Actor Al Pacino has many admirers, and I am one of them. I've been impressed with his willingness to take risks and to inhabit the characters he playsActor Al Pacino has many admirers, and I am one of them. I've been impressed with his willingness to take risks and to inhabit the characters he plays in films. And of course, who could forget his role as Michael in The Godfather or his violent, perhaps over the top rendition in Scarface? But I knew very little about his background and formative years. Unlike some biographies or memoirs written when the writer is still too young to have achieved much perspective, this one has the fortune of being created when Pacino is in his eighties. The subsequent work is full of heart, humor, and insight into human nature, the craft of acting, fame, and paths not taken. There are so many interesting anecdotes and so much color concerning New York City and LA that readers will feel as though they've traveled back in time and place with Pacino. Interestingly, he avoids dishing dirt on those whose paths crossed with his. I thoroughly enjoyed this voice-filled read. ...more
Part of the Family Love series, this picture book enthusiastically celebrates the joy of having cousins. Each page describes an attribute of a particuPart of the Family Love series, this picture book enthusiastically celebrates the joy of having cousins. Each page describes an attribute of a particular cousin, making it abundantly clear that one of the best parts of summer and free time is spending time with them. The colorful, energetic artwork filled with reds, blues, and greens, depicts those cousins in all their glory until the last double-page spread where the narrator, a young girl, pages through a scrapbook or photo album, cherishing those memories and holding them close to her heart, which she claims is "quite big and fits everyone" (unpaged). ...more
As is the case with many other readers, I find novels in verse quite appealing since they tend to be deceptively short because of how the lines are prAs is the case with many other readers, I find novels in verse quite appealing since they tend to be deceptively short because of how the lines are presented but they also pack an emotional wallop and often necessitate reading and pondering between the lines. In this one, the author reaches back in time to plumb his memories of his high school graduation in Spring 1999 while he's living in Prince George through Fall 2000 when he transfers from one college to another. The first person in his family to attend college, he deals with racism, homophobia, and economic issues during that period but also during his formative years. He copes with each of these with supportive friends and through his creative expression--poetry. There are actual handwritten copies of the poems he wrote during this period included in the book. Because of his small size and lack of athletic prowess, he's also dealt with bullying. Additionally, he starts feeling as though he's reading from someone else's script or expectations for him, which causes tension in his long-time relationship with Blu, his girlfriend. Part of the problem is that he starts questioning his sexuality and finds a connection in a chatroom. This is one of the most honest memoirs I've read, filled with references to popular music and emerging technology as well as Tony's growing awareness of the inequities around him and how his own dishonesty about his identity may protect him from the judgment of others, but it also mutes his voice. Add this to your to-read pile or move it to the top. ...more
Faiza, who lives in the mountainous portion of India with her father and grandmother, takes a lot of flack from classmates because of her passion for Faiza, who lives in the mountainous portion of India with her father and grandmother, takes a lot of flack from classmates because of her passion for boxing. She trains hard with her father and dreams of winning a tournament in the city. But when her father fails to return after a trip, she feels disheartened about training without her coach, and considers giving up. But after a surprising encounter with someone with the same name and encouragement from her grandmother, she rededicates herself to the sport and heads to the tournament. Even though she has money with her for the bus, bullies from her class attack her along the way, stealing the money and necessitating a long walk to town. She channels her inner strength and fights as hard as she can. While she doesn't win the bout, she gains confidence and knows that she should continue boxing. The colors in this inspiring graphic novel are quite bright, pulsing with energy and depicting beautiful terrain. Faiza is a groundbreaker, but she's also someone carrying some heavy burdens. ...more
In this luminous picture book, Saif, a young boy, learns how to conquer his shyness, little by little, just like the quilt he cherishes so much. ThankIn this luminous picture book, Saif, a young boy, learns how to conquer his shyness, little by little, just like the quilt he cherishes so much. Thanks to his mother, who shares the significance of each of the patches that make up the quilt--all related to Saif's memories--he realizes that he has plenty of positive characteristics, including being brave and persistent. This is a gentle but important story since there are many youngsters who feel just like Saif. Most notably, he starts to internalize all the positive messages he's receiving amid the risks he's taking. This one might be a good choice to share on the first day of class or a new school year or even before a new activity. ...more
Try as he might, Jonathan just can't frighten the members of his family. He puts on some sort of costume, sneaks up on them and pounces out, but apparTry as he might, Jonathan just can't frighten the members of his family. He puts on some sort of costume, sneaks up on them and pounces out, but apparently, they're wise to his tricks. Disappointed, he goes for a walk and comes back with something guaranteed to have them shaking in their boots. As it turns out, trying to scare others runs in the family. The clean, crisp artwork with some close-ups at important points allows the story's simplicity and relatability to shine. ...more
WOW! There are hardly words to do justice to this intense, moving, highly original graphic novel, the follow-up to the previous My Favorite Thing Is MWOW! There are hardly words to do justice to this intense, moving, highly original graphic novel, the follow-up to the previous My Favorite Thing Is Monsters. Picking up where the earlier book left off, this fictional graphic diary written and illustrated by 10-year-old Karen Reyes will keep readers' attention throughout the entire book even though it's a long one. Still missing her mother and trying to make sense of the actions of her brother, Deeze, Karen is determined to figure out who killed her upstairs neighbor, Anka Silverberg, a Holocaust survivor, even while other important events swirl around her. Set in Chicago in 1968, the book takes readers and Karen to Grant Park for the Festival of Life where she sees police violence in action. She also considers her own sexual identity, begins a romantic relationship, and ponders her brother's complex nature, nurturing toward her but violent toward some others. By the time the final page of this resplendently illustrated book is reached, readers will be pretty sure about the identity of the real monsters among us. This book and volume one are the kinds of reading material that require readers to sit with them for a few minutes or hours after finishing them in order to allow some of what has been lived through vicariously to be digested. Others have called these two books masterpieces, and I wouldn't disagree. ...more
Twelve-year-old Ave Rendon Chavez, who is nonbinary, is determined to dislike Lawrence, Kansas, where their mother and nine-year-old brother Ramón havTwelve-year-old Ave Rendon Chavez, who is nonbinary, is determined to dislike Lawrence, Kansas, where their mother and nine-year-old brother Ramón have moved so their mother can work at the university. Behind in Mexicali, Mexico are their father and older sister, Cruz. The language and culture is so very different, and Ave feels completely lost and homesick. Things get even worse once Ave learns the truth about their parents' future plans. While exploring the city and running from one place to another, Ave finds some peace of mind, and they eventually are embraced by a new friend group who love running as well. The differences between Ave and Ramon and how they deal with this unfamiliar world are striking, and even though it's clear that Ave could make more of an effort, it's also true that fears about losing one's culture and leaving others behind are quite real. Topics of identity, cultural assimilation, and displacement as well as what makes a place a home are explored powerfully in this graphic novel. There are some places where transition or some sort of marker indicating a flashback would have been helpful since some of the shifts back and forth in time between past and present are jarring and disorienting. ...more
Although the writing didn't particularly impress me since it was a bit clunky, simplistic, with odd coincidences, and it didn't build tension the way Although the writing didn't particularly impress me since it was a bit clunky, simplistic, with odd coincidences, and it didn't build tension the way that might have been expected, I'm still glad that the book was written since it's an important topic--residential boarding schools for Native Americans and the generational trauma that resulted from those experiences--and one only rarely, if ever, addressed in books for children or middle graders. In this one, the protagonist, twelve-year-old Summer, who is Cree, soaks up the culture and comfort as she's surrounded by family members living on the Cree reservation in Alberta, Canada. She and her cousin, Autumn, become interested in history, spurred on by the strange dreams Summer has about a girl who is running away from the boarding school during freezing weather. Plus, as the members of the community prepare to gather for a protest march, some of the elders, including Summer's own grandfather, slowly start sharing their own stories about those boarding schools and as some of the mass graves near the former schools are unearthed. There are several culturally rich passages and references in the narrative, and the story itself is hopeful despite its troubling subject matter. ...more
Seventh grader Bea Mullins, the protagonist in this middle-grade novel [3.5 for me!], may remind many readers of themselves. Even though she's tall anSeventh grader Bea Mullins, the protagonist in this middle-grade novel [3.5 for me!], may remind many readers of themselves. Even though she's tall and might seem suited for basketball, she failed miserably at that particular sport as well as others. When flooding in the Toronto middle school gym necessitates some sort of extracurricular physical activity, she reluctantly joins the inaugural girls' hockey team with some urging from her best friend Celia. Although she likes watching hockey on television with her father, she's never played. Still, she tightens up her skates, borrows her brother's equipment, and heads to the rink, planning to stay out of the limelight--and action--as much as possible. But several embarrassing videos of her mistakes make her even more uncomfortable with playing. Still, there's something about practice, skating, and working as part of a team that excites here. Plus, there are sparks between Bea and Gabi, an Olympic hopeful. Is Bea ready to take risks, both on and off the rink? The budding romance is at the heart of the story, of course, but there is also a relevant plot concerning how hard the team has to work in order to pay for rink time and how inequitable pay is between men and women professional hockey players. The story held my attention all the way through, and I rooted for Bea to start to feel comfortable in her own skin and not worry so much about what others thought of her. ...more
Although the concept behind this middle-grade fairy tale is clever enough, at times the execution seems lacking. That's understandable, given that theAlthough the concept behind this middle-grade fairy tale is clever enough, at times the execution seems lacking. That's understandable, given that the plot concerns two familiar fairy tale characters [Cinderella and Belle] who end up becoming part of the other's story. Ella finds herself trapped in the Beast's castle, and Belle is stuck in a cellar waiting on a wicked stepmother [not hers!] and two stepsisters. While it might seem easy enough to get all this sorted out so that the characters can take their rightful places in the stories where they belong, their plight is complicated by a curse and someone's wishes. Entertaining on several levels, especially since neither of these girls behaves quite the way readers might expect them to, this is one of those books that might be even better appreciated after a second read or after reading the next book in the series. There were a couple of places where I had to stop, backtrack, and remind myself who was whom and where each character belonged. Fans of fairy tales will love this one, though. ...more
Beginning in 1492 and concluding in 2003, this book follows four generations of a Sephardic Jewish family from Spain to Turkey to Cuba to Miami and baBeginning in 1492 and concluding in 2003, this book follows four generations of a Sephardic Jewish family from Spain to Turkey to Cuba to Miami and back to Spain again. In the first section, Benvenida, whose mother has taught her to read and write, and her family must flee their home during the Spanish Inquisition unless they renounce their faith. They journey by sea to Turkey, but there are losses along the way. Flash forward to 1923 when Reina, a budding feminist and skillful oud player, is banished to Cuba by her father for what he considers an act of rebellion. Flash forward again to 1961 as Reina's daughter, Alegra, at 12, volunteers to help eradicate illiteracy in the rural parts of the county, but her service is interrupted when her family is endangered due to her father's opposition to Fidel Castro. Flash even further forward as her daughter, Paloma, visits Spain with Alegra, Reina, and her father, in order to connect with parts of her family history. Culturally rich and filled with characters and situations who sometimes seem larger than life even while being quite relatable, this novel taught me quite a lot about the prejudices that have existed over the centuries and parts of Jewish history about which I was completely unaware. The impact of those who came before us and their experiences, culture, and resilience cannot be overstated. While at first I was disappointed to be left with gaps between the first generation and the second, in the end, I could understand the author's decision to focus on the ones that she did. The fact that parts of the book were inspired by her own family lends even more significance and poignancy to the stories. ...more
Set in Maine in 1930 during the Great Depression and after WWI, this was one of the best middle-grade historical fiction titles I've read in a long tiSet in Maine in 1930 during the Great Depression and after WWI, this was one of the best middle-grade historical fiction titles I've read in a long time. The author captures the feelings and personality of the book's eleven-year-old protagonist, Hurricane McAdams Pierce, who is quiet but finds her voice after her older sister Bronte's tuberculosis forces her to move in with her maternal aunt who lives in a large city. She's heartbroken to leave the only home she's ever known and her beloved dog, Brody-Bear. Although Aunt Claire grew up by the ocean in the house where Hurricane and Bronte live, she's left all that far behind her after marrying into the wealthy Butterfield family. Just like Miss Witherspoon, the teacher who constantly belittled her and tried to get her to speak up more in class, Aunt Claire tries to change Hurricane. Hurricane finds it hard to rebel, but eventually, with quiet but stolid support from her aunt's gentle, tender-hearted chauffeur, Mr. Keats, she does--partly out of a need to survive but also to adopt a stray cat and welcome a boy who sells fish along the city streets. Readers will enjoy watching Hurricane change and come into her own, finally learning to advocate for herself, but they will also love seeing the changes in Aunt Claire. As it turns out, the two of them have far more in common that Hurricane ever dreamed. Every word in this story has been carefully considered, and the author even includes passages about bread lines, bank failures, and PTSD as well as recipes and books by Charles Dickens that Hurricane, herself a budding writer who jots her observations and feelings in her "Words of Encouragement Journal," falls in love with. This was one of those books with well-fleshed characters who slip into a reader's heart, making her sad to see the story end. ...more
Man! I love this author's writing. Along with the tender prose and relatable protagonist, the artwork in this picture book is stunning. Created with pMan! I love this author's writing. Along with the tender prose and relatable protagonist, the artwork in this picture book is stunning. Created with pencil and Photoshop, the illustrations showcase a loving multicultural family, foods, butterflies, roots, and tender scenes from the past. Although the narrator is proud of her heritage and family stories about her Jewish and Hindu heritage and being both Indian and American, she sometimes feels lonely and as though she doesn't fit with those around her. It's almost as though she's just not enough of either of them and yet nothing like her classmates. After a talk with her parents and observing a butterfly with its resplendent colors sipping nectar from a flower, she has a moment of realization that she, like it, is "both uniquely [her]itself and part of many things at once" (unpaged). The story is especially poignant since it is based on the author's own family history. Readers will want to read the Author's Note in the back of the book. This title is especially important to share with students today since there will be others just like the protagonist who aren't sure how to be "many things at once," but also, there will be many readers who will gain empathy toward those who seem different than them through this book. ...more
This picture book [2.5 for me!] didn't fill me with delight despite its leprechaun protagonist. It covers very familiar territory--a character discontThis picture book [2.5 for me!] didn't fill me with delight despite its leprechaun protagonist. It covers very familiar territory--a character discontent with his size, his looks, and his lack of true friends--who decides to look for happiness elsewhere or by changing. The leprechaun, Connor O'Connor, abandons the accouterments of a leprechaun and then uses a magic spell to turn himself into various creatures, including a fairy and a carpenter, among others, but after each change, he realizes that there are disadvantages to them. When he finally meets someone willing to be his friend, he heeds her advice to be himself. While the book's message that happiness comes from within and not from trying to be something that you're not is a good one, the heavy-handedness of the text and the flatness of the artwork diminishes its overall appeal--at least for me. Its intended young audience may have a completely different reaction. ...more
Readers who simply glance at this book's title and assume that it must be about a family's laundry day will quickly realize their mistake once they loReaders who simply glance at this book's title and assume that it must be about a family's laundry day will quickly realize their mistake once they look closer at its cover with a mother lathering up her daughter's tresses. Inside, they'll find endpapers with several tools of the trade and a 15-point list of the steps in a wash day routine. While many Black girls will already be familiar with all these steps and all the work that goes into taking care of their hair, other readers may be shocked at how much time all this takes. (I tend to give my hair a lick and a promise with a brush, if it's lucky, and then bundle it all up in a bun or bandana high atop my head.) Narrated by the daughter, the story follows her as she gathers up everything that will be needed to tend to her hair on this special day of the week when her mother has time to do so and then highlights each of the steps, including mixing the ingredients for a conditioner, washing her hair, covering it with conditioner, separating the hair into sections and adding oil to the scalp before blow-drying and braiding and beading it. The artwork, created with Procreate, tenderly show each of those steps and the bond between the mother and daughter as they chat, laugh, and reminisce, building memories of a familiar yet important ritual while also relishing in these hours of self-care. The mother's fingers are deft as she works with her daughter's hair, and the love between the two of them is palpable. Add this one to a collection devoted to hair or family. After reading this one, I have a whole new appreciation for hair care and feel sheepish about how little I do for my own locks. ...more
This picture book covers a topic infrequently addressed in children's literature--a parent who is illiterate or unable to read in a language other thaThis picture book covers a topic infrequently addressed in children's literature--a parent who is illiterate or unable to read in a language other than his Mother Tongue. The narrator, a young girl, initially thinks that her father is afraid of unicorns and giraffes since he hesitates when reading books containing them to her at bedtime. After he helps his daughter deal with her own fears about the monster in her closet, she returns the favor when he admits that it isn't the animals that frighten him. He's intimidated by the big words in her books. The book's positive message about bravery and facing one's fears is a positive one, much needed in elementary classrooms. Educators may want to share this one with its warm artwork with their students, who may be in the same boat as the young narrator with a parent for whom English is a second language or one who cannot read. The positivity of the story is reassuring. ...more
When eleven-year-old Marcus and his mother travel to Malmo for the summer for her job, Marcus is excited to have a brand-new start where others see hiWhen eleven-year-old Marcus and his mother travel to Malmo for the summer for her job, Marcus is excited to have a brand-new start where others see him as the boy he is rather than deadnaming him. He and his new friend Mikkel couldn't be closer as they share all sorts of adventures and spend time skateboarding. But all that changes when Mikkel sees his passport photo and becomes convinced that Marcus has been lying to him all along. This short glimpse into the life of a trans boy also contains a secondary plot concerning the inability of Marcus's father and his grandmother to accept him as he is rather than what they wish he might be. While the topic is important, especially today, its seriousness is offset by plenty of humorous moments. Middle-grade readers will root for Marcus to find his place and his happiness. Interestingly, this book was originally published in Germany in 2016, but it doesn't seem dated at all. ...more
The Reconstruction period after the Civil War is an interesting time, brimming with emotions and rife for storytelling. It's not an exaggeration to saThe Reconstruction period after the Civil War is an interesting time, brimming with emotions and rife for storytelling. It's not an exaggeration to say that this debut novel is one of the best accounts of life during that period that I've read and one of the most unusual. The Walkers--George and Isabelle--have a large homestead that has largely remained fallow. George impulsively hires two brothers, Prentiss and Landry, who are newly emancipated from a nearby plantation, to help him plant and tend a peanut crop. The brothers agree, hoping to save up enough money to make their further travels to the North easier. The reaction of some of the citizens of Old Ox, the nearby town, is less than pleasant. But tragedy occurs when the Walkers' son Caleb returns from war, reunites with his closeted lover, and Landry sees their tryst. While some readers may not appreciate the slow burn aspect of the story, its complex characters, whose actions often seem surprising or puzzling, are the stars here, fascinating examples of humanity at its best and at its worst. Historical fiction fans will enjoy this one a great deal, reflecting on the impact of certain choices and how lives can be changed at a moment's notice. Wonderfully descriptive language filled with insight and heart make each line a delight to read. I'm so pleased to have discovered this author and eager to read his next book. ...more
Oh, how I wish our elected officials and those that support building a wall to keep people out of the country would read this book [4.5 for me!]! WellOh, how I wish our elected officials and those that support building a wall to keep people out of the country would read this book [4.5 for me!]! Well-researched and well-written, it follows the journeys of a handful of smugglers in Latin America. The author, an anthropologist, spent seven years getting to know some of the men and women who engage in this particular activity. Not surprisingly, this particular topic [human smuggling] is far more complex than many would have it. The possible solutions are just as complicated and multifaceted and would require worldwide changes since it's typically poverty, violence, environmental disasters, and fears that drive many to leave their homes. Yes, many are seeking a better life, for sure, but often, they're simply hoping to HAVE a life and not be killed, the victim of the violence in their hometowns. The smugglers or coyotes often have been in the same shoes as the individuals who are trying to cross the border into the United States or Mexico. Having failed to make it across the border or having succeeded but then sent back for one reason or another, they try to survive by helping--for a high price--others reach the Promised Land. But the smuggling business has many layers and much cost, even for the smugglers themselves, and no one in this book gets wealthy through this way of making a living. Many are living on the street, along train tracks, even in the jungle, and they come from all over, including Nicaragua and Honduras. The author delves deeply into some of the smugglers' formative years, their relationships, and the dangers they themselves face on a daily basis as well as moments of joy or times when drugs, alcohol and/or sex help them blot out some of the painful memories and reality. Because this is an ethnography, De Leon himself is present in many of the pages and exchanges with his subjects, sharing a laugh or a beer, mourning lost lives and futures, trying to understand, and feeling guilty over certain choices or missed opportunities. The individual stories and experiences are as real as things can get, and readers are likely to be fully invested in the fates of Chino, Flaco, Jesmyn, Kingston, Marina, Papo, and Santos, and feel curious about where they are now. Parts of this account are shocking, and it may be impossible to consider trains, knitting needles, knitting or iguanas the same after reading the book. It's necessary to sit quietly for a few moments after finishing this intense, immersive read, pondering one's own responsibility for the problems the author highlights. The only aspects that were missing for me were inclusive of some of those who truly profit off those migrants and the sometimes-confusing structure of the narrative. But those possible flaws are easy to ignore when faced with these examples of humans striving to survive against all odds. ...more