Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone is very experimental in the way its lens plays with the reader’s perceptions throughout the story. The character through whom we experience the sleepy town of Nowhereville, 13-year-old Mallory Moss, arguably isn’t the protagonist of this story. The character arc she undergoes as the story progresses is very nonlinear due to the nature of the storytelling. Told in flashbacks from days leading up to “The Incident,” while switching to its aftermath (in the present), Mallory attempts to find her missing friend with the help of ex-friends Ingrid and Kath. When Jennifer goes missing, the entire town is shaken up. Mallory, our narrator, is at the heart of the tragedy. The book starts out framing Mallory as a popular girl at the top of her middle school social hierarchy, with Reagan and Tess as her closest friends. As both plot lines progress, however, Keller’s clever narrative choices carefully examine themes of change, social structures, bullying, and friendship through a realistic, honest point of view. The storyline leading up to “The Incident” starts when Jennifer Chan moves into the house across the street. Mallory’s lens through which she views the world shifts. Jennifer Chan is, as the book describes her, extraterrestrial. Mallory befriends her when she first moves to Nowhereville, but soon feels like she is forced to cut her off in order to maintain her perception in school. Mallory brings her past decisions to light and navigates her friendships with Ingrid and Kath, Reagan and Tess, but more specifically, her short-lived initial friendship with Jennifer, the titular character of the story, who believes we are not alone in our existence. She believes there are aliens somewhere, out there, and we learn about her backstory through snippets of her diary, titled “Jennifer Chan’s Guide To The Universe, Vol 1. through 7.” Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone is an incredibly relatable and gripping mystery/middle school drama that uses its narrator to weave together a story about self-identity, and I found myself and my friends throughout the pages of the book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller. Random House Books for Young Readers, 2022. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Amulet: The Stonekeeper (Book One), Reviewed by Pragnya, 13
Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibushi is the gripping first installment of an eight-part graphic novel series about Emily and Navin Hayes, who, after the death of their father, move into a new house, which soon turns into a house full of secrets after Emily discovers a sentient amulet in the library. Soon after, her mother is captured by a creature beyond the realms of realism and the siblings embark on an adventure to save their mother, and with the help of robots like Cogsley, Miskit, Morrie and Theodor, uncover a legacy far more mystical than they could ever imagine. I especially enjoyed how Amulet managed to subvert popular fantasy tropes like that of “the chosen one,” while not drawing away from their core themes. Every character has their own quirks and I particularly enjoyed Miskit’s characterization as the alluded-to most faithful member of Charon House. Amulet also does a masterful job of using “show not tell,” while also having a world that is easy to understand. Using elements of drama, suspense, dialogue and character expressions, I found myself getting rapidly attached to the premise, as well as everything inside it. The twins’ personalities found me rereading the book constantly finding more of myself and people I know, their dynamic with each other very relatable and refreshing. With vibrant character design, succinct world-building, and a fascinating narrative, Amulet is a graphic novel that is easy to latch onto but very hard to let go of. Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibushi. Graphix, 2008. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Reflection: A Twisted Tale, Reviewed by Pragnya, 13
In 1998, Disney released the animated film Mulan, a musical set in Han China that centers around Fa Mulan, an ambitious girl from a traditional family who takes her father’s place to join the Imperial Army by disguising herself as a boy. With stellar musical renditions and a vivid storyline, Mulan had always been one of my favorites. When I went into Reflection, expecting fresh characterization and an entrancing plot, I was treated to that and then some. Reflection, part of the Twisted Tale series where classic Disney movies are reimagined with major plot points undergoing unexpected twists, is a sharp, lyrical novel where Fa Mulan, the protagonist, has to travel to the underworld to save her captain from permanent death. In the middle of a battle, Mulan, sparked by an idea that has the potential to save her warriors turned friends and the entirety of China from the Huns, decides to risk everything and light a cannon that could cause an avalanche. However, in the process of trying to save her from the oncoming avalanche, Captain Shang gets fatally injured by Shan Yu and makes his way to Diyu, the underworld. In order to return the favor, Mulan, disguised as Fa Ping, a boy whose identity she made up to get into the ranks of the army, travels to the underworld. As she makes her way through Diyu, she struggles with identity and first love, fighting spirit demons as she races against the clock to save Shang and escape the underworld before sunrise. With the help of ShiShi, the Li family guardian, and the ghost of Li Shang’s father, she faces obstacle after obstacle with determination and valour, but time slips away fast in Diyu and everyone seems to be out to stop them. Will Mulan be able to save Captain Shang in time or will it be too late? One of the things that stood out to me in this book was the world-building and vivid descriptions. In the original movie, the setting drew from most of its historical aspects, but in this reimagining the setting takes inspiration from Chinese mythology and folklore, along with an authentic historical representation of 15th century China, to create a surreal world for us to fall into. With fast-paced, simple yet intense prose, Lim creates a tension with every line on the page. The characters blend well into the style, with distinct personalities and internal conflict that adds another level of characterization into the plot. I especially enjoyed how the protagonist, whose personal struggles dealt with themes like family, loyalty, gender norms and purpose, felt extremely relatable to myself, which is why I recommend it to anyone in search of a book with a strong female protagonist. Reflection is a book whose story I will think about for a long time. Reflection: A Twisted Tale by Elizabeth Lim. Disney-Hyperion, 2019. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
