#NFPB2019- June 26, 2019

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We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders by Harry Belafonte
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A slew of illustrators choose quotes from various inspiring people and shares a bit about them and why the words matter to them.

Queer Heroes: Meet 52 LGBTQ Heroes From Past and Present! by Arabelle Sicardi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A collection of mini biographies of LGBTQ individuals who’ve changed the world. A great book to have because sometimes people never get to know about these people.

— — — — — — — THANK YOU FOR READING! — — — — — — —

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My Reading Week #IMWAYR- June 24, 2019

I changed the name for my “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” posts to “My Reading Week.”

Recent Posts:
–#NFPB2019- June 19, 2019

Chirri & Chirra, Underground by Kaya Doi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another delightful installment of this Japanese export where the girls find themselves having an underground adventure full of surprises and new friends.

Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For fans of Islandborn and How Alma Got Her Name, this picture book explores the rich history of a little girl’s life of where she came from.

The Hideout by Susanna Mattiangeli
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book is like Where the Wild Things Are meets What Do You Do with an Idea? A little girl decides to hide away with a mysterious creature and it’s a surprising discovery of where she’s been.

For my Reading the Rainbow BINGO Reading Challenge

A Plan for Pops by Heather Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A boy spends Saturdays with a set of grandparents- his two grandfathers- who have different personalities. When something happens to one of them, he tries to come up with a plan to cheer him up.

Some Men – Acting Edition by Terrence McNally
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A humorous and sometimes tragic play that follows different groups of gay men in different time periods.

All Its Charms by Keetje Kuipers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes poetry puts me off but this one was very approachable. From becoming a single mother to finding new love with another woman and trying to have another child, these poems offer a personal insight to her life.

An Underground Life: Memoirs of a Gay Jew in Nazi Berlin by Gad Beck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting- and surprisingly funny- memoir of surviving Nazi Germany. Some things sounded a bit made up like he was some sort of gay James Bond. It was amazing how bad things escalated and eerie how similar certain situations are now to back then. I wonder if there’s a hidden second part to this memoir about life after their freedom.

Review Notes
***= Liked It
****= Recommended
*****= Favorite

You can view all the books I’ve read at my Goodreads page.

Thanks to Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers for their focus on Children’s Literature of this meme!

If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Please like The Chronicles Of A Children’s Book Writer Facebook page!

— — — — — — — THANK YOU FOR READING! — — — — — — —

 

#NFPB2019- June 19, 2019

Never Smile at a Monkey: And 17 Other Important Things to Remember by Steve Jenkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Steve Jenkins is truly a master in writing animal nonfiction picture books in a very engrossing way. Includes additional information about each creature in the backmatter.

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— — — — — — — THANK YOU FOR READING! — — — — — — —

 

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- June 17, 2019

I changed the name for my “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” posts to “My Reading Week.”

Recent Posts:
–#NFPB2019- June 12, 2019

Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A sister gets separated from her brother and is helped by Harriet Tubman. Readers will learn about this iconic hero while engrossed in the siblings’ story.

This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The must read graphic novel of the summer starts off like with a realistic premise of a group of boys out to see whether a fantastical story they’ve heard all their lives is true or not and then veers off into Miyazaki/ Studio Ghibli territory! What I also liked is that this was pretty substantial text-wise.

The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember by Fred Rogers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you need a pick me up, make sure to have a copy of this book- a collection of insights from everyone’s favorite and friendliest neighbor. The audiobook has sound clips of some of his words and otherwise read by a few celebrities.

For my Reading the Rainbow BINGO Reading Challenge

I Love My Colorful Nails by Alicia Acosta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another one of those picture books that I wish were better written because we need more stories like this.

Phoenix Goes to School: A Story to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Children by Michelle Finch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wish there was more to this picture book because stories like this needs to be read.

The Other Boy by M.G. Hennessey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m glad I finally picked up this middle grade novel about a character transitioning from the body he was born with to the person he was meant to be. Portrays realistic struggles of the process. In addition to that, someone is outing him in school. A compelling read that’s not sensationalized or anything.

Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir by Maggie Thrash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve put off reading this graphic novel because I wasn’t a fan of the artwork. And I admit as much as I try to read lots of LGBTQ books, I tend to mostly read books with gay stories. But for my Reading the Rainbow Reading Challenge, I wanted to make sure I read not only a variety of styles but also various viewpoints within the LGBTQ spectrum. This coming of age story is sweet and funny perfect for fans of Telgemeier’s Drama and Brosgol’s Be Prepared.

DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test by Hamish Steele
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At first, I thought this was based on a show on Cartoon Network because of the animation. This wild ride of a graphic novel features a trans main character living in a Dollywood-inspired theme park that’s also a portal to the many levels of Heaven and Hell. It’s a time of changes for Barney when he develops a crush on his fellow co-worker and has to take care of his currently possessed dog while battling the underworld.

We’re Still Here: An All-Trans Comics Anthology by Tara Madison Avery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This graphic novel anthology features a variety of stories by trans creators. I was super thrilled to see my friend’s name in the list of Kickstarter contributors who helped fund this project.

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles by Mark Russell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was familiar with Snagglepuss from the Saturday morning cartoons I grew up watching. This sort of works as a reimagined prequel where he’s gay and being accused of being a Communist. I’m kind of curious to read Mark Russell’s take on the Flinstones.

Bingo Love Volume 1: Jackpot Edition by Tee Franklin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a delightful find- a lesbian love story featuring people of color in their later years. The edition includes other comics contribution featuring other aspects of the characters’ lives. Plus, there’s a preview of the next volume that comes out next year.

Anything That Loves by Charles “Zan” Christensen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was glad to find this graphic novel for my LGBTQ Reading Challenge since it’s an anthology about the bi experiences by bi people. It was interesting to see the backlash they get from straight and gay communities. While I appreciated this collection, there were some works which didn’t seem to fit and some that could have been proofread first.

Review Notes
***= Liked It
****= Recommended
*****= Favorite

You can view all the books I’ve read at my Goodreads page.

Thanks to Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers for their focus on Children’s Literature of this meme!

If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Please like The Chronicles Of A Children’s Book Writer Facebook page!

— — — — — — — THANK YOU FOR READING! — — — — — — —

 

#NFPB2019- June 12, 2019

Hello, World! Moon Landing by Jill McDonald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hello World! is a board book series that introduces the youngest readers to nature and science concepts. Colorful images and question prompts are mixed in with the story text. This one is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

For my Reading the Rainbow BINGO Reading Challenge

The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets by Gayle E. Pitman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful book that’s sort of like a museum with artifacts about Stonewall and the LGBTQ movement. A great book to have and full of people that readers may want to learn more about.

Love and Resistance: Out of the Closet into the Stonewall Era by Jason Baumann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to visit the exhibit that accompanied this book when I was in New York. This makes for a nice coffee table book.

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— — — — — — — THANK YOU FOR READING! — — — — — — —

 

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- June 10, 2019

I changed the name for my “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” posts to “My Reading Week.”

Recent Posts:
–May Update
–Hood River Library
–Bookstores in Hood River
–Jane Austen Reading Challenge
–#NFPB2019- June 5, 2019

Because I Had a Teacher by Kobi Yamada
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A sweet enough book which would make for a great gift for teachers.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun tongue-in-cheek novel that features one of Jane Austen’s most likable and unlikely heroines. I wish the title was different since the story doesn’t take place there as much as one would assume.

For my Reading the Rainbow BINGO Reading Challenge

It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book about Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great new book to help start conversations about gender identity for kids who are asking questions and adults who are supposed to know the answers. This is a wonderful way for everyone to learn a complicated but necessary subject.

Gloria Goes to Gay Pride by Lesléa Newman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love that Leslea Newman has been writing LGBTQ books for so many years. I discovered this title on a recent list. Even if the illustrations seem very dated, the story of a day of Pride was fun.

Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This picture book was controversial when it was first published twenty-five years ago. It’ll probably ruffle some feathers today. The vocabulary and the illustrations may be outdated but I’m glad there was a book like this back then that reflected some people’s lives.

M is for Mustache by Catherine Hernandez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An interesting alphabet book that focuses on Pride from a Canadian publisher.

Review Notes
***= Liked It
****= Recommended
*****= Favorite

You can view all the books I’ve read at my Goodreads page.

Thanks to Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers for their focus on Children’s Literature of this meme!

If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Please like The Chronicles Of A Children’s Book Writer Facebook page!

— — — — — — — THANK YOU FOR READING! — — — — — — —

 

Jane Austen Reading Challenge

Jane Austen is someone everyone should read. And they were probably assigned one of her novels in high school. But I didn’t read any of her books until a few years ago- Pride and Prejudice– and I loved it. So, this year, I decided to read her other works.

Below are my reviews of them, from my most favorite to my least liked.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everyone seemed to be talking about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies when it first came out. A classic novel now with zombies? So, naturally, I wanted to read it. But, first, I decided to check out Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as I figured I’d be able to appreciate the mash-up more. I was hesitant to get into that book in the beginning but it has become one of my favorites. Austen’s original had plenty enough humor to make the zombiefied version of it seem unnecessary.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite novels of all time when I first read it a few years ago. I decided to read Sense and Sensibility since a local theater company was putting on a modern adaptation of it. (Unfortunately, I didn’t end up seeing it.) This was another entertaining foray into Jane Austen’s works which made me decide to read all her books. I would have liked this more but it suffered the same problem as Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women which was it focused too much on the sister that I didn’t particularly like. I can see why Jane Austen is still so beloved after all these years.

Emma by Jane Austen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I watched the film Clueless way back when it was released and I was curious to read the original source of it. It was so interesting how they had modernized it. The characters and circumstances are so intriguing and the romantic entanglements keeps one entertained.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun tongue-in-cheek novel that features one of Jane Austen’s most likable and unlikely heroines. I wish the title was different since the story doesn’t take place there as much as one would assume.

Persuasion by Jane Austen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While I liked this, I did think it was a bit slow going. And after binge-reading Jane Austen’s novels, it did seem to be a bit predictable. But I would say Anne is one of her better characters.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

For some reason, I thought this was the source inspiration for the Barbra Streisand movie Funny Girl but it wasn’t. The main characters have different names. And I made the mistake of looking at the Wikipedia entry for it and I was given a major spoiler for something that happened towards the end of the book.

I didn’t enjoy Mansfield Park at all. Fanny wasn’t a strong and interesting enough character to be the lead.

I’m also sharing some nonfiction picture book biographies I ended up reading.

Jane Austen by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Little People, Big Dreams is a biographical series imported from Spain.

“In this new series, discover the lives of outstanding people from designers and artists to scientists. All of them went on to achieve incredible things, yet all of them began life as a little child with a dream.”

These are simple biographies to introduce young readers to these people.

The books include a timeline and photos.

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen by Deborah Hopkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I admit I’ve only read one of Jane Austen’s novels but Pride and Prejudice is definitely one of my favorite favorites. This is a great look at her childhood and how her life experiences found its way into her books and also how her talent wasn’t appreciated during her time.

Brave Jane Austen: Reader, Writer, Author, Rebel by Lisa Pliscou
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been reading Jane Austen’s novels recently and this was a nice read to know about her life and what may have inspired her to write her stories.

Have you read any Jane Austen’s novels? Which ones are your favorites? What film (or TV) adaptations did you enjoy? (I did watch Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley and checked out clips of the one starring Colin Firth.)

Should I seek out Jane Austen’s other works? Are there any Jane Austen related things you would recommend I check out?