Want To Go Private? (YA fiction)

     As she is about to begin her freshman year Abby, protagonist of Sarah Darer Littman's Want To Go Private?, is scared. Her long time bestie, Faith, is excited. "I mean, come on, Abby. We're starting high school tomorrow. It'll be so much better than middle school." But Abby isn't buying that.

     "I'm scared that things are going to change but I'm just as scared that they're going to be the same. I'm just one big lump of not being able to sleep at night, sick to my stomach, wish the summer would last forever, scared."

     High school is the portal to a world of adventure, exciting experiences, and new friendships for Faith. There's a new chum, Grace, a fun new club to belong to, and even a boy with the potential to maybe be more than a friend. She really wants Abby to join her...

     ...but Abby, yearning for things to go back to the way they were, feels abandoned and betrayed. And home is not exactly a refuge. Her father is hardly ever home. When he's present he nags her about grades and future plans. Her mother is present and on her case. Her little sister is always stepping on her last nerve. 

     When she meets Luke online he feels like the soul mate, the person who finally understands her, who takes her side against everyone else, who makes her feel beautiful and wanted. Sure he has a jealous streak. Sure he gets her to do things she's not comfortable about. Sure her grades are plunging...

     ...but he loves her, doesn't he?

     Want To Go Private is truly a relevant cautionary tale for these turbulent times.

On a purrrsonal note, Abby and I went to Harvest Moon Deli for lunch. Then I showed her around the Orono Public Library which she was very impressed by. She also met and now adores Tobago. We first got to know each other at Governors where she works and Eugene and I are regulars. When we noticed we had a lot in common we decided to get together. We both had a great time. 

People need good friends along the whole life span. Some feel that making friends as adults is impossible. True it's easier in the preK to college years of easy proximity and education commonality. What it means for adults is a need for more intentionality and being open to meeting kindred souls in a variety of contexts and settings. Maybe not so easy, but it's well the effort. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Ban This Book (juvenile fiction)

     "I swallowed hard. 'Are you crazy, Mrs. Jones? Me, get up in front of a bunch of adults and tell them why that book is my favorite book?...I can't do that!"

     That's what I wanted to say.

     Instead what I said was, 'Okay. '"

     Self censorship is Amy Annie's default mode at school and at the too small home she shares with her parents and two extremely aggravating little sisters. Alexis, who she has to share a room with, is ballet obsessed. Angelina believes she is a horse. Their working parents, not wanting to deal with sibling drama, expect her to give in whenever there's a fight. She lies about going to after school clubs so she can have alone time in the school library, the only place where she can get away from her stressful siblings...

     ...Which is why her favorite book is From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler. The protagonists run away together and spend nights in a museum...

     ...So imagine how she feels when it's one of the books pulled off the shelves arbitrarily (and in total disregard of official rules) because a group of parents thought they were inappropriate and the school board went along. She and her friends create the Banned Books Locker Library, covertly giving her schoolmates access to the banned volumes...

     ...when the school principal shuts it down Amy Annie and her friends have to take even more drastic action. 

     Although Alan Gratz's Ban This Book is fiction all the books listed were banned in real life. And the crisis is much more dire than when it dropped during the first Trump regime. It's necessary for adults and children to understand all that is at stake and fight for people's right to access the books they need.

     I can't overstate the importance of fighting for people's right to read diverse and inclusive books and books on controversial topics and libraries' right to carry them. I do my little bit in my blog by reviewing as many as I can get my hands on. 

On a purrrsonal note, I had quite a fun Wednesday. I found treasures at Orono Thrift Shop: really awesome kids gold and silver practically new sneakers 👟, 2 books for my emergency stash so I can have books to review when I run out of Inter library loans, a really gorgeous binder for when I print out my second manuscript, 2 holiday hand soaps (winter berry and orange spice), and dozens of cute erasers. All for only $6!!! I picked up some books at the library and arranged for them to have the launch party when Amber's second book drops in June. I was in the weekly vigil. We held signs and waved, getting honks from a lot of passing cars. It was snowing, but gently drifting flakes, not the gale driven blasts we had Monday. One thing I was really proud of: the thrift shop's donations bins were full. Before the stroke I'd lugged the stuff to the second floor. Yesterday for the first time since the stroke I was able to. Go, me!!!

A great big shout out goes out to my wonderful younger daughter, Katie, who celebrated her birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 yesterday with her boyfriend, Jacob, and their beautiful creamsicle colored cat, Archie. Such a sweet family. I am truly blessed to have Katie for a daughter. I hope her year ahead will be one of friendship and travel and wonderful surprises. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Bonus picture

I couldn't help taking a picture of this undergraduate making and selling pancakes for his group's service project. Volunteering is a fundamental part of the Black Bear Nation mission. 

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Winter carnival

And the shirts were totally the cat's pajamas. Note the roaring 20s theme. No doubt James, Tristin, and the gang went all out to make winter carnival truly fun and memorable. 

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Winter carnival

The bumper cars were also pretty popular. 

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Dread Detention (juvenile chiller)

"There aren't many many worse things than being in school, but being in school on a Saturday is one of them."

     Angelo, narrator of Jennifer Killick's Dread Detention, has no clue how horrific this Saturday detention is going to get. Breakfast Club meets Goosebumps in this truly Stine worthy chiller for younger readers.

     The four rule breakers who have been commanded to attend a Saturday Back on Track session (a consequence, not a punishment) are not exactly compatible companions. Angelo is disengaged, attending classes only often enough to keep the school from calling home. Even with his parents working all the time, needing him to care for his brother, the family is destitute. With college not an option, why bother? Naira, on the other hand, is a perfectionist over achiever willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals. Impulsive Gus, who seems immune to larger society's rules, is "unpredictable as a dog in a field of squirrels. Like walking chaos." Hallie is an angry social justice activist "There are unauthorized pins on her sweatshirt declaring her pride in being vegetarian, an LGBTQ+ ally, and a welcomer of refugees."

     Things quickly go downhill. Just as the supervising teacher has zipped their phones into his fanny pack they hear a scream. Looking for it's source, they discover that one of the five school pigs is missing. It's not long before Mr. C. is also missing. The groundskeeper's wife is doing bizarre things to a chicken while humming The Itsy Bitsy Spider. 

     And when they see Mr. C. He's being dragged underground by an malevolent unseen being. 

     So now our protagonists are locked on the campus with malevolent beings seen and unseen seemingly hunting them, no access to a phone to call for help, and nobody likely to miss them for hours. It will take real cooperation for them to get out alive...

     ...But given their personalities, not so likely to happen.  

     R. L. Stine fans of all ages will relish Dread Detention. 

On a purrrsonal note, last night was Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund's monthly cook & clean at the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter. Taylor is always the head chef and planner. He has the ability to create beautiful wholesome meals out of inexpensive ingredients. He plans for these meals with the same care he would plan a family reunion. These meals not only fill bellies, but affirm worth and dignity. I was unhoused for a short time in my much younger years. The only thing the shelter served up was a bologna sandwich on white bread and a cup of coffee. Yes, even for breakfast. Anyway last night we served up a pasta and veggies Alfredo 😋 entree and apple crisp from scratch. People's faces really lit up when they saw the dessert. Today we're in the calm before the storm. We've been warned that we are about to be slammed by an epic blizzard. UMaine is shutting down at 11:00. I'm staying home in my pajamas with precious Tobago. 

A great big shout out goes out to Taylor (whom I wish I could get elected president) and my BBMAF family (who would make a Great Supreme Court).

Jules Hathaway 

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Winter carnival

The horses were very gentle. They seemed to enjoy the attention. 

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