#MustReadIn2021 Fall Update


Carrie Gelson at There's a Book for That started #MustRead as a way to address our GoodReads lists. This year Leigh Anne Eck at A Day In the Life and I are taking over for her.
 
How's your reading life going?

Are you on top of your goals? Are you asking yourself, what goals? If you joined up with the #MustReadIn2021 challenge, it's time for the optional checkin to update your progress. 

My original goals for this year are posted here. I update my progress on my goals every week and think it helps to keep me on track. Here's where I am at so far this year. 

NOVELS

Since the April update I'ver read 15 more books from my #MustReadIn2021 fiction list. This takes me up to 23/25 titles completed. To read more about the books on this list, check here. 

Amina's Song by Hena Khan
Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth
Bloom by Kevin Panetta
Child of a Mad God by R.A. Salvatore
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Jackpot by Nic Stone 
Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos by Lucy Knisley
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya
The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

NONFICTION

I've read five more from my nonfiction list to equal 9/12. I'm currently reading The (Other) F Word: A Celebration of the Fat and Fierce by Angie Manfredi et al. To read more about the books on this list, check here. 


The Electric War: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Light the World by Mike Winchell
Parts of this were fascinating - other times meh.
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle by Angela Y. Davis
I appreciated reading this collection of essays. Davis always stretches my thinking about the inequities in the world.
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl
Reichl's stories of disguising herself to fool restaurateurs are heartbreaking and hilarious. 
A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency by Seth Klein
This brought me hope that, if only we can drum up the political will, we can address the climate crisis. 
The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution by Richard W. Wrangham
I was enthralled by this analysis of how we humans have managed to domesticate ourselves.

PICTURE BOOKS

I've read another 25 picture books from #MustReadPBIn2021. This brings my total to 48 out of the 100 books I planned to read. This is a list curated for their reviews of excellence. They are all 4 or 5 star books. 

I might not accomplish this goal. I admit to being sidetracked by the shiny covers and smell of new books. Writing this update sent me over to my local library where I put a hold on at least 10 books from the list. I'm not throwing in the towel just yet.

 To read more about the books on this list, check here. 

A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy
Almost Time by Gary D. Schmidt
And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano
At the Pond by Geraldo Valério
Bad Dog by Mike Boldt
The Bat by Elise Gravel
Because by Mo Willems
Blue Rider by Geraldo Valério
The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery by Sandra Markle
The Farmer and the Monkey by Marla Frazee
The Fog by Kyo Maclear
Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang
I Promise by Catherine Hernandez
Hike by Pete Oswald
Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall
Julián at the Wedding by Jessica Love
Mr. Postmouse's Rounds by Marianne Dubuc
Mr. Postmouse Takes a Trip by Marianne Dubuc
My Day with Gong Gong by Sennah Yee
My Family, Your Family! by Kathryn Cole
Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki
Owls Are Good at Keeping Secrets: An Unusual Alphabet by Sara O'Leary
Story Boat by Kyo Maclear
Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor
Terry Fox and Me by Mary Beth Leatherdale
The Unexpected Love Story of Alfred Fiddleduckling by Timothy Basil Ering

INDIGENOUS AUTHORS

I finished off another fourteen books for this category so I'm now ahead of the game with 28/25 books read. To read more about the books on this list, check here. 



Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids by Cynthia Leitich Smith et al
Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
Louis Riel Day: The Fur Trade Project by Deborah L Delaronde
Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know by Brittany Luby
Neekna and Chemai by Jeannette Armstrong
My Name Is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling
The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew
Sisters of the Neversea by Leitich Cynthia Smith
Spirit Bear: Fishing for Knowledge by Catching Dreams by Cindy Blackstock
Stand Like a Cedar by Nicola I. Campbell
The Train by Jodie Callaghan
We All Play by Julie Flett

CANADIAN AUTHORS

I've read another 51 book by Canadian authors since April bringing my total to 78/100 so far this year. Here is what I've finished since then.  To read more about the books on this list, check here. 

DISCWORLD

I was heartbroken to finish up all the Discworld novels. If you are looking for a respite from the real world, these might work for you. Terry Pratchett provides us with a mirror to look at our own world in all it's glorious. Oftentimes he shows us the things that we think we need respite from. The thing is that he does it with such remarkable grace, humour, and tenderness, it makes the real world seem ok again. I am now a serious fan. 


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#IMWAYR August 23, 2021

 Hello everyone. It's #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.

Just a reminder to everyone that it's just about time for the fall #MustReadIn2021 update. I will create a post the last weekend of August for people to connect to. I'm looking forward to seeing how you are all doing. 

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

The Farmer and the Monkey by Marla Frazee September 22, 2020

I am astounded by how much emotion Marla Frazee shows in her illustrations. The beginning pages haunt me with their images of loneliness. The image of the farmer reading and holding the sleeping monkey almost made me weep.
I've read that some people see this book as problematic and understand this aspect of it.

GRAPHIC NOVELS


Yasmin, a young chef, and her father struggle to get by. They survive because of Yasmin's foraging skills and the kindness of two locals who farm in the local community gardens. When the gardens are unexpectedly sold to a corrupt potato farmer, she ends up stealing food from neighbour's gardens. 
There is something sinister about the potatoes. Not only do they make you go bonkers, once you get a taste of them, you won't eat anything else. It's up to Yasmina and her friends to figure out what's going on and fix it. 
The artwork in this is interesting. It's not at all like more traditional graphic novels. I like it. Check out some images here. 


Forever Friendship is a continuation of the Real Friends series. Hale's earlier memoirs, with brilliant artwork by LeYuen Pham, captured the social dynamics of girl friendship and bullying in elementary school. This one addresses Shannon's internal turmoil in middle school. Like the first two, it ends up being a template for how to survive and thrive through a tumultuous time in your life. Older girls and women might learn a thing or two from it. Check out my blog post here to read my full post and view some images from the book. 

4 stars

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner September 3, 2019

I picked this up because Emma Steinkellner worked on Quince, a graphic novel finalist for the Cybils awards. I liked this story well enough that I will read the sequel, but it didn't wow me like Quince did. Essentially it's a tale about feeling like you don't belong and finding your identity.
Moth Hush is interested in anything connected to witchcraft. When she discovers that she has magical powers, it's unfortunate her mother hasn't taught her anything about it. It's worse that she refuses to help Moth develop her powers or tell her anything about her father or their history. 
I liked the diverse cast of characters. I liked that each of the three generations of witches has much to learn. I liked the artwork. My problem is that it's text heavy and the font is really small for my eyes. This probably isn't a problem for younger people.

4 stars

Pawcasso by Remy Lai May 25, 2021

Jo connects with a dog carrying a basket. The dog is shopping. Jo accompanies it and gets mistaken for its owner. She doesn't deny it and soon her little lie becomes a huge one. She claims the dog's name is Pawcasso and takes it to art lessons at a local bookshop every Saturday. She ends up with a whole new circle of friends. When Pawcasso becomes the centre of controversy, Jo doesn't know how to extricate herself from the mess she has inadvertently created.
Two side stories weave their way through the plot. Jo's father works away from home, only to visit for a week every once in a long while. She has a hard time every time he leaves and would rather not care about him at all. At the same time, the dog's owner and her own father are estranged. Will Pawcasso be able to help them all mend fences?

CHAPTER BOOKS

5 stars

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly May 4, 2021

Through Marisol readers discover what it's like to be anxious and worried. She is afraid of many things, especially Peppina, the magnolia tree in her back yard.  With the help of her best friend, Jada, she just might be able to overcome it.
Erin Entrada Kelly writes authentic characters it's easy to bond with. She puts them in authentic relationships and situations. She does it again here with Marisol Rainey and her family. 
The bond between Marisol and her older brother Oz is at times conflictual, but it's also clear that they love one another. Entrada Kelly shows us that when problems arise between friends, being honest is the best way through them. 

NOVELS

5 stars

My Name Is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling November 1, 1992  🍁

This is a classic Canadian novel about life in a residential school. It highlights the racism of the time.
Seepeetza keeps a journal for the 1958/1959 school year when she is eleven. The harshness of the school contrasts with her loving home life. She writes matter of factly about the physical abuse and deprivation students endured, but other horrors are referred to as 'bad things.' 


This book has forbidden love, K-Pop, boarding school and grandparents.
Ok, so it's a bit over the top, but I still mostly enjoyed this delightful teen romance. Although I don't know much about K-Dramas, I suspect this novel might be one of them.


3 stars

Jackpot by Nic Stone October 15, 2019

I'm not a hard core fan of YA romance in the first place, and I already had my fill of that kind of angst for this week. So that probably influences how I feel about this book. 

Reminder to self: Never more than one YA romance a week or maybe a month.

Rico, a poor black girl, enlists Zan, a rich white boy, to help her track down a winning lottery ticket. In the process they develop some kind of, almost, maybe, romantic relationship. My partner tells anyone who will listen that you have as much of a chance of finding a winning lottery ticket in the ditch as you do of winning. So right off the bat this book is essentially a fairy tale. I have nothing really against fairytales so long as you take the time to unpack them, and realize they are not real.
There were chunks of this I liked. I like that the main characters have depth to them. I liked that Rico did not instantly fall into the arms of the rich boy. I liked that Zan became a better human being through his relationship with Rico, although it seemed like it was a lot of work for her to get through to him.
Rico's mother irritated the hell out of me. Refusing to accept any aid, like health insurance, for your children, seems like an incredibly irresponsible and careless action. When your children's wellbeing is at stake, you set your pride aside and do what is needed.

CURRENTLY

Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer by Leslie Gentile
The (Other) F Word: A Celebration of the Fat and Fierce by Angie Manfredi 
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
Bear Wants to Sing by Cary Fagan
The Great Glorious Goddamn of It All by Josh Ritter

UP NEXT

Freedom Is A Constant Struggle Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of A Movement by Angela Y. Davis
Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater

BLOG POSTS PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK

Bear Wants to Sing by Cary Fagan
The Great Bear by David A. Robertson

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 22/25 

#MustReadNFIn2021 8/12

#MustReadPBIn2021 49/100 

Big Book Summer Challenge 9 

Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 28/25

Books by Canadian Authors: 81/100

Canada Reads 2021 4/5 

Discworld Series 41/41

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 308 /333 

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Forever Friendship by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It will be released August 31, 2021 by First Second Books.

Forever Friendship is a continuation of the Real Friends series. Hale's earlier memoirs, with brilliant artwork by LeUyen Pham, captured the social dynamics of girl friendship and bullying in elementary school. This one addresses Shannon's internal turmoil in middle school. Like the first two, it ends up being a template for how to survive and thrive through a tumultuous time in your life. Older girls and women might learn a thing or two from it. 

It highlights the numerous ways girls get socialized into the 'beauty myth.' It explores the roles of magazines, television, movies, church, religion and schooling. It's full of the complex ways we hurt one another. 

Starting grade eight Shannon feels pretty good about her friends. Despite this she still worries and is plagued with feelings of not being good enough. She has numerous goals for this new year. 
She begins grade eight thinking that fulfillment is based on beauty, success, and fame. Add being a good person and being liked by boys into the mix. It's kind of like a recipe for disaster. 

Following the introduction, six chapters focus on an area connected to this. Most end with an important message to young girls. 

Beautiful 
As if it's not enough that Shannon has to deal with her body changing, she attempts to mold herself into society's model of what beauty is. She wears contact lens, gets braces, and perms her hair. Before others can make fun of her, she makes fun of herself. Any critique by others emphasizes that she's not good enough. 
In the end she halfheartedly decides she doesn't care if she isn't beautiful and will instead, pursue her other dreams.

Fame 
Shannon thinks that fame will cover her in emotional armor. She wants to feel special, yet at the same time thinks that if only she can learn to play the correct part - to become the right kind of person, fame is possible. 
Unfortunately, doing this involves burying her own dreams. This leads to all kinds of complicated feelings. She appreciates her friends' successes and at the same time, is jealous of them. She's terrified that if she makes any mistakes she will lose all her friends forever. Thankfully she decides to dig up her dreams again and follow them. She doesn't get a part in the school drama production. Instead she becomes student director. Ultimately she learns that being a part of something is enough. Being famous isn't necessary. 

Boys
This chapter addresses emerging sexuality and negotiating through the messiness of it. 
One of Shannon's best friends is Andrei. They are not romantically involved. Yet everyone expects them to be. Because of this, she assumes that there is something wrong with her. I loved the complexity in Shannon's relationship with Jane. They are on the cusp of becoming young women, but they are also still kids. Jane is shown exploring her sexuality with different boys, and getting slut shamed for it. There are creepy older men to deal with. 
Shannon starts to think, "You're not allowed to feel sad. If you feel sad you're wrong." In the end though, she learns that it's enough for a boy just to think you are cool. 

Success
"No matter how hard I worked, it never felt like enough"
Shannon comes to see her value is in how others perceive her. She wonders if her parents only love her because of her grades. She decides to run for class president and loses. The role of fathers in how girls see themselves is articulated clearly in this section. In spite of his comments about the role of women, Shannon dreams of having both a family and a satisfying career.  She learns that she wants to 'be successful - but in the ways that make me feel good - not in the ways everyone expected."

Perfect
This section highlights the role of religion and church. To be perfect is to be good enough, to be kind enough. Her attempts to follow through end up in mishap after mishap. Rather than bringing comfort, church ends up exaggerating her so called flaws and exacerbating her feelings of being a bad person. Everything falls apart for her after an altercation with her friends. 


Nothing
Shannon ends up deep in depression. If she is loved based on her accomplishments, what happens when she fails? She gives up on her friends, school, and violin. Eventually her parents send her to see a psychiatrist. He's a dud. 


Enough
Shannon becomes her own therapist and begins to love herself. 

"It felt like an act of rebellion. To choose to love myself even if I wasn't sure anybody else did. Even if I wasn't sure I was worthy enough. Even if I wasn't sure that I actually did. To try to love myself. That felt like a lot."  

It makes all the difference. Grade eight turns out to be a pretty good year. 

I wish this book, and the others in the series had been around when I was in my preteen and teen years. I'm sure glad they are here today to help young girls navigate the potential minefield of adolescence. As it is, they have helped me resolve issues connected to those times in my life. I'm sure that women of all ages will be able to connect to Shannon's experiences. 

I recommend you purchase numerous copies of this for your school libraries. Encourage boys, parents, and teachers in your school to read it too. 

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#IMWAYR August 16th, 2021

Hello everyone. It's #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.

Hope you all had a wonderful week. What with the garden, making salsa, and sewing, mine was busy. 

I thought I had all the bits and pieces for my Olivier Dunrea quilts completed so I laid them out on the fabric. Then I realized that I needed to do a bit more sewing of small bits before actually appliquéing them to the backing. I've also discovered that I forgot to sew some little animals. Meanwhile, everything is laid out on flat surfaces around our house. 

Just a reminder to everyone that it's just about time for the fall #MustReadIn2021 update. I will create a post the last weekend of August for people to connect to. I'm looking forward to seeing how you are all doing. 

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.

RECENT BLOG POSTS


PICTURE BOOKS

4 stars

Hair Twins by Raakhee Mirchandani & Holly Hatam (Illustrator) May 4, 2021

This lovely book shows the affection between a father and daughter. At the same time we learn a bit about the process of tying a turban.
The sweet illustrations were created digitally.

5 stars

This is wonderful. It's based on the author's experiences. A young boy with one leg is enjoying an imaginary adventure in a playground. Along comes a girl who wants to know what happened to his other leg. A crew of other children arrive and ask the same question. The guesses they make are hilarious. 
We see how uncomfortable this interrogation makes the young boy. Eventually the children all participate in the imaginary play and his missing limb is almost forgotten. How he lost it becomes insignificant.
This book teaches an important lesson about manners and kindness. It's not ok to ask people about their disability.
My father, who used a wheelchair for most of his life, never minded if children (or adults) asked him questions. He used to say he would rather they ask than pretend he didn't exist. Still, it's important to remember that not all people feel like this.


Caden discovers something remarkable in his yard. He's certain that it's a treasure and he's not going to let anyone convince him otherwise. You can read my full review, and see some of the artwork here. 


NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas by Elizabeth Shreeve & Frann Preston-Gannon May 11, 2021

Gorgeous illustrations and clear text introduce readers to the evolution of life in oceans. From then on they show us how life evolved on land.

NOVELS


What a book! Can anyone ask for more than adorable characters, monsters in love, a literary puzzle, and a road trip? 

I love that these characters are unique individuals. Zed is an adorable non binary nerd. They connect with quiet, shy, Gabe, a nerdy plant enthusiast, over an unpublished book that's disappeared. Between the two of them they decipher clues to the novel's whereabouts. Sam, Gabe's older sister, drives them to the different locations while on her way to university. There's plenty of humour, ice cream, weird festivals, excitement and suspense. It's sure to keep readers of all ages happy.

5 stars

Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya (Author & Narrator) August 21, 2018

This book was on my must-read list. It’s been there for a couple of years and I’m glad I kept it there.
I adored Marcus, his brother Charlie, his mother, and all his Puerto Rican family. There are books with characters you want to be real. These are some of those. I wish they lived next-door to me.
Charlie is all you could ask for in a down syndrome character in a MG novel. He's rich and complicated with a delightful sense of humour. What we hope to accomplish through integration of kids like him into regular classrooms - getting the rest of the class to see him as a person - is achieved through this novel. It's sure to make life for all the other kids like Charlie a little easier.  
Marcus hasn’t seen his father for 10 years. When he gets suspended from school after hitting a bully, the family decides to take a trip to Puerto Rico where his father lives. Marcus is certain that if they can only find him, his father will save them.
At some point in our lives we discover who are parents really are. Luckily Marcus has a solid network of friends and family when he comes to understand that his father is not the person he wanted him to be.


Holy Carumba! That was some saga! Suzanne Toren's narration was brilliant! 
The integration of science and fictional characters mesmerized me. I'm not sure what made me want to continue reading more. I loved that trees themselves become characters. 
That humans are the most destructive force on our planet is not new. What The Overstory does, is tell the tale of small groups of people who, in different ways, try to do something about it. 

CURRENTLY

XOXO by Axie Oh 
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly
Compulsory by Martha Wells (A Short Story) 
 
UP NEXT

Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer by Leslie Gentile
My Name Is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling
Made in Korea by Sarah Suk
I will continue working away at the pile of  picture books!

BLOG POSTS PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK

Friends Forever by Shannon Hale
Bear Wants to Sing by Cary Fagan

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 21/25 

#MustReadNFIn2021 8/12

#MustReadPBIn2021 48/100 

Big Book Summer Challenge 9 

Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 27/25

Books by Canadian Authors: 80/100

Canada Reads 2021 4/5 

Discworld Series 41/41

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 298 /333 

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The Deepest Dig by Mark David Smith & Lily Snowden-Fine (Illustrator)


Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was released August 15, 2021 by Owlkids Books.

Caden and his dog discover something in his yard. It's not a post, not a stone and not a root. His neighbour, Martha, tells him he's found a treasure. He rushes in to tell his father, but his father dismisses him. Caden, undeterred, gets a shovel and begins to dig. 

Soon he finds something "curved up like a dirty old claw." He continues digging. 

He tells his mother he's found a treasure. She laughs it off. 

Caden, with Martha's help, continues to dig and excavate massive bones from the earth.  She tells him, "It's only a treasure if it's put together."

He tells his teacher, Mr Clerkson, that he's found something like the prehistoric mammoth he showed them. In response, the teacher claims, he'd eat his hat if Caden actually found one. 

Martha and Caden attempt to assemble the bones. Their reconstructions end up with some pretty hilarious combinations. When they think they have it right Caden brings his parents to view it. 

In the end they sell the skeleton to a museum and Caden and his family's financial woes are over. They end up travelling the world with the mammoth telling the story of it's discovery. His teacher has a hat eating fundraiser. 

I like Lily Snowden-Fine's colourful artwork. I like the diversity in Caden's family. I like the persistence Caden shows. No matter what, he doesn't give up and continues to dig. 

From an adult's perspective, the message in this book is to really listen to what your children are saying. For children it's to ignore naysaying parents and teachers. 

What bugs me about this book is that it says it is inspired by a true event, but then tells nothing about it!

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#IMWAYR August 9, 2021

 Hello everyone. It's #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.

In the last couple of weeks my sister and I have managed to get two baby quilts almost completed. Here's the one that's ready to give away. 

Then last weekend my four year old granddaughter was visiting. She kept us busy. Ada adored the quilt I had just finished and wanted one just like it for her doll. While she was here Grandpa helped her make a set of bunk beds for them. Ada chose the colours for the quilts and even sat on my lap while I sewed them. The rest of the time when I was sewing, she played around with scraps of fabric. We ended up making mattresses and pillows to go with them. 

We also built a huge duplo house and played a lot of 'visiting with grandma and grampa.' We went swimming, canoeing, and collected flat rocks that we painted. She was here for six sleeps and wasn't ready to go home. Her little sister, mother, and father insisted it was time because they missed her so much. We were heartbroken (and exhausted) when she left. 

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

Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown May 4, 2021

My granddaughter and I enjoyed this lovely book about a boy who ends up dressing up in his mother's clothes. She is starting to think that there are boy things and girl things. This is a delightful book for eliminating those kinds of budding stereotypes.

5 stars

Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder June 1, 2021

The rollicking rhyme and rhythm in this book begs to be read out loud. It showcases the beautiful diversity in bodies. No matter what age, colour, shape or size, bodies are indeed cool! 


A young girl comes upon her great uncle waiting by an abandoned train station. He tells her of boarding a train from there when he was young. He and his siblings were taken to a residential school. He was there for six years before he came home.
The book doesn’t deal with the horrors of that place, but it does highlight the loss of language, culture and relationships.
Georgia Lesley’s gorgeous illustrations enhance the emotional impact of this story.

3 stars

Spirit Bear: Fishing for Knowledge, Catching Dreams by Cindy Blackstock & Amanda Strong (Illustrator) January 1, 2018  🍁

Essentially this book addresses the underfunding of Indigenous education in Canada. In 2016 funding on reserves was only up to half of what their provincial counterparts received. This book focuses on the reality of the community of Attawapiskat. A school was built in 1976, but three years later, 30,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaked into the ground under the school. Even though children and staff got sick from attending the school, it wasn’t until 2000 that the government set up portables on the playground area. By 2005 the trailers were breaking down and infested with mice and black mold. In 2007, Shannen Koostachin, a grade eight student, began advocating for a new school. Unfortunately she died in a car accident attending high school away from her community. In 2012 the community finally got a new school. Shannen's dream continues through shannensdream.ca, a group working to build schools and ensure equal funding for education for all Indigenous children in Canada.
This book contains an important message. Unfortunately, the fictional component didn’t work for me.


Like this duo's first book, A Family is a Family is a Family, this one showcases a diverse group of characters. It addresses micro aggressions couched as questions. Adults can learn a lot from this book. You can read my full review with images here.

CHILDREN'S NON FICTION


This looks at food across time and space. The content is rich, but the presentation of it leaves much to be desired. You can read my full review here. 

4 stars

The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt & Belle Wuthrich (Illustrations) Apr 13, 2021  🍁

This book explores what it means to be disabled. While I have a few quibbles with it, I would definitely purchase it for my school library and encourage teachers to read it. You can read my full review here. 

CHAPTER BOOKS


When my granddaughter was here we started out reading a collection of books every evening. After a few nights we transitioned into just reading one of the Princess in Black titles. Each night we read a new one. Ada loves them. Hopefully these will shake up her notion of what it means to be a princess.

NOVELS


Nancy Wake was a fascinating character. This was one of those books that I had a hard time stopping listening to once I started. I was so enthralled I would interrupt my partner's reading to tell him about her. At one point I went to read more about her and discovered something that gave away an important part of the story. It didn't change my enjoyment of it.
This is both an historical romance and a thrilling war story. It's written in alternate time frames. One part tells of her courtship and marriage. The other tells of her work in France as one of Britain's Special Operations Executives.

5 + stars

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley & Isabella Star LaBlanc (Narrator) March 16, 2021

This book is brilliant. It’s a nerve wracking thriller steeped in Anishinaabe culture.
These characters are beautifully written. They are rich, complex and loaded with nuance. I adored all the strong women. Of all the supporting characters, the elders are some of the finest I’ve read. The unraveling of the mystery was fraught with surprises and betrayal. The romance was satisfying and realistic. I loved this ending.
This is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.


This is a highly satisfying feminist fantasy. I'm looking forward to the sequel coming out in 2022.

4 stars

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala & Danice Cabanela (Narrator) May 4, 2021

This is a delightful cosy mystery. It's chock full of diverse characters making their way in a culinary world. I listened to this, but figure I'm going to have to find a hard copy just to get the recipes at the end of the book.  


Although I finished the print version of this book recently, when the audiobook became available, I had to experience it in this format as well. Kevin R. Free didn't let me down. 

CURRENTLY

The Fabulous Zed Watson! by Kevin Sylvester & Basil Sylvester
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya (audiobook)
Compulsory by Martha Wells (A Short Story) 
 
UP NEXT

Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer by Leslie Gentile
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly
My Name Is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling
Made in Korea by Sarah Suk
I'll try to work at getting the picture book pile under control.

BLOG POSTS PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK

The Deepest Dig by Mark David Smith

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 20/25 one in progress

#MustReadNFIn2021 8/12

#MustReadPBIn2021 48/100 

Big Book Summer Challenge 8 

Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 27/25

Books by Canadian Authors: 78/100 one in progress

Canada Reads 2021 4/5 

Discworld Series 41/41

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 291 /333 

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