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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Wednesday, 6 March 2019

You've Got to Read This - 2!!! (Yo'GRT 2!)

Published by Candlewick Press, 2018
ISBN 978-0-7636-9872-0
For Children Ages 3-7

      
This is a simple story that follows two siblings as they search through a construction site for their father. Along the way, readers get an inside view of everything that is being built up and broken down and how each person plays an important part in the grand scheme of things.

~*~ 

Though there is often only a few words on each page, sometimes even only one, it is a richly told story, the full spread illustrations in pen, ink, and gauche are bright, diverse, and complex (Light 1). There is so much to see on each page - so much story in between the sparse lines of text. I find as a reader I love detail and this book outdoes itself. The style is at once messy, cartoony, and "outside the lines" while also hyper-realistic. The illustrations also cleverly lend to the story, telling secrets the words don't lend to. The reader can pour over these pages and find so much to look and talk about. I love the overall tone for STEM learning and it's very important place in our world. Whats more, it emphasizes that those who do manual labor are important and as worthy of respect as those who make the blue prints for the job. In addition to the story and illustrations, Light provides a brief authors note that goes into more detail about the symbiotic relationship between the builders and breakers of real life. 

Another subtle part of the story that I respected were the people (the builders and breakers) themselves, that were shown in the story. Male, female, and people of color are shown throughout the pages. It is also very clear that the main character children are of a bi-racial family. This diversity works as an important mirror for children, showing them that they do have a place in the world of STEM as women, people of color, or otherwise, and that they play an important role. I prefer books that are OwnVoices narratives, but I think that Steve Light portrays diversity thoughtfully and well. Check out the links below for more information on this delightful picture book. 


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Published by Roaring Brook Press, 2015
ISBN 978-1-59643-984-9
For Children Ages 6-10



"Drip./ Sip./ Pour me a cup./ Water/ is/ water/ unless.../ it heats up./ Whirl./ Swirl./ Watch it curl by./ Steam is steam unless..." (Paul P. 1).  With poetic grace this beautiful picture book walks the reader through the stages of the water cycle, not only touching on the many physical forms of water, but also the accompanying seasons. 

~*~

This is a book that I must confess I have loved for some time and use frequently in my programming. Though this book is marketed towards school age and up, and the subject can be complex for a young child only just beginning to learn about it, Paul's onomatopoeia and richly descriptive verse works in combination with illustrative mirrors provided by Chin, painting a picture that is easy to understand for even preschool children as young as four. Each page leads artfully into the next, following a sister and brother pair as they explore their world of home, nature, and school. There is a peaceful feeling of home and goodness as you follow the story - watching children play outside, interact with each other and nature, and otherwise act in harmony with the world around them. I love this story not only for its literary and STEM merit, but also because of the story that Chin tells with his  detailed and realistic illustrations. Again we have a book showing a bi-racial family of mixed African American and Caucasian. The many other children who appear in the story are equally diverse. Though this is a story that is primarily about the water cycle, I think that it also tells an important story of inclusivity and racial harmony. Check out the links below for more information about this lovely picture book.


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I Like, I Don't Like by Anna Baccelliere, Illustrated by Ale + Ale
Published by Eerdman's Books For Young Readers, 2017
ISBN 978-0-8028-5480-3
For Children Ages 4-9 



"Every child in the world has the right: to have a family, to play, to receive an education, to be protected in times of war, to be taken care of, to be comforted, to not be mistreated in any way, to be loved, to have a name and a nationality, to express their opinions, to meet others and make friends, to have a life of dignity. And yet...," (Baccelliere P. 1). With the tone set by the above quote, this book dives readers into some uncomfortable and heartbreaking truths. Each full color page shows opposites. On ones side is a child liking something - just for the joy of it, and then on the opposite side another child (often ethnic or a person of color) not liking the same thing because that object or idea is the root of the child's oppression. This book is a very frank look at child slavery, forced labor, and the otherwise theft of youth from so many children world wide. 

~*~

I first saw this book referenced in a trends lecture on Advanced Theme Picture books and added it to my TBR list consequently. This is one of those books that is a very hard read, but so important because of the truths it forces into the light - things many do not want to see or hear about. But ignoring something like this is not going to make issues like this go away and in fact enables it further. As an adult it makes me cry and fills me with rage, and I think that that is what it is supposed to do. When I first thought about the age group this book is aimed at, I wondered if 4 was a little young for such a deep and hard subject. True, the sentences are simple enough for even the newest reader to handle, and the rich collage pictures illustrate the truth far beyond what the words provide. Really you don't even have to read the words to begin to understand. But is this a book for someone as young as a four year-old preschooler? After some thought, I do believe the marketed age is on point. It is not an easy subject, but books like this breed empathy, understanding, and often a drive to make change. Of all the people in this world, sometimes I think children can get things done better than any adult, simply because they have been told they can do anything and they believe it. To conclude, this is a very relevant and important narrative and can be used with a large age range of children.


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Published by Annick Press, 2017
ISBN 978-1-55451-958-3
For Teens Ages 12+



Told in a combination of verse and art, this is a mixed media and non-linear storytelling collage of the Native American female experiences and identity in today's world. Forcefully burying stereotypes and pulling the idea of Native American's out of the past, each page is a contribution from indigenous community. There are many harsh realities, and always a reminder of what was done, and is still being done daily, to the indigenous people of North America by colonizers. 

~*~

I learned of this book when it was brought up in a class discussion about diversity. I put it on my TBR list immediately as it fit perfectly with the OwnVoices movement that I have been studying. This is a really important read not only for the voice and stories of Native American people, but also for those of us who are part of the history of colonization. We can't go back in time and stop what happened, but we can be better by checking our own privilege and working to respect and uphold the rights of indigenous people all over the continent. This book is a beautiful collection of culture, faith, and identity. It may make some uncomfortable, but I think that that is a good thing. What has been done to Native Americans should make people uncomfortable - especially considering that racism and oppression of Native peoples is alive and well. As I read this book I was reminded of so many racist portrayals of Native Americans that have been normalized and it forced me to think about what that does to Native Americans as a people. I also appreciated the feminist approach of this book. I believe that even the set up of the text has a feminist lens, as it divorces itself from the western idea of what a book should be and look like. This is a book that should be included in classroom discussions and I think it is perfect that it is aimed at teens and up. Our history should not be forgotten. This only continues to perpetuate the horror and oppression. 


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Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2018
ISBN 978-1-5247-1779-7
For Teens Ages 15+



Written as a memoir this novel is both a coming of age story as well as a timely comment on the immigration processes of the USA. Saedi details the comings and goings of her adolescent life, covering the normal teenage topics of zits and crushing on boys juxtaposition with her experiences as an illegal immigrant and the constant threat of deportation hanging over her and her family. 

~*~

This novel is one I immediately put on my TBR list as soon as I saw it recommended on a classmates Yo'GRT 1 (Thank you Emily S. W.!). The story resonated with me deeply. Saedi is laugh out loud funny and very relatable. I was immediately sucked into her family drama, teenage crisis, and the rich descriptions of her Iranian culture. The thing that really connected me to her story however is the fact that my husband and I are in the middle of his own green card process. Long, expensive, and frustrating doesn't even begin to cover it when thinking about our experience of waiting and worrying about whether the government will renew my husband's green card allow him to stay. Reading Saedi's memoir was both an experience of kinship, as well as one that checked my privilege. Her story shows how you can try to do the right thing, the right way, and still end up waiting years and years on borrowed hope as you pray that you will be allowed to stay in the country you have made your home. And on top of everything she was going through, there was the added weight of racism against the Iranian culture in the wake of so much political unrest between the US and Iran. It was a very eye opening book and I would recommend it being read widely. There is a decent amount of explicit parts in the book, as there often are in a coming of age story, but I think older teens could handle reading it in class. This is one of those books that can work well as both a window and a glass door. People going through similar struggles will know that they aren't alone. And those who have never experienced anything like this will be educated about the realities of the situation and hopefully come to understand immigrant people and what they are going through better. Additionally, this is an Own Voices book because this is literally the story of Saedi's young adult and early adult life. I find myself very drawn to this type of authentic storytelling. Check out some more about this amazing book below:


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Published by Scholastic Press, 2017
ISBN 978-1-3381-9699-3
For Teens 14+



Leora's life has always been like the rules of Saintstone, her home. Predictable, safe, part of a picture bigger than any one person, and above all, honest to a fault. In Leora's world every person has every moment of their lives, every bit of themselves, dictated in inked tattoos. From birth children are marked, building a legacy that lives on after them. Everything has always made sense to Leora, and she has always wanted nothing more to be part of this world. But with her father's death a devastating secret comes to light and Leora's whole world is rocked on its axis. Secrets are suddenly everywhere and Leora must choose between what she has always thought was right, and what she is now finding to be true. 

~*~

This novel was one that I took in for simple pleasure reading and I can describe it honestly as both engrossing as well as unsettling. I would give it a solid green thumbs up if I were basing my feelings solely on how sucked in I was to the story, as well as what I felt was really great quality storytelling. In fact the solid storytelling element, the world building as well as religion building of the society in this story, was maybe the one thing that saved what might otherwise be content so widely outside the normal comfort zones of most readers that the novel might not be something a reader could get through. I don't want to spoil anything about the heart of the story, so I am limiting my descriptions of what exactly was unsettling. There wasn't anything really graphic in the pages. Much of the story was tame in comparison to some YA novels I have read. However there is some imagery and descriptions of what is done to people after they die in their community that I found creepy and, as I mentioned at the beginning, unsettling. And yet I couldn't stop reading. And I plan to read the second novel in the series, which came out in 2018. I almost feel like the novel would earn a green thumbs up just for the daring quality of the story. However, it is the squeamish part of me that holds back that ultimate recommend, as well as the fact that I was confused by the ultimate message at the end of the book. I understood everything right up until the climactic moment and then was left questioning on the final page. I would love to hear other people's thoughts on this book. Is there any conflict you feel in liking it, like I felt when reviewing it? Did anyone start it and not keep reading or did you have to finish it and read quickly, devouring the book in just a few days. Let me know! In the meantime check out some links about this unique book. 

* Publishers Weekly Review * Kirkus Review * Guardian Interview of Alice Broadway * 

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Work Cited



Light, S. (2018). Builders and Breakers. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
  • Builders and Breakers. (2018, Oct. 9). Retrieved from:
  • Kirkus Review. (2018). [Review of the book Builders and Breakers by S. Light]. Kirkus
  • Builders & Breakers. (2018). [Review of the book Builders and Breakers by S. Light].
Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7636-9872-0
  • [Candlewick Press]. 2018, Jul. 23. Builders and Breakers by Steve Light Book Trailer.
[Youtube.com]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DclqxTvoRAc

Paul, M., Chin, J (Illus.). (2015). Water is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.
  • Water is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle. (2015, May 26). Retrieved from:
  • Kirkus Review. (2015). [Review of the book Water is Water: A Book About the Water
Cycle by M. Paul, Illus. by J. Chin]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/miranda-paul/water-is-water/
  • Water is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle. (2015). [Review of the book Water is
Water: A Book About the Water Cycle by M. Paul, Illust. By J Chin]. Publishers
  • Danielson, J. (2015). [Review of the book Water is Water: A Book About the Water
    Cycle by M. Paul, Illus. by J. Chin]. BookPage. Retrieved from:
  • Verbeten, S. (2016, Jun 15). “A Book Is More Than A Book”: A Chat With Author
  • Frederick, A. (2015). [Review of the book Water is Water: A Book About the Water
Cycle by M. Paul, Illust. By J Chin]. The Horn Book. Retrieved from:
  • School Library Journal. (2015). [Review of the book Water is Water: A Book About the
Water Cycle by M. Paul, Illust. By J Chin]. School Library Journal. Retrieved
from:

Baccelliere, A., Ale + Ale (Illust). (2017). I Like, I Don’t Like. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman’s
Books For Young
Readers.
  • I Like, I Don’t Like. (2017, Mar. 6). Retrieved from:
  • Featured Author: Anna Baccelliere. (2017, Jun 19). Retrieved from:
  • Kirkus Review. (2017). [Review of the book I Like, I Don’t Like by A. Baccelliere, Illus.
by Ale + Ale]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/anna-baccelliere/i-i-dont/
  • Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2018. (2018, May/Jun). Retrieved

Charleyboy, L. & Leatherdale, M. B. (Eds). (2017). #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native
American Women. Toronto, Canada: Annick Press.
  • #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women. (2017, Sept 12). Retrieved from:
  • Reese, D. (2017) [Review of the book #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American
Women Edited by L. Charleyboy, M. B. Leatherdale]. Social Justice Books. Retrieved from: https://socialjusticebooks.org/notyourprincess-voices-native-american-women/
  • #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women. (2017). [Review of the book
#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women Edited by L. Charleyboy, M. B. Leatherdale]. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-55451-957-6
  • Reese, D. (2017). [Review of the book #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American
Women Edited by L. Charleyboy, M. B. Leatherdale]. American Indians in Children’s Literature. Retrieved from: https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2017/10/highly-recommended-notyourprincess.html
  • Kirkus Review. (2017). [Review of the book #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native
American Women Edited by L. Charleyboy, M. B. Leatherdale]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/lisa-charleyboy/notyourprincess/

Saedi, S. (2018). Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Broadway, A. (2017). Ink. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
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Saturday, 2 February 2019

You've GOT to Read This!!! (Yo'GRT!)

Published by Simon Pulse, 2017
ISBN 978-1-4814-7868-7
For Teens Ages 12+


All Dimple wants to do is learn to code, make her mark on the world, and get her overbearing family out of her hair.

When he parents suggest she attend Insomnia Con - a coding contest that could make all the difference - the summer before college, she thinks that maybe, just maybe, her parents are finally seeing things her way. 

For Rishi, family and duty has always been the most important  thing. So it is a given that he trusts his parents when they find what might be a suitable future wife for him. All he has to do is meet up with her during Insomnia Con and everything will fall into place - at least if he can get Dimple Shah to fall for him that is.                                                                                             

When they meet and Dimple realizes the intent, a lot more than their personalities clash. But she can't let anything get in the way of her aspirations, and when Rishi proves to be more than helpful on her project - both of them begin working together. However, there may be more than an app that's building between them.

~*~  

This novel was exceptional. From the moment I began reading it I didn't want to put it down. Every chore and responsibility became the enemy standing between me and this book. There is something about the narration that just sucks you in and feels more than real. And maybe this is due to Sandhya Menon's OwnVoices perspective of growing up in an Indian family. I soaked in the cultural information presented in the story, and appreciated how it wasn't dumbed down for readers. Though sometimes it can bog down reading when you have to look things up, it was more a principle of curiosity, one that I think teens will rise to given the chance. I highly recommend this book, but don't just take it from me:


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Published by Nancy Paulsen Books, 2014
ISBN 978-0-399-25251-8
For Children and Teens Ages 10+
    
                                                                                       "I cannot write a word yet but at three,/ I now know the letter J/ love the way it curves into a hook/ that I carefully top with a straight hat/ the way my sister has taught me to do. Love/ the sound of the letter and the promise/ that one day this will be connected to a full name,/ my own/ that I will be able to write/ by myself./ Without my sister's hand over mine,/ making it do what I cannot yet do./ How amazing these words are that slowly come to me./ How wonderfully on and on they go./ Will the words end, I ask/ whenever I remember to./ Nope, my sister says, all of five years old now,/ and promising me/ infinity," (Woodson, p. 62).

Told in verse, this is a thoughtful and at points haunting autobiographical telling of Woodson's life from birth onward as she and her siblings live through the era of civil rights and sponge in all the good and bad that is around them as children do. The book contains family pictures, a family tree, and a personal note from Woodson at the end of her narrative, lending to the feeling that you are reading someone's dairy - rather than a book from the library.

~*~

When I dove into these pages it was with the sweet kiss of summer in the south and the hot asphalt and soaring buildings of New York City. It was the bitter segregation of seen through the eyes of a child, and the hope of a world about to change. I could see, taste, and feel what Woodson wrote - her descriptions more than words, they come off the page as a tangible thing to grasp in front of you and admire. The front cover art of this book couldn't have been more well done, because opening its pages feel just the same, like the story is coming out and surrounding you. This is an important book as it carries readers into history and shows what it was like to grow up in that time. Woodson's OwnVoice's story is a rich diversity narrative. Check out some of the following links to see more:

* 2014 National Book Award Winner * New York Times bestselling memoir * Coretta Scott King Award Winner 2015 * Newbery Honor Award * NAACP Image Award Winner * Sibert Honor Award Winner * School Library Journal review * Horn Book review * Kirkus review *

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Published by Greenwillow Books, 2017
ISBN 978-0062414151
For Children 8-12


Virgil is quite and shy and fades into the background of his boisterous and perfect family. It is the first day of summer and he feels especially dejected because he is the ultimate failure. Even talking about it is just too much - but he knows he has to do something. 

Valencia is smart and tough and she isn't letting anything get in her way, not her being deaf, and least of all not a lack of friends. She will spend all of the summer observing nature, hanging out with the local flora and fauna, and convincing her parents to leave her alone. But she's plagued with bad dreams she can't make sense of, and she can't keep going without sleep. 

When Virgil takes his problems to neighborhood child psychic, Kaori, she sees the problem as simple and sends Virgil out into the world on a quest for five stones. It's an easy task, one she is sure will be completed well before Valencia, her next customer, arrives. But what starts as a simple search turns into something much more when Virgil runs into The Bull, a bully named Chet. Suddenly Virgil finds himself in real trouble - the kind that only real friends can help you out of. Told from four points of view (Virgil, Chet, Kaori, and Valencia) the story winds and knits itself together into a whole - showing how some not quite friends can make a whole lot of difference. 

~*~

This was an interesting gem of a novel, rich in diverse character driven storytelling and with an added treat of folklore thrown in. Kelly makes use of her Filipina-American background to write Virgil and his family, weaving in Filipino stories, language, and traditions as Virgil works through the problems he faces. This is a book that definitely hits on a lot of diverse themes, including Virgil's Filipino ethnicity, Kaori's Japanese ethnicity, and Valencia being deaf and using a hearing-aide. Where Kelly's own history can't lend a hand, she seems to have done an outstanding job researching - especially when it came to narrating the experience of being deaf. I learned a lot about that experience I never realized and felt like I was walking in the character's shoes.  I would be interested to see if an OwnVoices person who is deaf would agree (as I believe that Kelly is not deaf). Check out this interview of the author to learn a little more about her and her writing. Possibly the only thing that disappointed me about this novel is that I felt that her bully narrator, Chet, remained pretty flat as a character. I'd love to hear your point of view on this if you have read the book.


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Published by Roaring Book Press, 2017
ISBN 978-1-62672-371-9
For Ages 3-6


"There was a cat/ who lived alone./ Until the day/ a new cat came," (Cooper, p 1). This is a story of friendship. A story of love. A story of life. This book is an important one and should be on every child's shelf, because the lessons it carries are ones that they will at sometime face, and I can think of no better way to introduce them to some hard topics than with this book.

~*~

This picture book is one of those rare beauties that tells the whole heart of a story in the simplest way. Everything about this book bespeaks minimal. Each page only has one line of the story, sometimes only carrying a few words. The bright illustrations are done in thick bold strokes, the cats of the story almost more ink splotch than cat occasionally. And yet, there is such life in those few spare strokes of ink. I have seen this style before and not liked it, but this was carried off flawlessly. There is a whole world of story and emotion in these 40 pages - in these 167 words. Some books catch me hard, hitting me so deeply in my heart I know I will never forget them, and this is one of those books. If I could give it a double thumbs up I would (it wouldn't fit....). 


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Published by Feiwel and Friends, 2017
ISBN 978-1-250-07636-6
For Ages 2-6


Told completely in onomatopoeia and full spread illustration this is a story of snow and ice and wilderness. It is a the story of a little girl and a little wolf cub, alone in a harsh land. Lost and afraid. What will happen when humans and nature come together? A story at once simple and yet as deep and meaningful as time, without going over the old adage about pictures, anyone can agree that you don't need words to understand what is happening. 

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Wordless picture books have been explored very deeply and many times over in publications for children. Some of them can dive straight to the heart of the story, entrancing readers and staying with them long after they have finished searching over the last page. Others I've found can fall flat - almost boring, or worse, trying too hard with busy panels and too much going on. Wolf in the Snow is most definitely one of the good ones. I appreciate the mixed style of at once blurred, simple, and unrealistic pictures, mixed with hyper-realistic moments of clarity where you can see each individual hair on the wolves. There is something about the snowy landscape that makes this style work exceptionally well. It reminds me of what it is like trying to look through an iced over windshield in a snowstorm. Some images aren't quite distinct, and if you leave the car, or let the heater do it's work, those same fuzzy images melt and meld into clarity - strong and distinct. The layout of the story also lends to this clarity. For the most part each page is a full color spread of the story, and when it does break into panels they are easy to follow and don't interrupt the flow of the story. The distinct tone of sound, not spoken word, as the narrator further lends to the snowy atmosphere. As a reader you can feel the icy silence of the land, interrupted only by the sounds of the human girl or animal inhabitants. You can easily see that the characters are well and truly on their own, and each page builds on the tension, pushing the reader forward. This type of book is great for child and parent reading sessions, where little voices can predict and add to the story. And though I usually don't use wordless picture books in a storytime, older preschoolers might have the capacity to follow this one. On a final note - I also appreciated the illustrated clues of the main character and her family being Native American or Alaskan Inuit. 


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Published by Imprint, 2019
ISBN 978-1-250-11582-9
For Ages 3-6



Honeysmoke is, as the subtitle says, "A story of finding your color) (Fields, p. 1). Simone is a multiracial little girl, and she wants to know what her color is. Her mother, illustrated to look African American, is much darker than Simone. Her father, illustrated to look Caucasian, is much paler than her. At school and at home Simone struggles to find a place for herself in this scheme, until she can find her own empowerment in the story. 

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My first impression of this book was that I felt like there was something missing - or that maybe the story had missed the point. It has all the right things going for it. The author is a reporter who has written much on the subject of multiracial families, runs a website that lends support and encouragement to multiracial children and their parents, and the illustrator is in fact multiracial. The cast of characters are all very diverse and it does have a simple and sweet feel to the little girl's quest. However, I was left with the sense that it was trying too hard, and that while I get what the author's were going for (the empowerment of young people to find where they fit in), I felt that in actuality it was more about confining children to labels unnecessarily. I felt slightly under-qualified to judge the book completely (I am firmly Caucasian) - that maybe my whiteness meant I simply couldn't understand. So I went to my husband for some help. He happens to be bi-racial (identifying as Eurasian) he grew up in Hong Kong - too white to fit in with those he lived around, but too Asian to fit in when visiting the other half of his family in England. I wanted to know how he felt about the story and what he got from it. After reading through, he confirmed what I originally felt, offering that he felt that it was more important to stress being yourself and finding harmony with all your parts without being so stressed about labels, though he could understand how a child would want to fit in. I would love to hear more perspectives on this picture book - especially from those who might be considered an intended multiracial audience. Did you love it? Feel the same as my husband and I? Please let me know if you have thoughts. Also, for those who haven't read the book, check out the Honeysmoke website for more information.


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Published by Roaring Book Press, 2017
ISBN 978-1-250-17536-6
For Ages 4-8


This is a nonfiction picture book that focuses on the world of germs. Told with the help of some little germ buddies, and some honestly pretty cool super magnified pictures of everyday objects, the story pulls the reader along in an interactive experience where each page directs readers to do different things and think about the germs that live all around them.   

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This book is a definite thumbs down. About the only thing I respect about it is the pictures (which were definitely interesting photos) and the idea of how easily germs spread. The way they get this across is just a step too far. Like many picture books recently published since Tap the Magic Tree got really big, this one has jumped on the interactive band wagon - in the worst way. After giving children background on the many varied places that germs exist, the book directs readers to touch the book in a certain circled spot. Then they immediately tell readers to touch their teeth with that same finger! This goes on, even including the belly button at one point. As an adult reader I got to the point where I'd want to Lysol this book before putting it back on the shelf. I appreciate the effort, and kids would probably enjoy it and maybe even learn something, but every circulation of this book would make my skin crawl. Who knows, maybe I'm wrong and this is a hit just waiting to inform and educate children. But I feel like there are better ways... What do you think? If you haven't read it, check out this youtube video.

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