It Ain't So Awful, Falafel

It Ain't So Awful, Falafel

by Firoozeh Dumas

Publisher: Clarion Books (May 3, 2016)

I have been trying to stick this book under the noses of whoever will tolerate such liberties, urging them to read it, just so they can derive the immense satisfaction that I did from a book so superbly written that it makes me hope that world peace is easily achievable if only all books were like this.

Of course, I do that a lot with every well-written book, be it Middle Grade, YA, or Adult, fiction or non-fiction, that has come my way.

Yes, this is a Middle Grade fiction, not a heavy literary tome by a Pulitzer winner.

I first got introduced to Firoozeh Dumas's writing through her memoir-of-sorts, Funny in Farsi. Being an Iranian American who lived through the Iran Hostage Crisis as a youngster, Firoozeh is both wise and pragmatic, always ready to state what she feels is right with just the right touch of humor that takes away the edge and makes you ponder on the realities of the situation. Her writing is honest and brilliant -- she spins poignant moments into funny yarns that are moving, heart-warming, vivid, and masterly, all at the same time.

Zomorod Yousoufzadeh is looking forward to starting middle school right after this summer break. Although born in Iran, she has been in the US for a few years now because her father's job brought them to America and has kept them here. The story starts with her family moving from Compton, CA to Newport Beach, CA.

As we enter the story, Zomorod starts calling herself Cindy, after the littlest Brady Bunch kid that everyone loves. Why?

“It’s not like I’m trying to pretend that I’m not Iranian. I just want people to ask questions about me when we meet, not about where I’m from.”

Obviously, "Zomorod" is not an easy name to pronounce, and is way too weird-sounding, plus she simply wants to fit in and belong here. "Hi, I'm Cindy" shifts the focus from her nationality to herself as an individual, compared to "Hi, I'm Zomorod."

Cindy's dad, an engineer, was sent to the US to collaborate on building oil refineries. He has studied in the US before and speaks English just fine (but for the accent) and is looking forward to doing the best he can in both his professional and personal life, and loves to speak eloquently about Iran and oil refineries with whoever is (un)lucky enough to start a conversation with him. 

Her mother on the other hand speaks barely any English (except hello and thank you) and feels isolated as a result, but still refuses to learn English and prefers having Zomorod as her translator. What's Cindy to do? Except to tell us readers that she loves her parents very much but that she'd rather keep them hidden till she feels that they are no longer embarrassing to her. Typical tween!

The book hinges on Cindy/Zomorod. She  carries the book on her young shoulders with panache. She relies on her inherent sense of humor to tackle life's weird encounters when nothing else would work. With a steadfast fellow bookworm, Carolyn, for a friend, Cindy manages to balance her parents' expectations with her own need to belong, while navigating the student life at Lincoln Junior High, and discovering Girl Scouts, Halloween, and Taco Nights at Carolyn's.

Pivoting around the Iran Hostage Crisis, Firoozeh shows us the dark side of our own weaknesses and fears that prevents us from standing up for what we know is right -- how our perception gets easily clouded by collective hysteria. With her sharp insight into human nature and her firm belief that people around the world are not that much different from each other, Firoozeh, through Zomorod's dad, assures us that, "...people like that are not truly horrible; they just need a geography class, a passport, and a few foreign friends."

The little nuggets about hospitality culture and the universal language of food can easily be applied to Indians just as well as it applies to the Iranians in this story. In fact, some of the characters in the book could just as well be from India, they'd slide right into their roles just as easily. Which attests to the fact that human beings everywhere are not all that different from each other once we take away the language and the food and the geographical borders -- humans seek the same thing: a sense of community, safety, security, and to live their lives as best as they can.

This splendid story mingles family, politics, and immigrant experience, with friendship, self-identity, and coming-of-age angst while addressing paranoia, xenophobia, and intolerance with wry wit and gentle humor.

I can easily see this book becoming required reading for all fifth graders so they can peek into the cultural nuances from an immigrant child's perspective, even if the story is set in the 1970s and 80s. When the resident 11 year old avid reader started chortling at every other page, saying, "Mama, listen to this:..." and proceeded to read passages from the book back to me, I knew I could ask for nothing more from a book.

Speaking from personal experience, I see Zomorod's self-identity as dual, such is the nature of immigrant children -- they manage to extract the best of both worlds and come out a better version of themselves in the end, holding on to what centers them from their own heritage while being open to new experiences and putting out new roots that will anchor them in their current domicile.

[image source: HMH Books]

6 Picture Book Biographies of Extraordinary Women

Daredevil
The Daring Life of Betty Skelton
by Megan McCarthy

Beautifully rendered story of Betty Skelton's life, this picture book captures her spirit and her personality with humor and authenticity.

Betty was a daredevil all right. The part that affected the kids most was when she was invited to train with the male astronauts for Mercury 7, went through the training with flying colors, only to be rejected at the crucial time simply because she was a woman and NASA wasn't ready to send a woman into space at that time.

Illustrations are slightly on the funny side and yet very adorable and relevant.



Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea
by Robert Burleigh
illustrated by Raúl Colón

One of 20th century's most important scientists, Marie Tharp was the key person involved in mapping the seafloors around the world. Her hard work validated the theory of Continental Drift which was a tenuous proposition at that time, but the only reasonable explanation for the observations.

Being the daughter of a mapmaker, it was no surprise that Marie knew what to do from her younger days. Even though she initially faced many obstacles as she was just a woman and women couldn't possibly be smart scientists in those days, her perseverance and confidence gained her respect among her peers at Lamont Geological Labs where she started her project of mapping the sea floor.

Illustrations by Raul Colon (of DRAW) complement the text well.


Queen of the Track: Alice Coachman
Olympic High-Jump Champion
by heather Lang
illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Alice Coachman was born to run and jump. Thus begins this story of a remarkable athlete who took her talents to new heights via sheer hard work and determination. Talent like hers cannot be suppressed, it is bound to be discovered sooner or later. But being black in those testing times was not helping her at all.

Going to London from her segregated Southern state, for the Olympic Games, Alice was awed that she could sit anywhere on the bus despite being black. That little nugget in the book influenced both the kids at home deeply. That, and the fact that the King George VI shook her hands when awarding her gold medal at the Olympics was something huge for Alice, something she could not expect the white people in her own community to do willingly.


Dorothea's Eyes
by Barb Rosenstock
illustrated by Gérard DuBois

Afflicted with polio at age six, Dorothea Lange never recovered from the limp; she felt different and lonely. But, she saw things like no one else did - with her eyes and her heart.

Being enterprising and tenacious, she asks to work with any photographer who would taken her on as apprentice. She learns all that she can pick up. Eventually, recognizing her talent, one photographer gives her an old camera.

In an age when photography was not taken very seriously, and women were not taken seriously, Dorothea was a natural at both, very seriously. Many of Dorothea's photographs are held in National Archives and can be accessed at archives.gov.


Stone Girl Bone Girl
A Story of Mary Anning of Lyme Regis
by Laurence Anholt
illustrated by Sheila Moxley

By now, most budding paleontologists have heard about Mary Anning, the girl who couldn't help finding fossils everywhere she looked, the girl who found the first Ichthyosaurus fossil that reconciled a huge gap that scientists had in understanding prehistoric creatures until then.

Being poor, and not knowing the value of her finds, Mary probably gave away most of her valuable treasures just to put food on the table. The book talks about the little speckled dog that showed up at Mary's one day and stayed with her for all her discovereis up until Ichthyosaur, and then magically disappeared. She later found Plesiosaurs and Pterosaurs in her small, unassuming town of Lyme Regis in Dorset.

The illustrations are bright, colorful, and gorgeous!


Bon Appétit!
The Delicious Life of Julia Child
by Jessie Hartland

A children's picture book about Julia Child? This I must read, I told myself when I saw it in our library.

All about Julia's life and her life's work -- Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the book shows Julia's indomitable spirit and her methodical approach to perfecting each recipe so others can follow it blindly and end up with something out of this world.

Never one to sit idly, Julia was always passionate about cooking, and even got her own TV Show with live demonstrations in a day and age when such things were not easily open to women hosts.

My only nagging issue with the book is its layout and font - it is cluttered and crowded and hard to read in proper sequence. Plus the fonts are cursive which the younger child is not adept at reading - yet.


-------------------

When I was Eight,
Not My Girl
by Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
art by Gabrielle Grimard


While not a biography but more a memoir of sorts, these two books gave a peek into a life of Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, that is very different from anything the kids had expected to read in a picture book.

Olemaun, an Inuit girl, knows a lot of things including how to keep the sled dogs quiet when hunting for caribou; how to bring get her team of dogs to obey; how to relish muktuk (whale blubber) and pipsi (dried fish).

But, she did not know how to read English, like the outsiders. And wanted to learn. So, she was sent to study with the nuns at the outsiders school.

The school changes her in ways she never imagined. She has forgotten her own language, lost the taste for her own native foods, and can't seem to know all the things that are important for her survival in the harsh lands.

When I was Eight is about Margaret going away to the outsider school; Not My Girl talks about her return from school and trying to get rehabilitated and learn the ways of her people so she can continue the traditional way of life and preserve her cultural heritage.

The illustrations are brilliant!


[image source: multcolib.org]

Truffles & Teas: Another school year just flew by

Sometimes I wish I was back in grade school. The years from 8th grade through 12th were absolutely lovely for me - grueling, stimulating, joyful, stressful, promising, and frustrating all at the same time. However, I have no intention of going through puberty again, worrying over what to do with my life when I 'grow up.'

Not until high school did I get quite taken up with learning for the sheer gratification of it, lingering in academia much longer than average, assuming, possibly falsely, that the depth of my knowledge somehow is tied to the strength of my identity. Which, at last stock-taking wasn't that deep or that strong respectively.

The one thing I would staunchly proclaim is that my teachers most definitely influenced me in ways even they don't know, and still influence me today, as I raise my kids. What power and bliss it is to be a teacher - to mold the next generation.

Now that another school year is coming to a close for my kids, I try not to live through them but let them have this experience to cherish what they hold dear. Part of me is terribly impatient, wanting them to grow up fast so I can see what sort of individuals they become as adults; but, part of me wants to preserve this carefree period in their lives which nostalgia claims as the halcyon days.

I chastise myself sometimes for not being the sort of mom who takes pictures of her kids on their first day of school each year, and possibly last day of school, and making cute scrapbook pages recording their growth and accomplishments each year as they develop by leaps and bounds. I think measurable achievements and accomplishments are secondary to who they become and how they see themselves as they grow -- always ready to set goals for themselves and working hard to get there, but, never straying far from the big picture of what it all means to lead a good life.

Anyway, I am rambling. This year, the older child decided to put together cute Mason Jar gifts for all the teachers in school who touched her in one way or another: The Truffles & Teas Mason Jar!

Keeping in mind that teachers have enough well-meaning gifts that students give them each year, and that they only have limited space in their lives to keep all the hand-made things their students give them, the older child decided to give a small handmade item that is utilitarian: a colorful loom loop coaster. Plus, who doesn't like tea? So, some tea bags. And, being a huge fan of dark chocolate, she decided to stash some bite-size chocolate treats for her teachers. A handmade card filled with heartfelt words about how each person influenced her rounded out the package.

No plans for summer camps for the older child - although she might enjoy a few select ones if only I can afford to enroll her. She might get lonesome but not really bored, I tell myself...  Downtime is essential for creativity to take root. She might set herself a goal or two and try to reach them by the end of summer. Or not. Who knows?

p.s: The younger child decided to make a Flip Book for his teacher - something that doubles as a notepad, which a teacher can not have enough of. Plus a handwritten note and card and some tea+chocolate. The flip book just has this little seahorse (stamped) that floats about and tumbles and such, along with a bird that flies off its branch and dives in the water and floats to the top.

A Dozen Series Fiction Chapter Books/Graphic Novels for 3rd/4th graders

While I support librarians and authors on saying No to the age-banding issue,  I do add age range labels in my posts just for sorting-and-searching purposes. Kids read at their own comfortable levels-- some are reluctant readers, some are avid readers, so, I hesitate to use an age label in my posts for reading proficiency purposes.

And, rather than "review" per se, my book posts are more of a cheer-leading effort to champion some favorites, share some titles that made an impact, and to list any surprise finds.

It takes quite a bit of effort to get the non-fiction-loving eight year old child to give fiction chapter book series a chance. If the first book is not impressive and if none of the characters appeal to him at any level, it makes no sense to plod on with the series hoping one of the books down the road would eventually speak to him.

Since I believe in reading aloud to readers of any age, I still read the fiction chapter books aloud to both the children on and off. If the book grabs their attention, they'll read the rest of the book on their own.

Anyway, over the last few months, the eight year old has been open to a handful of series books for one reason or another that I'd rather not subject to my armchair analysis. Some are graphic novels series as we were exploring them over last summer/autumn, and some are novels in cartoons and text like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, while others are generic chapter books. If the subject matter seems a bit mature for him, I screen the topic but let him to decide to finish it or not. Knowing his sensitivities, I avoid books that are themed around topics that I know would disturb him at this time.

Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are some interesting reads for kiddos with widely varying reading preferences.

Ranger in Time series

by Kate Messner

illustrated by Kelley McMorris

I loved Kate Messner's picture books Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt, as well as Over and Under the Snow. We tried Marty McGuire chapter book series but it didn't resonate with the then seven year old, but I was not ready to give up. So, we tried Ranger in Time series - the first book is about the Oregon Trail, which is always a fascinating topic at home.

We've read the first three books so far, each set around a different historical event. Ranger is a sweet dog who accidentally finds a teleporting time-traveling machine in the form of a First Aid Kit. When it hums and glows, Ranger nudges it onto his neck and as soon as he wears it, he is transported to a time a place other than his own where is services are much needed: He is a trained Search-and-Rescue dog!

The kid and I liked that Ranger is not anthropomorphic-- thankfully -- so he is not a talking dog. But we get to know him better as the story is told from his perspective. His thoughts and actions, while quite human, also stays true to his canine nature and instincts.

Geronimo Stilton series

by Geronimo Stilton

What's not to love about this series? Quick and easy read, with quite an interesting mix of mice characters and settings that promise a fantastic adventure.

It did irritate the kid that words like "fabumouse" (fabulous) and "famouse" (famous) is used to add to the theme of mice living in Mouse Island, and it did initially bother him that strange fonts in various colors caught the eye to distract rather than enhance the reading experience -- especially since he couldn't figure out a pattern or any rhyme or reason for those words to b highlighted as such. However, the stories and the situations were well done that he quickly got over his nagging objections.

There's a ton of books in this series, with more coming out in a steady stream, I believe. Plus, there's spin-offs with Thea Stilton books and Space Mice and Cave Mice and such.

Magic Treehouse series

Authors: Mary Pope Osborne, Natalie Pope Boyce

Illustrators: Sal Murdocca, Luiz Vilela

A long-standing staple, the series takes the brother-and-sister duo on mini adventures to various times and places.

The older child went through most of these books around kindergarten and first grade.

As always, the young resident reader's main objection has been: How come their parents don't know about it? And why aren't they telling their parents all about it and asking for permission first? Of course, magic only works a certain way, so all such details can be explained away, am sure.

According to Humphrey series

by Betty G. Birney

Hamster Humphrey and the kids of Room 26 seem to have great dynamics. When Ms.Mac brings Humphrey home from Pet-O-Rama, he was all set to bond with her and spend the rest of his life with her, But, Ms.Mac was only substituting in Room 26. When Mrs. Brisbane comes back to teach Room 26, Humphrey is heartbroken to see Ms.Mac go, and be stuck with Mrs.Brisbane who calls him a rodent and doesn't care for him much.

As the first book progresses, we see that Humphrey is neither saccharine nor sassy. He makes his keen observations and shares his goodness without being too cloying.

There are quite a number of books in this series. which is wonderful if kids get hooked on it. Ms.Mac is back on and off as well, and the second book, Friendship According to Humphrey, introduces a new pet - Og, the frog.

I Survived series

Author: Lauren Tarshis

Illustrator: Scott Dawson

Set around traumatic events in history, the book is fast-paced with the story moving forward ever so rapidly to let the protagonist meet the conflict head-on and overcome it successfully. Each book has its own set of characters in the time period and place, but what they all have in common is a protagonist with pluck and grit who manages to survive a true-life incident.

39 Clues series

 by Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, et al

Brother-and-sister Dan and Amy Cahill are orphaned but are entrusted with guarding the most powerful thing which cannot fall into the wrong hands. I could have lived with the commercial production with multiple revenue streams, but the stories and the characters are bland and stereotypical and one-dimensional. Moral ambiguity, conflicts, growth in the young characters as they pass through the story arc is what makes books like these more enjoyable as a series. The first couple in the series were all right but soon it got tiresome to read. So, we reserved these as audiobooks for long road trips.



Hank Zipzer series
by Henry Winkler, Lin Oliver

Hank, with two good friends, undergoes the usual struggles of an underachiever who has some challenges in learning and conforming.

However, Hank is kind and resourceful, not snarky and loud-mouthed. There are quite a few books in this series.

Life in school can be a struggle for kids like Hank, but with steadfast friends who don't make a big deal of his issues, school can be exciting as well.

I must admit, I only picked this up as I was curious about what The Fonz came up with. Yep, the creator/author is Henry Winkler, the Fonz of Happy Days.

Along with Lin Oliver, Winkler provides an insight into his younger days when learning disabilities were not recognized and kids were subject to learning methods which killed the joy of discovering the world around.

Plants vs. Zombies

Plant Your Path Junior Novel

by Tracey West

Choose-your-adventure type stories can be horribly appalling or pleasantly amusing. This book seems to fall under the latter category according to the kid. It even inspired him to write his own Choose-your-path novel (by hand in a spiral notebook) with Crazy Dave and plants and zombies, with the reader as the main character choosing what happens at each stage and finding out if in the end the zombies ate their brains.

Plants vs. Zombies graphic novels
Lawnmageddon
Timepocalypse
Bully For You
Garden Warfare
by Paul Tobin, Jacob Chabot, Ron Chan et al.

Each book provides a different adventure and is primarily appealing to the PvZ fans. I'd rather not overanalyze this set of books, they seem to make the resident 8 year old quite happy and that's all there is to it.

Mr. Pants series

By Scott McCormick

Illustrated by R. H. Lazzell

Mr. Pants and his two feline siblings, plus his human mom make up this quick-to-read set of books that end well even if there is chaos all along the way. The cartoon silliness and the bright colors is one main attraction.

 After a recent bout of going through my Calvin and Hobbes collection at the home library, the kid seems to lean towards cartoons and comic strips a lot more these days. Of course, only about 50% of Calvin and Hobbes makes perfect sense to him, understandably.

We didn't read it in order. Starting with Trick or Feet was helpful to get into the characters and find the silliness in their high jinks.

Stick Dog series (and Stick Cat)

by Tom Watson

Diary of a Wimpy Kid-like text and cartoon illustrations is one of the appeals of this series. There's a bit of inside humor and adventure and friendship that can be appealing as well, since the main hunt is for food -- the poor dog is always hungry!

As for me, I did not particularly like this series, but, the kids did.The characters are nice enough, the story is simple enough but nothing held my attention as an adult, and it doesn't have to - the books are aimed at kids.

Sample available for reading at Harper Collins

Amulet series (graphic novel)

by Kazu Kibuishi

The first book, The Stonekeeper, starts off with a bang and continues to roll fast-paced to a satisfying end, making us reach for the second installment almost involuntarily.

It did bother me that the dad dies in the very first scene and the mom gets abducted in the very first installment of the graphic novel series, but, kids didn't seem to mind at all. They just went with the flow and kept reading till all the seven books were done, wanting more.

Ariol series (graphic novel)

by Emmanuel Guibert

illustrated by Marc Boutavant

Quite the menagerie of characters here: Ariol, our hero, is a tween donkey, with a best friend pig, and a dog teacher. Originally published in French, the misadventures of Ariol are a quick and fun read. Since the character is a tween, some of the feelings he has are not easily understood by the resident 8 year old but the book has plenty of silly to keep kids giggling.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

by Jeff Kinney

Though not necessarily for 3rd and 4th graders, the first book or even the second book might appeal to some 3rd and 4th graders as it has plenty of silliness.

The older child went through this series three years ago, and there's new installments coming out steadily.

The younger child got the first book (used copy) as a prize in school (I like  that their class teacher gives out used books as prizes sometimes, rather than pencils and erasers and plastic toys.) He has read the first two books and that's where I left it. He may not get a lot of the issues that middle-schooler Greg Heffley faces but quite a bit of the humor is universal enough to keep him giggling aloud and bring it to share with me.

[image source: author or publisher websites where available and google images]

Board Games Popular at Home

Board/card/word games are a staple at home, some more fun than others depending on our moods. As I was sorting through the Games Cupboard, hoping to get rid of some old ones that kids have outgrown or not played at all in ages, I realized that I am not ready to part with any of them. So, I decided to list some of them here in case kids (and I) want to look back some day and feel a pang of nostalgia...

Apples to Apples is always popular, but needs all four of us to play to maximize fun. This was a gift for the older child from a friend a couple of years ago, and we stuck with it, even though Apples to Apples Junior might have been more fun for the younger one. The best memory of playing this so far is when we had a power outage due to storms last winter and we played this by candle light at the dining table, wrapped up in layers of coats and blankets.

Clue is the older child's favorite, and invariably she wins most of the time. I must admit, I don't pay close enough attention and never win.

Qwirkle and Qwirkle Cubes are not the favorite for the younger child, so he opts out, which makes it easier for the rest of us to play by the rules.

What's Gnu? was a casual purchase a long time ago, and has been a favorite with the kids when they were a bit younger. I am always the caller, and it is fun to see kids scramble to make the 3-letter word first.

Taboo can be a bit frustrating for the youngest in the house, but, he likes to keep up and play along as he has a team-mate, usually Papa. We do play from a smaller set of cards that have fairly recognizable words for the kids.

Good luck getting a favorite game out of this pile!

Risk and PVZ Risk are always popular with the younger child. He tries to rope in his friends to play PVZ Risk when they visit for play dates.

Word Yahtzee, Triple Yahtzee are classic no-fuss games we enjoy after dinner some weeknights to mellow down and transition to bedtime.

Mastermind and Battleship are perfect for the kids to play against each other. Some days, it goes quite smoothly; other days, it ends in a disaster. C'est la vie.

Monopoly is more of a weekend game, where we can set it aside and come back to it rather than going endlessly, especially with tempers flaring from having to pay high rents.

Scrabble, Scrabble Slam, and Upwords never stale, of course.

Boggle and Scattergories go in and out of favor depending on how each game goes and how frustrating it can get for the youngest in residence.

No Stress Chess has been a favorite with the younger child. While he knows the rules and the moves each piece can make, he gets overwhelmed by trying to evaluate the possibilities a few steps ahead, and that's where No Stress Chess makes it easier by having cards to help decide the next move.

Tapple is another fast fun game that is a fantastic ice-breaker game, equally fun to play with adults in the mix.

Chinese Checkers, Guess Who?, Snakes & Ladders, Candy Land,  and the classic staple Ludo all get their turn as and when we are in the mood for it.

Würfel-Zwerge was the older child's top favorite when she was a toddler and pre-schooler and I thought I can safely give it away because, surely, she must have outgrown it by now, right? Wrong! It is ever-so-pleasing to see these little elves in colorful outfits and fanciful poses. The older child still wins this game every single time.

[image source: amazon.com]

Screen-Free Week: May 2 - 8, 2016

Presented by Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood, the annual Screen-Free Week event has been staunchly and steadily encouraging parents to minimize the time young children spend in front of TV/Video games/Computers/iPad screens.

For the 5th year in a row, I am happy to be writing about Screen-Free Week that has freed up so much time for kids everywhere so they can pursue their many talents and interests without passively vegetating.

Just as we have been doing in the last decade or more , we are doing nothing special for the Screen-Free Week for kids this year simply because,  "School Days/Weekdays are not Watch days"  in our house. Keep it simple. No complicated rules that are subject to parental whims.

To set a good example, the adults at home don't watch TV on weekdays either -- year-round, not just one week in May. [At least, not while kids are awake. If watching happens past kids' bedtime it is entirely up to the parents to be comfortable and/or discreet about it. Besides the obvious benefit for the kids, it is has been a huge relief for me as a parent to have set and adhered to a specific bedtime for kids right from their infancy, despite the struggles that came with enforcing it.]

The tougher decision these days for parents seems to stem from iPad and other handheld devices that offer a number of games and streaming shows with effortless access. It is wonderful if kids have a self-timer and have enough self-control to limit their iPad/game times. In case they don't, a kitchen timer comes in handy. There will be struggles some days when the timer goes off and their turn is done, but kids are not done with the game they are playing currently and want extra time to "win this level, just this level, please?" I've been anything from strict put-it-away-right-now military sergeant to fine-do-what-you-want lenient mom in this regard based on what else has been going on in kids' lives [and mine] that day, that week...

Knowing that I spend hours in front of a computer during my work days, it has been easier to consciously unplug when I sign off from work in the evenings. Having succumbed to the wiles of Temple Run, Candy Soda Crush Saga, PVZ, Power of 2, Trivia, Two Dots, Tetris Blitz, Scramble et al at various times, I can understand how hard it can be to switch off for kids. And that is precisely what helped: Switch OFF the device and stow it away, and engage in the next chosen activity - be it playing board games or dancing or reading aloud a favorite poem by Shel Silverstein...

Uninstalling Facebook App and turning off Notifications from FB Messenger and other apps, plus putting the smartphone on Do Not Disturb mode for 3 hours every evening around dinner has worked well for Conscious Disengagement. By finding strategies that work for me, it is easier to help my kids with strategies to disentangle themselves from any screen-dependencies, should they arise as they grow older. It is much more musical for me to hear, "Mama is busy cooking/reading/gardening, so she is  not available now," than, "Mama is staring at her iPhone and won't respond to me now."


[image source: http://www.screenfree.org/]

Chloe in India

Chloe in India

by Kate Darnton
published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 12, 2016)

I was so busy I didn't hear Mom come up behind me. I heard her voice before I saw her, and this is what that voice said:
"Chloe, Chloe! Oh no, Chloe!"
I froze in front of the bathroom mirror. In my left hand, I was holding a clump of blond hair away from my head. Well, hair that used to be blond. Now it was After Midnight Black.
In my right hand, I was holding an After Midnight Black permanent marker.

With an opening like that, this book hooked me in right away, as it did the resident ten year old.

Eleven year old Chloe did not want to leave her cool, tree-lined Boston home behind and get dumped in horrendously hot Delhi, but she had to go where her parents decided to transplant the family because, as her journalist mom puts it, "that's where the stories are."

It is bad enough that she is unable to fit in and adapt to this new situation, but it doesn't help one bit that her older sister, Anna, seemed to hit the road running, rolling with aplomb at these huge changes. Her perfect older sister Anna who could do no wrong.

Chloe is enrolled in an Indian school, Premium Academy, where she is the only American (besides her sister, of course), and the only blond-haired girl (besides the German girl, but she doesn't count.)

Chloe tries to make the best of fifth grade by trying to befriend the prettiest and richest girl in class, Anvi Saxena, all the while having a nagging sense that something about Anvi's attitude is off and unacceptable to her own ethics. Meanwhile, quite unwittingly, Chloe befriends Lakshmi in her dark black hair and ill-fitting hand-me-down uniform, an underdog, underprivileged girl, of EWS (Economically Weaker Section), who is there to fill a quota in admissions records.

The wholesome but strained friendship blossoming between Chloe and Lakshmi is developed almost poetically. The economic divide, the class-based society, the entitlement of the rich, the squalor of the poor (things that are present in many countries in the world), and the struggles of day-to-day existence are all laid out with honest candor that mitigates the stereotyping. It is what it is, and while we all can squirm and wiggle in discomfort at the inequality, the fact remains that there are social injustices we live with and feel powerless to do anything about.

The utter poverty of Lakshmi and the decadent wealth of Anvi are all-true realities in today's India, even more so due to outsourcing and globalization that has bred a flock of nouveau riche who are not sure what to do with all the new-found wealth.

Setting that aside, I want to talk about the positives of this book, which lies in the way Ms. Darnton provides a peek into the culture as seen from Chloe's perspective. The book is semi-autobiographical, in that, Ms. Darnton who hails from Boston actually lived with her family in New Delhi for five years.

Although the story and the settings are all fictional, the bona fide (fictional) characters in the book come alive in Ms. Darnton's narration, from the fussing and efficient Nepali cook/nanny Dechen, dedicated and trustworthy driver/chauffeur Vijay, to the inimitable and wise class teacher Ms.Puri and the quintessential dance instructor Mr.Bhatnagar, not to mention the kids Dhruv, Lakshmi, Meher, Anvi and Prisha, each with their own personality and baggage.

The conflict in the story for Chloe arises from the dance performance she has to participate in on school Annual Day celebrations. As a child growing up and living those very Annual Day celebrations, I loved how Ms. Darnton, via Chloe, explains the significance to non-Indian readers. It is a big deal to put on a dance and musical show to celebrate school's "birthday" so-to-speak, and it can be very stressful for someone like Chloe who does not like to dance or perform in public. There are invited guests of honor and keynote speaker who form a big part of such a celebration, which warrants a proper show with plenty of rehearsals and pitch-perfect performance.

The nuances and idiosyncrasies that are particular to India come across as genuine yet perplexing realities that Chloe faces as she tries to adapt to her new place and culture. While typecasting is unavoidable in such a story setting, the book compensates by revealing so much heart and warmth that is the essence of India, with not much heavy-handed moralizing from high ground.

Will this book encourage a tween reader to visit India and know more about it and possibly befriend an Indian? Perhaps not. There is too much "reality" and "truth" to it that borders on the negative side and too little magic and beauty that is India that is left out of the story.

The resident ten year old got every single emotion that Chloe felt through this story, she understood where Chloe is coming from, and loved the friendship between Chloe and Lakshmi. But, having visited India and having enjoyed parts of it (definitely not the heat, but most certainly the warmth and generosity of the people she encountered), it did come across as a bit one-sided to read the book as an American with Indian heritage.

I did enjoy the vivid descriptions and exchanges that rang so true that it is easy to forget Ms. Darnton is not a native Indian.

An exchange in class between Dhruv, the typical trouble-making class clown, and Chloe:

"Ma'am!" Dhruv yelled. "Chhole is fidgeting!"
I gritted my teeth. "I am not a chickpea," I hissed. "My name's not Cho-lay. It's Chloe. Klo-ee."
"Now she is talking!" Dhruv yelled. "How can I draw her if she is always talking?"
Mrs. Singh glanced up from her desk at the other end of the room. She put one skinny finger to her thin lips. "Shhh!" she hissed.

Back of the book has a "Questions for Readers" section that talks about a few of the situations in the book that warrant discussion and can turn into useful teaching moments.

A couple of exchanges between Lakshmi and Chloe:

"You look fine," I said. I was trying to sound reassuring, but Lakshmi scowled.
"No fancy kurta," she said. "No dupatta." She shook her head and pointed up toward the apartment. "I can no go your house."
"Are you kidding?" I said. "Look at me!" I pointed at the soy sauce stain on my Red Sox T-shirt. "Seriously," I said. "My parents do not care. Like, not at all. Actually, I know for a fact that they'd love to meet you...
...
Lakshmi looked unconvinced, but before she could protest further, I grabbed hold of her hand and started pulling her up the stairs.

------------------------

"Outside the hospital, one didi sits there. She is -- what you say?-- phool walla?"
"She's a fool?"
"No, no." Lakshmi let out a laugh. "She not fool. She phool wallah. She sell flower, jasmine flower."

I liked the fact that both Chloe and Lakshmi are new to fifth grade at Premium Academy, and both feel they are misfits (the title of the book as released by Young Zubaan), and they are both from opposite ends of the world culturally and economically. But, why should that stop them from getting to know each other and becoming friends?

Look Inside the Book


[image source:  Penguin Randomhouse]

Megan's Brood

Megan's Brood, Book One
by Roy Burdine
illustrated by Shawn Mcmanus


One summer, spunky 6th grader Meg moves into a new place with her parents, leaving her friends and familiar environment behind. In the attic bedroom of the new house, she discovers something magical - a cocoon pulsing with light and tiny heartbeats of unknown creatures.

Over summer, the creatures hatch, ten in all, and seem attached to Meg. She enjoys caring for them while she tries to make new friends in the new place - a skateboarding, garage-band musician of a kid called Cutter, and a soft-spoken well-mannered bookworm like herself called Casper.

Being Book One of a proposed series, we get the background and the set up established over the first two-thirds of the book. Around the last chapter or so, things gather momentum when one of Meg's brood, named Thorn for his spiky scales, reveals his true predatory and controlling nature.

When Thorn binds her dad and friend at their camping night right before start of school term, so as to barter for his siblings, things get fiery hot, literally. But, Meg manages to kick Thorn into the flames, save her dad and friend and the rest of her brood. For now.

The handful of black and white illustrations by Shawn McManus (www.shawnmcmanus.net) sprinkled throughout the book are gorgeous and complement the text well.

It would be interesting to find out how Meg handles her brood as they grow and change and whether Thorn will act on getting his revenge.

Epilogue sets us up for more adventure when we learn that Thorn is not destroyed by the flames after all and inside him beats an angry heart.

Roy Burdine has worked as animation director (Dreamwork's Puss in Boots, Ultimate Spider-Man) and can be found at www.RoyBurdine.com

[Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book but the opinions expressed here are entirely mine.]

[image source: photographed from review copy]

Hilda books by Luke Pearson

Hilda and The Troll,
Hilda and The Midnight Giant,
Hilda and The Bird Parade,
Hilda and The Black Hound,
by Luke Pearson
published by Flying Eye Books/Nobrow Press



Hilda and The Troll (originally titled Hildafolk, a play on Icelandic huldufólk) introduces us to a blue-haired tween living with her mother in an idyllic mountainous region. Along with Twig, a deerfox (fox with antlers), for company, Hilda is perfectly content exploring the woods and drawing rocks (she loves rocks!) in her sketchbook.

The first book, Hilda and The Troll, quickly establishes her world filled with mythical creatures who are not confined to a separate magical realm but seamlessly integrate into Hilda's reality.

Hilda gets her adventure in this story when she encounters a suspiciously troll-looking rock. However, it is the world-building that captures the readers right from the start.

Hilda reads in a book that it is customary to tie a bell around a troll's neck so you can hear him coming, and proceeds to do so without much agonizing. But later realizes her mistake when the same book explains that this is a cruel and out-dated practice and the trolls don't like it.

Hilda immediately rectifies the situation, and the troll very kindly gives back her sketchbook she had dropped near him earlier and walks away. Simple as that. No moralizing, no saccharine, no tied-up-in-a-bow closure.

Hilda and The Midnight Giant gets interesting right from the start as Hilda finds letters strewn over her house that turn out to be eviction notices.

What else can she expect when her cottage happens to sit in the middle of the village inhabited by invisible elves. As she has her hands full trying to find the right person to negotiate with, Hilda also investigates the mysterious giant who shows up every night for no apparent reason.

The hilarious rollicking adventure leads up to a satisfying surprise ending.

In Hilda and The Bird Parade, we move to the bustling city of Trolberg with Hilda and her mom. Friendship and doing the right thing are woven into the story ever-so-subtly, but it is the talking amnesiac raven that delights us with his personality and insights.

Behind-the-scenes mom takes on a bit more of a worry-wart role in this book, anxious about Hilda's safety in the city and asking her to stay home and watch TV instead. But through her fabulous adventure, Hilda learns a lot more about herself, her values, and her relationship with her mom. All's well that ends well. This was the most popular of the four books with the kids.

The last one for now, (hope more comes out soon), Hilda and The Black Hound uses dark palette to convey an ominous presence - a mysterious beast.

With a nod to the Girl Scouts, this book has Hilda working hard to earn her merit badges as a Sparrow Scout. However, it is the Nisse that captivated our attention - a house elf who is without a house.

Spatial laws are ignored in this installment as Nisse live in their own dimension within the three dimensions of a house. The ending is heart-pumping and extremely satisfying.

The four Hilda books have been a huge hit with both the kids, and myself, attesting to the versatility and all-ages appeal of these comics.

The art is charming and beautiful, and the limited color palette works perfectly for each story. The colors speak as much as the characters by offering a safe sunny setting for Hilda's adventures with muted colors, as well as drama and movement with deeper colors when the situation changes.

The text is crisp and witty and funny, peppered with social commentary and keen observations of human tendencies.

Hilda is not a typical goody-two-shoes, and is not quirky for the sake of it. Her environment seamlessly blends the magical with the real, encircling an interesting cast of creatures.

[image source: Luke Pearson website]

Bartholomew Quill

Bartholomew Quill

A Crow's Quest to Know Who's Who
by Thor Hanson
illustrated by Dana Arnim

published by Sasquatch Books

Bartholomew Quill was a crow long ago,

when all of the world was new.

When the bears and the bees

and the hares and the trees

were all learning to tell which was who.

Thus starts this book by acclaimed biologist Thor Hanson,which takes us on a lyrical journey back in time when our dear protagonist, Bartholomew Quill, the crow, wants to know who he is.

He flies around encountering various animals and compares features to see if he is one of them. At the edge of the ocean, he sees black birds like himself and asks if he is one of them. The bird answers:

I dive and I float in a waterproof coat

My diet is fish and crustacean.

We are both black and sleek, but you lack a bright beak,

so you cannot be my close relation.

And from the lovely illustrations by Dana Arnim, we know this is a puffin, not a crow.

As our Bartholomew encounters other creatures, he quickly realizes he cannot be one of them, until he sees someone very much like himself, only much bigger - the Raven.

Finally, he looks in nature's mirror - the still lake - as he flies over it and realizes he is a crow.

The ability of many species to recognize their own must have evolved somehow, but this story is set when the world was new, so, possibly Bartholomew has not yet developed self-recognition/other-recognition.

One question that cropped up with the resident 7 year old is, at each stage, without introduction or explanation, how does Bartholomew know what that creature is that is different from himself. For example, after encountering the creature that soars and catches fish all day and has sharp eyes and pale head and tail feathers, we simply read that "Bartholomew thanked the bald eagle," which the young readers deduce from the illustrations but may be puzzled as to how Bartholomew arrived at that conclusion.

Back of the book has a "Get More Out of This Book" section that has some interesting suggestions.

Biologist Thor Hanson is renowned for his adult books about nature -- The Impenetrable Forest, The Triumph of Seeds, and Feathers. He won a PNBA Award and The John Burroughs Medal for Feathers, which was also a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. Hanson is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow, and sought-after public speaker.

Illustrator Dana Arnim has a Certificate in Art from the Children’s Market from UW Extension and serves as Co-regional Advisor for the Western Washington SCBWI.

[Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book. The opinions shared here are entirely mine.]

Sona and the Wedding Game

Sona and the Wedding Game,
My Dadima Wears a Sari,
Monsoon Afternoon
by Kashmira Sheth
illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi
Tiger in my Soup
by Kashmira Sheth
illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler



Being a big fan of stories with strong multicultural backdrop, when I came upon a handful of picture books by Kashmira Sheth, I ended up reading them back to back to my kids. Illustrations by Yoshiko Jaeggi effortlessly capture the magic of Indian culture.

Sona and the Wedding Game was a favorite as it gave a glimpse into an Indian wedding tradition practised in certain communities, (not all over India) -- the bride's sister must steal the groom's shoe at the wedding. There are several traditions, some more solemn, some more fun, practised by different communities across India, adapted to their own local customs. Sona is unfamiliar with this tradition and doesn't know how to go about it, but what are annoying cousins for, right?

Monsoon Afternoon captures the joys of monsoon season and the intergenerational bonding in a subdued way, while not being cliched.

My Dadima Wears a Sari is quintessentially Indian in that it talks about the beautiful attire that is just 6 yards of fabric, the sari. It can become an umbrella, it can become a pouch for collecting seashells, it can bandage up an injured knee... Having grown up with sari all around me, I have a deep love for the traditional sari, which I must admit, I don't wear often. Again, an intergenerational bond is established in the book via traditional clothing - viz., Dadima's wedding sari, the one she brought with her when she came to America, and she shows her granddaughters how to wear it.

Full of imagination and lovely illustrations, Tiger in my Soup is about a boy wanting his older sister to read to him. She refuses of course, busy with her own book and earphones. But when she serves him a can of soup for lunch, the steam rises and assumes the shape of a... Tiger. Jumping out of the soup, the tiger prowls about, wild and unpredictable, so naturally the boy defends himself with kitchen utensils, while the soup sits there getting cold. The sister finally caves in and warms up the soup in the microwave, and reads the book to him. Satisfied, the boy (and the tiger) settle down for imaginary wanderings.

[image source: Yoshiko Jaeggi, Kashmira Sheth websites]

The Babysitters Club Graphic Novels

The Babysitters Club (Graphic Novels)
by Raina Telgemeier

Based on Ann M. Martin's novels in The Baby-Sitter's Club (BSC) series, these graphic novel adaptations by Raina Telgemeier are absolutely delightful, staying true to the original.

The resident ten year old enjoyed reading the challenges and perks of baby-sitting and the dynamics of friendship between Kristy and her friends in the BSC.

Four books have been adapted so far for the graphic novel presentation, with no more on the horizon at this time. Kristy's Great Idea starts it all, where the girls get together to form the club. In the Truth about Stacey, we watch Stacey go through some tough times, but manages fine thanks to her friends at the BSC. In Mary Anne Saves the Day, we see how Mary Anne rises to the occasion and handles her problems and keeps the BSC tight-knit again.Claudia and Mean Janine opens a window into Claudia and her sister's personalities and relationship.

The illustrations do a fantastic job of setting up the personality of each character with clear and big facial expressions that complement the text, adding a lot of movement and energy, making it crisp and heart-warming at the same time.

[image source: GoRaina.com]

Loos, Poos, and Number Twos

Loos, Poos, and Number Twos    

A Disgusting Journey Through the Bowels of History
by Peter Hepplewhite



"Awfully Ancient" books by Gareth Stevens Publishing can be quite a fun read for kids interested in fascinating events from history. Full of fun trivia, accompanied by cartoon illustrations, fact boxes, and sidebars, Loos, Poos, and Number Twos takes us on a Disgusting Journey Through the Bowels of History, as the subtitle claims.\

Starting with prehistoric times, we go through ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient China, Medieval times, Tudor times, down to the Victorian loos.

Did you know that ancient Greeks had public loos in bath houses and gymnasiums but no private stalls for doing the business? Did you know the ancient Chinese even had a toilet goddess? We all let out a collective sigh of relief when we read about John Harrington's invention of the washing closet - the flushing toilet - during the reign of Elizabeth I. But without the sewerage system, what good is flushing?

Of course, when kids read the fascinating fact that on the International Space Station, the pee is recycled to drinking water and the poo is packed into capsule and fired into Earth's atmosphere where it burns up, thankfully, the gross-factor and the cool-factor compete closely to achieve a fine balance.

Glossary and More Information at the back makes this a perfectly fun book for readers of all ages who enjoy such trivia.

[image source: garethstevens.com]

10 Picture Books for Black History Month

Freedom is something kids don't think about much usually. What does it mean? Why is it important? How can we ensure that everybody is "free"?  These are some big questions I discuss with kids often, not just during the month of February each year. Much like, What does Peace mean to you? How can you make sure there is peace in this world as you grow up? Why should we strive for peace? comes up in our dinner conversations sometimes and it is instructive (and eye-opening sometimes) to hear kids' simple and naive suggestions.

Anyway, to chart a better future for humanity, it is always good to learn from the past - if only to try not to repeat the same mistakes. In that spirit, we picked a handful of picture books to peek into some true life incidents and some fictional stories based on true life incidents set in America.

As to chapter books, there are so many on the subject. This month, the ten year old is reading Ruby Lee & Me by Shannon Hitchcock. The seven year old is reading Ranger in Time series by Kate Messner, and currently he is reading Long Road to Freedom to stay on theme.



Freedom in Congo Square  
by Carole Boston Weatherford
illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Lyrical and evocative, the books is a treasure. Slaves and free blacks count down to Sunday of each week when they can be "free" to gather in Congo Square in New Orleans to connect with their roots and culture and sing and dance and feel alive again in celebration of their African heritage.

The poetry is powerful and concise. The rhyming couplets don't soften the reality.

The dreaded lash, too much to bear
Four more days to Congo Square.

The double page spread with various African instruments has swirling text that proclaims,

Grouped by nation, language, tribe,
They drummed ancestral roots alive.

The illustrations are a fitting and brilliant accompaniment to the text.



Freedom on the Menu
The Greensboro Sit-ins    
by Carole Boston Weatherford
illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue Lagarrigue

Told from the perspective of a little girl, who sees other little girls like herself able to do things that she is not allowed to, the story speaks to the kids in a more intimate way than it might have from a third person narration.

She longs for a Banana Split at this ice cream store as she watches another girl just like herself, having a purse just like hers, enjoying her own sundae.

All over town signs told me and Mama where we could and couldn't go. Signs on water fountains, swimming pools, movie theater, even bathrooms.

Everybody in Greensboro followed the rules. But not Auntie Gertie who often visits from New York. She says, "I am too old for such silly rules," and drinks from the "White" fountain.

The book unfolds the story of four black kids who sat at the diner and ordered food just like others and waited to be served. Inspired by Dr. King's peaceful protests, all they hoped to do was to remove the segregation.



Ellen's Broom
by Kelly Starling Lyons    
illustrated by Daniel Minter

Little girl Ellen knows that the broom is special. It is what made them a family back when her mom and dad jumped the broom to signify their marriage and commitment to one another, back before it was legal for African Americans to register their marriage and raise a family like everybody else.

So, when finally their mom and dad and others were cleared to go to the courthouse and register their marriage, Ellen brings along the broom decorated with flowers, and watches her parents jump the broom again just for sentiment.

A slice of history told through endearing and charming Ellen's actions.



The Escape of Oney Judge
Martha Washington's Slave Finds Freedom    
written and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully

Although quite a heavy subject matter, the book tries not to sugar-coat or sensationalize the event. Oney Judge's desperate longing for freedom is carried through the story, and how the norms of the time make it hard for Oney to truly be free. It is not that she was not well-treated as Mrs. Washington's slave, but, she was not entirely her own person.

While a bit long and wordy for a picture book, the fictional retelling of Oney's story is engaging and thought-provoking for kids.



Follow the Drinking Gourd
written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter

Sailor Peg Leg Joe helps slaves escape via the Underground Railroad, going from plantation to plantation in pre-Civil war south. He teaches them a song that he wrote which gives directions to safehouse and stops along the way that can lead them to freedom up north, by following the drinking gourd, which is the Big Dipper in the sky.

From Old Hattie to Little Isiah, a group of slaves, a family, escape one night, fearing for their lives, relying entirely on the elements and outside help to get themselves to safety. The story is gripping and the illustrations are bright and bold.



In the Garden With Doctor Carver
by Susan Grigsby
illustrated by Nicole Tadgell          

In this charming historical fiction, plant biologist Dr. George Washington Carver teaches how to replenish and restore soil that has been depleted by cotton plantations in rural Alabama.

The story, told through little girl Sally's voice, is engaging and uplifting. Dr. Carver even shows them a fun recipe or two about how to make wild weed salad, sweet-potato flour bread, and chicken from peanuts.



Sweet Music in Harlem
by Debbie A. Taylor    
illustrated by Frank Morrison

A famous photograph by Art Kane that captured all the musical greats of Harlem in 1958 was the inspiration for this story. That photograph where several jazz musicians posed on the steps of an old brownstone was in a t-shirt the author's husband was wearing.

Uncle Click, a skilled jazz trumpeter, is getting ready for being photographed but is missing his hat, his special hat that gives him his trademark look. So his nephew C.J. offers to find it for him before the photographer arrives so that his uncle can be his snazziest best for the picture.

Uncle says he went to the barbershop, the diner, and the music club previously so he must've left his hat in one of these places. C.J tries to track it down but fails. The photo gets taken anyway and it seems like the hat is all but forgotten when it turns up the next day nuzzled next to the brand new clarinet that his uncle gives as a present for his birthday. C.J. is thrilled when Uncle Click says, "You know, a jazzman like you is going to need a good hat. Besides, I am getting used to not wearing one."



These Hands
by Margaret H. Mason
illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Alluding to the old policy in 1940s and 1950s at the unionized factories in the north like Wonder Bread, Awree, and Tastee bakeries of not letting African Americans handle bread dough, claiming that white folks will not want to eat the bread touched by black hands, the fictional story talks about Joseph's grandpa whose hands could do almost anything so skillfully. Anything, except, bake the bread at the Wonder Bread factory.

Illustrations are gorgeous, and the ending is charming and uplifting.



White Water
Inspired by A True Story
by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein
illustrated by Shadra Stickland

A transformative look at the segregation in the south, the book follows little boy Michael who is determined to ask the kind of questions that need to be asked, and answered.

Based on author Bandy's childhood experience of being prohibited from drinking from a "Whites Only" fountain, the story explores Michael's obsession with finding out what the "White" water tastes like because the fountain that he is allowed to drink from has warm, dirty, rusty-tasting water, so surely, the "white" water must taste like sweet honey and hence it is forbidden for non-whites.

So, he gives in to curiosity and attempts to drink from the White fountain, but is startled by a vigilant white lady, and falls down. "Lying on the ground, all I could see was the pipe. I'd never seen it from that angle before. The same pipe fed both fountains! Two fountains. Two signs. But the same water in both!"

This startling discovery helps Michael reconsider how the rules are affecting his thinking. "The signs over the fountains had put a bad idea in my head. but they were a lie. If they weren't real, what else should I question?"



New Shoes  

by Susan Meyer
illustrated by Eric Velasquez


Ella Mae is excited to go to Mr.Johnson's shoe store with her Mama. Her brother's hand-me-down shoes don't fit and she needs a new pair. But, when they get to the store, Mr. Johnson wouldn't let her try on any as she is black, and proceeds to serve another white customer, a white girl who gets to try on pair after pair to pick out the one she wants.

Not to be dejected, Ella Mae teams up with her friend Charlotte and embarks on a frenzy of doing chores around her neighborhood to earn the odd nickel and "a pair of  outgrown shoes" - good and usable. When they have collected enough pairs of shoes through hard work, they set up a sale where all customers are free to try on shoes to their heart's content before picking the right one to take home.

The illustrations are gorgeous - the girls just pop out of the page - and the story unfolds with a lot of warmth amidst the heartwrenching reality.

What inspired the kids about this story is that while living through the reality of segregation and not being able to change it large-scale, the girls defy the subjugation and come up with their own small-scale plan of resistance through their entrepreneurship, winning a small triumph in their own way.

[image source: Multnomah County Library]