We are Power by Todd Hasak-Lowy
If you've ever wondered about nonviolent protest beyond lunch counter sit-ins, then you need this book. Hasak-Lowy takes us through several examples of activism in chronological order. This begins with Ghandi codifying what this form of protest means and applying it as a life philosophy. We traverse the globe between South Africa, Britain, the US, Czechoslovakia, and Sweden. We see different approaches to activism, be it through action, strike, sign wielding, or simply insistence at being acknowledged. We see the ways that their determination was challenged and the importance of compromise for peaceful resolution. And I like that there isn't any implication that this is the only way. Hasak-Lowy acknowledges that there are situations that can only be resolved with confrontation or moments when even the most peaceful person can be pushed too far. Still, we can all learn from these examples and find value in lesser known parts of history.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: Like Nothing Amazing Ever Happened
Author: Emily Blejwas
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt
Rating:
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| compelling |
Summary (provided by publisher): Justin doesn't know anything these days. Like how to walk down the halls without getting stared at. Or what to say to Jenni. Or how Phuc is already a physics genius in seventh grade. Or why Benny H. wanders around Wicapi talking to old ghosts. He doesn't know why his mom suddenly loves church or if his older brother, Murphy, will ever play baseball again. Or if the North Stars have a shot at the playoffs. Justin doesn't know how people can act like everything's fine when it's so obviously not. And most of all, he doesn't know what really happened the night his dad died on the train tracks. And that sucks.
But life goes on. And as it does, Justin discovers that some things are just unknowable. He learns that time and space and memory are grander and weirder than he ever thought, and that small moments can hold big things, if you're paying attention. Just like his math teacher said, even when you think you have all the information, there will be more. There is always more.
My opinion: At face value, this book has a couple of strikes against it. It has an historical setting which can be a hard sell for middle grade readers. And it doesn't have a strong central plot. The conflict is largely internal, Justin trying to figure out why his dad died and trying to understand things in the world around him. Largely, though, it's reminiscent of Catcher in the Rye. It's mostly just Justin thinking about things and realizing that life is more complex that he'd previously understood. It's about truly seeing things in life around you instead of just accepting the simple explanations. There's some subtle messaging about war, trauma, and cultural conflict but doesn't settle on any distinct message. This means that different readers may come away from it with different messages or gather new ideas on repeat reads.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
Last month I made a miniature bookcase from a box. And a while back I made a custom cow-headed doll. And those things have been sitting on a rail in my stairwell ever since. Recently I've taken to adding new things to that rail and it's becoming a sort of doll house for the cow-doll. She now has a furry slug pet. And a horse-robot companion. And a luchador bust on a desk. I anticipate more additions to her decor as time passes.
Title: Crossing the Farak River
Author: Michelle Aung Thin
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Escape from Aleppo by N. H. Senzai
Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): Fourteen-year-old Hasina is forced to flee everything she knows in this gripping account of the refugee crisis in Myanmar.
For Hasina and her younger brother Araf, the constant threat of Sit Tat, the Myanmar Army, is a way of life in Rakhine province—just uttering the name is enough to send chills down their spines. As Rohingyas, they know that when they hear the wop wop wop of their helicopters there is one thing to do—run, and don’t stop. So when soldiers invade their village one night, and Hasina awakes to her aunt's fearful voice, followed by smoke, and then a scream, run is what they do.
Hasina races deep into the Rakhine forest to hide with her cousin Ghadiya and Araf. When they emerge some days later, it is to a smouldering village. Their house is standing but where is the rest of her family? With so many Rohingyas driven out, Hasina must figure out who she can trust for help and summon the courage to fight for her family amid the escalating conflict that threatens her world and her identity.
Fast-paced and accessibly written, Hasina tackles an important topic frequently in the news but little explored in fiction. It is a poignant and thought-provoking introduction for young readers to the miliatry crackdown and ongoing persecution of Rohingya people, from the perspective of a brave and resilient protagonist.
My opinion: The conflict in Myanmar is one that Americans may be vaguely aware of but likely do not truly understand. Books like this one not only help us to understand the details of the conflict but also what life is like for the people directly affected. We are given a brief snapshot of normal life for the Rohingyas before the soldiers come and tear everything apart. The remainder of the book is the daily struggle to survive, the constant fear that the efforts they've put in won't be enough, the constant threat that the soldiers will return, and the gradual realization that there is no going back to life as it had been. The text doesn't really go into the role of social media on the persecution of the Rohingya, the element that I was actually aware of, choosing instead to humanize the conflict.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo series by Ben Costa and James Parks
As you might guess from the covers, this series centers on a skeleton bard and his friend, a block of goo. After they loose their jobs in a torture dungeon they set off on a quest to learn about Rickety's past and his connection to the legendary city of Epoli based on a few clues from a series of dreams and a half remembered song. The over-arching plot is a pretty standard quest. What makes these books shine is the offbeat humor and wide cast of characters. Costa and Parks find humor in both modern office settings and traditional quest elements. And what would be one-off throwaway characters in another series make repeat appearances in this series. The humor is the perfect blend of verbal and sight gags. If you're a fan of Jeff Smith's Bone, Chris Grine's Chickenhare, or Monty Python give Rickety Stitch a read.
Something Wonderful by Matt Ritter
There are plenty of picture books that introduce youngsters to the wonder of a seed growing. Usually these books focus on something as simple as a flower. Ritter's book, on the other hand, shows us something that most adults will be forced to admit is truly amazing. Starting with the moment that the fig seed lands in the branches of another tree and sends it's roots down to the ground. We see the whole process - the fig tree growing around and through the other tree, killing it; the leaves reaching the canopy and producing blossoms; those blossoms being pollinated by wasps and forming fruits around the wasp eggs; the fruits being eaten and the seeds spread by birds to start the process all over again. Even if much of the process is what we expect, that first stage of the roots growing down to the ground is truly wonderful.
More information: Something Wonderful releases April 22.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: The Green Children of Woolpit
Author: J. Anderson Coats
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge
Rating:
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| a serious journey |
Summary (provided by publisher): An eerie, spine-tingling fantasy about a young girl who discovers two otherworldly children—and an ancient bargain that threatens to destroy them all.
It is the autumn of 1160, and twelve-year-old Agnes is helping with the harvest when she hears a frightened voice calling from the nearby woods. When she goes to investigate, Agnes can’t believe what she sees. There, at the bottom of the deep wolf traps, are two children. They are shouting in a language no one understands—and their skin is bright green.
Agnes soon discovers that these are no ordinary children; in fact, they aren’t even human. They are of the Fair Folk, and they are here to take Agnes home to their world. Trusting that the Fair Folk cannot lie, Agnes agrees to venture underground. But she soon learns just how dangerous their world is—and what it will take to break the ancient bargain meant to keep her there.
My opinion: The tale of the green children has always struck me as inherently silly. Not Coats' version. This is a story that is taken entirely seriously. The beings involved here are not fairies; these are the fae. Immortal, joyless beings that have no care for humans. They make bargains and care only for their own desires. They take people as slaves, are cruel and capricious. It's more than just the cruelty of the faerie, though. It's the harshness of life in the feudal system. It's abandoned children living in a world that looks on them with suspicion and derision. These characters are under threat from the fae, from tha lord of the land, and from their own neighbors. Sure they take care of each other but they also sell one another out for advancement. This leaves us with characters learning to find satisfaction in daily life. There is no happily ever after, only minor victories.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
