Tag: family

Marshmallow reviews Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Today Marshmallow reviews Little Fires Everywhere, a 2017 novel by Celeste Ng, which has been turned into a one-season TV series in 2020.

Marshmallow reviews Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.
Marshmallow reviews Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books about family (specifically the relationship between a mother and their children) and racial differences, then this is the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Pearl Warren has lived her whole life moving from one place to another. Her mother Mia is a photographer, an artist who finishes one project, sells it, and then decides to move on. To support herself and Pearl, she works odd jobs at restaurants or shops. But after a close brush with Pearl’s pneumonia, Mia decides that a nomadic life isn’t good enough for her developing daughter who is missing out on a normal life. So they settle down in Shaker Heights, the first, fully planned community in America.

In Shaker Heights, the houses are all color coordinated and regulated to be perfectly in order. But it’s not just the houses that are picture perfect. Every person in Shaker Heights is born with a set plan: success, planned success at that. The epitome, the poster child of this planning approach is Elena Richardson. Born in Shaker Heights, she followed her plan to the smallest detail: high school, college, job, marriage, children. Now wealthy, living with a husband, four children, and two houses, she generously rents her extra house to those she feels deserve a better chance, a chance to live in Shaker Heights. Shaker Heights’ schools and environment is expensive but full of opportunity, a place that many wouldn’t be able to afford. So out of Mrs. Richardson’s generosity, Mia and Pearl are able to move into a house, permanently, Mia promises.

The Richardson family has four children, all of whom fascinate Pearl. The oldest daughter (a senior), Lexie, is confident and mature in a way Pearl wishes to be able to emulate. The oldest son (one year older than Pearl and a junior) is named Trip. Trip is athletic and very popular with girls, including Pearl. The younger son (a sophomore, the same age as Pearl) named Moody befriends Pearl and invites her to the fascinating Richardson house. The first three Richardson children match Elena’s plan, but the youngest child, Izzy (a freshman), doesn’t fit in and doesn’t seem to want to fit in. She is rebellious and contends with her mother to frustrate her. But when Izzy meets Mia and her art, she becomes almost obsessed with Pearl and her mother’s lifestyle. 

In the opposite fashion, Pearl becomes obsessed with the Richardsons and their entrancing life. But with a growing, intensifying crush on Trip and a budding friendship with Lexie, her original friend in the Richardson family (Moody) becomes a little neglected. Eventually, Trip reciprocates her feelings and they engage in sexual relationships. Meanwhile, Lexie gets pregnant with her boyfriend. But in Shaker Heights, where greatness is a given, pregnancy is not tolerated in teenagers. So when she gets an abortion, out of embarrassment, she puts her name down as Pearl. 

At the same time, Elena’s old friend Linda McCullough (who also returned to Shaker Heights after college) is having issues of her own. Mrs. McCullough and her husband have been trying to have children for fourteen years while Elena was giving birth to four children at one-year intervals. So when Mrs. McCullough is informed there is a baby they can adopt, she is overjoyed. The baby was dropped off at the fire station in a cardboard box with blankets. The baby’s mother is unknown and anonymous. So when her new baby’s first birthday (still during the adoption process) comes around, she invites her old friend Elena. Mia hears about the McCulloughs’ new baby and is shocked to realize that one of her coworkers at a Chinese restaurant is the baby’s mother. Bebe Chow is a Chinese immigrant whose boyfriend abandoned her after learning that she was pregnant. She worked to support her child, but, in a moment of desperation, she left her baby at the fire station. Afterwards, she desperately tried to get her baby back for a year. Now that she knows where her baby is, Bebe goes to the press, following Mia’s advice. This becomes a huge news story dividing people into camps, and the coverage eventually earns Bebe visitation rights and a lawyer.

The situation is very difficult. The McCulloughs genuinely love the baby with all of their hearts, especially after spending fourteen years waiting for one. However, Bebe really wants her baby now, having only left her due to extreme poverty and depression. Now, she has a more stable job and wants to take care of her baby. Also, her lawyer says that as a Chinese baby, Bebe’s baby won’t be connected to her heritage unless she is raised by her Chinese mother. 

So in summary, Shaker Heights was perfectly planned, but with the arrival of Mia and Pearl, chaos ensues. Nothing will be the same again. 

Marshmallow is reading Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.
Marshmallow is reading Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.

Marshmallow’s Review: I really liked this book. I did have very high expectations; Celeste Ng’s other book, Our Missing Hearts, is one of my favorites ever. Celeste Ng’s writing is unique in a way I can’t describe with words. Something about her writing puts her on another level. She writes so simply, yet provides overwhelming detail: clear and concise. So I really wanted to read another book written by her.

And Little Fires Everywhere is definitely not a disappointment. The world the author creates is realistic yet retains an air of fantasy in a way. The storyline is unique and different from most books. Just like in Our Missing Hearts, Ng always gives convincing and deep backstories and context before extending the plot further.

The storyline is rich and complex, but easily understandable. There is some inappropriate content for younger bunnies. Underage characters do engage in sexual activity, however, there is no explicit, overly detailed scenes (unlike the, cough, Shatter Me series, cough cough 🤨). Teenage pregnancy is mentioned, as is abortion. The topic of motherhood and what it means to be a mother is a pervasive theme throughout the book. The relationship between parent and child is explored deeply through the lives of several different characters. The topics in the book (specifically the conflict between the McCulloughs and Bebe) are complicated and cannot be answered in a simple manner. The book also seems to have a message about the value and limitations of planning. Celeste Ng seems to imply that some parts of life cannot and should not be planned.

I think this was a fascinating, deep, and interesting book that had an impact on me, emotionally and intellectually. Of course, some content might make it better for older bunnies, perhaps 14 and up. And the ending, for me, was not satisfying, but it fit the style of Celeste Ng (which again, I don’t know how to describe). Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to all bunnies. 

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%. 

Marshmallow rates Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng 100%.
Marshmallow rates Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng 100%.

Marshmallow reviews One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Today Marshmallow is writing about One of Us is Lying, a novel by Karen McManus, first published in 2017 and eventually made into a TV series of the same name.

Marshmallow reviews One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus.
Marshmallow reviews One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books about mystery, murder, or high school drama, then this is definitely the book for you. 

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Bronwyn is shocked when she is put in detention. After all, she is a rule-follower on track to go to Yale, much like the rest of her family. But a phone that isn’t hers, that she’s never seen before, is found in her backpack, and off she’s sent to detention.

But Bronwyn’s shining school record isn’t the only weird thing about this detention. Four other kids are also put in detention that day, for the same reason: phones found in their backpacks that aren’t theirs. Of course, all of them honestly say they’ve never seen these phones before, but they are still put in detention.

In addition to Bronwyn, there is Addy (homecoming princess who is eternally “glued” to her boyfriend), Nate (well known for having a criminal history already), Cooper (perfect, popular, and propelled towards a career in baseball), and Simon.

While the rest resemble some familiar stereotypes of high school dramas, Simon stands out. Simon is the creator of Bayview High School’s infamous gossip app About That, an app on which he regularly posts the most vicious, damaging, and insidious gossip, scandals, and stories about his peers. Sure, he doesn’t say any names, but with initials and a small school, every new post practically ruins someone’s life.

So when Simon dies of an allergic reaction to peanuts in detention, the blame is placed on the four students present in detention with him: Bronwyn, Addy, Cooper, and Nate. At first, his death might seem natural but somehow he died from a peanut allergy while drinking tap water; peanut residue was found on the cup. The situation starts looking even worse when it is revealed that Simon’s About That post for the day after he died was going to be about the Bayview Four. Bronwyn was accused of cheating on a test (which could ruin her reputation), Addy was accused of cheating on her boyfriend (which is unthinkable because they’re the picture perfect couple), Cooper is accused of taking steroids (which would discredit his phenomenal improvement in his pitching speed), and Nate is accused of violating his probation (by selling drugs, which would get him sent to prison). If these revelations are true, reasons the police, then all four students are prime suspects for the murder. After all, if Simon couldn’t publish the post, their secrets would remain secrets.

Then the press gets involved and the next thing you know, the “Bayview Four” become the biggest suspects in the biggest scandal ever to happen in Bayview. Soon after, Simon’s post about the four students is published, unleashing chaos. Despite their lawyers telling them to keep away from each other, the four students bond together and realize that the only way to prove their innocence is to find the murderer themselves. 

Marshmallow is reading One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus.

Marshmallow’s Review: I really enjoyed One of Us is Lying. I found it to be an extremely interesting mystery that ended in a way I never saw coming. And as the book goes on, suspense rises and the tension increases as the mystery’s answer is slowly revealed. All in all, I think the plot was really, really well written and I definitely recommend bunnies give this book a try.

One thing that I really liked about this book was the fact that the author set up characters based on the typical tropes in high school dramas, and then she made them evolve past their basic characteristics. For example, even though Addy seems like a blank slate without her boyfriend, at first, throughout the course of the book, her character changes a lot. The same goes for all of the other characters as well. All of them start as typical, simple characters and then grow together and you really become attached to them.

The book does have some mature content since the characters do sometimes use curse words and there are some references to sexual acts that characters have taken part in. There are no explicit scenes. I think bunnies over 14 could handle this book, but it depends on the maturity of each bunny. Some might be able to enjoy it at 12 while others might prefer to read it at 15. Overall, however, there is not really that much inappropriate content in this book.

I also liked Karen McManus’s writing style and found it interesting that we got to see the same story from different characters’ points of view. Each chapter is from either Bronwyn’s, Nate’s, Cooper’s, or Addy’s perspective. I appreciated the different views on the plot and how the author shows that everyone is more complex than they seem. On surface value, people assess Nate to be a delinquent on a one-way road to prison. But the author adeptly shows his perspective and how harsh life has been for him. Addy, who is viewed as a stupid, vapid girl who only cares about her love life, is revealed to be a much more complex, multifaceted person whose family life makes things more complicated. Cooper, who seems to be living the dream life, is shown to have struggles that no one else sees. And in the chapters written in Bronwyn’s perspective, we see the pressures that she faces on her path to Yale and success. McManus does a really good job of showing the complexity, depth, and nuance of the characters. Most books I’ve read don’t show so much detail about so many different people. The book made me remember the following quote, which is credited to a large number of people including the actor Robin Williams:

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus 100%.
Marshmallow rates One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus 100%.

Caramel reviews Closet of Dreams by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon

Today Caramel reviews Closet of Dreams, a 2024 book written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

The book bunnies received this book as a review copy.

Caramel reviews Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer.
Caramel reviews Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, can you start by telling us a bit about this book?

Caramel: This book is about a kid named Child. Strange name, right?

S: Yes, quite.

C: But I guess the book Marshmallow reviewed this past Saturday has a main character who is a bunny named Funnybunny, so maybe it is not that weird.

S: Alright, then.

C: Okay, so there is this kid named Child, and he lives with his grandma. He calls her Gamma. I am not sure if that is her real name or if that is what Child used to call her when he was little and could not say Grandma.

S: Your conjecture makes sense to me Caramel.

C: Okay, so this Child loves baseball. And he wants to try out for little league. And he has some friends at school but there are also some bullies at school and he is really scared of them.

S: Well, bullying is serious so I can understand why he would be scared.

C: So whenever Child is scared, he goes into the closet in their house and can calm down and feel safe.

S: And that is the Closet of Dreams from the title of the book?

C: Yes. And he sleeps there sometimes and has some good dreams that comfort and encourage him.

S: I see.

Caramel is reading Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer.
Caramel is reading Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer.

S: So I will admit that I read this book too. And it was quite interesting, but also kind of unexpected.

C: You mean, the book sounds like it is all about real things, but then some really unreal things also happen, right?

S: Exactly. There is a quote at the back cover of the book: “a charming mix of both the everyday and the fantastical.” I think that description fits the book well.

C: I think so. But I did like the fantastical part a lot.

S: I know you would. You love talking animals!

C: Well, that is what we are, so of course! And by the way, you are giving away some of the plot!

S: Okay, okay, you are right. I think I will stop talking about the plot now. So tell me about how the reading went.

C: I read it quite quickly. It is for younger bunnies, so the writing is easy to read. There are almost thirty chapters, and each is only a couple pages long. And there are lots of pictures in the book too.

S: What did you think of the pictures?

C: I liked them. They were not in color, but they were still good.

S. The authors are working on a sequel, apparently. Are you curious about reading that too?

C: Yes. They talk about some baby elephant in the book but it goes nowhere in this book. But apparently that will come up in the next book. So I want to read that. And by the way, we still did not read or review The One and Only Ruby, which is also about a baby elephant, and it is supposed to be a sequel to The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate. So we also need to read that.

S: Yep. You are right. So this is probably a good time to wrap up this review. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer, and is curious about the second book the authors are writing about Child and Gamma.
Caramel enjoyed reading Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer, and is curious about the second book the authors are writing about Child and Gamma.

Marshmallow reviews It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler

Tomorrow, many people around the world will celebrate Easter. Marshmallow wanted to commemorate this holiday with a cute book about bunnies, so today she is reviewing It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, a little book written by Marilyn Sadler, illustrated by Roger Bollen, and originally published in 1983. Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Marshmallow reviews It's Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen.
Marshmallow reviews It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, we are talking about a picture book today.

Marshmallow: Yes. I thought it would be appropriate given that this weekend a lot of people are talking about bunnies and egg hunts and such.

S: I agree. This is a sweet book, so why don’t you tell us what it is about?

M: First of all, I should say that the book is not about Easter at all. But it is a book about a bunny, a bunny named P.J. Funnybunny.

S: That is a funny name for a bunny.

M: Yes, it is not as cool as my name, but it is a funny one. It is definitely fun to say. It just rolls off your tongue.

S: Agreed. So tell us a bit more about P.J. Funnybunny.

M: P.J. is not very happy at the beginning of the book. He does not like the cooked carrots his mommy gives him. So he runs away from home to try and not be a bunny anymore.

S: Aw, that is so sad! A little bunny running away from home…

M: Let me just say that it does not work out great.

S: Well, how could it? But what do you mean? Does he get hurt?

M: No, not really. But he does meet some different animals and he tries to join them. But in the end, he decides that maybe being a bunny is not so bad.

Marshmallow is reading It's Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen.
Marshmallow is reading It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen.

S: Do you like being a bunny Marshmallow?

M: Well, most of the time. I’m one of the lucky ones though. According to the Humane Society of the United States, “[m]ore than half the world’s wild rabbit species, such as South African riverine rabbits, are endangered or threatened. Domestic bunny species, like Angora or New Zealand White, are subject to the abuses of cosmetics testing, the pet trade and the fur industry.”

S: You are right Marshmallow. Sometimes it can be rough to be a bunny.

M: But at least P.J.’s story ends well. He figures out that he belongs with his family and goes back.

S: Yes, it is in the end a sweet story of coming back home and appreciating it more, maybe for the first time, right?

M: Yes. I think it would be really nice for little bunnies and their grownups to snuggle together and read this book.

S: I agree. I know you are all grown up and stuff, but maybe we can do that too?

M: I think I would like that.

S: Okay, then. Maybe this is a good time to wrap up this review. What would you like to tell our readers?

M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!

Marshmallow recommends It's Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen, to all the little bunnies around the world and their grownups.
Marshmallow recommends It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen, to all the little bunnies around the world and their grownups.