The Magic in Changing your Stars by Leah Henderson

Summary from Goodreads:

Can you change your fate—and the fate of those you love—if you return to the past? Journey to 1939 Harlem in this time-travel adventure with an inspiring message about believing in yourself.
 
Eleven-year-old Ailey Benjamin Lane can dance—so he’s certain that he'll land the role of the Scarecrow in his school’s production of The Wiz. Unfortunately, a talented classmate and a serious attack of nerves derail his audition: he just stands there, frozen. Deflated and defeated, Ailey confides in his Grampa that he’s ready to quit. But Grampa believes in Ailey, and, to encourage him, shares a childhood story. As a boy, Grampa dreamed of becoming a tap dancer; he was so good that the Hollywood star and unofficial Mayor of Harlem, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, even gave him a special pair of tap shoes. Curious, Ailey tries on the shoes  . . . and instantly finds himself transported to 1930s Harlem. There he meets a young street tapper and realizes that it’s his own grandfather! Can Ailey help the 12-year-old version of Grampa face his fears? And, if Ailey changes the past, will he still be able to get home again? Featuring an all-African-American cast of characters, and infused with references to black culture and history, this work of magical realism is sure to captivate and inspire readers.  

Review:

Middle grade books are killing it this year. I read two fantastic ones in a row. The second I get back YA, and it’s slow molasses reading again…What’s going YA books? Any way, I devoured this book. It had so many good things going for it.

There’s magical tap shoes, a backdrop story of The Wiz (one of my favorite musicals), random creative bursts of poetic hip hop, a beautiful multigenerational family story, little pieces of The Black Panther superhero, time travel, black history, and the ultimate story of believing in yourself. This is the Pixar movie we are missing. Seriously, I wish this book were movie. Can you imagine the music and the dance numbers?

It was hard to put this book down. I looked forward to work being done, so I could come back to this magical story. This is the kind of book I was craving for months, but almost forgot I was craving. I really hope it gets the recognition it deserves.

I could see a lot of young readers relating to Ailey. Stage freight and confidence is something we all have to deal with. But, a lot of older readers would fall in love with this book too. I noticed some notable names as I was reading. But, I did not take note of all of them! In the back of the book, there’s a “Black Excellence List,” where you realize almost all of the characters in the story are named for important people.

If I were nitpicking, I’d say there were a few things in here that were a tad predictable. However, the ending did surprise me. It’s not exactly what I was expecting! And that’s rare. All in all, I loved this. I hope a lot of people read it. I give it a 9/10.

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson and illustrated by Leila Del Duca

Summary from Goodreads:

New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak, Shout) and artist Leila del Duca reimagine Wonder Woman's origins in this timely story about the refugee experience, teenage activism, and finding the love and strength to create change.

Princess Diana believes that her 16th birthday will be one of new beginnings--namely acceptance into the warrior tribe of Amazons. The celebrations are cut short, however, when rafts of refugees break through the Themysciran barrier. Diana tries to help them, but she is swept away by the sea--and from her home--thus becoming a refugee herself.

Now Diana must survive in the world outside of Themyscira for the first time; the world that is filled with danger and injustice. She must redefine what it means to belong, to be an Amazon, and to make a difference.

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed is a story about growing into your strength, battling for justice, and the power of friendship.

Review:

I loved this. I haven’t loved a graphic novel in a long time. I guess when your favorite comic book hero joins forces with one of the best YA authors, it’s recipe for a success. I was a little nervous it was too good to be true. It was just wonderful. It’s the kind of graphic novel you sit down and read in one sitting. And when it’s over, you turn the page, hoping there might be just one more page waiting for you, but there isn’t. I’d read more.

I liked that it was Wonder Woman of today. It was a 16 year old Diana getting stuck in a refugee camp and learning the horrors of immigration. We get to see the hero flag fly as Diana really comes to her calling. She saves children from drowning, helps family communicate at borders, travels the world, donates meals to kids in need, and advocates for those in need. There are a lot of harsh realities for Diana to learn, but there’s also a lot of good too.

I think what I love the most about this book is that it shows readers that you don’t have to fly or throw cars to be a hero. You can literally make a sandwich, attend a meeting at a local library, and advocate. Little things matter and can make a huge difference. Anyone can really be a hero.

This book deals with some tough topics like poverty, homelessness, and child trafficking. But it treads the waters a little lightly. Diana learns about these tough things with young, almost naïve eyes. She’s coming from an island paradise where everyone was treated equal. So if these topics are new to young readers, it’s okay because they are new to Diana too. They aren’t overbearing. It’s more of a brief introduction into these topics.

I found Diana and her new friends to be fascinating. Everything from the advocacy work, to the polka dancing, to the parkour was a lot of fun to read about. Also, the artwork was impressive. It sucked me in from the beginning. It was beautiful. Honestly, it was just so nice to enjoy a graphic novel like this. I read it too fast! I give it a 10/10.

Again Again by E. Lockhart

Summary from Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars and Genuine Fraud comes a complex novel about acceptance, forgiveness, self-discovery, and possibility, as a teenage girl attempts to regain some sense of normalcy in her life after a family crisis and a broken heart.

If you could live your life again, what would you do differently?

After a near-fatal family catastrophe and an unexpected romantic upheaval, Adelaide Buchwald finds herself catapulted into a summer of wild possibility, during which she will fall in and out of love a thousand times--while finally confronting the secrets she keeps, her ideas about love, and the weird grandiosity of the human mind.

A raw, funny story that will surprise you over and over, Again Again gives us an indelible heroine grappling with the terrible and wonderful problem of loving other people.

Review:

I’ve been really struggling to read lately…Normally, it’s my ultimate escape. But, lately, I’ve been escaping in mindless tv and visual arts. I know 2020 has been a crap year for everyone. My ideal reading time is before bed. But lately, I’m just so mentally exhausted by the time I get to bed that I don’t feel up to it. This is the first book that hooked me for a long time. And it didn’t quite hook me right away. I wasn’t sure about the repeat tellings of the writing style at first (the author tells something, then repeats it as if on a road not followed the first time). I find myself easily coming up with excuses for not reading books, and that was sure to become one. But…there’s something so appealing to me about E. Lockhart.

There’s certain authors that just call to me –even when I think they are doing something I don’t agree with. I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. And I guess I gave this author a longer shot at pulling me in than I have for other authors lately. I’m really glad I did because I did end up enjoying this one. It was different, and quirky. It was also a fast read because there was a lot of white space between the pages of the repeat happenings.

I think one of the things that calls to me about this author is the sense of surprise. She doesn’t follow all the rules of the YA trope. She breaks them. She will continue to surprise me. Right when I think the main character is being written to end up with one love interest, I’m proven wrong. I love how it’s not about one true love here. It’s about falling in and out of love again and again. Life isn’t about the one love of most YA novels. This rings truer than most stories.

I also love the dogs! The names of the dogs are fantastic. And the idea that Adelaide can hear what they are saying sometimes? Perfect. I also love the family story behind all of the love stories. I found myself really connecting to it because I too also have a brother who is an addict, and it was nice to read a book that talked about this. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a YA novel to talk about addiction in this way. It covers the nonstop battles, the rehab, the family disputes, the falling away from each other, and the coming back too.

All in all, I was impressed with this book. It’s a fast, quirky read. It does take a little getting used to the unique format, but I found it worth the hassle. The love stories and the family story were written well. I give it a 9/10.

This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell and illustrated by Aurelia Durand

Summary from Goodreads:

Who are you?
What is your identity?
What is racism?
How do you choose your own path?
How do you stand in solidarity?
How can you hold yourself accountable?

Learn about identities, true histories, and anti-racism work in 20 carefully laid out chapters. Written by anti-bias, anti-racist, educator and activist, Tiffany Jewell, and illustrated by French illustrator Aurélia Durand in kaleidoscopic vibrancy.

This book is written for the young person who doesn't know how to speak up to the racist adults in their life. For the 14 year old who sees injustice at school and isn't able to understand the role racism plays in separating them from their friends. For the kid who spends years trying to fit into the dominant culture and loses themselves for a little while. It's for all of the Black and Brown children who have been harmed (physically and emotionally) because no one stood up for them or they couldn't stand up for themselves; because the colour of their skin, the texture of their hair, their names made white folx feel scared and threatened.

It is written so children and young adults will feel empowered to stand up to the adults who continue to close doors in their faces. This book will give them the language and ability to understand racism and a drive to undo it. In short, it is for everyone. 

Review:

This wasn’t exactly the book I was expecting it to be. As I said on Goodreads: This felt more middle grade than YA. And it works more as a second person workbook, than a straight forward narrative. After finishing Jason Reynold’s Stamped, it’s nowhere near as good...But, I can see the style and writing appealing to a lot of young people. The images/graphics were gorgeous. And I found it informative and to the point. It was a little preachy, and I wanted a little more story. But the topic was powerful and inspirational.

It was definitely more of a workbook than a book. There were a lot of moments where I was supposed to pull out my notebook and complete an exercise…. I didn’t do this. I was not ready for this. Maybe this would be a good book for a youth group or after school club. I do think competing the exercises would be beneficial and could genuinely help people.

Important topics were addressed. I definitely think Jason Reynolds did a more thorough job of addressing these topics. Jewell doesn’t go into history at all. This all about what is going on now, and how you feel about it, and how to handle things. This is important too. It’s just not as interesting, necessarily to read about. I almost wish I read this book first, so I wasn’t comparing it so closely to another anti-racist book that just spoke so much more strongly to me personally. That’s not this book’s fault. And I do think this might be a better book for a younger audience. I could easily see giving this book to a 9 or 10 year old, where as Stamped is definitely meant more for 13+.

I also have to mention the illustrations. They are so cool. They are bold and beautiful. I keep finding myself drawn to them, even as I’m writing this review. They definitely make the hard topic of racism a little bit easier to digest. And I’m glad they were there. All in all I give this book a 7/10.

The List of Things that Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

Summary from Goodreads:

After her parents' divorce, Bea's life became different in many ways. But she can always look back at the list she keeps in her green notebook to remember the things that will stay the same. The first and most important: Mom and Dad will always love Bea, and each other.

When Dad tells Bea that he and his boyfriend, Jesse, are getting married, Bea is thrilled. Bea loves Jesse, and when he and Dad get married, she'll finally (finally!) have what she's always wanted--a sister. Even though she's never met Jesse's daughter, Sonia, Bea is sure that they'll be "just like sisters anywhere."

As the wedding day approaches, Bea will learn that making a new family brings questions, surprises, and joy.

Review:

It’s weird how some books take me weeks to read now, and some books I just fly through. I flew through this middle grade book. It doesn’t hurt that the book was only 215 pages…but more than that, I just really clicked with Bea. Something about her level of worrying, or let’s be real and call it what it actually is: anxiety, just super appealed to me right now.

Bea worries about a lot of things. She worries about her cousin. She worries about her projects at school. She worries about her parents. She worries about how strongly she reacts to things (like when she got really worked up and kicked a glass bottle and had to miss school because of the injury).

I love the positive portrayal of therapy in this book. Bea’s weekly sessions genuinely help her understand how to handle her strong emotions. Also, Stead is just one of those writers who gets it. She gets how kids think. She knows what kids feel strongly about, and what they might not understand. She even knows what they might understand better than adults.

There’s so many little details in this book that make it more authentic. I love that the mother is a terrible cook. And that not everyone in the world is just magically accepting of Bea’s father’s gay wedding. I love that things aren’t sugar coated and not everything is magically resolved with the non-accepting family member. I like that there’s adults who will be honest with Bea, and adults who don’t think Bea’s ready to hear it. I wonder if kids reading this book would appreciate all these little nuances as much I do, reading this as an adult…I do think kids would relate to Bea.

Underneath everything, this is a book about love. It’s about how the world can be crazy and everything can change really quickly, but your family will always love you. And that will be something that will not change. And honestly, who doesn’t need to hear this message right now? I give this one a 9/10.

Stamped : Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Summary from Goodreads:

A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism--and antiracism--in America

This is NOT a history book.
This is a book about the here and now.
A book to help us better understand why we are where we are.
A book about race.

The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.

Review:

I read this book for a book club that I’m in, and it was the first book I was able to read in its entirety for a long time. I know I’ve been MIA again. I find focusing on reading to be very hard lately. I feel like the world is on fire. Between all the people dying and getting sick, it feels like I’m living in a YA dystopian novel.

And then, there’s all of the racism and riots. There’s the bigotry. And what appears to be the total disregard for human life. I can’t stop reading news articles and science and medical reports. And in a way this has replaced a lot of novel reading for me. I’ve gotten a lot more into nonfiction then ever before. And I’ve become a painter. When I’m not surrounded in the devastating news of today, I’m creating visual arts. Who knew I had this in me?

Any way, I’ve side-tracked from this powerful book. I needed this book at the exact moment I listened to it. Jason Reynolds reads the audio book version, which my husband and I listened to together. It created such heated, and necessary discussion between my husband and I. And I’m so grateful for this book for that.

Reynolds has a way of breaking things down in an easy-to-understand, no nonsense kind of manner. He speaks with power and conviction. It was like listening to a powerful politician. Some of his words gave me goose bumps. Not all of what he said was new to me. A lot of the history was stuff I have learned already, but the format in which it was told, and put together allowed me to see and think about things in a new way. I almost wish I had this book when I was younger. I wish I could have talked about it in a classroom setting with my peers. I want to hear what others think of it, and not just what I think and what my husband thinks (we definitely have a white, privileged lens that we are seeing through).

Do I feel like I’m all of a sudden an expert on this topic? Absolutely not. I need to read more. I need to do more. I’ve been struggling at this time wanting to protest more, but not leaving my house much because of my not so great immune system. We are living through such a crazy time. And this book makes me want to do more. And it also gives me hope. It took me over a month to get this book, which also gives me hope. It was sold out on Amazon. And the wait list at my library took over a month for both the physical and eBook versions.

This is a great book to generate positive discussion. Hopefully it can inspire positive change. I highly recommend listening to it. I give it a 10/10.