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The Story of the Story

7/6/2020

Everything Sad is Untrue: (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri

The stories aren't the thing. The thing is the story of the story.

Like Scheherazade, Nayeri has a gift. He weaves a thousand and one tales into an opulent Persian tapestry: a story of mythology and memoir, of the mundane and the memorable. A story that is as true as what you see with your own eyes and as real as what you cannot see.

The saga begins: a ten-year-old Iranian refugee stands up in an Oklahoma schoolroom and tells classmates his story, his history.

There are so many things going on in this narrative. Several pages are devoted to considerations of poop. It should not be surprising. This is not some esoteric philosophical treatise, although there are ample references to God and religion, anxiety and resilience, dignity and prejudice. At its core, it is a story of basic human needs. It's a story of survival. Nayeri lays bare his heart, his devotion to his mother, his complicated relationship with his father. It’s a guidebook for navigating a strange western culture and for methodically escaping the cruelty of others. It’s all of it.

Readers will note that the narrative does not move in a linear fashion. There are spirals which move forward only to fall back, then spin forward again. All are encompassed within a slowly revolving story arc. It sounds a bit messy, but the story threads are easy to follow.

Here’s the wonder of Everything Sad is Untrue: (a true story). It’s now a part of me. Khosrou and Sima and Mrs. Miller and Mr. Sheep Sheep have little story spirals spinning within my personal story circle.

Years ago I heard Nayeri speak to a group of teens, sharing tales of wonder that kept his audience enthralled. I have never forgotten listening to this master storyteller. Consequently I was a bit apprehensive about reading this book. Could the printed page measure up to the magic of a live performance?

The answer is an emphatic YES. This is a book like no other. It's like claiming a seat in that Oklahoma classroom and being transported to a world that is somehow familiar and yet one that you never knew existed. YES. Read the book. However, if you have the opportunity to hear the author share a story in real life, don't miss it.

My Travel Kit

Below are a few of my side excursions as I traversed Nayeri’s story landscape. I wanted to know how to pronounce Khosrou. Yes, I know that it is impossible to say it correctly, but I need some approximation to hear in my mind as I read. I was intrigued by the book's title with its reference to Lord of the Rings. Here's the quote. Iran. I needed a map for this. Now, of course, I want to visit Isfahan.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: August 25, 2020 Publisher: Levine Querido ISBN: 978-1646140008

Immigrant From Krypton

6/27/2020

Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang art by Gurihiru

"We are bound together by the future. We all share the same tomorrow"

A comic book set in 1946 with 2020 sensibilities features the traditional super hero trope: Man of Steel versus archenemy. The cast includes The Daily Planet’s mild-mannered Clark Kent, investigative reporter Lois Lane, spirited photographer Jimmy Olsen and bombastic editor Perry White. Metropolis is plagued with a sinister influence. It’s up to the caped crusader with an assist from a couple of kids to defeat this evil and protect the city’s citizens.

But it’s more. Inspired by the 1940s Superman radio series “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” Gene Luen Yang chronicles a lesser-known aspect of bigotry and racism in American history: Chinese Americans targeted by white supremacists.

The narrative has two plot threads. Alternating stories chronicle a Chinese American family's move from Chinatown to a new neighborhood. This is juxtaposed with the tale of a superhero arriving to earth from another planet. Both threads explore the plight of individuals who are perceived as different. Both are stories of immigrants. Stories of aliens.

Dr Lee, his children Tommy and Roberta, and mandarin-speaking wife move from Chinatown to a suburban Metropolis home. Tommy is excited. He is quickly invited to play with the local youth baseball team. Roberta is apprehensive. She wonders if she will fit it and make new friends.
Sadly some people do not welcome the Lee family. They are subjected to subtle and overt racism. One night Tommy and Roberta watch in horror when hooded Klansmen chant “One Race! One Color! One Religion!" and burn a cross in their neighborhood.
Baseball teammate Chuck takes part in this cross burning. His uncle is the Klan’s Grand Scorpion. Chuck is uneasy about the Klan’s activities, yet wants to please his uncle.

Superman is having his own interior conflict. Readers follow a flashback when young Clark decides that his incredible powers are a stigma, making him different from others. He resolves to conceal his capabilities, hoping for acceptance among his peers. Years later Superman's parents from Krypton appear to their adult son and encourage him to accept and use all his remarkable strengths.

Things end well. After a frightening abduction, an injury, and a harrowing escape, the leaders of the Klan are exposed and their plans for destruction are foiled. Tommy invites Chuck to join in an upcoming ball game. Roberta will pitch!

The script is laced with clever dialog as well as tongue-in-cheek humor. While characters remain true-to-form, Yang fleshes out the Superman with a compelling backstory. Dialog includes subtle hints at the attraction between Lois and Clark. Lois Lane becomes Roberta’s mentor. Smooth segues between the two story lines create a seamless narrative.

Gurihiru's art has a distinctive 1940's vibe. Panel size and placement moves the story forward at a fast pace. Large two-page illustration spreads are background for panel inserts which advance the action. A dazzling two-page spread exposes the horror of cross burning. Color clearly differentiates between day and night scenes. Angled panels accentuate action sequences.

Readers will be pleased to know that there will be further adventures for Tommy, Roberta and Superman. Fans will relish the continuing saga of the hero who now proudly flies as he continues the fight for justice and a better future for all.

The author’s note, "Superman and Me" provides context to Superman Smashes the Klan. Gene Luen Yang interweaves the development of the Superman mythos, a brief history of targeting Chinese Americans and other marginalized people, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, and challenges faced by immigrants. The account is broad in its scope while also a deeply personal reflection on superheroes, bigotry, and the immigrant experience.

Copy purchased from an independent bookstore.

Pub date: May 12, 2020 Publisher: DC Comics ISBN: 978-1779504210

What About Me?

6/16/2020

All the Birds in the World by David Opie

“But what about me?” asked Kiwi.

Diversity is a phenomenon found and celebrated throughout nature. All the Birds in the World explores the remarkable variety found within the avian species.

An adorable little kiwi narrates this informative picture book highlighting a vast assortment of birds living in all parts of the globe. The narrative begins with a list of characteristics common to all members of this class of warm-blooded vertebrates: feathers, wings, and beaks.

Successive pages illustrate remarkable individuality. Birds are different with respect to size, shape, coloration, and behaviors. They can be found in a range of climates and habitats.

Kiwi, a native to New Zealand bird, compares itself with others of the species and asks, "But what about me?"

Kiwi is pleased that a stubby critter who cannot sing, has no tail, does not fly, lives underground, and has whiskers is nonetheless a bird and proudly proclaims that "Even me" is a member of this feathered family.

Opie's exquisitely detailed paintings showcase a dazzling array of winged wonders. Two-page spreads of birds in motion (flying, swimming, and singing or calling) invite careful examination. There are also closeups of eggs, feet, and beaks. The artist notes that some bird images are "not necessarily to scale."

Back matter includes A Note from the Author, additional Kiwi information, and splendid annotated reproductions of the book's pages that identify most of the birds featured throughout the volume.

A delightful introduction to ornithology.

Copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: June 1, 2020 Publisher: Peter Pauper Press ISBN: 978-1441333292

Return to Panem

6/11/2020

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

The needle of his moral compass had swung madly without direction

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, prequel to The Hunger Games, chronicles the rise of Coriolanus Snow. His gradual descent into moral bankruptcy makes compelling, thought-provoking drama. The tale is everything readers have come to expect from master storyteller Suzanne Collins: violent often gristly scenes, compelling plot twists, and fascinating world building.

The narrative opens about sixty years before the time of Katniss Everdeen. Young Coriolanus of the Snow family aristocracy has completed his studies and hopes to build a future for himself at the Capitol. The once proud and influential family consists of only three: Coriolanus, his cousin and their grandmother. Impoverished, they reside in the family’s palatial home but subsist on cabbage soup and Lima beans. Without a scholarship, university studies are out of the question. Coriolanus is determined to vaunt himself into prominence within the Capitol hierarchy.

He loves his grandmother and cousin. He is kind to classmate Sejanus Plinth. But it’s Lucy Gray Baird, the tribute from District 12, who captivates him. He is intrigued by her unassuming nature, individualistic style, fearlessness and mesmerizing singing. An outlier who eschews identification with traditional District classification, she is unlike anyone Coriolanus has ever known. His interest blossoms into affection. The two share tender moments and stolen kisses.

He wrestles with his conscience as he weighs his choices and the possible results of his decisions. There is a lot of interior dialog. How far is he willing to go to protect Lucy Gray? Will his relationship with Plinth hurt or help his chances for advancement? He is an expert at rationalizing his motives and finds an uncanny way to work every situation to his advantage. Rarely does his conscience win in his ruminations.

The names! Where did Collins come up with such unique character name? Hilarius Heavensbee, Vipsania Sickle, Dean Highbottom, Volumina Gaul. The author embeds clever double entendre and onomatopoeia into each moniker.

There are striking parallels with the current political culture. Children in cages. Young tributes who arrive at the Capitol are placed in zoo cages and attended to by a vet. Media manipulation of public perception. Increasing viewership of the broadcast games is the objective. It’s all about ratings. The maxim: when hit, hit back harder echoes a tactic espoused by some individuals.
This richly textured tale of the road to hell, i.e. all-consuming greed and power serves as a chilling reminder of the consequences of authority gone awry.

Collins brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. However, she leaves some important plot threads dangling. This reader will wait for hours in an interminably long line for a follow up to Songbirds and Snakes. Please don't make me wait too long, Ms. Collins.

Electronic copy provided by publisher

Pub date: May 19, 2020 Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 978-1338635171

Real Life

6/9/2020

In the Role of Brie Hutchens by Nicole Melleby

Every weekday morning for the past eight years Gabrielle Hutchins has buttoned up a white shirt, slipped on her plaid skirt and headed off to parochial school. Now things are changing. Gabrielle, known as Brie, has begun to seriously examine who she is and what she believes. She realizes that she may not be the person her mother expects her to be.

Her life is complicated. There’s a financial aspect. Her father lost his job and is now her school’s custodian, which is embarrassing. School tuition is a expensive. There’s the matter of religion. Mom is devoted to her faith. Brie doesn’t want to disappoint her mother but she questions the teachings of the church. Cozy afternoons Brie and her mother spent watching soap operas seem to be a thing of the past. Brie desperately seeks her mother’s attention and approval, so she resorts to lies. One lie results in a major family spectacle. School is a problem. Brie is not motivated by academic excellence and wants to leave private school and attend a school for the performing arts.

Then there’s the realization that she likes girls and one girl in particular is unsettling. She wonders how coming out will affect her family relationships, her school standing, and the reaction of the girl she is attracted to.

Brie struggles to accommodate the expectations of those in her immediate circle. Her interactions with friends, teachers, and family are often prickly. Sometimes those close to Brie let her down. At times she makes mistakes that seem impossible to rectify. Brie wonders: What does she believe? Can her parents love their gay daughter? Can she repair a damaged relationship?

The mother is sensitively portrayed as a woman dealing with the complexities of her life: faith, finances, and family relationships. Mom’s not perfect. But then Brie isn’t either. A major source of tension is the struggle for this mother and daughter to salvage the good parts from their past and construct an honest and supportive relationship built on mutual love and understanding.

The author uses an interesting device throughout the narrative thread. Brief synopses of actual soap operas are featured at the beginning of each chapter. They mirror the drama in Brie’s life. Now she is a performer rather than an audience member. This is life, real life.

In an interesting instance of life imitating art, I was parked off the road, waiting for a curbside delivery. The traffic whizzed by as I read the book’s final chapters. The intensity of Brie’s situation hit me with full force. Here I was insulated inside the bubble of the automobile while cars passed. I was emotionally wrecked. Tears streamed down my face as I began to understand Brie’s anguish. I hope that I never forget that feeling.

Melleby has created a glimpse into the soul of young gay. Meet a young girl with a developing acknowledgement and acceptance of her identity. Meet a daughter who wants to be valued and loved, to be "seen." In the Role of Brie Hutchens is a middle grade novel that will linger in readers' hearts long after the final page.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: June 30, 2020 Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers ISBN: 978-1616209070

Listen Up

6/4/2020

Black Lives Matter: Audiobooks

Looking for audiobooks featuring Black authors and narrators? Here are a few of my favorites, an assortment of excellent listening experiences from nonfiction to mysteries and a gripping tale of the undead. There are humorous books as well as heart wrenching accounts that could be ripped from today's headlines. The formats are varied: memoirs, personal letter, novels in verse, and short story collections. There titles for young listeners, teens, and a few written for adults which may also appeal to teens. So many terrific selections to choose from.
Click on the cover and listen to a brief sample. Grab your earbuds, download an audiobook to your device, and settle in for a heart-expanding, mind-blowing, thought-provoking listening experience. Bonus: Most titles may be accessed from public library websites.

Once Upon a Space-Time by Jeffrey Brown

6/2/2020

Once Upon a Space-Time! by Jeffrey Brown

This is not your normal Once Upon a Time. This is Once Upon a Space-Time. Jeffrey Brown takes readers on a journey into the final frontier.Two young recruits: Jide the science nerd and Petra the sci-fi fan are selected for a mission to Mars. Tobey the alien will be joining them along with several other aliens named Tobey. Not surprisingly Brown uses the classic Shakespearean line: Tobey or not Tobey.

It’s a space adventure jam-packed with silliness and word play, along with a dose of bathroom humor. When the kids put on their space suits for the first time, a dozen panels reveal close-ups of myriad items which must be pulled up, snugly fitted in place, layered on and snapped shut. Then Jide realizes that he needs to go to the bathroom. The procedure is reversed. Everything comes off. Following a quick trip to the bathroom, the entire suit goes back on again. That's when Commander Gusevich informs Jide that all suits have built-in diapers.

Brown sneaks informational tidbits into the mix including relativity, gravity, and space exploration. This is the first in this graphic novel series and sets up what will be an ongoing space odyssey. Great fun.

Crash landing on Mars: "Let's call it a safety challenged landing, okay?"

Comics Conquer Space

When science meets science fiction, comic book style. Follow the historic expedition to the moon with Rocket to the Moon. Meet the first women to explore space in Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier. Then travel to an imaginary space station with Sanity and Tallulah. The wonder of space. The joy of comics.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher

Pub date: June 2, 2020 Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers ISBN: 978-0553534351

Dog Tale

5/28/2020

How I Trained My Dog in Ten Days
by Norma Lewis ill by Tim Tinn-Disbury

It seems particularly appropriate that How I Trained My Dog in Ten Days published on April 1, a day set aside for practical jokes. Meet the dog who plays the ultimate prank on his owner.

Lewis offers a lighthearted take on the joys of pet ownership. The story’s outcome, while predictable, is none-the-less charming as each page reveals yet another attempt by this youngster to train his dog Scamp. It’s a losing battle. Each day the dog inches beyond the boundaries his owner sets. This necessitates the owner constantly moving the goal post. From the garden to the dining room his pet defies the rules, claiming new territory. Ultimately the dog takes ownership of boy's video games, bathtub, and even the pillow on his bed.
Each page turn confirms young readers’ growing awareness that the dog is winning this power play.

The authoritative narrator confidently raises his hand while directing readers to be firm and establish clearly defined rules. However it’s Tinn-Disbury’s Scamp who steals the show. The cover image of dog with a smirk on his face and game controller dangling from his mouth makes it obvious who is in charge.

Be sure to view the back cover where Scamp licks his owner’s happy face with a slobbering tongue and a caption proclaims, “Best friends forever!”
Delightful addition to storytime, bedtime, or anytime.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: April 1, 2020 Publisher: Peter Pauper Press ISBN: 978-1441332646

Here Comes Lolo

5/21/2020

Lolo Series by Niki Daly

Meet the irrepressible Lolo, a good-natured youngster who loves gold stars and embellishing her paintings with glitter. Lolo lives with her mother and her grandmother in South Africa.
This girl has a mind of her own. She is not interested in the library book with the fairy wearing a frilly pink tutu. No. She wants the book featuring a terrible monster with horns and tusks.

Both Hooray for Lolo and Here Comes Lolo are easy-to-read chapter books brimming with the exploits of this charismatic youngster. She has a lot going on. There are matters of conscience when she finds a beautiful gold ring and later attempts to rescue a neglected dog. She bravely faces surgery for appendicitis and learns about misunderstandings when she doesn’t receive an invitation to a classmate’s party. Mother and grandmother gently help Lolo learn to confront fear, conflict, and injustice.

Because the series is set in South Africa, readers will encounter some regional vernacular. For example, Molo is a common Zulu greeting and the Zulu name for grandmother is Gogo. A punctuation mark located at the end of a sentence is referred to as a full stop. Illustrations and contextual cues help youngsters decode the meaning of unfamiliar terms.

Trim size of about 5” x 8” fits nicely into small hands. Book design features large font with plenty of white space as well as delightful grey scale drawing on every page.

Daly’s illustrations capture the personality and unique idiosyncrasies of each character.

Lolo is a little charmer whose stories will enchant readers. More Lolo books please.

Hooray for Lolo by Niki Daly

Pub date: May 5, 2020 Publisher: Catalyst Press ISBN: 978-1946395382

Here Comes Lolo by Niki Daly

Pub date: April 28, 2020 Publisher: Catalyst Press ISBN: 978-1946395368

Copies provided by publisher.

Sweet with a Sprinkling of Salt

5/14/2020

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim

What does it mean to follow my heart, anyway?
What if pleasing my parents and wanting to do comedy are both pieces of my heart?

Hurrah! A middle grade book that is funny. And heartwarming and painfully honest. Bonus: It is served with a side of tasty Korean barbecue.

Meet Yumi Chung, eleven-year-old daughter of immigrant parents. Pressure. She constantly feels parental pressure to excel academically. It's particularly difficult because her older sister Yuri is the embodiment of the ideal Korean daughter: accelerated educational advancement and currently a medical school student.

Not Yumi. Earning high marks and academic accolades are not that important. What she really loves is stand-up comedy. This seems bizarre, as she is painfully self-conscious.

Mom has decided that Yumi will spend her summer with tutoring sessions in preparation for the SSAT, Secondary School Admission Test. Yumi grudgingly heads off for morning test prep sessions combined with three hours of afternoon study at the library.

Then something amazing happens.
She discovers a comedy club adjacent to the library. What luck! YouTube sensation Jasmine Jasper is facilitating a comedy camp. Right now. At the club. Yumi succumbs to temptation and steps inside. She is mistaken for a camp registrant who failed to show. Here’s Yumi’s chance to shine. Performing using another identity frees her from stage fright. She is a success!

Unfortunately, the family is dealing with several other issues. Her high-achieving medical student sister has decided to quit school and join the peace corps. The family restaurant is experiencing a significant financial downturn. Yumi wants to quit the prestigious and expensive private school favored by her parents and enroll in the new Performing Arts Magnet School.
Yumi's juggling act of working at the restaurant, attending morning test prep classes, maintaining the pretense of studying daily at the library, preparing a routine for an upcoming comedy club showcase, and assuming the identity of another workshop participant all comes crashing down. Big time.

My plans are teetering like Jenga bricks, and I'm going to get caught under the rubble...

Readers will sympathize with Yumi as she tries to unravel the mess that she has created, support the family's business, honor her parents’ wishes, and find a way to realize her dream. Everything doesn't work out perfectly. There are heartbreaking moments and several compromises. However... there are jokes!
Like Korean barbecue Stand Up, Yumi Chung! is sweet with a few salty tears but definitely savory. YUM! Kudos Jessica Kim.

Holy Hot Cheetos!
It's Yumi's Super-Secret Comedy Notebook

Yumi picked up a tip from her comedy idol Jasmine Jasper. She maintains a journal, recording her observations and reactions to events in her life. These entries could be the basis for possible jokes and comedy routines.
Readers will find several pages from Yumi’s notebook scattered throughout the first person narrative. Yumi accompanies her entries with personal emojis that express her current mood .

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: March 17, 2020 Publisher: Kokila ISBN: 978-0525554974