Showing posts with label #AwardWinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #AwardWinner. Show all posts

#IMWAYR December 16, 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. I'm also connecting up with the Sunday Salon. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next!

I'm still struggling with whatever it is that ails me. Is it long Covid or something else? Do I start another batch of antibiotics or wait and see? I'm talking to my doctor Monday afternoon to find out what she says. 

Last Monday my husband, cousin and I went trekking into the mountain to cut down a tree. I only hiked half way before turning around. My partner got the tree set up Sunday afternoon. We hope to decorate it Monday night. It's so tall the top of it had to get hacked off to fit it into the living room! 

I finally finished my unicorn quilt! It will go under the tree for my oldest granddaughter this Christmas. 


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 Green Baby Swing by Thomas King & Yong Ling Kang (Illustrator) May 28, 2024 🍁

Following his nana's death, a boy and his mother spend a day in her attic searching through forgotten treasures. There are many to be had, but the one that brings tears to his mother's eyes, is a green baby swing. (I always thought they were called slings.) It carried at least two generations of babies: the mother and the boy. The boy uses it to hold Comet, his kitten. The book is full of sweet tenderness and a touch of humour. 


This is a story of two children who wake up early one morning and head off to Lake Superior to go skating.
I am gobsmacked by Todd Stewart's gorgeous artwork! Using a palette of blue, black, white and yellow, he shows us a cold winter morning on Lake Superior alive with magic.


Jean E. Pendziwol's poetic text increases the enchantment. Together these two have created a swoon worthy mysterious tale. No wonder it won this year's Governor General's Young People’s Literature award for best Illustrated Book! 

This is a charming counting book for the little ones. It's written in both
Inuktitut and English. What I really like about it, (besides the fun illustrations,) is that each double page spread includes not only another polar bear, but also a new fact about them! I'm not sure that polar bears really square-dance, but I think they have round bellies!

Linda Bai recommended this as a nonfiction title for my four year old grandkids. I am so glad she did because even though I first read it in 2017, I had forgotten all about it. I agree completely with everything I first said about it. "This one nearly knocked my socks off. Wow! I appreciated this interpretation of how a cat is viewed differently by the many creatures who see it. The illustrations are drop dead gorgeous." I purchased copies for them. 


Skunk longs for a family of his own. When he sees a poster for a missing dog, he comes up with a plan to disguise himself and pretend to be the lost dog. With the help of Squirrel, Racoon and Cat, he is finally ready to go. Then he starts to fret. Why did the dog run away? What if he's lost? The new gang comb the streets to find the missing pet. In the end, Skunk gets what he needs. 
This laugh out loud book is sure to please all my grandkids. Maybe the older ones can even be convinced to read it to their younger siblings. 

4 stars

Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas: A Safety Guide for Scaredies by Mélanie Watt January 1, 2012 🍁

I purchased copies of this for my youngest grandchildren because Mélanie Watt and Scaredy Squirrel are Canadian National Treasures. I think it will work best for readers who are already fans of the series. It is more text laden than the previous books since this one is a collection of vignettes showing what Scaredy Squirrel and his friends do to prepare for the holiday. It's full of humour and sweetness, just like the rest of the series. 
If you aren't acquainted with Scaredy Squirrel, you need to know that Scaredy is a squirrel with anxiety issues who is afraid of just about everything. His friendship group is (eventually) a diverse mix of different species of animals. 

4 stars

Pretty Ugly by David Sedaris & Ian Falconer (Illustrator) February 27, 2024

I adore Anna Van Ogre and her family. She is warned that if she keeps making faces, it will freeze that way. Then it happens. How she repairs herself is kind of grotesque, but wonderful. 
This is precious. It's absolutely zany, disgusting and hilarious. It is not for the faint of heart. I'm thinking my eldest granddaughter will laugh, but my grandson might be a bit creeped out by the end. I wish Ian Falconer was still with us so these two could create more picture books together.

5 stars

Just Because by Mac Barnett & Isabelle Arsenault (Illustrator) September 10, 2019 🍁
This is a delightful collaboration between two brilliant artists! 
Before bedtime, a young girl asks her father some big questions. Why is the ocean blue? What is the rain? His responses are sublimely unexpected and hilarious! At first I was surprised by his answers. Then, even when I knew they would be outrageous, I was still thrown off by the unexpected creativity of Mac Barnett's imagination. I really like how Isabelle Arsenault portrays the young girl's bedroom in black and white, but shows the father's answers in glorious colour!


I picked this book to read because I am a hard core Isabelle Arsenault fan. 
Truffle is the younger brother of Louis from Louis Undercover. (I haven't read it yet, but after finishing this, I immediately put it on hold) This book features three short stories. In the first one Truffle and some friends form a rock band even though none of them can play a musical instrument. In the second Truffle has a girlfriend who he is terrified to talk to. The final vignette has Truffle and his family attending his grandmother's funeral where he contemplates the imponderability of life and death.
I love that while Louis is often too busy studying to talk to Truffle, when Truffle really needs him, Louis is there for him. I adore the tenderness in these stories. Isabelle Arsenault's artwork makes them sing with sweetness, but also with enough humour so that they aren't cloying. 

MG/YA NON FICTION GRAPHIC


I adored this coming of age memoir. When he was in middle school, Dan Santat was a good kid. He tried to stay beneath the radar, but was still bullied in school. When it was suggested he go on a school trip to Europe one summer, he wasn't sure if he wanted to go. His nervousness increased when he discovered that some of the people who he would be travelling with were some of the same people who harassed him. Then during the trip, his life began to change. He began to develop confidence and found out his crush liked him back. He became comfortable in his own skin. He returned from the experience prepared to face the rest of his life. 
I liked that those girls who at first terrified him, ended up becoming his supporters. I really appreciated the notes at the end of the book letting us know what happened to them all as they grew older. 

YA/ADULT GRAPHIC 

4 stars

Beverly by Nick Drnaso February 16, 2016

This collection of graphic short stories is dark and existentially disturbing. The white suburban characters live bleak lives - even the most together of them. What is common across the collection is the alienation and despair that persists.  
There are a few characters who show up across the stories: Cara and her brother Tyler. Tyler has some serious mental health issues. There's a good chance he's going to grow up into a serial killer - if he hasn't already done so.  These are not happy people. A review I read called it "white bread American Trump territory." I suspect that these very ordinary people are the dark underbelly of America. 
I adore the contrast between the beauty of the art and harshness of the vignettes.

5 stars

Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang August 13, 2024

Jen Wang's work is filled with ethereal beauty. I adore everything she creates. 
I read this a while ago, but for some reason forgot to add it to my list. Ash is lonely and worried about climate change. In their 15th year, they change their name and outward appearance and make plans to search for their grandfather's secret cabin in the California wilderness. It involves a lot of research and planning. Eventually Ash finds it, and spends almost a year isolated except for their dog, and a brief stint with a hiker they meet out in the wild. 
This is a stunning coming of age tale! 

ADULT/YA FICTION


It was a delight to spend time with Molly again. Molly is now head maid. This time a famous author is murdered at the hotel. She is terrified that her new maid in training might have something to do with it. I wasn't surprised by the reveal at the end of the book, but it was delightful anyway. 


Ent
ADULT/YA NON FICTION


I only discovered James McBride's work this last year, (thanks again to Linda Bai) and this is my third book. Told in two narrative voices, it is a biography of his white Jewish mother. It includes her story and his of growing up as her son. I appreciate that the audiobook is narrated by two different people. It brilliantly differentiates between the two perspectives. 

CURRENTLY 

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu February 1, 2022 🍁
These short stories are dark!

Lavender Clouds by Bex Ollerton July 4, 2024 

The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin October 8, 2024

UP NEXT (MAYBE)

The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) by Christina Soontornvat

Sunshine: A Graphic Novel by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

My Name Is Jason. Mine Too.: Our Story. Our Way. by Jason Reynolds & Jason Griffin May 1, 2009
My goal is to read two more books from my #MustRead2024 list to finish off that goal! 

READING GOALS 

#MustRead2024 23/25 one on the go

NonFiction 38/24

Canadian Authors 78/50

Indigenous Authors 29/25 

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 219/200     
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#IMWAYR APRIL 15, 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.

I'm finally ready to quilt my collage project! I've been watching a lot of Susan Carlson videos to figure out all kinds of things - most importantly, how to know when the collage part is done! My goal is to get it quilted tomorrow so I can get it mounted and then I can call it done! Here's where I am so far. 

I'm also getting ready for an appliqué workshop coming up next Monday. Honestly, choosing the right fabric is the hardest part of this so far. 

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.


This book is the perfect example of why adults should read children's books. Seriously, the humour in this one, with its parody of a private investigator, is hilarious and way above the heads of children. 
When Mercy goes missing, the residents of Deckawoo Drive hire Percival Smidgely, private investigator, to find her. The children at least, don't have much faith in him. 
Stella, Horace Broom, and Leroy Ninker and Maybelline, his horse, set out in search of the errant pig. 
Meanwhile, Mercy has evaded a couple of ne'er-do-wells who had bacon on their mind. She's managed to cadge some toast and butter, and has continued to chase down the very strong scent of butter in the air. 
Mercy is eventually found and everyone returns to the Watson house for toast and butter. 
Like the other books in this series it is screamingly hilarious, at times poignant, and always full of important truths about how to live a good life. 

GRAPHIC NOVELS


"Pedro Martín has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito—his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn't mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and sisters and the house is crowded enough! Still, Pedro piles into the Winnebago with his family for a road trip to Mexico to bring Abuelito home, and what follows is the trip of a lifetime, one filled with laughs and heartache. Along the way, Pedro finally connects with his abuelito and learns what it means to grow up and find his grito."
Mexikid is frigging brilliant. 
It is the best graphic novel I have ever read.
Not only is this the best graphic novel ever, it's also one of the most hilarious books I've ever read. Absolutely nothing can compare to the episode with the snot and the pop rocks. Absolutely nothing.
Other sections are profoundly moving - especially those that address his relationship with his older sister who really gets Pedro, as well as those with his abuelito.
There is a lot packed into this book. It's a book about identity. It's a book about family and sibling relationships. It's a book about grandparents and grandchildren. It's a book about Mexico and it's culture and history. It's a travel book. 
It paints a brilliant picture of growing up in the 1970's. I might have been a bit older than Pedro Martín, but all the pop culture references, as well as the Winnebago with shag carpet, and the summer farm work to have your own spending money, were a kind of time warp for me.
If you need more Mexikid stories after you are finished, check out Martín's site here.


If you are Canadian, and have a $10 dollar bill in your wallet, there's a good chance it will have Viola Desmond's picture on it. This book tells the story of her remarkable life.
In New Glasglow, Nova Scotia, on November 8th, 1946, nine years before Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus, Viola Desmond refused to leave the white's only section of a movie theatre. The police were called in, she spent the night in jail, and was accused and convicted of tax evasion (the one cent difference between tax in the balcony and floor sections). It was the only thing they could legally charge her with. She paid the fine and returned home. She took her case to the supreme court of Nova Scotia where she lost. Finally, in 2010, Viola Desmond was pardoned and the premier of the province apologized for how she had been treated.
Viola grew up in a large family who put a lot of stock into doing well in school and getting a good education. They were activists who tried to make the world better for all black people. In 1876, her grandfather had managed to get schools in the North End, where they lived, desegregated. When she graduated she wanted to go to teacher college and become a teacher. At that time black students were not allowed to go to the local teacher college, and even if she went somewhere else, she would only have been able to teach in a segregated school for black children. She challenged the teacher training tests, passed and began teaching.
Not long afterwards she quit and opened up a hair salon for black women. Soon she became a successful business woman.
There is so much I love about this book. Mostly I appreciate that it provides a woman's perspective of racism. I also learned a lot about dealing with Black hair!
I really like the layout. Sections in yellow are reflections from her younger sister, Wanda. It's because of Wanda that justice was finally achieved for Viola. There are numerous sidebars (highlighted in teal) that explain historical events, define relevant terms, and provide mini biographies of important individuals of the time.
The end of the book includes a timeline, a glossary, a section on resources, and an index.

Readers were introduced to Kimberly Reynolds in Whispers Under Ground. She has made the odd appearance in the Peter Grant books since then. Here she is the protagonist in her own novel.
Kimberly, an FBI agent, heads off to Northern Wisconsin to investigate some kind of paranormal event upon the request of a retired agent who lives in the area. She finds he has gone missing and ends up trapped in a small town in the middle of a freak winter storm.
I liked a lot about this book. I appreciated the integration of local spirits, and that Kimberly has much to learn about local Indigenous culture and history. I was relieved when the evil forces turned out to be connected to white explorers. I would have liked a connection made between them and the Windigo, though perhaps that is really only the purview of Indigenous authors. I did interpret those creatures through that lens.
I liked all the action in the plot but I missed the magical responses to the dangers that are integral to the Peter Grant books.
At different times in the book I was irritated by the focus on Kimberly's born again Christian faith. It seemed overdone and weird. Do people, who have barely met, really ask each other if they have accepted Jesus into their hearts?
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. If I am honest, it's probably because I have gotten into the habit of listening to this series before eventually reading the books with my eyes. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith is the voice of the series so Penelope Rawlins narration was jarring to start. I could have gotten used to this except that at one point Kimberly Reynolds phones Peter Grant and it wasn't Peter's voice. I wish they could have had Kobna narrate those bits.

CURRENTLY

Doppelganger by Naoimi Klein 🍁 

Lulu Sinagtala and the City of Noble Warriors by Gail D. Villanueva

Naked: Not Your Average Sex Encyclopedia by Myriam Daguzan Bernier & Cécile Gariépy (Illustrator)  🍁

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

UP NEXT (MAYBE)

Wolfsong by TJ Klune

The Future by Catherine Leroux & Susan Ouriou (Translator) 🍁

READING GOALS 

#MustRead2024 7/25 two on the go

NonFiction 11/24 

Canadian Authors 16/50 two on the go

Indigenous Authors 7/25

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 71/200 
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