Adding a Diversity tag

Search for reviews tagged with new Diversity tag.

I have thought about adding new tags to make it easier for people to find books on special interest areas such as LGBT or multicultural or others, but have always hesitated for two reasons.

The Night Horses (review)

The Night Horses
Author: Anaka Jones
Publisher: CreateSpace (February 26, 2013)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

It is an unusual thing to find a self-published picture book, especially one created by a sixth grader, and still be able to recommend it, but Anaka Jones is clearly a talented young lady.

In the first part of this lively, colorful story, it is daytime and the horses trot and eat and do normal things, but at night time they get the disco ball out and things get more wild. Children will enjoy the colorful illustrations and the funny things that the horses and other animals do at night(including a small mouse who kids will search to find on almost every page).

I would definitely recommend this for young children 3-6 years old. I was glad to see it is available both in print and digital form, as this would be one I would want to hold in my hands.

Four of five stars.

The Bunk-Bed Bus (review)

The Bunk-Bed Bus (Janet and Sam Book 1)
Author: Frank Rodgers
Publisher: Hungry Horse (March 1, 2015)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

An absolutely delightful story of Janet and Sam and their wonderful Granny who never believes she is too old to do what she wants, and never stops trying new things. She jogs in a tracksuit she knitted herself, she learns to work with wood and make shelves, and she's never afraid a new challenge.

When grumbly next-door neighbor Mrs. Grimbly-White mentions an art exhibition and dismisses Granny as "too old" to be artistic, Granny puts her mind to it and makes an amazing Bunk Bed Bus, much to the delight of all the children in town.

I strongly recommend this for preschool and early elementary children, and also to their parents, teachers and librarians to read aloud or along with.

Five stars out of five!

Little Miss Evil (review)

Little Miss Evil
Authors: Bryce Leung & Kristy Shen
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press (March 10, 2015)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley.

I was hoping to review this for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, but work demands prevented it, and it is being released on March 10th, so I wanted to give people a chance to hear about it first.

It is hard enough having crazy parents who are normal crazy, but when you live in a volcano, ride a helicopter to school and your dad is an evil super-villain with a super-weapon, things can get seriously out of control.

Fortunately, Fiona's two best friends are also the kids of evil super-villains who understand what it's like. Even though their parents don't talk to each other, Fiona, Ruby and Jai stay friends.

Unfortunately, Ruby's evil super-villain pilots attack Fiona's volcano, wage war on her father and his Storm Troopers and steal the super-weapon he is protecting. When they kidnaps her father, it doesn't seem like things could get much worse.

Fortunately, Fiona got a portable flame thrower for her birthday this year.

This book is a crazy ride that I would recommend to boys and girls in 4th to 8th grades who like super-heroes and super-villains. I have to say, I was a little dubious at first as the premise seemed too far fetched, but it kept getting better as the story developed. I'm glad I stuck with it, and I think kids would probably enjoy it even more.

Four of five stars.

A Tale of Two Daddies/A Tale of Two Mommies (review)

 

A Tale of Two Daddies
A Tale of Two Mommies
Author: Vanita Oelschlager
Illustrators: Kristin Blackwood (only Daddies) and Mike Blanc (both)
Publisher: VanitaBooks, LLC (Daddies: Oct 22, 2013, Mommies: Sep 25, 2013)
Digital review copies of both courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

These two delightful books each take the same general approach in that one child is asking the other about her two daddies or his two mommies. With fun rhyming questions and answers, each book would be perfect for a child either learning to address the questions he/she might have about his/her own parents, but also for other children learning acceptance and understanding. The primary message is that parents are parents, each an individual who might like to cook or tell scary stories, and that parents love their children.

The easy going style is ideal for helping to normalize a situation which is increasingly normal. There is nothing judgmental or preachy on either side, just kids asking each other fun questions about their families. Excellent additions to any classroom, library or social work resource center, and a great pair of books for parents whose kids may have questions about friends, relatives or their own families.

Five stars out of five.

Arilla Sun Down (review)

Arilla Sun Down
Author: Virginia Hamilton
Publisher: Open Road Media Teen & Tween (November 11, 2014)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

Twelve year old Arilla is part Native American and part African American, struggling to find her place in the world and pulled in various directions by her older brother, her parents and her friends. An early theme is how she has to sneak out to be herself, whether to sled or skate or simply to find time to herself. Eventually though, a crisis allows her to find herself in the open, and earns her the name Arilla Sun Down, and the sense of identity she had longed for.

This is a challenging book to read. The language and idiom present the first challenge, but will be more accessible to some than others. In addition, the book is told non-chronologically, which can be challenging as well. Ultimately, if a young reader finds a connection with Arilla, this can be a very satisfying book, but for others it might be frustrating.

Three stars out of five.

Beat the Turtle Drum (review)

Beat the Turtle Drum
Author: Constance C. Greene
Publisher: Open Road Media Teen & Tween (January 27, 2015)
Digital review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley


Thirteen year old Kate wants to be a writer, and the author gives her a tremendous voice. I found myself reminded of Anne (of Green Gables) as she describes her family, and especially her almost eleven year old sister, Joss, who is horse obsessed and plans to rent a horse for her eleventh birthday. We are easily swept up in the joys and trials of their family and various friends and neighbors. I especially love how rich and real the side characters feel.

When tragedy strikes, it is almost unimaginable how close it strikes to home. I kept blinking back tears, and wanted to scream at the author that she couldn't hurt these precious, wonderful characters. In fact, if there is any flaw to the book, it is that we are so completely caught up in the normalcy and joy in their lives that the tragedy feels jarring, and happens late enough in the story that we don't have time to recover. But that is the beauty of the book as well, because we can truly feel what the characters are feeling as their lives are interrupted, and we struggle to recover from it just as they must.

Five out of five stars.

Originally published in the late 1970s, Beat the Turtle Drum has endured with its searing story, and has as much punch as it did back then. This digital reissue will attract a whole new generation of fans for Constance C. Greene. Note that the poem in the beginning of the book is easy to miss, but only by reading it will the title make any sense.