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. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.
I had a bit of a mixup this week. I had a pile of graphic novels I assumed were all Cybils candidates. I picked up one, read it closely, and then started another. Then I realized I had forgotten to make notes on the one I just finished. That was when I discovered that someone (probably me) had cleaned up and all the graphic novels were in the same pile. I had to put Demon in the Wood down for now, sort them out, and get back to the essential books. At least you get to read my thoughts on The Tryout, unlike the Cybil books that I have to keep silent about.
Happy Lunar New Year to everyone who celebrates! When we lived in Vancouver we would go out for dim sum to celebrate, but alas, there is no restaurant around here to go to. I might make Tteokguk (Korean soup) on Monday if I can track down some rice cakes. I'm excited to be heading off to a fabric painting workshop Monday so I'll get to reading everyone's posts when I return.
Titles with a π 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.
BLOG POSTS LAST WEEK
Narwhalicorn and Jelly (Narwhal and Jelly #7) by Ben Clanton
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It's a bit late, but I ordered a copy of this for my half Korean grandchildren.
It's the story of a Korean family outside of Korea. A young girl wears her hanbok to school. She and her family teach the rest of her classmates about Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year celebration.
The back matter contains a glossary of the Korean vocabulary used in the book as well as a pronunciation guide.
I can't wait till I get to read it with my unicorn obsessed granddaughter.
Two best friends, Christina & Megan, start middle school together. Both feel like outsiders: Megan because she has Iranian background, and Christina because she is half Thai. They are not in any classes together, so they decide to try out for cheerleading together. When Megan chooses another student to pair up with, Christina is hurt, but finds her own partner. Although Megan has a gymnastics background and wows the judges in the preliminary competition, the final judgement is based on a vote by the student body. Essentially it is a popularity contest. When neither girl makes the squad they eventually resolve their issues and make peace with who they are. Eventually Christina finds her own way to shine.
I really appreciated how this book shows both the micro aggressions and more overt racism that both girls have to deal with. An author's note in the back matter explains that this book is based on her own experiences growing up in Texas.
(This brought back memories of being a cheerleader in high school. I didn't feel like it made me popular, but there was certainly friend drama. I am very thankful we did not have to go through this kind of trial to join.)
No matter what name she writes under, AS King impresses the heck out of me!
This book, based on an actual event, shows three friends, Mac, Denis and Marci, taking on censorship at their school. When they discover parts of their lit circle books (The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen) have had lines blacked out, they find a copy of the book to see what is missing. They speak to their principal about this sabotage, but aren't taken seriously. Their teacher, the culprit, disregards their protest. They end up taking their concerns all the way to the school board.
Aside from this, there is a lot going on in this book. Mac is dealing with some heavy issues with his father. Marci is a strong young feminist. Denis claims to be aromantic.
The town they live in is highly restrictive as is shown in letters to the editor.
Sometimes it all felt like too much.
But the truth is that what is going on in America right now with the banning of books, is too much. I like that this book is in part, a template for how to be an activist. Our countries needs more of them these days. ADULT NOVELS
This book about a group of aging witches sharing a house together is hilarious, heart wrenching, and tender. They are about to lose their home because they haven't been able to pay their mortgage and taxes. They need to find a missing wand to sell, but the one who hid it in a safe place has developed dementia. A lot goes wrong before it gets better.
While I liked the older women, I especially loved Persephone, the feisty teen TikToker eager to smash the patriarchy. She is their salvation.
I celebrated the sexuality of the women in this book. Some reviewers found this difficult to read. I found it full of joy and life.
I don't know if I would have picked it up if it wasn't on the longlist of 2023 Canada Reads, but I did, and I adored it! I'm crossing my fingers it makes it to the finals.
If you take nothing else from this book, take this: Representation Matters.
Many, if not most people, will know of Simu Liu through his role as Shang-Chi, Marvel's Asian superhero. I picked up this book because of his role as Jung Kim in the Canadian sitcom, Kim's Convenience.
Simu Liu’s life was hard. Until he was four, he lived with loving grandparents. Then his father arrived to take him to Canada with him. Life with his parents was good at first, but when Simu failed to live up to their expectations, rather than reason with him as his grandfather had done, they were abusive.
There are times, especially when Simu is talking about his grandparents, when his voice is so full of emotion, I could imagine tears in his eyes.
Stories of children of immigrant parents growing up in an environment much different than that of their parents are important for all kinds of reasons.
I desperately hope that the creative, artistic, high achieving Chinese Canadian girl I taught in grade five, who came to me in her graduation year asking me for help because her parents wouldn’t support her unless she became a doctor, reads this book.
I hope all the other Asian and children of immigrant parents facing the same dilemma, read this. You are not alone.
I hope that all teachers of immigrant children read this. I understood the that the parental expectations put on my Asian students were not the same as those of other students, but this memoir helped me understand where it was coming from. Perhaps after reading this, we will be better equipped to intervene on behalf of these families. The one time I reported abuse, it didn’t turn out well, (the family moved). I still hope that Nancy, my spunky Vietnamese treasure, knows that I heard and believed her. I hope she reads this book.
For everyone with a dream they want to fulfill, this book will show you how hard you have to work to make it come true.
I want all my adult friends and family to read this. In this small town where I grew up and live now, it might wake people up to their unwitting racism.
I'm so glad this book is on the 2023 Canada Reads longlist. I hope it makes it to the finals. We find out this Wednesday!
"A young girl must stop a threat to her magical world in this epic graphic novel from New York Times bestselling author Marjorie Liu and remarkable debut illustrator Teny Issakhanian."
"this cheeky, hilarious, and honest graphic novel asks the question everyone has to figure out for themselves: Who are you?"
The Big Sting by Rachelle Delaney
Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin
Across a Field of Starlight by Blue Delliquanti
UP NEXT
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger
More Graphic Novels for the Cybils
READING GOALS
#MustReadFiction 2/24
#MustReadNonFiction 0/20
Canadian Authors 4 two in progress
Indigenous Authors 2
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 19/200
