#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