Summer 2024 had me reading a range of fiction and nonfiction, new and old, short and long books, funny and sad,  some more engaging than others. 

 

AGE IS A FEELING by Haley McGee (script)

This play was performed in London (2022), at the Edinburgh Fring Festival (2022) as well as for a run in London (2022.23). Haley Mcgee perfomredt the play to Toronto at the Soulpepper Theatre in the spring of 2024. It was a knockout performance of a beautifully written monologue in which the actress skips through the decades telling stories of life and death, ambition, dreams, chance and ageing. “Inspired by interviews with hospice workers, conversations with mystics and trips to the cemetary, Age is a Feeling is a gripping story that wrestles with the glorious and melancholy uncertainties of humna life. A covert rallying cry against cynicism and regret, it’s an uplifitni exploration of chance, morality and living with verve.” (back cover). One of the conceits of the show is that cards are randomly picked by an audience member, each card displaying a noun (e..g., oyster, hospital, eggs, teeh, plane, diner) . When picked, that story gets incorporated into the performance. The written script contains all the stories. Presented in the second person, Age is a Feeling touches the heart and encourages you to think about your own life journey, your personal narratives, during and after experiencing the text, in the theatre or on the page.

Excerpt (p.11)

You want to slow time down

Log every memory

Heed every lesson

Know everything

But you can’t

You don’t get to know everything

And no one gets to know everything about you, not even yourself

 

THE BEE STING by Paul Murray

This book has been staring at me from my bookshelf for the past several months and I was determined to get to it because of some terrific reviews I read and the fact that it was shortlisted for the Booker Prize (2023) and especially because it’s by an Irish author. If truth be told, I’m sort of intimidate by books over 500 pages but I spent the month of August with tbis 643 novel and even though I read it rather slowly, I didn’t give up. The story is set in Ireland in 2008 and covers the woes of the troubled Barnes family. Dickie, the father’s business is going under and he  spends time in the wods building an apocalyse-proof bunker. His beautiful wife is getting fed up with the marriage and is tempted to have an affair with a cattle farmer named Big Mike. The daughter Cass, once top of the class is floundering and ends up binge-drinking before heading off to university life in Dublin. 12 year-old PJ has  plans to run away from home. Murray loops past and present time together in this sprawling novel divided into first section. The first focuses on Cass and her devout friendship with Elaine. The second section is devoted to Imelda’s life and is  written without periods or commas  representing a stream of consciousness telling of Imelda’s life. The next section deals mostly with Dickie, failing businessman, cheating husband and gay adventures. The Age of Loneliness section shines a light on each of the main characters in the present time in second person narrative. The novel wraps up in episodic adventures where the characters meet up on a dark and stormy night.  I didn’t find this story of family, trauma, sexuality, climate change, sexual awakening, regrets and dreams to be as outstanding as others have felt but I don’t regret spending August 2034 with the Barnes family as their journey was quite intriguing and somewhat comedic.  The Guardian review (May 23, 2023) claims, “You won’t read a sadder, truer, funnier novel this year.” I’m not sure I agree. 

 

BLACKOUTS by Justin Torres

This book had much intrigue for me: Knockout reviews (“a historic feat of literature”, “uniquivically brilliant, bold and structurally inventive:, “erotic and beguiling” , “enigmatic and spine-tingling.”, Winner of the  2023 National Book Prize for Fiction,  a hybrid of fiction and nonfiction, a story about a senior gay character (Juan Gay) and a younger character (Nene), to children’s book illustration and a multi-modal formats (Blackout poems, fascinating photographs, scientific research) but alas, I didn’t enjoy Blackouts.  Juan \ wants to pass on a project to Neme to restore and preserve the groundbreaking book Sex Variants: A Study of Homosexual Patterns. As the two characters have conversations in a place called the Palace (an institution of sorts), narratives of past joys, loves, parents, and sex are filtered throughout. I like my storytelling a bit more clearer than what is presnted here and found myself plodding along, despite the unique, well-researched creative writing. Despite the accolades, this was not a great summer read for me. I skipped pages. I stopped 2/3 of the way through. I may however, read We The Animals, Justin Torres’s first book which is apparently sensational I hope so. (It’s only 125 pages).

 

BLESSINGS by Chukwuebuka Ibeh

From the very opening of this novel, I cared about the character of Obiefuna who his learning to deal with his gay sexual awakenings . The story is set in Nigeria and teh sensitive Obiefuna is considered the black sheep of his family. When his father witnesses an intimate episode between his son and another boy, he sends him off to boarding school. A large chunk of the narrative unfolds in the school with a strict hierarchy exists amongst the students and Obiefuna tries to keep his secrets hidden at the same time as exploring other episodes of intimacy intimacy found amongst his peers. For much of the book, storytelling alternates between Obiefuna’s life and his mother, Uzoamaka, a devoted mother who must contend with the harsh views of her husband. The final section of the novel unpacks the political climate of Nigeria that is on the verge of criminalizing same-sex relationships. Obeifuna’s identity becomes more dangerous, especially since he has found a loving partnership with an older man. The writing is unfussy and elegantly relates the heart and mind of a young adult Nigerian boy, who is determined to be live in a place and time that prevents him from being true to himself. I really really enjoyed reading Ibeh’s beautiful debut novel.  

 

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON by F. Scott Fitzgerald (short story, 1922)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a  curiouser and curiouser  tale of a man who ages in reverse from his birth in 1860  at 70 years old until his reaching infancy. The narrative skips over the the character’s  life highlighting significant event over seven decades as Button grows  grows younger and younger. Episodes include: his birth as an old man who is already capable of speech, taking over the Roger Button & Co. Wholesale Hardware, enrolment in Yale College, a fading marriage, the birth of his son, enlisting in the Spanish American war, becoming a football hero, and enjoying life in kindergarten until he ends up spending time as a baby in crib. Believe or not, Fitzgerald makes the impossible seem possible. How will those in Benjamin’s life treat who are aging themselves treat Benjamin as he grows younger and younger? How will Benjamin physically, mentality and emotionally adjust to the different stages of a life lived backwards? This short story was first published in Collier’s Magazine, May 27, 1922,    The story was also released as a movie in 2008 starring Brad Pitt and received 13 Oscar nomations.  It has also been transformed into a musical in London England which I look forward to seeing in 2025 (that’s why I chose to read this story at this time). At approximately 40 pages, the story is quite short, especially since, in the stand-alone published version I read,  there are large white spaces in between paragraphs. It was subsequently anthologized in Fitzgerald’s Tales of the Jazz Age (which I look forward to reading). 

 

DAYS AT THE MORISAKI BOOKSHOP by Satoshi Yagiswa 2010; translated from the Japanese by Eric Ozawa (2023)

I, of course, would be drawn to reading stories set in bookstores. This is a charming story about a twenty-five year old girl who comes to live with her Uncle Satoro who has been running the Morisaki Bookshop which has been in the family for generations. Jilted by a lover, Takako reluctantly ends up living rent free-room above the shop and is slowly drawn into the world of books. She is drawn, too, into the humble world of her eccentric uncle who’s wife, Momoko, left him five years earlier.  This is a charming story of trust, secrets, infatuation and the importance of reading books that can inform – and change – our lives. Sequel: More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (2024). 

 

EMPOWER YOUR VIBE: Igniting Your Passion, Purpose, and Brand to Unleash Your Unstoppable Best Self by Marnie and Rena Schwartz (nonfiction)

Marnie and Rena Schwartz are two dynamo business women who have, since 2002 run a non-competitive dance school.  Marnie and Rena are twin sisters and their wisdom and passion feed off each other. They are creative. They are talented. They are smart. With their recent release, Empower Your Vibe, the Schwartz twins share their knowledge and expertise with operating a business with the goal of teaching others how to turn dreams into reality. The book is divided into three sections I. Growing Your Brand 2. Building Your Business Brand and 3. Expanding Your Brand and this organization helps readers to consider how to develop and add power to those who enbark in the business world. Such chapter headings as ‘Dancing Through Life’; ‘Creating our own VIBE’, ‘Clarifying Your Philosophy[ ‘Inventing and Marketing – Building a Brand for Your Product’ give evidence of Marnie and Rena’s journey while at the same time offers insights into the components of ‘unleasing your unstoppable best self’.  A useful feature that appears throughout under the heading “Questions to Ask Yourself” inspire reflection.  The opportunity to download the ‘ Empower Your Vibe Journal’ is a a bonus feature. Bravo to Marnie and Rena for sharing their world and their work to help others. Helping others is what these two women live for.  Each page of this book comes from authentic, biographical experience. Bravo!

 

WE THE ANIMALS by Justin Torres (2011)

“We The Animals is. a stunning exploration of the viscerally charged landscape of growing up, how deeply we are formed by our earliest bonds, and how we are ultimately propelled at escape velocity towards our futures.”(book jacket blurb).

The critical success of Blackouts (which I wasn’t enamoured with / See above), led me to read the first book by Justin Torres, a novella at 125 pages which received much praise when it was released 13 years ago.  The setting is the 1980’s; in rural upstate New York. The book is presented as a series of chapters each with a short story feeling. with each vignette, the protagonist  recounts the trials and tribulations of three troublesome brothers,   living in a house while their mother (white) sleeps off her graveyard shift and their abusive father (Puerto Rican) is presented as  a model of masculine toxicity. This is a semi-autobiographical tale of brotherhood, childhood, and growing into an identity that we can accept and believe in. The protagonist says of his brothers: They’d bleed for me… They smelled my difference (being gay).  I was fascinated with most of the brothers’ stories, however wild they often seemed. 

 

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? by Alice Munro (short stories) /1978

No need for me to sing the praises of Alice Munro.  Upon her death, I decided to reacquaint myself with some of her work and purchased Who Do You Think You Are? a collection of stories centred on Rose and her stepmother Flo. Rose is determined to escape the poor small town life of Hanratty and we learn about her university life, her crumbling marriage, her divorce, her affair and her life as an actress.  Each story is carefully painted with details of atmosphere, character, conversations and  inner thoughts. No doubt that Munro was masterful at making the ordinary seem extraordinary as she exposes the circumstances and heart of her characters. With the recent exposure of her stepdaughter’s story of sexual abuse that was kept hidden, the opening story, “Royal Beginnings”, the story of ‘royal beatings’ by a physically abusive father is particularly chilling. While reading this book over a weekend, I found myself looking at my day to day events and encounters with others with a microscopic, reflective lens much like the award winning-author did in her writing. Alice Munro makes us wander and wonder  wander. Such is the power of her writing, and I will delve into other titles over the next few months. 

 

SHOUT OUT

EARTH by John Boyne

John Boyne, a favourite author, will always get a shout out from me. Most recently publications include a quartet of short novels. Water is the first in “The Elements” series and Earth, released in the spring of 2024, is the second. Although we first met Evan Keogh with his departure from small Island Irish home in the first book Earth can be considered a stand-alone title. It is the powerful story or a rape trial centred on two talented footballers.  Evan, an extremely handsome gay man who was a witness to a sexual encounter from his talented egoistical teammate, Robbie. The truth of what happened could threaten Evan and Robbie’s careers. Alternating chapters deal with the unfolding of the trial as well as stories of Evan’s own gay experiences, his family relationship and his sorrow of never fulfilling his dream or being an artist or worth and sorrow of never finding true love. This was a book I didn’t want to put down, as I judged and questioned – and was fascinated by  -Evan’s life choices and circumstances. Of course, I can’t wait for the next title, Fire to be released later in the year. 

These 2023/2024 titles are a mix of fun and factual books that are sure to entertain and inform.  

 

BIG BAD WOLF INVESTIGATES: FAIRY TALES by Catherine Cawthorne; illus. Sara Ogilvie

I really love the premise of this very clever fiction/nonfiction picture book. A synopsis of familiar fairy tales are each summarized in a two -page spread presented in graphic format. Following each story, the character of Big Bad Wolf raises questions to test the validity of familiar story events.  For example; Can wolves huff and puff? Which animal is actually more likely to come over and blow your house down? Would a strow house really blow down that easily? Do pigs really have hairs on their chinny chin chins? (Pigs don’t even have chins. In fact, humans are the only animals with chins AND scientists doen’t even really know why they have them?) That is one very clever logical, scientific wolf!  This is a terrific, amusing – and informative  – picture book testing the facts of familiar  narratives. Could you really wear a pair of glass slippers? Wouldn’t a gingerbread house in a forest go all soggy and fall down in the rain? Could the Big Bad Wolf swallow Granny in one gulp? Could a plant really grow as high as the clouds?

 

BOOZHOO! HELLO! by Mangeshig,Pawis-Steckley, translated by Mary Ann Corbiere

With simple vocabulary, and a repetitive question and answer sentence structure Boozhoo! Hello! is a celebration of a number of woodland and water animals going about their daily activities (fox, otter, minnows, a big frog, a bear,).  This picture book is written in both Anishinaabemowin and English accompanied by vibrant, colourful full-page illustrations. For it’s   depiction of animal relatives, for the beautiful artwork that accompanies accessible text that involve the reader, Boozhoo! Hello!  is a beautiful beautiful picture book to share with young readers.

three chickadees singing.

Hello chickadees! What do you see? 

We see…

a fox digging.

Hello, fox! What do you hear?

I hear…

 

DUCK GOES MEOW by Julette MacIver Illus. Carla Martell (2023/2024 (US)

This is book is filled a brightly coloured pages noisy speech bubbles and an engaging rhyming pattern. The ‘story’ revolves correct animal sound for each animla unitl they meet a duckling that says MEOW! A joyful,  interactive,  read-it again picture book! Fun! Fun! Fun! Winner of the 2003 New Zealand Picture Book Award.

WOOF! says Dog.

MOO! says Cow.

CLUCK says Hen,

And Duck goes… MEOW!

 

GETTING US TO GRANDMA’S by Nadia L. Hohn; illus. TeMika Grooms

On the cover page, we encounter a happy father and daughter who are embarking on a road trip. We learn that Nikki’s Jamaican is travelling from Toronoto to the Bronx to attend Uncle Travis’s wedding. Thc journey is a joy for Nikki  (and the reader) as she traces the routes to relatives’ houses with dreams of England, Jamaica and Africa skip through her into her mind. When her father makes a wrong turn, Nikki is determined to help her father aput the family on the right path to good times. This is a wonderful story of black heritage, family and road maps (before Google). There is much to learn from –  and much for readers to connect with –  in this loving family adventure.

 

MOMMA’S GOING TO MARCH by Jennifer Murano; illus. Vivian Rosas

  Tbis is a picture book about peaceful protests, about activism, about marching. Readers accompany each of the Mommas and daughters as they wave posters and banners for just causes. Decades pass as we encounter historical marches: the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom; the 1978 March for Equal Rights Amendment: the 2003 Anti-War Protest, the 2017 Great Lakes Walk and the Global Climate Strike in 2019. An    Author’s Note provides a brief overview of each of these historical events. Vivian Rosas’ colourful art work add aq sense of dynamism and action for each of the marches.  Momma’s Going to March is a special introduction to activism and might encourage young readers to learn about these protests and think about what action they might take to show the world what they believe in.    Hooray for Jennifer Murano!Hooray for Vivan Rosas! Hooray for marching Mommas1       

 

THE SUN NEVER HURRIES by Roxane Turcotte; illus Lucie Crovatto

Charlie’s grandfather, Papa Jo, has an hourglass to remind himself that every moment in life is precious, Papa Jo takes his granddaughter on an on-foot outing where the two characters  leisurely enjoy happy moments that help Charlie understand that passing the time to notice around us, is essential to appreciating the beauty of nature. (i.e., wildflowers, an ice cream shop, a ride in a row boat, birds diving into a lake, small stones, frogs, ducklings etc.) This is a lovely picture book story that deserves the word ‘charming’ with charming warm full-page illustrations by Lucie Crovatto. 

 

WHEN NATURE CALLS by Maria Birmingham; illus. Dave Whamond

Subtitled “The Unusual Bathroom Habits of the World’s Creatures” this nonfiction title will likely appeal to young readers who are fascinated with the world of ‘poop’. Whether used as a weapon (i.e. the tortoise beetle, a hoopoe, a means of communication (a rhinoceros, lemurs), or as a provider of waste that helps the planet (i.e., parrotf.ish) this resources provides scientific research from birds, to fish,  to mammals who need to ‘go’ when nature calls.  After all, everyone poops. A very informative  book filled with facts, surprises and amusements – and lively comical illustrations. 

 

WILDLIFE OF THE ARCTIC FOR KIDS by Wayne Lynch (nonfiction)
 

Drawing on decades of Arctic experience, nature writer and wildlife photographer Wayne Lynch takes readers on a fascinating journey to the Arctic.  Remarkable close-up photographs of Bears, Wild Dogs, Weasels, Marine Mammals and Birds accompany informative text that can be read to children or read independently.  Factual information “Fast Facts” and statistics are featured throughout in separate text boxes..

 

SHOUT OUT

THE LIGHT KEEPER by Karen Levine and Shella Baslaw; illus. Alice Priestly

A ten-year old boy named Shmuel hopes to support his poor family, but no one in town will offer a job to such a young person. When the village that Shmuel  lives in installs electric lamps, the new modern-day electricity lights up the town square bringing a glow and joy to open up the world of the hard-working citizens. When a storm strikes, a lamp breaks down and Shmuel is the only one to fix it even though he is afraid of heights. With skilled dexterity, the young boy, becomes a hero and helps to light up the community. Set in the early `1900’s. The Light Keeper is based on a true story of living n Russia in a small Jewish village called a shtetl.  Karen Levine and Sheila Baslaw tell an engaging story of family and community, bravery and pride.  Alice Priestly’s warm illustrations capture the glow of a long ago time and a faraway place,  the work and play of engaging characters living though poverty, and  the joy of lively community events. The Light Keeper is a  wonderful hearwarming story to read aloud. 

 

SHOUT OUT!

ALOTTABOTZ by Lynn Johnston

published by Lynn Johnst0n Productions, Inc., North Vancouver, BC.

Celebrated cartoonist Lynn Johbston, has ventured into the world of children’s books with a delightful new picture book series entitled AlottaBotz. I received  the first three books in the series as a gift and I’d say that they are sure to be gifts for young children who delight in the world of robots.  Book One, The Botshop introduces us to a young robot named Timothy who is bored until his gramps takes him into The Botshop workshop and together they reate a robot fried tthat can fetch, bark jump and swim. In Book Two, Marvellous Things, Tim and visit the Botshop to marvel at gramps clever invention of catbots and dogbots of every design. Tim’s dog disappears in Book Three, A Dog With No Name, the dogbot is having a ball, but Tim worries that he can’t call him back because the dog has no name: spoiler; the two get united, the dog gets a name that suits him best. These 3 titles (2023)are the first in a series which readers can look forward to.  How wonderful it is to have Lynn Johnston’s drawing talents travel into the world of Kidlit. The art work is lively, vibrant and comical. The stories are told in clever narrative rhyme, fun for reading aloud. Hats off to Lynn Johnston Hats off to Timothy Bot and his grandbot. Looking forward to alotta Alottabtoz.

“That’s not what I mean,”

said his gramps with a wink.

“I have a solution – its not what you think.

We’re robots, not people.

We’re geared and we’re wired.

We can do anything – 

If we are inspired!”

 

SHOUT OUT! SHOUT OUT!

THE YELLOW BUS by Loren Long

“It’s about the purpose in life, the passage of time and teh simple human feeling we get from doing something for others.”

~Loren Long, New York Times, Sunday August 11, 2024

Loren Long, the author of the Otis picture book series, shows his genius talent in this new picture book. The Yellow Bus, a simple story that unfolds over decades is the biography of a familiar,  what may seem ordinary, part of our lives. Through many years, the bus encounters new drivers, a new route, and new passengers young and old.  Even when left alone, the yellow bus finds joy and discovery in the people and places around her. Loren Long brilliantly tells the story of this character through sublime, detailed black and white art work with pops of colour becoming a passenger on the narrative of this bus’s life. A New York Times article (Sunday August 11, 2024)  as well as the end pages to this book explain the huge project the author embarked upon by creating a three-dimensional model community that served as a model for Long to view the world of the bus from many angles.

The Yellow Bus,  a story about the passing of time and bringing joy and caring to others, stands on the shoulders of  the classic titles, The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (1942) and yes, The Giving Tree (1962) by Shel Silverstein.Expect to see a Caldecott sticker on future publications of this stellar picture book. s [picture book, too, will become a classic. It’s a masterpiece. 

There once was a bright yellow bus who spent her days driving

Every morning they climbed in…

pitter-patter, pitter-patter, giggle, giggle-patter.

The yellow bus carried them from one important place to another.

And they filled her with joy. 

Some of the titles outlined in this posting have recently been released. A batch of titles were written several years ago and although I’ve encountered some of these books when they were first published, I have, for one reason or another, revisited them. This posting also shines a light on the rich writing of Irish author Claire Keegan who’s writing I have come to greatly admire. 

 

THE CHILDREN’S BACH by Helen Garner (1984/2023)

Helen Garner is a literary institution in. Australia, and this novel, written 2o years ago, is an example of what one critic calls a ‘jewel’ in the crown of her novel writing (ie. The Spare Room, Monkey Grip, The Hous of Grief). The setting is Melbourne in the early 1980’s and tells the story of what appears to be a happily married domesticated couple, Dexter and Athena Fox. he appearance of a friend from Dexter’s past disupts the domesticated routines of the couple, luring them into a bohemian world that challenges Athena to wonder whether life holds more for her. Garner is a sharp observer of human frailty, digging into the darkness that hides inside of us. I rather enjoyed the book but alas, am not motivated to read other Helen Garner titles. 

 

THE CHOCOLATE WAR by Robert Cormier (1974) / YA+

“They tell you to do your thing but they don’t mean it. They don’t want you to do your thing, not unless it happens to be their thing, too.” (p. 248)

Trinity boys school is conducting a fund-raiser to sell chocolates and Jerry Renault is the only student who refuses to take part in this school-wide initiative, even though it means defying the challenge of a secret school society called The Vigils. The Vigils lead by the abusive, manipulating Archie is the foundation for what one character claims is “something  rotten in the school. More than rotten.. Evil.” A poster that hangs in Renault’s locker asks: Do I dare disturb the universe? and this question serves as the moral compass of Jerry’s stance. Top (opening sentence: “They murdered him'” to bottom (“Someday, Archie you’ll get yours” )  Archie is probably one of the most evil characters in literature whos behaviour is beyond bullying as he tortures others with his words and actions (as is  Brother Leon, the domineering teacher who leads the project.  This story grew from an incident  with his teenage son, Peter, who came home from school one day with boxes of chocolates to sell and announcing that he didn’t want to do.The Chocolate War is an astonishing read, albeit an absolutely chilling chilling read. Devastating! I will  be seeking out the sequel, Beyond the Chocolate War.

I know I’ve read this book many years ago, but in honour of its 50th year of publication, I decided to read this novel – one of the top ten banned books in classrooms throughout North America. In one Florida Middle school, teachers endured abusive harassment and death threats because of the stand they took.  Criticism for the book centred on the anti-authority worldview,   a gutsy violent ending, and yes, the inclusion of masturbation. “Too complicated. Too many characters. A downbeat ending, which teenagers in the 1970’s would find difficult to accept. Too violent. Not quite an adult novel, too sophisticated to be a juvenile novel. Too unbelievable.” (Introduction by Robert Cormier, 1997, edition) At that time, Corman sent a message, “I have been at a loss for words. The ironic thing is that words are my business, and thw words in my books have been the cause of so much trouble” (in the New York Times, Sunday June 2, 2024, p. 32). . Throughout his life, Robert Cormier put forth mighty efforts combatting attempts to ban The Chocolate War. Like many authors do today. 

In the edition that I read a short essay is included by author Patty Campbell, the author of the biography of Robert Cormier who she calls the ‘grand master of young adult fiction.”  (e.g.,  I Am the Cheese, After the First Death, Fade, The Bumblebee Flies Away, The Rag and Bone Shop).  The following is an excerpt from her piece entitled ‘Who is this Robert Cormier, anyway?”

“His writing is unique in its richness and power, as le looks unflinchingly at tyranny and the abuse of authority, at treachery and betrayal, at guilt and forgiveness, love and hate, and the corruption of innocence His novels are brilliant and complex structures full of intricate wordplay and subtle thought, although at first reading they seem to quite direct and simple. Because, most of all, the works of Robert Cormier are good stories, full of suspense and surprise and dramatic action as his characters struggle – sometimes unsuccessfully – to find an appropriate response to the existence of evil.” 

 

THE NOTEBOOK by Nicholas Sparks (1996)

Whodda thunk that I’d be re-reading this hugely popular love story but I decided to prepare myself for the Broadway musical version of this novel.  I rather enjoyed reading this passionate love story of Noah and Allie from their first meeting, to their passionate reunion a decade after they first met and their enduring love as seniors. It is a touching story”that aims to tackle teh full sweep of life, from our first love to our last goodbyes. ” (Nicholas Sparks) The Notebook a model example of a romance stgory that has captured the hearts of millions of readers – and moviegoers!!! 

 

THE SECRET LIVES OF BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS: True stories of the Magic of Reading by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann (editors) (2024)

Shout out  to Olga Stevenson, school librarian who guided me into bringing books into the classroom when I first began teaching, To Marion Seary and Judy Sarick at The Children’s Book Store who ignited my children’s literature collection, John Harvey and Leonard McHardy of the Theatrebooks who helped shape my professional work, Maria Martella  at Tinlids, a book friend, a dear friend.  and Wendy Mason, Bookseller extraordinaire who loves talking about books. 

James Patterson and Matt Eversmann have edited this collection of mini-essays (3-6 pages) from booksellers and librarians from across the United States and Canada. Each voice is passionate about the job they have, whether they own an independent bookstore, work in for a book company, in a local or school library.  Most authors share how they came to be committed to being in the book world, sharing stories of their reading lives, their education that lead them into working with books, their connections with authors, their effort in hosting events,  their views of book banning,  and their insights into the BUSINESS of books. Most entertaining are anecdotes of how they bring book and reader together (‘Could you please bring me a Bible?’ / “All she wants to read are graphic novels, the mother complains. ‘She’s not reading, you know, real books.’I’m looking for book. I don’t know the title, but the cover is blue…it’s long about 900 pages.’ /  Especially engaging (to me) is how many ignite a love of reading with young people. These people love books and book lovers will share in the joy and insights of each and every contributor to this collection. 

“I had no idea how much this job meant acting as an unofficial therapist for customers….”I love interacting with customers. Just being a small part of their lives and knowing that I have given them the gift of books means the world to me.” (Charlene Stoyles,  Indigo Book chain, Newfoundland, p. 311)

“Books have deep connections… there’s nothing better than recommending books that can have a meaningful and positive impact on someone’s life.” ((Janice Turbeville, Barnes and Noble, Seattle p. 320)

“Books can make anything happen.” (Roxanne Coady, Madison, Connecticut, p. 170)

“No matter the stereotypes about librarians, most of us go into this field because we like to help people. That’s what we’re here for. We’re not doing it for the money or the glory.”(Sharon Perry Martin, Library director, Texas). 

“I am excited every day that I go to the bookstore. This is the truth.” (Judy Blume, Books & Books, Key West, p. 22)

“Kids who ,  to hang out at bookstores are pretty special.” (Elaine Petrocelli, Book Passage, San Francisco. p. 137)

“I love it when people walk through the front door, stop and take a deep breath. ‘It smells so good in here.” (Dodie Ownes, librarian, Denver, Colorado, p. 156)

“to be a bookseller, you have to be a detective.” (Jamie LaBarge, Kansas, p. 202)

 

TABLE FOR TWO by Amor Towles (2024)

Amor Towles is the author of the bestselling novels A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility. His latest release is somewhat of a. curiosity in that it includes a collection of 6 short stories (set in New York around the year 2000) and also features a novella (set in Los Angeles in the late 1930’s. The short stories that appear in the first part of the book are each about 40 pages and  I was quickly drawn to each of the characters and their problems (e.g., Russian emigrant arrives in New York at the turn of the century (‘The Line”);  a young author makes a living forging signatures of dead authors  “The Ballad of Timothy Touchet”; a woman spies on her stepfather only to discover  that he has not having an affair but has a secret hobby which gives him pleasure (“I Will Survive”).   I particularly enjoyed reading  “The Bootlegger” the story of an elderly man who illegally tape records classical concerts at Carnegie Hall, until his bootlegging is discovered. Evelyn Ross is the central to the novella Eve in Hollywood. In approximately 200 pages, Towles paints a captivating portrait of a criminal act (someone has taken naughty pictures of movie starlets). This story is told from a different points of view (a retired detective, a used-to be actor, a popular actress (Olivia di Havilland)  and Eve who has left New York City to build a future for herself in California. Amor Towles cleverly (and humour paints a noirish tale of movie sets, bungalows, and dive bars, that reads like a black and white movie from decades ago come to life. Alfred Hitchcock would have fun with this one. I had fun reading Tables for Two. 

WILD HOUSES by Colin Barrett (2024)

Although I haven’t read short story collections (Young Skins, Homesickness)by celebrated Irish author Colin Barrett I was intrigued by the glowing back cover reviews for this ‘”strange and beautiful’ novel that brings to live an entire world” (Sally Rooney) that is a “taught, brooding thunderstorm of a novel.” (Ronan Hession). The novel is set in rural Ireland. The town of Ballina is preparing for a weekend of celebration. In the opening chapter, we meet reclusive Dev whose life is interrupted when cousins Gabe and Sketch Ferdia dump a beaten up the teenage Doll  demanding that Dev will provide a hideout for the kidnapped teenager. Doll is the brother of drug- dealing Cillian English. We are soon introduced to Nicky, the seventeen year-old boyfriend of Doll English and when she can’t shake the feeling that something bad has happened to Doll, she is on a mission to save him.  Drugs and violence and chaos and  are the ingredients for a wild dark adventure about ‘crimesof desperation, dreams abandoned, and small town secrets that won’t stay buried”. I agree with author Roddy Doyle who writes that this book is ‘wild, funny and chilling” The title refers to the “untamed, not domesticated, specifically in an unbroken line of undomesticated animals”. Wild Houses reads like a film and will likely find its way on the big screen in the near future. 

Excerpt (of expert Colin Barrett’s craftsmanship 

Doll was lost and she needed to find him but the countryside wasn’t giving her antying; the countryside was holding its tongue and steadfastly averting its gaze as she travelled towards the unending low horizon and the indistinct serrations of the distant mountain ranges, the wide-open fileds flipping like the row of blank pages at the end of a book after the story was over.” (p. 186)

 

SHOUT OUT

LONG ISLAND by Colm Toibin (2024)

Irish author, Colm Toibin wrote the novel Brooklyn, published in  2009, where we first meet Eilis Lacey a young Irish girl who emigrates to New York hoping to find a new life for herself. At first, she is very homesick, but she soon comes to make friends and settles in to her being a clerk at a classy department store. She falls in love with a handsome Italian plumber named Tony and they decide to secretly get married. The death of Eilis’s sister has her to return to Ireland where once again she falls in love with a man named Jim. She keeps the secret of her marriage to herself and in the end abruptly returns to Brooklyn. The movie version of this story stars the beautiful Saiorse Ronan who gives a terrific performance. A great love story indeed. Pass the Kleenex.

In the recent publication of the novel Long Island, a sequel to Brooklyn, twenty years have passed in Eilis’s life. She is a mother to teenagers Larry and and although she seems to be rather settled into her marriage to Tony and accepts the the community of Italian in-laws who live in neighbouring houses. We learn right away that Tony has impregnated another woman and her husband threatens to leave the child on Tony’s doorstep when it is born. Eilis will have nothing to do with this and so she returns to Enniscorthy to stay with her mother who will be celebrating her 80th birthday. She is reunited with Jim and lo and behold they once again fall in love and keep this a secret.  Jim has another secret. He is engaged to Nancy, a widow, who was once a good friend to Eilis.  Will Jim cancel his engagement to Nancy. Will Eilis stay in Ireland? Will Jim follow Eilis if she returns to Long Island. A great love story indeed and Toibin adeptly puts readers inside the hearts and minds of each character.  I’d say we become part of the community and partake in visits to the fish and chip restaurant,  visits Jim’s pub, visits to the seaside,   being a guest at wedding, and secret ventures down dark streets and  hotel rooms.  I loved this book because of Toibin’s brilliant narrative and authentic dialogue invites us to care about the characters. The reading was quick paced (especially the last 50 pages). It is not essential to have read Brooklyn beforehand but those who venture into Long Island will have an unforgettable read about marriage, family, loyalty, betrayal, secrecy living inside a story of leaving behind and moving forward.  More Eilis, please. A five star read.  

 

SPOTLIGHT ON CLAIRE KEEGAN

Claire Keegans prize-winning short stories have been translated into forty languages. She has been praised for being one of the ‘greatest fiction writers in the world’ (George Saunders) whose “beautifully crafter stories are like chilling adult versions of fairy tales” (Sunday Telegraph). Her two recent publications (Small Things Like These (2022); So Late in the Day (2023) were listed as top favourite reads by Dr. Larry Recommends. Digging into some of her earlier writing was a rewarding experience indeed. What a talent!

 

THE FORESTER’S DAUGHTER (2007 / 2019)

This short story was originally published in 2007 in the collection Walk the Blue Fields and was  subsequently released in 2019 as a single edition of Faber Stories. In this story we meet the farming family of hard-working Victor Deegan whose story can be encapsulated with ‘three teenagers, the milking and the mortgage’. A rescue dog that the farmer gifts to his daughter plays an important part in the narrative revealing some truths about  Victor Deegan’s character.  It is also a story of a rather loveless marriage. When neighbours gather together in the Deegan household, Martha entertains them with stories, one of which unravels long-buried family secrets.

 

FOSTER (2010 / 2022) (novella)

It is summer. A father takes his young daughter to live with distant relatives on a farm in rural Ireland. How will the man and his wife develop a bond with the girl, day by day? Will the Kinsellas offer the girl affection and warmth she has not felt at herhome? When summer ends, will the girl return to her home, and leave behind the care and comfort and love she experienced on the farm? Foster is a jewel of a novella (92 pages), a beautiful example of Claire Keegan’s talent for painting clear picture of place, time and character with each sentence at the same time as igniting strong emotions in the reader. Told in the first person of a nine-year oldl, Foster is a heartbreaking story of childhood, of loss, kindness and human connections. A shorter version of this story was first published in the New Yorker. Foster was made into an exquisite  Irish-language film entitled The Quiet Girl. 

 

TWO SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS: ANTARCTICA (1999)  / WALK THE BLUE FIELDS (2007)

How do you read short story collections? For the most part, I choose to read stories in chronological order as presented, but sometimes I skip over to read the ‘shorter’ stories first. Occasionally, the title of a short story intrigues me. With a dozen or so pieces in a collection, there are some that are enjoyed more than others. Some might leave me bewildered. But when encountering a masterful author, like Claire Keegan, I have faith that I will find some to touch the heart. some that will cook up goosebumps and some that provide an ‘oh, wow!” response.

The stories in these two books provide evidence of Keegan’s mastery of creating flawed characters, the ability to convey vivid imagery and the strength that provides a master class of narration. Antarctica was her first published anthology and the stories within provide evidence of the intellectual and emotional power that a good story can offer. The lead story “Antarctica is the story of a happily married woman who plans a weekend in order to fuflfill a curiosity about what it would be like to be with another man. Devastating. (note: this story was re-published in Keegan’s So Late in the Day (2023).  Three other stories I found to be rather chilling in the way relationships unfold: The story of a long-suffering wife and her sexist husband (“Men and Women”); The story of  a two sisters who have lead different lives wth different values (“Sisters”) and the final story of two grieving parents who mourn the disappearance and horror of their daughter gone missing (“Passport Soup”).  And which of these titles from Walk the Blue Fields might entice you to read, even though they suggest a dark layer of exposition: “Close to the Water’s Edge”; “The Long and Painful Death”; “Surrender’?  Read them all, says I.  

 

SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE  (2021)

I recently finished (and loved) Claire Keegan’s recent publication entitled So Late in the Day (2023) and decided to re-read Small Things Like These to confirm to myself that she is a masterful Irish writer. In an Irish town, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant is kept busy during the weeks leading up to Christmas. He dutifully makes his deliveries and strives to make ends meet to keep his dutiful wife, Eileen,  and  his five daughters  as comfortable as he can afford. It is a story of community. It is a story of the past memories rising up to haunt the hardworking man.  Filtered throughout the narrative, is the history of a small community controlled by the Church. In a note on the text, the author gives a short history of the Magdalen laundries where many girls and young women lost their babies. Some lost their lives. Brilliantly,  Small Things Like These encapsulates the history of Catholic institutions through the story of one young girl who was locked up in the coal room.  I read that  this story was going to be made into a movie  starring Cillian (Oppenheimer) and I’m sure I will re-read this novella (110 pages) once again.  Keegan’s writing is precise in the telling, description and straight=to the-heart capturing of emotions.  I now plan on reading other Keegan rather short but mighty titles (e.g. Antarctica, Walk The Blue Fields, Foster, The Forester’s Daughter). 

Excerpt

“… he found himlef asking was there any point in being alive without helping one another? Was it possible to carry on along through all the years, the decades, through an entire life, without once being brave enough to go against what ws there and yet call yourself a Christian, and face yourself in the mirror?” (p. 108)

 

SO LATE IN THE DAY  (Three stories*)  (2023)

This is a slim volume of three short stories by Irish Writer, Claire Keegan who whose writing, breathtaking in its clarity and poignancy, wakes up the heart. So Late in the Day is the story a lonely Irish civil servant who almost married a woman that he might have been happy with – but it’s a good thing he didn’t. A writer arrives in the retreat for a two-week writing residency, but the appearance – and disturbance – of a German academic interrupts – and yet, inspires – her writing in a story entitled A Long and Painful Death. In Antarctica, a woman experiences lust (and danger) when she leaves her family for a weekend to seek out the adventure of sleeping with another man.  *This book is subtitled “Stories of men and women” and each tale does indeed depict the dynamics and longing and betrayal of relationships between a man and woman.

 

The  mostly titles listed in this posting explore themes of PUBERTY, MASCULINITY and THE EMOTIONAL LIVES of boys.  Each of the middle school characters deal with issues that many young teenagers can identify. Each book deals with a ‘tough topic’ issue (e.g., poverty, gender and queer identity, death loss and remembrance, racism) and could be added to my recommended list of fiction presented in my book Teaching Tough Topics.  As luck would have it, several of these titles are written in the free verse format which I’m quite fond of. 

 

AND THEN, BOOM! by Lisa Fipps (Verse novel)  / POVERTY

In her debut novel, Starfish (2021), Lisa Fipps wrote a powerful story about body shaming and the trials and tribulations of a young adolescent girl dealing with her weight and with bullying.  The author’s newest novel is a look into the harsh realities of living in poverty. Whenever she gets ‘the itch’. Joe’s mother abandons her son. He and his grandmother are left to downsize, to pay the bills and use any means to fight hunger. Life for Joe, is filled with unexpected ‘And then…’ moments, especially large one’s that are unexpected BOOM moments which demand that he face challenges, make decisions and solve problems in order to survive from day to day.  When life gives you lemons – A death, a storm, starving and the care of stray dogs – it is hard to make lemonade. Joe’s resilience and strong character help him get through life’s “And Then, BOOM” events. “Every story boils down to and thens and BOOMS!/ And -thens and BOOMS, but  are all about the moments when something happens that changes everything./ It could be bad. And it could be good but it’s often not.” (p. 5). Joe’s life circumstances often broke my heart but I was compelled to cheer for him  because of his humour and hope even when hard days got worse.   I absolutely LOVED this novel. I can’t wait for another Lisa Fipps publication. 

Excerpt (p. 65)

Hunger is day-in, day-out luck,

creating inside you

an urgent need, 

a craving, 

a longing

for something you can’t survive or thrive without 

and yet 

you don’t have it.

 

Hunger just isn’t about food. 

 

ASKING FOR A FRIEND by Ronnie Riley / MENTAL HEALTH / QUEER IDENTITY

“Labels can change as you grow… and just because you identify one way now, doesn’t mean you’ll always identify that way. Things change, people change, and labels are fluid.” (pp. 108-109)

Nonbinary Eden Jones suffers from social anxiety. They feels that their life is  ‘pathetic’ and they want to be as invisible as possible.  Their mother has moved them to a new school, hoping things will get better. Eden Jones is asking for a friend. Actually, they need a few friends because their mother is expecting them to invite them to his birthday party, but Eden has lied about his friendship circle.  Even though they are reluctant to approach them, Eden gradually comes to develop friendships with Duke, Ramona and Tabitha .  Things are getting better for Eden as the group starts to bond… but they remain trapped in the lies they told his mother  – and their new ‘sort of real’ friendships. Ronnie Riley (queer, trans, nonbinary, lesbian, neodivergient) has done a remarkable job of presenting a cast of nonbinary, lesbian, trans characters who find joy in their queer identity even through the ups and downs of friendships. 

 

CALL ME AL by Wali Shah and Eric Walters / ISLAMOPHOBIA

“It’s only because of hate that we understand the need for love.” (Dr. Martin Luther King) (see page 207)

This excellent novel is centred on the character of Ali Khan, who, with the hope of better ‘fitting in’ prefers to go by the name Ali. Eigth grade Ali does very well in school but is not as perfect as his father wants him to be. Al’s father was a doctor in Pakistan and now works as a cab driver striving to do the best for his family. He has strong aspirations for his 3 sons and even though Al is respectful of his father’s outlook, he is becoming independent particularly with his interest and talent for writing poetry. (Doctors don’t write poetry. Al is up against racist views with his peers and more dramatically on shopping trip with his mother and brother when some thugs attack them, shouting ‘Go back where you came from!’.  Poet, Wali Shah and Master novelist, Eric Walters have told a special story, about an immigrant family,  a special teacher, and a conflicted teenager which that many of young adolescent readers will certainly connect to. Understanding of social class,  insights and information about celebrating Ramadan are strong features of this book, as is the belief that “Forgiveness is Peace “. Call Me Al is absolutely a highly recommended choice from Dr. Larry. 

 

MID-AIR by Alicia D. Williams (Verse novel) / DEATH LOSS & REMEMBRANCE 

Eighth-grade student Isaiah feels lost. He is struggling with the loss of his best friend Darius who was killed in accident. Isaiah feels guilty for the part he played in the hit and run accident and worried about the dwindling friendship with Drew who he enjoys hanging out with doing wheelies, watching movies and attempts to break Guiness World Records before entering high school. Isiah can’t seem to cope with a lost friend and a fading friend  his feelings of grief and the need to forge ahead with honesty and grace. The verse style and use of slang and vocabulary are relatable and well-suited for the reflective stance of this black teenage character.

 

DEAR MOTHMAN by Robin Gow (Verse novel)  / DEATH LOSS & REMEMBRANCE / TRANS IDENTITY

Nora / Noah’s best friend, Ella / Lewis, was killed in a car accident Noah is trying to come to terms with the loss. Noah and Lewis understood each other and had much in common, including the fact that they were both Trans. The novel is mostly written as letters to Mothman,  Lewis’s favourite cryptid, who may or may not be living in the woods near Noah’s house. Strange appearances convince  Noah that Mothman is real and Noah decides to make Mothman the subject of his science fair project and gather as much evidence to prove its existence. When Noah makes friends with three girls, he finally comes to feel that he belongs. Through the extended metaphor of a lonely creature, Robin Gow has created a compelling story about grief,  gender issues and acceptance. The journal letters. as well as recounts. of everyday events are presented as free verse (in rather small font) and provide a narrative, and an honest expression of emotions. Dear Mothman and an authentic confessional account of a preteen  boy living with autism who is dealing with grief and their  queer identity. 

Excerpt (p. 157)

Why is being a person so hard sometimes?

I keep getting sad and thinking

“Maybe it would be easier to not have friends at all>”

 

Then I’m like – no, Noah. 

You love your friends.

This is just hard. 

 

JUDE SAVES THE WORLD by Ronnie Riley / QUEER IDENTITY

“Being nonbinary, and figuring it out young, has been a little strange. I know who I am, butr I’m unsure how to tell the world.” (p. 4)

Twelve-year old Jude is rather comfortable with their nonbinary identity but he is not sure that others in their world understand them (especially their grandparents).  Jude has a deep friendship with Black gay friend, Dallas (“He’sthe only person who’s willing to call me out when I do dumb things.” (p. 60) Stevie, a popular girl in their class adds to the friendship duo, but her loyalties are divided and she abandons the bond that she had with Jude and Dallas. Hoping to give support to others in the community, Jude creates the first Diversity Club to town, a safe place, where marginalized people, young and old, can come togetehr and share their stories with out  concerns without being judged. Ronnie Riley’s novel provides a safe space for queer, nonbinary and disabled readers (Jude is diagnosed as ADHD) who are coming to terms with coming out, struggling to maintaining friendships and questioning their identities. Riley’s goal writes are especially written for young trans, nonbinary and queer readers with the hope that the find pieces of themselves in this story, and offers their wish “I hope you all the unconditional love and strength in the world.’  This book is for fans of Alex Gino and A.J. Sass fiction. See also: 

Excerpt (p. 62)

But those three words haunt me.

Are you sure?

Am I sure I’m not a girl or a boy. Yes.

Am i sure my gender can be described as waving my hands in the air and wanting to scream into a pillow? Yes.

Am  sure I’m worthy of love? Up until that moment, I thoght so. 

 

RED BIRD DANCED by Dawn Quigley (Verse novel) / INDIGENOUS CULTURE

This is a verse novel, presented in alternating voices of a girl named Ariel, passionate about ballet dancing, and her neighbour Tomah, a struggling reader who seems to get by by making others laugh. The two friends live in the city’s Intertribal Housing Complex  When Ariel’s Auntie goes missing, Ariel’s dancing suffers and she strives to keep the memory of her missing aunt alive. (“Dancing is how i connect my body and soul to the earth”. Ariel and Tomah carry each other through their sadnesses and struggles. Dawn Quigley, a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe does a brilliant job of unpacking the trials and tribulations of urban Native kids and their connections with those who came before them and their resilience even when bad things go on outside the front door in the city. Quigley masterfully uses the free verse form to illuminate the emotions and stories of two Native citizens. Readers are given insights into the Native culture (e.g. Jingle dancing) but  especially come to understand the plight of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (#MM1W) through aunt Binieshinh’s story.Impressive too is the description of bird life that serves as a metaphor for the character’s world views.  This book deserves awards. 

Excerpt

Life in the housing complex / meant/ family is a / doorstep away. / Life is in/ our relatives/  relatives/ who may not be blood related/ but are like tree/ roots that/ intertwine and hold on / to one another unseen (p. 12)

 

THE TENTH MISTAKE OF HANK HOOPERMAN by Gennifer Choldeonko / POVERTY/FAMILY

What do you do when your mother disappears from your life? Where do you go? Who will take care of you? Will your mother come back into your life?  When their mother takes off,  sixth grade student Hank Hooperman and his three year-old-sister, Boo are forced to move from their home. Hank and Boo are totally dependent on each other and are  filled with love for each other.They are temporarily put into the foster care of a senior citizen, Lou Ann Adler who was a good friend of Hank’s grandmother and even though Hank tries hard to be a really good kid, it seems to be too much for Lou Ann. Hank develops friendships at his new school as well as with a compassionate neighbour named Ray who understands what Hank is going through. More than anything, wants to find his mother but she has problems that he can’t solve (she is known to be an alcoholic). Award-winning Newbery Honor  Gennifer Choldenko (Al Capone Does My Shirts) writes appealing narratives with feisty fictional heroes who are caught in the web troubling circumstances. Her books are guaranteed to engage middle years readers as they root for resilient characters like Hank Hooperman, a boy who makes mistakes, makes decisions and  struggles to carriyon, even though life has tossed him a batch of lemons. 

 

ULTRAVIOLET by Aida Salazar (Verse novel) / TOXIC MASCULINITY

Thirteen year old Elio Solis tries to navigate social media, friendships, his Mexican culture  and his changing body. Swimming in his head are his mother’s warnings about toxic masculinity and consent and his father’s warning to ‘man up’.  In fact, his father takes him witness a cock fight as well as  partake in a community man’s group called ‘Brother’s Rising’  Elio is also experiencing ‘head over heels’   feelings for the beautiful Camilla, so much so that he sees the world as ultraviolet. When Elio’s heart is crushed by the blows of first love, he struggles with the ups and downs of coming of age. Through splendid accessible poetry, sprinkled with Spanish language, Ultraviolet provides a strong perspective  and questioning of masculinity.

Excerpt (p. 43)

So does that mean

I’m automatically toxic?

No, not you, but behavior like that could be.

As a boy you have priveliges that girls don’t.

It’s what the world gives you

just for being a boy. 

That doesn’t seem fair, I shrug. 

 

ETC.

THE CHOCOLATE WAR by Robert Cormier (1974) / YA+ / BULLY POWER

“They tell you to do your thing but they don’t mean it. They don’t want you to do your thing, not unless it happens to be their thing, too.” (p. 248)

Trinity boys school is conducting a fund-raiser to sell chocolates and Jerry Renault is the only student who refuses to take part in this school-wide initiative, even though it means defying the challenge of a secret school society called The Vigils. The Vigils lead by the abusive, manipulating Archie is the foundation for what one character claims is “something  rotten in the school. More than rotten.. Evil.” A poster that hangs in Renault’s locker asks: Do I dare disturb the universe? and this question serves as the moral compass of Jerry’s stance. Top (opening sentence: “They murdered him'” to bottom (“Someday, Archie you’ll get yours” )  Archie is probably one of the most evil characters in literature whos behaviour is beyond bullying as he tortures others with his words and actions (as is  Brother Leon, the domineering teacher who leads the project.  This story grew from an incident  with his teenage son, Peter, who came home from school one day with boxes of chocolates to sell and announcing that he didn’t want to do.The Chocolate War is an astonishing read, albeit an absolutely chilling chilling read. Devastating! I will  be seeking out the sequel, Beyond the Chocolate War.

I know I’ve read this book many years ago, but in honour of its 50th year of publication, I decided to read this novel – one of the top ten banned books in classrooms throughout North America. In one Florida Middle school, teachers endured abusive harassment and death threats because of the stand they took.  Criticism for the book centred on the anti-authority worldview,   a gutsy violent ending, and yes, the inclusion of masturbation. “Too complicated. Too many characters. A downbeat ending, which teenagers in the 1970’s would find difficult to accept. Too violent. Not quite an adult novel, too sophisticated to be a juvenile novel. Too unbelievable.” (Introduction by Robert Cormier, 1997, edition) At that time, Corman sent a message, “I have been at a loss for words. The ironic thing is that words are my business, and thw words in my books have been the cause of so much trouble” (in the New York Times, Sunday June 2, 2024, p. 32). . Throughout his life, Robert Cormier put forth mighty efforts combatting attempts to ban The Chocolate War. Like many authors do today. 

In the edition that I read a short essay is included by author Patty Campbell, the author of the biography of Robert Cormier who she calls the ‘grand master of young adult fiction.”  (e.g.,  I Am the Cheese, After the First Death, Fade, The Bumblebee Flies Away, The Rag and Bone Shop).  The following is an excerpt from her piece entitled ‘Who is this Robert Cormier, anyway?”

“His writing is unique in its richness and power, as le looks unflinchingly at tyranny and the abuse of authority, at treachery and betrayal, at guilt and forgiveness, love and hate, and the corruption of innocence His novels are brilliant and complex structures full of intricate wordplay and subtle thought, although at first reading they seem to quite direct and simple. Because, most of all, the works of Robert Cormier are good stories, full of suspense and surprise and dramatic action as his characters struggle – sometimes unsuccessfully – to find an appropriate response to the existence of evil.” 

 

>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<

FYI

BOYMOM: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity by Ruth Whippman

Journalist, Ruth Whippman investigates the changing complexities of manhood, focusing on the loneliness and longings that many boys experience. As a mother to three sons, this feminist writer offers a review of child development, a report into masculinity literature and a insights into society rules that often limiting boys from connecting with honesty and humanity.  As a memoir, Whippman digs into  the ultimate parent goal of raising good sons (which suddenly feels like a hopeless task). Chapter titles include “Boys Will Be Boys: Off to a bad start”; “‘Girl Stories’: What we are failing to teach boys about being human”; “‘Feminizing the Classroom’: Boys and school” and “Sex and Sexism”. 

Listed here are ten picture book titles – all terrific. The cast of characters for these varied recent publications includes a frustrated little witch, a group of young explorers,  a boy’s nighttime journey guided by light, a frightened leaf, a brother and sister dealing with mental health issues in their home, two young immigrants learning belonging, and racism,  two children venture out and skate on the winter ice of Lake Superior and a girl who loves loves loves good books! Unless marked otherwise, these titles are 2024 releases. 

 

BROOM FOR TWO by Jennifer Murano; illus. Scot Ritchie

A young witch-in-training has to deal with a ruined broom in order to pass  her flying test. With determination and a bit of magic, Little Witch resolves to get back in the air and dip and doodle her way to success (with a little help from her new friend Ramshackle Rat.  Words and pictures work together to offer young readers an entertaining story about never giving up. 

Excerpt

While taking her test, Little Witch: 

Dipped and doodled

Rose and Sunk

Flew in a circle

And landed BUMP1

 

GOOD BOOKS MAKE GOOD FRIENDS by Jane Mount

A shy young girl, finds friendship in the books that she reads. Book provide her with comfort and magic even though it means spending time alone while others are playful outgoing and loud.  Eventually she comes to find others who are as devoted to reading as she is. This title is a tribute to children’s book lovers, young and old.  What clinched the purchase of the picture book was the fantastic display of picture book and fiction titles, old and new. As a keen book lover, I was thrilled to see such titles as The Snowy Day, Goodnight Moon, The Little Engine that CouldThe Phantom Tollbooth, Harriet the Spy, Pax , featured on the front cover.  Page by page of Good Books Make Good Friends, it was great to encounter hundreds of titles that I have been part of my life. (I think I’ve read 90% of the books that have been recognized). Jane Mount – you and I are book friends!

 

THE GREAT EXPEDITION by Pater Carnavas

After being charged with the mission of delivering a valuable parcel, a group of young adventurers set out for the ‘wild country’ where they  beat insurmountable odds on their great expedition – in their own backyard.  Through engaging illustrations and adventurous recounts, Peter Carnavas presents a sure-to-please story of problem-solving and perseverance.

 

I TOO, AM HERE by Morgan Christie; illus. Marley Berot

Inspired by the Langston Hughes poem, ‘ I Too’, I Too, Am Here is an exploration of immigration, racism, and belonging. A young girl celebrates her shines a light on her home environment and honours the stories her family tell. Grandma tells of arriving in a new home and confronting racism  (In bright red paint someone had written GO HOME in big letters around her fence).  Dad recounts his first experiences with snow and encountering bullies who taunted “Go back where you belong!”. Mom tells her story of growing up in the south where Black people were not treated equally. The girl recalls a time at school when someone didn’t want to hold her hand because of her rich dark skin. Langston Hughes poem which made the girl feel beautiful, strong, and loved. This is a salute to people who have come from all over the world with stories and cultures that shape the places they call home. I Too, Am Here is a heartwarming story accompanied by vibrant illustrations.  

Excerpt

I sing out beyond the winding roads and buildings that touch the sky. 

The street I live on is made up from families from all around the world.

Our cultures twirl through the neighbourhood like spinning leaves spreading pieces of us all around. 

 

THE LIGHT FROM MY MENORAH: Celebrating Holidays from Around the World by Robin Heald; illus. Andrea Blinick

A young boy, celebrating the miracle of Hanukkah, follows his menorah’s light which carries him off into  an adventurous night sky journey. On his travels he witnesses families from around the world celebrating their own special holidays with the glow of a lamp or candle flame: diyas (Diwali); kinaras (Kwanzaa); candles (Sacandanvian St. Lucia Day) krathongs (Loy Krathong in Thailand) and strings of light (Christmas).  This is a tory, and informational text that illuminates celebrations and worships from around the world. Andrea Blinick’s illustrations capture the wonder and magic of shining light zigzagging North South, East and West. 

 

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I HAVE EVER SEEN by Nadia Devi Umadat; illus. Christine Wei (2023)

When war strikes there were loud noises everywhere that made a young girl’s mother cry. Mother packs up her family and they board a shiny airplane taking them to somewhere new home. Slowly adjusting to life in a new country, new seasons, a new apartment, a new school,  and new friends eventually leads to a special day when the family is given citizenship. On that day Mama cries happy teacrs and it is the most beautiful thing the young girl has ever seen. This is very very special story of moving to a new land. 

 

POETRY COMICS by Grant Snider (graphically illustrated poetry)

I often seek out new publications that feature poetry. I often seek out new publications that are presented as graphic texts. Poetry Comics is a wonderful hybrid of poetry and art. Most pieces are presented in a full page grid, each panel featuring a short line of text and a whimsical illustration. The book is organized into four sections, each represe ting one of the four seasons. In the classroom, this book can serve as a source for students to illustrate existing poems in graphic format, to encourage non-rhyming poetry writing, to create comics and to pay observe and reflect on their everyday experiences. (note: This  is an ideal book for reinforcing the comprehension strategy  of VISUALIZING. Delightful! 

Sample: “How To Write a Poem #1”

Find a quiet place/ A sharp pencil/ A blank page / Sti still/ Keep quiet / Wait / A poem will rush in to fill the space


Sample: “Other Oceans”

The wind makes waves in new wheat.

Clouds foam and froth like surf.

Night in the country is a sparkling sea. 

 

UPS AND DOWNS by Nancy MacNairn; illus. Doruntina Beqira

Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows. This is the story of a young girl and her mother who has bipolar disorder. Even though her mother’s moods fluctuate, the girl never doubts her mothers love for a second. Even though times are sometimes difficult, Mom is ‘super great’ . This is a very important book about mental health issues that young people can learn about and think about. 

Excerpt

… my mome has bipolar disorder. It affects her mood and energy. It is not something taht she or I can control. Even though things are UP and DOWN, they are not all or nothing. Mom can’t always do things for us, but she tells us “I love you” a lot.

 

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SHOUT OUT

I’M AFRAID, SAID THE LEAF by Danielle Daniel; illus. Matt James

I’m very fond of  both Danielle Daniel’s publications (Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox; Sometimes I Feel Like a River, You Hold Me Up) as well as Matt James titles (I Know Here, The Funeral, Tadpoles).  This great partnership of these two award winning author has produced what is certain to be at the top of my list of 2024 favourites. Through simple text and glorious paintings, the Daniel and James have produce a book  of empathy and interdependence. The book is inspired by the belief that “all living things rely on each other for support and survival (jacket text). By reading I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf, readers will help readers of all ages think about that we are better and stronger when working together. Five out of five stars. 

Excerpt

I’m so cold, said the horse. / I will warm you said the sun. 

I’m so hot, said the bear. / I will cool you said the creek.

I’m so hungry, said the squirrel. / I will feed you said the nut. 

 

SHOUT OUT

SKATING WILD ON AN INLAND SEA by Jean E. Pendziwol; illus. Stewart (2023)

Two children wake up to the winter song sung by Lake Superior. They venture out into the cold and encounter tracks set by fox, deer, hair, mink, otter and wolf. Ravens croak, a blue jay scolds  before lacing up their skares and venture off to the surface of theice where the voice of Lake Superior vibrates beneath their feet and “hums a haunted meoldy, the song of water, held captive by winter, mysterious magical music as old as teh earth, rising up from her depths, echoing up and up”.  This is a staggering picture book achievement, a hybrid of lyrical poetic writing, narrative, and informational text. The art work by printmaker Todd Stewart is the best of the best of recent picture book illustrations. Skating Wild on an Inland Sea  is the perfect marriage of words and visuals. Staggering. 

 

 

This posting presents a dozen terrific examples of NONFICTION which have been released fairly recently. . Each of the picture books is Canadian.  Each of the  titles invites readers to consider new information about different topics.  Each of these is sure to ignite knowledge, curiosity and wonder. 

 

SCIENCE: ANIMALS AND NATURE

 

BOMPA’s INSECT EXPEDITION by David Suzuki with Tanya Lloyd Ki; illus. Qin Leng.

Two twins on a nature expedition with their Bompa (grandpa) SECRET and discover the marvels of nature right outside their door as they search for insects. Readers join in with this family to share in the surprises and wonder of fuzzy bumblebees, dragonflies, caterpillars, ants and mosquitos.  David Suzuki is a master of providing accessible information about nature and animals and Qin Lang provides colurful detailed art work that offers information and story.

“What would the world be like without humans?”

“If we are gone.. the other animals would be left alone. No one would miss us.” 

SECRET GARDENERS: Growing a Community and Healing the Earth by Maija Hurme and Lina Laurent

Three children discover a woman named Amy planting vegetables in the yard of an abandoned house. Amy teaches Luna, Bianca and Billy how to grow food in a no-dig garden. Neighbour by neighbour joins in the gardening project until a secret about the boarded-up house overshadows the community’s efforts. Chapter headings (e.g., Composting, Sowing A Seed), labelled items and information presented in text boxes make this a splendid blend of fiction and nonfiction. Highly recommended. 

THE SMALLEST OWLET written and illustrated by Gerogia Graham

This book  is based on a true story that happened in an aspen grove where an owlet fell from its nest and was loyally cared fro by Mother Owl who stayed on the ground heroically protecting her owlet until its feathers developed. The richly detailed landscape illustrations are filled with texture and wonder.

“Small Owlet has never been out of his nest before now. He hears strange sounds all around and trembles with fear. He leans into his mother’s warm safe belly.

SUPER SMALL: Miniature Marvels of the Natural World by Tiffany Stone; illus. Ashley Spires

This a fascinating book about tiny tiny insects, reptiles and mammals, each with a superpowers (e.g., Oribtid Mite, Pygmy Seahorse Dwarf Latern Shark).  Information is presented in clever rhyming verse. Side panels for each animal is presented in graphic format to present information about each creatures superpowers. Ashley Spires lively illustrations, large and small are a delight. This is a GREAT example of nonfiction text where words and pictures inform and intrigue. 

from “Scaly-Foot Snail

“Clinkity-clank. Clinkity-clank

The snail all snails want to be.

An iron-plated escargot.

See how my enemies flee!”

WHAT WILL I DISCOVER ? by Tanya loyd Kyi;. illus. Rachel Qiuqi

A young child, anting to know ‘everything about the world’  puts on a scientist’s and asks questions about suns and planets, animals and trees, asking questions about lad, sea and air and the mysteries of the nature.  This picture book is a great resource of information and discovery, inviting children to reveal (and research)  their own questions about the natural world. 

“How do trees learn to talk to one another through their tangled roots? Do different kinds of tres speak different leafy languages? What tine creatures hide within the ice of Antarctica? How do they survive in the cold and the dark?

WAVES & WEBS: Patterns in Nature by Robin Mitchell Cranfield

This book invites readers to explore patterns that exist in nature (e.g., up in the sky, seashells, spiderwebs, starfish, sunflowers) and might encourage them to consider patterns in the world around them. 

“Bold patterns of lines dazzle the eye. A skunk’s thick stripes warn predators. “Stay away or you’ll be sorry!” Sunflower seeds send a happier message: “Time for a snack!”

 

 

PEOPLE

 

EVERY CHILD MATTERS by Phyllis Webstad; illus. Karlene Harvey

This book honours the history and resilence of Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island,  and moves us all forward on a path toward Truth and Reconciliation.”  Phyllis Webstad, the founder of Orange Shirt Day, offers inforamion and insights into the heartfelt movement where ‘Every Child Matters”. 

KIMIKO MURAKAMI: A Japanese Canadian Pioneer by Haley Healey; illus. Kimiko Fraser

The life of Kimiko, an ordinary woman born in British Columbia was changed during the Second World War when the Canadian government all all Japanese Canadians “enemy aliens” This is the story of Kamiko and her family who were force to leave their home and live and work in internment camps. 

A TULIP IN WINTER: A story about folk artist Maude Lewis by Kathy Stinson;. .illus Lauren Soloys

A beautiful beautiful biography telling the story of one of the world of one of  most celebrated folk artists  Her

colourful primatif scenes of Nova Scotia landscapes are poignant depictions from an inspiring artist who saw beyond the hardships of poverty and rheumatoid arthritis,

‘As Maud grew up, colour flowed through her days.”

 

ETC.

 

THE BE KIND ALPHABET by Anouk Frolic

An alphabet hook that instills empathy and respect presented as rhyming  poems through the lives of 26 animals (A= / B= Bee / C=Chipmunk / D=Donkey)

“Gecko, Gecko on the wall / Gecko I hear your chirping call. Found in many places around our Earth, / you hatcvh from an egg at the time of your birth.”

THE HALIFAX EXPLOSION:6 December 1917, at 9:05 in the morning: A poem by Afua Cooper; illus. Rebecca Bender

Powerful word and images help readers understand what happened when too ships, the Mont Blanc (carrying ammunitions) and the Imo (carrying war supplies), collided in teh Halifax Harbour. The disastrous impact of the resulting explosion is given a dramatic commemoration through Afua Cooper’s powerful words accompanied by historiical photographs and evocative illustrations. 

“The munitions heated and at 9:05 exploded/ Shooting death into the four directions! Boom!  Boom! BOOM!”

HOW TO MAKE A PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH in 17 Easy Steps by Bambie Edlund

Making a peanut butter sandwich should be simple. Tell that to a group of critters in this humorous step by step ‘how to’ recipe.

You will need…. 2 crows, 1 raccoon, 1 ht with brim, 3 oranges, i bunch of bananas, 4 mice, 1 skunk, 1 skateboard, 3 loaves of bread, 3 squirrels, 6 cheekfuls of peanuts, 1 miniature don ke, 4 wooden clogs, 1 accordian, 1 fallen log, 1 beaver, 1 empty jar, 1 badger

This posting outlines ten novels which have been published in 2024 (except for three books.) Several of these books have many things in common, so I have organized my reviews by arranging the titles in pairs to highlight some text to text connections. I have given six Shout Outs since I thought these  new releases by favourite authors are terrific and are likely to be on my list of favourites at year’s end. 

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SHOUT OUT

FINALLY HEARD by Kelly Yang

Finally Heard is the sequel to Yang’s previous book Finally Seen. Kelly Yang is quite the prolific author, who seems to release a new title year by year.  I highly recommend the five titles in her Front Desk series for their relatable characters, the unfolding and solution of  real problems and for illuminating NOW issues that are part of our world (Anti-Asian racism (Front Desk), undocumented citizens (Three Keys), living through the pandemic (New From Here) and censorship Finally Seen) . Kelly Yang has done it again  with her newest novel by exploring the ‘hot topic’ of the impact of social media on young people. 

Lina Gao is a fifth grade student who discovers a talent for making videos that help promote  her mother’s bath balm business and other members of the community. She is one of the last in her class to acquire a cell phone and though this helps her think she now belongs, she soon discovers that group chats can be dangerous. She and her friends are caught in the web of hurtful messages which exasperates Lina’s frustrations of growing up fast and learning to acquire a thick skin.  She is worried about her _OO_body, odour, and pimples.  She strives to be kind and gain acceptance from her peers but is distraught when a classroom bully torments her face to face and online on Discord. About social media struggles, Lina (and her friends) need to accept the fortune cookie message that “All things will be difficult before they are easy.” (p. 81)I  and her mother’s advice that “Being strong doesn’t mean suffering si, lently.” (p. 297). I was certainly impressed by the way Kelly Yang presents important facts about Social Media through a fictional lens. For example, Lina is influenced by the media to buy cosmetics to make her feel better about herself; The caring classroom teacher gives lessons on how the brain works and how dopamine effects our moods and  obsessions with technology;  the organization of an after-school information meeting warning students and families about the potential dangers of social media. One piece of narrative concerns an adult who befriends and tricks kids online. And there’s the now issue of cell-phones being allowed in class. What’s a teacher to do?

Kelly Yang has yet to win the Newbery Award but she absolutely deserves recognition not only  unpacking the trials and tribulations of puberty and shining a light on the obsession with social media for impacts the socialization and the mental health of young people.  Finally Heard gets a five-star review from me. Kids need to read this book, as do their parents and teachers.

Lina’s journey was inspired by real issues Kelly Yang’s kids have gone through. She writes: “I hope Lina’s story serves as a jumping point to start talking to kids about digital health before they get a pone. I hope it inspires, enrage… and ultimately leaves us with hope.” (p. 327)

“If I could go back to Harvard and say one thing to young Mark Zuckerberg, I would say this: “Yes, you mad the thing that changed the world. But you forgot the responsibility taht comes with changing the world. The next generation deserves better. They deserve the honest trutgh, so they have a chance to find out who they are before they’re shaped by an invisible machine.” (p. 337)

SHOUT OUT

THE ONE AND ONLY FAMILY by Katherine Applegate

Katherine Applegate first introduced the iconic children’s literature hero, Ivan, the silveback gorilla to readers in the Newbery award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan, published in 2012. The fictional story was loosely based on the plight of a real western lowland gorilla who was captured as an infant by poachers in Africa moved to a cage in a mall and finally released to Zoo Atlanta in 1994.  Reading the jacket cover for this new story, we learn that Ivan has become a father and comes to learn the joys and challenges of parenting twins. The book is divided into four sections (1. the wait; 2. the welcome 3) the worry 4) the wish. Applegate maintains her masterful style structuring  the book in short (1-4 page) chapters, each with a title. Short paragraphs of one to  three sentences are separated with white spaces, offering poetic expression to the narrative.  Needless to say the writing is once again exquisite (“My son is holding on to me. / Maybe it is not because of love or need or purpose. Maybe the movement is ingrained in a way we can’t understand… Perhaps babies hold on to fingers because they must. And perhaps that’s all we need to know.” (pp. 127-18).   And the Ivan stories of becoming a parent, caring for his wife and  newborns, loving his friends, and remembering his past in  Africa and in the mall are inspiring and touching.  The One and Only Family is the fourth and final book in the Ivan quartet (The One and Only Ivan: The One and Only Bob; The One and Only Ruby).  The One and Only Family is a book about Family and Love (with a capital ‘L’ Katherine Applegate will continue to write splendid books, but we thank her for your bringing  the beloved Ivan into our lives engaging readers – young and old – yesterday, today and for many tomorrows. 

Excerpt (p.174)

Stories, it seems to me are living things. Once you set the free, they’re like offspring. They have destinies of their own.

They are no longer your responsibility.

They belong to the world. 

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2 SHOUT OUTS by 2 authors worthy of  SHOUT OUTS

These two titles are connected because they are by two popular authors, each who has written over 100 novels. They aey are Canadian. They are prolific. They are great storytellers.  Eric Walters and Gordon Korman have each written a terrific novel centred on a talented eighth grade student who is facing a dilemma that turns their life around. 

 

THE CLUB by Eric Walters

Jax is a talented trumpet player. So is Liv. When the two meet up for band, they become fast friends but as the story we learn that there is more to the relationship than just being friends. The first 100 pages or so of this novel deals school life, band rehearsals and the ‘boy girl stuff’. Eric Walters captures the world of eighth grade students (and their dialogue) with authenticity. Then the narrative takes a twist when Jax and his single mother, and Liv and her single mother embark on a DNA project to determine if in fact Jax and Liv are brother and sister. Spoiler alert: Walters takes readers into the world of sperm donation. Procedures and information about women who choose to have sperm donors and the logistical and emotional impact of making that choice. We come to learn the meaning behind the title of this book as Jax and Liv learn about their possible extended family. As always, Eric Walters tells an engaging story. Moreover, as the expert writer that he is, Walters delves into contemporary issues that show, through fiction, how young adolescents deal with real dilemmas taking readers into  deeper understanding of friendship and family. The Club is another Eric Walters ‘winner’ of a novel. 

SLUGFEST by Gordon Korman

Arnie Yashenko  (Yash) is the sports icon of Claarington School District,’worshipped by the whole town ever since he won hsi first field day ribbon in kindergarten. Due to an administrative, , star athlete Yash is forced to attend summer school to acquire a mandated credit Physical Education Equivalency (PEE) aka ‘Slugfest’ in order to graduate from eighth grade. The fun unfolds as we learn about Yash’s ‘Slug” classmates (an academic superstar, two twins who are always arguing, a prankster, and an athlete who has warn off sports, and a girl who is into protests). Each of these characters has a chance to tell a story from their point of view through the novel’s multi-voiced chapters.  Heading this crew is an elderly teacher who is a terrific baker but teaches outside the box of what is expected from gym class (e.g. playing Duck Duck Goose, Musical chairs). The culminating event where the hapless Slugfest crew (a la Bad News Bears) partake in the local school football championships. Gordon Korman has the talent to present realistic situations with a layer of wackiness two great ingredients for creating novels that captivate middle years readers.Slugfest is a terrific addition to the Gordon Korman bookshelf. 

Excerpt (p. 271)

“… Who makes the best sports story? Underdogs!”
“We’re so under we need shovels to dig up to the earth’s mantle

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These two titles have been chosen as selections for Junior grade novel studies in the Peel District Board of Education. Both of these fantasy adventure stories are centred on central characters who enter new worlds and discover the stories of Black American folk heroes. 

 

FUTURE HERO: Race to Fire Mountain by Remi Blackwood (2022)

Jarell is a talented artist who is often teased at school. Visits to his local barbershop brings a sense of comfort to him. One day, however, Jarell discovers a hidden portal in the shop and he is suddenly transported into a legendary magical world of powerful gods and dangerous creatures.  Is Jarell the hero they have been waiting for? A sure-fire story for lovers of fantasy adventures. Race to Fire Mountain is Book One of the  Future Hero series. Other titles invite readers to partake in further Jarell adventures:  Mission to Shadow Sea (Book #2), Escape from Darkwing Cave (Book #3) and Battle For Sky Kingdom (Book #4).

TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY by Kwame Mbalia Adapted by Robert Venditti; illustrated by Olivia Stephens  (2019) (2022)/ Graphic editiion

Tristan, a grade 7 student, feels responsible for the tragic death of his friend Eddie. Eddie has left Tristan his journal which contained collected stories about African American folktales and West African mythology. While on visit to his grandparents in Alabama, Tristan encounters a doll-like creature named Gum Baby and when they squabble, Tristan punches a Bottle Tree and when one of the bottles breaks, a portal to a parallel world. In the world called Alke, the mythology and folktales in Eddie’s journ\al are real.  Encounters with the Bone Ships of the Burning sea, a visit to the MidPass inhabited by the Midfolk, and a place called the Golden Sky Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is filled with the stuff of fantasy adventures with such characters as the Fetterlings (Iron Monsters), Brer Fox)aunt, ok heroes Brer Rabbit and John Henry and winged women Miss Rose and Miss Sarah. As it turns out, when Tristan ripped the sky, he released a haunt which strengthened the evil characters which lead to Tristan and his new friends set out to retrive Anansi’s famed Story Box. Tristan also discovers that he is an Anansesem so that when he tells storeis, reality is affected to reenact his words. Readers who enjoy fantasy adventures are likely to enjoy this book and reading about the sky god Nyam, who is trapped in statue form, High John Carpenter who is seeking to gain power through the Story Box, Uncle Cotton who holds the Story Box and Brer Rabbit who is Anansi in disguise. To get the most out of this story, some prior knowledge about about African folktales would add power to this book. For me, (disclaimer: not fond of fantasy). the narrative was often not accessible. The book could lead to readers learning more about the fok hero Anansi. Robert Venditi’s ada[tion, is predominantly presented through dialogue. I would have like to have seen narrative captions to fill in some gaps in the narrative. The graphic art illustrations by Olivia Stephens are remarkable for their expressive characterizations, vibrant landscapes,  dynamic action scenes and energetic. cinematic quality. Other titles in the trilogy include Tristan Strong Destroys the World, Tristan Strong Keeps Punching.

This title is one of the Rick Riordan Presents series, an imprint of Disney Hyperion that was launched in 2018, publishing titles that use the mythology of various cultures and count in its storytellingo The books in the series are noteworthy for their diverse representation of characters an mythological deitiesSome titles in the series include: Winston Chu vs The Whimslies by Stacey Lee; The Lords of the Night by J.C. Cervantes.

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These two titles highlight the ups and downs of being a young adolescent, who questions their Muslim identity and try to come to terms with finding a place of belonging in school and in life.  

 

CALL ME AL by Wali Shah and Eric Walters

“It’s only because of hate that we understand the need for love.” (Dr. Martin Luther King) (see page 207)

This excellent novel is centred on the character of Ali Khan, who, with the hope of better ‘fitting in’ prefers to go by the name Ali. Eigth grade Ali does very well in school but is not as perfect as his father wants him to be. Al’s father was a doctor in Pakistan and now works as a cab driver striving to do the best for his family. He has strong aspirations for his 3 sons and even though Al is respectful of his father’s outlook, he is becoming independent particularly with his interest and talent for writing poetry. (Doctors don’t write poetry. Al is up against racist views with his peers and more dramatically on shopping trip with his mother and brother when some thugs attack them, shouting ‘Go back where you came from!’.  Poet, Wali Shah and Master novelist, Eric Walters have told a special story, about an immigrant family,  a special teacher, and a conflicted teenager which that many of young adolescent readers will certainly connect to. Understanding of social class,  insights and information about celebrating Ramadan are strong features of this book, as is the belief that “Forgiveness is Peace “. Call Me Al is absolutely a highly recommended choice from Dr. Larry. 

HUDA F ARE YOU? by Huda Fahmy (2021) (age 12+) / Graphic novel

This is a terrific graphic novel, somrewhat based on the author’s experiences growing  up and trying to figure out who she is (and what teenager doesn’t?).  Huda is a Muslim teen whose family has recently moved to Dearborn Michigan where she feels lost in a see of hijabis and realizes that her hijab can’t define her anymore. To find a place of belonging, she attempts to partake in a batch of cliques (fashionista, athlete, gamer) but is unsuccessful at being part of any group. Huda is a very smart girl  whose teenage awkwardness presents a warm, identifiable and humorous story of navigating Muslim Identity, developing friendships and confronting racism Huda Fahmy has created the webcomic “Yes, I’m Hot in This” and this witty and wise graphic piece of fiction is an A+ example of identity crisis  which a vast number of teenage readers  are sure to identify with. The number of panels on each page are rather sparse but the visual images in each frame are first-rate expressions of emotions and narrative, (as is the appearance of Huda’s conscience that appears throughout.  The title is terrific (even though the author’s mother wants the world to know that she hates the title).  Sequel: Huda F Cares?

 

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SHOUT OUT

These are two OUTSTANDING books, by two OUTSTANDING authors, each title sure to be at the top of the list of end-of-the-year favourites.  One of the reason, these two titles are linked because of the special relationship each of the main characters has with a senior citizen.

 

FERRIS  by Kate DiCamillo

Hurrah! Hurrah! A neel by Kate DiCamillo is cause for celebration. There is no doubt that she is on my list of favourite authors. Her multitude of fans would agree! Once again she tells a story with heart, humour and relatability. Emma Phineas Wilkey (Ferris) is an endearing character. Born under the ferris wheel at the local fair, her life is surrounded with fascinating,  likeable characters all around: Uncle Ted who, after having a dispute with Aunt Shirely,  has moved into the family basement to paint a history of the world; a feisty younger sister who attempted to rob a bank; a father who is worried about the invasion of raccoons; a best friend, Billy Jackson, who is a terrific piano player; a beloved -greif-stricken teacher; and last but not least Ferris’s much-loved grandmother Charisse who’s sudden stroke of illness is worrisome to the family; and oh yes, a ghost whose appearance is to take Charisse to the  Great Beyond An unusual hair-do, the quest to find 40 candles to light a chandelier, a budding romance, a loveable dog; and a  celebration of newly discovered vocabulary word are wonderful are ingredients the author has invented for a wonderful piece of fiction. Throughout the novel, the mantra “EVERY GOOD STORY IS A LOVE STORY” is a reminder about Ferris’s determination to protect and love those around her and a testimony to the heart of DiCamillo’s  fine writing. This is a good story, a GREAT story, a funny, endearing, quirky story about funny, endearing, quirky family and community – who live to love.  Hurrah! Hurrah! 

 

TREE. TABLE. BOOK. by Lois Lowry

Two Sophies are the main characters in this novel. Sophie Gershowitz is a middle grade student and  her best friend is eighty-eight year old Sophie Winslow. They enjoy good times together. but when young Sophie learns that  the elder Sophie is forgetting important moments in her life, Sophie and her buddies Ralph and Oliver to help her senior neighbour retrieve her memories thus preventing her from going into assisted living facility. The novel packs a punch when Sophie Winslow recalls stories from her past in Poland. Thank you Lois Lowry for another treasured specimen of children’s literature. I so loved this pognant ‘must-read’ book.

 

The 2024 fiction books listed below for middle years and YA readers offered rich reading experiences indicating that this is going to be another great year for reading chidren’s literature. The three terrific ‘Shout Out’ titles are ‘must reads’. 

 

ACROSS SO MANY SEAS by Ruth Behar

This is a fine novel about heritage, culture and endurance. The book is presented as four separate stories, set in four different time periods, each centred on a young Jewish adolescent girl. In Spain 1492, a family is forced to flee their country because of the Spanish Inquisition that enforced Jewish people to convert to Catholicism. In the second part, we are in Turkey 1921, Raina, a determined young feminist disobeys her father who punishes her by sending her off to Cuba. In 1961, Cuba, we are introduced to Alegra who is Reina’s daughter and being caught up in Castro’s revolution decides to work as a brigadista teaching citizens in the countryside to read and write. In the final section, Paloma and her family (her mother Alegra, her abuela Reina and her father) take a journey to Toledo, Spain where the young girl when visiting The Sephardic Museum,  learns more about her ancestors and the plight of the Jews.  Somewhat based on the author’s own family experiences,Ruth Behar has done exensive research from a number of sources (listed in the back of the book). The result is a sweeping saga, an engaging narrative of past and present and remembrance and a rich specimen of historical fiction. Author’s note: “My hope is that young people of all faith and backgrounds will gain from this story a new understanding of tolerance and resilience.”

 

THE FIRST STATE OF BEING by Erin Entrada Kelly

Award-winning author Erin Entrada Kelly offers middle age readers stories with relatable characters caught in adventures that provide landscapes for them to deal with their identiies, their relationships and their views of the world (i.e.,. Hello Universe (Newbery Medal), We Dream of Space (Newbery Honor), Those Kids from Fawn Creek and You Go First). The central figure in this new title is Michael Rosario who lives in an apartment complex with his hard-working single mother.. The place is Delaware, the time is the summer of 1999. Michael has just turned twelve and is very concerned about the approaching January 1, 2001, the Y2K date that he is certain will end the world as they know it. His good friend and babysitter, and an elderly neighbour try to calm Michael down but as “someone with a weighted mind, he knew on thing for certain: telling someone to calm down never worked.” It is teh appearance of a weird-acting kid named Ridge that sets the plot in motion. Not only is this stranger from an outside place, he has – spoiler alert travelled from the year 2199 as part oon of a mission his mother is involved with known as STM (Spatial Teleportation Module, aka a ‘time machine’.) What mysteries about the future can Ridge share with his new friends? What information can Ridge offer Michael to deal with reality? How did Ridge transport himself from the future and will he be able to return home? For lovers of Science Fiction and speculation, Kelly has presented a literary treat by creating a situation that makes the unbelievable seem believable. Audio transcripts of Scientific conversations, excerpts from ‘The Spatial Teleportation  Summary Book’ as well as identifiable stories of family, friendship, bullying and worry help to make this another terrific title from Erin Entrada Kelly. 

 

JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE by Naomi Kanakia (YA)

I was recently at a conference with hundreds (thousands?) of books on display and the cover of this novel intrigued me: A 3/4 view photograph portrait of dark-skinned person with stubble beard, who is applying lipgoss to his face. Picking up the book to read the jacket blurb, I read “Tara just wants to be treated like any other girl at Ainsley Academy.” I bought the book because I’m interested in any fictional work that deals with transness and transphobia to better understand the joys and challenges of being transexual. Tara is the first trans-girl in an all-girls school . The plot is centred around girls joining the Sibyls, an old-fashioned Ainsley sisterhood whose members must   code names from Roman and Greek mythology.  Tara wants to join the club (or does she?) but this opportunity thrusts her into defining what girlhood means, the intentions of belonging to a sisterhood club, and coming to better terms of what it means to be ‘different’ at the school. Tara’s ‘just happy to be (t)here’ The club might capture the interest of adolescent girls (I wasn’t entirely engaged with this conceit). Still, Naomi Kanakia’s title is a worthy important contribution to literature about gender identity. 

 

MID-AIR by Alicia D. Williams (Verse Novel)

Eighth-grade student Isaiah feels lost. He is struggling with the loss of his best friend Darius who was killed in accident. Isaiah feels guilty for the part he played in the hit and run accident and worried about the dwindling friendship with Drew who he enjoys hanging out with doing wheelies, watching movies and attempts to break Guiness World Records before entering high school. Isiah can’t seem to cope with a lost friend and a fading friend  his feelings of grief and the need to forge ahead with honesty and grace. The verse style and use of slang and vocabulary are relatable and well-suited for the reflective stance of this black teenage character.

 

OUT OF THE VALLEY OF HORSES by Wendy Orr

Pajama Press  Wendy Orr’s novels taht are engaging reading adventures for middle years readers. Many in this age group love to partake in narratives that feature animals.  For lovers of horse stories, this title is an appealing since it deals with survival, self-sufficiency and mystical horses. The Valley of Horses has been a safe haven for Honey and her family for years, but when Honey’s father takes sick, she is challenged to find a way beyond her home territory to  solve the problem.  It is stories that have helped Honey learn about people and places outside her home and it a dangerous journey which takes her family to a mysterious valley with extraordinary horses.  This is another gripping adventure story by a great storyteller.  Other titles by Wendy Orr: Cukoo’s Flight; Dragonfly Song; Swallow’s Dance, Nim’s Island).

THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton (1967) (YA)

Published in 1967, this groundbreaking novel written by S.E .Hinton as a teenager remains to be groundbreaking novel in the world of children’s literature. It is noteworthy for being the title for establishing a Young Adult (YA) literature  category of literature.The story of three orphaned brothers (Darry, Sodapop, Ponyboy), two rival gangs (The Greasers & The Socs) and one gang rumble has been read by over fifteen million readers across the world. I came to re-read the book to prepare me for seeing The Outsiders presented as a musical in New York. Have you ever re-read a book that you long-ago admired?if so, have you enjoyed it as much as you did when you read it at a different stage in your life?  Does the book hold universal truths to different generations of readers? I remember presenting this novel to my grade 7 class when I first began teaching grade 7. I know that the book remains as popular today in classrooms as it did when it was first published.   The words ‘If we don’t have each other, we don’t have anything.’ remains as true today as it did to a fictitious character named Sodapop. The copy I read was published in 2017 (50th anniversary) and contains archival photos. letters, reviews and samples of media coverage. BTW: for lovers of the book, the broadway musical version of this story is worth seeing. I liked it. 

 

TIMID by Jonathan Todd (graphic novel)

Cecil’s family has just moved from Florida to Massachusetts and the grade 7 boy is finding it hard to adjust and fit in. Cecil is a lack, church-going young adolescent who is shy (yes, quite TIMID) and doesn’t know how to go about making friends with oth, Black or White. What Cecil has going for him is an artistic talent for drawing comics and a steadfast determination that he will one day be a famous cartoonist, despite his father’s wishes.  The author frequently uses thought bubbles which help readers get inside Cecil’s head and his worries about being labelled an OREO (Someone who is blavk but acts white. The story is semi-autobiographical drawing parallels to Jonathan Todd’s experiences figuring out who his real friends were. Middle school readers will certainly care for  – and root for – this talented timid teenager. 

 

SHOUT OUT #1

FERRIS  by Kate DiCamillo

Hurrah! Hurrah! A neel by Kate DiCamillo is cause for celebration. There is no doubt that she is on my list of favourite authors. Her multitude of fans would agree! Once again she tells a story with heart, humour and relatability. Emma Phineas Wilkey (Ferris) is an endearing character. Born under the ferris wheel at the local fair, her life is surrounded with fascinating,  likeable characters all around: Uncle Ted who, after having a dispute with Aunt Shirely,  has moved into the family basement to paint a history of the world; a feisty younger sister who attempted to rob a bank; a father who is worried about the invasion of raccoons; a best friend, Billy Jackson, who is a terrific piano player; a beloved -greif-stricken teacher; and last but not least Ferris’s much-loved grandmother Charisse who’s sudden stroke of illness is worrisome to the family; and oh yes, a ghost whose appearance is to take Charisse to the  Great Beyond An unusual hair-do, the quest to find 40 candles to light a chandelier, a budding romance, a loveable dog; and a  celebration of newly discovered vocabulary word are wonderful are ingredients the author has invented for a wonderful piece of fiction. Throughout the novel, the mantra “EVERY GOOD STORY IS A LOVE STORY” is a reminder about Ferris’s determination to protect and love those around her and a testimony to the heart of DiCamillo’s  fine writing. This is a good story, a GREAT story, a funny, endearing, quirky story about funny, endearing, quirky family and community – who live to love.  Hurrah! Hurrah! 

 

SHOUT OUT #2

LOUDER THAN HUNGER by John Schu (ages 12+)

Jake is a thirteen-year-old boy who’s life is full of despair, He is depressed. He has an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He is a boy burdened Anorexia Nervosa.  He is wounded by bully taunts  “Loser. Wimp Freak.”    There is no happiness in his life, other than memories of time spent with his loving grandmother and admiration of Broadway musicals and Emily Dickinson poetry (“I am nobody! /Who are you?  Are you. – Nobody – too?”).  Jake does not have a healthy relationship with his parents (His mother is also dealing with depression.  The voice is an evil character roaring inside Jakes head (“You need to  burn off more calories.” “You don’t deserve love and warmth and kindness.”  “You – are  – repulsive!” “You don’t want to get better.”) Jake writes “I want  to erase every single thing about me.”   When others notice that Jake is wasting away (literally)  he finally he  is sent to a psychiatric treatment centre where, Whispering Pines,  much of the narrative unfolds. The demonic Voice persists and Jake resists help from other troubled residents and from his therapists. Readers will root for things to get better for Jake and will read on to discover a turning point that will lead this teenager coming to  feel worth and to lead a better life. 

This book is a punch in the heart. The free verse style is a suitable format for the character to reveal his reflective thoughts. Some pages only have a few words. Some poems are written with one word per line. Some words are written. Many phrases are repeated. Many statements follow a repeated pattern  Writers are often advised to ‘write what you know’. In an afterword to the book, the author writes a letter to his readers stating “How do I understand Jake’s inner thinking? How do I understand Jake’s heart so well so deeply? The reality is that many of his thoughts, including his disordered thinking and eating, are passed on my own experiences as a young person. Louder Than Hunger parallels John Schu’s life in many ways makes it all the more harrowing a read.  It is  courageous, heart-squeezing story and though a tough read, Jake’s/John’s story  can open doors and ignite conversations. Any reader with compassionate heart will worry and care aboutJake and want to wrap their arms around him to give assurance and hope. As I read through the book, I became aware of the word ‘heart’ that is sprinkled generously throughout the book. I first encountered librarian and author John Schu at a language conference where he passionately shared favourite book titles with the audience and generously gave books away to individuals asking, “Who’s heart needs this book?” In her brief forward, author Kate DiCamill0 writes that ‘reading Jakes story will change you.” And quoting Mr. Schu, I say “your heart needs this book!

 

SHOUT OUT #3

OLIVETTI by Allie Millington

There are many novels for middle age readers about troubled tweenagers (e.g., Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner) . There are many novels about young people who have to deal with illness and grief (e.g. The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin; ;The Probabilty of Everything by Sarah Everett. There are many books that are presented in the anthr0promorphic voice from the animal or natural world) (e.g., Wishtree and The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate) . :However, I cant think of any books that are narrated theough the voice of a typewriter. Yes, a typewriter. That is not a typo.  Allie Millington has presented an original engaging story where a typewriter named Olivetti is featured as an important character. Olivetti has lived with the Brindle family for many years, often used by the mother Beatrice Brindle. When Beatrice mysteriously disappears the family goes into action to find out why and where she has vanished. Twelve year old Ernest who likes to be left alone to enjoy going through his collection of Oxford Dictionaries is determined to find answers to the family crisis which  for him involves a theft from a Pawn Shop. Olivetti comes to the rescue which heads him to break the only rule of typewriter  code and types messages to Ernest, which leads to the divulgance of memories stored inside him.  The book is told in alternating voices of Ernest and Olivetti. Applause to Millington for presenting a uniaue narrative.. The review of this book in the New York Times (Sunday March  24, 2024) was written by the actor Tom Hanks who is a collector and afficionado  of Remington, Underwwood and Royal machines that he calls ‘wondrous’ things and praises  Millington who ‘captures the essence of why typewriters are such extraordinary creatures.”. Dr Larry’s Review?:   Sensational  Stellar! Stupendous! Superior! S’Wonderful!.  

Excerpt

“Typewrites do not have the luxury of moving on. Remembering is the very language we speak. I am a patchwork of pasts, stitched together with stories. A tapestry of tales.'(p. 188)

The following posting offers an overview of ten recent picture book publications. several of which are titles to be treasured.

A book list of picture books about disabilities that I recently prepared is also included FYI.

 

BUNNY LOVES BEANS by Jane Whittingham (2024)

Jane Whittingham creates books of beauty and wonder for babies (Bear Has a Belly, Animals Move) each clear rhythmic text, striking photographs and attenion to appealing concepts. Bunny Loves Beans engages toddlers with familiar fcoloours and fruits and vegetables that both animals and humans eat.  Ripe white, squishy white, /Plucked from the tree white –  /White for a monkey, and white for me! This i s a delightful title, to inspre repeated readings. 

 

FIVE STORIES by Ellen Weinstein (2024)

This is a very special title to shine a light on the immigrant experience. The setting is a tenement building in the Lower East Side of New York. Stories of settling in to a new country  are told through the eyes of five children and their families who have lived in the same building of the course of a century. The author cleverly adds to the narrative by telling owho each child makes an impact on the family that comes after them (e.g. Jenny Epstein, a young Jewis girl who we first first meet in the 1910’s grows into becoming the English teacher for the Italian girl, Anna Cosi. Floor by floor, family by family, story by story (pun intended)  is a testimony to history, community and diversity. This book is a treasure that works on many levels (pun intended).   

 

I’M FROM by Gary R. Gray, Jr.; illus. Oge Mora (2023)

I am familiar with the “I Am From” poem written by writer and teacher George Ella Lyon in 1993. The list poem about identity (“I am from the forsythia bush,/ the Dutch elm/ whose long gone limbs I remember as if they were my own.”) has been taught in classrooms throughout the world and has been celebrated as a mentor text for students to write metaphorically about their own individuality.  Poet Gary. R. Gray Jr. has written his first picture book, I’m From inspired by his growing up in Preston Nova Scotia, Canada’s oldest community. Oge Mora’s lively cut paper illustrations add a great spirit  and vitality to Gray, Jr’s  words.  There are several templates available for young people to create their own poem portraits. Like Lyon’s poem, Gray Jr’s. words serves as another model for students to define where they are from. (I would have thought an acknowledgement would have gone to George Ella Lyon). 

“I am from leftovers, buttermilk biscuits, baked beans, and you better eat what’s on your plate.”

 

SATURDAY MORNING hy Mr. Paterson (2024)

The author of this book is a spectacular wire sculpture artist who happens to have written a delightful book about two brothers, Antwon and Bejoe who each enjoy going on Saturday morning adventures. Antwon plans on climbing ‘the stairs of determination and the ledders of ascension through the machinery of mankind.” Bejoe wants to ride his bicycle and “ride with careless abandon to places unknown.” Readers who join in the adventures of the two brothers will likely be entranced with the decorative, kinetic illustrations that accompany the text. The story is accompanied by an explanation of how James Paterson  was inspired to ‘drift in the thin places between waking and dreaming’ and describes how he made his magnificent Storytelling Machines.  I received an autographed copy of the book from the artist/ author who wrote, “Always imagine”.  Imagination abounds in this wondrous picture book. 

 

THE SEARCH FOR THE GIANT ARCTIC JELLYFISH by Chloe Savage (2022)

I say this is a fine specimen of a picture book and so says Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize (UK) who claimed it to be the best picture book of the year. All her life, Dr. Morley has been fascinated by the idea of finding the giant Arctic jellyfish and so with years of research behind her, and the assembling of highly trained crew aboard a ship full of special equipment, she sets sail for an expedition to the Arctic. Will her mission be a success?  Is the jellyfish just a myth? After  battling the formidable waters of the icy sea, and coming across a majestic pod of narwhale gliding through the water, a curious pod of beluga whales, a polar bear, it seems that the steadfast crew aren’t likely to succeed in their quest to catch a glimpse of the elusive creature. Readers join in the awesome expedition, cheering Dr. Morley, knowing (spoiler) that the jelly fish is playfully swimming beneath the boat. Chloe’s art work with cut away images of the ship, finely detailed scenes of teh crew working away and mostly the miraculous views of Arctic landscape above and beneath the depths of the sea. I sort of wished for an appendix that would provide scientific information about the Giant Arcic Jellyfish, but this book inspires inquiry and research into  the mysterious life of life this marine animal. The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish is an example of texts and visuals that bear several revisits. Stunning!!!

 

SURPRISE! by Mies Van Hout (2024)

I love Mies van Hout’s picture book style (Happy, Friends) His vivid, t energetic chalk illustrations , set against jet black backgrounds area always ‘surprising’ . Each spread of this book depicts a vibrant depiction of a bird celebrating the jouney of parenthood (i.e. ‘expecting’; ‘marvelling’; ‘caring’; ‘cherishing’)  Surprise is a marvelling, caring, cherishingtitle for young readers (and grown-ups) to enjoy. (I’d be delighted to own any one of  Van Hout’s electrifying  bird illustrations,)

 

STRUM AND THE WILD TURKEY by Noa Daniel; illus. Alana McCarthy (2021)

Strum is a baby peacock who’s feathers are not as dazzling as his brothers and sisters. Unwilling to shake his tail feathers, he strummed them like a guitar. When his siblings set off to find mates, Strum is left alone and one day encounters a flock of turkeys who enjoyed his music and asked Strum to join in with their musical group. This is a story about finding your voice (literally and figuratively) and learning to belong through the power of music. A musical peacock… a group of jamming Wild Turkeys… a story about being true to yourself, this picture book is a delight with colourful full-page illustrations by Alana Mc Carthy. Link to rhthmic song about being different ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LIirM7ymtA

“Strum sat on his porch playing his plume and singing his heart out to the moon.”

 

TIME TO GO, LARRY! by Alison Hawkins (2023)

How could I not buy this book? It’s got my name in the title. It’s about a bear. It’s about Larry the Bear who is perfectly happy, cozying up under soft blanks and being perfectly content to stay in bed reading a favorite story with  just right light shining through the window. Larry is eventually coaxed out of bed with the best possible breakfast you could imagine (eggs, bacon,  crispy waffles with honey and tons of butter). Can he be persuaded to go outside and play with his friends – and what will convince him to ever head back home to delight in splashing in a bubble bath? Larry, the bear,  who lovingly needs convincing to expand his comfort zone. i like this bear a lot.m

 

SHOUT OUT

THE FERRIS WHEEL by Tulin Kozikoglu; illus. Huseyin Sonmezy (2020/2023 translation)

On a recent trip to a bookstore, i picked up a batch of picture books. This one stood out fr purchasing. I returned the others to the shelf. Tulin Kozikoglu is considered to be one of Turkey’s most treasured children’s book authors an her recently translated picture book. The Ferris Wheel is a treasure. The follows the parallel journeys of two families from cities apart. On the left hand side of each spread is the story of a boy and his mother who take a day’s journey throughout their neighbourhood. On the right hand side of each spread, a father takes hold of his daughter as he cautiously lead her to leave their city. Each parent protect their child from unfamiliar places and faces. It is when both families go around and around on a ferris wheel until a voice says “Come on, time to get going – with a heart full of hope. Kozikoglu’s simple, poetic text and Huseyin’ Sonmezay’s illustrations, both stark and joyful,  ultimately inspires readers to think about similarities and differences and talk about war and immigration.  I sat and read this story with a warm, but sometimes heavy, heart. And then re-read it again.  It is the best kind of picture book creation where words lure you to the visual images and visual images lead you back to the word and then repeat. . It is a book that works on many levels. Outstanding!

Author’s note:

If the book inspires just one childtgo welcome newcomers with compassion and curiosity, then I will be content. Just one child is enough for me. That one child will make a lot of difference in the long run. 

 

SHOUT OUT

ORRIS AND TIMBLE: The Beginning by Kate DiCamillo; illus. Carmen Mok (2024)

Orris is a rat. Timble is an owl.  Can they be friends or like the fable, “The Lion and the Mouse”,  grow to have a symbiotic relationship. Not much of a spoiler (see title), this book (first in an early-reader trilogy) tells the beginning of a beautifulfriendship, centred on kindness and storytelling. Presented in 8 short chapters accompanied by engaging illustrations by Toronto artist, Carmen Mok, Orris and Timble is  tender and thought-provoking tale told with (of course) glorious glorious writing. A book treasure to read .. and read again. 

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DISABILITIES: A PICTURE BOOK LIST

BLINDNESS

 

Bryant, Jennifer (illus. Boris Kulikov. Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille (blindness)

Cottin Menena and Rosana Faria. The Black Book of Colors  (blindness)

Herbauts Anne, What Color is the Wind? (blindness)

Ho, Cariina and Jesse Byrd (illus. Monica Poolo Rodrigues.Mighty Mara (wheelchair)

Keats, Ezra Jack. Apt.  3 (blindness)

Lao, Jimmy. The Sound of Colors: A journey of the imagination (blindness)

MacLachlan, Patricia (illus. Deborah Kogan Ray)). Through Grandpa’s Eyes (blindness)

Yolen, Jane (illus. Tony Ross). The Seeing Stick (blindness)

Young, Ed. Seven Blind Mice (blindness)

 

WHEELCHAIR

 

Carlson, Nancy, Arnie and the New Kid (wheelchair)

Ho, Cariina and Jesse Byrd (illus. Monica Poolo Rodrigues. Mighty Mara (wheelchair)

Munsch, Robert (illus. Michael Martchenko). Zoom! (wheelchair)

Palmer, Dorothy Ellen; illus. Maria Sweeney. The Scooter Twins (wheelchair)

Willis Jeanne (illus. Tony Ross). Susan Laughs (wheelchair)

 

HEARING LOSS

 

Blackington, Debbie. Gracie’s Ears (hearing aids)

Klein. Maggie. Max’s Super Ears (hearing aids)

Moore-Mallinos; (illus. Marta Faberga). I Am Deaf (deafness)

Seeger, Pete and Paul Dubois; (illus. Gregory Christie). The Deaf Musicians (deafness)

 

ETC.

 

Rahman, Bahram;( illus. Peggie Collins). A Sky-Blue Bench (prosthetics; inclusion)

Scott, Jordon; illus. Sydney Smith. I Talk Like A River (stuttering)

 

INCLUSION

 

Hall, Michael. Red: A crayon’s story (inclusion)

Palacio, R.J. We’re All Wonders (inclusion)

Parr, Tood. Everyone is Different (inclusion)

Sanders, Jayneen ;( illus. Camilla Carrosine). Included: (inclusion)

Thomas, Pat. Don’t Call Me Stupid: A first look at disability (inclusion)

 

 

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This posting lists 6 FICTION  titles + 4 PROFESSIONAL TEXTS. Though not all books were published in 2024, they have been recent publications that I have delved into. If truth be told, I didn’t love all of these fictional titles. That’s OK!

 

FOURTEEN DAYS  by Magaret Atwood and Douglas Preston (editors) (2024)

This is a rather unique collaborative novel. Atwood and Douglas invited 36 authors from the Authors Guild Foundation to each create a short story to support the charitable work of the Foundation. The diverse authors, several who are familiar to me (e.g., Margaret Atwood, R.L. Stein, Tommy Orange, Mary Pope Osborne,Scott Turow  have written stories about a group of New Yorkers left  behind during the Covid-19 pandemic. The stories, in this collaborative  novel  remained unbylined. A list is provided at the end of the book. As stated in the introduction, “the storyetelling act invokes magical  powers to heal spiritual and phsical sickness to ctransorm the profane into the sacred… stories are what make us human (viii). There will be many books written about the pandemic (e.g., The Vulnerables by Sigred Nunez) and this book brings togther a group of residents in a rundown Lower Manhattan building who gather on the rooftop over fourteen days, early in the early lockdown days of the pandemic, to keep each other company, each telling a story more or less  drawn from their past experiences. Stories vary in theme: love stories, fantasy stories, gruesome stories, funny and sad stories. As with any colledtion of stories some are more engaging than others. I wish that the editors had suggested that the stories be of fairly equal length. Some take up a few pages of narration. Some are rather long and these seemed to be less appealing for me. Kudos to Douglas Preston who was committed to provide narration that connec the cast of characters and link the narrative over a fourteen day time period. Fourteen Days is an intriguing collaborative venture that illuminates the circumstances and feelings and worries of the surviving the pandemic. 

I AM HOMELESS IF THIS IS NOT MY HOME by Laurie Moore (2023)

Laurie Moore is a beloved short story writer (I only read her anthology Birds of America.) The New York Times review claimed that this, her fourth novel,  ‘braids a historical ghost story with zombie romance.” Finn is a put-on-leave high school history teacher who visits his dying brother, Max, wh’s in hospice care.  When Finn gets a text, that Lily, his ex-girlfriend,  a depressed therapeutic clown is in trouble,  he drops everything, leaves his brother’s bedsi  and drives to Illinois only to lear  that Lily has died by suicide. Finn immediately goes to the green cemetry in which Lily is buried and – as is the stuff of fiction Lily’s appears. Finn then takes the decaying corpse into his car and sets off to drive to Tennessee where they will donate Lily’s body to forensic science. The more Lily’s body falls apart (“Beneath her skin there was the wiggling look of maggots in meat. Levity versus gravity was not a fair fight.” (p.121), the vaguer her appearance in Finn’s life (even after he proposes to her). Enough said – except for  letters written by a  19th century innkeeper named  to her  long-dead sister that we read between chapters where she shares concerns about a suspicious guest who has taken a room at the end. Perhaps you like to read stories about zombie corpses wearing clown shoes. (I would have preferred if Moore stuck to the relationship between Max and Finn, but that’s another story.  I would gladly have given up halfway through this weird, droll, philosophical, rather obscure and yes,  imaginative, book but I figured I could plow on since it was only 193 pages. I did not enjoy this book. I Am Homeless If This is Nor My   was the National Book Critics Award for Fiction Award (2024). Go figure!

 

SHY by Max Porter (2023)

I’ve come across high praise for the work of British writer, Max Porter (The Death of Francis Bacon; Grief is a Thing with Feathers) and chose to read his most recent release, Shy as my introduction to his work.. I wouldn’t really recommend this novella (122 Pages) to many people. It’s stream of consciousness,  poetry/fiction style is for those who like a rather abstract style.  Inventive to be sure. I bought this book because I read that a) it was going to be made into a movie (called Steve) starring Cillian (Oppenheimer)  Murphy that I look forward to seeing someday and b)  I am often intrigued with stories that get into the heads of adolescents. To be sure, Shy is a inside-the-head of a very disturbed character. Shy is trouble and his volatile behaviour has caused a lot of trouble. (He’s sprayed, snorted, smoked, sworn, stolen, punched, run, jumped, crash6yued an Escort, smashed up a shop, trashed a house, broken a nose, stabbed his stepdad’s finger.” (p. 6) .This trippy narrative takes readers into  few wandering nighttime hours when Shy escapes from the Last Chance boarding school. A lost soul, 16 year old Shy, worries about how he has treated his teachers, his parents and himself and his journey is haunted by dreams, filled with despair and guilt. Porter writes with inventive artistry, but this dark tale didn’t very much satisfy my reading tastes.  Oh well. I won’t be digging into Max Porter’s previous publications..

Excerpt

Shy laughs. Ya like that do ya? Proper housy vocals, pure ragga fire. Smooth, scary, lairy. All meat no dairy. Haha. The best British invasion since the steam engine? The future is hear, ’95 no fear. (p. 45)

 

SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE by Claire Keegan (2021)

I recently finished (and loved) Claire Keegan’s recent publication entitled So Late in the Day (2023) and decided to re-read Small Things Like These to confirm to myself that she is a masterful Irish writer. In an Irish town, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant is kept busy during the weeks leading up to Christmas. He dutifully makes his deliveries and strives to make ends meet to keep his dutiful wife, Eileen,  and  his five daughters  as comfortable as he can afford. It is a story of community. It is a story of the past memories rising up to haunt the hardworking man.  Filtered throughout the narrative, is the history of a small community controlled by the Church. In a note on the text, the author gives a short history of the Magdalen laundries where many girls and young women lost their babies. Some lost their lives. Brilliantly,  Small Things Like These encapsulates the history of Catholic institutions through the story of one young girl who was locked up in the coal room.  I read that  this story was going to be made into a movie  starring Cillian (Oppenheimer) and I’m sure I will re-read this novella (110 pages) once again.  Keegan’s writing is precise in the telling, description and straight=to the-heart capturing of emotions.  I now plan on reading other Keegan rather short but mighty titles (e.g. Antarctica, Walk The Blue Fields, Foster, The Forester’s Daughter). 

Excerpt

“… he found himlef asking was there any point in being alive without helping one another? Was it possible to carry on along through all the years, the decades, through an entire life, without once being brave enough to go against what ws there and yet call yourself a Christian, and face yourself in the mirror?” (p. 108)

 

WANDERING STARS by Tommy Orange (2024)

This title can be considered a prequel, a sequel, a companion to Cheyenne and Arapho author Tommy Orange’s mighty first novel, There There, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. It is not necessary to read the first book to dig into this sophomore publication. The book is divided into two parts: 1924 when the American government campaigned to eradicate the original inhabitants of the American land (i.e., “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” and 2018 when members of the Red Feather family lament society’s refusal to see Native American’s as existing in the present day.  The author conjures a world of ancestors and descentdents with a cast of warriors, drunks, outlaws, addicts and lets us into the world of  ‘all the Indina children who were ever Indian children never stopped being Indian children.”  I read this book at a languid pace. Fairly short chapters read like short stories: point of views vary from first to second to third person, without straightforward narrative. There are however, episodes in the lives of these characters  that paint an explosive, therapeutic existence of the Native American soul, particularly as seen through the yes the troubled teenager Orvil, who after a being accidently shot at a PowWow, relies on  drugs to get through each day. Tommy Orange is an outstanding author – at the top of the list of the best of contemporary Indigenous authors.  “Orange’s ability to highlight the contradictory forces taht coexist within friendship, familiar relationships, and the characters themselves, who content withholding private and public identities, makes “Wandering Stars” a towering achievement.” (New York Times, March 24, 2024)

 

THE WORLD AND ALL IT HOLDS by Alexsandar Hemon (2023)

Some friends highly recommended this title to me, knowing that I loved the book IN MEMORIAM by Alice Winn (about two WW I soldiers who fell in love). The World And All It Holds is an epic story, a sprawling narrative. The action starts in Sarajevo in 1914 and concludes in an epilogue Jerusalem, 2020. Rafael Pinto was Jewish and Osman Kariski was Muslim who met serving in the Austro-Hungarian Arm in World War I. Pinto and Osman “loved each other more than anyone had ever loved another person before, or would after, and were together for the rest of their lives even when they were apart, even after Osman died.” (p. 322), After escaping the trenches, they find themselves entangle with spies and Bolsheviks. Travels acrooss mountains and deserts all the way to Shanghai, Hemon presents a horrowing survival stor, ambitious story that is a tapestry of horrific, tender and hallucinatory events.  Most of all  it is a tale about tghe resilience of true love. this  The story is vast and expansive with some brilliant lyrical passages. I read , so much so that I read this at a rather slow pace. 

 

SHOUT OUT: PROFESSIONAL TITLES

BE WHO YOU NEEDED by Rachel Weinstock (Amazon, 2022)

The Caring Adult’s Guide to Helping Young People Transform their Emotional Well-Being, Self-Confidence and Happiness

Several years ago, Rachel Weinstock was a student of mine in the education program. I immediately recognized her to be creative, compassionate soul. She currectly works as a Transformational Coach & speaker for youth who are struggling with being bullied, self esteem and anxiety. I am very proud of the publication she has written which serves as an iinformative persusaive document to challenge and support those who interact with youth and may remember the challenges of growing up, needing to be recognized, to belong and to feel safe. Be Who You Needed offers practical tips and heartfelt stories for parents, educators and caring adults to engage and connect with young people.  The book is structured in 59 short chapters with such titles as ‘Perspective is Everything’, ‘Put Yourself in Someone Else’s Chair’, ‘Youre Braver Than You Thing’ and ‘Learning to Let Go’.  Rachel Weinstock is a person with a big heart and her heart is put into every page of this rich inspirational resource. In the afterward, the author writes: “My biggest wish is that this book plants seeds in people’s minds on how we interact with children to empower them to be their best sleves. I have always felt a deep calling to ake the biggest impact I can, and I hope this book is able to touch your heart.” Mission accomplished Rachel. Bravo!

 

THE HEART-CENTERED TEACHER by Regie Routman

Restoring Hope, Joy and Possibilities in Uncertain Times

(An Eye on Education Book / Routledge, 2024) / available through Pembroke Publishers in Canada. 

In the book’s opening, ‘A Letter to Readers’, the author’s lead sentence reads: “My goal, dear reader is to write to you like I’m talking to you, as a fellow traveler on life’s winding road, to share my journey with candor and humility.” I’m always eager to dig into a new Regie Routman publication, and when I read over the table of contents, I knew that this recent release would be a must-read. With chapter headings such as ‘Loving Our Students’, ‘Promoting Equitable Opportunities’ and ‘Becoming our Truest Selves’, I knew that the author would help us to think carefully about “developing, nurturing and sustaining caring relationships — in our teaching lives, our home lives, and in the happy intersection of both.” Particularly noteworthy is Chapter 5, ‘Developing Professional Knowledge’, which is essential reading for classroom teachers, consultants and administrators. A new Regie Routman publication is not only a cause to “nourish the heart, mind and spirit” but a cause for reflection and celebration. With The Heart Centered Teacher, she invites us to consider where we are and points toward the path for what we could be, what we should be, as educators.

 

MICRO MENTOR TEXTS by Penny Kittle (Scholastic, 2022)

Using Short Passages From Great Books to Teach Writer’s Craft

This book is designed to provide educators with a guide to help students focus their writing with clarity and power. This is accomplished by studying ‘micro mentor texts’  which highlights passages from  the deyze acclaimed books and use these passages to reflect and and analyze the choses authors make to craft those texts to engage readers and guide them into their own writing. I was lucky enough to sit in on a Penny Kittle’s presentation at the Reading For the Love of It Conference, 2024. Her expertise and humour was evident throughout. Most of all her work with adolescents to ignite their writing capabilities brings authenticity to the teaching of writer’s craft. Penny Kittle believes that ‘”all students will create independent reading and writing lives of joy, curiosity and hunger when given agency.” texts, and student examples that give evidence to the healthy writing community she establishes to inspire writers. This book offers a wealth of mentor A star you are, Penny! Thank you for your words, your wisdom and your work. 

 

POWERFUL THINKING by Adrienne Gear (Pembroke, 2024)

It is not by accident that the titles of Adrienne Gear’s professional are centred on the word ‘power’ (e.g. Reading Power, Writing Power, Powerful Poetry, Powerful Understanding) Each of Adrienne’s books is ‘powerful’. Her newest release, Powerful Thinking is designed to ‘Engage Readers, Building Knowledge and Nudging Learning in Elementary Classrooms.”  Gear is  passionate about helping teachers to stretch their thinking around reading comprehension, literacy instruction and content-area  learning. She is an authentic literacy mentor, drawing on her own teaching experiences and inspiring teachers through practical ways to inspire a ‘culture of thinking. The easy to follow lessons, the presentaton of anchor texts, the consideration for meaningful read-alouds in many subjects and wealth of theoretical insights serve as a powerful book to inspire powerful thinking about powerful teaching and learning.  Hooray to you, Adrienne for another fantastic professional resource.