Month: June 2020

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

| Tasha

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown (9780062891495)

Karina knows she isn’t the daughter her mother wanted. After Karina’s older sister and father were killed in a fire that she can barely remember, Karina had to take her sister’s place as heir. But her mother, The Kestrel, never taught her the same way that her older sister was taught, and Karina found great pleasure in defying any expectations. Now the country is starting a new era, triggered by the appearance of a comet in the skies, where the various factions will fight to see whose god or goddess rules in the next 50 years. Karina’s mother shows her for the first time, the magic that keeps their country safe, but then is killed before explaining it fully to her. Now Karina must find a way forward, led by a book’s instructions on resurrecting the dead. Meanwhile, Malik is a refugee caught outside the city’s walls. When his little sister is trapped by a dark spirit, Malik must promise to kill Karina in order to gain his sister’s release. He soon discovers that what he had been told was mental issues was actually his magic, a magic that he uses to get closer to be Karina by becoming a Champion, seemingly selected by his god. As the lives of the two run parallel to one another, they find themselves negotiating politics, magic, greed, and betrayal.

Brown has crafted an entire world of matriarchal queens that spirals with hidden and forgotten magic. Filled with African elements, the story weaves around figures such as Hyena, wraiths that lurk in the corners of the world, and the savagery of power. Brown also speaks to the plight of refugees, of entire people’s being seen as lesser than and vilified while still used as servants. Her world is detailed and fascinating, including a well-crafted alignment system that plays into the contests and much more.

The two main protagonists are complicated. At times, each of them becomes quite unlikeable, making choices that are questionable. And yet, one can’t help but root for them to figure things out, come back to being the people readers know they are deep down, and to realize that they are heroines and heroes of their own lives. Readers will enjoy the romantic elements, but nicely these are not the main focus of the novel which is jam-packed with action, contests, battles and more.

Unique, detailed and fascinating, this first book in a series is a heady mix of African myth, political intrigue and fantasy. Appropriate for ages 14-18.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Balzer + Bray.

June 2020 Own Voices Books for Children and Teens

| Tasha

Here are a list of some great #ownvoices picks coming out in June for children and teens.

All the Things We Never Knew

All the Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani

Asha and the Spirit Bird

Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan

Forest of Souls (Shamanborn, #1)

Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee

Hunted by the Sky (Hunted by the Sky, #1)

Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena

I'll Be the One

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee

Lulu the One and Only

Lulu the One and Only by Lynnette Mawhinney, illustrated by Jennie Poh

Nana Akua Goes to School

Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker, illustrated by April Harrison

The Shared Room

The Shared Room by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Xee Reiter

A Song Below Water

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, #1)

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

The Way to Rio Luna

The Way to Rio Luna by Zoraida Cordova

You Should See Me in a Crown

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Hello, Neighbor! The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers by Matthew Cordell

| Tasha

Hello, Neighbor The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers by Matthew Cordell

Hello, Neighbor! The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers by Matthew Cordell (9780823446186)

Journey into the gentle world of Fred Rogers and the neighborhood and community he created on his iconic television show for children. Children are immediately shown the sets for the TV show and then carried back to Fred’s childhood playing the piano and making puppets. When he first saw television, Fred realized that an opportunity was being wasted and that this new media could be a tool for education. He began to work in television as well as studying about children and their needs. His television show launched in 1968 and quickly became embraced by children and families. His show broke many barriers, speaking to children with respect, broaching difficult subjects, and offering real diversity and inclusion in his neighborhood.

There are several picture book about Mister Rogers out this year, but this is the only authorized one. It is also the only one created by Caldecott Medalist Cordell who beautifully captures the spirit of Mister Rogers on the page. From his way of looking directly into the camera and right to the child in the room to his songs, his puppets and much more. Just as with Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Cordell’s entire book has a gentle nature to it, offering a place to find safety and acceptance.

Given his skill as an illustrator, it should be no surprise that Cordell’s illustrations are well done. Here they invite readers behind the scenes of creating a TV show. They also capture the lyrics of songs sung on every episode by Mister Rogers. Glimpses of important shows are offered throughout, something that will offer a little thrill to fans of the series.

Gentle, lovely and pure Mister Rogers. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Neal Porter Books.

Kids’ Indie Next List Summer 2020

| Tasha

IndieBound has announced their Indie Next List that is focused on children’s books coming out this summer. The recommendations come from independent booksellers across the country.  They include specific lists for ages four through teen. Here is their Top Ten list for the summer:

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye

The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune

Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Heather Fox

Private Lessons by Cynthia Salaysay

Soaked! by Abi Cushman

Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley

The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke

Girl, Unframed by Deb Caletti

| Tasha

Girl, Unframed by Deb Caletti

Girl, Unframed by Deb Caletti (9781534426979)

Sydney is the daughter of the famous Lila Shore, an actress who did an iconic sex scene. Sydney lives most of the year in Seattle attending a private school, living in a dorm, and visiting her grandmother. But over the summer, Sydney heads to San Francisco to spend months with her mother, who never seems to actually have time to spend with Sydney. Lila lives in Jake’s house, dating him and staying for free. It’s a house near the beach with cliff views, a house that is often fogged in, a house full of secrets and violence. Jake pays a lot of attention to Sydney, as does a construction worker at a neighboring house. Sydney is creeped out by the sudden attention to what she is wearing, how she looks and innuendos about what she does. However, she doesn’t mind the attention from Nicco, a sweet boy she meets on the beach, who captures lines and moments from each day in his journal. As the summer goes on though, the tension grows towards a foreshadowed tragedy that is almost inevitable.

In this slow burn of of thriller mystery, Caletti focuses on how unwanted male attention impacts teen girls, both in the way they act but even more importantly on the way they view themselves. With an even brighter light than our general society, Caletti uses the intensity of fame to capture society’s objectification of women and finding value in the physical rather than the internal.

The book works on several levels with the thriller being steadily foreshadowed by the court documents listed at the beginning of each chapter. The mystery of what happened, the steadily build of tension, and the intensity of the revealing scene. It also works as a deep work of feminist literature, insisting that the reader notice what is going on, notice the impact that male attention has, and notice that something must be done to change this.

An intense feminist novel for teens that insists on being noticed. Appropriate for ages 15-18.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Simon Pulse.

Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker

| Tasha

Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker

Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker, illustrated by April Harrison (9780525581130)

When Zura’s teacher announces that next Monday is Grandparent’s Day, Zura isn’t as enthusiastic as her classmates about her grandmother visiting the class. Her grandmother, Nana Akua, is one of her favorite people on earth, but Zura was worried that the other children and families might laugh or be mean. Her grandmother looks different than most people in the United States. She has marks on her face representing her tribal family as well as beauty and confidence. When Zura admits to being worried for her grandmother, the two work together on a plan which involves bringing Zura’s quilt with its Adinkra symbols from Ghana. Monday arrives quickly and several other grandparents do their presentations. Zura introduces her grandmother who explains the marks on her face and the important tradition they represent. Then it’s the class’ turn to do their own marks in removable makeup.

Walker explains in her author’s note how she learned about the Adinkra symbols and the tradition of facial marks in Ghana. She uses these elements to tell the universal story of children of color whose parents or grandparents immigrated from another country and whose culture carries through in stories and traditions to the present day. Walker shows how such visible differences can cause pain and worries but also how they serve as a bridge to a deeper understanding as long as we take the time to listen and learn.

Harrison’s art is beautiful. She fills Zura’s classroom with children from a variety of races and cultures. She uses patterns and colors, almost creating the effect of stained glass on the page. The faces of her characters shine, sometimes looking right at the reader, as Nana Akua does when explaining her marks.

A celebration of diversity that show how openness to being different creates community. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Schwartz & Wade.

News to Wake Your Brain Cells – June 19

| Tasha

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

8 books to teach kids about racism and social justice – Simplemost

10 diverse children’s books to teach kids about racism and representation – ABC News

13 LGBTQ books for young kids – Insider

Anti-racist books for children and teenagers’ bookshelves – Marie Claire

JK Rowling: from magic to the heart of a Twitter storm – The Guardian

The numbers are in – 2019 CCBC Diversity Statistics – CCBC

Why are LGBTQ+ children’s books still being censored? – The Boar

LIBRARIES

How libraries are supporting the Black Lives Matter movement – NPR

Libraries are dealing with new demand for books and services during the pandemic – NPR

Libraries are needed more than ever. But many aren’t sure how to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic – USA Today

YA LIT

12 brilliant YA books by black authors to add to your to-be-read pile – Her

All the ways the Artemis Fowl Movie departs from the original YA series – Slate

Artemis Fowl is a master class in how to botch a YA fantasy adaptation – The Ringer

Best YA books to read about race and Black Lives Matter – Seventeen

‘I want teens to recognize their own power’: Questions for Liara Tamani – NPR

June 2020 book releases: YA – The Nerd Daily

2020 CILIP Medal Winners

| Tasha

The winners of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced. These are the UK’s oldest book awards for literature for young people. Visit the award website to learn more about the winners and read their statements.

CARNEGIE MEDAL

Lark

Lark by Anthony McGowan

 

KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL (for illustration)

Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan

In My Garden by Charlotte Zolotow

| Tasha

In My Garden by Charlotte Zolotow

In My Garden by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Philip Stead (9780823443208)

Explore the seasons in a personal and close up way with master storyteller Zolotow. Originally published in 1960, the story has been updated with new illustrations from award-winner Stead. Each season starts with one thing that the narrator loves best about their garden during that time. But then they also include a bunch of other lovely things about their garden that season. In spring, the favorite is birds building nests. In summer it is roses. In fall it is chrysanthemums. In winter it is snow. But there is so much else to love too, mostly centered around a lovely pear tree in the garden too.

Zolotow’s writing is lovely, exploring the seasons in a round-about way through gardening and time spent outside. The book meanders with a sense of curiosity about what might also be lovely about the garden in each season. The exploratory nature of the text invites conversations with children about their own loves in each season.

Stead’s illustrations are dreamy and lovely. The colors are bright but also flow together creating a world to experience, remember and adore. His process creates an organic feel with fine lines that offer details but are also filled with blurs of color and cloud shapes.

A lovely new edition of a beauty of a book. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Neal Porter Books.