Non-fiction book review - What Do We Eat?

 

What Do We Eat? by Meagan Clendenan

What people eat sounds like a simple topic but it's surprisingly complex and fascinating. For one thing, Clendenan isn't just looking at types of foods. This book explores agriculture, preserving food, culture, ceremonial and holiday foods, and trade. It is the ways that food play into multiple parts of our lives and are informed by relationships both individually and on a global scale. With art throughout breaking up the blocks of text, this is interesting to read and look at. Choose this book for kids who are interested in how people interact and culture.

More information: What Do We Eat? releases September 17.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non-fiction book review - Finding the Clotilda

 

Finding the Clotilda by Anitra Butler-Ngugi

Africatown and the Clotilda were terms I'd heard but could not remember any details so I was primed for this book. The vocabulary is accessible and Butler-Ngugi lays out the information in a clear and concise manner. From this book we learn the whole story: the history of the Clotilda; the formation of Africatown; how racism destroyed the community that was built; how the Clotilda itself was found and verified; and how that discovery lead to the preservation of Africatown. A compelling read for fans of lesser known history.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Denim bowls

 Ever had a worn out pair of jeans and felt bad about throwing them away? There are many ways you can use that denim in crafting. For instance, my mother has been cutting jeans into strips and using crochet cotton to turn them into bowls like these:

Incidentally, these bowls and a few other designs are available on our Etsy shop.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

House of Thorns by Isabel Strychacz - Lia's family has been falling apart for five years, ever since her older sister vanished and they fled from their house. She's been trying to be perfect. But now the house is calling them back and it's secrets will be revealed.

What did you recently finish reading?

Something's Wrong With Micah by Jamison Hill - Micah has a mysterious illness that keeps him confined to a wheelchair. His friends don't understand. His doctors think it's all in his head. Only Evie understands and she's keeping secrets.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Grimsbane Family Witch Hunters by Joan Reardon

Picture books for everyone - Swinging Into History

 

Swinging Into History by Karen L Swanson

Not quite a biography, this book walks us through the professional journey of an unfamiliar figure in sports history. It uses a narrative style to tell us the basics about who Toni Stone was, the challenges she faced, and how she went about achieving her dream. Through the story young readers will be introduced to the Negro Leagues and the challenges for women in sports. While not an in depth exploration, it is very readable and well put together.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - The Super Berries Scam

 

Title: The Super Berries Scam

Author: Natasha Deen

Genre: realistic fiction

Rating:

a clearly explained intent

Summary (provided by publisher): Dalia Gopie is shorter than all her friends. Then she discovers that her favorite social media influencer is promoting a miracle fruit—one that guarantees to make anyone taller overnight! Is this online fad the real deal, or is the popular influencer selling a tall tale? With the help of other Cyber Sleuths—a network of mystery-solving kids—and legit online resources, Dalia uncovers the truth about this too-good-to-be-true product. Created in partnership with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), this action-packed chapter book is perfect for young readers and demonstrates valuable media literacy skills.

My opinion: You don't need to read very deeply to understand what this book is trying to teach. But that's okay. It makes the messaging easily grasped by young readers. It's a bit of a blunt object over the head in terms of teaching media literacy but it achieves that aim well.

Graphic novel spotlight - The Night Librarian

 

The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln

The promotional material for this book compares it to the movie Night At The Museum and that's a pretty accurate description. One could also compare it to The Pagemaster, though that's a little more niche. We jump right into a world of magic and adventure around famous books. With a cast that includes a pair of mischievous kids and a band of vigilante librarians, it's exciting and inventive. With a wild plot it requires a solid willing suspension of disbelief and a little patience to fully understand what is going on. But a kid who enjoys Hatke's Mighty Jack or the Amulet series is primed for this one as well.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley