1. Reading (MG): “How it’s not my brain being messed up, but more my heart being hurt, and how sometimes we think we’re okay, we think we’ve moved on, but then our hearts crack open months or even years later and it’s important to stop, be kind to ourselves, and ask for help— ask for love.” Iveliz Explains it All by Andrea Beatriz Arango is a lovely novel in verse about a girl who’s having trouble with her anger. And with school. And with her mom. It’s a book about mental health and speaking up and leaning on the kind of love that sticks by you no matter what. Beatriz Arango earned a Newbery Honor award for the book, and it’s easy to see why. Highly recommended.
2. Reading (YA): “You don’t try to be anyone else and that is a very hard thing in this world. It may seem unimportant right now when fitting in would be so much easier. But later you’ll see. Being who you are is everything.” Fat Angie, by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo was a delight to read. Angie’s distinct voice, her way of seeing the world, the friendship and rivalries—all of it made for a spectacular read. Charlton-Trujillo won a Stonewall Book Award for this one, and Angie has more books—Fat Angie: Rebel Girl Revolution and Fat Angie: Homecoming. See if you don’t love Angie, too.
3. Watching: “The only way to free yourself and break out is to tell the truth.”—Prince Harry. Oh my goodness. I made the mistake of watching Apple TV’s The Me You Can’t See while huffing and puffing on the elliptical machine on Sunday mornings. It’san emotional docuseries (hence, the mistake—have you ever seen someone crying while on an elliptical?) that shares stories of mental illness and mental health issues from around the world—and what leaders are doing about it. The series was produced by Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry. It was amazing. The episodes follow people who struggle with mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and OCD and includes stories of trauma and healing from around the world. The last episode is a look at what mental health experts see as a way forward into healing for all those struggling.
4. Reading (poetry): Trickster time arrived/while I slept./It takes some getting used to.” I’ve long been a fan of Sandra Cisneros, since I read her book The House on Mango Street in high school. She just released a book of poetry, Woman Without Shame—her first in 28 years! It is signature Sandra Cisneros—bluntly honest, humorous, and profound. Don’t miss it if you love poetry. Or if you just love to read anything and everything.
5. Reading (MG): “We are here to help you carry the sky when you have to, and we are here to help you put it down when you need to. Why else would anyone ever become a teacher?” OH! My heart! If you haven’t yet read Gary D. Schmidt’s The Labors of Hercules Beal, you must pick it up. Full of mythology, emotion, and sweet friendship, it is tender and witty and heart-warming. Schmidt is probably best known for his books The Wednesday Wars, which won a Newbery Honor, and Okay for Now, which was a National Book Award finalist. I have, sadly, not read either of those, but they are both on my list now!
6. Watching: I just finished the Netflix series Never Have I Ever, a comedy about an Indian-American teen who’s trying to find her way through high school. I loved this series. It felt more authentic to a teen’s life than many of the teen dramas and comedies out there. It was created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, and it stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, and Niecy Nash. One of my favorite quotes from the series came from Devi’s mom (Devi’s the main character): “You’re never too much, and you’re always enough.” I wrote it in my quote journal and labeled it “From Devi Vishwakumar’s mom.). I highly recommend working your way through the four seasons of it. If you’re scared off by the narration in the first couple of episodes (I was, and then I gave it another chance), keep going. You’ll fall in love with it.
