We The Future (juvenile fiction)

     "I wrote a lot of this book while covered in sweat, running circles around my neighborhood at five o'clock in the morning. That's because, once I had the idea for We The Future, it seemed only fair to write it like Sunny or Jonah would--with urgency."

     Cliff Lewis had a damn good reason for being gripped by a sense of urgency. He was writing about the greatest threat human kind has ever been confronted with: the climate change that is burning 🔥 up our one and only planet. He wants people to realize that small personal changes are not enough to save the Earth. His We The Future is both highly engaging narrative and clarion call to action. 

    Jonah has just run up Martic Pinnacle to make a video and post it on social media and the climate apocalypse we're all hurting towards. 

     "If the storms don't get you, something else will. The weather is just the beginning. One breakdown will set off a hundred others. A drought makes a war makes a plague..."

     Afterwards he feels an asthma attack coming on. He's dropped his inhaler. Fortunately he's saved by Sunny, a girl who claims to be from a truly apocalyptic future. She has a plan to save the planet. It hinges on Jonah being able to to organize all the kids in his middle school to pull off a climate march on a specific date only weeks away.

    There are a lot of things her plan could go sideways. Jonah is not exactly skilled in communicating with other kids. And there are present and future villains on the scene. The present day ones are the big wigs of the Allister Energy Plant who don't want climate change awareness to get in the way of their profits. The future ones are a pair of scientists in hot pursuit of Sunny. 

     This is a great read for the end of summer approaching fall weeks we're in. We The Future is a truly engaging and suspenseful narrative and a call to students to take bold actions as they return to school. 

     I love what Lewis says in his author's notes. 

     "Saving the world starts when people like you begin assembling teams and demanding big changes to the destructive systems that threaten the future of life on Earth...With enough of you teaming up, you can force the adults in charge to start building a future that's less apocalyptic and more, well, futuristic."

On a purrrsonal note, there are some adults who get the big picture and are impatient with the timid and the big business owned. We're more than ready to join our kids in the bold actions that are necessary. 

A great big shout out goes to the great diversity of activists we will need to turn things around.

Jules Hathaway 

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Hoops (juvenile graphic novel)

     In Hoops author-illustrator Matt Tavares delivers a lesson in girls' sports history through a highly engaging graphic novel format. He wanted it to be something kids would really  want to read.  That in my mind was a great decision on his part. 

    In 1976 best friends Judi and Stace are co captains of their high school's cheer squad. It's a role Stace has enthusiastically prepared for for years. Judi not so much. 

     They react very differently to an  announcement that their school will have a girls basketball team for the first time. Stace is dismissive; Judi quits cheering to join the team. 

     It's an uphill battle. As they learn to work together as a team the girls find themselves up against more than opposing schools. The boys team has the amenities, the funding, the publicity, the uniforms.

     And Judi has to deal with the loss of her long-term best friend.

     Young readers readers will be captivated by the team's struggles to establish themselves on and off the court. The combination of words and images conveys the spirit of the narrative far better than words alone ever could.

On a purrrsonal note, I was a first year college student in 1979. I was not an athlete, but I was a feminist. I was angry that although the women's team outperformed the men's team the guys got all the publicity. But I had a weapon. I found the loudspeaker in the one cafeteria and regularly used it to promote the women's teams. The women's softball team found a way to promote me.  They got the signatures for me to run for class president. I was some surprised when I saw their posters! I won and started on the path that took me through student government to 11 years on school board as an engaged (and sometimes enraged) parent.

A great big shout out goes out to women athletes and their allies. 

Jules Hathaway 

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The Long Run

     Bash the Flash (Sebastian) and Sandro, narrators of James Acker's The Long Run, wouldn't seem to have enough in common to sustain a friendship, never mind a relationship. 

     Bash is a golden boy athlete, popular with his peers, the kind of guy people tend to see as being on the verge of a glorious future. They can't see his loneliness. His father abandoned him. His beloved mother died. He lives with his stepfather, a man who seems more like an acquaintance than a family member. His friends seem to not really know him, to be people he constantly has to prove himself to.

     Sandro lives in the middle of a big, noisy, dramatic family, sharing limited space with two parents, two big brothers, and three, soon to be four, of their progeny. Nobody in his clan seem to listen to him, especially when he needs help. He dreams of going to college far away from home and and having his own apartment. 

     They're two guys whose paths were unlikely to cross...until they got invited to the same wild party and begin to move slowly and clumsily towards friendship and possibly more. 

     I'd highly recommend The Long Run for more mature high school readers and even more for college students. The boys are complex, sometimes contradictory characters who reveal themselves to the reader and each other and readers with a great deal of honesty and vulnerability. 

     But I believe the sexuality is a little too explicit for younger YA readers.

On a purrrsonal note, the barbeque and 🎒 distribution went off beautifully. I was able to give out twenty-six fully loaded backpacks. There was plenty of good food and congenial socializing. Everything cooperated beautifully 😍 🤩 👌 even the weather. Now the cycle starts again. I've taken inventory and started stocking up for next year. 

A great deal shout out goes out to all who participated. 

Jules Hathaway 

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The Color of Sound

     "Don't tell anyone you can see music as colors.

     Don't tell anyone you can hear colors as music. 

     Don't tell anyone you're Jewish."

     Emily Beth Isler's The Color of Sound reminds me of a symphony. Just as the different sections of the orchestra enter and merge, building up to a rich and complex crescendo, the individual strains of the narrative enter and merge, building up to a rich and complex story. 

     This is very fitting because an important strand is music. Rosie (12) is an elite musician. She plays violin 🎻 at a level most adults can't achieve. Her mother's full time job is managing all aspects of her professional life. There are drawbacks to her proficiency. It leaves her no time for other interests like art or pre teen activities. She's on strike, much to her mother's dismay. 

     Another strand is synesthesia. Rosie can hear colors and see music. It's an aspect of her personality that her mother tells her she should keep a secret. 

     The third strand is family and religion. As punishment for her strike Rosie has to spend six weeks with her mother at her grandparents' home. Her grandmother whom she hardly knows is dying. Her one request of Rosie is that she play the Hungarian song. As she tries to discover what it is she learns a lot about her ancestors and their fait

     And could the strange girl she keeps meeting up with in a shed be her mother's time traveled pre teen self?

On a purrrsonal note, for only the fifth time in about ten months I cooked supper for Eugene and me. Surprisingly it came out really well. When he came home after a long work day Eugene was very happy to see.

A great big shout out goes out to Eugene. 

Jules Hathaway 

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The Color Of Sound (juvenile fiction)

"Don't tell anyone you can see music as colors.
Don't tell anyone you can hear colors as music.
Don't tell anyone you're Jewish."
Emily Beth Isler's The Color of Sound reminds me of a symphony. Just as the different sections of the orchestra enter and merge, building up to a rich and complex crescendo, the individual strains of the narrative enter and merge, building up to a rich and complex story.
This is very fitting because a very important strand is music. Rosie (12) is an elite musician. She plays violin at a level most adults can't achieve. Her mother's full time job is managing all aspects of her professional life. There are drawbacks to her proficiency. It leaves her no time for other interests like art or pre teen activities. She's on strike, much to her mother's dismay.
Another strand is synesthesia. For someone who has it an input that would stimulate one sense in most people will stimulate multiple senses. Rosie can hear colors and see music. It's an aspect of her personality that her mother tells her she should keep a secret.
The third strand is family and religion. As punishment for her strike Rosie has to spend six weeks with her mother at her grandparents' home. Her grandmother whom she hardly knows is dying. Her one request of Rosie is that she play the Hungarian song. As she tries to discover what it is she learns about her family and their faith.
And could the strange girl she keeps meeting up with in a shed be her mother's time traveled pre teen self?
On a purrrsonal note, I had an adventure yesterday. I went to the Black Bear Exchange on campus to score food and new clothes. I lucked out on threads—really cool stuff including Mexicali Blues overalls and Hollister short shorts. And the freezers had frozen veggies and berries. Getting two bags of frozen broccoli inspired me. I decided I would cook supper. To put this in perspective, in all the months since the stroke I have only made four suppers because my culinary skills have not evolved beyond basic. But I made the supper and Eugene was some happy to see it when he came home late. This made me very happy.
A great big shout goes out to Black Bear Exchange and Lisa Morin who runs it. They do so much good for so many members of the UMaine community.
Jules Hathaway

Drawing Deena

To many parents such as the mother of Deena, protagonist of Hena Kahn's Drawing Deena, the idea of their children suffering from anxiety seems inconceivable. What do they have to be anxious about when all their needs are taken care of? But a growing number of kids are being diagnosed with the condition and needing coping strategies. And sometimes their stress has its roots at least partly in family life.
Deena's mother worries about money a lot. She complains bitterly about the lack thereof. As the book starts they are at the dentist's office where they learn that Deena will need a mouthguard to keep her from grinding her teeth at night. In the privacy of their car her mother won't stop kvetching.
"I slide down in my seat and turn up the music. Maybe that way my mother will stop talking about how my teeth are going to bankrupt us. Part of me wants to point out that it's not like I did this on purpose."
Her parents fight over money and their differing priorities for it in hushed conversations she eavesdrops on. She can't decide who is right.
Social media is another area of confusion and conflict. She goes on it to help her mother publicize her home business selling traditional Pakistani garments. But suddenly she's fighting with her best friend and her cousin.
Deena loves art. She wants lessons that can help her discover her own unique style. But her mother considers them too expensive and too much of a distraction from academics.
Drawing Deena is a very poignant and powerful coming of age narrative that quite a few younger readers will identify with.
On a purrrsonal note, we're just four days away the Greystone Mobile Home Cooperative barbecue where I'll be giving out the backpacks filled with school supplies. I'll also have little toys and activities for the kids. I can hardly wait.
A great big shout out goes out to my neighborhood community.
Jules Hathaway

The Wrong Way Home (juvenile fiction)

Fern (going on 13), protagonist of Kate O'Shaughnessy's The Wrong Way Home, has lived in an off-the-grid survivalist community run by Dr. Ben. They have nothing to do with modern technology. They make everything they need from their clothes and furniture to sweaters and hats to sell at farmers markets. They are preparing to survive a future disaster. They shun the outside world and the adults do their best to frighten the children. Dr. Ben has control of everyone's lives.
Fern loves it. Her fragmented memories from her life before are of poverty and constantly moving. She loves the regularity of daily and seasonal routines. They give her a sense of security. She enjoys the farm work, although not so much the knitting. And she and her best friend are inseparable.
One night Fern's mother wakes her up and tells her to be quiet and get dressed. She tells her they're going on an off-site, an errand that involves leaving the Ranch. Her mother drives all the next day, stopping at a motel for the night. Fern is getting really suspicious.
"We haven't picked anything up. No fuzzy chicks, no bags of seeds for the greenhouse, no new knitting needles or garden trowels or other tools. Nothing."
That's when her mother tells her that they won't be returning to the Ranch. They end up in California, a continent away from the only place she considers home. Her mother gets a motel housekeeping job and they move into one of its rooms. Fern now has to deal with all the things she has been taught to fear including public school, where she does not fit in.
Fern is sure that if he writes to Dr. Ben he'll rescue her and correct her mother's strange new way of thinking. The problem is she doesn't have any address to send the letter to. As she strives to discover it her thinking begins to change. Some things about her new world are good and not all Dr. Ben preaches is the truth.
This is a most excellent narrative of a preteen going through an all encompassing life change. Middle grade readers will find it both engaging and thought provoking. If you're looking for a fresh title for your child's mid summer reading or a volume for a two generation book club this would be a great choice.
On a purrrsonal note, I read The Wrong Way Home in one of my favorite spaces—the porch of the camp Eugene made. Eugene had thought he'd be elder sitting his mother. But his sister found someone else. So our camp weekend was a truly wonderful surprise.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Jules Hathaway

Legacy

If you want your summer reading to include a volume of substance on a crucial and timely topic Uche Blackstock's Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons With Racism In Medicine is a fine choice. Part memoir, part social analysis, and part manifesto, it is a for sure eye opener.
Blackstock's mother, born into poverty, made it through college and medical school, the first in her family. Until her untimely death she was a practicing physician. Blackstock and her twin sister, who were very close to her, followed in her professional footsteps.
But it was no professional garden of Eden for either generation. There was a serpent lurking in the hallowed halls of prestigious medical institutions: a venomous being called racism. Blackstock takes us through its history when nonconsensual, very painful medical research was conducted on slaves to the present when Black birthing people are at extremely high risk of dying or losing their babies, COVID claims disproportionate numbers of Blacks, and racist micro aggressions take place in every medical venue from clinics to elite Medical schools. She incorporates her experiences and those of patients and peers and segues between research based knowledge and narrative example.
Despite the long standing racism in medicine, the refusal of the establishment to address it, and its intersection with other forms of oppression—the steepness and rockiness of the road ahead—Blackstock realizes combatting it is a moral imperative for everyone, not just Black doctors. The last chapter tells us what roles we can play.
In my mind Legacy is a fine summer read and a must acquire for school and public libraries.
On a purrrsonal note, it looks like the heat will be letting up just a little in time for the weekend.
A great big shout out goes out to you with wishes for a great weekend.
Jules Hathaway

Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine

Winnie, 12, protagonist of Nicole Melleby's Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine, is not a happy camper. She's spending the summer with her grandmother in her retirement community. It's something she's really had no say in, a parental decision arrived at behind closed doors and presented as a mandate. Her dissatisfaction goes deeper than boredom with a life style centered around "senior" activities. Her parents have insisted that she not discuss their secrets with her grandmother.
Winnie has known from early childhood that she's attracted to girls rather than boys. Her parents have told her not to let her grandmother in on this facet of her identity. But it's a fundamental aspect of who she is. And there's a girl she's attracted to who may feel the same way about her.
Winnie's mother is pregnant. She's being told that she'll be a big sister. Only after her birth her mother has had a series of miscarriages, each leaving her severely depressed and withdrawn, stealing her smiles. The announcement of yet another pregnancy has left Winnie understandably anxious. Her mother had just been recovering from her latest miscarriage. But her grandmother must never know about her mother's episodes of depression.
Winnie has a very distinctive and end engaging personality. She definitely says what's on her mind. She has a very acute eye for social conventions as in the following paragraph describing her grandmother's relationship:
"Jeanne and Winnie's grandma did not get along, but they did not get along in that polite way where they said nice things to each other, but really meant I hope you fall off the face of the earth, please.."
I think that this fine book is pitch perfect for middle grade readers.
On, a very personal note, between Katie's birth and Adam's, I had two miscarriages. Amber, being precocious, was aware that something was going on. Although I did not have long term depression or a need to withdraw she could see when I was in pain or fatigued, especially with the second which involved 40 days of cramps, chills, and fatigue. I knew a lot of people didn't tell their kids. I also knew that many kids left in the dark felt they were to blame for whatever was happening. So I went with a simplified version of the truth. Amber was an incredible helper and proud of her ability to do so. When I became pregnant with Adam she went to all my prenatal appointments, read the pamphlets, and made sure I was eating the right foods and getting enough rest. She spent so much time playing with Katie so I could nap. I'm sure she had a role in her teacher coming over on Saturdays to clean the house. She interviewed the doctor who would perform the C section. He said she asked better questions than adult partners of patients. She was six.
A great big shout out goes out to Amber.
Jules Hathaway

Hidden Hope (nonfiction picture book)

"During the Second World War
the first priority for Jewish people
was staying out of sight.
Because during the Second World War
the first priority for Nazis
was getting rid of Jewish people."
Elisa Boxer's Hidden Hope doesn't pull any punches. It takes children and parents back to France during World War II. Hitler's troops were invading other nations, intent on carrying out his final solution—the total slaughter of the Jewish people. Families hid in attics, basements, and crawl spaces, living in fear of the Nazis and their informants. Some made the heartbreaking decision to send their beloved children to safety, knowing they might never see them again.
Some very brave people worked to save them. Some forged identity papers. Others delivered them to Jewish people who could use them to escape. One of them was a teen age girl, Jacqueline Gauthier, who delivered documents by bike, concealing the precious papers in a hidden compartment in a toy duck. Together girl and duck saved over 200 precious lives.
Today there are people denying that the Holocaust ever happened. But it did. And we must arm our children with the truth so that collectively we never forget.
On a personal note, yesterday was a scorcher. Luckily I had an invite to spend it in the air conditioned dean's suite. I packed one of the books I need to review for Capstone and literally chilled. I came home to find Eugene and precious Tobago enjoying the big AC.
A great big shout goes out to my friends I was lucky to have quality time with, especially Cam. And my faithful wing cat.
Jules Hathaway

Correction

I made a mistake in the review I just posted. Mendoza is the illustrator. Aida Salazar is the author.

Jovita Wore Pants (juvenile biography)

I have just discovered the most amazing shero! Molly Mendoza's Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter tells the story of the bravest people I've ever read about.
Jovita was born in 1911. Although she dreamed of wearing pants, the grandmother who raised her insisted that she wear the bulky, cumbersome long skirts of her time and place. But when her grandmother wasn't looking she tucked her skirt into her bloomers and roamed freely with her older brother.
As Jovita was growing from nina to señorita a revolution was brewing. Her father and two brothers joined the Cristeros who were fighting against the Federation. Even though she longed to fight for freedom she was left at home with her abuela and sisters. After government soldiers burned down their home, forcing them to live in caves, her father took her with him but only to observe. He wouldn't let her fight even after her beloved brother was killed.
But after the government killed her father and her other brother, Ramon, she cut her hair, donned pants, and led a peasant army.
Jovita was Mendoza's great grandmother. Her grandfather had been a Cristero with her. Her mother had grown up listening to their stories.
On a purrrsonal note, on Sunday Eugene set up and turned on the big air conditioner that can cool the whole trailer. Tobago was in cat seventh heaven. It was a real treat because electricity is so expensive.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene and precious Tobago.
Jules Hathaway

The Walk

Sometimes complex and controversial topics can be boiled down to the essence through the magic that is a well written picture book. This is certainly the case with Winsome Bingham's The Walk.
Every child, personified as a bright eyed, eager Black girl is finally getting to accompany her Granny on THE WALK. After packing sandwiches and water they set off, collecting a diverse group as they make their way through the neighborhood.
"More stops…
blocks and boulevards…
circles, courts, cul-de-sacs, and a Catholic Church on a corner."
As the crowd gets bigger the girl becomes tired. Her legs are beginning to hurt. Her Granny explains that it wasn't always so long. But people don't want to hear what they have to say.
Can you guess what their destination is?
This is an important book to share with children. Under the guise of stopping voter fraud (which is nearly nonexistent) many states are making laws that deprive many voters of color of this right through measures like gerrymandering, requiring pricey photo IDs, and shutting down voting locations. It's important for kids understand how important voting and protecting other people's right to vote is.
On a purrrsonal note, yesterday after our Governor's breakfast Eugene and I went on a road trip. Of course we stopped in at yard sales. I found the dress I think I'll wear the first day of school.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Jules Hathaway

Holding Her Own (picture book)

One thing for sure—it's been too long since I've reviewed picture books. There are some awesome, timely ones coming out. A stellar example is Traci N. Todd's Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes.
Jackie grew up an artist, encouraged by her father who owned a print shop and her expert at sewing mother. She contributed sketches and observations to her high school yearbook. She moved on to the Pittsburgh Courier, first as a columnist, and then a cartoonist. During the Great Migration when thousands of Blacks moved North she created a character, Torchy Brown, a woman seeking to make her way in Harlem.
After World War II things were really bad for the Blacks who had fled to the North. They were not welcome in jobs taken back by returning white veterans or in places beyond their crowded neighborhoods. While other Black women picketed, taught, and marched Jackie fought back by a spirited cartoon character named Patty-Jo. She also raised money for causes dear to her heart.
Not everyone was a fan. Her efforts to improve conditions for marginalized people has her labelled a radical and a subversive. For ten years she was investigated by J. Edgar Hoover's F. B. I.!!!
Shannon Wright's bold, colorful illustrations really pop, helping the narrative spring into vivid life.
On a purrrsonal note, on days Eugene works late I've started fixing simple suppers—Nothing that involves frying or sharp knives. The goal is to have something ready to come out of the oven when he gets home. I let him get the food out of the oven. I don't think he wants supper ending up on the floor.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Jules Hathaway

Where You See Yourself

I rarely make the mistake of judging a book by its cover. But last June when Claire Forrest's Where You See Yourself landed in Orono Public Library's YA new book section I passed it by without a second glance. I was getting more than enough reading material through inter library loans. But this July with inter library loan books unavailable for an indefinite period of time I was looking more closely at my home library's more recent acquisitions. I checked it out. I'm very glad I did.
Effie is on the cusp of one of the most pivotal transitions in teen life. She's starting her senior year in high school. Finding and getting into the right college has taken on a great deal of urgency for her and her peers. But it will be more challenging foe Effie. She needs a school with adequate disability accommodations. Being born with cerebral palsy, she uses a wheelchair to get around.
Effie also wants to enjoy the special events such as prom leading up to graduation. This is also far from easy. So many things that are easy for her peers require accommodations for her. Her high school is very negligent in this regard and dismissive of her demands for change, even when other students stage a sit in on her behalf.
Effie is very specific in her plans. She is very frustrated with disabled people's lack in representation in mass media and wants to do something about that. She sees Prospect's Mass Media and Society program as the best route to take. Making things sweeter, it's the first choice school of her crush.
But what if her dream school is an accommodations nightmare?
This highly engaging coming of age narrative can provide representation for similarly disabled teens and enlightenment for their more able bodies peers.
On a purrrsonal note, it wasn't only the lack of ILL books that made Where You See Yourself suddenly look attractive. It was facing the challenges of retuning to graduate school less than four months after a stroke that made it more personally relevant. But I have an accommodations problem that goes back much further. Because I've flunked the driving test in two states I can't get a drivers license. I've got no problem with that. I'd be a danger behind the wheel. I love my school and am a proud member of Black Bear Nation. But the last bus leaves UMaine at 6:15 making campus activities out of reach for bus dependent students. It is so frustrating. But I haven't given up.
A great big shout out to students with disabilities trying to live their best lives and allies.
Jules Hathaway

Wild Dreamers (YA fiction in verse)

Margarita Engle, a Cuban American author of books for juvenile and YA readers, has won quite a few prestigious awards. And it's no wonder. She's one of those rare writers whose work is so consistently excellent that when you see her newest title you know you're in for a treat. Wild Dreamers is no exception to that rule.
"My family fled Cuba
on a lashed-together jumble
of inner tubes, balsa wood and fear
exactly ten years ago, when I had just learned
how to read, and all I craved were tale
of adventure."
Leandro and his parents had to flee their native Cuba when the wrong people learned a family secret. During their terrifying journey Leandro fell off the raft and his father drowned rescuing him. Not surprisingly he has debilitating anxiety.
"He thinks vaccines
carry tracking chips.
He's convinced that climate change
is a myth, and species aren't in danger
of extinction, and racism isn't real.
The last time I saw Dad was two years ago,
when he joined a militia training camp
armed with weapons of war."
Ana's American-born Cuban father is on the F.B.I.'s most wanted list. Although her mother works they are homeless, living in their car. Her school's counselor gives her access to a closet full of donated survival supplies.
"Everything is available
in this storage room of gifts
from rich strangers—everything
except dignity."
And then there's the delightful voice voice of Cielo the singing dog, Leandro's therapy animal companion.
"she is so clearly the boy's scent mate
but how will I manage to show her
that he's so much more courageous
than he seems."
Will Cielo's dogged attempts bring Leandro and Ana together?
Wild Dreamers is a delightful narrative with a just right touch of magic. And it's so much more. Readers will learn of the danger to wild species when human habitation splits up their habitat and how rewinding can help mitigate this.
On a purrrsonal note Friday I got around to getting my state ID renewed. I was thrilled to fill out the form changing my gender from F to X. The wait and transportation took freaking forever. But fortunately I had enough time before heading back home to reward myself with two outfits and a dress from Goodwill.
A great big shout out goes out to the kind, helpful, and professional DMV person who helped me with all the paperwork and actually took a flattering picture.
Jules Hathaway

Looking For Smoke (YA chiller)

"Loren stumbles backward, her lips peeling back into a horrifying gaping shape. Samantha's mom scrambles up the step, shaking the lifeless legs attached to the magnificently beaded moccasins.
First Kill yanks Cherie's face into his stomach, shielding her. Mara rips her hands from her mouth and barrels after Samantha's mom. 'Does she have a pulse?'"
K. A. Cobell's Looking For Smoke starts off with a tragedy set in a festive occasion. It's an annual tribal celebration, attended by thousands, some who travel from great distances, who are drawn to the traditional activities and food and the chance to spend time with kin. It's the kind of event where you don't expect a brutal murder to take place just yards away from the bright lights, crowds, and festivities.
Sam, a local tribe member, who is a high school student and gifted dancer, has been strangled. Four of her classmates, the last people to see alive, become prime suspect.
*Loren is Sam's best friend. But lately they haven't been as close. Since Loren's sister, Rayanne, vanished without a trace Sam has seemed to be drawing away. After losing her mother to drugs she's being raised by her grandmother.
*Although Mara and her parents are tribe members they have only recently moved to the reservation. Although she didn't expect to be fully accepted immediately, she's been shocked by the extent to which she's been shunned and othered. Sam was the worst of her tormenters.
*Brody has had an unreciprocated crush on Sam. He's an anxious teen who hides his insecurities under a veneer of humor. When his mother took off to start a second family and his father died his big brother, Jason, left college to raise him and run the family ranch. He fears that Jason, too, will abandon him.
*Eli (First Kill) has also lost his mother. His drug addicted father is hardly ever around. He has taken on the challenge of raising his beloved seven-year-old sister, Cherie. He's come to believe that his dad has disappeared for good but is keeping this a secret, fearful that if the wrong people find out Cherie will be taken into foster care.
As the murder investigation drags on tensions rise. People are understandably afraid of a killer in their midst. They four begin to question and mistrust each other.
Looking For Smoke is a first rate chiller and a whole lot more. Embedded in the narrative is information about how although Indigenous girls and women are missing and murdered at much higher rates than white girls and women much less of an effort is made to investigate . In an author's note Cobell says "In writing the story of a group of teenagers grappling with the disappearance and murder of their classmates, I hoped to bring readers' attention to those startling statistics and, more importantly, to the emotional reality of the families and community member impacted by this epidemic."
I'd recommend this very engaging and thought provoking novel to its target demographics and above, especially college and university students.
On a purrrsonal note, the unseasonably high temps are taking a toll on me. I'm more tired and lethargic. My appetite is nonexistent and I feel queasy. Yesterday I went on campus to Black Bear Exchange which is open every other week in the summer to get food and clothes. Then my friend Adam who is a fellow cat person gave me some bags of food for Tobago. I didn't know how I'd get everything home on the bus. Luckily my friend Andrea gave me a ride home. After supper it was muggy in the house because we'd closed all the windows because it was raining. Fortunately Eugene had given me a big umbrella he had found. It kept me and the book dry. This morning it's raining but much cooler in the house. Tobago is loving that. She's a lot more lively than she was yesterday.
A great big shout out goes out to Adam, Andrea, and, of course precious Tobago.
Jules Hathaway

Wander In The Dark

If you enjoy chillers featuring the nasty side of snobby elite private high schools as much as I do you are in for a real treat. Jumata Emill's Wander In The Dark is all that and a bag of chips. I read it at camp with no distractions other than an inquisitive red squirrel. It was the cherry topping the ice cream sundae of a perfect weekend.
Amir and Marcel are half brothers, the before and after on their father's time line. He was married to Amir's mother when he was struggling to achieve his dream of restaurant ownership and is married to Marcel's mother for the years of fame and fortune. Needless to say, there's no love lost between the moms. And Amir has stopped visiting his dad. Amir has recently transferred to Marcel's exclusive private school because of his mother's concern that he was in bad company in the local public school. Truman Academy is majority white; Marcel and Amir are Black.
It's the last day of Mardi Gras. Marcel is throwing himself a sixteenth birthday party. In a cringeworthy display of clueless parenting Mom and dad have conveniently retreated to a hotel for the night, leaving him in charge of the mansion.
Amir had decided to boycott the birthday bash. But a friend, Chloe, last minute texted him that he should go. At the party she has fight with her ex boyfriend Trey. Chloe asks Amir to give her a ride home and to stay the night. Her parents are out for the night and she doesn't want to be alone. He falls asleep on her sofa. When he wakes up he looks for her and finds her dead, understandably panics, and runs home.
The police think they have their man. Amir has been caught by a surveillance camera running away from the scene of the crime. Rich white girl, not rich black boy. Not to mention it's an election year. People in high places don't want to be toppled from their positions of power and prestige.
But Amir has an unexpected ally. Marcel has never stopped loving his big bro. Now he's going to do whatever it takes to prove Amir's innocence.
On a purrrsonal note, I am praying for Joe Biden to drop out of the election. It's not about his age. If he was 40 I'd feel the same way. I don't feel that he has the bold, big picture, collaborative leadership needed to tackle the urgent problems of the 21st century. And now he's thinking I can take him down rather than who can do best by this country. I don't think it's Trump either. Who would you like to see win in November? I'd like to see someone with a bold vision like AOC.
A great big shout out goes out to the folks who are trying to get Biden to do the right thing by this nation.
Jules Hathaway.

Lobstering Women of Maine (adult nonfiction)

Tourist season is in full swing in coastal Maine. And a lot of people have a lobster feast on their vacation agenda. Few of them have a clue about the arduous labor that goes into procuring their favorite vacation treat.
And if asked to draw a lobster harvester few if any would draw a women…
…unless they'd had the great good fortune of reading Susan Tobey White's Lobstering Women of Maine. White, a Maine artist, captures a diverse group of these women in oils and words. Some juggle lobstering with classes and homework; others with parenting. Some come from families with a long tradition on the water; some are first generation. They hail from different parts of the state and are motivated by a wide range of reasons. But they all are fascinating.
*Norah (10) has a junior lobstering license and a boat named Old Memories in honor of the grandfather she inherited it from. Her business is titled The Lobster Peddler.
*For two terms Genevieve juggled lobstering with public service as a member of the Maine House of Representatives. She was the first woman appointed to the Maine Department of Marine Resources Lobster Advisory Council. She led a successful campaign to get foul weather gear designed for women.
*Ruthie came to lobstering later in life after retiring from teaching.
*Stefanie took over captaining her husband's boat when he injured his shoulder and they needed the income. She liked the experience so much she bought her own boat , becoming the first female captain on her island.'
*Virginia (obviously my favorite) is, at 101, Maine's oldest licensed lobsterman. She fishes 200 traps with her son and has no intentions of quitting. She is a true inspiration.
And they are only a few of the sheroes portrayed in this lavishly illustrated volume. If you like reading about strong, unconventional women put Lobstering Women of Maine on your beach read list.
On a purrrsonal note, Saturday started out raining. Eugene and I went for a ride. We saw two deer, a red fox, and some turkeys. We got lunch at MacDonalds. By then it had cleared up so we went back to camp. I got in another afternoon and evening of outdoor reading in the company of a cute little red squirrel. Sunday we went home.
Jules Hathaway

The Antiracist Cookbook (juvenile)

The Antiracist Kitchen is a celebration of diversity and inclusion and that is definitely in good taste. It was first envisioned as a tribute to diverse "kidlit" authors in Canada. The need for such a volume became more urgent when during the pandemic marginalized communities experienced increased discrimination and violence and bore the brunt of harsh immigration laws. "I looked for ways of bringing people together across borders, around words. I began to think of this book as a collection of stories, diverse voices and a way to heal."
The book is as layered and rich as my lasagne. The pasta layer that basically holds the whole thing together is the recipes. They are written explicitly enough so even the novice chef won't have trouble following directions. The photographs are enticing and look like regular people made the dishes. And there is such an amazing variety of foods: bean soup, tortillas con queso, fried plantain, deviled eggs, kimbap, apple and guava cake, bison stew…surely something for everyone.
The sauce (with all those good spices and herbs) is the stories each author tells. Hasani Clayton tells about the day his daughter created her video game character with white skin and blue eyes to make her pretty. She is now a proud Black teen. Bryan Patrick Avery introduces us to the grandmother whose greens chased his blues away. Natasha Deen tells about her mother baking a cake for the boy who was bullying her child self.
The cheese (and meat if you wish to add it) is the back story of racism and the work that is being undertaken to combat it and the glossary of important terms.
This book is great for family time sharing the stories, discussing the concepts, and trying out the recipes. If you're really ambitious why not create your own book by soliciting stories from friends, family, and other members of your community.
Bon appetite!!!
On a purrrsonal note, back in the '60s and '70s when my mother chaired the English Department at Garland Jr. College the reading lists for most English classes in our nation were crammed with the works of dead white men. Mom created a class, America's Heritage in Literature, centered around the works of writers of color. It was an immensely popular class. And ever year everyone's favorite class period was when everyone brought in a large enough to share dish from their family's heritage for a festive dinner.
A great big shout out goes out to Mom who is sadly no longer with us.
Jules Hathaway

The Circuit (juvenile memoir)

But out of the graphic trinity the book that most captivated me was The Circuit: written by Francisco Jimenez, adapted by Andrew J. Rostan, and illustrated by Celia Jacobs. I'd read the more traditionally formatted original story quite a few years ago and found myself angered and saddened to see what children in migrant farmer families have to endure. But the experience of reading it in graphic format was so different that it was like reading a whole other book.
Fransisco was the third youngest son in a migrant family. Three younger children were born in the course of the narrative. The family followed a yearly circuit dictated by the seasonal ripening of California crops. Housing was substandard, medical care accessed only in times of emergency. Schooling was haphazard. Finances were always shaky. A week of rain making harvesting impossible meant no money coming in. And when Francisco's father seriously injured his back it was up to one of his sons to take on full time work.
The graphic format with its eloquent blend of words and images makes Francisco's experience accessible to juvenile readers. They can see the whole family, including a fairly new baby, sleeping on their only mattress in a cardboard floored tent. They can see Francisco's confusion and frustration his first time in an elementary school taught solely in English. They can see his grief when a family friend is fired and deported to Mexico. They can really come to care about youngsters like Fransisco…
…This is crucial because although the book is set quite awhile ago sadly migrant worker abuse is still rampant today. Children work out in the fields under abusive conditions. They may not be able to take bathroom breaks or have access to clean water during heat waves. When fields are sprayed they are exposed to toxic chemicals. Young readers and their families can join the fight for migrant rights and help to make a difference.
On a purrrsonal note, the day after the 4th Eugene and I breakfasted at Governors and drove up to camp. On the way we got subs for lunch and supper and stopped at an incredible yard sale where I found 2 pairs of sneakers including high top Vans, two pairs of darling pajamas, Adorable sandals, and a cat shirt and skinny leg jeans—all children sizes—and Eugene found a Harry Potter owl. All that for $21 which Eugene paid $20 of. At camp the weather was purrrfect. I sat on the porch, read, and watched a tiny, adorable red squirrel.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene and the woman who sold me such amazing merch.
Jules Hathaway

Freshman Year

Sarah Mai's Freshman Year is the second graphic novel set in college. Sarah is leaving suburban Wisconsin to attend a school in Minnesota. The summer before her first year she's feeling a lot of stress over choosing the right major and classes.
Arriving on campus Sarah realizes that college life is not what she expected. Classes are quite different from high school. Her peers seem so much more sure of their paths. They seem to be leaving her in the dust grade wise and socially. She's often lonely on campus while feeling her ties to her high school friends fraying, especially when her boyfriend decides that their long distance thing isn't working.
Mai based Freshman Year on her own first year experiences. She referenced primary sources such as her journals, photographs, posts, and sketchbooks.
"I had gone through some of my highest highs and some of my lowest lows, and came out of the experience feeling uncertain and embarrassed. I felt I had failed to leave my emotional baggage at home, to transform from the secretly anxious, depressive person I was in high school. Despite my attempts at growth, I had not lived up to my own expectations and the expectations I assumed other people had for me."
Freshman Year mirrors experiences of many first year students. Rates of depression and anxiety are rising quickly among undergrads. Some students are under very real family pressure to achieve. Comparing one's experience and performance to the carefully curated posts of others can be a real confidence underminer. The book can be a big help for students approaching and living through that transitional first year. It would be a good orientation read and discuss for incoming college students.
On a purrrsonal note, Like Sarah, I had journaled in college. So I had sources more reliable than my memories. I was an academic and extracurricular achiever and very popular. People would never guess I had insecurities. But I had a secret shame. I was, through no fault of my own, ten years older than my classmates. I was afraid people would reject me if they learned about those "lost" years. I looked so much younger I could pull it off. But I always had a fear of being outed.
A great big shout out goes out to the students getting ready for their first year in higher education, especially those headed for my beloved University of Maine.
Jules Hathaway

If You'll Have Me (YA graphic novel)

With the ILL drought going into a second month now I'm looking more carefully at my home library's recent acquisitions. Recently I spent some time in the YA and juvenile graphic novels. I was delighted to see that two of the YA ones take place in higher education settings. High school students, especially those who will be the first in their family to attend, want some idea of what's on the horizon.
Eunnie's If You'll Have Me is a a sweet rom com with prospective partners who could not be more of a mismatch. Momo is incredibly innocent and naive. She's a quiet, studious, girl. Her classmates count on her to get them out of jams. She sometimes wonders if that's the only reason her friends like her. PG has a love 'em and leave 'em player reputation. She's far more sophisticated and worldly wise than Momo.
So why can't they stay out of each other's lives? Can their relationship possibly survive?
On a purrrsonal note, my July 4th was surprisingly fun. Eugene and I went to the cookout at his family's home. The food was good. But I really missed my kids and their significant others. I wasn't sure if Eugene would go to the fireworks which are my favorite part of the day. I was so glad he did. We watched them sitting on the tailgate of his truck and had a great view. An unexpected surprise was the outdoor concert that was already in progress when we arrived several hours early to get a good spot. The weather was perfect. The music was fabulous.
A great big shout out goes out to all who contributed to the great festivities on the Bangor Waterfront.
Jules Hathaway

Attack From Within

I've been an informed, conscientious voter since I became eligible age wise. I've raised children to take this responsibility seriously. I've volunteered with campaigns. I've campaigned for myself—11 years on school board. So I've seen elections from multiple perspectives. In all those years I have never been as terrified as I am about the upcoming one. Some nights my nightmares have featured Biden winning and the red states seceding (Texas is already trying to) and civil war breaking out. Other nights they've featured a Trump win with an orgy of censorship and white supremacy.
In her Attack From Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America law professor and legal analyst Barbara McQuade cogently describes the threats to our democracy stemming from the unbridled spread of misinformation. She goes deeply into topics such as:
*how fragile our democracy is and how easily it could devolve in authoritarianism;
*how disinformers gain power;
*how they use tactics to manipulate voters and win their hearts and minds;
*the facets of human nature that enable this;
*how they are aided and abetted by largely unregulated emerging technologies
*how disinformation is destroying democracy, endangering public safety and national security, and eroding the rule of law;
and *what we can do to combat it.
Honestly if you care about the future of democracy in America and don't want to live under an authoritarian government I'd urge you to read Attach From Within over the summer or at last before November.
On a purrrsonal note, Eugene and I have just returned from the cook out at the in-laws. I'm sincerely hoping that he will drive us to the fireworks in Bangor. Not going would really suck. They're the best part of the day.
A great big shout out goes out to McQuade for all the work and dedication she put into creating and marketing this very enlightening and important book.
Jules Hathaway

Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens

If it was an option, Nima, protagonist of Tanya Bateju's Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens would probably divorce herself.
"Up to that point, my heart hadn't experienced much in the way of leaping, or thumping, or any similar exertions. Life had been crammed with more "existing" and "observing" than other, action-related verbs."
She's tired of her boring personality. She's tired of her nonexistent social life. She still doesn't understand why her mom left her and her dad without a word over a year ago. And the girl she has a long term crush on is hopelessly heterosexual.
Nima is ready for a major change…
…And it's about to start right in her dull as dirt town. There's a new act at her town's summer festival—a drag show. It's a real revelation for Nima. She manages to meet some of the performers who draw her into their family of choice. Soon she's making her drag debut and crushing on a girl who just might have feelings for her.
This coming of age narrative is simply amazing. Bateju beautifully captures the vibrant, inclusive, and diverse community that is drag.
On a purrrsonal note, as a nine year veteran I'm drag royalty in my part of Maine. Even after a stroke my performing can draw a standing ovation. I will never forget my first performance. It was at UMaine. I'd chosen the theme song of the movie Grease. I was wearing black jeans, a leather jacket, and one of the black tees Adam had left at home when he moved out. I was standing on stage. The lights came up. My music started. I started dancing. The audience went wild. I didn't have to think what to do; my body just knew. I felt like I was soaring among the stars in a brilliant night sky. I must have done well. I won a trophy for best king.
But even more important was my epiphany. People were telling me I did a great job pretending to be a guy. But I wasn't pretending to be anything. I was doing me. I fully realized and began to embrace my gender fluidity. After decades of people telling me to be more feminine this revelation was immensely liberating.
A great big shout out goes out to the performers, the crews, and the audiences who co create the magic that is drag.
Jules Hathaway

In the Key of You (YA fiction)

When I was a lot younger my summers revolved around sleepover camp. Free of school and church and family roles (the normal sibling of a severely handicapped sister) and supervised by counselors not all that much older I was living my best life those precious weeks. YA readers with similar experiences and those who are fascinated by summer camp are in for a real treat if they get their hands on Mariama J. Lockington's In the Key of You.
Harmony Music Camp is an elite music camp, taking only the creme de la creme of its young aspirants. While most of the campers' time is taken up with rehearsals and rehearsal adjacent activities there is also more traditional stuff like swimming and campfires. There's the parent free communal cabin life. And it's a primarily white institution. The two narrators whose voices alternate are Black Girls struggling with difficult family situations.
Andi's beloved artist mother has recently died. She had to move in with her aunt and uncle. They're nice but it just isn't the same thing. And now her aunt is expecting a baby. Not to mention Andi's response to ongoing school bullying got her suspended at the end of seventh grade.
Zora is the only child of two Black professionals. There's enormous pressure on her to be not only good, but the best. They've made her drop all other interests to completely focus on flute. She's terrified of disappointing them. Not to mention she's more interested in dance.
Could these two very different girls help each other grow in self awareness and agency…
…not to mention kindle a summer romance?
On a purrrsonal note, I can't believe July 4 is almost upon us. When the kids were living at home we used to watch the parade in Bangor, attend the cookout at the in-laws, and wrap the day up by watching the Bangor fireworks. The fireworks were my favorite part of the day. I know Eugene and I are going to the cookout. But that's probably all. Sigh.
A great big shout out goes out to you with best wishes for a great July 4th.
Jules Hathaway ju