This is an interesting story told in the third person from the perspective of a Indigenous high school boy named Hughie. Some chapters are told in theThis is an interesting story told in the third person from the perspective of a Indigenous high school boy named Hughie. Some chapters are told in the first person by a spirit named Celeste, who simply disappeared one night years ago. Now that area, called the Crossroads, has a reputation for being haunted by a “Indian Maiden” and is dangerous for indigenous girls at night when stores and restaurants close. A few have even said they have been followed by a ghost. It’s almost Halloween and one of the empty stores is being converted into a haunted house as a fundraiser. Hughie and his Sam volunteer to help create the haunted house, but when it’s decided to use the story of the “Indian Maiden” and add a haunted Native burial ground, Hughie has second thoughts about continuing to work on the project. Soon, however, he and his friends are deep into trying to solve the mystery surrounding the Crossroads and the ghost that has been scaring young girls. Harvest House certainly help my interest, but I also thought it could have used a little more editing. It seemed that the book was trying to focus on the missing and murdered Indigenous girls, women and two-spirited people, but that really got kind of lost in the story.
Hughie is definitely a likable character, proud of his Muskogee heritage and he’s close to his family. I liked that he is the younger brother of Louise from Hearts Unbroken and a cousin of Rain’s from Rain is Not My Indian Name and they also play a part in this story. It really puts an emphasis on the importance of family among Indigenous peoples. I had no trouble getting into this book, but found the middle a bit of a slog. It does pick up in the end and has some real nail biting moments. There is a glossary for the Native words and expressions that are used throughout, and an author’s note. ...more
Summer is for Cousins by Rajani LaRocca is a heartwarming picture book about family and the joy of summer. The story follows Ravi, his mom and dad, hiSummer is for Cousins by Rajani LaRocca is a heartwarming picture book about family and the joy of summer. The story follows Ravi, his mom and dad, his cousins, aunties, uncles and grandparents who spend their summer together at a lake house. But Ravi worries that his favorite older cousin Dhruv may not be interested in spending time with him now that he has matured. This is such a happy book, it shows a close-knit Indian American family having fun just being with each other, playing, swimming, cooking and just enjoying the summer and each other’s company. I loved the cultural aspects that LaRocca brought into the story, giving it a definite sense of her heritage, and yet this is a story that will be relatable to anyone who vacations with extended family. It certainly reminded me of my summers as a child (and even now as adults the Baugh cousins get together bringing together new generations). With lyrical prose and relatable characters, Summer is for Cousins is a delightful read for anyone who loves stories about family and summertime fun. ...more
12-year old Olive has been homeschooled but now in 6th grade, she wants to school despite being in a wheelchair (bedazzled and named Dolly for Dolly P12-year old Olive has been homeschooled but now in 6th grade, she wants to school despite being in a wheelchair (bedazzled and named Dolly for Dolly Parton) to find her first BFF and to have adventures. This book has the feel of magic from the very beginning and it stays to the end. It's is the first story I've read about someone with Osteogenesis Imperfecta which causes brittle bones that break easily and Olive has had she share of those. She also has a comic book reading stepbrother named Hatch Malone who is in her class and whom she finally gets to know in this book. At the heart of the story is a wish granting hummingbird, who appears occasionally and who only grants one wish - the truest wish in a person's heart. So this book has something to say about wishes that I found very interesting. Olive narrates and she has a friendly, conversational voice that hooked me from the start.
Ever since I read Midnight's Children, I've loved a novel with magical realism and this definitely rates as a favorite. ...more
Eight-year-old Marisol Rainey and her best friend Jada George love to make lists of their favorite and their least favorite things. They don't always Eight-year-old Marisol Rainey and her best friend Jada George love to make lists of their favorite and their least favorite things. They don't always have the same things on them, but it's still fun to compare their lists. But there is one thing that is on both of their least favorite things and that is gym class. Sure, it can be fun sometimes, like when Coach Decker lets them play hopscotch, but when it comes to things like baseball or basketball, Marisol never hears him yell out things like "Nice try, Marisol" or "Great Effort, Marisol" because Marisol just doesn't do well in these sports.
So on the Thursday afternoon that Coach Decker announces that starting Monday and for two weeks they will be learning how to play Kickball, "Marisol's belly plummets to her sneakers." Marisol has never played kickball and her dad, who works on an oil rig off the Gulf of Mexico coast isn't around. He can only come home once a month for a week, but not during the two weeks of kickball. To make matters worse, braggy nemesis Evie Smythe is a great kickball player and never lets Marisol forget it. And if that isn't enough to get Marisol's brain train of negative thoughts going, her brother Oz is a great athlete and soccer star.
When her friend Felix explains that he learned to talk to animals by sleeping with a book about them, Marisol decides to try sleeping with a soccer ball to see it Felix's technique will work for her. But when it doesn't work, and not wanting to let her teammates down, Marisol finally decides she needs to take real action and talk to her brother Oz.
This is Erin Entrada Kelly's second Marisol Rainey book. It is a stand alone story and is every bit as delightful as Book #1, Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey. It is told in the third person present from Marisol's point of view giving readers a window into what she is thinking. The chapters are short, and there are lots of black and white illustrations done by the author that perfectly harmonize with the text. Like many kids her age, Marisol is a worrier, but they are the kinds of worries and anxieties that those readers can relate to. Luckily, Marisol has a supportive family and friends to help her work through her fears and worries.
Erin Entrada Kelly has a way of zeroing in on the things that kids thing and worry about, exploring themes like siblings, friendships, courage, solving problems, and, of course, facing fears. I really enjoyed reading this second Marisol Rainey book and look forward to Book #3. ...more
In 1930 Rosemarie Lengsfeld, affectionately called Rosel by her family, was born in New York City to parents who had emigrated to the United States frIn 1930 Rosemarie Lengsfeld, affectionately called Rosel by her family, was born in New York City to parents who had emigrated to the United States from Germany and were awaiting their final citizenship papers. Despite that, they decided, in 1935 when Rosel was four-years-old, to return to Germany to visit family in Breslau. It was to be only a short stay, but lasted longer than expected, so when it came time to return to the US, the family discovered that their tickets would not be honored. Adolf Hitler, then Chancellor of Germany, had closed the borders so that German citizens could not leave the country. At first, Rosel enjoyed being with her extended family in Germany, and her parents soon welcomed baby Eleonore into the family. But when the war began, the family found themselves struggling to stay alive without enough food to eat amid bombing by the Allied Forces. Finally, in 1946, with the war over, Rosel received a letter telling her she could return to the United States. Convinced that this would include her parents and now nine-year-old Eleonore, the family showed up at the American Embassy and were told only Rosel, 15, could return home, since she was the only American citizen - her parents and sister were German citizens.
Making a snap decision to go it alone and hopefully find a way to bring her parents and sister to the United States, Rosel finds herself traveling across the ocean on a 10 day trip aboard the SS Marine Flasher, a former troop transport ship along with other American citizens who were stuck in Germany and "surviving Jews and other displaced persons..." On board ship, Rosel meets the mysterious Liesel, another American with German parents, a few years older Rosel, who is traveling with her brother Kurt. She also meets David, a talented musician who lost his entire family in the Holocaust. As the ship gets closer and closer to the United States, Rosel begins to fear that no one will believe that she is American, that she will be branded as a Nazi because of her German accent.
It is during this journey at night when she is alone in her bunk bed that the reader discovers what life was like for Rosel, her family and others living under the horrors of Hitler's dictatorship before and during the war. Interestingly, she never talked about her experiences until she was 85 years old and therefore it is all based on her memories, but told in the first person from her 15 year-old perspective, and, in my opinion, making her something of an unreliable narrator. Even so, it's hard to imagine a 15-year-old making the kind of decision Rosel was forced to make that day in the Embassy, leaving her parents and sister behind, traveling alone to who knows what future, and at the same time, dealing with the trauma of the war as it returned night after night on the trip to the US. But Rosel's story is definitely one of courage and a different kind of true WWII story in that it is told from the point of an American child. It is often not an easy book to read, but I found it hard to put down.
American Shoes is a book that will appeal to readers interested in WWII, the post war experience, especially the experiences of Americans can in Nazi Germany, and war-related trauma. Back matter includes maps, a glossary, an author's commentary on WWI, WWII, and the Holocaust, and thoughts by the author's son about writing this book, as well as extensive Discussion Questions. ...more
Jacob, 9, is an only child, and while he thinks his picture hanging on the living room wall by itself looks lonely, he's pretty sure that loneliness cJacob, 9, is an only child, and while he thinks his picture hanging on the living room wall by itself looks lonely, he's pretty sure that loneliness could be cured with a litter of puppies. Instead, he is reminded that soon there will be new babies in the house - three little ones named Charlotte called Char, Katherine called Kath, and Elizabeth called Lizzie, or the Trips as Jacob refers to them.
At school, his teacher announces that Jacob's class will be learning to do research and that each student should choose something that interests them, which could even be "a subject that is surprising and new." Since the finished project isn't due until two weeks before school ends, Jacob decides his topic will be "A Litter of Trips - From Birth On," diligently observing and recording how the triplets change and grow over the school year.
Seeing how tired caring for his sisters has made his parents, Jacob becomes not just an observer but a real helper, quickly learning how to change diapers, warm bottles, and can even pick up and comfort a crying Lizzie. Eventually, Jacob's parents hire a nanny, a French woman named Mimi who brings experience, peace and order to the chaos of having triplets. And it is Mimi who helps Jacob understand the importance of names, calling him dear Jacob, which he loves. The triplets calls their mother Mama, their father Da, but what will they call Jacob? What will be the forever name they give him, and what will be the forever name he calls them? This turns out to be the most important part of his research project and it is Lizzie who gives him the answer.
What is interesting about this small chapter book is not so much how the triplets change and grow, but how the experience of observing and recording their first year changes Jacob as he goes from being an only child to being a big brother. MacLachlan has poignantly captured the way Jacob's sibling relationships form and grow depending on the personality of each of his sister's, inviting readers into Jacobs thoughts and feelings to show how all this all unfolds.
However, the first year of the triplets lives may feel somewhat unrealistic at times. The babies are unusually happy, Jacob has no sibling jealousy, although he continues to hope for at least one puppy, if not a litter, and those sweet little girls never get sick, throw up, or produce one of those unforgettable poopy diapers. But young readers won't care about these things. The story uses simple language age appropriate for Jacob, the chapters are short yet full of information told from Jacob's point of view, and it is all complemented with Daniel Miyares rough sketches in black and white ink.
My Life Begins! is a very sweet, very tender story about family and sibling relationships and is sure to bring on more than one smile and perhaps a tear or two. It is an excellent choice for a read aloud, at school or as a family book, and will definitely appeal to fans of Kevin Henkes' Billy Miller series.
Sadly, Patricia MacLachlan passed away on March 31, 2022 at age 84 a few months before the release of My Life Begins! ...more
All Chloe Chang, 18, knows about her father is that he died in a car accident before she was born, and her mother refuses to talk about him, and she jAll Chloe Chang, 18, knows about her father is that he died in a car accident before she was born, and her mother refuses to talk about him, and she just assumed there were no relatives on the Noh side of her family. So when her two best friends, Seb and Hazel, give her a DNA kit as a joke because of her resemblance to their local TV weatherman, Ted Takahashi, no one was surprised when the results showed Chloe to be 95% Korean. After all, both of her parents are from Korea.
Chloe, Seb and Hazel have just graduated from high school, and while Seb and Hazel are having elaborate family parties to celebrate, Chloe is home alone. Her mother is a nurse and often works double shifts. Money is tight in the Chang household and though Chloe's dream is to study at Manhattan's Fashion Institute of Technology, where she has been accepted, she will be going to the local community college instead in her Oklahoma hometown.
But when Chloe gets a message from Noh Jin Young through 23andme.com, everything changes. Jin Young claims they are first cousins. At first skeptical, Chloe realizes that DNA doesn't make mistakes and she must indeed be related to him. Not only that, but there is a large extended family in Korea and Chloe is related to them all AND they are the wealthy owners of a successful high end department store.
Naturally, when the Noh family offers Chloe a trip to Korea to meet her, she jumps at the chance, but doesn't mention any of this to her mother until the last minute. Her mom isn't happy about all this, but can't stop Chloe and after all, it's only for a week.
But what a week it is, beginning with a first class flight to Seoul, South Korea, Chloe is soon thrust into what feels like a fairytale life when she meets her Halmonie, and a bunch of cousins, she is even settled into a guest house with a personal chef. But as the week progresses, and despite the access to family, meeting Miso Dan, who turns out to be a good friend, having access to all kinds of lovely clothing she could only dream about before, and the promise of paid tuition to FIT, something dark begins to creep into Chloe's consciousness. She is not simply there to meet her long lost family, they want something from her which required taking a DNA test to find a match. Now, all she wants is to go home to her mom and get away from her controlling Halmonie and the rest of her newly found family.
The Noh Family is Grace Shim's debut novel and based on the Korea dramas (K-dramas) that she used to watch. I know that the long lost family trope is pretty much overdone, but the fact that Chloe is Korean and the story plays out in Seoul makes all the difference. Although the fashion part of the story didn't do much for me, I did love the descriptions of Korea, its people, culture and food. I gave the book to my Kiddo to read because she has been to Seoul and loves it. She is also into K-dramas, so I know that she enjoyed that aspect of the book a lot, especially the description of the Dramatic Pause.
I did find the story a little slow in places, but not enough for me to put the book down. Chloe is a nice, but headstrong character, and I wondered how she could simply take off on an international adventure so quickly and with little thought that there could be danger ahead. On the other hand, having watched her friends enjoy some of life's luxuries that she has been deprived of, including family and having a more accessible mother, makes Chloe's impulsiveness feel appropriate for her age.
This is a fun, if predictable coming-of-age story and one I had a particular interest in - I, too, had a surprise in my DNA.
Thank you, Layne Mandros at Books Forward for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. ...more
It used to be that if you traveled around NYC and I mean the outer boroughs as well as Manhattan, you would see lots of empty lots converted into cityIt used to be that if you traveled around NYC and I mean the outer boroughs as well as Manhattan, you would see lots of empty lots converted into city gardens, growing plants, flowers, and/or vegetables. You don't see them so much anymore because, well, developers have turned them into overpriced high rises. Which is one of the reasons I just love this last book by Bernette Ford, who sadly passed away in 2021. In her Author's Note, Ford explains that growing up in projects in Canarsie, Brooklyn, her Uncle John received permission from the city to convert an empty lot next to one of the buildings into a garden. And though she had often visited the garden, she never worked in it. Now, however, comes this lovely intergenerational family story about her Uncle John's garden that is based in part on her life and based in part on her imagination. Because sometimes, you can go home again, at least in fiction.
The story is narrated by Li'l Sissy, the youngest of three siblings. Each one is allowed to pick their own packets of seeds to plant after Uncle John has finished doing the digging and raking. Li'l Sissy picks okra, Brother chooses corn and lima beans, and Sister picks tomatoes and onions. Their mother laughs and says they are growing succotash.
After carefully planting their seed packets, the kids are hot and sweaty, but pleased with what they have accomplished with Uncle John's help. Every day, they return to the garden to weed, pick off any bugs and water their crops. And sure enough, after a few weeks, their plants have thrived but still no vegetables, just stems and leaves.
But after a storm, the plants have really grown tall and sure enough, the vegetables begin to appear. Soon, it is time to start picking their crops. Each day, they fill their bags with more ripened vegetables. And at the end of summer vacation, Uncle John throws a big barbeque for all the relatives, complete with succotash made from their garden vegetables, just like Mama said. And because they have a bumper crop, each family gets to take home a big bag of their own vegetables.
This gentle story about a Black family making a big contribution that helps to transform their otherwise bleak neighborhood and ultimately bring people together makes for some wonderful summer reading (but works anytime). Part of what makes this story so special are the oil and spray paint illustrations/ They are bright, bold and energetic in the foreground, but with the unadorned and almost monochromatic projects in the background, Morrison has really captured the stark contrast. And if you read carefully and pay attention to the way Li'l Sissy describes everything, you find it is also a nice lesson about relative size and growth and it begins right on the first page with a description of size relative to each gardener- small, smallest , big, biggest.
And it continues in this vein all the way through. The shovels the kids use are sized relative to their size, the plants are described relative to Li'l Sissy's size (see the illustration of Li'l Sissy and her Mama). And I love the way the illustrations reflect the relative sizes of everything. So there is a nice STEM component to the story and if you look at the bottom of the page with the Author's Note, you will notice that this book received support from TERC, a non-profit that develops math curricula.
Extra Bonus: there is a delicious recipe for succotash at the end of the book (something I have eaten since I was a kid growing up in Flatbush, Brooklyn).
Thank you, Sara DiSalvo for providing me with a review copy of this book. ...more
Born in 1931 in Turin, Italy, Lia lived a pretty comfortable life with her parents, younger sisters Gabriella and Vera, and Maria, their nanny. Lia waBorn in 1931 in Turin, Italy, Lia lived a pretty comfortable life with her parents, younger sisters Gabriella and Vera, and Maria, their nanny. Lia was a shy girl so when Mussolini declared that Jewish children could no longer attend Italian schools, she is quite happy. That is, until she finds out that she would be attending a Jewish school. It isn't long before Lia's father loses his job because he is Jewish and the family is forced to live on their savings. When war is declared by Germany, Italy joins with Hitler and goes to war also. Within three hours of declaring war, French planes are dropping bombs in Turin. When Lia is in third grade, the family savings run out, and her Papa needs to find a job, but no one is allowed to hire Jews. The family decides to move to Milan, but when a promised job for Papa falls through, they are on the move again. This time, they are off to Rome.
Lia and her sisters have a grandmother who isn't Jewish and their first summer living in Rome, they are sent to stay with her during their summer vacation for three months. But the following summer, the war is getting closer to Rome, with the Americans landing in Sicily. And one night, they wake up to learn that Mussolini is no longer Italy's prime minister. Which should have been good news for Italy's Jews, except the Germans moved in and occupied the country. And where the Italians weren't always so good about enforcing Mussolini's laws, the Germans are quick to enforce Hitler's.
Lia's parents decide to send her and her sisters to live in a Catholic boarding school for safety's sake. By now, Lia is in her second year of middle school. She is given a false last name, Lenti instead of Levi, and must learn Catholic prayers. Then, in October, Lia's mother shows up at the school. She tells them that the Germans raided the Jewish quarter in Rome and took everyone away, but she doesn't know where her husband is. Luckily, they are all able to spend the rest of the war living at the boarding school.
This memoir, translated from the Italian by Sylvia Notini, is told in simple language though the deprivations, fears and anxieties the family experienced are made very clear. Graphic details are not included, and has caused one of my colleagues to complain that she felt it diminished the Holocaust. I don't agree. It is a unique story, but it is one person's actual experience and until Mussolini was removed from office, things were not as bad for Italian Jews as for Jews in Nazi occupied countries.
I did like reading Lia Levi's recollections about living through the war. I thought she included a lot of small, but interesting details about what life was like for her family which are parts of history the books don't always tell you about. And Levi used two voices to tell her story - one is the first person account of young Lia and the other is the first person memories of the older Lia giving more information that the younger Lia wouldn't have known, but which helps readers to understand what was happening. My only complaint is that the timing was hard to follow. There aren't many dates mentioned and a timeline would have been very welcome.
This is a poignant narrative, full of love, laugher, sadness, and loss, but an ideal way to introduce the Holocaust to young readers. And, right now, I think these stories need to be told and read....more
The first book in this Roundup is about going home at night in the country. This book is about going home at the end of the day, too, but in the city.The first book in this Roundup is about going home at night in the country. This book is about going home at the end of the day, too, but in the city. As a young bunny, our narrator, is carried through the quiet streets by her mother, she is aware of everything that is happening behind the lit windows of stores and neighboring homes. First, she notices a restaurant cook and bookseller closing up for the night. Then, she hears a phone ring in one home, smells a pie baking in another, a flickering light must mean someone is watching TV and next door are the sounds of a big party happening. Arriving home, her father tucks her into bed, and before falling asleep, she thinks about her way home: are the party guests leaving to go home? is the person who got the phone call getting ready for bed? is the restaurant cook home taking a bath and the bookseller home reading a book? Just before falling asleep, our narrator hears footsteps in the street and wonders if the lady they belong to is heading to the train station to take the last train home? Nights, she things, are always different but one thing is the same - we all go home to bed. This is a very quiet, gentle, contemplative story, allowing the young bunny to really use her imagination. The illustrations are done in pencil, charcoal, and acrylic gouache with touches of color throughout and giving the feeling dusk to oncoming night. The book is populated with a variety anthropomorphic animals, all engaged in ordinary human end-of-the-day type tasks. This is a great bedtime story, but I read it to my young readers to inspire them to talk about their walk home at the end of the day, and to encourage them to notice more of what is happening around them....more
One night, a young girl, our narrator, was supposed to be sleeping, but she was wide awake. When he noticed she wasn't sleeping, her dad suggested theOne night, a young girl, our narrator, was supposed to be sleeping, but she was wide awake. When he noticed she wasn't sleeping, her dad suggested they go for a walk. They tiptoes past her sleeping baby brother, her older sister reading in bed, and her mom watching television with her eyes closed. Once outside, everything seemed new and different. With lights on, they could look into people's homes and see what they are doing. Out narrator could see that the sad looking lady isn't so sad after all, that a big family is having a meal too late for dinner, but too early for supper. And she is very surprised to find that there are some many people out and about, walking dogs, riding the bus, eating in restaurants at a time she should have been in bed and asleep. When her dad tells her that as a boy he lived in in the country with no close neighbors, our narrator thinks about how she has lived surrounded by people she knows and people she doesn't know, that where she lives is home and that that is where she belongs. I was afraid my young readers might have a negative reaction to this book because they haven't always lived here. But most of them have been out at night in our neighborhood and agreed with the narrator that everything looks and feels different at night. Interestingly, they seemed for find this story reassuring in some way, but could explain it. They did find the illustrations, which were done in watercolor and ink pen, to be very friendly (their word), but so did I. We live in NYC, but there are some private homes in the area as well as apartments over stores, so on some level, I think the illustrations felt somewhat familiar and "friendly." ...more
In the middle of the night, a brother and sister are awakened by their parents. After getting dressed, they leave the house, ready to have a nighttimeIn the middle of the night, a brother and sister are awakened by their parents. After getting dressed, they leave the house, ready to have a nighttime adventure. They walk through town, where the only lights are the bright windows of the big hotel, before leaving town behind and heading into the countryside, passing sleeping cows in a meadow along the way. Leaving the road, they take a path heading into the forest, but not before they see and hear a passing nigh train. After a while, they come to an open area where they can see the brightly shining full moon. When they come to a clearing, the family stops for a rest, lying on their backs, stunned by the vast, glittering sky. Moving on, they climb up a rocky hill, hurrying so they won't be late. At the top, they are just in time to see sun rise "amazed by the light of a new day." There is something magical about watching a sun rise and a sun set, and this book quietly captures that magic moment at the end of a long, mysterious journey. This book provided another opportunity to talk to my young readers about a natural occurrence that we sometimes take for granted and to introduce them to the way the sun travels about the earth without overwhelming or confusing them with technicalities. Because it is nighttime, the hand drawn illustrations are done using graphite pencil and watercolor on a background on in varying shades of blue. ...more
I've read the previous two Juana & Lucas books, Juana & Lucas and Juana & Lucas: Big Problemas, a number of times to my young readers and they love thI've read the previous two Juana & Lucas books, Juana & Lucas and Juana & Lucas: Big Problemas, a number of times to my young readers and they love the stories. So naturally, when I heard about Juana & Lucas: Muchos Changes, I knew it was time to revisit this favorite young South American girl and her faithful dog.
You may recall that Juana had a big surprise when her Mami told her that she and Luis were to be married. Juana wasn't very excited about it at first, but it has all worked out and now, she really likes living with him and Mami in there new apartment in Bogotá, Colombia. And now, Mami has another surprise for Juana - she and Luis are having a baby and Juana is going to be a big sister. Juana isn't very excited about the baby, but she is excited to be on her school break, weeks of reading, resting, exploring and playing with best furry friend Lucas, visiting her abuelos and her Tia Cris, maybe even some sleepovers. Or maybe not.
Mami and Luis have bought Juana a pair of skates and signed her up for skating camp and she is determined not to like it. But when Mami asks her to try skating camp at least five times, Juana agrees. At camp, she worries about not knowing anyone but after taking a bad spill, at break the other kids in the beginner group share their snacks with Juana and maybe, just maybe they will be her new amigos.
But when Luis picks Juana up from camp instead of Mami, she learns that there is a complication in her mother's pregnancy and she must stay in bed until the baby is born. As her school break continues, Juana and her new amigos get better at skating and she gets to spend more time with her abuelos and Luis. Then one day, her abuelos pick her up and take Juana to the hospital, where her Mami has given birth to Juana's baby sister, born prematurely and in an incubator. Now, Juana has to wait patiently until baby María comes home and she can be a proper big sister.
In fact, Juana's whole summer has been about learning to have patience. Patience learning to skate, patience becoming a hermana. And while there are lots of changes in Juana's life, she has lots of people who can help her adjust to them. Not only are Mami and Luis there for her, her abuelos are always willing to offer their support and guidance, and her new friends are willing to share their experiences of a new baby in the house, and Lucas is always there to lend a ear when Juana needs to talk about things. It's really nice seeing this supportive network of people who care about Juana and want to help her. I think that is one of the things my young readers have always like about the Juana & Lucas stories, plus so many of them have gone or are going through similar changes. Along those lines, I really like that Luis is such a great stepfather. So often, stepparents are stereotypically portrayed rejecting their new spouse's children.
As with all the Juana & Lucas books, there are the same lively, colorful cartoon-like watercolor illustrations and Spanish words sprinkled throughout. And there are more detailed digressions of important things in Juana's world.
Juana is the same wonderfully appealing character she as in the earlier books. Consistency is important to young readers and it's disconcerting to them when a character changes too much from one book to the next, but my young readers still think that Juana and these books are "just about perfect." And so do I.
Thank you to Candlewick Press and Edelweiss+ for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review. ...more
My young readers and I are all the children of immigrants, and like the young narrator of this book, we have all been embarrassed by our immigrant parMy young readers and I are all the children of immigrants, and like the young narrator of this book, we have all been embarrassed by our immigrant parent(s) at one point or another growing up. So naturally, we really loved and understood this book on our first reading of it. In this story, a Chinese American family -mom, dad, a brother and sister (our narrator) - is riding in their old beaten-up Pontiac, when mom suddenly shouts "Look!" and dad quickly stops the car. Growing in a ditch by the side of the road is a crop of wild watercress. In no time at all, bags and scissors are produced and everyone is filling the bags with watercress. That night, the family sits down to a meal, including a dish of watercress, but the narrator refuses to eat it, angry and embarrassed about eating dinner from a ditch. This is, until her mother tells her about her family in China during the great famine when all there was to eat was what they could find. This story, based on the author's own memories, is really about sharing memories. Had the narrator known why the watercress was important, perhaps she would have felt empathy instead of anger. The almost dreamlike washed watercolor illustrations, in a palette of subtle yellows and green, add so much to this beautifully told story, imparting a real sense of memory and the importance of remembering and sharing. ...more
Life has not been easy for 12-year-old William Orser. A loner whose elderly father passed away when he was very young, nicknamed Worser (W. Orser) on Life has not been easy for 12-year-old William Orser. A loner whose elderly father passed away when he was very young, nicknamed Worser (W. Orser) on the first day of second grade, and bullied by the other kids, Worser is now living with a mother who has had a severe stroke, and his Aunt Iris, who is taking care of them. Ironically, Worser's mother was a professor of rhetoric who can no longer speak, but who had imparted a love of words in her son when he was a child, a love that has continued.
Worser has been working on a project he calls his Masterwork, a loose-leaf binder filled with lists of important observations about words, a project that enables him to work in the library at the end of the school day to avoid going home and dealing with his mother and aunt. But now, because of budget cuts, Worser finds that the library is closed after school but not before he meets Turk, who has his own unique (and cringe worthy to Worser) twist on words.
No library forces Worser to find another place to work on his Masterwork and eventually he finds and strikes a deal with Mr. Murray, the owner of a secondhand bookstore called Re-Visions. When Worser finds out that his crush, Donya Khoury, has lost the school sponsor for her Literary Club and can not longer meet in school, Worser comes up with a plan to help her out using his space at the bookstore and ultimately becoming a member of the club. But when Mr. Murray's rent is increased, it looks like he will have to close Re-Visions. And again, Worser has a plan to save the store. But will it actually work?
I have to admit that for much of this novel, I really didn't like Worser very much. It was clear he had nothing good to say about most people, including his aunt, who was trying her best to care for him and his mom. Interestingly, she is the opposite of Worser, being very emotional where he seems to completely lack emotion. She is also rather eccentric, albeit in a very different way than Worser and apparently his mother was before her stroke. It's very clear that Worser has not come to terms with the drastic changes he sees in his mother now that she is unable to speak or do anything for herself, and, rather that dealing with this, he loses himself in working on his Masterwork and later getting involved with the Literary Club to get Donya's attention.
As I went along on Worser's coming-of-age story, he began to grow on me more and more, and I began to feel very empathic as I realized how traumatized he was by the things that have happened to him over time and his attempts to avoid facing the truths about his feelings. Channeling his emotions into words is exactly how he lost his ability to communicate with the world and it would take a catastrophic event for him to find his way back. And it is quite a journey.
Thank you Edelweiss+ for providing me with an ARC of this book. ...more
Eight-year-old River has been dancing at Powwows for a few years, but this year is different. This year, River is unable to compete in the jingle dancEight-year-old River has been dancing at Powwows for a few years, but this year is different. This year, River is unable to compete in the jingle dance because of a serious illness, that has left her weak and with short hair. And even though she's is already tired by the time that get to the Powwow, River wants to dance Grand Entry. Unable to feel the drum beat, River is helped back to her chair. Finally, it's time for the jingle dancers, and as River's friends and cousins dance around the arena, watched by the judges, she knows that they are dancing "for the Creator, the ancestor, their families and everyone's health...." including hers. Finally feeling the drum beat, River knows that she will be well enough to dance at next year's Powwow. Even though this story is focused on River, it introduces young readers to what happens during a Powwow. One of the things celebrated at a Powwow is a strong sense of community and that is what River experiences and realizes how much a part of that she is as she watches everyone dancing. The digital illustrations are colorful and have lovely details to explore and talk about. Back matter includes detailed Information About Powwows, and an Author's Note as well a Sources....more
I love to read picture books about granddaughters and their grandmothers. I think it's because I never knew my grandmothers - one lived in Wales, the I love to read picture books about granddaughters and their grandmothers. I think it's because I never knew my grandmothers - one lived in Wales, the other lived in San Diego - but I knew that grandmothers were wonderful people to have in your life based on what I could see of friends who had nearby grandparents.
Kylie, the young protagonist in Amah Faraway doesn't really know her grandmother, except through Saturday morning video chats because Kylie lives in San Francisco, Amah lived in Taipai. And when her mom announces that it is time to visit Amah, Kylie isn't too sure she wants to do that. Unlike Amah, who is really excited to see her daughter and granddaughter.
In Taipai, everything is unfamiliar: Amah's apartment, the language, the food and the relatives at the banquet they have for Kylie and her mom. Amah takes Kylie to all the places in Taipai that she loves, but none of it pleases her granddaughter: not the parks, not the night market, not even the Chinese donuts that Amah enjoys so much.
But then, they visit the hot springs. The water is warm and Kylie loves splashing and playing in water, so she decides to give the hot springs (and Amah) a chance. And suddenly "it was a brand-new day" for Kylie and Amah as they splash around in the water together, laughing and having fun. But that's only half the story.
In the second half of the book, Kylie, her mom and her Amah revisit all the places they went to in the first half of the book - but now. everything is in reverse. And here's the interesting thing about the way it is done - the first half and the second half have almost the same wording but with different punctuation. And that change in punctuation is what reflects Kylie's change in attitude.
I read this book to my young readers, many of whom have grandparents living far away, and they loved the story, but they didn't see the change in text until we actually talked about it. The text is both gentle and lyrical, and the whimsical mixed media illustrations really reflect the sights and culture of Taipai. The text also includes speech bubbles written in both Mandarin characters and pinyin (phonetically written Chinese characters for pronunciation purposes).
Be sure to check out the endpapers. The front endpapers have spot images of some of the things Kylie experiences in Taipai, labeled in English and the back endpapers have the same images labeled in Mandarin. Back matter includes A Note from the Author and the Illustrator, plus a description of the sights Kylie visited in Taipai and information about Taiwanese Food.
You can download a Teacher's Guide, which I found very useful, for grades 1-3 HERE You can also download a Teracher's Guide for grades 4-12 HERE
Pair Amah Faraway with When I Found Grandma by Saumiya Balasubramanian. Both are excellent stories about granddaughters and grandmothers, so different from each other, yet finding each other.
This book was gratefully received from Faye Bi at Bloomsbury Publishing ...more
Two weeks before Christmas, city girl Deja is getting really excited, but some kids don't think Santa exists. After all, they ask, how does Santa deliTwo weeks before Christmas, city girl Deja is getting really excited, but some kids don't think Santa exists. After all, they ask, how does Santa deliver gifts for kids who live in apartments and don't have a chimney? Or live up in the cold, cold North Pole. Luckily, Deja's mom has some answers for her. Christmas is magical, and magic always finds a way. Santa has a magical keychain that lets him in each and every apartment after parking on the roof. But each answer her mother has leads to another question that Deja has. Where does Santa park his sleigh and reindeer? How will Santa find them in among all the buildings? And how can Santa be a Kings Plaza Mall and the North Pole at the same time? And what about when they visit grandparents in Jamaica? How does Santa know where to find them? Still skeptical after all the answer, Deja decides to wait up for Santa himself to answer her questions, but she just couldn't keep her eyes open and Santa came and left, but not before leaving a special message just for her. This is a great book for all those city kids who may have the same questions and the answers are quiet feasible. I remember wondering the same things as Deja and so did my Kiddo when she was young. The bright, boldly colored digital illustrations capture all of Deja's emotions surrounding Christmas and Santa, perhaps because they were made with a pinch of Christmas magic....more
A young Black boy just loves Christmas, and especially all the brown-faced Santas that are around his home - on the tree, on the gift wrap, even on hiA young Black boy just loves Christmas, and especially all the brown-faced Santas that are around his home - on the tree, on the gift wrap, even on his sweater. Every year, his family visits Grandma and Grandpa on Christmas Eve, where there's a special present for him and his younger sister this time - a jolly brown-faced Santa complete with list of names including theirs. After some photos and a snack, he asks his Daddy which one in their collection of Santa's looks like the real Santa. As they set out a plate of cookies and glass of milk for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer, all the adults agree that no one has ever seen the real Santa. No one? Well, this young boy has a great idea. After everyone's asleep, his plan is to sneak downstairs with the brand camera he just received from his parents, and stay awake until Santa's arrival, then to quickly snap a photo. But as the night wears on, sleep overtakes his best intentions. Will this curious young boy ever see what the real Santa looks like? As he is carried off to bed, he wakes up just enough to see that Santa looks just like him. This is such a sweet, gentle, heartwarming story about a happy family celebrating Christmas together. The illustrations are red, white, and green Christmasy, and the book is just a delight to read. My young readers loved it, particularly seeing Santas that look more like them that the usual white Santa....more
I've always been a fan of Carla Hall, she just seems to delight in everything food related. And I remember her talking about her granny when she was oI've always been a fan of Carla Hall, she just seems to delight in everything food related. And I remember her talking about her granny when she was on The Chew, so I was pleased when I heard Carla had written a picture book her Granny's cornbread, because like Carla, cornbread is one of my favorite things to eat. The tradition of Christmas cornbread began one year when young Carla, her sister Kim and their mother headed over to Granny's house on Christmas Eve. It was an evening full of excitement, Christmas songs, dinner with Granny, her grandfather Doc, and, of course, cornbread. Later, after changing into pajamas, Carla noticed a sugar cookie complete with icing and sprinkles, which she immediately took a big bite of. Uh oh, that was a cookie for Santa. Feeling terrible about she had done, Carla was sure she was now on Santa's naughty list. But when Granny calls her back into the kitchen, she has an idea - why not make a special cornbread for Santa, after all, he gets so many cookies on Christmas Eve, but probably doesn't get any cornbread. But will Santa like it? Carla discovers the answer the next day in a note from Santa himself. This is such an uplifting, inspiring story about a close-knit Black family, and the Granny that Carla always talked about comes shining through. Santa is depicted here as Black, and there is some bonus back matter - the recipe for Carla's Christmas Cornbread and the Cinnamon Butter to go with it, which I can't wait to try....more
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