What are you currently reading?
The
Underdogs of Upson Downs by Craig Silvey - the tale of a girl and a dog and their effort to save the family farm. I've just started this one and it holds a lot of promise.
What did you recently finish reading?
These Bodies Between Us by Sarah Van Name - a slightly odd magical realism book about girls who learn to make themselves invisible.
What do you think you'll read next?
The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines by Mo Netz
Author: Mary Averling
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: The Stars of Whistling Ridge by Cindy Baldwin
The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray by E. Latimer
Rating:
.JPG)
Summary (provided by publisher): Nothing about Kess Pedrock’s life is normal. Not her home (she lives in her family’s Unnatural History Museum), not her interests (hunting for megafauna fossils and skeletons), and not her best friend (a talking demon’s head in a jar named Shrunken Jim).
But things get even stranger than usual when Kess meets Lilou Starling, the new girl in town. Lilou comes to Kess for help breaking a mysterious curse—and the only clue she has leads straight into the center of Eelgrass Bog.
Everyone knows the bog is full of witches, demons, and possibly worse, but Kess and Lilou are determined not to let that stop them. As they investigate the mystery and uncover long-buried secrets, Kess begins to realize that the curse might hit closer to home than she’d ever expected, and she’ll have to summon all her courage to find a way to break it before it’s too late.
My opinion: The description of this book certainly sounds strange. And it is, if you only focus on the details. Somehow, though Averling manages to make shrunken heads and skeletons made of gold sound standard and common place. The descriptions of characters and settings are straightforward and have an air of normalcy. We get simple explanations for the existence of witches and curses and that simplicity makes them easy to accept. With a rapid pace and reveal of hidden plot elements, this is a quick and enjoyable read.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
Author: Wali Shah and Eric Walters
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Wishing Upon the Same Stars by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman
Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero by Saadia Faruqi
Rating:
.JPG)
Summary (provided by publisher): Between the pressure from his immigrant parents to ace every class, his crush on Melissa, who lives in the rich area of town while he and his family live in a shabby apartment complex, and trying his best to fit in with his friends, he feels like he’s being pulled in too many different directions.
But harder still, Ali is becoming increasingly aware of the racism around him. Comments from his friends about Pakistani food or his skin color are passed off as jokes, but he doesn’t find them funny. And when Ramadan starts, Ali doesn’t tell anyone he’s fasting because it just seems easier. Luckily he finds solace in putting his feelings into words—and poems. But his father is dead set against him using art as a distraction when he’s got schoolwork and a future career as a doctor to focus on.
Ali’s world changes when he, his mom and his little brother are assaulted by some racist teens. Ali must come to terms with his roiling feelings about his place in the world, as a Pakistani immigrant, a Muslim and a teenager with his whole life ahead of him. With help from his grandfather, an inspiring teacher and his friend, Ali leans on his words for strength. And eventually he finds his true voice.
My opinion: The intent of this book is pretty straightforward, even from the beginning. It could easily become over-simplified and trite. But Shah and Walters do a solid job of blending in other elements to keep this from becoming just an exploration of casual racism. We look at both blatant racism and microaggressions, and all of the avenues they can come from. Blend in parental pressures and the impact of trauma and we have a more complex narrative at play. This is a quick and clear read that should facilitate some conversation with young readers.
More information: Call Me Al releases March 12
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
If you're looking for a way to discuss book banning with kids, this fun picture book is a solid starting point. The reasons for banning content explored in this book are silly, of course. Elementary aged kids will giggle along as the book bans all sorts of innocuous things, leaving very little to talk about. This allows you to talk about access to information and who gets to decide what's allowed in books in a relaxed and playful manner. While the messaging won't land with very small children, they'll still enjoy the playful illustrations and interactions with the text.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
My stash-busting continues. I had a skein of sock yarn that I bought super-cheap somewhere. I actually have a ton of knitted socks so I decided to do something different with this one. I found this pattern for a sock yarn cowl/hood which can easily be used with any brand of sock yarn.
Of course, I finished it up as the weather is warming, but this might be nice for those spring days that still have a cold edge.
My recent blogiversary had me looking back and I rediscovered a prompt I gave up back in 2015: WWW Wednesdays. The idea here is to take a snapshot of your reading life by answering these three questions.
What are you currently reading?
The Mysterious Life of Dr. Barry by Lisa Williamson - a fictionalized account of the life of James Barry who was born Margaret Buckley and lived as a man in order to become a renowned surgeon in Great Britain in the 1800s.
What did you recently finish reading?
Call Me Al by Wali Shah - the story of a Pakistani youth in Canada coming face to face with prejudice and learning how to respond to it without hatred
What do you think you'll read next?
Strong Like You by T.L. Simpson
Author: Sara Zarr
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros
Violets are Blue by Barbara Dee
Rating:
.JPG)
Summary (provided by publisher): Krya has always felt like she’s a bit too much. Too tall. Too loud. Too earnest. But she’s okay with that, because she’s got her mom. Ever since Mom got sober about five years ago, she and Kyra have always been there for each other—something Kyra is thankful for every week when she attends her group meetings with other kids of alcoholics. When Mom is managing her cleaning business and Kyra is taking care of things at home, maybe, she thinks, she’s not too much. Maybe, she’s just enough.
Then seventh grade starts, and everything Kyra used to be able to count on feels unsure. Kyra’s best friend, Lu, is hanging out with eighth graders, and Mom is unusually distant. When Mom starts missing work, sleeping in, and forgetting things, Kyra doesn’t dare say “relapse." But soon not saying that word means not saying anything at all—to Lu or to her support group. And when Kyra suspects that her worst fears might be real, she starts to question whether being just enough is not enough at all.
My opinion: There are some books out there about kids dealing with the realization that their parent has a problem with addiction. This may be the first I've read where the parent is an acknowledged addict in recovery. It takes the standard narrative of a single mother and child struggling to get by on their own, the tight budget and extra responsibility on the child, and adds a new element. Kyra is a strong character and a realistic one. She's a middle grade kid. She takes on responsibilities and craves independence but remains desperate for approval and love. She has fears that she doesn't know how to articulate. This all comes together in a narrative that is at times uncomfortable but ultimately affirming.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
