Gabe in the After by Shannon Doleski (review) Doleski, Shannon; Kate, Quealy-Gainer
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,
05/2022, Volume:
75, Issue:
9
Journal Article, Book Review
Current readers might share Gabe's sentiments, as events once relegated to history books—a global pandemic, an international war, an unstable world order—are now very much in the present, complicated ...by the existential threat of climate change. The third-person narration approaches his awkwardness with compassion and respect, acknowledging that he's particularly unprepared to navigate adolescent relationship dynamics, having spent the last two years honing his survival skills over his social ones. Relle, for her part, hovers close to the manic pixie dream girl trope, but that's tempered by several moments of true vulnerability, and it's clear her earnestness is as much a coping mechanism as Gabe's wariness.
Damned if You Do by Alex Brown (review) Quealy-Gainer, Kate
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,
07/2023, Volume:
76, Issue:
11
Journal Article, Book Review
Greenlight by Breanna Carzoo (review) Quealy-Gainer, Kate
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,
07/2023, Volume:
76, Issue:
11
Journal Article, Book Review
Fleeing from an unknown danger, Otilla stumbles through the forest, eventually coming to a large house. There is, perhaps, a similar sense of generosity in Otilla's protective act for the skull, but ...it's clear her motivation for getting rid of the skeleton is not just from her desire to save the skull but is also catharsis for her fear and, notably, her rage. Klassen's familiar graphite and ink art underscores a sense of malevolence, with ever-present shadows haunting the edges of the pages, threatening to overtake any warm tones, and the harsh angles of shrouded trees and darkened doorways loom over the two friends.
