2019 Walter Awards

| Tasha

We Need Diverse Books have announced the winners of the 2019 Walter Awards that honor and celebrate diverse books written by diverse authors. The awards are named in honor of Walter Dean Myers. There are two age categories:

WALTER AWARD WINNER – TEEN

The Poet X

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

 

WALTER HONOR BOOKS – TEEN

Monday's Not Coming The Astonishing Color of After

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

 

WALTER AWARD WINNER – YOUNGER READERS

Ghost Boys

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

 

WALTER HONOR BOOKS – YOUNGER READERS

They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid's Poems The Night Diary

They Call Me Guero: A Border Kid’s Poems by David Bowles

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

 

 

 

Review: Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams

| Tasha

genesis begins again by alicia d. williams

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams (9781481465809)

Genesis keeps a list of things that she hates about herself. Some of it is the color of her skin and the way that others tease her about how dark she is, unlike her light-skinned mother with good hair. Some of it is about the way that their family keeps getting kicked out of the houses they live in because they don’t pay the rent. Some of it is the way her father speaks about her when he is drunk. Some of it is based on her grandmother’s hurtful comments about Genesis. So after being kicked out of yet another house, Genesis’ family moves to a more affluent neighborhood outside of Detroit. Genesis discovers that she likes her new school and even finds herself making real friends for the first time. The house is the nicest they have ever lived in too. But other things aren’t any better. Her father keeps on drinking. Genesis is still as dark-skinned as ever, but she has plans to try to lighten her skin, thinking that will make her entire life better. As Genesis discovers her own talents, she must learn that learning to accept herself is a large piece of moving forward in life.

In this debut novel, Williams writes with a strong voice, taking on difficult topics including verbal abuse, racism, skin tone, alcoholism and co-dependency in an unflinching way. Williams reveals the deep pain and lasting scars that cruel words and verbal abuse can have on a young person, particularly when it is about a physical characteristic that is beyond their control. With Genesis’ parents caught in a marriage filled with anger and substance abuse, Williams offers other adult figures and also young peers who model a way forward for Genesis.

Genesis’ growth is organic and well paced. She learns things steadily but has set backs that end up with her damaging herself. She is a complicated character who looks at life through a specific lens due to her upbringing. She is constantly judging others before they can judge her, placing distance where there could be connections, and making poor decisions when offered compliments. Still, she is a good friend, someone willing to look beyond the surface and see what others can’t. But only when she allows herself to do that. Her complexity is what makes this book really shine.

Strong and vibrant, this book takes on the subject of skin tone in the African-American community as well as other heavy topics. Appropriate for ages 11-13.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Atheneum.

Review: Rain by Anders Holmer

| Tasha

Rain by Anders Holmer

Rain by Anders Holmer (9780802855077)

Haiku tells the story of different types of rain in this poetry picture book. The haiku are all about nature, some about rain directly and others about other things like falling newspapers or cascading petals. The poems form a series of vignettes that show different parts of the world and various environments from the arctic to the Himalayas to the desert. They are bound together with the rhythms of the poems and the journey together to explore rain and our world.

The haiku poems range from solemn to merry, some carrying serious weight and others lighter. They mirror the weather, some with lightning and dark clouds while others fill with pink petals and friendship. The illustrations themselves are large and have the feel of traditional tales mixed with a modern edge. They show different parts of the world and take readers on a fascinating journey as rain descends on each page and yet each type of rain is different from the others.

A skilled book of haiku that explores our wide world and the nature we find there. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from library copy.

This Week’s Tweets & Pins

| Tasha

Here are some of the cool items I shared on Twitter and Pinterest this week:

Black cat sitting on a book

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Disney contracts with Windsor company to produce activity books for the blind | CBC News

Sourcebooks Launches Three Children’s Imprints

The Stories My Students Need to Hear – https://t.co/Gm1SsoLmSS

What To Look For In Data About Diversity In Publishing? – Reading While White

LIBRARIES

Ebooks seem like ‘Netflix for libraries,’ but they’re a drain on budgets

Kansas library asked to move transgender children books

YA LIT

Early 2019 YA Nonfiction Books To Put On Your TBR

Eric Heisserer to Adapt Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse Books as Shadow and Bone TV Series

PW’s Q & A with Roshani Chokshi

Review: Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham

| Tasha

Not My Idea A Book about Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham

Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham (9781948340007)

This picture book takes on the subject of white privilege in a way that makes the subject accessible to children. The book tells the story of a white child seeing news about a police shooting on the television while their mother tries to distract them and tells them that they are safe. But that is not what the child is concerned with, they want to know why they are treated differently in stores than black children and how this happened. The book grapples with what white children and adults can do to combat racism and get involved in social justice. It pushes children to speak out, even to their own family who are expressing racist ideas. It talks about the concept of “not seeing race” and then clearly explains why that is not true.

Higginbotham writes books about difficult subjects for children. She has taken on divorce, sex and death in the past. Still, this new one may be the most fraught subject yet. The way that she tackles the subject clearly puts the onus on white people to figure this all out, since it is a problem that they are responsible for. The book has just enough history to clarify that this is a long-standing problem and is systemic. Yet it is not willing to rest there, calling for action, clarity around the subject and a responsibility to step up.

The book is hand made and the illustrations and design of the overall book embrace that. The text is hand-lettered on brown paper, creating a book that is approachable and immensely personal. The illustrations, like the text, demonstrate the racism in our society and beautifully never put people of color in the position of having to teach or correct white people in the book. That is the job of white people, including children.

A strong primer on being white in America, examining our privilege and getting involved in tackling racism in our communities. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from library copy.

2018 Best Picture Books!

| Tasha

What a year for picture books! This is always the hardest list for me to select for because I have so many favorites. I managed to keep it to my top 30 this year:

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin Blue by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin (9780316404488)

This is a beautiful tribute to the phases of the moon that tells the story in an original and modern way. – My Review

Blue by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (9781626720664)

The images are grand, beautiful and full of depth. They invite readers into this world of blue. – My Review

The Day War Came by Nicola Davies The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

The Day War Came by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Rebecca Cobb (9781536201734)

There are very few picture books that can make me truly weep. This was one of those. – My Review

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael Lopez (9780399246531)

A marvelous pick to speak about diversity and acceptance with children. – My Review

Drawn Together by Minh Le Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Drawn Together by Minh Le, illustrated by Dan Santat (9781484767603)

This is pure storytelling in art form and is exceptionally done. – My Review

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (9780823440559)

A dazzling and incredible picture book that is sure to win awards this year. – My Review

35297103 First Laugh - Welcome, Baby! By Rose Ann Tahe

The Field by Baptiste Paul, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara (9780735843127)

The entire book is filled with energy and action as the children take the initiative to create a field and play together. – My Review

First Laugh – Welcome, Baby! By Rose Ann Tahe and Nancy Bo Flood, illustrated by Jonathan Nelson (9781580897945)

A warm look at the Navajo First Laugh Ceremony and a great depiction of a modern Native American family. – My Review

The Funeral by Matt James Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel

The Funeral by Matt James (9781554989089)

James captures going to a funeral as a small child with a poignancy and beauty. Anyone who attended a funeral as a child will see their own memories come to life. – My Review

Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel (9781452150147)

Inviting, fresh and friendly, this picture book is exceptional thanks to its art. – My Review

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall (9780316362382)

This is a quiet yet dramatic book, exquisitely written and illustrated. – My Review

A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Lane Smith (9781626723146)

Seriously one of the best picture books of the year. This is treat by two master artists must be shared with children! – My Review

I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoeet Imagine by Raul Colon

I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoeet (9781524769567)

This picture book takes the large issue of bullying and gives children a way to not only talk about the issue but to do something about it. – My Review

Imagine by Raul Colon (9781481462730)

An exceptional wordless picture book, this one is a must-have for libraries. – My Review

Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love The Little Barbarian by Renato Moriconi

Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (9780763690458)

This one belongs in every library, it is sublimely diverse and accepting. – My Review

The Little Barbarian by Renato Moriconi (9780802855091)

A delight of a wordless read, this is one that children with their own toy swords will love. – My Review

Love by Matt de la Pena Marwan_s Journey by Patricia de Arias

Love by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Loren Long (9781524740917)

Readers are guaranteed to fall for Love. – My Review

Marwan’s Journey by Patricia de Arias, illustrated by Laura Borras (9789888341559)

An important book that beautifully captures the dangers and loss of a refugee child. – My Review

Mommy_s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins- Bigelow On the Other Side of the Garden by Jairo Buitrago

Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins- Bigelow, illustrated by Ebony Glenn (9781534400597)

This lovely picture book beautifully ties a child’s playful imagination to wearing a hijab or khimar. – My Review

On the Other Side of the Garden by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yonkteng (9781554989836)

It is a journey of opening up, of finding new friends who warm you when the wind blows and who surprise and delight you. – My Review

The Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

The Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke, illustrated by Van Thanh Rudd (9781536200317)

This use of recycled material to tell the story of a scrap bike, sets just the right tone. And on that cardboard is a story of celebration and childhood. – My Review

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld (9780735229358)

An intelligent look at big emotions and how best to deal with them and support one another, this picture book is exceptional.  – My Review

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies The Stuff of Stars by Marion Dane Bauer

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies (9780062671271)

One of the top picture books of the year, this is a dead dog picture book worth reading. – My Review

The Stuff of Stars by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Ekua Holmes (9780763678838)

Her poem soars through the primordial darkness, journeys directly into the Big Bang, floats beside emerging planets, visits Earth, and welcomes children to life. – My Review

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora Groundwood Logos Spine

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora (9780316431248)

A top read-aloud of the year, this picture book should be shared just like red stew. – My Review

They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki (9781419728518)

This is one of those books that you can read over and over again, different words and illustrations touching you each time. – My Review

Up the Mountain Path by Marianne Dubuc The Visitor by Antje Damm

Up the Mountain Path by Marianne Dubuc (9781616897239)

This gentle picture book has such depth to it. – My Review

The Visitor by Antje Damm (9781776571888)

Great illustrations lift a book about empathy and community. – My Review

We Are Grateful Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell Zola's Elephant by Randall de Seve

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frane Lessac(9781632896339)

A wonderful modern look at Cherokee traditions and our universal gratitude for community and family. – My Review

Zola’s Elephant by Randall de Seve, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski (9781328886293)

Beautiful and rich, this picture book is unique and imaginative.

Review: Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden

| Tasha

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden (9781681198071)

Set in the 1880s, this novel explores the world if Essie, a young African-American woman who grew up with a neglectful mother and was rescued from poverty and prostitution by a kindly cleaning woman. Determined to keep learning even though she left school at an early age, Essie continued to read everything she could get her hands on. While working at a boarding house, Essie meets Dorcas Vashon, a wealthy African-American woman who sees potential in Essie and offers her a way to transform her life. Taught etiquette and new manners by Dorcas over several grueling months, Essie becomes Victoria and takes on the persona of Dorcas’ niece. As Victoria enters the social elite in Washington, D.C. she must hold to the lie that she is living until she can’t manage it any longer.

Bolden captures a period in American history that is rarely seen in books, much less teen novels. It is the period after Restoration gave African-Americans new rights but before the Jim Crow laws came stripped them away. It is a dazzling time to be a member of society and Bolden gives us details about the books, the manners and the dresses that make up that world. The setting of Washington, D. C. society is beautifully depicted as well.

Essie/Victoria makes for a wonderful set of eyes to view this world through. While she is taken with her new lifestyle and the opportunities it brings, Essie wrestles with the lies she must tell to keep it that way. Her strength of character is particularly evident when she is pressed such as learning etiquette and at the end of the book when she must make a moral decision. It is then that Essie fully steps into her own.

A fascinating look at a neglected piece of American history. Appropriate for ages 12-16.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Bloomsbury.

2018 Best Teen Books!

| Tasha

This was a great year for books for teens, particularly those written by diverse authors about diverse characters. Here are the 20 books that I loved the most:

The Belles (The Belles #1) Blood Water Paint

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton (9781484728499)

A mesmerizing first novel from an incredible new talent. – My Review

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough (9780735232112)

A necessary and vital call to action, this book shows that women have stood up all the way through history and their voices will not be ignored. – My Review

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1) Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (9781250170972)

What an amazing read this is! It is a world that no one has seen before, a world anchored by Black Lives Matter that will echo for fans of Black Panther. – My Review

Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (9780525552963)

Come fall in love with Darius and Iran at the same time in this amazing debut novel. – My Review

Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1) Emergency Contact

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (9780062570604)

A wild and bloody book with a fierce protagonist who sears the page. – My Review

Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi (9781534408968)

Beautifully written, awkward in the best way and entirely empowering and accepting, this novel is a warm hug for readers struggling with anxiety.  – My Review

Fresh Ink: An Anthology Girl Made of Stars

Fresh Ink edited by Lamar Giles (9781524766283)

Strong writing, great stories and a call to action will make this collection a popular one. – My Review

Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake (9781328778239)

Fierce and angry, this novel about sexual assault and the power of survivors. – My Review

The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1) The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings, #2)

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (9781250147905)

A great read, this blend of fairy tale and horror is completely intoxicating. – My Review

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee (9780062795328)

Lee has a wonderful wit and humor in her writing. She tells this new tale with the same dance of sarcasm, historical detail and charm as her first book. – My Review

Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein The Place Between Breaths

Mary’s Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge (9781626725003)

This verse novel is pure wonderment. – My Review

The Place Between Breaths by An Na (9781481422253)

Masterfully written, this is a harrowing depiction of mental illness in a family. – My Review

The Poet X Rabbit & Robot

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (9780062662804)

One of the best verse novels I have ever read, this one deserves a standing ovation.  – My Review

Rabbit & Robot by Andrew Smith (9781534422209)

A deep book hidden in farts, horniness and space, this is one incredible teen novel. – My Review

Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angeles)

Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton (9780525580966)

Each of Dayton’s stories is an ethical question wrapped in a taut and fascinating plot in a shared world. – My Review

The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding (9781510727663)

A joy of an LGBT read that will give you all the feels. – My Review

Summer of Salt A Thousand Beginnings and Endings

Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno (9780062493644)

This is one of those books that you fall for hard. It sweeps in with poetic language that invites readers to explore the island of By-the-Sea, breathe in the magic, taste beautifully-named ice cream flavors and linger in the autumnal graveyard for awhile. – My Review

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman (9780062671158)

No matter whether they are fantasy or contemporary fiction, these stories are each tantalizing and rich. – My Review

A Very Large Expanse of Sea What If It's Us

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi (9780062866561)

A fierce heroine faces racism alongside romance in this gripping novel for teens. – My Review

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera (9780062795250)

A humorous, honest and heartfelt novel that offers a gorgeous look at the ups and downs of relationships through the eyes of a gay couple.  – My Review

Review: The Epic Adventures of Huggie & Stick by Drew Daywalt

| Tasha

The Epic Adventures of Huggie & Stick by Drew Daywalt

The Epic Adventures of Huggie & Stick by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by David Spencer (9780399172762)

The adventures of Huggie and Stick are told in diary format from each character’s point of view. Stick is an eternal optimist, always seeing the best in every situation. Huggie, on the other hand, is a delight of a pessimist and is regularly complaining and seeing all of the problems surrounding them. As the two friends make their way around the world and visit each continent, readers will delight in the humor on the page and enjoy the way the two points of view show the same voyage from very differing points of view.

Daywalt has a way with humor, creating wonderful timing on each page. He knows when to use plenty of text and other times to let the humor just sit for a moment on the page. The juxtaposition of the two characters is written with flair. Readers may at first be drawn to Stick the optimist but by the end I was entirely in Huggie’s camp as he bore the brunt of the journey. The humor is all the better for the illustrations which show Huggie steadily falling apart on their journey and the ramshackle ways that Stick helps patch him back together.

A journey definitely worth taking, this one would be great to share aloud with elementary-age children. Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from library copy.