Books, Food, Dance and Travel
Blankets of snow cover the ground
Millions of people with their power out
Houses and trees and cars all covered in ice
Doesn’t feel great, but looks somewhat nice.
People without water, their pipes have burst
No price gouging is a rule that has been enforced
There is a boil water notice on all tap water
I hope that it soon gets hotter
I recently received a copy of A Girl’s Bill of Rights by Amy B Mucha to read and review. This book talks about all the rights a girl has and it has fun illustrations to go along with it.
What I enjoyed about this book:
This year for Valentine’s Day, I made two things, a strawberry ombre cake and a wreath. Both were very simple, but I loved making them and had a lot of fun.
Stay safe and spread love!
For my English class, I wrote this essay about where energy first came from. I’ve always wondered about this topic and learned so much about it when I was doing my research.
Where did energy first come from? It’s an almost impossible question to answer since we can’t go back in time. As the Law of Conservation of Energy (or the first law of thermodynamics) states, energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it must have been created sometime to exist in our universe.
Energy is defined as the capacity to do work. It can exist in different forms, like sound energy, chemical energy, potential energy, and more. Energy has to have come from somewhere, so where did it come from. The Big Bang is thought to have created everything, but the Big Bang would have needed energy to happen. This means that it isn’t possible for the Big Bang to have created energy and that energy was created before the Big Bang. The universe is a closed system, meaning that energy levels are always at a constant. The amount of energy in the universe from when it was first created to now has always been the same. E=mc² (or energy= mass x the speed of light squared) says that energy and mass can be converted into each other or that a bit of mass can be converted into a lot of pure energy. Mass is a form of stored energy, which means that if we could figure out where mass first came from, we could figure out where energy originated.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it must have come around somehow. There are many explanations, some of which are possible, yet it is a question which can never be answer.
This is a new feature which I’m introducing on my blog. At the end of every month, I’ll write a list of around 5-7 books which I really enjoyed reading the month. Hope you enjoy!
Best Books I read in January 2021
I was gifted a copy of The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw as a part of Multicultural Children’s Book Day. This book is about the nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima during World War II in the eyes of a 12 year old girl named Yuriko.
Yuriko lives a normal life with her Papa, aunt, and annoying cousin. She goes to school everyday and is, for the most part, happy. Some things are changing though. While they aren’t big changes at first, she knows that there is war, even if it doesn’t directly affect her life. That is, until a bomb is dropped on a town neighboring hers. She is forced to leave her home, but a series of events lead her back to Hiroshima. She is there when the bomb is dropped. The effects are devastating. Her best friend and her papa both died in it and her step mother also dies, though her death is later on. She also has some side effects, including a bloated face and she’s lost both her eyebrows. Yuriko’s life has changed drastically, while she question her true family and her new life after the bomb is dropped.
I interviewed the author, Kathleen Burkinshaw, and here are my questions and her answers.
“It actually had to do with my daughter when she was in 7th grade. She had overheard kids talking about the cool mushroom cloud picture in the history books and this upset her greatly. She asked if I would talk to her class about people under the cloud that day-like her Grandma. So I actually started by speaking with students for a year or so and then a teacher asked if I might be thinking of doing a book. I had been writing my mother’s story for my daughter to have someday, so with my mother’s blessing, I wrote The Last Cherry Blossom. I also realized that students didn’t really know how children in Japan lived during the war. Two paragraphs and a picture in a textbook is not enough. I wanted to show that just because they were in Japan, the children still loved their family, worried what might happen to their loved ones, and wished for peace-all the same thoughts that the Allied children had. I really wanted to show that the ones we may think are “our enemy” are not always so different from ourselves. I think that same message is needed today more than ever before.”
“The characters are inspired mostly by real people. Obviously my Mom, as well as how she described her Papa, stepmother, her “aunt”, and her friend.”
“First I would say that they should read as many books in the genre they wish to write. Also, that there is no “perfect” time to write, write as much as you can (like a blog, perhaps? Definitely a good start!) ..And not focus on how good it has to be- Just start that first sentence, first paragraph and if you write from your heart you can never go wrong.”
“Yes, Japanese American author Cynthia Kadohata is a favorite of mine. Her book Weedflower is the first historical fiction book I ever read that had a character like myself in it.(I was in my 30’s) I never had one when I was your age.”
“I loved reading as many Nancy Drew Mysteries I could get my hands on! I also loved Little Women. Also any books that were written by Judy Blume.”
“I am working on the sequel to The Last Cherry Blossom. It takes place 4 years later and deals a lot with the PTSD symptoms and survivor guilt that my mom experienced. Also, how she deals with a new family-her birth father and his wife as well as trying to open her heart to another friend. I’m doing a lot of research on the American Occupation in Japan after the war ended so I can write about how she dealt with it.”
Thank you Kathleen Burkinshaw for giving me a copy of this book and answering my questions!
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.
Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.
MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)
Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media
Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone, Hoopoe Books, KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.
Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls
Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child
MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Poster Artist: Nat Iwata
Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids, Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series
MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!
MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!
Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!
FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program
TWITTER PARTY! Register here!
Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party!
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter!
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.
I decided to try my hand at crocheting and amigurumi a few months ago. I made a penguin with instructions from The Woobles website. It was not an easy project and it took me a long of time. I learned a lot of things about crocheting, like the different types of stitches and how to count them. I also learned how hard it is and the patience necessary to start and complete a project. Regardless of all the kinks there were along the way, I’m proud of the final project. I can’t wait to make more amigurumi!
I wrote this non fictional piece of writing as a part of my school’s English class. It’s about hummingbirds and what makes them one of the coolest birds.
Have you ever seen a hummingbird flitting around, flying in the breeze? Maybe you’ve seen one hovering, flying backwards, or upside down? Hummingbirds are amazing birds that have so many built in features. They are one of the coolest birds in the animal kingdom. Don’t believe me? Let me tell you why.
Hummingbirds belong to the Trochilidae family. This family is made up of the 340 different species of hummingbirds. Out of the 340, 17 species regularly live in the US. You might be asking, well, where do they live? The cool thing about hummingbirds is that they can live anywhere, from deserts to places like Alaska to tropical forests. Many of the ones that live in the US live near the Mexican border, but not all do.
Some of the recognizable features of the hummingbird is their long bills and small wings. These long bills help them get nectar from tubular shaped flowers. Another discernible feature is their gorgets. Gorgets are stiff, reflective feathers on the throat and upper chest that look black in the shade. When the hummingbird turns its head to catch the sunlight, the true color is displayed. This color is usually metallic and intense and it can range from a dark magenta to a deep purple. These colors can fade over time with exposure to the sun. Typically, only male hummingbirds have gorgets, but some females do have one. For the males, gorgets are used when mating, and the rare female that has one will use as a way to signal threats.
Hummingbirds are the smallest birds and they only weigh around 2-20 grams, meaning they’re about as heavy as a mouse at their biggest. They also lay the smallest eggs, which are about the size of navy beans. Female hummingbirds usually lay 2 eggs which they incubate for around 15-18 days. The chicks leave the nest when they are around 18-28 days old. Hummingbirds’ hearts can beat anywhere from 225 beats per minute to 1,200 beats per minute.
Hummingbirds can go into torpor, a mini state of hibernation. The only difference is that these birds can do it whenever they want, not just in the winter. They don’t stay in it for long either, only around 20 minutes to an hour, instead of a few months or weeks. Hummingbirds go into torpor when it gets too cold, as their feather provide poor insulation. They only wake back up when they can regain their body temperature of 105°F.
My favorite fact about hummingbirds is how much agility they have while flying. These are the only birds which can hover in one place for more than 30 seconds, fly backwards, and fly upside down. Their wings don’t flap, instead they rotate, which makes them different from other birds. Another difference is that they don’t fly flat, they actually fly upright. Hummingbirds can also fly for up to 18-20 hours straight. Their wings beat about 70 times per second in normal flight and around 200 times per second while diving. These birds can fly at an average speed of twenty-five to thirty miles per hour, and dive at a speed of up to sixty miles per hour.
As you can see, hummingbirds are amazing birds. They can live almost anywhere, they are a huge species, they have many recognizable features which play a big part in their life, they are one of the smallest birds, they are part of the small number of birds that can go into torpor, and they have a lot of agility when flying. Now, when you see a hummingbird, don’t forget what marvelous creatures they are!
Sources: ⭐ https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/hummingbirds
⭐ https://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/index.php
⭐ https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/attracting-hummingbirds/hummingbird-nest-facts/
⭐ https://www.perkypet.com/articles/flying-jewels-gorgets-and-other-little-known-facts-about-hummingbirds
Read Your Bookshelf month is where you take a month (or 2 in my case!) and use it to only read books from your shelves. This means no library or e-books at all (at least after I finish my big pile of books to read!). I’ll be doing it through January and February.
I’m also using this opportunity to participate in the #bitaboutbooks challenge.
This is a fun challenge, in which I’m using books on my bookshelf. This is my plan so far, but it’s all subject to change!
I’ve already finished, Miss Marple, and am super excited to read the rest!
2020 has been a strange year, but here are some of the things that happened.
I love spending time with my grandparents. I’m glad I got to do it in the beginning of this year, even if I couldn’t make my annual summer trip to India 😭. I also got to spend some time with my uncle and aunt, before they moved countries.
I finished 5th grade (virtually) and started middle school and the school of my choice (also virtually)! Virtual school is less than ideal, but I’ve learned to adjust. You can read about my experiences here.
I participated in the ARCADIS science fair and did a project on supercooling and snapfreezing water. I learnt a lot and was really surprised when I won!
Since we couldn’t travel a lot, I relied on a few small breaks to get away . My favorite one was definitely my birthday weekend getaway with a few of my friends and family. I also liked the Corpus Christi, Driftwood, and Pensacola Beach breaks.
I spent a lot of time focusing on dance during these COVID times. I’ve taken place in a Bharatanatyam dance exam (for both theory and practical) and started learning a new Indian classical dance form, Mohiniattam. I performed a few solo items and recorded them. I’ve also began to learn Carnatic music to support my skills.
In Western dance, I was able to get one last performance on February in my elementary school dance company and I’m in my new school’s Drill Team. It’s less than ideal, but I’m hoping to be able to go back to performing soon.
2020 has been a year where I learnt and tried so many new things.
I started to use Instagram and I wrote on my blog more. I got better at using Google Drive, Docs, and Slides. I’ve learnt about different features on computers and got better at navigating through the digital world.
I wrote 2 stories (which I’m going to edit this year) and a few short stories for my blog.
I’ve read a ton this year and made friends with a few bookstagrammers. On my instagram, I took part in two challenges, the #mgbookmarch challenge in March and the #mgbooktober challenge in October. I’ve also started new series, and began to read a higher level of mglit!
You can check out my insta here.
