Once upon an Eid

My niece recommended Once upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed. The book includes 15 fictional stories about Eid written about various Muslim authors. The book description reads, "Eid! The short, single syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift giving and the holiday parties, or carnival rides to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy." 

This was a nice read. At times it was a little slow, and the format (separate stories rather than a novel) made it take longer for me to get through than I would have otherwise expected. But I really loved learning about Eid since somehow I knew pretty much nothing about it! It is such a meaningful, special, important celebration for Muslims, so I feel so grateful that I am more educated and have a greater understanding on this. I really loved some of the stories (like I handed the book over to my daughter Emmeline to have her read "Kareem Means Generous") and enjoyed just reading all the different, unique Eid experiences among all the different stories and characters.

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

Hold On to Your Kids

I read Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate for the book club I'm in with friends at church. The Amazon book description says,  "International authority on child development Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D., joins forces with New York Times bestselling co-author of Myth of Normal, Gabor Maté, M.D., to tackle one of the most disturbing trends of our time: Children today looking to their peers for direction—their values, identity, and codes of behavior. This 'peer orientation' undermines family cohesion, interferes with healthy development, and fosters a hostile and sexualized youth culture. Children end up becoming overly conformist, desensitized, and alienated, and being 'cool' matters more to them than anything else. Hold On to Your Kids explains the causes of this crucial breakdown of parental influence—and demonstrates ways to 'reattach' to sons and daughters, establish the proper hierarchy in the home, make kids feel safe and understood, and earn back your children’s loyalty and love."

This was an interesting read. I wasn't a fan at the beginning because it seemed to be super anti-public school, and I felt like the book made some unfair assumptions about lots of things. However, as the book went on, I started to find more things that made a lot of sense. For example, it pointed out how peer oriented children no longer look to adults for a sense of self-valuation and thus when they experience bullying from peers, those things cut to the core because they don't have the protection they had when they were more oriented to their parents. This book helped me realize that a lot of the things I didn't quite understand about Emmeline (but that made her seem younger than her age at times) are actually her being healthily attached to her parents and not peer oriented. I think this book helped me appreciate Emmeline more in this realm and see the value of the way she is. The book also taught the importance of "collecting" our kids each day--holding onto our kids so they then can hold onto themselves (quite deep if you think about it). I really liked those lessons even though there were also lots of things in the book that kinda annoyed me or that I disagreed with. I think this is a book where you can pick and choose what works for you and your parenting.

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

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

I read The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton for my book club with friends at church. The book description says, "Aiden Bishop knows the rules. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest at Blackheath Manor. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others."

This was a really unique book. It's one of those books that I probably would have given up on at the beginning if I weren't reading it for book club because I was just kinda confused at the beginning and couldn't quite put things together. (But I think that is kinda the point of the book.) By the end, I was super engaged and had so many questions, which made it a fun book club book. I liked the explanations that came at the end of the book that helped me finally pull things together. I also thought the author was a very talented writer with amazingly-written descriptions throughout the book. I would give more details on that, but it's been a couple months since I read this, so I've forgotten much more than what I've written here.

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

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer for the book club I'm in with friends at church. I read it years ago but didn't remember a lot of it, so it was a fun re-read. The book description reads, "January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb. . . . As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever."

This is such a great book. Juliet is just a delightful character whose descriptions and thoughts would just make me laugh out loud throughout the book. So many of the other characters were just so fun and likable, and the author just created such distinct, real people. I also loved that the book is based on real things that happened during this time in history in England and on Guernsey. This is a great read--highly recommended. Now I need to watch the movie!

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

The 13th Day of Christmas

I read The 13th Day of Christmas by Jason F. Wright for the book club I'm in with friends at church. The book description reads, "For Marva Ferguson, Christmas is a whirlwind season of joyous activity, and this season, she has a special bit of holiday magic in her apron pocket especially for her youngest neighbor, Charlee. They appear to be unlikely friends--an eighty-year-old widow and a nine-year-old girl--but these two souls find friendship together as they both face obstacles too insurmountable to survive alone. As Christmas draws closer, Marva chooses the person she would like to carry on her special tradition of 'The 13th Day of Christmas.' And she knows just the person for the job. She just hopes her message comes in time to change--or save--a life."

This was a sweet read and a good one to read during the Christmas season. It's kind of a feel-good, Hallmarky type book that has some preachiness at the end about remembering the true spirit of Christmas, but I don't mind those kind of reminders in the Christmas season. :) The book had a nice story with likable characters who faced situations that were sad (but bearable for the reader).

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

The Christmas Pig

I signed up to lead in December the virtual YA book club I'm in, so I needed to pick a Christmas book. While searching for ideas, I found The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling and decided to go for it since I'm a huge Harry Potter fan but haven't read anything else by JK Rowling. The book description reads, "Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens -- DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life... even toys. And Jack’s newest toy--the Christmas Pig (DP’s replacement)--has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known."

This was such a good book. It got more and more engaging as the book went on, and by the end, I was crying (holding it together while a spectator at Emmeline's swim meet). I just loved the story and the overall feeling in the book of bravery and hope and love. The ending was just this perfect combination of heartbreaking and beautiful. Soon after finishing this book, I listened to a podcast by Kate DiCamillo that referenced this article she wrote about why children's books should be a little sad. I think this book is a great example of what she teaches in that article. Give The Christmas Pig a read this season!

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

Odder

I saw Katherine Applegate had written a new book called Odder about a sea otter, so I got it from the library. Here's the book description: "Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she’s known. She’s a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself―and about the humans who hope to save her. Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers, this poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature’s most beloved and charming animals."

This was a nice read. Even though it was a little slow for me at first, by the end I was definitely engaged and anxious to see what would happen with Odder. I thought it was a sweet book, and the author's note at the end motivated me to pick up from the library a nonfiction book about otters (Return of the Sea Otter: The Story of the Animal That Evaded Extinction on the Pacific Coast by Todd McLeish), so I have that in my to-read pile now.

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