Book Review of Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen

Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen came to my attention because a fellow diverse book blogger posted on the linkup (link to the right--just click the picture) about it. As someone with several anaphylactic allergies, I was curious about it. As someone who loves word games, I was curious about it. In short, I put it on hold at the library and had it in my hot little hands all in less than 48 hours (aren't libraries and librarians awesome?). I find the cover delightfully original and quirky, and it definitely represents the book well.

Word Nerd is the story of a twelve-year-old Scrabble lover named Ambrose. Also, peanuts could kill him. Ambrose encounters bullies, convicts, drug dealers, a busty waitress, and Scrabble-playing misfits, and he navigates each situation creatively and with a spirit that will make readers smile, even if he isn't the most smooth operator on the page. (He really isn't.) He is, however, highly endearing.

This book feels like it was narrated by the kid from the TV show About A Boy. The voice is that strong, guys, and the dynamics are very similar (slightly odd boy being raised by a super loving but overprotective single mom with a new single adult male whose influence mom questions being thrown into the mix as a potential friend).

Also, I love the way it dealt with the issue of life-threatening allergies, because having them is like walking a tightrope: you want to be careful so you don't die, but you also don't want to let fear of encountering your allergen(s) stop you from living life. Though Ambrose has a pretty healthy attitude about this issue (to make up for his unhealthy immune system), his mom reacts to his health problems with an overprotective instinct. I saw many of my own Mom's behaviors from my childhood as an allergy kid reflected in her character.

I liked how it helped the reader understand the skills required to be successful at Scrabble. I also liked how each chapter title was displayed scrambled (as if made of Scrabble tiles) and then the list of its potential Scrabble words was printed below it. I thought the publisher could've easily made the more visually-appealing choice to replace these words with a graphic of a Scrabble tile rack with those letters shown in tile form, and then with the potential Scrabble words printed again in tile form beneath it, both for interest, and also to better illustrate how the game of Scrabble works for younger readers who may not have previously encountered it. 

My one complaint about Word Nerd is that, though I always love it when kids in books read (how meta), and when kid's book authors recommend other kid's books, it was super awkward the way Nielsen chose to do this. Her not-in-the-least-bit-subtle name drops of her favorite books really took away from the story and pulled the narrative out of a extremely effective voice because they felt like an adult interrupting the story to tell readers that, if they liked her book that they're currently reading, they should also check out these others. (And it wasn't even half as slick as LeVar Burton's, "But you don't have to take my word for it.") 

While I applaud Nielsen for encouraging her readers to take a look at other books, and finding a way to give a shout-out to authors she likes, I felt like this could've easily been done in a more artful way by paring the list of suggested reading down to books that applied to Ambrose's various situations, and then weaving them into his commentary on what was happening in his life. (For example, when Ambrose *very slight spoiler* is hitting on the middle-aged waitress, maybe have him reflect on that situation later and then check out 'Geek's Guide to Dating' from the library, instead of just listing off that he has read something else and then moving on. This would've also heightened the comedy of their previous interaction, and underscored that he accepts his identity as a nerd, and that he is good with it.)

Either way, I highly recommend Word Nerd. I enjoyed it enough that this book is now on my wishlist to purchase when it fits my budget. I would also like to note that many people who are participating in the Diversity Bingo 2017 challenge are looking for books with an MC with an anaphylactic allergy, and this one has great representation for that category.

Graphic Novel Week: California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before the Mamas & the Papas by Pénélope Bagieu

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This week, I will be posting reviews of graphic novels, specifically ones from :01, which is a favorite graphic novel publisher of mine. Here's a link to their website.

California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before the Mamas & the Papas by Pénélope Bagieu is my consolation prize for being a fat, Jewish girl born too late to meet Cass Elliot. But Bagieu's strange masterpiece took me by the hand and led me through Elliot's life, and her world. Though we may never get to commiserate on the lacking availability of cute plus-size clothing, or talk about our American Jewish experiences (both things that are always fraught with emotion and conflict), reading California Dreamin' was a window into Cass Elliot's colorful life. Say what you will about her--and people have said plenty (much of it untrue)--she was truly an original. Nothing captures her essence better than the book's cover illustration, with Cass in bright red, popping off of the drab background provided by her hometown Baltimore's streets, suitcase at hand, ready for adventure. I knew I was in love with California Dreamin' the moment I saw it.

Mama Cass, born Ellen Naomi Cohen, and known to her friends as Cass Elliot, is one of those people whose legacy is part truth, part storied legend. She was the life of every party, the soul of The Mamas & The Papas, and she was always the most interesting person in the room. One of the most fascinating things about California Dreamin' is that each chapter looks at Elliot through the lens of a different person who knew her. From friends and family to co-workers and bandmates, Cass was somebody unique to everyone she met. By providing her readers with such a variety of viewpoints on the same person, Bagieu was able to paint a comprehensive picture. I closed the book feeling as though I had a firm understanding of who Cass Elliot was and what she was about. But this storytelling technique of Bagieu's also made a powerful point: Cass Elliot was mostly comprised of peoples' conceptions of her. If you knew her, you added part of her identity to the mix with your own interpretation of who she was, and who you thought she should be. Very few (if any) people who knew her managed to imagine her complexly. It was their loss, and hers.

There are many sad truths which come to light in California Dreamin'. Bagieu doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of Elliot's life. Was Cass Elliot hopelessly in love with her male bandmate, or did she just feel the need to gain approval from a man deemed attractive and successful by the masses? California Dreamin' points out something many people don't know: that The Mamas and The Papas needed Cass Elliot to succeed--she didn't need them (she only thought she did). In an age much like today, when music was sold as much on the physical appearance of the artist who creates it as the music they made, a fat girl who didn't fit society's beauty standard was at a disadvantage, no matter how talented she was. Elliot seems to have internalized those messages, constantly selling herself short and making compromises when she could've easily been writing her own ticket with her ferocious talent. For members of the body acceptance movement that could've turned Elliot's life around and worldview upside-down, it is a painful revelation. But, for all her struggles, Cass fought every uphill battle with a smile on her face and a joke coming out of her mouth. (Though, unfortunately, she was frequently the butt of said joke.)

As a reader, I found Bagieu's drawing style bizarre and unsettling, but the way she seemed to follow no rules felt natural for her subject matter. Bagieu's renderings of Elliot in particular are oozing with personality that seems to leap off of the page, as it should. Everyone else portrayed in California Dreamin' feels a little bit more subdued and in the background. From everything I know about Bagieu's subject, this feels right, and perhaps it echoes what it would have been like in the presence of the great Cass Elliot. Here's a link to an article about California Dreamin' and why Bagieu chose to write a graphic novel about Cass Elliot.

There's a playlist Bagieu included at the end of the book, featuring her favorite songs by The Mamas & The Papas and Cass Elliot. In addition to being a great introduction for those readers who may not be familiar, watching the videos on YouTube will be a fond walk down memory lane for those who recall firsthand when the music was originally released. Either way, the best part about the inclusion of such a list is Bagieu's own notes on each song, giving it context within the story of Elliot's life and work. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This is easily one of the best graphic novels I have ever read.

Graphic Novel Week: Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova: A Book Review

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This is a non :01 graphic novel, but I recently dug up this vintage review of mine, and I wanted to bring it out again for graphic novel week because Svetlana Chmakova is one of my favorite graphic novel artists/illustrators, and she has a new book coming out in May, called Brave.

I discovered this book by accident during a bookstore run, and I'm THRILLED that I did, because I absolutely adore Svetlana Chmakova's Dramacon manga miniseries. (Sidebar: the hubs and I were tight with a group of manga/anime fans in undergrad. We were kind of on the fringes of the group, but somehow got roped into going to an Anime Convention, which was excellent, btw, so I really identified with the whole portrayal of the convention in Dramacon.) I really enjoy the cover design, because the body language of the two characters in the foreground totally conveys awkwardness!

I love that the protagonist, Peppi, (pictured on the left side of the cover) breaks all of her personal rules for social success as the new girl in school, but still manages to triumph at the end. Though she and Jaime (right) get off to a rocky start and have different interests: art--Peppi, science--Jaime, I really enjoyed how they built not just a friendship over the course of the book, but a partnership between archrival school clubs (art and science). Sidenote: I didn't realize school clubs HAD archrivals within their own schools. Who knew?

The colors are lovely and muted. The characters are personable and falliable. The plot is quick-paced and exciting. Everything about this manga is quirky and enjoyable. I highly recommend it, especially for middle schoolers who have a strong interest in art or science, or those who are nervous about encountering a new school.

Graphic Novel Week: Secret Coders: Secrets & Sequences by Gene Luen Yang & Mike Holmes

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This week, I will be posting reviews of graphic novels, specifically ones from :01, which is a favorite graphic novel publisher of mine. Here's a link to their website.

So, Secret Coders: Secrets & Sequences by Gene Luen Yang & Mike Holmes is the third book in the Secret Coders series of MG graphic novels. The first volume (Get With The Program) was awesome! (Scroll down two reviews to read about it.) The second one (Paths & Portals, review is just below this one) had some issues and felt more like a cartoonized computer programming workbook. With one hit and one miss already in the series, I wondered if Yang and Holmes would be able to capture the magic of volume one, or if they were doomed to repeat the mistakes of volume two in the third installment of the series. I requested a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review to find out. While #3 feels much more like the story-driven #1 instead of the workbook-esque #2, I am still not a fan of these cover concepts. However, that is one of my few complaints.


Luckily for readers, Secrets & Sequences delves more deeply into the mysterious conflict happening at the Bee School. Hopper continues to try and solve the riddle of her father's disappearance, and she and her friends do their best to outwit the diabolical Dr. One-Zero. 

One of the best aspects of this book is that it shows how understanding computer coding gives the kids agency and illustrates that these skills enable them to fight back against injustice or feelings of powerlessness--a timely message in today's world. The story has a great balance of action and character development, and there's plenty of coding still happening, including a few mini lessons where kids (or, really any readers) who are reading along and want to learn computer coding can stop and work out the problems for themselves. But, because Secrets & Sequences is so much more character and plot-driven than its predecessor, it never feels like a workbook. This is a win, and it makes me excited for the release of volume four: Robots & Repeats, which is due to hit shelves on October 3rd. I will be reviewing it later this year, but here's a peek at the cover:

Graphic Novel Week: Secret Coders: Paths & Portals by Gene Luen Yang & Mike Holmes

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This week, I will be posting reviews of graphic novels, specifically ones from :01, which is a favorite graphic novel publisher of mine. Here's a link to their website.

Since the first graphic novel in this series (Secret Coders: Get With The Program) knocked my socks off (see the review just before this one), I requested a free copy of the second book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The things I liked about book one were the well-developed characters, the playful attitude of the story, and the amazing way it demonstrated binary visually so that I could understand the concept. Unfortunately, Book Two (Paths & Portals) does not share many of these positive qualities. However, it does have its own strengths to add to the mix.

In Paths & Portals, it seems that the true mission of this graphic novel series has been revealed. What felt like a fun foray into computer programming designed to get kids interested in the field now feels like a cartoonized computer programming workbook. Instead of a graphic novel adults could also enjoy, book two had almost no entertainment value for readers who might not want to work alongside the kids in the story to do the computer programming exercises. While I can see how Paths & Portals would have tremendous value within a STEM classroom setting, or even as fun reading for a kid with a burgeoning interest in computer programming, shifting the focus from a mystery involving programming to actual repetitive-seeming computer programming exercises reduced character development and all but stopped the progression of the story in its tracks, and replaced those necessary elements with what felt like little more than a workbook.

I finished book one feeling excited and eagerly anticipating the next volume in the story. But, since reading book two, I wonder how much story will actually be told in the subsequent volume. Using graphic novels to teach computer programming and get kids interested in the field is great, but I wonder how effective the strategy is when it comes at the expense of action, plot, and character. Will these issues be solved in volume three? My review of Secrets & Sequences will be up later tonight. Stay tuned!

Graphic Novel Week: Secret Coders: Get With The Program! by Gene Luen Yang & Mike Holmes

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This week, I will be posting reviews of graphic novels, specifically ones from :01, which is a favorite graphic novel publisher of mine. Here's a link to their website.

Secret Coders: Get With The Program! by Gene Luen Yang & Mike Holmes is one of the most amazing graphic novels I've encountered (at least for kids), because it managed to explain binary code in a way that I could understand, and even found fun! Despite the front cover illustration (which I found moderately off-putting, I must say), I found the back cover illustration simply marvelous and the back cover text intriguing.

Then, I opened the book, and my adventure began. The whole volume clocks in at just under 100 pages, which, in graphic novel terms, means it translated into about a 20-minute time commitment for me. I was drawn into the story immediately, as I usually cannot resist the tale of a young girl becoming acquainted with her new surroundings right after being forced to move to a new town by her parents (see: Spirited Away, Nightmare, and many other perennial favorites), and I was along for the ride as Hopper confronts her new school, and all that it has to offer.

From there, I was dragged along as Hopper and her new potential enemy-turned-friend, Eni, follow a robotic turtle down the rabbit hole in an exhilarating chase through their school grounds to find out just why the birds populating their campus are so creepy, who is posting numbers all over the walls, how to use computer coding to get robots to do their bidding, and what is wrong with all of the adults at their school. (No, seriously... more than normal; something's really wrong here!) In the ultimate cliffhanger ending, book one finishes way too early in the plot to leave readers anything but salivating for book two, Secret Coders: Paths & Portals.

Though it may not be super important, I do appreciate that the book is printed in black, white, and green (instead of greyscale), in what I can only assume is a witty homage to ancient computer screen displays! It took me right back to the olden days of C:Batch files of yore! Am I right, older readers?

If you're an adult who likes mysteries and or computer coding, or you want a book for a middle schooler (or perhaps even a high schooler) with those interests, I don't think you could go wrong with this one! I highly recommend it as an entertaining and educational read. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Graphic Novel Week: The Time Museum by Matthew Loux

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This week, I will be posting reviews of graphic novels, specifically ones from :01, which is a favorite graphic novel publisher of mine. Here's a link to their website.

For those of you who have been following along with graphic novel week, you may have noticed that the first three reviews were of books for teens and adults. However, The Time Museum, by Matthew Loux, is the first volume in a middle grade series about Delia, a science nerd character with lots of agency. I strongly dislike the cover, because I felt having all of the characters look down at their wrists or at the ground and not being able to see anything but the building shut me out of the scene as the viewer. I also disliked that the girl one in from the left in the blue headband looked so much like the girl who was front and center (before reading it, I presumed that was Delia, the protagonist), and I wondered if they were both supposed to be her in different times, or if there were just two characters who looked so similar to one another. Either way, it was confusing and did a poor job of setting the mood or scene for me. Also, it didn't do well at showcasing the vibrant colors which come alive within the book.

Delia, a smart, awkward girl, knows she'll be visiting her Uncle Lyndon over the summer, but she doesn't know he works at a museum with exhibits from all eras of time, and portals to those eras. Delia also doesn't know that she has the chance to compete in a contest for an internship position within the museum, and she'll have to travel back and forth through time to complete the challenges, besting five other kids--competitors from different time periods. 

I really had trouble buying in to this story. The whole setup felt too stilted and contrived. The commentary as the kids wander through the museum didn't feel natural to me, at all. I felt Delia had honest emotional responses to whatever situation she was in, but I really wished I'd been able to read more scenes of quiet conversations with just her and her roommate to better understand both characters and observe their dynamic in a quiet setting before things got crazy. As the book progressed, I felt like there was too much action and chaos, and not enough character building and development to keep me interested. I longed for the characters to have more personal connections with the historical exhibits they were experiencing, instead of just clowning around. The colors were beautiful and the glossy pages decadent, but the art style really grated on me the more I read. All in all, I only finished the book because I was reviewing it, and I wouldn't pick up the second volume. I don't recommend this one.

(As a point of comparison, other middle grade graphic novels I have liked are the Secret Coders series, Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova, the Bone series by Jeff Smith and El Deafo--reviews to come.) I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Graphic Novel Week: Decelerate Blue by Adam Rapp and Mike Cavallaro

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This week, I will be posting reviews of graphic novels, specifically ones from :01, which is a favorite graphic novel publisher of mine. Here's a link to their website.

Decelerate Blue by Adam Rapp and Mike Cavallaro is a thoughtful graphic novel about what it means to resist change for the sake of change, speed for the sake of speed, and "improvement" that might not be better than what predated it. The cover is an absolutely gorgeous palette of blue hues, which definitely accurately describes the style and mood of the book.

Decelerate Blue reads like The Giver meets In Time. In a world where speed and brevity reign above all else, Angela feels like a misfit. ...little does she know there's a (literal) underground resistance going on, where people do more than just stop and smell the roses. With overprotective parents who are deeply entrenched in their society's flawed ideals, Angela's quest to be accepted and understood in a place where she can take time to examine her reality is risky. But, not taking the chance to experience life as it was meant to be lived, with time for contemplation, is also taking a gamble. Given the chance to step back from modern society's relentless messages about who she should be and what she should do gives Angela the opportunity to find out who she really is, and what is worth risking for it.

The style of Cavallaro's art is powerful, with many bold expanses of black on the page. Shards of white space slice through the darkness, using stark contrast to dramatic effect. With colored page edges being so trendy in publishing right now, it is worth noting that, fittingly, the edges of Decelerate Blue's pages are a beautiful shade of blue, which is unnoticeable when looking at one individually, but they combine into a lovely mass when the book is closed.

Rapp's story is very timely. Kick the Boot--the fictional manifesto of the slow living alternative Angela discovers--is possibly the 1984 of her day. In today's political climate, this is a relevant and important graphic novel. Activism, social justice, and marginalization are all topics swirling around in our collective consciousness, and are used as elements of the story to great effect. 

On a more personal level, once Angela realizes what she wants, she must struggle with the idea that not everyone she is close to shares her values. Similarly, there are many people who have begun to realize that their friends or family may have startlingly different beliefs (ones they may even find offensive), and are grappling with questions of how to continue relationships with those they care about in light of such differences, or how to accept that they should be severed in order to preserve what is most important to them as individuals. If any of this has been on your mind, check out Decelerate Blue. It may help you process the overwhelming state of current events while simultaneously providing the escape of doing so while spending time in a fictional world. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Graphic Novel Week: Demon Vol. 2 by Jason Shiga

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This week, I will be posting reviews of graphic novels, specifically ones from :01, which is a favorite graphic novel publisher of mine. Here's a link to their website.

The dedication of Demon Vol. 2 by Jason Shiga is as entertaining as that of the first. "To my wife, Alina, who's still mad at me for dedicating the first volume to her." Having read the first volume, I laughed when I saw this, and thought, "Well, that's fair." But still, I paged beyond the dedication to find out what else lay in store for former actuary (current demon) Jimmy. But first, I had to stop and appreciate the appropriateness of the cover art for what lay beyond. If the cover for Vol. 1 served as a warning, the cover for Vol. 2 serves as a tribute. As you can see, demon Jimmy simply can't behave peaceably.

Still reeling from the big reveal in Vol. 1 that *spoiler for Vol. 1* Jimmy's wife and daughter were killed by a drunk driver, and Jimmy's mission is to exact his revenge upon him, I was distracted from the artfulness of that by one thing--the most disgusting prison break I have ever encountered in fiction. Also, I am giving Shiga the side-eye pretty hard because... how does he know that would work? Did he actually test it out? I do not want to know. 

But, back to Jimmy's tragic past! This is another illustration of Shiga's brilliance, because just when he makes the reader think Jimmy is nothing but a disgusting, violent, selfish mess of a person demon, then he reveals that some drunk schmuck thoughtlessly killed Jimmy's wife and daughter by getting behind the wheel after already having DUIs on his record. Jimmy's demon side (the emotional one, at least) now has an origin story. That begs the question: who is really the monster here: Jimmy, or the driver? As foul and disturbing as Jimmy's actions are, somehow they don't bother me as much as the drunk driver's choices that led to Jimmy's family being killed. Shiga has managed to do the almost impossible--create a supremely unlikable protagonist who is an empathetic character. That, combined with all of the satisfyingly surprising plot twists and intrigue Shiga develops surrounding the government agents pursuing Jimmy are what will keep dubious readers' eyes glued to the page through every last gory panel. I'm sure those readers will be comforted to know that Demon Vol. 3 comes out July 18th, and curious about its dedication page. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Graphic Novel Week: Demon Vol. 1 by Jason Shiga

Welcome to Graphic Novel Week! This week, I will be posting reviews of graphic novels, specifically ones from :01, which is a favorite graphic novel publisher of mine. Here's a link to their website.

The dedication of Demon Vol. 1 by Jason Shiga should serve as a warning. In a similar style to "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here," it reads, "To my wife, Alina, who begged me not to dedicate this book to her." That's when I knew I had to read this book, to find out why. And, after experiencing all that is Demon, I can honestly say that I understand. ...but that doesn't mean you shouldn't read it. It just means that Jason Shiga has managed to create a golem of a graphic novel by combining the most depraved aspects of Sin City with the general zeitgeist of the movie Super, which my husband tricked me into seeing by telling me "that guy from Gilmore girls is in it." If Demon had a narrator, it would be Stuart from Family Guy. But, if you couldn't tell something's up from the maimed takeoff of a Dilbert cartoon featured on the cover, well, I can't really help you.

When actuary Jimmy commits suicide and awakens moments later (repeatedly), he discovers that he is not just a normal guy, after all. With an axe to grind and an inability to die, Jimmy leaves hundreds of bodies in his wake. His missions? To figure out what's going on and stay free of the special intelligence team tasked with pursuing him. This sounds slightly more exciting than then 9-5 grind of the actuarial office where Jimmy has spent a large percentage (he's such a mathematical genius that he could probably say exactly what percentage) up until this point. ...but, what drove Jimmy to suicide in the first place? You'll have to check out Demon yourself to find out. You can preview Demon Vol. 1 here.

The unique thing about Demon isn't Shiga's complete lack of boundaries, or the absence of decency (though, check and check), it's the fact that, despite how shockingly gross, violent, disturbing, sexual, and morally abhorrent aspects of the story are, there's a deeper engine beneath all of that which kept me reading. (Through fingers over my eyes, but still.) Every time I threw up in my mouth a little and wanted to put the book down, something else reeled me back in. 

That something is Shiga's utter brilliance. He is logical, wickedly intelligent in the best way possible, and an abstract enough cartoonist that the disgusting things depicted within his work are worse in my mind than they are on the page. ...which is kind of the point, isn't it? Shiga has buried a boggart deep within Demon, and it is that the truly unfathomably deplorable person isn't Shiga, and it isn't Jimmy, it's the reader, because nothing is going to be as horrifying as what your mind tailors specifically to your own sensibilities. You know way better than Shiga could ever know exactly what disgusts you, and his genius is that he understands that, and doesn't even try to compete with it, but instead capitalizes on it. 

I received a copy of Demon Vol. 1 free from the publisher for the purposes of this review, which contains my honest opinions.

Book Review of Every Body Yoga: Let Go Of Fear, Get On The Mat, Love Your Body by Jessamyn Stanley

Every Body Yoga: Let Go Of Fear, Get On The Mat, Love Your Body by Jessamyn Stanley is a unique book. It is part an instructional introduction to Yoga for beginners, part confessional memoir of a self-described fat Black femme Lesbian Yoga teacher, and part body acceptance guide. In short, if you want to do Yoga and you don't look like you've just breezed out of a Lululemon ad, this book is for you.

The unique thing about Every Body Yoga is not the full-color diagrams of Yoga poses with tips on how to begin doing them and suggestions for modifying them if the picture simply looks like something your body isn't going to do. The unique thing about this book is Stanley's voice: clear, self-confident, refreshingly honest and bullshit-free, conversational, and positive. She has been through all of the struggles herself (several of which are enumerated in chapters between the sections containing 10 sequences of Yoga poses, matching those chapters' themes), and it feels like she wrote this book to tell other people that it doesn't matter what someone's conceit of a Yoga practitioner is--it only matters that they're open to the experience and not open to allowing some ignoramus to ruin it for them by body shaming them or refusing to help them modify poses to what works for them.

Stanley is constantly aware of social issues rampant in the modern Yoga business (and, she is quick to point out that what once started as a way of life has turned into a materialistic business), such as ableism, cultural appropriation, and body shaming. She has a very "you do you" attitude about the whole endeavor, and is just as quick to tell her readers what they actually do need to dip their toes into the Yoga waters (it is very little), as opposed to what people might tell them is needed, especially if those people are the same ones who sell it. Stanley also comes from a working-class poor background, so she understands that some of her readers who would love to practice yoga don't have the funds to pay drop-in fees for classes (she advocates home DIY, with guidance from the Internet and her book), or purchase much equipment (she has a clear guide on how to improvise most of the items a beginner may require. This book was a night-and-day difference from the travel packing guide I reviewed recently, because I could tell it was written for every person (from the perspective of someone who had frequently been shut out of others' short invitation lists), so she really got it when it came to things like physical limits, psychological roadblocks, body shame, and financial struggles. 

But, more than that, reading Every Body Yoga didn't just feel like a crash course in how to use Yoga to feel better and more uplifted, it felt like Stanley came off of the page and introduced herself. Her presence was undeniable! None of that "namaste" crap here--she used the f-word on the regular. Her words on the page sounded exactly as if someone's telling a friend about "this crazy thing that happened at Yoga class last week," or "here's when shit got real back in college." Readers will walk away from her book with an understanding that the door to Yoga (which they may have previously assumed was closed to them for various reasons), is open to all, and that they have an authentic person supporting them from the other side of these pages. I can't recommend this one enough! It comes out on April 4th.

Book Review of Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker

Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker is part self help book, part introduction to the body acceptance movement, and part collection of essays from authors of varying perspectives on issues pertaining to being fat. Other contributors to the book are: Virgie Tovar, Sonya Renee Taylor, Andrew Whalen, Jen McLellan, Shanna Katz Kattari, Kimberly A. Peace, MSW, Sam Dylan Finch, Bruce Sturgell, and Chrystal Bougon. Jes Baker is the writer of the Militant Baker blog, and famously took Abercrombie & Fitch's CEO down a few pegs after he admitted to discriminating against fat people by posing all sexylike in one of their shirts (which wasn't supposed to fit her).

With chapter topics ranging from self care to fatshion, fat and health, body unacceptance throughout history, media representation of fat bodies, and mental health support, Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls is a well-rounded (pardon the pun) resource for anyone with a well-rounded physique. As a fat girl myself, I particularly appreciated the section on how to seek and attain good health care and work around the misconception that all health problems a fat girl may have are caused by her weight. I have also always appreciated the fact that Baker comes right out and uses the word "fat" repeatedly, unblinkingly, and without issue, because that's what I do! It isn't necessarily being down on yourself... sometimes if you're fat and you are at peace with it, you are simply able to say you're fat and move on with life! This attitude is refreshing, because, no matter what size you are, beating yourself up about your weight will get you nowhere.

Most of all, Baker's strength lies in the fact that she views all sources with a critical eye. From TV shows to magazines, from Instagram feeds to "friends," Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls reminds readers repeatedly that everyone has their own agenda, and only some people are actually out to help fat girls. The rest? They mostly just want to make money. So, from the publishers of her own book, who put an hourglass-shaped silhouette of a fat girl on the cover (which Baker points out and deconstructs) to retailers who sell "plus-sized clothes" that top out at size 16, Baker is ready to dissect the bullshit and give her readers the skinny on how to filter out unneeded negative influences from their fat lives. For some, this will be a challenge--retraining your brain doesn't happen overnight. But, it is still worlds better than allowing those who stand to make a buck from your insecurities control how you view yourself. This is a healthy tome full of good body acceptance information and peppered with diverse perspectives (trans, disabled, WoC, and more). If you're fat, you know someone who is and want to be more sensitive to their needs, or you just want to find out what the whole body acceptance movement is all about, Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls is definitely worth a read.

Book Review of Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Getting an ARC of Geekerella by Ashley Poston in the mail (which was provided free in exchange for my honest review) didn't feel like hitting the jackpot, but it should have. I loved the title, and a subgenre of YA to which I affectionately refer as "geekmance" is one of my favorites, when done absolutely, perfectly right (though it rarely is). However, as I examined the cover art with increasing scrutiny, every witty and charming detail popped out at me--one right after another--and I knew I had something special in my hands. (Also, there was a dachshund. Along with superbly-written YA geekmance, dachshunds are the way to my heart, you guys.)

Cinderella stories have been told a thousand times. Rags-to-riches has been done to death. It requires a truly refreshing new take on a fairy tale to make a new and compelling story at this point. Poston has just such a take. Her cultural references were on-point. Geekerella was just dripping with nerdy goodness at every turn! Her nods to the original fairy tale were entertaining, but not so ubiquitous that it felt like Poston failed to make the story her own. The alternating narration between Elle (the MC) and Darien (her love interest) works so well because Poston uses the shifting POV to build tension, and Elle's voice is different enough from Darien's that the reader won't get confused.

Though Elle and Darien are both well-developed, empathetic characters, my favorite character, hands-down, was Sage. Everything from how she handled the Magic Pumpkin food truck (yes--so zeitgeist-y) to how unapologetically herself she was at every turn, to how much she had Elle's back made her pretty much the most badass incarnation of a fairy godmother I've ever seen on the page (and that isn't even factoring in her hairstyle). Next time I'm in a jam, doubting myself, or in need of a friend to tell me like it is, I hope Sage and The Magic Pumpkin simply appear in my driveway.

Geekerella could've so easily been fluff. ...and that would've been fine--we all need a little fluff in our lives. But it is so much more than that. Poston tackles weighty issues, such as colorblind casting, modern fandom, internet relationships, paparazzi and the media, child actors, grief, and dysfunctional/abusive family dynamics. But, somehow, she wraps all of those big, meaty topics up and hides them inside the nice, warm, chewy pita bread of geekdom + romance, and nothing ever feels preachy or forced. (Well, except all of that constant ah'blena stuff. That got old fast.)

One of my favorite things about the publisher Quirk Books is all of the little extras they put into a book. They don't just do a cover design and select a font. In a Quirk Book, you're likely to find chapter headings/titles that fit with the book's theme, pages (like those separating the book's parts in Geekerella) that are printed differently from the norm, with much apparent thought as to how to keep the reader in the mood of the story, and other visually charming details that you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't stop to appreciate. Much like with the Miss Peregrine's books and and My Best Friend's Exorcism (other YA titles Quirk has published), these careful attentions have been lavished upon Geekerella. So many book reviewers have recently been lamenting how it seems like publishers are just trying to churn out sub-par books at alarmingly fast rates to make money, with no regard to quality. Holding any of these Quirk YA releases will show you that these books are put out by a publisher with a different attitude, which puts a superior product into your hands as a reader. That product has definitely earned its real estate in my limited bookshelf layout, right next to Fangirl, The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak, and The Summer I Became A Nerd. You know, just behind my Amy Farrah Fowler Funko Pop....

Geekerella comes out April 4th.

Book Review of Exit, Pursued By A Bear by E.K. Johnston

Exit, Pursued By A Bear by E.K. Johnston has been languishing on my TBR for a year now. I can't recall where I first heard about it, or why exactly I added it to the list (which is probably part of the reason I didn't track it down at the library sooner--it always helps to have context for why I decided I wanted to read something). Still, I'm glad I finally got around to it. At first, I didn't find the cover very appealing, but periodically as I was reading, I'd catch myself flipping the book closed to look at it, so, I guess you could say it grew on me. Also, it represented the story well.

Exit, Pursued By A Bear has a beautiful motif relating to its title, which comes from the Shakespeare Play, 'A Winter's Tale.' The great thing about the way Johnston chose to incorporate history's most famous stage direction and the stageplay which gave it context is that one need not be a Shakespeare scholar (or even be familiar with the play in the least) to understand and appreciate the book. However, the more Johnston's readers know about the play which gave her book its title, the more nuance the story has. I love it when writers refuse to write down to a YA audience. Or course, not everyone holding your book may get every reference, but that doesn't mean you should take them out. This is a case where not doing that paid off, for sure.

There is much to love about this book. In an age when stories about sexual assault are almost always coupled with stories about how survivors of sexual assault lack community support, Johnston's fresh take where her protagonist Hermione is able to find help at every turn is a nice change, in that it shares a perspective which is true (some survivors do have great support networks and access to all of the help they need), which isn't often represented. It also illustrates that, in situations where everyone who knows a survivor does everything they possibly can to help, that doesn't just make the problem go away. Though Hermione is obviously able to draw strength from the many people who unconditionally have her back, it doesn't negate the assault itself. 

My favorite character was Hermione's best friend, Polly. Johnston mentions teeth several times in the story, specifically in reference to a girl baring them while fiercely standing up for herself (or for a friend), and often, that girl is Polly. Polly is tried-and-true. She embodies both loyalty and bravery. She is completely an ally in every sense of the word. As Hermione wakes up and doesn't know what happened to her, Polly is there to give her the facts. As Hermione struggles through beginning to remember her assault in PTSD flashbacks, Polly is there to bring her back to the here and now. As people at school are being ignorant and victim-blaming, Polly is there to shield her from the bullshit. Polly is one of the most amazing friends I've ever encountered on the page.

I was very nearly put off by the fact that Hermione is a cheerleader, and much of the book is set against a backdrop of cheerleading, which is so aggressively not my thing. But, while cheerleading is important to Hermione and other characters in the story, it really isn't important to the book, itself. Reading Exit, Pursued By A Bear when you don't like cheerleading is kind of like reading or watching The Blind Side when you don't like football--it's okay, because that really isn't the point, and, while it is a major factor, to be sure, it isn't so pervasive that you can't enjoy the story. (...like I found it to be with Tangerine and soccer, for example.)

My complaint about Exit, Pursued By A Bear, however, is the ending. It is such an absurd deus ex machina that I have now lost the ability to even. The ending really felt like Johnston just got tired of writing this well-developed thread and of following Hermione's character on her journey, and decided to wrap it all up in less than ten pages, in pretty much the most unrealistic way possible. I'm not sure if it totally ruined the book for me, but it did take the story from a "must read" down to a "this is pretty good" in my mind. So, read Exit, Pursued By A Bear, unless you are the type of reader who counts on a well thought-out and artful ending.

Book Review of Piecing Me Together by Reneé Watson

I learned about Piecing Me Together by Reneé Watson from Francina Simone's unboxing video of the Call Number Bookbox here. Call Number Bookbox is a special one, and if you don't know what it's all about, you should watch the video because Francina Simone explains it beautifully. Bookbox subscriptions aren't in my budget (boy, if they were, I would be so dangerous), but I was so intrigued based upon what I learned from the video that I immediately put a hold on this book at my local library. Now that I've read it, Piecing Me Together has soared to the top of my "books to buy when I have money" wishlist. Because of my small budget, I have to be very choosy about the books I purchase, but, guys? This one will be so worth it! The cover is not only beautiful and unique, but it holds great meaning for the story.

I loved so many things about this book: how empathetic the characters of Jade and her mother are, how much their neighborhood reminded me of the one where I lived as a young girl, how wonderfully Watson conveyed Jade's twin passions for collaging (hence, the amazing cover) and Spanish, and how well she illustrated the need for intersectional feminism. The way Piecing Me Together showed that a mother/daughter relationship can indeed be loving and functional even in a household where the mom is working multiple jobs and money is tight really spoke to me. Despite dealing with several major social issues that are supremely au courant today, covering everything from police brutality and racism, to catcalling and body image issues to self consciousness about not having extra cash to spend and erasure of minorities from history to the fact that people are always trying to tell poor people what they need, like it requires money to be able to speak for yourself. ...and that is not even a complete list! Piecing Me Together falls gently upon readers, as if Jade, a fiercely intelligent and passionate 11th grader is talking to them while walking home from the corner convenience store, sharing a bag of hot chicken wings, and never comes across as preachy or too on-the-nose. Jade is a principled girl with realistic reactions to the world around her and honesty that is refreshingly humorous. She feels like a friend. I rooted for her from the start.

It would've been easy for Watson to identify a list of challenges or things that were lacking in Jade's life at the beginning of the book and wave her magic wand to grant them all without Jade having to put in the work, but Watson was above falling into that trap. Though Jade does get some of what she wants, she has to overcome interior and exterior obstacles to attain her goals, at times, taking risky gambles in the process. This just made me respect the author and the protagonist all the more. I love that Jade wants to be nobody's cause, that she wants to help people instead of having others always assume she needs the help. I also really appreciate that Watson gave Jade the artistic focus of collaging (as opposed to anything else) because it speaks to Jade's resourcefulness and doesn't present a character whose family can barely afford groceries as someone who magically has access to expensive art supplies. (I always hate it when books do that, and YA is so guilty of it in particular.)  

I recently reviewed The Education of Margot Sanchez here, and had many issues with that book, which I enumerated within my review. There are several parallels between it and Piecing Me Together, and what kept striking me as I read this book (in addition to the fact that I was repeatedly bowled over by just how good it was--seriously... so good) was that both books tried to do the same things, but only one succeeded.

I can't recommend this book enough. I know it is one I will be reading again and again.

Book Review of I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister by Amélie Sarn

I discovered I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister by Amélie Sarn on a list of exceptional memoirs and autobiographies. This is frustrating mainly because, upon actually looking at the book, it is a YA novel, and not a memoir or an autobiography. However, it does deal with some issues which are extremely relevant today. As for the cover, I quite despise the artwork and the "every choice has a price" tagline. Blech!

I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister was translated from French. Since I'm not a French speaker, I read it in English, and I wonder if that explains why the prose sometimes felt clunky to me, especially the dialogue. Other times, it just seemed "off" and unnatural. So, for English readers who would like to read a book with natural-feeling prose and realistic-sounding dialogue, this translation isn't it.

My main issue with the book is that it was based upon a true story. The Author's Note in the back of the book explains that Sarn was inspired by a true event which happened in France in 2002. *Spoiler alert.* It says, "...Sohane Benziane, a seventeen-year-old French girl of Algerian descent, who was murdered. Sohane Benziane was doused with gasoline and burnt alive by Jamal Derrar, a boy who was said to be settling a score with Sohane's boyfriend." 

My problem is that, in the book, Sohane's sister Djelila is murdered when a boy from her neighborhood burns her alive after dousing her with gasoline. She has no boyfriend mentioned in the text, and the murder is motivated by the boy's fury that Djelila dresses and acts like a modern, secular girl when she is from a Muslim background and family. (She smokes, drinks, plays sports, and wears clothing that is considered immodest by observant Muslim standards, at least according to this boy and his posse.) After bullying her, trying to intimidate her, following her around the neighborhood, and threatening her repeatedly, he slaps her. Then, the murder occurs. Djelila is upset, but never acts intimidated, and doesn't back down on her personal expression of herself. She also doesn't perform religious observance that doesn't fit with her own beliefs or feelings just to appease her tormentors. 

So, while I understand how learning about Sohane Benziane's murder would give Amélie Sarn the idea for the book, slapping meaning on it that had nothing to do with the actual events seems insulting to Benziane's memory and random. Nowhere in the short summary of the events surrounding the actual murder is there any mention of modesty policing or anything related to that. So, maybe not using the name (and also randomly giving it to the character of her sister, instead of the girl who is actually murdered) is ill-fitting and a poor choice.

Because of disrespect for an actual murder victim, I absolutely cannot recommend this book, which is sad, because I feel it does make some good points about a Muslim woman's own choice to wear or not wear a headscarf and how society should respect and respond to that.

Book Review of Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison by Shaka Senghor

While I'm not Black, male, or possessed of a criminal record, the topic of Writing My Wrongs by Shaka Senghor is a very personal one to me. A member of my immediate family went to prison on felony charges when I was in elementary school, and was gone for what felt like half a lifetime. In Writing My Wrongs, Senghor describes a life on the street in which he had many things working against him. An unstable home, abuse, and choosing to leave that environment as a teenager led him to live on his own. After quickly learning that his lack of even a high school diploma would make it impossible to support himself independently, Senghor was offered a chance to get into drug dealing on the lowest level, and he took it. His autobiography is the story of what happened next.

For those of us who have never been incarcerated, we can only gather secondhand information about what it is actually like. Senghor has one word which sums up the experience eloquently: dehumanizing. There are things this book does not do well. After reading it, I still cannot explain why anyone would choose to tell a story like this in such a fragmented, out-of-order way, with no cohesive timeline for the narrative. Every time I reached a new chapter, I longed to re-order all of them so that I could read chronologically, which I felt would've made more sense, and also helped me understand Senghor's journey through the underbelly of Detroit's east side in the 1980s and the American Prison System. Also, there were several small inconsistencies within the narrative. They didn't discredit Senghor's message, but they were frustrating and distracting, and I felt they would've been easily caught and fixed by an editor who was a bit more on-the-ball.

Ultimately, though, Writing My Wrongs is a book with much to offer. Senghor speaks from a population which has traditionally been ignored. Senghor spent a total of nineteen years in prison, seven of which were in solitary. How many books have been published by writers who have committed multiple violent felonies? I don't have the statistics, but I read widely, and I've only heard of a handful. He offers up his own life as an example of how easy it is to make bad choices. Senghor freely admits that he isn't perfect, and he is eager to point out where his thinking was flawed. More than anything, desire to be a good person, a decent role model, and a positive father figure came from this book in waves. Writing My Wrongs both gives an important perspective on the failings of the U.S. Justice System, and a personal look at a life partially wasted. Though the writing itself isn't artful, it is compelling, honest, and important.

I don't usually include other links with my book reviews, but this is a short informative video about Mass Incarceration in the US, and I feel it sets the stage nicely for Senghor's story. Thank you to Blogging For Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review of Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

This book review is very personal to me, and very atypical in structure and contents. In fact, it hits at the core of the name for my blog. The URL and blog name are actually an Ecology term. A limited niche species is the opposite of a generalized species, which is a living species that can live in a broad range of conditions. It can feed on many different things. It can thrive in changing climates. It can make its home in various places, or of more than only one type of material. Generalized species are usually the most hearty and have the best chance at survival, because they can continue to adapt to changing conditions and still thrive. ...and then, there's a limited niche species, which can only eat a small selection of things, thrive in a certain climate, or live in a specific place or in a home comprised of a certain material.

What does that have to do with my book review of Everything, Everything? I am a limited niche species. Though my life-threatening allergies aren't quite as severe as the ones described in the book, they dictate what I can eat, wear, and do every day. If I am well enough to travel, I must cart an entire extra suitcase containing bedding, towels, and other things other people wouldn't dream of taking with them, all because I never know if something I touch will give me full body hives or make me stop breathing due to anaphylaxis. I use special air filters. I must read the ingredients on literally every label before I ingest a food or beverage. I carry my own hand soap in my purse (right next to a collection of EPI pens, inhalers, and other emergency medical intervention tools), because who knows if I'll be allergic to the one in the public bathroom? And, when things get bad (as they tend to do a few times a year), my allergies lead to a cycle of serious respiratory distress and infection which can require months of housebound supervised care and double-digit numbers of rounds of antibiotics paired with steroids to quell. 

This is not to say that you should feel sorry for me. This is just to say that I live with the challenge of being a limited niche species and that I picked up Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon hoping to see a bit of myself within its pages (something I have never before gotten to do with respect to this particular brand of chronic illness). But instead, Nicola Yoon sent me a powerful and deeply hurtful message with her book. *Spoiler alert.* She told me I couldn't have a happy, fulfilling ending with a defective immune system, and she said it by creating a character who was supposedly similar to me and then magically removing our similar challenge from her life in order for her story to resolve. Everything, Everything told me that even a novelist--someone who is literally paid to imagine things and dream big dreams and then share them with the world--couldn't envision a universe in which somebody like me could lead a worthwhile life. And, because of that, I feel this book sends a deeply damaging message to anyone struggling with health problems. It kicks readers when they are down. It is simply not okay.

Book Review of 13 Ways Of Looking At A Fat Girl by Mona Awad

In 13 Ways Of Looking At A Fat Girl, Mona Awad deconstructs the myth that fat people are somehow inherently more self-serving or self-indulgent than anyone else. The sad fact that resonates throughout the story of Lizze, the titular character, is that she is constantly viewed through another character's gaze. Consequently, in addition to wearing her own fat, she is also saddled with the burden of wearing the unmet expectations, body judgments, false perceptions, stereotypes, and disappointments of those who encounter her. Who is Lizzie, really? After reading 13 Ways Of Looking At A Fat Girl, it is difficult to say. That is like asking how a mirror looks. (Not the frame, or any sort of decoration... but the actual mirror.) Of course you don't know how it looks! You know how YOU look IN it. Lizzie functions the same way for the other characters, even though they are supposed to be in her story.

Whether it be her Mom, a female co-worker, a classmate, a "friend," her Dad, a male co-worker, a pushy saleslady, or a potential love interest, not one person asks Lizzie (or attempts to help her) define who she is for herself. To them, it doesn't seem to matter who she is. Who she is, after all, is fat. Is there anything else?

Awad's eloquent take on what it means to be a fat girl is heartbreaking--namely because it is so accurate, and it does not shy away from the brutal (pardon the word choice here) underbelly of the issues fat girls face. Everything from body acceptance to clothing shopping, from our parents' judgments of how we look to what men assume about us simply because we are fat is examined without mercy. I appreciate that, because without mercy is exactly how fat people are forced to live our lives. But the point Awad makes without ever actually coming right out to say it is this: wouldn't it be nice to have a 14th way of looking at a fat girl, and wouldn't it be a less convoluted world if that way were her own?

Book Review of How To Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip by Hitha Palepu

How To Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip by Hitha Palepu is exactly what it sounds like: a non-fiction guide to packing for trips. However, the title is a bit of a misnomer, because the book isn't really about packing for ANY trip--Palepu's main focus, which is very accentuated, is on air travel. Since most of my travel consists of road trips, with the occasional rail excursion thrown in, I found this to be a disappointing and frustrating oversight (probably on the part of someone at the publisher, rather than Palepu, herself), so I wanted to make sure readers understood that going in. However, The cover is a completely adorable mock-up of a suitcase, complete with a faux luggage tag graphic featuring the title and author. (The brown parts which are made to look like leather actually have a different texture and feel.) So, I'd say the cover design is a total win.

How To Pack has some good features--most notably, an end section comprised of perforated packing lists, all ready to tear out and use. They are laid out in the format Palepu recommends (and demonstrates earlier in the book), and this is a real value-added component for travelers. However, most people could simply print a packing list online, and such a list would be more easily tailored to their specific needs. The illustrations are cute and helpful. Common packing strategies and methods (fold vs. roll) are debated and illustrated.

In addition to the fact that a book subtitled "Travel Smart for Any Trip" is really only focused on air travel, and not other types of travel at all, I have a few other complaints. ...my first (and biggest) one being that a book with lists and diagrams and such, designed for people to use while doing something active with their hands--such as packing--should've been made to lay flat on the surface of the packing station Palepu repeatedly recommends. This was a huge oversight on the publisher's part. Also, Palepu suggested many specific go-to products for traveling and packing. Since the end section of the book is comprised of perforated pages, why didn't the publisher think to add a tear-out list of Palepu's product recommendations with contact information on where they can be purchased? That seems like a handy little extra the publisher should've thought of. (Hmmm, so far all of the negatives are oversights on the publisher's part....) 

My complaints about things more within the authors purview are numerous, as well. The flow-chart-style guide for selecting which type of suitcase would be best is confusing, and would've benefited from both clarification and illustration. Many of these packing tips feel recycled, and I've heard them time and time again. Is Hitha really a travel expert, or did she just have a subscription to Real Simple in the early 2000s? Also, her product recommendations are absurdly priced. I'm not sure who exactly her target demographic is supposed to be, but if she was going to make a habit of telling me to purchase things to help me do a better job of packing that cost more than my trip does, she could at least have the decency (and creativity) to include a list alongside it of budget-friendly options alongside the splurges. Or, even better, some suggestions for handy around-the-house substitutes instead of stuff that has to be bought specifically for this purpose--things that maybe don't have lifetime warranties or cost as much as the average person's rent in my world, but will help someone get organized before their trip in a pinch. That type of inclusion might have made this book worth buying. 

Also missing in action: a discussion of which fabrics do the best when packed, any tips specific to car travel (how to pack a car for a road trip, for example) or train travel, tricks for how to pack necklaces without them getting tangled, suggestions on packing medications, and what to do if you don't want to spend your whole trip wearing dirty clothes, as she suggested. How To Pack should really be called How To Spend Money On A Book When You Could Find Better Information More Suited To Your Needs For Free Online. But, since the advice is tailored to rich people who fly a lot, they probably won't care anyhow. Thank you to Blogging For Books for the free book provided in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review of American Street by Ibi Zoboi

I knew I had to read American Street by Ibi Zoboi the moment I heard its premise. A teenage girl emigrates from Haiti with her mother, who is detained by immigration officials upon their arrival in America? "Um, yes please," I thought. "I need to know more about that story!" And then, I saw the gorgeous cover. Even if I'd had no idea what the book was about before laying eyes on that wonderful piece of artwork, I would've looked inside to find out more. But, knowing that Fabiola's story was a blend of her experiences in Haiti and America, I could see both cultural elements at play in this modern take on a cameo silhouette, which is a powerful statement about the story, and about the character herself.

One of the most beautiful elements of American Street (and, there are many) is that it blends the things that are wonderful about Haitian culture with those that are good about American culture, and sheds light on the dark sides of life, especially among the marginalized people, in both countries. Many stories of immigrants coming to the U.S. either glorify America and vilify their country of origin, or vice-versa. American Street does an amazing job of showing that, just like the aspects of Fabiola's personality, the more unique influences someone has from a variety of sources, the more well-equipped a person may be to deal with the challenges she faces. American Street is also very honest about the challenges immigrants who come to this country may face.

Another wonderful aspect of American Street is that it provides us with cameos of three distinct types of young women. It is almost as if Zoboi herself wanted to ensure that any girl reading the book would be able to see herself within its pages. And, for those who do not feel a kinship with description of "beauty," "brains," OR "brawn," Fabiola's story becomes all the more urgent, because they read on, hoping to answer the question, "Can a girl who doesn't fit in find a place for herself? What strength could she have to offer?" The answer couldn't be more satisfying.

American Street also does the reverse of something I look for in books, and it does it better than I thought possible. Usually, in my reading experience, I'm hankering for a book to take me somewhere I've never been. I want it to transport me to a time or a place where I could never otherwise go. But Zoboi did something equally artful--she plunked me down in a setting where I've been a hundred times and forced me to view it through an entirely new perspective. She did it with prose that sounds as if it was written by a poet. She infused a very gritty and realistic story with refreshing sips of magical realism, the two balancing each other out like opposite sides of the same coin. As a child growing up in the ghetto, it was always a huge treat for me when my Mom would take me to the drive-thru and we'd come away with a burger. (Usually, we brought our own chips in lieu of more expensive fries, and we came with our own canned drinks from the discount grocery store.) I still recall how she would ask me if I really needed cheese on my burger, citing the upcharge for its addition. So, hearing Fabiola's take on American fast food, which was basically disappointment and surprise, and viewing it as second-rate to a home cooked meal, was a shock for me. I enjoyed the new perspective.

American Street is a gorgeous book that more than reaches everything it tries to do. It makes no promises to the reader that Zoboi does not fulfill. It is, in part, a timely and heartbreaking tale of how not all people are equal in the eyes of the law, a love letter to Haitian culture, mythology, and spiritualism, a cold look at the reality of what things are like for teenage girls of many different personalities in hoods all across America, a profound portrait of the immigrant experience, and the sad reality of how immigration laws can divide families (just as they are doing so right now, with many families today). When I hold American Street in my hands, I am holding an entire, beautiful world. And, if you haven't yet had this experience, I highly recommend it.