If you want to know more about what I am reading, visit me at my Goodreads shelf. Images via Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
The Past Week:
I had quite a mix of books this week. Bone Gap was a young adult ARC I picked up at ALA Midwinter. I got to meet Laura Ruby and get it signed. That's always a treat. It's a unique young adult book that crosses genre lines. It's magical realism, mystery, and romance too. Colby Sharp gushed about it so of course I had to give it a try. :)
Under a Painted Sky was another young adult ARC from a publisher and was also a very unique story. The story takes place in the mid 1800s on the trail to the west. What's different about this is that it's a western with the main characters being a Chinese American teen and an escaped slave. They're an unlikely pair to be running off to the west. Stacey Lee wrote a highly entertaining and absorbing tale. For a full review visit Rich in Color.
Seeds of Freedom came in our Junior Library Guild box this week. It's a picture book about the desegregation of Huntsville, Alabama. This was a desegregation of not just a school, but of businesses and it was done primarily in a nonviolent manner through collaboration and using financial pressure. I appreciate this additional perspective into the civil rights movement for the elementary level.
Good Night Captain Mama was a picture book that I heard of sometime in the past year. The format is a series of questions that a young child is asking his mother about her uniform and her work in the military. It's bilingual (Spanish/English) and it's one more book to add to the relatively few about mothers in the military. It's a bit "teachy" as it doesn't really have a storyline, but it would be helpful in a community with many military families.
The Art of Asking is a memoir/self-help book by Amanda Palmer that was conceived after her amazing TED Talk in 2013. This is definitely an adult book, but is somewhat related to kid lit as she is the wife of Neil Gaiman. She is quite an interesting person and her philosophy of asking and receiving is one that gave me a lot to think about.
I had Frida & Diego on my MustRead2015 list since it was on the Best Multicultural Lit of 2014 list. I am endlessly fascinated by this couple. Their artistic lives and their personal lives were so vivid and they seem to both be people who lived out loud. They didn't really hide who they are so there are many, many resources available to learn about them. This is a middle grade+ nonfiction look into their lives. I really appreciated the full color pictures of their work at the end and the many black and white photos of them and their surroundings throughout the book.
The Coming Week:
I'll be reading Hidden and Strike since I didn't get to them last week. I also want to read Cuba 15. I didn't get to Hold Me Down last week either so it's getting bumped over. There are many ARCs still to choose from so I will be diving into that pile also. It should be a good week. :)
Updates on My Reading Challenges
- Diverse Books (We Need Diverse Books) - 17/100
- Goodreads - 47/520
- #MustRead2015 - 5/53
- Diversity Reading Challenge - 5/12
Dying to read Bone Gap! I have a hold on it already at my library even though it doesn't officially come out for another month. I've heard such raves!
ReplyDeleteIt's really a brain twister. The characters are fun too. :)
DeleteI've been very slowly reading The Art of Asking and also finding what she says about giving and receiving quite fascinating. My son finds it almost impossible to ask for help and I feel like I'm gaining some insight into his psychology from what she has to say. Just requested Frida & Diego through interlibrary loan. I'm endlessly fascinated by them too!
ReplyDeleteI know I grew up thinking that asking was imposing on people. I didn't think about it as offering others a choice to become involved and more a part of your life. I also thought I may seem needy if I asked. She brings up a lot of positives about asking. I like seeing it from a different perspective.
DeleteI've heard such great things about Bone Gap, especially after listening to Jordan Brown gush about it at the WPP cocktail party.
ReplyDeleteYes, I only read it because of that party. I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise, but after Colby and an author were gushing, I had to add it to my bag. :)
DeleteBone Gap on my list too. Excited. I always love all of the diverse titles you are sharing. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Have fun with Bone Gap.
DeleteWell, you sold me on Bone Gap, Crystal, & Under A Painted Sky sounds nice too. Thanks for all, and I'll also try to find The Art of Asking-interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Linda!
DeleteLove books about art/artists, so need to get Frida & Diego. I would love to learn more about them.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading this week! :)
OH! And thank you for promoting and sharing diverse titles!!!
DeleteYou're welcome. Always happy to share diverse lit. :)
DeleteThe map is such a clever idea!
ReplyDeleteI am a huge sucker for historical fictions. The 1800s...please, take me there! Thanky you for sharing Under a Painted Sky. I've added it to my TBR list!
I can't claim the idea for the map. Another blogger thought it up as a challenge http://itsallaboutbooks.de/2014/11/around-the-world-2015/ :) I hope you enjoy Under a Painted Sky.
DeleteI'm waiting for Bone Gap first to be purchased, and then for me to get a copy of it. At least I'm going to get one of the 3 copies as soon as they arrive. I think I need to read The Art of Asking. With my mother's ill health, there are days when I'm overwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look for Seeds of Freedom. I'm doing a "Diverse Lit" focus with my 5th graders and that sounds great. They are selecting, reading, and blurbing for the school books with diverse authors and/or characters for March.
ReplyDeleteThese are all very beautiful books. Frida & Diego sounds like a must read as well as Bone Gap. Under a Painted Sky also is receiving a great deal of attention, will be on the lookout for it.
ReplyDelete