A Disobedient Girl--Ru Freeman (book review)

A Disobedient Girl is two tales in one, of two different women struggling for independence in Sri Lanka. Readers who are drawn to this book because they're interested in global women's issues won't be disappointed. Freeman puts these two women's daily struggles into a historical, political and social context that is unique to Sri Lanka, but many of the issues they face are universal--the impact of class on relationships, the driving need for respect, the power of maternal love, and the pain of loss.

Biso is traveling across Sri Lanka by train with her three children, escaping an abusive husband. Her love for her children and her pride are evident on every page of her story. The other storyline follows Latha, who's been taken in by a family and raised as a cross between daughter and servant, which is confusing to her throughout her life.

She scowled. Why [the family's chauffeur] insisted on talking to her as if she were an equal she had no idea. Didn’t he notice that she sat in the back seat with Thara when she accompanied her on occasion? Not next to him like the gardener did?

“I don’t know why you suck your teeth like that. It’s such an ugly habit.”

The driver snorted. “Madam is in for trouble with you isn’t she? Sending you to school and all that. You better watch your attitude. Soon…”

The two stories are interwoven but take place within vastly different time scales: Biso's covers about twenty-four hours, and Latha's spans decades. Both stories are equally interesting, and the intersection of the two becomes clear near the end. Fans of mysteries will likely enjoy the intrigue; others may find the disparate timelines disconcerting, and the insertion of red herrings frustrating when trying to predict the relationship between the two.

This book isn't bursting with likeable characters. Latha's situation is understandably intolerable to her, but the things she does in response are cringe-worthy. This is an effective way of forcing readers to look at the larger issues, the societal factors that make this character who she is. But readers who are looking for characters to connect with will prefer Biso's storyline--that is, until the end.

The Soundtrack: I'm hoping to ask Ru Freeman for suggestions so this may change, but for now I'll go with a song by Ranidu, the first Sinhalese artist to be played on BBC's Radio1 and MTV.

This review is part of a promotional book tour, which I am participating in as a volunteer. The opinions are my own, and have not been endorsed or approved by TLC Book Tours, the author, or the publisher. Other stops on the tour can be found at the TLC Book Tours site.

From Thug Love to Little House and Nancy Drew (Because that's how my mind works)

So, I've been reading my very first book that I'd classify as "street fiction." I don't normally go for the more commercial paperbacks, but I was offered copies of two of Wahida Clark's books to give away for the Diversity Rocks challenge and I thought, I should know what I'm giving away. So, I started reading and here's what I've been impressed with: the dialogue. I can hear these characters talking so vividly, even though their mannerisms are very different from the people I hang out with. It's gritty and sharp and real. Also, there's no holding back on the cussing.

Clark started writing the first in this series while serving an 8 1/2 year prison sentence for money laundering, wire fraud, and mail fraud. Working in the prison library inspired her to give writing a try, in hopes of making enough money to support herself and her children when she was released.

Here are some thoughts from Ms. Clark on how what started as the desire to get one book published evolved into what's now a four-book series:

My latest, Thug Lovin’, is Part 4 to a series that came about unexpectedly. When I submitted my first book, Thugs and the Women who Love Them, it had so many pages, that the submissions editors’ first response was, “we have to turn this into two books.”

The way I ended Part 2, I had no choice but to do a Part 3. There are four couples who are all intertwined, but lead lives of their own. My readers love them, and I make sure that they always want to know what happens next. Added to that, the series took on a life of its own.

In my experience, the pros of writing a series surrounds the characters. In a sense, you don’t have to develop new characters and character profiles. I hate that task!

The cons are you have to make sure you develop your characters more. You have to grow with them. You can’t keep them stagnant, and in doing that, your characters may change…and sometimes drastically. When the fans have grown to love them as they were in book 2, but now in book 4 or book 5 their favorite has done a complete 360, the readers are at their wits end screaming, “What happened? Who is this imposter? Ms. Clark how could you do this to me???

I remember as a kid being taken aback by all the changes Laura in the Little House books went through over the course of the books. When Laura got married, 9-year-old Ali was floored! On the other hand, the Nancy Drew mysteries drove me crazy because Nancy and her friends never aged, never changed, and yet had far more adventures than anyone had a right to have in one lifetime.

Have you ever read a series where the characters changed too much or too little for you tastes?

Kampung Boy--Lat (mini book review)

This will be short, because I don't have much to say about this graphic novel, except that it's adorable and I loved it. Kampung Boy is the simple story of a Muslim boy's early years in a small village, or kampung, in Malaysia in the 1950s. Lat has been a popular comic artist in southeast Asia for years (there's even a TV show of Kampung Boy), and his work is just recently making its way to the U.S. His unique illustrations captured an unfamiliar-to-me time and place while making me laugh. I'll be handing it over to both of my kids. Town Boy is the next in the series and I can't wait to read it.

The Soundtrack: It's got to be a traditional Malaysian folk song. Here's Dia Datang, sung by Malaysian pop singer Aishah.

Publication Info: First Second, 2006, 144 pages

Other reviews: A Chair, A Fireplace, & a Tea Cozy

Is there multiculturalism in YA Lit?

Well, of course there is. But are we making the most of this--and encouraging publishers to offer teens more variety--by reading and showcasing books written by and about nonwhite characters? For the most part, the answer is sadly no. Black-Eyed Susan has issued a challenge for those of us who enjoy YA lit: Add some color. Commit to reading and reviewing YA literature by and about characters of color. We want to be more than the McBook of the month. We want substantive inclusion.

From now until August 30th, how many multicultural books will you read and review on your blog?

I'm trying hard to take the pressure off myself for numbers of posts, so I'm not committing to a number, but I will commit to a 1:1 ratio of multicultural to monocultural books in my reviews for the month of August. Will you join me?

Susan has put together a great book list to get us started (and have I mentioned her giveaway? No??? Go see!). I haven't heard of a lot of these, and I resisted the urge to look them up before bolding the titles I've read/reviewed and putting a # next to the titles that are already on my list. Which of these have you read? Do you know of any titles that should be added to the list?

Susan’s Unofficial List of Great YA by or About Women of Color:

1. When Kambia Elaine Flew In From Neptune by Lori A. Williams
2. Every Time A Rainbow Dies by Rita Williams-Garcia
3. No Laughter Here by Rita Williams-Garcia
@4. Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia
@5. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
6. The House You Pass On The Way by Jacqueline Woodson
7. Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
@8. From The Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson
9. Sold by Patricia McCormick
10. Heaven by An Na
11. The Parable of The Sower by Octavia E. Butler
12. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
13. Persepolis by Majane Satrapi
@14. The Rock and The River by Kekla Magoon
15. Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins
16. Mare’s War by Tanita S. Davis
@17. A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott
@18. Down To The Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole
19. Don’t Get It Twisted by Paula Chase
20. Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson
@21. Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper
22. The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake
@23. Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger
24. Does My Head Look Big In This? By Randa Abdel-Fattah
25. Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier
26. Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim
27. The Meaning of Conseulo by Judith Ortiz Cofer
@28. In The Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
29. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
30. First Part Last by Angela Johnson
31. Pemba’s Song by Marilyn Nelson
@32. Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan
@33. M + O 4EVR by Tonya Hegamin
@34. Lucy The Giant by Sherri L. Smith
35. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
@36. Throwaway Piece by Jo Ann Hernandez
@37. White Bread Competition by Jo Ann Hernandez
38. Across A Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande
39. Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
40. Ash by Malinda Lo

Into the Beautiful North--Luis Urrea (Book Review)

Luis Alberto Urrea's Into The Beautiful North is a road trip story with a twist. Three nineteen-year-old girls and Tacho, their gay male friend, are on a mission to save their village, which they've suddenly realized has lost all its men to the North. In an effort to recreate the heroics of the movie The Magnificent Seven, they aim to cross the U.S. border and bring seven Mexicans back to Tres Camarones with them to defeat the drug dealers who they fear will take over the town.

The naivety of Nayeli and her friends is part of the charm as they set off on their trek to the United States. Urrea is an artist when it comes to setting the scene, using just the right number of brush strokes to paint a clear picture without letting the action drag. Here's Nayeli, exploring the mini-village that's been haphazardly erected out of old garage doors and box springs, in the Tijuana city dump:

Nayeli backed away from the dog and wandered down the alley to the edge of the cemetery. She was startled to see smoke rising from one of the graves. The crosses and painted furniture were stark in the morning light. Etched like charcoal drawings. Somewhere, a radio was playing--she recognized the song. Dave Matthews. She always liked that rola, the one where he asked the woman to crash into him, though now it seemed like the loneliest thing she'd ever heard.

As the tale unfolds, their adventure becomes the backdrop for a subtle commentary on the politics of immigration. This should come as no surprise, given Urrea's history as the author of The Devil's Highway, a work of nonfiction centered around Mexican-American immigration, but Into The Beautiful North is entirely fiction. That is, except for Tacho. . . . And Aunt Irma. Those characters are based on real people. But, I digress. Where was I? Ah, yes--subtle commentary on the politics of immigration:

Nayeli was stunned to see mothers with children--the kids weeping and snot faced. She heard indiginous tongues in the pen--shamanic-sounding utterances that felt a million years old to her, sounds of jungle and temple and human sacrifice.

Nayeli looked at the migra agents through the iron mesh. Big men. Happy, bright-faced men. Shiny and crisp. Green uniforms. Short hair. Mustaches.

What made them different from her?

She could not tell.

The writing is beautiful, the story and characters are engaging. The only thing missing from the story is a sense of urgency. The bandidos in Tres Camarones don't actually do anything except sit around in their cars, looking ominous. The reader is able to enjoy the adventure of Nayeli and friends as if it were a topsy-turvy college Spring Break. A scene or two of these fellows wreaking havoc back in Tres Camarones would have turned a pleasurable read into a gripping, can't-put-it-down book.

The Soundtrack: Urrea is a big music lover, and has created an entire playlist for the book, soon to be published on Largehearted Boy. He says, "I think of Shake Away by Lila Downs as the theme song." And since I quoted the reference to it, here's the Dave Matthew's Band song as a bonus.

Publication Info: Little, Brown & Company, May 2009

Sag Harbor (book review)

In Sag Harbor, author Colson Whitehead revisits 1985 in the beach community where his family summered from New York City every year. The adult narrator, Benji, looks back on his teen years with about fifty percent nostalgia and fifty percent, "What were we thinking?!"

I loved the narrative voice, which frequently made me laugh. Loved the way the book was structured, starting out as surface-level as a sit-com and then deepening, almost as if the narrator waited to get to know the reader a bit before revealing his family's pock marks.

"Black barbers the world over, they use electric clippers. These are modern times. In many sectors, technological advances are welcomed and embraced. My father, however, loved his special pair of old-school barber scissors, and we loved them too, because the sound of the long, thin blades snipping against each other was the sound of his undivided attention."

Occasionally, the prose veers off onto a tangent so long that it threatens never to return. I've been known to stop reading highly esteemed writers (cough John Irving cough, cough) for this reason alone, but Whitehead pulls it off. Maybe it works because the narrator is an older version of the main character and so the diversions read with the synaptic clarity of memory. (You know, that phenomenon where one memory leads to another seemingly randomly, and only the owner of the brain can see the connection between the two events?). Or maybe it's the pacing of the novel--the long-winded musings aren't a distraction from the plot. Instead, the plot is a vehicle for the musings.

This is Whitehead's fourth book, which is good news for me--no need to wait for his next book to come out, there's a queue of them ready and waiting to find their way to my bookshelves.

The soundtrack: "At any given moment, someone was playing 'Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now.' Labor Day, we cornered the worldwide market on people playing 'Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now.' It was the black national anthem. The disco version of 'We Shall Overcome,' courtesy of Mr. McFadden and Mr. Whitehead."

Title: Sag Harbor
Author: Colson Whitehead
Publication info: April 28, 2009 (Doubleday) 288 pages

Water Ghosts--Shawna Yang Ryan (Book Review)

I don't like ghost stories. So, what was I doing reading a book called Water Ghosts? I blame Shawna Yang Ryan and Twitter.

First of all, @Penguinpress offered out a few review copies on Twitter. When I checked into the title, I found that Ryan, a Taiwanese American, had set the story in 1928 in Locke, California, the only U.S. city built entirely by and for Chinese immigrants. And me with my Diversity challenge! Plus, I'm a sucker for small towns and their histories: the nearly-forgotten stories, the houses that are named for people long gone (just, not so much the haunted ones).

Actually, the ghost part wasn't too "whooooooooooo" for me. Water ghosts are a part of Chinese folklore, so that aspect tied together really well with the way so many of the characters cut themselves off from their homes and families in order to seek out a new life.

And now (she says with a flourish of her magic handkerchief), I shall take Water Ghosts through the five questions from Mitali Perkin's article, as assigned by me on Diversity Roll Call (be sure to check out the other posts on this topic, they're fascinating!).

1. Are the nonwhite characters too good to be true?
The white characters and the Chinese characters are equally flawed. You've got your brothel run by a Chinese psychic woman with white prostititutes. You've got your your imperfect (Chinese) preacher with his imperfect (white) wife and their imperfect (both) daughter. And your Chinese creepy-women who smell bad and leave weird white dust behind them wherever they go.

2. How and why does the author define race?
Interesting question. It's a Chinese-built town, and the ties to China are crucial to the plot. But what about the caucasian characters? Would it be the same novel if everyone was Chinese? I think it would work either way. The inter-relations between the two groups make for a more complex story, though, and the presence of Chloe, a white prostitute, makes the theme of disconnection from one's roots more global, rather than just a statement about the roots of Chinese American cultures. Chloe's family is close enough for her to run into her brother in a movie theater, and yet they are strangers.

3. Is the cover art true to the story?
Yes, it's spooky and ethereal, and has some chinese characters or something? (My version doesn't have the red ink). There aren't any people in it.

4. Who solves the problems in the story?
I don't think I can answer this without giving away too much of the story, but it's definitely not a case of white people swooping in and solving the Chinese immigrants' problems. The people who do swoop do more shaking things up than solving problems.

5. How is beauty defined?
I'm sure there are places where the characters are described, but at the moment I can't find them! And yet, I could picture each of them perfectly. Here's a description of Richard, through former-lover Poppy's eyes--never does she refer to his looks, and yet (in the context of knowing he's a 38-year-old Chinese man in 1928), can't you just see him?: "Scents spin off his body, so strong they are almost visible to her--the slick, wax smell of Bryllcream in his hair; the sweat coming through his suit; body scent, unrelieved by soap and cologne, that lingers behind his ears and in the lines of his throat." Have I mentioned the writing is beautiful? It is.

The Soundtrack: The Chinese Blues was written in 1915, but to me this ragtime song sounds like exactly what you'd hear coming out of Richard's gambling hall, The Lucky Fortune. [Edit. 6/3/09: For more songs related to Water Ghosts, see the playlist Shawna Ryan created for music blog Largehearted Boy.]

Flygirl--Sherri Smith (Book Review)

Ida Mae Jones learned to fly from her father before he died; now her dream is to get her pilot's license. That dream must be shelved when the U.S. enters World War Two following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. But when her older brother goes off to war and Ida Mae learns of an opportunity to help by flying planes with the Women Airforce Service Pilots, she knows she can't pass up the opportunity.

Even if it means forging her pilot's license. Even if it means not mentioning the fact that she's not exactly white. "Passing" isn't unheard of in Ida Mae's world, but, as Ida Mae learns, it leads down a road that's not as easy to follow or to backtrack from. Can she really be herself with new friends if they can never meet her darker-skinned family? And who is she really flying for--her brother, her country, or herself?

This book is fabulous in its depth and character development. In many ways it reminded me of Christine Fletcher's Ten Cents a Dance, another YA historical novel set on the homefront during World War Two. They're very different books, but both feature strong female young women who are so drawn to something that they go against their mothers' wishes to do it. Both protagonists walk a fine line between two worlds and end up in over their heads. Both risk losing their sense of identity in a world that's foreign to them. Both books offer a historical perspective with contemporary appeal, and neither one shies away from the racism that underlies so much of what happened during that era.

Sherrie Smith is the author of three additional YA books. More information about Smith and her books (including discussion guides) can be found on her website, SherriLSmith.com. There's also a Myspace page for Ida Mae!

The soundtrack: When Ida walks into the Avengerette with her friends (past the sign that says Whites Only), the song Dream a Little Dream of Me is playing. I decided to use this rendition, by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

Emiko Superstar (Book Review)

I brought the graphic novel Emiko Superstar to the hair salon with me for some light reading during my boys' haircuts. But of course I also had to chat with my friend as she cut Evan's hair--and by the time I'd finished a sentence, the book was closer to Ben's lap than mine, long past the page four I'd looked up from. Oh, well. It was almost time for my haircut anyway. I'd get back to it during lunch, maybe.

But when I brought my lunch to the table, Evan was in my seat, reading--you guessed it--Emiko Superstart. Drat.

It's now the next morning, I've finished it and am ready to write my review--except that Evan's taken it over again, so I can't refer to the book while I write.

This is the second Tamaki book I've read, the first being Skim, which I liked but didn't love. Emiko and Skim both portray teen girls trying to figure out who they are. What makes Emiko shine brighter, in my opinion, is its focus. Skim brushed the surface of so many subplots (Wicca, suicide, a friendship cooling off, a teacher crush) and never let the reader dive in to any of them. In Emiko, all the threads tie together into a neat little slice-of-life bundle: girl goes from wallflower to performance artist--what's not to love?

And the characters--even the minor ones--are fully rounded out, partly thanks to Steve Rolston's artwork. Evan, for his part, has determined a kindred spirit in Rolston, because of the incredible detail in his vehicle illustrations. "What else has this guy done?" he wants to know. We'll be checking into these for age-eight suitability.

The soundtrack: I love it when authors make it easy on me: "My first police raid. Set to Kaiser Chief's I Predict a Riot. Although I could swear I also heard some Ramones in the background." Click on the playlist in my sidebar (From Facebook, click here) to hear it.

American-born Chinese--Gene Luen Yang (book review)

Graphic novelist Gene Yang describes his book American Born Chinese as three stories in one: a realistic portrayal of a Chinese American boy growing up in a predominantly white suburb, a series of stories based on a Chinese Monkey King legend, and "a sit-com starring everybody's favorite racial stereotype, Cousin Chin-Kee." The three stories blend together and play off each other to make one of the funniest and most meaningful graphic novels I've read.

I didn't expect to like the Monkey King sequences as much--generally I go for the realism--but Yang is one of those geniuses when it comes to facial expressions and body language, and the Monkey King himself is, dare I say it? Adorable. Here he is, in all his glory, in the days before his confidence is crushed when he tries to fit in with the other deities.

The way the Monkey King story ties into the Chin-Kee story at the end was a total surprise to me. I loved it.

My older son read this as well, and the Monkey King sections were his favorite part. He thought the walking stereotype Chin-Kee was "just weird,"--at 12, he understands stereotyping but hadn't been exposed to this one enough to appreciate its portrayal in the novel. And, as a young white boy, I think a lot of the nuances of Chin-Kee's American cousin Danny's story went over his head as well.

In addition to a comic artist, Yang is a high school teacher and a dad, and his connection to kids and teens is easy to see. His website is Humble Comics. I'll definitely be seeking out more of his work.

The Soundtrack: I almost gave up, after an hour and a half last night searching for the music I wanted, with nothing to show for it but an annoyed husband. Do you know how hard it is to find a Chinese American musician on Playlist.com, who isn't (a) a rapper whose lyrics offend me (there were more than one of those to choose from, and I'm not quick to be offended). (b) an R&B singer who I can't bear to listen to for a full song (it's not his fault: even eclectic taste has its boundaries). (c) a female singer (not the right voice for this book) (d) Yo-Yo Ma--though I found a gorgeous version of Gabriel's Oboe by him, it's also not the right "voice" for this book.

What I finally found is perfect, and it's worth it to see this young Chinese American man rocking out with his erhu. Jack Hsu wanted to play progressive instrumental rock with the traditional Chinese instrument, so he formed his own band, Hsu-nami. Way to embrace your heritage, Jack. You're an inspiration.

American Born Chinese is also reviewed by Nymeth.

Incognegro--Mat Johnson (Book review)

Maybe I shouldn't tell you. This is embarrassing and makes me look like a little bit of an idiot. And yet, it's an important part of the story, I think.

First, let me tell you that I read Incognegro for two challenges: the Graphic Novel Challenge and my own Diversity Rocks challenge. I'm drawn to graphic novels that depict realistic scenarios, so I was intrigued by a this tale of a lighter-skinned African-American newspaper reporter who goes undercover in the 1930s to expose public lynchings. But I did pick this one up specifically to diversify my reading, because I'd read that the author is black.

So, I opened the book and, as I sometimes do, flipped to the back to check for a picture of the author. (Am I the only one who likes to occasionally picture them writing, while I'm reading?) Imagine my surprise: "Oh, crap. I listed this guy as a black author on Diversity Rocks and he's white!" Why had I assumed he was black? Because of the subject matter? How odd of me. I jumped on the internet to recheck my sources. And found...

That I should have read the Author's note at the beginning of the book.

I grew up a black boy who looked white. This was in a predominantly African-American neighborhood, during the height of the Black Power era, so I stood out a bit. My mom even got me a dashiki so I could fit in with the other kids, but the contrast between the colorful African garb and my nearly blond, straight brown hair just made things worse.

Oh. Incognegro. Got it.

Being confronted by my own clinging assumptions about skin color as it relates to ethnic heritage was a powerful introduction to the fictional experiences of Zane Pinchback and his friend Carl, two New York black men risking their lives by posing as whites in the Deep South of the U.S. in order to solve a mystery and try to prevent a lynching. But even without this, the story packs a huge punch. Touching, uncomfortable, at times horrifying . . . exactly what this era of history calls for. Incognegro has stuck with me long past the couple of hours it took to read it.

Author Mat Johnson

Soundtrack: Cab Calloway, one of the great jazz singers of 1930s New York, singing the St. James Infirmary Blues.

Sunrise Over Fallujah--Walter Dean Meyer (Book Review)

I read this book for the Mock Printz Awards. Not being drawn to war as a literary scenario, I would never have read it otherwise, but I'm glad I did. Myers puts a face on the war in Iraq and, through the voice of 18-year-old Birdy and his army cohorts, helps the reader understand how the situation over there is affecting our young men and women. That's an important message for teens and adults alike, and Myers presents it in a way that's readable and personal.

My only criticism of this book is that a lot of people mill around from page to page and at times I had a hard time keeping some of them straight. Superiors came and gave orders and went away; other units joined up with Birdy's and then went their separate ways--probably realistic, but hard to follow at times for this non-military-brained reader. Some of Birdy's cohorts were less finely drawn than others. His closest friend Jonesy was easy to picture, but Marla, despite a distinctive personality and a key role in the book, was harder for me to get a handle on. My image of her kept changing as the book went on.

I'd recommend Sunrise Over Fallujah for anyone who wonders what our troops are actually doing over in Iraq and for teens who are intrigued by a career in the military. I approved it for my nearly 12-year old son, who isn't interested in being a soldier but does have a lot of questions about war. The violence is portrayed realistically, there is death and a near-rape that the protagonist inadvertently interrupts, so it wouldn't be appropriate reading for all 12-year-olds, but for most adults and older teens, it's fairly mild given the scenario. None of the violence is glorified, the main focus being on Birdy's growth as a character, and the way that growth is impacted by the war-torn world around him.

The soundtrack: For the character Jonesy, who said, "You know, the blues is what's real. Everything else is just messing around waiting until you get back to the blues," here's Robert Cray's beautiful Twenty, which says in part:
Standing out here in the desert trying to protect an oil line
I'd really like to do my job but this ain't the country that I had in mind.
They call this a war on terror, I see a lot of civilians dying
Mothers, sons, fathers and daughters, not to mention some friends of mine,
Some friends of mine.
Walter Dean Myers is an African American author who was raised in Harlem until joining the army at age 17. He now lives in New Jersey and has three grown children, one of whom served in the Gulf War.

The Sunday Salon

The snow has finally melted away and Portland is back to normal, or as close to normal as we would wish it to be. I'm still basking in the glow of John Green's Paper Towns and haven't wanted to pick up another novel since. Luckily I've got Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies to keep me company. This will also be a great opportunity to finish Christina Katz's Get Known Before the Book Deal, which has been on my review pile since shortly after its release this fall.

This is what my front steps looked like when my boys turned them into a sled run last week (you can see the edge of the part we cleared, on the left):



Last Sunday I posted about my Diversity Rocks! challenge and the response has kind of blown me away. Sign-ups have been trickling in about how I expected, but I've received more comments and emails than I normally do for a whole month's worth of posts. I have more book suggestions than I know what to do with in some categories! (But I still need more, in others). People who have never read Worducopia as far as I know, have signed up for the challenge. And people are asking me questions that are really making me think. (See some of the questions, and weigh in on your answers, at my What is diversity? post.) I love that the challenge has brought up thoughts and questions for people--and that it's had an impact on me, even before I've read a single book on my own lists.

I want to make sure you know that you're invited to the Diversity Rocks! blog whether or not you're participating in the challenge. This is not a members-only type of deal! Enjoy the book lists, post links to your reviews of the books, post a comment. There may even be a prize drawing coming up, if I can get up the nerve to commit myself to going to the post office.

Graphic Novels Challenge

I'm so glad Laza is continuing this challenge that Dewey started. Thanks, Laza!

I'm doing the Minor level, which is 6 books, though I reserve the right to move up later. ;-)

Here's my list:

1. Incognegro, by Mat Johnson and Warren Pleece (Counts for my Diversity Rocks! challenge because the author is African American)
2. Janes in Love, by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg (because I loved The Plain Janes )
3. Embroideries (because I really liked Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis; this also counts for Diversity Rocks because she's Iranian)
4. Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston. (Tamaki's Skim was well-loved by many and I thought it was just okay, so I'm compelled to try another by her to see if I like it better. And it also counts for Diversity Rocks, because she's Asian Canadian)
5. Maus, by Art Spiegelman (because it's waiting for me at the library...or at least, it was, until the library closed for 3 days due to snow and my hold expired! So it may be a while, I guess!)
6. Aya by Marguerite Abouet & Clément Oubrerie (because I needed one more. I found this on Boston Bibliophile--Marie is a great source for unique graphic novels!--and it also fits for Diversity Rocks because the authors are from the Ivory Coast).

TSS: Diversity Rocks!

What if we only read authors who were just like us? How boring would that be?

But when I take a good hard look at the books I've read in 2008, most of them happen to be written by white middle class people. Thirty-six out of forty-two, in fact, according to my LibraryThing library.

Not that I turn away from books written by non-white authors--but let's face it, there aren't as many (hence the term "minorities"), and they don't jump off the shelves into my arms. In some bookstores they're hidden in their own special section. If I'm going to stretch myself--and I mean, beyond Toni Morrison and Amy Tan--I'll have to make a special effort.

So, I'm setting a challenge for myself for 2009, and I invite you to join me.


Look at that button, isn't it cool? Alea of Pop Culture Junkie made it for me! I love the beautiful, bright butterfly emerging from the plain-covered book.

I've been hesitant to try to drum up enthusiasm for yet another reading challenge, because there are so many great ones out there and I know lots of challenge-minded people are feeling overwhelmed by them all. What if I host a challenge and nobody comes?

But here's the good news: all I'm asking you to do is commit to reading one book. Or, simply add links on my Challenge website to books you review that fit the criteria, to help me and others find them. Or tweak your reading lists, to incorporate one author of color in your other reading challenges.

Want to know more? Click on over and subscribe to Diverse Books! Even if you don't sign up for the challenge, I'll be posting diverse reading lists for every genre I can think of--there will be links to book recommendations and reviews--I'm even learning how to use Mr. Linky!

Oh, I almost forgot! I need book recommendations to add to my lists! Do you have a favorite author of color (be they black, Asian, Arab, Indian, Native American)? (And if it's Toni Morrison, Amy Tan, or Maya Angelou....do you have another favorite I might not have thought of?) If so, please tell me the title, genre, author's name, and their ethnic background if you know.