This graphic novel continues
the story of Echo, a young Métis girl living in a foster home. In this sequel,
Echo has made some connections to other students at school and gotten involved
in the indigenous leadership program. While still missing her mother, she is in
a positive, supportive, foster family.
I appreciate how Canadian
history is taught through Echo’s eyes. She travels back in time to 1869
and 1870 in the Red River when the Métis were trying to keep their land. The
Canadian government wanted it for white settlers. To avoid this, the Métis,
under the leadership of Louis Riel, set up their own government in hopes of negotiating with Canada. In spite of their best efforts, they lost. The reality
is that the Canadian government has never dealt fairly with indigenous peoples
and reading this novel makes it all very clear.
The story of Métis resistance
is one of many dark chapters in our history. Even though I know this story, it
seems more profound in a graphic novel format. Perhaps it’s because I am
invested in Echo and these are her ancestors.
The back matter includes a
timeline full of important dates. A map shows where the Red River settlement
is. There is also a list of rights that was a foundational document for the
Métis government.
The realistic art has a gritty
feel to it. There is one page that filled me with dread. It’s a joyful picture
of Echo with Benjamin, her friend from the past, celebrating what
they think will be a successful negotiation between the Métis and the
government of Canada.
#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.
I managed to
finish a baby quilt this week. It is the second in my foray into modern
quilting. I decided to face this one instead of putting on a binding that would
show. I like how it turned out, although I had envisioned larger overlapping
circles when I sent it off to be quilted.
Now I'm working on
a completely different project of an applique flower garden that my sister and
I started last summer. We created flowers and buds together, and now my job is
to create the vines, stalks, and leaves, and the pieced border. She
will hand sew all of it onto the background before it goes to be quilted.
I'm determined to
limit my working schedule to three days a week. Not only does work cut
seriously into my reading and playing with grandchildren time, I get
too exhausted working more than that!
OMG, this book is
absolutely stunning. I recently read
Peter Sis' adaptation of this poem and didn't think anything else could
possibly compare. I was wrong. Demi's birds are splendidly elegant. The golden
borders on each page are lavishly spectacular. The prose is much more
accessible and straight forward than Peter Sis' version, although both are
beautiful to read. The book trailer below will give you a hint of what's
inside.
This is one of
those books that lifts you up and makes you happy to be alive. It's as
beautiful on the inside as the cover shows. That pink, designed byElsa
Schiaparelli and a chemist, made me giddy with delight. I'm not a particular follower of fashion but I was delighted to learn
about this amazing woman who followed her passion and fulfilled her dreams.
Both the author and illustrator of this are Canadian!🍁
At the onset of
winter, a Northern Anishinaabe village loses cell service, TV, internet and
electricity. It’s not an uncommon occurrence so they figure it will just be a
while and everything will be back to normal. But when a couple of their 19 year old
sons make their way home from college on a snowmobile, they realize it’s a more global shutdown. It seems that the apocalypse has begun.
Evan, the main
character, is an honorable man who works for the band, keeping the road open
and doing what else needs to be done. He and his partner have two young
children they are trying to raise in the traditional way. Throughout the book
Evan and the other band leaders try to support the community as best they can.
When a large, weird, white man, Justin Scott, arrives in the village having following the
teens' tracks in the snow, the community leaders let him in. Their concerns about him appear to be well founded when another group of white
refugees arrives and Scott kills one of them. As the death rate keeps rising, Evan comes to understands more fully the evil Justin
Scott brings with him. Their confrontation is inevitable. Although it is never
mentioned in the book, I couldn't help but see Justin Scott as a Windigo.
I wanted to like
this more. The art is gorgeous. It's dynamic and full of colour. The book
is essentially a compilation of short stories that are like chapters in a book
about a group of children in a neighbourhood. It's a celebration of imagination
as they transform cardboard into costumes and unique creations that become part
of a unique imaginary world. At the same time, it deals with some important
emotional/social realities. It includes a multicultural diverse collection of
children getting to know each other better and becoming more aware of their own
identities. Some of them struggle more than others, but ultimately, they are
all included.
This is just plain
adorable. It's perfect for fans of Binky and other graphic novels by Ashley
Spires who are ready to move on to slightly more difficult texts. It's loaded
with humor, but that evil baby is hilariously perfect. Both the author and
illustrator of this are Canadian! 🍁
This is quite
beautiful. Right off the bat I was impressed with how Mariah Marsden and Brenna
Thummler have captured the essence of Anne Shirley. Her dramatic flair is well
represented by the art and text. There is one image in particular, of Anne
jumping into a pile of leaves that Gilbert has just raked, that made my heart
sing. I love that they have represented Marilla's stoicism as well as her
tenderness for Anne. The depiction of Green Gables with its expanses of trees,
gardens and different landscapes across time and seasons is almost enough to
make me want to uproot my family and move to PEI.
My only quibble
with the art is that in places, Anne's green eyes, shown as green circles, creeped me out a bit. So did her nose which appears to be pasted on. At times
these two things distracted me and interfered with the continuity of the story.
Like another
reviewer on goodreads, I also wonder why L.M. Montgomery isn't given any
authorial credit. She was also Canadian. 🍁
5+ stars
The Witch Boy by
Molly Ostertag
I love all that
this book takes on. It's the story of a Aster, boy who wants to learn the art
of magic: something that is traditionally only girls' work. Boys are supposed
to be able to shape shift, but so far, Aster can't. The authentic multicultural
characters are different colours and ethnicities. Charlie, the one regular
human girl, has two dads. I love the connection between her and Aster. While
there is a demon of sorts, it turns out that the people themselves, in their
rigidness, are responsible for it's creation. The novel has beautiful artwork
that is easy to follow. I appreciate the use of white neutral space depicting
daytime and black for night. As I neared the end I was so engaged that I was zipping through the pages.
This nonfiction
graphic text brought tears to my eyes numerous times. The book was commissioned
by MSF (Doctors Without Borders) to portray experiences of Syrian refugees and raise awareness of
their situations. It's a hard read emotionally, but worth it. Olivier Kugler
explains that all his requests to interview women at the Domiz Refugee camp
were turned down. He was able to speak to some women in camps in Europe. The
result is that these are primarily narratives of men, but there are a few
stories of women.
The book tells
many different individual and family stories. All of these people fled Syria
fearing for their lives. Their journeys are harrowing and heartbreaking.
There is a kind of
chaos to how the book is formatted with what at first glimpse seems to be
images and text haphazardly strew across the page. Some of the text is
organized with numbers and arrows. On other pages I started at the top left
hand corner and worked my through it. It all ended up making too much sense to
me. The artwork is crowded and images at times feel fluid and without proper
outlines. This format creates a kind of instability that leaves the reader
feeling out of control and not sure what is going to happen next. It's
brilliant. I hope it's as close as I ever get to being a refugee.
CURRENTLY
I'm listening to
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. I'm reading Hearts
Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith. I've started Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J.
Krosoczka.
UP NEXT
I will be reading
many graphic novels as I must have to have all the Cybil nominations read soon!
#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.
The
group of jurors I was lucky to be part of managed to come up with winners for the
Cybil Graphic Novel awards. It was not easy. All of the
contenders, especially at the elementary level, were fabulous reads.
Stay tuned for Wednesday when the winners will be announced.
PICTURE
BOOKS
The
Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken
This
book is very clever. It shows readers that through our mistakes we
can achieve big things. It also reveals how mistakes that might seem
insurmountable in the moment, can become insignificant when we look at
the big picture. It all works because while the text is minimal, the
gorgeous illustrations are laden with meaning.
Claymates
by Dev Petty & Lauren Eldridge (Illustrator)
This
is laugh out loud fun! I can't wait to read this to a group of
children this coming week. When a clay artist leaves her work alone
it comes to life. There is a playful mischievousness to their
shenanigans that I know will appeal to children of many ages.
I
Wrote You a Note by Lizi Boyd
I
appreciate Liza Boyd's unique illustrations in this book a lot. I
like that all the different creatures viewed the note from their own
unique perspectives. I'm just kind of confused as to how many notes
the girl wrote before it was magically received by the recipient for
who it was intended.
Owl
Bat Bat Owl by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
This
wordless picture book tells of a wee owl and bat who become friends, much to
the chagrin of their mothers. When troubles hit both families, the
adults and the rest of clans learn to appreciate one another.
Through
this fiction, an important truth about how the world evolves socially
is revealed. If you are lucky enough for your children to go to a
multicultural school, they will make friends with all kinds of
students who are different from them. As adults who are interested in
our children's friends, we can't help but get to know and appreciate
their families. This is how immigrants are regularly integrated into
life here in Canada.
NOVELS
Rebel
Seoul by Axie Oh
I
ended up loving this book much more than I anticipated. It’s got
fabulous characters placed in a dystopian, futuristic Korean world. I
loved the concept of genetic engineering to create superhumans who
still have the capacity to choose what is right. I appreciated the
creative technology and the numerous political and criminal factions warring with
each other. This is a love story. There is traditional romantic love,
but also aspects of love on all kinds of levels. It's these friendships and
family bonds that are most fascinating. I handed this off to my
Korean daughter in law to see what she has to say.
Saints
and Misfits by S.K. Ali & Ariana Delawari (Narrator)
I
really liked the collection of characters in this book. Still, there
were times when I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue reading
because I was worried Janna’s assaulter would try again and be
successful. I’m glad I went on because ultimately this is the story of
a young woman’s empowerment. I think Muslim readers will see
themselves in this book, but it is also a coming of age story that
will resonate for all kinds of people.
CURRENTLY
I'm
totally enthralled by the audiobook, La Belle Sauvage by Philip
Pullman and Michael Sheen (Narrator.) I'm reading The Book Scavenger
by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. Now that I've finished with the Cybil
graphic novels, I've finally started Palestine by Joe Sacco. Talk about intense!
UP
NEXT
I think Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski will be the next audiobook.
Kellee's (from Unleashing Readers) enthusiasm for the series
convinced me to give one a try. I have Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar and
This Is Not A Border: Reportage & Reflection From the Palestine
Festival of Literature due back at the library soon so I will try to
get to those.
#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.
Between working and knitting I'm trying to get all the graphic novels for the Cybil awards read ASAP. I'm almost there.
BABY BOARD BOOKS
I looked after my seven month old grandson this week and we read some books that my son had brought home from the library for him.
Guess What - Food? by Yusuke Yonezu
These clever illustrations with flaps to lift excited Everett. I'm not sure he enjoyed the book as much as just playing with the flaps and my making the animal sounds of the animals the flaps revealed.
5 Little Apples by Yusuke Yonezu
This one is also very clever. Again, the flaps entertained Everett much more than the story and the counting, but I can see that this will be popular for its content given a bit of time.
Splish-Splash (Mr. Horse) by Nicola Smee
I liked this more than Everett did. It was a lot of fun and I loved the ending when the animals all want to do it again. I can see it becoming a favourite as babies become older.
My Animals by Xavier Deneux
The black and white illustrations with occasional splashes of colour are striking. My little fellow focused on the pictures and enjoyed my making the animal sounds for each one.
PICTURE BOOKS
Life by Cynthia Rylant, Brendan Wenzel (Illustrations)
This book is right up there with the best of the picture books I read and posted a week ago. Brendan Wenzel's illustrations are jaw droppingly gorgeous. Cynthia Rylant's profound words dance because of them.
YOUNG ADULT NOVELS
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green & Kate Rudd (narrator)
I'm trying to decide between a 3 and 4 for this one. I came away with a deep understanding of what it is to have this kind of mental health problem. I liked how the friendship between the two girls became stronger as the novel progressed. I just wish the novel had focused more on the mystery. Aza's obsessiveness consumed a lot of this novel. This might represent what it would be like to actually have to live with this but once I figured this out, I wanted more from this story.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld , Alex Puvilland (Artist), Hilary Sycamore (Colorist) YA
You will want/need to read this one for yourself to fully appreciate it. The worldbuilding is powerfully creepy. The plot is intense. The characters are compelling. I can hardly wait to read the sequel, The Broken Vow, which won't be published until July!
Buddha: An Enlightened Life by Keiron Moore & Rajesh Nagulakonda (Illustrations) YA
This beautifully illustrated novel tells the story of how an Indian prince became an important spiritual leader.
Where's Halmoni? by Julie Kim MG
These stunning illustrations integrate Korean folklore into the everyday life of a couple of Korean children's day when they go to visit their grandmother. The book arrived from the publishers and I brought it in to read to a group of students without having previewed it first. I wish I hadn't done that because then I could have set the book up so that they got more out of it. In spite of this, it was still a hit.
Spinning by Tillie Walden YA
This is the coming of age story of a young girl who skated competitively from the time she was a young girl till nearly the end of highschool. The illustrations capture the essence of those early morning wakeups and time spent in an almost empty auditorium. (I vouch for the authenticity of this from my time taking my son to hockey practice) I really liked the information on the different jumps and spins.
CURRENTLY
I've just started listening to A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore & Fisher Stevens (narrator). I have to finish up Maximum Canada: Why 35 Million Canadians Are Not Enough by Doug Saunders this week because I am hosting book club next Monday! I'm rereading The Big Bad Fox by Benjamin Renner.
UP NEXT
I will reread Soupy Leaves Home by Cecil Castellucci & Real Friends by Shannon Hale and then dig into Palestine by Joe Sacco. My next audiobook will be Saints and Misfits by S. K. Ali & Ariana Delawari (narrator)
