WAITING TO EXHALE sequel “Getting To Happy” Tour dates:
I am so happy that Terry McMillan has written a sequel to Waiting to Exhale, called Getting To Happy. She is currently writing the screenplay to be made into a movie. She’s going to be in L.A. on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @:
Eso Won Bookstore
4331 Degnan Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90008
(323) 290-1048 ***Offsite venue – DETAILS TBD Event free and open to public.
For more information, click on this link.
Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino (2001) is a must have book. It’s the story of self-esteem & learning to love yourself the way you are.
The book begins:
Alfred was unlovable. At least that’s what the cat told him every chance he got. That’s not all, though. The cat taught the parrot to say “Unlovable! Squawk! Unlovable!” whenever Alfred walked by. The goldfish gurgled in agreement. Not only was it the cat & the parrot, but dogs wouldn’t talk to him either. Alfred tried to ignore the hurtful comments, but he couldn’t help but wonder exactly what it was that made him unlovable. Was it his snoring? The way he ate? His little curly tail?
All seemed lost until the new neighbors & what do you know, a new dog! Would this dog treat him the same as everyone else or will he be a much needed fresh breath? To find out that answer, I guess you’re going to have to read it yourself.
I’ve reviewed a lot of books. This one really touched my heart so much because this is how I felt as a child. I felt so out of place no matter where I went. I didn’t feel pretty. I was always shorter than everyone else. It seemed that even the ones who should have been on my side, were not. It seemed like no one understood me until I met my friend of 30 years, Annette. We are still friends to this day. We met in 5th grade & became fast friends. We drifted apart a little after high school, but eventually found each other again. Everyone needs a friend who understands them. I hope you, my dear reader, does, in fact, have someone who understands you. Now you’ve done it. I’m tearing up thinking about it. But, I digress.
Do yourself a favor and go and pick this up @ your local library or bookstore.
Elizabeti’s School (2007), written by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen & illustrated by Chrisy Hale, is the sequel to Elizabeti’s Doll (1998) & Mama Elizabeti (2000). It is the third installation in the Elizabeti series. This time Elizabeti is on her own. She’s a big girl now and it’s time to go to school. But she is worried that Mama won’t be able to get along without her.
This takes me back to my first day of school. I remember being so scared.
Why did I have to go to school?” I wondered. I was fine at home. I didn’t have to take care of my little brothers but I was wondering how I was going to get along without my mom. I was so sheltered. I’d never really been away from my mother for an extended period of time.
So many questions rushed through my scared little mind. How was I going to make it through the day? What was I going to eat? Did I have to stay there? Would my mother forget to pick me up? Would the others children let me play with them?
All of my questions weren’t answered that day, but they were answered. Anyone should be able to relate to this book. Whether it’s remembering your first day of school or this book is a gift for your child or niece’s first day of school, this book is really a good read. I was actually shocked that it made me remember my first day of school back in… (dare I say it) 1975.
As if you couldn’t tell, I highly recommend this book. I’m going to put it on my list of books to read the first week of school. Pick it up @ your local library or bookstore.
Mama Elizabeti (2000), written by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen & illustrated by Christy Hale is the follow up to 1998′s Elizabeti’s Doll which I recently reviewed.
I liked this book because it celebrates sibling love. In this sequel to Elizabeti’s Doll (1998), Elizabeti has a new sister named Flora. Now that her mother spends all her time taking care of Flora, Elizabeti needs to help take care of her little brother, Obedi. She soon finds out that taking care of Obedi is so different than taking care of her doll, Eva. Elizabeti goes through trials & tribulation as she tries to find a way to take care of her chores & responsibilities and take care of Obedi. How will Elizabeti get everything done & take care of Obedi???
As with the last book, I would recommend this book for big sisters. It tells the story of sibling love. I also love that it shows children helping parents, and a different culture. I will review the follow-up to this book (my most recent purchase), Elizabeti’s School, also. I love this series and its’ celebration of family & sibling love. I would recommend this book to young children when a new sibling is born. Also, I would even go so far as to say this book should be read to middle school girls for a sex education class. It definitely shows how much work taking care of a baby is.
As always, pick it up @ your local library or bookstore.
Elizabeti’s Doll (2002), written by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen & illustrated by Christy Hale is the cutest little book. I would recommend it for little girls ages 6- 9. Phillise is 8 years old and she loved it.
“This is the best book, Mom,” she said. So, I asked her if she wanted to watch it on the Scholastic Treasury Collection (Is Your Mama a LLama?) that we have. She did, so we watched that after she read the book. She was a little disappointed that it wasn’t animated like some of the other ones, but she liked it just the same. I would definitely recommend this book to little girls who are about to be big sisters, or for those who just want something to call their own.
This book, set in Tanzania, is inspired by the author’s own experience from her time spent as as Peace Corp volunteer in Tanzania. Elizabeti, the heroine of the book, is a cute little 5 or 6 year old who decides she needs a doll she can care for the way her mother cares for her new baby brother. She finds the perfect doll that she names Eva. Elizabeti cares for Eva as well as her mother cares for her little brother, Obedi.
When Mama gives Obedi a bath, Elizabeti gives Eva a bath. When Mama fed and burped Obedi, Elizabeti fed Eva, but Eva was too polite to burp. Mama changed the cloth wrapped around Obedi’s bottom and it was very messy! Elizabeti was very relieved that Eva’s bottom was still clean.
When Mama did her chores, she tied Obedi onto her back with a bright cloth called a kanga. When Elizabeti did her chores, she also tied Eva onto her back with a kanga. Mama had to help a little.
The trouble begins when Elizabeti sets Eva down so she won’t be lonely while she perform her chores. She can’t find her. What is she going to do? I guess you’re going to have to read it to find out. As always, visit your local library or bookstore to find it.
I thought this was the cutest little story. It’s especially appropriate for any little girl whose soon to be a big sister. Even though Phillise is not a big sister (and never will be), she still loved the book.
** Although the list price for this is $12.95, I purchased it for $5 @:
Mr. George Baker (2004), written by Amy Hest and illustrated by Jon J Muth. Can I just say that I loved, love, loved this book?
Age range: 6-100
Theme: You’re never too old to learn; Perseverance
See this man? This one here, sitting on the porch?
That’s Mr. George Baker,
and he’s a hundred years old,
no kidding.
This is how the book begins. When I first received this book, I didn’t know what to expect. The cover gives away nothing. There’s only Mr. George Baker and Harry sitting on a porch. This just goes to show that you simply cannot judge a book by its cover. I had to open it since I could not tell what this book was about just by looking at its cover. I had to open it and see what lay in store. He’s sitting on the steps with the young boy waiting for the school bus.That’s what the cover is about.
Mr. George Baker, 100 years old, never learned how to read but he’s learning now. How awesome is that? I really liked this book because it celebrates perseverance. It’s also about an unlikely friendship between a 100 year old Black man and a 6-year old white child. But, if you think about it, that’s the best type of friendship to have. Someone wise after so many years of living, enduring & conquering trials and tribulations & someone who has yet to endure any of that; who’s so full of life and trust. They can teach the other.
I would definitely recommend this as a read aloud to Special Education children or any children who are having trouble learning to read. Tell them, “If Mr. George Baker can learn to read @ 100 years old, then you certainly can too.”Enough said.
As always I say go out and get this book from your local library or bookstore. You will not regret it. Have you ever regretted reading or purchasing an inspirational story?
Fenwick’s Suit (1996), written and illustrated by David Small is a funny, quirky little book. I love David Smalls as an author and as an illustrator. I’ve said this before about other books and I’ll say it again, “I could have written this book.” It is so silly. I mean, just look at the cover of this book. What do you see? You don’t know, do you? But, do you want to find out? Of course you do. That’s the beauty of a combination of a great illustrator, colors, and marketing.
I love the feeling of looking back at a cover once the book is read. That’s when I get a full understanding of the hidden meanings. It’s like it’s a secret the author lets you have access to once you’ve read their masterpiece.
I’m not going to tell you what the cover’s all about. You’re going to have to read it for yourself to find out. What I can tell you is a little bit about the book.
The book is fantastic. The illustrations are fabulous. They are what caught my eye in the first place. As you can see by the picture and can guess by the title, this book is about a suit. Not an ordinary suit though. This suit, Fenwick’s Suit, takes on a life of its’ own. Poor Fenwick. He has no friends, he’s ignored by all his co-workers. He thinks it’s because of the way he’s dressed.
While taking his usual solitary walk at lunch, Fenwick was stopped in his tracks by the sight of a fabulous suit in a tailor’s window. “Why not?? he said, and stepped down into the quiet shop.
Fenwick proceeds to try it on. The tailor convinces him that that suit is the one for him. Absolutely taken in, Fenwick buys it and leaves wearing the suit. He notices that he has pep in his step.
Then he actually began to strut. Fenwick had never strutted before in his life. He tried to stop, but he couldn’t. It was the suit–the fabulous new suit–driving him on!
Why that’s impossible. A suit can’t strut? Can it? It can do more than strut. It can pose. It can jump around. It can go to work without him. Wait a minute, the suit went to work without him? Can you imagine the look on Fenwick’s face as he sees the suit coming out of the closet on its’ own?
Can you guess what happened after that? You can’t? Well, you are going to have to read it for yourself and find out. As always, pick it up @ your local library or bookstore.
Overall message: Be you. You’re the only you that you have. Make the most of it.
In honor of testing this week @ Phillise’s school, I thought I’d post Testing Miss Malarkey (2002), written by Judy Finchler & illustrated by Kevin O’Malley. I was introduced to this book during a staff meeting last year when the Title I Coordinator (Still don’t know what she did, btw!) got a kick out this as she read it to us. I found it amusingly accurate. It is the cutest little book. This book is a definite MUST READ during testing. It helps to lighten the mood. I’m definitely going to read this to Phillise this morning to get her in the testing mood.
I think I’m suffering from Literature Review withdrawal. If you’ll notice, this review is a little different from my other reviews. It just felt right to do it this way. So, let me include what someone from the American Library Association wrote. The reviewer thought the undertone of this book was sarcastic. REALLY??? Well, duh! Obviously Judy Finchler captured the essence of high stakes test taking. Of course it’s sarcastic. It’s because, for the most part, testing is a load of hooey. It doesn’t really prove anything. Sure it proves that some people can take tests. Some people are very good at taking tests. That includes my children. However, that is not a total measurement of who they are as a person. I’m not taking anything away from those who excel at test taking, but what about those who freeze up during test? Or what about those students who can’t read, but have great comprehension?
My former students would have done fantastically, super-dee-duper wonderfully if they were allowed to take these tests orally. Since they were not allowed to test this way, this presented a problem for them. But I digress.
I’d also like to point out what School Library Journal wrote. They wrote “It is disappointing that the final illustration shows that all the hysteria has had positive results, as the faculty celebrates the school’s status as #1 IPTU County Champions”. Again, I say, duhhhhhhh! It is unfortunate that teachers have to teach to the test and that there’s so much emphasis put on the test, but that’s the way it is. It has definitely been my experience (especially at my last job) that the way things go in Testing Miss Malarkey pretty much sums it up.
Finally, here’s an excerpt from the book: The Principal is literally flipping his wig over which pencils to order, students in art class learn the correct way to fill in circles, and Mr. Fitanuff is teaching yoga to help de-stress kids before the test. Even worse, children are denied recess, and parents are concerned about property values (Sounds true enough to me!). A school community is obsessed with students’ preparation and performance on the Instructional Performance Through Understanding test (IPTU). Although she tries to reassure students that “THE TEST” is not important, the atmosphere tells a different story. Children play Multiplication Mambo at recess, eat brain food in the cafeteria, and learn to meditate in gym. While they seem immune to the adult panic, the tension spreads to their parents who abandon bedtime stories for textbook drills and attend a PTA meeting with Dr. Scoreswell, “the Svengali of tests.”
My final say: This book is more for teachers than for students. You are either going to love it or hate it. I think every teacher who participates in high stakes testing should own this book. It will definitely give you a chuckle!
Gooney Bird Greene (2002), written by two-time Newberry Award winning author Lois Lowry, was a very nice read. I would say it’s for children as young as 1st or 2nd grade. It’s a nice beginning chapter book.
I was going to return this to the library, but I liked it so much so I’m going to save it for Phillise. Read this excerpt from the book and you’ll see why I liked it:
There was a new student in the Watertower Elementary School. She arrived in October, after the first month of school had already passed. She opened the second grade classroom door at ten o’clock on a Wednesday morning and appeared there all alone, without even a mother to introduce her. She was wearing pajamas and cowboy boots and was holding a dictionary and a lunch box.
… “Who are you?” Mrs. Pidgeon asked politely.
“I’m your new student. My name is Gooney Bird Greene-that’s Greene with a silent “e’ at the end- and I just moved here from China. I want a desk right smack in the middle of the room, because I like to be right smack in the middle of everything.
The title is as unusual as the main character herself. Gooney Bird Greene is an unusual name for a little girl. It’s such a strange name that everyone wants to know its origin. Since she’s such a great storyteller, she obliges and tells them in her own melodramatic way. She has a knack for telling story, that according to her are “perfectly true”. Although they do not seem to be true, they are. When she tells a story everyone stops and listens. Even her teacher.
I really liked this book because it introduces young readers to the concepts and elements of storytelling as soon as Pg. 4. I cannot wait to get another classroom so I can read this to my students. This would work well with another book I reviewed, The Plot Chickens by Mary Jane & Herman Auch.
As usual, check it out @ your local library or bookstore.
Building Wings (How I Made It Through School) by Don Johnston (2006) was a treat to read. I was contacted by the publisher and asked to review the book and materials. I pored over the materials and read the book. I would recommend it to ages 7-100 because it’s an inspirational story about overcoming obstacles and learning how to read. This could be anyone. Believe it or not, there are many people in this world who could benefit from this book. I know someone who never learned to read. She knows how to shop for her children’s clothes, go grocery shopping & manages to keep money in her bank account, but she says she always felt “stupid”. These are her words. She’s 38 years old and she is functionally illiterate. I would definitely recommend this book to her.
So, I will begin my review by asking this question- Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Well, in order to answer that you need to know the context of which I’m speaking. I’m talking about behavior problems in special education students. Did the disability cause the misbehavior or did the misbehavior begin because the child is trying to cover it up?** Chicken or the Egg?.
Usually children receiving special education services are known for their behavior issues. So to answer the question, which came first, the chicken or the egg, I’d say the chicken. Don answers that question also. He chronicles his attempts to hide his learning disability by misbehaving or becoming the class clown.
I was so moved when I read this book. I was near tears more than once. Mr. Johnston’s story reminded me of my former students. They misbehaved so badly because they would rather have been thought of as “bad” than stupid. I am so glad I understood them. Every child isn’t so lucky though. There was a teacher of his that really disheartened me, Mrs. Arnus. Instead of trying to see past the surface, she treated him so badly. Having the wrong teacher can be very detrimental to a child’s social & academic well-being ** (The Wrong Seasoning (My Teacher Hates Me). I had to keep in mind that this was long before I.D.E.A.; before there was more sensitivity to the subject of Special Education. However, I have to admit that Special Education is still the red-headed step-child. We’ve come so far, but there’s still a long way to go.
Mr. Johnston endured through it all. A trait I really admire about Mr. Johnston was that he learned how to learn by learning his own learning style. He knew that he had a problem that needed to be fixed, so he fixed it. He took ownership of his own education. I’ve found that once someone, especially a child, takes ownership or their own education, things improve almost immediately. The same thing happened with Don. He took ownership of his education by finding something to motivate himself; something that he liked. That something turned out to be the Space Program. Once Don’s dad found out, he encouraged him. As a result, he continued to learn more and more since he knew something his father didn’t. This spurred his desire to learn more.
Because of his rough start, Don’s story could have turned out horribly wrong. There were many obstacles stacked against him. Thankfully, things in life seem to balance themselves out. In response to his bad experiences with Mrs. Arnus (His teacher who treated him badly), God blessed him with Mrs. Tedesco. There is something to be said for teachers who believe that every student can & will achieve if given the proper motivation. For Don, that balance came in the form of was Mrs. Tedesco. She complimented him instead of criticizing. She let him know that the skills he was developing were valuable. This inspired him. He didn’t even know he was developing his critical thinking skills. Because of Mrs. Tedesco and teachers like her, he was able to succeed.
If you would like to know how Mr. Johnston’s story ends, pick up his book for your child or student. You won’t be disappointed. It’s a very heartwarming story. As always, pick it up at your local library or bookstore, or here’s the website if you would like to order it directly from Don Johnston @ Building Wings.
As the title states, as long as you got a good book, time passes by faster. I always have a book in my purse. It’s a good thing I carry extra-large purses (A habit left over from carrying diaper bags.). Today, as I was getting new brakes, I simply pulled out my book, the third in The Secret series by Pseudonymous Bosch. I really liked the series. I will be posting a review later on.
HERE’S TO 2010!
I Don’t Like to Read!, written & illustrated by Nancy Carlson, is a book that I’ve book looking for. I am always on the lookout for amazing books; especially ones that deal with slow learners or those with learning disabilities. This book, my latest purchase, deals with slow learners. The hero of the book is a little boy named Henry. He’s now in first grade and he’s learning lots of new things. But there was one thing Henry did not like about first grade…READING!
This is a really good part. I know a lot of slow learners or special education students will really empathize & identify with Henry. He feels so left out. When his teacher Mr. McCarthy asks who wants to read, everyone volunteers. Everyone, that is, except Henry. Henry never volunteers to read. HE.HATES.READING!
“Reading is boring!” he said.
No matter what, whenever Henry was asked to read (@ school or @ home), he said, “No. I don’t like to read! It’s dumb!”
His teacher, being the wise soul that he is, asks Henry why he doesn’t like to read. Henry responds, “Because all the words and letters just don’t make any sense!” cried Henry. His teacher tells him that it’s okay, that everyone learns to read in their own way and that with a little extra help, he’d be reading soon. Henry still wasn’t so sure about that. But he started getting extra help with his reading at school.
Pretty soon letters and words around him started to make sense. (The book shows him reading another Nancy Carlson book, “I Like Me”.)
The pivotal part of the story happens when his babysitter is reading a brand-new book to him and his little brother. Just as she gets to the best part, her friend calls and won’t stop talking. What is Henry going to do? He really wants to know how the story turns out. Not to mention the fact that his little brother is begging him to finish it also. What do you think Henry does?
I guess you’re going to have to read it to rind out. As always, check it out @ your local library or bookstore. You’ll like it. I highly recommend it.
*** I had Phillise read this book and was quite surprised by her response. She said she felt the same way when she was beginning to read. We used to work on Starfall.com together. She told me she hated it. I didn’t know that she felt that way. I thought she loved it. I would never have thought my little read-a-holic felt that way. This lets me know that I really need to write my own book. Once again, go out and get this book.***
Since today is Halloween, I decided to review a book about Halloween, called Halloween (2003). This book is hilarious. Of course it is. It’s by none other than Jerry Seinfeld. He perfectly captures the spirit of Halloween. He begins the books by saying… When you’re a kid you can eat amazing amounts of food. All I ate when I was a kid was candy. Just candy, candy, candy. And the only really clear thought I had as a kid was get candy.
In the grocery store. In the mini-mart. At his grandparent’s house. Looking out the window. Alllllllll the time. That’s all he thought about was how to get his next fix of candy. So, imagine his glee over discovering Halloween where, for a whole night, people just give it away. His young mind couldn’t process that. Are you serious? They’re just giving it away. The fools!!!!
The first couple of years he made his own costumes. A ghost one year. A hobo the next. However, those were just the beginning. He was in training for the real thing- Superman. One day he was going to get the real Superman Halloween costume from the store. You know the one…The cardboard box….the cellophane top…mask included in the set.
He then reminisces about the rubber band on back of the mask…that broke almost as soon as you put it on. Then you had to get your friends to wait up as you tried to fix it. “Because”, he says, “when you’re little, your whole life is up. You want to grow up. Everything is up!
Wait UP! Hold UP! Shut UP! Mom, I’ll clean UP! Just let me stay UP!
So, the day finally comes when he convinces his parents to buy him an official Superman Halloween-store costume. Well, what do you think happened? Did it fit just the way he wanted it to? Did he get all the candy he wanted? I guess you’re going to have to read it and find out for yourself. You’ll like it. It’s too cute! As always, pick it up at your local library or bookstore.
***P.S. This comes with an audio CD, which is a live performance of the book. As I thought. As I was talking to Phillip, I thought about how this book read like a classic Seinfeld script. I listened to the CD and my suspicions were confirmed.***
The Plot Chickens (2009) by Mary Jane & Herman Auch was the cutest little book.I really liked it because it can be used during English/Language Arts time to help children with the writing process. The illustrations were a very colorful mixed media mishmash. They were quite enjoyable to look at. Now, on to the review.
The story begins with Henrietta Hen who loves to read. She loves to read so much, she’s read all the books on her farm. There’s nothing more to read. Now, she must go into town to the library to get more. She goes into the library & gets in line. As she gets to the counter, the librarian tells her that they have nothing for chickens there. Henrietta indignantly clucks at the top of her lungs. BUK, BUK, BUK!
“Well, why did you say so?” says the librarian as she hands Henrietta three books.
Henrietta’s four aunts love being read to. Every day she reads to them and returns to the library for more. Now, this is where one of my favorite parts come in. Henrietta loves reading so much, she wonders if writing them is as much fun. She does what anyone is serious does. She researches it. She finds a book, goes home and reads it, and promptly begins writing a book. I love, love, loved this part. This part reminds me so much of Phillise. She is a read-a-holic. She loved reading so much that she has decided to write her own stories. She is constantly writing her own stories. One of her favorite things to do is to cross popular stories. She wrote one entitled, Fancy Nancy Meets Junie B. Jones. She inserted her own pictures in it and everything. As I write this, she has another one on the backburner. I’m not going to tell the name of that one until she finishes writing it. I am so proud of my little girl. I encourage her to write her own original stories as well. I’m just happy that she enjoys reading & writing. But, I digress. On with the review.
While visiting the library, Henrietta comes across an excellent book about writing that has eight writing rules.
Rule #1: You need a main character.
Rule #2: You need to “hatch” a plot.
Rule #3: Give your main character a problem.
Rule #4: Develop your plot by asking “What if?”.
Rule #5: Write what you know.
Rule #6: Build suspense.
Rule #7: Make your story come alive by using all five senses.
Rule #8: The main character must solve her (or his) own problem.
So, with the help of her aunts, she writes a story. What do you think happens? Did Henrietta’s research pay off? Does her book become the #1 bestseller? Well, I guess you’re going to have to read it to find out for yourself. I know you will like this. Especially if you’re an elementary teacher.
I can think of a few ways this book can be used in a writing center, after I’ve used it for a read-aloud. I would begin by photocopying the middle of the book that explains how to write a story, along with its explanations & make it into a mini-book for the children to refer to. That is, as soon as I get another class.
What would you do with it? Drop me a comment and let me know.
Miss Malarkey Won’t Be In Today (2000), written by Judy Finchler and illustrated by Kevin O’ Malley, gave me quite a little chuckle. In this 2nd installation in the Miss Malarkey series, Miss Malarkey is back and this time SHE is the one with the over-active imagination! Stuck at home, delirious and helplessly sick, Miss Malarkey can’t help but worry about which substitute Principal Wiggins has called in.
Will it be Mr. Doberman? A guy so tough he even scares Miss Malarkey. Or will it be Mrs. Ungerware, who the kids call Mrs. Underwear? Or will it be Mr. Lemonjello? He is such a nervous man. Miss Malarkey worries he’ll be scared stiff if they let the iguana out of its cage. Visions of myriad horrors dance in her head of what the students will do in music class because Mr. Lemonjello cannot control them.
They’ll crank up the volume, dance on the desks, and swing from the lights.
When they have art, OH MY, they’ll go crazy. They’ll paint the ceilings AND the floor. Mr. Lemonjello will be two shades of blue.
So crazed is Miss Malarkey that she rushes to school in her bunny slippers and bathrobe, lesson plans in hand. She gets to school, looks in the class, and can’t believe what she sees. What, oh what, does she see? Well, I guess you’re going to have to read it and find out for yourself.
I think teachers will get quite a chuckle out of this book. Although some didn’t. I read other reviews of this book. Someone thought it was, how did they put it, trite and banal. They thought the author made substitute teachers look bad. I can see their point. There were some inept subs, but you have to admit that that’s how it really is. I have worked with some bad subs in my day. I’m not saying all subs are bad. That would be a gross overgeneralization. However, some are as bad as the book portrays them.
Oh, does this book remind me of my own class when I took a leave of absence earlier this year. In a two month time period, my class ran away 9 subs. You read right, 9 subs. Just like Miss Malarkey says in the book, “My class can be a handful sometimes.”
As always, read it and decide for yourself.
Cornrows (1979), written by Camille Yarbrough & illustrated by Carole Byard, was a very nice book. It’s a tribute to braids or cornrows as they’re sometimes called. The book is beautifully & simply illustrated with charcoal, and/or pencil drawings. Can I just say that I love these drawings?
Since I my mother used to braid my hair and I braid Phillise’s hair, I had to get this book. Imagine how pleased I was when I found this book. I didn’t realize it was so old until I looked at the publication date. Whew, this is old! This book was actually published when I was 9 years old. I didn’t know of too many books that had brown people who looked like me when I was younger. It was readily available, I just didn’t have access to it. I wish I would have had access to this book when I was younger.
It wasn’t a problem for me to be proud of my braids when I was younger because I grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in the ’70’s, so almost everyone wore braids at one time or another. Even though my neighborhood’s a little bit more diverse, it’s the same situation with Phillise. Not to mention that I, and 5 of my 6 sisters braid our children’s hair. Danielle is just learning with Moriah, but she’s getting there.
So, needless to say, this book took me back to a time when I was little. Back to when my mother used to braid my hair. Sometimes the styles would be simple; sometimes they would be elaborate. More often than not they were simple, just like in the book. So, on to the review.
Shirley Ann, otherwise known as Sister calls Mike, her little brother, otherwise known as Brother, MeToo because he echoes everything she says. They listen to the Mama & Great-Grammaw’s stories. They love listening to the stories. Yesterday, when they went in, Great-Grammaw was fixin’ Mama’s hair in cornrows. Great-Grammaw says the braids got that name because our old folks down south planted rows of corn in the fields that looked like the rows of braids they fixed in their hair.
Sister & Brother want their hair fixed too. They also want to know the name of the style Great-Grammaw is doing, but Great-Grammaw tells them to go outside & play. Before they do though, Mama stands up and turns around in front of the mirror like she was going to dance or something. Then she bent down and kissed Sister on the head. Then she said:
I delight in tellin’ you, my child–
yes, you please me when you ask it–
it’s a hairstyle that’s called suku.
In Yoruba, it means basket.
Then Brother looks at Sister and tells her, “You gonna’ be a basket head.”
Sister asks her mother what she’s going to put in the basket. Mama says she thinks she’ll put love in it. Brother asks Great-Grammaw what she’ll put in her basket. Great-Grammaw says she’ll put love in hers too. Brother then asks if he falls down, will the love go away.
“Oh, noooo, my darlin’! she said. “Because the love, like the basket, will be a part of you.” So Sister asks her again, what kind of love would she put in her basket. To which Great-Grammaw replies, “Hand-me-down love, baby.” Of course, ole’ MeToo asks Great-Grammaw too. She gives the same answer. Then Great-Grammaw picked MeToo up and hugged him in her lap and started humming just like she does when we’re in church. She said, “An’ if you fall down, that ol’ hand-me-down love won’t go nowhere. Because it’s gonna’ be a part of you. Just like the basket I’m fixin’ to braid in ya’ hair.
The story goes on like this really sweetly. Read it for yourself and see how it ends. It’s a sweet story. This story will pique your interest whether or not you got your hair braided. Either way, this review is just in time for Chris Rock’s new movie “Good Hair.” As always, go pick it up at your local bookstore or library.
How to Eat Fried Worms (1972) is so gross. It is totally a little boy’s book. The author, Thomas Rockwell, is the son of beloved American painter Norman Rockwell, and he was the recipient of the Mark Twain Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Sequoyah Award for Worms. He wrote several other young adult books (most of them seemed to start with How to…i.e. Fight a Girl, Get Fabulously Rich, etc.), but Worms is the only one that most people remember.
I read this book when I was younger and was totally grossed out by the worm eating. I don’t care how much ketchup or whatever seasoning you use, I. WILL. NEVER. EAT. A. FRIED. WORM. I also did a presentation on this for my first class @ APU. I made this whole lesson plan for it. It was wonderful. N-e way, on to the review.
Believe it or not, this book was banned at one time or another in the United States. I can only guess it was because it encourages gambling- (a stretch). Another reason I read, which is kinda’ crazy, is because the boy is eating fried worms. This is deemed unacceptable behavior. I can almost understand that, but it’s just not flying with me. Boys/men make silly bets and do silly things. It happens, so just deal with it.
This book, as the title implies, is about how to eat fried worms. The man character in the book, Billy, must eat 15 worms in 15 days to win the $50 (which was a small fortune for a kid in 1972), which he will use to buy a bike. He thinks of all kinds of delightful ways to fix the worms to make them more palatable. He fries them, uses ketchup, and other things. I think the most disgusting part in the book was when the bully (I forget his name) digs up the biggest, blackest, most disgusting earthworm he can find for Billy to eat. I can remember wanting to barf after reading that. In the end, he eventually ends up liking the worms. DISGUSTING! I stick to my original opinion. Although this book is #96 of the 100 most challenged book on the American Library Association’s list, I say it shouldn’t be. It’s disgusting, but not bad enough to be banned.
Taken directly from Wikipedia.
A Wrinkle in Time (1962) is a science fantasy novel by Madeleine L’Engle. The book won a Newbery Medal, Sequoyah Book Award, and Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and was runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. It is the first in L’Engle’s series of books about the Murry and O’Keefe families.
Meg Murry is a teenage girl, regarded by her classmates and teachers as a bad-tempered adolescent. Her family recognizes her problem as a lack of emotional maturity but also regards her as being capable of great things. The family includes her pretty scientist mother, her mysteriously missing scientist father, her five year-old brother Charles Wallace Murry — a nascent super-genius — and her 10-year-old twin brothers, the athletic Sandy and Dennys.
The book begins with the line, “It was a dark and stormy night,” an allusion to the opening words in Edward George Bulwer-Lytton’s 1830 novel Paul Clifford. During that stormy night the Murrys are visited by an eccentric old woman named Mrs. Whatsit, who has previously made the acquaintance of Charles Wallace. After drying her feet and having a snack with Charles, Meg and their mother, Mrs. Whatsit tells an already perplexed Dr. Murry that “there is such a thing as a tesseract,” which causes her to almost faint. It was a joke that Mr. and Mrs. Murry shared.
The next morning, Meg discovers the term refers to a scientific concept her father was working on before his mysterious disappearance. The following afternoon, Meg and Charles Wallace encounter Meg’s schoolmate, Calvin O’Keefe, a high-school junior who, although he is a “big man on campus”, considers himself a misfit as well. They go to visit an old haunted house near town which Charles Wallace already knows as the home of Mrs. Whatsit. There they encounter an eccentric companion of Mrs. Whatsit, a Mrs. Who. She promises that she and her friends will help Meg find and rescue her father. Meg tells Calvin a great deal about herself, including the disappearance of her father, and they become close. In the evening, Charles Wallace declares it is time for them to go on their mission to save their father. This is accompanied by the appearance of the third member of the “Mrs. Ws”, Mrs. Which.
Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which turn out to be angelic beings who transport Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin through the universe by means of tesseract, a fifth-dimensional phenomenon explained as being similar to folding the fabric of space and time. Their first stop is the planet Uriel, a Utopian planet filled with joyous beings who live always in a state of light and love. There the “Mrs W’s” reveal to the children that the universe is under attack from an evil being who appears as a large dark cloud called The Black Thing. Seeing the Black Thing even from a distance is disturbing to Meg. While working on a secret government project to achieve faster-than-light travel by tesseract, Meg’s father was accidentally trapped on Camazotz, an alien planet dominated by the “Black Thing”. The children are then taken elsewhere to visit a woman who is a kind of medium with a crystal ball. In it, they see that Earth is partially covered by the darkness, although great religious figures, philosophers, and artists have been fighting against it. Mrs Whatsit is revealed to be a former star who exploded in an act of self-sacrifice to fight the darkness.
The children travel to Camazotz to rescue Meg’s father. They find that all the inhabitants behave in a mechanistic way and seem to be all under the control of a single mind. They look for the central headquarters on the planet (described as CENTRAL Central Intelligence) and they discover a man with red eyes with telepathic abilities who can cast a hypnotic spell over their minds. He claims to know the whereabouts of their father. Charles Wallace looks into his eyes and becomes taken over by the mind controlling the planet. Under its influence, he takes Meg and Calvin to the place where Dr. Murry is being held prisoner because he would not succumb to the group mind. The planet turns out to be controlled by an evil disembodied brain with powerful telepathic abilities, which the inhabitants of Camazotz call “IT”. Charles Wallace takes them to the place where IT is held. In close proximity to IT, all of them are threatened by a possible telepathic takeover of their minds. Dr. Murray “tessers” in order to escape, but Charles Wallace is left behind, still mentally dominated by IT. The rest arrive on a dimly lit planet inhabited by sightless but wise creatures. Meg is almost paralyzed by an encounter with The Black Thing that occurred during the “tesser”. She feels frozen as if all energy and heat has been drained from her. Meg recovers over a period through the helpful care of Aunt Beast, and is tessered to Camazotz with Mrs. Whatsit, as she is the only one who can rescue Charles Wallace from IT. Confronting IT, Meg realizes that she can free her brother by loving him intensely, because love is an emotion that the evil IT cannot stand. Meg’s realization comes through her recalling a Biblical verse that “God has chosen the foolish things of this world to shame the wise and the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” Charles Wallace is freed, and the three Murrys and Calvin return home.
*** Reasons given include the book’s references to witches and crystal balls (although the characters are not in fact witches, and the crystal ball is a science fictional one), the claim that it “challenges religious beliefs”, and the listing of Jesus “with the names of great artists, philosophers, scientists, and religious leaders”. ***
Taken directly from echeat.com
I did read this book. I just didn’t take the time to write a review. I can remember when I read it, way back in 1985. I was in 10th grade. It wasn’t for a class. I was just pleasure reading. I don’t remember who recommended it to me, but do remember someone recommending it to me, but cautioning me about the language and the situations in the book. I can see why it was initially banned. I’m glad it’s not now, though. It’s quite an intense read. On that note, I will let you read the review just in case you haven’t read it or seen the movie.
The Color Purple (1982), by Alice Walker, is a very intense book to read. By intense, I mean it is a book touching very difficult and hard aspects of life of a poor, black oppressed woman in the early twentieth century. Walker does social criticism in her novel, mostly criticizing the way black women were treated in the early twentieth century. Walker uses the life experiences of Celie to illustrate her social criticism.
The Color Purple is not written in the style of most novels. The author does not tell us everything about the characters, the setting, and why the characters behave the way they do. The novel is written in a series of letters, not dated. There are large gaps between some letters, but this is not revealed by the author; we have to figure it out ourselves. The letters are written in what Walker calls black folk language, which also reduces the easiness of the reading.
When the novel opens, Celie is a young black girl living in Georgia in the early years of the twentieth century. She in an uneducated girl, and writes her letters in common language. Celie is entering her adolescence believing she was raped by her father and that he killed both of their children. She writes to God, because she has no one else to write to. She feels that what happened to her is so terrible that she can only talk about it to someone she feels loves her. She knows her sister Nettie loves her, but she is too young to understand. Celie believe only to God may she talk honestly and openly about her suffering. Celie is not, however, at this point, complaining to God, she is simply confiding in him.
Celie was born into a poor family; her mother was sick most of the time, mentally and physically; there were too many children in the family; and Celie was abused by the man she believed was her father. Celie feels used and abused, but does not understand why. So many bad things have happened to Celie that she lacks self esteem and confidence. Celie does not even feel she is worth enough to sign her name at the end of the letters.
Slowly, Celie evolves into a mature woman with great confidence, but not before her sister Nettie is taken away from her, and she marries a cruel man who really wanted to marry Nettie. For a long time, Celie is almost a slave to her husband, until her husband’s mistress comes to live with them to recuperate from a sickness, and Celie becomes her nurse. Shug is a strong woman, and encourages Celie to grow stronger. At the same time, Sofia, Celie’s daughter in law, shows Celie to stand up for herself and fight prejudice and injustice, and fight.
By the end of the novel, Celie’s new strength pays off, because she is able to live happily with the people she loves. She reunites with Nettie and her two children, who have been raised by Nettie. Celie learned to fight, to stand up for herself, and she was rewarded. Celie was able to survive physically and spiritually, and is able to mature into a full, modern twentieth century woman.
In The Color Purple, Alice Walker is able to illustrate the abuse, neglect, and oppression a black woman had to go through in the early twentieth century, but she also illustrate how a woman must fight back to regain the self esteem and confidence lost way back in the early adolescent years. The Color Purple is a story about growth, endurance, and fight, all nurtured by love.
Fahrenheit 451 (1953), written by Ray Bradbury, is an engrossing futuristic tale of a society where all printed material is banned. In this country of the future, officials believe that people who read and are able to think for themselves are a threat to the nation where individualism is strongly discouraged. The inhabitants of this society all seem to be suffering from sensory deprivation and their only link to news and entertainment is a large television screen on the wall where broadcasts are continually transmitted to the “family.” All the people are members of the Family. Even though they aren’t forced to watch the telecasts, they all do.
It is the job of firemen (this movie was made long before they were referred to as firefighters) to hunt down subversives and burn the caches of books they’ve secreted away. The title, Fahrenheit 451, is the temperature at which book paper catches fire and starts to burn.
Can I just tell you that this book used to scare me? I was so scared of this book actually coming true. This kinda’ reminded of that Twilight Zone episode with the man who goes into a bank vault to read when a bomb goes off. I guess it serves him right, that he’s so happy that everyone is dead and he can read all he wants without human interference, that his glasses fall off and break. How heartless. Now he can’t read. He’s left alone with all the books in the world, without any glasses to read them.
How horrible! But, which one is worse? Having all the books in the world and not being to read it or not having books to read at all???? Either way, it sucks! I hope we will never have to deal with this, ever!!!
Powered by WordPress
Bad Behavior has blocked 362 access attempts in the last 7 days.