YALSA Hub Challenge Part 3

So since the last post, I have finished 3 more books from the Challenge. Officially this means it is complete, but I'll probably try to read a few more, if I can.



The Book of Dust vol. 1: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman; read by Michael Sheen (Odyssey Award)

In a prequel to the original Mortal Instruments series, we learn how Lyra came to Jordan College and meet some people who influenced her very, very early life. She is an infant here, so the story primarily concerns two young teens who help her survive a flood and a dangerous man, Malcolm and Alice. The narrator for the book is quite good. I like this every bit as much as The Golden Compass. I didn't think I would be sucked back into the world but I truly was. Can't wait for the next book.



Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery; read by Damaras Obi (Amazing Audiobooks for Teens)

Moving first-hand account of a turbulent time in American history (one we sadly seem to be repeating). The reader was amazing, esp. when she sang the songs at the beginning and end. The appendix that details significant people that the author encountered during the march was well researched and appropriately detailed.



I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez (National Book Award)

Technically this one wasn't included in the Hub Challenge, but it should be.

Julia's perfect older sister dies unexpectedly and now her parent's seem to think she should take her place in their home. But Julia is not her sister and she suspects that her sister wasn't as perfect as she appeared to be.

At times Julia seems a bit whiny but this seems authentic to her age, situation and mental illness. I was surprised several times near the end and moved by the life experiences of many of the characters.

Newbery Rewind: 1924

Here we are again. This one I read while my new Mock Newbery group was meeting, so it was interesting to match it against current Newbery contenders. I will be posting soon about how that went, what books they liked and what they didn't. For now....

1923

• King Tut's tomb is open in Egypt.
• Warner Brothers studio is established
• Time Magazine publishes its first issue. So is the first issue of Weird Tales.
• In September, the Great Kanto Earthquake leaves over 100,000 dead in Japan.
• T. S. Eliot's poem The Wasteland is published in its full form.
• Bambi by Felix Salten is published in Austria
• Louis Armstrong makes his first recording, "Chimes Blues", with King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band.
• Both Yankee Stadium (US) and Wembley Stadium (UK) open their doors.
• Mt. Etna erupts.
• Pancho Villa is assassinated.
• President Warren G. Harding, dies of a heart attack and is succeeded by Vice President Calvin Coolidge, who becomes the 30th President of the United States.
• Interpol is created.
• The Walt Disney company is founded.
• Actor and director Sir Richard Attenborough is born
• Astronaut Alan Shepherd is born.
• Frozen food is invented by Clarence Birdseye.
• The first incarnation of the Hollywood sign goes up (Hollywoodland).
• Edwin Hubble discovers galaxies outside the Milky Way.

Once again, there are no honor books. So the winner of the Newbery Award for 1924 is....

The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes

Thus we have our first posthumously awarded Newbery.  Hawes submitted the finished manuscript shortly before he unexpectedly died in July; the book was published in October. He was also the first winner to be born in the United States. As you may remember, his book The Great Quest was an honor book the first year that the award was given.

This story is full of action and adventure, a pirate story that glosses over very little. In many ways it reminds me of Treasure Island. The writing is fairly good; however, I feel like after the first few chapters, we lose track of our teen (twenty-something?) protagonist amongst all the colorful figures on the ship. It is also extremely sexist. In the end, I feel they likely gave him the award because he died unexpectedly. Wouldn't be the last time the Newbery was influenced by outside events more than the actual content of the book.

With all the recent discussion about some Newbery honor books being too "old" for the award, I find it very interesting that this author's works were once so prized by the committee. They were considered children's books even though they were filled with vice and violence. By today's standards they would likely be teen books or even adult books. Yet many feel the award has somehow strayed from it original intent. I say again, this award is for children birth to 14, inclusive. Stop trying to make it a "middle grade" award; that is not and has never been its purpose.

What I Read in May

May was pretty hectic (not as bad as summer, but still). But I managed to read a good bit. I'm planning to try reading mostly books I own already for the summer, so it could get interesting.

Two YA books for review this time:



Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

So far, this is one of my favorite teen books this year. In an alternate post-Civil War United States, African-American and Native American children are forced to train in combat schools to protect rich white Americans for the undead. In this world, the Civil War ended because the two sides had to work together to put down zombies. Jane is one of the best, and most troublesome, students at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore. When she tries to help a friend, she and two others end up shipped off to a frontier town with a whole lot of secrets. Will they survive? And will Jane ever make her way home?

Jane is the heroine we need and deserve right now. And the snark and social commentary are on point. But Jane isn't the only awesome character. You are going to love her friends Katherine and Red Jack, too. Not so sure about Gideon or Redfern, but even minor characters like Lilly and Nessie are so well-drawn you will feel like you have met them before.

And the action scenes are just the right amount of gore and fight. The flashbacks and info given through letters reveals just enough backstory at just the right times.



Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

This is a hard book to review but a good one. Tess is the black sheep of her family, especially after she does something that could ruin the whole family's reputation. But when she disrupts her sister's marriage, it is the last straw that could get her sent off to a convent. Instead she takes to the road, working through her problems and helping others along the way.

This is the same world as the Seraphina books but from a completely different perspective. Tess is not as likeable as Seraphina, and that is exactly what I liked about her. I identify with her situations, perspective, and wants far more. And yes, this book can stand alone. So maybe a Printz contender?

This is a road trip book and it ambles, so if you are looking for a fast-paced adventure, this is not the one. However, it ambles with extreme purpose. Tess needs that amble and, for the most part, you as the reader do, too.

Also, it is a book about the damage our families and society can cause. It is about rape culture. It is about healing at your own speed and accepting who you are, who your family members are, and learning to accept the world when you must and change it when you can. These have been really hard lessons for me personally, so it was refreshing to see that difficulty reflected in a book for teens.

And really, I love the quigutl, especially the philosophies of opposites and biting as a way of healing. I've always "bit" when I need to heal and often people give you a hard time about it. Sometimes the only way to move past something is to blow up about it. Then you heal and move on.


 1. Enchanted Chest by Jean-Francois Chabas
 2. Case Closed vol. 64 by Gosho Aoyama
 3. Dude! by Aaron Reynolds
 4. Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel
 5. All the Animals Where I Live by Phillip C. Stead
 6. White Houses by Amy Bloom
 7. California Dreamin': Cass Elliott Before The Mamas & The Papas by Penelope Bageiu
 8. Relay (FCBD 2018) by Zac Thompson
 9. Shade, the Changing Girl vol. 1: Earth Girl Made Easy by Cecil Castelucci
10. Close Encounters With Humankind: A Paleoanthropologist Investigates Our Evolving Species by Sang-Hee Lee
11. Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff
12. your name vol. 1 by Makoto Shinkai
13. Oblivion Song vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman
14. Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Environment by Patricia Newman
15. For Everyone by Jason Reynolds
16. Slam! vol. 1 by Pamela Ribon
17. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
18. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
19. La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
20. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
21. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss
22. The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War by David Almond
23. Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery
24. Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President by Charlotte Pence
25. Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
26. Black Hammer vol. 1: Secret Origins by Jeff Lemire
27. Black Hammer vol. 2: The Event by Jeff Lemire
28. School-Live! vol. 5 by Norimitsu Kaihou
29. School-Live! vol. 6 by Norimitsu Kaihou
30. Black Butler vol. 24 by Yana Toboso
31. Sherlock: A Study in Pink by Steven Moffat
32. Coyotes vol. 1 by Sean Lewis

YALSA's Hub Challenge Part 2.5

Well, I finally got back to finishing my update for the challenge. Sorry for the long wait!


Sandwiches!: More Than You've Ever Wanted to Know about Making and Eating America's Favorite Food by Alison Deering; illustrated by Bob Lentz (Quick Picks for Young Adults)

What a fun and useful book! I loved all the history bits about the different challenges and how the book is divided up by "levels" based on what kind of equipment you need to make the sandwiches. The challenge parts were a bit gross, but what teen wouldn't love this book?!



They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (Rainbow List)

This was an interesting one--sad and happy at turns. It really makes you think about how you are living your life and how you would live it if you knew when you would die. The romance kind of reminded me of The Sun is Also a Star. I'll be thinking about this one for a while. I listened to it and really enjoyed the telling.



Roughneck by Jeff Lemire (Alex Award)

I wasn't sure about this one at the beginning but by the end I was pretty moved. I really like Lemire for his ability to write very Canadian protagonists, stories, and settings. This one is all about family and identity and people who often feel displaced by society. Even the limited palate is very well suited.



Jonesy vol. 3 by Sam Humphries; illustrated by Caitlyn Rose Boyle (Great Graphic Novels for Teens)

I had read the first two volumes before the awards were announced, so I can't count them. However, I have loved them all. I love the art style, the characters and most definitely the message that being different is okay. This final volume pull it all together nicely, using lots of anime references and a true punk rock feel.



Bird by Angela Johnson (Edwards Award)

I didn't like this one quite as much as I liked Looking for Red. The atmosphere and the interwoven stories worked but the ending was very abrupt.



#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women edited by Lisa Charleyboy (Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults and Amelia Bloomer List)

Touching, impactful and sadly necessary. I wish I could give this book to so many people. I am so glad this was compiled. I would love to see even more books like this one.



The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; audiobook read by Bahni Turpin (Printz, Odyssey, Morris, Amazing Audiobooks, Best Fiction, Quick Picks, Coretta Scott King)

This was pretty much the YA book of 2018.  So well written and authentic voice. I caught myself singing along and picturing things that were referenced. I could hear these characters and feel their true emotions while reading. Having Bahni Turpin read it again to me just made it even better.



Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash; full cast audiobook (Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults)

Originally I read this one when I was on the Great Graphic Novels for Young Adults committee. I was impressed by it then. Very real to my experience of camp and exploring your sexuality in a somewhat oppressive environment. Maggie’s story is moving and so true. I like how when Maggie feels really isolated a single panel is alone on a page. I'm not usually a fan of graphic novels as audiobooks, but the full cast and sound effects really work well.

Well, that's all for now. I should have one more update for the #hubchallenge for this year. Probably not going to try to read all of them, just 25 or so.

Newbery Rewind: 1923

Here we are finished with the Newbery winner for 1923, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle. Right in time for my Mock Newbery teen group to start back up!

1922

• USSR forms with communism as the unifying political system following the Bolshevik revolution
• BBC is created in Britain
• Monhandas Gandhi is imprisoned for seeking the end of British rule in India
• The Lincoln Memorial is dedicated in May.
• Nosferatu premieres in Berlin and Stoker's widow claims plagiarism of Dracula
•  Irish Civil War begins in June
• Reader's Digest magazine begins publishing.
• The Great Gatsby, Ulysses, and The Velveteen Rabbit are all published.
• Jack Kerouac, Dick King-Smith, and Kurt Vonnegut are born.
• President Warren G. Harding introduces the first radio to the White House.
• Egypt leaves the British Empire.
• The Teapot Dome scandal rocks US government.
• Construction on Yankee Stadium begins.
• A typhoon hits Shantou, China, killing over 5000
• Morocco revolts against the Spanish.
• The National Fascist Party is formed in Italy with Benito Mussolini in power.
• The Ottoman Empire is abolished.
• Rebecca Felton of Georgia takes the oath of office, becoming the first woman United States Senator.
• Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon become the first people to enter the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in over 3,000 years.

Strangely enough, there are no honor books awarded in 1923.

And the winner is....

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting

First of all, I'm not sure why this is called the "Voyages" since it is really about one trip and the return, but whatever. As before, I read the original version, which involved downloading it from Project Gutenberg. While this is not my favorite way to read, it allowed me to see the original, un-PC version with the original illustrations even. And believe me, the illustrations were part of the problem.

Now, don't get me wrong, this was a highly readable example of early kid lit in the US. The doctor is affable, friendly and pretty progressive in his beliefs in many ways. His views on animals and natural science are downright revolutionary for the time period. And his treatment of children is exceptional.

However, we are at the tail-end of the colonial period of Western history, and therein lies the main problems with this story. Doctor Dolittle is the white savior, the benevolent and learned white man who will teach and save all the people of color he encounters. Both Prince Bumpo and Long Arrow are portrayed in very stereotypical manner. Bumpo often misunderstands the things he is supposed to be knowledgeable of and misrepresents his confused understanding of the world with mangled language. The depictions of him are of a "darkie" with a sloping forehead and big lips. Long Arrow, on the other hand, suffers from the "noble savage" cliche, with perfectly sculpted appearance, feather head dress, and arcane knowledge.

In the end, though, this book is one of the better early Newbery books on readability and sensibility toward child's nature and understanding.

Now I'm just waiting on the DVD of Doctor Dolittle (1967) to arrive from Netflix so I can peruse the movie and see if I remember it correctly and how I view it as an adult!

What I Read in April--Very late edition

April was far busier than I expected it to be. I'll follow up this post with my next Newbery Rewind. For now, here's the best of April.



Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
This moving book is based on the true story of Artemisia Gentileschi, a painter who began her career mixing paint for her father. She then moved on to creating paintings for which he took credit. Finally, she seemed to be headed for a career of her own when her father hired a painting teacher for her; unfortunately he was only there to take advantage of a young girl without the interference of her family.

In vivid verse, McCullough tells not only of Artemisia's rape and the trial that followed, but also the stories of two others who were misrepresented and used by the world of men. Definitely a Printz and/or Morris contender.



Lighthouse by Paco Roca
A teen soldier washes up near a lighthouse while escaping from the Spanish Civil War. There the lighthouse keeper teaches him about hard work, adventure, and hope in a beautifully simple illustrated story. Like with most of my favorite graphic novels, the pictures tell even more of the story than the words.

  

If I Had a Horse by Gianna Mario and They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki
Both of these picture books are gorgeous and have a great chance of earning a Caldecott award. The warm, glowing watercolor silhouettes in the first pull the reader into the dream, while the contemplative prose and the complex associations of the illustrations make the second a standout look at how a child's mind works. Try to get your hands on both!

 1. Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
 2. Firebug by Johnnie Christmas
 3. Flying Lessons and Other Stories ed. by Ellen Oh
 4. Sandwiches!: More Than You've Ever Wanted to Know about Making and Eating America's Favorite Food by Alison Deering
 5. Giant Days vol. 4 by John Allison
 6. Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension vol. 1 by Nick Abadzis
 7. Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories by Kelly Barnhill
 8. Sarah Scribbles: Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen
 9. The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill
10. The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancy
11. The Wicked + the Divine vol. 6 by Kieron Gillen
12. The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg
13. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
14. Look & Learn: Let's Make Music by National Geographic Kids
15. Floaty by John Himmelman
16. I Got It! by David Wiesner
17. Roughneck by Jeff Lemire
18. Narwhal and Jelly Book 3: Peanut Butter and Jelly by Ben Clanton
19. The Diabolic by S. J. Kinkaid
20. Jonesy vol. 3 by Sam Humphries
21. Bird by Angela Johnson
22. Nightwing vol. 1: Better Than Batman by Tim Seeley
23. #Notyourprincess: Voices of Native American Women by Lisa Charleyboy
24. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie by Anthony del Col
25. If the S in Moose Comes Loose by Peter Hermann
26. Lighthouse by Paco Roca
27. Ladycastle by Delilah S. Dawson
28. Motor Crush vol. 1 by Brendan Fletcher
29. This is a Taco! by Andrew Cangelose
30. Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen by Candace Fleming
31. Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson
32. They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki
33. If I Had a Horse by Gianna Marino
34. The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg
35. Tales of the Talented Tenth vol. 2: Bessie Stringfield
36. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
37. Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir by Maggie Thrash
38. The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting

YALSA's Hub Reading Challenge Part 2

Whew! Got 16 of these read since I posted last. So I'll break this into two posts.



Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson (Best Fiction for Young Adults, Amelia Bloomer list, and Coretta Scott King Author Award as well as Newbery Honor)

Impressive and realistic story about a regular girl in a school where she doesn't quite fit. Also, tackles issues of race, privilege, police brutality and how anyone can make a difference in today's world. I like how Maxine is not perfect, how Jade's mom has a complex personality and reaction to the Woman to Woman program, how EJ both has it together and totally doesn't. Jade is conflicted and sure of herself, confident and shy, hopeful and hopeless; like all teens she is actively trying to discover who she is and how she fits in her world. Definitely deserves it's Newbery Honor. 



My Brother's Husband volume 1 by Gengoroh Tagame (Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten)

I love this! The art is gorgeous; the story is so relatable and realistic and my experience of it was so visceral. I adore Kana and think Mike and Yaichi are people I would love to meet. The scene where the neighborhood boy finally tells them why he is hanging out around their house was very well done and made me cry. One of the best graphic novels of 2017 for sure!




The ABC's of LGBT+ by Ashely Mardell (Rainbow List)

A good guide to the complex worlds of sex, gender, sexuality, romantic attraction and everything in between. I really like the diagrams and other visuals and the personal experiences of contributors.

Brave by Svetlana Chmakova (Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten)

Chmakova returns to Berrybrook Middle School for the story of Jenson, a lonely dreamer with bullying issues. Jenson dreams of being an astronaut, but has trouble with math. He longs to make friends but doesn't recognize that some of those he consider friends are really mistreating him. Slowly he discovers how to be brave and still be himself while making friends.



Looking for Red by Angela Johnson (Edwards Award)

I spent the first part of this book wondering if Red just ran away or was dead. Once the ghost parts kick in, things cleared up a bit. The atmosphere grabs you and so clearly inhabits the pain of unexpected loss that it takes your breath. An almost perfect story of how a teen deals with the death of a sibling.




The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell; narrated by David Tennant (Odyssey Award)

"You have to listen to the stories, for stories always mean something."

With shades of the Tempest and a touch of Harry Potter, Cowell has created another world full of magic, sarcasm, and adventure. The fairy tale tone is spot on and the plot pulls you along for a wild ride. I can't wait for the next one!

And David Tennant does all the voices so well. It is a pleasure to listen to this story.




Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time by Tanya Lee Stone (Amelia Bloomer List)

Inspiring and illuminating stories of girls who have been saved from slavery around the world and are beginning to heal and become awesome women.



Flying Lessons and Other Stories by Various authors; edited by Ellen Oh and narrated by Various Readers (Amazing Audiobooks for Teens)



An inspiring collection of diverse short stories read by a fabulous variety of voice actors. I especially liked Sol Painting and Flying Lessons.