Happy Pi day!

 For some reason, Pi day is one of those weird holidays that I find more amusing than annoying. And casting about this morning for something quick to work on, I decided to try a new design for catnip toys - a pie. This is the result.

WWW Wednesday

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

Book review - The Curse of Eelgrass Bog

 

Title: The Curse of Eelgrass Bog

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:

 

a fun magical plot

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.

Book review - Call Me Al

 

Title: Call Me Al

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:

 

a decent balance of elements

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

Picture books for everyone

 

This Book is Banned by Raj Haldar

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

Cowl

 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. 

 

long enough to pull up over the top of my head but not too bulky to leave around my neck

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.

WWW Wednesdays return

 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