I was challenged to read today's book with Hazel and share our experience. It is the first book in a trilogy that is being turned into a series on Netflix. The book is Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. Now I am going to add that the Netflix series involves this series as well as some other parallel series by Leigh Bardugo.
Do you remember a year ago when many white people were claiming to stand with their Black friends as well as searching for information about what it is like to be Black in America? George Floyd has just been murdered by a police officer. We are a year later and the police officer has been found guilty. Racial riots were happening everywhere a year ago. People took "Black Lives Matter" for anti-police. The truth is people who are standing with the Black people aren't saying they are necessarily against the police. They are saying they are against the police who abuse their power and discriminate based on race. I know as a white person I have good friends who are different races and respect all races and I have friends who are police officers and have a huge respect for police officers. I also know when I have been pulled over for speeding a few times, I never once thought "Am I going to die here?" because of my skin color. That fear is what needs to go away and there is definitely a need for education all around. Today I am going to share a new young adult novel that deals with race, homosexuality (including bisexual), class, and so much more. This is a novel that I feel everyone should read. And it is also an amazing novel. The novel is Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.
Hazel loves to write. She is in the middle of writing multiple books though I never get to read them. She also loves creating artwork. In fact she is signed up for an Art Masters Program this summer at her school. I'm so excited she is willing to try it. She usually says no to any summer program, but her art teacher talked her into it. I think one of the hardest things for her is putting her work out there for others to see. Her class does daily writing prompts and she comes home sharing what others have written for them but when I ask if she shares her writing she always says no. I want to encourage her to share her creativity with others including myself. Her work is beautiful and everyone who has read her writing is impressed with it. Today I am sharing a book written for someone like Hazel. It is Courageous Creativity: Advice and Encouragement for the Creative Life by Sara Zarr.
April is a month full of things I care about. We just had Easter weekend. April 2nd is World Autism Day. Earth Day is fast approaching, and it is National Poetry Month. I shared the first book last week that is a great one to share on Earth Day and will be sharing more this month. Today I want to focus on a new poetry book. It is You Don't Have to Be Everything edited by Diana Whitney. It was released March 30th.
Today I get to share with you a fun, soon to be released young adult novel. It will be released on April 1, 2021. It is the second novel by Jenna Guillaume. You can see my review of her first one here. This new novel is a new feminine twist on Weird Science. The book is called You Were Made for Me.
Today I am going to share a new young adult book with you. This powerful book shines light on people with Down Syndrome. Before I share it I want to say there is a sticker in my copy warning about the content. It states: "Content Advisory Please be aware that this narrative contains depictions of alcohol and drug use, verbal and physical abuse, sex trafficking, and mentions of suicide." With that warning I have to say I had trouble putting this book down!! The book is Rosie Loves Jack by Mel Darbon.
It is hard to believe it is the last week of February. For our last week of Black History Month we are sharing a new novel about Malcolm X that is co-written by his daughter. Now a few years ago I shared her first novel about her father, X: A Novel. Today's book picks up where that one leaves off, but you do not need to have read the last one to read this one. Today's is The Awakening of Malcolm X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Tiffany D. Jackson.
Today I am going to share a young adult novel set in 1921 in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Do you know about Greenwood? Perhaps you have heard of it as the Black Wall Street? Or maybe have heard of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot? Before I share the novel with you I thought I would tell you about Greenwood and the Tulsa Race Riot.
Black people arrived in Oklahoma with the Native Americans on the Trail of Tears. Some were slaves and some were freed. Some of these Black people became citizens of the Native American nations. After the Civil War, due to the negotiations between the U.S. Government and the Native Americans land some of the Black tribal citizens were granted large parcels of land. As a result some of the Blacks welcomed other Southeastern Blacks and were able to form dozens of all-Black towns in the region. In fact in 1890 Edwin McCabe met with President Benjamin Harrison to try to get the Oklahoma territory turned into an all-Black state.
February is the month for love! It has Valentine's Day (14th) and Random Acts of Kindness Day (17th) in it. Yet in this world of ours love can be hard and hurtful. How do we teach our kids about love? Who should they love? Well for one thing they need to love themselves. Today I am sharing a book by teen actress Jenna Ortega. The book is It's All Love: Reflections for Your Heart & Soul. It is a book written for teens and will also be good for people in their 20's.
A week or so ago I shared a round-up of the picture books I have to review. I meant to do these books that same week but life got in the way. So I am continuing with some middle grade and young adult novels for gift ideas. I am focusing on the four gift idea and the fourth gift being something to read! Here are some ideas for something to read. The first two are middle grade books for ages 8 to 12 and the last two are young adult books usually 14+.
