Refugee

Refugee

YA/adult fiction
"Beverly Crawford, a professor emerita at the University of
California, Berkely, has written that refugees live three lives. The
first is spent escaping the horrors of whatever has driven them from
their homes--like the persecution and murder of Jews in Joseph's Nazi
Germany, the starvation and civil rights abuses of Isabel's Cuba, or
the devastating Civil War of Mahmoud's Syria. Those who are lucky
enough to escape their homes begin a second, equally dangerous life,
trying to survive ocean crossings and border patrols and criminals
looking to profit off them. Most migrants don't end up in refugee
camps, and their days are spent seeking shelter, food, water, and
warmth. But even in the camps, refugees are exposed to illness and
disease, and often have to exist on less than fifty cents a day.
If refugees manage to escape their home and then survive the
journey to freedom, they begin a third life, starting over in a new
country, one where they often do not speak the language or practice
the same religion as their hosts. Professional degrees granted in one
country are often not honored in another, so refugees who are doctors
or lawyers or teachers where they came from become store clerks and
taxi drivers and janitors. Families that once had comfortable homes
and cars and money set aside for college and retirement have to start
all over, living with other refugees in government housing or with
host families in foreign cities as they rebuild their lives."
I have just quoted extensively from Refugee because those two
paragraph's express the book's intent much better than I could.
Children and teens who see information about Syrian refugees can't be
blamed for seeing their experiences as new and unique in the world's
history. Older folks with adequate historical backgrounds know that
there have been refugees probably as long as war and famine and
persecution have existed. With the passage of time feared and
despised others become people we regret not saving. Alan Gratz
captures this concept beautifully for YA and adult readership by
braiding together the stories of three youngsters from different eras
facing challenges that, although differing in details, are similar in
essence.
"Someone was in the house!
Joseph scrambled backward on his bed, his eyes wide. There was
a shattering sound in the next room--crisssh! Ruth woke up and
screamed. Screamed in sheer blind terror. She was only six years old."
The scene is Kristallnacht in Nazi Germany. The Nazis are
destroying Jewish homes and businesses and even synagogues. They send
tens of thousands of Jewish men to concentration camps. One of them
is Joseph and Ruth's father.
After an agonizing six months with no news he is released on the
condition he leave Germany for good within two weeks. The family
books passage on the Cuba bound MS St. Louis. All is not well,
however. The father is a broken man, a shadow of his former self, a
stranger to his family. Some of the crew men are staunch Hitler
followers. And there is a rumor that Cuba may renege on the agreement,
leaving passengers to be returned to Germany and death.
"Rifles boomed, and Isabel ducked. More police were arriving by
motorcycle and military truck, and the protest was turning bloody.
The rioters and police traded rocks and bullets, and a man with a
bloody head staggered past Isabel. She reeled in horror. A hand
grabbed her, spinning her around. Lito! She threw herself into her
grandfather's arms."
The Cuban people are starving. Loss of Soviet support has had a
devastating effect on the country. People caught leaving the country
are jailed. This has happened to Isabel's father.
In the riot described above he has clashed with the police. A
cop has threatened to come find him. As the family discusses their
dire predicament, Fidel Castro makes an announcement. People who want
to leave Cuba may do so. The family joins their neighbors in a
homemade boat to take the perilous journey to Florida. Sinking is a
constant danger. Although they will be safe if they make land, if
they are caught on the ocean they will be returned or imprisoned in a
refugee camp. And Isabel's mother is hugely pregnant, due to deliver
any day.
"The wall of his apartment exploded, blasting broken bits of
concrete and glass through the room. The floor lurched up under
Mahmoud and threw him and the table and chairs back against the wall
of the kitchen. The world was a whirlwind of bricks and broken dishes
and table legs and heat, and Mahmoud slammed into a cabinet. His
breath left him all at once, and he fell to the floor with a heavy
thud in a heap of metal and mortar."
Ever since Arab Spring Syria has been caught in a brutal civil
war. Mahmoud has done his best to stay out of trouble, to be
invisible...
...all to no avail. His apartment building has been bombed. He
and his family are homeless in a very dangerous place.
Mahmoud's father decides that the family will travel to Germany
thousands of miles away. The journey will involve sneaking across a
number of national borders and crossing to Greece in an overcrowded
raft that could easily go down. Mahmoud's brother, Waleed is
unreactive, emotionless, in a state of shock. His sister, Hana, is a
helpless baby.
The stories are suspenseful, each chapter breaking at a cliff
hanger. The characters spring to life. I couldn't put the book down
although there were times I found it very hard to read.
I have seen Refugee described as a juvenile book. I would not
recommend it for most kids under YA. The scenes are brutally
realistic. I think it's a must read for the high school and college
set. Some middle schoolers can handle it. I just wish I could get
all the people who see the Syrian refugees as terrorists who hate us
or opportunists who want generous welfare benefits to give it a chance.
My first refugee encounter was up close and personal. My mother
needed someone to take care of Harriet and me between when our school
let out and her college did and on sick and snow days and to get
supper started. When I was about nine she hired Alla Lee who had
managed to flee Korea with her teen son, Boris.
Alla faced formidable obstacles. In Korea she'd been a college
professor. In America her credentials were worth nothing. She found
Enlish challenging. There was a lot of prejudice. The parishioners
of St. Peters Episcopal feared that Alla and Boris would sell Harriet
and me into white slavery or that Boris, one of the shyest boys God
put in the world, would impregnate us with half breed babies. They
alluded to her as a heathen Chink. In a fine bit of irony, she was as
Episcopalian as thr rest of us.
I couldn't see why she would want to be here. Mom explained to
me that if she went back to Korea she and Boris would be jailed and
tortured or even killed because of their religion and political beliefs.
On a personal note, I was holding my breath and constantly checking
weather predictions on Henry (my smart phone) Saturday. Sunday was
the Out of the Darkness suicide awareness and prevention walk. By the
time I went to bed it looked like we'd beat the rain. Mother Nature
did better than that. Morning grey gave way to glorious sunshine. I
helped set up. I tabled and sold bracelets for Active Minds. I was
one of the speakers. We were blessed to have Renaissance Singers, an
amazing all women a Capella group. When they started singing a nearby
bird that had been silent joined the beautiful music. While people
walked I helped transfer stuff to the river for the closing ceremony.
Of course I was on clean up. I am proud of my volunteer tee shirt.
And I collected $2.75 worth of water and Gatorade bottles toward grad
school.
I have turned the voices in my head from critics into cheerleaders and
good advice givers. You know about the ones that haunt lots of
people, especially women, with unhelpful messages of being fat,
stupid, inadequate, unworthy... Now mine say that I can do it, I look
great, I deserve the good things in my life...basically I am enough.
I was calm when I spoke because the voices reminded me I'm a good
speaker and the people wanted to hear what I had to say.
A great big shout out goes to all who attended, volunteered for, and
organized the walk. Together we are making a real difference.
jules hathaway




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Two For The Preteen Set

Two For The Preteen Set

Juvenile fiction
Literary snobs: skip this review; you'll be glad you did.
Everyone else: enjoy. This is another excursion into books that are
not up to Shakespearean standards but wildly popular with the juvenile
fiction set.
James Patterson, master of preteen humor, has come out with
Pottymouth and Stoopid which takes a look at boys getting bullied.
Best friends David and Michael have been stuck with insulting
nicknames since their preschool misadventures. By middle school they
are outsiders, ridiculed and blamed for anything that goes wrong.
David's estranged father gets into the action by selling a
series based on their misadventures to the Cartoon Factory network.
In their school the show's off the wall popularity basically makes the
boys "walking, talking insult pinatas."
But the tide is about to turn in a way that should delight kids
who have been picked on, ridiculed, and chosen last for sports teams.
SQUEEEEEEEE!
That was me doing my library happy dance. At long last the
latest volume in Rachel Renee Russell's Dork Diaries, Tales from a NOT-
SO Friendly Frenemy, had arrived at the Orono Public Library and the
librarian for whom I valiently volunteer very regularly was processing
it speedy quick so I could read it FIRST.
Life is good!
Nikki, Russell's spunky protagonist, had finally said good-bye
to Mackenzie, "a RATTLESNAKE in lip gloss and hoop earrings," the
drama queen who had done her best to make her life miserable.
Mackenzie had transferred to the ultra posh, ultra pricey North
Hampton Hills International Academy. All good, right?
WRONG!!! Student Exchange Week is coming up. I bet you can
guess where Nikki has been assigned. There's no getting out.
Noncompliant students will have the choice of repeating eigth grade or
suffering through summer school.
What Nikki doesn't know is that NHHIA boasts a mean girl who
makes the dreaded Mackenzie look like a girl scout. Speaking of Girl
Scouts, Nikki's little sister, Brianna, is leaving a path of culinary
destruction in a seemingly futile attempt to earn a cooking badge by
making a snack her troop will actually eat. You know who will have to
work that out.
And then there's a trip to Paris at stake.
Need I say more?
On a personal note, the boiled dinner was superb. Yesterday I went to
a really interesting program on trauma informed sex ed which is highly
relevant to my field of study. My older daughter, Amber, also
attended. She had really good things to say. I love seeing what a
poised professional woman she has grown up to be. My dafodills are
taller. I can see the yellowish bulges that will be the flowers.
A great big shout out goes out to my fellow UMaine students as we head
into the last week of the semester.
jules hathaway



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Writings On The Wall

Writings On The Wall

Adult nonfiction
"But here we are three years later, and gun violence in black
communities is unrelenting. African Americans are eight times as
likely to be murdered as whites. For whites, the murder rate is 1 per
40,000; for blacks, the murder rate is 1 per 5,000. To put that in an
international perspective, the murder rate for blacks in America is
about 12 times as high as among all people in other developed
countries. Worse, gun violence is the leading cause of death for
black children and teens.
It's a heavy burden to raise children who know that the color
of their skin makes them walking targets."
Othering, no matter what form it takes, victimizes those
considered other and legitimizes their victimization. Its
pervasiveness and social acceptance can create a taboo around exposing
it. In writings On The Wall, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld
expose othering for what it is and does across a number of dimensions:
*the racism that puts the target on the backs of children and exploits
black culture;
*the religious intolerance that is exploited by politicians to
demonize Jews and Muslims;
*the sexism that limits women's opportunities and subjects us to rape
and other violence;
And other despicable other forms of othering. I really appreciate his
inclusion of classism. A lot of people, sadly including many in
gubmint, try to deny that it exists. People are poor because they're
lazy and unmotivated; they must be weaned from overly generous
government entitlements. (In what universe is this happening?)
Each chapter is a cogent discussion of one form of evil. It
concludes with useful suggestions on ways people can fight back.
Writings On The Wall is a very good read for people who see
through dominant group deceptions and yearn for an America that truly
has liberty and justice for all.
On a personal note, all week I've been hearing what a great job I did
in the drag show. I have to admit that's music to my ears. The
clothes swap went really well. There was a lot of excitement around
everyone's finds. The collection of squares for the blanket is
growing. There was a crafting night at women's resource center. At
Wilson Center we had a fine supper and a discussion on spirituality.
Today I'm staying home with Joey (who is draped across my shoulder
purring into my ear as I wrote this) to make boiled dinner for
Eugene. That takes five hours. My friend Kat plans to come over for
lunch. Joey adores her.
A great big shout out goes out to my drag, WRC, and Wilson Center
Families.
jules hathaway



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No Place To Fall

No Place To Fall

YA fiction
"The man talking on the local news has it out for me. Through
the screen door, I watch Mama, remote control in hand, mouth gasping
like a banked fish with each new tale of murder and woe. Every single
day, morning and evening, she convinces herself the world beyond our
doorstep is a Very Bad Place. I've managed to sneak off in plain
sight all summer long, but I never know when she might decide an ax
murderer is lurking in the woods and keep me home."
Amber, narrator of Jaye Robin Brown's No Place To Fall, is kept
on a short leash by more than her mother's fears and her
responsibilities. She lives in the kind of small town where people
are all up in each other's business. Any lapse in morals and
judgement will be gossip currency. Amber should know. Her sister
Whitney is married to a known drug dealer.
Small town life and the safe existence her mom wants for her are
not enough for Amber. She's curious about the wider world and its
inhabitants. And she has a dream of becoming a professional musician,
of singing for folks other than her family, her best friend, and the
congregation of her church.
When she learns that she'll be able to attend a well known art
school if she passes the audition, it seems like a dream come true.
How will she do? Will her mother be strong enough to let go?
And will a serious mistake she made trying to help a friend
stand in her way if it's discovered?
No Place to Fall is a powerful coming of age novel that should
appeal to YA readers, especially those eager to shake the dust of
their own small towns.
On a personal note, we're having lovely warm weather. I hung laundry
out after school yesterday. I love that fresh air smell. My dafodills
are as tall as my hand. Joey cat is watching for robins. I am SO
EXCITED because women's resource center is having a clothes swap
today. I'm bringing in clothes and hoping to find treasures--
especially cat shirts. WRC also has a great project going on. We're
knitting and crocheting squares that we'll put together in an afghan
for the center. It is going to look amazing.
A great big shout out goes out to the WRC people who make that room
one of the most awesome places to spend time on campus. It's an
incubator for people who are going to make a real difference in the
world. The honesty and caring and solidarity and excitement and
laughter are off the charts. I never fail to be inspired when I spend
time there.
jules hathaway


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Maybe Something Beautiful

Maybe Something Beautiful

Picture book
"In the heart of a gray city, there lived a girl who loved to
doodle, draw, color, and paint. Every time she saw a blank piece of
paper, Mira thought to herself, Hmm, maybe...
And because of this her room was filled with color and her heart was
filled with joy."
Mira, protagonist of F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell's Maybe
Something Beautiful, is obviously an out-of-the-box thinker, a seer of
possibilities. She tries to brighten people's lives with her
pictures. One day she tapes a sun picture on a wall. The next day a
muralist arrives and begins to work his magic. Soon Mira and her
neighbors, even the policeman, are joining in the celebration.
And the murals are only the beginning.
The coolest thing about the book, though, is that's it's based
on real life. Led by a husband and wife artist team, a California
neighborhood created murals, decorated benches, crafted mosaics, and
painted poetry on sidewalks--empowering people and creating
community. Other countries have copied this model.
Let me ask you one question. Does anything in your neighborhood
need brightening up? Let Maybe Something Beautiful be your inspiration.
On a personal note, we had something beautiful going on the last
couple of days. Let me tell you. Friday night was Drag Show dress
rehearsel and Lavender Prom. At the prom people were dressed to the
nines, dancing, eating, hanging with friends. For a number of
participants being welcome at a prom was a blessing. Drag Show was
amazing. We had a real treat--the chance to have lunch with and learn
drag history and makeup tips from our professional queens: Cherry
Lemonade and Stepmother. I did Cabaret and really owned that song.
In a real way I did. Society tries to place limitations on ways of
being for women in our sixties as in dull and sedate and invisible.
My life is an embodiment of screw that because I love a cabaret. We
had something new at the end of the show this year: a tag team
number. There was one big mix and we took turns going out with no
idea what we'd get. That was so much fun! I love my life.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in Lavender
Prom, Drag Show, and all the other events of Pride Week 2018.
jules hathaway


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Big Machines

Big Machines

Juvenile biography
As a tomboy I needed action and excitement in my picture books.
I was also quite a fan of animals and other nonhuman entities rocking
qualities like perseverance (Little Engine That Could) and loyalty.
Two of my favorite volumes introduced me to Mary Anne the steam shovel
and Katy the tractor who plowed out a snowed in town. I loved how
those girl named machines rocked power.
Decades passed. Books went in and out of style. I gave birth
to children whom I introduced quite early to public libraries. One
day, among all the newer arrivals, I rediscovered my two valient
friends and was able to share them with Amber, Katie, and Adam.
I bet in your childhood you encountered Virginia Lee Burton's
timeless stories. Even wonder about the writer behind them? Sherri
Duskey Rinker's Big Machines is a perfect way to introduce our younger
readers to her world.
Jinnee (Virginia Lee) is shown as a person of magic: a dancer
artist, writer, and mother of two beloved sons. In illustrations that
place her beloved big machines on the same page with herself and her
boys, who were her inspiration, you catch the connection and intimacy,
the joy behind their being brought to life.
Big Machines is a sweet read for children, families, and the
many fans of Mary Anne and Katie. If you're a parent, it might just
inspire you to create your own family magic.
On a personal note, my life feels magical today. A gentle spring rain
is falling. My 3" tall dafodills are slurping it up through their
roots. I stuffed my unicorn Wednesday. Starry Starry Night (named
after a cat who was named after a song and painting) is white with
purple sparkly hooves, horn, and mane and purple and white starry
wings. Incredibly soft. Tonight I have drag show rehearsel and the
Lavendar Prom. Tomorrow is the Drag Show. I'll be performing Cabaret.
A great big shout out goes to all who are celebrating Pride Week and
working toward a world in which people of all sexual preferences and
gender identities are safe, welcome, and valued.
jules hathaway



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Ryan and Jimmy

Ryan and Jimmy

Juvenile nonfiction
Kids and adults in America can't be faulted if they're feeling
overwhelmed. From polluted air and water to police treatment of blacks
to superstorms to the crowd in DC...everywhere one looks there is
something going wrong. Even in today's world, however, one person can
make a difference. If you're in need of inspiration, check out Herb
Shoveller's Ryan and Jimmy And the Well in Africa That Brought Them
Together.
Ryal Hreljac was in first grade when he learned that children in
other parts of the world (than his Canada) died from lack of safe
drinking water. A life saving well would cost $70. Mom and Dad could
fork over the cash. Right?
Wrong. He could do chores to earn the money. He was only six.
Some new interest would come along in a day, a week...
...except that's not how it played out. Ryan worked four months
to earn the $70, only to find out his money would buy a pump for the
well, not the whole well. That was ok. He'd do more chores. His
parents thought he'd lose interest in the years it would take...
...and were wrong again. That's the fabulous story behind Ryan
and Jimmy. Read it and believe.
How do you want to change the world or at least a little part of
it?
On a personal note, yesterday was a very special blood donating day
for me. I completed my 9th gallon. One pint at a time adds up over
the years. Then I spent the rest of the day volunteering at the
canteen. I got home in the evening to read with Joey cat and eat
candy. Today I am already at UMaine so I can make sure to stuff
myself a unicorn.
A great big shout to our Red Cross nurses, volunteers, and donors.
jules hathaway


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