The Silence of Our Friends

Publication Date: January 2, 2018

From the Publisher:

A New York Times-bestselling graphic novel based on the true story of two families—one white and one black—who find common ground as the civil rights struggle heats up in Texas.

This semi-autobiographical tale is set in 1967. A white family from a notoriously racist neighborhood in the suburbs and a black family from its poorest ward cross Houston's color line, overcoming humiliation, degradation, and violence to win the freedom of five black college students unjustly charged with the murder of a policeman.

The Silence of Our Friends follows events through the point of view of young Mark Long, whose father is a reporter covering the story. Semi-fictionalized, this story has its roots solidly in very real events. With art from the brilliant Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole) bringing the tale to heart-wrenching life, The Silence of Our Friends is a new and important entry in the body of civil rights literature.

My thoughts:

This semi-fictionalized memoir speaks to what social studies teachers today are looking for in how we currently teach and view history, as well as how we reach our learners. 

Set in the gritty graphic novel style that seems more like old news footage than the stylized gender fluid manga, this novel shows history in its most complex realism. What this graphic novel does so well is showcase how when it comes to race, how we treat each other, how the attitudes of the adults are mirrored in the innocence of children, history, even the ugliness and ignorance is still our history. What this makes me realize is that even if as a reader I am disturbed by children who don't understand why a game like "nigger knockin'' is a bad thing or I am squeamish about the blatant institutional racism present in a newsroom, if I do not accept the ugliness and horror, I cannot learn from history. I also cannot ignore what is still happening today and just accept that our history has changed. We need to be reminded by pieces like this that we have far to go as a society. 

As teachers, our job is to not gloss over the ugliness that is history, but to show multiple perspectives in order to let students create their own meaning making, debate with each other, and then give them an avenue for social justice action. 

For our most reluctant readers, this type of perspective housed in a graphic novel form is an engaging way to learn through stories and art. Put this in your social studies classroom along with John Lewis' March trilogy. Use this as additional resources to your civil rights curriculum. Do not look away.

An advanced copy provided by Net Galley and the publisher for an honest review. 

March: Like Deja Vu

March is a graphic memoir trilogy by and about Congressman John Lewis' involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. It is co-written by Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell. 

The first book in the trilogy focuses in on the early years of John Lewis' life in Alabama juxtaposed with a modern view of him getting ready for the first inauguration of our first African American President of the United States, Barack Obama. Book two recounts the Freedom Riders and their work to try and register voters in the south. Book three continues their efforts after the Freedom Rider summer to continue to find ways to register voters and try and get southern blacks to stand up for themselves and demand their rights in a living democracy. It ends with John Lewis invited to witness the signing of the 1965 voting rights act and travels again closes on the inauguration of the first black president of the United States, Barack Obama. 

The book focuses on Lewis' beliefs in both civil rights and non violence. It shows his early commitment as a young college student to righting injustice through his help in forming the Nashville Student Movement and their preparatory training for the non violent lunch counter sit ins. This is not a holier than thou account. Mr. Lewis shares the struggles of the group as well as his own personal struggles to try and do what he believes, even when he finds himself standing alone. He candidly shows a moment when he almost lashes back and breaks his non violence stand. He also shares his frustration about getting so many northern blacks and whites mobilized to help southern blacks who seem to just complacently accept the inequality and also see these young blacks as outsider instigators for violence in their own community.

I gave this book to one of my teacher prep students, a history major and future social studies teacher. He devoured it quietly and when he was done he said "this book is like deja vu." When I asked him what he meant, he just said that it is obvious that John Lewis really remembers what happened at that time and lived that life because it just mirrors and gives life to the primary source photos from that time and it makes it come alive from his perspective as if we are there and have been there before. 

What I liked about this book is that we see the historical figures in the movement including Martin Luther King Jr. as mentors and friends. It does not put them up as heroes but shows that in the midst of their now historic work, they continued to be human with missteps, insecurities and fear even as they kept doing the work they felt necessary. 

When I think about how little has changed and how violence and segregation still occurs, this trilogy holds more power to propel the next generations to non violent change.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Colin Singleton, angst-filled former prodigy, has just been dumped by his 19th Katherine, so he and his best friend, Hassan, go on a road trip as he tries to work on a theorem that can explain why he keeps getting dumped. This is a chick book led by a male protagonist.

What really makes this book interesting is the real math involved in this theorem, as well as the explanation of the math at the end of the book. Other than that, I had to struggle through the story and try find some kind of empathy for Colin.

Usagi Yojimbo: Senso

I saw this at the Mānoa Public Library on my way home from work the other day and although I had already read it, I was surprised that I had not already blogged about it. In fact I almost remember what I wrote, so unless my search engine on this blog is really wacky, I think what I wrote was just in my mind. 

I went to Hiroshima at the beginning of this month for an education conference. The last time I was in Hiroshima was as a young girl going to elementary school in Wakayama and spending school holidays in Hiroshima with family. That was over 40 years ago. What I don't remember about Hiroshima that I felt now is the quiet and peacefulness of the city. I had also forgotten how many hills and mountains are bordering Hiroshima city. These hills and mountains helped to protect some of the residents of Hiroshima during the atomic bomb. 

The rest of the city, though haunting and quiet also reveals a tenacity and gambare spirit (never give up) not only of the people, but also of the city itself. There was a very large, very loud crow outside our hotel and it would seem to follow us as we walked every morning. But what stood out was that the crow had so many trees to land on in order to follow us. The city, ground zero, is just full of trees. Knowing what little I know about half life, radiation and nature's recovery, there shouldn't be so many trees. These are not young trees, these are healthy, towering old trees. I used to love to walk past the Peace Memorial Park even if it was a little out of our way because the walkway was bordered by the most fragrant cyprus trees and I just had to touch them a little and the smell stayed with me like a tattoo. 

But this book. Senso means war and this Usagi book is once again about his battle with the Geishu clan, however Sakai puts the metallic aliens from H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds smack dab in the middle of this Japanese fuedalistic war scene. Suddenly the destruction of these technological marvels from a future light years away disrupts the whole Usagi world as we know it. This mash up of worlds is so jarring, but so fun to watch unfold because ultimately, like War of the Worlds, the characters must just have that gambare spirit because once these aliens start revealing themselves (Sakai's aliens look like gigantic tako, octopi) they are vulnerable and killable. 

This book makes me think about that never give up attitude of the Japanese that I saw in Hiroshima and that attitude was reflected in their city. 

The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder

Author: Marta McDowell

Illustrations: Helen Sewell, Garth Williams

Publisher: Timber Press

Publication Date: September 20, 2017

I don't know if any elementary students still read Little House on the Praire by Laura Ingalls Wilder, but even if the books were already about 40 years old when I first read them, I was so enamored with life on the plains of America in the early 1900s. Laura Ingalls Wilder, born in 1867 wrote her first book in this series in 1932. It is about their early life as well as her husband's life in Farmer Boy. I guess I just liked that her life was so different from mine as a young girl growing up in a large urban city in Hawaii. Wilder's life was just so different from mine. Her praire and fields were as large as my ocean.

This book brings me back to that reading by giving a lot of the backstory to those books and including similar types of illustrations.

What I really find interesting about this well researched book is that it brings the series alive again by weaving in tips on how to grow the plants and vegetables featured in the Praire series as well as how to actually visit the places even 150 years after Laura Ingalls' birth. The historical and contemporary photographs just make this so appealing to me as an adult. Thank you to the authors and illustrators for the journey of nostalgia.

An advanced copy made available by Net Galley and the publisher for an honest review

Nightschool: The Weirn Books

          

This manga 4-book series starts off in a day school that becomes a night school at 6pm for other worldly teens (weirns, werewolves, vampires oh my). I only have two of the four books but the books follow Alex, a homeschooled weirn who enrolls in the nightschool when her sister, who worked at the nightschool disappears.

If you like manga, but hate that the Japanese manga make you read backwards, this one is for you. If you cannot afford the manga series that seem to come out weekly for years, this one ends at 4.If you love the character styling of manga where everyone looks androgynous and European, this is for you. 

I liked the story enough. It fit the category of manga, cliff hangers and all. I think it taps into the fascination with non-human teen characters. Is it a keeper? No, but it's a reader. Find a public library or a well-stocked English classroom and just borrow it. 

All Things New: A YA Must Read

Publication Date: 

August 01, 2017

My thoughts:

The power of Miller's prose is her ability to create characters that we care about. 17-year-old Jessa Gray should have everything, and to those on the outside, she looks like she has everything, but she is just very good at hiding what is is broken inside of her. It takes an accident to force her to literally reveal what is broken inside of her as she now has to carry her scars on the outside. The accident also allows her to see the scars that others around her carry as a way to seek answers for herself and be able to reach out to others who need her help and empathy. It doesn't hurt that she falls for indefatigable Marshall who uses his own brokenness as a rally cry to embrace life and love fully. 

Miller takes these realistic issues and infuses it with very tangible chemistry between characters as well as humor and even some divine intervention. This is a devour-worthy read and puts Miller on the radar for YA authors that write movie worthy hits.

An advanced copy provided in return for an honest review by Net Galley.

What are YA reading?

I moved from teaching language arts to teaching general education courses, from introduction to teaching as a career to student teaching so I am out of the language arts daily game. However, this fall I finally get to teach my middle/secondary language arts methods course so I need to get back into reading YA.

What are the new must read YA books?
Who are the authors to follow?

I am starting with the Summer 2017 YA Book Club offerings by Jennifer Gonzalez of Cult of Pedagogy. I read two of them already but I would like to hear what other educators are saying.

Also, if you don't already read her blog, check it out. For the most part, being in this business for 26 years, I agree with pretty much everything she has offered and I have used them in my own classrooms so I share her blog and podcast as a resource for my students because it is something I would love to have time to do but I don't so I'm thankful for this resource.

Other suggestions?

Manga Perspective: Beauty Vol. 1 + Beast Vol. 2

Everyone knows this "tale as old as time," and if you have not seen the Disney live version of their animated version, get to the theatre! However, what Tokyo Pop does with this manga is different in that we finally get to see the separate points of view of the two characters. By moving beyond the known tale through the use of manga, the Mallory Reaves offers up a new tale for a new time and a new generation. 

For the most part, the movie focuses on Belle's point of view so the manga version does not share any kind of new insight, but volume 2 from the Beast uses the genre of manga to fully exemplify Beast's fear, depression, anger and self-doubt through its darker drawing style and uneven shaped panels.

Another plus for the manga version is that I was not disappointed by the transformation of the Beast back to human form. He is a typical manga stylized hero. This type of hero does not usually translate well on screen, either animated or live. 

Finally, the "artist" notes at the end of the books are always a nice breaking of the third wall that appeals to me as a teacher who is interested in process as well as reflection on process. 

An advanced copy provided by Net Galley.com and the publishers for an honest review. 

Sneak Peek: Once and For All

From the Publishers:

From Sarah Dessen, the beloved New York Times bestselling author of SAINT ANYTHING and JUST LISTEN, comes a new novel set in the world of wedding planning!

Is it really better to have loved and lost?  Louna's summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically.  But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged now that he's met the one he really  wants.  Maybe Louna's second chance is standing right in front of her.

 Sarah Dessen’s many fans will adore this latest novel, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story with humor, romance, and an ending that is so much more than happily-ever-after.

My Thoughts:

This is just a sneak peek so know that I am just providing my thoughts on the excerpt provided, but before I say that, let me tell  you a little bit about why I am even willing to read excerpts.

1. I have read Dessen before and think that she is an easy airplane read. Those kinds of reads are great to give my students who like to read fast and dirty, immerse quickly and then go searching hungrily for the next "ride." In other words, Author Recognition.

2. I live here:

Not literally homeless on the beach at Makena on Maui, but I live in Hawaiʻi. In fact, I live on the outer islands (outer islands just mean any of the islands that are not Oahu). What we lack on the outer islands are chain bookstores like Barnes and Noble. We had a Borders in Hilo, but you know how that story ends. Yes, we have multiple public libraries that offer both e-books and book books, but do you know how we get to live here? We work all the time. Availability.

3. Don't you miss the days when you could read for pleasure, under a tree or a large red umbrella and no one would look for you or bother you? Yeah, I don't have those days anymore and you would think that after my doctorate I could read for pleasure because my formal education is done, but no. That is not how it works. No one told me that being a lifelong learner and reader does not mean that you actually are given time to read what you want to read. What I have learned, though, is that the flight from Honolulu (Oahu) to my home in Hilo (Big Island) is 40 minutes long. With the new regulations that allow passengers to keep their electronics on as long as they are on airplane mode, I find that I can actually finish an excerpt on one leg of a trip. Instead of playing games on my iPad, I now read.  Effective Use of Captive Time.

Back to my thoughts. The main character, Louna, has a summer job working for her mother and her mother's partner as part of a three person wedding planner team. Something happened to Louna's first love but it's not in the excerpt. The result is she acts young, as in not confident and she acts old, as in bitter towards love. This is the biggest issue I have with a story that I really want to get into except for this one flaw. I don't know if I was reading too fast and missed it but I cannot settle on an age for this character. She is both immature or girlish and old and jaded at the same time. If she is right out of high school, is this first love tragedy really a tragedy? Even if she is in college, is this first love tragedy really a tragedy? I am not sure and of course the excerpt ends before anything gets revealed.

What is going for this book though is that it will suck readers in. Dessen has a writing style that is easy on the eyes (and the brain) so the immersion into these people's lives are swift. 

Would I read it when it comes out? Probably. I wouldn't write about it if I did not think I would continue reading. 

Publication date: June 6, 2017

Excerpt provided by Net Galley and the publisher Penguin Young Readers Group

Real Friends: Mean Girls for Tweens

From the publishers:

When best friends are not forever . . .

Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends ever since they were little. But one day, Adrienne starts hanging out with Jen, the most popular girl in class and the leader of a circle of friends called The Group. Everyone in The Group wants to be Jen's #1, and some girls would do anything to stay on top . . . even if it means bullying others.

Now every day is like a roller coaster for Shannon. Will she and Adrienne stay friends? Can she stand up for herself? And is she in The Group—or out?

Newbery Honor author Shannon Hale and New York Times bestselling illustrator LeUyen Pham join forces in this graphic memoir about how hard it is to find your real friends—and why it's worth the journey.

My thoughts:

The pairing of words by Shannon Hale and illustrations by LeUyen Pham gives this novel that awkward, lonely, confused feeling that dredges up my own tween years when my own friendships started to change and drift away and I was left a little confused by my changing hormones, and the way I was very out of sync with my childhood best friend based on the rate of our maturity. This is a kinder, gentler Mean Girls, but it brings up emotions that all these years later still can come back through this book. 

In the Author's Note section Hale says she never thought she would write a memoir, but in some ways it is. The honesty and truth of this and the illustrations that are able to deftly illustrate awkward, confused and unsure states just in the character Shannon's face created an emotional roller coaster of a ride for me. 

This book is for those upper elementary girls who feel lost and misunderstood and abandoned and confused. The creators have a message. Things do get better. 

Publication Day: May 02, 2017
First Second Books

advanced copy made available by the publisher and Net Galley (.) com

SYNC 2017 is almost here!

Summer is coming and with it comes free audiobooks from AudioFile Magazine and Overdrive! 

If you have never heard of this free, fabulous service, Sync is aimed at teens 13+. SYNC 2017 will give away 32 titles, 2 paired audiobook downloads each week starting on April 27th and ending on August 16!

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Check out the complete list of exciting audiobook titles from award-winning authors such as Daniel José Older, M.T. Anderson, Franz Kafka, Ruta Sepetys, and Nikki Grimes.

Sun Dragon's Song #1

by Joyce Chng and Kim Miranda

Rosarium Publishing

Publication date: September 21, 2016

Ho Yi wants to be a sun dragon rider like his parents, but he uses a crutch to get around and he is often bullied by a larger pupil at his school. Still, he feels their song in his heart and he believes that despite his disability, he can become a rider. 

Set in a distant land, this origin story sets up a little of young Ho Yi's life. The reader sees a little of his grit personality. We learn a bit about his parents and the struggles that this young boy goes through. However, there is much left unanswered, which I think will keep young tweens invested in reading. For example, what is he gathering in the cave and why does he have to wash it down? What happened to his legs? Why does the bully hate him so much? And will the feisty young girl that his father released at the border play a part in the next installments?

If readers liked Avatar, they will like Sun Dragon's Song. 

An e-galley provided by Net Galley and the publishers for an honest review.