Month: October 2020

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Serena Says by Tanita S. Davis – Book Review

 

Title: Serena Says
Author: Tanita S. Davis
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: November 3, 2020

Serena St. John cannot wait to visit her best friend JC in the hospital, especially since JC just had a kidney transplant. When Serena starts to feel under the weather just before the visit, her plans are put on hold. Unable to see JC, another classmate of Serena’s, new girl Leilani (Lani), goes in her place. Serena’s troubles seem to pile up from there. As Serena and JC’s friendship wanes, Serena struggles to understand these changes and her own identity since she suddenly is no longer “JC’s best friend.” Through her family’s support, Serena’s vlogging hobby, and a growing ability to reflect in challenging moments, Serena gains the courage to speak up and speak out about what matters most to her.

Serena Says is a wholesome and honest look at middle school friendships. This notoriously hard age brings with it changes and challenges that often happen without a clear reason, making it all the more confusing and frustrating for young people. Author Tanita Davis captures a slice of this middle school experience. Readers will find themselves confounded and frustrated right alongside Serena as she navigates life and school without a best friend by her side. Serena’s transformation is subtle and realistic, showing that change does not always happen at once. Such a portrayal will resonate with middle grade readers as many will undoubtedly face similar conflicts and questions. Another strength is the novel’s diverse cast of characters. For instance, Serena is Black, JC is Filipino, and Lani is Hawaiian. The diverse set of perspectives will open doors to all types of readers and allow them to connect with the characters. On the other hand, Serena’s vlogging may get mixed reviews. While it provides insight into Serena’s mindset and perspective, some segments do not necessarily contribute to or move the plot forward in a significant way. Even so, other readers may enjoy her vlogs for the breaks they provide from the middle school drama that fills the rest of the narrative.

Serena Says brings a burst of fresh air to the middle grade genre. Many new books focus on larger societal issues or heavier topics, deservedly so. But novels, such as Serena Says, will always have a place in classroom libraries because of the universality of its central theme: the experience of friendship during middle school. Although seemingly a smaller topic in the scheme of things, it is a deeply personal one and potentially quite significant. A person’s own experiences during that time in their life can have a profound impact on them – no small topic indeed. Therefore, Serena will find many fans in the middle grades for the respect it affords young people and the empathy with which it treats their experiences.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Katherine Tegen Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

  • Literature Circles – Use the novel as part of a study of themes of middle school and friendship.
  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading realistic fiction or books about friendship.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

  • Vlogging
  • DIY Crafts
  • Mental Health

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Serena Says. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi – Book Review

 

Title: A Thousand Questions
Author: Saadia Faruqi
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Release Date: October 6, 2020

Instead of spending summer break in Houston, Texas, Maryam, or Mimi, and her mother travel halfway around the world to visit family in Pakistan. At first, Mimi detests the prospect of staying in a foreign country with grandparents she’s never met in person. Her nani (grandmother) seems like a fire-breathing, dragon lady, the azaan and election rallies are loud and unending, and her mom hardly spends time with her. Yet, as Mimi moves past her discomfort, she befriends Sakina, the family’s cook’s daughter. While they seem polar opposites at first – Mimi a rich, American and Sakina a poor Pakistani – they connect over food, language, Pakistani culture, and their dreams. They help each other get one step closer to the futures they desire: school for Sakina and a relationship with her father for Mimi. Hopefully, there will be enough time to accomplish it all before Mimi and her mother return to the United States.

A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi takes readers on an intimate journey to Karachi, Pakistan. Beyond Mimi’s family’s rich abode to Sakina’s poor neighborhood lined with trash piles, readers are fully immersed in Karachi, amplifying its prominence as the story’s setting. This dynamic place comes to life through Faruqi’s sensory prose, easily making those descriptions of time and place the author’s greatest strength. The development of Mimi and Sakina’s relationship rounds out the depiction as their interactions provide valuable insight into Pakistani society and culture. Finally, while Mimi explores her understanding of what it is to be part-Pakistani and Sakina fights against poverty and the class system, readers’ perspectives will also expand. This is an #ownvoices novel, and the dual perspectives will help readers see the world in new ways. Mimi’s letters to her father greatly contribute to meaningful perspective-building while creating authentic moments of tension and conflict. At the end, Mimi’s reconciliation with her father’s abandonment is resolved with near-improbable coincidences. The conclusion feels forced as a result, but it is still not perfect. It also serves to give hope where there previously is none, a worthwhile note to end on.

A Thousand Questions will surprise, excite, and elicit thoughtful questions and empathy in middle grade readers. The novel deeply explores themes of identity, classism, and family, all topics of interest for the intended audience. A Thousand Questions would be a welcome addition to literature circles focused on global perspectives or focused on Pakistan and the Indian subcontinent. Either option will provide students with a rich, immersive, and diverse literary experience.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Quill Tree Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

  • Literature Circles – Use the novel as part of a global novel study exploration.
  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading about different places and cultures.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

  • History of Pakistan
  • Pakistan Society
  • Pakistani Culture

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with A Thousand Questions. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

  • Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
  • The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
  • The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
  • Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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The Secret Life of Sam by Kim Ventrella – Book Review

 

Title: The Secret Life of Sam
Author: Kim Ventrella
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: September 29, 2020

After Sam’s pa dies in a tragic car accident, Sam must leave his beloved life in Bayou St. George, Louisiana behind. Sam moves to Holler, Oklahoma, where he is forced to live with his Aunt Jo, who he hasn’t seen or heard from in years. Once there, he begrudgingly begins life anew until a mysterious cat leads him to a magical tree, a portal back to the Louisiana swamp, back to his old life, back to Pa and his stories. Only able to visit Pa for a few precious minutes at a time, Sam is desperate for more time, more Pa, but the magical swamp also reveals hard truths behind Pa’s tall tales and untold stories. Sam’s pa is not the same and the swamp is not what it seems. Still, Sam is desperate to be with his pa and willing to risk it all for that time together so that he never has to say goodbye again.

Kim Ventrella’s The Secret Life of Sam paints a moving portrait of a grieving young person with care and compassion. In addition to Sam’s grief, Ventrella also tackles other challenging but relevant topics, such as the effects of and recovery from addiction. The author does so with sensitivity and understanding, creating a realistic portrayal of life’s myriad complications. Ventrella’s characters, all who assume the White Default, are engaging and layered. In fact, readers may be left wanting to know more about characters like Aunt Jo and Edie by the book’s end. In addition, The Secret Life of Sam’s dual settings are a powerful avenue for Sam to cope with and overcome his grief. While one setting is magical in nature, Ventrella pulls readers in and out of this setting with ease and the time constraints of Sam’s visits build tangible suspense. By the end, Sam’s final visit, though emotional and heartbreaking, may leave readers unfulfilled due to the priceless but scant few minutes allotted to tie up all the loose ends. Certainly, readers will want more, but in this case its limited telling reflects the realities of real life, where desired endings rarely materialize. Just as Sam’s ache slowly dulls over time so must a reader’s desire for a lengthy and neat closure.

The Secret Life of Sam presents a meaningful opportunity to engage young people that are experiencing a loss. The novel is descriptive, engaging, real yet magically spooky, and filled with heart. The Secret Life of Sam would be a great addition to upper elementary and middle grade literature circles, exploring themes of loss, grief, or friendship.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, HarperCollins, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading books that blend fantasy and realism.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

  • Grieving Process
  • Louisiana Folktales and Legends

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with The Secret Life of Sam. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez – Book Review

 

Title: Furia
Author: Yamile Saied Méndez
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Release Date: September 15, 2020

Camila Hassan lives in two different worlds in Rosario, Argentina. At home, she endures the crushing and antiquated expectations of her family while living in the shadow of her soccer star (fútbol) brother and abusive father. On the pitch, she is a powerhouse fútbol player, La Furia, that possesses a rare talent that could put her life on a soaring trajectory. That is if she can overcome the oppressive forces that aim to keep her – and many other girls like her – under the thumbs of men. Camila also must navigate a budding romance she reignites with Diego, a famous international fútbol star that plays overseas. As Camila’s passion for the field and passion for Diego heats up, the pressure of keeping secrets comes to a boiling point. While a seemingly impossible feat, Camila seeks to find a way to pursue her dreams of playing fútbol in North America with her parents’ permission, maintain her relationship with Diego, and overcome society’s prescriptive expectations for her. Only time will tell if the passion of Furia will help her succeed.

Furia, by author Yamile Saied Méndez, immerses readers in the nuances of Argentinian culture. The story is vibrant, gritty, exciting, and passionate. Young adult readers will fervently cheer for Camila as she overcomes countless conflicts to achieve her dream. Despite several chances to choose an easier and wealthier, albeit submissive path, Camila stays true to herself, demonstrating an incredible maturity. Readers will surely draw on her strength and feel empowered by it. While some may balk at the romance and others rejoice in it, the inclusion of Camila’s love life provides moments of authentic respite in an otherwise fast-paced, gritty tale. Author Yamile Saied Méndez takes time to peel back the layers of society’s subjugation of women, building palpable drama that will keep readers up all day or night to find out how Camila’s story will end. Furia is a formidable tale, celebrating the strength, perseverance, and talent of young girls and women everywhere.

Educators must, at minimum, include Furia on their classroom bookshelves for their young adult readers. The novel would be a fantastic edition to literature circles that explore how female protagonists, especially written by #ownvoices authors, overcome society’s inhibitive expectations about what it means to be “female.” It presents an opportunity to enhance a cross-curricular study of the history of women’s rights. Paired with novels set in different parts of the world, Furia also would lend itself to a rich, illuminating experience for students as they synthesize across texts to explore the intersection of power and gender norms, among many other potential topics.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Algonquin Young Readers, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

  • Literature Circles – Use the novel as part of a study of women and society or women’s rights.
  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading #ownvoices literature and realistic fiction set in different countries/cultures.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

  • Women’s Rights Issues
  • History of Women’s Soccer
  • Argentina – History, Culture

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Furia. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera – Book Review

 

Title: Lupe Wong Won’t Dance
Author: Donna Barba Higuera
Publisher: Levine Querido
Release Date: September 8, 2020

Lupe Wong wants nothing more than to meet her idol, Mariners pitcher Fu Li Hernandez. Like Fu Li, Lupe is Mexican and Chinese and aspires to be a MLB pitcher one day. Yet, in order to me Fu Li, she must get A’s in all her classes. Easy for Lupe until she learns that the next unit in PE class is square dancing. Horrified by the thought, Lupe takes up the cause to stop the dancing madness. Since she is no stranger to fighting for what she thinks is right, having argued for more inclusive school tests and shortening the time between Dr. Whoseasons. However, Lupe approaches her dancing conflict with a single-track mind, and she quickly encounters obstacles that threaten her friendships, standing at school, and grades. The experience ultimately forces Lupe to reconcile the difference between achieving one’s goals and developing one’s character.

Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera is a riotous, heartfelt story about a middle schooler finding her voice while learning to find her way in the world. Lupe is at once singularly focused and incredibly insightful. Readers will cringe, laugh, and tear up as she discovers what matters most in this coming-of-age tale. Her resiliency, mistakes, and growing perceptiveness will endear her to all. Higuera’s other cast of characters are just as memorable. The story effectively brings them all to together to create an inclusive portrayal of middle school and family. The story’s narrative slowly builds in the process. It slowly winds up throughout most of the story before ending with a fastball of a conclusion, rushing treatment of important themes and lessons, especially those that linger throughout but receive less time in Lupe’s tale. These lessons at the periphery are equally as valuable as the ones Lupe learns and deserve attention too because they go hand-in-hand with her transformation. For example, we see adults making many decisions without including the most valuable stakeholders in schools, the students. This is a point worth dwelling upon with young people, but there is limited room to explore it. Still, Lupe Won’t Won’t Dance remains an entertaining tale about fighting for what you believe in and becoming a better person as a result.

Many upper elementary and middle grade students will delight in Lupe’s story. The relatable characters, positive messages, and its inclusive orientation all lend themselves to deeper study, particularly with a social justice unit. From school issues to societal issues, Lupe Wong Won’t Dance presents a valuable opportunity for students to explore their own passions and identify the steps they can take to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Levine Querido, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

  • Literature Circles – Use the novel as part of a study of social justice issues and ways to fight for social justice.
  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading realistic fiction.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

  • History of Square Dancing
  • Social Justice Issues

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Lupe Wong Won’t Dance. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.