Friday 19 April 2019

You've Got to Read This! - 3!!! (Yo'GRT 3!)

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2017
ISBN 978-1-5247-0048-5
For Teens Ages 15+

 This is a raw coming of age story that revolves around the life of Juliá, a fifteen-year-old stuck between the American teenage life she wants to have, and the life her traditional and overbearing mother wants for her. On top of the usual problems teens face, Juliá and her family struggle with the sudden and tragic death of Juliá's seemingly perfect older sister, Olga. When Juliá finds proof that Olga's life may have not been what it seemed, Juliá goes on a quest to find out the truth.

~*~

Juliá's story is a hard one to take in. The book sets the tone immediately as the opening scene starts on Olga's funeral. Juliá deals with a lot of hard things and there are quite a few triggering topics that are brought into play. It is not light reading. There is a message of hope and growth promoted by the end, and I wouldn't consider it unnecessarily morbid, however, the themes are definitely mature and I wouldn't recommend it to young teens. I really enjoyed the realness of the story and how it highlighted Juliá's feelings of not fitting in between the two conflicting cultures of current America and traditional Mexico. 

Check out the links below for more information.



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Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Published by Henry Holt and Company, 2018
ISBN 978-1-250-17097-2
For Teens Ages 15+

  Zélie lives in a world where those with flowing white hair, Magi like her, live in fear of those in power. There was a time when her lineage and others lived lives filled with magic and majesty - but all that was ended in the Reaping - a horrible massacre of magic and all those who used it. In a magicless world there is no hope for the Magi, taxed to death or worse.

But when a rogue princess with a secret slams into Zélie's life, everything changes. Maybe there is a way to bring magic back and right the wrongs of the past - but it will be the fight of their lives.

~*~

This story is a sweeping fantasy, epic in its proportion. Adeyemi spares no detail and the results are breathtaking. As a reader I was sucked into this world, it's lore, and politics. All characters in this book are people of color. However, despite the overall sameness of ethnicity, there are still strong themes of racism and police brutality. Adeyemi writes that the book was born from her own feelings of rage and helplessness during the rampant police brutality against African Americans in the United States. This book definitely has a lot of death and blood and violence, but it isn't over done and I think older teens would enjoy it and learn some very important lessons in the telling of the story. Also it was refreshing to read a book with no characters of Caucasian decent. It was less an erasure of Caucasian and more a celebration of African history and folklore.
 Check out the links below for more information.

* The Atlantic Article * NRP Review * Guardian Article * Horn Book Review * USA Today Article * Social Justice Books Review * Publishers Weekly Review * New York Times Article * Kirkus Starred Review *

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Julián Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love
Published by Candlewick Press, 2018
ISBN 978-0-7636-9045-8
For Children Ages 4-8


In this delightful picture book, Julián is entranced by the beautiful mermaids he sees on the train with his abuela. He is so in love with their image that he must make himself look like them - showing his true inner self in the process.

~*~

I loved this book so much. The illustrations are breathtaking in their realistic quality, showing beauty in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and genders. Each page of this picture book is a riot of color and life. Even better, this is a story about asking for acceptance. I also adored the fact that there were Spanish phrases mixed into the dialogue. This book is brimming with diversity and inclusivity. It is a must read!

Check out the links below for more information:

* School Library Journal Review * Horn Book Review * Kirkus Starred Review * Publishers Weekly Starred Review *

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A Friend For Henry by Jenn Bailey, Illustrated by Mika Song
Published by Chronicle Books LLC
ISBN 978-1-4521-6791-6
For Children Ages 5-8
Henry wants a friend, someone he can play with in his classroom. But the task begins to seem impossible as Henry continues to misunderstand social cues and generally not gel with the other children. Will he ever find a friend?

~*~

A Friend For Henry is a quiet little book that tackles the subject of fitting in and understanding the world around us. Life can be hard for an introspective and shy child, especially one who might have a hard time with understanding the social minutia around him. I was that shy backward child and I felt the simple illustrations and soft message on a deep level. This is a lovely story with a good ending. I also thoroughly enjoyed the diverse characters that filled the story and their on-point facial expressions. This is a great book for a one-on-one read with lots of discussion between you and a child. Being young can be hard, but it is easier when we know we aren't alone.

Check out the links below to learn more:

* Publishers Weekly Review * Kirkus Review *

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Gittel's Journey: An Ellis Island Story by Lesléa Newman, Illustrated by Amy June Bates
Published by Abrams Books For Young Readers
ISBN 978-1-4197-2747-4
For Children Ages 6-9




 This is Gittel's story, a detailed and exquisitely illustrated journey of immigration to America as a Jewish person searching for a safer life.

~*~

There is something about this picture book that struck me and made it stand out against all the other (many) immigration stories I have read. For one the illustrations are enchanting. When first grabbing the book it is immediately clear that this is a thicker story than just a few sentences per page. It was going to take a little time to read, but the illustrations dragged me in. The delicate water coloring made the pictures at once somewhat vague and blurry and then stand out in brilliant clarity. I am also drawn to stories that are true and this is one that is an adaption of two similar immigration stories of relatives of the author. There is something just touching about this particular story, and with the current events of today, it is more important than ever to educate young children about immigration and teach them empathy for those who go through it. Starting with our own U.S. history is a great place to start. With a detailed author's note, bibliography, and glossary, this would be an excellent read aloud for school age children learning about this subject.

Check out the links below to learn more:

* Publishers Weekly Starred Review * Kirkus Review * Article by Author * Jewish Book Council Review *

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Work Cited

Sánchez, E. (2017). I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf
          Books For Young Readers.

Adeyemi, T. (2018). Children of Blood and Bone. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.
Love, J. (2018). Julián Is A Mermaid. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 
Bailey, J., Song, M. (Illust.). (2019). A Friend For Henry. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. 
Newman, L., Bates, A. (Illust.). (2019). Gittel's Journey: An Ellis Island Story. New York, NY: 
          Abrams Books for Young Readers. 
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