I continue to be astonished at how much I learn about the richness of the global community from picture books intended for young readers. In this one,I continue to be astonished at how much I learn about the richness of the global community from picture books intended for young readers. In this one, Leah, a member of the Jewish congregation in Cochin, India, moves with her family to Israel in the 1950s. A gifted storyteller, Leah treasures everything about her familiar world and has trouble feeling comfortable in her new home. When a friendly girl shows her the nearby olive grove to which butterflies are attracted, including the blue ones just like the ones she loved so much in India, she decides that she can love both places, India and Israel. The lovely artwork is filled with movement and expressive faces as well as rich backgrounds and flittering butterflies. Revealing my own ignorance, I had no idea that there were Jews living in India or how challenging it would be for them to learn a new language in Israel since they didn't speak Hebrew. This particular story adds another layer to what most of us know about immigration and India, and it does so in an engaging, relatable fashion. ...more
This amazing, touching, and profound debut novel held me mesmerized through its entirety. I don't know much about the former Soviet Republic of GeorgiThis amazing, touching, and profound debut novel held me mesmerized through its entirety. I don't know much about the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, but after reading this book I certainly want to learn more. I don't think I want to visit the area, though, despite its beauty because of some of the challenges faced by its citizens and its infrastructure. The narrator, Saba, returns to Georgia several years after he, his father Irakli, and older brother Sandro fled the violence in the region. The plan was for their father to work hard and save enough money to bring their mother, Eka, to London where they are living. But there's never money to spare, and Eka never comes. When first Irakli and then Sandro travel to their homeland to tie up loose ends but then disappear, Saba goes in search of answers, following the breadcrumbs his brother has left him in places with which he will be familiar. Along the way, Saba encounters friends, enemies, betrayal, sacrifice, and a broken system ill-equipped to deal with anything out of the ordinary. The poor handling of the escaped zoo animals by authorities is one example that highlights what a mess the place has become and how challenging it will be to find his relatives. The taxi driver Saba meets at the airport--Nodar--almost steals the entire story with his huge personality and complicated emotions and appetites, not to mention his own past and motivations for helping Saba. The book's title comes from the classic fairy tale Saba's mother read to him and his brother, and there are many references to fairy tales as well as voices from the past that haunt Saba. While there are tender moments and descriptions of magnificent vistas, there are also passages that are stark and even shocking, revealing as they do the heartlessness of war and conflict over land, territory, and borders. My heart almost stopped beating as I read the last few pages of this skillfully told tale. ...more
Author Laurie Frankel often writes about families and relationships, making it clear that both are complicated and that no two are alike. In this lateAuthor Laurie Frankel often writes about families and relationships, making it clear that both are complicated and that no two are alike. In this latest book, her focus is adoption, and she attempts to challenge the usual narratives associated with adoption. The result is a refreshing book [3.5 for me] that will prompt plenty of discussion, agreement, and disagreement as readers ponder what it means to be a family. The protagonist, India Allwood, loves to act, and even though she can't sing, she has her sights on a career on Broadway after attending drama school. A pregnancy at 16 prompts her to have the baby and then choose its adoptive parent. Later, near the end of college, she becomes pregnant again and makes a similar choice. Flash forward a few years, and India is famous, the star of a wildly popular show, and the adoptive mother of twins. Her career is flourishing, but she lands in trouble for speaking negatively about how adoption is depicted in an upcoming film in which she stars. As her past meets her present, she must decide what really matters and perhaps mend a few hearts along the way. While I liked the premise behind this story, I was often troubled by India's emotional carelessness and pontificating. It's easy to make certain decisions when living a life of relative wealth and privilege, and in a world struggling with overpopulation, it could be argued that having a child or two only contributes to the problems. And then there are her precocious, too precious children. Sometimes their thoughts and words seemed too worldly and knowing to be believable. And the ending? Doing what she decides to do takes courage, but it also requires money and fame. These characters can afford to hope on a plane and fly cross country or up the Oregon Coast overnight, How many of us can? Still, despite the qualms expressed above, I enjoyed the time I spent with India and her "family family." I'm always pleased to find books that celebrate found or created families. ...more
This one is a 3,5 for me. This picture book's clever title, its richly detailed illustrations, and its focus on one Lower East Side building's 100+ yeThis one is a 3,5 for me. This picture book's clever title, its richly detailed illustrations, and its focus on one Lower East Side building's 100+ year history. provides readers a glimpse into that particular New York City neighborhood through the eyes of five youngsters who lived on different floors during different time periods. While their countries of origin, languages, and cultures may be quite different [Russia, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and China], they share many of the same concerns, hopes and dreams. Beginning in 1910 when Jenny Epstein and her family cross the ocean to live above her uncle's pickled store and concluding with the daily lives of Wei Yei and his family, the book packs in quite a lot of experiences, including how each family brought rich flavors and their own influences to their new neighborhood as well as how the youngsters communicate with the relatives they left back home. It's interesting to note how the neighborhood changes over time and pay attention to snippets of current events or preoccupations as highlighted by the front pages of newspapers placed in the bottom corner of the pages. Arguably, this is a romanticized version of the immigration experience, and while it has value, it should not be read as the definitive story of coming to the United States. While it's somewhat questionable that there would be so many connections from one generation to the next [for instance, one child has her neighbor for a teacher], this particular tale and journey may prompt introspection about what all of us have in common as well as possibly inspiring young readers to interview their own family members about their journeys, stories, and what mattered most to them. The illustrations, created with gouache and Photoshop, are striking and quite detailed, necessitating more than a quick glance. It will fit well in a collection of immigration or family history stories. ...more
Quite different from My Lovely Wife but just as addictive, this book [3.5 for me, and such a guilty pleasure!] might prevent many families from going Quite different from My Lovely Wife but just as addictive, this book [3.5 for me, and such a guilty pleasure!] might prevent many families from going on nostalgic road trips. Narrated by Beth, the story follows the three Morgan siblings--Beth, Eddie, and Portia--as they and Beth and Eddie's spouses embark on a cross-country trip in order to fulfill the requirements of their grandfather's will and inherit a substantial amount of money. The trip will trace the same route they traveled with their grandfather when they were much younger, and it is intended to culminate in his ashes being sprinkled in the desert. Along the way, they'll revisit the same tourist attractions they explored on the original one. From the opening pages, readers know that this is no ordinary road trip and that the travelers have secrets, so many secrets, and that blood may not be thicker than water. To say much more would ruin all the surprises and twists that are embedded in the plot, but it's probably sufficient to note that the book will make it hard for readers to trust anyone. On the surface, the characters might seem normal to the average onlooker, but there is much more to each of them than meets the eye. This is oh, so dark, and oh, so satisfying, if you like this sort of suspense--and who doesn't? Yes, there are some plot points that are rather confusing or might be questioned, but readers will probably forgive those as they race to the book's conclusion. There are no heroes or heroines here except maybe the author for planning this road trip and inviting all of us along. ...more
This may well be the best work yet from both of these creative individuals. Weatherford has many biographies under her belt, and each one seems to be This may well be the best work yet from both of these creative individuals. Weatherford has many biographies under her belt, and each one seems to be written in a slightly different style that fits the subject. In her latest biography, she crafts lyrical lines, partly her own and partly his, interwoven with snippets of spirituals, to immerse readers in the life and times of Paul Robeson, who seems to have been a jack of all trades and master of many, maybe all, of them. Since his story is divided into four acts--Youth, Artist, Activist, and Erased--readers are able to easily chart Robeson's rise and fall as well as the influences that made the man. Earning the distinction of Phi Beta Kappa and All-American football player at Rutgers, Robeson had many talents, among them singing and acting, but traveling and living abroad opened his eyes even further to the economic and social injustices that existed in the United States. When he returned home, he chose to speak out about what was unfair even though doing so inflamed many individuals and eventually cost him his career and popularity. Still, he never looked back or regretted speaking truth to power. Clearly, Robeson was a man ahead of his time. While it's disappointing that he has been neglected by other children's biographers in the past, this particular book makes up for that with its moving portrayal of someone who was larger than life and who used his fame to speak out against injustices in order to foster change and open hearts and minds. Weatherford sums this giant of a man on page 40 with a list of all the labels that might have been hung on him, "Unparalleled" (p. 40) perhaps being the most accurate. Back matter includes a Timeline, Source Notes, Bibliography, and Copyright Acknowledgements, all attesting to the thorough research of the author. The illustrations, rendered in oil, are masterful, moving, and unforgettable, capturing Robeson at various points in this life. From the movie reel projector on the copyright page that seems to shine light on the facing page in honor of how the biography itself shines a light on the man himself and his truths to the final double-page spread of an elderly Robeson, past his prime but clearly still a force to be reckoned with, looking back on all that his eyes have seen. He's dressed in a blue robe and pajamas and holding a coffee cup, and his brown house slippers point to the word "Unparalleled" in the poem "Rockin' Chair." In between those two images, readers are treated to paintings of Robeson at various stages of his life, during stage performances, speaking out, and even in a double-page spread, playing checkers with his father, the man who influenced him so heavily. This is not a biography to be approached casually. The text and artwork prompt reflection and earn Robeson the honor and respect that he deserved. Perhaps some future or current social activists will draw strength from his example and continue the good fight. Add this book to a collection of civil rights figures and those who used their voice for good. ...more
While many individuals may think that nomads are part of history and far in the past, as this informational book proves, there are several nomadic socWhile many individuals may think that nomads are part of history and far in the past, as this informational book proves, there are several nomadic societies existing today. The text and small colorful sketches profile seven of these, including Mongolian nomads, the Tuaregs of the Sahara, the Ninets of Siberia, the Roma or Romani, the Maasai of East Africa, the Sama-Bajau of the Philippines, and the Yanomami of the Amazon rainforest. In addition to introducing readers to each group and identifying what makes them unique, the book also covers religion, clothing, food, daily living, and their future. The text is respectful of each group's way of life even while acknowledging the threats that modern society and government have on their existence. Clearly, these are groups that have been marginalized, but the text also suggests that the groups represent connections to our past as well as possible alternative ways to live while treating the planet more carefully. Well written, engaging, and in some respects provocative, this book offers an excellent introduction to nomadic ways of life. It would be a good addition to a social studies or geography classroom library. ...more
Lauren Castillo's loving tribute to dogs and how they can help us find our way is tenderly written and illustrated. So accessible is the text that eveLauren Castillo's loving tribute to dogs and how they can help us find our way is tenderly written and illustrated. So accessible is the text that even young readers will be able to understand the book's message. Some of them will see themselves in the narrator, a young girl, and feel similarly to her about her family's move to an apartment in the city. The place seems overwhelming to someone unfamiliar with so many people and so much newness. Thus, the girl, who seems rather shy, is reluctant to go on play dates, make new friends or even join the audience at storytime. Mom is patient, but she decides that she might have a solution to the situation. It's love at first sight for the girl and Millie, a friendly white dog with brown patches. Millie's friendliness and eagerness to make friends wherever they go inspires the girl to take a risk and reach out a hand of friendship to another girl in the dog park. After all, if Millie can make friends and feel safe in a new place, so can she. Created with ink, watercolor, and soft pastels, the warm artwork depicts the characters' personalities effectively while also showing the bond that forms between the girl and sweet Millie. The endpapers are especially appealing too since the front ones show Mom and her daughter in the process of moving in to their new place while the back ones show the same exterior of the apartment building but on the street, readers can see Mom and her new friend as well as her daughter and the friend's daughter with their two dogs walking along the street. Encouraging and hopeful, this picture book will make many of us wish we were able to be "just like Millie." And maybe we can be with a little effort. ...more
Artwork that emulates splashes of light, rays of sunshine creeping through the darkness, and blossoming hope fills the pages of this quietly moving stArtwork that emulates splashes of light, rays of sunshine creeping through the darkness, and blossoming hope fills the pages of this quietly moving story of friendship and generosity. Readers will want to pay attention to the symbolism in the images; for instance, on the title page, a multicolored boat that seems to resemble a rose on a slender stem carrying many passengers. Or the bristling green vines and thorns at Amir's feet when he arrives contrasted with the same leaves, now covered with red blossoms as he clutches Lubna's gift to his chest. Even the opening double-page spread with an extreme close-up of Lubna's face is a bookend to the closing double-page spread focusing on Amir's face show how much the two youngsters have in common. Each page is saturated with intense colors and unspoken emotions. It isn't clear where Lubna and her father came from or even why, but it is clear that they are refugees living in a "World of Tents," a phrase that describes her new temporary home perfectly. They have very little, but Lubna cherishes a shiny gray pebble that she found when they first arrived. It's her treasure, best friend, and secret keeper, and even when Amir arrives and their friendship flourishes, Lubna still considers Pebble to be her very best friend. That's what makes her sacrifice so significant when she and her father learn that they are leaving the camp. It's not that Lubna no longer needs Pebble, but she realizes that someone else needs a friend even more than she does. This picture book movingly puts faces on the refugees fleeing their homelands for various reasons, possibly evoking empathy and understanding in young readers. And the truth of the matter is that many families such as Lubna's would have to wait much longer, maybe even years and years, before being able to leave the camps. Pair this one with Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Williams, covering similar territory. ...more
Add this important picture book to a collection about Japanese incarceration camps along with other titles such as So Far from the Sea and Takei's graAdd this important picture book to a collection about Japanese incarceration camps along with other titles such as So Far from the Sea and Takei's graphic memoir for older readers, They Called Us Enemy, which is equally as good as this one. Intended for a younger audience, this book's focus is on young George's experiences in those camps--first at the Santa Anita racetracks, next at Camp Rohwer, Arkansas, and finally at Tule Lake, California. Because the perspective is that of a young child, it is all the more relatable for its intended audience. The narrative leans heavily on the roles his parents played in making camp life endurable and as pleasant as possible under the circumstances. His mother was always trying to spruce up their living spaces, making curtains, braiding rugs, and taking care of the children when they became ill while his father, who spoke English and Japanese fluently, took on a leadership role in the camp communities. Somehow, they found ways to laugh and look forward to being free once again. George even describes befriending a small black dog, Blackie, at one of the camps, and having to leave him behind when the family was finally released. Although Takei puts a positive spin on some of the events described here and the story ends on a hopeful note, he also is quick to point out how the family lost its freedom, its business, and its savings. The back matter is worth a read too since it elaborates on what happened to Japanese Americans during WWII and shares Takei's stirring words given during the 1981 hearings on the imprisonment of Japanese Americans. Created with watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and digital media, the illustrations are soft in tone, effectively depicting life before the incarceration, the train trips to the camps, the camp settings themselves, and the many individuals who took similar journeys. During this time of polarization in our country and a tendency of some folks to demonize certain groups, Takei's story is exceptionally moving, a cautionary tale for today. ...more
This book's title and cover are perfect for its contents. The relationship between Wes and Ivy, the protagonists, is certainly rather twisted. Having This book's title and cover are perfect for its contents. The relationship between Wes and Ivy, the protagonists, is certainly rather twisted. Having first met in college, they have an on again, off again romance with blistering hot sex and sweet, romantic moments, but those are offset by the annoyance and anger each of them also feels at various times. To say that they become jealous of others is an understatement. They've both behaved badly at times, and there are secrets in their pasts. And even though they break up over and over, sometimes not having contact for months, they always come back together. To say their relationship is toxic is an understatement. They are truly bad for one another, and yet, they love each other. Those readers who have been in a similar relationship or seen their friends in one will be impressed with just how accurately the author describes the attraction and the patterns of behavior, even though they are rather extreme in this case. As the story opens, Ivy has filed a complaint with the police over Wes's stalking of her, sending photos taken surreptitiously and leaving half-bitten truffles at her door. But her motivation isn't justice; it's to get his attention and bring him back into the fold. But unbeknownst to Ivy, she's started wheels moving that she has control over. The detective she contacts has her own reasons for not wanting to see others remain in what she sees as an abusive relationship, and she is dogged in her pursuit of Wes. As the plot plays out, readers follow various twists and turns in this bizarre love story. Others rooted for the couple to stay together, but it was hard for me to like either one of them. It often seemed that they just needed to sit down and talk rather than shoot from the hip and react to what often turned out to be falsehoods or misunderstandings. I can't imagine how their relationship could withstand the usual challenges such a romance often face over the long run. Still, this was an entertaining read that kept me guessing and shaking my head at every turn and every wrong decision. Reading this one just might keep others from giving their hearts away so freely. This was a 3.5 for me. ...more
Although Zain usually eagerly looks forward to Ramadan, his favorite holiday, this year he worries that celebrating it won't be the same. Not only hasAlthough Zain usually eagerly looks forward to Ramadan, his favorite holiday, this year he worries that celebrating it won't be the same. Not only has his family been preoccupied since their move, but there is no mosque nearby and he isn't attending Islamic school, which means that Ramadan goes almost unnoticed there. Not to be deterred by these challenges, Zain crafts his own mosque from discarded cardboard boxes and follows all the traditions associated with Ramadan, including fasting, donating toys and clothing, and even making treat bags with Ahmed, another Muslim boy who has seen him riding around in the neighborhood. The notion of a young boy finding a way to carry on family and cultural traditions is encouraging and shows just how motivated Zain is. Back matter includes information about how Ramadan is celebrated around the world, sketches of what Zain needed to celebrate it his way and in his new neighborhood, and directions for how to make Ramadan treat bags to give to others. The colorful digital artwork features smiling characters and settings. While the story gives a glimpse into Muslim traditions for the uninitiated, it also serves to reassure those youngsters who are familiar with this religion and holiday since they can see themselves and their own experiences in these pages....more
This board book and exercise series has the encouraging premise that exercise and movement should be fun. There's even a reminder to smile and laugh wThis board book and exercise series has the encouraging premise that exercise and movement should be fun. There's even a reminder to smile and laugh while performing the various moves. Following the lead of several animals, youngsters can read the directions and then complete the aptly named Cheetah Run, Starfish Jump, and Crocodile Crawl, and others, ten in all. Parents and caregivers might want to share the book with toddlers, model the moves, and then sit back while those little ones get moving. Colorful artwork accompanies the text, and there are helpful tips alongside the directions. This book is part of the cleverly named Jungle Gym series. ...more
There are so many parts of history that never make it into history curriculum. While many youngsters will have studied the Westward Expansion and ManiThere are so many parts of history that never make it into history curriculum. While many youngsters will have studied the Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny, they most likely no little or nothing about the Exodusters or those Black men, women, and children that went westward ho in search of better lives. If they have read about the Great Migration to the North, they are also probably unfamiliar with this movement, which could be considered the first Great Migration. Just as there were Black cowboys, there were also Black pioneers, who are at the heart of this story. The novel in verse format for this historical novel, set from May to November 1879, works well as it follows one Black family as they move from Natchez, Mississippi to North Platte, Nebraska, during the Homestead Act. Thomas, the family patriarch, sees this as his family's only path to real freedom through land ownership amid wide spaces. While he's clearly a dreamer, sometimes he doesn't think things through carefully enough, making him impulsive and quick to anger. He decides to join a group of Black families heading West by wagon train. The journey is described by three different women: Lettie, 11, who has never thought of moving from a place that seems like home to her; her mother, Sylvia, who knows full well the perils such a journey has in store; and Philomena, a novice teacher heading West who joins them at the halfway point. Not surprisingly, the family and some of the other travelers face many challenges and dangers, including the weather. Each of the narrators has different types of strengths that help them survive. Well-researched and compelling, this book is important because it tells the stories of some of the Black men and women who made their way West. So invested was I in the fate of these individuals that I almost flew through the pages. The affection Lettie has for that little abandoned dog, Sutter, and the blossoming romance between two characters added more layers to this moving, inspiring story of perseverance and determination. Whenever I read stories set in the past or I imagine being part of a wagon train, nowhere near a restaurant or grocery store, I'm pretty sure that I would have struggled on such a journey. Kudos to Lesa Cline-Ransome for tackling this topic....more
I'm sure I'm not only the one who wonders who will save humanity or the planet if humanity cannot save itself. Perhaps the answer can be found here inI'm sure I'm not only the one who wonders who will save humanity or the planet if humanity cannot save itself. Perhaps the answer can be found here in an unlikely form. Then again, perhaps not. Maybe humanity is beyond saving and will only destroy the world once again, given the chance. In this luminous and enlightening wordless picture book, loosely inspired by the classic Biblical Noah's ark story, the earth has flooded, and cities are almost completely drowned. There are no humans to be found, but there are still animals seeking shelter atop buildings and on higher ground. NOA, a large robot responsible for building seawalls to protect the city, stumbles upon several animals left behind in a zoo. Readers can measure his size by comparing it to the tigers and elephants he feeds since they look like toys compared to NOA. As the waters continue to rise and another storm approaches, he constructs a large vessel and boards as many animals as he possibly can. The sea bounds the boat relentlessly as shown in one moving double-page spread, but the ship crashes into a small island. The rescued animals are safe, but not for long, given the size of the island. From out of the sky comes rescue in the form of another robot with a hot air balloon. Together, they help the animals climb into the basket and fly off to a much larger island where the animals can find food and shelter. As always with this author/illustrator, readers must read between the lines or pages, in this case, and even take in the endpapers in order to understand what's happened. The illustrations, created with watercolor, pen, and ink, fill each page with intricate images and an atmospheric, futuristic setting that just might be closer than we think. Those that doubt that a machine or a robot could have a heart or experience emotions may change their minds after reading this story. The importance of caring about others and helping them, a concept stated clearly in the book's epigram from Jane Goodall, is explored on each page. ...more
While this YA book covers several important topics, including the broken justice system, families dealing with incarcerated family members both while While this YA book covers several important topics, including the broken justice system, families dealing with incarcerated family members both while they are in prison and after they are released, the death penalty, and interracial relationships, among others, the writing could be stronger, some of the secondary characters developed more, and the conclusion stronger. Covering similar territory as Dear Martin, The Hate U Give, When You Look Like Us, and When They See Us, all of which are more literary, the book will have high teen appeal as it features a relatable protagonist in Tracy Beaumont and scenarios regarding the police with which some will be familiar. An aspiring journalist, Tracy has been writing weekly letters to the Innocence Project for seven years, the amount of time her father has been incarcerated and on Death Row for murder in Texas. While she waits for a response, she leads workshops familiarizing community members with their rights and how to behave when dealing with law enforcement. As her father runs out of time before executed, her track star brother, Jamal, is also accused of murder. Tracy's dogged determination and refusal to remain silent and let things take their course is admirable, and most readers will wish they had someone like her by their side. But some parts of the story are rather murky and improbable, and Angela, the victim, appears so briefly that it's hard to care about her fate, much less know much about her. Maybe that's okay since this isn't her story, but it detracts from the fullness of the narrative. Nevertheless, even with these possible flaws, the book raises important questions and will prompt deep conversations. ...more
Although this debut novel raises questions that aren't really answered, maybe that's the point. There is no hard and fast response to how to fill the Although this debut novel raises questions that aren't really answered, maybe that's the point. There is no hard and fast response to how to fill the hole or the void that so many of us experience, whether that be the characters in this novel or those of us reading the book. Some of us try to fill our emptiness with work, food, drugs, booze, relationships, wealth, even faith. But still there often seems to be an ache or a wish for more or something different, perhaps more meaningful than whatever is in our lives presently. Is it possible that there is more meaning in death than life? The book's twenty-seven-year-old protagonist, Cyrus Shams, is lost and searching for something. Born in Iran, he has completed a lackluster college career, dabbles in writing poetry, and dreams of writing a book about martyrs, perhaps even becoming one himself. When a friend tells him about an artist in New York City who is dying of cancer and doing so as part of a museum installation during which she chats with museum goers individually about death and dying, he travels there from Indiana with his best friend, Zee. What he learns when he meets her and then afterward shakes him to the core. Some readers will find the novel's jumps from one character to another and into different time periods and places annoying, but I liked those and found that they allowed for reflection and further character development as well as back story. A straightforward narrative wouldn't have done justice to the book's topic. The poetry, hallucinations, and snippets of reports about the investigation into the shooting of an Iranian passenger plane by the U.S. all add layers to the main story and give it depth and some historical context. As others have said, the writing is moving, funny, introspective, and intense. The multilayered characters and their stories will stay with readers for quite some time. As I finished the book and considered its merits, I reminded myself that life often is short, and it is important to savor all the sweetness, including strawberries and ice cream, that it has to offer, and try to extend that sweetness to others. Ultimately, maybe that's the point. ...more
It will come as no surprise to most readers that Halloween is not celebrated across the globe. When two twin Korean goblins, Doki and Kebi, have to leIt will come as no surprise to most readers that Halloween is not celebrated across the globe. When two twin Korean goblins, Doki and Kebi, have to leave their home for new digs, they end up in New York City just in time for the holiday festivities. But the city is confusing as are the little masked trick-or-treaters who turn out to be more frightening to the goblins than the goblins are to them. It's neat to have this slice of Korean culture in a picture book, but I liked the story [2.5 for me!] more than the digital illustrations, which are just too busy and intense for my taste. They effectively capture the very different personalities of Doki, who is more reserved, doesn't like change but likes reading, and Kebi, who is boisterous, loves to explore, and delights in scaring others. Share this one to a class right around Halloween....more
Beginning in March 1992, this middle-grade novel traces the experiences of fifth grader Kenan Trebincevic (the author) and his family as their homelanBeginning in March 1992, this middle-grade novel traces the experiences of fifth grader Kenan Trebincevic (the author) and his family as their homeland is torn apart by war. Suddenly, as tensions rise in his once-friendly neighborhood of Brcko, Bosnia, Kenan's carefree days of playing soccer, hanging out with his friends, and trying to impress his teachers, come to an end. Neighbors turn against neighbors, and the young Muslim boy's family isn't sure who they can trust. As slurs turn into more explosive forms of violence, including bombs exploding and street fighting, Kenan's family is no longer safe in venturing outside their house. In fact, they face danger even on a trip to the well for water or to a store for food. They are essentially trapped inside for months before making a daring bus trip out of the country across the Serbian-Hungarian border and into Austria. On page 150, Kenan even remarks that he is unaccustomed to electricity, with his eyes not having been exposed to electric light for ten months. They stay with family members and generous community members for a while, but life isn't easy. From there, the family eventually moves to Connecticut where several kind-hearted Christians try to make them feel welcome. In the United States, Kenan realizes that there are many individuals who are ready to help his family but others who take advantage of them. For him, though, soccer remains a passion and a way to make friends. This detailed, personal perspective on the war in Bosnia will open eyes and hearts, perhaps prompting readers to pay a little more attention to world events rather than focusing only on domestic issues. Perhaps, too, it will evoke empathy for individuals like Kenan and his family whose lives were turned upside down by events far beyond their control. Clearly, Kenan's family would have been perfectly content to remain in Bosnia had the war not made that impossible. The toll all this took on his parents is described in vivid detail as well. Add this one to a collection of war novels or immigration/refugees stories. ...more
When the war comes to her family's back door, Liesl Wolf and her family must flee East Prussia. Although no one wants to admit it, the German Army is When the war comes to her family's back door, Liesl Wolf and her family must flee East Prussia. Although no one wants to admit it, the German Army is losing badly, and the Russians are overrunning the territory. Fearing reprisals, they load up a cart with whatever belongings will fit and set off. Loss becomes Liesl's constant companion. Her father was reported missing in actions before the journey, her grandmother and grandfather only travel part of the way before stopping, and then Liesl, her brother Max, and little sister Mia are separated from their mother while trying to cross a frozen waterway. From there, the youngsters are on their own, fending for themselves, sometimes being aided by individuals with kind hearts or those who are trying to profit from others' misfortunes. They are even befriended by some Russian soldiers, prompting Liesl to be surprised that all Russians aren't bad or cruel and that some Germans are just as cruel as she's been led to believe about Russians. When the family is about to be separated even more, Liesl heads to the woods where the children must fend for themselves. Filled with humor, heart, and danger, this middle-grade novel effectively describes what life was like for children like the Wolf family, who lived almost like hungry wolves in the wild, scavenging for food, comfort, and shelter, and almost, almost but not quite, forgetting their human nature. The author captures the innocence of children who are forced to deal with adult problems and grow up far more quickly than they should have to, victims of war that are often overlooked and whose stories have not been told. The story is compelling, and its characters won't be easy to forget. ...more