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READING STYLE GUIDE

A Tale of Two Worlds

11/20/2021

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A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

“Recuerda nuestra historia.”  Remember our history.
Little Badger has done it again: creating another storytelling marvel. Seemingly unconnected narratives spanning over eight years and alternating between two distinctive worlds are magically woven together.
Cottonmouth snake Oli lives in the Reflecting World, home of spirits and monsters. He is devastated when his friend Ami, a small spotted toad, disappears. Oli recruits three spirit animals who can assume human form to help him search for Ami who is gravely ill and faces possible extinction. ​The companions leave the Reflecting World and "fall" to Earth, hoping to locate and save one small toad.
On Earth, sixteen-year-old Nina is puzzled by comments made by her Great-Great-Grandma Rosita and seeks answers from her Grandma. Both women are an enigma. Why do animals mysteriously recover in Grandma’s presence? What accounts for Rosita’s unusually long life?
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When a major hurricane is projected to make landfall near Grandma’s South Texas property, Nina along with her father and the spirit animals join forces to save Grandma’s home from destruction.
The two worlds are well delineated. Characters are fully formed with unique personalities. The narrative sparkles with numerous charming details: a nearsighted snake who wears spectacles, a cantankerous alligator with a score to settle, a father habitually consuming all the chocolates in the candy dish, a grandmother who delights in gifting garage sale purchases.
The story's conclusion is dramatic, taking on mythic proportions. A devasting hurricane. A species facing extinction. A mysterious individual who seems inordinately interested in Grandma’s property. Impossible odds. ​
Extraordinary forces are at work here: the ability to shape nature and the overarching power of love. A Snake Falls to Earth, a 2021 National Book Award longlist selection, is a fascinating tale and a literary masterpiece.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: November 23, 2021  Publisher: Levine Querido  ISBN: 978-1646140923
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Her Immigrant Story

10/15/2021

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Where I Belong by Marcia Argueta Mickelson

High school senior Milagros Vargas' life has not been easy. But she has learned to cope, caring for her three younger siblings while her immigrant mother works long hours as a housekeeper, cook, and nanny for the Wheelers, prominent members of the Corpus Christi social elite.
In addition to family responsibilities, Millie has maintained a stellar academic record, earning a full scholarship to Stanford.
She has learned to keep a low profile. Her anonymity evaporates when Mr. Wheeler, in a bid for a congressional seat, reveals during a campaign speech that his housekeeper's daughter fled Guatemala with her parents, sought asylum, attained U.S. citizenship and is now an immigrant success story.
Milagros becomes the subject of news reports and internet trolls. Quiet, never-make-waves Millie is thrust into the spotlight, a position she never wanted. ​Media coverage as well as threats directed at her and her family intensify.
Eventually, she must decide if she will remain silent or speak out.
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A strength of Mickelson's storytelling can be found in the details of Millie's personal interactions with her widowed mother whom she adores and does not want to disappoint, a younger sister who has to go to the bathroom at an inconvenient time, and the handsome Charlie Wheeler who suddenly seems interested in her.
Where I Belong is a richly layered narrative that explores headline-grabbing issues and the dynamics of personal relationships.
Audio copy accessed via Hoopla.
Pub date: September 7, 2021  Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab  ISBN: 978-1541597976
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The Other Side

7/5/2021

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"The Other Side is not so far away."

My Two Border Towns by David Bowles ill by Erika Meza

This little treasure is a love letter to community, culture, and heritage. My Two Border Towns chronicles a typical Saturday journey of a father and son to a nearby town. A routine that is both ordinary and extraordinary.
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​This twosome have an itinerary: begin with breakfast at a favorite restaurant, purchase grocery items requested by family and friends, fill medical prescriptions, visit with extended family, and make deliveries.
It seems to be a simple and straightforward description of a father and son outing. However, there is one important difference. The neighboring town is in another country. The two leave their home in the United States and travel to Mexico. This means stopping at a checkpoint, producing necessary documentation, and passing a border guard’s inspection. Spanish phrases are liberally sprinkled throughout the narrative with plenty of context to help young readers infer meaning. Spanish is evident, to a varying degree, in both towns.​
The journey concludes with a stop at a center for refugees. It is obvious that this is not the first time the pair have visited the site. The boy calls an individual by name. He has come prepared with comics, notebooks, and pencils to share with children "stuck between two countries." After distributing their gifts, the pair head for home, hoping that someday they will be no longer be separated from their immigrant friends.
Cover art brilliantly depicts a mirrored image of young man. He’s the same person, but each image colors his world in a particular way.  Both towns offer context and dimension to his life.
Title page features a stylized overhead view of the two towns, the river that divides them and the road that connects them. The image is a prelude to a story of separation and connection.
Illustrations for the town across the river are replete with local vivid details: papel picado (paper banners) and paletas (ice pops). Meza's art shows the landscape from a variety of views and perspectives.
Bowles has penned a gentle narrative that celebrates the unique qualities of living near a border town. It's a tribute to family and home. The neighboring Mexican community allows youngsters to appreciate similarities and differences. Text presents a sensitive view of those trapped between two countries, seeking for a place to call home. Reassuring. Hopeful.

Border Stories: Picture Books

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​Electronic copy accessed via Edelweiss.
Pub date: August 24, 2021  Publisher: Kolika  ISBN: 978-0593111048
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Of Courage and Cowardice

5/10/2021

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On the Hook by Francisco X. Stork

Francisco X. Stork books often feature teens who find themselves in difficult situations, the result of personal choices and circumstances beyond their control. The protagonist struggles with a moral dilemma. There are no easy answers. There is no simple solution. Stork’s stories are filled with complications. Like life.
Case in point:
Sixteen-year-old Hector Robles has a lot going for him. An excellent student and exceptional chess player, he has a best friend he can confide in, a loving and supportive family, and a good part-time job. He also deals with some serious problems. Hector resides in the gang-infested projects of El Paso. His father’s death, along with older brother Filipino's difficulty in coping with the loss of his father, make life doubly hard. His drug-dealing neighbor Joey constantly bullies and threatens him. Hector bears the scar from an encounter with Joey: a “C” carved into his chest with a box cutter. Joey's omnipresent threat haunts Hector. "You know I'm coming. You're dead already."
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One night, fate places Hector in the wrong place at the wrong time. Joey and his brother Chavo confront Filipino. Hector is terrified as he silently witnesses Joey and Chavo attack Filipino. Panicked, Hector drives a truck toward his brother’s killers, seriously wounding Chavo.
The result: Joey and Hector are both sentenced to a reform school for troubled minors. Hector is ashamed of his inability to stop the fight that took his brother's life. He plans to kill Joey as soon as he has the opportunity. A life for a life.
While at the reformatory, Hector is conflicted as he considers his options and wonders what he should do. He is consumed by a desire for revenge and at times makes rash decisions. Surprisingly, he also performs a selfless heroic act. He questions his motives. Why did he do that? Can he overcome his cowardice? How will he satisfy his desire for justice? Is it possible to make things right?
The final pages reveal Hector's surprising solution. His choice will be painful. It's a big risk, difficult and potentially dangerous. But... it feels right.
On the Hook offers readers a searing exploration into the mind and heart of a young man struggling with serious issues. It's a story that needs to be told and one that is impossible to forget.

Try These Books 

Stork explores the lives of three young men who are confronting serious issues, weighing consequences, and making difficult decisions.
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Meet the Author

Francisco X. Stork introduces On the Hook, his latest novel for young adults.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
​Pub date: May 18, 2021 Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 978-1338692150
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Stronger Than Death

8/25/2020

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Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger ill by Rovina Cai

Boundaries between the dead and the undead, dreams and reality, animals and humans are all fluid.
Ellie has the extraordinary ability to bring back the dead. Her truest companion is her dog Kirby who died five years ago. After his death, she reached into the underworld for her beloved canine and returned him to her world. Now he usually manifests himself as a shimmering transparency which Ellie and some others can see.
​Seventeen-year-old Ellie, an Apache Lipan, has inherited her Six-Great-Grandmother’s capacity to travel to the land Below where ghosts and monsters dwell. 
​Named Elatsoe in honor of her legendary ancestor Six-Great, Ellie continues the matriarchal task of protecting her family and close friends.

But there are rules. Do not speak the deceased’s name or view an image of a departed individual. While she may return animals to the world of the living, she is not to bring people back from the land Below.
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Ellie is devastated when her cousin Trevor dies, leaving his grieving widow and seven-month-old son. Authorities report his death is the result of a tragic auto accident. But Ellie has reason to believe otherwise. In a dream, Trevor's ghost informs his cousin that he was brutally murdered. He identifies his killer and asks Ellie to avenge his death. She enlists the help of her best friend to locate the killer and bring him to justice. In addition to traditional sleuthing methods, Ellie relies on the assistance of a tribal Elder and other spiritualists.
The climax is a thriller which crackles with nonstop action. Look for a ghost dog, a mother-daughter team, vampires, an agile cheerleader, and basketball bridesmaids wearing rhinestone-embellished trench coats to join forces in an epic battle to defeat evil.
Little Badger lightens the tension with wry tongue-in-cheek humor. There is a discussion of veggie burgers that taste like beef because they are made with "plant-synthesized hemoglobin." When the fighting escalates there is a request to “Keep things PG” because kids are present. Ellie fires back “We’re at least PG-13...At least. But I appreciate your consideration.”
The satisfying conclusion holds the possibility of new directions for Ellie that will honor her heritage, prepare her for the future, and bring peace to the family. The final tender scenes may cause the book’s pages to be wet with readers’ tears.
Australian artist Cai's soft ink wash illustrations set off the book's mystical ethereal quality.
Set in south Texas, near the Rio Grande River known to the Lipan as Kunétai, the land is more than setting, it’s an integral part of the story. The way of the Apache Lipan is woven throughout the tale with inclusion of Apache mythology, culture and traditions.
Speculative fiction that explores timeless relationships, family loyalty, the bond between animals and people. Ties which death cannot sever. Elatsoe holds readers under its spell long after the final page.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: August 25, 2020  Publisher:   Levine Querido  ISBN: 978-1646140053
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Sweet Advice

11/7/2019

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Two recently published books share a common denominator: a young girl anonymously authors a local newspaper's advice column. The two books are quite different: Dear Sweet Pea is contemporary fiction for middle grade readers and The Downstairs Girl is historical fiction for young adults. Both are standouts.

Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy

Dear Sweet Pea, 
​I could use your advice...
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Thirteen-year-old Patricia "Sweet Pea" DiMarco is experiencing some significant changes. Her parents have agreed to an amicable divorce and will live on the same street in similar houses to minimize their daughter's discomfort with this new family dynamic.
She is simultaneously negotiating a falling-out with her former best friend and the repercussions from thoughtlessness toward her new best friend. This girl is headed for a world of hurt.
Then there's her neighbor, the eccentric advice columnist Miss Flora Mae who leaves town and asks Sweet Pea to forward advice requests and then deliver the answers to the newspaper editor. Sweet Pea succumbs to temptation and reads letters addressed to Miss Flora Mae. She decides to dispense her own advice and sets up an elaborate scheme to impersonate Miss Flora Mae in print. Sometimes the plan works. Sometimes it doesn't. How she extricates herself from a situation of her own making, salvages damages friendships, and rebuilds trust makes for a humorous, heartwarming tale.
Snippets from the advice column are interspersed throughout the narrative and deal with topics important to tweens: building and repairing friendships, dealing with awkward situations, weathering and surviving change at home,
Dear Sweet Pea oozes with southern charm. There's so much to love here: A vulnerable young girl caught up in a messy predicament. Concerned and sometimes overprotective parents. The agony of clothing shopping when nothing fits. As a bonus, there is a fifteen-pound live cat named Cheese, a dead stuffed cat who goes by Bette Davis, and a whole lotta Aretha Franklin. It's as good as gravy. ​Thank you, Julie Murphy.
​Audiobook accessed via Overdrive.
​Pub date: October 1, 2019  Publisher: Balzer + Bray  ISBN: 978-0062473073

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

Dear Miss Sweetie, 
Hold your horses. What's next? Shall women and men be forced to exchange wardrobes - pants on her and petticoats on him? I think you need to rein in your brazen ideas.
Sincerely yours,
Mary Steeple

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Stacey Lee addresses racism, worker's rights, immigration, and women's suffrage from a unique perspective: a Chinese girl living in Atlanta Georgia in the late 1800s.
​Seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan loses her job as a milliner and must return to the demeaning life of a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. She and immigrant Old Gin secretly live in a tunnel beneath a newspaper printer's shop. She faces
discrimination on several fronts. She’s an orphan, female, and Chinese .
An intelligent and resourceful young woman, she is determined to protect Old Gin and rise above her current circumstances. She finds a way, pseudonymously penning a local newspaper's advice column "Dear Miss Sweetie." Many questions are of the mundane sort: unruly children, troubled marriages, making a hat fit properly. She doesn’t stop there. Under the cloak of anonymity, she speaks out forcefully on racial and gender inequality. Her column is a success and newspaper subscriptions skyrocket.
In time she discovers some of Atlanta's darkest secrets, including a shocking revelation about her own past. ​There is plenty of intrigue: Clandestine meetings in a graveyard. Confronting a despicable Atlanta criminal. Listening in on private conversations via a secret connecting tube.
Readers will discover several fascinating tidbits scattered through this first person narration: Elaborate Chinese knot work (Take a look at some gorgeous samples.) Horse racing in 19th century Atlanta and a female jockey.  A glimpse into a suffragette meeting.  (Love those snazzy sashes.)
​Heart-warming, pulse-pounding, eye-opening historical fiction. The Downstairs Girl is a captivating read.
​Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
​​Pub date: August 13, 2019  Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Reader  ISBN: 978-1524740955
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On the Border

11/13/2018

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“Poetry is the clearest lens for viewing the world.”

They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid's Poems by David Bowles 

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This slim poetry collection becomes more relevant with each passing day. They Call Me Güero chronicles the life of twelve-year-old Güero, a Mexican American boy living on the swath of land near the Rio Grande. Although he lives on the American side of the river, his heritage and identity are deeply rooted in Mexico. 
He frequently traverses the bridge connecting the two countries. In Mexico he and his father eat breakfast and purchase fresh groceries. Güero's imagination inhabits his grandmother's world filled with chilling tales of mythical monsters.
He possesses distinctive physical characteristics which distinguish him from other members in his community: a light complexion with freckles and a head of bright red hair. 
He's a 7th grade student who enjoys sharing books, comics, movies, and gaming with his nerdy friends. He fluidly moves between two countries, navigating crowded middle school hallways and the bustling pulga. He is equally comfortable communicating in Spanish, English, Spanglish, and colloquial Texan. ​English teacher Mrs. Wong expands his multicultural view of the world, incorporating Aztec, Mayan, Chinese and Korean mythology into the curriculum. ​
This first person memoir takes shape through multiple poetic forms such as haiku, rhyming couplets, and free verse.  "Mis Otros Abuelos" is a concrete poem which narrows as the family crosses the bridge connecting the two countries and expands as the family travels further into the interior of each country. 
Bowles handles sensitive topics with a light touch. Racism, stereotypes, immigration are part of Güero's life and are subtly revealed throughout the narrative. This is a boy discovering a world closely connected to his heritage, family, and friends.   
Spanish is clearly an important feature in the text. Bowles liberally peppers these verses with Spanish phrases and references to Mexican and Mexican-American culture. A glossary for most of the phrases with pronunciation and the English equivalent enriches the reading experience. This is especially helpful when reading aloud.
The poems can be read as a collective narrative.  They also work well as standalone vignettes.  Read. Enjoy. Discuss. Share. Repeat.
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¡Gracias!
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​THE REFUGE
ON THE RANCH
It's quiet here except for the hushed flow of the river
and the hum of the bugs answered by the sharp trill of birds
Somewhere, an ocelot growls.

​
"I know poetry when I hear it.”
​Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
​Pub date: September 4, 2018 Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press ISBN:  978-1947627062
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Texas Legend

7/12/2018

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What Do You Do With a Voice Like That?
The Story of Congresswoman Barbara Jordan

by Chris Barton ill Ekua Holmes

"My faith in the constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, and the destruction of the Constitution."
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Full disclosure: The first time that I heard Barbara Jordan speak, I was mesmerized. I had tuned into the impeachment hearings, and listened as a powerful voice spoke with measured authoritative language. I wanted to learn more about the woman behind that voice.
Well-known and respected Texas author Chris Barton whose Whoosh, Dazzle Ships, and The Day-Glow Brothers are some of his outstanding nonfiction titles has penned a picture book biography that is worthy of this Texas legend and her legacy.
What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan traces her life, beginning with her childhood in the Fifth Ward of Houston, Texas. Barton mentions the influence that her grandfather and her high school teachers had on her decision to study law. He details her service first as a Texas state senator and later as a United States Congresswoman. The concluding pages reveal her struggle with multiple sclerosis and her decision to return to Texas, teaching at the University of Texas at Austin.
The narrative emphasizes Barbara Jordan’s distinctive communication abilities by frequently repeating the word voice. The multiple meanings for this term are implied as readers learn of her unwavering defense of principle. Thought-provoking questions are posed. Each page turn brings answers and further elaboration. Barton makes it clear that in additional to her verbalization skills, Jordan is remembered for her devotion to the constitution and the values of right and wrong.

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I had the opportunity to hear Coretta Scott King Award-winning illustrator Ekua Holmes (Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement). She displayed some of the original art that she created for this picture book.
​Ms. Holmes shared that her granddaughter served as the model for young Barbara Jordan. Note: she's the young girl in pink standing in front of a tree. It took a few tries before she captured the essence of a confident young Barbara Jordan. The image of Barbara, returning to her home years later is particularly poignant. The artist used a family home as the model in these images. It is fitting that these sources serve as inspiration for her work.
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Page design and layout is particularly striking. Collages include campaign memorabilia and a photo of a television screen, which lend authenticity to the work. Innovative use of font size and color give added emphasis to key points. ​Back matter includes an author's note, time line, a list of recommended books and videos.
​This exceptional picture book is a treat for the mind, heart, and eyes. What a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman. Well done, Mr. Barton and Ms. Holmes.
What do we do with a voice like that?
We remember it, and we honor it by making our own voices heard.

Listen!

After reading about the life of this extraordinary woman, view a video retrospective of her life and a recording of her opening statement during the congressional impeachment hearings. Her voice is compelling. Her influence is immeasurable.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: September 25, 2018  Publisher: Beach Lane Books  ISBN: 978-1481465618
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Listen!

2/21/2018

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Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners by Naomi Shihab Nye

"All the voices we ever loved or respected in our lives..."
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In the busy-ness of my day, things seemed to get scrambled. Falling into bed, I congratulated myself on completing all the mailings.  Then a quick check of email reminded me that I had missed one important item to be mailed. How did I miss that one? I worried as I tried to settle down and prepare for sleep. One more thing to add to tomorrow's To-Do List.  I set aside the phone.  This was madness. The mailing could wait.  Instead, I picked up Naomi Shihab Nye’s Voices in the Air ​and began to read and to listen.  Shihab Nye introduces this collection of poetry with a reflection on the value of listening. 
"Might we pause on our way to everywhere we are rushing off to and hear something in the air, old or new, that would help us?"
My evening and subsequent morning, afternoon, and evening were spent with this slim volume. Each poem is an homage one who inspired the author. The list of individuals ranges from poets, musicians, world figures to childhood acquaintances and family members. The ideas are compelling, succinctly and poignantly expressed. 
Here are samples of her exquisite poetry
Some days     reviewing everything from brain's
     balcony
                      filigree of thinking    a calm comes in
     you can't fix the whole street     change the city
     or the world
                      but clearing bits of rubbish possible

                                                          moving one stone

                  from Time's Low Note
down by the Charles River we will go
when daylight shines. I wish I had known you,
Longfellow, but truly I did, as a small reader
with a book cracked wide, speaking aloud
on the old wooden stairs of my grandparents' home,
saying your words, between the daylight
and the dark, swinging them like small lanterns

     from ​Longfellow's Bed
I write her back
     Slowly      slow
Clean one drawer
     Arrange words on a page
Let them find one another
     Find you
Trust they might know something
     You aren't living the whole thing
     At once

That's what a minute     said to an hour
Without me     you are nothing

​     from To Manage
The glory in the doing. The breath of the doing.
Sometimes the simplest move kept fears from
fragmenting into no energy at all, or sorrow from
multiplying, or sorrow from being the only person
living in the house.
     from Loving Working
To live with what we are given-
Graciously, as if our windows open wide as
     our neighbors',
as if there weren't an insult at every turn.
How did you do that
​               from Break the Worry Cocoon
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There are so many treasures within these pages. Shihab Nye's verse introduces "listeners" to voices spanning both the globe as well as periods of time. The stories, the voices, are rich and real.  I was surprised to learn that at age twenty, Naomi traveled to Florida to meet Stella Kerouac, widow of Jack Kerouac.  While she was there, she picked up the phone.  It was Allen Ginsberg calling. Voices. More Voices. Back matter includes Biographical Notes for each of the individuals who inspired these verses.
I recently read Sarah Aronson's Writing Tip: Read a Poem. One A Day. Aloud.  Voices in the Air offers an excellent opportunity for me to begin this practice.  So I shall begin, searching for a peony and give away the collection of skeins of wool, waiting to be knitted into the sweaters, socks, hat, and gloves that I needed when I lived in New York.  Now in South Texas, the wool has lost its usefulness. "give it away” Unsung - On Finding advises. I will give away the wool and, in its place, take up a word:  Yutori. Shihab Nye introduced me to "Yutori", a Japanese word meaning "life-space".  I want to make more spaces in my life. Moving without haste, Making room for mistakes. Opening to possibility.  Thank you, Naomi Shihab Nye.
"Slowing to a more gracious pacing- trying not to hurry or feel overwhelmed- inch by inch-one thought at a time- can be a deeply helpful mantra. It's a gift we give our own minds."
​Review and poetry excerpts from an uncorrected text.
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Windswept

10/10/2017

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All the Wind in the World by Samantha Mabry

There is so much wind in the world.
All the Wind in the World, Mabry's second novel for young adults transports readers to The Real Marvelous, a Texas ranch where jimadors toil countless hours in the blazing desert sun harvesting maguey. Lopping out the hearts of this cactus is soul-numbing, back-breaking, hope-stifling labor.  Sarah Jac Crow and James Holt have a plan to escape their fates in Chicago, work as jimadors, and earn enough money to move to a home of their own on the East Coast.
But the desert and particularly Real Marvelous have a power over its inhabitants. There are witches and curses, death and plagues. And the ever present wind.  Always the wind.
The story is brimming with evocative language that casts its own spell on readers.  There are numerous references to Biblical literature: Sarah posing as a cousin to protect her relationship with James, the escape after killing an overseer of the field workers, and a series of plagues including a devastating attack of bees. The book's mystical elements are rich in symbolism.  Enter a world of heat and pain, longing and loss. The images remain long after turning the final page.

Images from Texas

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​We wait for weather or disease or bees or a sudden accident to come and pick one another off..
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I learned later that desperate people turn, like an apple gone to rot from the inside out.
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​The stars in the night sky are overwhelming in number and in their random patterns. Some are glowing. Some are dim. Some are clustered, and other seem to stand apart. Someone has to be the first to point out how they connect. Constellations aren't obvious until the moment they are.
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I worry that my heart is not very hard anymore. It's getting tired and worn out, like maybe its fibers are coming undone.
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I don't believe in signs and symbols, but in reality, facts, and things I can see with my own eyes. A freak storm of bees is just that: a freak storm of bees.
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James and I have always had our plans, but plans are different than expectations. Expectations are firm. You expect the stars to appear at night because they've always appeared at night...Plans are more like half dreams.
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    Barbara Moon

    I like talking about books and  interesting ideas. I like thinking about how books affect my life. Not particularly interested in giving out stars or in rating books. 

    Audio Publishers Association
    2013, - present  Audies judge 
    American Library Association Book Awards and Lists 
    ​2017 YALSA Award Nominating Committee
    2016 Excellence in Nonfiction 
    2014 Margaret Edwards Award
    2012 Odyssey Awards.  
    2009, 2010, 2011 Great Graphic Novels for Teens.

    Professional Reader
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