The Answer Is...: Reflections on My Life

When Alex Trebek passed away recently, I saw he had written an autobiography type book—The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life—and got it from the library. The book is full of little vignettes from Alex Trebek’s life—childhood, various adult jobs, time on jeopardy, cancer diagnosis, etc.

I really enjoyed this book. We watch Jeopardy with my grandma whenever we visit her in California, and Emmeline particularly loves it. I liked Alex Trebek as the host but didn’t really know much more about him and so found the book interesting, especially the parts about Jeopardy (less so the parts about his younger years). The book did have quite a bit of bad language, so that was the only downside.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

City of Orphans

Emmeline read City of Orphans by Avi for her book club at school and highly recommended it to me. It’s the story of 13-year-old newsie named Maks who lives in New York in 1893. Maks’s family—immigrants from Denmark—are tight on money and rely on Maks to earn a share each day. When the Plug Ugly gang start going after him, a girl named Willa helps him fight—and the two become friends just as a new crisis comes to his family: His sister Emma, who works at the Waldorf Hotel, was accused of stealing and put in prison. It’s up to Maks to find a way to find a way to save Emma.

This was a great read. I was engaged from the start, but once I got further into it, I couldn’t stop reading and had to stay up to finish. It was a captivating story with great characters. Emmeline considered the book one of the top books she’s ever read.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Breadwinner

Emmeline’s teacher was reading her class The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, so Emmeline recommended it to me. I  read it and then also read the three sequels—Parvana’s Journey, Mud City, and My Name is Parvana. Because I’m playing catchup on the blog, I won’t write separate posts for each book but just kind of group them all here. The Breadwinner is about 11-year-old Parvana who lives in Kabul, Afghanistan with her family. War and Taliban rule has taken away many things from her family, and when Parvana’s dad gets arrested for having a foreign education, they are left with only one option—Parvana dressing as a boy and becoming the breadwinner.

This was a great book and series. Especially as the series goes on, it has some pretty heavy, sad stuff, and it’s just so heartbreaking what children have to go through in these war-torn countries. I think it’s great Emmeline’s teacher is reading The Breadwinner with the class, but I told Emmeline I thought the rest of the books were a little much for her. (She doesn’t handle death well, and there are some hard deaths.) The books were engaging stories, and I always wanted to keep reading the next book. I also think it was really meaningful to learn about how children and families live in war-ridden countries and refugee camps and to remember how blessed we are to have the lives we have in America. It reminded me to seek out opportunities to help those less fortunate.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Red Pencil

I had The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney on my to-read list for awhile and got it from the library. Amira lives in a village in Sudan that is attacked by the Janjaweed, and she has to escape—making a long journey to a refugee camp.

This was a great read. It was written in verse, which I always love, and told a pretty heart-wrenching story. I read this a couple months ago so can’t remember much else but still wanted to document that I read it.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Betty Before X

I got Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renee Watson from the library after seeing it on a list somewhere. The book caught my attention because it’s the fictionalized story of Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X’s wife, as a child, written by their daughter and co-written by Renee Watson, an author I’ve enjoyed in the past. The story follows Betty, an 11-year-old in Detroit in 1945, through her journey to finding love and purpose.

This is another book I read a couple months ago, so I don’t remember tons about it anymore thanks to my terrible memory, but it was definitely an engaging story that kept me reading. I kept expecting it to tie into Malcolm X somehow, but the story just did a few years of her childhood/teen years and then ended before making the connection to her later years. But I really enjoyed the characters and story and liked getting a glimpse of this period of history.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Things That Go Booklist

 Here's another PBS booklist with books about things that go!

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/picture-books-about-things-that-go

Autumn books

I had another opportunity to make a booklist for PBS Parents. This one is books about autumn!

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/13-childrens-books-for-celebrating-fall

Home of the Brave

My daughter told me that her teacher was reading Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate aloud to the class, so I decided to get it from the library and read it as well. It was also already on my to-read list, and I have really liked several of Katherine Applegate's other books (Wishtree, The One and Only Ivan). This book is about Kek, who comes to America from Africa after living in a refugee camp. He lost his father and brother in the war and desperately hopes that his mother is still alive. As he joins his aunt and cousin in America, he adjusts to his unfamiliar aspects of his new life--snow, school, and even laundry machines.

This was a beautiful read. It was written in verse (which I love, like I always say), and the author created distinct, believable characters and a story that kept me engaged. I'm really glad my daughter is reading this book as well because it offers a glimpse into what it's like to be an immigrant--learning about a completely new culture and having to adjust. It also doesn't shy away from the pain that is in the past of a refugee child. This was a meaningful read that had me tearing up several times.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Unbound

I've had Unbound by Ann E. Burg on my to-read list for awhile and finally got around to reading it now that I have access to a physical library again. Unbound, written in verse, is about Grace, a 9-year-old slave who has to leave her family to work in the Big House. The more time Grace spends around the Master and Missus, the more she recognizes the injustice of slavery and the life she and her family must live. When her family is in danger, she realizes the only option is to run.

This was a a wonderful book. I always love books written in verse, and Ann E. Burg is a great writer. (I also loved her book Serafina's Promise.) I think this is a great book to introduce older children to the reality of slavery, and it is also good for adults to learn about a unique historical aspect of slavery--runaways who found safety in the Great Dismal Swamp.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Friendship books

I got the opportunity to write a booklist for the PBS Parents website! If you are looking for picture books related to friendship, check it out! :)

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/childrens-books-about-friendship

When Stars are Scattered

I randomly saw the front cover of When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed when scrolling through Amazon or my Kindle or something, and it caught my eye--particularly because Victoria Jamieson is the author of Roller Girl, a graphic novel that Emmeline and I both loved. When Stars are Scattered is a graphic novel based on the real experiences of Somali refugee Omar Mohamed. It follows Omar's 15 years living in a refugee camp in Kenya. The book describes Omar's protective relationship with his nonverbal brother, his questions about what happened to his mother, and his opportunity to attend school.

This was an AMAZING book. Emmeline read it first and loved it, and then I read it next and loved it too. It was a powerful story in portraying what it is like to be a refugee, and it was just incredible to follow the experiences Omar had. I loved the "from the author" sections at the end where I learned how this book came to be AND what happened to Omar after the end of the book. This is a very approachable book for children to learn about the refugee experience. The story is amazing, but Victoria Jamieson is also a very talented storyteller and artist. Great read, highly recommended.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Bridge Home

I've had The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman on my to-read list for awhile. It's the story of 11-year-old Viji and her developmentally disabled sister Rukku, who run away from home to escape their abusive father. The girls head to the city and start navigating their new, difficult life as homeless children.

This was a beautifully well-written book and incredibly engaging. The four main character children were all so endearing, and I was just rooting for them the whole story. The book was quite heartbreaking--I was reading it while waiting for an eye appointment and had to stop because I was crying and didn't think that was ideal right before an eye exam. :) The story was gentle and thoughtful, and I also liked reading at the end of the book that the story was based on real experiences of homeless children in India.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Front Desk

I've had Front Desk by Kelly Yang on my to-read list for awhile, I think because I saw it won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children's Literature. It is about 10-year-old Mia Tang, who helps her parents manage the Calivista Motel. Her family immigrated from China for a better life, but instead it has been a struggle to survive as they move from job to job. The motel may finally be their big break, and despite the owner and his unfair policies, Mia is determined to help her family succeed.

This was a great book. It took me awhile to get into it, especially because I struggle with books or movies where too many bad things are happening. I think it's just kind of too much for me to bear, so it's hard for me to push through. This book kind of felt like that at first, so I kept having to put it down--but then Mia made a friend at school, and I got to know the weeklies at the motel, and things started to be a little more bearable. :) The book also just made me chuckle about how Mia pretty much ran the front desk of the motel and convinced people to just accept it. I also loved how she used her writing to make a difference. (Vague but I don't want to give things away.) This turned out to be a feel-good book, and I loved reading at the end that the book is loosely based on the author's experience as a child helping her Chinese immigrant parents manage motels. This book reminded me what a struggle immigrants face and the need to show compassion and understanding.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Skeleton Man

For the Read Woke challenge, I needed a book from a Native American voice. I went to Debbie Reese's blog (American Indians in Children's Literature) since I am familiar with her being an outspoken voice about the need for authentic voices, and I wanted to pick a book that was an accurate Native American voice. I found several books that looked good, but I had a difficult time finding any available on ebook through my library. Finally I found the author Joseph Bruchac, who has written many books, and one of his that was available was Skeleton Man. It is about Molly, a sixth grader whose parents suddenly go missing. When an apparent long-lost great uncle claims her from the police station, she starts to see similiarities to the Mohawk tribal myth of skeleton man. With help from her dreams, she comes up with a plan to get away and save her parents.

I really enjoyed this book. It's been a long time since I read a creepy/scary story (Mary Downing Hahn were favorites of mine as a kid), and this book was right up my alley since it was written for middle grade kids and wasn't too scary. At the beginning, I was distracted by the writing style not being quite as well written as some other authors, but soon enough I was engaged in the story and anxious to see what happened. It was a quick read, and I liked how things turned out thanks to a clever child heroine. I also loved the Native American perspective--getting some introduction into a tribe and its culture/stories. This is not a book I would have read without the Read Woke challenge, but now I'm glad I did. I just saw there is a sequel, and I'm probably going to read it if the library has it on ebook. :)

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The One and Only Bob

I read The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate years ago and was excited to see that a sequel just came out: The One and Only Bob. I got both on ebook from the library and re-read The One and Only Ivan first--good book and had me sobbing at the end. Then I read The One and Only Bob, which tells the story of Bob, the dog, and his life after the conclusion of the first book. When a tornado hits the town, Bob finds himself risking his own safety to help other animals. (I won't elaborate too much on the plot for those who haven't read the first book.)

This was a fun read. It was slow at first, but once the action picked up, I was hooked. I loved how the author brought the characters all back together, and it was interesting to see the story from a different character's perspective (Bob instead of Ivan). The book seemed a little preachy at times, but I didn't mind too much. Bob made some great points. :) I just recommended these books to my 9-year-old daughter, and she finished The One and Only Ivan today (had to stay up late to finish), so I expect her to want to read the sequel in the morning. There's a movie coming out on Disney+ in August based on the first book, so it's a fun time to read these.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Land of Forgotten Girls

For part of my library's summer reading program, there's a "Read Woke" challenge, encouraging us to read books by diverse voices. When looking for a book from an Asian-American voice, I came across The Land of Forgotten Girls, by Erin Entrada Kelly. (I have read and enjoyed her books Hello, Universe and You Go First as well.) This book is about Soledad and her younger sister Ming, who came to Louisana with their dad and stepmom after their mother's death in the Phillippines. When their dad returns to the Phillippines for a funeral and never comes back, the girls are left in the hands of their cruel stepmom and must learn to survive.

This was a beautifully written book but also quite heartbreaking. The story kept me interested, and I loved the funny set of characters created by the author. I admired Sol's determined spirit and dedication to protecting her sister. I loved watching her use her imagination to think about better things than the life she was living, especially since it was her mother who taught her about imagination and stories as a young child. Overall, it was a kind of sad book but perhaps realistic--and it showed that there are always good people in the world who are looking out for each other.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Blended

I saw Blended by Sharon M. Draper on a recommended book list, and it caught my eye because 1) I liked the cover and 2) I loved Sharon Draper's book Out of My Mind. Blended is about 11-year-old Izzy, a talented piano player whose parents go through an angry divorce. Izzy has to switch between her mom's house and her dad's house week by week, and she also struggles to navigate the dynamics of being mixed race--her mom is white and dad is black. There's more to the story, but I'll leave it there as to not give things away. :)

This was an awesome book. I loved reading the book from Izzy's perspective and watching her sort through the tricky situations she finds herself in. Great characters, great writing, great story. The book kept me engaged all the way through, so I read it very quickly. Highly recommended.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The First Rule of Punk

I saw The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez on a list of winners/honors of the Pura Belpre Award (for Latino/Latina authors whose books celebrate the Latino cultural experience). This book is about 12-year-old Malu who has to move with her mom to Chicago for two years--leaving her dad and everything else she loves behind. She struggles to find her place in life and at her new school--she's half-Mexican but doesn't speak much Spanish and loves punk.

This was a fun read and well written book. I enjoyed the various characters (especially Mrs. Hidalgo) and enjoyed how Malu was just kind of a classic 12-year-old. The story was engaging and kept me reading, and while I didn't enjoy it quite as much as some other books, I'm still glad I read it. I think this would be a good book for my 9-year-old to read, and I like that it gives a glimpse of a culture outside our own.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Running Dream

I saw The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen on a list of books that won the Schneider Family Book Award (which recognizes books that express the disability experience). The book tells the fictional story of Jessica, a high school track star who becomes an amputee after a bus accident. Jessica goes from devastation and depression to finding peace and purpose.

This was a great read. I enjoyed the story and like how "happily ever after" things turned out. I did think the book was a little bit predictable and cliche at times (like things happened just how you would expect them to happen in a book).

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster

My sister Molly also recommended Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier. It is the story of a child chimney sweep named Nan who works for a terrible master. One day Nan gets trapped in a chimney fire and almost dies but somehow miraculously survives--and wakes up to find nearby a small creature made from soot and ash (a golem). Nan heads out with her golem to find a life of their own.

This was a super strange story but also somehow kept my interest. I enjoyed following the story--lots of action and uncertainty and sadness and goofiness. I liked several of the characters, and overall it was a good read. I don't remember much else since it was a couple months ago. :)

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

My sister Molly recommended The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart, so I got it from the library. It's the story of Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, who live in an old school bus and travel back and forth across the country. They've lived in the bus for five years, ever since Coyote's mom and two sisters died in a car crash, something Coyote and her dad never speak of. When Coyote hears from her grandma that the neighborhood park is being demolished, Coyote panics--remembering that she and her mom and sisters buried a memory box at that very park. Coyote has to find a way to save that memory box--without her dad realizing her plan.

This was a wonderful book. The story was so engaging and had the best group of characters. Yes, I had to text my sister partway through because I wasn't sure I could emotionally bear the book. Yes, I bawled my eyes out at the end. Yes, I'd highly recommend it.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Song for a Whale

I can't remember where I first saw Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly, but I added it to my to-read list and then got it from the library. (I maybe saw it on an award list for the Schneider Family Book Award, which is for books that highlight a disability experience.) This book is about 12-year-old Iris, who is Deaf and also a genius at repairing old radios. One day in school she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who speaks at a different frequency than other whales and is unable to communicate with them. Iris becomes fixated on his story and wants to find a way to sing to him herself.

I loved this book and found the story very engaging. I loved the characters, and even though parts of it seemed a little unrealistic, I didn't really mind too much. Because I have a terrible memory, I can't remember much else of the details of how I felt about this book, but I'm pretty sure I cried.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

We Were the Lucky Ones

A friend recommended We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter, so I got the ebook from the library. The book is based on the true story of the author's family (grandparent and other ancestors) during WWII. The Kurc family was Jewish and lived in Poland when the horrors of the Holocaust began. The book tells the story of the different siblings and their will to survive.

This was an incredible book--both heartwrenching and inspiring. It is just unbelievable to read all the different family members went through--and then to see them come back together in the end. I also loved reading the author's note at the end describing how she uncovered the details of this story. Also, as a disclaimer, the book did have quite a bit of bad language.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Lightning Thief (by Emmeline)

My 9-year-old daughter Emmeline wants to start contributing to the blog, so here is her first review.

Title: The Lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan
Ages: 8 and up

Summary: 12- year-old Percy Jackson’s life starts getting weird when his math teacher, Mrs. Dodds, turns into a demon and, while that is happening, his Latin Teacher, Mr. Brunner, throws him a pen that turns into a sword. Then, when he goes on a vacation to the beach with his mom, his best friend, Grover, knocks on the door of the cabin. Percy soon learns his friend is a satyr, an animal with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a goat. He is also whisked away to Camp Half-Blood, a camp for half-bloods, people that are half human and half god. He finds out he is a half-blood! Percy meets Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and She, Percy, and Grover go on the adventure of a lifetime to restore Zeus’s stolen master bolt.

Rating: I would give it 3 out of 3 stars. ***
This book is a very good fantasy story, with cliffhangers that make you want to keep reading. I liked all of it, the characters, the action, and just the story itself. My favorite character was Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. The whole story is exciting, with monsters and gods along the way. Rick Riordan is an amazing author and his books are unbelievable.

Genesis Begins Again

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams was a Newbery Honor winner as well as a Coretta Scott King New Author award winner. It is the story of Genesis, a 13-year-old whose life involves repeatedly being evicted and starting over at new schools. She keeps a list of things she hates about herself and dreams of being accepted by her alcoholic father. When she starts at a new school, she starts to hope things could get better.

This was a beautiful book; I loved it so much. Genesis and her friends were meaningful, likable characters, and I just kept wanting to read the book all the time. The story was so heartbreaking that it was hard to read at times, but other times the book made me smile and laugh. The book had great lessons in working toward self-acceptance and in finding friends that value who you truly are.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Look Both Ways

I saw Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds received an Coretta Scott King author honor award in 2020, so I got it on ebook from the library. I've read several other books by Jason Reynolds and have enjoyed them. Look Both Ways tells ten separate stories of kids who live in one neighborhood, the stories only slightly overlapping.

This was a fun read. Some of the stories had me laughing out loud (like when a boy puts Vicks VapoRub on his lips), while other stories were sweet and endearing (the Low Cuts and their efforts to get ice cream). I only wish that I read this on a hard copy rather than an ebook because there were so many different characters, and I would have liked to have flipped back to refer back to names or other stories. (That process is just not the same on the Kindle.)

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

We Need Diverse Books Timeline

Ginger Pye

Emmeline got assigned Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes for a Newbery book report at school, so I decided to read it too so I could better help with the assignment if needed. This book was the Newbery winner in 1952. It is about Jerry and his sister Rachel who get a pet dog they name Ginger. The book follows their adventures with their dog--until their dog disappears on Thanksgiving Day. Jerry and Rachel are determined to find their pup that they love so much.

This was a great read. I've read some children's books that were written a long time ago (like Half Magic), and I felt like they weren't quite as good as this one. This one was just written so well from a child's perspective and had some funny, clever parts that just made me chuckle (like how the parents met, and Benny saying his name was "Uncle Benny"). It was also fun to read knowing Emmeline was ahead of me in her own reading of it and was really enjoying it.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Roll with It

I saw Roll with It by Jamie Sumner recommended on the A Mighty Girl Facebook page. It is about 12-year-old Ellie who has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. She and her mom move to a new state to help take care of her grandpa with dementia, and Ellie has to transition to a new school.

This was a fun read. I was engaged, finished it quickly, and enjoyed the story. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as similar types of books like Wonder or Out of My Mind, partially because the characters seemed a little bit too exaggerated or stereotypical. I really do love distinct characters, but these seemed a little more forced to me than some books. The author's note in the back said that the author's son has cerebral palsy, which made me really like that the perspective for Ellie was authentic. I thought it was a good read and will probably recommend it to my daughter to read.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)