Library Matters

#IMWAYR July 22, 2024

Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.

We've had quite the spell of hot weather here. According to the official record, it's 41º C (102º F) outside while I write this Sunday afternoon. The thermometer on my back deck says it's 45º. Monday is supposed to be more of the same, but on Tuesday it is predicted to cool down. My raspberries are not doing well in this heat.

Thank goodness we have a heat pump so the house is nicely air conditioned. I was able to to get my unicorn flimsy finished. I've decided to add a pieced border made from the colours of the unicorn. Here's what I've got so far.

Once this part of the quilt was done, I spent a lazy afternoon reading and reviewing picture books. I don't understand why more adults don't read these. They encapsulate lessons that are important for people of all ages.

Mostly while I was sewing I watched/listened to some Masterclass sessions on writing because my subscription expires on Tuesday and I don't plan to renew it.

Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.

PICTURE BOOKS

Berry Song by Michaela Goade July 19, 2022

I got shivers reading this stunning book. It tells the story of a young girl and her grandmother foraging for food in their environment. The forest sings to them and they sing back to let the land know that they are grateful.

The Last Stand by Antwan Eady & Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey (Illustrators) July 19, 2022

This is a poignant story about a boy helping his grandfather out on the family farm. They harvest on Saturday, and then take the produce to a market where they sell to many regular customers. As the grandfather ages, the boy ends up taking on more and more of the work until he eventually takes over the market stall.

This is one of those stories that is both heart wrenching and uplifting at the same time. This black farmer has spent his life providing for his community and when he is no longer able to do this, the community provides for him.

I appreciated the authors note in the back matter explaining the history and significance of markets like this.

Many thanks to Linda Bai for introducing this book to me.

Circle of Love by Monique Gray Smith & Nicole Niedhardt (Illustrator) January 1, 2024 🍁

This beautifully illustrated book is a celebration of community and connection. It's a testimony to the benefits we receive from the the people in our lives. Ultimately, no matter what, love is love.

Hockey with Dad by Willie Sellars & Kevin Easthope (Illustrator) January 1, 2024 🍁

This book continues the adventures of the same family we met in Dipnetting with Dad. It is told from the perspective of the same young boy. They are a hockey family. His older sister plays forward and his father is the team's coach. I really like the important messages about playing just because you love to play. "Play hard, be fierce, play with honour, but more important than anything, play because you love it. Remember that any day on the ice is a good day."

I admit that I both love and hate the illustrations.

My Little Ogichidaa: An Indigenous Lullaby by Willie Poll & Hawlii Pichette (Illustrator) April 30, 2024 🍁

Although the title indicates this is a lullaby, it isn't a soft lyrical one. These rhyming couplets read like spoken word poetry - an anthem and declaration of hope and promise for the future.

We Who Produce Pearls: An Anthem for Asian America by Joanna Ho & Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya (Illustrator)

This is hands down my favourite Joanna Ho picture book. I'm absolutely purchasing a copy for my part Korean grandchildren.

Each stanza shines a light on some aspect of Asian American history. Together they become a litany of rising up in the face of an onslaught of oppression. It's loaded with lessons all of us must learn no matter our background.

"We who stand in solidarity

understand the vines of freedom

must climb arbors of cooperation

to bear fruits of liberation."

Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya's illustrations are jaw dropping.

Woven of the World by Katey Howes & Dinara Mirtalipova Feb 07, 2023

Katey Howes and Dinara Mirtaliptova introduce readers to the history, culture, and maybe even the future of weaving fabric. I am not a weaver, but through my other fabric arts work, I understand this rich connection to those who came before me. As I introduce the art of sewing to my granddaughter I reflect on my grandmothers, mother and aunts, and appreciate my place in the continuum.

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

One Day This Tree Will Fall by Leslie Barnard Booth & Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Illustrator) March 26, 2024

The prose in this nonfiction picture book left me aching to have some children to read it aloud too. It's stunning mentor text for writers of all ages. I read it out loud to myself, but it wasn't the same. If I was still teaching full time I would plan a tree ecology unit. This book and Log Life by Amy Hevron would be included - no matter the age of the learners.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter (Illustrator) March 02, 2021

This has been on my to read list for ages, but I had forgotten about it til Elizabeth Ellington wrote about it a couple of weeks ago.

Like Maggie, the protagonist, I too am allergic to things with fur and feathers. Luckily I don't react as intensely as she did. We live in a pet free house if you don't count the spiders that live in places I can't reach.

Maggie desperately wanted a dog, but on her 10th birthday when the family went to choose a puppy, she started reacting before they left the dog shelter. She really wanted any kind of pet, but her younger twin brothers ended up bonding with the lizard she brought home. Maggie is heartbroken when her best friend and neighbour, Claire, gets a pet dog. It's an important lesson for both of the girls to learn to listen better to each other, and clarify when something goes awry. With the help of Claire, Maggie purchases a small mouse that she keeps hidden from her family. Her health deteriorates because of it.

While Maggie's allergies are part of the issue here, she's also struggling with feelings of isolation in her family. Her brothers have a special connection. Her parents are absorbed with the new baby soon to arrive. It leaves Maggie feeling on the outside. The special magic of a newborn baby transforms Maggie and the whole family.

ADULT/YA FICTION

A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur (Author), Greg Chun (Narrator) & Michelle H. Lee (Narrator) May 14, 2024 🍁

Reading a June Hur novel is the best kind of education about Korean history. She doesn't sugar coat or avoid the brutal depravity of the time she writes about. Each of her novels includes a strong female protagonist, mystery, and romance. This one had a bit too much romantic angst for me, but it was still satisfying.

King Yeonsan, ruler in 1506, Joseon, was a brutal tyrant. When his people kidnapped Iseul's older sister, Suyeon, to be part of the king's harem, Iseul is determined to bring her home.

Prince Daehyun, the king's half brother, is appalled by the king's predatory behaviour and is working with others to plan a coup. After an inauspicious first meeting, he and Iseul work together.

I liked the prince right from the get go, but for the most part, Iseul irritated me. She's mostly a spoiled brat who is responsible for Suyeon being kidnapped in the first place. Thankfully she does eventually grow up enough to be tolerable.

Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea, Mindy Kaling (Introduction) September 5, 2023 🍁

I'm really not the target audience for this since it has way to much teen angst and miscommunication for me. Neither did I care very much for the two main characters. I very nearly abandoned it, but went to read how the story ended and decided to give the book another chance. When the two protagonists finally started talking honestly to each other, I figured there was hope for them.

CURRENTLY

A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver

Western Lane by Chetna Maroo

UP NEXT (MAYBE)

Betty: The Helen Betty Osborne Story by David Alexander Robertson & Scott B. Henderson (Illustrator) April 27, 2015 🍁

READING GOALS

#MustRead2024 13/25

NonFiction 20/24

Canadian Authors 43/50

Indigenous Authors 22/25 one on the go

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 139/200

IMWAYR July 15, 2024

I worked hard on a paper pieced unicorn quilt last week. I am determined to have it finished before the end of the month. I've had the pattern and most of the fabric for over a year. I started on it last spring but other projects got in the way. I need to get it completed before my granddaughter decides that she doesn't like unicorns anymore.

The pile on the left are finished. I am almost finished the ones in the middle - just need to add the blue background fabric. I have yet to start the pile on the right.

In the process of that, (and weeding in the garden) I listened to a lot of audiobooks.

At the same time as I was working on my projects, I travelled across time and space, made new literary friends, and came to understand the world and its denizens in new ways. I'm so thankful to be a reader.

Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.

PICTURE BOOKS

4 stars

Perla The Mighty Dog by Isabel Allende & Sandy Rodriguez (Illustrator) May 28, 2024

Everyone needs a Perla in their life. Perla's super powers include making people love her and barking really loudly. Her boy, Nico Rico, is being bullied at school. Perla teaches him how to deal with his bully.

I'm not really a dog person, but I fell in love with Perla.

4 stars

Métis Like Me by Tasha Hilderman & Risa Hugo (Illustrator) April 2, 2024 🍁

What does it mean to be Métis? I'm not sure there is an American equivalent. The Métis here in Canada are a group of Indigenous people whose ancestors originate with the union of European men and Indigenous women. They have their unique history, culture, and even language.

This book introduces us to a number of Métis children who tell us about their lives. Some of them are aware of their heritage, while others know next to nothing. No matter what, they are all Métis.

MG FICTION

5 stars

Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry & Hope Newhouse (Narrator) April 1, 2024

The two Sophies are best friends. Sophie Winslow is in elementary school while Sophie Gershowitz is 88. The elder Sophie is having memory trouble these days and her son is planning on moving her to a home near him. The younger Sophie is heartbroken. She comes up with a plan to test Sophie G. to show that she is competent. In the process we learn about her earlier life.

Like all Lois Lowry novels, this one is full of brilliant characters aside from the main ones. The younger Sophie's other friends, Ralphie and Oliver are equally memorable.

I loved this book. I'm sure that even if I wasn't already sucker for intergenerational relationships, I would have loved it.

I was also terrified for Sophie Gershowitz. I'm now of age to have visited people living in the best kinds of care homes. Warehousing is not an ending I want for myself or anyone else I love. This book was a reminder to me of how imminent and important it is to find a better way.

ADULT/YA FICTION

5 stars

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (Author and Narrator) May 2, 2023

All the hype about this book is well deserved. I don't usually read family sagas but I was sucked into this from the first few pages.

It's filled with characters I took into my heart. I feel like I travelled back in time and made new friends. There are a couple of what seem at first to be disparate story lines.

It begins with Mariamma, a 12 year old girl grieving the loss of her father, being married to a 40 year old man. I came to love this couple and all the other people who come into their lives in the next three generations.

The other story lines are of different doctors. Dr. Rune Orquist ends up devoting his life to caring for leprosy patients. Digby Kilgour is a Scottish doctor who joined the Indian Medical Services.

The lives of the different people intersect across time and come to a satisfying and heart wrenching conclusion at the end of the novel.

5 + stars

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride & Dominic Hoffman (Narrator) August 8th 2023

The best thing about historical fiction, is how much we can learn about times and places we previously knew next to nothing about. This is set in a small town near Philadelphia.

It begins in 1972 with the discovery of a skeleton and a mezuzah. Then it takes us back to the 1930's. A Jewish immigrant, Moshe, meets and marries a young woman, Chona, whose father owns a grocery store in Chicken Hill, a Black, Jewish, and immigrant neighbourhood. When the rest of the Jewish community moves, they stay. Chona has become one of my favourite female protagonists, but all the women in this novel are remarkable: Addie Timblin, who helps out in the store; Patty Millison, AKA Paper, who knows all the news, and figures out how to get the kind of help they need to rescue Dodo, the young deaf boy trapped in Pennhurst, an insane asylum; and Miggy Fludd who works at Pennhurst.

We discover eventually who the skeleton was and how it and the mezuzah ended up in the bottom of a well. It feels like justice, however erroneously, was meted out.

This is a book about friendship, resilience, love and overcoming. I didn't want the book to end so I started it all over again. I've decided to read everything by James McBride that I can get my hands on.

4.5 stars

After Annie by Anna Quindlen & Gilli Messer (Narrator) February 27, 2024

I don't generally like books where the mother dies, but this one was different. It focuses on on what her loss means to people close to her for the year after her death. It's told from three points of view, Ali, her daughter, her husband, Bill, and her best friend Annemarie. Through them we see how the rest of the family is coping - or not coping. While there is grief, there's also growth as they all, especially Bill, have to take on the roles she once managed.

In spite of the fact that nothing really happens, it's not an easy book to read. Ali discovers that her best friend, Jenny, is being abused by her father. Annemarie sinks back into addiction.

I really appreciated how important therapy was for the children and Bill.

I loved that all these people felt real - like the kind of family who might live on the same block as me.

5 stars

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden, (Author and Narrator) and January Lavoy & Michael Crouch (Narrators) February 13, 2024

This fascinating story is told from the perspectives of two siblings caught up in the horror of WW1.

Laura Iven was a front line nurse until she was injured when her hospital was bombed and sent home. Shortly after arriving back in Halifax, two ships collided in the harbour. The ensuing explosion wiped out huge sections of the city and killed her mother and father. When she finds out that her brother, Freddie, has died she returns to Begium working in a private hospital to find what happened.

Freddie almost died when he was trapped in an overturned pillbox with Hans Winter, a wounded German soldier. In the process of keeping each other alive and sane, the two of them bond. They manage to escape and go searching for Laura so that she can help Hans who was badly injured. Along the way they meet up with a mysterious man who can bring solace in the midst of all the terror.

I became a Katherine Arden fan from reading The Bear and the Nightingale Trilogy. I ended up liking this book even more. I adored all these characters. I liked that while there is a bit of romance, it's a very small bit of the over all story. There is a plot twist near the end that took me completely by surprise!

CURRENTLY

Betty: The Helen Betty Osborne Story by David Alexander Robertson & Scott B. Henderson (Illustrator) April 27, 2015 🍁

Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea, Mindy Kaling (Introduction) September 5, 2023 🍁

UP NEXT (MAYBE)

A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur May 14, 2024 🍁

READING GOALS

#MustRead2024 13/25

NonFiction 20/24

Canadian Authors 38/50 two on the go

Indigenous Authors 18/25 one on the go

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 128/200

#IMWAYR JULY 8, 2024

We were lucky to have our sons and grandchildren visiting over the Canada Day long weekend. It meant lots of book sharing, snuggles, and fun! We had enjoyed collecting, washing and painting rocks. The best time was the afternoon we spent hanging out at the river.

Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.

PREVIOUS BLOG POST

FIRST FRIDAY POETRY JULY 2024

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Dipnetting with Dad by Willie Sellars & Kevin Easthope (Illustrator) September 20, 2014 🍁

This is told from a young boy' perspective. He is excited to be going with his grandfather and father for the first time to learn the Secwepemc method of fishing known as dipnetting. There's a lot to be done even before they get to the river. The nets have to be checked and any holes mended. After a traditional ceremony at the sweat lodge, they are on their way.

A double page spread shows them taking a 'looky-loo' of another person dipnetting in the river. I'm not sure that my grandkids understood how dangerous this is, but I do, since my Stó꞉lō cousins who dipnet fish farther south, have lost family members to the river.

At the bottom of the trail, the boy is tied to a hook bolted to the rock so that if he slips, he won't fall into the water. Dad fishes first and then it's the boy's turn. It takes a few tries, but soon he has his first salmon in the net, out of the river, and into the rock pit built for holding the fish. When they have caught enough fish, They take their sacks of fish home where the family wait in the yard for them to begin the next part. Everyone chips in to gut, wash, and prepare the fish for freezing and drying.

This book was a hit with all the grandkids. We were all fascinated by the process, not only of the fishing, but of how the fish were dealt with once they got them home. I love how detailed this ends up being - not only the fishing part, but the whole process of smoking and drying the fish. I appreciate the humour that fills this story. It's there in the illustrations as well as in the text. I especially like that it shows us the connection between environment and culture and how it is integrated into all aspects of the family's life.

Now I want to know Grandma's secret ingredient for making the tastiest smoked salmon around!

The Author, Kúkwpi7 Willie Sellars, of the Williams Lake First Nation, was one six recipients of the 2023 British Columbia Reconciliation Award.

4 stars

Be a Good Ancestor by Leona Prince, Gabrielle Prince & Carla Joseph (Illustrator) May 17, 2022 🍁

"Rooted in Indigenous teachings, this stunning picture book encourages readers of all ages to consider the ways in which they live in connection to the world around them and to think deeply about their behaviours."

This is more nonfiction than fiction. It's a book that focuses on connections, and how being a good ancestor means being aware of how our actions now can make a difference in the future. I really like how Carla Joseph's artwork helps makes these connections from small beginnings to global good. I like how the book progresses from concrete ideas of raindrops eventually becoming rivers, and rivers becoming life, to more abstract ideology of how thoughts can become ideas which can then become change.

4 stars

Sweetgrass by Theresa Meuse & Jessica Jerome (Illustrator) 🍁

Matthew and his Auntie are taking Warren sweetgrass picking for the first time. Readers learn along with Warren, what to wear, what to look for, how to harvest sweetgrass, and to remember to thank creation with their sacred medicine. Then when they return home, it's time to clean and braid it. We come to understand the importance of sweetgrass, and how it is used in indigenous cultures across Turtle Island.

I admired Jessica Jerome's artwork. The book is text heavy, so it would make a good read aloud for younger readers.

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Walking Together by Albert Marshall, Louise Zimanyi, Emily Kewageshig (Illustrator) 🍁

This is a deeply philosophical book about what it means to walk together in a good way not only with other people, but also with the land and the creatures who live upon it. Emily Kewageshig's illustrations are truly stunning.

The book was inspired by the teachings of the Mi'kmaq spiritual leader Chief Charles Labrador, who said, "Go into the forest, you see the Birch, Maple, Pine. Look underground and all those trees are holding hands. We as people must do the same."

YA/ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL MEMOIR

5 stars

A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return by Zeina Abirached, Edward Gauvin (Translator), Trina Robbins (Introduction) October 22, 2007

Zeina Abirached takes us to East Beirut, 1984, the Christian side of the civil war in Lebanon. Her memoir shows us what life was like for ordinary people caught up in conflict beyond their control.

Zeina's parents have gone to visit her grandmother, Annie, who lives a few blocks away and left her and her younger brother home alone. A barrage of shelling has kept them there. The family had moved into the foyer of their apartment. It was the only safe place to be should the building be bombarded. While the parents are away, other members of the building join the children. When each person arrives, we learn their back story. As the evening progresses we come to understand that even if their parents never make it home, the children will be well loved and cared for.

When the entire household has arrived, the tension in the space begins to build. A phone call from the grandmother says the parents left for home an hour ago. One of the household, Chucri, heads out in search of them. Thus begins an intolerable time of waiting.

This book is stunningly beautiful. I was blown away in the very first frames by the patterns in black and white. I had no background knowledge about this civil war, so before I went much further, I went and read a bit about it. When I came back to the book, these patterned images made much more sense to me. I appreciated the forward by Trina Robbins, and the new afterward by the author.

If you are a fan of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, then you must read this.

ADULT/YA FICTION

3 stars

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann, Amy Bojang (Translator) & Moira Quirk (Narrator)

I wasn’t sure about this book to start with. At first it seemed like just a take on the Thursday Murder Club books.

Agnes and her friend Lillian set up Sunset Manor as a home for seniors so they have a place to live at the end of their lives and don’t end up in some kind of drugged out stasis in a care home. The story begins with a missing gun and a dead body in the garden shed. Then the police show up to tell them that there has been a murder next-door. Agnes, who is a former police inspector decides they will find out who the murderer is and pin Lillian's death on them.

Parts of this were hokey, but in spite of that, I ended up getting sucked right into this this story. Agnes is an interesting character. I was fascinated as her back history emerged, especially upon discovering that she isn’t a very reliable narrator on top of her issues related to aging. There are some totally ludicrous events that I’m not sure did anything other than provide black comedic relief. They certainly didn’t bring the plot forward, although it did provide more information about the other members of the house.

ADULT/YA FICTION

5 stars

The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee June 2, 2016

I fell in love with Siddhartha Mukherjee's writing in The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human, so of course I had to read more of his work. Siddhartha Mukherjee is a natural story teller who makes complicated subjects easy to comprehend. I appreciate how he integrates his personal and cultural background, as well as social context, into his books about science. This was published in 2016, so a lot has happened in the world of genetics since then. It's still worth reading for the detailed overview of history alone.
This is my second big book for Sue Jackson's Big Book Summer Read Challenge.

CURRENTLY

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese May 2, 2023

Betty: The Helen Betty Osborne Story by David Alexander Robertson & Scott B. Henderson (Illustrator) April 27, 2015 🍁

After Annie by Anna Quindlen & Gilli Messer (Narrator)

UP NEXT (MAYBE)

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride & Dominic Hoffman (Narrator) August 8th 2023

READING GOALS

#MustRead2024 13/25

NonFiction 20/24

Canadian Authors 37/50 one on the go

Indigenous Authors 17/25 one on the go

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 121/200

FIRST FRIDAY POETRY JULY 2024

I'm joining Beverly A Baird & Linda Schueler in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when we, and anyone else who joins, writes a poem and pairs it up with a photo relating to it.

Last year for my birthday my sons purchased a MasterClass subscription. To be honest, at first I didn't do much except watch cooking lessons. Recently I completed a reading and writing poetry course with Billy Collins. The following poem is influenced by those sessions and an afternoon hanging out at the river with my son and his two children.

the river

i don’t really want to go,
but it’s the grandkids last day
so we hike along the path
to the swimming hole

almost knee deep,
the sweet scented,

olive green current
caresses my calves,
cools me down

lurking near the large rock
a two foot long
bass, carp, or trout,
(it's too early for sockeye)

dissolves into shadows

across the water
a duo of swallowtails swoop
among tree tops

high above the river,
a couple of
dragonflies
arc, dive, spin, and soar
aeronauts engaged in
the ancient dance
of romance

undaunted by the children splashing,
damselflies
skim across the river surface

a pair of them

alight

for one iridescent blue moment

on my knee

#IMWAYR June 24, 2024

We have had an abundance of guests in the last couple of weeks. My cousin visited and we celebrated our birthdays. Hers is in May, and mine is coming up. My baby brother arrives today and will be here to celebrate with my other baby brother who shares a birthday with me. Both my 'little' brothers are now over six feet...

I haven't planted much new in the garden because I have been busy keeping the weeds under control, harvesting peas and greens and picking raspberries. When my cousin was here I found a recipe for raspberry daiquiris and between the 21 jars of jelly that we made and those drinks, I've almost cleaned out the frozen berries from last year.

Here in Canada, June is Indigenous People's month. I've been trying to focus on Indigenous and Native American literature. I hope you find something here to enjoy.

Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Muinji'j Asks Why: The Story of the Mi'kmaq and the Shubenacadie Residential School by Shanika MacEachern, Breighlynn MacEachern, Zeta Paul (Illustrator) 🍁

This is more like an illustrated short story than a picture book because the pages are quite text heavy.

Muinji'j comes home from school and tells her grandparents that her teacher wouldn't let her say anything about their stories of residential school. They sit together and the grandparents tell the history of colonization from their perspective. I really appreciate that not only do readers learn about the elders residential school experience, they also learn the historical context for why and how it came about.

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Log Life by Amy Hevron February 20, 2024

This delightful book is chock full of all kinds of important information. The graphic novel format with different talking species makes it fun to read. It starts with a tree falling and beginning its new life as a nurse log. It explains what happens in the spring of the first year, then moves on to summer, year ten, when a new fir tree gets a foothold. Then it jumps forward to autumn, year 100 to show how the nurse log still supports a host of plants and animals. Meanwhile, that "fir tree grew tall with roots that stretched over the nurse log." Next we see the tree in the winter 500 years after it first toppled. The log has almost disappeared. The fir tree now reaches for the sky. In the spring, year 1000, there is no sign of the nurse tree. "In its place now, the giant fir tree stands and stretches to the sun." Finally, what happened to the original tree happens to this one, and the cycle begins anew. I read this to a group of grade 3/4's last week and they especially enjoyed seeing the change over time.

MG FICTION

4 stars

The War of the Witches (Dragons in a Bag #5) by Zetta Elliot 🍁 & Andrew Eiden (Narrator), Jade Wheeler (Narrator), Soneela Nankani (Narrator), Nicky Endres (Narrator), Ron Butler (Narrator) January 9, 2024

This is the finale in a series I adore. Jaxon is a young black boy who was apprenticing to be a witch before he discovered his connection to a phoenix. Ultimately this book is about a search for peace between human and magical realms. In the previous book, the Supreme Council appointed Jaxon to be the ambassador to Palmara, (the magical realm.) He and his friends set out to negotiate with Sis, the Guardian there. They succeeded in destroying the enchanted bridge, but not before Scourge, a magic eating monster, crosses over into Palmara. He fought Sis, defeated her, but didn't finish her off.

Scourge claims that he wants to live among the rest of the inhabitants of Palmara in peace. Most don't believe him, but Vic, one of Jaxon's friends, believes it's possible and works with Scourge to find alternative sources of magic.

Then Ol-Korrok shows up with nefarious plans of his own. He manipulates Scourge into going to the human realm and feasting on the magic there. Before the story is over, there is be a war between the witches and Scourge.

I love that this series has a diverse cast of characters. While the first book focuses on Jaxon, the following stories highlight the roles his friends play.

I was fascinated by Scourge's addiction to magic, and that Vic and his Spiders were able to remember a time in history when Scourge didn't need it. I hoped he could be redeemed, but Ol-Korrok's hold over him was too strong.

I mostly enjoyed this, but aspects of the ending just didn't work for me. Ol-Korrok's transformation felt rushed and didn't make sense - especially given that he had barely finished encouraging Scourge to take the rest of the magical world on.

Perhaps it is because I had a sister with mental health and addiction issues, but as I read this novel, I couldn't help but make parallels between Scourge's desire for magic, and an individual dealing with drug addiction, and even the crisis of addiction more generally.

YA GRAPHIC NOVELS

5 stars

A Blanket of Butterflies by Richard Van Camp, Scott B. Henderson (Illustrator), Nickolej Villiger (Letterer), Donovan Yaciuk (Colorist) October 20, 2015 🍁

I adore the artwork in this book almost as much as I do the story itself. The story begins with a Japanese man coming to a northern museum to repatriate a suit of armor and sword. The curator is happy to return the armor to its family of origin, but the sword has been taken. A young boy who is visiting the museum takes the man to where the sword should be. A battle ensues and the Japanese man is badly hurt. They young boy gets the injured man to his grandmother who ends up healing him. Eventually she helps get the sword returned to him without bloodshed.

I really appreciated that it is the elder who manages to bring peace and heal all the combatants. I especially loved these Dene Laws.

MG/YA NON FICTION

5 stars

More Than Money: How Economic Inequality Affects Everything by Dyer, Hadley 🍁

This book takes a comprehensive look at the causes and consequences of inequality. It's fairly global in outlook but focuses primarily on OECD countries. I really like

the layout. As you can see from the Table of Contents, it is organized into three main sections. The book is loaded with all kinds of text features to make the information easier to understand. It includes graphs, illustrations, labeled diagrams, side bars, and fact boxes. I appreciate that many of the latter tell the story of real people. Each Chapter has a section at the end called The Takeaway, that reviews the important ideas presented. It also includes a section called Learn More! that presents links to other places and people if you wish to expand your knowledge.

The final section is important as it takes young readers through many ways that they can get involved in changing their world, even if they are too young to vote.

If I was still working in the library, I would purchase a copy of this book. If I was working in a secondary school, I'd purchase two.

ADULT/YA FICTION

5+ stars

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley & Isabella Star LaBlanc (Narrator)

Angeline Boully's first novel, Firekeeper's Daughter, was one of the best books I read in 2021. Warrior Girl Unearthed will be in my top 10 this year.

Perry Firekeeper-Birch is niece to Daunis, the protagonist from the first book. The story is set ten years later. Perry is into fishing, hunting, gardening and hanging out with elders and telling stories. A minor automobile accident ends up with her working as a summer intern to pay Daunis for the cost of the repairs. She starts out working in the tribal museum. A meeting at the nearby college introduces her to artifacts that ought to be returned to the band. Cooper Turtle, her mentor, tries to instil an ethical way of living in Perry, but she's impulsive, strong willed, and doesn't understand why things need to be done in a proper way if the ending is the same.

Perry and other interns end up planning a heist to take back a collection of stolen remains from a local white man. They soon learn that it's more dangerous than they first anticipated and that many people can't be trusted.

I appreciate how much I learned about NAGPRA. I ended up searching to see what we have like it in Canada. I was delighted to see that recent changes to NAGPRA require institutions to obtain permission from tribes to display remains and cultural objects. This has forced museums to shut down Indigenous sections of their exhibits. Hopefully it will mean that those artifacts will be returned to their owners. Unfortunately, Canada has no such laws in place.

I liked the bit of romance between Perry and another intern, Erik. It felt authentic and healthy. Most importantly, it was a minimal part of the story.

Just like in the last book, I loved the elders. I especially enjoy the humour they bring.

4 stars

Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein (Author and Narrator) 🍁

This book won the Giller Prize in Canada and was shortlisted for the 2023 Booker. It doesn't have a plot, but I couldn't put it down. When I finished it, I still wasn't sure what was going on. It's a dark book that examines power dynamics, racism, and groupthink.
An unnamed, and unreliable, narrator leaves her job to go to some unknown countryside to live with her older brother. He expects her to submit to looking after him and his house. Not only does she do this, she seems to consider it an ideal she must achieve.
She is the youngest of a large Jewish family. It is never out in the open, but there are hints of what might have been a previous incestuous relationship between the two siblings. Neither of them are very likeable.
The local people fear her and hold her responsible for the unusual troubles of local livestock. It might be because she is Jewish, but the crafted gifts of greenery woven into men that she leaves on their doorsteps most likely exacerbates things.

For me this book was a reminder of how dangerous group paranoia can be. In a different time the narrator could easily be accused of witchcraft.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling September 28, 2021

I could not finish this book. It had too much sex and not enough story. I stuck around for longer that I should have because I wanted to know how the hex problem was resolved. I ended up giving up.

CURRENTLY

The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee June 2, 2016

A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return by Zeina Abirached, Edward Gauvin (Translator), Trina Robbins (Introduction) October 22, 2007

Betty: The Helen Betty Osborne Story by David Alexander Robertson & Scott B. Henderson (Illustrator) April 27, 2015 🍁

UP NEXT (MAYBE)

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu February 1, 2022 🍁

READING GOALS

#MustRead2024 12/25

NonFiction 18/24 one on the go

Canadian Authors 37/50 one on the go

Indigenous Authors 15/25 one on the go

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 114/200