My spouse and I were gallivanting around southern parts of BC last week. We ended up in Sorrento for a 90th birthday party for one of my cousins. It was a wonderful celebration full of lots of love and laughter. Thankfully, there was only minimal political conversation. The best part was getting to know that branch of the family better.
Last week I read Hymn: A New Poem by Sherman Alexie. These two lines have stayed with me.
"I am one more citizen marching against hatred.
Alone, we are defenseless. Collected, we are sacred."
BLOG POSTS LAST WEEK
150 Fascinating Facts About Canadian Women by Margie Wolfe and other contributors
PICTURE BOOKS
Max and Bird by Ed Vere (Netgalley)
150 Fascinating Facts About Canadian Women by Margie Wolfe and other contributors
PICTURE BOOKS
I've been smitten with Max ever since being first introduced to him through Netgalley in Max the Brave. I loved him even more in Max at Night. Max is a naive young kitten who attempts to act like a traditional cat. He is regularly sidetracked by his sweet temper. Usually this means he ends up befriending his dinner.
I'll have a full review up for this one soon.
GRAPHIC
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley
Even though the font is small for my aging eyes, I still love this book!
I started and finished it in two sittings, only because I had to go to my singing class in the middle. I love that this memoir has recipes included in it. I can't wait to try out the lamb and the chocolate chip cookie ones.
NON FICTION PICTURE BOOK
Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas by Gwendolyn Hooks & Colin Bootman (Illustrator)
I've read other books about Vivien Thomas, the man responsible for developing a safe process for heart surgery on infants. Maybe it's Colin Bootman's realistic art, but this reading made the unfairness of the racism he had to deal with more pronounced.
I am appalled that Dr Blalock and Dr Taussig took credit for his pioneering research and innovative medical procedure.
I am left with all kinds of questions. Did those two doctors ever say anything about what they did to Thomas? How did Thomas. finally get the recognition he deserved? Who made this happen?
I appreciated the bibliography, glossary and additional information about tetralogy of fallot at the end of the book.
NON FICTION
150 Fascinating Facts About Canadian Women by Margie Wolfe (Contributor) (Netgalley) Published by Second Story Press
In spite of my quibbles with this book, it is a great starting point for learning more about important Canadian women. My hope is that someone will start writing some picture book biographies about more of these remarkable individuals and groups.
ABANDONED
Elsie Mae Has Something to Say by Nancy J. Cavanaugh
I really wanted to love this book because I mostly adore Nancy J. Cavanaugh's writing. Maybe I didn't give this book enough of a chance, but I gave it 100 pages and I still wasn't engaged enough to really want to continue. Given that this is a book for children, that isn't a good sign. Not only that, but I was loathe to even think about reading it. I give up on books when it feels like work.
It isn't that the book doesn't have some good qualities. It does. I like that Elsie Mae has goals and actively tries to make a difference. Elsie Mae, her cousin, Henry James, and the other characters are interesting. I appreciated learning about the Okefenoke Swamp.
I wish this book had appealed more to me, but it just didn't.
CURRENTLY
I'm still reading The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King. The font is very small, and I am taking time to absorb the writing. Here's one quote from it: "a simulacrum is something that represents something that never existed. Or, in other words, the only truth of the thing is the lie itself." I had to return The Rain in Portugal: New Poems by Billy Collins to the library because someone else wanted it. I'm continuing to listen to Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien. It's one of my big book challenges for this summer and it's also one of my MustReadIn2017 books. I've just started reading Lola Levine is not Mean! by Monica Brown.
UP NEXT
I have to read and review Patina by Jason Reynolds so that will be one of the first books I start next. Then I'll start The Goldfish Boy. I hope to get more reading in next week since my son and daughter-in-law are taking their baby to Korea to meet her Korean family.
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MUSTREADIN2017 18/36 1 in progress
#MUSTREADNFIN2017 7/12 1 in progress
50 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 22/50 1 in progress
Chocolate Lily (CL) 51/51
Big Book Challenge 3/6
Goodreads Reading Challenge 254/333
I'll have a full review up for this one soon.
GRAPHIC
Even though the font is small for my aging eyes, I still love this book!
I started and finished it in two sittings, only because I had to go to my singing class in the middle. I love that this memoir has recipes included in it. I can't wait to try out the lamb and the chocolate chip cookie ones.
NON FICTION PICTURE BOOK
Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas by Gwendolyn Hooks & Colin Bootman (Illustrator)
I've read other books about Vivien Thomas, the man responsible for developing a safe process for heart surgery on infants. Maybe it's Colin Bootman's realistic art, but this reading made the unfairness of the racism he had to deal with more pronounced.
I am appalled that Dr Blalock and Dr Taussig took credit for his pioneering research and innovative medical procedure.
I am left with all kinds of questions. Did those two doctors ever say anything about what they did to Thomas? How did Thomas. finally get the recognition he deserved? Who made this happen?
I appreciated the bibliography, glossary and additional information about tetralogy of fallot at the end of the book.
NON FICTION
In spite of my quibbles with this book, it is a great starting point for learning more about important Canadian women. My hope is that someone will start writing some picture book biographies about more of these remarkable individuals and groups.
ABANDONED
Elsie Mae Has Something to Say by Nancy J. Cavanaugh
I really wanted to love this book because I mostly adore Nancy J. Cavanaugh's writing. Maybe I didn't give this book enough of a chance, but I gave it 100 pages and I still wasn't engaged enough to really want to continue. Given that this is a book for children, that isn't a good sign. Not only that, but I was loathe to even think about reading it. I give up on books when it feels like work.
It isn't that the book doesn't have some good qualities. It does. I like that Elsie Mae has goals and actively tries to make a difference. Elsie Mae, her cousin, Henry James, and the other characters are interesting. I appreciated learning about the Okefenoke Swamp.
I wish this book had appealed more to me, but it just didn't.
CURRENTLY
I'm still reading The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King. The font is very small, and I am taking time to absorb the writing. Here's one quote from it: "a simulacrum is something that represents something that never existed. Or, in other words, the only truth of the thing is the lie itself." I had to return The Rain in Portugal: New Poems by Billy Collins to the library because someone else wanted it. I'm continuing to listen to Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien. It's one of my big book challenges for this summer and it's also one of my MustReadIn2017 books. I've just started reading Lola Levine is not Mean! by Monica Brown.
UP NEXT
I have to read and review Patina by Jason Reynolds so that will be one of the first books I start next. Then I'll start The Goldfish Boy. I hope to get more reading in next week since my son and daughter-in-law are taking their baby to Korea to meet her Korean family.
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MUSTREADIN2017 18/36 1 in progress
#MUSTREADNFIN2017 7/12 1 in progress
50 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 22/50 1 in progress
Chocolate Lily (CL) 51/51
Big Book Challenge 3/6
Goodreads Reading Challenge 254/333
I really appreciate it when readers share the books they didn't love, as well as the ones they did - the reality is that there are always books that we just don't connect with!
ReplyDeleteThis was a netgalley book or I might have just done nothing. There are books that just didn't work for me but then after much encouragement, I've gone back to them at a different time in my life, and loved them.
DeleteI've never read any of the Max books. It sounds like I'm missing out! I started Goldfish Boy, but for some reason it just didn't light a spark for me. I probably should have given it a few more pages. I'm curious to hear what you think.
ReplyDeleteMax is just the MOST adorable cat! You are definitely missing out.
DeleteOh no, I love Nancy Cavanaugh too, it's always such a letdown when a book doesn't speak to you. I have that one to read too. Although sometimes I have trouble falling into books that are e-copies. I do so much better with a book I can hold.
ReplyDeleteI think you might be right about e-copies. Sometimes it's just hard to focus. It's also hard to have to finish a book within a specific time frame if it isn't the right time for you and it. I will have another go later on with a hard copy.
DeleteTiny Stitches was an amazing story - so glad it's a picture book!
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's an important part of black history.
DeleteThe Max books are great. I hadn't seen this new one. Thank you for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteIsn't Max just so adorable?
DeleteLove love love RELISH! One of my favorite graphic novels of all time!
ReplyDeleteI'm contemplating getting my own copy!
DeleteI love food and cooking; so I've had my eye on Relish for a while. I should look for it, for sure!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to cooking the lamb at our next family dinner!
DeleteI feel the same way about graphic novels. Such tiny print. Are you thinking about being a Cybils judge? MG Fiction usually has MUCH larger print... ! http://www.cybils.com/2017/08/the-2017-cybils-call-for-judges-we-need-you.html
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen. I'll think about it.
Delete