by Rachel Toalson | Books
I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reader copy of Nic Stone’s Dear Martin, because she and I share the same literary agent. And because I’d seen everyone posting about her fabulous book, I asked for one of my own.
I was not disappointed.
Dear Martin is a fantastic look at the issues that beset black teenagers in a white America. In Dear Martin, protagonist Justyce McAllister writes a series of journal letters to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., trying to discover for himself whether King’s teachings still apply in a world like this one.
Here are 3 things I enjoyed most about Dear Martin:
- The issue: Stone captured perfectly the tension between living in a white world and being a victim of the while world. Justyce is a black teen who attends a private school and is headed to an Ivy League School. He has it all figured out until one day everything changes.
- The element of debate: Some of the larger issues that crop up around racial relations and prejudice are addressed throughout Dear Martin using debate form. Jus and his friend, Sarah-Jane, are on a debate team, and they tackle loaded subjects like racial inequality and police brutality. It was a brilliant way to present the arguments of opposing views.
- The emotional side: While there was plenty of action that happened in Dear Martin, what stood out most about the book was its emotional undercurrent. Jus was so torn between what he was expected to do and what he needed to do to survive; this tension carried the story along even more swiftly than the action. It was an important interpretation of what it’s like to be a black teen in America.
Dear Martin will definitely be required reading for my white sons, when they’re old enough to digest it.
*The above are affiliate links. I only recommend books that I personally enjoy. I actually don’t even talk about the books I don’t enjoy, because I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. But if you’re ever curious whether I’ve read a book and whether I liked or disliked it, don’t hesitate to ask.
by Rachel Toalson | Books
I finally got around to reading The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas, a #1 New York Times bestselling teen book that is currently being filmed for the big screen. And the only word I can think to describe it is shattering.
In The Hate U Give, Thomas tells the story of 16-year-old Starr Carter, who witnesses her childhood best friend, Khalil, killed by a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
This is an important book for teaching about the tension between black Americans and police officers, one that handles the issue with grace, truth, and so much care. Thomas provides such significant insight into the gangster life and the issue of wrongful death on behalf of cops and the movement gathering around this issue to change relations in the future. It shone a light on the way a black person feels about police brutality cases and should be required reading, I believe, for all white people. I say that as a white person myself.
Here are three things I enjoyed most about the book:
- The main character. Starr was such a well-drawn character, and she wasn’t alone. Even the periphery characters, like Starr’s grandmother (who was one of my favorites), came alive on the page. Thomas has a knack for showing her readers a character through carefully constructed dialogue that I found entertaining, humorous, and sober at times.
- The dialogue. Thomas is a master at dialogue, and every conversation characters had made me feel like I was in the room with them, watching their words unfold.
- The premise. This was such an important book. It will raise dialogue among those who are open-minded and curious about what we can all do to make the world a better place for all people.
Here’s an example of Thomas’s expert handling of dialogue to show character in a hilarious way:
“We know,” Daddy says. “Once we get in touch with your momma, we’ll get you enrolled in an online program. Lisa’s momma is a retired teacher. She can tutor you through it so you can finish the year out.”
“Like hell I can!” Nana says. I don’t know where she is, but I’m not surprised she’s listening.
“Momma, stop being nosy!” Uncle Carlos says.
“Stop volunteering me for shit!”
“Stop cursing,” he says.
“Tell me what to do again and see what happens.”
Uncle Carlos’s face and neck go red.
The doorbell rings.
“Carlos, get the door,” Nana says from wherever she’s hiding.
He purses his lips and leaves to answer.
The Hate U Give is definitely a book that will be on my sons’ list when they become teenagers.
“Like hell I can!” Nana says. I don’t know where she is, but I’m not surprised she’s listening.
“Momma, stop being nosy!” Uncle Carlos says.
“Stop volunteering me for shit!”
“Stop cursing,” he says.
“Tell me what to do again and see what happens.”
Uncle Carlos’s face and neck go red.
The doorbell rings.
“Carlos, get the door,” Nana says from wherever she’s hiding.
He purses his lips and leaves to answer.
The Hate U Give is definitely a book that will be on my sons’ list when they become teenagers.
The book mentioned above has an affiliate link attached to it, which means I’ll get a small kick-back if you click on it and purchase. But I only recommend books I enjoy reading myself. Actually, I don’t even talk about books I didn’t enjoy. I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. (But if you’re curious whether I’ve read something and what I thought about it, don’t hesitate to ask.)
by Rachel Toalson | Books
In honor of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to do something different and highlight some creepy books for kids.
My boys love to read scary stories. I do, too, as long as they’re scary stories written for children; my imagination can’t handle adult scary stories.
So, to honor the spirit of Halloween, I’ve put together some of my favorite frightening and not-so-frightening tales for kids.
1. Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier
Middle grade level
A heartwarming graphic novel about two sisters who move to the coast of Northern California because the youngest one, Maya, has cystic fibrosis. Cat, the older sister, learns about the ghosts in Bahía de la Luna, her new home, and action in this book culminates with Dia de los Muertos.
Scary factor: Low
2. The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
Middle grade level
Bod, an orphan, is growing up in the middle of a graveyard. He’s the only living resident of this graveyard and is actually being raised by ghosts, taught about their ancient lifestyles and schooled in their ghostly ways—including how to fade so mortals can’t see him.
Scary factor: Low
3. Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories, by Various
Upper middle grade level/Young Adult
This is a collection of Roald Dahl’s favorite ghost stories, featuring 14 stories from E. F. Benson, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Rosemary Timperley, and Edith Wharton. Dahl writes the introduction. This book might be more appropriate for older children, but if you have a couple of readers who absolutely love spooky stories, maybe read it first and determine whether or not it would be too scary for them.
Scary factor: High
4. Wait Till Helen Comes, by Mary Downing Hahn
Middle grade level
This was my favorite ghost story when I was a middle schooler, and I recently re-read it, and it was still pretty spooky. Twelve-year-old Molly and her little brother (Michael) have a spooky stepsister, and with this spooky stepsister (Heather) they’ve moved out into the country (of course). When Heather starts talking to a ghost, they wonder if it’s her doing things to get them in trouble or really the influence of the ghost.
Scary factor: Medium
5. The Last Kids on Earth, by Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate
Middle grade/Upper middle grade level
A book that follows a 13-year-old and his friends during the monster apocalypse as they try to save the world, of course. Includes Zombies, Winged Wretches, and Vine Thingies and a monster called Blarg. This one might be another you want to read before you determine whether it would be appropriate for your child. Mature readers will be able to easily handle it, but with an older protagonist, you’ll have some older problems (like girls).
Scary factor: Low
6. Doll Bones, by Holly Black
Middle grade level
This is one of the best spooky middle grade books I’ve read, because it includes a bone china doll. What’s creepier than dolls (besides clowns)? Zach, Poppy, and Alice embark on a journey to lay the doll’s ghost to rest. Their adventure includes mishaps, creepy things, and lots of friendship moments.
Scary factor: Medium
7. Coraline, by Neil Gaiman
Middle grade level
A spooky story about a little girl who discovers a locked door, behind which is a passage that leads into a house just like hers—except inside it is another mother and father, and they want Coraline to stay with them to be their little girl. She discovers other children trapped there, and, of course, she will have to save them to save herself.
Scary factor: High
8. Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz
Middle grade level
A master puppeteer, Gaspare Grisini, leads puppet shows in private homes of wealthy people, along with his two assistants. The problem is that the daughter of a wealthy doctor disappears the night after Grisini’s visit. The puppeteer’s assistants try to solve where the little girl went, while a criminal past is fast closing in on Grisini.
Scary factor: Medium
9. The Spiderwick Chronicles, by Toni DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Early reader level
The Grace children—Mallory and twin brothers Jared and Simon—discover that there’s a world that parallels their own—the world of faerie. After finding a guide and an eyepiece that allows them to see the terrors that exist in their world, they fall into a series of adventures that test their strength, their courage, and their family bond.
Scary factor: Low
*The above are affiliate links. I only recommend books that I personally enjoy. I actually don’t even talk about the books I don’t enjoy, because I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. But if you’re ever curious whether I’ve read a book and whether I liked or disliked it, don’t hesitate to ask.
by Rachel Toalson | Books
One of my boys picked up Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier, a while back, and for a few weeks, everyone was fighting about who was going to read it. My sons love graphic novels, and one of their favorite authors (and mine as well) is Telgemeier.
Ghosts is Telgemeier’s latest graphic novel, a book that examines the culture behind the Day of the Dead. I found the book wonderfully enlightening and so very sweet.
Here are three things I liked most about it:
- The relationship between the sisters. Maya, the youngest sister, has cystic fibrosis, which is an incurable disease, so throughout the whole story, Cat is examining what it would be like to die and whether she will see her sister again.
- The untamable spirit of Maya. Even though Maya has an incurable disease, she is still spunky, fun, and optimistic. She encourages Cat to do things that Cat may never have thought to do. I found this a beautiful picture of a sisterly relationship.
- The easy reading. Graphic novels are so great for reluctant readers. They contain enough words for kids to practice their reading skills, and they contain fun pictures that keep kids engaged. My 7-year-old read this one no less than four times in the first week, because he loved how quickly he could read it.
Ghosts is yet another book from Telgemeier that is worth putting on the reading list.
The book mentioned above has an affiliate link attached to it, which means I’ll get a small kick-back if you click on it and purchase. But I only recommend books I enjoy reading myself. Actually, I don’t even talk about books I didn’t enjoy. I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. (But if you’re curious whether I’ve read something and what I thought about it, don’t hesitate to ask.)
by Rachel Toalson | Books
One of the most entertaining memoirs I’ve read in a while is Tobias Wolff’s This Boy’s Life. Wolff provides such a clear picture of a boy’s life during the 1950s that I found I couldn’t put this book down. He lived his childhood during the time my grandmother would have lived hers, and as he shared more about the beliefs, customs, and intricacies of the period, I found myself understanding more about my grandmother.
This is the power of reading.
Wolff has a way with the pen; he creates such a vivid picture of his life that a reader feels they are right there, even if they weren’t even born yet. Take the opening section, for example:
“Our car boiled over again just after my mother and I crossed the Continental Divide. While we were waiting for it to cool we heard, from somewhere above us, the bawling of an airhorn. The sound got louder and then a big truck came around the corner and shot past us into the next curve, its trailer shimmying wildly. We started after it. ‘Oh, Toby,’ my mother said, ‘he’s lost his brakes.’
Not only is this a vivid description of place and situation, but it’s also an amazing use of tension. What’s going to happen to the driver who lost his brakes? Well, you’ll have to read it to find out.
Here are three things I enjoyed most about this book:
1. The characterization. Wolff is an expert in characterizing the people in his life, proving that he was a master of observation and human nature. Some of the characters were so extreme that, for a second, I doubted them, but then he’d introduce specifics, and it was impossible not to believe him.
Here’s his description of his stepfather, which is both slightly disturbing and sad:
Dwight drove in a sullen reverie. When I spoke he answered curtly or not at all. Now and then his expression changed, and he grunted as if to claim some point of argument. He kept a Camel burning on his lower lip. Just the other side of Concrete he pulled the car hard to the left and hit a beaver that was crossing the road. Dwight said he had swerved to miss the beaver, but that wasn’t true. He had gone out of his way to run over it. He stopped the car on the shoulder of the road and backed up to where the beaver lay.
We got out and looked at it. I saw no blood.The beaver was on its back with its eyes open and its curved yellow teeth bared. Dwight prodded it with his foot. “Dead,” he said.
It was dead all right.
There’s much more to this scene, but it’s worth reading to discover the delight of Wolff’s characterization.
2. The insight into a young boy’s life. Wolff was not shy about sharing the antics, the crazy thoughts, the wild things he did and the reasons—or lack of reasons—he did what he did. I found this especially engaging, considering I’m the mother of a tribe of boys.
3. The cultural time period. Wolff was a kid who was not wealthy (but longed to be), growing up in a world where women did not have much. He had a single mom, and her only real option was to stay with a man who isn’t good to her, at least until her son left home. It was a different time altogether, but one that should not be forgotten.
Probably my favorite part of this book were the last lines. It doesn’t really count as a spoiler, so I’ll share them:
“The air grew clearer as we climbed, and colder. The curves followed fast on one another as the road took the snaky shape of the river. We could see the moon now, a thin silver moon swinging between the black treetops overhead. Chuck kept losing the radio station.Finally he turned off the radio, and we sang Buddy Holly songs for a while. When we got tired of those, we sang hymns. First we sang, ‘I Walk to the Garden Alone’ and ‘The Old Rugged Cross’ and a few other quiet ones, just to find our range and get in the spirit. Then we sang the roof-raisers. We sang them with respect and we sang them hard, swaying from side to side and dipping our shoulders in counterpoint. Between hymns we drank from the bottle. Our voices were strong. It was a good night to sing and we sang for all we were worth, as if we’d been saved.”
The book mentioned above has an affiliate link attached to it, which means I’ll get a small kick-back if you click on it and purchase. But I only recommend books I enjoy reading myself. Actually, I don’t even talk about books I didn’t enjoy. I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. (But if you’re curious whether I’ve read something and what I thought about it, don’t hesitate to ask.)
by Rachel Toalson | Books
One of my favorite authors to read is Cormac McCarthy. He has a way with words that sticks in my brain long after I’ve closed one of his books. Poetic, intelligent, altogether lovely.
Recently I picked up McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, an adult literary novel that highlights life in the savage American south. It was by turns alarming and stunning.
What stood out most about this book were the descriptions McCarthy chose to use, which contained within them such startling verbs that you couldn’t help but picture them in your head.
Take this passage, for example:
“They rode on and the sun in the east flushed pale streaks of light and then a deeper run of color like blood seeping up in sudden reaches flaring planewise and where the earth drained up into the sky at the edge of creation the top of the sun rose out of nothing like the head of a great red phallus until it cleared the unseen rim and sat squat and pulsing and malevolent behind them. The shadows of the smallest stones lay like pencil lines across the sand and the shapes of the men and their mounts advanced elongate before them like strands of the night from which they’d ridden, like tentacles to bind them to the darkness yet to come. They rode with their heads down, faceless under their hats, like an army asleep on the march. By midmorning another man had died and they lifted him from the wagon where he’d stained the sacks he’d lain among and buried him also and rode on.”
Here are three things I enjoyed most about Blood Meridian:
- The descriptions. I’ve already mentioned this. They were elegant and eloquent and really made the story come alive. McCarthy has an exquisite gift.
- The unusual dialogue. McCarthy has a particular style about his dialogue. He doesn’t use quotation marks. Because of this, you actually have to work for what you’re reading. The book took me a while to read, but, hey, I like being challenged (and I’ve read other McCarthy books, so I wasn’t altogether unfamiliar with his style).
- The action and characters. This story was not your typical action story, but there was so much intrigue and fear and tension, especially built up around one particular creepy character.
And, for the action-oriented readers, there was some pretty descriptive violence, like the following:
“Two thick ropes of dark blood and two slender rose like snakes from the stump of his neck and arched hissing into the fire. The head rolled to the left and came to rest at the expriest’s feet where it lay with eyes aghast.”
Brutal.
After reading Blood Meridian, it’s even more clear to see why McCarthy is the award-winner he is.
The book mentioned above has an affiliate link attached to it, which means I’ll get a small kick-back if you click on it and purchase. But I only recommend books I enjoy reading myself. Actually, I don’t even talk about books I didn’t enjoy. I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. (But if you’re curious whether I’ve read something and what I thought about it, don’t hesitate to ask.)