Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts

#IMWAYR June 13, 2022

 Welcome readers! 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. 



This summer I'm once again joining Sue Jackson and others to participate in the 2022 Big Book Summer Challenge. Click on the link if you want to know more about this fun event. I have a list of sixteen books that I may or may not get to this summer. You can have a look at it here.

As I write this on Sunday, it is day thirteen, and I'm still dealing with Covid. The line on the test that confirms positive is fading, so I'm optimistic that it won't last forever. I am feeling better, but my respiratory tract system is out of control and small bits of work exhaust me. These days, while napping is my favourite pastime, I do sneak out into the garden to pull weeds for short intervals and do the odd bit of housework. Thankfully my partner is the main cook around here. 

I did manage to find the time and energy to make an apron for my daughter in law whose birthday was last week. I will send it off to her as soon as I can leave the house. 


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 

A special thanks and shoutout to Max @ Completely Full Bookshelf for introducing these first two book to me.

4 stars

Every Little Kindness by Marta Bartolj (Illustrations) October 12, 2021

This wordless book gobsmacked me from the get go. The art work is brilliant. It's mostly sepia toned with significant bits in red. Following these bright splashes of colour is important because it provides clues for where an act of kindness has been and where it will go next. I like how acts of kindness are inspired not just by being on the receiving end, but also by watching kindness in others. 

Making new friends is challenging for most of us - even in the best of times. For Violet, it's even harder. She is infatuated with Mira, a popular girl in her class. As friendly as Mira is with her, Violet can't get over her own anxiety and shyness to invite Mira to have adventures with her. Even when she crafts a special valentine for Mira, it's not certain that Mira will ever get it.
I love the sweetness in this book. It's a perfect mirror for queer children and any of us experiencing our first crush.

Thanks to Beth Shaum @ A Foodie Bibliophile for the introduction to this one.

Gibberish is the perfect picture book to read at the beginning of a new school year: especially if you have new language speakers in your class. As someone who once taught English as a Second Language, I highly recommend it for all teachers. If I was still working, I would read it to the staff at our first group meeting.
Dat, a young boy, heads off to school in a place where he doesn't know the language. Everything sounds like gibberish to him. On top of that, People can't seem to get his name straight. It's all overwhelming for the young boy. Then a young girl takes him in hand. She invites him to play with her and, as she befriends him, ends up helping him learn this new language.
The imagery in this book is absolutely brilliant. Vo reveals Dat's experience by portraying the speakers of gibberish as black and white cartoonish characters, while Dat himself is shown more realistically in colour. While his emotions are shown clearly, the reader has to work a bit harder to unpack those of the rest of his cartoonish classmates. As Dat's comprehension of this new language increases, we see glorious colour and realism emerge all over the pages.
Young Vo shows Dat's world transform across the span of one day. It is really my only quibble with this book. I know it's only a metaphorical day, but I worry that children might think that learning a new language is easier than it really is.


This is a lovely story about a girl (Jyoti) and her grandmother (Sita Pati). They live in different countries and speak different languages, but the love between them overcomes those barriers. At first Jyoti and her family visit with Sita Pati in India. Then Sita Pati visits Jyoti in United States.
The title of the book comes from Tamil words of parting the author's grandmother taught her to say, instead of goodbye. Enjoy this book trailer. 

Each night before I go to sleep I set the timer and listen to an audiobook. Focusing on the book while I nod off keeps my brain from getting caught up in worrying about the things that otherwise keep me awake.
The book has to be one I have already read, and one without any terrifying bits in it. I've discovered that many of Pratchett's Discworld novels are perfect. Some nonfiction works too.
In The Wee Free Men, Tiffany Aching manages to rescue Wentworth, her little bother, and Roland, the Baron’s son, from the Queen of the Elves. It is a gripping adventure wherein a talking toad, the Nac Mac Feegles, and a frying pan play important roles in the rescue. The remarkable thing about Wee Free Men is that I have now read or listened to it more times than I can remember, and with each read, even when I'm half asleep, I find more to marvel at.   

ADULT NOVELS 


Kate Quinn pretty much had me from the first paragraph of this book. I was fascinated by her fictionalized portrayal of the life of Mila Pavlichenko. Pavlichenko was a Russian Sniper during WW2. After recording at least 311 official kills, she was part of a congregation of Russian students who were sent to the United States to try and encourage that country to engage in a second front against the Germans. Once there she was taken under the wing of Eleanor Roosevelt.
I got so caught up in her story I forgot about what is now happening in the Ukraine. Upon reflection I can't help but acknowledge that how we see stories of war and the participants, really depends upon whose side we are on.

ADULT NON FICTION

5 stars

Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake May 12, 2020

Merlin Sheldrake is frigging brilliant.
Not only is this book full of fascinating information about fungi, it is a delightfully entertaining read that's easy to digest. (pun intended) Listening to it read by the author is an absolute treat. He fills the narrative with nuances of emotion, especially wry humour and excitement.
This book is mind bending in multiple ways. (again, pun intended) The scope of what he takes on in this book is almost overwhelming. Even though I knew a bit about systems theory and fungal networks, my head nearly exploded trying to rid myself of old notions of how the world works and fit a new world view into it.

If you are only going to read one nonfiction title this year, make sure it's this one.

CURRENTLY

An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives by Matt Richtel

Satellite Love by Genki Ferguson  🍁

Rez Rules by Chief Clarence Louie 🍁

UP NEXT 

Worser by Jennifer Ziegler

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

READING GOALS

#MustReadFiction 12/24 

#MustReadNonFiction 9/18 one in progress

Canadian Authors 31/100 two in progress

Canada Reads shortlist 5/5 

Indigenous Authors 11/25 one in progress

2022 Big Book Summer Challenge 1  one in progress

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 135 /250
Posted by 30 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

#IMWAYR May 16, 2022

Welcome readers! 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. 

It's been three weeks since my last update. In the middle of that time I ended up getting my heart fixed. I had paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (electrical issues). I went into the hospital at 11 am for a heart ablation and my husband picked me up at 6 pm to take me home. Isn't modern medicine amazing! 

Has it been as cold a spring where you are as it is here? Temperatures are below average and the forecast is for more of this. In spite of the chill we are thankful for the rain. I did get some tomatoes in the ground and hope to get the rest of the garden planted this week no matter what!

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

I Am You: A Book about Ubuntu by Refiloe Moahloli & Zinelda McDonald (Illustrator) February 1, 2022

This book makes me happy. I would purchase at least 2 copies if I was still working in the library. This unifying idea is one whose time has come! Thanks to Myra at Gathering Books for introducing it to us. 
"Ubuntu means "I am, because you are". In fact, the word ubuntu is just part of the Zulu phrase "Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu", which literally means that a person is a person through other people. Ubuntu has its roots in humanist African philosophy, where the idea of community is one of the building blocks of society. Ubuntu is that nebulous concept of common humanity, oneness: humanity, you and me both."

5 stars

Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl September 21, 2021

I loved this book so much I read it twice. Little Witch Hazel is a witch in manner of Terry Pratchett's witches. She is a kind of community health nurse who looks after the inhabitants of the forest where she lives. This collection of four stories to match the seasons are full of humour, delight, wonder and courage.

4 stars

Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero February 8, 2022

In an effort to avoid conflict and trouble, Llewellyn puts all their emotions into jars. When excitement and joy end up in jars, Llewellyn has to find a way to deal with all their emotions in healthy ways.

4 stars

Daddy Speaks Love by Leah Henderson & E.B. Lewis (Illustrations) January 4, 2022

This book shows diverse groups of fathers showing love to their children in many different ways. What they all have in common is their support for love, for diversity, and their kids.

Unfortunately this book was not translated into English.
My granddaughter and I still enjoyed looking at the images and trying to figure out what the story might be all about.
I had fun reading this book with my two year old granddaughter. After admiring the endpapers full of mother and baby animals, she looked at the pages just long enough to see what the action was and proceeded to show me how she could do it.
Each two page spread shows an infant animal doing something beside a human child doing the same action. Each spread has two words like, Calves swim, Porcupines nibble.
We both enjoyed this book a lot, but I would suggest you don't try reading it just before bed.

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS 


This is an introduction to the life of Mary Anning, the Mother of Palaeontology. Maris Wicks artwork is just perfect. My almost 5 year old granddaughter was fascinated by the end papers. The ones in the front of the book are skeletons while the ones at the back are the artists rendition of what they might have looked like in life.
I thought the main part of the book was a bit short on details. Still, the back matter contains extra information about her and the different animals she found.

NON FICTION GRAPHIC


"Grass is a powerful antiwar graphic novel, telling the life story of a Korean girl named Okseon Lee who was forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War."
A number of years ago my Korean daughter in law and I went to a documentary on the Comfort Women. Her grandmother had told her about them. In the documentary, some were Korean, but others were from China. Wherever the Japanese invaded, young girls were kidnapped and turned into sex slaves. They are still waiting for an apology from the Japanese government. 
As Suk Gendry-Kim gives voice to one woman's experience, she validates the reality of the other women who experienced those horrors.  
 
While this is an adult book, I would purchase it for my high school library. 



This is the perfect example of how the whole becomes more than the sum of its parts. It's poetry, painting, and collage integrated in a way that becomes a new hybrid of artistic expression. On the surface it's the story of a black family living through the Covid pandemic. It goes much deeper than this.
I tried it as an audiobook ages ago, but abandoned it because, even without having seen the book, the words alone were not enough. Without the synthesis of the words and visual art, it just doesn't work. While there really are not that many words, it still took me a couple of days of picking the book up, reading some, letting it percolate, then reading a bit more and letting it percolate, before finally finishing it.
I would like to have a digital version where the text is read by the authors as you turn the pages.

NOVELS

4 stars

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie by Erin Soderberg Downing & Lu Banks (Narrator) April 6, 2021

The Peach family have been struggling since the death of their mother and wife. Lucy has taken on most of the responsibility for her younger siblings while her father has abandoned his children and sunk himself into his work. When he is forced to take a sabbatical, he purchases a food truck and decides that they will fulfill one of their mother's dreams by travelling around the country in a food truck.
They all have a lot of learning to do to make the trip a success and win the big prize of $10,000 at the food truck fair in Delaware, Ohio. The best prize of all is, after a lot of challenges, learning how to be a family again.
I really liked this family. Ok, so a lot of the time I wanted to smack the father over the head, but he turns out to be ok at the end. Lucy, Freddy, and Herb are realistic characters. I especially connected to Lucy. As the oldest child in a large family, when disaster struck, I learned what it's like to parent my siblings (and my parents).

4 stars

The Graveyard Riddle (Goldfish Boy #2) by Lisa Thompson & Rosie Jones (Narrator) January 7, 2021

There is A LOT going on in this book!
Melody, Matthew and Jake are three friends. They go through the usual friend issues, but have bigger problems to deal with.
Melody's mother has put their house up for sale and refuses to consider talking to the father about financial support.
Jake is being bullied by one of the teachers at school. It isn't until the teacher ignores Jake's allergic reaction and ensuing anaphylactic shock, that his behaviour is dealt with.
Melody befriends Hal, a boy hiding out in the Graveyard. He tells her he is a spy for MI8 and weaves such a compelling story that she believes him. He even manages to persuade Matthew and Jake of his story. When the children finally deduce what is going on with Hal, it's a heart wrenching tale.

As gorgeous as the cover of this book is, the story inside is even more stunning.
Bitter grew up in foster care. Life was hard until she was chosen to attend Eucalyptus, a special school for artistic teens. Eucalyptus is situated in the town of Lucille, a community ruled by a corrupt billionaire, city leaders and police. Protests are ongoing and the only thing that seems to arise from them is more injury and death of the protestors. The Asata are a significant group that leads these protestors. When a close friend loses an eye after one of the altercations, Bitter uses her blood magic to bring forth Vengeance, an angel of death, who she hopes will stop the corrupt leadership and bring peace to Lucille. Soon an army of 'angels' joins with some of the protestors to hunt and kill Lucille's leadership.
Bitter and other protestors are opposed to this plan for murder and have to figure out how to stop them before it's too late.
While I was reading this I couldn't help but make a connection between The Black Power Movement of 1960's and 70's and The Asata. Both groups supported their community in many different ways.
In the end this book is a profound look into the difference between good and evil.


This was a reread for my book club. It was as profound, if not more so, the second time round.
If you want to understand what went on in the residential ‘school’ system and the ramifications for survivors, this is your book. Even though I was aware of the horror of these places, Michelle Good's story of five survivors brought my understanding of this violence against culture, families and children into a deeper understanding.

5 stars

The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, #2) by Richard Osman &  Lesley Manville (Narrator) September 16th 2021

I enjoyed this book even more than the first in the series, and I loved the first!
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron are back. This time the octogenarians have to find 20 million dollars in stolen diamonds and figure out who murdered two MI5 agents. 
As we get to know about the backgrounds of these characters, I adore them even more. It's a reminder to me of how many stories my elderly neighbours have inside them.


I listened to this book, but should probably have read it with my eyes. It's full of fascinating information about the multiple biomes that exist inside and around all things on the planet. I left this book aware of the immense complexity of the microscopic organisms that rule our world. If you are a fan of science nonfiction, read this. It will change the way you think about the world.

5 stars

The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber, David Wengrow & Mark Williams (Narrator) October 19, 2021

This is a brilliant book that shakes up what we have been taught about the history of humanity. Highly recommend!

CURRENTLY

Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Didion, Joan
Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

UP NEXT 

Cold by Mariko Tamaki
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives by Matt Richtel

READING GOALS

#MustReadFiction 11/24 

#MustReadNonFiction 6/18 

Canadian Authors 28/100

Canada Reads shortlist 5/5 

Indigenous Authors 11/25

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 113/250
Posted by 7 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

#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 

Posted by 14 comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World's Largest Land Biome by L.E. Carmichael & Josée Bisaillon (Illustrations)


I checked this book out of my local library. It was published April 7, 2020 by Kids Can Press. 

There are multiple reasons you need this book. For a nonfiction picture book, it is remarkably comprehensive. It is absolutely chock full of fascinating information. I learned all kinds of new things. The glorious mixed media artwork by Josée Bisaillon is one reason all on it's own. A reader can get lost in the illustrations without beginning to read the text. 


The book opens with  a poem and introduction to how the boreal forest came into being. On the next page a map of the world shows where this biome forms a ribbon around the northern part of the world. Did you know "that there's more fresh water in the boreal forest than anywhere else on Earth, with more than six hundred thousand lakes in Canada alone?"


Each two page spread has a main body of text. Information boxes provide details about specific aspects of the this topic. The book cycles around the seasons showcasing the forest in different parts of the world. It highlights different habitats. I like that it shows temperature and distance in both metric and imperial measurements. 

For each season, information about plants and animals in the different part of the world is presented. We learn about an animal's life: where they live, what they eat and how they get it. We learn about the different plant adaptations for the time of year. 


Across the seasons. Indigenous peoples are shown living in their different territories and dealing with modern issues. We learn about the Saami in Siberia protecting their reindeer herds. We learn about the Pikangikum First Nation's historical relationship with forest fires. We are introduced to the Gwich'in First Nation's use of boreal plants as medicine. 

Each season addresses the impact of climate change on the forest. It is explained in the context of specific outcomes. An example is harmful insects. Usually these animals are killed by cold winters, but with winters warming, it doesn't get cold enough to accomplish this. Consequently, they spread out of control. (A perfect example of this is the devastation the pine beetle has wrought in my province of British Columbia here in Canada. "Temperatures need to dip below about -30 C for four or five consecutive weeks to kill nearly all pine beetle larvae nestled inside tree trunks, said Nadir Erbilgin, a University of Alberta professor of forest entomology who studies the pine beetle.")

The book addresses the role invasive species have on this biome. Earthworms are not indigenous to this landscape. However they are making their way into the forests. They destroy habitat by eating leaf litter much faster than local systems would. The loss of leaf litter dries the soil so it warms up. Many boreal plants are unable to survive in these new conditions. 

The end of the book includes detailed diagrams explaining the water and the carbon cycles. There is further information about the role of the forest with regards to climate change. The boreal forest is now a carbon sink. As it warms up, different actions are triggered that release this carbon into the atmosphere. In turn this increases the rate of climate change. 

A table of contents introduces readers to the substance of the book. The back matter contains a glossary, a resource section, a note from the author and an index. 

I had no intention of writing a full review of this title.  I just kind of fell in love and started making notes so I would remember what to write. I ended up collecting a lot of notes so I ended up with a more comprehensive take on it. If I was still working in my school library I would be tempted to purchase two of these. If I, as an adult, can get so much out of it, I'm certain it would be an ideal introduction for middle grade and high school students as well. At the very least it can be springboard for learning more about the different aspects of this remarkable and important biome. 
Posted by No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

#IMWAYR May 24th, 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.

It's Victoria Day Weekend here in Canada. For the past thirty odd years I have been getting together with a group of close women friends at a large cabin on the ocean. For the last two years it has been cancelled due to Covid 19. We have rescheduled this year for the end of September when we anticipate everyone will have had their second vaccination. I miss the intimacy and joy of being with my cherished friends. I miss the respite of being away from ordinary life. I don't miss long weekend ferry traffic. 

My garden is almost in. We just have to plant the basil seedlings and then it's weed, weed, weed, until harvest begins. It won't be long since the beans and zucchini are flowering and my raspberries and tomato plants have green fruit! 

I have been complaining that it feels very very dry this year. There have been attempts at rain, but it hasn't been much more than pretend. I decided to see how this year compares to previous Mays. The local average for this month is 58 mm (2.3 inches) of precipitation. So far this year we have had 1.9 mm (.074 inches). No wonder the earth is dry as a bone. I was digging in areas we don't water and discovered that there is not a hint of moisture for at least 25 centimetres. I hope we get plenty of rain in June (but not in the cherry season) because as it is, this sets us up for a very nasty fire season. 

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. 

BLOG POSTS LAST WEEK


Barnaby by Andrea Curtis & Kass Reich (Illustrator)

Stunning photographs pair up with poetry in this picture book about fog. Like other books by Sayre, the end papers are full of scientific information that connects to each page in the book. I had a bit of trouble with the poetry in this one. The rhythm and rhyme didn't quite work for me. I kept having to go back searching for a pattern that wasn't really there. I would like to have just read it as a poem.

4 stars

Weekend Dad by Naseem Hrab & Frank Viva (Illustrations) August 1, 2020 🍁

When a young boy’s parents separate, he spends the weekends with his father. This book details his first experience of this. At first it’s uncomfortable and scary, but then he and his Dad do the same things they always do on the weekend. Two achingly sweet bits make this book noteworthy. First, the boy leaves his stuffy behind so his father won’t be lonely. Second, the father gives his son a letter reminding him of his love. The muted artwork by Frank Viva has a graphic novel vibe.

A fox takes a fantastical journey across the world's oceans in search of a rare aquatic plant. The labeled diagrams provide information about real underwater plants. Check out my blog post here to read more and see images of the artwork.

The rhyming poetry works like a charm in this counting picture book. Not only will readers learn numbers, there is also a message here about acknowledging and celebrating the ways in which we are both different and the same. Check out my blog post here to read more and see images of the artwork.

5 stars

Barnaby by Andrea Curtis & Kass Reich (Illustrator) April 15, 2021 🍁

This book has hidden depths that I overlooked initially. At least for me it did. I discovered a kind of darkness beneath my first impression of it being a metaphor for sibling rivalry. If I was still doing critical literacy workshops with picture books I would add this one to my collection of titles. Check out my blog post here to read more and see images of the artwork.

NOVELS


I had a hard time at the beginning of this book when Nala, the protagonist, pretended to be someone she wasn't, just to get a boy's interest. I have known women who do this. So I cheated and read the ending. I liked the way it turned out so I decided to go back and read it all to find out how it got there. Some people think doing this is a travesty, but for me, life is too short to read a book I won't like.

Ok, so this is Renée Watson and I should have known better.

Nala is a character I came to adore. She's got lots to teach all of us at any age about how to love ourselves. I love her positive attitude towards her big body. I love her relationships with her grandmother and the other folks at the center where they live. I liked that this book celebrates being who you are, and that you don't have to be a specific kind of person. I adore the depth Renée Watson gives to all her characters.

This is probably a YA title, but because there is nothing more than kissing in it, I would happily purchase it for grade six and seven students to read.

MEMOIR


I had never heard of Duchess Goldblatt before someone recommended this for our book club title. I doubt I would have picked it up otherwise, but I'm glad to have read it. You know how sometimes, when you finish a book, your heart feels full? This is one of those. 
It integrates the life of the imaginary character of Duchess Goldblatt with the author's own life. 

Ethan Lou, a Canadian journalist, set off to visit his dying grandfather and other family in China for the 2020 Lunar New Year Celebrations. It in was supposed to be the first leg of a vacation that would take him travelling around the world. He got caught up in the beginning of the Covid 19 epidemic. Travelling through Asia and Europe, he writes of the virus' impact at both a personal and societal level. He references previous world pandemics like the Black Plague and the Spanish Flu and shows how each one transformed the world. 
Since Covid has led to a paradigm shift in how diseases are spread, some of the science he writes about has changed, but aside from that, this is a fascinating read. 

DISCWORLD NOVELS


I finally finished this, but I took so long to read it that I decided to start over again and listen it without so many interruptions.

I like that so many characters from across the Discworld (aside from the witches) make an appearance in it. I like that even here at the end of his life, Pratchett introduces a new character, Dick Simnel. Dick is a self taught engineer who  invents the steam locomotive. Sir Harry King, the wealthy sanitary entrepreneur, pairs up with him to develop the railway. The development of it in the Discworld parallels many of the same issues as the development of the railway in the real world. There are difficulties crossing different kinds of terrain. There is even the pounding in of the last golden spike upon completion. There are issues of job losses as one kind of technology supplants another. There are worries about wildlife and farm animals on the tracks. 

At the same time as the railway is being developed, the king of the Dwarves is having problems with a fundamental sect who are trying to stop the rest of the Dwarves from moving forward. The group engages in numerous terrorist attacks culminating in a coup at the Dwarf palace while the king is away. The railway, even though it is unfinished, is enlisted to get him home to deal with the uprising as fast as possible. While this novel is full of adventure, battles, and political intrigue, it highlights the folly and danger inherent in letting any kind of fundamental religious faction have power over ordinary citizens. 

This is the last book published before Pratchett died, and the second to last in the Discworld collection. In it Pratchett shows us how much the Discworld has progressed from the beginning. Immigrants, (trolls, dwarves and goblins) are not just there to do the jobs that the rest of the population don't want to do. They are are considered people integrated into and influence the rest of Ankh Morpork society. 

CURRENTLY 

This is what I have on the go:

Bloom by Kevin Panetta
Harvey Comes Home by Colleen Nelson
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl

UP NEXT

Kid Gloves by Lucy Knisley
Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath

BLOG POSTS PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK

Anne's School Days by Kallie George
Lentil Soup by Carole Tremblay, & Maurèen Poignonec
Bad Sister by Cherise Mericle Harper
 
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 14/25

#MustReadNFIn2021 5/12 

#MustReadPBIn2021 32/100 

Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 16/25

Books by Canadian Authors: 53/100

Canada Reads 2021 4/5 

Discworld Series 40/41 

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 196/333 

Posted by 16 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)