It was a lighter reading month, but I had a couple of really good ones!
Dog Man: Grime and Punishment by Dav Pilkey: I didn't like this one quite as much as the previous book. I appreciate that the author is trying to move the series beyond poop and fart jokes to something deep about grief and the destructive power of hate... it just felt like a major tone shift, and the other plot line with Dog Man wasn't entirely coherent.
The Polyamory Paradox: Finding Your Confidence in Consensual Non-Monogamy by Irene Morning: Morning provides concrete examples and exercises, along with her own personal story, to share a path forward for those who are drawn to non-monogamy but finding the practice of it to be wreaking havoc on their nervous system.
Ciel by Sophie Labelle: I enjoy Labelle's Assigned Male comics online, so I was disappointed that her talent doesn't really translate to book length. It seems this middle grade novella is intended to introduce cishet audiences (and more ignorant parts of the queer community) to the concept of non-binary identities, but beyond that it doesn't seem to have much of a plot.
I Am Ace: Advice on Living Your Best Asexual Life by Cody Daigle-Orians: I appreciate that this book is talking directly to aces (and those wondering if they may be ace), but because Daigle-Orians doesn't take for granted the knowledge anyone has coming in, it's also a great guide to asexuality for allosexuals. It's honest, encouraging, and affirming and covers everything from navigating relationships to dealing with microaggressions.
Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea by Dav Pilkey: This was fine as an action-packed plot, and my kid found the songs absolutely hilarious. I think the larger social message was a little heavyhanded and also not super clear in the context of the book by the end of the story, so I'm not really sure why it was included, unless as a direct message to the adults.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: This was overall a great read and I'm really glad it's received so much positive attention. Through Yadriel's attempts to prove himself as a brujo, we see the intertwining of gender, culture, and family, while the importance of found family is shown through Julian's tight-knit group of kids on the street. There's also a mystery and a romance, both of which were fairly well done.
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Piranesi, Snapdragon, The Mysterious Mr. Quin, and McDonald's
Five years ago I was reading: The Silver Chair
Ten years ago I was reading: Ivanhoe, Midnight's Children, and An Ordinary Man
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