Blackbird by Anna Carey

Goodreads Summary:
A girl wakes up on the train tracks, a subway car barreling down on her. With only moments to react, she hunches down and the train speeds over her. She doesn t remember her name, where she is, or how she got there. She has a tattoo on the inside of her right wrist of a blackbird inside a box, letters and numbers printed just below: FNV02198. There is only one thing she knows for sure: people are trying to kill her.

On the run for her life, she tries to untangle who she is and what happened to the girl she used to be. Nothing and no one are what they appear to be. But the truth is more disturbing than she ever imagined.

The Maze Runner series meets "Code Name Verity," "Blackbird "is relentless and action-packed, filled with surprising twists.

Told in second person POV, Blackbird is a book that puts you, the reader, directly in the action of the story. At first this was incredibly disconcerting because second person is not that common in literature, and for good reason: it's really hard to do it well. But after a while, you begin to settle into it more. While I never completely bought into the second person POV, I do think it helped give the story a sense of immediacy that first or third person couldn't have done. While the publisher description above calls this book The Maze Runner meets Code Name Verity, I think a more accurate comparison would be the YA version of The Bourne Identity -- especially given the action-suspense nature of the story coupled with the main character's amnesia.

I enjoyed this story for the most part and am possibly interested in reading the sequel, but I didn't care for the lack of any sort of resolution at the end. Cliffhangers are one thing, but just deciding to wait until the next book to attempt any sort of resolution just didn't sit well with me. I know this is becoming a more frequent trend in YA lit these days, but it's not one I'm a particular fan of. 

Overall, Blackbird was an exciting, action-packed read though I'm not sure I was emotionally invested enough to read the sequel. 


Blackbird by Anna Carey
Published: September 16, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 256
Genre: Mystery
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

My 14 favroite books of 2014

2014 was a good year for books. There were so many I read this year that stuck with me and touched my heart. This is my narrowed-down list of the 14 books of 2014 that will have a lasting impact on me and that I will remember long after 2014 is over.

Links take you to reviews I have written or someone else who reviewed/talked about the book better than I could.


Favorite Adult Novel

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A love story to books, bookstores, and book people. I can't stress enough that this book is an absolute must-read, even if adult fiction is not your usual fare


Favorite Young Adult Novels

When I was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
A wonderful testament to family, friendship, and counter-narratives. A lovely tribute to Reynolds' neighborhood of Bed Stuy in Brooklyn and the people who live there.


The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner
A perfect, beautiful summer read. But instead of mindless fluff that perhaps most people equate with beach reads, this one has soul. The characters Gae Polisner has created in this book are so loveable despite their flaws. Francesca and Frankie Sky will stay with me for a long time.


Noggin by John Corey Whaley
Despite the ridiculous, somewhat gimmicky premise of this book, it is surprisingly poignant and universally relateable. I'm grateful I was able to hear Whaley talk about this book personally, otherwise I'm not sure I would have ever read it. 


Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
I don't even know how to describe this book. It defies labels. Andrew Smith has created something provocative and discussion-worthy with Grasshopper Jungle. While this is not a book I would have read on my own -- I chose to read it due to the number of people who are talking about it -- I'm really glad I picked it up. You are definitely missing out on a cultural conversation by not reading it. 


Favorite Middle Grade Novels:

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
I've staked my claim that this is the book I will be rooting for to win the Newbery in early February. Newbery or not, A Snicker of Magic will undoubtedly be a children's classic. The link above takes you to my Nerdy Book Club review. I also interviewed Natalie here on the blog.


The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
That sneaky Jenni Holm. She always writes novels that I initially think I'm not going to like and then every time manages to make me fall in love with them. Not only will kids love this book, but there is a lot of worthwhile discussion to have about what it means to grow old and what a privilege it is to do so.


The Battle of Darcy Lane by Tara Altebrando
This book kind of snuck up on me. I was expecting this to be a light, fluffy read but what I actually discovered is that Tara Altebrando has written a novel about middle school mean girl behavior so spot-on, that it took me back to a place I didn't want to go to. But it is for that reason that books like The Battle of Darcy Lane are important. They show kids and remind adults just how hard it is to survive this time in your life -- and that it does get better.


Favorite Picture Books:

Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison
An ordinary little dog lives at the circus among extraodinary, talented animals, and yet everyone loves Jane just the way she is. The illustrations in Extraordinary Jane are some of the most endearing I have ever laid eyes on and they tell more of the story than the words do. By the time I got to the last page I was weeping. I have such a soft spot for dogs, what can I say, and Hannah Harrison just knows how to illustrate love into her paintings.  


The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat
After I finished The Adventures of Beekle, I just had to sit and let it linger for a while before I could do anything else. The illustrations are bright and vibrant and the story will warm your heart and tickle the back of your throat as you choke back a few tears.



Rex Wrecks It! by Ben Clanton
Sometimes wrecking things is fun. Most of the time it will get people mad at you. I think we've all known some Rexes in our lives, which is why this book rings so true despite the fantastical characters contained inside its pages.


Edgar's Second Word by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Priscilla Burris
Hazel can't wait for her baby brother to arrive. She practices reading aloud with her stuffed bunny Rodrigo, anticipating the day when she and her brother can read and discuss books together. When Edgar does finally say his first word, both Hazel and her mother are elated. But they soon find out that Edgar's first word causes more trouble than they anticipated. Lovers of Mo Willems's Knuffle Bunny books will undoubtedly fall in love with Hazel and Edgar.


Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales
This book gave me the feels. Despite not being a true biography of Frida Kahlo's life, this book is so much bigger that. It felt like a living, breathing poem and was simply enchanting. 


Firebird by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers
I know I'm a crier by nature so perhaps telling you that I was tearing up by page one doesn't hold much weight, but I generally don't cry at the beginning of a book. Firebird is the story of a young girl of color who aspires to be a ballerina someday, but sees only the obstacles before her. You get the sense that Copeland is writing this story not only to all the African American girls who dream of being dancers, but also looking back at herself when she first started out.


Narrowing this list down was hard. I probably could have done my 20 favorite books of 2014, but I figured I'd keep it at 14. What were your favorite books this year?

When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

Ali knows his neighborhood in Brooklyn has a bad rap, but he likes to stay above the fray. He's a kid who looks after his mom and his sister, and avoids the guns, drugs, and gangs that sometimes plague Bed Stuy.

One day, two boys Ali's age move in next door, and they immediately strike up a friendship. Noodles and Needles are brothers and Needles has Tourette's. Needles frequently has tics and shouts out inappropriate words, but Ali's mom has discovered a way to help calm his tics: knitting (thus his nickname). Despite the fact that Needles' condition seems to bother no one in their neighborhood, Noodles clearly harbors a great deal of resentment towards his brother that eventually comes to a boiling point when Needles takes a hit for something that was Noodles' fault. 

When I Was the Greatest first came on my radar back in April when Jason Reynolds was part of an event at Literati Bookstore with John Corey Whaley and Brendan Kiely. Reynolds' debut novel is a much-needed counter-narrative in the canon of young adult literature that prominently features black characters. So often books with African Americans are either historical fiction or gritty narratives that feature protagonists who are part of gangs or other criminal activities. Jason Reynolds, however, has written a gentle story about a young man who always wants to do right by his family and friends. Ali's tenderness towards his mom and sister and even his mostly absent father is not only touching, it is a desperately needed narrative for kids and young adults -- as both a mirror and a window. Fans of Jacqueline Woodson's After Tupac and D Foster will enjoy this character-driven story and want to keep sitting on the stoop with Ali, Noodles, and Needles long after the last page is turned. And it is passages like this one, that will leave a lasting impression on the reader. I know it did on me:

"Let's  pretend this punching bag is your father. What do you want to do to him?" He slowly released my fist. My nails were digging so deep into my palm that I thought I had broken the skin.

"Show me," he said again, this time nudging my shoulder. 

I turned toward the punching bag, opened my fist, and wrapped my arms around it.

Malloy sat there in his chair staring at six-year-old me, hugging a punching bag like it was a person.

With writing like that, Jason Reynolds has staked his claim as a force to be reckoned with in the world of young adult literature. The future is bright for this young writer and I can't wait to see what great things are in his future. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he has a Coretta Scott King Award and maybe even a Schneider Family Book Award grace the cover of this book in early February.


When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
Published: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 232
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Purchased Copy
 
If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Gus and Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar by Keith and Theodora Richards

Keith Richards is best known for being the guitarist in one of the most famous rock bands in the word, The Rolling Stones. As a child growing up in London, Keith would visit his Grandad Gus and they would go for long walks, exploring their city. One day, while out on one of their walks, Gus and Keith visited a music store and the young boy was transfixed by all of the instruments, in particular the guitars.

Back at home, Gus told Keith that when he was tall enough to reach the guitar on top of the piano, he could "have a go." Gus taught Keith how to hold the guitar, strum simple chords, and said that the day he learned how to play Malagueña, he could play anything. Of course, it wasn't long before Keith was impressing his granddad with his talent and passion.

Gus and Me is a special book. Not only does it celebrate the bond between grandchild and grandparent, but it shows that when there is a person in your life to nurture a passion, great things are possible. I did not expect that a book by Keith Richards would make me cry, but wouldn't you know it, the moment Gus heard Keith playing Malagueña for the first time, it got me all teary-eyed

Don't miss Keith narrating the story on the accompanying CD, which also includes riffs from Malagueña interspersed throughout the narrative to help set the tone and emotion of the story.

Keith's daughter Theodora, named after her great grandfather Gus (Theodore Augustus Dupree), consulted her father and dug through family photos to create the pen and ink illustrations in Gus and Me, which I believe would be a perfect book to give a young budding musician, especially one where musical passions have been passed down and nurtured in his or her family.


Gus and Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar by Keith Richards, illustrated by Theodora Richards
Published: September 9, 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown
Pages: 32
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary/Middle Grade
Disclosure: Library Copy

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

He had a gun in his hand. I'm sure of it. I laid eyes on it. I mean, I must have. The deep-stabbing kind of fear I felt; that doesn't come from nowhere. Certainly not from a Snickers bar. I know I stared into the deep black hole in that glinting barrel.  

The shooting or Tariq Johnson takes place in the fictional urban neighborhood of Underhill. We don't know where Underhill is, and as a result, the reader gets a sense that it could be Everytown, U.S.A. Even so, readers immediately understand that How It Went Down is a book that was inspired by the Trayvon Martin shooting. And yet, despite being written before the most recent deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, it also shares striking similarities to these stories too.

Told in short, page-turning chapters and multiple POVs, this timely novel gets to the heart of people's perceptions and how our own prejudices and experiences impact what we see -- or what we think we see. Did Tariq Johnson have a gun when Jack Franklin shot him? Or was it just a Snickers bar? Was he part of the neighborhood gang? Or did he keep his pact with his best friend Tyrell that they would never be a part of that life? The narrative of "how it went down" and who Tariq was changes depending on who's telling the story, so when readers reach the end of the novel, they are left with more questions than answers. Was Tariq good or bad? And just what do those words mean anyway? 

While some of the voices felt a tad inconsistent in places, which is understandable given the number of characters who are narrating the story, overall, How It Went Down is an important, discussion-prompting story, and one that will appeal to many teens.  


How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon 
Published: October 21, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Pages: 336
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Purchased Copy

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Edible Colors by Jennifer Vogel Bass

Did you know that:

broccoli can be purple,
bananas can be red,
and cherries can be yellow? 

As a foodie, I dig books like this. Not only does Jennifer Vogel Bass introduce kids to colors by showing fruits and veggies that we are familiar with like yellow corn, orange carrots, and green cucumbers, but in Edible Colors, she also familiarizes them to unusual, lesser-known varieties of fruits and veggies such as purple carrots, red dacca bananas, blue jade corn, and white queen tomatoes, which Bass grows her in very own garden in New Jersey.

In order for kids to grow up and have a healthy relationship with food, we should be making the process of where food comes from more transparent and less mysterious. As a child, I was an extremely picky eater, and rarely ate vegetables. But food was always something my parents just placed in front of me, never sharing how they made it, where it came from, or involving me in the process. As I grew into adulthood and had to learn to cook for myself, I was tired of my regular bland palate and began educating myself and experimenting with different flavors, textures, and foods. Parents who lament about their kids being picky eaters should start bringing them into the kitchen and garden to broaden their palate and expand their curiosity for a variety of foods.

The fruits and vegetables in Edible Colors are presented in photographs taken against a stark white background to allow for their colors to be the star.  This will undoubtedly make you want to take a trip to the farmers market to hunt down some of the fruits and veggies you may have never seen before. I know I am anxious to seek out a purple bell pepper, a black Spanish radish, and a Buddha's Hand citron after reading this.

Parents looking to expand their children's palate should look no further than Edible Colors.


Edible Colors by Jennifer Vogel Bass
Published: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 32
Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book
Audience: Primary
Disclosure: Library Copy
 
If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

What a Party! by Ana Maria Machado, illustrated by Helene Moureau

A child's birthday soon turns into a raucous neighborhood party rife with food, friends, pets, music, and dancing.

Playing on the tossed salad metaphor of diversity rather than a melting pot, What a Party! celebrates multiculturalism by, well, celebrating. I love that this book highlights cultural differences by maintaining that we come together by sharing and celebrating those differences rather than keeping to ourselves and our own cultures. And what this book further maintains is that food is the great equalizer. Just when has food never succeeded in bringing people together? :) 



What a Party! by Ana Maria Machado, illustrated by Helene Moureau
Published: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Pages: 32
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary
Disclosure: Library Copy

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz with Kekla Magoon

I am Malcolm.
I am my father’s son. But to be my father’s son means that they will always come for me.
They will always come for me, and I will always succumb.
 

Malcolm Little's young life is fraught with heartache and tragedy. After his father's murder, his family begins to unravel, no thanks to the white officials who have cut his desperate family off of government assistance and deemed his mother an unfit parent. In addition to his family unraveling, so too do his dreams when a teacher whom Malcolm trusts discourages him from aspiring to be a lawyer, despite the fact that Malcolm is a top student and also class president. His teacher only sees his skin color rather than young Malcolm's potential.

It's at this moment in his life that Malcolm wonders why he bothers even trying anymore and decides to escape to Boston where his half-sister Ella lives. It is here that Malcolm is tempted away from his once promising future into a world of nightclubs, hustling, and drugs. Malcolm thinks he has found a freedom in abandoning his past, but it's only a matter of time before the freedom he thinks he's found comes crashing down around him.

X is a fictionalized portrayal of a young Malcolm X's life, co-written by Kekla Magoon and Malcolm's daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz. This is a story that is incredibly timely given the animosity and resentment occurring in our country right now with the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Malcolm X's fight for civil rights was demonized when he was alive and is still done so to this day. In that regard, there are so many parallels that can be made from not only Malcolm's public life, but also his youth in the 1940s (when this novel takes place), to the struggles of African Americans still going on in 2014.

As I was reading X, there were many occasions when I had to put the book down to process and contemplate what I had just read. The scene with Malcolm's teacher was one such occasion because I knew despite the incendiary language used in that moment, it was something that I needed to share with my students. We are taught the power of the N word from a very young age. It is a word so powerful it can no longer be spoken. But it wasn't until the aftermath of the moment when Malcolm is called that horrific word by his teacher that I could fully internalize its power. I wanted my students to experience that same moment of horror and indignation.

X is a profound novel. It is one that can change hearts and minds. I know it did mine.


I'm not meant to be part of the things that are wrong with the world, but neither am I meant to run from them. 
I'm meant to fight against them. 
I can't hold my own in the ring, but out in the world, I do know how to fight. 
With words. 
With truth. 


Download the teachers' guide

X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz with Kekla Magoon
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Publisher: Candlewick
Pages: 384
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: ARC received for review from publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

The Palm of My Heart: Poems by African American Children, edited by Davida Adedjouma, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Black stride? It's:
the arch of my back
the curve of my spine
the way I stand
and my stance is
pride

 
Oh this book. It will bring a tear to your eye and give you hope. The poems contained inside its scant pages are small but they are mighty. It is a heartprint book in every sense of the word. And just like the short poems contained therein, so too is this review.



The Palm of My Heart: Poems by African American Children, edited by Davida Adedjouma, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie*
Published: September 1, 1996
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Pages: 32
Genre: Poetry Picture Book
Audience: Primary/Middle Grade/Young Adult
Disclosure: Library Copy

*Purchasing the book from the above Bookshop affiliate link supports independent bookstores and gives me a small percentage of the sale. 

Sugar Hill: Harlem's Historic Neighborhood by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Sugar Hill, Sugar Hill where life's so sweet
that pride rings out on every street. 

Sugar Hill is the well-known neighborhood in Harlem that came to prominence in the 1920s and 1930s during the Harlem Renaissance. Written in bouncy rhyming verse, this vibrantly illustrated tribute to the artists, writers, and celebrities that resided there is a beautiful historical and cultural title to include in your library - whether it's a school, classroom, or home library. 

The author's note at the end provides readers with further background information about Sugar Hill as well as well as the famous names peppered throughout the story, such as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Zora Neale Hurston. 


Sugar Hill: Harlem's Historic Neighborhood by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Published: February 1, 2014
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Pages: 32
Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: Library Copy 

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Audiobook review: Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Nate Foster dreams of one day starring in a Broadway show, so when he catches wind of an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, he and his best friend Libby begin hatching a scheme. While Nate's parents are away for the weekend, he decides to catch a bus from Jankburg, Pennsylvania to New York City with nothing but a backpack and his dreams.
 
Sassy, snarky, yet totally endearing, Nate is one of my favorite leading boys in all of kid lit. Better Nate Than Ever fills a need for a specific niche-reader: the drama club member or kid with musical aspirations. Fans of Glee and Raina Telgemeier's Drama will go gaga for Nate.

Better Nate Than Ever resides on the older end of middle grade... the time right before kids are ready for full-fledged YA, as there is still a sweetness and naivete to Nate despite his sass. There's some edgy language and situations, but not so edgy that it isn't appropriate for a middle grade reader. If a student is ready to move up to YA after reading Nate, a good rung up his or her reading ladder would perhaps be Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green. 

Tim Federle not only wrote Better Nate Than Ever, but he also narrates the audiobook. And given his theater background, it's no wonder this audiobook won an Odyssey award. It is a wonderfully entertaining production and one I highly recommend.

Reading the sequel, Five, Six, Seven, Nate is an absolute must for me now! My only regret about reading Better Nate Than Ever (well, listening to the audio) is that it took me so long to finally pick it up! 


Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
Audiobook Narrator: Tim Federle
Published: February 5, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 288
Audiobook Length: 5 hours, 54 minutes
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: Library Copy 

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales

A young woman searches.

She sees.

She explores.

And finally, she creates.


This beautiful picture book about Frida Kahlo is not so much a biography as it is a living, breathing poem that celebrates her artistry and creativity. The colorful photographs of puppets that evolve into dreamlike paintings later in the story, add to the poetry of images and language. The delightful Niño Wrestles the World was my first foray into Yuyi Morales's work, and now that I've witnessed Viva Frida's as well as Niño's artistic genius, I am convinced that someone needs to give Morales a Caldecott already. It's likely not to be for Viva Frida since the question of whether to include the photographer, Tim O'Meara, as a contributing artist complicates the question of whether he would be included as one of the winners, but I've decided that eventually this woman needs to win the most prestigious award for children's book illustration.

Viva Frida gave me chills and a lump in my throat when I read it. I know others have criticized it for not giving enough insight into Frida Kahlo's life in the story itself, but to me, this book is so much bigger than just a biography of a famous artist. As I mentioned above, it felt like I was witnessing a living, breathing poem and I was utterly enchanted. I think the open-endedness of the text also intrigues readers enough to want to go out and learn more about Kahlo's life. I know it did for me.  

I discussed the book with my 8th graders to get their opinions, and many of them felt that, despite the fact that younger kids might not understand everything that is happening in the text and illustrations, it still has facets that are appealing to kids (minimal text, bright illustrations that call them to use their imaginations). And yet, despite the text's spare simplicity, it is still a very complex book, which is an observation one of my astute 8th graders made and it was right on the money. To quote another one of my 8th graders, it is a book "you have to read with your heart, not your eyes."

With the plea for more diversity in children's literature this year, the multicultural and multilingual aspects of Viva Frida - with text in both English and Spanish - also make this an important book to have on our classroom and library shelves. 

Watch this video to witness the beautiful and complicated process behind the making of Viva Frida:


Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales
Published: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 40
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary, Middle Grade, Young Adult...
Disclosure: Library Copy 

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Maple and Willow Together by Lori Nichols

Maple, Lori Nichols' debut picture book as an author/illustrator, was a beautiful story about a nature-loving girl whose parents planted a maple tree in their backyard in honor of her birth. As Maple and the tree grow up together, she eventually comes to discover that she will be a big sister... to Willow. And a new tree is planted in the backyard.

In this lovely follow-up to Maple, Lori Nichols explores a different facet of growing up: experiencing the love and frustrations of sharing your life with a sibling. While most of the time Maple and Willow get along famously despite their differences, there are times when those differences cause conflict, and trouble brews under their deciduous trees.

Both the writing and the illustrations in Maple and Willow Together are done with a gentle, loving touch, and despite the inevitable conflict that tends to arise when growing up with a sibling, the overall message of this book is clear: the bonds of sibling love are stronger than our own selfish desires.


Maple and Willow Together by Lori Nichols
Expected Publication: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Pages: 32
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary
Disclosure: Book requested from publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.   

Rex Wrecks It by Ben Clanton

Gizmo, Sprinkles, and Wild love to build things.

Rex likes to wreck things.

"Gizmo's out-of-this-world rocket?
Rex wrecks it!
Sprinkles's magical heart?
Rex wrecks it!"

Needless to say, Rex's penchant for destruction makes everyone unhappy.



What can Rex do to try to make up for his destructive ways?

Rex Wrecks It wasn't even on my radar until I saw it sitting on the NEW shelf at my library, but now it is one of my favorite picture books of 2014. The words and the pictures are in perfect, delightful simpatico. It's a book that just plain makes you happy. As I read it to myself while sitting on the floor in my home office, all I could think about was how the rhythm of the story makes for a perfect read aloud. Even though the primary audience for this book is ages 3-7, I wouldn't hesitate to read it to my 8th graders because it's a wonderful example of the music and rhythm of language -- something we are talking a great deal about this year.  

In addition to the effective language, each character is illustrated in both a fantastical way (a rabbit with a unicorn horn; a robot who appears to be able to rocket launch himself into the air) and also with gleeful childlike personification, as evidenced by the illustration above. No matter what grade you teach, you're going to want to add this one to your read-aloud pile. 


Rex Wrecks It by Ben Clanton
Published: September 23, 2014
Publisher: Candlewick
Pages: 40
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary
Disclosure: Library Copy 

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

El Deafo by Cece Bell

When Cece Bell was four-years-old she developed meningitis, which left her "severely to profoundly deaf." El Deafo is the story of how Cece learned to navigate a new world, as someone who was born hearing to now having a significant hearing loss.

El Deafo is wonderful book that is certain to go right next to Raina Telgemeier's Smile in canon of children's graphic memoirs. And to think, I almost didn't put this book on my to-read pile! I don't know what I was thinking! But as soon as I watched the following video where Bell talks about the story behind the book, I just knew I had to read it.

 
Bell has created something to appeal to both camps of readers: those who like realistic stories and those who like fantasy and/or superheroes, as she imagines herself the superhero El Defo when she is feeling especially socially insecure about her disability. 

Bell grabs readers from the very beginning, as we see Cece as a four-year-old who refuses to wear anything but her bathing suit. That detail seems small, but it somehow gets the reader to fall in love with her from page one. Similarly, trying to figure out why all of Bell's characters are rabbits in this book is somewhat of a head-scratcher, but in an amusing way, not a frustrating way. It is likely that the rabbits' big ears force the reader to focus more on young Cece's hearing aids and therefore was a natural way to call attention to the disability/superhero power of Cece/El Deafo in those moments of insecurity when she calls upon her superpower. Whatever the case, it works! Often we say that books can be either mirrors or windows, and El Deafo is one of those books that illustrates this concept beautifully. Not only will it speak to readers who feel different because of a disability or deficit they might be struggling with, but it's also a window for those of us who have never known a deaf person, to walk a mile in their shoes and cultivate our own empathy. El Deafo is one of those graphic memoirs that belongs in classrooms of all grade levels. It will appeals to elementary, middle, and high school students equally. Of that I have no doubt. 

One of my favorite moments in the story -- it literally made me laugh out loud

El Deafo by Cece Bell
Published: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 248
Genre: Graphic Memoir
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: Purchased Copy

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

Be a Changemaker review and interview with author Laurie Ann Thompson

Goodreads Summary:
We've had the civil rights movement and the women's movement—now it's time for the youth movement.

When Divine Bradley was seventeen, he just wanted a safe place to hang out away from gangs and violence, and Team Revolution was born. At age eleven, Jessica Markowitz learned that girls in Rwanda are often not allowed to attend school, and Richard's Rwanda took shape. During his sophomore year of high school, Zach Steinfeld put his love of baking to good use and started the Baking for Breast Cancer Club.

Gone are the days when kids were supposed to be "seen and not heard." Today, youth everywhere are rising up, building new organizations, and creating the changes they want to see in their communities and around the world. Be a Changemaker gives readers the tools and confidence they need to affect real change. Readers will learn how to:

- Research ideas
- Build a strong and passionate team
- Create a business plan
- Enlist a savvy adult
- Plan events
- Work with the media
- And more!

Plus, profiles of youth-led social organizations show readers that it's never too early to become a changemaker.


Be a Changemaker reminds me of a teenage version of a graduate class I took at Eastern Michigan University called Public Policy and Public Writing. The idea of the class, as well as this book is, how do we use our voices and our passions to make real change. The focus of the class was on education, but the tools we were given could apply to almost any area where a person wants to make a difference and that's exactly what this book is trying to do.

Peppered with personal stories of kids who have made a difference as well as practical advice for how to make your vision come to life, Be a Changemaker is a great addition to any middle or high school classroom and the perfect hand sell to the vocal leaders and change agents you see in your own classrooms. 

Interview with Laurie Ann Thompson:

Foodie Bibliophile: What prompted you to see the potential for kids to be changemakers?

Laurie Ann Thompson: Rather than being apathetic and/or self-absorbed, as they’re typically portrayed in the media, most of the teenagers I’ve known have been passionate, idealistic, and very aware of the problems around them or around the world. Also, most kids don’t have the adult pressures of supporting and caring for a family, but, far from being lazy, these kids are often successfully juggling schoolwork, extracurriculars, social activities, and more. As they struggle to find their places in their communities and in the world, they really do want to have an impact and to make their voices heard. I think if you direct their passion and idealism at a problem they care about and combine it with the real knowledge and skills today’s kids have, there is no telling what they can achieve. One of the greatest advantages of inexperience is not knowing what “can’t” be done, so very often a young person will just go out and do what an adult wouldn’t have even thought possible! 


FB: Were you a changemaker as a kid?

LAT: No, not really, but I desperately wanted to be. I saw problems that broke my heart and causes I wanted to contribute to. I donated most of my birthday money and allowance and volunteered where I could, but I couldn’t wait to “grow up” so that I could go out and do something more meaningful. I wish someone had told me then that I didn’t need to wait! Of course, a lot has changed since then, too. Today’s kids are able to do so much more than we could then. Knowledge is literally at their fingertips 24 hours a day, and they can join forces with like-minded individuals from around the world at the click of a button. Technology has given them the tools to easily accomplish things that would have been difficult even for adults to do when I was a kid. And these kids have grown up with it; it’s just how they think. This generation of “digital natives” is so much more empowered than any who went before them were. 


FB: What advice do you have for parents and teachers of kids who want to make a difference?

LAT: Let them! Watch that they aren’t taking any unacceptable risks, of course, but don’t be afraid to let them fail. The more mistakes we make, the more we learn, and the more we try, the more we find out what we’re actually capable of. The earlier kids realize that, the better off they will be for their whole lives. So, even if their idea seems far-fetched or unlikely to succeed, don’t discourage them from trying. On the other hand, don’t just take over and do it for them, either! Make sure they are safe, but beyond that let them find their own way as much as possible. They might just surprise you… and themselves! 


FB: What would you say to a person who still believes “kids should be seen and not heard?”

LAT: I’d say, “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!” I LOVE listening to kids. They have fresh ideas, amazing insights, and great senses of humor. And, they’re dying to be heard! Give them a chance, and prepare to have your mind blown. As I said above, today’s kids have access to such powerful tools and can do so much more than we expect… if they’re only given the chance. Why count them out without even listening to what they have to say first? 


FB: On your website, you say, “Sometimes, getting lost in a good book can be just the thing we need to finally find ourselves.” What are your favorite books to get lost in?

LAT: Well, this is a little embarrassing since I mostly write nonfiction, but my absolutely favorite books to get lost in are fantasy! Imaginary creatures, twisted reality, magic… I guess a little escapism never hurt anyone, right? :)

*~*~*~*~*

Laurie Ann Thompson comes from a family of entrepreneurs and small business owners. She has worked at IBM, Intel, and Microsoft, and she co-founded a successful internet startup. In addition, she has led a regional nonprofit professional organization and volunteered with Ashoka’s Youth Venture, which supports teens with big ideas. This is her first book. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Visit her at LaurieThompson.com.

 

 

Follow all of the stops on Laurie's blog tour!

Mon, Sept 8	Sally's Bookshelf	http://sallysbookshelf.blogspot.com/
Tues, Sept 9	Girl Scout Leader 101	http://girlscoutleader101.blogspot.com/
Wed, Sept 10	Unleashing Readers	http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Thurs, Sept 11	Teen Librarian Toolbox	http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/
Fri, Sept 12	The Nonfiction Detectives AND Kirby's Lane	http://www.nonfictiondetectives.com/ AND http://kirbyslane.blogspot.com/
Sat, Sept 13	The Styling Librarian	http://thestylinglibrarian.com/
Mon, Sept 15	NC Teacher Stuff	http://ncteacherstuff.blogspot.com/
Tues, Sept 16	The Hiding Spot	http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com
Wed, Sept 17	Kid Lit Frenzy	http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
Thurs, Sept 18	GreenBeanTeenQueen	http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com
Fri, Sept 19	A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust	http://www.foodiebibliophile.com/
Sat. Sept 20	Elizabeth O. Dulemba	http://dulemba.blogspot.com/

Be a Changemaker: How to Start Something That Matters by Laurie Ann Thompson
Published: September 16, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 256
Genre: Nonfiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: ARC received for review

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.