Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz This was a sequel to “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” and I really enjoyed it! I loved the prose and the way that we got to see so much character development and love from Aristotle (Ari). It was such a sweet and beautifully written book and I really loved reading it!
Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian This book was amazing! Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatrix have been raised since birth to be the perfect queens. Not to rule, but to stop the rulers, bringing down the monarchies of each of their nations so that their mother can claim more land. I really enjoyed this book and each character!
The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist by Sophie Gonzales I really enjoyed this book! It was wholly based on fanfiction, which I absolutely enjoyed. Ivy is looking forward to having the house for herself, but when she wakes up with her favorite character from her favorite tv show, everything spirals out of control. Suddenly, her fanfics start coming to life! I really enjoyed this book!
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera Death-cast tells people when they’re going to die. And so, when Mateo and Rufus get the call, they know they have to live their last day perfectly. And so, as they find each other, they live out their last day together. This book was perfectly sweet and sad and I really enjoyed it!
Zhara by S. Jae-Jones This was a really good book! I loved meeting Zhara and learning about who she is and what she would do for her loved ones. It was amazing to see her character development and how that bled into her becoming the strongest version of herself. I can’t wait to read the next book!
Here are my top reads of April and May! April’s books are the first 2 and May’s are the last 3.
The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood This was a great book about one of the “heroes” from Greek mythology! Perseus is commonly known as the only hero with a happy ending, but this fails to consider the women in his life. I loved the way the story flowed and its plot! I also enjoyed how we got 3 POVs from the most important women in his life- Danaë, his mother, Medusa, the woman he killed, and Andromeda, his wife. It was such a great book and I really enjoyed it!
The Cobra’s Song by Supriya Kelkar I loved this book! When Geetanjali gets stage fright for the first time in her life, she’s sure it’s over. She can’t stand up for her friends and now, she might be at risk of losing her best friend. Not only that, her usually kind and caring neighbor is now cold and distant-possible possessed by the snake gem. I really enjoyed the story and the way that the book’s characters were developed! I totally recommend it to you!
Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White I really enjoyed this book! When Theo, Alexander, and Wil are suddenly told to go spend the summer with their mysterious Aunt Saffronia, they aren’t sure how to react, especially when their aunt decides to deposit them at the Fathoms of Fun waterpark, a waterpark that looks more like a nightmare zone. Then comes the problem of all the staff suddenly changing their personalities…This was such a great read and I totally recommend it to you! I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the series!
Family of Liars by Emily Lockhart This was the prequel to We Were Liars! In this book, Caroline’s own story comes to life during the summer that the boys arrived. The island is their own safe haven and soon, the boys both help build that up and break that down. Carrie falls for Pfeff, though he doesn’t seem to reciprocate the same feelings. As Pfeff shows just how much he doesn’t care for Carrie, their relationship splinters, to the point where she hates him. I really enjoyed this book and the way it defines the book after it! I totally recommend it to you!
The Ojja Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio This was a graphic novel about two misfits in a “perfect” town. They’re terrorized by a bully, but find solace in each other and their small projects. Until one of those projects accidentally awakens a demon who takes over their town and makes their bully the center of it all. Only the two and their friends are spared. But the ritual to recapture the demon is tricky and they have to learn that sometimes, violence isn’t always the answer!
Nothing More to Tell by Karen McManus This is such an amazing book! When Brynn moves back to her hometown, she’s sure nothing good can happen. That is until she gets a job at a murder investigation podcast by pitching the story of her dead teacher. I really loved this story and the way the plot unfolded. It was a great read!
The Dead Queens Club by Hannah Capin This was such a great book! Annie, or Cleves, as she’s known, has been Henry’s best friend for a long time. She’s seen him go through a girlfriend, get angry at the slightest mention of her cheating then break up with her. But as her friends propose a theory that is certainly possible, she has to figure what is right or wrong. This is such a great book!
All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue This was such a cool book! When Maeve’s temper gets her into detention, where she has to clean an old storage cupboard, she’s horrified. But when she finds a deck of tarot cards that call to her, she’s suddenly immersed in a world of magic and her life begins to change for the better. Until she accidentally makes someone disappear. I really enjoyed this book and I totally recommend it to you!
If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch This was such a amazing book! Clark is stuck in a time loop. No matter what he tries to say or do will get him out of it and he is sure this is how life will be forever. Until he meets Beau. Beau walks into his calculus class one day and creates a ruckus, so Clark knows that he has to follow Beau. I loved this story and how it was written! I totally recommend it to you!
This week is Banned Book Week! In honor of that, I wrote a poem and decided to share it with you. I hope you enjoy!
If books around the world are getting banned? Who is there to represent? Must we only learn about the classic, Fair skin, straight, with no problems?
Why do books get ruled offensive? So what if characters aren’t the norm? Isn’t that why they were put into these books in the first place? Isn’t that what makes people happier to see them?
To see yourself reflected in books, Isn’t that a marvelous thing? But banning books, the opposite Removing all the reflections
Moving forward, past these bans, Seems impossible, a nightmare to face But we keep reading banned books And we keep learning, and growing, and being reflected
Recently, I got to the the amazing Farah Rocks Florida book for MCBD, Multicultural Children’s Book Day. I have been a part of the MCBD community for many years now and I really enjoy the opportunity to learn and read books set in places around the world featuring voices I may not have heard before.
This year, I got to read and review Farah Rocks Florida. I really enjoyed the book and the characters and the plot. It’s a great read!
Farah lives with her mother, father, and brother in Baltimore. But when her brother wakes up in the middle of the night with his heart feeling weird, her entire life changes. With her mother looking after her brother and her father working all day, Farrah has to go to Florida to stay with her Sitti Fayrouz. On the plane, she meets a grumpy old man, who she’s glad to get rid off when she leaves. You can imagine her surprise when the old man turns out to be staying in the same colony as her grandmother. She tries to ignore him, but slowly she starts warming up to him and gets the other residents to feel the same way. As the book progresses, she realizes that life in Florida isn’t so bad and that everyone there is great.
I really enjoyed this book and all the references to Greek mythology. Farah is a great character and I loved reading about her life.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2022 (1/28/22) is in its 9th 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 books into the hands of young readers and educators.
MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission & History HERE.
MCBD 2022 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!
Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party! Be sure and follow MCBD and Make A Way Media on Twitter!
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 smile through tears as Riley finds her sister. It’s been a heartbreaking journey, but so much has been gained from it. Riley Oh is from The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim. She’s kind, strong, and determined. I love her story and here’s some reasons why.
Riley is very determined. When her sister began to die, Riley went on a huge quest to save her, even if it meant connecting with dangerous people. She knows how much her sister means to her and believes in her all the time. They have such a sweet relationship and I love the way that they’ll both do anything for each other.
Riley makes sure to get friends that she can depend on and trust. She has two sets of families who love her very much- one is from the Gom clan, the family that raised her, and one is from the Horangi clan, her true family. SHe’s also made friends from many different clans and they are there to support her when she needs help. She loves and works with them all, even when it seems challenging.
Riley Oh will always be one of my favorite characters, because of how determined she is and how she friendly she is. She’s such a great character and I love reading about her and the person that she is.
I’m starting a new series- Fictional Character I Admire. In each post, I’ll be telling you about one of the fictional characters who I love reading about. Today, I’ll be telling you about Annabeth Chase.
I pick up Percy Jackson and the Olympians and get lost in the fantasy world of Rick Riordan, especially the tales of Annabeth Chase. Annabeth is a demigod (half god, half human). Her mother is Athena, the goddess of wisdom and she always plays a crucial part in all of the quests she goes on. I love her story and here’s some reasons why.
Annabeth is such a strong female character. She’s great at fighting and can take down many Greek monsters with her dagger. Her life as a demigod is hard, but she perseveres through it. Annabeth has faced many monsters throughout her life as a demigod. Despite the type of problem, she easily comes up with a logical plan and deals with the toughest of them. Annabeth has been through Tartarus, the Greek version of hell. Even when she was trapped down there with her boyfriend, Percy, she was able to think logically and helped them get out as quick as possible.
Annabeth faces so many real problems throughout all the books. While she battles fantasy monsters, she also faces real ones with her emotions. I love seeing her weaknesses, just because it makes her more human. During the first series, she faced intense jealousy towards a later friend of hers, Rachel. It was interesting to see another, more real, side of my favorite character. During the second series, she has extreme self-doubt about her abilities. While all of her friends have powers, she has none, leading herself to doubt what she is capable of.
Annabeth Chase will always be one of my favorite characters, because not only is she strong, she has weaknesses that make her more like an actual person. She’s such a great character and I love reading about her and who she is.
This was a great book set in a dystopian world. Sophia is a great LGBTQ+ character and I love her relationship with Constance. The plot is so exciting and I love the idea of reimagining Cinderella’s story. As I started to know Sophia more and more, I fell more in love with her character and she really is on the inside. This is such a great book and I couldn’t put it down.
I really enjoyed the second book in the Book Scavenger series. This new adventure was really fun and the mystery of the Unbreakable Code was a great subplot. James and Emily are really great friends and I think that their fight adds to their closeness. I also enjoyed how they were racing to find the arsonist and how the fires and the Tom Sawyer books were linked. This is really a great book and I can’t wait to read the third one.
I read the second and third books of this series this month. I love Max and her fiery passion for solving the world’s problems. She’s very smart and loves to help. She can make mistakes, but bounces back from them quickly and gets back to work on how she can fix them. Her friends (the Change Makers) are great people and I love how well she works with them by her side. They all specialize in different areas of science and with Max by their side, they are an unstoppable team. This is a great book!
I read the last Mysterious Benedict Society book (The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages) and the prequel to the whole series (The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict). I loved this series so much. Kate, Sticky, Reynie, and Constance are such great characters and I loved seeing them all grown up. I also liked the addition of a new character, Tai. This addition of the series was really great and I loved it. I also really enjoyed reading the prequel to the series and how it played into the book. It was really interesting to see how Mr. Benedict’s first adventure and how he’s changed over the times!
This book is definitely one of my favorites. The plot was really great and the idea of a house filled to the brim with puzzles, secret passages, and riddles is so fun and imaginative. The background mystery with Emily and her significance to the brothers was well thought out and planned. Avery is a great main character and I loved reading about her life and how it changed. This is such a great story and I totally recommend it to you.
Top books of January: click here Top books of February: click here
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
The Magnus Chase Series by Rick Riordan This series is about Magnus Chase, a 16 year old boy who lives in Boston. He’s homeless and has two good friends, Hearth and Blitz. But when he accidentally dies, he opens up a whole new world of Norse myths and legends. These books are really amazing and they’re definitely one of my top.
The Giver by Lois Lowry This is the first book in a quartet. Jonas, a 11 year old boy, lives in a “perfect” world where there is no poverty, war, or overpopulation. But good things, such as music and color have also disappeared from their lives. When he meets the Giver, he finally learns what his life is, and what it could be. I really enjoyed reading the series, with all of the suspense and twists. It’s an amazing book.
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk This book tells the story of 12 year old Crow, a girl who was abandoned and now lives off the coast of Massachusetts. She wants answers about her past, almost desperately and her two guardians support her, though a bit reluctantly. I loved following Crow in this journey to learn about who she really is. It’s a great book!
Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie This book contains mysteries, some of which have almost never been solved. Miss Marple is a old lady, who has seen and learnt more than anybody could guess. I loved reading about all of these puzzles and how Miss Marple outwits everyone else every time. This is one of those books my parents have also read and enjoyed. It is fun talking to them about it.
Aster’s Good Right Things by Kate Gordon Aster is a young girl who doesn’t feel special at all, but she goes to a school for gifted kids. The only way she copes is by doing her “good, right things”. As a young girl with an anxiety disorder, she believes that the world will fall apart if she stops. Then she meets Xavier and she starts having fun. I really enjoyed the book about finding friends and support.
The Remarkable Journey of Charlie Price by Jennifer Maschari I loved this amazing book about dealing with grief. Charlie has been noticing that his sister’s been acting unusual. He follows her to another world, one where his mom is still alive. He’s happy….at first. He realizes that something is wrong though. With the help of his friends, he comes up with a plan to escape the other world for good. I really loved this book and the magical element to it.
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.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT TOPIC TO WRITE YOUR BOOK ABOUT?
“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.”
WAS THERE ANYONE THAT INSPIRED YOUR CHARACTERS?
“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.”
IF YOU COULD GIVE ANY ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO WRITE SOMEDAY, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
“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.”
WERE THERE ANY OTHER BOOKS THAT INSPIRED YOUR WRITING?
“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.”
WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS GROWING UP?
“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.”
ARE YOU CURRENTLY WRITING ANY OTHER BOOKS? IF SO, CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT/THEM?
“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!
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.
