Norah Piehl

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A friend who’s there when you need him

Review by Norah Piehl

In her previous novel, the Newbery Medal-winning The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate tackled issues of animal welfare while offering readers the opportunity to expand what they typically expect from traditional storytelling. In Crenshaw, Applegate once again tackles big issues with plenty of heart and humor.

Almost-fifth-grader Jackson literally can’t believe his eyes when he sees a giant, smart-alecky cat. Again. The last time he saw his “imaginary friend” Crenshaw, Jackson was just a little kid, and his family was going through some pretty tough times—so tough that they had to live in their minivan for a while. Now Crenshaw is back—but so are Jackson’s family’s money problems.

As Jackson’s parents try to make ends meet, Jackson struggles to figure out what Crenshaw’s reappearance means and how Jackson can help his family finally tell each other the truth.

Despite the fact that one of its central characters is a giant talking cat, Crenshaw is a surprisingly somber book at times, with a so- phisticated narrative structure that shifts back and forth in Jackson’s life story. By adding elements of fantasy and whimsy, however, Applegate is able to address issues such as poverty and food insecurity in a way that kids will respond to, perhaps thinking about their friends and neighbors—or, like Jackson, even themselves—with greater sympathy, generosity and understanding.

 

This article was originally published in the October 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

In her previous novel, the Newbery Medal-winning The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate tackled issues of animal welfare while offering readers the opportunity to expand what they typically expect from traditional storytelling. In Crenshaw, Applegate once again tackles big issues with plenty of heart and humor.

Children's & YAPicture Book

A new cast of crayons—and a new set of complaints

Review by Norah Piehl

In this companion to the phenomenally best-selling The Day the Crayons Quit, Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers once again offer perceptive and frequently hilarious insights into the emotional lives of supposedly inanimate objects that most of us don’t think twice about. One by one, the lost, broken, forgotten and discarded crayons from Duncan’s collection write postcards begging to be rescued from their current circumstances.

There’s Maroon, who’s been marooned in the couch cushions with only a paper clip for company; Neon Red, who’s been abandoned on a family vacation and is determined to find her way home again; Big Chunky Toddler Crayon, who longs to be saved from the clumsy clutches of Duncan’s little brother; and Esteban the Magnificent (formerly known as Pea Green)—“No one likes peas. No one even likes the color pea green.”

The prose at times borders on sarcasm but remains sweet, and the situations that the crayons have encountered will be familiar to kids and parents alike. The illustrations, rendered in postcards and crayon (of course), are appealingly childlike and full of surprises (be sure to look at Glow in the Dark’s letter . . . in the dark!). The Day the Crayons Came Home will have readers of all ages chuckling—and will inspire kids’ empathy and imagination in equal measure.

In this companion to the phenomenally best-selling The Day the Crayons Quit, Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers once again offer perceptive and frequently hilarious insights into the emotional lives of supposedly inanimate objects that most of us don’t think twice about. One by one, the lost, broken, forgotten and discarded crayons from Duncan’s collection write postcards begging to be rescued from their current circumstances.

YA FictionYA

Beware the month of October

Review by Norah Piehl

For as long as Cara can remember, the month of October has meant avoiding knives and wearing extra layers of clothing, not for warmth, but for protection against trips and falls. For Cara’s family, October is “accident season.” Sometimes those accidents are just burned fingers or stubbed toes; sometimes people die. This year’s accident season could be particularly bad, and everyone is on edge: Cara’s older sister, Alice, seems to be hiding something; their mom is becoming increasingly overprotective; Cara’s relationship with her ex-stepbrother, Sam, is getting complicated; and then Cara becomes obsessed with the mysterious disappearance of a classmate.

Moïra Fowley-Doyle’s debut is set in Ireland, where myth and magic often lie close to the surface of everyday life. Readers will wonder—as Cara does—what is magic and what isn’t, what is logical and what is unexplainable. An air of mystery and wonder will remain with readers long after the close of the accident season.

 

This article was originally published in the August 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

For as long as Cara can remember, the month of October has meant avoiding knives and wearing extra layers of clothing, not for warmth, but for protection against trips and falls. For Cara’s family, October is “accident season.” Sometimes those accidents are just burned fingers or stubbed toes; sometimes people die.
YA FictionYA

A complicated homecoming

Review by Norah Piehl

Throughout their childhood, next-door neighbors Emmy and Oliver were inseparable—until Oliver disappeared in second grade, kidnapped by his noncustodial father. Ten years later, Oliver has been found and is returning home to California. The intervening years have changed a few things: Oliver’s mom remarried and has twin daughters, and Emmy’s parents have reacted to Oliver’s disappearance by becoming hyper-protective of their only daughter. It’s the end of senior year, and everyone—not just Oliver—is trying to figure out how to reconcile their future plans with their past.

Although the novel explores Oliver’s complicated feelings in the wake of his kidnapping and homecoming, the primary focus is on Emmy’s divided loyalties—to her parents, to her friends, to her hopes and dreams. Robin Benway effectively uses Oliver’s extreme situation to dramatize the inner struggles that preoccupy many young people on the border between childhood and adulthood.

 

This article was originally published in the July 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Throughout their childhood, next-door neighbors Emmy and Oliver were inseparable—until Oliver disappeared in second grade, kidnapped by his noncustodial father. Ten years later, Oliver has been found and is returning home to California.
YA FictionYA

A tremendous tale of loss and family

Review by Norah Piehl

Nothing signals the start of summer like the publication of the latest Sarah Dessen book. Unlike many of Dessen’s previous novels, Saint Anything isn’t set during the summer, but its riveting premise and cast of characters still make it the perfect little reward for a successful school year.

Ever since her charismatic older brother Peyton got in trouble with the law, and especially after he seriously injured a boy in a DUI accident, Sydney has felt like no one in her family pays attention to her. The only one who seems to notice Sydney is Ames, Peyton’s best friend, whose creepy attention Sydney would rather not attract.

Desperate for a change of scene, Sydney transfers to a different high school, where she becomes enamored of the close-knit Chatham family, who couldn’t be less like her own. Embraced and buoyed by them, Sydney sees the opportunity to find friendship and love like none she’s known before. But her family history—not to mention her own sense of guilt over her brother’s actions—might jeopardize everything she’s found.

Although she’s often categorized as a romantic novelist, Dessen writes as adeptly about family and friendships as she does about love, and all three facets of her talent are on display in Saint Anything. Sydney asks hard questions about what it means to be a good daughter, sister and friend. The mistakes she makes and lessons she learns make for an absorbing and rewarding read—exactly the kind of thing you want to tuck away for the first lazy weekend of summer.

Nothing signals the start of summer like the publication of the latest Sarah Dessen book. Unlike many of Dessen’s previous novels, Saint Anything isn’t set during the summer, but its riveting premise and cast of characters still make it the perfect little reward for a successful school year.

YA FictionYA

The truth will out

Review by Norah Piehl

BookPage Teen Top Pick, April 2015

I promised myself I would write this whole review of Susan Juby’s latest novel without using the word “quirky.” There’s so much more to the author of Alice, I Think than just her knack for writing about eccentric characters and borderline outlandish situations. There is plenty of both in Juby’s latest, but that’s hardly the whole story.

The Truth Commission is (supposedly) a book-length work of creative nonfiction, submitted as part of Normandy Pale’s Spring Special Project at Green Pastures, a prestigious art high school in a small Vancouver town. Normandy starts off by telling the story of how she and her two best friends prompted (or cajoled, or outright pushed) their classmates to tell the truth about themselves.

But all this compulsive truth-telling has Normandy wondering whether it’s time to tell the truth about her own family: Her older sister Keira, Green Pastures’ most notable alum, has built a wildly successful career on a series of graphic novels portraying Keira as a heroine and Normandy and her parents as grotesque losers—and, in many ways, serving as a self-fulfilling prophecy for their real life.

For Normandy, it is a frightening but essential process to force her family to confront the realities of Keira’s brand of “truth”-telling and the damage it has inflicted. Along the way, readers get a lively course in storytelling, the ethics of producing art and how (not) to write creative nonfiction, all delivered in Normandy’s hilarious, heartfelt and (yes) brilliantly quirky voice.

 

This article was originally published in the April 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

I promised myself I would write this whole review of Susan Juby’s latest novel without using the word “quirky.” There’s so much more to the author of Alice, I Think than just her knack for writing about eccentric characters and borderline outlandish situations. There is plenty of both in Juby’s latest, but that’s hardly the whole story.
YA FictionYA

Letting the bird fly

Review by Norah Piehl

Jo Knowles’ new novel was apparently inspired by a real-life incident in which the author and her family were given the finger by another driver, even though he was in the wrong. This episode prompted her to think about the aggression, power and even hatred implied by this small gesture.

Read Between the Lines is a series of linked short stories set over the course of a single day. Each chapter focuses on the private life of a student—from cheerleaders and bullies to those they overlook or prey upon—and includes “the finger” in some way. Each can be read and appreciated in isolation, but readers will enjoy piecing together the stories and the accompanying relationships.

The novel’s most profound revelations belong to the final chapter, when one of their teachers shares her own secret stories: “Just like there is more to her than what they see, there is more inside each one of them.” It’s a message that may inspire readers to consider the lives of strangers before rushing to pass judgment—or flipping the bird.

 

This article was originally published in the March 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Jo Knowles’ new novel was apparently inspired by a real-life incident in which the author and her family were given the finger by another driver, even though he was in the wrong. This episode prompted her to think about the aggression, power and even hatred implied by this small gesture.
YA FictionYA

A friendship’s untimely end

Review by Norah Piehl

Gayle Forman, whose previous books include If I Stay and Just One Day, specializes not only in three-word titles but also in novels that combine emotional intensity with moral complexity. I Was Here opens with a gut-wrenching wallop as Cody relates the suicide email she received from her best friend, Meg.

Meg always admired Cody’s strength, and Cody admired Meg’s fearlessness and originality. But the girls have grown apart since high school graduation. Meg escaped to college in the big city, and Cody’s still living with her mom, cleaning houses for a living and quietly flunking out of community college. Their emails grow increasingly sporadic until they stop altogether—that is, until that final email marking the end of Meg’s life and the beginning of agonizing questions about why this vivacious young woman would choose to die. Tasked by Meg’s parents with the unenviable job of cleaning out their daughter’s apartment, Cody encounters computer files that hint at a bigger, darker story surrounding Meg’s suicide.

Thrilling and introspective, I Was Here will prompt readers to reflect profoundly on their own friendships.

 

This article was originally published in the February 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Gayle Forman, whose previous books include If I Stay and Just One Day, specializes not only in three-word titles but also in novels that combine emotional intensity with moral complexity. I Was Here opens with a gut-wrenching wallop as Cody relates the suicide email she received from her best friend, Meg.
Children's & YAPicture Book

In search of home

Review by Norah Piehl

A little boy’s adorable bear cub is the perfect pet—until he begins to grow . . . and grow . . . and grow! Soon this huge bear with his “bearish” ways is just too big to continue living in a human house. But what would be a better home for him?

The boy proposes several different options, from a toy store or a zoo to the woods, a jungle or a cave. In each case, his proposal is met with a resounding “No!” from the bear. None of the choices is quite right . . . until, inspired by the bear’s enjoyment of frozen popsicles (not to mention his bright white coat), the boy stumbles upon the right home for his best friend.

Kids will enjoy chiming in on the boy’s repeated question, “Then where, bear?” and they will giggle at some of the book’s gentle humor. (The bear is clearly terrified of jungles and caves, for example.) Author-illustrator Sophy Henn, who has a background in advertising design, utilizes a sophisticated and stylish palette of muted colors for her vintage-inspired illustrations. She also offers a bit of playful typography, effectively using type size for emphasis and utilizing a whimsical typeface on a two-page circus spread to great effect. Story and pictures combine for a satisfyingly old-fashioned reading experience, one that parents and children alike will find both comforting and beautiful. 

A little boy’s adorable bear cub is the perfect pet—until he begins to grow . . . and grow . . . and grow! Soon this huge bear with his “bearish” ways is just too big to continue living in a human house. But what would be a better home for him?

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

From one world to the next

Review by Norah Piehl

Carrie Ryan, who is best known for the young adult apocalyptic zombie series, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, finds her kindler, gentler (but no less thrilling) side as she teams up with her husband, John Parke Davis, for the first in a projected four-part middle grade adventure series.

Marrill is disappointed to learn that she is going to be living in Phoenix for the foreseeable future while her mother undergoes treatment for a serious illness. She wishes her family could return to their itinerant, adventure-seeking lifestyle from before her mom got sick. So when she encounters a mysterious ship floating on what appears to be an abandoned parking lot, she is more than a little intrigued.

Meanwhile, in another world full of monsters and wizards, Fin possess the magical blessing or curse of being utterly forgettable—even the woman who rescued him from the orphanage and raised him has completely forgotten his existence. So when he receives a cryptic letter from someone who not only recognizes him but acknowledges his powers of thievery, he knows he needs to follow the clues.

When Merrill and Fin meet each other, it’s the start of a powerful friendship—and the kickoff of an adventure that readers will devour. The authors cleverly balance witty wordplay, action, suspense and emotional impact for a novel that is a lively introduction to a great new series—and a quest that kids will want to embark upon.

Carrie Ryan, who is best known for the young adult apocalyptic zombie series, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, finds her kindler, gentler (but no less thrilling) side as she teams up with her husband, John Parke Davis, for the first in a projected four-part middle grade adventure series.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Searching for treasure underfoot

Review by Norah Piehl

If the picture book world has celebrities, Mac Barnett (author of Oh No!) and Jon Klassen (author-illustrator of I Want My Hat Back) are two of the biggest. So when the two of them team up, it’s kind of a big deal. The last time it happened, the result was Extra Yarn, which received a Caldecott Honor, among many other accolades. Now the two have paired up again with Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, another wryly subtle, unexpectedly funny picture book about two brothers in search of something extraordinary.

The book’s opening spread shows the two boys (and their dog), serious expressions on their faces, setting out to the yard with shovels on their shoulders. They decide to dig a hole, and their mission, as Dave says, is not to stop “until we find something spectacular.” The boys get down to business immediately, and as they dig deeper and deeper (and get dirtier and dirtier), readers will delight in spotting the spectacular items that lie just outside their shovels’ reach.

Barnett’s deadpan text and Klassen’s equally restrained illustrations (the dog’s facial expressions alone are priceless) combine to create a picture book rich in dramatic irony and understated hilarity. The limited color palette (heavy on the earth tones, of course), imaginative text and surprising ending combine to create a collaboration that is itself nothing short of spectacular.

If the picture book world has celebrities, Mac Barnett (author of Oh No!) and Jon Klassen (author-illustrator of I Want My Hat Back) are two of the biggest. So when the two of them team up, it’s kind of a big deal. The last time it happened, the result was Extra Yarn, which received a Caldecott Honor, among many other accolades. Now the two have paired up again with Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, another wryly subtle, unexpectedly funny picture book about two brothers in search of something extraordinary.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A moving portrait of life in Zimbabwe

Review by Norah Piehl

When I was younger, I was a huge fan of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novels A Little Princess and The Secret Garden, in which a girl is whisked from darkest India to a very different environment in England, usually in the wake of a family tragedy. As captivating as those novels were to my preteen self, what was always missing was a real portrait, not just a glimpse, of what the heroine’s life was like in the exotic place from which she came. Katherine Rundell’s Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms does exactly that. Instead of making Zimbabwe some mysterious “other” place, she imbues it with color, love and vibrancy. Her heroine, Will, is born to English parents who have made Zimbabwe their true home, and Will seems utterly suited to the country’s wild landscape, fascinating wildlife and friendly people.

Rundell’s third-person narration stays just on this side of sentimentality, as she clearly idealizes Will’s fearlessness, independence and joie de vivre. But her affection for her heroine is contagious, and when, after a series of personal tragedies, Will is sent to an English boarding school full of students more concerned with perfecting their nail polish than with exploring the world around them, readers will experience along with her a sense of disorientation, exclusion and profound homesickness. Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms offers readers a sympathetic and enticing portrait of a part of the world they might not have heard of before reading this book, but will certainly be intrigued by ever after.

 

This article was originally published in the September 2014 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

When I was younger, I was a huge fan of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novels A Little Princess and The Secret Garden, in which a girl is whisked from darkest India to a very different environment in England, usually in the wake of a family tragedy. As captivating as those novels were to my preteen self, what was always missing was a real portrait, not just a glimpse, of what the heroine’s life was like in the exotic place from which she came. Katherine Rundell’s Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms does exactly that.
RomanceYA FictionYA

Aubade for young, wild hearts

Review by Norah Piehl

BookPage Teen Top Pick, August 2014

If you’ve read Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door, you know that Stephanie Perkins is both a talented writer and a true romantic. You’ll also be pleased to discover that Perkins’ latest offers some brief (and satisfying) glimpses of the main characters from her earlier books. And if you haven’t? You’re still in for an unforgettably romantic journey in this love story that stands on its own.

Isla has had a crush on moody artist Josh since their freshman year at an exclusive Parisian boarding school. So when, in an unguarded moment the summer before senior year, she flirts with Josh, she’s mortified—and then shocked to find Josh flirting right back.

Josh is an aspiring graphic artist with a very particular vision for his future; Isla finds it hard to imagine any sort of future plans, especially one that doesn’t involve either Paris or New York. Isla is whip-smart, thoughtful and kind, the kind of girl who loves adventure (at least in the pages of a book) and who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. So why does she second-guess Josh’s feelings for her? And will her insecurities doom their own storybook romance?

It’s hard to imagine a more romantic tale than Isla and the Happily Ever After. With evocative settings like Paris, Manhattan and Barcelona, Perkins’ latest will leave readers swooning, sobbing—and rooting for Isla and Josh to write their own happy ending.

 

This article was originally published in the August 2014 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

If you’ve read Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door, you know that Stephanie Perkins is both a talented writer and a true romantic. You’ll also be pleased to discover that Perkins’ latest offers some brief (and satisfying) glimpses of the main characters from her earlier books. And if you haven’t? You’re still in for an unforgettably romantic journey in this love story that stands on its own.

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