It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. Jen Vincent over at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye from Unleashing Readers decided to put a children's and YA spin on it and they invite anyone with an interest to join in. You can participate by creating your post then visit one of their sites to add your site. Finally, visit at least three participant blogs and comment to spread the love.

If you want to know more about what I am reading, visit me at my Goodreads shelf. Images via Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Last Week on the Blogs:

Celebrating family, holidays, quiet time...

Last Week with Books: 

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter

Illustrated by Qin Leng

Very cute early chapter book!

Native People of Wisconsin by Patty Loew

Revised edition of an excellent non-fiction title

(WPR interview with Patty Loew here)

Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Loved this beautiful book!

Here's the trailer: 

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord

This book has some positives, but also has some 

problematic aspects. More about that here.

Nightingale's Nest by Nikki Loftin

An emotional book full of sorrow, but healing too.

 

Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath

Novel in Verse

Moving look at the Armenian Genocide

True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff

Not very excited by this one. It seemed preachy.

It was a re-read. I'm reading all the Printz books.

One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke

I loved getting to know the quirky characters in this story.

There were so many things that reminded me of my own family.

Serpentine by Cindy Pon

This book was full of adventure & it was a perfect book for holiday reading.

And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

Tough context, but I really enjoyed this one.

The Good Braider by Terry Farish

Another novel in verse.

Well written look into lives of a family from Sudan.

The Coming Week:

I am not really sure what is up next. I have three more Printz award/honor books checked out right now. I have twenty-one more to go and would like to get all caught up though I don't think I can get them finished before the new ones are announced in January. Happy reading!

Celebrate

Ruth Ayres has a link-up on weekends where people link to posts that are celebrations about their week. I love this reminder to celebrate every week.

I was not looking at the camera - ack!

A closer look at the cute turkey hat my sister made for me.

Our Christmas tree is up and both of our children were with us for Thanksgiving. My son, husband and I also got to do the 5 mile Turkey Trot on the morning of Thanksgiving. We ran at the same pace and I'm not sure we've ever stayed together like that. It was a fun time and we saw friends from the community. It was a wonderful way to start the day. It was raining as we drove to the race, but the rain stopped while we ran. The weather was pretty much perfect. We had plenty of food that afternoon. We were thankful, well-fed and together. These are blessings that make me very happy. I love the holiday season where everything seems possible. I look at the world through rose colored glasses during this time of year. I know everything isn’t as it should be, but for a few weeks, it’s nice to see it as it could be.

This morning I had some quiet moments to enjoy a fresh cranberry scone (I love cranberries), some chai (the recipe from Lucy Knisley's book Relish), and a lovely book.

I’m getting ready to start Hour of Code and our Mock Caldecott and Mock Pura Belpré units at school and that’s exciting too. I’m looking forward to our lessons and that’s always a good feeling. I wish everyone a lovely week.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. Jen Vincent over at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye from Unleashing Readers decided to put a children's and YA spin on it and they invite anyone with an interest to join in. You can participate by creating your post then visit one of their sites to add your site. Finally, visit at least three participant blogs and comment to spread the love.

If you want to know more about what I am reading, visit me at my Goodreads shelf. Images via Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Last Week on the Blogs:

Celebrating the Holiday Season

Reviewed The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish

by Deborah Diesen/illustrated by Dan Hanna

Reviewed Urban Tribes here

Reading Last Week:

Young Adult

Orbiting Jupiter was definitely emotional and will be one that I remember for a long time. This is a beautiful story, but is also heart-breaking. I'll Give You the Sun was an audio read. I had mixed feelings about it. I liked the way the plot worked for the most part, but Noah and his language annoyed the daylights out of me and there was so much drama. It also seemed to go on forever. I loved Jude though. I'm still trying to read all the Printz books or I might not have finished it. Lizard Radio is science fiction, but felt realistic. Here is part of the summary on Goodreads, "As a girl in boys’ clothes, she is accepted by neither tribe, bullied by both." Kivali doesn't conform to gender expectations, but figures out a way to live as the person she truly is. I loved the friendships and the challenges to rigid ways of thinking.

Middle Grade

This was a week full of middle grade books. I think I kept picking them up because they are quick reads and quite a few of them gave me a bit of lightness to my week. A standout was Shadows of Sherwood. There was so much action and I have a favorite Robin Hood book the Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. It was fun to see the story told a different way. Moving Target was another awesome adventure filled with action. On an evening when I needed some giggles, Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood was pure fun and entertainment. I also enjoyed the other three, The Way Home Looks Now (a serious family book), The Bubble Wrap Boy (a not quite so serious family book), and Night of the Zombie Chickens (even less serious family book).

Picture Books

Finding Winnie is fabulous. It's non-fiction and tells the story of Winnie, the real bear that ended up at the London Zoo and inspired A.A. Milne to write Winnie the Pooh. It's beautifully done and I loved the inclusion of actual photos and artifacts. Edible Colors is gorgeous. It's filled with photos of eye-popping fruits and veggies. I Love Snow! is cute. Mud Puddle and Mechanimals were silly books I read when my classes were using our Tumble Book library. ¡Vámonos! Let's Go! is a bilingual book that is essentially a Spanish adaptation of the song The Wheels on the Bus. It was okay, but not my favorite. The illustrations are energetic and fun, but the song itself has some things that sound forced. The Great and Mighty Nikko! is a counting book involving wrestling. Young wrestling fans will enjoy it. Hansel and Gretel had wonderfully creepy illustrations. My old eyes had trouble with the text sometimes though as there were colored papers layed over text once in a while. There were other design features that seemed cool, but also made reading a challenge. The Sky Painter was an interesting biography written in verse accompanied by gorgeous illustrations.

The Coming Week: Today I started reading The Good Braider. I'm not that far in, but it is intense. Wow. Serpentine and A Tale for the Time Being are both about to land on the library hold shelf, but I'm not sure what else I will tackle this week. I'm finishing up NaNoWriMo and will have my son home from university so am not sure how much time I'll have anyway. We'll see. I wish you a great week filled with reading. 

Reading Challenge Updates:
Diversity on the Shelf/Diverse Books - 216/100
Goodreads - 534/520
#MustRead2015 - 46/53
Diversity Reading Challenge - 12/12
Pura Belpré Challenge -86/86 (some were read prior to this year)
Around the World with Books Map

Celebrate!

Ruth Ayres has a link-up on weekends where people link to posts that are celebrations about their week. I love this reminder to celebrate every week.

I'm celebrating the holiday season. One of our former exchange students is from Germany and each year his mother sends us a box of treats!

We also got to go to a fun concert last weekend. It was the choir One Voice from Minnesota. They're a mixed chorus LGBTA group. They had funny songs and serious, secular and religious from many different cultures. It was an inclusive concert that made us laugh, cry and get excited about the holidays.

Review: The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish

Title: The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish
Author: Deborah Diesen
Illustrator: Dan Hanna
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 32
Review copy: Final copy via publisher
Availability: On shelves now


My Thoughts: The Pout-Pout Fish has his list of things to do. Getting presents for his friends seems overwhelming. He goes to different stores, but can’t find anything that works for his friends.

There is a repeated refrain, “For a gift should be big, And a gift should be bright. And a gift should be perfect—Guaranteed to bring delight.” Mr. Fish has placed such high expectations on the gifts, that he becomes scared to fail. He's unable to make any decisions until one friend reminds him of what true giving is about.

The creatures are adorably silly looking and the message of giving from the heart makes this a sweet holiday book. Fans of Pout-Pout Fish will be happy to find another fun story to enjoy.

About the Author & Illustrator

Deborah Diesen ( www.deborahdiesen.com ) grew up in Midland, Michigan, and started writing poems at a young age. She has worked as a bookseller and a librarian, and now works for a small nonprofit organization, but her greatest joy comes from writing for children. She lives with her family in Grand Ledge, Michigan.

Dan Hanna (www.danhanna.com ) has over ten years experience in the animation industry, and his work has appeared on BBC America and the Cartoon Network. He lives in Santa Barbara, California. 




Book Tour Schedule
Author Deborah Diesen
November 14, 3pm - Square Books, Oxford, MS
November 16, 3:30pm - Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, NC
November 18, 4pm - Vero Beach Book Center, Vero Beach, FL
November 19, 7pm - Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA
November 20, 4pm - Octavia Books, New Orleans, LA Illustrator Dan Hanna
November 15, 11am - WORD Books, Jersey City, NJ
November 16, 4pm - Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY
November 17, 4:30pm - Towne Book Center & Cafe, Collegeville, PA
November 18, 4:30pm - Cover to Cover, Columbus, OH
November 19, 4:30pm - Lake Forest Books, Lake Forest, IL
November 21, 12pm - Anderson’s Book Shop, Naperville, IL
November 21, 2pm - Anderson’s Book Shop, La Grange, IL

Learn more at www.poutpoutfish.com.

Review: Urban Tribes

Title: Urban Tribes: Native Americans in the City
Editors: Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale
Publisher: Annick Press
Pages:136
Review copy: Digital ARC via Publisher
Availability: On shelves now

Publisher's Summary:  Young, urban Natives powerfully show how their culture and values can survive—and enrich—city life.

Much of the popular discourse on Native Americans and Aboriginals focuses on reservation life. But the majority of Natives in North America live off the rez. How do they stay rooted to their culture? How do they connect with their community?

Urban Tribes offers unique insight into this growing and often misperceived group. Emotionally potent and visually arresting, the anthology profiles young urban Natives from across North America, exploring how they connect with Native culture and values in their contemporary lives. Their stories are as diverse as they are. From a young Dene woman pursuing a MBA at Stanford to a Pima photographer in Phoenix to a Mohawk actress in New York, these urban Natives share their unique perspectives to bridge the divide between their past and their future, their cultural home, and their adopted cities.

Unflinchingly honest and deeply moving, contributors explore a wide-range of topics. From the trials and tribulations of dating in the city to the alienating experience of leaving a remote reserve to attend high school in the city, from the mainstream success of Electric Pow wow music to the humiliation of dealing with racist school mascots, personal perspectives illuminate larger political issues. An innovative and highly visual design offers a dynamic, reading experience.

My thoughts:  Like their earlier collaboration, Dreaming in Indian, this collection allows readers to hear the voices of Natives in North America. We see and hear their stories through essays, poetry, music, and many other art forms. This is an opportunity for young Natives to see others like themselves and for non-Natives to get a broader picture of what it can mean to be Native today.

I read the ARC in digital format and will be excited to see the final copy. Some of the artwork was not yet available for me to see, but what was there was impressive. We talked about the book over at Rich in Color recently and we shared some of the things that stood out to us.

I especially appreciated the photo essay titled 'Perception' by K.C. Adams (Oji-Cree). In it, the participants have photos side-by-side. One has a stereotype and the other has a positive label they have given themselves. Another stand out was the feature about Gabrielle Scrimshaw (Dene) who has a wonderful Tedx Talk about her story. She has become a well-traveled businesswoman and speaker. She co-founded the Aboriginal Professional Association of Canada.

These are only two of the stories, but there are many more in this wonderful collection. To see some samples, stop by our Rich in Color discussion to find links to many of the contributors. In the editor's notes, Lisa Charleyboy (Tsilhqot’in – Raven Clan) explains, "...we are still somehow intangible to many. And in some cosmopolitan cities, we are almost rendered invisible." Mary Beth Leatherdale adds, "In Urban Tribes, we wanted to shine a light on the underreported stories of urban Natives--the artists and the academics, the bankers and the biologists--the growing number of urban Native professionals who are still largely invisible." In this they have succeeded. Here we can read powerful stories that speak strength and hope especially to Native youth. I highly recommend this book for any young adult or adult library collections.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. Jen Vincent over at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye from Unleashing Readers decided to put a children's and YA spin on it and they invite anyone with an interest to join in. You can participate by creating your post then visit one of their sites to add your site. Finally, visit at least three participant blogs and comment to spread the love.

If you want to know more about what I am reading, visit me at my Goodreads shelf. Images via Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Last Week on the Blogs:

Celebrating our school

A review of What We Left Behind
(I was conflicted with this one)

A discussion post about Urban Tribes at Rich in Color

A review of Show and Prove at Rich in Color

Last Week in reading: 

 Young Adult

All of these were totally worth every minute of my time. Dumplin' was really an enjoyable read mostly because Willowdean, or Will as friends call her, is real. I totally loved this character. Show and Prove was difficult at the start. I didn't understand some of the vocabulary and the context in the first chapter, but I was so glad I stuck with it. I reviewed it (see link above) and recommend it for anyone interested in a story about friendship with 80s hip-hop in the background. Some Assembly Required is the memoir of Arin Andrews, a transgender man and mainly focuses on his transition during high school and what led up to it. I found it helpful to hear the story straight from someone going through the experience. This and the book Beyond Magenta definitely help me to see things I wouldn't have realized otherwise.

Middle Grade

Full Cicada Moon was a very interesting book in that the main character was both African American and Japanese living in a predominantly white community in the late 60s. She not only didn't "fit" racially, she also bucked gender norms. She wants to be an astronaut and take shop class instead of home ec. It's also a novel in verse - something I typically enjoy. I did like the book, but agree with Malinda Lo (see her excellent NY Times review here), that some of the situations around race towards the end were not handled in the best possible way. I enjoyed reading it, but cringed a bit at the end.

 

Hilo the Boy Who Crashed to Earth was amazingly fun. This graphic novel is packed with action, humor, and has a focus friendship. I cannot wait to share this with students. I think fans of Zita the Spacegirl are going to adore this one. 

The Honest Truth has been on a few potential Newbery lists so I wanted to check it out. It's a sad and courageous story. I can see why people have chosen it as a possibility. I read it in one evening.

Picture Books

 

Finding the Music/En pos de la musica is a warm family book about being part of a caring community. It also shares about mariachi music.  

 

Maya's Blanket/Le manta de Maya is another sweet book and I was happy to realize it is a retelling of the Yiddish song "I Have a Little Coat." It would be fun to read and compare this with Joseph's Had a Little Overcoat, My Grandfather's Coat or even I Had a Favorite Dress. 

The Sock Thief is simply precious. The young boy picks mangoes and then as he "borrows" socks from people in the neighborhood, he leaves a mango in payment. He uses the socks,  but does return them. It's has a quiet humor and is also charming.

Miracle on 133rd Street is about a family getting ready for a holiday meal. It turns into a neighborhood party and they each share something of themselves. It's another sweet story about a community caring and sharing.

I'm Trying to Love Spiders is a wonderfully illustrated absolutely hilarious non-fiction book about spiders. I laughed so hard. 

 

The Coming Week:  I'm still listening to I'll Give You the Sun and have just started reading Lizard Radio. I will probably start Shadows of Sherwood and The Way Home Looks Now. I have quite a few library books stacked up waiting for me too. It should be a good week for reading.

Reading Challenge Updates:
Diversity on the Shelf/Diverse Books - 209/100
Goodreads - 515/520
#MustRead2015 - 46/53
Diversity Reading Challenge - 12/12
Pura Belpré Challenge -86/86 (some were read prior to this year)
Around the World with Books Map

Celebrate: Our School

Ruth Ayres has a link-up on weekends where people link to posts that are celebrations about their week. I love this reminder to celebrate every week.

This week our school created a lip dub video. It was a ton of fun. Our art teacher coordinated all of it. The students loved being a part of such an exciting project. This was a great year to do a video because it showcases our new space.

Review: What We Left Behind

Title: What We Left Behind
Author: Robin Talley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Contemporary
Review copy: ARC via publisher
Availability: On shelves now

Summary: Toni and Gretchen are the couple everyone envied in high school. They've been together forever. They never fight. They're deeply, hopelessly in love. When they separate for their first year at college—Toni to Harvard and Gretchen to NYU—they're sure they'll be fine. Where other long-distance relationships have fallen apart, their relationship will surely thrive.

The reality of being apart, however, is a lot different than they expected. As Toni, who identifies as genderqueer, falls in with a group of transgender upperclassmen and immediately finds a sense of belonging that has always been missing, Gretchen struggles to remember who she is outside their relationship.

While Toni worries that Gretchen, who is not trans, just won't understand what is going on, Gretchen begins to wonder where she fits in Toni's life. As distance and Toni's shifting gender identity begins to wear on their relationship, the couple must decide—have they grown apart for good, or is love enough to keep them together?  -- summary and cover image via Goodreads

My thoughts:  Toni is doing some serious soul searching. Toni dresses in what many people would call a masculine style and had internally used the label butch. Until recently, Toni used female pronouns, but decides to eliminate pronouns altogether. Toni’s girlfriend Gretchen has been very accepting and even encouraging about this change and is respectful of the questioning Toni is going through. However, she doesn't really understand all that Toni tells her and is afraid to ask questions for fear of offending Toni or looking clueless.

Robin Talley definitely lets us see into the many questions and concerns Toni is having as a genderqueer person. Toni had identified as a female up through high school, but hadn't conformed to gender expectations - especially regarding clothing. As Toni begins college, the questioning about gender becomes intensified. Some of the dialogue around the questioning seems problematic though. There is significant discussion around the usage of and types of personal pronouns Toni and others prefer. By the time it is all said and done, there seems to be a bias against the new terminology (by Toni and others). This includes them/their and zie/hir. There are statements about how it’s too difficult to change etc….

The term genderqueer is an open one, but Toni likes it for that aspect. I found it was generally portrayed in this book like a transitory state. It implied that a person is genderqueer before transitioning to male or female. It may happen that someone moves along that path, but that is not the only meaning and is definitely not the most common meaning. One problematic moment is when Pete calls Toni over saying,"We're having a support group meeting for the formerly genderqueer!" I'm not genderqueer, but this seems like it isn't the best possible representation.

This is a coming of age novel. Gretchen and Toni are both trying to find out who they are and the time apart is one way they can do this, but it's hard on both of them to be on their own. I appreciated this contemporary look at two freshmen working through their identities and dealing with a long-distance relationship too. I was excited to see that the book would include a genderqueer character, but overall, I was disappointed in the portrayal.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. Jen Vincent over at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye from Unleashing Readers decided to put a children's and YA spin on it and they invite anyone with an interest to join in. You can participate by creating your post then visit one of their sites to add your site. Finally, visit at least three participant blogs and comment to spread the love.

If you want to know more about what I am reading, visit me at my Goodreads shelf. Images via Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Last Week:

Celebrating volunteering

A response to 

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

A review of the middle grade mystery 

Who's Ju? by Dania Ramos

For Rich in Color, a list of YA titles

published by Native American writers

Picture Books

The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski is gorgeous. It's also a wonderful encouragement for readers to create their own stories. It would work well with a lesson about wordless picture books.  

Mixed Me! by Taye Diggs & illustrated by Shane Evans is a fun story about a boy who doesn't visually match his parents. His father's skin is much darker and his mothers is lighter. He glories in his uniqueness and that he's a perfect blend. 

How Jelly Roll Morton Invented Jazz by Jonah Winters has nice illustrations by Keith Mallett, but the text wasn't my favorite.  

Stubby the War Soldier: World War I Hero by Blake Hoena and illustrated by Oliver Hurst is a nice picture book biography of an animal hero. We have the longer more thorough book Stubby the War Dog in our LMC, but this one would be great with younger readers.

The Moon is Going to Addy's House by Ida Pearle is stunning. The story is sweet, but it's the illustrations that made me catch my breath.

Feeding the Flying Fanellis: And Other Poems from a Circus Chef by Kate Hosford & illustrated by Cosei Kawa has fun, unique illustrations, but I'm afraid the poems were not for me.

Middle Grade

The School for Good and Evil was another book that didn't work for me. It was looong. Also, one of the themes was that looks don't matter as much as deeds, but the book seemed conflicted about that since when people behaved well, their body shape became thinner and the hair became lustrous and they were the epitome of beauty. When they made evil choices, they got warts, were fat, and smelled offensively. The whole beauty thing really bothered me. There were some nice aspects to the book, but it was difficult to get through. 

George by Alex Gino was a treat. I love this story. It's about a fourth grader who is transgender and is trying to share that with the people in her life. This is a very timely book and I hope we'll continue to see major publishing companies like Scholastic take on more books like it.

Circa Now by Amber McRee Turner is a story about grief and friendship. It danced around with what may or may not be magical realism. I will let you wonder as you read like I did. I enjoyed it.

I can now see why Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan has been getting Newbery buzz. It's a complicated story weaving several storylines together and it's beautiful. I was a frustrated reader however. Writers annoy the daylights out of me when they leave me at a cliffhanger and start with new characters and a new story. This happens multiple times and then things aren't wrapped up for hundreds of pages. Ack! I really enjoyed it as a whole, but found that aspect annoying and it took a little of the shine off for me. Maybe I'm just weird that way. I know the story worked best that way, but it was difficult to wait for closure.

The Coming Week: I am still listening to I'll Give You the Sun. Maybe I am easily annoyed this week, but if the boy says the derogatory word "surf-tard" once, he says it 20 times and it makes me cringe every time. If I was reading the text instead of listening, perhaps it would be better, but yikes! The storyline is quite unique and interesting, but that is getting to me.

I just started Some Assembly Required and am reading Show and Prove for review on Rich in Color. Aside from that, I will be reviewing Robin Talley's new book What We Left Behind and want to start Orbiting Jupiter. I wish you a wonderful week of reading.

Reading Challenge Updates:
Diversity on the Shelf/Diverse Books - 201/100
Goodreads - 504/520
#MustRead2015 - 46/53
Diversity Reading Challenge - 12/12
Pura Belpré Challenge -86/86 (some were read prior to this year)
Around the World with Books Map

Celebrate

Ruth Ayres has a link-up on weekends where people link to posts that are celebrations about their week. I love this reminder to celebrate every week.

This week I'm celebrating volunteering.

Someone volunteered to work in our library two days a week during our third grade hour. This is fantastic! She has been in twice now and helped students find what they need and also did work around the library. She's working in some classrooms too. She's going to be a wonderful addition to our school.

I was also able to volunteer this week. Our school district has a food pantry that is open once a month. I had a planning period that coincided with the distribution time so I was able to be a part of that on Friday. We set up everything and were able to connect families with perishable and non-perishable food. There are two sides of the volunteering experience. I love having someone help me, but it's also nice to be able to lend a hand to others.

Book Highlight: Between the World and Me

Title: Between the World and Me
Author: Ta-Nehisi Coates
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau
Pages: 152
Review copy: Via public library
Availability: On shelves now

Summary: In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.

Statements that caught my attention:
In talking about "government of the people," Coates brings up the question of what the term people meant over time. At the founding of our country, it did not mean women and it did not mean black individuals of any kind. (p.6)

Speaking of police brutality: "There is nothing uniquely evil in these destroyers or even in this moment. The destroyers are merely men enforcing the whims of our country, correctly interpreting its heritage and legacy." (p. 10)

When explaining his own formative years: "...I practiced the culture of the streets, a culture concerned chiefly with securing the body." (p. 24)

Regarding his schooling: "If the streets shackled my right leg, the schools shackled my left. Fail to comprehend the streets and you gave up your body now. But fail to comprehend the schools and you gave up your body later. I suffered at the hands of both, but I resent the schools more." (p. 25)

"The world had no time for the childhoods of black boys and girls. How could the schools?" (p. 25)

"I was a curious boy, but the schools were not concerned with curiosity. They were concerned with compliance." (p. 26)

"Fully 60 percent of all young black men who drop our of high school will go to jail. This should disgrace the country. But it does not...." (p. 27)

"You cannot forget how much they took from us and how they transfigured our very bodies into sugar, tobacco, cotton and gold." (p. 71)

What I think: There is no way for me to truly know what it is like to live as a black man in the U.S. or what it's like to raise a black child in this country. I appreciate that Ta-Nehisi Coates shares his perspective and how that view was shaped throughout his life. This is a must read book for anyone, but especially for those outside the black experience. 

As a teacher, the sections where he spoke of his disappointment with the school system of his childhood gave me pause. One line that really got me was "...schools were not concerned with curiosity. They were concerned with compliance." He was curious and was likely eager to learn in the beginning. Have we changed this at all or do we still have no time for the childhoods of black boys and girls? Are we still more concerned with compliance than with the student and what they need? It would seem so when we look at the suspension and dropout rates of our young black students.

There is much to think about in this letter to his son. Will change happen? Will I contribute to maintaining the status quo or will I help to make change?

Review: Who's Ju?

Title: Who's Ju?
Author: Dania Ramos
Publisher: Overdue Books
Pages: 174
Genre: Mystery
Review copy: Final copy via author
Availability: Paperbacks and e-books on sale now

Summary:  Justina ‘Ju’ Feliciano and her fellow seventh-grade sleuths are on the case! A sneaky vandal has damaged scenery from the middle school drama club production and the newbie detectives must catch the culprit before opening night.

But Ju faces a completely different kind of mystery when a genetics assignment forces her to investigate the cold hard fact that her frizzy blonde hair and amber eyes don’t match the shades of brown that run in her family. This is one case she wishes she didn’t have to solve. Only there’s no escaping the Blueprint of Life Project, so Ju searches the attic for family documents she needs to complete her schoolwork. Instead, she discovers strange clues that make her wonder if her parents are keeping a huge secret.

Ju’s amateur sleuthing and a confrontation with her parents finally lead to the cold hard facts about her past. And even though her life changes forever, she’s still the same mystery-loving girl she’s always been.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this combination of mysteries. There is a lighthearted school mystery that leads to a few laughs, but there is also a much more serious family mystery that becomes increasingly distressing for Ju.

I know I don't read enough mysteries and so I jumped at the chance to review this one. The main character doesn't feel like she matches her family. She stands out as different. Most of the time it isn't an issue, but sometimes, Ju is bothered by this and wishes she could do something about it. As she works on her school project her differences become more apparent.

Readers eventually find out the truth, but obviously our looks contribute to our identity and how we think about ourselves. In seventh grade, this is especially the case. Ju starts wondering about who she really is and why she is so different. She questions her racial identity along with how she fits in with her family.

Even though this isn't a very long book, readers still get to know Ju well. They also meet some of her friends. One of her closest is Ig. They understand each other most of the time. They have a strong connection because they both have parents from somewhere else. His are from Cuba while Ju's are from Puerto Rico. She explains, "When your parents are born on a faraway island, you grow up feeling like you own a little bit of it. Like it's where you're from too."

This felt like a quick read. The tension built over time, but wasn't overwhelming. I think it is a solidly done mystery that highlights issues that some children of immigrants may face. It will be a great addition to our collection.

Extras:



Latino Rebels interview with Dania Ramos

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. Jen Vincent over at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye from Unleashing Readers decided to put a children's and YA spin on it and they invite anyone with an interest to join in. You can participate by creating your post then visit one of their sites to add your site. Finally, visit at least three participant blogs and comment to spread the love.

If you want to know more about what I am reading, visit me at my Goodreads shelf. Images via Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Last Week:

I celebrated books this week.

 

I had a great week of reading. Prophecy by Ellen Oh was a fantastic YA adventure set in ancient Korea.  

Tomboy is a very interesting graphic novel YA memoir that shares how Liz always was a tomboy growing up. This created some issues for her along the way, but she figured out who she was and lives true to herself.  

What We Left Behind is a contemporary YA novel. I have an ARC from the publisher and will be reviewing it later.  

Taking Hold was the fourth memoir in a series. I've enjoyed all of these looks into the past. Francisco Jiménez writes in a conversational style about his life as an immigrant. The books are marketed as YA, but I suspect they are more attractive to adults as they are rather slow, quiet books with a slightly old-fashioned feel.

Mister Monday was great on audio and has been around for a long time. It's a middle grade series that one of my children enjoyed, but I just never got started on it. It was a fun fantasy and I will likely read more of this series.

For me Cuba has always been a little mysterious since it was closed off for so long. I found My Havana to be a very interesting short memoir/novel. I appreciated seeing both Dino's view of his home country Cuba, but also his views of Spain and the U.S

Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel is a middle grade contemporary book. It wasn't what I was expecting though. I thought I would be reading a typical school/family story with humor given the slightly snarky title. However, the family is in the midst of a major life event. Mom has breast cancer and the book is a rather serious look into how her eldest daughter Chia adjusts to life with this new challenge. This is a great book for readers who enjoy seeing characters face tough situations.

I do not read enough mysteries. Who's Ju was a fun one. The author sent a copy for review. So you know, Ju is pronounced like "who" since it is part of the Spanish name Justina. Ju is a great character and it's interesting to see her try to solve not one but two different mysteries. One is for someone else, but one is the mystery that her family seems to be trying to keep from her. As she begins a class project about their family genes, she begins to see that everything she believed about her family may be incorrect. I'll be reviewing this soon.

Gingerbread for Liberty gets compliments for its illustrations. It's a neat idea too that someone could help a war effort through feeding others. I love gingerbread so was happy to see that a focus. They even include a recipe.

Out of Darkness was a book I won on a blog giveaway. I will be reviewing it later. It's YA historical fiction about a mixed race romance in the south. Obviously that was dangerous at the time. There is also physical danger due to a major explosion at a school that really happened in East Texas many years ago.

The Coming Week:
I've started listening to I'll Give You the Sun and will likely finish it up this week. I have Circa Now sitting on my shelf and have a bunch of books on hold. My reading plans will depend on which ones come in this week. I hope you have a great time reading!

Reading Challenge Updates:
Diversity on the Shelf/Diverse Books - 199/100
Goodreads - 495/520
#MustRead2015 - 46/53
Diversity Reading Challenge - 12/12
Pura Belpré Challenge -86/86 (some were read prior to this year)
Around the World with Books Map