My Reading Week #IMWAYR- November 7, 2022 / My October Recap

Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!

I can’t believe October has come and gone but I’m kinda glad it did.

I was able to send out three query letters for a couple of my picture book manuscripts. I don’t know if some of you remember that in the beginning of the year I set out an ambitious and arbitrary goal of sending out 22 query letters this year and then changed it to “at least one” during my mid-year review.

Some of the highlights for me was some volunteering opportunities including the return of the Friends of the Library Used Book Sale.

It was my tenth year helping out a retired librarian hand out books to her neighborhood trick or treaters! This is something I look forward to every year and I’m so grateful to be a part of it. It was also nice being recognized from the bookstore by some of the people.

So far in 2022, I’ve read 447 books.

The breakdown is:
15- Adult novels
6- Adult non-fiction
39- Graphic novels
69- Middle Grade novels (Goal: 52)
306- Picture Books and Board Books
12- Young Adult novels

of which
127- Nonfiction Picture Books (Goal: 104)
46- Audio Books
28- Books by Filipino Authors and/or Illustrators
73- Books by LGBTQ+ Authors and/or Illustrators

Now, for the book reviews…

The Curiosities by Zana Fraillon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved how two creators’ inspirations were able to come together to create something beautiful. The author, Zana Fraillon, wrote a story inspired by her son’s Tourette’s syndrome diagnosis about a boy (Miro) who sees the world differently (with the help of the Curiosities) and is sometimes overwhelmed by their existence. Meanwhile, the illustrator, Phil Lesnie, used his family’s culture to draw inspiration from Philippine folklore and illustrate Miro’s adventures.

Is it a Mermaid? by Candy Gourlay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun silly story of two kids finding a dugong (or sea cow) who claims to be a mermaid.

Library Girl: How Nancy Pearl Became America’s Most Celebrated Librarian by Karen Henry Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Discover how a young girl who loved going to the library- even on Saturdays!- became one of “America’s Most Celebrated Librarian” in this delightful picture book of Nancy Pearl.

The illustrations were luminous.

Mole Music by David McPhail
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a book a customer raves about so I had to check it out. A sweet story of living a simple life filled with doing what you love- and how that can lead to beautiful things even if one doesn’t see them personally.

Reina Ramos Works It Out by Emma Otheguy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun new levelled reader featuring a spunky girl character I can’t wait to read more about. In this debut, Reina is dismayed when she learns she and her best friend both chose Frida Kahlo as who they want to be for their class project. With the help of her grandma, she’ll find a way to keep her friendship and spotlight another influential and inspiring person.

Ways to Share Joy by Renée Watson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been surprised at how much I’ve been enjoying this series. It’s a gentle dose of storytelling that I didn’t know I was craving so much of. Ryan Hart continues to try to find the perfect mix of ingredients to have happy relationships with her family and friends.

The Flamingo: A Graphic Novel Chapter Book by Guojing
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gorgeous intergenerational graphic novel that will take its readers into a flight of fancy centering on family.

America Is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I’ve been wanting to read classic Filipino stories to get a better understanding of what paved the way for those like me who want to continue on sharing stories about our culture.

I’m grateful how far we’ve come with the options of things to read from Filipino authors- and how many of them are accessible and enjoyable and find their way into the mainstream rather than being niche or seen as a token work of diverse literature but set aside afterwards.

I’m trying not to feel too ashamed to say I didn’t particularly enjoy Carlos Bulosan’s semiautobiographical novel of his difficult childhood in the Philippines and then the hardships he faced when moving to America. There was too much trauma and while it was necessary to write what he did experience it was overwhelming. When real life is difficult as it is, I didn’t need even more weight to drag me down. In a storytelling standpoint, a bit of breathing room between each scene would have made it more effective, affective.

I felt he was sharing everything, laying down the dots to portray his life when all was said and done. But even then I felt there seemed to be (at least, to me, and maybe because I was just trying to get through the book) wild leaps in the narrative that didn’t really make sense or connect.

With all that being said, I can see how this has been an important piece of Philippine literature and how it continues to inspire others of what it means to come to a new country and divided between two homes- and then the importance of having and keeping faith to keep ourselves from breaking into a million pieces.

Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A festive addition to the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series where blackmail and murder become unwanted presents for the people of Shady Palms.

All the descriptions of food once again continues to make my mouth water.

I had been trying The StoryGraph for the first half of this year to avoid the Amazon-owned Goodreads. Unfortunately, it didn’t provide the convenience Goodreads offered so I’m back using Goodreads.

You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!

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My Reading Week #IMWAYR- October 3, 2022 / My September Recap

Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!

It’s sometimes hard to imagine we just finished up September.

I managed to take an overnight trip to Seattle to visit some bookstores and libraries, bridges, and a labyrinth.

In Portland, I’ve been playing tourist and visited the Lan Su Chinese Garden, where I spent a  very relaxing afternoon.

I also visited a fun pop-up art installation called DinoLandia.

An aunt and uncle from Las Vegas came to visit and we went to Multnomah Falls.

At the bookstore, we’ve been having some in-person story times again- including a Drag Queen Story Time. Luckily, there weren’t any people out to ruin the fun.

I also watched a staged production of Tick, Tick… Boom which was great. I also just watched Fire Island on Hulu which I also enjoyed. Another fun thing I completed recently was a mobile phone game based on an Agatha Christie story.

I’ve dusted off my manuscripts again to start looking for agents again.

I’ve been in a reading slump. I don’t think I read as many books in September as I’ve done in other months. I definitely haven’t been reviewing so this post will be even more bare than usual.

So far in 2022, I’ve read 413 books.

The breakdown is:
12- Adult novels
6- Adult non-fiction
37- Graphic novels
59- Middle Grade novels (Goal: 52)
287- Picture Books and Board Books
12- Young Adult novels

of which
120- Nonfiction Picture Books (Goal: 104)
40- Audio Books
24- Books by Filipino Authors and/or Illustrators
71- Books by LGBTQ+ Authors and/or Illustrators

Magnolia Flower by Zora Neale Hurston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A stunning and beautiful love story adapted from a Zora Neale Hurston short story.

View all my reviews Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely stunning
starting with the book itself
as a physical object
the feel of the dustjacket
and the surprise art underneath
even the smell of the pages
And then there’s the story
of the children
of the family
of the house
of the story, of the book
stories within stories
And the illustrations
and the so many details
to delight one’s eye
if one just takes the time
to look, to see
until another thing
makes itself seen.

View all my reviews Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s been awhile since I’ve read any of Natalie Lloyd’s novels even though A Snicker of Magic is one of my 52 favorite books of all time. I really didn’t think I’d like Hummingbird because I admit I’ve grown quite cynical over the years but it was the perfect book to remind me there are (still) whimsy and wonder in the world- and in words. And I loved that I listened to the audiobook version since Natalie Lloyd did an outstanding job narrating it. So, if you want a feel good and uplifting story, look no further.

View all my reviews Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For any reader who’ve ever loved fairy tales but never got a chance to see a happily ever after for them in those stories, this graphic novel collection is a perfect magical object to do just that.

View all my reviews Private Label by Kelly Yang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kelly Yang doesn’t disappoint with her sophomore YA offering full of humor and heart.

View all my reviews A Career in Books: A Novel about Friends, Money, and the Occasional Duck Bun by Kate Gavino
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of my favorite books of the year!

I just happened to run across this graphic novel on the shelves and, of course, I was intrigued by the title. And, then, even more so, when I realized it was written by a Filipino author and featured a couple of Filipino characters- one of whom was a lesbian.

This follows three friends in their twenties trying to find meaning and purpose in their various jobs within the book world. I enjoyed seeing how they navigated the ups and downs of life. It was also refreshing that it focused on their friendship and didn’t have (too much) of a relationship subplot.

View all my reviews

I had been trying The StoryGraph for the first half of this year to avoid the Amazon-owned Goodreads. Unfortunately, it didn’t provide the convenience Goodreads offered so I’m back using Goodreads.

You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- September 5, 2022 / My August Recap

Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!

Where has time gone? I can’t believe I’m recapping August already!

I went on one of my Library Hops. I’d been wanting to go somewhere- anywhere- and feeling frustrated that I wasn’t. I was working out some logistics to see if I could go on a random library hop because, as usual, they’re very far and involves lots of public transportation. I thought maybe I was being too obsessive with wanting to visit bookstores and libraries. But, then, I figured why can’t I always want to be around places I enjoy being in? So, off I went! My first stop was over 60 miles away from Portland. It took 3 hours and 4 modes of public transportation. You can read all about it here.

I was also able to visit two bookstores in August- Second Chance Books and Bookish. Actually, after I visited the latter, I ended up checking out the relocated Floated World Comics who are betting that their move to a (dying) mall will revive the place. Here’s hoping it does.

I had gone during their grand re-opening so it was jampacked. I decided to go on a quieter day to take a picture of it.

I also some fun socializing nights with various people- including going bowling and having game nights. It seemed like old times getting to do those things again.

I completed a month-long commitment being part of a committee reading upcoming debut novels of middle grade and young adult writers. I even had the opportunity to talk to a couple authors telling them the good news we were going to spotlight their books. I’ll share the books closer to their release dates since they won’t be published until Winter/Spring 2023.

So far in 2022, I’ve read 387 books.

The breakdown is:

12- Adult novels

6- Adult non-fiction

33- Graphic novels

57- Middle Grade novels (Goal: 52)

268- Picture Books and Board Books

11- Young Adult novels

of which

112- Nonfiction Picture Books (Goal: 104)

38- Audio Books

23- Books by Filipino Authors and/or Illustrators

68- Books by LGBTQ+ Authors and/or Illustrators

 

One Year in Beijing by Xiaohong Wang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As some of you may or may not know already, I’m hoping to read all of Grace Lin’s bibliography this year. I seem to be constantly coming across picture books that I didn’t realize she illustrated including this one!

View all my reviews

The Jade Necklace by Paul Yee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fascinating story I probably wouldn’t have known about if it weren’t illustrated by Grace Lin- and even then that would have been iffy since I didn’t even know she had done the art in this book.

View all my reviews

When Megan Went Away by Jane Severance
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Originally published in 1979, this groundbreaking picture book features the separation between two women and how a child’s life- and her mom’s- suddenly gets uprooted. Quite powerful.

View all my reviews

Molly’s Family by Nancy Garden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’d just finished reading Nancy Garden’s YA classic Annie on My Mind recently and I’d been clamoring for more LGBTQ+ books so was pleasantly surprised to come across this picture book of hers first published in 2004. A young girl gets made fun of when she insists that she has both a Mommy and a Mama. A nice story tackling the various family make-ups there are.

View all my reviews

Patchwork by Matt de la Peña
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of my favorite picture books of the year! Beautiful message of being more than just one thing, that we are a patchwork of all our emotions and our experiences. Also, I loved that it says we aren’t confined by one label, that we contain multitudes. The artwork is stunning.

View all my reviews

Crunch by Kayla Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always enjoy catching up with Olive and what she’s up to. And what she’s up to in this one is a lot! A very relatable topic for both kids and adults.

View all my reviews

Mulan: Before the Sword by Grace Lin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I actually put off reading this novel because I was worried some of Grace Lin’s storytelling style would be somehow diminished since this was under Disney’s supervision. But I needn’t have worried. I soon found myself magically swept into the story.

View all my reviews

I had been trying The StoryGraph for the first half of this year to avoid the Amazon-owned Goodreads. Unfortunately, it didn’t provide the convenience Goodreads offered so I’m back using Goodreads.

You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- August 22, 2022

Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!

I visited a new children’s bookstore in Camas, Washington, which you can read about here.

This week, I’ll be sharing all Filipino books I’ve read this month. Ideally, with each Goodreads review, I was going to include a link to Bookshop.org or Libro.fm but I barely had the time and energy to do this!

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky And Other Classic Philippine Legends by Maria Elena Paterno
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My #FilipinoReads feature for August is The Girl who Fell from the Sky and Other Classic Philippine Legends as told by Maria Elena Paterno and illustrated by Albert Gamos.

This is a collection of eight stories that tell the origins of certain places (islands, mountains, etc.) all over the Philippines.

I’m tempted to buy the entire set of this series retelling various myths and legends from the Philippines.

View all my reviews Doña Esmeralda, Who Ate Everything by Melissa de la Cruz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun and interesting (and slightly less traumatic) take on Nick Joaquin’s “Lilit Bulilit and the Babe-in-the-Womb.” I highly recommend reading the author’s note in the back of the book to learn more about the similarities but, in this picture book, Doña Esmeralda is a tiny woman who has a big hairdo and likes to eat kids’ unwanted food through a straw. She’s fine with it until she wants more- and better food. I enjoyed all the Philippines references (since it’s supposed to take place there). I wish the illustrations were a bit different, though.

Includes a recipe for lumpia.

View all my reviews Surely Surely Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

List-loving Marisol Rainey is back and, this time, having to face one of her least favorite things in the world- kickball.

The more I read of Marisol, the more I appreciate the character- the way she deals with her worries and her fears. There’s a wonderful supporting cast of characters to help her including a best friend who loves learning different languages and a classmate who claims he can talk to animals.

My favorite parts were when Erin Entrada Kelly shouts out other writer either in her text or in her illustrations- including another Filipino author Mia P. Manansala.

View all my reviews Fierce Filipina: Inspired by the Life of Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio by Maxie Villavicencio Pulliam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This picture book biography shines a light on an unknown- at least, to me- hero of the Philippine Revolution, Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio, written by her great-great-granddaughter.

Able to see beyond the privilege her family’s wealth- and her light skin- afforded her, she helped fight against the cruel Spanish colonizers who were denying the Filipino people their freedom in their own country.

View all my reviews One Hundred Percent Me by Renee Macalino Rutledge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A positive affirmation of celebrating being mixed race and being whole and complete and unique as oneself.

View all my reviews The Angel of Santo Tomas: The Story of Fe del Mundo by Tammy Yee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes I like to type in “Filipino” in a library catalog’s search bar and see what comes up. I normally wouldn’t have known this book existed if I didn’t do so. I wouldn’t have known about this pediatric pioneer from the Philippines.

View all my reviews Halina Filipina by Arnold Arre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this Filipino rom-com graphic novel. It may seem like a light fluffy read but the story will stay with you.

And, while some may argue that it’s a bit predictable, it’s still an enjoyable read.

Halina is a Fil-Am visiting the Philippines trying to connect with her roots. She runs into down-on-his-luck and disillusioned writer Cris. Together, they form a friendship neither of them were anticipating.

A sweet story of finding one’s identity and finding love when you least expect it.

View all my reviews

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- August 1, 2022 / My July Recap

Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!

 

I guess the biggest thing that happened in July was that I celebrated my ten year anniversary at work which you can read about here.

Other good things that happened were:

-I’ve been meeting up with a couple of my co-workers every week for a writing session.

-I reached and surpassed my goal of doing 100 volunteer hours.

-I reached and surpassed my goal of reading 104 nonfiction picture books.

Even though, it doesn’t seem like a big deal, I’m quite proud of myself for having kept a cat alive. A couple of my housemates went away so I watched their cat for what ended up close to a month. I don’t like animals and never had a pet before so this was a huge learning curve. I have to say I didn’t come out of it liking animals any more than before nor did I want to suddenly have my own.

So far in 2022, I’ve read 354 books. The breakdown is:
12- Adult novels
6- Adult non-fiction
27- Graphic novels
51- Middle Grade novels (Goal: 52)
249- Picture Books and Board Books
79- Young Adult novels

of which
107- Nonfiction Picture Books (Goal: 104)
37- Audio Books

15- Books by Filipino Authors and/or Illustrators

64- Books by LGBTQ+ Authors and/or Illustrators

I had been trying The StoryGraph for the first half of this year to avoid the Amazon-owned Goodreads. Unfortunately, it didn’t provide the convenience Goodreads offered so I’m back using Goodreads.

I thought I reviewed more of the books I actually read but apparently not.

I really hate the formatting on WordPress. So, apologies for the weird spacing issues.

A Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hilarious. Fun read-aloud for fans of cooking shows. If Julia Child was a witch and one of her ingredients was out of control.

Kind Like Marsha: Learning from LGBTQ+ Leaders by Sarah Prager
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This introductory picture book on LGBTQ+ leaders was a bit too bare bones for my liking. It’s great to see them but a slightly longer biography for each of them would have been nice.

Hooves or Hands? by Rosie Haine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun book for inquisitive minds that may inspire them to continue this train of thought- or to come up with new interesting questions.

A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gorgeous illustrations with lyrical text make learning about butterflies easy and enjoyable.

You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!

Ten-Year Anniversary Working at Green Bean Books: Top 10 Moments and Memories

“Walking inside is an invitation to leave the grown up world behind and just be a kid again.”

I wrote that my first time visiting Green Bean Books when it opened back in 2009. I just loved that such a place existed and that I’ve been part of it as a children’s bookseller for ten years now. To commemorate celebrating working there for a decade- July 26th was my anniversary-, I decided to make a list of my top 10 moments and memories there.

[One]

Of course, I have to thank my boss Jennifer for creating such a wonderful and magical bookstore in the first place. It’s truly been such an important space not only in the neighborhood but, I think, in the city of Portland as well. That I get to be associated with it at all has been incredible.

I’ve enjoyed showing people around the store and hearing their oohs-and-aah’s whenever they come across something delightful.

On a personal note, she’s also been very kind and generous. I tend to tell customers I feel like a proud dad for everything she’s done and accomplished with Green Bean Books.

[Two]

The first craft event I did was making paper ball pumpkins. I was a bit nervous because it was sort of complicated.

My first author event I ran on my own was for Christopher Healy’s The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom.

The first shelftalker I did was for The Ladybug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis.

I’ve enjoyed the opportunities to be creative making event signs and shelftalkers.

[Three]

I’ve loved getting to interact with voracious readers and kindred spirits and getting to talk books with them. Luckily, we are in a Golden Age of Children’s Literature which makes my job easy. And, I think, everyone- especially adults- should be reading kids books to be reminded of good storytelling and important lessons only such characters as Frog and Toad and Harold can teach.

[Four]

It’s great to be part of the bookselling community. While it is a business, I think we all try to do our best to connect readers with the perfect books for them. It’s not necessarily about the sale but getting them excited about books and perhaps making a lifelong reader out of them.

It’s always fun to go to conferences like the Children’s Institute and the PNBA Trade Show to be with peers. And, of course, it’s always fun to meet authors, illustrators, and everyone else in the book business.

[Five]

I’ve been inspired and amazed by the creativity and kindness of the kidlit community. Whether I’ve seen them do events at the store or they just stop by to support an independent bookstore, there’s just a feeling of goodwill. I love seeing other creators come support their friend by buying their books.

As an aspiring published writer, some have even offered me wonderful tips and advice. There’s no ego. We just want one another to succeed.

[Six]

Green Bean Books has held amazing in store events. We’ve been so fortunate to have so many authors and illustrators do readings there. I definitely geeked out when Dan Santat was there. And Don and Audrey Wood were so love that I wanted them to adopt me.

Some off-site events we had that I loved were at the Alberta Rose Theater for separate readings with Gene Luen Yang and Kate DiCamillo and at the Portland Book Festival and getting to talk to Kazu Kibuishi.

Plus, there have been drag queens, llamas, an alpaca, a mermaid, a Stormtrooper, and the Unipiper in the store, too.

[Seven]

I’ve been fortunate enough to dress up as two classic picture book characters- The Poky Little Puppy and The Very Hungry Caterpillar (twice). Especially with the latter, it was so fun to see both kids and grown-ups reactions interacting with these characters.

Other favorite events I helped run that I enjoyed were moderating the Family Book Club and holding a Junior Bookseller Camp.

[Eight]

I admit I do love getting recognized for my work as a bookseller. (Not so much the moment it’s happening but afterwards when I’ve stopped squeeing inside.)

It was very nice Jennifer made a Mister Earl finger puppet.

And, of course, super flattering was getting featured in Portland Monthly!

[Nine]

We have such amazing customers. I’ve had many opportunities to get to know them outside of the bookstore- whether grabbing coffee and a bite to eat with them, watching shows, ice skating, and doing tai chi, just to name a few activities.

Some of my favorite customer memories are book related. One was helping a mom put on an author and illustrator event at her son’s school. She really thought of everything. It was impressive. Second was helping a lady give out books to her neighborhood kids during Halloween. I’ve done it every year since 2012- except 2020, of course- and it’s still something I look forward to.

[Ten]

And, naturally, a list of my favorite moments and reasons working at Green Bean Books wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention my co-workers. There’s been so many over the years and they’ve had to endure lots of my personal stories and weird jokes. I’m glad I can call some of them friends.

If I didn’t procrastinate writing this blog post, it would have been better edited and it would have included pictures. But I hope anyone reading this can tell how much I love and appreciate being a bookseller- and that ten of those years have been at Green Bean Books.

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- July 25, 2022

Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!

I had been trying The StoryGraph for the first half of this year to avoid the Amazon-owned Goodreads. Unfortunately, it didn’t provide the convenience Goodreads offered so I’m back using Goodreads.

The Legend of Iron Purl by Tao Nyeu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At first I was put off by this picture book because it seemed a bit wordy but it was a sweet and surprising story that’s perfect for read-alouds and anyone who loves to pore over the illustrations carefully. Everything in Its Place: A Story of Books and Belonging by Pauline David-Sax
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful ode to books and the connections made with them. The Little House of Hope by Terry Catasús Jennings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was hesitant to read this one since it was very similar to a picture book manuscript I’d written. But then there’s really no new idea/premise out there- just the way you present it. I really enjoyed this story for showing how important family and community is and the make-do attitude some people have. Lovely. A Good Thing Happened Today by Michelle Figueroa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked that actual good news stories were incorporated in this positive book. Hooves or Hands? by Rosie Haine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun book for inquisitive minds that may inspire them to continue this train of thought- or to come up with new interesting questions. If You Find a Leaf by Aimée Sicuro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun picture book for fall- includes a fun activity to do! If You’re a Kid Like Gavin by Gavin Grimm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A wonderful picture book about trans activist Gavin Grimm told through the lens of every child who has many choices of who they want to be and what they believe in. Shahzia: My Life as an Artist by Shahzia Sikander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful picture book about an artist I wasn’t familiar with. I appreciated images of her works to better understand her style. Odd Birds: Meet Nature’s Weirdest Flock by Laura Gehl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun board book about birds- focusing on the more unusual types! Birding for Babies: Backyard Birds: A Numbers Book by Chloe Goodhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun board book about birds- counting up to ten with different kinds of birds. Birding for Babies: Migrating Birds: A Colors Book by Chloe Goodhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun board book about birds- learning about different types based on their colors. Answers in the Pages by David Levithan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

David Levithan does it again with his timely middle grade novel about books being banned. Alternating between three pairs of duos- including excerpts from the book (within the book) being challenged-, readers who know the life-saving/life-changing importance of representation will follow along until they learn the outcome of the book’s fate. One of the storylines was what I can only describe as pure which got me quite emotional. One of my favorite novels of the year. The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I admit the only reason I even considered reading beyond the first book of this series (because there are so many of them and I loved the first one so much) was that the twist has became a sort of a LGBTQ+ thing which I’m sure the author didn’t intend but certain readers just interpreted through their lens. I think it just shows how much we crave representations of ourselves in the media we consume and how important it is when we think we see it. Bridges: Engineering Masterpieces by Dan Zettwoch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating book to learn about bridges with characters who travel all over the world to share why they love these engineering masterpieces. It made me want to visit some of the bridges they mentioned. Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has been on my radar for awhile and I finally picked it up after it was mentioned in another book. I really enjoyed the book- a good mix of teenage angst and joyful first love. I was worried when one of my friends said this was sad so I started feeling apprehensive that this would go the way of many LGBTQ books of many decades ago. The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has been in my stack of books to read for awhile and I’m glad I finally read it. I loved the mix of fairy tales mirroring the family’s life story and how the character gets to imagine a version of a happily ever after because of them. Last Seen After Midnight by Budjette Tan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Alexandra Trese is back solving more supernatural cases. I only gave this installment a lower rating because the previous volume was so good.

I’m looking forward to when the releases overseas and in the US finally catch up to one another.

I really got hooked on this series. It reminded me of Tommy & Tuppence if they were gay and if their stories had steamy scenes. I even read the extra stories online after each of the novels.

The Fox’s Tower and Other Tales by Yoon Ha Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This caught my eye at a Pride display at one of the libraries I go to. Beautifully written, for sure, but it did seem repetitive at times. Really short stories that were more about creating a certain kind of feeling than having a strong narrative. Some of the stories really stood out.

This may be good for writing exercises. I would recommend maybe reading one a day and then either expand on it or maybe draw a scene or two from it.

You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- July 4, 2022 / My June Recap

The first half or so of June was tough. The weather here in Portland was downright wet and gloomy for the most part. I’m still adjusting to living with so many people and have been surprised to see what others level of cleanliness and responsibility are. And, to what may come as a surprise to anyone who knows I don’t like animals, I’ve been catsitting a couple of my housemates’ cat while they went to the mid-West. Now that they both have Covid, it doesn’t look like they’ll be home for another week or two. So, my life feels like it’s in this weird limbo.

The weather did change like a light switch when Summer (finally!) came. I loved getting to enjoy the sun. I even took one of my long somewhat ridiculous trips to visit Silverton- four buses, three hours, one way. You can read about my adventures there here.

I also did a somewhat fun, no-pressure Spring Bucket List and I completed most of it.

I did complete my Reading the Rainbow LGBTQ+ BINGO.

I’ve been trying The StoryGraph to avoid the Amazon-owned Goodreads but I may end up moving back after all for the convenience of just copy/pasting my book reviews and ratings onto my blog.

So far in 2022, I’ve read 311 books. The breakdown is:
9- Adult novels
5- Adult non-fiction
24- Graphic novels
45- Middle Grade novels (Goal: 52)
221- Picture Books and Board Books
7- Young Adult novels

of which
86- Nonfiction Picture Books (Goal: 104)
32- Audio Books

Now for the reviews…

I did read a few books to learn more Juneteenth. I recommend doing the same for next year.

You can view all my reviews over on The StoryGraph.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- June 6, 2022 / My May Recap

Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!

Well, if April was a free fall, May wasn’t as bad. Luckily, people’s kindness was like a parachute that helped me not crash completely to the ground. Now, it feels like I’m in the inescapable rough landing part but I guess it’s nice to know that I’ll be on solid ground soon enough.

Be sure to read last week’s post about my Reading the Rainbow Reading Challenge.

So far in 2022, I’ve read 267 books. The breakdown is:
7- Adult novels
5- Adult non-fiction
18- Graphic novels
38- Middle Grade novels (Goal: 52)
197- Picture Books and Board Books
2- Young Adult novels

of which
72- Nonfiction Picture Books (Goal: 104)
28- Audio Books

And, now for the reviews…

I’ve moved over to The StoryGraph to avoid the Amazon-owned Goodreads. It’s still a learning curve and it doesn’t have some of the convenience Goodreads offers but, at least, I’ve been reviewing again. I wish they included the covers.

I do think I will be switching back to Goodreads in July just for the convenience.

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- May 30, 2022 / LGBTQ+ Book Recs

Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!

For a few years now, a friend and I have been having an LGBTQ+ reading challenge in June as a way to celebrate Pride Month. It’s a fun way to intentionally seek out books I normally wouldn’t even though I do try to read these kinds of books all year long.

What I like to do is create a BINGO board and randomly number it from 1 to 25. I then fill it out in order of what I read until I get five in a row. As an added bonus, I also “win” when I cover all the squares.

Here’s an example of a Bingo board I did for the kids books I’ve read so far this year.

Here’s how it looked completed.

Here’s my game board for June.

I invite everyone to read as many LGBTQ+ as they can in June. Here are some books I’ve read so far this year. I put an asterisk next to the titles that aren’t for kids.

Cinderelliot: A Scrumptious Fairytale- A cute queer retelling of Cinderella with the main character (Cinderelliot) as a baker who leaves his chef’s hat behind at a baking contest being held at the palace.

Bathe the Cat– Hilarious picture book about a family trying to get their household ready for their grandma’s visit- and a cat willing to do everything to avoid getting a bath. I love that it features two gay dads but it’s not made a big deal of.

Mr. Watson’s Chickens– An enjoyable silly story that I definitely to need to pick up again to pore over the illustrations longer to catch all the references to LGBTQ kidlit creators.

Pride In– I first heard of this series last year. I put off reading it once I realized it was a series (I didn’t know it at the time) since I knew with my completist mind-set I would have wanted to read it all at once. As it happened, I was able to check out all four titles. A colorful nonfiction picture book series of biography anthologies featuring LGBTQ+ people each focused on a different category. There are shared texts across the series and each includes a glossary.

Calvin– Inspired by the authors’ transgender child, this is Calvin finding the courage the world who really is. Hopefully books like this will help create a more loving and accepting world.

Love, Violet– A sweet picture book about a first crush perfect for anyone looking- or who remembers looking- for someone to go adventuring with.

Leaders Like Us: Bayard Rustin– Great to see a picture book biography about Bayard Rustin. Unfortunately, the presentation was bland.

The Spectacular Suit– A celebration of being oneself. Frankie is throwing a party and she only has to find the best outfit to make it truly spectacular.

Pink, Blue, and You!: Questions for Kids about Gender Stereotypes– A great kid-friendly book full of questions to help jumpstart conversations about gender stereotypes.

*Rolling the R’s– I was fascinated by this book since it was rereleased a few years ago to commemorate 20 years and I hadn’t ever heard about it before. These are vignettes of mostly fifth graders living in Hawaii in the 70s. As Filipinos and other ethnicities, they realize they can’t play by the rules (even though that’s what’s expected of them) when they aren’t even allowed to play the game. Add to that, the male main characters aren’t afraid to be who they are when it comes to their gender identities even when they get ridiculed and bullied. It’s unflinching and painfully honest at times but also shocking and over the top. With all the sex that was happening, I kept thinking the characters were in high school at least. I guess it’s edgy. I’m sure it definitely was when it came out in the mid 90’s.

Big Wig– Drag kids take center stage in this picture book about a wig that gives its wearers the confidence to be who and what they secretly want to be!

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle– When one of her moms go away on a business trip, she and her Mama try to fill the days until her Mommy’s return but sometimes the missing is too big for her. Great for having to deal with separation anxiety.

Sam Is My Sister– Based on the author’s own family’s experience when one of their kids realizes they aren’t a boy but a girl and how the siblings- and the parents- learn to navigate this information.

*Silver in the Wood– I don’t know how I learned about this novella duology but I think I just wanted to read gay. A dark fantasy of magical creatures filled with delightful moody writing.

*Drowned Country– The problem with reading more stories featuring characters you’ve enjoyed is that there needs to be conflict. Not as strong as the first one but fascinating nonetheless.

‘Twas the Night Before Pride– A fun picture book about a family looking forward to Pride and what to expect- and why we celebrate it. I love the endpapers and I hope there’s a resource page identifying the LGBTQ+ figures. As of this review, I didn’t see one yet.

Miss Rita, Mystery Reader– A celebration of drag culture and story times.

Strong– I was pleasantly surprised with this picture book. I thought this was just going to be a general positive message type of story. I didn’t realize it was a memoir about a gay strongman defying expectations of who can be great in that athletic field I didn’t know anything about.

Mighty Red Riding Hood: A Fairly Queer Tale– A fun enough reimagining of a familiar fairy tale giving it a queer take and making it a story about being who you and how you want to dress and standing up to bullies. I think readers will enjoy the sass in this one.

If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It– A fun companion to The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish, this picture book is perfect for story time that will get readers celebrating their fabulous selves.

The Pronoun Book– A simple board book about a variety of people and the pronouns they use.

History Comics: The Stonewall Riots: Making a Stand for LGBTQ Rights– I wish I liked this more since this was a great way to talk about the Stonewall Riots to a new audience. But it just seemed a bit too confusing.

You can view all my reviews over on The StoryGraph.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!