HIDDEN TRUTHS: A Middle Grade Book Review by Guest Blogger, Brooke White

I last featured Brooke White when I introduced her and her self-published book. Today she returns as one of my guest reviewers. Take it away, Brooke!

REVIEW

Have you ever felt guilty for something that you think is your fault? 

In the novel Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz (Delacorte Press, 2023), each chapter is told from Eric or Dani’s point of view. This book is mainly realistic fiction and a mix of adventure and tragedy. Relatable experiences that happen in most middle schools are shown in this book.

Best friends Eric and Dani go on a camping trip but then a fire starts and Eric does his best to save Dani. Eric partially succeeds, but medical professionals soon help Dani with her injuries. Once this event happens, Eric and Dani’s friendship becomes distant. The mayhem of the friendship breakup leads Eric to believe Dani’s injuries are his fault. Although he feels deep guilt, he keeps it to himself for a few months.

I believe this book is great for middle-grade readers because learning about how to cope with grief, friendship troubles, and how to make a large difference as shown in the novel are important lessons for middle-grade students to understand. After finishing this story, I realized how hard it can be in different situations, which allows me to view my peers in a more empathic way. I also believe that Dani is a great role model because she always perseveres and confesses when she does something wrong. Dani is also a leader because she did something no other girl had done for the sports team. Dani deals with harsh feelings but pulls through them. Dani is very responsible for her actions. 

Some people may think this book is too mature for younger readers, considering there are some injuries and the book shows some examples of Eric and Dani facing anxiety and pain.

This book is very well-rounded with a captivating beginning and satisfying ending. Hidden Truths is a story that will grasp readers' attention. Overall, I would recommend Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz for ages 8+ (or around that age so they can fully grasp the story and its meaning).  I love the characters’ reactions and traits shown in the bittersweet parts of the book.

Brooke White is a 10-year-old 5th grader and lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has written two books, “ Cupcake the Lying unicorn” and “Cookie Cat and the Tagalongs”. When Brooke isn’t reading or writing you’ll probably spot her sewing, scootering, swimming, or studying. This is Brooke’s first-ever book review! She has been dreaming about becoming a book reviewer ever since she could read!

GIVEAWAY

This book is creating a lot of buzz! If you'd like to win a copy, please leave a comment by October 31. If you're new to my blog, please leave your email address or email me here. Remember, I have to approve your post before you'll see it online. U.S. addresses only.

THE MEMORY QUILT by Lori Keating: A Picture Book Review by Guest Blogger, Georgie Bartlett

 Today I am happy to bring you a forthcoming book from Monarch Educational Services. Lori Keating's debut picture book, THE MEMORY QUILT sensitively deals with a child's grief. But I want Georgie to tell you about it, not me.

REVIEW

The Memory Quilt is a meaningful, beautifully written picture book by Lori Keating, and Illustrated by the talented Alyssa Grizenko. This book focuses on the compassionate Grace, and her desire to gift something special to her neighbors, the parents of her late best friend. 

 

Grace loved her neighbor Jason. He was like a big brother to her, and they made many fun memories together. 

They were best friends, but after Jason’s sudden passing, Grace and his parents miss him terribly. Grace sees that Mr. and Mrs. Davidson haven’t smiled and laughed like they used to since their son’s death. She wishes she could think of something very special to do for the Davidsons to make them feel better—and to honor Jason. She has a few ideas and is considering getting them a beautiful bouquet of flowers or making them a card. Nothing seems quite right, though. One day at school, during show and tell, a classmate proudly displays a memory quilt her grandmother made for her out of her old baby clothes. Grace suddenly has an idea.

 

‘That’s it! I will make them a memory quilt using Jason’s clothes,’ Grace decides. There’s only one problem. Grace doesn’t know how to make a quilt.

 

She tells her mom her idea, and they decide to get out the old sewing machine. With mom’s help, the quilt is soon finished. Grace packages it up and gives it to the Davidsons. They are so grateful, and thank her for this special gift. She knows they will love and cherish it just like she did her friend.

 

“Grace knows it isn’t perfect, but her heart is in it. So are all the memories captured in every stitch. But Grace can’t say all that with the lump in her throat. She feels her friendship like a comforting embrace, radiating warmth like the sun.”

A SPECIAL BOOK FOR CHILDREN

There are so many admirable qualities about The Memory Quilt. I especially enjoyed the friendship of Grace and Jason, and how compassionate Grace was towards his parents after his passing. It is a gentle and thought-provoking picture book for kids that tackles tough subject matter with respect and sensitivity. It also boasts beautiful illustrations that engage young readers and capture the sense of love and kindness in Lori Keating’s words perfectly. I thought the pacing was perfect for a younger audience and would hold their attention. The ending was delightful and heartwarming. 

 

Grace is a great role model for readers! Every one of the characters in this book had realistic struggles and emotions. Children who may have been in a similar situation will relate to Grace’s sorrow and find solace in the pages. Grace grieves for her friend and remembers many special moments she spent with Jason and his parents. Much can be learned from this wholesome, unique picture book, and it’s sure to touch readers' hearts. 

GIVEAWAY

If you are interested in winning this book, please leave a comment with your email address if you are new to my blog. If you prefer, you can email me. Since the book is coming out on January 9, the winner will receive her copy after that date. The giveaway ends on October 18. REMEMBER! Pre-orders help authors. 

Congratulations to Danielle Hammelef who won the LULLABY FOR THE KING.

TOO MUCH! A PICTURE BOOK REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW AND MORE!

I always enjoy sharing my writing friend's new books and am happy to tell you about Jolene Gutiérrez's sensitive picture book, TOO MUCH! An Overwhelming Day (Abrams Books). The book which is beautifully illustrated by Angel Chang, is coming out on August 1 and can be preordered here. Remember! Preorders are one way you help authors get the word out about their books. If you don't want to purchase it yourself, then ask your library to add it to their collection. 

REVIEW

The book is written in simple poetry but tackles a difficult topic: Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Jolene is intimately acquainted with this condition so she is uniquely qualified to write about a child who suffers from SPD.

As the little girl gets ready for school, the reader sees in a very close POV how light, sounds, textures, and even crunchy cereals bother her.

At school, she must navigate playground friends who want to hug her--which creates sensory overload.

Our little friend is so upset that all she can do is hide.

Fortunately, she knows to ask for something that will calm her down.

I take deep breaths

you hold my hand

I'm thankful

that you understand.

                                ****

                              When feelings go 

                     on overload,

                     I pause and breathe,

                     and all is...

BACK MATTER

Jolene included four terrific pages of information about SPD, sensory systems, and even how to create a sensory diet. 

I recommend this book to parents, librarians, and teachers who suspect a child has a sensory disorder.  The little girl's needs are so sweetly and simply showed that I think every preK-1st grade teacher needs this in her classroom. It will help other students develop empathy for a child experiencing these issues and would be useful when targeting social-emotional learning. Here is a link to the caregiver's/teacher's guide on Jolene's website.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Carol: Why did you choose poetry to write this story?  

Jolene: I did NOT want to write in rhyme because rhyme and rhythm are a challenge for me, but this story demanded it. The piece “Too loud! Too bright! Too itchy! Too tight!” came to me first, so I wrote those words down and eventually built a story around them. 

 

Carol: I understand that you and your children have experienced sensory processing issues. Is this a genetic disorder?

 

Jolene: Yes, my daughter, my son, and I all have sensory processing disorder, and this is absolutely the book that I needed as I was trying to raise my children (and probably the book my parents needed as they were trying to raise me). Many of my sensitivities are based around sound, light, and textures (of food and of clothing). My daughter is my oldest child, so she is the person I got to learn to parent on. Her sensitivities looked different from mine—she didn’t like touch or certain types of movement. I was slow to realize that we were both struggling with sensory input and regulation but in different ways. With the help of a play therapist who recommended testing and occupational therapy, we both learned about sensory needs. Since many types of neurodiversity seem to be inherited and sensory processing disorder is one of those differences, I would say that yes, in my non-expert opinion, sensory sensitivities can be genetic.

 

Carol: Can you talk a bit about how your experiences informed this book? Was it difficult to write about something this personal? 

 

Jolene: Those experiences ARE this book—I brainstormed things that I struggled with or that my kids struggled with and wrote scenes around them. The only difficulty in writing about this is the guilt I feel for not recognizing what was going on with my daughter sooner. This is the book I needed so I wouldn’t feel like a bad parent who was doing something wrong AND the book my kids needed so they wouldn’t feel different. Had I known what was going on earlier, I could have anticipated my kids’ needs and advocated for them. I hope this book will be a helpful tool for the families and kids who need it and a way to encourage compassion and understanding for those who haven’t experienced sensory overwhelm.

 

Carol: How did your experiences as a teacher and librarian at a school for kids who are diverse learners shape this book?

Jolene: My students are often neurodiverse learners. Some of my students may have diagnoses that include dyslexia, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorder. Amongst students with some type of neurodiversity, co-occurrence of differences is common.  I see a lot of sensory sensitivities in my students. When I’m teaching, I’m sure to name some of mine, too: “I get really overwhelmed and distracted by sound, so it helps me if you don’t have side conversations when I’m trying to teach.” As I wrote TOO MUCH!, I thought of what would help my students.

 

Carol: What was your book journey?

Jolene: This manuscript originally started as a board book manuscript. There were three editors interested in it and two of the editors wanted some revisions, so I ended up with three versions: the original version, a version with problem/solution format (one stanza introduced a problem and the next stanza introduced a solution), and a version where the caregiver has more dialog. Each of the editors was so thoughtful and kind but Meredith Mundy at Abrams Appleseed is the editor who connected most strongly with this manuscript, and I’m so honored and happy to work with her! Ironically, this manuscript is coming out first as a picture book and eventually will be released as a board book. I also have two other picture books (both co-authored) coming out with Meredith at Abrams Appleseed in the next two years. Mamiachi and Me, a picture book co-authored with my son Dakota about an all-female mariachi group; the other hasn’t been announced yet. 

 

Carol: The illustrations are fantastic. Did you have any input into them?

Jen: I love them, too! Angel Chang is amazing! Meredith gave me some choices and also asked if I had a specific art style in mind. Since I try not to imagine illustrations when I’m writing and because sensory overwhelm seems like such a tough subject to illustrate, I didn’t have many ideas. But as we explored some of the illustrators Meredith and art director Heather Kelly suggested, we all gravitated to Angel’s art. She did the most brilliant job of illustrating something that we were all worrying about: “How do you illustrate sensory overwhelm?” Through the use of color, lines, and little shapes that Angel called “emotional friends,” we can see when Birdy, the little girl Angel created, is overwhelmed.

Meredith and Heather allowed me to look over the art at various stages and asked for feedback, so they worked very collaboratively with me and with Angel to ensure that the final product reflected both of us. One of the main scenes where I offered feedback is the playground scene. Initially, Birdy was on the top of the play structure peeking out at her playground friends below. My feedback was based on my own experiences. If Birdy was overwhelmed, she would be shutting down and trying to shut the world out, so she would probably be hugging herself, hiding her face, etc. Angel used that feedback to create a Birdy authentic to my experiences.

GIVEAWAY

Leave me a comment or email me by July 26 to enter. Sorry, U.S. addresses only. If you are an educator or librarian, you get two chances. Please leave me your email address if you are new to my blog. 

Congratulations to Linda Trott Dickman who won Find Me In the Time Before from last week's blog.

STELLA: A Middle Grade Book Review by Guest Blogger, Josie Murdock + A Giveaway

REVIEW

Stella (Shadow Mountain, September 2022) is the story of a security service dog with trauma issues. Due to an error while sniffing out bombs at an airport, Stella’s handler was tragically killed in an explosion. Stella survived but is now afraid of everything. A kindly trainer takes her home and entrusts her to the care of her own daughter, Cloe. 

Cloe suffers from epilepsy, but she and Stella form a bond of love and trust. Stella gets a chance to help protect Cloe when some unscrupulous neighbor boys light firecrackers and start a forest fire. When Cloe has a seizure and is in severe danger, Stella comes to her rescue. She finds a new purpose in being Cloe’s medical service dog as well as her friend.  

I really enjoyed this book because the story was well paced and very exciting.  The characters were both believable and relatable. I loved how the story was told from a dog’s perspective, but it was still easy to read and never got confusing. The book deals with some very serious and intense topics without sugar-coating them. It speaks carefully and thoughtfully about these issues.    

The book was very sad. Although it does have a good and happy ending, the events described were quite serious, and might even be considered a little frightening for younger readers. It is important however  for kids to understand these grown-up topics like death, illness, bullies, forest fires, emotional pain, and loss.  I benefitted from discussing some of the issues the book brought up with my older siblings and my mom.  

I would absolutely recommend this book for anyone who wants an engaging, easy-to-read story.  Stella teaches many important lessons in words appropriately geared towards a younger audience.  This book would also make an excellent read-aloud for a group discussion or with a trusted adult. The author includes some excellent questions for further discussion.   

    

Josie Murdock is 10-years-old and lives with her family on a research farm in South Carolina.  She is homeschooled and loves reading, drawing, and foxes.  This is her first time writing a book review.   

 

 

GIVEAWAY 

I am giving away McCall Hoyle's debut lower middle grade through the July issue of Talking Story. To enter, please leave a comment with your name and email address or email me and I'll enter your name. The giveaway ends July 28. PLUS: If you leave a comment here AND through the newsletter, I'll enter your name twice! U.S. addresses only. 

Congratulations to Dannielle Hammelef who won Franz's Phantasmagorical Machine. 

PREORDER

As I mentioned before, authors really appreciate pre-orders! 

Here's the book trailer and a video of McCall speaking about empathy.

Make sure you check out other MG books on Greg Pattridge's blog.

 

 

  

SILLY BOOKS FOR KIDS (with not-so-silly messages): 2 REVIEWS AND 2 GIVEAWAYS

I'm slowly making it through my to-be-reviewed shelf (which keeps getting replenished by publishers and publicists sending me books!). Last spring I received these two books from Sleeping Bear Press and I'm now getting around to sharing them with you.

A CAPE!

Author-Illustrator Marty Kelley's book begins and ends without words. In fact, I bet the entire book has less than 150 words. But his line art tells a story that every preschooler will be able to read.

The story begins as soon as the reader opens the book to see the main character jumping, leaping, and giving a thumbs up as he tries out his cape. The initial textless pages are in black and white...except for a red towel that the little boy discovers in a linen closet.

The towel, of course, becomes his cape. 

Study this spread. Do you see how the boy begins in black and white and the character gradually gets colored in? Do you see the expressions on his face? The story's action is communicated through the illustrations.

He announces to his father (who is almost always shown in black and white):

On the next page his father answers: "Hmmmmmhmmm."

That begins a pattern with the boy looking for his super power. He thinks it might be super strength, invisibility, or flying.

Each time his father answers with a typical disinterested, parent response. "No running in the house."

When the little boy becomes discouraged because everyone who has a cape has a super power, his father puts down his iPad and says, 

"Well, you have a super powerful imagination. Not everybody has that."

And with that, the boy pushes his father off his comfortable chair and gets just what he needs:

Someone to join him in his super-power-imagination playtime!

Check out the rest of Marty Kelley's books on his website. 

DON'T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT!

Author Robin Newman had a great idea. What kid won't want to read a book with the word "butt" in the title? And illustrator, Susan Batori, portrayed the text with humor and a touch of animal empathy. 

Bear has a problem. If he doesn't get enough sleep, he turns grizzly.

Since he is a light sleeper, he prepares for his 243 (and a half) days of sleep. 

But, that creates a problem for Woodpecker.

When Woodpecker goes looking, he finds remnants of his homes scattered on the ground. He goes straight to work pecking and building. 

Which leads to a very angry bear confronting an equally angry bird.

With hurt feelings, Bear tucks himself into bed. But Woodpecker is upset too. He apologizes and the two of them put their heads together to figure out a solution.

After Bear wakes up from his long sleep, the two friends can't figure out what a fuzzybutt is, and as they say, they live happily ever after.

                                                    ****

Authors often want to include a message in their books. I admire how both A CAPE! and DON'T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT! have positive messages of imagination, respect, friendship, and problem solving are woven into these stories. 

GIVEAWAY

I'm giving away both of these books. To enter, leave me a comment by 5 PM on Friday, August 27; continental United States addresses only. MAKE SURE you leave your email address if you are new to my blog.

LIST OF TEN: A YA Book Review and TWO Autographed Giveaways!

Congratulations to Connie Saunders who won THE LITTLE THIEVES audio book from last week's blog and to Rosi Hollinbeck who won DIVA DELORES AND THE OPERA HOUSE MOUSE. 

                                                                                ***** 

Tourette (too-RET) syndrome: a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds (tics) that can't be easily controlled. For instance, you might repeatedly blink your eyes, shrug your shoulders or blurt out unusual sounds or offensive words. 

(From: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tourette-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20350465)

REVIEW

If you've never heard of Tourette syndrome and you're interested in reading a remarkable young adult book which conveys the physical, mental, and psychological pain associated with this disorder, the List of Ten by my friend Halli Gomez is a book for you.

For ten years, sixteen-year-old Troy Hayes has lived with the diagnosis that he shares with his estranged mother: Tourette syndrome. Troy not only suffers from uncontrollable muscle twitches that are accompanied by severe pain, he also has obsessive compulsive disorder. The two together make his academic and social life unbearable. Troy decides that the only way out of his pain is to kill himself.

By page two the reader knows it is only a matter of Troy getting through the other nine items on his "to do" list that he keeps on his phone, before he will take his own life which is #10 on his list. 

So, how did Halli Gomez write a 353-page book and keep the reader interested since the ending has already been revealed?

By raising the question--does he do it? And by hooking every reader into hoping and believing that he doesn't. 

By using deep point of view, Troy's conflicting thoughts and torturous emotions are shown on the first pages. Through his eyes we meet Khory Price, a girl imprisoned in her own life of pain. She is someone who is able to look beyond his compulsion to touch a dirty floor multiple times as he walks down the school hallway, a girl who finds him cute and smart, and a girl who he becomes afraid to hurt.

The novel is full of teenage angst as Troy moves from just being Khory's math tutor, to being a friend, to becoming her boyfriend. He finally wins her protective parents' trust only to blow it when he tries to drive and his erratic behavior on the road attracts police attention. He's busted for driving without a license and his friend is busted for having marijuana papers in the car. But Troy is no normal teenager. The shadow of his list of ten things to do before he kills himself pervades all of his thoughts and drives many of his choices.

Khory is a well-developed, authentic secondary character. She has struggles with her own parents, guilt over being a surviving twin, and gives Troy reasons to think about his purpose in life. 

Beyond amazing "showing not telling" what it feels like to be a person with Tourette, my other favorite parts of the book are when Troy begins wrestling with his decision to kill himself. When his science teacher tells him he has potential, when he is an inspiration to another family whose son has Tourette, when he realizes how Khory will feel when she realizes he lied to her--these were all very authentic and compelling conflicts. 

My least favorite part of the book was when Troy's father attempts to have a discussion about sex and ends the conversation by giving his son condoms. I know I'm in the minority,  but I don't believe literature for young adults should include frank permissiveness toward sex.

So, how does List of Ten end? I won't tell you! But, it is satisfying and it is hopeful. And that should be enough to make you want to read it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As Halli explains in the author's note, when she was eight-years-old, she told her mother she wanted to die. That was when she learned that she had Tourette syndrome; medications and doctors visits became a normal part of her life. A #myownvoices book, Halli wanted others "who have neurological disorders, or who are contemplating suicide, know they are not alone." She has accomplished this in a BIG way. Teens with neurological problems will see themselves and those who don't have similar issues will grow in empathy for someone who faces these challenges. I applaud Halli's transparency in writing a book so close to her emotional home. 

For an in-depth author interview, please see The Winged Pen. In this other post, Halli and some other debut authors provide ideas on launching and marketing their books.

Here is a downloadable pdf of discussion questions and resources.

GIVEAWAY

I have two copies of List of Ten to give away and Halli has agreed to personally autograph each one! Please leave me a comment by April 23 with your email address if you are new to my blog. Share this on social media or decide to follow my blog and I'll give you an extra chance to win a copy--just tell me what you do. 

Ordinary Hazards: An Audio Book Review and Giveaway

Congratulations to Barbara Younger for winning CAVE DADA from last week's blog.

Nikki Grimes writes powerful young adult books in verse. You'll find my reviews of Between the Lines and Words with Wings on previous posts. Now I know why she is able to write such authentic poetry. It comes from the depth of her soul and the pain from her past. 

Note: since this is a review of the audiobook, I did my best to capture quotes from the book. 

REVIEW

Nikki narrates the book and begins with this definition:

Memoir: A work of imperfect memory in which you meticulously capture all that you can recall and use informed imagination to fill in what remains. As she says later in the book, Trauma is a memory hog.

Quickly, the reader learns about Nikki's schizophrenic, alcoholic mother; her musician father who feels incapable of raising children; and a childhood full of instability, fears, and abuse. Her only constant was her older sister, Carol, who she adored.

“I have a Ph.D. in avoidance 

We’re all masters of selective memory 

We’re all allergic to pain."

*****

Home was never a safe place.

Forget the guns. 

I was put in a dresser drawer away from the rats.

As a child she realized her mother had a secret life since she talked to invisible people. "Mommy who are you talking to?” was met with,  "Shhh!" and a finger to her lips. 

After her father left, the family temporarily lived with a relative but her sons shot heroin. They moved out, her mother went to work, and the girls were left in the care of a person who locked them in a closet during the day. Nikki was 3, Carol was 8. 

A demon lived inside of us for years in fear of the dark.

When neighbors reported that her mother neglected them, social services took them away. That began a series of foster homes. Some she remembered; she forgot several. One foster mother whipped her and her sister. She and her sister ran away to their grandmother's house; she refused to take them in. 

Did we do something wrong? Is that why no one wants us? 

Anger and I stood together on the train. 

When she was six, she found an oasis of love and peace with the Buchanan's foster family. Although she didn't talk for several days, the family's welcome broke down her distrust. She went to church, started school, and took dance lessons. But she was terrified of the night's darkness. She discovered Psalm 18:28: "You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light," and realized, 

Grace! Outstrips the dark every time.

Early on, she started pouring out her feelings in notebooks; the blank page was her safety.

The writing thing was some kind of magic. 
But magicians rarely share their secrets.

Although she grew to love the Buchanan family, she yearned for Carol and wrestled with not hearing from her parents.

Why did mom love liquor more than us? 
Why didn’t they love us?

When someone explained that her mother had a nervous breakdown she asks, How can nerves break? She is told that her mother doesn't know what's real and what's not, and Nikki remembered her mother's imaginary friends. 

When she overheard a relative at a picnic say that Mr. and Mrs. B always took in strays, Nikki realized, This beautiful family was only borrowed.

She found a picture of herself in the Buchanan family album when she was nine.  She had settled in and let her guard down. Then her mother called. She was remarried and wanted Nikki to join them. 

“I had to go. How could I say no? One mother is all that you get. I wasn’t ready to give up on her yet."

The city scared her, it was difficult always changing schools mid-term. This time, her mother deliberately kept her father away and spent more time in politics and civil rights than with her. But Nikki moved in any way--what choice did she have? She quickly learned that in Brooklyn you have to join a gang for protection. When she is singed with a cigarette butt, her mother doesn't ask about the bandage. Nikki writes,

Why does she avoid dark and painful things? 
Who taught her to pretend? 

There were gangs on every corner, danger her mother refused to see, and the Brooklyn Library became her refuge. 

My life is like musical chairs. 
Every time the music plays, I have to move. 

When her mother started talking to herself again, she feared that “this stuff” was in her. 

God, please don’t let insanity be my inheritance.

Both her father and stepfather were useless. Nikkie took the situation into her hands; she was a kid who had to get her mother hospitalized. 

Every damn episode wore another hole in my soul.

She entered puberty and was alarmed when boys and her stepfather eyed her funny. She hated the changes in her body. Her sister moved in but didn't stay; Nikki didn't realize why Carol left until after “my mother’s monster” raped her. No amount of showers or notebook entries could take her pain away. In the same way that her mother didn't want to hear the truth about the neighborhood gangs, Nikki knew her mother would be no help against her step-father's abuse.

Her pent up anger terrified her. She learned to vocalize and to translate her feelings into words on the page.

I knew writing could take me places. 
But writing was a lonely place. 

Although her mother discounted her writing talent, at thirteen Nikki performed her first reading with Harlem poets. She was nervous, but her father affirmed her talent. He said, 

Explore every art form. You can be whatever you want.
......

My father fed me books and art by blacks. 
It left me dreaming of what books I might bring into the world.

After going to the Copacabana with her father she thinks, Not all stars in the firmament are white.

Nikki's faith does not break in spite of the many difficulties she faces. At one point she writes,

How can I not believe in God? 
If it weren’t for Him I’d be in prison or the grave.

As I mentioned, Nikki narrates the book herself. The only time her voice wavered was when she read about the car accident in which her father lost his life. He had promised to see her Easter morning and she blamed herself for him driving too late at night to get home in time. She felt powerless in the face of death.

Why did the one parent who knew my heart have to die? 

Here is an audio snippet to give you a flavor of the book.

*****

This is a powerful memoir that I recommend for mature teens as well as for adults. Nikki Grimes has taken the fragments of her life-- "scattered memories"--and pieced them together into an amazing volume of poetry. Teens who have known abuse will find comfort in reading this book and knowing that they are not alone. Teens who have grown up in safety should gain empathy by reading or listening to Ordinary Hazards. 


GIVEAWAY

I have a code that you can use to download this book for one of you. Leave me a comment by 6 PM on June 13th to enter the giveaway; please make sure to leave your email address if you are new to my blog. Share this on social media or start following my blog and I'll enter your name twice.