It was pointed out to me that this months 10 years that I've been on this 10 platform. 10 years of reviewing books, making crafts, and finding my voice. 10 years during which I was a librarian, an IT technician, and now a freelance consultant and homesteader.
Here are a few of my favorite posts from the past 10 years:
Here's to 10 more years
Wildful is a story of the healing power of nature, how wonder and beauty draw people together. There is a plot here, though a very simple one. And it hardly matters. We're not caught up in these characters and their interactions with one another. It's all about the visuals. Kurimoto's art captures both facial expressions and the details of the natural world with equal detail. The color is sparse but used to great effect. This is a book you can read very quickly but don't. Do yourself a favor and linger over each page, each panel, and experience the wonder along with the characters.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
Author: Ann E Burg
Genre: creative non-fiction/verse novel
Similar books: Beauty Mark by Carole Boston Weatherford
Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round by Kathlyn Kirkwood
Rating:
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Summary (provided by publisher):
Rachel was a girl who loved
science and the sea,
books and writing
and all the creatures of the world.
Rachel was quiet,
a listener by nature.
But when she saw problems,
she could not remain silent.
Some people thought girls
shouldn’t be scientists.
They thought girls
shouldn’t use their voices
to question or challenge,
even to protect
all the creatures of the world.
Luckily Rachel didn’t listen
to them.
My opinion: I think all that I knew about Rachel Carson before this book was that she wrote Silent Spring. So I learned a lot from this novel, stripped down as it was to the barest impressions. I hadn't realized her importance in the development of science communication as a field, more than just the importance of ecology. This is a quick read. Being a verse novel, it's more about impressions than details. Still, it's a solid way to supplement more factual education.
More information: Force of Nature releases March 5
For a while now I've wanted to make a peculiar plushie. The idea was to make a plush version of some food item that could wear little outfits, mostly doll clothes and accessories. Something about that struck me a hilarious. I'd thought about a pickle but couldn't quite work out how to construct it. Sorting through some t-shirt scraps I found the perfect shade of light yellow and knew I needed to make a cheese. I cut a few pieces of foam mattress pad and covered them with the t-shirt, then sewed the whole mess together.
Author: Sherri Winston
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Looking for True by Tricia Springstubb
The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): Sharkita “Kita” Hayes is always waiting.
Waiting for her mama to mess up.
Waiting for social services to be called again.
Waiting for her and her siblings to be separated.
Waiting for her worst fear to come true.
But Mama promises things are different now. She's got a good job, she's stopped drinking, stopped going out every night-it's almost enough to make Kita believe her this time. But even as Kita's life is going good, she can't shake the feeling that everything could go up in flames at any moment. When her assistant principal and trusted dance coach starts asking questions about her home life, Kita is more determined than ever to keep up appearances and make sure her family stays together-even if it means falling apart herself.
As the threat of her family being separated again circles like a shark in the water, the pressure starts to get to Kita. But could it be that Kita's worst fear is actually the best thing that could happen to her family . . . and to her?
My opinion: We know, from the start, that things are not going to end the way that Kita want them to. Her situation is too unstable. So we can largely predict where this book is headed. That's okay. It's more about the path than the end point. We have a plot with strong characters who are realistically portrayed. They make mistakes, keep secrets. While the ending has some idealized moments, it isn't too unrealistic for a middle grade audience. While the scenario may be too intense for some kids, for most this will be a solid read.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Author: Saadia Faruqi
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Wishing Upon the Same Star by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman
Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yee
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): When her grandmother comes off the airplane in Houston from Pakistan, Mahnoor knows that having Dadi move in is going to disrupt everything about her life. She doesn’t have time to be Dadi’s unofficial babysitter—her journalism teacher has announced that their big assignment will be to film a documentary, which feels more like storytelling than what Maha would call “journalism.”
As Dadi starts to settle into life in Houston and Maha scrambles for a subject for her documentary, the two of them start talking. About Dadi’s childhood in northern India—and about the Partition that forced her to leave her home and relocate to the newly created Pakistan.
As details of Dadi’s life are revealed, Dadi’s personal story feels a lot more like the breaking news that Maha loves so much. And before she knows it, she has the subject of her documentary.
My opinion: Partition was something I hadn't even heard of until fairly recently, so I was riveted by this story. I like that it does more than just reveal a lesser known part of history. It really digs into the importance of cultural history and includes some messaging about responsible and sensitive journalism. With complex, relatable characters, this is a book well worth reading for young and old alike.
More information: The Partition Project releases February 27.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Author: Sarah Mughal Rana
Genre: realistic fiction/magical realism
Similar books: House of Yesterday by Deeba Zargarpur
Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed
Rating:
.JPG)
Summary (provided by publisher): Nida has always been known as Mamou Abdul-Hafeedh’s niece - the poet who will fill her uncle’s shoes after he was wrongfully incarcerated during the war on terror. But for Nida, her poetry letters are her heart and sharing so much of herself with a world that stereotypes her faith and her hijab is not an option.
When Nida is illegally frisked at a Democratic Senatorial candidate’s political rally, she writes a scathing poem about the politician, never expecting the letter to go viral weeks before Election Day. Nida discovers her poem has won first place in a national contest, a contest she never entered, and her quiet life is toppled. But worst of all, Nida loses her ability to write poetry. In the aftermath of her win, Nida struggles to balance the expectations of her mother, her uncle, and her vibrant Muslim community with the person she truly wants to be.
My opinion: We expect this book to be about rights violations. The inciting incident is an illegal frisking, after all. But it's much more than that. The question of rights is almost incidental. Instead Nida's story is a question of voices. When we speak up. Who influences and controls when we speak. And the dilemma of standing up versus fitting in. These are complex questions with no clear answers which can make for a challenging read. If you're someone who likes a clear-cut plot, maybe look elsewhere. But if you want to weigh opinions and discuss choices, give this one a read.
More information: Hope Ablaze releases February 27.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
