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)