Enchanted Air: Review Haiku

For my last review
haiku, a beautiful memoir
of family.

Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings. A Memoir by Margarita Engle. Atheneum, 2015, 208 pages.

This Side of Home: Review Haiku

Twin sisters, once in
sync, face new challenges and
mixed expectations.

This Side of Home by Renee Watson. Bloomsbury, 2015, 336 pages.

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl: Review Haiku

If you haven't heard
of Issa Rae, consider
this your one-stop shop.

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae. Atria, 2015, 204 pages.

Calvin: Review Haiku

Sad, fascinating,
and hopeful, too.
It's a magical world.

Calvin by Martine Leavitt. FSG, 2015, 192 pages.

All-American Boys: Review Haiku

Required reading
for future cops. And kids.
And frankly, everyone.

All-American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Atheneum, 2015, 320 pages.

The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine: Review Haiku

Smith is my new Meg Cabot:
all the books are the same,
but I can't stop.

The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series) by Alexander McCall Smith. Pantheon, 2015, 213 pages.

St. Paul: Review Haiku

As we approach Holy
Week, a clear-eyed look at
maybe-not a jerk.

St. Paul: The Apostle We Love to Hate by Karen Armstrong. New Harvest, 2015, 143 pages.

Highly Illogical Behavior: Review Haiku

I have yet to read
a Whaley I didn't love.
Friendship, out of doors.

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States: Review Haiku

He's taking this horse
by the reins, makin' Redcoats
redder with bloodstains.

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell. Riverhead, 2015, 288 pages.

The Lion of Rora: Review Haiku

Little-known tale of
religious persecution
and war strategy.

The Lion of Rora by Christos Gage and Ruth Fletcher Gage. Oni Press, 2015, 184 pages.

Courtney Crumrin: Review Haiku

Creepy sorcerers
and lots of mustaches make
for one spooky read.

Courtney Crumrin Volume 7: Tales of a Warlock by Ted Naifeh. Oni Press, 2015, 113 pages.

Baba Yaga's Assistant: Review Haiku

Creepy as all hell,
but notable for Masha's
grace under pressure.

Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola and Emily Carroll. Candlewick, 2015, 125 pages.

Secret Coders: Review Haiku

I for one welcome
our new computer science
overlords. Good fun.

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes. Turtleback Books, 2015, 96 pages.

Terrorist: Review Haiku

Oppressed Serb becomes
pawn in global pissing contest,
unleashes hell.

Terrorist: Gavrilo Princip, the Assassin Who Ignited World War I by Henrik Rehr. Graphic Universe, 2015, 231 pages.

Nimona: Review Haiku

Why, what does your
stereotypical kicka$$
heroine look like?

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. Harper, 2015, 266 pages.

It's Cybils Day!

Calloo callay, it's Cybils Day! Head on over here for the winners.

And many thanks to my fellow judges on the Graphic Novel panel!

The Relevance of Religion: Review Haiku

In this Lenten
political season, some timely
manna for thought.

The Relevance of Religion: How Faithful People Can Change Politics by John Danforth. Random, 2015, 268 pages.

The Shift: Review Haiku

More medical-memoir
p0rn? YES PLEASE. Nurses are
effing magical.

The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives by Theresa Brown. Algonquin, 2015, 256 pages.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary: Review Haiku

A motley crew of
fifth graders write poetry,
try to save their school.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan. Wendy Lamb/Random, 2016, 256 pages.

Tricky Twenty-Two: Review Haiku

Too easy to figure
out, but the flea collars
were pretty inspired.

Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich. BDD, 2015, 304 pages.