TheHappyNappyBookseller

Jazz Age Josephine - Jonah Winter, Marjorie Priceman

2012-02-17T08:26:00.000-05:00

Jazz Age Josephine by Jonah Winter illus. by Marjorie Priceman
I never thought there would ever be a picture book biography on Josephine Baker so I was pretty psyched about this one. Plus Winter has an excellent track record and the bio lived up to my high hopes.

Winter's text has a great rhythmic quality to it.
People, listen to my story, bout a girl named Josephine
People listen to this story, bout a poor girl name of Josephine
She was the saddest little sweetheart this side of New Orleans.

While keeping the stories tempo, Winter is able to get across the racial tension that lead to Baker moving to France.

She kept dancin,
that girl, she never got tired
until one night when her whole world changed
the night St. Louis caught on fire.

Winter mentions when Baker appeared in blackface and he handles that scene with the care it deserves. This is an excellent introduction to Josephine Baker. Priceman's colorful and beautiful illustrations fit the text perfectly and add an extra bit of pop.

There is a half a page author's note with more information about Baker but no timeline. I am a stickler for timeline and wish Winter had included one. However, I'd still recommend Jazz Age Josephine: Dancer, singer who's that, who? Why, that's Miss Josephine Baker, to you! without missing the beat.

An excerpt via publisher

On Sale Now : New Releases (And Read In Reminder)

2012-02-15T11:29:00.001-05:00

The following are new releases for the month of February, that I am aware of which feature characters of color or a diverse cast.

But first a quick reminder that the African American Read In that will be co hosted by Edi, Vasilly and myself starts this Monday. The book we will be discussing is Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Everyone is welcomed, even if you haven't finished the book yet.

Best Shot in the West by Patricia C. McKissack, Fredrick McKissack illus. Randy Duburke

Taking the Lead by Stephanie Perry Moore and Derrick C. Moore
We’ve Got a Job: the 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinson
No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Michaux Nelson

DJ Rising by Love Maia
Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson
The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez

The Clone Codes #3 by Patricia C. McKissack, Fredrick McKissack and Pat McKissack
Diabolical by Cynthia Leitich Smith

On the Flip Side by Nikki Carter
The Galahad Legacy by Dom Testa
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

The Jade Notebook by Laura Resau
Ship of Souls by Zetta Elliott

Traitor in the Tunnel by Y. S. Lee
Bad Boy by Dream Jordan

Oopsy Daisy - Lauren Myracle

2012-02-14T10:37:00.001-05:00

Oopsy Daisy by Lauren Myracle
Milla, Yasaman, Violet and Katie-Rose are in the fifth grade and are best friends. This the third book in this series and they just keep getting better. The four friends have very distinct personalities and each is given a chance to shine. Much of the stories beauty lies in the authenticity of the girls voices. I really appreciate the natural ease in which diversity is embraced amongst the four friends. It doesn't feel forced nor does Myracle shy away for it. The author is also doing an excellent job of building the world about the main characters, from their families, to could be boyfriends to the mean girls. The various stories of Milla, Yasaman Violet and Katie-Rose blend together very well.

Read an excerpt

As an added bonus since I love the goodness that is this series, an excerpt of book 1, Luv Ya Bunches, which is available in paperback.

Words Set Me Free by Lesa Cline-Ransome illus. by James E. Ransome

2012-02-13T08:18:00.000-05:00

Words Set Me Free by Lesa Cline-Ransome illus. by James E. Ransome
This is the story of a young Frederick Douglass, born Frederick Bailey, before he escaped to freedom. Cline- Ransome places Douglass in the roll of narrator, as opposed to simply stating the facts. I thought this was a very smart move, allowing readers to better connect with Douglass.

"Much of my time was my own as I was not yet old enough to work the fields. We ate our two meals a day out of a trough just like the animals in the barn. We were always hungry so we shoved down our meals of cornmeal mush with shells and dirty hands. But even the animals were rested in the heat of the afternoon sun, and they were never whipped bloody for being too tired or too sick or too slow."

The above is from the second page, adjacent to the text is a picture of young slaves eating out of a trough. For me those two pages were the most powerful. Ransome paints the ugliness with such beauty. As the biography progresses Douglass comes more into himself, allowing people to get a glimpse of the men he would become.

"For seven years I worked for my master and his missus down at the shipyard, lifting and laboring, and back at their house, toting and hauling- always pretending to be something I was not - content to be a slave."

This Word Set Me Free, is a very fitting title, when Douglass understands the power of words he's determined to learn how to read regardless of the consciousness.

This was a good biography on Frederick Douglass. The longer I look at it the more I appreciate how well the text and illustrations complement each other.

The author includes an epilogue. There is also an author's note and a small timeline. The author was able to incorporate many names and states throughout the biography but few dates. So I would've liked more back matter including a longer timeline.

An excerpt via publisher

I've linked this post to Non fiction Monday, this weeks round up is at Wrapped in Foil.

Look At Me Reading Non Fiction/Sunday NYT Book Review

2012-02-12T14:12:00.002-05:00

I currently have four nonfiction titles on my currently reading goodreads shelf

Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass by Lesa Cline-Ransome illus. by James E. Ransome
Jazz Age Jospehine by Jonah Winter illus. by Margorie Priceman
We've Got a Job by Cynthina Levinson
Abraham Lincoln & Frederick Douglass: the story behind an American Friendship by Russell Freedman
Panther Baby by Jamal Joesph

I usually read fiction, so four NF titles at one time is a lot for me. I've acutally finished all of them though I won't move to read column until I've reviewed them. I go back and forth about how I feel about Black History Month, but like it or not it gets me every year. And I am cool with being pushed out of my comfort zone if it means reading more engaging books like the ones mentioned above.

Words Set Free and We've Got A Job are two books mentioned in this weeks Sunday New York Times about books for Black History Month

2012 Pura Belpre Honorees Video Edition

2012-02-10T10:16:00.001-05:00

The 2012 Youth Media Awards were handed out last month. I thought I'd share the videos by the Latino authors and illustrators who received a Pura Belpre award.

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours by Duncan Tonatiuth

The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos illus. by Rafael Lopez.

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia Mccall

Maximilian & the Mystery of the Guardian Angel by Xavier Garza

Hurricane Dancers by Margarita Engle

I couldn't find a video for one honoree- Sara Palacios illustrator of Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown - There's a used copy on sale at amazon for 1,068.77 + shipping, Over a $1,000 and seller can't cover shipping. Cuesto mucho mucho dinero no bueno. Es muy loco. I hope no one is foolish enough to buy that. Since its a used copy Brown and Palacios will not get any residuals.

A lot of these titles are on back order, the publishers have to print more (reprint) to meet the demand. This is a good thing, it means the Pura Belpre award is having the intended effect, people are seeking out the books and diversifying their library

So if there's a book on here that you want and it happens to be on back order, go ahead and place your order, that way publishers are aware of the demand and then wait for the reprint. More copies should be available in a few weeks. Whatever you do, do not buy the used copies. I love used books when they're like three or five bucks. But not when the used copies cost more than the retail price of the book. Sellers making a larger profit than the authors really pisses me off. So wait for the reprint to let authors, illustrators and their publishers can get the credit they deserve. And don't forget to check the your local biblioteca.

Hill Harper's New Multicultural Children's Imprint

2012-02-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

On Feb 1. Publishers Weekly wrote an article on Hill Harper* starting a new multicultural children's imprint with YA author Pamela Wells. Maybe Harper's star power will lead to some strong financial backing and interest leading to something good. Though for right now I will simply sit back and see what happens but I won't get my hopes up. Truthfully I am a little wary after reading in the PW article that Harper plans to seek celebrity friends to write books with positive messages.

Firstly, there are a lot of talented authors of color waiting to be discovered or who have published a great first novel and are having a hell of time getting a second or third novel acquired. Sadly sometimes I think publishers think authors of color are interchangeable. I have read a lot of very good debuts and still more with tons of potential by authors of color then I never hear from them again.

Secondly I find the phrase books with positive messages very cringe worthy. I think publishers should look for great stories and if they happen to have a good messages so be it. When the message is the primary focus, while the authors intentions are good the story can become too heavy handed.

The first book to be published by Harper & Wells Books will be Wiley Boys by Harper its a middle grade sports novel. When I saw that I got a little excited because there aren't enough Black male middle grade and young adult authors. But then I saw the cover on goodreads, it was so bad my excitement went adios. That cover screams "pick up anything else but whatever you do don't read me." I don't know what happened maybe it was a case of The Emperor's New Clothes and the people around Harper were too scared to tell him what they really thought of the cover. Whatever the reason Harper & Wells Books needs to understand and respect the importance of a good cover. According to the PW article Wiley Boys is slated to come out later this month. I could not find a website for Harper & Wells Books.

I am all for more diverse children's books being published so I wish Hill Harper and Pamela Wells luck on this new endeavor. Hopefully after reading this article people will want to seek out some of the great multicultural children's that are currently available . If don't know where to look or need help selecting the right book check out The Birthday Party Pledge and make use of the Help Hotline. Several people including myself would be more then happy to give a few personalized recommendations.

I've linked this post to Black History Month Hop. This weeks topic is the Business of Black Books

Ironically I am watching CSI NY on cbs.com as I write this and Harper just came on the screen.

No Crystal Stair - Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

2012-02-07T09:33:00.001-05:00

No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson illus. by R. Gregory Christie
This is a documentary novel of the life and work of Lewis Michaux. Nelson begins this look into Michaux life, in 1906 when he was a young boy growing up in Virgina. The documentary novel is broken up into several sections. Within each the reader learns more about Lewis Michaux and his journey to starting the National Memorial African American bookstore in Harlem, in the 1940's. It was the first Black owned and operated bookstore in the world.

When Michaux decided to open a bookstore the odds were against him. The great depression had recently ended, and there were few publishers catering to Black authors or books about the Black experience. When Michaux decided to take a chance and secure a loan I feel completely in love with No Crystal Stair. There was simply something about Michaux determination, which Nelson does an excellent job of getting across to the reader.

The documentary aspect of this novel can be found in the FBI files on Mixhaux, included throughout, or the photographs of people essential to the civil rights movements, like Malcom X and Black Panthers shopping at the Bookstore. Nelson delves into the close relationship Michaux had with Malcolm X. There are also a lot of other wonderful photographs, including exterior shots of the bookstore.

In an effort to give readers a full picture of the impact Lewis Michaux and his bookstore had on the Black community, Nelson created a few characters, like Snooze, a young teenager Micahux encourages to read for free in the back of the store. All the characters fit seamlessly into the narrative. The book is illustrated by R. Greogory Christie. He uses a light touch which complements the text nicely. No Crystal Stair is a 2012 favorite.

An excerpt
Starred Kirkus Review
Starred Horn Book Review

My interview with Vaunda Nelson at White Readers Meet Black Authors

Reflections of a Bookaholic and Mocha Girls Read are hosting the first annual Black History Month Hop. The 5th -11th is dedicated to the business of Black Books. And I do believe a documentary novel about Lewis Michaux fits the bill.

My Thanks,Guest Post, The Black History Month Hop

2012-02-06T08:41:00.001-05:00

I read and loved No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson via netgalley. It's a documentary novel about Lewis Michaux who opened the first Black owned bookstore in Harlem, NY. When I finished No Crystal Stair I wanted to interview the author and help expose it to adult readers. I needed help on both counts. Nelson's lastest novel along with her last one Bad News for Out Laws was illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. When I couldn't find any contact information for the author, I reached out to Christie who kindly put me in touch with the author. Then I reached out to author Carleen Brice who runs the blog White Readers Meet Black Authors After I told Brice what novel was about, she nice enough to let me post the interview with Nelson at WRMBA. Thanks so much to R. Gregory Christie and Carleen Brice for the help.

No Crystal Stair has recieved two starred reviews, Kirkus and Horn Book. The interview will be up sometime this week at WRMBA. I loved Nelson's answers. Since I geared it towards an adult audience I purposely left off two questions, I will share those here sometime later.

For the rest of the month I will be The Black History Month Hop, which is being hosted by Reflections of a Bookaholic and Mocha Girls Read. So many of my post will have

attached at the bottom. Inculding the Online African American Read In, I am hosting with Edi and Vasilly. It starts on Monday Feb. 20 we will be reading Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Anyone and everyone is free to join in.

Ashley Hope Perez Interview

2012-02-03T06:36:00.001-05:00

Ashley Hope Perez's debut What Can't Wait was one of my favorite books last year and I am honored to be a part of her blog tour. Today I have the pleasure of hosting the author, as we talk about her newest release The Knife and the Butterfly. My review

Hi Ashley, can you tell us a little about The Knife and the Butterfly?

Of course! It follows two teens through the aftermath of a gang fight, but it also cuts back into what happened in their lives leading up to the day they met. Actually, I’m in awe of how well my publisher framed things, so here’s the jacket copy to get you all intrigued.

I must confess after reading the book blurb my first thought was “oh, no, a gang novel.” I was still going to read it but didn't have high hopes. I can say this all now because I've already read and really enjoyed The Knife and the Butterfly. I know it’s still early, but have you heard similar confessions?

Yours is the first confession, but I was very aware of how problematic writing about gangs can be. I didn’t want to glamorize or demonize Azael or his gang. MS-13 has been called “the deadliest gang,” and it’s definitely no joke. But at the same time, most of my research pointed to the fact that, in Houston at least, lots of youths involved with gangs like MS-13 are not highly organized or militarized like their counterparts in South America.

But this is not just an issue of veracity; it’s one of tone and balance. I think the reader learns how to filter Azael’s portrayal of his experiences, taking into account the bravado in his words when he describes his affiliation and past “accomplishments” with his gang. And I think the reader detects the sincerity in his desire to start anew and keep the people he loves clear of MS-13.

One of the first things I noticed is while Azael is in MS-13, he has the qualities of a leader and is not defined by his gang (even though he believes otherwise). How does this Azael compare to the Azael of the first draft?

Azael has pretty much been Azael since I first started imagining him. (Lexi was another story; she evolved a lot from draft to draft.) At first, I knew most about the Azael of the “Now” sections, and he could really piss me off (the way he thinks about women, for example). But I kept asking myself, who was he before he was this Azael? Where are the traces of those other selves, and what are the memories that he clings to—or that haunt him?

That process of discovery—and the boy I found under all the swagger—was what made me want to save Azael and give him the closest thing to a second chance that’s possible in his world.

Azael is a graffiti artist, using empty walls or trains throughout Houston as his canvas. Before you wrote the Knife and the Butterfly, what did you think of graffiti art (if you thought of it and all) And did your opinion change when you finished the novel?

I had noticed graffiti and spray-painted stuff in my environment while living in Houston, but I could never have told you the difference between a tag, a throw-up, and a piece. Nor would I have labeled myself a serious appreciator of street art.

I’m still firmly in the camp of “Don’t Mess Up Other People’s Stuff,” but as I learned about canning, I came to understand what making a mark on the city’s face might mean to a teen like Azael. The most powerful aspect of that discovery was that my own reasons for writing mapped pretty well onto Azael’s reasons for canning. Go figure. There is tons of graffiti inside the metro tunnels here in Paris, and as I commute, if I’m too tired to read, I watch it roll pass and try to imagine the need to be seen behind it.

Why did you decide use a real gang ?

A couple of reasons. The most obvious is that the novel was inspired by an actual event that involved MS-13. So I let reality take the lead in that respect. Going with MS-13 gave me a clear direction in my research: I knew I needed to learn about their hand signs, the “rules” of initiation and involvement, linguistic patterns, and so on. One reader living in Houston emailed me recently and described how, driving around, she kept thinking about “the other Houston” that the characters experienced. I don’t think you can get that kind of grounding with a fictional gang. At least, I don’t think I can do it. I like particularity.

There's an ease to your use of street vernacular (unlike some novels where it comes across has forced). Did your students give you any helpful feedback in regards to Azael’s slang?

Thanks for the compliment; I’m glad the language felt natural. I know there were kids in gangs at the high school where I taught, but I never knew who. Perhaps it was willful ignorance... I just didn’t feel equipped to deal with that knowledge. My students did tell me about the hostility between Salvadoran and Mexican-American immigrants. (Readers get a few tastes of this, like when Eddie complains about how “Mexicans never flush” their toilet paper or when Azael and Pájaro complain about Tejano music.)

I spent a lot of time reading first-person gang narratives and interviews with MS-13 members to pick up the right slang. Learning how street writers talk about their work (heaven spots, throw-ups, pieces, fat tips, skinny tips, buffing…) was another job.

Were there any words or phrases that you thought were current but were sadly dated?
It’s funny, it was actually kind of the opposite. I never would have thought to use the word “rumble,” for example, to describe a gang fight. To me, that word just screams The Outsiders and sounds totally forced. But it was all over the place in these interviews, so I learned how it fit into Azael’s speech.

Midway in, the reader is introduced Lexi, who like Azael finds herself thinking about past choices. What do you believe was harder for both characters, the remembering of deeds done or the actions themselves?

Definitely the remembering. Part of why Lexi and Azael struggle with what they’ve done is how little those past choices “weighed” when they made them. It scares me—and this is an inspiration for Azz and Lexi—that really bad decisions often don’t even feel like decisions. It can feel like something that “just happened.”

But we still have to own these actions, finally. This is a big theme in the book, which is probably why the rockstars at Carolrhoda Lab put this bit from Azael on the jacket:

“So I draw. I draw without worrying about what difference it’ll make; I draw because the pencil is in my hand. I draw, and I feel all the Azzs I’ve been, all my choices nested together inside me like the layers of an onion. My pencil is flying because that’s how it is: you choose and you choose and you choose, and that’s your life. That’s what you are.”

I really like the book cover and had a greater appreciation for it once I finished the story. Who was the cover artist?

The designers at my publisher are in charge of the cover work, but I don’t know which of the amazing artists came up with the exact design. I do know that the concept evolved considerably. Check out my guest post at Sarah Laurence's blog on for the inside scoop on the cover art and some of the designs that didn’t get chosen.

The cover is such important part of a novel and I love when I can learn more about it, so I can't wait to check that out.

I've enjoyed a few of your blog entries about living in Paris. After all the delicious food, your arrival post about adjusting to living in a new country is my favorite.

It's been a little over three months since you wrote that; does Paris feel less foreign yet?
Oh, absolutely. We feel like Paris pros now; we have our little routines and our familiar places. When we buy groceries, for example, it’s a whole ordeal, but it’s also a lot of fun. We have our baker, our chicken guy, our fish vendor, our salad and mushroom guy. Liam knows exactly who will give him a free banana or a slice of baguette. Sometimes I think about how weird it will be to return to the States and not get to buy all my groceries without ever getting into the car.

Some things are still mysterious to us, like the point of a strike if it’s announced weeks in advance, or why a government that prides itself on being rigidly secular still has Christian federal holidays. But we’ve learned not to lose sleep over these details.

Does your son know more Spanish, English or French words?

This question made me laugh out loud because the truth is that Liam knows more animal sounds than anything else. He is really good at them! He can do (in order of preference): dog, cow, lion, tiger, elephant, chicken, frog, owl, pig, monkey, sheep, and horse. My favorite is the lion because it comes with a paw swipe. The other day we were coming off the metro; usually, Liam waves bye to everyone, but this time he decided to ROAR! at everyone.

He does have words, too, and they are pretty balanced between the three languages. One thing that is fun to see how he’s already paying attention to who speaks what language. When he skypes with an English speaker, he says “bye-bye,” but when we leave his nursery school, he says, “au revoir.” When I leave the house, I usually get “adios.”

If you could have one thing imported from Houston to Paris for you, what would it be?

Oh, Lord. Just one thing? It would be a warm breakfast taco with a homemade tortilla, eggs, potato, cheese, and tomatillo salsa. Preferably from the Stripes gas station on Howard Drive. (I know that sounds gross, but they have ladies who make the most delicious food, and it’s right by where I used to teach.)

Do you plan on doing any Skype Q&A's for The Knife and the Butterfly?

I haven’t scheduled any yet, but I would love to! Book clubs, classes, the possibilities are endless! So anybody who’s interested should give me a holler.

Ashley, as you know the skype question was originally the last one. And it truly breaks my heart that this couldn't end there but I would be remiss not to mention Tuscon's recent decision to ban the Mexican American Studies Program and removing Latino related books from the classroom curriculum. I've been following Debbie Reese's excellent coverage and the more I read the less I understand. I am totally baffled as to how this could happen and the reasoning behind it.

Are you having any better luck processing this decision? Do you think or worry that Houston the city you call home would ever do the same?

I am still trying to wrap my brain around these actions. They are a blatant attack, not just on Mexican American Studies, but on a view of the world in which there are multiple stories that constitute a given history. The supporters of the house bill that ultimately justified the Tucson action (I have heard from some that Tucson resisted the shut-down; others seem to think they were thrilled to have an excuse to kill MAS) want to deny the complexity of the fabric that makes up the US. They are fine with curricula that "advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals"--so long as the ethnic solidarity promoted is a sanitized version of whiteness, that is, itself, nothing but a myth. When the Irish came to this country, they were often treated in much the same way as recent brown immigrants. That, too, is part of our history. To teach it--or to teach about the oppressive treatment suffered by Mexican Americans and others--is not to incite dissent but to inform of fact.

We cannot address errors of the past by denying them; healing comes through broadened knowledge and dialogue, and the texts that have been recently removed from Tucson schools are powerful tools in that effort. That's why opponents are so keen on getting rid of them. But they know that that isn't enough; the truth is any text can be explored from an ethnic studies perspective (as the example from The Tempest demonstrates), so now district leaders are micromanaging the classroom practices of their teachers. That is scary stuff. I cannot imagine the same happening in HISD, where the success of the district depends on the success of Hispanic students, but who knows. At any rate, I know my teaching would wilt in such an environment, and I would have to think long and hard about what to do--how far to go in my resistance of censorship.

I want to make one last point to bring home the importance and relevance of ethnic studies for all of us. For my third novel, I have done a lot of research about the experiences of Mexican Americans in schools in the 1930s. What stunned me most in reading about the logistics of segregating Mexican-American students in Texas (and I bet the situation was similar in Arizona) was that they were essential forced out of school by sixth grade. Enormously overcrowded classrooms in the "Mexican" schools made learning difficult, putting the students further behind their white peers. On top of that, the school districts in Texas often divided elementary grades into two years ("lower first," "upper first") in "Mexican" schools, causing students to be told that they were "too old" for the grade they should have been able to join in the (white) middle school.

In Houston in the 30s, for example, only a handful of Mexican-Americans (usually lighter skinned) graduated from high school at all despite a significant Hispanic population in the area. They faced discrimination in white schools, and there was no "Mexican" public high school as an option.

I also discovered that, unlike African-Americans, whose teachers--also African-American--were usually committed to helping students use education to combat their circumstances, Mexican-American children were almost invariably taught by white teachers, some of whom found theirs an "undesirable" placement and were quick to underestimate the abilities of their students.
I couldn't have been more sympathetic to the challenges of my Mexican-American students, but--back when I was teaching in high school--I had NO IDEA that this was in our history. There is no way that you can tell me that these events--experienced by parents and grandparents of my students--had no impact on my students' own attitudes toward school. If I'd had the good fortune to take a class like the MAS courses recently axed in Tucson, maybe I would have been more informed.

These stories and experiences matter because they've shaped our shared history. We need to keep talking about them--in Tucson and beyond.

The Knife and The Butterfly - Ashley Hope Perez

2012-02-02T09:31:00.001-05:00

The Knife and The Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez
16 yr old Azael lives in Houston and is a member of the MS-13 gang. The day after a fight with another gang, Azael wakes up in lock up and he can't remember how he got there. The chapters alternate between now and then. In the now Azael is in jail trying to remember the fight. He finds himself thinking about his girlfriend Becca and worry about his brother Eddie and the other MS 13 members. In the now Azael is also introduced to Lexi, a White girl he swears he doesn't know. Though Azael quickly learns Lexi might be the key to understanding what happened. In the then, we learn more about Azael, including his passion and love for graffiti art and why he joined a gang in the first place. Azael and Lexi are two very different people, who find themselves in a similar situation. As the story develops both are forced to make life changing decisions.

This is only Perez's second novel though it's clear she already has a talent for creating three dimensional main characters. The reader is allowed to see the many sides of Azeal has he contemplates his future. Then there's Lexi, I didn't know what to make of her at first and by the end I was moved by how the two characters stories intersected. As you can probably already tell I really enjoyed The Knife and the Butterfly and its a wonderful follow up to the author's excellent debut, What Can't Wait.

Read Chapter 1

I will be posting an interview with Ashley Hope Perez tomorrow as a part of her ongoing blog tour. The interview is on the long side but this couldn't be helped because I took the opportunity to ask Perez's her opinion on the recent events in Tuscon. For that question I told Ashley length was not an issue.

On Sale Now : New Releases

2012-01-31T11:11:00.001-05:00

Below are all the children's and young adult books published in Januray that I am aware of which feature characters of color or a diverse cast. Usually I post this list at the beginning of the month, since I showcased 2012 titles I will looking forward to on the Dec. 31, decided to push this post back until the end of the month. The Feburary installment will go up around the 15th, than this feature will be back on schedule.

Words Set Me Free by Lesa Cline-Ransome illus. by James E. Ransome

Stars in the Shadows by Charles R. Smith jr. illus. by Frank Morrison
Freedom's a Callin Me by Ntozake Shange illus. by Rod Brown
When Grandmama Sings by Margaree King Mitchell illus. by James Ransome
Just as Good: How Larry Doby Changed America's Game by Chris Cowe illus. by Mike Benny
Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons illus. by Daniel Minter
We March by Shane W. Evans
Jazz Age Josephine by Jonah Winter illus. by Marjorie Priceman

What Color is My World by Kareem Abdul -Jabbar illus. by A.G. Ford
Touch the Sky:Alice Coachman Olympic High Jumper by Ann Malaspina illus. by Eric Velasquez
Freedom Song:The Story of Henry "Box" Brown by Sally M. Walker illus. by Sean Qualls
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer illus. Elizabeth Zunon . Read this book for free and support the We Gives Book Campaign

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
Dumpling Days by Grace Lin

Oopsy Daisy by Lauren Myracle
Crow by Barbara Wright
The Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani my review

The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards my review
Irises by Francisco X. Stork
In Darkness by Nick Lake my review

Teenie by Christopher Grant (paperback)
Sellout by Ebony Joy Wikins (paperback)
Zora and Me by Victoria Bond T.R. Simon
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia (paperback)

The People Have Spoken (The Read In)

2012-01-30T09:28:00.004-05:00

In February I will be co hosting an African American Read In with two other bloggers, Edi and Vasilly. We had a poll of six titles to choose from -

Good Fortune by Noni Carter
Fences by August Wilson
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines
Topdog/Underdog by Suzi Lori Parks
Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Pull by B.A. Binns

It was very close but Ninth Ward* was the selected title.

Ninth Ward is Rhodes first middle grade novel. I had the pleasure of interviewing the author when the book was released in 2010. Since Jewell Parker Rhodes is known for adult fiction, I hope readers who normally don't read MG or YA fiction will consider participating in the Read In which will start on Monday Feb.2oth,

That gives you more than enough time to get a hold of Ninth Ward from your book source of choice be it your local library or indie, or amazon which currently has the hardcover edition on sale for $6.40

The Black History Blog Hop hosted by Reflections of a Bookaholic and Mocha Girls Read starts on Wednesday.

*I don't do it often but because of the past interview and very close results I feel a little full disclosure is in order. I contributed two books to the Read In poll including Ninth Ward. I did vote but not for either one of my picks.

The Read In, Black History Month Blog Hop, Blog Tours

2012-01-29T10:01:00.003-05:00

Next month is the 23rd National African American Read In. This year I will be hosting an online read in with Edi from Crazy Quilts and Vasilly from 1330V. Today is the last day to head over to Vasilly's blog to vote.

In honor of Black History Month, there's going to be a Black History Month Hop hosted by Reflections of a Bookaholic and Mocha Girls Read.

Purpose: To give black authors, books and those who support them a month in the spotlight.
Before the hop the hosts site will open the link for entry. Your site can post anything related to the weeks topic. Your site must link to the host site and add the button to the post as well.

The Weekly Topics for the Black History Month Hop can be found here I am really looking forward to participating. Besides the Read In I can't wait to include my interview with Vaunda Micheaux Nelson about her newest release No Crystal Stair. I loved this starred Kirkus Review novel so much, which was illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.

Nelson sent me her answers today (very early) and she does a much better job of summarizing No Crystal Stair then I ever could.

"No Crystal Stair is a 15-year labor of love. It’s about two things near and dear to my heart -- books and family. It’s is the story of a remarkable man who was a pioneer in the struggle toward literary diversity, a pioneer in the efforts to make more African and African American literature available in America. The man was the Harlem Professor, Lewis Michaux, my great uncle. His National Memorial AfricanBookstore became a Harlem landmark -- a gathering place for scholars, politicians, activists,writers, artists, actors, and athletes -- until its closing in 1975."

Yesterday I finished Panther Baby by Jamal Joseph. Joesph joined the Black Panthers when he was 15. At 16 he was the youngest Black Panther arrested in the Panther 21 case in 1969.

There's a beautiful sensibility to the authors writing. This excellent adult memoir screams YA crossover. For much of the book Joseph is talking about his teen years as a Black Panther. Can't wait to review this one and link it to the hop. Read an excerpt, via publisher.

I have a change of heart regrading Blog Tours. In the past I was against them because I thought caused online overload for books on tour. Now I realize that authors have to do what they must to promote their novels. It's not easy for authors and its getting harder every day. Plus there are so many blogs it would be easy for an author to do a tour with little readership overlap.

My first interview of 2012 was with Jasmine Richards, was part of the author's blog tour for her wonderful debut The Book of Wonders. As is my second interview with Ashley Hope Perez. Perez's blog tour for The Knife and the Butterfly begins at Forever Young Adult on the 30th. I am glad I do not have to follow them. Their review is awesome and serious bonus points for slipping in a Golden Girl.

Another thing that helped change my opinion, are authors who show that not all blog tours are the same. Perez's blog tour schedule , she's visiting a lot of diverse blogs and thanks to the great teaser lines I know each day will offer up something new.

I managed to squeeze in four titles in this post, hopefully one has caught your eye. If not how about one of the six books in the African American Read In Poll

In Darkness - Nick Lake

2012-01-27T02:35:00.006-05:00

In Darkness by Nick Lake
Set in Haiti the story alternates between the present and the past. In the present Shorty is buried alive after the 2010 earthquake. Surrounded by darkness Shorty decides to share his story to pass what little time he has left. Shorty tells all including, his love for his Manman and twin sister, and what lead him to join a gang in his Site Soley neighborhood. In the past Toussaint L'Ouverture is about to become the oldest general to lead a revolution. There's an overlap between the two stories that Lake handles with a smooth hand.

In Darkness pulled me in hard from the beginning. Just two pages in I was reminded of Zusak's The Book Thief, partly because Lake was able to make the darkness feel like a real presence. And partly because Shorty was calmly telling his story and willing to accept what would come. I loved Shorty voice it felt real and honest. I truly appreciated the author's seamless inclusion of L'Ouverture and the revolution for freedom. I thought the author did an excellent job bringing Haiti and Shorty's Site Soley neighborhood to life. A 2012 favorite.

An excerpt of Now - Shorty's chapters

An excerpt of Then Toussaint L'Ouverture's chapters

A Few Tips for Authors Sending ARC Queries to Bloggers

2012-01-26T13:11:00.002-05:00

ARC's is short for advanced reader copy. Publishers or publicists send out these review copies or galleys pre publication to reviewers. Sometimes authors wanting to help get the word out on their books will offer up arc's to bloggers. For those authors I've decided to list a few, hopefully helpful tips.

When sending an arc query to a blogger

1.Always use the blogger's name, spelled correctly. When there's no name its obvious its a general query sent to a blast list. Some bloggers will say yes to a review copy. However, yes doesn't mean the novel will be read anytime soon once it arrives.

2. Try to avoid using a general query. It doesn't entice or give a blogger a reason to not simply let it sit unread. Bloggers read a lot and usually have a ton reading material to choose from, library, purchased books, gifts other arc's, gifts

3. Include an excerpt. If a general query is unavoidable, there should be an excerpt. Though I think a sample of the novel is always a must.

4. It's better for an author and their novel if they seek out bloggers who read that genre and age level. For author's of children's or YA fiction - a list of bloggers via Kidlitopshere Central

5. After finding a few blogs that you believe will be a nice fit for your novel, go back and read a few of the reviews. Do pay attention to how active the blog is, if its weeks between new post the blogger probably doesn't have time for anything new.

6. If a blog has over 500 followers, chances are good that blogger has a very large pile of books to be read. If they say yes to arc query know that it will probably be a while before they get to it.

7. Bloggers read blogs. Finding bloggers via the comments of a blog with heavy traffic is a good way of catching the eye of a blogger with a ton of followers.

8. Do not have friends and family write bogus five star reviews on Amazon. Before saying yes to an arc query, I'll visit amazon and goodreads. If I see five star reviews claiming the books, the next Harry Potter, I'll quickly say no.

9 Try to give a blogger a reason to read your novel sooner rather than later.

10. If sending the arc on your own dime, use media mail. It will only take a day or two longer and is a lot cheaper.

11. Sometimes you can save your dime, by giving bloggers the choice of getting a electronic galley if its exists.

12. It's great to sell your book to a bloggers, so they will be more inclined to say yes to the query but do not forget to ask if the blogger would like a review copy. Never assume that the copy for review offer is implied. Thanks so much to Reads4Pleasure for 11&12

2012 African American Read In

2012-01-25T12:34:00.005-05:00

Next month is the 23rd National African American Read In. This year I will be hosting an online read in with Edi from Crazy Quilts and Vasilly from 1330V.

There are six books to choose from -

Good Fortune by Noni Carter
Fences by August Wilson
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines
Topdog/Underdog by Suzi Lori Parks
Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Pull by B.A. Binns

In an effort to keep the votes together, there's just one poll which can be found here at Vasilly's blog. The selected book will be announced this Monday, Jan 30th. and the read in well start on Monday Jan. 2oth.

Eliza's Freedom Road - Jerdine Nolen

2012-01-23T11:11:00.002-05:00

Eliza's Freedom Road by Jerdine Nolen
Nolen has written several picture books which I've loved. Raising Dragons and Thunder Rose are two of my favorites. Eliza Freedom Road is her middle grade debut and it's a very good one.

Set in 1854 11 yr old Eliza is a slave on a Virginia plantation. The plantation owner sold Eliza's mother without giving the two a chance to say good. Eliza is looked after by Abbey, who is responsible for the kitchen. Eliza knows how to read and write and Abbey encourages her to keep a diary. The mistress of the house isn't well and it's Eliza's job to look after her. When the mistress goes to stay with her sister in Baltimore Eliza's goes too. Eliza is scared about her future if she returns to the plantation in Virginia. Rather then worry about being sold again Eliza decides to make her way alone to freedom.

Eliza's mother was a gifted story teller, that gift has been passed down. Weaved within the journal entries, are the stories Eliza's tells to people on her quest for freedom. The quilt Eliza is holding on the cover was given to Eliza by her mother, each patch represents a different story. There are two empty spaces for Eliza to add her own stories.

I really enjoyed the straightforward telling of Eliza's Freedom Road. I also appreciated that mistress wasn't portrayed as a kind hearted soul who Eliza would become attached to. It's no secret that there are a lot of middle grade novels set during the civil war era. Yet it can still be difficult to find one that would be appropriate for a young reader you is just being introduced to the history slavery in the U.S. With each new diary entry, the reader gets to know Eliza and her situation a little better. Therefore allowing a reader to better understand slavery.

I loved the stories intertwined within the diary entries. They fit all the scenes seamlessly. The stories were also great reprieve for Eliza and the others seeking freedom. In the author notes, Nolen talks briefly about all the stories, including the Flying People and How the Stars Came Into the Sky.

read chapter one

Jasmine Richards Interview

2012-01-20T09:25:00.000-05:00

When I started reading Jasmine Richards, middle grade fantasy novel, The Books of Wonders I couldn't put it down. My review and you can read the first seven chapters, here but first please enjoy this interview with the author which I jumped at the chance to do.

Hi Jasmine, can you tell us a little about yourself and The Book of Wonders?

I am 30 years old and currently live in Oxfordshire although I grew up in London. I work at Oxford University Press as a senior commissioning editor which means, besides other things, I get to read books all the time. When I was little I always had my nose in a book . So I still can’t believe that I’ve found a job where I get paid to work with stories all day long.

My story addiction doesn’t end there, in the evening I am busy writing novels and The Book of Wonders is my first one.

Since the Books of Wonders is influenced by Middle Eastern folk tales, do you have a favorite Arabian Nights translation or tale?

It’s too hard to choose one, here are my top six!
The Fisherman and the Djinni
Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp
The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor
The Adventures of Bulukiya
The City of Brass
The Ebony Horse
Usually when I finish a 400 page middle grade novel I can't help but think it could've been shorter. Though that wasn't the case here thestory moves at a great pace and every scene serves a purpose.

When you started writing did you have guesses as to the length of the story?

Doret, I have to agree with you and say that I feel on average middle grade novels could do with being a bit shorter.

I know Harry Potter was a game changing when it came to length forthis age group but it is still worth thinking about the reading stamina of the younger readers in the middle grade bracket.

However, the writing mind says one thing and the writing heart another. As hard as I tried this is the length that this story came out and I barely give Zardi and Rhidan a break the whole way through.

For book 2, which is provisionally called The Spell Scrolls and will be out in 2013, I am hoping to make the story a bit shorter but the characters do still seem to find themselves in a pickle!

I really like the cover. It’s a great reflection of the story within and I think it will appeal to boys and girls.

Who is the cover artist?

I adore the cover as well. Jeff Nentrup is the artist. His work is gorgeous and I count myself very lucky to have had him as the artist for my book.

One of my favorite things about Book of Wonders is its visual appeal,especially when Zardi is armed with her weapon of choice a bow and arrow. Did you have an opportunity to take any archery lessons?

I didn’t take any archery lessons but I did read archery books. I do think though it is important to try and experience some of the physical challenges you put your characters through. So I tried practising jumping from rampart to rampart in Morocco above a ragingse but I got scared so I had to come down again immediately! My boyfriend did it for me instead and I then got him to describe how it felt. I did better when I was on holiday in Thailand and handled a pretty big snake. That experience was invaluable as I came to understand a bit more about the texture and movement of snakes.

That's so cool that you got to visit Morocco and Thailand for "research". That's a pretty big snake, though compared to the many snakes Zardi and Rhidan faced it would probably be considered small.

Do you plan to publish The Books of Wonders in the UK?

I live in the UK and so I’m super keen to have this book available over here. At the moment publishers are considering it and so we’llsee what happens!

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming Skype tour?

It’s still in the very early stages of being organized but I am keen to try and visit as many schools in the US as possible. Because I live in the UK the only way I can really do this is via Skype. If you area school or library or bookshop that would like to host a visit I am available for free Skype Chats. I can talk more about what it is like to be an author and offer some writing tips and exercises. I think it could be a lot of fun, although undoubtedly there will be some hiccups! But if anyone out there is up for giving it a go, then so am I. Visit my website more details.

This next two questions are shamefully off topic.

What three American actors/actresses do you believe have the best and worst British accents?

I think Gwyneth Paltrow, Renee Zellweger and Johnny Depp all have great British accents

The worst would be Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins, Don Cheadle’s accent in Oceans 11 was pretty awful, and Anne Hathaway’s Sheffield accent in One Day was dire.

I must say though that their British accents are far better than my American one which one American friend has described as a strangled valley girl – charming!

What did you think of Meryl Steep's accent as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady?

I thought Meryl Streep’s performance was incredible, simply incredible. I thought the film was good but Streep’s performance was almost bigger than the film – it is certainly the only thing people are talking about.

Jasmine thanks for humoring on those last two questions.Congratulations on a wonderful debut. I look forwarding to reading more of Zardi and Rhidan's adventures in The Spell Scrolls or by any other name.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog Doret, I had a blast.

The Book of Wonders - Jasmine Richards

2012-01-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards
13 yr old Zardi lives and her best friend Rhidan do everything together. The two live in Arribitha where magic is forbidden by the sultan. Anyone got using magic of any kind risk imprisonment or death. The sultan is cruel and vicious to his people, Zardi's father is the sultan's vizier, a kind of aid. This is position Zardi father hoped to keep some of the sultan's hideous acts to a minimum. However the sultan feels betrayed, and he takes Zubeyda, Zardi's older sister prisoner as his new praisemaker. All unwed girls risked being placed in a tower for a season. Once there time is up the sultan will hunt and kill them for sport. Zardi has 90 days to find a way to save her sister. Rhidan was left in Arribitha as a baby, he sets off with Zardi, in hopes of finding out where he's from. The one thing I would've changed was less references to Rhidan's hair and eye color. Though they were the reasons why he stood out, I felt they got refered too much. Zardi and Rhidan have a great friendship and work very well together. The two soon find themselves very far from Arribitha, unsure of who to trust, being hunted by the sultan with more questions than answers.
Once I started reading I couldn't stop. What I loved best about The Book of Wonders is the author never tries to do too much,simply lets the story unfold. The author has written a wonderful story that is inspired by Middle Eastern folk tales. The dialogue throughout is sharp, and all the action scenes are visually fun. Richard's is a senior editor at Oxford University Press Children's Books, I believe this helped her debut . It's as if The Book of Wonders was scrutinized by two pairs of editorial eyes. I am usually apprehensive about middle grade novels that are 400 pages long but this was not one of those times. There was no excess here, every scene served a purpose. This is an excellent debut, Richard's knows how to tell a good story.

Kirkus review and Publisher's Weekly review via author's site.

Read the first 7 chapters via HarpersCollins.

2012 Pura Belpre Award (Amor, Un Mas Tiempo)

2012-01-18T09:00:00.002-05:00

Ayer, I looked at the illustrator half of the Pura Belpre Award. Today it's all about the Narrative. As with the CSK award, its not age specific, as long as a book fits the criteria its eligible.
The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate.

There were 17 Latino authors published in 2011. I've included the nine titles I believe are eligible along with the the four picture books. Unfortunately I had to leave off the picture books I haven't read. (with one exception) Since online spreads allowed me to see illustrations but not enough text to make an educated guess on narrative.

Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown illus. by John Parra
Diego Rivera: His World and Ours by Duncan Tonatiuh
The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos illus. by Rafeal Lopez
Pablo Neruda by Monica Brown illus. by Julie Paschkis
Tia Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina illus. by Claudio Munoz
SkateFate by Juan Felipe Herrera
Hurricane Dancers by Margarita Engle
If I Could Fly by Judith Ortiz Cofer
Tomas and the Magic Race Cars by Ramon Mesa Ledesma
Dancing Home by Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel M. Zubizarreta
Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia Mccall
How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over by Julia Alvarez
Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel by Xavier Garza

There were a lot of verse novels published in 2011 and that's confirmed by this small sample of novels. Four out the nine on this list are in verse form. (Herrera, Engle, Cofer and Mccall)

Skatefate - unfortunately the verse style of this one didn't capture me.
How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over - This is a fun series and I always look forward to the next one. Alvarez won the narrative award in 2010 for Return to Sender (loved it) and she will win it again in the future her writing is too good not to.
Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel - I haven't read this one but from the summary it sounds like a fun story.
Tomas and the Magic Race Cars - For this one I read the excerpt and it was more than enough to get a feel for the writing. It was good but there are simply too many strong contenders this year.
Dancing Home - I really enjoyed this one. Maybe the fact that the committee will have to read four verse novels will work in favor of Dancing Home. The authors have a new book coming out in July called Love, Amalia, I love the cover.

If I Could Fly - This recieved a starred kirkus review and was named a Best Teen Book of 2011 by Kirkus

Hurricane Dancers is classic Engle, and past committee's have responded well to her style.

Under the Mesquite - This was my favorite novel in verse last year . It received a starred kirkus review and was named a Best Teen Book of 2011. It's also a 2012 Morris Award finalist.

Waiting for the Biblioburro - I really enjoyed the text of this one. The story had a wonderful arc and it was just fun.

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours - There are a lot of strong contenders this year but I am pulling for this to get a honor. There are a lot of children's bios on Diego Rivera but I really liked how was still able to make this one stand out textually. And loved all the extra info in the back.

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred - Vamos non tradional approach to a bilingual story was so smart and very good.

Pablo Neruda - The text has a great rhythm it was very poetry -esque, a wonderful way to remember a poet.

Tia Isa Wants a Car - This is my one expection. From the little I've read so far the text is beautiful and musical. I could easily see this one getting an honor, and I'd be more than okay with that.

Who I think will win - Guadalupe Garcia Mccall for Under the Mesquite
Who I want to win - Guadalupe Garcia Mccall for Under the Mesquite

Who I think will honor - Samantha R. Vamos for The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred, Alma Flor Ada for Dancing Home, Monica Brown for Waiting for the Biblioburro

Who I want to honor - Alma Flor Ada for Dancing Home, Duncan Tonatiuh for Diego Rivera: His World and Ours, Monica Brown for Waiting for the Biblioburro

2012 The Pura Belpre Award (Un Poco de Amor)

2012-01-17T09:00:00.004-05:00

On Jan. 23 the Youth Media Awards will be given out. I've already looked at the CSK award and to do that and not the Pura Belpre Award es no bueno.

The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate.

1.A Bailer ! Lets Dance by Judith Ortiz Colfer illus. by Christina Ann Rodriquez
2.Adelita and the Veggie Cousins by Diane Gonzales illus. by Christina Rodriquez
3.Clara and the Curandera by Monica Brown illus. by Thelma Muraida
4.Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown illus. by John Parra
5.Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Monica Brown illus. by Sara Palacios
6 Diego Rivera: His World and Ours by Duncan Tonatiuh
7. Ladder to the Moon by Maya Soetoro Ng illus. by Yuyi Morales
8. The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos illus. by Rafeal Lopez
9. Talking Eagle and the Lady Roses by Eugene Gollogly illus. by Amy Cordova
10. Tia Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina illus. by Claudio Munoz

I think I've found all the eligible picture books for illustrator award but then I thought the same thing for the CSK award and missed three books. Lo siento if I do the same thing here. I've read four out of the nine. For the rest I had to make do with online excerpts and spreads.

A Bailer ! Lets Dance is one of the ones I didn't read. Since it didn't get a good kirkus review I will place this in the non contender pile.

Adelita and the Veggie Cousins - didn't read this either however the cover art isn't working for me.

Clara and the Curandera for this one I was able to look at a few spreads via Thelma Muraida, the illustrators site and really enjoyed what I saw. Especially when Clara smells the flowers.

Talking Eagle and the Lady Roses - Again I had to make do with spreads and I liked what I saw and Cordova was an honor recipient in 2009 for What Can You Do With A Rebozo?

Tia Isa Wants a Car - (I knew I'd forgot one) Only saw a little of this one as well but liked what I saw. The illus. have a clean straight forward look and Munoz color palette is very nice. I would not be surprised to see this one get an honor.

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match this is the last one I haven't read promise. Though I love the spreads I saw via Sara Palacios, the illustrators site. Marisol is adorable with her little eye patch.

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours - Tonatiuh style is such that either you like it or you don't. I happen to like it a lot. Last years committee did as well, his debut Dear Primo was an illustrator honor recipient. The illus. of Diego Rivera are very much the same as his debut. Overall I like this one more.

Waiting for Biblioburro - Parra's illustrations are beautiful and each time I look at them I like them even more. They fit Brown's text perfectly

Ladder to the Moon - Morales illustrations are gorgeous, I could easily enjoy this story without reading a word. Though according to the rules of the award books must portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience and Ladder to the Moon doesn't do that. It does however encourage cultural unity and that should count for something. Since it's illlustrated by an artist who is a past winner, I believe the committee will at least look at it. If its eliagble or not, yo no se

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred - Lopez loves color and knows how to use it. The bright and beautiful illustrations pop off the page.

In the end I believe who will win is between Parra, Morales and Lopez. Since Ladder to the Moon may or may not fit the criteria, it comes down to a two way push between Parra and Lopez (in my head I am picturing the two artist in a ring with a canvas and their medium of choice)

Who I think will win - Parra for Waiting on Bibliburro/Lopez for The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred

Who I want to win - Lopez The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred / John Parra for Waiting on Bibliburro

That was muy dificil and I totally chickened out, but it really is a coin toss.

Who I think will honor - Palacios for Marisol Mcdonald Doesn't Match, Muraida for Clara and the Curandera, Lopez or Parra,

Who I want to honor - Lopez or Parra, Tonatiuh for Diego Rivera, Palacios, Morales for Ladder to the Moon

The 2012 Coretta Scott King Award (Part 2)

2012-01-14T00:37:00.004-05:00

On Thursday I looked at the illustrator portion of the CSK award, today I will be focusing on the author award.

Past winners One difference between the CSK award , Printz, Newbery and the Caldecott is it's not age specific. As long as a book fits the criteria be it a picture book, poetry, middle grade fiction or young adult fiction its eligible.

Section 1: The main purpose of the Task Force is to annually grant the Coretta Scott King Award to African American authors and illustrators for outstanding contributions to literature for children and young adults. The Coretta Scott King Award is given to encourage the artistic expression of the black experience via literature and the graphic arts including: biographical, social, historical, and social history treatments. The books are selected because they promote an understanding and appreciation of the black culture and experience. The Award is further designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue his work for peace and world brotherhood.

You can read the rest of the purpose of the CSK task force here

Below I've included the three picture books plus the 12 middle grade and YA novels that might be CSK eligible

1 We Are America by Walter Dean Myers
2 Never Forgotten by Patricia C. McKissack
3 Heart and Soul by Walter Dean Myers
4 Camo Girl by Kekla Magoon
5 Joseph’s Grace by Shelia Moses
6 Eliza’s Freedom Road by Jerdine Nolen
7Kick by Walter Dean Myers & Ross Workman
8 How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen
9 Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
10 Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney
11 Silhouetted By the Blue by Traci L. Jones
12 Checkmate (Cruisers 2) by Walter Dean Myers
13 Ghetto Cowboy by Greg Neri
14 Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes
15 Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods

To shorten this I will begin by marking off the ineligible and ones I don't think are true contenders.

How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba- Sized Trophy, this was Allen's middle grade fiction debut so that would put her in the running for the John Steptoe Award.

Akata Witch by Okorafor, I would love to see a fantasy novel win the CSK award one day. Since I've embraced fantasy I've learned that it much it is filled with a lot history and a look at what's possible. In 2011 Jewell Parker Rhodes won a CSK honor for Ninth Ward. (loved it) While main character can see ghosts overall think the novel straddles the fantasy fiction line, leaning more towards fiction

Kick by Walter Dean Myers & Ross Workman - At first I was wondering if this one would be eligible with a co worker that wasn't African American but then I remember Leo and Diane Dillon and knew it would be. Then I wondered if the storyline fit the criteria, I read some it early on in 2011 but can't remember but I am leaning heavily towards no. Though if it does fit the criteria there are stronger contenders this year so I would still be placing this one in the non contention pile.

Checkmate is the only one listed here that I didn't read. I could only make it part way through book one. I think Myers best chance to get a CSK honor this year is with We Are America

I thought Planet Middle School by Grimes was okay. I need the flow of verse novels to be tight and smooth. I didn't get that from this one.

Joseph Grace's this was a sequel to Joseph, In the first book I felt the protagonist voice sounded too young for his intended age. The problem continued into the second book, Joseph's 16 but sounds a few years younger. I loved the Legend of Buddy Bush by Moses which was a National Book Award Finalist and CSK honor in 2005. Much of its appeal for me was how well Buddy Bush was developing, unfortunately Joseph is not as well defined.

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach - This was a solid read and very enjoyable if it was published in another year I think it would get a longer look, however there are simply too many stronger contenders this year

So excluding the above 6 titles, that leaves 8 contenders for the CSK

We Are America - textually this book works very well. However as I write this I am wondering if it fits the CSK criteria, since its not just about the Black experience. Since it does promote cultural acceptance I think it will be considered. If it is there will probably be a lot of back and forth.

Never Forgotten has received 5 starred reviews - I believe it will get a CSK illustrator honor and its stands a very good chance of winning the author award. I know I am suppose to love this one but I simply don't connect with it. I looked at it several times and even tried reading it aloud, still nothing. One thing I have a difficult time believing is that all four elements, earth, wind, fire and water are no where to be found when Musafa is taken aboard the slave ship. How in the heck did neither Mother Water or Mother Wind know the ship was in the area. How did both miss the presence of a big ol slave ship. I know am probably thinking too hard and should stop so I can enjoy the story but I can't

Heart and Soul, In 2009 Nelson's first solo project We are the Ship - Was the author award winner and an illustrator honor. Its not often that a book gets recognized in both categories for the CSK award. Heart and Soul is visually amazing, and textually its very good. However I felt We are the Ship was better story wise. One thing that could keep Heart and Soul from getting an author award is a lack of sufficient back matter. I've always assumed id its one committee for the author and illustrator award, that if a book is going recognized in both categories then everything must be extra tight. Truthfully I am winging this whole thing, I only hope some of these educated guesses at least sound good.

Camo Girl is actually one of my favorite books on this list. In 2010 Magoon won the John Steptoe Award for new author for the Rock and the River. I've always assumed that all committee will consider the work of past winners or honors until they feel the authors work no longer deserves consideration. So going on that along I figure Camo Girl was discussed but I think the committee probably had a difficult time with this one. The writing is excellent, and the question could come down to does it fit the criteria enough. There are only two African American students at the school and the main character is teased for being different. However there are many layers to this story and that simply a small part. This is going to be a close call.

Eliza's Freedom Road - The first time I picked this one up, it didn't click but second time in loved it. This is an excellent middle grade debut by Nolen ( she's written several picture books) The story is weaved together very well, I especially enjoyed how Nolen allows Eliza to seamlessly share the stories her mother told her. I will be pulling for this one as well.

Bird in a Box - I loved the premise of this story, set around great the great depression and Joe Louis. I've loved a lot of Andrea Pinkney's work in the past unfortunately this one didn't work for me. I am very conflicted with how the committee with respond to this one. If it was written by another author I think it would be considered briefly, and a few flaws noticed before moving on. However since its by Pinkney I believe it will get more attention.

Silhouetted By the Blue - Traci L. Jones won the John Steptoe award for new talent in 2007 for Standing Against the Wind, an excellent debut. Her sophomore novel was good but this one reminded me of why I feel for Jones writing in the first place. This is one of the best middle grade or young adult novels that deals with depression of a parent. Like Camo Girl this is a well layered story and another one I am pulling for. I am hoping one or two of the committee members have a soft spot for the Wiz. The main character, Serena has the lead in the school musical and they're putting on the Wiz.

Ghetto Cowboy - Neri Knows how to tell a good story and has yet to write anything I haven't liked. While I enjoyed this one I don't think its Neri's best work. There are not a lot of contemporary middle grade novels featuring African American boys - will the committee take that into consideration when judging this one? If they do I'd be okay that because Neri did an excellent job with Cole, the main character's voice.

The only thing I know for sure about the CSK award is that there's one winner. The number of honors varies yearly, usually its two or three. One thing I believe about the CSK award is that its easier for an author to win if they've won in past years

Who I think will win - Patricia C. McKissack for Never Forgotten

Who I want to win - Traci L. Jones for Silhouetted By the Blue

Who I think will honor - Andrea Pinkney for Bird in a Box, Jerdine Nolen for Eliza's Freedom Road, Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri

Who I want to honor - Kekla Magoon for Camo Girl, Jerdine Nolen for Eliza's Freedom Road

Finally, very quickly the John Steptoe Award

The award is established to affirm new talent and to offer visibility to excellence in writing and/or illustration which otherwise might be formally unacknowledged within a given year within the structure of the two awards given annually by the Coretta Scott King Task Force

Who I think will win - Elizabeth Zunon for My Hands Sing the Blues

Who I want to win - Elizabeth Zunon for My Hands Sing the Blues

An Intermisson and Introduction to Birthday Party Pledge

2012-01-13T11:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I posted my first look at the 2012 Corretta Scott King award, looking at all the eligible illustrators. I had initially planned to go over the eligible authors today, though I've decided instead to do a quick intermission and talk about the Birthday Party Pledge. This is a new project that I am very excited about. The purpose of BPP is encourage people to take a pledge to buy multlicutural books for gifts for children in their for one year. Download the Pledge Certificate.

I promise to give multicultural books as gifts to the children in my life for ONE year.
I promise to encourage them to read about and appreciate diversity in all its forms.
I commit myself to building a new generation of readers!

BPP is there to help if your not sure what to buy. There is a help hotline available, allowing for personalized recommendations. BPP wasn't my idea but I am very happy to be a part of it.

So please take some time today to check out The Birthday Party Pledge site and let us know what your think.

The 2012 Coretta Scott King Award (Part 1)

2012-01-12T11:50:00.004-05:00

On Jan 23. all the Youth Media Awards will be announced including the Coretta Scott King Award

Other blogs analyze the rules and regulations of the Newbery, to truly understand the full process and what the judges may infer from a particular passage and so on. If your in search for the same thing for the Corretta Scott King award you came to the wrong place, that's too deep for me. All you'll get here is a quick cut and paste.

Author and Illustrator Awards
Given to African American authors and illustrator for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions, the Coretta Scott King Book Award titles promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream of a pluralistic society.

The award is designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace and world brotherhood.

In 2011, as far as I know there were 13 picture books written and or illustrated by African American artist. Since I am looking at the illustrator award first. (author award tomorrow) I've placed all the potentially eligible authors names in bold.

1.One Love by Cedella Marley, illus. by Vanessa Newton Bradley
2.Lala Salama: A Tanzanian Lullaby by Patricia Maclachan illus. by Elizabeth Zunon
3. Lottie Paris Lives Here by Anglea Johnson illus. by Scott M Fischer
4. Chocolate Me by Taye Diggs illus. by Shane Evans
5. Never Forgotten by Patricia C. Mckissack illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon
6. My Hands Sing The Blues:Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey by Jeanne Walker Harvey illus by Elizabeth Zunon
7. Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson
8. White Water by Michael Bandy and Eric Stein illus by Shadra Strickland
9. Summer Jackson: Grown Up by Teresa E. Harris illus by AG Ford
10. A Nation's Hope by Matt de la Pena, illus. by Kadir Nelson
11. Roots and Blues by Arnold Adoff illus. by R. Gregory Christie
12. The Secret River by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon
13. Before There Was Mozart by Lesa Cline Ransome illus. by James E. Ransome
14. We Are America by Walter Dean Myers, illus. by Christopher Myers
15. Belle, the Last Mule at Gee's Bend by Calvin Alexander Ramsey & Bettye Stroud, illus. by John Holyfield
16. These Hands by Margaret H. Mason, illus. by Floyd Cooper
17. Love Twelve Miles Long by Glenda Armand, illus. by Colin Bootman

That gives us 13 illustrators. Out of that two are ineligible since they don't fit the guidelines of being educational - Summer Jackson : Grown Up illustrated by AG Ford. Eligible or not I loved Summer Jackson and I am a fan of Ford's work. I absolutely loved what he did with Oz.

And the Secret River illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. This was a 1956 Newbery Honor, that was trimmed down and illustrated this year. While shorter this is still a very long story and I should confess I only skimmed it, but don't believe it fits the award guidelines, though who knows come the 24th I could have egg on my face and this will be an honor.

I almost placed Chocolate Me by Shane Evans in the ineligible category for not being educational but it is a story (very cute) about a boy learning to love himself. However I still don't believe its a contender. The same goes for One Love illus. by Vanessa Newton Bradley.

Belle, the Last Mule at Gee's Bend is eligible since its a story about one of the mules that helped pull Dr. Kings funeral wagon. However the illustrations simply didn't work for me. I thought the illustrations were rendered in oil, since that's a hit or miss medium for me but on the copyright page it says acrylic. It several of the spreads the colors appear to be bleeding together and there wasn't enough color contrast.

If Elizabeth Zunon name doesn't sound familiar its because she is a new illustrator, My Hands Sing the Blues and Lala Salama are her first books. If you haven't seen Zunon work yet your seriously missing out. Since Zunon is new she' s probably up for the John Steptoe Award for new talent.

Zunon has a new book coming out on the Jan. 19, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Young Readers Edition

That cuts the number down to only 8 eligible illustrators that I believe are contenders

Leo and Diane Dillon for Never Forgotten
Shadra Strickland for White Water
Floyd Cooper for These Hands
Kadir Nelson for A Nations Hope and Heart and Soul
R. Gregory Christie For Roots and Blues
James E. Ransome for Before There Was Mozart
Christopher Myers for We Are America

It possible that Nelson could win and honor in the same year. However Nelson still must contend with the Dillon's. I've always loved their work. Still have a copy of Honey I love Never Forgotten has received 5 starred reviews - PW, SJL, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. So its a pretty good chance it will garner a CSK award on Jan. 23, the only question is which one, author or illustrator?

Ransome's illustrations for Before There Was Mozart had a elegant and sophisticated feel. This one of those books the longer I looked at the artwork the more I appreciated it. Lesa Cline and James E. Ransome released a new biography this month on a young Fredrick Douglass called Words Set Me Free

The best thing about Myers illustrations for We Are America are his landscapes. His oceans are beautiful.

Roots and Blues was released in Jan. but Christie should not be forgotten. What I love most about R. Gregory Christie, while its easy to recognize his signature style, the medium in which he works always fits the story. His illustrations in Roots and Blues tell a story all by themselves. It's worth seeking out just to get a look at his Robert Johnson.

I enjoyed White Water a lot more then I thought I would. There isn't really much that can done textually with a Jim Crow story. But the author made this able to make this story fun and in return that allowed Strickland more freedom to play visually and that she did. I love the overall playfulness and imagination displayed throughout.

Floyd Cooper is a four time CSK honor recipient and stands a very good chance of getting number five with These Hands. Unfortunately I haven't read this one yet and I am limited to the few spreads on the amazon preview. But I love the little I can see, the illustrations like detailed paintings that were fitted into a picture book and the shadow work is excellent.

Love Twelve Miles Long is another one I haven't read so again I am limited to preview spreads this time via Lee & Low, the publishers site. From what I can see the illustrations look goo. The second one is my favorite, I really like the intensity of the woman's face.

Returning to Nelson - A Nation's Hope, the story of Joe Louis. The first spread that truly caught my eye is the one of Lewis gloves taking up the whole page, has he helps his opponent off the floor. I love the definition and detail in his hands and the contrast against the black page. Much of Nelson's beauty comes from his concentration to detail and the facial expressions of subjects.

However if one of Nelson's books is going to win its going to be Heart and Soul. The story is all Nelson and its easy to see how much time he devoted it. Since Nelson does have two excellent eligible works, the judges should look closely at both. For Nation's Hope the one thing I could've done without are the indistinguishable muted fans in the background, it only appears in two spreads but I wonder if its enough to keep the book from earning an honor.

Who I think will win - Kadir Nelson for Heart and Soul

Who I want to win - Kadir Nelson for Heart and Soul

Who I think will honor - Leo and Diane Dillon for Never Forgotten, Floyd Cooper for These Hands

Who I want to honor- R. Gregory Christie for Roots and Blues, Floyd Cooper for These Hands.

The Whole Story of Half A Girl by Veera Hiranandani

2012-01-11T09:34:00.001-05:00

The Whole Story of Half A Girl by Veera Hiranandani
Sonia has always attended the same private school, Community. After Sonia's father loses his job, there's not enough money to send Sonia and her younger sister, Natasha to Community. Come the new school year Sonia will be entering the sixth grade and going to public school for the first time. At her private school Sonia was never questioned about her identity. Though at the new school, some of other students ask Sonia, What are you? Sonia is trying her best to fit in but finding it difficult when she notices that Black and White students do not hangout together at lunch. Sonia, who's father is Indian and mother is Jewish wonders where this leaves her. Soon Sonia must choose who she will be friends with Kate, a popular cheerleader or Alisha who loves to write.

One of the things I loved about this story besides Sonia's voice, if the fact that while this is in part about a girl understanding her identity, this one aspect of the story doesn't overshadow everything else, and I know could've easily happened. Sonia's family is also coping with her father's most recent bout of depression after losing his job. I thought Hiranandani did an excellent job with this part of the storyline. It reminded me of Silhouetted by Blue by Traci L. Jones in which the main characters father also suffers from depression. With all this going on in, the story never feels too heavy, the author is able to keep a light tone. The story moves at a great pace and is filled with wonderful dialogue. A 2011 debut favorite.

The Whole Story of Half a Girl received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus read both via Hiranandani's blog

The Kirkus reviewer compares Sonia to Blume's main character in Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret. That is classic goodness and a lot to live up to and Hiranandani does just that.

An excerpt

You Want Me To Do What? (Why I No Longer Have an Indie, Hello Amazon)

2012-01-10T09:34:00.002-05:00

Since the Borders I've worked at closed last May, I made the decision to start shopping at an indie bookstore. It's not that close to me but its very convienent for me to get to and I enjoy visiting that part of town. So yesterday I called with the intention of ordering two of my favorite books from 2011, What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez and Vanished by Sheeri Chari. The first four or five times I called the line was busy. Then I remember the store had a signing coming up with John Green, but I thought it was later in the month. So I decided to go to their website, and double check the phone number and the day of the event. I had the right number and the Green's signing is on the 15th. However they were on the phone all day confirming tickets, hence the busy line.

When I was calling I will admit to being a bit frustrated that the line was busy. At the same time I was happy because I knew a busy line meant business for the store. After giving it a little time before I called again and a bookseller picked up. I told her I wanted to buy two books, and if they weren't in stock I wanted to order them. I gave her the first title What Can't Wait and the author. She found it easily.

I gave her the second title but I didn't have the author. Having worked at a bookstore, I know that it can be very frustrating to search a one worded title without an author. So I told the bookseller everything I knew about Vanished - that it was published in 2011, it's a middle grade mystery, written by a South Asian author, I also gave her the publisher and the imprint.

The bookseller searches the title and comes up with a 100 matches and tells me she can't find the book. I am thinking to myself WTF really I gave you all that information and you can't find it. No matter how outdated or archaic a stores search engine is it should be able to display title matches based on publication date. So while the bookseller was telling me she couldn't find it I was thinking to myself how many books in the U.S. could've been published last year entitled Vanished. Mind you I didn't say this out loud. Nor did I say when I used to work at Borders our computers could search by date, can't yours do that. I trust that people know how to do their jobs. I am not the type of customer who tells someone how to do their jobs, I hated customers like that.

I didn't expect nor want the bookseller to scroll through the 100 matches. However I did expect a little more effort. If she had looked through the first three pages and didn't find the book, I would've happily said thank you for trying, I will call back later with the author's name. Or If the bookseller had simply offered to get my information and call me back after she did a quick search, I would've politely declined the wonderful offer and called back later with the authors name. For me excellent customer is sometimes showing a willingness to make effort. There was no effort here. While the bookseller was not helpful she was at least nice. But sometimes nice is not enough.

When I searched Vanished on amazon, Sheela Chari's wonderful middle grade debut was the 7th title on the first page. Of the 11 titles that appear on the first page only 3 there were published in 2011 and only one by a South Asian author. When I searched it on Barnes & Noble.com it the was the 19th book on the first page. I am still baffled as to why the bookseller couldn't find it.

When the bookseller suggested I call back when I had the author, I was thinking to myself you want me to do what? I was livid. I did something I normally don't do I asked if someone else there could take a look. I don't do this because I don't like to question anyones ability to do their job. If they're new or unsure of something its up to them to seek out the help of a co-worker.

I heard people laughing in the background and assumed at least one of them was another sales assoicate. The Little shop of stories bookseller basically told me there's no where else to look and there's nothing we can do. She didn't even take the time to ask her co-workers, in a childern's bookstore mind you, if they were familiar with the middle grade title I was looking for. Inside I was seething.

I did not scream or question the booksellers lack of effort. Nor did I say I am never shopping at The Little Shop of Stories again, though I won't be. I simply said thank you, I will buy the books elsewhere. I did not say I will be buying the books from amazon, though I will be.

The Challenge/ No Predictions This Year (Maybe)

2012-01-09T10:01:00.002-05:00

I signed up for the comment challenge that's put together by Mother Reader and Lee Wind, so I've been blog hopping and leaving a few comments of my own. Though I figured since I entered the challenge I needed new content here.

On Jan. 23 the ALA Youth Media Awards will be announced, the last two years I posted by predictions. I am not having must luck, my Printz predictions are especially bad, having gotten none correct. I am a superstitious* person, unlike author James Preller who did this wonderful interview with Carmen Deedy about The Cheshire Cheese Cat (loved it, fingers are crossed). Preller had no problem mentioning one of the awards outright. So I am contemplating whether or not I will make predictions this year. Though I don't like the idea of not guessing then some of the books I would've listed medal because I won't get any I told ya so bragging rights. However the superstitious me thinks the reason why these titles did medal is because I didn't guess. This here is a true conundrum.

Though for the first time I will be looking at all the contenders for the Corretta Scott King award. I will be looking at the illustrator award first. By my count there were 14 picture books written and or illustrated by an African American artists. Today I took another look at my signed copy (thanks Edi) of A Nation's Hope by Matt de la Pena, which was illustrated by Kadir Nelson, and I couldn't help but wonder if Nelson could win and honor, since he always wrote and illus. Heart and Soul this year. But will get into this more later in the week probably Thursday,followed by a look at all the eligible books for the author award. To look at the Corretta Scott King award and not the is Pura Belpre is no bueno so that will follow.

Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons (On Sale Now)

2012-01-05T07:38:00.001-05:00

Author Kelly Starling Lyons newest picture book, Ellen's Broom, illustrated by Daniel Minter was released today. Lyons will be on a nine day blog tour starting today. The full schedule can be found here. The first stop is at Simple Saturday. Just three questions but I love Lyons answers. See for yourself and leave a comment for a chance at a prize.

"Anyone who leaves a comment on any of Kelly's tour stops will be entered in a drawing for the grand prize - a signed poster of the Ellen's Broom cover and a decorated wedding broom from Stuart's Creations (www.stuartscreations.com). The winner will be drawn on January 16. So make a comment, y'all!!! Win that broom."

Check out the great trailer. The music is a perfect fit.

Kirkus review

2012 Books That Caught My Eye

2011-12-31T11:00:00.006-05:00

I decided to end the year by showcasing some 2012 titles that I am looking forward to. Thanks to netgalley and early arc I've already read a few and know there are a lot of excellent books coming out in 2012.

January
Stars in the Shadows by Charles R. Smith jr. illus. by Frank Morrison

Freedom's a Callin Me by Ntozake Shange illus. by Rod Brown
When Grandmama Sings by Margaree King Mitchell illus. by James Ransome
Just as Good: How Larry Doby Changed America's Game by Chris Cowe illus. by Mike Benny
Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons illus. by Daniel Minter
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

The Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani
Irises by Francisco X. Stork
Living Violet by Jaime Reed
In Darkness by Nick Lake
The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards

Feburary
The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez

King of the Mound by Wes Tooke
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
Bad Boy by Dream Jordan

No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Ship of Souls by Zetta Elliott
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Dead to You by Lisa McMann
Pure by Julianna Baggott
Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman

March
Explorer:The Mystery Boxes edited by Kazu Kibuishi

Freddie Ramos Makes A Splash by Jacqueline Jules
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Into the Wise Dark by Neesha Meminger

Tessa Masterson Will Go To Prom by Brendan Halpin and Emily Franklin
Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator by Josh Berk
Boy21 by Matthew Quick

Ripper by Stefan Petrucha
The Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George
The Girl who could Silence the Wind by Meg Medina

Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

April
Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger

A Topps Town Story by Kurtis Scaletta illus. by Eric Wright
Giants Beware by Jorge Aquirre illus. by Rafeal Rosado
Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

13 Hangmen by Art Corriveau
Thou Shall Not Road Trip by Antony John
I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Ghost Flower by Michele Jaffe
The Night She Disappeared by April Henry
Above by Leah Bobet
The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson

May
The Rumor by Anushka Ravishankar illus. by Kanyika Kini

A Hero for Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi
The Quick Fix by Jack D. Ferraiolo
Wanted by Heidi Ayarbe

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
37Things I Love (in no particular order) by Kekla Magoon
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze
Happy Families by Tanita S. Davis

June
Love Bean by Chudney Ross

Miracle by Elizabeth Scott
Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo

July
Love Amalia by Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel M. Zubizarreta

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta
Team Human by Sarah Rees Brennan and Justine Larbalestier
Before You Go by James Preller

August
A Certain October by Angela Johnson
The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney
Fire in the Streets by Kekla Magoon

September
The Broken Lands by Kate Miford
Speed of Light by Amber Kizer
Adaptation by Malinda Lo

The Jewel of the Kalderash - Marie Rutkoski

2011-12-29T11:03:00.005-05:00

The Jewel of the Kalderash by Marie Rutkoski
This is the third book in the kronos chronicles. I was really looking forward to it because I loved the first two. When the Celestial Globe ended Petra and her friends Tomik and Neel were headed to Neel's home country of Roma, sailing with a Roma crew. The Jewel of the Kalderash begins were the second book ended, the three are on the last journey of the trip. Once in Roma Neel who was always teased for not knowing who his birth mother is, discover the truth and it changes his future. Petra is still trying to save her father who has been turned into a monster by the Prince of Bohemia. Neel will use his natural skills with glass to help his best friend Petra anyway he can.
I really enjoyed seeing these characters again, (of course Petra's tin spider Astrophil was there) and meeting a few new one. The story is filled with a lot of great dialogue, always liked watching the changing dynamics of three characters various relationships. The Jewel of the Kalderash did not disappoint. It was a very satisfying ending. Highly recommend for anyone who has read the first two books. This series must be read in order and since I enjoyed it so much I will also add the excerpt from book one, Cabinet of Wonders

excerpt

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach - Brenda Woods

2011-12-28T09:56:00.000-05:00

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach lives in New Orleans with his parents. Saint's a natural clarinetist and he earns money playing on the Quarter for tourists. This was before Hurricane Katrina. The novel opens with Saint talking about his before and how the after keeps getting better. Saint begins his story with his best day pre Katrina, which was one week and two days before it hit.

The novels strengths lies in Saint's voice. Woods does an excellent job with it, along with Saint's relationship with his parents. Saint's love of music shines through. My favorite secondary character was Miz Moran an older woman who refused to evacuate, Saint finds himself spending a lot of time with her. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed one minute Saint's in danger after an impulsive act, the next he's with his parents again. Though overall this was an enjoyable read.

Read an excerpt

Dog Whisperer:Storm Warning - Nicholas Edwards

2011-12-19T09:13:00.000-05:00

Dog Whisperer:Storm Warning by Nicholas Edwards
Emily has a special connection with Zack, her dog she helped rescue. Zack can always sense when someone is in trouble and when that happens the two go running to help because they can read each others minds. When a storm hits their small Maine town, Emily and Zack are quick to lend a hand and a paw (ha ha ha) but seriously I loved the first book "Rescue" and I was glad to finally see another book come out in the series. Emily and Zack take a lot of risk to come to the aid of others, the author builds the suspense well. While the first one is my favorite this was still a good read. I really like how the author is not limiting Emily's ability to connect only to Zack, instead Edwards is stretching the boundaries of Emily's gift allowing her converse with different animals. As this series continues it will be interesting to see how this skill develops. Dog Whisperer is just a fun series for anyone who love dog stories.

excerpt

Zapato Power - Jacqueline Jules, Miguel Benitez

2011-12-13T12:58:00.003-05:00

Zapato Power : Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue by Jacqueline Jules illus. by Miguel Benitez
Freddie's specially designed purple sneakers give him super speed and can even out run a train. He keeps his superhero ability a secret and is always looking for ways to come to the rescue. A rogue squirrel that finds its way into the school, is covered in paint. Freddie is determined to find who is responsible. The mystery behind the painted squirrel was fun and I really enjoyed Benitez playful illustrations. This is the third Freddie Ramos adventure and its just as much fun as the last two. Each story works very well as a stand alone. Though together there is a great connection. The author is doing an excellent job keeping the reader interested in Freddie, his super power and his world.

Lottie Paris:Lives Here - Angela Johnson - Scott M. Fischer

2011-12-05T07:18:00.007-05:00

Lottie Paris:Lives Here by Angela Johnson illus. by Scott M. Fischer
This is a wonderfully fun story about Lottie Paris. It's very text light with no more than a few sentences per page. The story has a great rhythm from beginning to end

"Ooookay, those aren't Lottie's feet. They're Papa Pete's. But Lottie is the short one wearing his boots, cause Lottie Paris is ready to walk."

I love Fischer's very colorful illustrations. He's given Lottie a lot of personality. The text and illustrations are a perfect fit. Sometimes I forget along with her YA novels, Johnson also writes picture books which is a shame because they are very good. Lottie Paris:Lives Here is my favorite so far. I loved it.

A Little Otis Redding... Because

2011-12-03T09:18:00.000-05:00

I just finished Sara Zarr's latest YA novel How to Save a Life , reading Zarr makes me happy not because the subject matter is light, its never that but the author handles everything with such care and I am always moved by the strength of her writing. How to Save a Life has received five starred reviews An excerpt

One of the main characters, Jill MacSweeney has fond memories connected to Try a Little Tenderness, giving me a great excuse to share some Otis Redding

And I couldn't resist the urge to include my favorite scene from Pretty in Pink

MG & YA Authors of Color Published in 2011

2011-11-29T09:38:00.005-05:00

Last year I compiled a list of the Latino MG/YA authors published in 2010. There were just 14 MG/YA novels written by Latino authors. Author Zetta Elliott compiled a list of Black MG/YA authors published in 2011 - There were just 35 MG/YA novels written by Black authors. This year I will be looking at all the books published by authors of color who are not Black and comparing the total of authors published to Elliott's list.

2 American Indian authors published
1.Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, Aug. 23)
2.Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac (Tu publishing, Sept 15)

28 Asian authors published
1.The Great Wall of Lucy Lu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang (Scholastic, Jan.1)
2.Clara Lee & Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han (Little Brown, Jan. 4)
3.Jazz in Love by Neesha Meminger (Self Published, Jan. 10)
4..Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda (Hyperion, Jan. 25)
5.Tall Story by Candy Gourlay (David Fickling, Feb.8)
6.Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhai Lai (Harpercollins, Feb.22)
7. Lost and Found by Shaun Tan (Arthur A. Levine, March 1)
8. Warp Speed by Lisa Yee (Arthur A. Levine, March 1)
9. Rocket Girls by Housuke Nojiri (Viz Media, March 15)
10. Odd Girl In by Jo Whittemore ( Aladdin, March 22)
11.Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon (Greenwillow, March 29)
12.Huntress by Malinda Lo (Little Brown, April 5)
13.The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami ( Atheneum, May 24)
14.Level Up by Gene Luen Yang ( First Second, June 7)
15.The Detention Club by David Yoo (Brazer+Bray, June 21)
16.Bestest Ramadan Ever by Medeia Sharif (Flux, July 8)
17.Vanished by Sheela Chari (Hyperion, July 26)
18.Stir it Up by Ramin Ganeshram (Scholastic, Aug 1)
19.Island's End by Padma Venkatraman (Putnam Juvenile, Aug. 4)
20.Money Boy by Paul Yee (Groundwork, Aug. 23)
21. Drawing from Memory by Allen Say (Scholastic Press, Sept 1)
22.Alvin Ho: Allergic to Dead Bodies, Funerals, and Other Fatal Circumstances by Lenore Look (Schwartz & Wade, Sept. 13)
23.Dragon of Silk by Laurence Yep (Harpercollins, Sept. 13)
24.Sita Ramayana by Sita Brahmachari (Groundwood, Sept. 27)
25.There Is No Long Distance Now by Naomi Shihab Nye (Greenwillow, Oct. 11)
26.Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow by Daniel Nayeri (Candlewick, Oct. 25)
27.Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi ( Harpercollins, Nov. 15)
28.Legend by Marie Lu (Putnam Juvenille, Nov 29)

17 Latino authors published
1.The Trouble With Half A Moon by Danette Vigilante (Putnam, Jan. 26)
2.Hidden by Tomas Mournian (Kensington, Feb. 1)
3.SkateFate by Juan felipe Herrera (Rayo, Feb. 22)
4.Hurricane Dancers by Margarita Engle (Henry Holt and Co. March 15)
5.Boyfriends With Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez (Simon&Schuster, April 29)
6.You Don't Have A Clue edited by Sarah Cortez ( Pinata, April 30)
7.If I Could Fly by Judith Ortiz Cofer (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, May 24)
8.The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Spain) (Little Brown, May 31)
9.Tomas and the Magic Race Cars by Ramon Mesa Ledesma ( Two Harbors, July 1)
10.Stolen Girl by Yxta Maya Murray (Razorbill, July 7)
11.Dancing Home by Alma Flor Ada (Atheneum, July 12)
12.Dreams of Significant Girls by Cristina Garica (Simon&Schuster, July 12)
13.Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia Mccall ( Lee&Low, Sept 9)
14.How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over by Julia Alvarez (Knopf, Sept 13)
15.What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez (Carolrhoda, Sept 29)
16.The Cheshire Cheese Cat by Carmen Deedy & Randall Wright (Peachtree, Oct. 1)
17. Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel by Xavier Garza (Cinco Puntos, Oct 18)

3 authors of Mixed heritage published
1.Illegal by Bettina Restrepo (Katherin Tegae, March 8)
2. The Boy at the End of the World (Bloosmbury, June 21)
3.Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson (Flux, July 8)

50 MG/YA authors of color (excluding Black authors) published in 2011. Since a few of the authors listed released two titles in 2011, the heading of each purposely states the number of authors published as opposed to novels written.

Before comparing this to Elliott's list of Black MG/YA authors published in 2011 I must point out a few things.

I went over this list several times and had it checked by others, however I know there's still a margin of error, including having forgotten or been unaware of some authors.

You Don't Have A Clue edited by Sarah Cortez is a collection of short story mysteries by 18 Latino authors.

One of Elliott's criteria was U.S. based authors only. In the end, since I don't think it matters where a novel was published first as long as it was published in The United States, I decided to include the four titles by none U.S. based authors, Tall Story, Lost and Found, Dark Goddess and Sita's Ramayana. However Elliott's focus on U.S. based authors did not impact the results since there were no MG/YA imports by Black authors published this year in the U.S.

I included one self published novel, Jazz in Love. This was a very difficult decision, truth be told it probably should have been left off, since one point of this list is to count titles by mainstream publishers. In the end the decision to keep Meminger's novel, came down to two reasons. I interviewed the author this year which leads me to my first reason. I am biased and I freely admit that because Jazz in Love is good. Which leads me to my second reason, Meminger's first novel was published by mainstream publisher and it felt wrong to leave off her second, which is as good and in some cases better than other books I've read this year

The biggest limitation for this feature is that I did not have the opportunity or means in which to allow authors to self identify. I did my best to correctly classify everyone, including in some cases researching name origins. However if I did incorrectly classify an author, my apologies. My only intention was to show how middle grade and young adult authors of color are still underrepresented.

I've said enough, so now I will let the numbers speak for themselves.

There were 35 Black MG/YA authors published in 2011

Combined (excluding Black authors) there were 50 MG/YA authors of color published in 2011

Including the 18 Latino authors from the short story collection - its a grand total of 102 MG/YA authors of color published in 2011. Without the boost from the collection the number drops to 85

Everyone who looked this over was very helpful. I want to especially thank librarian/blogger Edi Campbell, her input was much need and appreciated. Also without her I would've overlooked several authors.

Fake Me A Match - Lauren Barnholdt

2011-11-28T08:34:00.004-05:00

Fake Me A Match by Lauren Barnholdt
Avery's old best friend Sophie stopped being friends with her in the 7th grade. She is looking for a new best friend and her mother is getting remarried. Avery hopes Blake her new step sister will be her new best friend. Though somehow Blake starts hanging out with Sophie. When Avery is put in charge of schools online matchmaking charity project, she suddenly becomes popular

"My hand shoots up into the air before I can stop it. "Excuse me." I say. "I thought you just said we were going to be doing a matchmaking service, but that cannot be right." Is is possible she means, like career matchmaking? You know, where you take one of those aptitude tests and they tell you what career you're suited for? "Oh, its right," Ms. Tosh says. "You see, we polled the students on what kind of charity project they'd like to see this year, and matchmaking service was at the top of this list." "What poll?" I ask. "I don't remember any poll," And if there had been a poll, I definitely would not have voted for a matchmaking service. How the heck am I going to put that on my college applications? As a seventh grader, I raised money for Children's Hospital Boston by running a matchmaking sevice?"

There are just the right amount of misunderstandings and mishaps, from Avery and Blake liking the same boy and Sophie trying to get between the two. I also loved the adopted dogs. Avery and Blake both get a dog from the pound. Blake's is very well behaved, while Avery's gets into everything. This was a great light and fun novel. I laughed out loud several times. The cover doesn't do the story justice. First impression I didn't think Fake Me a Match would be good and I was happy to be proven wrong. An excellent tween read.

A Good Long Way - Rene Saldana Jr.

2011-11-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

A Good Long Way by Rene Saldana, Jr.
This novel explores one day in the life of three teens. Beto Jr. is high school senior who is challenging the house rules set by his father, Roelito is the younger brother who must witness is brother and father argue on a regular basis. After another missed curfew the arguing turns physical for the first time. Roelito can only watch has their father kick his older brother out. Beto heads to the house of his best friend, Jessy. The chapters alternate between the three main characters. Their are straightforward, real and inviting I didn't want their stories to end. The heart of the story revolves around the changing relationship between Beto Sr. and Jr. Of the three my favorite was Jessy there was just something about her story that I loved.

"She decided she'd find her way back to her house. That's how she thought of it now, a house, nothing home about it, four walls of her room inside another four walls. Not even her mom helped out except to say, "Storm's coming. Lock yourself in." Well, she was done with locking herself in. She had to reenvision that whole business. Call it by another name."

However unlike myself the author doesn't play favorites. All the characters get the same amount of face time. Saladana manages to explore complex relationships in just over 100 pages (105). A Good Long Way reads like three intertwined novellas, the text has a lyrical quality to it. This is a novel in which the full goodness of it can sneak up on you.

Read an excerpt

Deva Fagan Interview - Part II

2011-11-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome back for part II of my interview with author Deva Fagan. If you missed it Part I

As the story played out did you ever flip flop on who the "good guys" and "bad guys" were?

I did definitely make it a point to try to understand why every character would be doing what he or she was doing. When Nyl tries to convince Trix to join his "side", for example, I like to think that he truly believes his own arguments. And for that to ring true, I had to try to convince myself

I love following a writers career from the beginning and watching them go into their craft. I've enjoyed all your books, with each new one you've given more than the last time.

How do you continue to challenge and push yourself?

I think the first step is recognizing that you want to push yourself, and identifying what your strengths and weaknesses are. I've always loved world-building and coming up with cool ideas, but it wasn't until I really started paying attention to character and voice that I actually managed to publish my first book. And even now I recognize that character (especially character motivation) is my danger zone. I can get carried away with cool ideas and not pay enough attention to why my character is doing what she's doing. So that's something I try to be aware of with each new book.

Another thing I do is to look at my own absolute favorite books, and figure out why it is I love them so, and ask how I can develop the same qualities in my own stories. For example, one of the things I love about the Harry Potter series is how I feel like each of the secondary characters has his or her own story to tell. I would read a book about Neville's adventures, or Hermione's, just as happily as I'd read about Harry.

With Circus Galacticus, I knew I wanted to push myself to present a similarly wide cast of characters-- wider and richer than in my previous books. To do so, I needed to be sure I knew each of them well enough that I could imagine writing an interesting and fun story from that other character's point of view.

Your endings are crescendo good and I wasn't kidding when I said I may have to start calling you The Closer in my review.

What is it about endings that bring the best out of you?

Wow, thank you! That is high praise! As a reader I hate it when a book I'm enjoying peters out, or ends in a sort of hasty confused muddle. So I do certainly try my best to make my own endings satisfying.

I write outlines for my books, so I do make sure I know how they'll end, in a general sense, before I write them. Not that I know all the details of the ending before I get there-- but I try to make sure I know where I'm headed in terms of the main character's emotional arc. I need to know right from the start what's at stake, so that I can build to that climax where the character grapples with their big issue.

So for Trix, one of the big questions she has to confront is whether she truly belongs anywhere. She desperately wants to have a home, and she also wants to be special and cool and "a star." So I knew that she was going to have to face those desires at the end of the book, and thus that was something I worked toward in writing the big climax and the last few chapters.

Circus Galacticus is a very visual read. One thing that stood out for me was the naturally diverse cast and the character art created by Loraine Sammy is great. Would you ever consider writing a graphic novel edition?

I would LOVE to work on a graphic novel edition, if a publisher were interested! I have been a comic book fan since I was a kid. I started off reading Archies but quickly moved on to superhero comics. My favorites were the X-Men and especially their junior counterparts, the New Mutants (who are a wonderfully diverse superhero team, I will add)

And when I was writing Circus Galacticus I often imagined the scenes in my mind like panels in a comic. So yes, it would be a dream come true to work on a graphic novel!

I think its fitting and a great sign that the Muppets who helped inspire Circus Galacticus are making a come back right now.

Also this year there seems to be a resurgence of middle grade and young adult novels set in space or with aliens.

As a girl who grew up watching Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who (among others) I am always looking for more of that sort of thing!People keep saying that there's a certain bias against science fiction, but there's so much space adventure on the big and small screen that it certainly seems like the audience is there.

Okay I am going to very careful with this next question because I've always been superstitious. (but I can't resist asking) It's that time of year again when people begin to make guesses and predictions for the upcoming ALA awards.

Are you an author that likes seeing your books on mock list? Why or why not?

Hee! I blush even to be asked this question. I'd certainly be flattered, especially since mock lists are put together by people who truly love books. Knowing that such folks thought well of my story would make me very happy.

But that said, I will admit that my primary aim in writing is not critical acclaim. I want to write books that entertain and that make people think about life. The best "award" is knowing that a reader has truly enjoyed one of my books.

Deva Fagan Interview - Part I

2011-11-17T10:17:00.001-05:00

Deva Fagan's newest book for young readers, Circus Galacticus was released earlier this month. Read the first chapter but do come back to enjoy the interview.

Hi Deva. Can you tell us a little about the inspiration for Circus Galacticus?

Sure! First, it's the story of Trix Ling, an Earth girl who runs away to join an intergalactic circus. I watched The Muppet Show a lot as a kid, which left me with many happy memories, but also with the tendency to mentally add "...IN....SPAAAAACE...!" to the end of random statements (if that makes no sense to you, watch this. I had been watching videos of Cirque du Soleil performances, which thus led to Circus... IN... SPAAAAAACE...!

I actually tried to write it as a more gritty adult version of the story first, but it wasn't working, so I set it aside for a few years. When I came back to it later, I decided to try reworking it with teenagers, and it all fell into place, playing off the old notion of "running away to join the circus."

I think it's an enchanting, magical concept to many of us because we are looking for a place where we belong. But at the same time, we want to be special and unique. How do you balance those two somewhat contrary desires? With the circus, we can have both. We can be freaks with other freaks, united in our freakdom. What makes us bizarre can also make us shine under the spotlight.

United in our freakdom is something everyone should get behind.
When the reader is first introduced to Trix (pre pink hair) we meet the fighter as she confronts a bully. Soon after the reader meets Trix the dreamer. It wasn't until I read Circus Galacticus the second time that I made this distinction to the introduction to the many sides of Trix, though I think its a vital one, since a dreamer must be strong enough to protect their dream.

Did you consciously have Trix stand up to her tormentor in the opening scene?

I did. When I was a kid I was teased a lot myself. I was geeky, I wore glasses, I had a "weird" name that teachers inevitably mispronounced, I was one of the tallest girls in my class, I had braces. Worst of all, I was shy, and I think the bullies could sense my "weakness." I remember my mom encouraging me to stand up to them and tell them to stop (I think she even bribed me to do it with the offer of a trip to the bookstore!).

And I tried, but I was too nervous and meek to make it count. And they didn't stop teasing me. It was nothing compared to what some kids suffer, but it still left a mark on my thin-skinned soul.

So when I asked myself what kind of girl would run away to join an intergalactic circus, I knew that she had to be both a dreamer and a fighter, as you put it. I wanted Trix to stand up to people who tried to put her down, as I hadn't really been able to.

As someone who has not always appreciated the beauty that is fantasy, sometimes I am still scared by overcomplicated worldbuilding. The world you created in Circus Galacticus is straight forward and there's a very good chance that this first fantasy novel reluctant readers of fantasy will love.

Oh, I am so happy to hear you didn't find the worldbuilding overwhelming! One of my main goals in constructing the world Trix gets to explore was to make it approachable. I love science fiction myself, but I know there are many readers who worry that they are going to need to solve differential equations to be able to enjoy it. And that's not true! There's so much good science fiction out there that I think readers would enjoy if they gave it a chance.

So I intentionally set Circus Galacticus on the soft side of science fiction. I did not include a lot of hard science or technical descriptions. And since Trix is coming at it from the perspective of an Earth girl (albeit an astronomy-obsessed Earth girl) she has to figure it all out too. So the reader and Trix learn together about alien technology and galactic history and all that.

One of my biggest hopes is that readers will pick up Circus Galacticus and enjoy it, and then maybe move on to other science fiction! And that we might then see more science fiction for younger readers get published.

The Ringmaster, the head of the intergalactic circus has a magnetic personality that shines through. Were you ever worried that he would overshadow Trix?

In a way. I will admit that I myself have quite a fondness for the Ringmaster, and he's definitely fun to write about! Fortunately Trix also came to me with a very strong voice and personality, so she never let him take over while I was writing. And because she is a fighter, and stubborn, and an action-girl, she stands up to him when necessary.

One of my favorite scenes to write was Chapter 10, "The Lighthouse", which I actually added in its entirety during one of the later revisions. Part of the reason I added that bit was to explore the Ringmaster's character, to show a bit of both his strengths and weaknesses, and (most importantly) to show Trix and he working as a team, in a situation where she can help him and provide support and encouragement.

I loved the Lighthouse chapter, the Ringmaster was both strong and venerable. It's an excellent example of your mutlilayered characters who kept me on my toes. I had a difficult time of always knowing who had Trix's best interest at heart.

As the story played out did you ever flip flop on who the "good guys" and "bad guys" were?

to be continued...

Come back tomorrow for Part II

Salute to City Reading- Silver Sparrow (Atlanta)

2011-11-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

Today I am happy to take part in city reading day wherein bloggers will be highlighting novels in which the city setting shines. There's something very nice about reading a book where the city is not mere background, but so developed it becomes another vital part of the story.

Silver Sparrow is Tayari Jones third novel like her previous two it is set in the city of Atlanta. This was my introduction to Jones writing I've heard great things about the author for years and her work lived up to the high praise.

I had the opportunity to go to one of the author's book signings when she was in Atlanta. You know an author is good when people will stay in a room with no air conditioning in summer(in the south mind you). I think that speaks volumes for Jones talent and how much she will always be loved by her native city.

At the signing Jones talked about the setting and how authors have the ability to capture the history of a city within a novel. When I read Silver Sparrow I could not help but notice and appreciate how much care Jones took with her city setting. It was simply one more reason for me to call this a 2011 favorite.

"Jones beautifully evokes Atlanta in the 1980's while creating gritty, imperfect characters whose pain lingers in the reader's heart." - Kirkus Reviews.

Read the first chapter

The round up for a salute to city reading can be found here at Colleen Mondor's blog Chasing Ray
Colleen also contributes to Guyslitwire, today they have announced their holiday book fair and will be teaming up again with Ballou High School in Washington D.C., the school's story

Circus Galacticus - Deva Fagan

2011-11-14T09:00:00.003-05:00

Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan
Trix's parents always told her she was special. Since their fatal accident Trix is having a difficult time believing them. Trix has no friends and doesn't fit in at her boarding school. The students class are going to see the touring circus, Circus Galacticus. After Trix spots from small print on the Circus Galacticus poster that she can see, she doesn't know what to make it.

At the circus a strange man is after Trix. Running blindly Trix discovers the hidden world of circus galacticus. Lead by a young man named Ringmaster, populated by people from different galaxies, they travel the universe putting on shows.When given the chance Trix quickly agrees to stay abroad. Trix hopes she's finally found somewhere to fit in and finally discover her special abilities.

I enjoyed this one so much and loved Trix. Once again Fagan incorporates a naturally diverse cast. The story moves at a good clip, its filled with action, mystery and danger. The character's relationships were as important as the action. So there was the right about of heart. As someone who didn't grow up reading fantasy, I appreciate the uncomplicated worldbuilding. After Trix joins Circus Galacticus, it was easy to learn along with her about the new world.

As the circus travels the universe Trix learns a few secrets about the place she might want to call home. This was great from the beginning and kept getting better. I loved being surprised with an unexpected turn especially one that's beautifully done. I might have to start calling Fagan the closer. At the halfway mark there's always an extra bit of wow.

An excerpt

This weekend I will be posting a two part interview with the author. It wasn't suppose to be a two parter but I thought the whole thing went very well together and there was no need to edit out a question.

Latasha and the Little Red Tornado - Michael Scotto

2011-11-10T11:56:00.007-05:00

Latasha and the Little Red Tornado by Michael Scotto
I was very excited when I learned about this book. In the past few years there have been more early chapter series with young Black female protagonist. Like Dyamonde Daniel by Nikki Grimes or Keena Ford by Melissa Thomson. But it's nearly impossible to find stories just beyond that early reader stage with a Black girl as the main character.

At first glance at the cover and summary, I thought Latasha and the Little Red Tornado, would help this unnecessary gap. When my review copy arrived I was not dissappointed. It was exactly what I thought it would be and a wonderful debut. On the second page I learned Latasha is biracial. Scotto doesn't delve into this but its nice to see the author create a character that many young readers will be able to relate to and who probably don't get to see all that often.

8 yr old Latasha lives with her mom and puppy Ella. Latasha is doing her best to train two year old Ella who is still getting into everything. Latasha spends the afternoon with their landlady/downstairs neighbor Mrs.Okocho and hears how loud Ella can get. Afraid that she might lose Ella, Latasha get serious about puppy training.

From the beginning I was really into this story and loved Latasha's voice.

The first paragraph.

"Momma told me that there is a time in a puppy's life right around its second birthday - when it just starts to get it. The puppy starts to listen to you all the time and not just some of the time. She stops crying for food under the table and just patiently waits for a scrap. She realizes that yes, her tail actually is part of her body, and no, she'll probably never catch it. Basically, the puppy stops being a puppy and becomes a dog. Momma said it happens very quickly, like someone flipped a switch in the animal's brain. I wish someone would hit that switch for Ella."

There's so much to like about this story from Latasha's relationship to her mother to Latasha new friendship at school. And of course all that puppy enegry that is Ella. This was so much fun to read. I enjoyed the ending but was bit surprised by it. Don't worry it wasn't in the style of Old Yeller and everyone is smiling inculding Ella.

The chapters are short, about 6 pages per. Evette Gabriel's beautiful illustrations are great and make this story a little more fun for young readers who are in search of novel that are just a little bit longer.

Latasha and the Little Red Tornado comes out November 15th and is published by the newly formed imprint, Mildlandia Press.

Read an excerpt

How The Leopard Got His Claws - Chinua Achebe, Mary Grandpre

2011-11-09T09:05:00.000-05:00

How The Leopard Got His Claws by Chinua Achebe with John Iroaganachi, illus. by Mary Grandpre
This fable begins with all the forest animals living amongst each other as friends. Without confrontation there was no need for sharp teeth or claws. Even the Leopard was the king only had small teeth and no claws. With the exception of the dog, all the animals help build a house were they could rest. Everything is going well until the dog uses violence to over take the Leopards power. The Leopard leaves longing for revenge on the dog and the other animals who turned their back on him.

I read this a while back and enjoyed it. Though now that I am rereading for review, I am enjoying it that much more. The animal power struggle reminded me of Orwell's Animal Farm .

"King Leopard turned to the animals and said " let us go in together and drive out the enemy. He is strong, but he is alone. We are many. Together we can drive him out of our house." But the goat said, "We cannot face him. Look at his strong teeth! He will tear us to pieces."

Grandpre's illustrations are lovely. The warm palette is very fitting to the stories tone. The vibrant action also balances out the text.

An excerpt

Black&White - Larry Dane Brimner

2011-11-07T09:23:00.006-05:00

Black&White by Larry Dane Brimner
In Brimner's latest non fiction book for young readers, he explores the confrontation between Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor, in Birmingham, Alabama during the 1950's and 60's. To grab the readers attention, the author begins by mentioning the first time the KKK tired to kill Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth. From there Brimner gives the reader more background information from both men, starting with Rev. Shuttlesworth.

This is a wonderfully through introduction for any young reader unfamiliar with Birmingham's awful history of race relations. I appreciated that the author did not shy away from Birmingham's nickname of Bombingham. It's visually appealing with black and white photographs throughout, and some memorable quotes from both men can be found in bold on the sidebar.

"We nicknamed him (the judge) Injunctionitis Jones." remembered Fred. He issued so many injunctions against the NAACP and the black struggle that many Negroes believed white "officials could ask Jones to issue an injunction against the sunshine and he would do it.

Black&White is written in an engaging matter to hold readers attention. It also takes a closer look at two men who played a very important role in Birmingham's race relations, making it a standout amongst many of the other books about the civil rights era.

Black&White is well researched and sourced. Several pages of back matter are included. The book has recieved two starred reviews - Kirkus and Booklist

An excerpt

I've linked this post to the nonfiction Monday roundup. This week's roundup can be found at non fiction reviews can be found at Charlotte's Library

On Sale Now : New Releases

2011-11-01T09:47:00.002-04:00

New Releases for the Month of October and November featuring characters of color or a diverse cast.
One Love by Cedella Marley illus. by Vanessa Newton Bradley

Lala Salama: A Tanzanian Lullaby by Patricia Maclachan illus. by Elizabeth Zunon

Dear Baobab by Cheryl Foggo illus. by Qin Leng

Love Twelve Miles Long by Glenda Armand illus. by Colin Bootman

Lottie Paris Lives Here by Anglea Johnson illus. by Scott M Fischer ( a missed Aug. release)

Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan illus. by Ron Mazellan

A Bailer! Lets Dance by Judith Ortiz Cofer illus. by Christina Ann Rodriquez

Adelita and the Veggie Cousins by Diane Gonzales illus. by Christina Rodriquez

Clara and the Curanderaby Monica Brown illus. by Thelma Muraida

Chocolate Me by Taye Diggs illus. by Shane Evans (a missed Sept. release)

Every Day Dress Up by Selina Alko

Never Forgotten by Patricia C. Mckissack illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon

Hanukkah Hop by Erica Silverman illus. by Steven D'Amico

The House Baba Built by Ed Young

Latasha and the Little Red Tornado by Michael Scotto

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu ( a missed Sept. release)

Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan

The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman

Home for the Holidays by Heather Vogel Frederick

If I tell by Janet Gurtler

Caleb's Wars by David L. Dudley

My Name Is Not Easy by Debby Dahl Edwardson

Fox and Phoenix by Beth Bernobich

Legend by Marie Lu

Black&White by Larry Dane Brimner

Irena's Jars of Secrets and Hanukkah Hop falls under religious diversity.

Breadcrumbs - Anne Ursu

2011-10-31T09:06:00.006-04:00

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
I've heard great things about Breadcrumbs and there's something about the cover that I really like. This story was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's Snow Queen. One of the things I loved about Breadcrumbs is one doesn't have to be familiar with Snow Queen to lose themselves in this story. It's simply very well done and lives up to the early praise. Hazel and Jack her best friend because he's the only one who gets her. In the fifth grade at a time when boys and girls no longer hang out Hazel and Jack are still good friends. Then one day out of nowhere Jack is mean to Hazel. Soon after Jack's parents tell everyone he's went to live with an elderly aunt no ones heard of. After hearing a story about Jack's where abouts no one else but a dreamer like Hazel would, she sets out to rescue the boy that was once her best friend. Hazel enters the forset filled with wolves in search of woman made of ice who has Jack. I could feel the danger as soon as Hazel entered the forest.

"The air was a tangible thing, rushing into Hazel's lungs as she breathed, touching her skin like a curious ghost. It carried with it the smell of old leaves and wide open sky. She was in the wood at the end of the world, or perhaps at the beginning. She looked behind her, to remind herself of the place she came from but it was gone. The wood stretched out in every direction. It was as if she had sprouted there. She had stepped into the woods in the park and landed in an entirely different place. She knew this might happen. She'd been to Narina , Wonderland, Hogwarts, Dictionopolis. She had tessered, fallen through the rabbit hole, crossed the ice bridge into the unknown world beyond. Hazel knew this world. And it should have made it easier. It did not."

This is one of those stories that one knows will be good after the first page. One of the things I truly appreicated is that the author reconginzes that the small moments are as in important as the big one. There was a lot of care put into this very enjoyable story. There are a few beautiful illustrations sprinkle throughout the story.

Darth Paper Strikes Back - Tom Angleberger

2011-10-28T08:58:00.001-04:00

Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger
This is the sequel to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda which I enjoyed but not as much as most. Though I loved Darth Paper Strikes Back. It just clicked for me. All the same kids are back including Dwight with his origami Yoda. Dwight is a little awkward, never knowing the right thing to say but for some reason his origami Yoda which he wears on his finger gives great advice. Now in the 7th grade, everyone is looking forward to getting Yoda like advice when needed, but everything goes wrong when Dwight's least favorite person Harvey makes a Darth Paper, that's far from nice. The school isn't big enough for two origami Star Wars characters. Soon after Darth Paper appears Dwight is kicked out of school.

Tommy, Sara, Mike and some of the other kids open a new case file to prove to the school board that Dwight should be let back into school. Everyone shares a story about how they were helped by Origami Yoda. Like the first book, the story is filled with some wonderful illustrations. (great choice for Wimpy Kid Fans) The origami Yoda is so adorable. The narrator is a boy named Tommy. One of the books many strengths are the voices of the kids who support Dwight. Once again it was nice seeing the weird kid as the main character. The chapters are short with great names like Origami Yoda and the Body Odor in Wonderland. The ending was so unexpected and I absolutely loved it. Now I am all about the Origami Yoda books. In the back there are instructions on how to make an origami Yoda and a darth paper.

Silhouetted by the Blue - Traci L. Jones

2011-10-26T10:08:00.001-04:00

Silhouetted by the Blue - Traci L. Jones
Serena will be starring in the school play The Wiz even though she's only in the 7th grade. She lives with her dad and younger brother Henry. Serena's dad has a very bad case of the blues forcing Serena to take on more responsibilities at home. Living by the code of what happens at home is no one's business, everything soon becomes too much for Serena.

I loved Serena's voice and this story. This is the first YA novel I've come across that truly explores the topic of depression. The author handles it with beautiful skill and care. Silhouetted by the Blue could've easily become an issues book but Jones did excellent job of developing Serena's world. The readers gets acquitted with the many sides of Serena - one loves the theatre, and is able to escape the pain through acting. Another has wonderful memories of her mom, another is doing her best to hold her family togehter. And yet another falls for a boy who is always there no questions asked.

This is Jones third Young Adult novel, her debut Standing Aganist the Wind was my favorite until now. The only thing I would change is the cover, it doesn't do the story justice.

Read an excerpt

Galaxy Games - Greg R. Fishbone

2011-10-24T09:09:00.000-04:00

Galaxy Games by Greg R. Fishbone
For his 11th birthday, Ty Sato's Japanese's relatives named a star after him. Ty's father an astronomer, takes Ty and his friends to the observatory to see his star. Soon it becomes clear that Ty's star is something else but no one knows what. As Ty Sato moves closer to earth at a very fast speed everyone begins to panic. Ty doesn't like all the attention from his name sake.

The chapters alternate between Ty Sato in Nevada, his cousin Daiki in Japan and an alien girl named M'frozza. Ty Sato is a silver spaceship from M'Frozza planet, Mrendaria. M'Frozza is desperate to protect the honor of the Mrendarians in the galaxy games and she needs help from the primitive planet of earth. The galaxy games are universally accepted competition amongst kids to settle all conflicts. Ty Sato is unknowingly becomes a part of the galaxy games.

Fishbone created great characters with excellent dialogue and chapter transitions. The three main characters - Ty, Daiki and M'Frozza are all well delevoped and likeable. There are a few illustrations sprinkled throughout the novel. Galaxy Games was a lot of fun and very well done. An excellent choice for reluctant readers.

An excerpt

Dear Baobab - Cheryl Foggo, Qin Leng

2011-10-20T08:55:00.000-04:00

Dear Baobab by Cheryl Foggo illus. by Qin Leng
Maiko misses the giant baobab tree in his African village when he has to go live with his uncle and aunt. At his new school Maiko is teased about his ears. Maiko finds comfort in a young spruce tree under the mailbox. When he discovers that the young tree is about the same age as him, Maiko begins to confide in it.

"After that, Maiko would say, " Hello tree, same age as me," on his way out and on his way in. Sometimes, he sat on the step and shared secrets that he told to no one else. He talked of his village and the baobabs, and how he missed his friends at the school where he had gone after his father and mother died. He told of how lonely he felt as the wind blew him across the wide ocean in an airplane, and how strange it was, at first, to sleep in the red brick house."

When Maiko learns that his uncle and aunt plan on chopping down the spruce because they're worried about the houses foundation, Maiko does everything he can to save it. This is a wonderful story and I love the connection the author makes with Maiko and the spruce. Both find themselves rooted in an unexpected place.

The cover art didn't grab me nor did it do the interior illustrations any justice. Once you open up the book, Leng's illustrations are a very good match for the story. Dear Baobab is text heavy making this great story, perfect for young listeners or readers ages 5 up.

Nerds:Cheerleaders of Doom - Michael Buckley

2011-10-19T10:01:00.000-04:00

Nerds:The Cheerleaders of Doom by Michael Buckley
This is book three in National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society series or simply Nerds. Five fifth graders who are teased and bullied are secret government agent. Each member has their weakness tweak by a super computer and turned into their greatest asset. This time Matilda Choi aka Wheezer takes the lead on the case. Wheezer suffers from very bad asthma. Her enhanced inhalers give her many advantages including the ability to fly.

Gerdie Baker a former Nerds members has invented a device that allows her access to alternate realities. The machine is causing many dangerous rips, the end result the different earth come into contact with each other which could mean the end of all the worlds.

The team needs to find Gerdie before she uses her invention one too many times. Choi must go undercover has a cheerleader to flush out Gerdie who has completely changed her physical appearance. One of the things I love about this series, each case challenges the point team member in some way that allows them to grow.

Wheezer sees herself has a very tough, karate and wrestling loving type of girl. The thought of wearing pink or cheerleading makes Wheezer cringe. In the end Wheezer discovers there are no limits to who she is or can be. I truly appreciate that Buckley doesn't beat the reader over the head with lessons learned. It's seamlessly included with all the action and suspense. Fans of the first two books will enjoy this third enstallment just as much. This series can be read out of order. Though this series is so good, I would highly recommend starting from the beginning. Plus the first two books are out in paperback.

Read an excerpt

Waiting for the Biblioburro - Monica Brown, John Parra.

2011-10-17T09:17:00.001-04:00

Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown, illus. by John Parra
Ana loves to read and owns one book that she reads again and again. Ana and her family live in a small village without a local library. One day a man and his burros brings a library to the village. The children rush to meet the man and his two donkey's. When the librarian leaves Ana can't wait for him to return. The text and illustrations allow the reader to feel Ana's excitement.

"When will he come back?" she asks her mother, who smiles and says, "Go read, Ana."
"When will he come back?" she asks her mother, who smiles and says, "Go draw, Ana."
"When will he come back?" she asks her mother, who smiles and says, "Go write, Ana."

This story is a wonderful inspired by Luis Soriano Bohorquez, the librarian who started the Biblioburro Foundation. It depicts how much joy Bohorquez's traveling library gives to readers living in remote areas.

Waiting for the Biblioburro is textually and visually very beautiful. I am a huge fan of Brown's and it was pleasure to lose myself in another one of her stories. Parra's artistic style is a perfect fit for this tale. Like the text the illustrations are fun, playful and imaginative. I loved the dignified look on the faces of the burros, as if they know they have an important job.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of this book support Luis Soriano Bohorquez's Biblioburro program.

An excerpt

A starred Kirkus Review

The Cheshire Cheese Cat - Carmen Agra Deedy, Randall Wright

2011-10-14T09:28:00.001-04:00

The Cheshire Cheese Cat by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright drawings by Barry Moser
Stories will talking animals are hit or miss for me (usually miss) I can't articulate why only a few work for me or what it is I like but I know it when I see it. Like Underneath by Appelt or Whittington by Armstrong this hits the mark.

The Cheshire Cheese Cat is co-author Deedy's first early reader and an excellent one at that. The story is a fun hat tip to Charles Dickens featuring a cat named Skilley with a secret. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is an inn known for having the best cheese in London. They also have a mouse problem. Skilley the only street cat that doesn't have a taste for mice bought into to Ye Olde to kept the population down. This is perfect for Pip, the mouse in charge. Pip and Skilley make an arrangement so everyone is happy. Everything is going well until Pinch a very vicious cat is hired. Pip and Skilley have to be extra careful that their secret isn't discovered.

When I started reading this I couldn't put it down. It's one of those books that makes me wish I had a fireplace to read by. Moser's illustrations which are sprinkled throughout are lovely. Along with the short chapters make this a great choice for a read aloud. There's another layer to this story involving a Raven that makes it that much more intigruing. The Cheshire Cheese Cat has everything, adventure, unlikely friendship, danger. and beautiful language.

"Scat, cat!" A broom came down hard out of London's cold and fog. Startled, Skilley leapt sideways and the broom whiffled empty air. The cat however, refused to scat. He eyed the dead fish then the broom, calculating the distance between the two. "Off now, you thieving moggy," the fishmonger shrilled. As if reading his thoughts, she kicked the fish under her stall and cocked the broom for another swing. Fishwives. the curse of London cats. With a flick of his peculiar tail, Skilley turned his back to the woman, putting all the disdain he could muster into the sway of his hips."

Deedy and Wright have collaborated to create a wonderful story. A 2011 favorite that I believe is a serious contender for the Newbery.

Three Starred Reviews - Kirkus, School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly.

Worthy But Not Yet Nominated Cybils Titles

2011-10-10T09:00:00.012-04:00

This is the sixth year of the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers Literary- (The Cybils). I always look forward to Cybils time. In 2009, my middle grade fantasy pick, The Prince of Fenway Park by Baggott was a finalist.

For the most part(difficult to do in poetry genre) I only nominate books that feature kids of color or a diverse cast because they need the exposure. Even if a nominated title doesn't move beyond the first round, it still got into the hands of seven readers, all of whom are bloggers and book lovers. The judges who like it will tell others about it, increasing the books visibility.

Below is a list of some eligible yet to be nominated titles. The books in bold are ones I really want to see nominated. Since I am doing this as an independent, its okay if I play favorites. Nominations are open until Oct. 15th, so there's still a little time to do a quick library run.

Picture Books
My Hands Sing the Blues by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Monica Brown
Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown - nominated
The Boy in the Garden by Allen Say - nominated
Pecan Pie Baby by Jacqueline Woodson - nominated
One Love by Cedella Marley
Dear Baobab by Cheryl Foggo

Non Fiction Picture Book
Play Ball Jackie by Stephen Krensky
Before There Was Mozart by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Short Chapter Books
Almost Zero by Nikki Grimes
Zapato Power:Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue by Jacqueline Jules - nominated
Invasion of the Potty Snatchers by Dav Pilkey

Middle Grade Fiction
Alvin Ho: Allegric to Dead Bodies, Funreals and other Fatal Circumstances by Lenore Look
How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over by Julia Alvarez
With the Might of Angels by Andrea Davis Pinkney
I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly by Joyce Hansen

Middle Grade Fantasy
Nerds: The Cheerleaders of Doom by Micheal Buckley
Dragons Silk by Laurence Yep

Young Adult Fantasy
The Boy from IIysies by Pearl North
The Death Cure by James Dashner

Young Adult Fiction
Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci L. Jones
If I Could Fly by Judith Ortiz Cofer
Boyfriends with Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez
Glitz by Philiana Marie Boles -nominated
Skatefate by Juan Felipe Herrera
Jazz in Love by Neesha Meminger -nominated
Blank Confession by Pete Hautman
A Good Long Way by Rene Saldana Jr.
My Name is Not Easy by Debby Dahl Edwardson

Middle Grade/YA Non fiction
A Girl Named Faithful Plum by Richard Bernstein

I thought this wonderful book trailer for One Love tied in perfectly and couldn't resist sharing.

Burnout - Adrienne Maria Vrettos

2011-10-07T10:57:00.003-04:00

Burnout by by Adrienne Maria Vrettos
After being clean for months, Nan wakes up the day after halloween on the subway and can't remember anything. Nan knows the police will simply take her for another teen drug addict, so she decides to figure out what happened. Retracing her steps while experiening contast blackouts, she tries to put the pieces together.

This intense dark tale has a wonderful pace and is very good. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. It was such a pleasure to read a YA novel that goes for the less is more approach. Under 200 pages, the author makes every word count. Much of the stories beauty lies in the belivablity and likeibitiy of Nan.

"I'm wearing a dress. It's pink, strapless and it's cut too low in the boobs and too high in the thighs. There is a tear on the right side where it couldn't hold me in. I think it's made out of plastic. I'm not supposed to describe my body as burly because mom says that's hate speech, but that's what I am. I am a burly girl testing the seams of a too small plastic dress. I would never wear something like this on purpose. I can feel the train seat on the bare backs of my upper thighs and my skin crawls."

Burnout is an under the radar book that should not be missed.

A starred SJL review
A starred Kirkus review
An excerpt

Ruby's New Home - Tony & Lauren Dungy, Vanessa Brantley Newton

2011-10-06T09:00:00.002-04:00

Ruby's New Home by Tony and Lauren Dungy illus. by Vanessa Brantley Newton
A family is very excited about getting a new puppy named Ruby. Everyone loves Ruby. Jordan, Justin and Jade all want to make her their own. The mother encourages the three kids to take turns playing with Ruby. This was a fun early reader, with straight forward enjoyable text. The lesson of sharing fits nicely into the story and doesn't take away from the joy or excitement of a new pet. As always Newton's illustrations are wonderfully colorful.

glimpse a page

A Belated Congratulations And I Revisit More Latino Authors Please/Necesitamos mas autores Latinos

2011-10-04T09:30:00.003-04:00

I've been awhile for minute and it that time the winner of the NerdsHeartYA, a tournament for underrepresented YA was announced. Congratulations to Renee Watson, who won for What Momma Left Me, one of my favorite reads of 2010. It was up against another 2010 Favorite of mine, Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John. Each year the tournament accomplishes its goal of bringing some much needed and well deserved attention to all nominated titles. NerdsHeartYA is in its third year, and I've yet to be disappointed or underwhelmed by a winning title.

We are right in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month which started on Sept. 15 and runs until Oct 15. There are a lot of great blogs including Latin Baby Book Club and Bookjoy Ever year there seem to be more mainstream Spanish/English picture books which is a very good thing. I only wish that same increase could be seen with early readers, middle grade and young adult novels. As it is now there simply aren't enough books by Latino authors or featuring Latino characters to sustain a blog that isn't centered around picture books.

Last year I did a feature called More Latino Authors Please/necesitamos mas autores Latinos only 15 middle grade and young adult Latino authors were published last year. Initially it was 16 but Guadalupe Garcia McCall's debut, Under the Mesquite with pushed back to this Sept. (loved it) Only 15 authors is beyond ridiculous and lets not forget that's combining middle grade and young adult. There are 15 White young adult authors published any given Tuesday.

When I did that feature I was a bit worked up, seeing the hard facts of a marginalized group having less then 20 authors published in a year its difficult not to feel the injustice of it. But I kept my emotions in check.

Authors Alex Sanchez, Jennifer Cervantes, Christina Gonzalez, Caridad Ferrer and Francisco X. Stork were all kind enough to answers a few question about the issue. I learned something from all of their answers, if you missed it the first time around, the link to all of the authors answer can be found here

This year there were 13 novels published by Latino authors. I could've missed a few but even if one did a margin error of 5 that's still less then 20 titles. I am absolutely loving the fact that two of my favorite debuts are by Latina authors, What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez and Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall.

For whatever reason the gatekeepers are doing their best to keep Latino authors out. So it pleases me to no end to see Hope Perez and Garcia McCall bring it hard. Like what? You can't deny my goodness.

The first chapter of What Can't Wait, my interview with the author

An excerpt from Under the Mesquite, the author's interview @ Bookjoy

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred - Samantha R. Vamos, Rafeal Vamos

2011-10-03T10:39:00.000-04:00

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos illus. by Rafael Lopez
This story was as beautiful as I thought it would be. With some help from the farm animals the farm maiden makes Arroz con Leche. This is not a traditional bilingual story, with two languages, lado a lado.

This is the pot, that the farm maiden stirred,

This is the butter that went into the cazuela that the farm maiden stirred

This is the goat
that churned the cream
to make the mantequilla
that went into the cazuela that the farm maiden stirred.

Rather then have the two languages side by side, Vamos will use a word once in English and replace it with it's Spanish counterpart in the next stanza. It's a very smart way to learn a few new Spanish words. This is a tribute to the nursery The House That Jack Built and it keeps the same quick pace rhythm.

I love the movement of text. The stories beautiful flow and Lopez gorgeous illustrations make this a wonderful read aloud. Lopez is not afraid of color and knows how to use it. The illustrations pop off the pages. Vamos and Lopez come together to create a wonderful story that screams "read me aloud and share me with others" There's a recipe for rice pudding in the back and a glossary of Spanish terms.

Under the Mesquite - Guadalupe Garcia McCall

2011-09-30T13:35:00.001-04:00

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
A novel in verse. Lupita loves writing in her journal. The oldest of eight siblings, Lupita has a lot of responsibilities even more when her mother becomes ill. The story spans Lupita's high school years and is broken up into six parts. I either like a verse novel or I don't, there is no middle ground. I consider verse a structured free form, that requires a certain amount of rhythm. Its easy to find poorly written novels in this style but the good ones are come by. McCall's debut is a great one.

There's an honesty and beauty to Lupita's voice. I love how the author makes Lupita and her family come to life. The novel moves at a beautiful pace with each poem tying in nicely to tell Lupita's story. These poems also work very well separately. It's a joy to flip and read a random entry. This is a very emotional read that never feels forced. Everything comes about naturally. I have much respect for an author that simply writes with the intention of telling a good story as opposed to playing on readers feelings to get the biggest reaction. The release date of Under the Mesquite got pushed back twice. It was well worth the wait. One of my favorite debuts of the year.

From Senorita

Senorita is a nina,
the girl I used to be,
who has lost her voice

A starred Kirkus Review
An excerpt

Shattering - Karen Healey

2011-09-29T12:00:00.001-04:00

The Shattering by Karen Healey
Keri's is trying to come to terms with the suicide of her older brother, Jake. Then Janna a friend from Keri's past tells her Jake was probably murdered. Janna's older brother's death was also labeled a suicide. Keri and Janna live in Summerton, a small beautiful New Zealand island and tourist favorite. Though it's Sione, a tourist who first figures out that the suicides in Summerton have a pattern. He too as lost an older brother to the island. The three decide to work together to find out the truth about the yearly suicides.

The mystery lies in the how and the why as opposed to the who. A very smart move by the author. Since it's set on an island the number of suspects is going to be limited to begin with, so rather then create unbelievable red herrings Healey focuses her energy elsewhere. Much of that goes into the main characters. I loved their individual stories. Each is dealing with things that will impact how they get along and face what's really going on in Summerton. Keri, Janna and Sione all get the same amount of fact time thanks to alternating chapters. It was very nice to see the author once again embracing a diverse cast. Shattering is one of those novels that I enjoyed when I was done and continues to grow on me as I look back on it

Healey set the bar very high with her award winning debut, Guardian of the Dead. Shattering is a very good, page turning follow up.

An excerpt via Little Brown.

Bronxwood - Coe Booth

2011-09-12T10:00:00.001-04:00

Bronxwood by Coe Booth
When Tyrell's father is released from jail, the two clash. Tyrell supported his mother and younger brother for a year and can't go back to the way things were. The inability of father and son to get along comes across well especially since the father hasn't changed.

Tyrell lives with his best friend Cal and Cal's older brother Greg. Tyrell and Cal's relationship was one of the stories strengths. Their life long friendship allow them to be as honest as they wanted to be with each other.

Bronxwood is filled with a lot of drama. Though the author manages it well I could've done with less. Once again Tyrell's voice is strong, realistic and believable. This is a solid sequel that Tyrell fans will love.

An excerpt

Summer Jackson - Teresa E Harris, AG Ford

2011-09-07T11:00:00.002-04:00

Summer Jackson: Grown Up by Teresa E. Harris, illus. by AG Ford
Tired of being seven, Summer throws out all of her toys and stuffed animals. From now on she's a grown up. Summer now carries a briefcase, and wears high heels. The fun text along with Ford's perfect fit illustrations make this a great read aloud.

I meet with my clients during playtime. " So, what you're saying is you want to play soccer during recess, but you want to play basketball, and you want to poke bugs with a stick? Okay. Monday and Wednesday, soccer, Tuesday and Thursday, basketball and on Fridays you poke bugs with a stick. Get it? Got it? Good. That will be $2.50."

This is an excellent picture book debut by Harris. Fancy Nancy fans will love Summer Jackson. A 2011 favorite

An excerpt

On Sale Now: New Releases

2011-09-01T10:00:00.001-04:00

New Releases for the month of September featuring Characters of Color or a Diverse Cast. The list is a good size, usually that means I've included a lot of missed releases from a previous month. All are September releases expect for four from August.

My Hands Sing The Blues:Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey by Jeanne Walker Harvey illus by Elizabeth Zunon - my review

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Monica Brown illus. by Sara Palacios

Belle, The Last Mule at Gee's Bend by Calvin Alexander Ramsey & Bettye Stroud illus. by John Holyfield

The Boy From Dragon Palace by Margaret Read MacDonald illus. by Sachiko Yoshikawa

Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson

Drawing From Memory by Allen Say

Ruby's New Home by Lauren and Tony Dungy illus. by Vanessa Brantley Newton

Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix up by Melissa Thompson illus. by Frank Morrison

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Dean Bodies, Funerals, and other Fatal Circumstances by Lenore Look

How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over by Julia Alvarez

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Nerds: The Cheerleaders of Doom by Michael Buckley

Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes

With the Might of Angels by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Starfields by Carolyn Marsden

Dragon of Silk by Laurence Yep

Nowhere Girl by A.J. Pagquette

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods

Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Bradley

A Girl Named Faithful Plum by Richard Bernstein

Tankborn by Karen Sandler

Galaxy Games by Greg R. Fishbone

Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac

Bronxwood by Coe Booth

Amigas: Point Me To Tomorrow by Veronica Chambers

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Comsic Storm by Dom Testa

Ambitious by Monica McKayhan - my review

My Own Worst Frenemy by Kimberly Reid

The Shattering by Karen Healey

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

Dear Bully edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones

What You Wish For by Various Authors

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Ambitous - Monica Mckayhan

2011-08-31T10:01:00.003-04:00

Ambitous by Monica Mckayhan
Marisol goes after her dream and auditions for Premiere, the exclusive performing arts H.S. She'ss accepted into the dance program. On Marisol's first day she meets Drew, a drama student. The chapters alternate between Marisol and Drew. Both characters are very likeable. The author does a good job of balancing the story from the two view points. I was pulled in by the great back stories of the characters. Going to Premiere for Marisol, means not going to school with her best friends for the first time. She also must commute from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Drew gave up being a basketball star to pursue acting. There's a bit more behind both stories, making it very easy to care about them.

Drew was my favorite. Thanks to basketball, Drew was very popular at his old school and he gave it all up for to try his hand at acting. I really liked the idea that Mckayhan might be making drama as respected as a sport to some readers who may have dismissed it in the past.

Marisol and Drew's stories mesh well together, as do their friends. Ambitious is a good story with the right amount of drama making for a great page turner. This is the first book in this series and I am looking forward to watching the characters grow.

Looking back on Ambitious I realized many of the problems I had with novel had more to do with editing.

On page 11, Marisol references Premiere or Premiere High School, five times. It happened again on the next page. It was turning into a bad drinking game, I came very close to putting the book down. Thankfully this over use toned done some.

Marisol is Mexican and on occasion she would speak Spanish to family and friends.

Hola, Mrs Hernandez
Hola, Mari, Coma esta? Luz's mom asked how I was doing as she opened the back door and let the smoke out.
"Estoy, bien" I told her I was okay.

A pet peeve of mine is an instant translation of a foreign language, especially when its a greeting. The context of the conversation is more enough for a non Spanish speaker to get the gist of what is being said. Also I am pretty sure that "estoy" would never be used outside of the classroom.

If any of these issues were caught, Ambitious could've been that much stronger.

Since I want to end on a positive note, I'll take a moment to point out the great cover. It tells the reader exactly what the story is about and I think dance fans will love it.

An excerpt

My Hands Sing The Blues - Jeanne Walker Harvey, Elizabeth Zunon

2011-08-29T06:00:00.004-04:00

My Hands Sing The Blues by Jeanne Walker Harvey illus. by Elizabeth Zunon
This is a beautiful portrayal of Romare Bearden's childhood journey. Showing many of Bearden's early influences from his birth state of North Carolina, his grandparents and trains. Harvey uses a lyrical bluesy text very fitting of Bearden's artistic style.

I'm like a singer calling out, then holding back
I'm like a trumpet player blowing loud, then dropping back
When I put a beat of color on an empty canvas
I never know what's coming down the track

As a young boy Bearden migrates from the south to the north. The story centers around this life changing move. I loved this biography, which is filled with heart and rhythm. Once I read the source notes and discovered that Harvey was influenced by several of Bearden's quotes it made this look at Bearden's childhood journey that much more authentic for me.

This is Elizabeth Zunon's first picture book. I am already a fan. The collage illustrations are a beautiful tribute to Bearden's style. Zunon manages to stay true to Bearden and incorporate much of her own style as well. I love her color palate. Check out some of Zunon's illustrations. The top six are from My Hands Sing the Blues.

Harvey and Zunon have come together to create a fabulous introduction to one of America's greatest artist. My Hands Sing the Blues will be released in September. Bearden was born on Sept 2, 1911. 2011 marks 100th year of his legacy.

Reading My Hands Sing the Blues made me want to revisit Bearden's work. Which I was able to do here a Centennial Tribute site in his honor.

I've linked this post to non fiction Monday. This weeks round up can be found at Capstone Connect

Dancing Home - Alma Flor Ada, Gabriel Zubizarreta

2011-08-26T08:55:00.001-04:00

Dancing Home by Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel Zubizarreta
Lupe moves from Mexico to United States to live with family. Lupe will be in the same grade, (fifth) as her cousin Margarita who goes by Margie. The story alternates between the cousins. Margie does everything she can to fit in and not be teased for being Mexican. Lupe is trying very hard to learn English and adjust to life in the United States.

Lupe and Margie's voices blend very well together making for smooth transitions. At one point Margie is reading How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay for class, which I thought was a very sweet nod to Julia Alvarez. I loved the beginning it says so much as to why Margie does everything she can to distance herself from her Mexican roots.

"Margie felt nervous having to wait outside the principal's office. She kept her eyes fixed on the huge map that covered the entire wall. Mrs. Donaldson seemed to be a plesant woman, but Margie had never had to address the principal all by herself before. The map's colors were vivid and bold showing Canada, the United States, and part of Mexico. Alaska and the rest of the United States were a strong green; Canada was a bright yellow. The reminder of the map, however, showed only a small part of Mexico in a drab sandlike color Margie could not name. "

The author created two realistic characters in Lupe and Margie. They both made Dancing Home a very nice story and a pleasure to read.

Read an excerpt