2018 Reads

  • So Yesterday Novel

    On the Hunt for What’s Cool

    So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld I found this book in the library and the premise was very intriguing. “Ever wonder who was the first kid to keep a wallet on a big chunky chain, or wear way-too-big pants on purpose? What about the mythical first guy who wore his baseball cap backwards? These are the…


  • We Are Robin Graphic Novel

    Too Many Robins

    We Are Robin Vol. 1: The Vigilante Business I’m not sure if this series was inspired by the Spider-Verse in Marvel comics which sees hundred of variants on Spider-Man from a variety of parallel Earths. Maybe the premise was inspired by The Dark Knight Returns. There, a female character decides to take on the mantel…


  • Anthology of Rap Book

    How Did We Survive Passed the Novelty?

    The Anthology of Rap by Adam Bradley and Andrew DuBois When rap became an official genre of music back in 1979, many people thought that it wouldn’t last. Dozens of forgettable tracks were released. There were some horrible recordings that seemed to just be cashing in on the new fad. Part of the problem was…


  • Doctor Who Comics

    Facing Fate with Doctor Who

    Doctor Who – Facing Fate Trilogy I have really weird reading habits when it comes to comics. First off, I tend to read graphic novels out of the order in which they were released. This is due to the fact that I don’t buy most of what I read. I visit various branches of the…


  • Rap Used to Have a Conscience

    When Rap Music Had a Conscience: The Artists, Organizations and Historic Events That Inspired and Influenced the “Golden Age” of Hip-Hop from 1987 to 1996 by Tayannah Lee McQuillar. Brother J of X-Clan writes the forward to this book that explores what is often referred to the Golden Age of Rap. Of course, the artform has…


  • Coins

    What is the Opposite of Spoiled?

    The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money by Ron Lieber I’ve never been good with money. But I have also never been spoiled. As a teacher, I am interested in teaching kids about money. Maybe if I understood the world of money better, I wouldn’t have to live…


  • surprise me novel

    Surprise, Forever is a Long Time!

    Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella How long is forever? It is an interesting question that preoccupies the minds of Sylvie and Dan. They have been together for ten years and things are good. They have a nice home, jobs they enjoy, twin daughters, and are enjoying a happy marriage. Everything is great, until . .…


  • black panther

    Black Panther Was a Middle School Kid Once Too

    Black Panther – The Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith I really enjoyed the Black Panther movie. I was familiar with the character before the film, but I had really not paid him much attention. I read a graphic novel here and there, but they never really captured my attention. I wasn’t sure about tackling…


  • Hana’s Story NEEDED to be Told

    Hana’s Suitcase by Karen Levine An educator in a small museum in Japan asked for some artifacts for an exhibit she was preparing on the Holocaust. One of the items she received was an empty suitcase with a girl’s name painted on the front of it. This peaked her curiosity and she set forth to…


  • Escape From the Library

    Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein I have to admit that I don’t like the genre of mystery. It’s not appealing to me to see someone solve a murder. Detective fiction seems too formulaic and improbable for me to truly get into the story. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library sounded like a great…