Library Witch

Bibliographic- Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. Read by Neil Gaiman. Harper Collins, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4561-0760-4 Summary/ Critical Analysis- From the very first line, “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife,” The Graveyard Book draws you into the story of a small boy who’s entire family is killed one night by The Man Jack. The boy survives by wandering outside and into a nearby graveyard where he is taken in by the ghosts who live there; they name him Nobody Owens, Bod for short. As Bod grows up in the graveyard, he learns the skills of ghosts such as fading, haunting, dreamwalking, and passing through walls. A few of the ghosts even tutor him in more traditional subjects like reading and math.  Like any child, Bod gets himself into trouble while trying to make friends with a living girl, a ghost witch, and navigate a school outside of the graveyard. Unlike a normal kid, Bod gets taken on fantastical adventures in the borderlands between ...

Bibliographic- Ruby, Laura. Bone Gap. Blazer + Bray, 2015. ISBN 978-0-06-231760-5 Summary/ Critical Analysis- Bone Gap is a fascinating blend of contemporary fiction, woven with magical realism, with a dash of pure fantasy, and a mysterious kidnapping as its driving plot line. In short, this book has everything! 18 year old Finn lives in the small town of Bone Gap, Illinois and witnesses the kidnapping of his friend Roza (who is also a bit mysterious) but Finn cannot identify the man who took her. We get alternating viewpoints from Finn, Roza, and other citizens that unfold the mystery and background as the story progresses. There are moments when the characters and the reader question what is real, imagined, or a mix of both. The characters are well developed and have unique voices; each experience the magic of the town differently. Finn’s love interest, Petey, discovers that Finn has face blindness and that is why he does not look people in the eye (earning...

Bibliographic- Jameison, Victoria. Roller Girl. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015. I SBN 978-0-525-42967-8. Summary/ Critical Analysis- Roller Girl is a bright, colorful graphic novel that explores Astrid’s journey through learning roller derby and navigating friendships. Astrid is a sassy 11 year old who doesn’t quite fit in with her classmates who are becoming interested in boys and make up and shopping. Her mom takes her to a roller derby bout in an “evening of cultural enlightenment”, which are normally so boring that Astrid falls asleep. This time, Astrid falls in LOVE with the sport and signs up for a summer camp to learn, despite the fact that her bestie won’t be joining her. As Astrid struggles to learn to skate, she also grapples with her changing relationships with her best friend, her mom, and her new roller derby friends. Over the course of the summer, Astrid learns how to be a good friend, becomes less self-centered, and comes into her own ...