Blue Lock, Vol. 1

Kaneshiro, Muneyuki. Blue Lock, Vol. 1. 2018. 214p. ISBN 9781646516544. Available in the graphic  novels section of the library.

Yoichi is the best striker on his school soccer team, and finds himself in an excellent position to score and earn his ticket to the national championship. Unfortunately, he makes the unselfish decision to pass it to a friend he deems in a better position. His friend misses his shot, preventing the team from moving forward. Depressed, Yoichi returns home, only to find a letter inviting to participate in an exclusive academy for soccer players. Curious, Yoichi agrees to attend.

With its defeat at the 2018 World Cup, the national Japanese soccer team leadership seeks a way to improve their pool of talent. The leadership team appoints Jin-Pachi Ego to set up a facility where the best youth Japanese players can train and outplay each other, to shape the best striker in the world. This facility is called Blue Lock.

When Yoichi arrives at Blue Rock, he discovers a facility divided into five pods each of 60 players. The best 300 youth players in Japan are here. Yoichi discovers that he's rated 299 out of 300. Jin-Pachi Ego presents the objective of Blue Lock, which is to develop the best striker in the world, and that, he believes, can only be done through selfishness. The most selfish and egotistical player will become the best striker Japan has ever produced. And out of 300, only 1 player will be promoted to the national team. The other 299 will never be allowed to play for the national team.

With stakes so high, Yoichi has only one option. Become the best youth striker in the nation!

The story continues in Blue Lock, Vol. 2.

Flying Solo

 Fletcher, Ralph. Flying Solo. 1998. 144p. ISBN 9780547076522.

Bastian is a military brat, and his army father is moving again due to a new posting in Hawaii, so today is his last day of school. Bastian is a bit of a bully, but moving from school to school every 12 to 16 months has desensitized him to the feelings of others. He's also sad that his new puppy will be in quarantine for four months before being allowed to rejoin the family. 

Rachel lost her voice the day Tommy Feathers died. Not the brightest kid in class, Tommy had a huge crush on Rachel and always tried to improve her day. She found his advances annoying, however, and even though he gave her a new story every day, she never read any of them and threw them in the trash at the end of school. But when he died during his sleep one night, Rachel was crushed and hasn't broken her silence since.

On Friday morning, the last day Bastian will be in school, Mr. Fabiano, their teacher, is absent and will be replaced by a substitute. Unfortunately, the substitute is also sick, and through a series of circumstances, another substitute is not secured for the classroom. When the students arrive, they find themselves without supervision, for a full day! Enjoying their newfound freedom, the students elect to do the day's agenda, and they successfully hide that there is no adult supervision in their classrooms. 

As the day progresses, and as it is both the last day that Bastian will be attending, and the 6 months anniversary of Tommy's death, Rachel becomes progressively more anxious and distressed. The conflict that has been simmering between herself and Bastian explodes, and now the whole classroom gets dragged into it. Can the students resolve their differences?

A humorous tale that explores the what-if of not having adult supervision, Flying Solo nevertheless explores heavy themes of grief, loss, and change in a relatable manner. Readers will enjoy this short tale!

It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health

Tang, Karen. It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told). 2024. 384p. ISBN 9781250894151.

Despite all of the medical advances that have occurred in the last thirty years, women's reproductive health remains less studied than men's reproductive health, with less research and less funding. Political pressures have impacted women's healthcare, from the recent decision reversing federal abortion policy to gender-affirming care bans passed by several states. As a result, disinformation and misinformation continue to circulate, and what passes as "normal" is anything but.

Medical conditions such as menstrual abnormalities are often misdiagnosed by a medical establishment that doesn't focus on women's health needs. In It's Not Hysteria, Dr. Tang writes a comprehensive and up to date book on the reproductive health of women, from sexually transmitted infections to the process of getting pregnant, delivering, and to health issues such as endometriosis and fibroids. This book comprehensively discusses common health conditions women encounter during their lifetimes as well as treatment options to explore. Ultimately, the author argues that until society changes its priorities to support women's health, women must be their own best advocates so that they can receive the most appropriate care and have their health needs acknowledged by the medical establishment.

Berserk Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1

Muira, Kentaro. Berserk Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1. 2019. 689p. ISBN 9781506711980. 

Guts, also known as the Black Swordman, travels the world looking for vengeance against those who did him wrong. Armed with a massive sword, Guts bears the marks of torture and war. His left hand has been replaced with a metal one, and he also bears on his skin the unholy symbol of the Brand, which attracts evil to him. Guts is no hero. He's not here to protect the weak and avenge the innocent. He's on his own mission to track down those who gave him the Brand. When he violently frees a small flying elf named Puck from certain death at the hands of bullies in a tavern, Guts acquires a follower who acts partly as his conscience, and partly as someone who questions the world around him.

Continuing his travels, Guts returns to the Count's city where he confronts the Count's formidable captain of the guard, who has been transformed into a horrific monster. Puck is captured and handed to the Count's daughter, who's the only person not aware of the Count's dark desires and horrible penchant for human flesh. Cutting his way through the castle, Guts defeats the Captain of the guard, before confronting the Count himself, this time in his true demonic form. 

Many times Guts is almost defeated, only to muster the willpower to act again. The Count is brought down, but he appeals to the Godhand, a group of five overpowerful demons who offer him a deal in exchange for dealing with Guts, a deal even the Count may not be willing to pay ...

The story continues in Berserk Deluxe Edition, Vol. 2.

Infested

Colón, Angel Luis. Infested. 2023. 304p. ISBN 9781665928410.

Manny is upset, and rightfully so. It is the summer before his senior year of high school, and his mother has decided to move the family from Texas to the Bronx, in New York City, to be with his stepfather, who has just secured employment as caretaker for a condo building. One of the perks of the job is a free apartment, and her mother is thrilled she will be able to save some money for Manny's college. Plus, maybe New York will be a better place all of them, including Manny's sister, who is not yet in school.

As a result, Manny moves away from his friends in Texas, and has to quit his job. Al, his stepfather, tells him he can work for him in the building to make some spending money. Manny also has to find a new school to enroll for his senior year, something he dreads. When he meets Sasha outside the building, he learns that she is protesting the building being turned into luxury condos, to the detriment of the neighborhood. Sasha is also soon to be a senior, and she knows a lot of people, so despite his misgivings about her protesting Al's place of work, Manny soon becomes friends with her.

Manny also connects with Mr. Mueller, the elderly German immigrant who owns an extermination company. With his son Peter, Mr. Mueller has been hired to removes all bugs from the building, and for some strange reasons there are cockroaches everywhere. Manny even dreams that they enter his mouth! Soon, however, what was merely annoying and gross becomes horrific as Manny finds roaches crawling under his skin, and in other places they should not be. Then Manny and Sasha discover that Mr. Mueller actually died in a fire he had deliberately set decades ago on the same spot that the condo building now stands.

With his family still living in the building, Manny and Sasha must devise a way to defeat Mr. Mueller and his insect minions before this building also goes up in flames!

Creepy and fast-moving, Infested will keep the reader on the edge of their seat as they discover with Manny the dastardly deeds Mr. Mueller has committed and his reasons for doing so. Fans of horror and paranormal will enjoy this scary tale.

The 70s: Punks, Glam Rockers, & New Romantics

Gilmour, Sarah. The 70s: Punks, Glam Rockers, & New Romantics. Part of the 20th Century Fashion series. 1999. 32p. ISBN 9780836826029. Available at 391 GIL on the library shelves.

The optimism of the early 1960s was soon replaced by war and social discord as the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War deepened. Civil rights were on the march, an oil crisis debilitated the economy, and marginalized groups found voices to express themselves. Some of this expression came in the form of fashion. 

The 1930s' era of Art Deco returned in force at the beginning of the 1970s, with retro dressing and Hollywood glamour centering on outfits and patterns that were popular at the time. The Orient appealed to those who enjoyed the mystique of the East. Synthetic materials became more widely used, while platform shoes and outrageous hair marked the beginning of glam bands. With the recession crippling Americans' spending power, every fashion paradoxically became more bland as prices were cut to stimulate sales. Workout gear became more prevalent, as lycra allowed form fitting clothes that did not lose their shape. The emergence of disco in the late 1970s added more glitter to youth's fashion, while demin's popularity continued to increase. Finally, the decade closed with punk rockers and renewed interest in leather jackets.

Maximum Ride, the Manga, Vol. 1

Patterson, James and NaRae Lee. Maximum Ride, the Manga, Vol. 1. 2009. 264p. ISBN 978-1-4242-6500-8. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Max has been genetically engineered with avian DNA. She's able to deploy wings that she can use to soar in the skies and fly like a bird. There are five others like her, and they escaped the School, the lab where they were confined. At fourteen, Max is their leader, and she will do anything to protect her flock. For three years they lived in a remote area of the country, but Erasers, individuals engineered with wolf DNA, have finally found them and seek to capture them to return Max and the rest of them to the School. During a battle near their home, Angel, the youngest one, is captured.

Supported by her friends Fang, Nudge, Iggy and Gasman, Max leads the flock to Death Valley so they can break into the School and rescue Angel. Along the way, Max saves a girl named Ella from assault but is hurt in the process. Ella takes Max home, where her veterinarian mother patches her up as best she can, before giving her money to help her. Max also learns she has a tracker implanted in her arm bone, which might be how the Erasers knew where they were. She tells Max that she can always return here if she needs a place to hide.

Unfortunately, the Erasers track the flock to a local fast-food restaurant, and Max is captured. Brought into the School, Max is reunited with Angel, and is shocked to learn that Jeb, the scientist who helped them escape all those years ago and who was presumed dead, is not only very much alive, but he's still working with the school! 

The story continues in Maximum Ride, the Manga, Vol. 2.

The Boy in the Red Dress

Lambert, Kristin. The Boy in the Red Dress. 2020. 362p. ISBN 9780593113684.

On New Year's Eve, 1929, Millie and everyone else at New Orleans' Cloak and Dagger club is preparing to usher in a new decade. The Cloak and Dagger is a swinging speakeasy located in the French Quarter and frequented by the rich and famous, and they all come to the club to watch its star performer, Marion, the boy in the red dress. Millie's aunt had to absent herself at the last moment, leaving Millie in charge. And Millie plans on ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

Marion has legions of fans, and some are more persistent than others. That night, when a beautiful young woman comes in the Cloak and Dagger with a photo of Marion and starts asking questions, Millie is concerned she might be one of those fans who doesn't leave Marion alone. Unfortunately, the woman is soon found dead in the club's courtyard, and Marion is the prime suspect. Millie knows Marion would not hurt a fly, but local law enforcement agents believe he's guilty. 

With Marion on the run (but not too far away, hiding in the Cloak and Dagger), Millie begins her own investigation of who the young woman was, what it is she was after, and who had a reason to kill her. But dangers abound, and time is running out to prove Marion innocent. Can Millie discover who is behind the murder and save her friend, her family, and the club she loves before it is too late?

The Boy in the Red Dress is a great mystery, with realistic characters in an historical period that is often not well known by readers. Fans of whodunit will enjoy this read, and will cheer for Marion to be found innocent.

Bleach, Vol. 1

Kubo, Tite. Bleach, Vol. 1. 2002. 192p. ISBN 9781591164418. Available as a graphic novel from the library.

Ichigo Korusaki can see ghosts. Usually, the ghosts are simply passing through on their way somewhere else, but often they haunt specific spaces. As a high school student, Ichigo would like to escape his father's booming medical business and become his own person, escaping his younger siblings and the demands placed on him as eldest. Orihime is also a student, and she lost her brother a few years back when he died in an accident. She has a crush on Ichigo, and even though she has trouble hiding it, Ichigo is complete unaware.

One night, his family is attacked by a violent ghost that seems bent on killing them all. A teenage girl named Rukia Kuchiki, wielding a sword, launches herself at the monster, but is also confused that Ichigo can see her. She's a Soul Reaper, a being tasked with protecting humans from tortured spirits called Hollows. Hollows are ghosts who died violently and who have unfinished business left in this world. However, once they consume the soul of the persons who still anchor them here, they don't move on, but rather seek more souls to eat. A member of the Soul Society, it is Rukia's job to hunt these monsters down and stop them before innocent people get hurt or worse.

Unfortunately for Rukia, her combat with the Hollow doesn't go as planned, and she is harmed. She transfers a bit of her power to Ichigo, but something goes wrong and he instead is imbued with all of Rukia's abilities. Now a Soul Reaper, Ichigo must protect his family and those he loves. When Rukia receives news that Orihime will be visited by a Hollow, Ichigo must intervene to save his friend ... 

The story continues in Bleach, Vol. 2.

If He Had Been With Me

Nowlin, Laura. If He Had Been With Me. 2013. 336p. ISBN 9781402277825. Available as an ebook from Overdrive.

Autumn and Phineas have been neighbors their whole lives. The two of them share backyards, schools, quirks, and hopes and dreams. Autumn is always a little weird, and one day she wants to be a writer. Finn doesn't know what he would like to do, but maybe something dealing with medicine. Finn's father is out of the picture, Autumn's father is also frequently absent, so their mothers spend a lot of time together. Autumn and Finn are inseparable, until something happens in 8th grade that tears their relationship. Suddenly, Autumn is lost without her anchor, and Finn seems just as miserable.

Throughout high school, Autumn and Finn grow apart, but are never far from each other, what with family dinners and special events. Finn has a girlfriend among the popular crowd, a group they would never have joined when they were younger. Autumn has a boyfriend among the oddball crowd, and her group of friends are all weird and eclectic. The groups run into each other frequently, and they attempt to outdo the other's actions.

Through all four years, however, Autumn is fighting the gnawing feeling that her boyfriend is not the right one, that perhaps she is in love with Finn after all. But how do you reconcile with someone who broke your heart back in 8th grade?

Autumn is a flawed character, who either ignores the facts in front of her, or is willfully blind to Finn's attempts at repairing a friendship he broke. Her self pity make her a relatable if annoying character. Readers who enjoy books without a clear and happy conclusion will appreciate Autumn's struggle. 

Transplant Breakthroughs

Schwartz, Heather E. Transplant Breakthroughs. Part of the Edge of Medicine series. 2023. 32p. ISBN 9781945564833.

Organs are vital to the functioning of the human body, and once they get sick or are damaged, there wasn't much medicine could do to repair and rehabilitate an organ. Fortunately, researchers and scientists discovered that some organs could be transplanted from one human to another, and even genetically grown in labs or on animals before being transplanted into humans. 

From heart transplants to lung, liver, and even cornea, many organs can now be replaced inside the human body, extending life and providing a better quality of care. This short book explores the discoveries that led to more advanced medicine and discusses how modern medicine can successfully heal the human body.