The Moon Within by Aida Salazar

Celi's mother is thrilled that her daughter will soon have her first period.  She excitedly shares this news with friends and family and begins planning a tradition ancestral celebration to honor her daughter's first menses. Celi is mortified and feels that her privacy has been invaded. A clash between generations, cultures, and expectations leaves both mother and daughter at odds. Celi's internal dissonance extends to relationships with her peers.

She examines her feelings when Magda reveals her gender fluidity, requesting that family and friends refer to her as Mar because "I feel more boy than girl at the moment and because I can be both."  In addition, Celi develops a crush on skate boarder and capoeira dancer Ivan. Sadly, when Ivan and his friends mock Mar, Celi remains silent, refusing to speak in defense of her friend. ​​She finally realizes that she will have to take a stand. She must decide where her loyalties lie.

Salazar lyrically weaves several themes throughout this poetic first-person account. Reading becomes a sensory experience though explorations of rhythm "dancing bomba feels like warm Caribbean water swishing and swaying happiness inside of me," hearts "a locket in my heart ... holds all of the questions that do cartwheels in my mind,' and of course, the moon "I look into the dark and sway with Luna's moonbeams..."

Ultimately, Celi acknowledges that her Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage are an important part of her identity. She accepts and appreciates the biological changes taking place in her body. She celebrates the girl she is and the woman that she is becoming.

A timely reminder of the universal nature of menstruation and cultural differences:  "Period. End of Sentence" won a 2019 Oscar Award for Best Short Documentary.

​​"So listen, Jones," he said. "Things will get sorted out." 
"You mean in cricket?"
"In cricket, too."

Returning to the story...

Sixth-grader Carter slowly reveals the family's deep-seated wounds: the death of his younger brother and his parent's dissolving marriage. A distinctive voice makes this first-person narrative stand out. ​​Australian tropical thunderstorms, a treasured green marble, and unanswered emails expose his aching heart.

​Carter's offers wry commentary on wide range of topics:  the dog's choice of his neighbor's day lilies to do his business, a mandatory excursion to the ballet with his sisters, driving the Butler's Bentley, and taking the "unpatriotic" side in a class assignment.  ​
Keeping it real, Master Jones. Thanks for keeping it real.

Like The Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now, Pay Attention Carter Jones is a story of getting along, helping out, and standing up. Of growing up.
​Read it alone. Read it with a friend. Read it aloud. Read it while eating Irish steel-cut oatmeal or pizza. It works any way and every way. Pay attention to this one!

Note: Schmidt scatters little Easter Eggs throughout the text. Nods to children's literature and current events abound. The family lives in Marysville, New York. The middle school principal is Mrs. Swieteck. See Wednesday Wars. Principal Swieteck lived in England for a few years when her husband was studying art. And... her name is Lilian. See: Okay for Now. Krosoczka is not a common name. Perhaps Coach Krosoczka is related to the famous comic creator Jarrett Krosoczka. See: Lunch Lady series and Hey Kiddo. Was the name for the Cricket-playing Butler Bowles-Fitzpatrick inspired by New York Jets former head coach Bowles and Jets quarterback Fitzpatrick?

Interesting to note three covers feature the lower half of blue jeans ending in a pair of sneakers.

We have a saying in Farsi. It translates ‘your place was empty.’ We say it when we miss somebody.

Michael Levi Harris' delivers a nuanced performance. He expertly moves the narrative through the voice of vulnerable young Darius with palpable anxiety and fragility. Supporting characters receive stellar treatment with unique character accents in English, broken English, and Farsi. Harris nails the personality of each: Laleh's exhausted whining, Trent Bolger's taunts, and grandfather Babou's proud yet often blustering confusion. However, it's the emotional interactions of Darius between friend Sohrab, grandmother Mamou, and father Stephen Kellner that bring the story into sharp focus.
Harris' narration invites listeners into the world of Darius the Great is Not Okay. It's an experience as rich and satisfying as an elaborate Persian meal. The memories will linger long after the final literary morsel is consumed.

I experienced both the print and audio versions of Darius the Great is Not Okay. I enjoyed each for different reasons. Reading names of Iranian attractions is helpful in locating and picturing specific places: Dowlatabad, Atashkadeh, Jameh Mosque. (They are stunning sites. Take a look.) Thanks Dial Books and Adib Khorram for an outstanding young adult novel! Hearing Farsi phrases is a bonus. I appreciate the decision to have all Persian-speaking characters place a vowel sound between initial consonants. Thanks Michael and Listening Library!

• How many times has Khorram watched Star Trek? Does he keep some kind of record of his favorite episodes?
• Precisely how particular is Khorramabout about his tea?
• Where did he come up with all of the detailed descriptions of the food? Did he grow up with Persian food? How much eating was involved in the development of the book?
• Is the version of Rook that I learned to play as a child similar to the game played in Iran?

Release date: August 28, 2018, 2018 Publisher: Listening Library

​Audiobook accessed via Overdrive

Current box office receipts prove that there is significant interest in romantic comedies featuring an all Asian cast. Crazy Rich Asians has been drawing record-breaking crowds. Interestingly, the movie is based on Kevin Kwan's book with the same title. Jenny Han's YA classic To All the Boys I've Loved Before has been adapted for the screen and is available on Netflix. 

But let's not stop with these fantastic films developed from contemporary fiction. There could be more. Look at these three romantic YA novels written by Asian American authors. Each, in my humble opinion, would translate well to the screen. Can you picture some of your favorite actors assuming roles in these stories? I can. If I were a movie producer looking for a follow-up hit movie, I would consider these 2018 YA books.

​Pub date: May 8 2018       Publisher: ​Farrar, Straus and Giroux    ISBN: 978-0374304089

​Pub date: May 22, 2018       Publisher: ​Simon Pulse    ISBN: 978-1481495400

Romantic comedy films featuring Asian Americans are winners at the box office and in the hearts of viewers. 

Exactly where is the mouth of the Mississippi? The task proves to be more elusive than he initially thought it would be.

Through a contact from his hometown newspaper he meets the Henri Moreau family, who offer to assist him in his search. Vic is attracted to Philomena (Phil) Moreau, Henri's strikingly beautiful, no-nonsense daughter whose life revolves around the family business guiding deep-sea fishing expeditions. The two develop a friendship which at times skirts close to the edges of romance. 

He encounters his share of obstacles during his quest. In addition to determining the location where the ashes should be scattered, Vic is involved in a boating accident and sustains a serious head injury. Phil's former boyfriend attacks the boat with Phil and Vic onboard. A more serious threat is the gathering storm, Hurricane Betsy, headed toward New Orleans.

Vic's original plan for depositing Mr. Spiro's ashes must be abandoned.  While things do not work out as he had envisioned, he leaves New Orleans confident that he has fulfilled the spirit of Mr. Spiro's final request.  

Breaking away. Finding meaning and purpose in life. Coping with uncertainty. Growing up is both a journey and a struggle. It seems appropriate that this personal coming-of-age saga is set during a turbulent historical event. Vawter captures the essence of rite-of-passage in this new chapter in Vic's life.

Personal Note: Scenes of the Moreau family preparing for Hurricane Betsy brought back memories of hurricanes that I have experienced. Recently, there were tense moments as we boarded up windows, secured exterior property, prepared the house for flooding, and then evacuated in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. In fact, I kept talking to the text through this entire sequence, urging the characters to move more quickly with their evacuation plans. The uncertainty and ominous feeling of preparing for the anticipated destruction are captured in tiny details: constantly checking for updates on the approaching storm, clearing all debris around the home which could possibly become projectiles, planning evacuation routes.