Something to Say

Juvenile fiction 

     "But I'm not like everyone.  And I'm all right with that.  Being unique should be a good thing, but the world is full of people like Mama who think fitting in is more important than being yourself."

     Jenea, protagonist of Lisa Moore Ramee's Something to Say, gets very frustrated with her mother's attempts to help her have the popularity in Junior high that she lacked in elementary school.  The sequined sweatshirt is too sparkly.  The cell phone feels unnecessary.  She's fine with being socially self sufficient.

     On her first day of school Janae takes her lunch to a secluded location.  Much to her surprise, a new red-haired boy, Aubrey, joins her and starts a conversation.  Soon he's getting in her space all over--even going to her home.

     Unexpectedly he's getting to her.  It begins to feel good to have a friend.  Only when she begins to feel like part of an us a school assignment threatens to split them up forever.

     A red hot political issue hovers in the background.  Janae attends John Wayne Junior High.  It turns out that the Duke said some racist things--overlooked in his day, but unacceptable now.  Plus Sylvia Mendez was a child who integrated her whites only elementary school in California before Brown v. Board of Education.  Many people feel that renaming the school after her would more accurately reflect the majority Hispanic nature of the student body.  Tempers run high on both sides.

     I was glad to find a book that addresses renaming controversies.  A number of public schools in Maine have replaced names of athletic teams and mascots that perpetuated negative stereotypes of indigenous Peoples.  At UMaine the psychology building was named Clarence Cook Little Hall.  When people discovered how much of a eugenicist he was there was a movement to rename the building.  I'm happy to report that my school came down on the right side of the issue.

On a purrrsonal note, today when Eugene and I were driving home from grocery shopping I was thinking that days like Christmas can be harder than more usual days.  I think it's all the hype that builds up day after day, week after week making it hard not to build up expectations.  And if they fall through we're sad.  Like I was thinking if I don't see my kids, a very real possibility given Maine winter weather, will it even feel like Christmas?  So I decided to unload my expectations.  Only I'm not going all bah, humbug.  I'm just not letting heavy expectations crush a special day.  I will take joy in what happens.  I'm not a Grinch.  More like a self care champion. (Jules)

It will be a good day.  The big SC has me on the nice list.  (Tobago)

A great shout goes out to all our readers who celebrate winter holidays.

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

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