growing up – Page 3 – BookBunnies

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’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 All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson

The book bunnies are quite fond of Renaissance fairs and have been to a few in the last few years. So when Caramel brought home a library book about a young person growing up around these festivals, Marshmallow had to devour it, too. And today she is talking to Sprinkles about All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson, first published in 2017.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, you just had to read this book!

Marshmallow: Yes! But I did wait until Caramel finished it first. You know, he was the one who brought it home, so it is only fair.

S: Agreed. So tell me a bit about the book.

M: It’s about a girl named Imogene whose parents work at a Renaissance Fair. She occasionally works there, too. The book starts with her being nervous about starting middle school. She has always been home-schooled before, so she is not sure what to expect.

S: I see. So why is she going to middle school then? Why is she not continuing with home-schooling?

M: I am not sure. I think she wants to go because she thinks it is a brave thing to do.

S: I see. So how does it go?

M: She is not sure how school works, so she has difficulty understanding what the rules are.

S: Can you be more specific? What kinds of rules?

M: There are some unsaid social rules about who hangs out with whom, and she does not know how to read any of the social cues.

S: Okay.

M: Then she makes friends with a group of girls who seem nice at first, but then they are actually kind of toxic.

S: This is reminding me of the movie Mean Girls. There is a new version of the movie too, but we only saw the original one from 2004.

M: Yes, actually it is kind of similar. The main character there was also home-schooled and had some trouble fitting in with the kids in her high school. And just like the main character there, Imogene also makes a huge mistake.

S: She is unkind to some people so she can fit in with the “cool” kids?

M: Kind of. But of course this is middle school, so it is a bit different than the movie.

Marshmallow is reading All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson. — Marshmallow is reading *All’s Faire in Middle School* by Victoria Jamieson.

S: Okay, so tell me a bit about the graphics. Did you like the drawing of the main character?

M: Yes.

S: The color scheme kind of reminded me of some of the books you reviewed from Raina Telgemeier.

M: There are some similarities I think. But I do not think one artist was necessarily influenced by the other. I think they are both neat illustrators. They both manage to draw very expressive faces and bodies with only a few strokes of their pen.

S: Sounds like you liked the book!

M: Yes. I’d rate it 100%.

S: Wow! That is great! I am glad Caramel found this in his school library.

M: Me too.

S: Okay, let us wrap this up then. It is getting late. What would you like to tell our readers as we finish this up?

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

Marshmallow rates All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson 100%. — Marshmallow rates *All’s Faire in Middle School* by Victoria Jamieson 100%.

Marshmallow reviews Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

In her second review for 2024, Marshmallow talks about Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, first published in 2017, and awarded the Newberry Honor in 2018.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you are interested in reading books about family, gang violence, growing up against significant challenges, and morality, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Will’s brother, Shawn, was just shot in front of him. They live only a couple blocks away from the territory of the Dark Suns, a dangerous local gang, and Shawn had gone into their territory to get a special soap for their mother’s eczema. Will is sure that he knows who is responsible for his brother’s death: Riggs. And he is going to make sure that Riggs pays for it.

See, Will lives in a hard, tough neighborhood. There are gangs, shootings, murders, and violence regularly. And everyone follows the Rules. Shawn, in fact, was the one who taught them to Will:

Number 1: No crying,
Number 2: No snitching,
Number 3: Get revenge if someone hurts your loved ones.

Will is determined to follow the Rules. He sure is not going to cry or “snitch” to the police, but he is going to try to get revenge on Riggs. He takes his brother’s old gun (which is fully loaded except for missing only one bullet) and heads out of his apartment on the eighth floor, to get to where he thinks Riggs is as soon as possible. He gets on the elevator and presses “L”, for lobby.

Unfortunately for Will, it is a long way down and the elevator stops at each level, a person getting on at each. What is more, these are not normal people. These are dead people who Will knew. First, it’s a friend of Shawn. Next, it’s Will’s old friend who was shot at a playground with him. And so on.

Each person Will meets in this short elevator ride that takes the whole book is important to him in some way. His mindset, originally so focused on revenge, starts to loosen. Once the elevator reaches the last floor, will Will continue with his plan or will he make a different choice?

Marshmallow is reading Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. — Marshmallow is reading *Long Way Down* by Jason Reynolds.

Marshmallow’s Review: I think that Long Way Down is a very successfully written book, in more ways than one.

I, personally, do not always love books written in verse; I sometimes find it hard to discern the plot and I feel like it limits character growth. Before this book, Starfish by Lisa Fipps was the only such book I really appreciated. So when I started reading this book and realized it was in verse, I was a little disheartened. However, I feel like this book was very successful in all the categories most good novels excel in. The narration through Will’s eyes and voice worked well, the characters introduced came across quite clearly, and the events unfolded effectively. The free-style though structured poetry added to the feeling of confinement in an elevator.

Both the plot and the premise of Long Way Down are most intriguing; the whole book takes place in the course of one fateful elevator ride as conversations unfold in front of Will. I do want to warn readers that there is a cliffhanger at the end of the book, and this is not part of a series. However, the journey to that point is worth it. The author did not leave things hanging just for the sake of it of course; the end makes the reader think hard about what will happen next and process the message of the book even more carefully. I can see this book successfully paired with The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton in important discussions young people can have about gangs and violence.

If it is not clear already, let me say explicitly that I think Long Way Down is important for bunnies of all ages to read. There is some slang used, and of course the weight of gang violence might make the book a bit inappropriate for the youngest bunnies. But for bunnies reading middle grades books, it is an important (and quick, breathless) read. Will’s story makes you realize the harsh reality of gang violence if it is not your own actual reality. Many people, pop culture, and the media glorify gangster culture, but this book shows what happens to the people who are affected.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds 100%. — Marshmallow rates *Long Way Down* by Jason Reynolds 100%.

Marshmallow reviews Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Marshmallow and Caramel both loved Katherine Applegate’s 2012 book The One and Only Ivan; Marshmallow even reviewed it for the book bunnies blog. She has also reviewed Willodeen by the same author. Today she writes about Crenshaw, a 2015 novel by Applegate.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books about family, friends, magic, or growing up, or if you have enjoyed other books by Katherine Applegate, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Jackson’s family is having financial issues so much so that he and his sister Robin invent games to slowly savor the small amount of food they have. Their parents are clearly nervous about their financial situation but try to hide it from the kids. Jackson is a no-nonsense kind of kid; he wants the facts, as hard and cold as they may be. He finds it annoying, insulting almost, that his parents are trying to hide their troubles or dismiss them as small or insignificant.

Jackson most fears losing their house. When he was younger (around the time he was in first grade), his family lost their house. His father, who worked jobs requiring physical labor, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and so they had to live in their van for fourteen months. Thankfully, they could eventually move into an apartment. But now, they are once again facing financial difficulties and a seemingly impending eviction, so Jackson feels overwhelmed.

One night, his imaginary friend Crenshaw reappears. Crenshaw is a large black-and-white cat who has fingers, can talk, and likes bubble baths and purple jelly beans. Fittingly, Jackson rediscovers Crenshaw while he is taking a bubble bath. Most kids would be happy, perhaps comforted, to see their old imaginary friend from their younger years. Jackson, however, is most displeased. He does not want Crenshaw here and now for several reasons. First, he thinks he is going insane. Secondly, he thinks it is childish. And finally, he thinks it forebodes and perhaps guarantees that his family will lose their home and become homeless again. This is because Crenshaw first appeared right after Jackson’s family became homeless the first time. He fears that Crenshaw’s reappearance is a telling sign. So he forces Crenshaw out, physically (out of his house) and mentally.

But this does not stop their eviction. Even though his parents work hard to fix their financial situation, selling almost all of their possessions, Jackson and his family find themselves kicked out of their home and are forced to live once more in their van. Jackson doesn’t know where he will go to the bathroom next, when or where his next meal will be, or even if he will be able to stay in his school. Can he and his family survive a life full of instability and insecurity?

Marshmallow is reading Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate. — Marshmallow is reading *Crenshaw* by Katherine Applegate.

Marshmallow’s Review: I think Crenshaw is a very good book. It depicts a very sad portrait of what a disturbingly high number of children’s lives look like today. The adversity and challenges that Jackson and his family face was actually based on the lives of children the author (Katherine Applegate) met. Jackson and his family’s situation is all too painfully real for too many people today.

This book is moving. The development of the characters and plot is expertly done. The uncertainty of Jackson’s life is evident throughout the book and is conveyed very well to the reader.

I think that Crenshaw is an important book for all people, regardless of age, to read. I think that everyone needs to read this book, so understanding and empathy would increase for those going through a difficult time similar to the one faced by the characters in this book.

I have enjoyed reading some of Katherine Applegate’s other books (you can read my reviews of The One and Only Ivan and Willodeen) and felt that this one had a similar writing “voice”: soft yet powerful at the same time. The simple storytelling makes it an accessible read for all ages and experience levels. There is no violence, sexual content, foul language, or other things that would make this book inappropriate for younger readers; so simply put, anyone of any age could read and like this book.

The main point I would make was that I felt that the titular character of Crenshaw was not seen as much as one could have liked or expected. However, the development of themes (like the magical aspects of life versus the determinedly logical mind of Jackson, or the idea of family forever) was very well done.

I love the cover photo and think the title is very clever. The title for the copy I read is white, but appears to have a 2D fur-like texture. In summary, I really enjoyed reading Crenshaw and would recommend it to all.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 97%.

Marshmallow rates Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate 97%. — Marshmallow rates *Crenshaw* by Katherine Applegate 97%.