Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez

Upon finishing this novel I was reminded of this line by Sherman Alexie, "If it's fiction it must be true." 

Scarborough is a diverse cultural community within Toronto, Ontario, a major city in Canada. This novel is about a low income community who live in or near a shelter in the neighbourhood. It centres around a group of families and children who live in the shelter and attend a literacy/breakfast program run by a Muslim woman, Miss Hina.

Hina and three children, Laura, Sylvie and Bernard, the primary characters, are introduced to us first.

Laura's mother packs up Laura and her things and drops her off at a bowling alley for her father, Cory, to pick her up. Cory is a poor, white, alcoholic, aging skinhead. He loves his daughter, but has no idea how to be a parent.

Sylvie, an indigenous child, and her mother, Marie, are rushing home to the shelter from a doctor's appointment where Maria was trying to get help for her three year old, Johnny, who she knows has something wrong with him.

Bing, a gifted Filipino boy, waits for his mother, Edna, in the nail salon where she works, and remembers the day they fled from his crazed father.

Hina is hired for the position of Program Facilitator at the Rouge Hill Public School location of the Ontario Reads Literacy Program.

Their stories unfold through multiple perspectives. Not only do we see the world through the lenses of these primary characters, we see it through the eyes of their parent’s and other front line workers. This patchwork of voices enables the reader to more fully comprehend the inhabitants, how they function individually and as a collective. It reads like a series of connected vignettes that grabbed me by the throat and forced me to bear witness to these many different lives as they experience racism, despair, tragedy, friendship, and success. As a teacher I understand that parents, except in very rare circumstances, always do the best they can for their children. Despite the hardships, this is abundantly clear here. 

I cried. I laughed. I rejoiced.

For some of these children, their lives only get better when they die. This line near the end, continues to haunts me.

"It feels so good to hug someone who will never hit you."

Hernandez' writing is brilliant. In an interview with Susan G. Cole from Now, she stated, "If I’m not shit-disturbing, what’s the fucking point in writing?” I hope she continues doing both for a very long time. 

#IMWAYR October 30, 2017

#IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.

It was an intense reading week for me. The adult novels left me reeling. I abandoned Last Night I Sang to the Monster because even though it was an ebook, I couldn't make the font larger. This probably isn't a problem when you are young, but even with my reading glasses on, small print is a serious challenge for me. It won't be long and I won't even add books to my want to read list unless it is available in either audio or large print format.

PICTURE BOOKS

3 stars

The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater & Eric Fan & Terry Fan (Illustrators)

The Fan brother's illustrations are just jaw droppingly beautiful in this book. It's a deeply philosophical narrative about a wolf and other animals who head off on a ship in search of the perfect island. While I liked it well enough, I'm not sure this will work with younger students. However, it would be interesting to share with intermediate age students to see what they make of it.

4 stars

Now by Antoinette Portis

This is a beautiful book that reminds us to live in the moment and enjoy and love what we are doing now to its fullest.

4 stars

A Cat Is Better by Linda Joy Singleton & Jorge Martin (Illustrations)

This humorous book presents is with a cat who thinks it is much better than a dog. Eventually, after living with a dog for a while, it changes its mind. The simple bright coloured cartoons are lots of fun.

3 stars

Zigzoo by Ruowen Wang & Wei Xu (Illustrator)

When a young dragon, Zigoo, ends up with a cold, his grandmother sends him off to see a human doctor. The doctor, worried about what the dragon might do to his office, refers him to another specialist. This continues until the dragon’s cold starts to go away on its own. In the end, Zigoo manages to get his fire back in a way that makes the humans start to appreciate him.

4 stars

If You Ever Want to Bring a Circus to the Library, Don't! by Elise Parsley

Libraries may not be the quiet places many people think they are, but a circus in a library is still too much for all kinds of reasons. This funny book lets readers know what they are. This is from the author of If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't! If you liked that one, you will enjoy this.

4 stars

My Friend Lucky by David Milgrim

I would snap this book up in a heartbeat if I were still in the library. It is a delightful book about a boy and his dog. Each page has two words on it starting with Lucky. Each two page spread presents opposites. This makes it perfect for emerging readers who can engage with the text meaningfully. The humour and love in the pages will make it a favourite so they will happily reread it!

TRANSITIONAL CHAPTER BOOKS

5 stars

Charlie & Mouse by Laurel Snyder & Emily Hughes (Illustrator)

I am madly in love with these two fictional boys. How I wish that this book had been around when my own two sons were younger. Charlie and Mouse are two brothers who live in a loving family. The four little stories are just charming in their simplicity.

Emily Hughes' illustrations are the icing on the cake. She captures an innocence in childhood and shows us a diverse cultural community living together in harmony.

MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS

3.5 stars

The Authentics by Abdi Nazemian

I enjoyed this book about an Iranian girl growing up in LA.Her parents are financially well off and Daria seems to live a charmed life with her group of diverse friends who call themselves The Authentics. When their class is asked to do a genealogy report for high school, the group decides to get genetic testing to add to their reports. Daria's results come as a shock and leave her wondering who she really is.

I appreciate the diverse group of characters included in this book. I like the backdrops of Iranian and Mexican culture. I especially appreciate that by the end of the novel all the characters have transformed in some way or another.

5 stars

Walking with Miss Millie by Tamara Bundy

I read this book after finishing Jesmyn Ward's novel. (See below) It was the perfect sequel. Sure it made me cry, but this is ultimately a story of hope. It is the tale of a young white girl and her family who return to her parent's home town to look after her grandmother, who has Alzheimers. Alice connects with their elderly black neighbour, Miss Millie, who helps her make friends and cope with her feelings about the move and her absent father.

YA & ADULT NOVELS

4 stars

Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez

This is a powerful novel about families living in a low income neighbourhood in Toronto. I've got a full review just about ready to post. 

5 stars

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward & narrated by Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Chris Chalk and Rutina Wesley

I had no idea there was even such a thing as Southern Gothic until I read this book. If that means anything to you, then you will know something about what to expect. I'm hoping to have a more in depth review for this up next week.

Nothing I can write will ever do justice to it.

CURRENTLY

I'm reading The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade by Jordan Sonnenblick. I'm listening to The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol.

UP NEXT

Saving Marty By Paul Griffin is the audiobook that is next on my list. The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez is on top of my to read with my eyes pile.

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MUSTREADIN2017 25/36 

#MUSTREADNFIN2017 7/12 

50 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 31/50 

Chocolate Lily (CL) 51/51

Big Book Challenge 4/6

Goodreads Reading Challenge 350/333 

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#IMWAYR October 23, 2017

#IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.

My brother and I had a wonderful time in Portland last week. We didn't get to do everything we wanted to do, but it was a successful visit nonetheless. We met some delightful locals in different brew pubs. I even found an ale or two that I almost liked. As you can imagine, since bookstores are my passion, we visited a few. The children's bookstore in the Alberta area was closed when we were there, but we spent close to four hours at the downtown Powell's location and I spent at least another hour or more at the one in the Hawthorne section.

BOOKS FOR BABIES

3.5 stars

Look at You!: A Baby Body Book by Kathy Henderson, Paul Howard (Illustrations)

A lovely toddler brought this to where I was sitting in the children's section at Powell's books. Since she left it behind I picked it up to read. I like the soft watercolour illustrations and the diverse children represented. Ada wasn't so impressed. She liked the larger pictures of the babies, but wasn't keen on the smaller illustrations. This is a bit too long for a baby her age.

4 stars

You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith & Danielle Daniel (Illustrations)

This is a netgalley copy that I picked to read for me but also read with my granddaughter. I'm not sure if she loved the bright colours in the illustrations, or if it was the light from my ipad. This is an important book that teaches readers how 'we hold each other up.' I'll be writing a more in depth review of this.

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) by Dan Santat

Just Wow!

Now I get what all the buzz is about.

This picture that continues after Humpty Dumpty falls, is a story of hope, resilience and not giving up.

3 stars

Welcome: A Mo Willems Guide for New Arrivals by Mo Willems

I like this book for new parents, but since I’m looking for books that I expect to engage babies, I don’t think this will work. I’ll try out a library copy before purchasing.

5 stars

Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Aaron Reynolds & Peter Brown (Illustrations)

This is a reminiscent of The Cat Comes Back, but with a delightful ending. Peter Brown’s illustrations are just just perfectly spooky!

4 stars

Boo Who? by Ben Clanton

This book works on so many levels. It is a great Halloween book for younger readers just because the main character is a ghost. It’s the message of inclusion that Clanton writes into it that makes it a book for reading all year round!

4 stars

You Belong Here by M.H. Clark & Isabelle Arsenault (Illustrations)

Beautiful poetry and gorgeous illustrations make this the ideal picture book to read to children. I can imagine it becoming a favourite bedtime story.

4 stars

The Bad Seed by Jory John, Pete Oswald (Illustrations)

How I love this story of a bad seed who decides to change. It isn’t easy, but it can be done. This will be a great book to talk about manners and how to treat other people. I adore the humour and positivity in this one!

5 stars

Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi

Wow!

Such a powerful message about war and peace is portrayed in this wordless book!

NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS

4 stars

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark & April Chu (Illustrations)

I liked this book well enough. Chu’s realistic illustrations are gorgeous. This focuses primarily on Ada’s work with Charles Babbage. In this respect we get a bit more information about her relationship with him and the work they did. Previous picture book biographies have already covered this information as well as revealing more details of the rest of her life. If I had those, I’m not sure I would buy this.

MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS

4 stars

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate & Charles Santoso (Illustrations) & Nancy Linari (Narrator)

I finished this book in the fall when the deciduous trees blaze with color.

I can’t imagine finishing it at a better time of year. When else can we believe that trees have stories to tell? Perhaps they are there telling them to us all year long, but in the fall we are so reminded of their existence. This Wishtree tells us the story of families that don’t quite fit in, and ultimately how the rest of us find a way to include them. It’s an important message for all of us to hear.

GRAPHIC

4 stars

Soupy Leaves Home by Cecil Castellucci (Goodreads Author), Jose Pimienta (Illustrations)

I've read a couple of Cecil Castillucci novels, but this is my first graphic novel. This historical novel set in the 1930's, features Pearl, a young girl who runs away from an abusive family. She becomes Soupy, a boy, and takes to the hobo life under the tutelage of Ramshackle, an ailing old man. Ramshackle teaches Soupy how to dream and find goodness and beauty all around them. Through their journey Soupy finds self worth and confidence.

Powerful images portray life in hobo jungles.

At the end of the novel there is a glossary of hobo signs that were used to help other travellers with directions and advice about people in communities along the way.

YA & ADULT NOVELS

5 stars

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera & Michael Crouch, Robbie Daymond & Bahni Turpin (Narrators)

I would have read or listened to this anyway because Adam Silvera writes such riveting books, but this audiobook has Bahni Turpin! 

Two different boys get a phone call to let them know they will die today. They connect through an app called last friends and spend the day together. It's a brilliantly philosophical book that is first and foremost a compelling story. I thought I had figured out how the end would come, and was completely wrong. You might want a box of kleenex for this one. 

CURRENTLY

I'm reading Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez and working on Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. I'm listening to Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward.

UP NEXT

I'll be listening to Saving Marty By Paul Griffin. I plan to read Charlie & Mouse by Laurel Snyder and The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez,

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MUSTREADIN2017 25/36 1 in progress

#MUSTREADNFIN2017 7/12 1 in progress

50 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 31/50 1 in progress

Chocolate Lily (CL) 51/51

Big Book Challenge 4/6

Goodreads Reading Challenge 339/333

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