The apple never falls far from the tree. Another cover love title for me and I’m so glad I picked this book up. He was once a blackboard teacher with the nomads, and now, he is dead. An accident leaves Babak (age 13) and Sana (age 8) orphaned and the tribe without a teacher.
Its 1941 and we’re in Iran. Their father has just passed away, and the siblings are waiting for their aunt to pick them up. The children’s life is turned upside down when their aunt informs them of the new lifestyle that awaits them. I loved how Babak secretly kept an eye on his sister and how both of them tried to hide the reality of their lives from one another. They had dreams and even when other individuals were attempting to smash their dreams, they kept reaching for them.
Deciding to find the nomads, they set off, to make a life for themselves. They needed a safe haven, and they knew the nomads could provide that, but what could they offer in return? Their father had set the foundation and now, the siblings decided to follow in his footsteps. They would attempt to become the nomad’s teacher.
They hit a few snags along the way, including meeting Ben. The relationship with Ben provides the sibling strength and growth within themselves and strengthens the bond between them. I liked Ben as a character; he played his part well and was beneficial to the dynamics of the book.
A great book. The author’s notes at the end of the book are definitely worth reading as they’re informative, covering different topics addressed in the book: alliances, alphabet, territories, and language barriers.
“Never give up on your dreams, no matter how painful and difficult your journey is.” (Lisa).
Sometimes a book tries too hard for me, and I find myself just reading along as the book pushes me through the motions. I felt this book was doing some of that as the book painted the picture that I wanted to create on my own. Inmate Eleven is living out her life in her cell with her dog, who “goes wolf” within their cell. Pacing back and forth, her dog acts as if there is more out of life than the 4 walls that surround them. A Blue, Inmate Eleven learns that in reality, Blues are not inferior to the Clones and that her “friend” (a Clone) hasn’t been completely honest with her. Her dog is right, there is more to life than the 4 walls that surround them and now, Inmate Eleven is determined to free them.
Flipping to the present day, Imogen is in the middle of the pandemic. Imogen feels confined and overwhelmed as things start closing in on her. As she begins experiencing phobias, the need to get a handle on the situation becomes increasingly urgent. With only her therapist and her mother available, Imogen tries to come to grips with what is happening and gain control of the situation.
I did like the two timelines and how the author tried to link the two events. Both characters had to take control of their own situation to move forward from somewhere they didn’t want to be. This desire pushed and strengthened them. 3.5 stars
Finally, a book by Megan that doesn’t go negative. This is my third book of Megan’s that I have read in this series, and this is one that I finally liked. Megan addresses how everyone has some of the same body parts (belly buttons, elbows, etc.) and then, males and females each have something different.
Megan does use specific terms for those body parts, so be prepared for that. The book moves into growing up and how individuals keep the gender they are born with, or they change them. For some individuals, they don’t know what gender they are.
The main point here is that whatever a person is feeling is what’s important and they can use pronouns to describe themselves. The author addresses history and even though the rules may state that girls can do this, and boys can do that, there are feminists who are working to change these rules so anyone can do anything that they want.
Even the reader can be an active participant. They can “work together” with others to make things fair because the “things we say and do matter” and make the “world better for everybody.”
A more positive book and it didn’t get off the main topic. It showed the reader that they can do something to help the situation instead of creating more hostility or anger. 4 stars
Wow, that went straight to racism. What started off as a positive children’s book about accepting individuals of all colors went straight into racism. Yes, we all have different colored skin. Yes, no matter what color your skin is, you are “beautiful, strong, and important just the way it is.” But the last half of the book was packing a punch which to me was just hateful. Do I want to read a book to a child that promotes hate? No. Do I want to read a book promoting hate? No.
I understand addressing racism in this book, but the author went off again in her negativity and this positive-feel-good book went downhill. When we live in a world where we’re working to equalize the playing field, this book fails in my world.
According to this book, white people made up the concept of race, a long time ago.
The author then gives us pages (yes, pages) of examples of racism: “someone says only friends with white skin can play,” “thinking princesses only have blond hair,” “like how there aren’t as many books written about people of color,” “calling a person of color a mean name because of their skin color,”
Another examples shows a picture of the white, blond girl wearing a superhero cape tying a green mask on a black boy who looks sad and defeated. Do those examples look diverse?
If you were a child, what would you think? I think not. Again, you make your own decision but I’m trying to teach acceptance, not create more hostility and division. I think that the first half of the book was worth reading as it was informative, it dealt with a variety of issues, and it gave off a positive energy, but the second half was just the opposite. It felt preachy and negative and not a good way to end a book. I’m not a fan. 1 star
5 stars Historical Fiction Children’s/ Middle School
Nestled in the swamp, this was their sanctuary, their home. “ No white people have ever been to Freewater,” and there were individuals who had never set foot on a plantation. Had they finally found what they were looking for? How was Mama ever going to find them?
Southland Planation had been their home. They’d heard talk about freedom up North so Ada, Homer, and Anna were ready when Mama said it was time to run. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out as planned. Mama and her two children set out but Anna failed to show up, so Mama went back for her. The overseer’s hunting dogs were sent out for the runaways and without Mama, the young ones were sent to the river to throw off their scent.
I held on tight as the young children made their way to the water and tried to manage being in this environment by themselves. Swampy water, the wildlife, and the hidden unknowns were a bit much for these children. Suddenly, nature begins paying a dangerous call to these young unexpected guests. Out of the trees, a hero emerges and comes to their rescue. Whez, that was close! If they’ll follow, he can lead them to safety but this path will lead them farther away from their Mama.
This was a great story filled with unknowns and uncertainty but a journey that you’ll never forget. As the children discover what’s inside the swamp, they’ll also discover what’s inside them. Fantastic story! 5 stars
This richly illustrated and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world. Using their keen knowledge and deep love for all things literary, coauthors Jamise Harper (founder of the Diverse Spines book community) and Jane Mount (author of Bibliophile) collaborated to create an essential volume filled with treasures for every reader:
• Dozens of themed illustrated book stacks—like Classics, Contemporary Fiction, Mysteries, Cookbooks, and more—all with an emphasis on authors of color and authors from diverse cultural backgrounds • A look inside beloved bookstores owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color • Reading recommendations from leading BIPOC literary influencers
Diversify your reading list to expand your world and shift your perspective. Kickstart your next literary adventure now!
EASY TO GIFT: This portable guide is packed with more than 150 colorful illustrations is a perfect gift for any booklover. The textured paper cover, gold foil, and ribbon marker make this book a special gift or self-purchase.
DISCOVER UNSUNG LITERARY HEROES: The authors dive deep into a wide variety of genres, such as Contemporary Fiction, Classics, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, and more to bring the works of authors of color to the fore.
ENDLESS READING INSPIRATION: Themed book stacks and reading suggestions from luminaries of the literary world provide curated book recommendations. Your to-read list will thank you.
Perfect for: bookish people; literary lovers; book club members; Mother’s Day shoppers; stocking stuffers; followers of #DiverseSpines; Jane Mount and Ideal Bookshelf fans; Reese’s Book Club and Oprah’s Book Club followers; people who use Goodreads.com; readers wanting to expand/decolonize their book collections; people interested in uplifting BIPOC voices; antiracist activists and educators; grads and students; librarians and library patrons wanting to expand/decolonize their book collections; people interested in uplifting BIPOC voices; antiracist activists and educators; grads and students; librarians and library patrons
My Review:
This book is going to get me into trouble. I already know that my TBR pile is gigantic but how could I not, find some treasures inside this book. It was definitely cover love that drew me to this book while I was volunteering at the library. I realized while reading, that I needed to get my own copy of this book, as it’s a fantastic resource.
I’ve heard about these types of books before but this is the first one, that I have actually read. I liked the concept but would I actually like the books that they featured and/or would I find their lists helpful? I wanted this to be a fun, entertaining book consisting of lists based on a variety of different ideas/concepts. I was also hoping that the books that made the list were a mixed lot, some new titles for me and some familiar ones.
What makes this book unique? It’s diversity. “The authors, illustrators, designers, store owners, and bookstagramumers highlighted in this book are all Black, Indigenous, and people of color.” Furthermore, these individuals lived in “spaces where they were marginalized by a dominant white society.” By reading the books mentioned inside, the author hopes that the reader walks away with a greater understanding and the desire for better communication. We all desire a great life.
I liked the physical size of this book, for being a reference book, it fits perfectly in my hands. I liked how bright and colorful the pages were. I felt a renewed energy while reading it and I was excited to see what the other pages contained. Printed on thick cardstock paper, I thought this was a huge bonus considering it’s a resource and how often I would flip through the book. The number of categories surprised me, in a good way. I enjoyed all the different concepts the author used to group individuals and the books. From the one-line sentences attached to some of the books on the list, to the detailed descriptions of a few of the books on the list, I loved all the information that is packed inside this book.
I had started off thinking that I would make a list of the books that I thought sounded great (ones I haven’t seen or read yet) but after reading a few more pages in this book, I realized that I wanted to retain some of the other information that this book revealed. I knew then, I would have to purchase a copy of this book. This book is a gem and I highly recommend you check out this title. Warning: your TBR pile just might get longer.
One Chapter 