African Town

African Town

YA poetry nonfiction based narrative
I have learned more genuine (not white washed) American history
from YA literature (both fiction and nonfiction) than I was taught in
my entire public school career. Irene Latham and Charles' African
Town was a sure fire wake up call. Did you know that over half a
century after importing slaves was made illegal one last ship
successfully did just that? Worse yet, 110 people were kidnapped
from home, family, and homeland to win a bet.
The year was 1859. Moneyed men had gathered on a ship for
drinks and dinner. They were angry because Congress hadn't reopened
the international slave trade. How were they supposed to turn a
profit without free labor? Most of the men were afraid to try
smuggling in slaves; one wasn't.
"'Gentlemen,' I say, my voice ominous as a windless sky.
'I'll wage you all a thousand dollars
that I can smuggle a good number of slaves back
to Mobile without the authorities knowing about it.'"
That was a lot of money back then. You'd better believe his peers
took him up on that!
African Town, narrated skillfully in free verse, covers an
ambitious timeline. Starting with that fatefull soirée, it goes up
through 1901. It features an ensemble cast of whites, Blacks,
priviliged and oppressed people, free people and slaves, males and
females sharing their experiences and perspectives. Even the ship,
the Clotilde, has her say.
But there are five stars, all enslaved Africans whom readers
will get to know more intimately:
*Kossola, a soldier, working toward being initiated into his
religion's highest order;
*Kehounco, a teen kidnapped right after her sister's wedding;
*Kupollee, who keeps careful track of the details of the group's
experiences;
*Gumpa, who is kidnapped because of tribal political rivalry;
and *Abile, a home sick 15-year-old.
The authors faced a formidable challenge in inculcating
authenticity and individuality in their characters rather than
invoking stereotypes given such a large caste. They handled it
beautifully. The characters, especially the featured ones, come to
life on the page. This is a truly engaging and enlightening narrative.
On a purrrsonal note, long term readers may have noticed a decided
drop in my output. It was truly unintended. Monday the 2nd I woke up
feeling really sick. Eugene was at camp. It was finals week. I
still had a group project and a paper due. I got them done on time.
But I just kept getting worse and worse. When Eugene returned
Thursday I asked him to take me to an urgent care. I ended up St.
Joseph's Hospital for four days, getting discharged on Sunday. I had
an infection and a kidney stone. (Jules)
I missed her soooo much!!! (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the dedicated professionals of St.
Joseph's, especially the nurses.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway




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I'm a big fan of shredded skinny leg jeans.  I know they're the epitome of fast fashion.  But I make them last.  I don't wash after every wear.  I use mild detergents, short cycles, and cold water and hang dry.  I also know how to mend.

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This is a rare first hand one.  My husband got it for me.

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The biggest staple in my wardrobe is cat shirts.  With a whole closet full I'm UMaine's cat shirt queen.  I wear them nearly every day.  They're my signature style.

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I have very few first hand clothes.  They're gifts.  My manager gave me these sneakers right before the semester ended.  Actually she was being ecology minded.  When she bought them and discovered that they were too tight for her she passed them on to me, knowing I'd make good use of them.

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This is the book.

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Fashionopolis

Fashionopolis

Juvenile/YA nonfiction
Our kids want a cleaner, more sustainable world. They can see
the effects of climate change more clearly than many of us. They know
that we live in a time of inequity where too many people live
precarious lives. They worry about what kind of world they're growing
up into. They want to do something before it's too late. Dana
Thomas' Fashionopolis: The Secrets Behind the Clothes We Wear gives
them an area of agency centered around one of the most intimate areas
of identity: the clothes they wear.
"What you don't see is how these clothes were made. Where they
are made. Who makes them. You don't know what the factory looks
like. Is it clean and safe? Or a dirty, illegal, falling down
building known as a sweatshop?"
Thomas pictures the fashion industry as a whole as a pymamid.
At the top there's what is called haute couture (women) and bespoke
tailoring (men). These are clothes that sewn by hand to one person's
specifications. With an evening gown costing much more than what most
of us earn in a whole year those creations are for the super rich.
The next layer is the more responsible ready to wear brands. Finally
at the bottom is fast fashion.
Fast fashion is the new and quickly growing swath that Thomas
analyzes. From creation of the materials that go into clothes to
manufacturing and finishing of garments she points out the
environmental and human costs. She proves that the whole mess is
totally unsustainable.
What to do? Fortunately Thomas has some great ideas. Some can
be done by farmers and manufacturers. But some are consumer options.
And there are a lot of things kids can rock.
If you have a preteen or teen at home Fashionopolis is a great
gift or addition to the family library, an inspiration for our younger
activists.
On a purrrsonal note, I have very few first hand items in my
wardrobe. They're gifts. I do my shopping in thrift shops, yard
sales, and clothing swaps. I extend the life of my clothes through
gentle laundering, air drying, and mending. I have a very unique look
that totally works for me anywhere from volunteering to classes to
performing drag. The clothes I choose are an outward manifestation of
my inner self. And the undergrads are always admiring my attire.
(Jules)
All I need to be styling is my purrrfect fur coat. Cats aren't
trashing the world through fast fashion. (Tobago the gorgeous)
A great big shout out goes out to all who working to make clothing
production sustainable and ethical.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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