Book Review: Tales of an 8-Bit Kitten - Lost in the Nether by Cube Kid

Tales of an 8-Bit Kitten: Lost in the Nether: An Unofficial Minecraft Adventure by Cube Kid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not what I normally read, but this illustrated chapter book based on the popular Minecraft game was my 11-year-old's pick for our read-aloud together. He really enjoyed it, and I think this series is a great option to engage kids who love gaming but maybe not reading. The illustrations look like they are lifted directly from Minecraft, and the story is well-enough written to hold interest. It's pretty good fan fiction, if not great literature. I did think a few of the characters introduced in the second part of the book were hard to keep track of, but this is the introduction to a series, so perhaps more development is in the future. I've been told that we'll be sharing the next two adventures as read-alouds, too, so stay tuned!

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Book Review: The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo

 

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another engaging thriller from Jo Nesbo! I so appreciated that I had the opportunity to visit Oslo in August 2019. Having seen so many of the locations in the book really made it come alive for me. I was completely sucked in by the intertwining stories of World War II and modern-day neo-Nazis, which felt as relevant today as back in 1999 when the modern portion of the book was set. It made me wonder about reception of the book in Norway and how people there grapple with their dual heritage of Nazi sympathizers and party members on the one hand and the Norwegian resistance on the other. For me, it connected strongly with Americans' own grappling with race and our history of slavery and oppression of Black people. Eagerly awaiting the next book in the series from the library (and thankful for a friend who grabbed #5 from a Little Free Library for me).

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#2021BookChallenge Review - The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth

 

The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth by Wade Hudson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Talk is a strikingly illustrated collection of prose and poetry considering the various forms of "the talk" that parents have with their children around race. Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson curated and edited writings and drawings from a range of BIPOC experiences, and readers will recognize many, if not all, of the writers and illustrators. (I had previously read/viewed the work of all but one or two.) While the book feels targeted at adult readers, all of the works included are appropriate to share with children, and I think many upper elementary and middle school students would particularly enjoy the book.

I loved so much about the book, but one of the things I most appreciated is that each selection is a bite-sized morsel of truth shared with the reader. I read the book straight through, but you don't have to. Each piece stands beautifully alone and, pulled together, all of the selections make for an extremely moving reading experience.

As a parent and teacher, I want to share these stories with my own children and with my students. I am certain that other adult readers will find the text useful in so many ways. While different pieces will speak differently to different readers, I particularly liked the contributions from Grace Lin, Duncan Tonatiuh, Tracey Baptiste, and Adam Gidwitz. For me, Lin's piece "Not a China Doll" connected strongly with what it is to be a woman or girl in this country as well as what it means, specifically, to be an Asian woman or girl. Tonatiuh's "Why Are There Racist People?" is a piece I want to share as my school embarks on a school-wide reading of Stamped, as it explains in clear terms why we should ALL care about racism. Baptiste's "TEN" reminded me of the conversations I had with Black mothers that struck straight to my core and made vivid the different realities faced by my white children and their Black children under seemingly identical circumstances. And Gidwitz's "Our Inheritance" is the most beautiful explanation I have found so far for systemic racism and why we white people are all complicit.

I urge you to read this book. Share it with your children. Incorporate it into your lesson planning. You won't regret it.

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Happy New Year! My 2021 Book Challenge

As you may have gathered, I read.  A lot.  Check out my GoodReads 2020 summary:

Maybe … just maybe … that’s why I decided to become a librarian.  

Some years, I just read whatever comes my way.  Some years, I am more intentional about my reading.  Last year was a mixture of both, as I did a lot of reading in preparation for a school-wide read project and for my graduate school classes, and I anticipate that this year will be as well.  You may have noticed that I have begun to share very brief book reviews via my Goodreads account.

This year, I have decided to set a specific challenge for myself for two reasons:  first, I want to continue to read intentionally among a collection of books I have amassed on diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI) and literacy issues and, second, I would really like to continue this blog!

The personal challenge I have set is to read at least one book a week on either DEI or on literacy issues (or – bonus – both!) and share what I learn here in this blog.  Stay tuned for my first “report” within the next week.

Book Review: Cockroaches by Jo Nesbo

Cockroaches by Jo Nesbø
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm digging this series! Harry Hole is a protagonist that has you shaking your head while simultaneously rooting for him, though I don't think I'd want to be in his close circle, given the frequency with which they meet untimely ends! Nesbo tackles real issues (in this case child prostitution and pornography) in a way that is realistic but also manageable. Can't wait for the next book!

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Book Review: The Peripheral by William Gibson

The Peripheral by William Gibson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

William Gibson never disappoints me. As with most of his books, you are immediately immersed in an unfamiliar world and have to just keep reading until his novel terminology and the weird situations are clarified. I enjoyed this look at a future that may not be far off for us and a non-run-of-the-mill approach to time travel. Gibson creates a world with technology that seems simultaneously familiar and alien - some place and time in which we could find ourselves. I also found the characters engaging (as usual). Flynne is a fun protagonist. I can't wait to read the second novel in this series, which just came out.

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Book Review: In the Woods by Tana French

In the Woods by Tana French
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Such mixed feelings about this book! I loved the pace of the narrative and the "current day" mystery, though I figured it out well before Rob/Adam did, but I am with the readers and critics who did not like the lack of resolution of the "historical" mystery. I know, I know, authors don't have to tell us everything about a character's back story, but I thought it was weak... If the author "doesn't know," then that's problematic - a failure of imagination in an author isn't a good thing. If the author does know, why not share with the reader? I don't buy the "it's more like real life" argument - if I wanted that I'd read true crime (which I do), not a novel. Bah...

Setting that aside, I loved French's descriptive writing and strong character development, and I will definitely check out her other books.

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