Weekend Pick for July 19, 2024

Weekend Pick for July 19, 2024

Vanessa Rogers, an educator, a traveler, and a lover of adventure brings you this Weekend's Pick.

Crowned: Magical Folk and Fairy Tales from the Diaspora
by Kahran and Regis Bethencourt 
and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

Vanessa Rogers

What’s better than one great weekend read? Two great weekend reads! If you like adventure, traveling across worlds, or even realms, or possibly living in your favorite fairy tale - you are in the right place. 

We all, at one point or another have read, heard, or referenced: Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, or even Hansel and Gretel; but how many of us know the tales of Anasi? Aku? Or John Henry? What about the legend of Princess Yennenga? Or even know how the zebra got their stripes? 
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To start this weekend’s recommendation we first take a look at the age-old stories that were likely to have been the very first stories heard by many children. Crowned: Magical Folk and Fairy Tales from the Diaspora, written by husband and wife duo Kahran and Regis Bethencourt, takes these very characters and weaves in the faces, cultures, and experiences of the historically overlooked.

This book is as much a page-turner as it is a piece of art. Story after story reimagine the lives of “our” classic characters by painting (quite literally) their lives in a different light. Instead of Goldie Locks and Cinderella, we meet Goldi the girl with the golden locks and Asha, the little cinder girl. 

Kahran and Regis Bethencourt

​These classical tales are then followed by stories from the Diaspora, including that of a spider who uses his mystical web to weave together the lives of folktales and legends alike - Anasi; an American hero renowned for his super strength, enormous imposing steel hammer, and dedication to his job - John Henry; and the toils of a cunning trickster rabbit and his respective foe, fox - Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox.

These culturally rooted stories serve as the foundation for this weekend’s second, and paired, reading: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky.

The second reading follows a middle schooler across the country and into another realm! Tristan Strong finds himself grieving the loss of his best friend, the loss of his first boxing match, and the loss of his sense of direction as he is sent from Chicago to his grandparents’ farm all the way in Alabama. Leaving home filled with guilt, the stories and the cherished notebook of his late friend - his visit to the farm does not go quite as planned. Glowing journals, talking dolls, beloved legends, forgotten gods …and a hole in the sky - what could go wrong?

Kwame Mbalia

Pairing these two texts provides background knowledge, adventure, and a chance to see the world from a different perspective. Crowned: Magical Folk and Fairy Tales from the Diaspora serves as a great coffee table book, attracting the attention of all; while Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky perfectly balances humor, suspense, and accessibility - as it has additionally been formatted as a graphic novel and an audiobook. 

Whether you enjoy imagining the characters and events of a storyline, looking at pictures, or listening to a recording of your book - happy reading!