Library Matters

#IMWAYR July 12, 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.

I'm sharing two weeks worth of books today. My son, his partner, and their two children spent 5 days with us last week. I hardly had time to read, never mind write. Here they are picking cherries for the first time.

They left Tuesday morning. We hated to see them go, but we were exhausted. A ten month old and a four year old will do that to you. To make matters worse I've had to deal with some complications from my surgery. Thankfully, it's all good for now.

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

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

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

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Mr. Postmouse's Rounds by Marianne Dubuc April 1, 2015 🍁

Mr. Postmouse delivers mail and parcels to many different animals on his daily round. Luckily there is nothing for the snake who is so long he stretches across a couple of two page spreads. The details of the different animal homes are full of whimsy. This is a delightful read for fans of Richard Scarry.

5 stars

Mr. Postmouse Takes a Trip by Marianne Dubuc March 2, 2017 🍁

I wish I had dug this out of my library pile when my grandson was visiting. Mr. Postmouse takes a break from work to go on vacation with his family. They travel around the world visiting all kinds of exciting places. There is a parcel to deliver at every destination. This is an ideal book for readers who like the kind of complicated illustrations of Richard Scarry. My sons loved his work and I'm sure my grandkids will love this.

5 stars

Wishes by Mượn Thị Văn & Victo Ngai (Illustrations) May 04, 2021

This book about a family fleeing from Vietnam after the war is profound. I had shivers reading it.

4 stars

Hike by Pete Oswald Mar 17, 2020

This wordless book tells of the adventures of a child and their father. The two of them get up early to go on a long hike. The illustrations are full of details about the landscape and the creatures inhabiting it. It's a glorious day to the top of a mountain and the youngster is tired out at the end of the adventure.

5 stars

Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor Feb 04, 2020

My grandson and I loved this book. We laughed so much we had to read it over and over. I especially loved how Snail helped the antsy ants and they in turn helped him.

3.5 stars

The Farmer and the Circus by Marla Frazee April 6, 2021

This delightful trilogy concludes with a romantic ending.

4 stars

If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall Sep 15, 2020

This drop dead gorgeous picture book is a guide for aliens about our planet. I love the diversity in culture, families, gender, and abilities that are showcased. I have read that some people think aspects of this are problematic in that certain groups are stereotyped.

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World's Largest Land Biome by L.E. Carmichael & Josée Bisaillon (Illustrations) Apr 07, 2020 🍁

This book is a brilliant exploration of this biome. It looks at animals and plants across the seasons. To find out more and see some examples of the illustrations check out my post here.

5 stars

Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler & Loren Long (Illustrator) Mar 23, 2021

The art in this is spectacular. My four year old grandson and I enjoyed looking at all the details. He told me the names of most of the machines. We agreed that next time he should read it with Grandpa who can probably explain more about what is going on in the building pictures. I especially appreciated the diversity in the people working.

POETRY

4 stars

The One Thing You'd Save by Linda Sue Park & Robert Sae-Heng (Illustrations) Mar 16, 2021

This book feels kind of prescient. In the last week we had four fires break out within six kilometers of where we live. The air is full of smoke haze this morning.
It is written in sijo, a Korean form of poetry. Through this narrative verse we learn about the different things students would save if their house was burning down. We learn a lot about each one from what they choose.
Having experienced a house fire once, all I can say is that so long as everyone is safe, it's all that matters.

CHAPTER BOOKS

My grandson hadn't read the The Princess in Black and the Giant Problem, a book that I got him for his birthday. When he was here I downloaded the first in the series from my library to my ipad. We read it together and then he insisted we download the second one. I did, although we read it together later. I am happy to say he loved both of them.

NOVELS

5 stars

Five Little Indians by Michelle Good & Kyla Garcia (Narrator) 🍁Apr 14, 2020

This is not a comfortable read, but it’s a necessary one. 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.
Like a friend of mine said, "it opened my eyes even wider. The mean spirited nastiness, righteous arrogance, and lack of respect and empathy shown toward Indigenous people by residential institution leaders and our government makes me nauseous."

4 stars

Thrive by Kenneth Oppel 🍁May 04, 2021

With house guests I couldn't just sit down and read this book from cover to cover like I did the first two in the series. Disrupting the flow meant that I wasn't as absorbed in the story and that on edge feeling that permeated those first two, didn't get a hold on me this time. I still loved it, but would have enjoyed it more without having to stop and start. I didn't begrudge spending time with my grandson, but it was close.
Like the first two, this one is full of worry and fear for the three protagonists, Anaya, Petra, and Seth. The different messages from different alien factions have Seth questioning who to believe. On the one hand the captain of the ship he's been brought to has given him the capacity to fly. On the other, rebel forces warn him not to trust him.

4 stars

Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids by Cynthia Leitich Smith et al Feb 09, 2021

This is a collection of short stories that center around youth attending a pow wow. The contributors come from Canada and the United States. Some of these authors are people I am acquainted with but others were new to me. I'm looking forward to reading more from them. I especially liked those stories where characters from other narratives made an appearance - especially that dog!

4 stars

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez & Kyla Garcia (Narrator) Oct 17, 2017

Erika L. Sánchezes rich, complex, and authentic characters made this book a winner for me. She does this with all her people, not just the protagonist. I adored Julia, a young teen of Mexican ancestry who doesn't fit into the mold her family expects of her. I liked that Julia worked to understand who Olga, her perfect, older sister, was after she died. Her relationship with her family, especially her mother, is complicated and messy. I appreciated that Julia ended up in therapy and that her life improved because of it. This YA book is both gritty and beautiful.

NON FICTION

5 stars

Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard by Douglas W. Tallamy & Adam Barr (Narrator) Feb 04, 2020
This fascinating book made me rethink what to do with our front yard space. I had plans for drought resistant plants, but this book has filled me with hope for what we can do individually in our own spaces to support local insects, bees, birds and other wildlife. Thanks to Sue Jackson who turned me onto this book.

5 stars

The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution by Richard W. Wrangham & Michael Page (Narrator) January 17, 2019

Wrangham looks at how we humans have managed to domesticate ourselves. He identifies the difference between proactive and reactive aggression and shows how, over the last 250 million years, through self selection, we have managed to reduce the latter. This is an ideal companion book to read with War by by Margaret MacMillan.
I'm glad I purchased this because it's a book I will want to reread. I figure I only grasped the surface of it the first time round.

4 stars

War: How Conflict Shaped Us by Margaret MacMillan & Deepti Gupta (Narrator) 🍁 Sep 22, 2020

MacMillan addresses what Wrangham calls proactive aggression. She looks at the history of war and how it has shaped the kind of cultures and societies we live in. It's big picture and overarching in it's scope.

CURRENTLY

A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency by Seth Klein

The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Fred Korematsu Speaks up by Laura Atkins

UP NEXT

The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

I'll also continue to work at getting the picture book pile under control.

BLOG POSTS PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK

Fred & Marjorie: A Doctor, a Dog, and the Discovery of Insulin by Deborah Kerbel

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 19/25 - one in progress

#MustReadNFIn2021 7/12 - one in progress

#MustReadPBIn2021 39/100

Big Book Summer Challenge 4

Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 23/25

Books by Canadian Authors: 72/100 - two in progress

Canada Reads 2021 4/5

Discworld Series 41/41

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 252 /333

In The Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It will be released August 10, 2021 by Penguin Random House Canada.

Here's the Goodreads blurb:

"Life in a small Appalachian town is not easy. Cash lost his mother to an opioid addiction and his Papaw is dying slowly from emphysema. Dodging drug dealers and watching out for his best friend, Delaney, is second nature. He’s been spending his summer mowing lawns while she works at Dairy Queen.

But when Delaney manages to secure both of them full rides to an elite prep school in Connecticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for the grandparents who saved him and the town he would have to leave behind."

Jeff Zentner is a master storyteller. A magical word weaver whose characters find their way into your heart. His writing is so fine and so lyrical I found myself reading and rereading passages just for the pure pleasure of experiencing them again. I wept in the first 10% of this book. Tears welled up more than once throughout the rest of it. Emotional engagement like this is the gift of brilliant writing.

Cash Pruitt is the kind of wounded hero it’s easy to love. His best friend is the brilliant Delaney Doyle. They went to school together but became friends after meeting at a Nar‑Anon meeting. Both their mothers were addicts. Both are damaged from this. The trauma is real. The guilt that's carried for being unable to save people is real. In Zentner's book the protagonists go to therapy. We need more examples of how to survive this stuff. I'm so glad this book is here.

At their new school, the duo become a quartet. Cash meets Alex, a Korean American student, on the rowing team. He is on a scholarship as well. Viviani Xavier is Delaney's wealthy Brazilian room mate. The four friends become inseparable.

Cash is lucky to have a poetry teacher, Dr Adkins, who 'gets' him. She encourages him to write his own poetry. Cash's moving poems reach into you and make an already brilliant book even better. His poem, Laundry Boys, celebrates his friendship with Alex.

This is a novel about loss and grief: a sorrow so sharp edged and heavy it threatens to drag a wounded heart deep down under until it forgets to believe in the sun.

This is a novel about love. It’s about love for the environment and animals around us. It's about love for family and friends. It's about old loves, new loves, and discovering a true love that was there all along.

Ultimately this is a book about becoming the best person you can be. Sometimes you need to leave home to figure this out.

Preorder your copy now.

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.

#IMWAYR June 28, 2021

My apologies for such a long post this week. I've been off galavanting so this is three weeks worth of reading. I guess it's a good thing I was too busy to do much of it.

We were camping the first week. Even though it rained every evening, including a wild electrical storm one night, the days were glorious. Then we headed to the coast where we celebrated my four year old grandkids' birthdays and I had minor surgery. We returned home and my brother and I celebrated our birthdays on Saturday. On Sunday I ate the leftover pavlova for breakfast.

Here in Canada the confirmation of over 1000 children's bodies in unmarked graves (and more to come) at numerous church run residential 'schools' is waking many white people up to systemic racism in our country. I'm currently reading Five Little Indians by Michelle Good. It's a profound look at what happened in those places as well as the long term ramifications of these institutions.

Like everyone else in the western part of North America, we are in the middle of a drought and heat wave. This week promises to be brutal. We are thankful for our air conditioning and books to read.

Next week my son and his family are coming to visit so I probably won't manage to get in a post. If I get one written, I won't get around to reading yours until later in the week.

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

Bad Sister Charise Mericle Harper

Anne's School Days by Kallie George & Abigail Halpin (Illustrations)

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt November 5, 2019 🍁

There is a good reason that Rocky is such a bad dog. You will have to read this humorous book yourself to figure out why. (Hint: Look closely at the cover)

5 stars

Maud and Grand-Maud by Sara O'Leary & Kenard Pak (Illustrator) August 18, 2020 🍁

This is a charming book about a loving relationship between a grandmother and a grandchild. I was lucky to get to stay overnight with one of my grandmothers on a regular basis and have had the pleasure of my granddaughter staying overnight with me. This book reflects all the love and joy of those times.

4 stars

You Are New by Lucy Knisley March 12, 2019

This book celebrates all the newness in our lives. It begins at our births, but goes on to include all the times we take on new challenges and learn new things.
I enjoyed the poetry in this one.

4 stars

When I Found Grandma by Saumiya Balasubramaniam & Qin Leng (Illustrations) March 1, 2019 🍁

As a grandmother myself, I am a sucker for books about intergenerational relationships. I appreciate that however diverse our cultures, the connection is still the same. This story shows a young girl, Maya, and her grandmother meeting for the first time. Grandma does not fit Maya’s expectations of how a Grandma should be. I appreciate that the two of them gradually bond. I also liked that it was the grandmother who adapted most, but both of them changed.

4 stars

Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki September 22, 2020 🍁

I loved the energy in this book. It tells of a diverse group of people getting together once a week to feed others in their community. Sometimes food is plentiful. At other times it's scarce and they have to make do with what they can scrounge. It's based on Tamaki's experience volunteering. The rhyming poetry didn't quite work for me.

4 stars

Something's Wrong!: A Bear, a Hare, and Some Underwear by Jory John & Erin Kraan (Illustrator) March 23, 2021

This is the book to read if you need a laugh. Bear has no idea why people are looking at him funny. Thankfully he has a good friend to help him out.

5 stars

Stand Like a Cedar by Nicola I. Campbell & Carrielynn Victor (Illustrations) February 23, 2021 🍁

This gorgeous picture book celebrates indigenous culture, tradition, and language here in British Columbia. The text is composed of English and different indigenous languages. It’s a book full of environmental awareness and thankfulness. The back matter includes a glossary, a pronunciation guide and an additional note about coastal and interior Salish languages.

5 stars

I Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillett & Michaela Goade (Illustrator) April 6, 2021 🍁

This beautifully written and illustrated picture book introduces readers to the Inninwak and other indigenous peoples' understanding of conception and childbearing. “Summer was fading into fall on the day I found out that you had chosen to make my body your first home.”
While carrying her baby, the mother collects gifts for the child’s medicine bundle. Some are from nature while others are made by her. In the end we see that the child is their own kind of medicine for the people around them.

4 stars

Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon by Kat Zhang & Charlene Chua (Illustrations) December 15, 2020

This is a charming story that compares Eastern and Western dragons. No matter the variety, inclusivity is the message.

4 stars

The Bruce Swap by Ryan T. Higgins May 4, 2021

Bruce's family and friends secretly long for Bruce to be more cheerful and adventuresome. When fun loving Kevin comes for a visit, Bruce didn't get the letter and is away from home. At first everyone thinks that their wishes have come true. Soon they wish they hadn't.

5 stars

Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know by Brittany Luby & Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (Illustrations) March 1, 2021 🍁

A grandmother and her granddaughter spend time together in nature. As the year cycles through the seasons, the grandmother teaches her grandchild what to look for during the different parts of the year.
It's written in both Anishinaabemowin and English. Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley's woodland art is the perfect match for Brittany Luby's words.

NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

4 stars

Maryam's Magic: The Story of Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani by Megan Reid & Aaliya Jaleel (Illustrations) January 19, 2021

In 2014, Maryam Mirzakhani was the first woman and first Iranian to win the most prestigious award in mathematics, The Fields Medal. She was both an artist and a storyteller who was rewarded because of her magic wand theorem.

CHAPTER BOOKS

5 stars

The Princess in Black and the Giant Problem By Shannon Hale, Dean Hale & LeUyen Pham (illustrator) October 6, 2020

I introduced my granddaughter to the Princess in Black by giving this to her for her fourth birthday. We read it four times in five days.We also downloaded the first two books from the library and read those. I'm calling it a success. I also purchased a copy for my grandson, but haven't heard any word on what he thinks. She loved the snow monsters and all the superhero princesses. She liked the giants. "They are so funny!"

4 stars

Trouble with Tattle-Tails by Jonathan Auxier & Olga Demidova (Illustrations) May 18, 2021 🍁

I'm not sure the younger crowd will appreciate all the idioms in this book, but I laughed out loud a number of times.
This is the second in Auxier's Fabled Stables series. When the alarm sounds ,Augie, Willa the Wisp, and Fen, the reluctant Stick in the Mud, head off to the rescue of another magical beast. When the arrive in the village they discover that the citizens have been plagued by literal Tattle-Tails. It's a hilarious challenge to figure out how to get rid of them and find the robbers who have stolen the villagers treasure.

5 stars

Anne's School Days by Kallie George & Abigail Halpin (Illustrations) 🍁

I appreciate how close to the original Anne of Green Gables series these books are. This one made me cringe a bit. I guess they don't really carry over into modern times. You can read my full review, and see more of Abigail Alpin's gorgeous illustrations here.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

4 stars

Bad Sister Charise Mericle Harper & Rory Lucey (Illustrations)

I adored this memoir that highlights the relationship between two siblings. You can read my full review here.

NOVELS

4 stars

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur & Sue Jean Kim (Narrator) April 20, 2021 🍁

This mystery, set at the turn of the 14th century in Korea, is the story of two estranged daughters and their detective father.
Thirteen girls have gone missing from a forest on an island. The father disappeared while trying to find out what happened to them. A year later the eldest daughter came to search for him. She reunites with her younger sister who was left behind.
There is much sweetness in this story of two sisters reconnecting. It's also a tense murder mystery full of subterfuge and betrayal.

5 stars

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed August 4, 2020

Set against the backdrop of the Rodney King riots in LA, the story focuses on the life of a privileged black girl. Ashley Bennett is one of a handful of black kids attending a prestigious private school. All of her friends are white. Her older sister has dropped out of college, married a white construction worker, and become a communist.
This complex narrative shows readers that no matter how successful black people become, no matter how much they try to shelter their children, ultimately racism is inescapable.
Reed provides us with a cast of authentic individuals. I really appreciated how rich, complicated and layered all her characters are.
I loved this quote:
"You can’t tell people to pull up on bootstraps when half of them never had any boots to begin with, never even had the chance to get them."

5 stars

The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga, Reena Dutt (Narrator) & Jennifer Jill Araya (Narrator) May 11, 2021

This is the story two best friends. They have been estranged since Quinn’s brother went on a shooting spree and killed Cora’s older sister.
They come up with a plan to find a wormhole and travel back in time to fix things so that the event never happened. Their magical thinking is jumbled up with the memories of their siblings in those last few days. It takes a near disaster before the two girls manage to come back to each other. My eyes leaked a few times while reading this.

5 stars

Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland & Bahni Turpin (Narrator) May 18, 2021

I liked this a lot. It is narrated by Bahni Turpin so you know it is a brilliant audiobook. The tension is high right off the bat and before you know it, you are sucked right into Ophie's story and life. When her father is murdered and their house in Georgia is torched, Ophie and her mother head north to Pittsburgh where they stay with a Great Aunt Rose, and some reprehensible cousins. Ophie has the power to see ghosts. She's lucky that her great aunt has the same power and gives her advice on how to use it to help these specters move along.
Her mother gets a job cleaning at Daffodil Manor. Then a position opens up and Ophie has to leave school and go to work keeping the cantankerous old Mrs Caruthers happy. Daffodil Manor is full of ghosts. Ophie ends up befriending a ghost named Clara. Ophie figures that if she can figure out who murdered Clara, she will be able to help her move on.
At the same time as this is a fascinating paranormal murder mystery, it's also full of historical details that educate the reader about life for Black people in the 1920's.

5 stars

Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson & Nina Mata (Illustrator)

I loved this book about a young black chef trying to make sense of her life. Renée Watson writes powerful full fledged characters. Ryan Hart and her family are some of them. Move over Ramona Quimbly and make room for Ryan Hart in the world of young, female protagonists.

4 stars

Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smith & Katie Anvil Rich (Narrator) June 1, 2021

This modern version of Peter Pan addresses the misogyny and racism of the original version. Two step sisters, one of them Native American, and their four year old brother are tricked into visiting Neverland. They don't realize they can't leave until after they arrive.
What I admired most about this retelling is the richness of characters. I also liked that the ending is ambiguous but hopeful.

5+ stars

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner August 10, 2021

I'm working on a longer review of this. In the meantime, what you need to know is that this book is stunning. If you haven't read The Serpent King go find it for a taste of what you have to look forward to. Jeff Zentner writes with exquisite grace and beauty.

CURRENTLY

Audiobook: Five Little Indians by Michelle Good & Kyla Garcia (Narrator)

Fiction: Thrive by Kenneth Oppel

Nonfiction: Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We Think Is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis by Elin Kelsey

UP NEXT

Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids by Cynthia Leitich Smith et al
The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Fred Korematsu Speaks up by Laura Atkins
North of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Unusual Family, and How I Survived Both by Cea Sunrise Person

Audiobook: War: How Conflict Shaped Us by Margaret MacMillan

I also have a pile of picture books demanding attention

BLOG POSTS PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 18/25

#MustReadNFIn2021 6/12

#MustReadPBIn2021 35/100

Big Book Summer Challenge 3 - one in progress

Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 20/25 - one in progress

Books by Canadian Authors: 66/100 - three in progress

Canada Reads 2021 4/5

Discworld Series 41/41

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 235/333

BAD SISTER by Charise Mericle Harper & Rory Lucey (Illustrations)

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It will be released July 27, 2021 by First Second books.

This graphic memoir is the story of two siblings, an older sister, Charise, and her younger brother, Daniel. The story of their interactions leads Charise into seeing herself as a bad sister. Is she really? What makes a good sister anyway?

A lot of what the two of them get up to are pretty standard fare. As an oldest child, with four younger siblings, I feel like I have an intimate understanding of the power dynamics in their family. It isn't easy to always be the responsible one. Are we eldest predisposed to be somewhat bossy and self absorbed? (When I was four I wondered if I could throw the newest baby - a boy - out the window and say it jumped.) Is it inevitable that we think we are bad sisters?

Their story begins with pretty ordinary sibling jealousy when Daniel is brought home from the hospital. Charise has some complicated feelings that aren't addressed. There is no time frame mentioned but it feels a lot like the 1970's and 80s. That's the way it was in those days. Growing up the two children have a lot more freedom than children today. They ran wild and were generally unfettered by parent scrutiny unless disaster struck.

Is Charise really a bad sister? She struggles with prosopagnosia (face blindness) and doesn't seem to get social cues. Does this make her bad? In a series of sections that all start with "The Power of..." we see Charise as someone using different strategies to manipulate and control Daniel. At the same time, she acknowledges that he has his own kind of superpower. He 'gets' people and they in turn adore him. The vignettes in these sections reveal more about the family and sibling dynamics. At times it seems like adults take Daniel's side and don't listen to Charise. Does this make her a bad sister?

Charise leads Daniel into some creative and dramatic adventures in their search for excitement. It appears that both of them have wild fun together. She often tries to do the right thing, but fails. Their games and activities are complicated by Charise's desire for power, control, and her profound desire to be the winner. Sometimes she ends up being just plain mean. Inevitably Charise is wracked with guilt and remorse.

When the two of them are playing hockey, Charise becomes exceptionally aggressive and breaks Daniel's teeth. This turns out to be an important turning point for her. She decides to become a 'good sister.' Change, however, isn't easy. It's a good thing that Daniel holds the ultimate super power. His honesty and forgiveness end up helping her become the kind of sister Charise really wants to be.

I especially like that this graphic memoir portrays an authentic, complicated look at sibling relationships. I appreciated the honesty in it. I like that in the end, it's because of their relationship that both of them can become better people. I'm wondering what Daniel's memoir of their time growing up together would be like. I suspect he saw a lot more good in Charise than she gives herself credit for.

I predict this is going to be a popular book. Elementary school librarians need to purchase at least two copies. Personally, I would purchase enough for a literature circle set. I would love to listen in on conversations between students discussing the sibling dynamics here.

Anne's School Days by Kallie George and Abigail Halpin

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It will be released July 6, 2021 by Tundra Books.

Anne's School Days is the third in Kallie George's illustrated chapter book adaptations of the famous Anne of Green Gables series. I loved the first two for their rich and authentic representation of the original novels. They capture the heart and essence of Anne Shirley and her escapades.

This book deals with Anne's experiences at school. Anne is smart. She enjoys school and spending time with her best friend Diana. Then she meets Gilbert Blythe. Gilbert is a handsome lad who likes to tease the girls and pull their braids. When he calls her Carrots, trouble ensues. "Anne's red hair was her lifelong sorrow." He persists in teasing her until Anne breaks her slate on his head. I appreciate that when Anne gets in trouble, Gilbert tries to take responsibility for his actions. Unfortunately, their teacher, Mr Phillips, only punishes Anne.

Things get worse. After lunch one day, Anne, having wandered among the trees daydreaming, comes into the classroom a bit late. While the boys were also late, she gets punished again by having to sit beside Gilbert.
Anne decides to quit school. Marilla and Matthew, her adopted family, take her side and allow her to stay home.

Eventually Anne misses her friends and returns to school where she completely ignores Gilbert. Soon enough Anne gets herself into trouble again. While the girls are acting out a poem, Anne pretends to be the heroine. She climbs onto a raft and begins floating down the river. When the raft starts leaking and starts to sink, she ends up rescuing herself by hopping onto a bridge post. She is stranded there until Gilbert finds and rescues her.

Abigail Halpin's illustrations are just gorgeous. Her "illustrations blend traditional and digital media, mixing watercolor, ink, pencil and collage."

I adored the original Anne of Green Gables series and the first books in this adapted series. I've been thinking of gifting it to my oldest granddaughter who will turn four this year. I will definitely get her the first two, but a few things in this one are problematic for me. First, the girls at school accept Gilbert's teasing of them as normal. (Thankfully Anne does not.) Second, while Anne partly saves herself, she ultimately has to be rescued by Gilbert, a boy. I admire Anne's spunk and that she stands up for herself. I'm just not sure if I want to expose my granddaughter to these other messages - at least not quite yet.

I can't help but wonder how Lucy Maud Montgomery would have portrayed Anne if she was writing today.

Don't miss this or the first two books in this series, Anne Arrives & Anne's Kindred Spirits.

#IMWAYR June 7, 2021

On the weekend my partner went on a men's camping trip high up into the mountains. Yesterday and today while I write this, the weather has been so cool I finally gave in and turned the furnace on. They froze up there.

The good thing about the cool weather is that I managed to get a lot of weeding done in the garden yesterday. Earlier in the week I planted more beets. The first ones I put in disappeared. I am blaming the birds. I'm excited that the new seedlings are poking their little green noses above the ground.

Before this cool spell, it was so hot I had the air conditioner on. Working outside was impossible so I returned to working on my Olivier Dunrea quilts. I'm finishing up the last of the little creatures. I just need to figure out how to do a couple of butterflies. Then I'll be working on plants.

Walls have been ripped out and the electrician arrives this week to change some wiring. My guy is building cabinets for our utility room and an island to replace the kitchen wall that's been decimated.

I will be away camping next week and then away the following week in Vancouver visiting our grandkids for their birthdays. I'll look forward to connecting with you all again at the end of June. You can follow what I'm reading on goodreads.

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.

NOVELS

4 stars

Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath 🍁

I enjoyed this book. I even shed a tear or so at the end of this.
Four sisters are left orphaned after their parents die in the Tsunami in Thailand. After a year of letter writing, their great aunt in Canada enthusiastically agrees to take them. Unfortunately they arrive only to discover that the aunt died a few days previously. Still the intrepid crew do their best to survive on their own. They arrange for their cantankerous and unreliable neighbour to pretend to be their guardian when necessary.
I ended up liked the four girls and appreciated their individuality. I loved that one of them turns out to be a chef and author. I even ended up liking that irascible neighbour.

5 stars

Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh & Greta Jung (Narrator)

This is a profound book for how it looks at multiple levels of racism and bullying. A young American Korean girl learns how to deal with her own bullies after conversations with her grandparents about their experiences living in Korea during the Korean War. She also gets help from friends, a diversity club at school, and a good therapist. I was fascinated by the stories of what it was like to be in Korea during the war.

4 stars

Child of a Mad God by R.A. Salvatore & Tim Gerard Reynolds (Narrator)

My brother has been bugging me to read some R.A. Salvatore for ages, so this year I asked him for one recommendation and he gave me this title to add to my #MustReadIn2021 list. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to.
The world building is brilliant. I was totally engaged in the characters. There are a number of plot lines that come together at the end. It is violent - really horrific in places, but it fit the reality of this fictional land.
Aoleyn is one of those fictional characters I came to adore. I want to know how she fares. For her alone I am contemplating reading the next in this series.

MEMOIR

4 stars

Becoming by Michelle Obama

After finishing this I sat down with my partner to talk about the successes and failures of the Obama presidency.

I was mostly fascinated by Michelle Obama's story of growing up and achieving her goals. While her parents might not have been wealthy, they were a loving family who supported their children and let them know that they had high expectations.

It was interesting to find out that Michelle actually wanted nothing to do with politics. I liked that Barack and her went to couples therapy to learn how to address their differences.

I will never truly understand how Americans went from the Obamas to the Trumps.

DISCWORLD NOVELS

I have completed the official Discworld novels. I'm a little bit heartbroken, but have discovered that there are many short stories set in that reality. I'm going to be trying to track them down before I say I'm done with this challenge. I've even ordered Nanny Og's cookbook.

5 stars

The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs (Narrator)

I first listened to this book in 2016 while traveling back and forth to the hospital where my mother was dying. It turned out to be the ideal read. I regularly pulled over to the side of the road to weep.
It deals with death, grief, making amends and continuing on. It begins with the death of the ancient Granny Weatherwax. The young witch, Tiffany Aching is called upon to take over her stead.
I appreciated all kinds of details that I overlooked the first time round. Pratchett both wraps things up and hints at what might happen in the future of the Discworld. He introduces us to Geoffrey, a young man who wants to be a witch. Tiffany hires him to help her out since it's a challenge dealing with Nanny's stead and her own. Geoffrey befriends the retired men and helps them find some purpose and autonomy by introducing them to sheds (man caves.) In the land of fairy, one of the elves, Peaseblossom, usurps the power of Nightshade, the Queen. Her wings are torn off and she is thrown out of the kingdom. Tiffany successfully manages to rehabilitate her. After limited forays into the Discworld, the elves make an attempt to invade and take control of the Discworld. The witches and old men of the community work together to deal with the invasion. Squabbles between different factions of witches are resolved.

Like the other books in the collection, this one is chock full of humour and serious messages about how to live a meaningful life.

I wrote down this quote the first time round and it has stuck with me. It's a profound reminder of the fragility of life.
"She hadn't seen the old lady in over a week and in a week an old lady could fall through the cracks of life."

CURRENTLY

Bad Sister Charise Mericle Harper

Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland

UP NEXT

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

also a tall pile of picture books

BLOG POSTS PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK

Anne's School Days by Kallie George

Bad Sister by Cherise Mericle Harper

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2021 18/25