Puddin'

Murphy, Julie. Puddin'. 2018. 428p. ISBN 978-0-06-241838-8. Available at FIC MUR on the library shelves

Millie is a fat girl. She knows she's fat, and everybody else constantly remind her of that fact. Even her mother keeps pushing her to discover the lovely girl that is present inside her fat body. Millie, however, knows that this is who she is. The real her is fat, but she's okay with that because it's not how she defines herself. After participating in the Miss Clover City beauty pageant with Willowdean Dickson (Dumplin'), Millie feels empowered to drop fat camp and instead pursue her dream of becoming a newscaster by spending the summer at a prestigious journalism camp.

Callie Reyes is a Shamrock through and through. The Shamrocks are Clover High School's best sports team. The dance team is better than the football team, yet the school is building a training facility to support the football program, while the dance team does without much funding and has to fundraise simply to make it to State every year. Callie's mother was a member of the Shamrocks, and she's happy her daughter joined in her footsteps.

As an athletic and pretty girl, Callie has the best boyfriend, the best life, and looks forward to becoming the team captain during her senior year next year. When the Shamrocks lose the financial support of a local gym, Callie and the rest of the team vandalizes it one night and cause a lot of damage. Recognized on the video footage by Millie, who works at her uncle's gym, Callie is confronted by the sheriff and given a choice. She can perform community service by working in the gym until she has paid off the repairs, or she can be arrested and charges can be pressed. Callie agrees to work at the gym, and comes into contact with fat Millie.

Bitter at her so called friends for letting her take the fall, Callie is suspended from the team, loses her boyfriend, and finds herself alone. Millie is worried that Callie will discover she's the one who turned her in, but is thrilled that Callie and her are working together. Spending time together, the girls soon discover that they are more alike than they thought, and that appearances often hide self-doubt, but that friends can help you reach for your dreams!

A companion novel to Dumplin', Millie and Callie's intertwined lives show that you should never judge someone simply based on how they look.

The Truth Behind GMOs

Smundak, Katharina. The Truth Behind GMOs. Part of the Factory to Table: What You're Really Eating series. 2018. 48p. ISBN 978-1-4994-3929-8. Available at 338.17 SMU on the library shelves.

When people hear the words "genetically modified organism," they immediately think of Frankenfoods, foods whose genetic codes have been altered to transform them into something else. The reality is much simpler, and a lot less interesting. Genetically modified organisms are foods whose DNA has changed to provide it with a new characteristic, generally either being more insect repellant or better able to survive diseases.

Without the advent of GMOs, it would have been impossible to produce enough food to feed a growing world population. Humans have been selectively breeding plants and animals for thousands of years, and GMOs are only the latest scientific advance. Thousands of studies have shown there is no risk to consumer of these foods, yet people continue to be fearful of these types of food. Analyzing the science behind GMOs, this book also explores how food was produced before and how farmers cultivate their lands today, the history behind GMOs, and what the future holds.

Readers who enjoy knowing more about their food will appreciate this well-researched book and will gain a better understanding of the role GMOs play in our food supply chain.

Other books in this series include:

• The Truth Behind Manufactured Foods
• The Truth Behind Soft Drinks
• The Truth Behind Antibiotics, Pesticides, and Hormones
• The Truth Behind Snack Foods
• The Truth Behind Factory Foods

Secrets of the Casa Rosada

Temblador, Alex. Secrets of the Casa Rosada. 2018. 238p. ISBN  978-1-55885-870-1. Available at FIC TEM on the library shelves.

Martha and her mother only have each other. Martha refers to her mother's smiles as the Big Fake, when her mother is trying to convince others to do something for her. Martha is not abused or mistreated, she's simply ... ignored. They move constantly, never staying in one spot for very long, so Martha has never had the need to make friends. When Martha's mother tells her they're heading to Laredo, Texas to visit Martha's grandmother, Martha is puzzled. She's never met any of her extended family. Her mother, however, tells her very little about what to expect.

Once there, Martha is abandoned at her grandmother's pink house. Her Abuela doesn't speak English, and it is clear she and Martha's mother never got along. Known and respected in the community as a healer, or a curandera, Abuela is a powerful woman who is not to be trifled with. Enrolled in the local high school, Martha quickly realizes that she will need to learn Spanish to survive. Martha  is confronted by Marcella, a senior who wanted very much to learn the healing arts with Abuela but was rejected. Now, on top of being in what feels like a foreign land, Martha must be careful with such an enemy.

As time passes, Martha discovers that the pink house is full of secrets, secrets that concern her and her mother. When she begins digging, however, she uncovers information that could change her life forever, but which could alienate Abuela, the last direct link to her mother. Is discovering who she really is worth the risk to Martha?

Taking place in Laredo in the 1990s, Martha's story is one of family secrets that can redefine relationships and even one's understanding of oneself. Martha's emotions are raw but realistic, and her feelings of abandonment are in conflict with her happiness at a newfound family. Readers looking for family drama will enjoy this book.

Design Thinking for a Better World.

Dyer, Janice. Design Thinking for a Better World. Part of the Designing Green Communities series. 2018. 48p. ISBN 978-0-7787-4461-0. Available at 363.73 DYE on the library shelves.

There are many methods of solving problems, but one of the most effective way is to consider the problem from the perspective of the person experiencing it. This is the premise behind design thinking, where the problem is analyzed and studied and the solution fits the person experiencing the problem, not the designer of the solution. Applying design thinking to building greener communities helps generate practices that are both environmentally sustainable and that can be easily accessed and replicated in communities throughout the world.

In Design Thinking for a Better World, the reader is offered a detailed look at what steps are involved in the design thinking process, and can read about different problems and solutions teens have created to address them. From small localized problems in one's neighborhood to global issues, all teens possess the ability to come up with creative solutions and make the world a better place!

Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 9

Asagiri, Kafka. Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 9. 2018. 173 p. ISBN 978-0-316-46820-6. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

As Moby Dick plummets towards Yokohama following the Guild's evil plot set in motion in Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 8, all of the Armed Detective Agency's hopes rely on Atsushi to stop the ship's fall and prevent the obliteration of the city. Unfortunately for the man-tiger, his nemesis, the feared Akutagawa, finds him aboard the ship. Fitzgerald, leader of the Guild, wishes to capture Atsushi, but Akutagawa wants to settle the score once and for all. Not accustomed to being ignored, Fitzgerald uses his skill of increasing strength by feeding it money to take on both Atsushi and Akutagawa, and proves to be equal to their combined skills. However, they eventually overwhelm him, and he falls off the plunging ship, taking with him the only way to disarm the ship.

Only one hope remains, and Dazai is quick to act on it. He spurs Kyouka to action. Imprisoned aboard a plane, she breaks free of her restraints and crashes it against Moby Dick, throwing the large Guild base off course and causing it to fall into the Yokohoma harbor instead of destroying the city. And in this action, Kyouka redeems herself and completes the entrance exam to join the Armed Detective Agency. One detail remains, however. Who managed to sabotage Mobi Dick despite the Guild's extravagant defenses?

Carve the Mark

Roth, Veronica. Carve the Mark. Book 1 of the Carve the Mark series. 2017. 468p. ISBN 978-0-06-234863-0. Available at FIC ROT on the library shelves.

Unlike other people in the galaxy, the Shotet share the planet of Thuvhe with the Thuvhians. The latter are recognized as the rightful rulers of the planet, which makes the Shotet essentially homeless and without political rights. Their leader, Ryzek, seeks to change that by conquering the rest of Thuvhe and bending the planet to his will. His sister, Cyra, possesses the gift to inflict pain on people, and her brother ruthlessly exploits this ability to his own ends. Revulsed at her actions, Cyra nonetheless has no other options... until her brother arranges for the kidnapping of the Thuvhe's oracle, Eijeh, and the killing of his family.

Akos is Eijeh's younger brother, and he was also taken by Shotet soldiers, but not before he killed one and earned his first mark on his arm. While Ryzek sought to acquire the powers of the oracle and prevent his foretold death, he assigns Akos to his sister Cyra. Akos' gift is to nullify pain, and for once Cyra is able to sleep peacefully. Akos, for his part, seeks to free his brother and escape with him back across the Divide to his people.

As time passes, and no opportunity to flee presents itself, Akos become more and more drawn into Shotet society. Cyra, for her part, is now energized and begins to question her brother's actions. When she inadvertently makes contact with a group of exiled Shotet bent on overthrowing her evil brother, Cyra and Akos must make a decision. Are they willing to risk everything to end Ryzek's realm and free Eijeh, even if it could cost them their lives? 

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 5

Mochizuki, Jun. The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 5. 2019. 208p. ISBN  978-1-975383-68-8 . Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

When Vanitas discovers that Lord Ruthven has connected with Noah, he realizes that his friend is in danger. He returns to the hotel, only to discover that Noah had been sleeping this whole time. Or had he? Noé's thirst for Vanitas' blood has in fact been rekindled by Lord Ruthven in The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 4. Lord Ruthven's name also comes up in relationship with another threat, that of the Beast of Gévaudan, a large vicious wolf-like monster which is once again terrorizing the Auvergne region of France following an absence of more than two-hundred years. The chasseurs have sent one of their best, the paladin Astolfo Granatum, to eliminate the beast, but so far they haven't managed to locate the creature.

As Noé and Vanitas head to the snowy reaches of France's countryside to resolve this issue and discover what the link between the Beast and vampires is, Jeanne, who tried to cure her love for Vanitas but find herself rescuing him again following his encounter with Astolfo and the Charlatan, encounter that left Vanitas without his book. Noé, meanwhile, finds himself the unwilling feeding target of Chloé, the Beast of Gévaudan ...

Caleb and Kit

Vrabel, Beth. Caleb and Kit. 2017. 256p. ISBN 9780762462230. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Caleb has difficulty breathing. Unlike most other twelve-year-olds, Caleb suffers from cystic fibrosis, a disease that affects his lungs by filling them with mucus. This means that every day Caleb has to take medication to loosen the mucus so that he can breathe, as well as wearing a vest designed for the same purpose. Cystic fibrosis also leads to a shortened lifespan. And unlike his older brother Patrick, who is always perfect, Caleb feels very limited and feels that he is a letdown for his family. In fact, he’s pretty sure he’s the cause of his parents’ divorce and his father’s new marriage to a woman barely older than Patrick, a junior in high school.

With summer upon them and Patrick interning with doctors working on cystic fibrosis, Caleb has to go to his town’s day camp, though he would rather stay home. On the day before camp starts, Caleb takes a walk in the woods behind his house and comes upon a girl sitting on a large rock in the middle of a small creek. Her name is Kit, and she lives across the woods in the opposite direction. Unlike Caleb, Kit has no restrictions. Though the same age as him, she doesn’t have to go to camp, is home schooled, and can wander the woods as much as she wants.

Camp is not very interesting to him, as he is stuck with Shelly, a girl from school and the only other 12-year-old. His friends all play football and practice every day in the park next to camp, so Caleb also get to see his friends have fun. But he loves Kit for her fierceness and independence, and he wants to spend as much time with her.

But as the summer progresses, Caleb begins to realize that though Kit is a great friend, she’s also a dangerous friend that makes her skip camp and involves him in a web of lies and deceptions that affect his relationships with Patrick and his parents. As Kit’s magic slowly evolves into questionable actions, Caleb will have to decide whether he can survive his friendship with Kit.

Magellan: Over the Edge of the World

Bergreen, Laurence. Magellan: Over the Edge of the World. 2017. 211p. ISBN 978-1-62672-120-3. Available at 910.4 BER on the library shelves.

In 1519, Europe knew of the Americas, but each European King still sought the fabled passage to India, so they could enter the lucrative spice trade and bypass Arab middlemen. Spain and Portugal, which had already reached the New World, hoped to be the first to the Spice Islands. Having separated the world between them, each country pinned their hopes on daring explorers willing to undertake this dangerous expedition.

The son of a minor Portuguese noble, Ferdinand Magellan always knew he wanted to be an explorer. As a soldier in India and Africa, he honed his leadership skills and learned how to sail. Convinced he could find a westerly passage to India, Magellan tried to convince the king of Portugal to finance an expedition, but after he refused him too many times, Magellan switched allegiance and went to work for the Spanish. Granted a fleet of ships and a crew, Magellan set sail in 1519 and headed west to avoid waters controlled by the Portuguese navy.

Faced with difficult decisions in areas previously unknown, Magellan pushed his crew to the limit. Several mutinies rocked the fleet, and a ship left back for Spain when Magellan was at the southern tip of South America, charting what became known as the Straits of Magellan. After over 90 days of crossing the Pacific Ocean without seeing land, Magellan and his sailors arrived in the Philippines, located the Spice Islands, and discovered that the Portugueses had already been trading with the natives. 

Magellan participated in several local conflicts, where he was killed. Demoralized with broken ships, some of the crew stayed on the islands fixing one of the two remaining ships, while the Victoria sailed on to Spain, its hull filled with spices. Upon its arrival in Seville on September 6, 1522, the remains of Magellan's crew proved that the world was round and were the first to circumnavigate it.

Fans of history will appreciate the dedication and tenacity Magellan displayed in the face of overwhelming odds.

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 1

Kato, Kazue. Blue Exorcist, Vol. 1. 2011. 178p. ISBN 978-1-42154032-0. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Rin always gets into fights, and is not very dedicated to school, unlike his twin younger brother Yukio, who is smart and wants to become a doctor. Adopted by Father Fujimoto, a priest who also conducts exorcisms, Rin knows he's been nothing but a disappointment. But when he is ambushed by a demon, Father Fujimoto rescues him and reveals his origins. Rin is the son of Satan himself, and as such he is a powerful demon in his own right. Father Fujimoto attempts to help Rin escape and connects with an old friend of his, but Satan attacks them both. Father Fujimoto is killed, and Rin is forced to use his magical sword to escape the gate back to hell. In the process, his true nature is revealed. Rin now has long pointy ears and a forked tail.

Using the phone Father Fujimoto gave him before his death, Rin connects with Mephistopheles, head of the True Cross Academy. Wishing to defeat Satan, Rin needs more education and must begin training as an exorcist. Once at True Cross Academy, Rin is reunited with this brother Yukio, who was aware the whole time that Rin was a demon, and who has been waiting to help his brother like Rin helped defend him against bullies when they were younger. Rin looks forward to begin his training, but when he learns that Yukio will be his teacher, all hell breaks loose!

The story continues in Blue Exorcist, Vol. 2.

Redworld: Year One

Collins, A.L. Redworld: Year One. 2018. 318p. ISBN 978-1-62370-986-0. Available at FIC COL on the library shelves.

Life on Earth is hard, so when an opportunity presents itself, the Songs make the move to Mars, where colonization only started in earnest a few decades back. Unfortunately, upon their arrival the promised jobs have vanished, and Belle is hopeful her parents will agree to return to Earth and reunited her with her friends. Unfortunately, her parents have other ideas. They purchase a farm on the edge of Martian civilization, where the land is rough and deadly, but where life is relatively cheap.

Once there, they discover that the weather is anything but predictable, and there is never enough water to go around. Her school is much different from that on Earth, with a focus on agriculture and surviving the Red Planet. She also meets two new alien races, the Sulux and the Nabians. These don’t get along with each other, so when Belle makes friends with Luke and with Ta’al, their rivalry creates tensions in Belle’s friendships.

When Water Raiders attack the Song farm and steal their water, Belle knows she must fight back. Could her science projects from Earth and her unlikely friendships help save her family’s livelihood? A great science fiction read, fans of action and adventure will appreciate this appealing storyline where friendship can defeat all.

Native American Resistance

Deibel, Zachary. Native American Resistance. Part of the Primary Sources of Westward Expansion series. 2018. 64p. ISBN 978-1-50262644-8. Available at 970 DEI on the library shelves.

The history of relations between Native American and the residents of the expanding United States is fraught with thievery, violence, forceful removal and acculturation, and even genocide, with the Native Americans as the vast majority of victims. From the Revolutionary War to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad the end of Homesteading, Native Americans were pushed away from the best lands and forced to move to reservations. Despite efforts to fight back, Native American resistance was doomed to fail due to overwhelming superiority of U.S. military force.

Hoping to retain their ancestral lands and the lifestyle that defined their identities, various Native American nations resorted to different means to accomplish this. The Cherokee and their allies adopted a constitution and developed institutions like schools and a newspaper. The Sioux and the Dakotas offered active resistance and fought against settlers and U.S. military forces. Other groups attempted to adapt to changing local circumstances through passive resistance. All of them however, assumed that the agreements they negotiated with the United States would be honored, but that was never the case as the U.S. violated every one of them in order to seize land.

Fans of American history will appreciate the details provided on some of the conflicts that affected the Westward expansion of the United States and will become witnesses to how badly the Native population was treated and continues to be impacted to this day.

Books in the Primary Sources of Westward Expansion series include Native American Resistance, Homesteading and Settling the Frontier, The Gold Rush, The Transcontinental Railroad, Lewis and Clark and Exploring the Louisiana Purchase, and Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War.

Divided We Fall

Reedy, Trent. Divided We Fall. Book 1 of the Divided We Fall series. 2014. 384p. ISBN 9780545543675. Available at FIC REE on the library shelves.

In the midst of an economic crisis, the United States of America are fraying apart. The federal government has now mandated a new identification card for all citizens which is supposed to secure the movement of people but which, for many people, will restrict freedom of movement. Many states protest, including Idaho. The Governor of Idaho, supported by the legislature, claims that the state will not enforce this rule. Washington replies that Idaho has no choice. Protests on both side erupt.

Danny Wright’s mind was far from all of these issues when he joined the Idaho National Guard. He just wanted to be like his father and serve his country with honor. With so many units out of the country and serving in Iran, the Guard is stretched thin. When the Governor requests the Guard’s activation to oppose a protest, youthful units are activated, and Danny finds himself in Boise, Idaho’s capital, instead of at a party with his girlfriend and his friends. What begins as crowd-control suddenly turns deadly when Danny accidentally fires his gun, and other guardsmen join in. Twelve people die, including a girl Danny’s age. And Danny, wearing his guardsman uniform and gas mask, is photographed administering first aid.

Now Washington and the rest of the country is outraged. The guardsmen are ordered responsible for this massacre are ordered to surrender themselves to federal authorities, but the Governor resists the order, and a showdown between Idaho and the United States is all but certain. As Idaho slowly dives into a wartime economy, what was unthinkable gets closer to reality every day: a second Civil War. And Danny will have triggered it. Can you be a hero to some while being a villain to others?