Follow us:
DR. BICKMORE'S YA WEDNESDAY
  • Weekly Posts
  • WEEKEND PICKS 2023
  • Monday Motivators 2023
  • Weekend Picks 2021
  • Contributors
  • Bickmore's Posts
  • Lesley Roessing's Posts
  • Weekend Picks 2020
  • Weekend Picks 2019
  • Weekend Picks old
  • 2021 UNLV online Summit
  • UNLV online Summit 2020
  • 2019 Summit on Teaching YA
  • 2018 Summit
  • Contact
  • About
  • WEEKEND PICKS 2023

Weekend Pick for December 30, 2022

12/29/2022

0 Comments

 

Weekend Pick for December 30, 2022

Looking for something to read? 
​Check out our weekly suggestions!
Are your students looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or past years.
​
For the picks from 2021 click here
For the picks from 2020 click here.
For older picks click from 2019 click here.
For the even older picks click here.

As our last pick of December arrives, we want to end the year with gratitude for all our guest curators for 2022. Also, a special thank you to Dr. Susan Densmore-James for all her picks for the month of December. Excellent reads and beautiful reviews to match! 

Picture
The Silence that Binds Us
By Joanna Ho

Dr. Susan Densmore- James
The Book Dealer

“Our voices are more than sword and shield. They are bridges too.”

My “book family” shares my passion for ensuring our youth are provided the freedom to choose books that will fuel a fire for reading and provide the comfort and support which stories can provide. I have many friends who write picture books, middle grades novels, and YA Literature, and one thing I can say without hesitation about these authors is this:  they are there for our children and young adults. They provide unconditional support for so many who are facing serious challenges in life. My experience working with authors has been life changing.  So many of them have modeled for me the importance of placing kids first, as well as the importance of providing a wide variety of diverse selections for reading which can build empathy by shining a light onto others’ lives. I have seen time and time again a classroom of our youth brought together by the powerful words of books.
    
Why am I mentioning this? Sadly, living in a state that is banning books left and right, I am constantly on alert working to ensure books stay on the shelves of our schools.  I have been deeply reflecting on each book from December’s picks, thinking about the unique life lessons from which our youth can benefit.  As I usually do after reading a thought-provoking book, I have reached out to each author from this month’s reviews, and, not surprisingly, each has answered my email within a day.  These individuals, most of whom have a demanding “day” job in addition to writing for our adolescents, spend countless hours communicating with their young audiences through school visits and responses to emails and letters. In the world of Children’s and Young Adult Literature, I see a passionate group of writers willing to share their stories out of pure love and concern for our society, and many of them are vulnerable enough to incorporate real-world experiences of their own into their books. They provide us a perfect platform for vital discussions with our youth—something that is critical to our growth and development as humans.

My last “pick” for this month is a book that does just that and more. The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho has literally taken my breath away and left me reeling in its wake. Since I spend much time on the road visiting schools, I spent an entire work day going back and forth between the text and the Audible book (narrated beautifully by Raechel Wong). And yes, I finished it in one day. This novel is so tightly and expertly woven together, its perfection seems to stem from an author who has long mastered the craft and knows exactly how to weave together every morsel of text, down to even the smallest detail of its title. Never have a read a book that had me thinking about the importance of a title as much as this one (and that says a lot, as I have read thousands).
  
As I have mentioned throughout my December 2022 Picks,  the Author’s Note gives readers clues into how each story is birthed, and it is no surprise that Joanna Ho has spent time as an English teacher. In my role as a professor who spends much time in the  hallways of local middle and high schools, I can say Joanna Ho’s dialogue is “on point,” making this book not only a beautiful read, but one that is both relevant and relatable to our teens. I have been so excited to share this treasure with a larger community, as I have already been sharing with our local schools, educators, my students at the university, all of my book club members, my dogs, and anyone else who will listen as I passionately gush on and on about it.
  
The story starts with the unthinkable trauma of Maybelline Chen (May), the main character,  losing her brilliant, older brother, Danny, to suicide right after he is accepted into Princeton University.  Where many YA books would have this loss as the one conflict, this is just where Ho begins her story. The Chen family is thrown into an even deeper pit of despair when

Mr. McIntyre, a local Silicon Valley entrepreneur, publicly blames Asian youth and their families for the overly-competitive spirit in the local school district. He falsely claims Asian parents are the root cause of the struggles of  “other” students to compete for college admissions.  Adding insult to May and her parents, he addresses Danny as “some Asian kid,” not even honoring Danny with a name. Adding to the complexity is Mr. McIntyre’s son, Josh, is May’s friend and long-time admirer.  How Josh reacts to his father’s racist proclamation in front of the entire junior class puts May in a spiral —ending her naïveté about the prejudices in her community.  This awareness slowly builds over the course of the novel in just the right manner, as the reader is truly riveted until the last word in the book.
    
Just like in real life, no person has one layer to the complex human spirit, and May is a beautifully, multi-layered young lady. Ho creates a narrative that expertly pulls back each layer of May, revealing she is not only a Taiwanese Chinese American, but she is the child of two Chinese parents. She is sister to a Chinese brother who has been unknowingly struggling with depression. And, she is a friend to others who are of different racial backgrounds. Her parents’ history and experiences make for complex characters, both of whom provide different roles in May’s life. The mother/daughter relationship is complex. Ho accurately portrays a family who might look different on the outside, but experiences the same challenges faced by all humankind. We all have a complex family dynamic that takes work and a willingness to openly communicate in order to better understand each other.  May often feels her mother is ashamed of her because she is so different from her mom.  In fact, May feels like even her physical appearance is offensive to her Mother.  May often refers to her mom’s disgust through the metaphor of her mother’s “pregnant hippo of disappointment and its cousin, the rhinoceros of fear”  Words come easily to May (and to Joanna Ho, as her word choice in this masterpiece is a work of art).  May loves to write, which is also in opposition to what she believes her mother wants for her as a career.
    
Luckily at the time of Danny’s death, May has friends in her life who love and care for her, namely the Duverne siblings.  These lovely characters are the ideal in terms of friends— Mark being Danny’s best friend and Tiya being May’s BFF. This family (refuges from Haiti)  provides a safe, inviting place for May which May both treasures and needs. May enjoys learning about the food from their culture, loves the warm hugs she receives from their mother, and feels part of their family (sometimes even more than she does at home with her own mom).
    
When May writes an impassioned poem for the local newspaper, a heated debate pops up in several venues across school.  In comes the English teacher, Ms. Daniels, whom I loved as a critical figure in the plot line. Her ability to masterfully discuss challenging yet important topics with her students by posing questions for them to answer is a powerful illustration of what adults should do in order to encourage youth to think critically.  The negative response from May’s poem is met with yet another downward spiral in May’s life, as she must decide if she should use her voice or honor her parents, who do not want May to cause waves. At this point in the narrative, May is forced to take a good, long look at her own behavior, as she begins to consider how she has treated others in their quest for equality and a rightful place in society.  And, the event that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats is May’s discovery of a shoebox tied together by a shoe string, holding a possible message from Danny about his death.
 
The lessons in this book will forever be a part of me (and I will leave you with questions to consider, as Ms. Daniels, May’s teacher, so expertly demonstrates)!.  1.  What are the possible perils of silence ?  2.  When should we use our voices, how should we use our voices, and to what extent should we use them?  3.  What should we do when others do not hear our voices? 4. What is the power of friendship? And what is the value of having a diverse group of friends? Can one person/friend be your “everything” in life?   5.  How should we seek help when we need it?  6.  Why should we learn about cultures other than our own?  7.  How do others show us love?  8.  How do we show love?  9. How can we ensure we are helping our youth develop into healthy, loving, and thoughtful humans?  10.  Why is storytelling an important part of our society?

Joanna, thank you.  You have provided your readers with so much to think about, and you have made me a better reader, writer, educator, and human.  I am quite honored to be asked to write these reviews, and it has not been easy to select 5 titles out of so many amazing books, but this one is deserving!  I am so thankful authors like Joanna Ho have written their stories. As Maybelline Chen says, “Hearts and minds are changed through stories.” We just need to listen.

Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Weekend Pick for December 23, 2022

12/24/2022

0 Comments

 

Weekend Pick for December 23, 2022

Looking for something to read? 
​Check out our weekly suggestions!
Are your students looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or past years.
​
For the picks from 2021 click here
For the picks from 2020 click here.
For older picks click from 2019 click here.
For the even older picks click here.
Picture
Crushing
 by Sophie Burrows

Dr. Susan Densmore- James
The Book Dealer

“An Illustrated Misadventure in Love and Loneliness”

 If you have read a few of my reviews, you know this about me:  I value my “book” community more than any amount of money.  #Truth.  So, that is why when I see friends like Andy Schoenborn (Creating Confident Writers for High School, College, and Life, co-authored with Troy Hicks) mention a book that catches fire in his high school classroom, I do the only thing I know I must do:  read it.  

Andy wrote about using the stunning graphic novel
Crushing by Sophie Burrows in his first few weeks of instruction this school year. I try my best to challenge my choices in reading, and graphic novels generally are at the bottom of my reading basket (or to be more accurate, my many reading crates). Sure, I love books like Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka and New Kid by Jerry Craft, and I have read many other great graphic treasures, but I read them because I am constantly looking for books to motivate the reluctant reader, and I have always found graphic novels to be a hot ticket for this audience. But, this book? I selfishly selected for me.  

When it arrived, I could not wait to open its beautiful cover, and luckily, my teenaged daughter was with me, so we sat down together and had a “true experience” (her words, not mine). Crushing is the story of two people looking for a love connection.  Although this story is told in silence (wordless graphic novel), the intricate details in Burrow’s beautiful art tells a multi-layered story. As my daughter and I leisurely flipped through the pages (so as not to miss the smallest of details in this beautiful work of art), we talked (actually, I did the listening).  When I asked her questions about certain images, she began to tell me the story through her eyes.  What a wonderful practice for inference-making and, more importantly, what a way to learn more about my own child’s thinking! Burrow’s book touches on some important talking points:  the often-false marketing of “love” as the model for “true love”, the cons of communicating through phones (texting), the dangers of bullying, the process of learning to be alone, and finding joy in the small things. 

I have realized something important about graphic novels.  One of most favorite parts of this type of text is the Author’s Note.  I had this epiphany while reading Hey, Kiddo.  There is something amazing about reading the story behind the graphics, and many times, I end up with crocodile tears in my eyes once I finish this often-missed treasure of text. This is where the power lies—in hearing other peoples’ stories and witnessing their challenges and inspiring tales of perseverance. This book was no exception to my realization. The dilemma, I find, is not whether to read the Author’s Note, but WHEN to read it.  Do I enjoy it first (setting the stage for reading?).  Or do I leave it until the end of the novel, allowing me to check how deeply I have comprehended?  Have I missed parts of the book and now the pieces are coming together?  Yes, this is the madness that brews in the mind of an avid reader, and, with any hope, I can pass this along to my daughter and students with whom I work. This time, I saved it for last, and my daughter agreed we made the right decision.  Waiting was an added bonus to “The Great Experience,” as I now call reading with my daughter. We learned about the author’s purpose of writing her book as we read Sophie’s story, and it was no surprise this author wrote her first novel during the time of COVID.  Elena, my daughter, exclaimed, “Oh, we should have known!” and then started flipping back to show me the text evidence (again, her words, not mine) that was provided.  This gave the book a whole new “look” at this point.  Elena and I were able to talk about what Sophie shared about “drowning” during the pandemic, and the feeling she had of loneliness and despair. It was cathartic for both of us, and it gave us important mother/daughter time to talk about challenges in life.

As I the packed my briefcase for work the next day at the university, I excitedly placed Crushing in my bag.  And the following day, I had a whole new “Great Experience” with a class of 25 pre-service teachers.  This is the power of community and the power of sharing books. Thanks, Andy.  I am so grateful for all we share with our “book” family.  

Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Weekend Pick for December 16, 2022

12/16/2022

0 Comments

 

Weekend Pick for December 16, 2022

Looking for something to read? 
​Check out our weekly suggestions!
Are your students looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or past years.
​
For the picks from 2021 click here
For the picks from 2020 click here.
For older picks click from 2019 click here.
For the even older picks click here.
Picture
Trowbridge Road by Marcella Pixley
Dr. Susan Densmore- James
The Book Dealer

I am not one to pay for internet service on an airplane (especially now since a nice rib roast costs approximately as much as my first vehicle).  I use my travel time to decompress and read books that I download prior to departing home, deliberately escaping email and online work.  I found myself quite surprised when after devouring the anthology Ab(solutely) Normal: Short Stories that Smash Mental Health Stereotypes, I did the unthinkable:  I paid the price to download every one of Marcella Pixley’s books.  Every.  Single.  One.  

    If you read my last review, you know it was Marcella’s story in the anthology edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Callen that made me break down and cry in seat 17A on Flight 1953 to Anaheim.  Her story spoke to me.  Not only could I relate to it emotionally (it literally broke me into pieces and put me back together again), but there is something quite lyrical about the writing of this author. Lyrical and beautiful. 

Surprisingly, I had not read Trowbridge Road penned by Pixley, as I read thousands of books yearly, and I generally devour any middle or YA book that is longlisted/short listed for the National Book Award.  Somehow, this exquisitely written and magical piece of literature escaped me. I am so thankful the anthology led me to her work, and I have already shared this title with many middle school classes (as well as my own university students, as this book is a must for every human).  

Trowbridge Road is set in Boston during the summer of 1983 and is told through the eyes of June Bug Jordan, one of the loveliest, most brutally honest young ladies I have ever “met.”  Like so many of our youth, she is a wise old soul who can see life for what it is (both beautiful and tragic), despite her life being rife with an over-abundance of grief and stress. June Bug has lost her father to complications from AIDS. In addition to this tragedy, June Bug’s mother spends her days locked in their house, scouring every inch of their residence to rid it of germs she falsely believes are everywhere. She has stopped preparing meals for the two of them, does not take care of the young June Bug, and even puts their lives at risk at one point in the novel. The only sign of peace and tranquility in the home is when her mother occasionally picks up a bow and plays her cello for her daughter, an act that June Bug feels is the only connection her mother even has with the earth.
 The one godsend for June Bug is the arrival of Ziggy, an imaginative boy who has been given up by his mother and left on the doorstep of his loving grandmother, Nana Jean.  From day 1, Ziggy is the target of the bullies who ride bikes down Trowbridge Road because of his long, red hair, quirky dress and personality, and his pet ferret, who can be seen constantly perched on his shoulder. Yet, June Bug envies the newcomer to the neighborhood because of what she sees is the perfect life:  unconditional love and stability from the matriarch, Nana Jean. June Bug wistfully tells the reader, “It was clear the one thing in this world Nana Jean most wanted to give Ziggy was the gift of everyday-ness.”  And that is what June Bug desires most—a normal, healthy, and happy homelife with her mother becoming mentally well.  June Bug even tells us she would rather go hungry than see her mother in this state. 
When Ziggy first arrives to town, June Bug watches Nana Jean and Ziggy from her treetop hideaway, but eventually, the kids become fast friends and co-adventurers. The bond between these two lovely souls is heartwarming. They create an imaginary world in the woods behind their houses—the 9th Dimension—where they escape to be free from the pain in their hearts.  
Uncle Toby, the brother of June Bug’s deceased father, knows the extent of the issues in the house, so he visits once a week to ensure June Bug is fed and safe. The seriousness of June Bug’s heartbreaking circumstances intensifies as the story progresses, and her mother falls deeper into despair and depression. June Bug must make some very adult decisions (which she does masterfully), as she teaches us the true meaning of family. 
When I finished, I sat in my airplane seat, hugging this book close to my heart.  It made me think of all the young students I have taught over the course of my lifetime.  So many, despite every possible traumatic obstacle thrown at them by the adults in this world, are survivors. I have seen their bravery and perseverance to survive surpass that of so many adults in this world. Ziggy and June Bug are a reminder of these students--wise beyond their years.  They possess a sense of wonder about the remarkable world around us. They are still trusting, even when they have no reason to be. As Ziggy says to his true-blue friend, June Bug, “Remember June Bug. There is more to this world than what you can see with your eyes.” Such big truths revealed by these artfully and realistically created characters. These kids never give up on love, courage, or hope, and Pixley showcases their qualities in such a glorious fashion! Trowbridge Road, June Bug, and Ziggy will always remain on my mind and in my heart.  This lovely story is not to be missed!
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Weekend Pick for December 9, 2022

12/8/2022

0 Comments

 

Weekend Pick for December 9, 2022

Looking for something to read? 
​Check out our weekly suggestions!
Are your students looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or past years.
​
For the picks from 2021 click here
For the picks from 2020 click here.
For older picks click from 2019 click here.
For the even older picks click here.
Picture
Ab(solutely) Normal
Edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Callen

Dr. Susan Densmore- James
The Book Dealer

“These stories will uplift and empower you, break your heart and heal it so it is stronger than before.”  (Shalaway Carpenter and Callen)

December is a time for sharing, and I am excited to write about a book I was introduced to during this year’s National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)/ALAN Conference.  I was introduced to hundreds of new titles that aligned with the theme of “Pursuing the Light” and even paid the overage charge on luggage to bring books home to my students. Never has a theme been more appropriate, as the last three years have been fraught with many incidences that continue to try us all.  Many days, it has been difficult to remain positive, involved, and proactive advocates for our students and other youth in our lives; however, our kids need us more than ever.  

As a university professor who teaches both undergraduate and graduate students and a researcher who works in mostly secondary schools, I have noticed so many differences in the “affects” of students of all ages. The trained mental health counselor in me has some theories on what I am witnessing.  We have had such stress as humans:  COVID, war, polarizing politics, hate crimes (just to name a few, as if that is not enough already!). I try to focus on the positive outcomes. I have learned a lot from authors, artists, students, and colleagues about how to bring light to a dark, transitional time in history.  And all of them (I repeat, all of them) involve spending time together in reading, writing, and discussing great books.

One point of change I have noticed about myself over the past three years is this:  Not only were my emotions new to me, but I have been reading in a way I have never read before.  First, COVID and the loss of my parents devastated me. I found myself reading poetry for the first time due to my short attention span.  Anthologies and middle grades novels were moved to the top of the middle/YA piles (even sharing titles with the amazing Ann Patchett, who wrote about the same experience  in her reading). There have been some phenomenal collections released over the past few years. And, boy did I ever find an amazing works during the conference!  

You know how in an anthology, many times there are a handful of favorite pieces?  Maybe a few that might not be your style?  Well, Ab(solutely) Normal broke the mold.  I was traveling across country to California for the conference, and I could not put the book down.  I raced across the airport to my connecting flight in Dallas, just to be able to finish the last piece (the stunningly beautiful story “Almost Beautiful” by one of my new faves, Marcella Pixley). I was sobbing on the plane after finishing the book, and I did something I have never done before:  I paid the $15 to download more Pixley books to my Kindle library, which speaks volumes of the impact this author and book had on me. 

Picture
This anthology is an English teacher’s dream.  It can be used as a powerful mentor text because the book contains many different genres:  poetry, a one-act play, epistolary, transcript, a graphic story, and fiction that is organized in unique ways.  The possibilities for teaching various organizational patterns are one reason alone for using this book.  

Starting with the title (which is a discussion starter due to the creative use of parenthesis) to the letter from the editors, this book is the complete package tied up with a beautiful bow of a cover, reminding the reader of the delicate and complicated beauty of the human brain.  The vulnerability shown by the editors in the introduction sets the stage for an award-winning and amazingly diverse group of rock-star authors:    Mercedes Angel Acosta, Karen Jialu Bao, James Bird, Rocky Callen, Nora Shalaway Carpenter, Alechia Dow, Patrick Downes, Anna Drury, Nikki Grimes, Val Howlett, Jonathan Lenore Kastin, Sonia Patel, Marcella Pixley, Isabel Quintero,  Ebony Stewart, and Francisco X. Stork all have stories that grace the pages of this book.   

There are books on shelves, many of which I have read, that portray characters who work to overcome a mental illness, and that is the only conflict.  This book is different and, I feel, the first of its kind as these stories have characters who live their lives, and they just so happen to have a mental illness. That illness does not define them nor prevent them from reaching out and connecting with others to find help (as we all need sometimes). I am grateful for the protagonists these writers have created for us because with young people seeing a rise in mental health disorders (49% reported by the National Institute for Mental Health), reading and sharing these stories will be a powerful realization for us all:  7 out of 10 teens see anxiety and depression as a major issue with their friends (Pew Research Center).  It is time to let go of the stigma associated with mental health and teach our youth about the many resources they have when needed. 

It is also time for adults to step up and be honest with our youth about mental illness, as half of all mental health disorders appear by age 14 (World Health Organization). These stories show individuals living and thriving in a world that is often not kind to those struggling.  We see powerful voices created by these authors enjoying experiences like falling in love, growing stronger through their vulnerabilities, and making strong connections with others to live life to its fullest. Mental health is not a weakness; it takes strength and bravery to give it the attention needed to thrive. Giving students this lens of viewing mental illness is the greatest gift (and possibly life-saving solutions) we can give them.  

As a 55-year-old adult, every person I know has had issues with mental health (or at least had a close family member who has struggled). With the help of a family counselor, I, too, survived the darkest time in my life.  For this, I am grateful. I wish I had had this book during that time in life, but I am so grateful my teenaged daughter and her generation will have it as a comfort and solid resource. At the end of each piece, there is an author’s note written which is a vulnerable, truthful letter to the reader. Attaching a personal piece of writing to each story reminds us we are not alone in life. We all have struggles, and these authors are truly my heroes for sharing this fact; they speak their truths to unselfishly help our youth.  This is my definition of bravery.

The editors give many pages of resources, including general, cited information about mental illness, and then, most importantly, provide us with accurate mental health literacy terms and reputable places to learn more.  It truly is a one-stop wonder book for the classroom and our homes, incorporating stories, both fictional and personal, and a toolkit of mental health resources. The bonus? (Not that we need another bonus with this book).  Once our youth read these stories, it will open up a whole new world of reading by adding these authors to their “must read” lists!

My sincere thanks to Nora Shalaway and Rocky Callen for creating this anthology.  I have been introduced to some new voices in the YA world and learned more about some of my “old” favorites. Thank you for reminding us we are not alone.  We are not just ONE-dimensional beings.  We are complicated, beautiful creatures who, with the help of one another, can endure the toughest times in life. 
Picture
Picture
Works Cited:
National Institute of Mental Health, “Mental Illness,” Updated January 2022. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness

Pew Research Center, “Most U.S. Teens See Anxiety and Depression as a Major Problem Among their Peers,” https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/02/20/most-u-s-teens-see-anxiety-and-depression-as-a-major-problem-among-their-peers/
​

World Health Organization, “Adolescent and Youth Adult Health,” January 18, 2021.  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health#:~:text=Mental%20health%20determinants,and%20learning%20to%20manage%20emotions.
0 Comments

Weekend Pick for December 2, 2022

12/1/2022

0 Comments

 

Weekend Pick for December 2, 2022

​Looking for something to read? 
​Check out our weekly suggestions!
Are your students looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or past years.
​
For the picks from 2021 click here
For the picks from 2020 click here.
For older picks click from 2019 click here.
For the even older picks click here.

For the month of December, we would like to welcome Dr. Susan Densmore-James. Dr. Densmore-James, also known as The Book Dealer, works at the University of West Florida in Teacher Education and Educational Leadership. We're so excited to have her insight for our December picks! 
Picture
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammond

Dr. Susan Densmore- James
The Book Dealer

I just returned from my favorite event of the year: the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)/ALAN conference. I first attended NCTE in 2001 as a classroom teacher, and every trip since has been both memorable and life changing. The theme this year was “Pursuing the Light,” and the atmosphere was just that: a beacon of love and light shining brilliantly in this most sacred of spaces. The excitement was electric; everywhere I looked, I could see educators excitedly talking about books and (finally)hugging one another, something we have been unable to do the past two years. These educators, authors, artists, and researchers are the embodiment of light, love, and hope for a better, brighter future.

As I boarded the plane for home, I saw the news: 5 people were senselessly killed in a crime of hate. Another 25 were wounded. The joyous feeling I had from interactions with my “book” family quickly faded, and I began to think about students in my state of Florida (a state that seems to be trying its best to limit many important books). I was reminded of how detrimental (even life-threatening) a lack of acceptance and love of all humans can not only cause loss of dignity, it can also end in loss of life. I have always had trouble articulating what it is I love most about attending NCTE, and right there in that airport, I realized why: Books are a Beacon of Light and the people attending that conference are keepers of the flame of love and light. I have watched as literally thousands of my students have gained so much from books– knowledge, entertainment, support, healing, and understanding. I have seen the major growth and transformation of students and educators that comes from empathy built while reading. Collaborating and engaging with these phenomenal keepers of light is a powerful force that comes from sharing their stories and the stories of millions of kids across the world. Over the next month, I hope to share several books with you that I feel are true beacons of light, love, and hope.  

The first book I want to share is so “hot off the press” that it is not even in press yet, but if you are reading this today, Jas Hammonds’s We Deserve Monuments is out November 29, 2022. Although I have spent almost 35 years reminding young people not to judge a book by its cover, I fell victim to Jurell Cayetano’s art on the front cover of this amazing book. If ever there was a cover designed that held such promise of a bright, beautiful story, it is this one (hat tip to Cayetano). I am blessed to receive dozens of books monthly from authors and publishing houses, but after the initial lure of this beautiful cover, I also saw the Buzzfeed and Teen Vogue reviews.  Heralded as an “...absolute must read” and “a gripping portal of the South’s inherent racism and a love story for queer Black girls…,” this immediately made me stop in my tracks and start reading.

Throughout my career, I have been intentional in my selection of books portraying diverse characters. I have always claimed to be an educator who values equity, equality, and diversity, yet I have read a minimal number of books portraying gay women. I have many who are close to me (including my own child) who are outside the white, heterosexual woman. The only way to better myself is by realizing my shortcomings (thanks, Maya Angelou), so I purposefully began reading We Deserve Monuments. From page 1, I was mesmerized.   
​
The story starts with Avery Anderson, a senior in high school, being uprooted from her Washington D.C. life to spend her senior year in Bardell County, Georgia, to care for her terminally ill grandmother. Hammonds creates a vivid setting and truly unforgettable characters. Bardell could not be any more different from Avery’s life in D.C.  Her grandmother, Momma Letty, is vastly different from her own biological daughter, a seriously professional black astrophysicist who works at George Washington University. Avery’s mom is married to her daddy, a Caucasian, fun-loving, music-playing man. Life in Hammond is completely new to Avery on so many levels.  She is devastated to leave her comfortable life in D.C., but her greatest loss is losing her first girlfriend due to a bad break-up, and in turn losing the friend group that came with that relationship. 

Picture
Hammonds’s dialogue is brilliant, quickly revealing major tension in Avery’s new environment. This all stems from an apparent (yet mysterious) long-brewing discord between her mother and Momma Letty. Along with the element of mystery, Hammonds’s powerful writing and poetic prose captivates the reader. 

As the story progresses, Avery’s mother struggles to reconcile the troubled and strained relationship with her mother with the realization she needs to provide support and assistance as Momma Letty is nearing the end of her life. Avery also makes an attempt to get to know her grandmother, a woman she has had very little memory of from childhood. Her grandmother only responds to her with gruff remarks and insults, making it even more difficult to connect. Avery gains the nickname “Fish” from her grandmother when Momma Letty criticizes the nose ring Avery wears (this is minor compared to some of the insults hurled at the family my Momma). 

Luckily, Avery soon makes friends with her next-door neighbor, Simone, and Simone’s friend, Jade. It is then the book starts to take unexpected twists and turns, as Avery learns about the colorful history of Bardell (including rumors of a murder plot that kills Jade’s beloved mother and racial tensions and events that involve Avery’s own grandmother).  There is a love story within a love story.  Avery learns the vastly important lesson of true love (sometimes losing love is life’s best teacher and opens new doors for a truer love), and Hammonds expertly transports the reader back in time to share in the love story of Momma Letty and her husband, Ray.  

As Avery’s relationship with her grandmother strengthens, so does her knowledge of the racial inequalities in Bardell.  Avery and her friends dig into a decades-old coverup revolving around Momma Letty and Ray.  This is Jas Hammonds’s first novel, and it reads like a novel that has been created by a master writer. Her word choice is truly a work of art, and what could be a hard -to-follow plotline is tied neatly together with the richly developed characterization penned by Hammonds. I honestly could not wait to get to my university class the next day (yes, I read it in one sitting), to share this new author’s work! 

When I finished the book, I read about Jas Hammonds in order to feel even further connected to this amazing talent. Already granted a fellowship for Emerging Author of LGBTQ voices, they remind the reader in the acknowledgements about the importance of each individual in society.  “We all deserve monuments,” Jas writes.   No truer words have ever been spoken.  We all deserve to be treated like the incredible human beings because we all bring so much to our world. I am thankful to you, Jas.  Your story will educate, help, and heal so many. Thank you for shining the bright light of love and hope on our world.

Picture
0 Comments

    Curators for the Weekend Picks

    Leilya Pitre
    Leilya taught English as a foreign language in the Ukraine and ELA/English in public schools in the US. Her research interests include teacher preparation, clinical experiences, secondary school teaching, and teaching and research of Young Adult and multicultural literature. Together with her friend and colleague, Mike Cook, she co-authored a two-volume edition of Teaching Universal Themes Through Young Adult Novels (2021). ​
    Picture
    Cammie Jo Lawton
    Cammie is a current doctoral student at the University of Tennessee Knoxville and serves the Center for Children and Young Adult Literature as a graduate research assistant. She is especially interested in how YA can affect readers, create empathy and possibly shift thinking. 
    Picture
    Nikki Bylina-Streets
    Nikki is a elementary librarian who just keeps reading YA literature. She is a constant advocate for reading at every level. You can also follow her through her ​Instagram account dedicated to my school library work. @thislibraryrocks
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022

Proudly powered by Weebly