefano Tambellini.
Published by Workman Publishing in 2016
Age level: 8-12 years; Grade level: 3-7 Lexile Level: 1060.

Summary: Frightlopedia is a young person's encyclopedia on everything scary. The author has chapters on ghosts, haunted houses, poisonous trees, and more. Each chapter has illustrations or pictures, and facts about each subject. Some chapters have crafts or are even dedicated to telling an urban legend type of story. The author also offers harmless pranks or "horrifying how-to's"in some chapters, such as how to haunt your own house.

My Thoughts: This was a very fun, and funny book. There is a lot of information packed into this slim volume, and there is probably a lot more horror stories and folklore for the author to publish another volume. The language used and the goofy illustrations take the chill factor down for young readers, but there isn't anything truly scary that will disturb readers. The author has placed a "fright meter" in the beginning of each chapter, with a finger pointing to whether the subject matter is highly frightening, or only moderately so. The author does a well balanced job with writing about supernatural topics such as the Ouija board, seances and ghosts, with "real" interests such as spiders, snakes, and even Transylvania. I loved the light-hearted tone, and the facts and experiments that are thrown throughout the book.

Of note: Julie Winterbottom also has a book called Pranklopedia, for those who enjoyed the harmless pranks in this book, or just enjoy pranks in general. For readers who especially liked the urban legends in this book, they might want to check out the classic book Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz or The Thing at the Foot of the Bed and Other Scary Tales by Maria Leach and Kurt Werth.

Book Review: Eye Candy: Crafting Cool Candy Creations

Eye Candy: Crafting Cool Candy Creations by Dana Meachen Rau
Published by Capstone Press in 2013
Age level: 8-14 years; Grade level: 3-4; Lexile: 790L

Summary: This book has over ten recipes to make candy "crafts." Some of these include a lollipop disco ball, winter icicles made out of rock candy, and an earth bead bracelet. Each recipe has step by step instructions and colorful photos to accompany it. There is even a glossary in the back. The author also helpfully places a "decorator's toolbox" on the first two pages, with a picture of all the tools you will use to make your eye candy. All are basic items that can be found in any kitchen, from wax paper, lollipop sticks, to scissors

 

My Thoughts: This is a very fun book. The cover alone caught my eye. The photos in the book are very colorful, and each step in making the candy is very descriptive. There are also helpful tips for each recipe. However, I think it would have been ever better if the author included pictures of the different steps to making the candy. While the instructions are pretty straightforward, images always help, especially for those who might not be used to cooking or baking. Making candy sushi has been a very popular program at many libraries, for tweens and teens. This book includes a recipe for it as well. There is a glossary at the end, and resources. This book is a teacher or a librarian's dream, and will work well for a tween or teen program.

Of note: This book is just one of many written by Dana Meachen Rau focusing on food for tweens and teens. Some of her others include: Dessert Designers: Creations You Can Make and Eat!, A Teen Guide to Breakfast on the Go, Piece of Cake! Decorating Awesome Cakes, and Smart Cookie: Designing Creative Cookies.

Book Review: Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet

Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet, by Buzz Aldrin and Marianne J. Dyson
Published by National Geographic Kids in 2015
Age level: 8-12 years; Grade level: 3-7; Lexile level: 900

Summary: Welcome to Mars is book written by former astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Marianne J. Dyson, a physicist and a former NASA flight controller. The book details how it would be if humans built a colony on Mars and lived there. The book describes every step in detail, from the very beginning of the solar system, different space crafts throughout the years, the history of Mars, and even growing food on Mars. Spread throughout the book are different activities for the readers to engage in, such as finding Mars in the sky without a telescope, comparing the sizes of Earth and Mars, and building a mock-up of what a house on Mars might look like.

My thoughts: There is a lot of information in this book. A lot. It is perfect for young readers who love science and space, and will draw in the STEM crowd. Every page has either a photo or illustration (or both), and there are numerous factoids spread throughout as well. However I feel it might be a little overwhelming for younger readers at times, especially those who just want to read about Mars itself. The activities offer a fun way to break up the text, however, and they would all be great for a school classroom, or at home. I feel there is nothing left uncovered in this book, which makes it a great resource. Everything from the terrain, to the Mars Rovers, and even The War of the Worlds book by H.G. Wells is discussed in depth. This probably could have been split into two separate books, with the history of Mars being one, and the 'what-if' scenario of actually living on the planet another. There is just so much information that it can be a lot to take in at once, especially with all of the visuals, graphs, and charts on every page. I am not trying to underestimate young readers, but I found it overwhelming at times, and I am an adult!

Of note: The end of this book has numerous resources for further study, including books and websites. Some of these are Buzz Aldrin's official website, the NASA website, and more. Here are just some:

Buzz Aldrin Official Website: http://buzzaldrin.com/

NASA Kids' Club: https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html

National Geographic video about the Mars Rovers: https://youtu.be/7zpojhD4hpI

 

Book Review: Dare to Disappoint: Growing up in Turkey

Dare to Disappoint: Growing up in Turkey, by Ozge Samanci
Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux in 2015
Age level: 14 and up; Grade level 9-12; Lexile level HL570L

Summary:  Dare to Disappoint details the life of Ozge Samanci and her family, who live in Turkey. There is a lot of pressure on Ozge and her sister to do well in school, so they can get into prestigious colleges. Ozge's father wants them to be independent and make money, but Ozge has dreams of scuba diving, or being an actress. She is not as good of a student as her older sister, but more of a creative and artistic spirit. Her family is not religious, so she often does not fit in at her high school. Ozge goes from being an actress to a mathematician to finally realizing she was meant to be an artist. Samanci also goes into what the political world of Turkey was like in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the changes the country went through.

My Thoughts: After finishing a section on graphic nonfiction for class, I became inspired to seek out other graphic nonfiction works, especially graphic novels. I wasn't sure if I was going to like this, as there is so much on each and every page. I often found it hard to figure out where and what to read first. However, after getting into Samanci's story, I began to really like it. Teenagers who read other graphic memoirs such as Persepolis and enjoyed them will also feel a connection to Samanci's story. I think that many teenagers will be able to relate to Samanci's growing up, even if they don't live in Turkey. She goes through many of the same issues as any other teen: not having the "in" style fashions, or good grades, or a brand new Commodore 64 computer. But what I found to be the most profound issue of this book was Samanci's relationship with her father. She seeks his approval, but in the end must go down her own path to be happy.

Of note: The official website lists the awards the book has won and been nominated for, and also has the book trailer. http://www.daretodisappoint.com/

Ozge Samanci also has a website, that features her professional portfolio: http://ordinarycomics.com/portfolio/

She also has a blog: http://www.ordinarycomics.com/

Link to an interview from Comicsbeat.com where she discusses Dare to Disappoint: http://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-ozge-samanci-on-art-family-and-a-love-of-learning/