Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

Trust Jacqueline Woodson, national treasure that she is, to have you smiling and crying within moments of the other and leave you feeling hopeful even in the most dire of circumstances. Her latest, Before the Ever After, explores the story of a family affected by CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Written in the verse format she's come to be known for, Woodson's beautiful words take readers on a journey of how it feels to watch your world crumble through a child's eyes. 

 As Zachariah "44" Johnson, Super Bowl champion tight end, struggles with gaps in his memory and feelings of not quite being himself, his son ZJ struggles with watching the father both he and his friends adore become a stranger. Where his dad once joked around with and encouraged ZJ's friends, he's become an angry man who yells without provocation. Woodson gives words to Zachariah's inner thoughts, as well as those he expresses out loud. And those thoughts are important because that's where readers can see how frightened he is at who he's becoming. 

 Woodson gives ZJ a strong support group that I truly treasured because so often Black boys aren't portrayed as boys. There's a tendency to forget that they're children, but ZJ's mother, Lisa, at one point reminds him to enjoy being a child for a while longer. So as ZJ's world is crumbling around him, he has Ollie and Darry and Daniel to fall back on. When one of them calls for a meeting at the trail, it's understood that their friend needs them and they show up for each other. It's such a beautiful friendship that even with everything going on in ZJ's life, I left the story feeling confident his friends would get him through whatever obstacles he and his family were faced with.

#BookReview: THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor black neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil, at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, Khalil’s death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Starr’s best friend at school suggests he may have had it coming. When it becomes clear the police have little interest in investigating the incident, protesters take to the streets and Starr’s neighborhood becomes a war zone. What everyone wants to know is: What really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could destroy her community. It could also endanger her life.

Review: Much like Margot, the protagonist in Lilliam Rivera's The Education of Margot Sanchez, Angie Thomas introduces readers to Starr Carter - a teen balancing life in the hood with her private prep school life. And almost coincidentally, Starr's father owns a grocery store, as does Margot's father. And both girls have down to earth and relatable mothers and overbearing, protective brothers. I read THUG first, but knew as soon as I picked up The Education that they would pair well because black and brown girls have similar struggles.

Unlike Margot, Starr is sure of herself at school; she fits into that world. But back home in Garden Heights where everyone knows her as "Big Mav's daughter who works in the store," things are a little more difficult. She's not bougie, she just doesn't quite fit. She has a complicated relationship with Kenya, her brother's sister, but still finds herself at a party with her even though it's not her typical scene. Starr has been sheltered, and the party is a little more hood than she's used to. But running into her childhood friend, Khalil, makes it all worth while.

Khalil and Starr have a bond that goes back to when they were much younger and innocent. At one point, Khalil, Starr and Natasha were like the three musketeers. Now Starr is the remaining musketeer.

There's a lot to unpack as The Hate U Give follows Starr's struggle to comprehend how things went so wrong on the ride home from the party. If she says nothing when she hears her friends and classmates glossing over the latest "thug" to get killed by police, is she doing Khalil a disservice by not speaking up for him? Kenya calls her out for not speaking out on his behalf, but doing so could have repercussions for her family. There's a lot of pressure on Starr and she carries a lot of weight on her shoulders, much more than any child should have to.

Angie Thomas is doing important work with THUG. It's rare that the voices of those that love the deceased are heard. When the Mike Browns, Trayvon Martins and Tamir Rices of the world are killed, the narrative we hear in the media is rarely the complete story and can, at times, be biased toward the killer instead of the victim. So it was refreshing to see Starr step up in a Rachel Jeantel kind of way and tell the world who Khalil was.

In giving THUG to the world, Thomas dares readers to rethink how these victims are portrayed; and not just the victims but their loved ones and people protesting in the streets. I can't express enough how impactful I think this story is. I'd go so far to say that it should be required reading in schools, particularly those that are predominantly white or where the view people of color is through a filtered lens. It's important that people remember that victims of police killings are still human. Someone, somewhere loved them. They are someone's child, someone's sibling, someone's friend.

464 p.
Published: February 2017
Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher; opinions are my own.

#BookReview: THE EDUCATION OF MARGOT SANCHEZ by Lilliam Rivera

Summary: Things/People Margot Hates:
Mami, for destroying her social life
Papi, for allowing Junior to become a Neanderthal
Junior, for becoming a Neanderthal
The supermarket
Everyone else

After “borrowing” her father’s credit card to finance a more stylish wardrobe, Margot Sanchez suddenly finds herself grounded. And by grounded, she means working as an indentured servant in her family’s struggling grocery store to pay off her debts.

With each order of deli meat she slices, Margot can feel her carefully cultivated prep school reputation slipping through her fingers, and she’s willing to do anything to get out of this punishment. Lie, cheat, and maybe even steal…

Margot’s invitation to the ultimate beach party is within reach and she has no intention of letting her family’s drama or Moises—the admittedly good looking but outspoken boy from the neighborhood—keep her from her goal.

Review: It's hard to fit in when you're other, and by other I mean, not white in a predominantly white space. Been there, done that all through grade school and high school when I cared about fitting in and being accepted by others. So I empathize with Margot because it's hard to be the odd woman out and it's even more difficult when you want to be in the in crowd. Did I steal my parent's credit card trying to be about that life? Nope, because I'm not crazy, but I totally understand where Margot is coming from.

Margot's day bridge two worlds, private prep school and the Bronx, oh but the nice part of the Bronx (Riverdale), as she keeps telling herself and her classmates. And I get that. Growing up in East St. Louis, I remember telling classmates in the neighboring white town that I lived in Edgemont, which was technically East St. Louis, but the nice part, right? Because admitting that you live in a town others looks down on means they might look down on you and you have to fit in, but God is it exhausting.

While her two besties, Serena and Camille, are the typical mean girls group, they're also the it girls of the school, but they're boring in comparison to what awaits Margot in the Bronx. I enjoyed Margot's family, friends and coworkers at home. Her overbearing father, her overprotective but slightly shady btother, the cashieristas that can't stand "Princesa," her quirky best friend, Elizabeth, her easy going mom and Moises. They're loud and real, something Margot doesn't appreciate, but she's just taking cues from her father who told her to find the important kids at school and fit in with them. In doing so, she's forgotten the world she came from and her experiences over the summer quickly remind her.

There's so much to love about this book. Rivera touches on gentrification and its effects on urban areas, neighborhood gardens, underage drinking, family secrets, new relationships, old relationships, family dynamics, and more. Whew! It's a lot. But Rivera does it well. Margot's story moves at a study pace and at no time was I ever bored by it or the characters. There were a few surprises along the way, but I really felt that Margot was in a much better place than she started by the end of the book. While The Education of Margot Sanchez is considered YA, I had no problems enjoying it as an adult and encourage fellow readers to pick it up and give it a read. Also, I'd definitely read a sequel should Rivera decide to continue Margot's journey, perhaps to college? Just throwing that out there.

304 p.
Published: February 2017

#BookReview: UNTWINE by Edwidge Danticat

Sixteen year olds aren’t supposed to die, but sometimes they do. Giselle and Isabelle Boyer are as alike and different as twins can be. Isabelle is the creative flute playing twin, while Giselle is the more analytical of the two. From birth their parents have encouraged their individuality, insisting that they be placed in different classrooms, wear different clothes and have different sets of friends.

A fatal car accident on the way to Isabelle’s flute recital leaves the already fragile Boyer family fractured. Through error, the hospital believes that Giselle is the deceased twin. However, it’s Giselle that has survived, but is unable to communicate with them. Imagine being trapped within your own body while doctors and medical students observe you and talk about your twin as if 1) the twin they’re discussing isn’t really you and 2) wondering where your parents are.

Giselle uses her time in the hospital to reminisce on her childhood with Isabelle and family and friends. Edwidge Danticat’s love of her native country is always apparent in her writing and I love how she weaves in the Boyer family’s life in Miami with their return visits to Haiti. We learn of how Giselle and Isabelle loved spending time at their grandparent’s house and how their parents first met as students in Haiti.

Explorations of friendships, boyfriends, things that teens dwell on, swirl around in Giselle’s head as she lies in bed and even after she’s released. What she doesn’t explore, at least in my opinion, is grief. We don’t see the denial and anger that often comes with grief, perhaps it’s muted, but we see her parents act out. We see Giselle push people away, but her grief is a bit underwhelming and not what I would expect from someone that’s lost a sibling, let alone a twin. That would be the only misstep from the author that I can find, though it's not my place or anyone else's to tell someone how to grieve.

Untwine is meant for the Young Adult (YA) reader, but it’s easily relatable for adults. Fans of Danticat’s lyrical writing will appreciate this read.

320 p.
Published: September 2015

#BookReview: And Everything Nice - Kim Moritsugu

I requested this from the library after reading an article about the author.  While the article made her books sound interesting with well developed characters, I have to respectfully disagree.  Though it's an extremely quick read at only 128 pages, you'd do better to read the back of a cereal box.

The lead character, Stephanie, is presented as a 24 year old manager at The Gap.   The character's phrasing and her actions make her seem more like an angsty teen than a grown woman.  Perhaps her character would have been more believable as a 16 year old.  As an adult, she just came off as immature.

She lives with her mother and joins a local choir at her mother's urging. In the choir, she befriends a local newswoman who is nice to her, though she's standoffish to others.  When her diary goes missing, Stephanie and Anna (the newswoman) devise a plan to get it back.

I didn't realize until I picked the book up from the library that it was a "rapid read" and maybe that accounts for the lack of depth in character development and story line.  But I've seen plenty of authors write short stories and/or novellas that have much more substance than was found in these 128 pages.  And though the main character is 24 years old, this book would be better classified as YA lit because of the lack of maturity of Stephanie.

 128pp
Published: April 2011

 

Theme: You're Standing On My Neck by Splendora

#BookReview: Red Polka Dot in a World Full of Plaid - Varian Johnson

Had I not been desperate for something to listen to on a recent road trip, I probably would have never picked up this book.  That's not to say that anything was too terribly wrong with it, it just trended on the YA side and that's not really my thing.  But given the choice between listening to this and the same 10 songs over and over again on satellite radio, I went with this.

Red Polka Dot is the story of Maxine, a recent high school graduate, who learns that the father she always thought was dead is, in fact, alive and well and living in Oklahoma.  Determined to meet him, she sets off on her own from South Carolina, only to have car problems.  Her best friend Deke comes to her rescue and the two make their way to Oklahoma where Maxine discovers that not only is her father Jack alive, he's white.

This first effort from Varian Johnson was crammed with entirely too many messages for such a short book.  There was Maxine's discovery that she was biracial and how it affected her outlook after believing that she was black for 18 years. In addition, she had to deal with how others around her reacted to her as a result.   There was also a strong Christian lit element with Deke and Jack both talking about their beliefs repeatedly and trying to convince Maxine to come back to church.  And then there was the problem of defining her friendship with Deke.  In the midst of this, she had to find time to create and define a relationship with her newly discovered father.  And like a soap opera, the author managed to wrap all of these issues up with a nice neat bow within a week.  While this may have played out well for a younger reader, it was too idealistic for a cynical older reader like me.

What did you like about this book?
It had good messages, there were just too many of them to give any one proper attention and fleshing out.

What didn't you like about this book?
The narrator of the audio book has the same last name of the author.  While Johnson is a common last name, I couldn't help but wonder if she was related to him.  That could be the only plausible reason for using her as the narrator.  I picked up a distinct Caribbean lilt in her voice, which was distracting since the character was supposed to be from South Carolina.  Another problem was that the narrator was only capable of doing three voices even though she gave voice to every character in the book.  As a result, all of the male characters, with the exception of Deke, sounded like an old white man sitting on his porch holding a shotgun and all of the female characters, with the exception of Maxine, sounded like Florence Jean Castleberry (that's Flo for those that remember the TV show, Alice).  It may have been more economically feasible for the author to use a relative to narrate, but the voices she used were annoying and made listening to the book almost unbearable.

What could the author do to improve this book?
Pick a theme and stick with it.

199pp
Listening time: 5 hours, 50 minutes
Published November 2005

Theme: At Seventeen by Janis Ian

#BookReview: Sandrine's Letter to Tomorrow - Dedra Johnson

Written in a voice far older than that of an 8 year old, Sandrine Miller has a lot to say. Raised by a mother that resents her, Sandrine looks forward to a summer with her grandmother, Mamalita. Instead of the summer she imagines, she's stuck with her father's less than nice new wife and her bratty daughter in Mississippi. When no one is looking, Sandrine makes her way back to her mother in New Orleans, but life there is no joy either.

The author, Dedra Johnson, covers various subjects in a little over 200 pages including: prejudice and preconceived notions within the African American community about skin tone and hair; preying on young girls by older men; women blaming young girls for being preyed upon; and Catholicism. Though there are several tough issues tackled in this book, it's still an enjoyable read.

#BookReview: Edith Jackson - Rosa Guy

Back in my Judy Blume/Paula Danziger/Carolyn Keene days, also known as 25 years ago, Rosa Guy was the first author I read that spoke to me as an African American young adult. Set in New York in the late 70s/early 80s, Edith Jackson is the third in a trilogy that includes Ruby and The Friends. Each book in the trilogy could stand alone, so there's no need to read the first two to understand the third.

The oldest of her deceased mother's five children, Edith is determined to keep her sisters together as they shuttle from one foster home to another. Recently settled in Peekskill, she believes she's found a good home for them. But when her sister Bessie starts sitting on their foster uncle's lap a little too long and her sister Minnie begins to spend time with a new friend, that happens to be white, Edith's world is thrown into turmoil.

This is a story of a young woman learning to live for herself instead of everyone around her and finding that she does indeed have a choice in her future. I loved this book when I was 12 and even more so now.

A book is a gift you can open again & again - Garrison Keillor

A few weeks ago I issued a call to Twitter, Facebook and blog friends asking for book suggestions to give as presents to the readers (and those that need to be encouraged to read) in our lives. The response was overwhelming. I've compiled a list of suggested books below and comments from those that suggested them.

I also promised a $ 25 Amazon.com gift card. For her passionate and lengthy list of books, particularly in a genre that is sometimes overlooked by adults, the winner is Ari aka Miss Attitude. Ari blogs over at Reading in Color and is always in the know about the latest and greatest lit for young adults. Congrats Ari!

Youth

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt & David Small

Mean, old Gar-face abuses his poor little animals so much so that the only place they can find solace is underneath the house. The story deals with animal mistreatment, but also teaches friendship can be found in the unlikeliest of places - in this case among a dog and a cat. This is a great book to read aloud or with an older child perhaps 2nd grade or above.

Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson & Kadir Nelson

Written by Sharon Robinson - Jackie Robinson's daughter - this is a wonderful tale of history, hope, faith and love. It was a welcome addition to our family library and an even greater addition to my kids' school library - as we purchased an additional. copy to donate. Another favorite for the 2nd grade and above.

The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden

Ivy, Holly, and Mr. and Mrs. Jones all have one Christmas wish. Ivy, an orphan, wishes for a real home and sets out in search of the grandmother she's sure she can find. Holly, a doll, wishes for a child to bring her to life. And the Joneses wish more than anything for a son or daughter to share their holiday. Can all three wishes come true?

Young Adult

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

A YA urban fantasy book about a high school girl who draws the unwanted notice of a faerie prince. I think that'd be a great choice for an older teen/20s reluctant girl reader.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

It's about a girl who lies. A lot. It's suspenseful and keeps you guessing. I loved it.

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

It's about a multiracial sarcastic smart athletic guy who decides to make a bunch of misfits popular. For guys especially I recommend ..A poignant, hysterical read.

I also recommend anything by Walter Dean Mosley.

A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott

For all the historical fiction/fantasy readers. About a girl from 21st Brooklyn's time travel to the Civil War Brooklyn. Amazing.

Flygirl by Sherri Smith

Ida Mae Jones dreams of flight. Her daddy was a pilot and being black didn't stop him from fulfilling his dreams. But her daddy's gone now, and being a woman, and being black, are two strikes against her.

When America enters the war with Germany and Japan, the Army creates the WASP, the Women's Airforce Service Pilots—and Ida suddenly sees a way to fly as well as do something significant to help her brother stationed in the Pacific. But even the WASP won't accept her as a black woman, forcing Ida Mae to make a difficult choice of "passing," of pretending to be white to be accepted into the program. Hiding one's racial heritage, denying one's family, denying one's self is a heavy burden. And while Ida Mae chases her dream, she must also decide who it is she really wants to be.

Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis

Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn’t your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she’s too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there’s more to Mare than what you see. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less-than-perfect life in the deep South and lied about her age to join the African American battalion of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II.

She's So Money by Cherry Cheva

Maya has always been the good girl. Camden is the popular jock with a bigger ego than brain. Maya never thought there'd be a reason for them to, like, interact. But when the biggest mistake of her life lands her in need of a seriously devious plan, she discovers Camden isn't as dumb as he looks. And now that Maya's playing the bad girl (lying, cheating, swindling, and, um, shopping), she might as well do it right and flirt with the bad boy. . . .

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Marcelo Sandoval hears music no one else can hear--part of the autism-like impairment no doctor has been able to identify--and he's always attended a special school where his differences have been protected. But the summer after his junior year, his father demands that Marcelo work in his law firm's mailroom in order to experience "the real world." There Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the firm.

The Making of Dr. Truelove by Derrick Barnes (for guys it's very funny, very hormone-driven!).

Diego is a sixteen-year-old boy with a problem. He loves his girlfriend, Roxy. And when they suddenly break up due to Diego's own insecurity issues, the boy is crushed. However will he win Shorty back?

On the trusty advice of his (crazy) best friend, Diego invents an alter ego known as Dr. Truelove. A sex and relationship e-columnist, Truelove is smooth where Diego is gawky, skilled where Diego is clueless. Truelove is, quite clearly, the way back into Roxy's heart. Or so it seems.

Lip Gloss Chronicles series: The Ultimate Test and Splitsville by Sheila M. Goss

The Lip Gloss Chronicles explores the life of three sassy and hip urban high school freshmen who are high on fashion and magnets for drama. Britney Franklin, Jasmine McNeil, and Sierra Sanchez, daughters of Dallas, Texas socialites met in their private grammar school, and now they are ready to tackle their freshman year in a new public high school as a team.

Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife -- between desire and danger.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl which just came out a few days ago. It was an amazing paranormal read and about as long as one of the Twilight books.

Donut Days by Lara Zielin. It was a great story about families, church, and friendship.

International Fiction

The Book of Night Women by Marlon James

About a group of slave women in Jamaica plotting their escape.

Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo

Essentially a gothic multigeneration family saga

The New Moon's Arms by Nalo Hopkinson

A book about a woman going through menopause who is forced to reexamine her life and values after realizing mermaids are real. Trust me, it's handled wonderfully.

Non-fiction

Complications and Better by Atul Gawande's medical essays (the latter has slightly more interesting topics)

anything by Oliver Sacks (my favourite is his memoir of loving chemistry as a boy called Uncle Tungsten)

Red, White, and Drunk All Over by Natalie McClean

For foodies: a wonderful book about wine-not at all pretentious and McClean's love for it shines through.

Fiction - Adults

Children of the Waters by Carleen Brice

Still reeling from divorce and feeling estranged from her teenage son, Trish Taylor is in the midst of salvaging the remnants of her life when she uncovers a shocking secret: her sister is alive. For years Trish believed that her mother and infant sister had died in a car accident. But the truth is that her mother fatally overdosed and that Trish’s grandparents put the baby girl up for adoption because her father was black.

After years of drawing on the strength of her black ancestors, Billie Cousins is shocked to discover that she was adopted. Just as surprising, after finally overcoming a series of health struggles, she is pregnant–a dream come true for Billie but a nightmare for her sweetie, Nick, and for her mother, both determined to protect Billie from anything that may disrupt her well-being.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Be prepared to meet three unforgettable women:

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town...

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973."

So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue without her -- her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling.