Review of It Came From the Trees by Ally Russell

 

When her best friend is taken by a creature in the woods, Jenna is determined to save her in this scary story perfect for fans of Daka Hermon and Claribel A. Ortega!

The wilderness is in Jenna’s blood. Her Pap was the first Black park ranger at Sturbridge Reservation, and she practically knows the Owlet Survival Handbook by heart. But she’s never encountered a creature like the one that took her best friend Reese. Her parents don’t believe her; the police are worthless, following the wrong leads; and the media isn’t connecting the dots between Reese’s disappearance and a string of other attacks. Determined to save her friend, Jenna joins a new local scout troop, and ventures back into the woods.

When the troop stumbles across suspicious signs: huge human-like footprints near the camp, scratch marks on trees, and ominous sounds from the woods, Jenna worries that whatever took Reese is back to take her too. Can she trust her new scout leader? And will her new friend Norrie—who makes her laugh and reminds her so much of Reese—believe her?

After the unthinkable happens, the scouts, armed with their wits and toiletries, band together to fight the monster and survive the night.

Available on Amazon

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**My thoughts**

I can't remember how I stumbled upon this middle grade horror book, but downloaded it via my Libby app to try. I read the whole thing over an extended dinner period on a quiet weekend. 

It's totally the kind of book I would have loved back in my late elementary and junior high years. I was alternating between middle grade titles like this one and Stephen King books at the time. This one has elements of both. There's definitely that spine-tingling creepy factor that will have readers keeping an extra close eye out the next time they are outside in the woods. And fans of Stephen King should recognize a nod to one of his classics about a group of kids standing up to an evil monster.

The narrative is done so well that I could envision the entire story playing out in my head. It would be a great one to adapt to the screen, a la Goosebumps. I'm looking forward to reading more stories from this debut author.

Review of Melissa (Previously published as George) by Alex Gino

 

BE WHO YOU ARE.

When people look at Melissa, they think they see a boy named George. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl.

Melissa thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. Melissa really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part... because she's a boy.

With the help of her best friend, Kelly, Melissa comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

Available on Amazon

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**My thoughts**

I had been hearing about this book since it came out, so it had been on my list for a while. I grabbed it on sale and finally had some time to sit down and read it. I was blown away and applaud the author for putting this book out there, even more so for recognizing that the book needed to be renamed to Melissa instead of George.

George may be young, but he knows he doesn't fit into the mold that his surroundings have created for him. He knows that he feels the most comfortable as a girl. Therefore, he is a she and she is Melissa. Only it's a secret that she is hiding from the rest of the world. You can feel the pain she feels when people mislabel her or tell her that she can't do something that she knews she can. (For example, portraying Charlotte in the play of Charlotte's Web at school.) You get a sense of her discomfort as she keeps playing pretend on the outside when it conflicts who she really is on the inside.

It's hard enough trying to figure out who you really are. It has to be even harder to know who you really are, but feel societal pressure to be someone else. Yes, we all go through some of that, but for people who are transgender, it is significantly more difficult. This book touches on some of those struggles and could make some children feel like they are not alone. They may finally actually see themselves in a book, giving them some validation. As Alex Gino says in the interview at the back of the book, they wrote a book that they would have loved to have had as a kid.

Other children can read this book and figure out how to be supportive and how to not be a jerk. Actually, the same is true of grownups. It can give you a starting point for conversations with loved ones.

I love Melissa's determination to be true to herself and to start getting what she wants out of life, even at such a young age. I feel like the younger generations are stronger than we ever were and love seeing characters who demonstrate that strength, even in the face of adversity. I'm so grateful that she has Kelly as a best friend, someone who loves her for who she really is. I respect the adults who are willing to step out of their own comfort zones for the good of others. Yes, everything feels like it gets tied up nicely with a big bow in this story. But isn't that what we are all striving for? 

This is a book that I hope makes it into the hands of all people who need to read it, especially the younger ones. It's a great example of a book to read with your child, to start discussions. I was fortunate enough to have parents who did that for me. There's a great Q&A section in the back of the book that can help facilitate those conversations. We need more discussion of these important topics and less banning.

Looking forward to reading more of Mx. Gino's work in the future!