Sunday, February 25, 2018

It's Monday - Sharing Favorites

        Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to discover books you'll love!  Thanks to Jen, Kellee, and Ricki who share so much with us by taking time to support this meme!

I have some new books to share, and some I finally caught up with! Thanks to Candlewick for these first two books.

          One winter's night, five siblings looked out a window in their living room, noticed it was unusually blue even for dusk, and one by one, Susan, Max, Nell, Kate, and Jean tumbled through into another world. Day after day, they had to learn to fight for survival in this strange new world where people's faces looked different, and the children's faces were noticed, sometimes with fear, other times with jealousy. It would be a while before they discovered why. Susan, the oldest, then her twin, Max, both thirteen, begins the story and each has a turn as they escape dangers again and again. It reminded me of other fantastical worlds, but the horror they faced connected more to "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness rather than Madeleine L'engle's "A Wrinkle In Time" or the Narnia series. 
         I enjoyed the unique voices of each child as they continued the story, and the important parts each played in their survival, even the youngest, Jean, who often felt like she didn't understand what older ones said and as if they didn't care if she did either. Each had individual quirks to learn about, to like or to dislike. And I liked the world-building, but sometimes it felt over long and even for me, some things repeated and confusing. It feels more like a book for fantasy-loving teens rather than middle school. I cannot share quotes because this is an arc, thanks to Candlewick Press, but will add that I loved much of the writing and language used by Adina Rishe Gewirtz and marked more than one page. 

          Also from Candlewick, a beginning-to-learn-colors book for toddlers, showing our joyful and colorful world. In contrast to a Black Bird, Steve Light's bold and bright illustrations travel from morning "yellow sun" through midday "green grass" to night's "blue moon". It's a great book to learn about colors and a few things in the natural world.
           Another color book, this time for young readers, all about the Festival of Colors, the Indian Festival of Holi that's celebrated in spring, when flower colors appear. The text is brief, showing two youngsters, Chintoo and Mintoo, gathering all colors of flowers to ready for the festival. There is a process of drying and grinding, then bringing the bowls of color to throw into the air on festival night. Now, the afterword says, most of the powders are pre-prepared and bought instead of being made at home. Colorful pages happily tell the story, a nice introduction to a festival that some children in the U.S. will not know of, but connect to in the celebration. 


                 The words are just enough for the story paired with the page-by-page delightful illustrations of those invited to shelter under that “big umbrella”, and page by page, everyone is invited. It’s what I call a big smile of a book, one to read, enjoy and discuss with a child or a group of children. It reminds me of the concept of everyone having a seat at the table, and it is so good!


       
Much honored at ALA Midwinter, I'm so glad I finally got this book. Is it silly for me to compare myself to a young black boy? Maybe. But I feel pretty good when I come from my shop, having a new haircut. This "ode to a fresh cut" shows the happy feelings of a boy who goes for a cut, where the barber will "drape you like royalty with that cape/to keep the fine hairs off of your neck/and your princely robes." He says his "whole school will be seasick from the rows and rows of ripples. You'll have more waves on your head than the Atlantic Ocean." The uproar over a haircut plays out with his descriptions of all the other men in the shop, one with "a faux-hawk, deep part, skin fade. He looks presidential." Another "looks majestic." A favorite page is a dream where, when his cut is done, everyone will rise to give a "round of applause for being so fly". He is so happy, there, looking great, ready to go out into the world "Magnificent. Flawless. Like royalty."  This young boy's voice in the words by Derrick Barnes show the feelings, stunning illustrations by Gordon C. James show the celebration. 
            In the author's note, Derrick Barnes tells about his own experience with a Mr. Tony, says when black boys "highly approve of their reflections in the mirror. . .Deep down inside, they wish everyone could see what they see: a real life, breathing, compassionate, thoughtful, brilliant, limitless soul that matters--that desperately matters." It's a book for all, but especially for black boys.

          Frank Martin’s beautiful, strong children grace the pages of this inspiring story about the children who marched for freedom from segregation in Birmingham, 1963. They marched, then went to jail, and they were noticed across the world. This was the beginning of the loosening of the laws and it was children who did it. Monica Clark-Robinson tells the story from the beginning conversation where parents are scared they’d lose their jobs, they had a family to feed. Then the children spoke and said they could march, they didn’t have a job to lose, but much to gain. The end papers show the timeline from the opening to the ending pages with children holding what could be protest signs with the particular date to celebrate. What a good book to introduce this struggle to today’s children who could do further research about our important history.
         Reading this, I am reminded of the children of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school who will be carrying their signs also to effect change.
        I hope this message will help all ages. It spoke to me, too. This is a book I'd have in the classroom, it's the book I'll share with my granddaughters and anyone else who happens to drop by. After taking one tiny chance and falling flat, a young one decides not to take one more. He ignored them all but begins to wonder why those chances never come his way anymore. Thinking through his misgivings, he says, "Maybe I don't have to be brave all the time. Maybe I just need to be brave for a little while at the right time." It's a beautiful message, made all the more powerful with the dream-like illustrations by Mae Besom.

Still Reading: The Tender Bar, by J.R. Moehringer.  
Nearly Done: In Sight of Stars by Gae Polisner, from NetGalley, out in a couple of weeks. 
Next: another arc from Candlewick, a verse novel about the beginnings of the Revolutionary War, Siege, by Roxane Orgill and I have The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani Dasgupta!

27 comments:

  1. Crown sounds like a wonderful book. Love the Kobi Yamada books - they are definitely classroom musts.

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    1. I am so glad to have read Crown finally. It is terrific. And yes, the What Do You Do. . . books are wonderful! Thanks, Lisa.

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  2. Blue Window did seem super long to me, and the world it inhabited wasn't very pleasant. I feel conflicted about it.

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    1. I agree, Karen. It kept me reading, and I loved the basic premise, but felt as if it could have been shorter and still kept the message. Glad to hear your opinion!

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  3. I loved the writing in Crown and was really excited about that Newbery Honor. I love it when a picture book wins for text! I feel like some of the best writing I read each year is in picture books and the writing almost never gets its due! Festival of Colors has the most wonderful cover--I'm going to be on the lookout for it. What to Do with a Chance sounds like a good one for my college classroom. My college students really enjoy the more inspirational picture books, I've found.

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    1. I was so happy to finally read Crown, and it is wonderful, I agree. I was especially moved by the author's note. Yes, as I wrote, What Do You Do With A Chance? is really for all ages. I loved it! Thanks, Elisabeth!

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  4. When you mentioned The Knife of Never Letting Go, I knew I wouldn't be reading Blue Window. I have a hard time with these kinds of stories, and if the writing is good, it's even worse!
    Crown is at my library waiting for me to pick it up. I'm hoping to get a copy of Let the Children March. I couldn't help but make the connection to the children at Stoneman High school too. Let's hope their efforts are as successful!

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    1. I am writing and fighting for changes, am really proud of those kids turning something terrible into action for good. I hear you about Blue Window. There are some very scary moments in it. Enjoy Crown. I think it's fabulous. Thanks, Cheriee!

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  5. A few of these I already had in my stack. I just added The Big Umbrella to my library list. I would love to read Festival of Colors, but it is not at my library. I may have to get it another way. Thanks for the suggestions.

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    1. You're welcome, perhaps you can request Festival of Colors? Enjoy The Big Umbrella, just great!

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  6. Our copy of Crown arrived today - So excited to read it tonight!

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  7. I read Festival of Colors this week too and I am completely smitten. I can't wait to share it with my students. And OMG. I am so in love with Crown. I had predicted that it was good enough to win a Newbery. I'm happy to see I was not wrong. :)

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    1. Terrific for your prediction, Beth! I am sorry I hadn't read it before the awards. Yes, both are great!

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  8. I thought Crown was awesome, too! I think it just goes to show how great writing can touch everyone and everyone can recognize themselves in the story! We all know how it feels to have a fresh new look and have that kickstart a great day!

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    1. So glad you agree with me, Jana. I did love Crown a lot!

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  9. Crown was such a celebration. I can't wait to read Steve Light's latest book.

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    1. Yes, Crown is super! Hope you enjoy Black Bird Yellow Sun!

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  10. I really enjoyed Crown! The illustrations were fantastic, in my opinion. Some looked like photos when held up and I tried to find out if there was a special painting technique that was used, but came up empty in my searches so far. I also really appreciated the authors note at the end. I hope it doesn't get lost by many readers. Just all-round fantastic book! I need to pick up What Do You Do With a Chance. That looks very inspiring for all ages. Thanks for sharing your reads this week!

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    1. Perhaps it was also a 'printing' technique. Yes, find What Do You Do With a Chance? It's terrific! Thanks for coming by!

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  11. My, oh my. The books you chose this week are beautiful. I haven't read any of them, and now my TBR list is exploding!

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    1. (Crown obviously jumped to the top of my list this month with it's many mentions at the ALA YMA!)

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    2. Hope you enjoy some of the books, Ricki. I enjoyed every one! Thanks!

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  12. I'm eager to read Let the Children March. I too loved Crown.

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    1. The 'march' book is wonderful, Crystal. Enjoy!

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  13. Let the Children March sounds absolutely perfect for our times. We still don't have Crown here in Singapore (which I feel very bad about), but am sure will get it soonest. I am very curious about the third book of Yamada and Besom - I loved their first two books and really looking forward to finding this one.

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    1. I hope you have them all in your hands, soon, Myra, all worth savoring each in unique ways. Thanks!

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