Suddenly A Murder (YA chiller)

     Fellow chiller affecianados, have I got a treat for you! Lauren Munoz's Suddenly A Murder serves the tea on the lives of obscenely wealthy private school students--or in this case, newly minted alumni. 

     They're having a graduation party. But it's not a backyard barbecue with proud dads presiding over the grill. 

     Kassidy, BFF of narrator Izzy, has rented an estate, the setting of a vintage movie, on an island (with an entourage of staff to wait on her and six friends) for a week long 1920s themed getaway. Every detail--the food, the alcohol, the activities--must be theme consistent. 

She's provided them all with real 1920s wardrobes. All electronics are sent back to the mainland. She wants their last high school event to be over the top perfect.

     Such luxury! Such downright decadence! Such detail oriented planning! What could possibly go wrong?

     How about Blaine, one of the guests, turning up dead, an obvious murder victim? Nothing like homicide to bring festivities to a screeching halt! Since the killer is highly unlikely to be someone from outside or a member of the staff, he is most likely to be the hostess or one of the guests. 

     Blaine is not exactly a Boy Scout. His girlfriend (who he's planning to ditch) is on the island along with the two girls he's been cheating on her with. There's someone whose secrets he might expose. TBH none of the teens lack motive and opportunity. 

     The two detectives assigned to the case spend their days interviewing the teens, each of whom is being less than truthful. Their families are clueless about the murder.

     From the interactions between the teens during the week, information elicited by the detectives, and frequent flashbacks perceptive readers can learn a lot about them and their relationships. 

     Think you can deduce who murdered Blaine before the grand reveal?

On a purrrsonal note, today Amber was in a wonderful event at the Old Town Public Library. They throw super literary events that are not only well planned and executed, but beautifully catered. They have delicious food that is actually safe for people with restricted diets. I had 2 chicken salad sandwiches and lots 😋 👌 of strawberries and grapes. (I go to so many events where there's nothing I can eat or drink.)

The panel was great. There were four authors. A moderator asked a series of really engaging questions. The authors were quite eloquent and personal. I loved hearing them talk about topics like their writing process. I was very proud of Amber. I also was lucky to get to chat with one of the other authors, Kristen Clanton, and her son. Her book sounds really good. You better believe I plan to read and review it.

A great big shout out goes out to the writers, the moderator, and the people who provided the food glorious food. I wonder if they have a recipe for that scrumptious chicken salad. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Aren't they gorgeous?

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My new Squishmallow and backpack

Aren't th

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Governors

All ready for the spooky season 

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Campaigning with Bailey

My new ⌚️that actually fits. 

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Campaigning with Bailey

I wonder who they're voting for.

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They Called Us Exceptional

     In white America's stereotyping of people of color, where most groups are written off as lazy and inferior, Asian Americans are lauded as the good minority--in fact the model minority--and praised for their industriousness, mathematical and scientific achievements, and material wealth. In her intimate memoir, They Called Us Exceptional--and Other Lies That Raised Us Prachi Gupta explains why this stereotsype is maybe more curse than blessing.

     This designation is relatively recent. In the not so distant past both America and Canada, striving to become white nations, enacted Asian immigration bans. When these bans were lifted there was a preference for Asians with high educational attainment and professional skills. Indian Americans became one the most educated, wealthiest immigrant groups in America, validating the model minority myth. "They called us exceptional. We fulfilled the prophecy."

     One of the pernicious effects of the model minority myth was to keep on subjugating Black people, on portraying them as inferior (the Asians became successful. Why couldn't you?) to justify treating them as such. 

     Another was the pressure on the children of the highly successful Asians. Being on a pedestal carries with it a fear of the humiliation of falling off it or having one's children do so. With Gupta the pressure began early and was intense. Science and math (her brother's strengths, but not hers) were the only legitimate pathways. The Ivies and the most prestigious careers were the only legitimate destinations. And there was also the pressure to make the family look perfect, even if under the surface it was highly dysfunctional. 

     In They Called Us Exceptional Gupta shares with readers how the pressures harmed her, not only in her childhood and teens, but well into her adult life. 

On a purrrsonal note, I'm having a fabulous weekend. Saturday was No Kings Day. Bailey and I observed it by going door to door for Troy Jackson in Bangor. It was cold but sunny. We had some really good conversations with voters. We had a really excellent lunch at Paddy Murphy's--a really cozy restaurant in downtown Bangor. Bailey treated me to fried clams and onion rings. (Thanks, Bailey!) We looked around some of the cute downtown shops. I finally found a watch that fits. I've been without one since last winter. Then we picked flowers 💐 in Orono. Saturay after our Governers breakfast Eugene and I went leaf peeping. The foliage was gorgeous! We stopped at a thrift shop. Eugene bought me a lion Squishmallow and an incredible brand new backpack with matching soft lunch box and pencil case. Cat decorated of course. He got us subs for lunch. Three restaurant meals in two days! I'm for sure living la dolce vida!!! Finally the day warmed up and I got to read outside near my beautiful 💐. 

A great big shout out goes out to Bailey and Eugene and the people who took the time to converse with Bailey and me. 

Jules Hathaway 

     

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What happens when I put a tuna sandwich down to get something

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Can you find Tobago?

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Me with my crown

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My friend Blake at Family and Friends Weekend

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Marie's Magic Eggs (picture book)

     Have you ever seen Pysanky eggs? If you haven't look for them on the Internet. They really put typical American Easter eggs to shame with their ornate designs and rich history. Then look in your local library for Sandra Neil Wallace's Marie's Magic Eggs. If they do not have it and you can afford to do so it would be a most timely Easter gift.

     Marie grew up in Ukraine in the early 20th century. Each spring she loved creating Pysanky eggs, decorating them in rich, traditional designs. Sadly, driven by famine and fighting, she and her brothers left for the United States, leaving the rest of their family behind. She was only thirteen. She settled in Minneapolis where she found community. 

     "But by the river where Marie lived with her cousin, the streets swelled with Ukrainian sounds. 

     The savory scent of Ukrainian foods floated through Marie's boarding house as her neighbors cooked.

     Mechanics and mill workers. 

     Builders and bakers.

     All born in Ukraine like Marie."

     Marie found ways to create Pysanky eggs and bring the tradition to life in her adopted country...

     ...which was a good thing because following World War I Russia invaded Ukraine. Pysanky eggs and books about them were destroyed. 

     Wallace is the child of immigrants and refugees from Ukraine and Yugoslavia. She learned many Ukrainian traditions from her Grandmother. She learned about Marie when in 2022 Russia again invaded Ukraine. "As Russia's war on the country of my ancestors continued into Easter, I found hope in people gathering around the world to learn how to make pysanky in solidarity with Ukraine."

     According to legend, as long as pysanky are decorated there will be good in the world. 

     Evan Turk who created the book's vibrant illustrations, dedicated his contribution to "the artists who create meaning and beauty in perilous times."

     For those who want to learn more there is an extensive bibliography.

On a purrrsonal note, I had a fabulous Thursday. The highlight was the Mending Club's meeting which featured making 🐈 😻 🐈‍⬛️ 😺 and 🐕 toys for animals in local shelters waiting to be adopted. When I arrived a few minutes late I couldn't believe my eyes. The place was packed with enthusiastically engaged students. It was a really fun and productive session. Our next meeting in two weeks should be really fun and popular. Black Bear Exchange has dozens of Halloween costumes just waiting to be customized. 

A great big shout out goes out to all who participated, especially Lisa and Emma who created the opportunity. 

Happy No Kings Day. Bailey and I plan to observe it by going door to door for Troy Jackson. BTW if you aren't registered to vote now is the time. If you're a woman or a person of color it's a way to honor the sacrifices of the people who fought for this right. If you're an age eligible human this is your chance to help shape our future. Just don't abstain and then complain, OK.

Jules Hathaway 

     

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Vision board making

I really loved this one. 

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Vision board making

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Vision board making

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Vision board making

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My very special birthday gift from Eunice

I'll most definitely wear this to Elizabeth's Christmas party. So beautiful!

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Midterm Pertinent Juvenile Nonfiction

     This upcoming election is probably the most contentious, ugly, obscenely high financed, truth lite, dangerously high stakes one in the 75 years I've been alive. I wouldn't be surprised if you too feel trepidation. What will we wake up to the morning after? Recently in the juvenile wing of the Orono Public Library's juvenile wing I found three nonfiction books that were a breath of fresh air.

     

     Although Emily Easton and Ziyue Chen's Enough! 20 Protesters Who Changed America  was published in 2018, it is even more relevant and needed today. 

     The concept is deceptively simple. It combines portraits of individuals who protested through history with sentences describing what they did. (Longer bios are in the back.) Readers learn that Rachel (Carson) wrote a book; Muhammad (Ali) refused to fight; Jazz (Jennings) wore a dress; Colin (Kaepernick) took a knee...

     Inspired by the courageous response to the Parkland shootings, Easton wrote Enough! as a reminder of America's history of protest. "I especially wanted to show the many ways protesters have stood, marched, or knelt for change in simple enough language for young readers to understand and feel inspired...My hope is that their actions will inspire young people to find their own way to make America better."

     We can't put it all on younger people though, given today's urgency. When peaceful acts of protest are increasingly criminalized, when unarmed protesters are facing military grade weapons, when the President is working to selectively disenfranchise large numbers of citizens, when books are banned and curricula whitewashed, when the President bypasses Congress to start an illegal war...

     ...It's gonna take all of us working together!

     We tend to think of the discovery of the principles of climate change as 20th and 21st century. I was surprised when I learned that the first principle had been discovered in the 1950s when I read Rebecca Donnelly's Change Is in the Air: The Hidden Discoveries of Eunice Newton Foote, the First Climate Scientist. 

     Eunice was born in 1819, a time when expectations for girls and women were tragically limited. Her education at the just founded Troy Female Seminary gave her an excellent knowledge of science and math. Sadly no university would allow her to continue her formal education. 

     As a wife and mother Eunice didn't shrink into a traditional limited role. She kept up with scientific discoveries by reading magazines and newspapers...

    ...which inspired her to carry out experiments of her own. 

     Girls fascinated by science's unsolved mysteries will love Change Is in the Air. It will inspire some to make important future discoveries. 

     I think that we can all agree that these days fake news is a very real problem. There is so much misinformation out there. How do we know what to believe and act on.

     If it's a challenge for adults it most definitely is for kids and preteens. Gregor Craigie's Sticking To The Facts: 10 Ways to Fight Misinformation gives them strategies this important distinction. Each is thoroughlhy explained with real life examples. Terms that younger readers might not be familiar with are defined. 

     Bithi Sutradhar's colorful illustrations really help bring the content to life. Sticking To The Facts is a most excellent investment for school, public, and home libraries. 

On a purrrsonal note, I had a most excellent day yesterday. I visited my friend Eunice in her office. We had fun catching up. I explained some of the intricacies of American elections. (She's from Ghana). She gave me a lovely birthday 🎂 present 🎁: a necklace and earrings in a light up box.

Eunice asked me if I wanted to see Elizabeth Allan, the head of UMaine's higher education program. That was a most wonderful unexpected opportunity. I got a chance to talk to her about the things I'm doing fine on like volunteering, social life, writing, and keeping up this blog and things I need to do better on like finding an agent for my manuscript and job hunting-‐both of which terrify me. Elizabeth is always so supportive and encouraging. She sponsored me for $250 in the Orono Public Library readathon. I'm really looking forward to her Christmas party. 

Then I had a wonderful hangout with my Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund crew. Aurelia shared her chicken and fries with me. 

A great big shout out goes out to Eunice, Elizabeth, and the Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund crew.

Jules Hathaway 

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My Monsters Ain't Like Yours (Horror anthology)

     The other birthday book Amber gave me, R. J. Joseph's My Monsters Ain't Like Yours, is an anthology of Black feminist intersectional horror stories, most definitely for an adult audience. 

     I've been thinking about monsters lately as we approach the midterm election. The people who design campaign ads, rather than appealing to our minds with actual relevant information, are taking advantage of our fears,  both the universal ones and the more diverse ones. I think almost all of us consider serial killers and vampires to be monsters. But while I consider a president starting an illegal war and trashing environmental protections a monster one of my neighbors considers undocumented aliens to be the monsters. It bothers me that for the most part we're being manipulated by portrayals of candidates as monsters with doctored photos that resemble trailers for horror flicks rather than respected by being given relevant information on key issues. How many trees were cut down to make those damn flyers that keep flooding our mailboxes?

     Anyway I find the monsters in Joseph's anthology less threatening only because we won't be electing them to the United States Senate. The stories are awesome chillers the perfect length for autumnal campfire sharing. What impresses me the most is her ability to create twenty-five totally diverse narrators, settings, and plot lines and make each spring to vivid life in a minimum of pages.

     Georgia, protagonist of Those Who Teach Pay Knowledge Foward, is the teacher in a one room schoolhouse somewhere in the Midwest. A lot of obstacles stand in the way of youngsters attending: poverty, chores or jobs, parents not seeing the value of education... She is striving to prepare her students to thrive in a world not always decent to people of color. 

      She's especially concerned about Calvin, an especially promising student who aspires to become a doctor. He lives with his grandparents. He's started missing a lot of days. She's afraid that he'll miss too many and not be able to catch up. 

     When she goes to visit his guardians what she discovers isn't covered in any Child's Protective Sseervices handbook. 

     Naomi, protagonist of Where The Horizon Kisses The Sky is afraid that her husband no longer loves her. When she confides in a mysterious stranger she learns the importance of being careful what you wish...

     ...or at least how you phrase your wish.

     In The Heart's Desire Layla seems to be the perfect trad wife, spending all her time tending to the home and kids and entertaining her husband's clients and partners. Some would envy her opulent life style. But it comes with a high price--the loss of everything she desires. 

     "By the time she saw the post for film festival presentations in Europe, she would've taken any avenue that would get her out of the house for a couple of weeks, away from her ugly husband and terrible kids. Just the thought of a ten-hour flight to Germany was a respite from her picture-perfect trappings that only amounted to pretty bondage."

     When her presentation is accepted he tries to prevent her from leaving. When he follows her to Germany to drop the kids off with her he learns why revenge is a dish best served cold.

      Those are only a few of the very original spine tingling blood chilling horror narratives. Hey, we're creeping up on Halloween. My Monsters Ain't Like Yours would be a perfect way to usher in the spooky season. It's a terrific read for real horror affecianados. 

On a purrrsonal note, Monday night I had a real treat. I have a hard time keeping up long distance friendships through email. Which is problematic in a place where people are always graduating and leaving. When I became friends with Catherine early in her two year masters program there was something so special and real about our friendship I WAS NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON IT. I cemented my vow with a tattoo of a cat picture she'd used to publicize an event: a cat drinking boba. Nothing says permanent commitment like body art. We've been communicating through phone calls and texts. Lots of pictures. Monday I called and we had so much to talk about! When Eugene came back from working overtime I was startled to see that it was almost 8:00. We'd been talking nearly two hours. Sure didn't feel like it. It's working. I don't have to relinquish this very precious friendship. 

A great big shout out goes out to Catherine. Thank you for being my friend. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Hollow (YA chiller)

     This year Amber gave me books for my birthday. No surprise there. From the day I introduced her to literature through the adventures of Ruthie Rabbit at the seashore reading has been an integral part of our relationship. I like to think it's part of the inspiration for her career as an author. Anyway one is a guide to querying agents for my own manuscript. Getting published is so much harder than writing. 

     The other two are fiction. Amber knows just what I like. She has this knack of picking something I never would pick up on my own but once I start reading I totally love. I experienced this recently when she gave me the Asylum trilogy as my prize in the family readathon. And I experienced it again with Taylor Grothe's Hollow.

     Cassie, Grothe's narrator, grew up with three close friends--Jac, Blake, and Mel--in small town Deep Glen. Then four years ago she and her parents had moved to New York City. It hadn't worked out well. Cassie had always struggled to understand the social cues that seemed to come so easily to her peers. Bullies had detected her week spot and attacked, causing her to fall apart in her school cafeteria and be diagnosed with generalized anxiety, trichotillomania, and autism. After her parents divorced Cassie and her mother returned to Deep Glen. When we meet Cassie she's standing in front of Donahue's Donuts.

     "This had been her hangout with her best friends, and her mom had urged her just to go back to how everything had been four years ago. In her heart of hearts, Cassie wasn't so sure that was even possible. But she could at least hold it together, right?

     She wouldn't let a single crack show in her mask."

     Cassie's old crew isn't exactly welcoming. When she didn't keep up enough virtually they felt that she had abandoned them, even Jac with whom there had been the potential for being more than friends. 

     A week long camping trip to work out the issues starts off disastrously. The first night there's too much alcohol, arguments... 

     ...Cassie wakes up the next morning alone, seemingly abandoned in a place with rugged terrain where a bunch of people have gone missing recently, panicking and overwhelmed. The icing on the cake--she gets caught in a terrible storm and injures her ankle...

     ...and suddenly there's someone guiding her to safety in a small cluster of homes. Kaleb makes her tea, and helps her warm up. His mother sets her ankle. The small community welcomes her with food and shelter. As she gets to know them she feels like she is accepted for herself for the first time. Unlike when she is with "normies" she doesn't feel like she has to wear a mask. 

     Of course there are some weird things about the community. Crows are always around in huge numbers, their feathers attached to people's clothes. Creepy ass wooden dolls look down from the eaves. And the people speak a strange secret language. But they don't seem that important...

     ...until Cassie picks up some more ominous red flags like their reluctance to help her find her friends...

     ...Are they altruistic helpers or dangerous cult members? Are they the reason people go missing? Will she be able to find her friends and get home?

     Amber and I highly recommend Hollow. One key reason is that the narrative is woven together so seamlessly. When you create a world/community/realm there are so many elements that have to mesh. One slip up can shatter the reader's belief and engagement. Hollow is the epitome of seamless. The reader stays caught up in the created space right through to the end. 

     We also appreciate Grothe's narrator being autistic and having anxiety. There are not nearly enough neurodivergent protagonists in current literature. In Hollow we see the cluelessness and cruelty neurotypicals can show and how many autistic people struggle to be seen and valued for their authentic selves.

     But we do have one warning. Do not pick Hollow up until you have the time to engage with it. It's so well crafted--so easy to get caught up--in you will not want to put it down. Even with a term paper due tomorrow or a hungry cat whining to be fed.

On a purrrsonal note, Sunday there was another fine event, this time a literary one. It was held in Bangor Beer Co. First Amber and some other local authors did readings. They presented a real diversity of poetry and prose. Amber, of course, did super fantastic. Then there was a costume contest. There were seven of us. I cosplayed as Rizzo from Grease.  Each of us explained our costume. Then there was voting by applause 👏. I had a decisive win. My prize was a shirt that says literate, quite fitting I'd say. I got the chance to do some reading near my flowers. So it was a great day in a great weekend. 

A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the event, especially my super talented older daughter. 

Jules Hathaway 

     

     

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First Friday Bagels

I cosplayed as Rizzo from Grease? Remember the Pink Ladies? I was reminding people that the Drag Show is only six months away.

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First Friday Bagels

We all enjoyed our morning treat.

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First Friday Bagels

Keeping the chefs quite busy. 

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First Friday Bagels

Quite an enthusiastic crowd showed up.

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Front Desk (juvenile fiction)

"My parents told me that America would be this amazing place where we could live in a house with a dog, do whatever we want, and eat hamburgers till we were red in the face. So far, the only part of that we've achieved is the hamburger part, but I was still holding out hope. And the hamburgers here are pretty good."

     What do you envision when you think of a ten-year-old working? Babysitting? Running errands? A lemonade stand? I bet you never guessed working the front desk of a motel. But Mia, protagonist of Kelly Yang's Front Desk, portrays the reality of the situation.

     Mia and her parents, immigrants from China, have discovered that the reality of America doesn't match the myth. With the kind of jobs the adults have been able to get just putting a roof over their heads and food on the table is a struggle. In fact they've lived in their car.

     When her parents are hired to run a motel with a pool Mia thinks they have it made made in the shade. They'll be living the good life. However their share of the profits is miniscule, the owner is constantly micromanaging, and the work is unending. A lot of the time Mia works the front desk while her parents clean. 

     School is frustrating for Mia. English is a real challenge. Her papers come back covered in corrections. She's bullied by mean kids, especially the hotel owner's son. 

     When Mia and her parents learn about immigrants in more precarious situations they do all they can to help, even hiding them at the motel. If they get caught they'll be out on the street. 

     Mia's parents envision the rest of their lives as a series of poorly paid dead end jobs. But she knows they deserve better. She's determined to make a better life for the family.

     Although Front Desk is a work of fiction it's based on reality. Yang helped her parents manage motels from when she was eight until she was twelve. Incidents in the book are based on her experiences.

    Younger readers will find themselves rooting for Mia. Hopefully they will be bothered by the injustices in the book reflecting those in the world around them. 

On a purrrsonal note, last night Bailey, Cam, and I went to an event in Bangor. Senator Bernie Sanders had come to Maine to speak on behalf of Troy Jackson who is running against incumbent Susan Collins for the United States senate. Troy spoke also. They spoke eloquently and candidly about key issues like the illegal and unconstitutional war in Iraq (which Collins voted in favor of 5 times) and its impact on prices of essentials like food and heating fuel and the "big beautiful" bill (which Collins voted for) and the harm it's doing to working class people. They also discussed the dangerous slide toward authoritarianism that's happening in America. They were very informative and inspiring. So much is at stake in this midterm election! I hope Maine leads the nation in the right direction!

A great big shout out goes out to Bernie and Troy for their most enlightening presentations. 

Jules Hathaway 

     

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Mending club

Am I short or is it my imagination?

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Mending club

The bags piling up. 

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Mending club

My best friend, Lisa Morin, left, runs Black Bear Exchange and the campus volunteering center. She has two GAs, both named Emma. I call Emma Smith Emma 1. 

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Mending club

While other people did more complicated projects on sewing machines. 

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Mending club

A recent activity was turning unwanted shirts 👕 into reusable bags like this one for the Black Bear Exchange, the campus food pantry and clothing exchange.

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Sisters Alone (juvenile fiction in verse)

     Tweens seem to really have an affinity for narratives that pit relatable young protagonists against villains or forces of nature that seem insurmountable. Picture the perennial popularity of Home Alone. Shifa Saltagi Safadi's Sisters Alone, written in eloquent free verse, will prove quite appealing to youngsters who enjoy suspenseful stories.

     Leena and Rami, Safadi's narrators, have recently lost their beloved mother. Baba, their father, must travel to Japan for work. Fortunately while he's gone the girls are scheduled to be on a school vacation trip. He wouldn't want them to be home alone, especially with a major blizzard predicted. 

     To be eligible to go on the trip students must have passing grades in all subjects and have turned in their signed permission slip..

     ...Guess what's riding around in the bottom of Leena's backpack.

     When Leena isn't allowed on the bus Rama stays with her. Their father is on the way to Japan. The sisters will be home alone for a week. Rama thinks it's no big deal. 

"We have books, Wi-Fi, warmth, and

before we know it, Baba will be back."

      She's not counting on the blizzard taking out the power and sending a huge tree crashing through the roof and walls, making the house unsafe. And the girls have no way to call for help. Rama's phone is broken; Leena's isn't charged.

     Their only shelter is an unheated, drafty shed. 

"How do we warm ourselves

without a fire,

without a heater, 

without a blanket?

What do we eat when there is no food?"

     Besides the truly engaging and suspenseful plot there is a lot to love about Sisters Alone.

     One thing is the way Safadi brings both sisters to life as complex individuals with a difficult relationship. Little sister Leena believes that she caused their mother's death. Her grief is complicated by guilt. She spends as much time as she can scrapbooking the family's happy past, letting stuff like grades slide. She sees Rama as a demanding perfectionist. Rama is the more organized sister. But she has her own struggles. She can't get rid of the Monster that lives in her, causing her to catastrophize:

"Drops of hot sweat prickle on my skin, 

My breath comes out in pants

as I feel myself start to 

spiral in a

Monster Attack. 

What if we run out of food? What if

Baba never comes back?"

Although she loves Leena, she resents her carelessness and irresponsibility and how she gets away with it.

     Another thing is the way anxiety and intrusive thoughts are woven into the narrative through the portrayal of Rama and discussed nonjudgementally in the author's note. Mental health issues are very important for tweens to understand and much too little talked about. 

     Finally there is the portrayal of the sisters as Muslims. The practices of their religion are woven into the dailiness of their lives. It's hard to explain. I feel the way I felt when I discovered Ezra Jack Keats' The Snowy Day in which a little Black boy experiences joy when his neighborhood is blanketed with the white stuff. 

     In short, Sisters Alone is a suspenseful, engaging narrative that will be enjoyed by its target demographic and way beyond. A good purchase for school, public, and home libraries.

     I lived a large part of my life with undiagnosed anxiety. It was such a relief to see a counselor and learn how to diminish it. I know many people who live with it. It's incidence is increasing among people who went through key development stages during the pandemic, making this fine book even more relevant. 

On a purrrsonal note, with a couple of frost free nights and some beneficial rain my garden is looking really good. I'm spending as much time as possible reading outside near it. I'm keeping a close eye on forecasts with an eye on covering my flowers when frost is predicted. Last night I had dinner with Bailey and Cam and their three cats 🐈 😻 🐈‍⬛️ who are purrrfect hosts. They have a new second floor apartment right in downtown Bangor. Their living room has these incredible arched floor to ceiling windows that afford quite a view. We had a really good time. When I got home Tobago was quite excited to smell the other cats on me. I am feline Facebook. 

A great big shout out goes out to Bailey, Cam, and their precious cat companions.

Jules Hathaway 

     

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Up In Flames (YA fiction)

     The first time I read a book by an excellent author I check to see if they have any others published. I was over the moon when I discovered that Hailey Alcaraz's Rosa By Any Other Name was her sophomore offering. I speedy quick sent away for her Up In Flames by inter library loan...

     ...and it was all I hoped for and more. The plot was super engaging and suspenseful. The characters were complex and believable. It was easy to imagine and relate to. Very relevant social justice issues were integral to the plot...

     ...and it was a reworking of a century old classic. I admit I'm not a big fan of this genre. >

It generally involve works that I read ages ago to not flunk classes--like The Iliad, The Odyssey, and anything by Austin. But this is a reworking of a novel I read of my own free will and, in my opinion, captures the ambiance of the original. See if you can guess what it is by the end of this review. Hint names and initials are big tells. 

"Ruby Ortega always got what she wanted. 

     However, Ruby Ortega also often wanted what she couldn't have"

     When we first meet Ruby, Alcaraz's narrator, she's basically stealing the show at her younger sister's quinceanera, wearing a dress her mother considers indecent and being wooed by the male attendees, bored by their attention because they aren't her long time crush, Ashton Willis...

     ...but when he arrives his news is a real buzz kill for Ruby. He's excited for her to meet his girlfriend, Millie Hamilton. 

     "Girlfriend? For as long as she had known him, Ashton had never had a girlfriend. She had always thought of him as patiently waiting for her to come around, and now that the stars had finally aligned, he had a girlfriend? They were supposed to be together."

     Much to Ruby's chagrin, an aggravating stranger, Remy Bustillos, was eavesdropping on their conversation. 

     Ruby starts college at Ashton's school determined to make him see the light. But a crisis is on the way in the form of wildfires that have been drawing nearer to Ruby and Ashton's homes. When they arrive Ruby rushes home to find her mother dead and the rest of her family in a state of shock. 

     Even after the flames have retreated there's no going back to school for Ruby. True her home is intact. But the luxury bed-and-breakfast the Ortegas run and the reception hall they were having built suffered serious damage. Her father has become incapable of running things. Her sisters are too young to share the burdens of being in charge. So it's all on Ruby. 

     Ashton drifts in and out, unsure of his role and future. Remy, however is providing assistance and connections when she really needs them. 

     Will Ruby ever wake up and smell the coffee ☕️?

     Have you figured out what the original book is? I'll reveal tĥe answer in my next review. 

On a purrrsonal note, wintery weather is closing in much too fast. I have to wear a coat when I go places or read near my flowers 💐. The furnace kicks on. Tuesday night was our first frost. I covered my flowers and they did fine. I hope we get at least a few warm days before the worst season of the year assaults Maine. 

A great big shout out goes out to the people who deliver heating fuel. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Monarch and Mourning Cloak (picture book)

     Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal is one of the most beautiful nature books I've ever seen. It's a true scientific/artistic collaboration between Melissa Stewart (author) and Sarah S. Brannen (illustrator).

     I really love how, instead of discussing generic butterflies, Stewart and Brannen focus on two distinct species--contrasting their life cycles, their foods, their hibernations, and the ways of staying safe from predators. 

    The pictures are gorgeous. The ones that show settings are very location and time specific. 

     Stewart has been keeping nature journals since she was twenty. Brannen started drawing in sketch books as a child. They encourage readers of all ages to incorporate these practices into their lives, emphasizing that there is no right or wrong way to do so.

     Just think of the proven physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits of spending time in green spaces!

On a purrrsonal note, I had a wonderful weekend. Saturday I was paparazzi for UMaine's Family and Friends weekend activities on the Mall. The weather was perfect. Between the sunshine and the foliage the day had a golden glow. The people and dogs provided a plethora of photo ops. I got the chance to hang out with really good friends. I got tinsel put in my hair for free. And because I was volunteering I got a free event tee shirt and a food truck voucher to buy a delicious lunch I wouldn't have afforded. In the afternoon I campaigned door to door for Mike Tipping. Sunday after our Governers breakfast Eugene and I went leaf peeping. 

A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in Family and Friends weekend and campaigned for Mike and Troy Jackson and Eugene. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Fall foliage

I laugh when people in Maine act like they have to go somewhere else to view fall foliage. In autumn 🍂 we're surrounded by it.

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Birthday 🎂 present

My birthday present from Bailey and Cam (the lovely gemstone figure) in its place of honor in my library. 

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Anger Is Only A Shadow (YA fiction)

     Award winning YA author, Elizabeth Acevedo, is a bright shining light in teen literature. With relatable characters, believable and engaging plots, and plenty of inconvenient topics, her books never fail to deliver. Anger Is Only A Shadow is a perfect example. 

     When readers meet Lil, Acevedo's narrator, she's locked in a juvenile facility, waiting for a hearing that will determine whether she'll be released. It's not her first time there. 

"I haven't cried. Even though I know this time is worse than the last time. This time I might get time. Might get time taken away from me. Might be removed from home, from all I know, from our family."

     One thing you need to know about Lil--she's very good at making very bad decisions. Those decisions get her in a world of trouble. She gets so focused on getting what she wants that she doesn't see that she's setting herself up for consequences until her actions are irreversible. She's impulsive to a fault, a victim of her urges.

"And sometimes, when you're from a hood, even if your parents both got jobs, and pay the bills, and you go to a school where your teachers knew your brother and your parents before him, you might still get caught up. You might have urges inside you that ain't got a clear name, that got their own heat and heart, and they flare up and unmake your raising."

When the urges involve actions like shoplifting or joyrides law enforcement gets involved. 

     Lil is lucky this time. She's released to her parents' custody with court ordered supervision and an ankle monitor. Her lawyer warns her that she's skating on thin ice. The ankle monitor is showing a lack of trust. The judge won't go easy a third time. When she's eighteen that could mean adult sentencing. 

     Her lawyer tells her,  "I can't pull off another miracle. Put your head down. Try your best in school. Make some new friends. Follow the rules your case manager sets. Join a club. Get an after-school job. Stop hanging out with girls that drag you into trouble."

     You know that Lil is going to get into trouble before her court hearing three and a half weeks away. Ironically this time it's not due to impulsivity and lack of self control, but to love and loyalty. Her beloved brother, Aldwin, is away at college. She'd been alarmed by his behaviors over the summer. Now he's posting all kinds of conspiracy theories and behaving in ways that put him in real danger. Lil is seeing all kinds of red flags. But the adults aren't taking her seriously or doing enough to get him help. Her father says it's just normal developmental pains. 

     Lil knows it isn't. She knows that she'll be in deep trouble if she tries to rescue Aldwin. But whatever she goes through will be worth not losing him. Her passion and unique voice will get readers to empathize and really care.

     Acevedo has personally experienced having a relative with schizophrenia. In Anger Is Only A Shadow she brings up some serious questions. "How do we support loved ones who have illnesses that are not easily treated? How do we allow dignity and value to humans who make choices out of sync with societal norms? What does it mean to find alternate and holistic forms of care and repair alongside the options offered by traditional medicine?"

     To which I would add how do we remove the stigma that prevents so many people from seeking help? How do we make help accessible to people without privilege and power? How do we make help culturally relevant in our increasingly diverse population? We do not talk nearly enough about mental health in our society. Anger Is Only A Shadow has the potential to help catalyze important and necessary conversations. 

On a purrrsonal note, I am a poster adult for the importance of counseling. I needed help after my father died, coping with pandemic isolation, and learning to cope with anxiety. My father, on the other hand, had no help coping with what was probably bipolar which cost him his job and his family and quality of life and fueled his later alcoholism. 

A great big shout out goes out to UMaine's dedicated professionals who run its Counseling Center and Student Wellness office so compassionately and effectively and their colleagues in other higher education institutions. 

Jules Hathaway 

     

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Record painting

Of course I wasn't about to miss out on all the fun!!!

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Record painting

Friends enjoying the event. 

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Record painting

I loved her flowers. 

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Record painting

Some people got pretty ambitious 

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Record painting

Always a popular event at UMaine 

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The Benefits of Being An Octopus 🐙 (juvenile fiction)

     Quite awhile ago when my kids were still kids and living with Eugene and me I was in my door yard. A younger neighbor struck up a conversation. She told me that she would never become a teen parent because she knew how much work kids are. Her mother was a semi functional drug addict. When she wasn't in school she was in charge of her siblings: a seven-year-old brother with serious behavior issues and a four-year-old nonverbal sister. She also had the housework and cooking to do. It was hard for her to find the time for her homework. She even had to extricate her mom from trouble at work, with boyfriends, and even with the police. 

     That's quite a lot for an eleven-year-old to deal with. 

     Kids who live lives of precarity and too early adultification are very rarely seen in juvenile fiction. That's why books like Ann Braden's The Benefits of Being An Octopus 🐙 are so very much needed. 

     "Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they've got to do."

     Zoey, Braden's narrator, certainly falls into the latter category. From waking up to falling into bed her life outside of school is pretty much consumed with sibling care. Before going to school she has to feed Bryce (4) and Aurora (3) and get them on their Head Start bus. After school, besides this dyad, she has baby Hector. 

     The kids and their mom are living with their mom, her current boyfriend, Lenny, and his father. Lenny's trailer is a real step up from other places the family has lived in. But nice comes at a price. Zoey knows that Lenny bullies her mother. True he never strikes her. But he knows just to say to perpetually undercut her self confidence and agency. 

     When one of her teachers has her join the debate club she thinks it's a waste of time. She'll never be that kind of kid. But it gives her some skills to begin tackling the challenges in her life. 

"When I was a middle school teacher I loved finding thought-provoking resources that would connect deeply to the students' lives, prompt rich discussions, and ultimately help students recognize their ability to shape the world around them. My goal with this educator's guide is do just that. I believe the best way we can help students grow is to give them the space they need to ask questions, to draw conclusions, and to build their own broader understanding of the world."

     The 36 page educator's guide at the end of the book contains a wealth of ideas for teachers and others who work with kids. I highly recommend using it to incorporate The Benefits of Being An Octopus 🐙 into the curriculum. It's as relevant now as when it first dropped. 

On a purrrsonal note, the vigil went well Wednesday--good turnout and lots of honks. Thursday was the second meeting of the mending club. We were turning t shirts into grocery bags for Black Bear Exchange by cutting and knotting. What was wonderful for me was getting to spend time with my best friend, Lisa Morin, who runs Black Bear Exchange. Friday I was paparazzi for two on campus events--the always popular First Friday Bagels and Student Wellness vision board making. My sweet cinnamon bagel was SO GOOD!!!

Jules Hathaway 

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Tobago

Checking out some of my free stuff from the Career Fair. Sorry, Lady T, no catnip or Fancy Feast entrees.

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Career Fair

All who attended seemed quite satisfied with the day. Good job, Career Center!

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Career Fair

Who appreciated the chance to learn more about employment opportunities. 

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Career Fair

Friendly company reps came to talk to job seeking students. 

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Career Fair

The Career Center picked a picture perfect day for their recent Career Fair on the mall. They seemed to really enjoy getting out of their office. 

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You Only Live Twice (YA romance)

     If you're married, how did you choose your partner? If you aren't and want to be what process do you anticipate? Maybe proximity at work or school blooming into something else? Maybe physical attraction or shared interests? Maybe a friend acting as a catalyst?

    You probably don't envision courtship evolving as a series of negotiations between the families of the prospective bride and groom. But finding a suitable partner for one's children is still the norm for a lot of people who would consider a more hands off approach negligent. Autumn Allen's You Only Live Twice gives readers insights into a different romance narrative. 

     "This is the year that I change my life. 

     At the beginning of this year, I am a typical high school student, going through the motions, doing what's expected of me (mostly).

     By the end of this year, I will rearrange my life."

     Zakiyyah, Allen's protagonist, is a devout Muslim, desperately trying to live the ethics and values of her faith among classmates who seriously don't understand her in a school where students are controlled and infantalized through rigid rules. 

     She wants out NOW, not nine months in the future. 

     Her parents allow her to withdraw to go the homeschool route and take dual enrollment classes at Roxbury Community College. 

     "All of the students were adults, young and old. And the teachers treated us like it...No arbitrary rules to impose administrative control. The edge of being part of a population held hostage was gone. Everyone was there of their own free Will."

     When Zakiyyah decides that her next step is marriage her mother, who married early, is shocked. She wants her daughter to have an easier life. But she does come around. The extended family is soon engaged in a search for her future husband. 

     In November a candidate is approved. Musa comes from a large religious family. He's a little older than Zakiyyah and interested in marriage. The first time they get to converse on the phone it is after the parents have negotiated all the important points. 

     "Just when I thought they might have forgotten Musa and I were there, Khadijah said, 'Well, I guess we should let Zakiyyah and Musa ask any questions they might have? I feel comfortable letting them start to communicate after this if they want to. What do you all think?'"

     After the four parents approve Zakiyyah and Musa are free to get to know each other by email and eventually phone. They have never met or even seen pictures of each other. The evolution of their relationship makes for quite a fascinating narrative. 

On a purrrsonal note, the noreaster is over. Wednesday there was no rain. It was great weather for the weekly vigil. We had good attendance and a lot of honks. There were even glimpses of blue sky. I did my afternoon work and evening outside reading near my lovely flowers. They are really thriving thanks 😊 to the beneficial rain. Tree leaves are starting to turn. They are lovely but sadly signal that winter is on the way. 

I am getting so disgusted with a lot of the campaigning. As always. Some of the negative ads look more like trailers for horror flicks than bona fide election information. High school students would be expelled or suspended for following their examples. Why can't we expect more from adults? If I could make rules for elections they would be:

1. No mud slinging.

2. Address the relevant issues. Talk policies and practices, not platitudes. 

3. Make only true, verifiable statements. 

4. Public finance elections to put candidates on an even playing field. 

A great big shout out goes out to my vigil crew and the few candidates for office who are conducting ethical campaigns, especially Mike Tipping who Bailey and I will be campaigning for Saturday. He's a bright shining light of integrity in the shitstorm that is the midterm elections. 

Jules Hathaway 

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