Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – Page 2

Hellhole, by Gina Damico (2015, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), $17.99 ISBN: 9780544307100

Recommended for ages 14+

Max Kilgore is a nice guy. He’s working double and triple shifts at his thankless job so he can help support his chronically ill mother. He’s honest. Squeaky clean, even. Except for that time when he accidentally unearthed a demon named Burg. Who’s now living with him. He’s gross, he makes a mess, he doesn’t like wearing pants, and Max finds himself entangled in a series of bad situations and deals that puts him at Burg’s mercy, because Burg knows exactly how to get to him. It’s up to Max to beat Burg at his own game, but can he? With the help of a schoolmate who may just have a little inside information of her own, he’s got everything to lose.

Hellhole is a heck of a book. I went into it, thinking I’d be getting a light, funny story about a demon who shows up on a kid’s couch, but found myself reading a pretty deep book on morality, evil, where the line falls, and is that line crooked or straight? There’s a lot going on in this story. We’ve got a pretty likable character in Max, a guy we want to root for, and a straight-up despicable jerk in Burg, but it’s not that black and white. You know that old saying, “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions”? Keep that in mind as you read this book.

Teens who enjoy a good satire will love this novel. This would be a great book to booktalk in a library or classroom setting, especially with Summer Reading approaching.

Sticky Fingers, by Sophie Maletsky (2014, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), $16.99 ISBN: 9781936976546

Recommended for ages 8+ with an adult

I’ve been trying to get back into crafting for a while now, and being a kids’ librarian is helping in a big way. My latest fascination is with duct tape crafts – I’m a public librarian in an urban community library, so this is an affordable craft that kids can create really useful things from, and have you seen the wild duct tape that’s out there these days? Hit up your local big box store, or craft store, and see for yourself – there’s everything from wild colors to licensed characters on duct tape.

Sophie Maletsky’s Sticky Fingers is a perfect craft resource for beginners and for far more advanced duct tapers than I. There’s a MESSENGER BAG in here, for heaven’s sake, and it’s fabulous. There are nine chapters, featuring crafts for home, school, to wear, wallets, even ideas for using the end of the roll itself.

Ms. Maletsky provides tutorials on creating duct tape “fabric” – the basis for many crafts – and goes from there, creating simple pouches, wallets, and even gets magnets and Velcro into play, creating clutches and purses. There are crafts for guys, too – belts, ties, sunglass and smartphone cases, wallets – it’s an equal opportunity craft, and it’s totally sustainable. Heck, if you check your parents’ toolbox, you’ll probably find a roll to practice with (just ask first, please).

Many of these crafts call for a pair of scissors, and some call for an X-acto blade – younger users need some adult supervision to work on these projects; no one wants a trip to the hospital marring their craft session. It’s a great way for parents and kids to create some fun projects and memories together. I’ve not only bought this book for my library, I’ve built a program around it.

Sophie Maletsky’s website offers even more craft ideas, including a whole section on recyclable material crafts. (I’ve bookmarked this site – I see many programs in my future!) You can also find party ideas, games (some, with a focus on Science, STEM people!), information about the author, and the ability to enroll in online crafting courses led by Sophie.

Tag: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Hellhole shows you why dealing with demons is BAD.

Sticky Fingers – Duct Tape Fun for All!