#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 a hard week for me. We received news of the unexpected death of a close friend at the beginning of the week. My partner and I are still trying to get our heads around how someone who lived such a rich, meaningful life could be gone so young. He was only sixtyfive. I've been trying to write poetry because often that helps, but nothing feels real enough.
Our heart aches even more for his wife and two children. How do you carry a grief too heavy for words, a loss is so profound not even poetry can name it?
On top of all that I've developed a sinus infection. My head is so foggy that I can't focus on any kind of text. I managed to listen to a few audiobooks while working on a set of matching shirts for my son and his baby. We celebrated my son's birthday by going out for dim sum and then coming home to eat icecream cake with hot fudge sauce. I would have had the shirts finished but with my head such a mess, if I don't do everything slowly, I end up making mistakes! I hope to get them finished soon!
The babies and I read lots of board books, but nothing new this week.
PICTURE BOOKS
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| 5 stars |
You and Me, Me and You by Miguel Tanco
I love this book so much. I ordered it sight unseen as a possible birthday gift for my son and his eight month old baby. It reveals many truths about what we gain from being a parent with tenderness and humour. It will be perfect for them.
 |
| 3.5 stars |
The Lion Inside by Rachel
Bright & Jim Field (Illustrator)
I liked the message that we all have strengths and weaknesses well
enough. Jim Field's illustrations are charming. My problem with it is that the rhythm and rhyme pattern change so that I lost the pace. Having to stop and figure out what was going on distracted me from
the story. It was better the second time round when I knew what was going on, but I still faltered.
MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS
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| 4 stars |
Pablo and Birdy written and narrated by Alison McGhee
This was a beautiful story. I am a fan of magical realism anyway, but this tale of love and letting go was filled with such gentle tenderness, I know that Pablo and Birdy will stay with me for a while.
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| 4 stars |
Sammy Keyes And the Dead Giveaway by Wendelin Van Draanen & Tara Sands (Narrator)
Sammy wrestles with her conscience, helps an elderly lady, deals with corrupt politicians, goes on her first 'date' and finds parts of a dead body. She sure lives an interesting life. Have I mentioned how much I love the Sammy Keyes series?
 |
| 3.5 stars |
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin & Rob Inglis (Narrator)
I've been meaning to get to this series for ages. While I read Le Guin's science fiction when I was younger, I don't remember reading this. When she died earlier this year, I was determined to get to it. The book was ok, I liked the ending more than the beginning, but I've still put the next one on hold.
 |
| 4 stars |
Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar
This historical MG novel has compelling characters situated in India before the British left. Supriya Kelkar reveals the complexity of the situation at the time and portrays her characters as multifaceted human beings. Not only do we see what life was like under British rule, she highlights the problems of the caste system and the tensions between the Muslim and Hindu peoples.
CURRENTLY
I've been carrying Wish by Barbara O'Connor around with me for a few days, but have barely opened it. I'm listening to another Sammy Keyes by Wendelin Van Draanen since none of my other audiobooks were available yet. I read a bit of This Accident of Being Lost: Songs and Stories by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. I couldn't handle any more of Palestine with everything else going on last week.
UP NEXT
I have 4 books due at the library in 6 days. I am not sure if I will get to them all, but I am determined to read The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch.
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MustReadIn2018 6/25 1 in process
#MustReadNFIn2018 2/12
25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 2/25 1 in progress
Goodreads Reading Challenge 73/333
I hope you begin Wish. I really love O'Connor and I think you will like this one. Take good care Cheriee. So happy we got a visit in last week at the Winter Tonic!
ReplyDeleteI am continuing to carry Wish with me!
DeleteIt was fabulous to see you. Your presentation was superb!
I hope you feel better soon and I'm very sorry about the loss of your friend. That's always so hard to understand when it happens. I haven't read any Sammy Keyes, but one of Wendelin's books won our annual fiction award at Bank Street and she came to accept it. What a really nice person she is! Now I will definitely have to read some Sammy Keyes. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words Alex. I wish that Sammy Keyes had been available when I was in elementary school. I would have devoured them along with Nancy Drew and all the other mysteries I read.
DeleteSorry to hear you're not feeling well and that sad news about your friend. I guess all we can do is take one day at a time and relish that day. Thanks for sharing with such hurt. I have not read any Sammy Keyes, perhaps I should read at least one that I can share with my granddaughter? And I would love to read Ahimsa! Take care, Cheriee!
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda. The Sammy Keyes series is fun but also relevant in that each book looks at some kind of social issue. Sammy also grows up as the series progresses.
DeleteI'm so, so sorry for you and your family and your friend's family. My father was the same age when he passed last year, it just doesn't seem fair, but then, few things are, are they? Poetry will hopefully provide comfort in time, once you've have a chance to process everything.
ReplyDeleteAnd ooooh, yeah, I'm pretty picky with my rhyming books, too, especially since I typically read them aloud to a group, and if you falter too many times, you start to lose your wiggly audience!
I'm so sorry about losing your father so young. Mine died well before his time at 58. It's really just the passing of time that helps the most I think.
DeleteYou named the problem with rhyming books exactly!
I am so sorry to hear about your recent loss, Cheriee! My, that is so young! I lost my daddy very unexpectedly when he was only 64 -- he called me from the middle school where he was preparing to teach and was found about an hour later, completely unresponsive. I feel so badly for your friend's family. :( I hope poetry will help you as you face such grief. *hugs*
ReplyDeleteI'm adding Pablo and Birdy and Ahimsa to my TBR list right now. They both look so good. And I'm next in line to check out Wish. I'm hearing such good things! I mentioned you in my #imwayr post today -- thank you for suggesting When You Reach Me before my re-read of A Wrinkle in Time. What a neat read that was!
It's hard to lose your father at any time, but that sounds heartbreaking.
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed When You Reach Me. It's an amazing book!
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m praying for you as you deal with the shock of your friend’s passing and try to recover your own health. The books on your list are all new to me, so I’m looking forward to finding them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jana. I hope you manage to find and read Pablo and Birdy. It is just a lovely read!
DeleteYou will love Wish when you finally get to it. One of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteI sat down and finished it this afternoon. It is wonderful!
DeleteOoooh, I am adding Pablo and Birdy to my list. It looks great. Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteIt is very sweet and you get to listen to the author read it!
DeleteI truly am sorry for your loss - fairly recently the kidlit world has also been rocked by the recent death of a well-loved and highly-respected academic - not sure if you are referring to the same person, but I can empathize with the sense of devastation, a grief so acute and profound that as you noted, not even poetry has words for it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that Pablo and Birdy was a middle grade novel, all this time, I thought it was a picturebook! Will definitely look for You and Me, Me and You - my kind of book!
Greg wasn't an academic, just a strong loving man who worked hard to make the world better. He will be missed by many.
DeleteWhen I read You and Me, Me and You, I thought I got the book idea from you!