Checking in

First book down: The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie

FYI: I'll be updating at least some of these posts with reviews after the weekend.

Let's go reading!

Here we go, friends. This is my official starting point for the 24 in 48 Readathon.

Keep an eye out for my updates as I read.

Check out my updates this weekend

Just a heads up, friends. I'll be participating in the 24 in 48 Readathon this weekend. Follow my updates here and on my recently formed Twitter (where my handle is @onlymarfalfa). Should be a lot of fun.

 

Picture books for everyone

Dragon Dancer by Joyce Chng

Picture books are a great way to experience the world through another person's perspective, to better understand some part of another culture. Dragon Dancer deosn't present us with a linear story. Instead we have more of a stream of consciousness. It's impressions, thoughts, motivations. It's an entire experience rather than a story. This makes it less of a selection for very young children but a great choice for elementary school We learn about the cultural motivations and implications of a fairly well known tradition.

Book review - The Silence of Our Friends

Title: The Silence of Our Friends
Author: Mark Long and Jim Demonakos
Genre: historical fiction/graphic novel
Similar books: March by John Lewis
                      In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
Rating:

one to think about

Summary (provided by publisher): This semi-autobiographical tale is set in 1967. A white family from a notoriously racist neighborhood in the suburbs and a black family from its poorest ward cross Houston's color line, overcoming humiliation, degradation, and violence to win the freedom of five black college students unjustly charged with the murder of a policeman.
The Silence of Our Friends follows events through the point of view of young Mark Long, whose father is a reporter covering the story. Semi-fictionalized, this story has its roots solidly in very real events. With art from the brilliant Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole) bringing the tale to heart-wrenching life, The Silence of Our Friends is a new and important entry in the body of civil rights literature.

My opinion: While this book presents a complete plot, it feels almost like a vignette. We see character development, the influence of each event on the next. It's not all clear cut, though. Not 100% good guys fighting bad guys. We see various types and degrees of prejudice. Some plots are never fully explored and some characters are flat. It's beautifully rendered, though, and leaves the reader with plenty to consider.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Embroidery doodle

I had grand crafting intentions this week. Intentions that were in NO WAY achieved. Instead, I dragged out a spool of rainbow polyester floss and a chunk of a worn out polo shirt and stitched a doodle of a t-rex.

Book review - Ellie, Engineer

Title: Ellie, Engineer
Author: Jackson Pearce
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Secret Coders series by Gene Luen Yang
                      The Amazing Crafty Cat by Charise Mericle Harper
Rating:

way to go, Pearce

Summary (provided by publisher): Ellie is an engineer. With a tool belt strapped over her favorite skirt (who says you can't wear a dress and have two kinds of screwdrivers handy, just in case?), she invents and builds amazing creations in her backyard workshop. Together with her best friend Kit, Ellie can make anything. As Kit's birthday nears, Ellie doesn't know what gift to make until the girls overhear Kit's mom talking about her present--the dog Kit always wanted! Ellie plans to make an amazing doghouse, but her plans grow so elaborate that she has to enlist help from the neighbor boys and crafty girls, even though the two groups don't get along. Will Ellie be able to pull off her biggest project yet, all while keeping a secret from Kit?
Illustrated with Ellie's sketches and plans, and including backmatter with a fun how-to guide to tools, this is a STEM- and friendship-powered story full of fun!

My opinion: This is a book with a clear agenda, but it's one I can fully support. It's a book about engineering, as one might imagine. We see Ellie's full process, from concept to  design, to the actual construction and accompanying troubleshooting. More important is the depiction of gender roles. Ellie loves to build things. She also loves pink, dresses, ballet, and glitter body wash. She can be an engineer and still be traditionally girly. Kit, on the other hand, love all things feminine. She doesn't like to be dirty and participates in beauty pageants. Neither is depicted as "right". We meet a neighborhood boy who loves bugs, soccer, pretty much all things traditionally masculine, but also adores tea parties. All of this along with messages about friendship, secrets, and control. A solid story for young readers.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley