Colorful

Title:  Colorful

Author:  Eto Mori

Publication Information:  Counterpoint. 2021. 224 pages.

ISBN:  1640094423 / 978-1640094420

Book Source:  I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "As my dead soul leisurely drifted off to some dark place, this angers I'd never seen before suddenly appeared right in my way."

Favorite Quote:  "Extraordinary joy and sadness can come out of the ordinary every day."

A nameless young individual dies. His soul drifts towards the afterlife and the cycle of rebirth. An angel named Prapura notifies him that he has won the lottery. Because of his actions during his life, this individual is about to be kicked out of the cycle of rebirth. The soul is to be no more. However, due to the decision of the "boss," he is being given a second chance. He is to be given a "homestay" in another body. There he stays until he can determine what grave error he made in his own life.

The host body is fourteen-year-old Makoto Kobayashi. He has just killed himself, but due to the chance given to this nameless soul, is brought back to life. Now, this soul has to live as Makoto while determining what went wrong in his own life. Surrounding Makato are his parents, his older brother, and his school mates.

So begins this journey of self- discovery. Although marketed as literature and fiction, this book has very much of a young adult feel. The conclusion of the book is just what I expect it to be. The lesson is just what I expect it to be. "It wasn't some simple change, like things that I thought were black were actually white. It was more like when I looked closely, things I thought were a single, uniform color were really made up of a bunch of different colors. That's maybe the best way to describe it."

The journey of self-discovery also becomes a journey of learning about those who surround us. So often in our lives, we take for granted those closest to us and see what we choose to see. The soul in Makato's body learns this lesson about his family and his school mates.

The young-adult feel of the book comes from how simplified issues such as suicide, mental health, ethics, and infidelity seem to be. The resolutions to these issues seems equally simplified. In many ways, this is a self-help book with a lesson that appears easy to state but is so challenging to implement. "Remember how it felt to move freely without trapping yourself in your own expectations." The books appears to gloss over the challenges.

The biggest issue I have with the book does not even center on the main character, but rather on a girl who he cares about. The book, in a matter of fact way, presents an eight-grader prostituting herself so that she can buy things! "Pretty clothes, bags, rings, all those nice things I want are super expensive. Even if I tried to save  up my allowance, okay. even if I saved up for a whole year, I could never buy any of them ... But if I do it with him three or four times, boom, I can buy whatever I want." This is something I just cannot see past. The fact that the girl has an allowance indicates an economic level and a home life. But prostitution! The fact that I feel this book has a young adult audience makes this statement worse. The fact that is presented matter of factly and then not addressed again makes it worse and beyond my understanding. The fact that this being the reason for rejection of Makato is somewhat tangential to Makato's story makes it worse. Teenage angst over an unrequited love alone is enough. Why add this twist to the mix?

The original Japanese book won the Sankei Children's Book Award when originally published in the 1990s; it has been made into multiple movies. The fact that it won a Children's book award makes the subject matter even less palatable. Let's just say I do not understand.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

How Do You Live?

Title:  How Do You Live?

Author:  Genzaburo Yoshino (Author), Bruno Navasky (Translator)

Publication Information:  Algonquin Young Readers. 1937 (original Japanese). 2021 (English translation). 288 pages.

ISBN:  1616209771 / 978-1616209773

Book Source:  I received this book through NetGalley and a publisher's blog tour free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "Copper is in his second year of junior high school."

Favorite Quote:  "But even when you have read the books and learned the ideas, the ultimate key to the mystery will be - Copper, of course it will be you. You, yourself and no other. For it is only through the life you will lead, building on your many experiences and impressions, that you will be able to understand the truths in the words of these great thinkers."

***** BLOG TOUR *****

Review

I had never heard of this book or the author until seeing the marketing for the book. I am fan of Hayao Miyazaki's movies and of Neil Gaiman's work. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki calls this his favorite childhood book and is in fact basing a  new Studio Gibli movie on this book. The book description also draws a comparison to The Alchemist by Paul Coelho, which I love.

This set up creates high expectations for the book. Although targeted to an audience aged 10-14, this book offers considerable philosophy to an adult reader. The title - how do you live - is very much literal. The book offers advice and principals for an ethical life.

The philosophy is embedded in the life of Copper, a young man whose nickname comes from the mathematician and scientist Copernicus. Copper is fifteen years old in this book and in junior high school - a challenging age in the best of circumstances. Copper's life is further challenged by the loss of his father.

Much of this philosophical advice resonates even as an adult reader. The book is at times sad and at times nostalgic. Given the time of its original publication, the book also captures the changing paradigm of life in the years leading up to World War II. As the translator's note  points out, "... it contains many lessons, and a quiet but powerful message on the value of thinking for oneself and standing up for others during troubled times. In this respect, it's a unique book, and particularly valuable to us now..."

This story focuses on his life in school and with his friends and his relationship with his uncle - the father figure in his life. The chapters alternate with depictions of incidents in Copper's life and with writings of his uncle in a notebook destined to provide guidance to Copper in his life. The uncle's journal stems from his promise to Copper's father to help Copper become a "good" man.

The structure of alternating chapter does create a distance in the book from Copper's story, but perhaps that is intentional for it keeps the focus on principles being shared. Copper's story is a vehicle for the lessons in ethics rather than the lessons being a corollary to Copper's story.

The interesting aspect is that so many of the ideas share transcend time. So much of what is shared in this book published in the 1930s still holds true today. I suppose that is not surprising for the basic tenets of living a good and ethical life do not change. The lessons we learn in childhood and attempt to pass on to our own children remain constant ones of believing in yourself, standing up for what you believe in, and standing up for other even when they cannot.

The book is memorable, and in this case, I cannot wait to see the movie!

About the Book

First published in 1937, Genzaburo Yoshino’s enchanting novel HOW  DO  YOU  LIVE? is finally available in English for the first time. Award-winning filmmaker  Hayao Miyazaki  (Spirited Away,  Howl’s Moving Castle) has long referred to this coming-of-age classic beloved by millions of Japanese readers as not only a major influence on his work but also his favorite childhood book, and he has recently announced plans to base his final film on it. Brilliantly translated by Bruno Navasky and with a foreword by fantasy master  Neil Gaiman, who wrote the English-language adaptation of Miyazaki’s  Princess Mononoke,  this new edition will introduce legions of new readers to Yoshino’s timeless tale.

HOW  DO  YOU  LIVE?  begins with fifteen-year-old Copper, who has recently suffered the loss of his father, gazing out over his hometown of Tokyo, watching the thousands of people below, and beginning to ponder life’s big questions. How many people are in the world? What do their lives look like? Are humans really made of molecules? The book moves between Copper’s story and his uncle’s journal entries, in which he gives advice and helps Copper learn pivotal truths about the way the world works. Over the course of a year in his life, Copper, like his namesake Copernicus, embarks on a journey of philosophical enlightenment, and uses his discoveries about the heavens, earth and human nature to determine the best way to live. Yoshino perfectly captures the beauty and strangeness of pre-war Japan – the changing of the seasons, the fried tofu and taiyaki stands, and the lush landscapes, as Copper explores the city on his bike and learns from friends and family what really matters most in life. “It’s funny and sad in a particularly Japanese way. As I read more of the book, I discovered that it contains lessons on everything: art, science, language, history, politics and philosophy,” translator Bruno Navasky writes. “It also contains a quiet but powerful message on the value of thinking for oneself and standing up for others during troubled times.”

“Books like this are important,” writes Neil Gaiman in the book’s foreword. “I’m so glad Mr. Miyazaki is making his film because it means that eighty-four years after it was written, Yoshino’s novel can be read in English, in Bruno Navasky’s gentle and winning translation, and that I got to read it.” Perfect for fans of  The Little Prince  and  the Alchemist, as well as Miyazaki fans eager to understand some of his most important influences,  HOW  DO  YOU  LIVE?  is a whimsical and wise novel that will forever change the way readers think about their place in the world.

About the Author

Genzaburō Yoshino (1899-1981) was a Japanese writer and publisher. In 1935, he became director of a collection of educational books for young people. Yoshino stepped in to write How Do You Live? when Yūzō Yamamoto, the expected writer, fell ill. Since its debut as a novel and guide to philosophy for young people, How Do You Live? has been re-edited and republished more than eighty times, a reflection of the changing times and culture in Japan.

About the Translator

Bruno Navasky is a teacher and writer, whose work as a translator and editor includes Festival in My Heart: Poems by Japanese Children and Poem in Your Pocket for Young Poets. He was the founding editor of American Poet, the journal of The Academy of American Poets, where he now serves on the board of directors. He lives and works in New York City.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Girlhood: Teens Around the World in Their Own Voices

Title:  Girlhood:  Teens Around the World in Their Own Voices

Author:  Masuma Ahuja

Publication Information:  Algonquin Young Readers. 2021. 256 pages.

ISBN:  1643750119 / 978-1643750118

Book Source:  I received this book through NetGalley and a publisher's blog tour free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "Chen Xi stays up all night studying for a test."

Favorite Quote:  "In putting together this book, I found echoes the emotions and types of experiences of my own teenage years. While the species of each life are different - and make for colorful and rich stories - many of the themes that teenage girls experience and explore are similar:  a longing for the adventures ahead, dreams burning big and bright, and the angst and growing pains of figuring out their own place in the world."

***** BLOG TOUR ****

This book grew out of a series the author composed for The Washington Post's The Lily, and it begins with disclaimers about its own limitations:

• "Because I asked for written entries, I could only include girls who have learned how to write and are comfortable with words."
• "...these pages only feature girls who were able to share and who felt safe sharing their stories."
• "The book could not be comprehensive ... but I hope it is representative of a vase range of girls' experiences."

Now, on to what this book is:

• It is a collection of about 30 portraits, each focusing on one girl.
• The ages of the girls are the teen years - 13 to 19.
• The regions they represent are:  Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mongolia, Nigeria, Panama, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Syria, Vanatu, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Each portrait covers a few pages and is laid out like a scrapbook with text and images, including pictures of the girl. The text includes dairy entries by the girl. "While the diary entries have been lightly edited for length and clarity, and some have been translated from their original language, the are all the works of the girls I interviewed." The other portion of the text is written by the author and provides context - "her community, her circumstances, the themes she explores, or the country in which she lives" - for the girl's story.

Given the parameters of the book, it does not bring to light the story of the girls whose lives are perhaps most marginalized and most at risk. Their voices unfortunately do not yet have a way out of their environment.

What this book does so beautifully is explore the world, celebrate our diversity, and at the same time, draw us closer in the myriad ways in which these girls share similar experiences and hopes and dreams. In a world that seems focused so often on division, any attempt to unite is cause for celebration. When that unification comes in the hands of young people, it is all the more powerful for that will build the future. That is my hope, and this book certainly fosters that sense of universality.

What this book also does so beautifully is give voice to the teen years. Perhaps, for a reader, one girl's diary will strike a particular note and give voice to the reader's world and remind them that they are not alone in their experience. Any support that can be found for an age often fraught with insecurity and anxiety is a welcome offering.

The author's notes on each girl and her circumstances educates also. The reader travels around the world and receives a brief introduction to world history and politics. That education comes in a compact, easily read package rather than a textbook lecture, making it approachable.

Finally, it is the girls' diaries themselves that resonate. The pictures and the words paint a picture of each young woman and their joys and heartbreaks. For all these reasons, I see myself sharing this book with the young women and men in my life.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Jungle Book

Title:  The Jungle Book

Author:  Rudyard Kipling

Publication Information:  Macmillan. 1894. 174 pages.

ISBN:  None for the original. Multiple subsequent editions.

Book Source:  I read this book through the Serial Reader app.

Opening Sentence:  "It was seven o'clock of a very warm evening in the Seeonee hills when Father Wolf woke up from his day's rest, scratched himself, yawned, and spread out his paws one after the other to get rid of the sleepy feeling in the tips."

Favorite Quote:  "One of the beauties of Jungle Law is that punishment settles all scores. There is no nagging afterward."

The Jungle Book is a book I have never read in its entirety. My vision of these stories is based on the many children's book and cartoon adaptations. Most, if not all of those, have focused on the story of Mowgli.

In fact, the name The Jungle Book has become synonymous with Mowgli's story. This is the story of an orphaned human boy who is raised by animals as one of their own. As he grows though, there are those who would sow discord and point out the differences. That seems a familiar story in humans even today even though these stories were originally written in 1894. Sadly, some things never change.

The next most familiar story for me is the story of Riki-Tiki-Tavi, the story of the mongoose versus the pair of snakes. The name is a memorable one.

Most of these stories are based around animals. Research states that some may have their origin in Indian mythology. Rudyard Kipling was born in India and lived there for the first six years of his life. He then moved to England, but returned to India a decade later for about another six or seven years. So, these stories written originally for his daughter are perhaps a reflection of his own childhood experiences. Interestingly, other than the rare reference to a region, the books do not specify where the story takes place, making them more universal.

Most of these stories are based in the animal world. However, the stories are fables, and the themes and lessons are decidedly human. Mowgli is an orphan made a part of a family and then abandoned again. He returns to his human family but is again made to feel the outsider. Riki-Tiki-Tavi is the underdog who overcomes a powerful cobra. Toomai is the little guy who is greatly underestimated but proves what he can accomplish. The white seal is the one who is "different" and who seeks his own path; in doing so, he emerges a leader.

Such themes echo throughout the stories. As is expected in a collection of short stories, some resonate more with me than others. They may not have quite the magic that they did in my childhood, but they do bring me back to that magic and complete my knowledge of this iconic children's classic. Most importantly, they take me on a trip down memory lane through the reading I did in my own childhood and through the special moments I cherish of reading with my children. I hope the legacy continues as stories are shared generation to generation.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle

Title:  The Story of Doctor Dolittle, Being the History of His Peculiar Life at Home and Astonishing Adventures in Foreign Parts

Author:  Hugh Lofting

Publication Information:  Frederick A Stokes Company. 1920. 180 pages.

ISBN:  1983600865 / 978-1983600869 (for the paperback 2018 edition from CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform)

Book Source:  I read this book because I am familiar with the general story and the many screen adaptation but had never before read the book.

Opening Sentence:  "Once upon a time, many years ago - when our grandfathers were little children - there was a doctor; and his name was Dolittle - John Dolittle, MD."

Favorite Quote:  "Money ... is a terrible nuisance. But it's nice not to have to worry."

Ever since I was a child, I have heard the stories of Dr. Dolittle. I have seen the movie adaptations. In fact, a new one (which I have not seen) is out now. I have read the children's picture books, but this is my first encounter with the original. I decided to research the original and discover both the original story and its history. I am shocked.

Let's get what we know out of the way. Dr. Dolittle is the story of a doctor who can talk to animals. The various iterations of the story are about his different adventures with his talking animal friends. The new versions are cute and colorful and clearly designed to entertain and charm.

Now for the history. Hugh Lofting wrote 15 books around the character of Dr. Dolittle, published between 1920 and 1952. Some of the publications came after the discovery of previously unpublished stories after his death. The second in the series, The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, won the Newberry Award. Hugh Lofting was an engineer by profession. He also served in the British Army. The history goes that the origin of Dr. Dolittle is in his illustrated letters from the trenches of World War I to his children at home. Rather than share the horrors of war, he told his children stories.

Now for the original story itself. Dr. Dolittle is a physician of human beings. However, his love of animals and his inability to say no drives human patients away and renders him nearly destitute. It is then that he discovers that animals talk and that he can talk to them. The animals convince him to apply his knowledge as a veterinarian. A call for help sets them on a voyage to Africa. "There is a terrible sickness among the monkeys out there. They are all catching it - and they are dying in hundreds. They have heard of you, and beg you to come to Africa to stop the sickness." Adventures and misadventures abound with the story ending in his return to his home in the village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh in the West Country of England with treasures enough to sustain him financially.

Now for the details of those adventures and misadventures.  The most shocking aspect of the story is the extreme and blatant racism. This original includes an entire side story about an African prince who will do anything for the doctor if the doctor can only make him white. Why? He wishes to be white so that the princess will not wake and run screaming at the sight of him. Dr. Dolittle goes on to provide him with a "cure" to secure his own safe passage!

My understanding is that later editions (I am not sure how much later) have completely written out that subplot. Apparently, other portions of the text and the illustrations have also be altered to remove the racial elements of this story. It is these changes that render this story into its current view as an innocent children's story of adventure and caring for fellow creatures. For me, I don't think I can unsee the image of Prince Bumpo, his quest to the be acceptable to his Sleeping Beauty princess, and of Dr. Dolittle's cruel use of of Prince Bumpo.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Harbor Me

Title:  Harbor Me

Author:  Jacqueline Woodson

Publication Information:  Nancy Paulsen Books. 2018. 192 pages.

ISBN:  0399252525 / 978-0399252525

Book Source:  I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "We think they took my papi."

Favorite Quote:  "My uncle says that when you tell stories, it's like letting out all the scared inside of you ... It's like you help stuff make sense."

Harbor Me brings the headlines of today and the fear they generate to life through the eyes of six children, each with their own perspective on the world.

Haley is biracial; her mother is deceased, and her father is incarcerated. She is being raised by an uncle, but now her father may be returning.

Amari is young man of color, learning that the laws may be the same for all but the rules are different for people of color. Assumptions are made and actions may be taken by others based only on the color of skin.

Ashton's family is impacted by economic changes, but he is learning that even without affluence, white privilege exists.

Esteban is a child of immigrants, whose father is picked up by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "Before, you used to hear the word immigration and it sounded like everything you ever believed in. It sounded like feliz cumpleaños and merry Christmas and welcome home. but now you hear it and you get scared because it sounds like a word that makes you want to disappear. it sounds like someone getting stolen away from you."

The dynamic of the book is a contrived one to my adult eyes. These six students are in a "special" class. The reason and the "specialness" of the class is never made quite clear. Their teacher provides them with an outlet. Once a week, the six students are allowed to meet in a room with no teachers present. It is a time for them to talk. How and why this comes about is never made clear. I would like to envision that in the background are caring teachers and counselors wanting the best for these children and working hard to make a positive impact in their work. Regardless of how it comes about, the point is that this is a safe space. From a child's perspective, that is what matters.

The "harbor" in this title has many contexts. The cover depicts the children at the harbor with the Statue of Liberty in the distance. The harbor is literal in this New York City setting. The symbolism of Lady Liberty, of course, is the figurative harbor and the symbol of hope and freedom to so many. The ARTT room - A Room to Talk room - becomes a safe harbor for these students in the middle of their school day and their tumultuous lives. The group of six in effect becomes a safety net for each other. They harbor each other, providing understanding and empathy.

The fears are clear as are the lessons. Providing children with diverse books in which they can perhaps see themselves is a service to our diverse community. Putting the so often unspoken emotions and fears of pre-teens and teenagers into words has the potential to change lives. Providing children with a reminder that a safe harbor exists is necessary.

This book is a clear commentary on the recent changes and events in the United States. The book is also a statement that healing the divides is possible if we take the time to seek and understand through civil, sincere dialogue.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Nemesis

Title:  Nemesis

Author:  Brendan Reichs

Publication Information:  G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. 2017. 464 pages.

ISBN:  0399544933 / 978-0399544934

Book Source:  I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "I swore to myself I wouldn't die that day."

Favorite Quote:  "I was going to fight for what I believed in, no matter the consequences. I was going to do something."

I get to the point in the book with twenty pages still left on my page count. I end a chapter and think I can't wait to see what happens next. I turn the page, and I see the words "acknowledgements." No!!! That's not how this ends. I want to know what happens next. I flip back and realize that the title of the chapter I just read is "epilogue." No!!! This is how this ends. I don't know if Nemesis is the beginning to a series, but I hope so. I want to find out what happens next.

Picture this scenario. Every two years on your birthday, a man in a black suit and shiny sunglasses kills you. Every two years, you come back to life unharmed. It starts when you are eight and hasn't stopped, not even nearly a decade later. People think you have mental health issues; some days, so do you. You have been under psychiatrist's care ever since the first incident. Eventually, you get smart and stop telling people what happens. Occasionally though, you wonder. Are you crazy? This is Melinda Julliard Wilder's real life in the tiny secluded town of Fire Lake set high in the Bitterroot Mountains in Idaho.

Now picture this scenario. You discover that everything you know, or think you know about your life,  is a lie. You discover that you are indeed not crazy, and that there are others like you. Your entire life is a part of a master plan that goes beyond anything you can imagine. This becomes Melinda Julliard Wilder's life.

What a fun adventure of friendship, high school rivalries, the government, secret projects, and, the possible end of the world. The book is full of twists and turns with the biggest one coming right at the end. I did not see that ending coming, and I loved it. It does seem a cliffhanger; so, I hope there are more books coming in Project Nemesis.

The other thing I appreciate about this book is that I enjoy it as an adult, and I can share it with my teenagers. The main characters are high school age, so teenagers can relate. For the most part, the characters are stereotypes - the bully, the rebel, the rich kid, the cheerleader, the jocks.
There are relationships in the book, but the book stays focused on the adventure and friendship, not any romantic inclinations. In other words, the book keeps it "clean." Also, this story is about the plot more than the characters so it works.

The book is fast-paced and adventurous to keep them reading. The story also has some familiar tones - a small town, a government administration from far away, a young woman and two young men, a struggle for survival. All these elements sound familiar from other young adult novels, but this book gives them its own spin.

Bottom line, I enjoy the story. Even more so, when I find a book that works for me and my teenagers, it gets high marks from me.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Sun is Also a Star

Title:  The Sun is Also a Star

Author:  Nicola Yoon

Publication Information:  Delcorte Press. 2016. 384 pages.

ISBN:  0553496689 / 978-0553496680

Book Source:  I received this book through the Blogging for Books program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "Carl Sagan said that if you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe."

Favorite Quote:  "What if we are just a digression in someone else's history?"

The cover of this book makes complete sense after having read the book. It is nail and string art where the threads cross and form so many intersections. In the hard cover edition, the cover is textured such that you can feel the words of the title.

I choose to read the book based on its description. Two teenagers from immigrant families meet. Natasha is in the country illegally because of decisions her parents make. Her father chased a dream to America. Her mother and Natasha followed. Her younger brother Peter is born in the US. Natasha and her family are now facing deportation back to Jamaica even though this is the only life Natasha and her brother have ever known. Daniel is the younger son of parents who immigrated from Korea, searching for a better life. They own a business and want their sons to pursue the American dream of an Ivy League education and a professional career. Daniel wants something different. The burden of family expectations weighs heavily.

That focal point of the immigrant experience is the strong undercurrent of this book. However, even stronger is how the story revolves around the idea whether things in life happen for a reason or randomly. The structure of the book really lends itself to that debate. The book is written in very short - 1 to 2 pages - chapters, each from a different point of view. Of course, most depict Natasha and Daniel's point of view. Many chapters, though are from the perspective of the lives that Natasha and Daniel's lives touch - parents, an attorney, a waitress, a hit and run driver, an Immigration security guard, and several others. A few chapters are not from an individual perspective, but rather an explanation of a word, a concept, or a history.

I love the foundation of the immigration experience and the premise of the reason for things that this book builds on. So, why not a higher rating then? Warranted, I am not the target audience for this book, but a few things about the book fall short for me, particularly for a young adult audience. First of all, this is an insta-love-story. Daniel and Natasha's relationship goes from just meeting to eternal love in less than a day - a day already filled with other overwhelming experiences for both of them. I don't buy into the love story. Second, the book introduces adult infidelity, which is unnecessary for the story line and unnecessary for a young adult audience. The fact that the impact of that no remorse or sadness is shown for the impact on that infidelity on that family is a jarring note in the book. Thirdly, the reason Natasha's story ends the way it does is not because of due process or mere chance but because of a conscious decision. Poor decision making and outright deceit about that decision again is a jarring and unnecessary note in the book.

Overall, the structure of the book works. It begins to mimic the cover of the book, as the threads of these individual lives intertwine and have effects far beyond what the individual can imagine. Some connections are literally life altering. The fact that this book covers only the period of one day makes that impact all the stronger. Even a momentary, seemingly small interaction can change the direction of a life, a lesson we should all remember.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold

Title:  Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold

Author:  Iain Reading

Publication Information:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 2012. 272 pages.

ISBN:  1502300877 / 978-1502300874

Book Source:  I received this book through the book publicist free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "As soon as the engine began to sputter, I knew that I was in real trouble."

Favorite Quote:  "Humans tend to only be concerned with what is best for themselves ... But everything in nature has to live in harmony with everything else. Nature lives and breathes in different ways than we humans do and everything in nature has an awareness of the surrounding universe that we human being lost a long time ago."

Kitty Hawk, as her name would suggest, is a pilot. She is growing up "in a small village called Tofino on the far western coast of Canada, on Vancouver Island, where North America meets the Pacific Ocean." Her father gives her her love of flying. Her mother gives her free spirit. Both support her project of spending the summer after high school studying whales in Alaska. Kitty has her own plane, and she manages to get a corporate sponsor to fund the rest of the project. She heads off.

The book starts off as a naturalist's dream, speaking about the beauty of the Northwest and of Alaska. It talks about the relationship between man and nature, and the respect that we as human beings should show for the wonder that surrounds us. Then, the adventure aspect of the book kicks in. The adventure comes from gold, thieves, a kidnapping, and an old curse rooted in Alaskan history. Throughout the book, though, the history and the natural environment from the lakes to the mountains and from the whales to the bears plays a key role.

My favorite aspects of the book are the historical and natural descriptions. I love reading about the wonders of Alaska and the history of the Gold Rush. The maps of Kitty's journey are particularly helpful in providing context. The upside to this is that the book is educational as well as entertaining. The downside is that portions of the book become a historical narrative where the reader is being "told" the story rather than being "shown" the story or being made part of the story. This makes some sections of the book slow reading.

Kitty is a gutsy and independent heroine. She is knowledgeable enough to fly her own plane, raise money for her project, research and capture scientific details about whales, and keep her cool in some scary and trying circumstances. She is old enough to have a pilot's license and to fly off on an adventure by herself. She displays a maturity in her actions. However, a lot of the time, the character reads as considerably younger. In many situations, the book gives voice to Kitty's internal dialogue, presenting it as a conversation. The upside to this is to model for youthful readers a logical decision making process. The downside is, that although we all have these conversations with ourselves, reading them as actual conversations gives the book a more juvenile tone than the maturity of Kitty's actions would suggest.

I do wish guns had not found their way into a middle grade novel. The book is not violent; a kidnapping is involved, but it is not scary either. Unfortunately, guns still find a place in this book, as a tool of fear, and I wish they had not. The same story could be told without them. For me, there is no upside to including guns in a middle grade novel. The downside is that, well, there are guns and the potential of violence in a middle grade novel.

This book is the beginning of a series that promises to be "one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure." The beginning and the ending of this book suggest that Kitty's next project is a trip around the world like that of Amelia Earhart. Wonder what adventures that will bring her way?

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Thing About Jellyfish

Title:  The Thing About Jellyfish

Author:  Ali Benjamin

Publication Information:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2015. 352 pages.

ISBN:  0316380865 / 978-0316380867

Book Source:  I read this book based on a recommendation.

Opening Sentence:  "A jellyfish, if you watch it long enough, begins to look like a heart beating."

Favorite Quote:  "If people were silent, they could hear the noise of their own lives better. If people were silent, it would make what they say, whenever they chose to say it, more important. If people were silent, they could read one another's signals..."

As a child, how to do comprehend the fact that sometimes things just happen? Sometimes no reason and no explanation exists that helps to make sense of a situation. This is the big conversation that this middle grade book takes on.

Suzy Swanson and Franny Jackson were best friends. Then, they weren't. Then, Franny dies in an accident before Suzy can repair the friendship. Suzy is twelve years old, and it makes no sense. People are saying that the accident just happened, but Suzy knows there must be more. There must be an explanation. There has to be an explanation; Suzy just has to prove it.

Suzy is surrounded by those who love her, who care for her, and who are trying to help her through her grief. Her parents. Her brother. Teachers at school. Professional counselors. Yet, Suzy retreats into complete silence. She has not spoken for months since the accident. Not because she can't, but because she won't. That is how her grief manifests itself.

Now, though, Suzy think she may have found the explanation. So begins her quiet plan to prove that her friend's death did not just happen. Maybe, that will make things right. That is where the jellyfish come in.

This book is about jellyfish - yes, the book has lots of facts about jellyfish. The jellyfish experts and some of the historical details in the book are real. The author's acknowledgements actually state that this fiction "was born from a failure" to publish a nonfiction essay on jellyfish. Her research embeds itself into this story.

This book is about being a young adolescent in middle school. Flashbacks depict Franny and Suzy's friendship, and Suzy, despite her silence, continues at school after Franny's death. In both parts of the story, the book captures middle school - the popular kids and the not so popular kids, the changing friendships, and what happens when your best friend isn't your best friend anymore. The book does an excellent job of capturing the awkwardness and, often times, meanness of middle school except for one instance. Suzy's way of getting back at Franny is an odd, jarring note in the book. The inclusion of that scene still puzzles me. It seems far-fetched and out of place in the rest of the book.

More than anything, though, this book is about grief and the isolation that grief can bring on. In this, I appreciate that the book depicts Suzy as surrounded by caring adults. Her parents are both deeply committed to their shared responsibility and concern for their daughter. Her brother is much older with an independent life of his own, but he remains a constant presence and support in Suzy's life. Her teacher in school is depicted as perceptive and caring. The counselor she is working with reassures her, "... that everybody grieves in difference ways; that there's no right or wrong way to grieve." Despite her intelligence and her self-imposed isolation, Suzy is a child and needs to see that love and understanding surrounding her as do the middle grade readers of this book. This book is sad but ultimately full of hope.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Untwine

Title:  Untwine

Author:  Edwidge Danticat

Publication Information:  Scholastic Press. 2015. 320 pages.

ISBN:  0545423031 / 978-0545423038

Book Source:  I received this book through the GoodReads First Reads program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "I remember what was playing when the car slammed into us."

Favorite Quote:  "Dear Future ... Please stun me. Astound me. Flabbergast me. Delight me. Amaze me. Astonish me!"

Parent's note:  Please note that the book listing suggests this for "ages 12 and up" and "grade 7 and up." The book deals with a violent, accidental death of a teenage girl and the complex emotions of a grieving family. As such, parents need to determine the appropriate age for their child to be reading the book. As an adult, read on!

Pure, unadulterated grief after a horrific tragedy - that is the sum total of the book. Giselle and Isabella are identical twins and as close as sisters can be. They are born holding hands. As they grow up, each finds her unique individuality and pursues her own unique talents. Yet, through it all, they remain close as twins and sisters do. In high school shortly before their seventeenth birthday, a horrible, terrible tragedy takes one from the other. Isabelle dies, and Giselle ends up in a coma.

Breath, Eyes, Memory, the first Edwidge Danticat book I read, tells its story in segments, stopping at crucial emotional points to pull the reader to another time and another place. As such, that book left me wanting more at each point. This book, on the other hand, launches you into the devastation of this accident and doesn't let go until the last page. It immerses you in Giselle's emotions through the accident, her physical recovery, and most importantly, her grief.

The story does leave some loose ends. Implied throughout is the idea that the crash may not have been an accident. Yet, the resolution of that is somewhat unsatisfying. It seems incomplete. Threaded throughout is also the author's (and hence the characters') Haitian heritage. It is present enough to be a feature of the story but not truly developed into a significant part. The book is not set in Haiti, and that background is not central to the story.

Ultimately, none of that matters. This is a story of grief and loss which transcends all explanations of why and transcends all geographic and cultural boundaries. From the time Giselle wakes up in the hospital, the reality of the accident assaults her. Her own injury. Her inability to communicate. Her family mistaking her for Isabelle. Her certainty of how and when Isabelle died. Through it all, reflections of their life before the accident pierce Giselle's memory, creating the image of the family that this accident destroys.

How do you bear a loss that is seemingly unbearable? The accident forever changes the entire Boyer family. For Giselle, the accident deprives her of a piece of herself. "I always imagined that if our fortunes were read, I would be half of Isabelle's future." After the accident, Giselle also becomes a constant reminder of what Isabelle could have - would have - been. "No one will ever forget Isabelle as long as I'm walking around with her body and her face. My sister is dead and I am her ghost." The writing, almost lyrical in nature, draws you into Giselle's grief so deeply and so intensely. At time, I see her grief at a distance, and at times, I am Giselle, feeling each moment.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Cut Me Free

Title:  Cut Me Free

Author:  J. R. Johansson

Publication Information:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2015. 304 pages.

ISBN:  0374300232 / 978-0374300234

Book Source:  I received this book through the GoodReads First Reads program free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "The city embraces me."

Favorite Quote:  "Maybe we're all hiding more scars under the surface than it seems."

Piper has escaped. She has left behind her abuse filled childhood. Her brother was not so lucky. However, Piper has a chance to start over and wants to do so with a new identity, severing all ties to the past. She hires Cameron, a young man who specializes in this work. Cameron soon becomes more than the hired help. Along the way, she also meets young Sanda, who she fears faces the same threats that Piper herself did. Piper, now known as Charlotte, takes it upon herself to rescue and help Sanda.

They seem to be on a path to freedom, when the notes start to appear. Charlotte's past seems to be catching up to her. Someone seems to know her secrets and threatens her new existence. Is it her abusive parents? Is it Sanda's abuser? Is it someone else and will Charlotte ever find safety?

The story is a fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing. I did not predict some of the connections that emerge at the end. Some were probably not necessary, but the element of surprise was fun.

The elements of romance exist too. Cameron falls instantly in love with Charlotte and overall is a bit too good to be true. What adds interest to that element of the story is that it tests Charlotte's ability to trust and trustworthy people have been completely lacking in her life. I also appreciate the fact that for the young adult audience, the romance is relatively clean.

Logically, the main character, Piper aka Charlotte, does not ring true. She is a teen runaway. On the one hand are the descriptions of her childhood. She spent the bulk of her life locked up in an attic enduring unspeakable abuse. She has had no schooling other than what her grandmother was able to teach her in a very short time. She has had not exposure to the world at all - no news, no friends, no outside contact, nothing.

At the beginning of the book, she has been on the streets for a while. She has managed to survive and find her way from her parent's home to Philadelphia. Despite her background, she comes across as a mature, street smart young woman. She knows how to find someone to create a new identity for her. She deals rationally and smartly with the man she hires. She can handle the practicalities of life, from registering for school to installing a lock. She seems to have insight into those around her. For example, the statement, "I want to make him tremble with her fear the way I do. To feel the pain and terror he so enjoys causing. But I won't let myself give in to those urges - that is why separates me from him." seems too mature and too insightful.

It doesn't ring true. However, it does not matter. Even understanding the logic gap, the story and Piper draw you in and capture your heart. You want to believe that she has had the courage to learn what she needs and to survive into a "normal" life. So, while you may not believe the characterization, you end up believing in the character, feeling her fears and cheering her successes.

A sympathetic main character, a fast-paced story, and a guessing game all make for an entertaining read.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Seeker

Title:  Seeker

Author:  Arwen Elys Dayton

Publication Information:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers. 2015. 448 pages.

ISBN:  0385744072 / 978-0385744072

Book Source:  I received this book as a publisher's galley through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "It would be nice to make it through alive, Quin thought."

Favorite Quote:  "Great minds are not what's wanted. Only good hearts, Good hearts choose wisely."

The major theme of this book is power. What will someone do to get power? What controls can an outside party exert over those who hold the power? How does power corrupt? What happens when those who hold the power to do good use it for evil instead? What would you do if you had the power?

In this case, the power is held in objects called athame. Several athame exist, and, at one time, belonged to a set of families and were passed down generation to generation. The reader knows that more existed in the past than do now, and and that they have changed hands and been stolen in feuds between families. However, the back story on how these objects came to be and on the relationships between the families is never fully explored although it forms the basis of the conflict in this story.

The three main characters in the book, Quin, Shinobu, and John, are from three families, each of whom once had custody of an athame. The three are looking to become seekers. The book never clearly explains what a "seeker" is, but two things do become clear. The role of a seeker has to do with wielding the power of the athame, and that the reality of being a seeker now is not what these young people imagined. Again, the difference between their vision of a seeker's role and the reality is not clearly explained but implied throughout the book. The history of what seekers once were is also never explained.

In addition to the human characters, the book has characters called the Dreads. They appear to be the control in the system. Their role is to observe the humans, their interactions, and their use of the power of the athame. Even with the Dread, the question of power comes up. What happens when those who are supposed to be the regulators bend the rules to achieve their own goals? What happens when rules are not fairly applied? What happens when the observers become participants?

This book takes place in three major settings - a Scotland estate which appears almost medieval, Hong Kong which appears more modern day, and a futuristic London. The time placement of the book is not clear, but the differences between the locations create a clear divide in the action. In addition, the route between these settings in the book is only described as "There." It is unclear if "there" is a place, a jump in the time/space continuum, or another dimension. In this book, characters lose time "there," but their only realization of that is when they emerge into one of the locations. So, information on the time setting of the book and on "There" is lacking.

The book leaves a lot unexplained. It moves between locations and moves between the perspectives of the main characters. This book is the first in a planned series. Perhaps, subsequent books will fill in some of the gaps. Even if they don't, the gaps do not appear incongruous in the story. It is as if the book creates an outline, leaving a reader's imagination to fill in some of the details. The book moves quickly and is action filled, making it a fun read. I look forward to the next book in the series, both to follow along in the story and to see if more of an explanation is forthcoming.

The marketing for the book may do this book a disservice. Some of the publicity draws comparisons to The Hunger Games and Divergent. I don't find either comparison accurate. This book is more fantasy than dystopian in nature and more centered on family dynamics and a clash of clans than either of the other two. The medieval feel of the Scotland setting also gives this book a different flavor than the other two. So, my suggestion is to not compare, to suspend disbelief, and to spend an enjoyable few hours with a fun, fast-paced story.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Brown Girl Dreaming

Title:  Brown Girl Dreaming

Author:  Jacqueline Woodson

Publication Information:  Nancy Paulsen Books. 2014. 336 pages.

ISBN:  0399252517 / 978-0399252518

Book Source:  I read this book after the announcement of the National Book Awards.

Favorite Quote:  "Each day a new world opens itself up to you. And all the worlds you are ... gather into one world called You where You decide what each world and each story and each ending will finally be."

Jacqueline Woodson was born in Ohio in 1963. Her childhood was spent between Greenville, South Carolina and Brooklyn, New York. In other words, Jacqueline Woodson grew up in the heart of the civil rights movement.

She writes for an audience of children and adolescents. Her works have won many awards such as Newberry Honors and the Coretta Scott King Award which recognizes books about the African-American experience that are written for a youth audience. In 2014, she was the US nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award which recognizes a living author for their "lasting contributions to children's literature," and in 2005, she won the Margaret A. Edwards Award which recognizes an author and a specific body of his or her work for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. This book, Brown Girl Dreaming, won the National Book Award for young people's literature in 2014.

This book is Jacqueline Woodson's biography told through poetry. At a personal level, it is a story of childhood, At a family level, it is a story of births, marriage, divorce, death, and everything in between; it also captures Woodson's upbringing as a Jehovah's Witness. At a societal level, it tells her story of growing up African American during the 1960s and in the heart of the Civil Rights movement. With her traveling back and forth between South Carolina and New York, the book captures the juxtaposition between the North and the South on civil rights issues.

Each poem is a vignette of a moment; together, the moments create a vivid picture of a childhood and of a turbulent time in US history. Part 1 is about her birth and time in Ohio. Part 2 is about the years in Greenville, South Carolina. Part 3 is about life in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York City. Part 4 is about the straddle between South Caroline and New York.

The vignette approach reminds me of The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. The individual vignettes are only a page or two long, with brief titles like "uncle odell," "night bus," "the blanket," "leaving greenville," "Because we're witnesses," "lessons", and "the stories I tell." (Note: The book does not capitalize titles.) Sprinkled throughout are 10 very brief poems titled "how to listen" #1 - #10. These seem to capture her progression as a writer - remembering, observing, thinking, and writing.

Although written for an adolescent audience, this book grabbed me to the point that I read almost the entire book in one sitting. My reaction at the end - Wow. Written with restraint and in a few, well chosen constructs, the book beautifully paints a history. For a younger audience, I would hope the book would be accompanied by a conversation about the history that the book describes but does not explain - Kingdom Hall, Angela Davis, Black Panthers, Woolworth's, Langston Hughes, and the phrase "deep in my heart I do believe" among other things. For a younger reader to fully appreciate the content, the conversation is necessary. However, even without the conversation, this book is an interesting take on biography, grabbing attention perhaps more than a fact-based narrative of a life.

Recommended reading for young adults and adults alike!

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Giver Quartet (The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, Son)

Title:  The Giver Quartet (The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, Son)

Author:  Lois Lowry

Publication Information:  HMH Books for Young Readers. 1993 (original publication of The Giver). 2014 (this edition). 784 pages.

ISBN:  0544340973 / 978-0544340978

Book Source:  The Giver was the selection for our book club this month. I read the entire quartet because I was so intrigued by the story.

Favorite Quote:  "If everything’s the same, then there aren’t any choices! I want to wake up in the morning and decide things!"

The Giver Quartet, as the title suggests, is a compilation of four books written by Lois Lowry from 2003 through 2012:

• The Giver (1993) is the story of a supposedly utopian society which prizes sameness and eliminates pain and suffering for most people. However, in doing so, it also eliminates joy and exacts a high cost for preserving uniformity. The price of sameness is kept safely hidden away from the masses. What happens when one person breaks out of the sameness mold and dreams of a world that can be different? 
• Gathering Blue (2000) has a set of characters is completely distinct from those in The Giver. It is the story of a society in which the central issue is one of maintaining control and creating a future as envisioned by a few. What happens when some think to take the future in their own hands and create something different?
• Messenger (2004) bring the characters from the first two books together. The stories start to overlap. This book is set in a society initially formed on the basis of acceptance, inclusion and caring for one's community as for oneself. Personal desires, however, take over and lead towards a closed society and selfishness. Can selflessness be found again?
• Son (2012) brings the story full circle, tying together all the different elements and making a statement about what the future holds (no spoilers here). 

Although these are four distinct books written over almost a decade, I read them as one continuous story and, as such, am choosing to review them together.

Recently in a book store, I saw a advertising note for this book that reads "from utopia to dystopia". According to the dictionary, utopia is an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. The word was first used in the book Utopia (1516) by Sir Thomas More. Dystopia is the opposite - an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one. What is fascinating in The Giver Quartet is the dark and dystopian truths that underlie seemingly utopian worlds. The Giver was not the first book to describe a dystopian society, but these books do it beautifully, capturing the menacing reality that underlies a seeming peaceful surface. Not everything is as it seems. The question is who has the courage to reach into that dystopia and envision a new reality? And how? And at what cost? 

Lois Lowry won the Newberry Award in 2004 for The Giver. Awarded by the American Library Association, the Newberry Awards honors "the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." Interestingly, the book also makes the ALA's lists of "Best Book for Young Adults", "ALA Notable Children's Book", and "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000." The current book description on many bookseller websites calls the book "one of the most influential novels of our time."

Our local library has the books listed in the catalog under both the children's fiction and the young adult/teen fiction. Local schools have incorporated it into the curriculum anywhere from third grade to eighth grade. The book has also been banned by different schools and organizations. A wide range of placements, accolades, and criticisms confirm the depth of questions and discussion raised by these books.

One question often under discussion is what is the appropriate age for the content of the books? As an adult, I love the books. I love the ethical and philosophical questions they raise - the price of sameness, the dark underpinnings of a supposed utopia, the culling of society to protect its uniformity, the attitude towards anyone or anything different, changes that occur over time that take a society far from its original goal, and many more. These books leave me with a lot to think about.

I love the open endings, leaving a reader to decide which way the society goes. Warranted, reading all four together brings the closure as the differing elements of the story come together. The ending of The Giver is definitely not definitive and leaves the next step open to interpretations. That is one reason I read the rest of the quartet. I had my thoughts on what happens next, but I wanted to know where the story really went. Had I stopped at the first book, I would have long wondered about the ending.

The books do have some very disturbing images (read about "release!") that I would not see appropriate for an elementary school age audience. Middle school and high school, yes. Elementary school, no.

In her acceptance speech for the Newberry, Lois Lowry said, “The man that I named the Giver passed along to the boy knowledge, history, memories, color, pain, laughter, love, and truth. Every time you place a book in the hands of a child, you do the same thing. It is very risky. But each time a child opens a book, he pushes open the gate that separates him from Elsewhere. It gives him choices. It gives him freedom. Those are magnificent, wonderfully unsafe things."

I am so glad that, as an adult, I opened these books and stepped into this "magnificently, wonderfully unsafe world."

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.