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Attack of the Furball: A Christina Starspeeder Story

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Attack of the Furball: A Christina Starspeeder Story by Jarrett Krosoczka
Release date: September 3, 2019
Format: Book
Who’s it for: Kids

Young padawan Christina Starspeeder is having a tough year at the Jedi Academy! She left her younger brother at the lower Jedi Academy back on Coruscant to come to the advanced school on Jedha, where everything is harder. Her classes are harder, the droids are sarcastic, and her mentor, Jedi Master Skia Ro, is demanding. The only good thing is Christina’s secret new pet, an adorably fluffy baby nexu she sneaked back from a field trip to planet Cholganna. But cute little Fluffernut is starting to grow… and grow… and GROW! Christina didn’t know that nexu grow to be 14 feet long, or that they will chew up almost anything! To make matters worse, a mysterious bounty hunter is trying to steal Fluffernut. Can Christina protect her pet, outwit the bounty hunter, and make things right before she’s kicked out of Jedi Academy for good?
Find it in the catalog!
Find all the Jedi Academy books in the catalog!

Shazam!

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Watch the Movie, Read the Book!
Movie: Shazam!  Starring: Zachary Levi
Book: Shazam! (New 52) by Geoff Johns

The movie was marketed as “Big meets superheroes.”  I think that is a perfect summary of the movie.

“The movie follows Billy Batson, a troubled 14-year-old boy living in foster homes in Philadelphia. After running away for the 23rd time, Billy moves into a foster home with the Vazquez family and their 5 foster kids. One day Billy Batson gets on a subway car and he finds himself transported to a different realm. An ancient wizard gives him the power to turn into an adult superhero by uttering the word Shazam! Billy and his new foster brother, Freddy Freeman, have lots of fun learning how to use his superhero powers.” – New Line Cinema

“Shazam has been in publication at DC Comics 40+ years. The movie is based very heavily upon the 2012 New 52 era reboot of Shazam! Writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank reimagined the character’s entire world. There are also some big differences between the movie and the book. Much of the harder edge in The New 52 story is gone and instead the zany ridiculousness of the character’s Golden Age is present.” – ScreenRant.com

I decided to watch the movie because of the trailers, Zachary Levi, and good reviews from friends who had seen it. I was not disappointed. I really, really, hope they make a sequel. Shazam! was as advertised – a fun superhero movie that the whole family can enjoy. As in any superhero origin movie there was a lot of explaining, things happening in the past, characters introduced with no real depth (saving it for the sequel!), and a training montage. I LOVE montages. The one for Shazam explored his powers as a superhero and what a teenage boy would do if he could turn into an adult at will. Almost the whole family can enjoy this light fare. Although the villain is not that scary, he does kill people. In addition, the 7 deadly sins are represented in the flesh as demons. They are vicious and scary looking. Depending on the child, I would recommend this for ages 10+.

As with every superhero of DC comics, there are many Shazam books – from the old comics to present day, the children’s Billy Batson and the magic of Shazam! series, and kid’s early reader books. I only read the graphic novel the movie is based on (via hoopla because the book was checked out!) . (I prefer to read non-superhero graphic novels but really enjoy movies based off of superhero comics.)

The graphic novel was a quick read.  As stated before, there are major difference in the comic and the movie but also a lot of the same story. Differences like there are two villains in the comics but only one in the movie and the 7 deadly sins are imprisoned in people not statues. The comic cleared up some questions that movie reviewers pointed out. For example – why Billy Batson is chosen and why the villain needed Shazam’s power. Depending on the child, I would recommend the comic to ages 7+. I think the killing and 7 deadly sins are less scary visually than in the movie.

The experience on my iPad in the hoopla app was different but nice.  Last time I read a comic as an eBook it was on my 1rst generation Kindle Fire (which I miss greatly.). The viewing experience on hoopla is similar. It shows you one panel at a time or zooms into different parts of a larger panel/page of the comic like my Fire did. Although it does not show you the full page first and then the separate panel like my Fire. The hoopla app may have that capability but I did not search for it. The best parts about reading a comic as eBook is you always read the panels in the correct order, the words are bigger, and you can zoom. I am still requesting the graphic novel in hardback so I can peruse the pics in the regular way.

I hope you enjoy Shazam! in all its formats. Click to see all the Shazam!’s the library offers.

 

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish

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The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
Format: Digital Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults

This book is hilarious. The audiobook is exuberantly read by the author and her grit and honesty shine through from the very first line. Haddish unfurls an intense string of experiences that make readers feel a personal connection with her. She shares stories of her grade school bullies, her time in foster care, a mother with mental illness, experiences with sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Her hardships have been intense but through humor and bravery she refuses to fail.
Haddish opens her life to her us with no filter. The language is excessively profane but the blunt retelling of her experiences makes the reader feel spellbound by her strength and self confidence. This book leaves readers with the feeling that they can succeed through anything. If you’re looking for a gritty, uplifting read, this is a winner. Find it in the catalog.

The Good Egg

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The Good Egg by Jory John, illustrated by Pete Oswald
Publication Date: February 12, 2019
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

This is one good egg! Literally. The main character is an egg, and he’s very good- the one good egg in a dozen, while the other eggs’ behavior is often kind of rotten. The good egg rescues kittens, helps the elderly, cleans up messes, and tries to convince his siblings to be good too. But the pressure of trying so hard to be perfectly good, and trying to change others’ behavior, eventually makes the little egg start to crack. It’s time for the good egg to take some time for himself. Spending time to relax and try a few new things helps the good egg to learn some important lessons: not to be so hard on others or himself, and that he doesn’t have to be perfect to be a good egg.

Find it in the catalog!

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

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An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

23-year-old designer April May lives and works in New York City. Leaving work in the middle of the night, she discovers a 10-foot-tall, Transformers-like statue on the sidewalk outside a Chipotle. She calls her friend and they make a video of April interviewing the statue she names Carl. By the next morning, she’s gone viral and Carls have appeared in more than 60 other cities around the world. What follows is a treatise on the nature of celebrity in the age of social media, and a discussion of humanity in a society rife with polarizing rhetoric. April establishes herself as a brand and struggles to maintain her own humanity, while the world tries to figure out what The Carls are, why they’re here, and what they mean for humanity.

There is a science fiction element to this story. The Carls are not your average street art. You’ll want to know how they got here and what their purpose is, but the bigger questions are about today’s society and culture and how fame, the internet, and the 24-hour news cycle impact all of us and our relationships with one another. Ending in a cliffhanger, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing leaves room for a sequel, which Green is reportedly working on.

Find it in the catalog.

Dumplin’

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Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
Format: Book, Audio Book
Whose it for: Adults and Teens

Willowdean Dixon introduces self as “cashier, Dolly Parton enthusiast, and resident fat girl.”  She doesn’t consider her weight and stature to be a nuisance as some might think. “I mean, if it were 1642, my wide birthing hips would be worth many cows or something.” But in Clover City, Texas, football stars and beauty pageant queens reign supreme. Despite this, Will (nicknamed ‘Dumplin’ by her former beauty queen mom) has never struggled to love herself and her body… until she meets Bo Larson aka “Peach Butt” whose attention and affection give Will a whole new sense of self-doubt.  This insecurity is amplified when her best friend, Ellen, makes new “twiggy” friends, who make no secret of what they think of Will, her weight, and her friendship with Ellen.  In order to regain her confidence, Will does the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant.  Motivated by Will’s bravery, some other unlikely candidates join the cause and gain help from a few unconventional sources.

This book focuses mainly on the theme of body image, but touches on relationships, family life, and grief.  Dumplin’, though adorable and hilarious, teaches about body positivity and self-love, not only for the ample-bodied, but for anyone who views themselves as an obstacle rather than an asset. Find it in the catalog.