Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White, 184 pages

Charlotte is a terribly intelligent spider- she can read and spell words into her web.  Which, for some reason, she takes upon herself to do in order to save the life of young Wilbur, a very cute little pig who really wants a friend.  By spelling such phrases as "Some Pig" into her web, the farmers and the whole town come to appreciate the young pig.  And at its heart, this is a story about coming to terms with death as being a part of life, and as such, it's a rare and welcome work in the juvenile canon.

But... you guys.  You guys!! I know this is not a popular thing to say, but I found this book problematic.  Like... what's Wilbur's deal?  He spends the entire book being adorable, but absolutely helpless- the only way he makes it past page 1 is by being saved by young Fern, and the rest of the book is a series of saves by other strong females relegated to the background, culminating in being saved by a smart, well-educated spider who WRITES HUMAN ENGLISH WORDS INTO A WEB.  But the PIG is the one who is seen as spectacular! There is a total of one character who notes that the spider is the extraordinary one- Mrs. Zuckerman- and she is promptly ignored.  And I don't want to ruin the ending for anyone else who made it a lifetime without reading this, but Charlotte dies happily because she has saved Wilbur and got to have a bunch of baby spiders.  Also, take my advice and don't make that last point loudly at a baby shower because everyone there will give you a death glare or cough awkwardly and it will get really quiet and you will feel like a terrible person.

Lowriders in Space

Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper, 111 pages

If you are looking for a realistic look at life as a female mechanic, Lowriders in Space is probably not the best choice.  If you are looking for an awesome interpretation of what it might like to have your car detailed by celestial bodies, read this book NOW!    Cathy Camper's lighthearted tale of a gang of misfit auto-shop workers is original and highly enjoyable without ever taking itself too seriously.  Raul the Third has some impressive ballpoint drawings that make each page interesting, delightful and whimsical. For as much focus as the book puts on "Bajito y Suavecito" (low and slow "the motto of lowriders everywhere")  it is a very quick read but be sure to spend time studying the pictures in this graphic novel. They are too fun to pass through quickly. 

Lowriders in Space

Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper, illustrated by Raul the Third; 111 pages

Lupe Impala (an impala), El Chavo Flapjack (an octopus) and Elirio Malaria (a mosquito) all love fixing cars and work together at a garage. They each have a specialty: Lupe is the mechanic, Flapjack is a skilled detailer and Elirio airbrushes the most excellent paint jobs (pin striping being his forte). While they’re happy with their current lot, all three would much rather be working on lowriders. When a car competition rolls into town, our trio knows that the prize money would be the perfect chance to start their own garage. Will Lupe, Flapjack and Elirio be able to transform an old junker into the perfect lowrider? With a little help from an abandoned airplane factory and a galactic road trip, they can’t lose.

I adored this all-ages graphic novel. Lupe instantly calls to mind Maggie the Mechanic from Love and Rockets - which is a great thing in my book. Raul the Third’s illustrations are done almost exclusively in ballpoint pen, and the detail and style are perfectly on-point for the frenzied and spacey story. I’m eagerly looking forward to more adventures of Lupe, Flapjack and Elirio; as well as more books from Cathy Camper and Raul the Third.

East

East by Edith Pattou, 498 pages 

East is a lengthy retelling of the classic fairy tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon."  The likeable protagonist Rose is a north born child.  This means she is destined for traveling, wandering ways and adventure.  It also means she is a bit of a challenge to her parents who had hoped she would be a biddable East born daughter.   Switching perspectives between Rose, her brother, and her father allows the reader to see Rose from the vantage point of those who love her.  Unfortunately, these added perspectives slow down the pacing of the book and do not contribute enough to the plot to make their presence necessary.  The only shifting perspective that really adds anything to Rose's story is that of the White Bear.  The reader first means the mysterious White Bear when it rescues Rose from a frozen lake as a toddler.  Over the years, the connection between girl and bear grows, until one night the White Bear appears at Rose's front door and offers to take her away in exchange for a life free of want for her parents and siblings.  Despite her family's objections, Rose goes with the White Bear not only to save them but because of her own wanderlust and the strange connection she feels with the bear.

The story then slows down considerably as Rose and the White Bear live together in a hidden mountain lodge which she thinks of as a castle.  She relates her daily life in the castle as it is filled with sewing beautiful gowns, learning to communicate with the bear, enjoying his instrument room, and sleeping with a mysterious, unidentified stranger each night.  Oh, and there are trolls and a strange troll drink called slank that manages to enrapture any who consume it.  The action doesn't pick up again until Rose decides to stay up one night to figure out her bedfellow.  By the light of her candle, she realizes the man who shares her bed is none other than the White Bear in man form!  Then, she drops the tallow on his shirt,  harkening for the Troll Queen to come claim her prize.  The man is whisked away, and Rose is left alone and lonely.  She immediately embarks on a epic journey across land, snow and ice to reunite with her White Bear.  This is by far the most engaging part of the book as Rose encounters a variety of characters along the way from Njord (Norway) and Fransk (France) to Greenland and Huldre (the troll kingdom) and finds her own courage and strength as she battles the elements for survival.  She eventually reunites with the White Bear now known as Myk (in human form).  I won't give away any more of the ending in case anyone is unfamiliar with the tale, but let's just say I was a little disappointed.  In addition to all her other life skills, it seems Rose's two most important attributes are her ability to sew well and wash garments.  People interested in reading all possible fairy tale retellings might be interested in reading East, otherwise this version does little to improve on the original.