Hello out there. 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.
I am celebrating.
First because I finished reading all the Chocolate Lily candidates. Mostly they are all really great reads so choosing the finalists is going to be challenging!
Second, because we now have our garden planted! (There is more to come, but for now we are on top of things.)
Tomorrow we start renovations.
Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian Author and or Illustrator.
Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.
NOVELS: High Interest - Low Vocabulary
I need to begin this section by giving a shout out to the Orca Current novels written by British Columbian authors. These are, according to their website, "short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for middle-school students reading below grade level. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 5.0. Interest level ages 10–14." Many of these are written by award winning authors and from what I am reading, many are own voices books. I'm impressed as heck.
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| 4 stars |
Embrace the Chicken by Mahtab Narsimhan 🍁
This little novel packs a lot of important messages into it. Like many newcomers to Canada, Shivani is struggling to fit in and find a place for herself in her new school and community. She is terrified that if people meet her mother, who is struggling with English, people will make fun of her. If they do that, they will also end up making fun of Shivani.
I cringed at how Shivani was ashamed of her family and her culture. Thankfully, her parents are smart and their new community is diverse and accepting. I really appreciated how responsible and responsive all the adults in this book are. I also liked how thoughtful the students are. This is the reality of the multicultural world I spent many years teaching in.
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| 4 stars |
Tick Tock Terror by Melanie Jackson 🍁
I don't do scary at the best of times. That's why it took me a while to garner enough courage to open this book. As an adult reading books for children, my perspective is different from the target audience. I'm so busy worrying about what will happen to the characters, I don't get involved in the way younger readers might. On the other hand, I know the Edgar Allan Poe story this one references so that might just be another reason for my anxiety.
Anyway, this is a fast paced, tense, thriller for younger readers. Connor, who loves to climb, is coerced into hiding a stolen object high on a 'Pit and Pendulum' fairground ride. Fixing the mess he's gotten himself into isn't easy.
What I really liked about this book is how the many different characters are shown to be more than Connor assumed.
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| 4 stars |
Dressed to Play by Jennifer Manuel 🍁
The publisher asserts that "Sports Stories are action-driven sports novels that turn reluctant readers into all-star readers! Plus, they feature characters with diverse racial, physical, mental, and economic backgrounds."
Dressed to Play impressed me much more than I anticipated. I admit to even getting a bit weepy at the end. Jordan loves basketball almost more than anything else, but when she starts getting called names and has to deal with bullying, she almost quits.
I especially appreciated how this book takes a hard look at misogyny and body image within the world of sports. It has made me appreciate all those young women athletes across time even more than I did before reading this.
You can find out more about this series here.
http://www.lorimer.ca/sportsstories
NOVELS
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| 4 stars |
The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead & Rachel L. Jacobs (Narrator)
This character driven book is just charming. I loved the authenticity of Bea as she struggles with all the changes in her life. When her father acknowledged he was gay, her parents divorced, but continued to have her best interests at heart. When her father decides to marry Jesse, Bea discovers that Jesse has a daughter. Sonia takes longer to embrace their new sisterhood, but Bea is undaunted.
Throughout the book Bea sees a therapist to help her deal with her anger issues. Eventually we become privy to a big secret that has been eating at her.
I appreciate how much Rebecca Stead deals with in this book - separated parents, living in two different places, therapy as part of a normal life, homophobia, and the ordinariness of spats and arguments with friends and family.
 |
| 5+ stars |
Cold Falling White by G. S. Prendergast 🍁
This book is the jewel of my reading week.
It just wowed me. I started reading and couldn't stop. The world building, the characters, and the story held me in its sway till it was finished. I still can't stop thinking about it.
I have the first in this series somewhere in a box, but alas, we have moved and I have no idea where it is. Otherwise I would have jumped right in. I did read a synopsis before starting this just in case I needed to know what happened before. I don't think it was really necessary.
Earth has been invaded by alien creatures called The Nahx. The Nahx, who are a cross between machine and clone, hunt humans and kill them with a special kind of poison dart. The series focuses on a group of Canadian friends who were camping in the Rocky Mountains when the invasion took place. This saved their lives, but they were still hunted by Nahx soldiers.
This begins with Xander being escorted across Nahx territory by August, a rogue Nahx. August loved Xander's friend, Raven, who died in the previous book. He gives up his life to save Xander who eventually ends up in a refugee camp near Prince George.
Raven wakes up after being darted to find herself transformed into a human version of a Nahx.
The action packed tale is brilliantly told through the perspectives of these three characters. I'm desperately hoping there will be another in series.
It is pure genius. I just can't recommend it enough.
CURRENTLY
I'm reading March: Book Three (March, #3) by John Lewis, and rereading Dance of the Banished by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch for an upcoming book club. I'm listening to The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo.
UP NEXT
I'm hoping to go and reread the the first two in the March Trilogy. All my unread hardcopy books are in boxes so I've just downloaded The Case of the Missing Auntie by Michael Hutchinson and A Short History of Indians in Canada by Thomas King. It's about time I started reading to reach my indigenous goals.
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
Big Books Summer 2020 1/10
#MustReadIn2020: 9/25
#MustReadNFIn2020: 4/12 one in progress
25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors: 9/25
100 books by Canadian Authors: 91/100
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 172/333
Hello out there. 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.
We have moved. Moving is hell.
The job is partly done. We have said goodbye to our house in Vancouver and moved some of that stuff to our house in our home in Oliver. The majority of it is in storage because we already have a house full of stuff here. Stuff is hell. I have tried amalgamating and sorting, but in this Covid 19 reality, there is no place except the dump to take things we no longer need. My partner has taken a number of loads already, and there is more to go. I just don't have the heart to throw away stuff that can still be used.
On a positive note, we are carving out new garden space and weeding and replenishing the dirt in existing beds and planting there. I've managed to put in a raspberry bed and a herb garden.
In the middle of all this, my reading life took a huge hit. Honestly, if it wasn't for audiobooks I would not have survived. I wish I had made time to write a few comments as I finished each one, but consider myself lucky to have even recorded what I was listening to.
In the last week I have managed to read some books with my eyes. Maybe I'm getting my reading mojo back. Maybe I just have some time to call my own. Whatever, I'm sure glad for it.
The following is a culmination of a month of reading. I'm looking forward to finding out what you have all been up to.
Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian Author and or Illustrator.
Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.
PICTURE BOOKS
Kevin the Unicorn: It's Not All Rainbows by Jessika Von Innerebner 🍁
Kevin the Unicorn is having a bad day. Although he tries to keep his spirits up, his day goes from bad to worse. What helps him is learning that others have bad days too.
NOVELS: Chapter Books
Ruckus by Laurie Elmquist (Goodreads Author), David Parkins (Illustrations) 🍁
This little chapter book delighted me. Ruckus is a well named Jack Terrier pup. Reece, the narrator of this book, worries about a lot of things. Will their father ever come back and live with them? Will their mother make Reece return Ruckus to the breeder? Will Ruckus ever poop out Mom's diamond earrings that he ate?
I loved Reece. Part of what I appreciated is that this kid is almost genderless. Except for the comments on the back cover of the book, I might never have figured it out. All the characters have depth - not an easy feat with this kind of book. I especially liked the earnestness of Reece's character. The issues between the parents is authentic and one many kids can relate to.
Sophie Trophy by Eileen Holland 🍁
Sophie is a delightful girl who is always getting herself into messes while trying to do the right thing. In this case it's trying to save her teacher from the spider crawling on her head. Sophie is sure to appeal to fans of Junie B Jones and Piper Green.
NOVELS: Low Vocab High Interest
Room 555 by Cristy Watson 🍁
Roonie loves her grandmother but can't bring herself to visit her now that she has Alzheimer's and has to live in a care home. Then she ends up volunteering in the geriatric ward at the hospital for school credit. While there she bonds with an aging woman over their shared love of dancing. Her new friend helps her mend fences with her best friend and find a way to connect with her grandmother.
This started out slow, but soon had me fully engaged in these characters' lives. I ended up loving it.
Iggy's World by Gail Anderson-Dargatz 🍁
This book of sibling rivalry taught me more about insects and spiders than I could have imagined. Iggy desperately wants his parents, or someone, to pay some attention to him. His best, and only friend happens to be a tarantula. So he starts a podcast that integrates his real life with his fascination for bugs of all kinds.
To be honest, Iggy's spider attachment kind of freaked me out. Comparing the softness of a tarantula to that of a kitten is just too over the top for me. That said, I was fascinated by how much I learned about spiders and other insects in the course of this short book.
NOVELS
Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju 🍁
This was a delightful look into the world of drag queens and kings. While mostly comfortable with who she is, Nima Kumara-Clark awkwardly enters this queer world. Lucky for her, Deirdre, the bodacious drag queen, takes her under her wing. Under her tutelage Nima figures out how to integrate this world with her old one and create a whole new community. There are interesting subplots that are not fully resolved here, but I'm ok with that since that's how life usually happens.
A Place to Belong by Cynthia Kadohata, Julia Kuo (Illustrations)Jennifer Ikeda (Narrator)
I loved these characters. I'm a sucker for any intergenerational tale, but this one is truly special. Following WW2, after their forced stay in Japanese internment camps, Hanako and her family return to Japan from America. Connecting with her grandparents is the gift in all this, but given the existing Japanese economy, there is no way out of poverty and servitude if the family stays in Japan.
I was enthralled by the story while learning more about a shameful aspect of American (and Canadian) history. This one made my eyes leak.
Me and Banksy by Tanya Lloyd Kyi & Veronica Hortiguela (Narrator) 🍁
This was much deeper and richer than I anticipated. Just wow! Dominica Rivers attends a prestigious school that has surveillance cameras everywhere. When someone hacks into them and shares embarrassing clips of students across social media, Dominica and her friends set out to put an end to it.
Don't miss this. You can read more about it in the Quill and Quire review here.
The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black & Caitlin Kelly (Narrator)
I am so sad to say goodbye to these characters and am heartbroken that this series is done.
Roll with It by Jamie Sumner & Candace Thaxton (Narrator)
This audiobook turned out to be a surprise reread for me, but I'm ok with that. I've discovered that reading series or rereading familiar books is a grand way to visit friends during this time when we can't spend time with our real ones.
My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder & Imani Parks (Narrator)
So much is packed into this book. Something is wrong with Leah, but it isn't until she meets up with Jasper June and starts talking that we come to understand what it is. We soon discover that Jasper June has big problems of her own, one that these two girls are not equipped to handle on their own.
NONFICTIOIN
Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family by Mitch Albom (Author and Narrator)
This is a tearjerker of a story. I would have loved to have read this as part of a book club because I have lots of questions and things I wonder about.
Still, Chika will steal a bit of your heart away as you read this, just like she stole Mitch Albom and his partner's hearts.
The audiobook was just lovely as it included clips of Chika talking and singing.
CURRENTLY
I have started listening to Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee. I'm reading The Horse of the River: A Camp Canyon Falls Adventure by Sari Cooper.
UP NEXT
The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn is qued up to be my next audiobook. Otherwise, this is what I plan to finish up this week.
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MustReadIn2020: 8/25
#MustReadNFIn2020: 4/12
25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors: 9/25
100 books by Canadian Authors: 79/100
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 158/333
Hello out there. 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.
We are enjoying some gorgeous weather here in Vancouver, BC. I live on a block famous for its spectacular ornamental cherry blossom display. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't understand what staying inside and/or social distancing means. While it's not as busy at it would be any other year, it's still like a party out there.
Now that I am finished with my rant, how are the rest of you doing?
I have no time to be bored.
Packing, cleaning, listening to audiobooks, reading, and sewing masks (until my machine died) has kept me busy. I am now working on a Read Across Canada database. If you are interested in helping out with this project please let me know!
Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian Author and or Illustrator.
Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.
PICTURE BOOKS
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| 5 stars |
Ojiichan's Gift by Chieri Uegaki & Genevieve Simms (Illustrations) 🍁
This beautifully illustrated picture book tells of the connection between Mayumi and her grandfather, who live an ocean apart. She spends two months each summer staying with him and helping him tend his garden. Then one summer when she arrives with her family, the garden is in disarray, and she understands that her grandfather can no longer look after it and must move. After taking out her feelings of frustration and loss on the garden, Mayumi figures out a way to preserve it for both herself and her grandfather.
 |
| 3.5 stars |
My Mommy, My Mama, My Brother, and Me by Natalie Meisner & Mathilde Cinq-Mars (Illustrator) 🍁
Mathilde Cinq-Mars' water colour illustrations are gorgeous in this rhyming picture book. It takes readers to Crescent Beach, Nova Scotia, a small fishing community. Two brothers explore the beach with their two moms. On their walk they discover all kinds of interesting objects and creatures, but the highlight of the excursion is in the making of new friends.
I appreciate much about this book except that while the rhyming pattern worked and delighted me initially, later on it became cumbersome and got in the way of my enjoyment.
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| 4 stars |
The Good Egg (Bad Seed #2) by Jory John & Pete Oswald (Illustrator)
Just delightful. A little egg drives himself nearly to a breakdown by not only trying to be a really good egg, but by trying to get the rest of his carton to do likewise. He leaves to go and restore himself and returns with a healed shell and a renewed outlook on life.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
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| 4 stars |
The Monster Sisters and the Mystery of the Unlocked Cave by Gareth Kyle Gaudin 🍁
This book starts out strong. While introducing readers to the history of Victoria BC it begins by acknowledging the Coast Salish people. I loved this bit where it continues, "It may have been "found" by James Douglas in 1843. But it has been "lost" by monsters in the twenty-first century."
The Monster Sisters, Enid Jupiter and Lyra Gotham, are superheroes fighting off monsters and protecting their city. The book is a medley of serious and imaginary history and geography. I love the references to Neil Young and his After the Gold Rush album. Readers of this graphic novel will experience fast paced action, mystery, humour, research, puzzles to solve, and even saga poetry.
Honestly, I was completely absorbed by this graphic novel until the ending when it all kind of fizzled out. This doesn't mean I won't be looking forward to reading the next in the series though!
NOVELS
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| 5 stars |
Badir and the Beaver by Shannon Stewart & Sabrina Gendron (Illustrations) 🍁
I'm just delighted with this book! Badir and his family are new immigrants from Tunisia to Canada. While on a walk with his mother he spies a large rat swimming in a pond. When Badir learns that the the rat is actually a beaver, he begins to research this new to him, animal. When the beaver is threatened by a local park enthusiast who is worried about the trees, Badir and his friends have to come up with a way to save the beaver and the park.
I like so much about this book.
1. It's peopled with diverse characters who are kind and work together for a cause.
2. Readers will learn a lot about beavers and what it means to be a Muslim family celebrating Ramadan.
3. It's full of humour and love.
4. The characters have depth and nuance and will wiggle their way into your heart.
5. It's written at an easy to read level, but you wouldn't know it by the richness of the story.
 |
| 4 stars |
Ghost of the Mill House by Margriet Ruurs & Claudia Davila (Illustrator) 🍁
Four friends travel to an old grist mill in Oregon to stay with an aunt and uncle of one of them. While they have a lot of time for fun, they also help get the house and grounds ready to become an historic park. This is not a ghost story to keep you awake at night. The infestation of bugs is more disturbing! When a hollywood film crew rents the property for a location, a ghost shows up on the rushes. That's how they all learn it is real. The film is rewritten and the two boys end up taking turns acting as the ghost in the movie.
There is a lot in this book to entertain readers of all ages and genders. The illustrations portray diversity in the characters. The kids get along with each other and the adults are solid role models.
Badir and the Beaver and Ghost of the Mill House are from the Orca Echo Series. These titles are written at a grade two reading level, so they are perfect for young readers just starting chapter books. They aim to interest readers from six through to nine years, but even old people like myself are entertained by them.
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| 4 stars |
Here in the Real World by Sara Pennypacker & Noah Galvin (Narrator)
This is a beautifully crafted coming of age novel. It's a slow thoughtful look into the lives of two quirky preteens. Ware is an introvert with a passion for the knight's code of honour. Jolene is a tough realist. The two create a refuge in an abandoned church grounds where Jolene grows papayas and Ware escapes from the Rec program he is supposed to be attending.
This novel reminded me of Lynn Rae Perkins' Criss Cross. It's as much about character as plot, although this one does have an interesting dilemma and satisfying conclusion.
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| 4 stars |
The Three Spartans by James Alfred McCann 🍁
There is nothing quite as satisfying as knowing the setting of a book. The mention of places and events a reader can actually visualize from memory adds a layer of unparalleled authenticity to a novel. This story of Art, a twelve year old Canadian boy visiting his family's summer home in Birch Bay, Washington is like that for me. Over the years I've been lucky to have spent many weekends there with friends and family.
Art and his friends, Leo and George, are the three Spartans. They challenge Zeke, a local bully, to a paintball war in the woods behind the local campgrounds. I've never paintball battled, but in my youth, my cousins and siblings and I had many cow pie fights over control of the barn. Although the stakes were very different, it sounds pretty similar. In this case, the three Spartans and their crew are standing up for the freedom to enjoy their summer without being harrassed and bullied. Whether they win at paintball or not, they will still come out ahead.
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| 5 stars |
Ru by Kim Thúy & Sheila Fischman (Translator) 🍁
Listening to this feels as if someone is reciting poetry. The prose is gorgeous. The original French language version and Sheila Fischman's translation have garnered all kinds of accolades and won, or been nominated for, all kinds of awards. It won a Governor General award, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and in 2015, was a Canada Reads winner.
It's a fictionalized account of a Vietnamese family who were part of the first group of Boat People. The story is revealed through the first person perspective of An Tinh Nguyen. It weaves together her memories as a young girl in Vietnam, then living in a refugee camp in Malaysia, immigrating with her family to a small town in Quebec and then visiting Vietnam as an adult.
I knew of some of these experiences from narratives by other authors and for many years I taught Vietnamese children and got to know their parents and their stories.
Narrated by the author, Ru is so authentic, I thought it really was a memoir as I listened to it!
CURRENTLY
My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder is the audiobook I have on the go. With my eyes I'm reading Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju.
UP NEXT
Roll With It by Jamie Sumner will be the next audiobook. I'm hoping to read at least four novels and finish off the picture books from my Chocolate Lily Box.
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MustReadIn2020: 6/25 1 in progress
#MustReadNFIn2020: 3/12
25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors: 9/25
100 books by Canadian Authors: 72/100
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 146/333
Hello out there. 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.
Hello everyone. I hope you are all doing well and keeping safe. Today I'm sharing two weeks of reading. Somehow I lost track of time last week. I wish I could say it was because I was reading great literature, but really, it was just worry and reading news articles after news article about this pandemic. I am relieved that here in BC where I live there is hope that we might be finally flattening the curve, but I'm worried about all my American friends and acquaintances.
My stress level is heightened by having to move at the end of April and wondering how to make that happen. The universe might be unfolding as it should, but I wish it was a little kinder.
Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian Author and or Illustrator.
Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.
PICTURE BOOKS
 |
| 5 stars |
A Little House in a Big Place by Alison Acheson & Valeriane Leblond (Illustrator) 🍁
I haven't lived on the prairies, but have visited often enough to appreciate how much this book captures a sense of place. A young girl's main interaction with the world outside her home is watching trains cross the landscape. The bit about watching the train arrive as a dot on the horizon and following it until it disappears again, is gorgeous. Her relationship with the engineer feels authentic. I especially appreciated that when she grows up and leaves home, she heads off on a train.
 |
| 3 stars |
The Moon Watched It All by Shelley Leedahl & Aino Anto (Illustrations) 🍁
This is beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. It's a poignant story of two misfits finding each other. My problem with it is that there is too much text on the pages.
CHAPTER BOOKS
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| 5 stars |
Anne Chapter Book Series
These illustrated readers pay homage to the famous Anne of Green Gables. Kallie George's love of the original books is obvious in this series. I am impressed by how rich these are and how authentically they capture the essence of Anne Shirley and her escapades. Abigail Halpin's art is gorgeous. I adore these adaptations and can hardly wait for the next one.
Anne Arrives: Inspired by Anne of Green Gables by Kallie George & Abigail Halpin (Illustrator) 🍁
Thanks to Kallie George, I have fallen in love with Anne and the rest of the characters all over again.
Anne's Kindred Spirits: Inspired by Anne of Green Gables ( #2) by Kallie George & Abigail Halpin (Illustrations) 🍁
This instalment deals with Anne befriending Diana and Marilla's missing broach.
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| 4 stars |
Scallywag on the Salish Sea by Sara Cassidy & Mike Deas (Illustrations) 🍁
This charming chapter book is full of rollicking fun. A young lad ends up as kitchen boy on a pirate ship. While cleaning fish he discovers all kinds of jewels and deduces that where this pollock was caught, there must be a treasure. Not only does this book have a multitude of fascinating characters, it's got plenty of action and hilarity before our lad discovers a bit about his past and manages to purchase his freedom. A sequel in the works will entertain us with his further adventures.
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| 5 stars |
Just a Kid by Rie Charles 🍁
I really like this. Meerin Hoy is just an ordinary kid who discovers that the city is planning to turn the vacant farmland across from her home into a housing development. She is determined to stop it. Among other things, she starts a petition and writes a letter to the editor to get the the city council and the mayor, who hardly acknowledges her, to change their minds.
This satisfying story about a strong little girl is sure to inspire readers with courage and determination to make necessary changes in their own communities.
It's not easy to get beginning chapter books this appealing, but Rie Charles manages it!
GRAPHIC NOVELS
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| 4 stars |
Shadow Island by Nancy Deas, Mike Deas 🍁
This book is targeted for readers from grade two to grade four. They are going to love it. It's got four kids breaking rules and discovering that strange monster like creatures exist. The children are sure that their PE teacher has nefarious designs on these animals so they rescue them and escape to a nearby island where they hope the creatures will be safe. They are wrong on so many levels.
The west coast rain forest setting is wonderfully illustrated. I liked the way the children are portrayed as a diverse collection of friends. We only get hints at all of their characters, but I'm sure they will become richer as the series progresses. The book is full of action and excitement. My only complaint is in how Ms Grundle, the PE teacher is drawn. Her features were just too wicked witch for me and distracted from the rest of the story.
NOVELS
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| 5 stars |
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
In case you haven't noticed, Angie Thomas sure can write. I was worried sick about what kind of messes Brianna “Bri” Jackson was getting into. There were numerous times when I wanted to shake her and shout, "Girl, what are you doing?" (Yes, I was invested in her.) What she's doing is trying to help her family get out of poverty. I appreciated how much I learned about rap, and getting stuck in a hole that you can't get out of.
 |
| 5 stars |
False Value (Rivers of London #8) by Ben Aaronovitch & Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Narrator)
I was a bit confused in the beginning of this and kept wondering if I was listening to the same part again. (I probably was) Soon I was all sorted out and loving it. I adored the references to Ada Lovelace, Charles Babbage and his thinking machines, and how it all ended up being connected to the development of artificial intelligence. Peter Grant is right on his game in this one - dealing with upcoming fatherhood, a nefarious tech company, and all kinds of subterfuge in his new role.
There is a delightful and fascinating interview with both of these contributors at the end of this audiobook. I love this so much that I have taken to listening to it again late at night when I can't sleep.
 |
| 3.5 stars |
Swing by Kwame Alexander & Mary Rand Hess
It was pure joy to listen to this as an audiobook. I loved the characters. The friendship between Noah, Swing and Sam is realistic. I adored all the jazz references!
I'm not the target audience so it's not a big deal that the love angst stuff just irritated me.
The ending, well that ending had me in tears.
 |
| 4 stars |
Nevers by Sara Cassidy 🍁
I wasn't sure about this book at first. I read the prologue and first bit to a group of grade 5/6's. Only one of the eight wanted me to continue. After I read a bit more by myself, I couldn't put it down.
The story is set in post revolutionary France. Fourteen year old Odette looks after her helpless mother, Annaline, who seems to be a curse for her husbands. All five or six of them have died in bizarre accidents. After fleeing from a recent disaster they end up in the town of Nevers where they settle in. Odette works hard to get them established and hopes they have found a place to stay. Soon she has a new friend in Nicoise. Together they try to solve a mystery from the past.
This has such a rich cast of characters - M. Gustave who wants to be a chicken, the aging Mme. Genevieve who wants to be an inventor, and even a donkey who talks latin at night. In spite of how hard Odette works to make a life for her and her mother, this book is full of whimsy and delight. Fans of Kate DiCamillo's The Magician's Elephant will love this. I'm sure if I had continued reading to that aforementioned group of students they would have become as mesmerized as I was.
 |
| 5 stars |
The Mostly True Story of Pudding Tat, Adventuring Cat by Caroline Adderson & Stacy Innerst (Illustrations) 🍁
Pudding Tat, an albino cat, was born on a farm in rural Ontario in 1901. Although he was almost blind, he ended up travelling around the world. He couldn't have done it without Flea in his ear. They have many adventures and meet all kinds of interesting people. Even when the characters are not real, they are composites of people who lived at the time.
Pudding Tat begins his adventuring by going over Niagra Falls with Annie Edson Taylor. He's at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York when President William McKinley is assassinated. Musical geniuses, Gus Edwards and Vincent P. Bryan befriend him.
These are just the beginnings of Pudding Tat and Flea's many experiences. As readers learn about some major historic events, they are entertained by the humour in the duo’s relationship. Flea provides much of the comic relief to Pudding Tat’s straight man.
After reading this, I wished I were still teaching grades 3/4. I would love to do this as a read aloud and then have the students do mini research projects based on the many fascinating events and characters in the book.
I enjoyed the illustrations for each new chapter. My only quibble is that I don’t think the cover does the book credit.
NONFICTION
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| 4 stars |
The World Around Us Series is geared towards students aged five to eight. Each book has a similar layout. They begin with a page introducing the topic. After that they are formatted with a question or statement on one page and the response on the next. Each page has a sidebar that extends the answer. I especially appreciated the illustrations in them. Some are photographs and others are art. Diversity of all kinds is represented in them. The back matter contains a note from the author explaining her personal connections to the specific topic. There is also a page of additional resources.
While these are geared for younger readers, they can be used with older readers as well. I think they would make brilliant nonfiction mentor text!
I would purchase the whole series if I was still in the library.
Under Our Clothes: Our First Talk about Our Bodies by Jillian Roberts & Jane Heinrichs (Illustrations) 🍁
This begins by addressing and confirming our rights to boundaries for our own bodies. It includes advice about what to do if someone ignores these. I like that it acknowledges that different people have different ideas about their own bodies and what they are comfortable with. The latter part addresses body image, body shaming and self esteem. This section emphasizes the differences in our bodies and the impact social mores have on how we feel about ourselves. A small bit introduces the idea of transgendered peoples' need to use gender neutral bathrooms.
I have a few quibbles with this - just because it tends to oversimplify some things, but I still think this is a good introduction for younger readers. It will be also be a good fit with existing abuse prevention programs.
On the Internet: Our First Talk about Online Safety by Jillian Roberts & Jane Heinrichs (Illustrations) 🍁
This book begins with a simple explanation of what the internet is and proceeds into a conversation about boundaries for its use. It discusses online bullying and the problems with retracting what you post. It addresses safety issues with respect to online friendships. Like the other books in the series, it focuses on the importance of telling a trusted adult if something makes you uncomfortable. It also acknowledges that the internet can be used as a learning tool and as a way to do good in the world. The back matter contains a note from the author and a page of additional resources.
The checklist for how to comport oneself while online is one that older students and adults should follow.
On the Playground: Our First Talk about Prejudice by Jillian Roberts & Jane Heinrichs (Illustrations) 🍁
This continues with the same layout and format as in the other books in the series. It acknowledges the different feelings felt by different people when teasing and bullying take place on the playground. It begins by naming this as harassment and connects it to prejudice. Motive for this behaviour is connected to fear of difference that can be passed down from generation to generation. It highlights that we are all equally important no matter how we are different. A Sidebar explains diversity. I appreciate the section that talks about individuals can do to help others. "The key to respect and acceptance is understanding. Take time to learn about the many diverse people in the world around us." To get us started, another sidebar introduces reader to Sophi Kamlish, a Paralympic athlete.
CURRENTLY
I'm listening to The Wicked King by Holly Black. With my eyes I'm reading Finding Cooper by Stacey Matson and Making Friends with Billy Wong by Augusta Scattergood.
UP NEXT
The Atomic Girls by Janet Beard is lined up to be my next audiobook. Other than that, I will continue pulling out books from the boxes and see what happens.
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MustReadIn2020: 4/25 1 in progress
#MustReadNFIn2020: 3/12
25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors: 9/25
100 books by Canadian Authors: 61/100
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 130/333
