Hey, Shorty!

Hey, Shorty! A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment And Violence in Schools And On the Streets by Joanne N. Smith, Mandy Van Deven & Megan Huppuch of Girls for Gender Equity (GGE) 2011
Feminist Press

IQ "Sexual harassment is a normalized behavior within the school environment, therefore while students see it happening, they do not believe that is a problem, and they do not report it." pg. 124

Hey Shorty! chronicles the founding of GGE, its mission, its projects and its goals for the future. September 11, 2011 marks its 10 year anniversary. Girls for Gender Equity' goal is to end sexual harassment (especially sexual harassment that ends in violence) by teaching teens what it is and how it can be prevented. This book is a guide for anyone who wants to raise awareness and end sexual harassment of all kinds (on straight and GLBT people). The organization is headquartered in Brooklyn.

Before reading this book I had thought Title IX only had to do with sports but it actually covers gender discrimination in schools period. So that's the first new thing I learned but reading this entire book was quite an experience because actions I took for granted as part of going to high school could actually be considered sexual harassment. I remember in 8th grade some guys used to throw pens at my chest to see if they would bounce off, I was a little hurt by this but also kinda flattered. Which is twisted if you think about because that's just rude but I shrugged it off, no big deal. According to Hey, Shorty! that would be sexual harassment. I think, overall, sexual harassment is a very tricky topic because for many teens it's just an accepted fact. I laugh at some jokes that feature sexual innuendos and I've gotten used to the (few) guys who make potentially lewd comments to me. Honestly, I am flattered because I used to have 0 self confidence, at the same time I've never experienced real sexual harassment (in my opinion anyway) where guys tired to actually grab me and followed me for blocks at a time. That's awful and completely unacceptable. And I do have friends who are creeped on by older men (as in 40s!) and that's just unfathomable to me as to why guys would think that's ok. I found it disgusting and annoying that when students reported cases of sexual harassment in New York City public schools nothing was done, they were ignored by the teacher and their fellow peers might accuse them of 'asking for it.' Um no one ASKS to be raped (in the most extreme case) or to be bothered all the time with gross comments.

I really liked this book wasn't a dry step-by-step explanation of how to end sexual harassment. It was fairly serious but it is a serious topic. However it was never a monotonous story because there would be excerpts from poems written by Sisters in Strength interns (an organization that is under the umbrella of GGE that offers paid experience in return for work on addressing social justice issues) or stories told, this made the statistics offered seem all the more real. I also appreciated the fact that the surveys given to students to fill out were featured so readers can see for themselves the type of questions being asked. I was also pleased that this book considered bullying of those who identified themselves as GLBT as sexual harassment. I wouldn't have initially but I totally agree now that is indeed sexual harassment.

Hey, Shorty really got me thinking and that's always a wonderful thing. The statistics are chilling and it's interesting to read how students don't sexual harassment is a big issue but incidents they describe fit the definition quite clearly. I started (much like the brave girls featured in this book) reflecting back on past events in school that could technically be considered sexual harassment. However based on my own personal experiences they are not something I would report because what's happened to me is not that serious. If on the other hand you've been touched inappropriately then that DEFINITELY needs to be reported or even if it made you uncomfortable in any way. Please do check out the great work this organization is doing and help in any way you can. They are still only based in New York but if a big enough movement begins, the Girls for Gender Equity campaign could rock the nation.

Disclosure: Received for review from publisher for blog tour. Thank you!

Reading in Color is part of the Hey, Shorty! Virtual Book Tour. Check out this link to see other Tour stops and spaces that are supporting this project and find out how you are able to support it too!

Honeymoon in Tehran

Honeymoon in Tehran: Two Years of Love and Danger in Iran by Azadeh Moaveni 2009

Random House



IQ "I wondered whether most Americans had any idea how the actions of their government influenced the lives of those across the world. Iranians had a long, sophisticated tradition of conducting their own opposition to autocracy. When would Washington realize this, and allow Iranians to resist their tyrants in the manner of their own choosing?" pgs. 245-246

In the sequel to Lipstick Jihad, Azadeh Moaveni is living and working in Tehran, having finally adjusted to the many nuances of life in the Islamic Republic. The author notices vivid contrasts, the people of Iran want openness with the West and civil liberties. But if that is the case, how did the conservative , anti-west Mahmoud Ahmadinejad win the 2005 election? In addition to the surprising political turn, Azadeh falls in love, with an Iranian man. They decide to get married in Iran and raise their future family in Tehran. Her upcoming marriage coincides with the Iranian government once again bearing down on 'immodest dress' for women and there is increased intimidation of journalists, especially ones who write for Western newspapers and magazines. Then the unthinkable occurs, the author discovers herself to be pregnant before she is married. The punishment is 100 lashes and one year of banishment. The author must decide to stay in Iran or leave for the West, does she really want to raise her future children in Iran?

There's a lot of information in this book, much like in the other, although there are some natural extraneous details, but to me that added an even more personalized touch. I think another bit of information worth keeping in mind is that besides being the perspective of one Western-educated woman, it is also the perspective of an upper middle class woman. Class plays a big role in Iranian society and this is not the best of books if you want to learn about daily life for the working class (something I'm now interested in after reading this book). Something worth keeping in mind as well is that this book is very slow-paced. As someone who has discovered a passion for the Middle East (and as such I'm willing to read anything I can on those countries) I eagerly read through this book, but if I wasn't so personally enamored with the topic, it probably would have taken me much longer to finish.

Most importantly if the reader has read Lipstick Jihad they will notice immense growth in Ms. Moaveni. "When I first arrived in Iran, fresh and green from northern California, I had obeyed like a schoolgirl in such situations, naively deferential to authority, certain the worst could not happen to me, of all people. Only when the worst (arrest, near arrest, public humiliation and so forth) befell me, repeatedly, as a result of my submissiveness, did I learn to respond like the Iranian young people of my generation: with loud, shrill confrontation. This was the rather simple trick by which my friends; indeed, most young Iranians-managed to evade the bullying ways of the Islamic system: by shouting down its enforcers, daring them to engage in hostile, full-fledged confrontation. It sounds counter intuitive, but it was actually effective. Very often the authority figure in question was either too young, cowed, bored, or poorly paid to deal with an angry female whose shrieks typically gained her the solidarity of passers-by" (pg. 96). I really like this quote because while it very summary-ish, it gives a peek at the change Ms. Moaveni goes through, a change that is well worth reading about. Another intriguing aspect of the story concerns falling in love in Tehran, what life is like for dating couples, for those who just want to hook up and married couples. It's not as restrictive as one might suspect but it's no America.

Honeymoon in Tehran addresses one of the toughest questions future-parents must make, do I really want to raise my child in my home country? In my opinion that is an extremely difficult decision and the author takes great care in weighing the pros and cons of raising her children in Iran. She doesn't want her son to be confused because while at home she could tell him that women are equal to men, Westerners aren't all evil, etc, at school it would be a different story. Furthermore there's a chance that a young child will accidentally let something slip about private family life that is technically against shari'a (Islamic law). Such as 'Mommy made fun of the Ayatollah', the risks are great. At the same time she loves Iran, the people, the beautiful landscapes, the passionate discussions (I'm so jealous of this fact. Debates are a big part of Iranian culture and it seems to me that they manage to passionately argue politics without really offending anyone. That would not be the case in America unless Iranians simply don't discuss controversial issues such as abortion, gay rights, etc because it's a moot point under their theocratic government?) and she has made many friends there. The author's love of Iran is clearly reflected in this book and I personally hope I never have to make a decision like that because there's a downside either way. I also appreciated how this book tried to explain how Ahmadinejad was elected. The author chronicles everyone's surprise at his win but she also notes that many of the people she talked to decided not to vote. Neither one of the author's two books are political, when discussing matters of politics the information is presented in a straight-forward manner with diverse viewpoints. The heart of the story however concerns relationships and how they have been both hurt and strengthened under the Islamic Republic. A fun, informative story for those who like international politics (but not too in depth) and simply reading about other countries.

Disclosure: From the library

PS Fun fact (or not) the author is friends with Shirin Ebadi, in fact she co-authored (and I believe translated) Ms. Ebadi's memoir, Iran Awakening. You can find my lukewarm review here

Waiting on Wednesday: Bestest Ramadan Ever

Bestest Ramadan Ever by Medeia Sharif

Release Date: July 8, 2011

During Ramadan, we're not allowed to eat from sunrise to sunset, for a whole month. My family does this every year, even though I've been to a mosque exactly twice in my fifteen years. My exercise-obsessed mom—whose hotness skipped a generation, sadly—says I could stand to lose a few. But is torture really an acceptable method? I think not.

Things wouldn't be so bad if I had a boyfriend, but my oppressive parents forbid me to date. This is just cruel and wrong. Especially since Peter, a cute and crushable artist, might be my soul mate. Figures my bestest friend Lisa likes him, too.
To top it off, there's a new Muslim girl in school who struts around in super-short skirts, commanding every boy's attention—including Peter's. How can I get him to notice me? And will I ever feel like a typical American girl?

-Let's just get this out of the way: I don't like this cover. I do however adore the premise of the book. I'm looking forward to reading about how a fifteen-year old raised in America manages to fast for a whole month. That's intense. I'm supposed to do something similar for Lent but I don't have the willpower/faith to do so, kudos to all who do. Her mom sounds like a bit of a jerk to be frank, verbal abuse is tough to read about so I wonder if the mom will end up being verbally abusive or just a little 'harsh'? Interestingly enough (to me anyway) I've developed a fascination with the Middle East, the culture, the history, etc as well as the Muslim faith especially how it is acted on in the present. This sounds like a fun story overall.

Hosted by Breaking the Spine. What are you waiting on bookwise?

My thoughts and prayers are with all those being barraged by tornadoes right now especially the people of Joplin, Missouri. If you know of anyone who needs some help getting back on their feet who has been affected by the tornadoes, please let me know. I know nobody is thinking of books at a time like this but....

New Crayons, New Plans

I had been thinking that once summer arrived I would have more time to blog, but that will be on hold until at least July. I will have scheduled reviews that I already promised to do in June but I am going on a service trip to Guatemala for ten days and we will not have Internet access. So I'm hoping this won't become a regular thing, me having no time to blog but for now I'm taking it a day at a time. Tomorrow starts my last week of school and then I have finals but I leave for Guatemala a week after my last final so my days will be spent hanging out with friends. But I'm going to try and write a review everyday next week, whether to be published immediately or while I'm gone.

New Crayons is hosted by Color Online (which I've neglected so much :(

Hey Shorty!: A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment and Violence in Schools and On the Streets by Mandy Van Deven, Joanne Smith & Meghan Huppuch

At every stage of education, sexual harassment is common, and often considered a rite of passage for young people. It's not unusual for a girl to hear "Hey, Shorty!" on a daily basis as she walks down the hall or comes into the school yard, followed by a sexual innuendo, insult, come-on, or assault. But when teenagers are asked whether they experience this in their own lives, most of them say it's not happening.

Girls for Gender Equity, a nonprofit organization based in New York City, has developed a model for teens to teach one another about sexual harassment. How do you define it? How does it affect your self-esteem? What do you do in response? Why is it so normalized in schools, and how can we as a society begin to address these causes? Geared toward students, parents, teachers, policy makers, and activists, this book is an excellent model for building awareness and creating change in any community.

Founded by Joanne Smith, Girls for Gender Equity is a nonprofit organization based in Brooklyn committed to the physical, psychological, social, and economic development of urban girls.

-I have mixed feelings on this topic because on the one hand blatant sexual harassment (insults and assaults) is wrong but on the other hand I can personally attest to the fact that some compliments/come-ons are a confidence booster. Should it be that way? Probably not. But is it anyway? Yes. So I'm very interested in reading this book. Received from one of the authors, thank you!

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria, but she was born American. Her features are African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to play soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits. And then she discovers something amazing—she is a "free agent," with latent magical power. Soon she's part of a quartet of magic students, studying the visible and invisible, learning to change reality. But will it be enough to help them when they are asked to catch a career criminal who knows magic too?

-I met Nnedi Okorafor at Diversity in YA and hearing her speak was awesome especially when she said that she doesn't mind using difficult Nigerian Igbo names for her characters because we teen readers are "big kids" who can power through it. haha. Anyway yay more speculative fiction diversity!

Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.

When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela's way home.

-WoW. Received as part of a blog tor, thank you :)


What did you win/buy/trade for this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: Luminous

Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

Release Date: July 7, 2011

As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.

When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela's way home.


-I LOVE this cover. I received an ARC yesterday and I can't stop marveling over it. Love, love, love, love! Serious props to the cover designer. And I know this is gonna sound crazy but I feel like I can just *tell* that the inside will match the awesomeness factor of the cover. This story sounds so cool, I mean c'mon someone who can take off their skin and wear another type? CRAZY!

This meme is hosted by Breaking the Spine

PS I am super behind on mailing out prizes, believe me I know. I have finals in two weeks and then I'm FREE! I promise to mail out all books owed by June 4th and the latest.

Huntress

Huntress by Malinda Lo 2011
Little, Brown & Company/Hachette Book Group

Rating: 5/5

Incredible Quote (IQ) "She was no longer in her body; she felt free. She was as small as a drop of dew quivering on a spider's web; she was a minute in an hour in a day in a million years. So much had passed to bring her to this moment: births, deaths, countless insignificant decisions that made her who she had become. All of that-all of her-could end now. She could return to the limitless state that every living creature once was in and will be again." Kaede pg. 327

This story takes place centuries before Ash (the author's previous book) and explains the original purpose of the king's Huntress. Nature is off balance, the sun doesn't shine anymore resulting in crop failure and hunger throughout the land (merely referred to as a whole as The Kingdom). The King is desperate to find a solution to the problem, especially since strange new creatures are beginning to appear and it is unclear as to whether or not they are harmless. The oracle stones are cast, Kaede and Taisin are chosen to go on a journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Both girls are only seventeen years old, Taisin is one of the most promising sages, filled with magic, and Kaede is a devoted warrior, although it is intially unclear as to what she brings to the table. The girls travel with the King's son, con along with his most trusted guards, Tali, Shae and Pol. Taisin has had a vision that prevents her from being close to Kaede but the danger of the mission calls for the group to trust one another and that trust may lead to the downfall of the mission, and any possible romances.

Malinda Lo's novels are not to be rushed through in order to see the end of a plot, instead they should be cherished for the backgrounds and character development. I read this book as slowly as I could (while trying to be mindful that I needed to review the book for the publisher!), savoring each word and the ability to clearly visualize the scenery and characters described because this author pays extraordinary attention to detail. What's even more impressive is that the author focuses equal (or close-to-equal) attention on her secondary characters. There is not only a brewing romance between Kaede and Taisin, but there is one between other members of the group but their romance is not the only thing that defines them. Instead we learn about the families of the secondary characters and delve deeply into their layered personalities. This is not a story about the end of the journey, as cliche as it may sound, Huntress focuses more on the actual journey itself than the end result. I liked that neither girl started out as an expert, Taisin has immense potential but she's not an expert yet and Kaede struggles with archery. I found it interesting that the girls were not shaped by their surroundings but they did react to them, they constantly had to adjust (along with the whole group) their plans due to unforseen circumstances. Ahh life.

The romance between Taisin and Kaede begins at a relaxed pace, both girls are nervous about their feelings. Not because they aren't supposed to be in love due to gender (once again this is a world where everyone's sexuality is accepted) but due to obligations. Taisin as a sage must remain celibate. Kaede is expected to marry a powerful man for political reasons to help her father. It is acknowledged though that making political marriages between women is rare. The romance in this book seemed to be more about resisting the lure of love than the confusion that comes with it. Taisin is determined not to fall in love with Kaede because she doesn't want to be hurt when her tragic vision comes true, she steels herself for the worst and closes herself off. Kaede is confused as to why Taisin is so nervous around her, she is not initially aware that she has feelings for Taisin, she's just curious about this quiet girl whose family own a farm (as compared to Kaede who comes from a wealthier family). There is confusion on Kaede's part because Taisin is the Queen of Mixed Signals! The beauty of this romance is that is oh so worth the wait. I worried that I would grow impatient but the author's writing is so rich that it is most definitely worth the wait, each sentence uttered by Taisin or Kaede seems to take on a much deeper meaning and it was easy for me to envision the awkwardness of some of their encounters.

Huntress is partly inspired by the I Ching, which I know nothing about and while I may not have caught all the references and subtle nods (I learned a lot at the Diversity in YA talk such as Kaede on the cover is holding an akido bow and that the story uses Celtic magic), I adored this story even more than Ash. Taisin and Kaede don't grow leaps-and-bounds but they do slowly emerge as exceptional young women who have been through serious hardships and had some lovely adventures which have shaped them, for better or worse. Their romance helps them to grow but it never overshadows other aspects of the plot, the story strikes a balance between first love and adventure. The fairy world was fascinating to read about, the author made it easy to see how the fairies were so different from humans and she doesn't allow her characters to make sweeping generalizations or observations about the fairies' behavior. First she creates a scene, then she has a character ruminate on what just occurred. I firmly associate this book with winter based on the cover and the fact that the sun-never shines which makes it the perfect winter read (if your winters are actually cold. If not blast the air conditioning so you can shiver under the covers while reading ;) The bonus is that this book is packaged together beautifully. The cover is phenomenal (basically a full-face Asian girl starting defiantly at you while holding a weapon with soft snowflakes flying around and an imposing mountain in the background), the colors are lovely (I love love love purple!) and each chapter starts with a curlicue which is awesome. It practically screams old-fashioned fairy tale and this book is a traditional fairy-tale with a few modern (colorful) uplifts.

Disclosure: Received from publisher for review. Thank you so much!

PS I got Huntress autographed at DiYA last week (which I still need to write about because it was awesome)! I also picked up some bookmarks :D Read Malinda Lo's Reading in Color guest post in honor of Huntress' release And yes Malinda is so kind and she has an awesome speaking voice. I got shivers down my spine when she read from Chapter 1!

New Crayons & You Could Win a Kindle & Oh Whitewashing

Before we talk about my New Crayons I wanted to help spread the word on an up-and-coming YA author, Nina Perez (who like me happens to be Black and Panamanian so yes I'm a little biased ;) I haven't had the chance to read her book The Twin Prophecies: Rebirth yet but it sounds fascinating. Ms. Perez is giving away a Kindle from May 16-May 18 in celebration of her book's release. Go here for more information about the giveaway and Rebirth's press release

I haven't checked my mailbox in forever and I'm still fairly MIA from the book blogging world. BUT I've found some new books I'm really excited about that I need to add to the updated list of 2011 YA/MG releases about poc. Please leave me any links to interesting articles from March to the present, I'm hoping to do some catching up next week.

From Yan-Thank you so much (just in time because I've been craving a good YA contemporary read)!

Love, Inc by Yvonne Collins & Sally Rideout

Zahra, Kali, and Syd would never have met if their parents' marriages hadn't fallen apart. But when the three girls collide in group counseling, they discover they have something else in common: they've each been triple-timed by the same nefarious charmer, Eric, aka Rico, aka Rick. Talk about eye-opening therapy.

Cheerful, diplomatic Zahra is devastated. Rico had been her rock and sole confidant. How could she have missed the signs? Folksy, flirtatious Kali feels almost as bad. She and Rick had only been on a few dates, but they'd felt so promising. Hardened vintage-vixen Syd is beyond tears. She and Eric had real history... Or so she'd thought. Now all three girls have one mission: to show that cheater the folly of his ways.

Project Payback is such a success, the girls soon have clients lining up for their consulting services. Is your boyfriend acting shady? Dying to know if your crush is into you? Need match-making expertise? Look no further than Love, Inc.

-Ahh a good ol taking-karma-into-your-own-hands story!

OH and this may well ruin your day/hour. I am going to write more on this but I'm super busy with school and I'm still not quite sure as to what I can even say that hasn't already been said 100x over and much more eloquently. Whitewashing of Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow by Nathan Bransford. And yes I do think this is whitewashing. Thank you Charlotte for bringing this to my attention and then writing a great post about why it's so important to read books about "others" aka books that show how diverse our world is.

Picture Book: We Are America

We Are America: A Tribute From the Heart by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Christopher Myers 2011
HarperCollins

IQ "I found an endless land, Its promise flowering in lush fields, Purple mountains etching their majesty in the pure air, Flat plains that absorbed the warm summer rains, Canyons that swallowed the imagination, And freedom Freedom like water on the tongues of thirsting men, Freedom as sweet as young love"

*Note: My ARC fell apart and doesn't have page numbers

This is my first picture book review and probably my second-to-last so please don't take this as a sign that I now review picture books. I'm not going to rate picture books, especially since I have no idea what to talk about. Most artwork looks completely fine to me so I can't distinguish...

We Are America covers American history starting from before America was discovered to the 21st century. There are illustrations and quotations from some of the most well-known Americans to lesser well-known but important Americans (Emma Lazarus, Barbara Jordan, Tecumseh, Abraham Lincoln and more) as well as quotes from vital documents. This is the Myers' ode to America, free-verse poetry and mural-like paintings, a celebration of America and a chronicle of the ups and downs of our history.

While I had my little disclaimer above stating that I'm not an expert at judging artwork, but I did notice something particularly cool about the paintings in this book. The paintings resemble murals and they merge into each other. There's one picture with a Black man surfing and then another Black man standing with his arms spread out which merges into a picture of Amelia Earhart. I would say that this book should have been more specific about who was in each picture because like in the example I used, I have no idea who the Black guy is. Some of the pictures aren't meant to depict only famous Americans but just Americans of all different colors and backgrounds living their lives but it's unclear when it's famous people or when it's 'ordinary' people.

The poetry works so well with this story, I think it might actually be one of the best ways to show pride in your country because poetry seems to be so personal. Each phrase seems to have been chosen with care, presenting a vivid picture of the various sides of America. The quotes all tie in well with the pictures and verses, the pictures are diverse. This is not just White America or Black America or Latino America or Asian America, it's the salad America where so many wonderful shades and cultures are represented and respected.

Disclosure: Received from publisher for review. Thank you

C.O.L.O.R. Part 2

I'm thrilled to be able to announce the second school for the Coalition Of Online Librarians and Readers! (C.O.L.O.R.)

While we didn't reach our goal of 25 books with the first project, I'm pleased with the results. Pleased but not satisfied ;) While Arlington Community High school was majority Black, our next school is majority Latino. Read on to learn more about the school from its librarian, Helen of Helen's Book Blog!

San Marcos High School

Santa Barbara, CA

Student Population: 1900 (43% white, 51% Latino, 4% African-American; 2% Asian American)

San Marcos High School has about 75 teachers and we're on a modified 4x4 block, which means we have 4 terms with 4 90-minute periods a day. We're very strong in the visual and performing arts, have a Health Academy (training future nurses who graduate from high school as CNAs), and a wide variety of sports for our students. This past year we ranked number one academically in Southern California for academic GPA for our sports teams with 6 teams ranking first place. Our students perform 60 hours of community service to graduate.


However, there is definitely an achievement gap at our school with Latino students scoring lower than our white students on standardized tests. Our Latino population are mostly first generation and many are in households with guardians who have limited English. As the Teacher Librarian I am working to get more Latino literature into our collection, especially novels that don't represent Latinos as gang members, pregnant teens, and drop outs. It feels like that is a tough assignment these days.

I decided this time to not create a whislist because that seemed to cause some confusion. Instead, I'll list the titles and address, you guys can order from wherever. More books will be added to reach 25 as Helen sends me titles. We are trying to focus on YA books with diverse main characters, especially those with Latino main characters. Learn more about the why of the project here

1. Jazz in Love by Neesha Meminger (Whoo-hoo thank you Edi!)

2. Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins (Thank you so much Nina!)

3. Carmen: an urban adaptation of the opera by Walter Dean Myers (Yay, thanks Trish!)

4. Dead is not an Option by Marlene Perez (thank you Nina!)

·5. Fish out of Agua by Michele Carlo (Whoo hoo, thanks Trish!)

6.You Don’t have a Clue: Latino Mysteries for Teens by Sarah Cortez (Thank you Mesending!)

7. A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott (Thank you Zetta!)

8. Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles (not out until August so an ARC would be awesome)

9. Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall (Not out until October so an ARC would be awesome)

10. Huntress by Malinda Lo (Thank you Trish!)

11. Kira, Kira by Cynthia Kadohata (Yay, thank you Kimberly!)

12. Luminous by Dawn Metcalf (releases in July but an ARC would be greatly appreciated!)

13. Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers (Thank you Kimberly!)

Please mail the books to

San Marcos High School c/o Helen Murdoch
4750 Hollister Ave
Santa Barbara, CA 93110

Dates: May 13, 2011-July 14, 2011 (officially ends. Email myself or Helen if you want to send books after that date).

Remember to comment/email me if you buy a book (or two or three)! Thank you in advance =D Giveaway coming soon for all those who have participated in part 1 or participating now, it means so much!!

Waiting on Wednesday: Now is the Time for Running

Now Is the Time For Running by Michael Williams

Release Date: July 5, 2011

Just down the road from their families, Deo and his friends play soccer in the dusty fields of Zimbabwe, cheered on by Deo's older brother, Innocent. It is a day like any other . . . until the soldiers arrive and Deo and Innocent are forced to run for their lives, fleeing the wreckage of their village for the distant promise of safe haven. Along the way, they face the prejudice and poverty that await refugees everywhere, and must rely on the kindness of people they meet to make it through. But when tragedy strikes, Deo's love of soccer is all he has left. Can he use that gift to find hope once more?

Relevant, timely, and accesibly written, Now Is the Time For Running is a staggering story of survival that follows Deo and his mentally handicapped older brother on a transformative journey that will stick with readers long after the last page

-This meme is hosted by Breaking the Spine. What really caught my eye was 'mentally handicapped older brother' (well first it was actually the words Zimbabwe and soccer). I have zero knowledge about Zimbabwe and I want to remedy that in a fun way via reading. And how many books are there for young people that feature teens of color who have a mental illness? I can think of three, including this one. But oh man, I'm not a fan of tragedies (but then again who is?) so I may put off reading this one.

I also attended the Chicago stop on the Diversity in YA tour. You HAVE to go if they are coming to your city! Or if the drive is 2-4 hours make the trip, it will totally be worth it. More details to come but everyone was incredibly nice. Cindy Pon is super sweet and a hugger (haha), Malinda is really nice and a bit calmer and while I didn't get to chat for very long with Nnedi Okorafoar or Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, they were very nice and enthusiastic to meet everyone. Thank you to Barbara's bookstore for throwing the event and thank you to Cindy, Malinda, Ms. Okorafoar and Ms. Martinez for attending! And yes I made a purchase and got some bookmarks :D

What are you waiting on this week?? I'm done with AP exams today so I should be back to reviews. Then finals....ugh

Diversity in YA Real Live Tour!

You have a chance to meet Cindy Pon, Malinda Lo and other authors who write diverse stories! I'm a little late with this (my apologies if you live in California and Texas and didn't know about the event =/) Below are the rest of the tour dates, go to this page for exact details

Tuesday May 10-Chicago. Barbara's Bookstore. Pon, Lo + Nnedi Okorafor & Claudia Guadalupe Martinez (I'll be there and I'm really shy so feel free to just come up to me and start chatting :D)

Thursday May 12- Cambridge, MA. Pon, Lo + Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Deva Fagan and Francisco Stork

Friday May 13-NYC. Pon, Lo + Cris Beam, David Levithian and Jacqueline Woodson

Saturday May 14-Pon, Lo + Matt De La Pena, Kekla Magoon, Neesha Meminger, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Rita Williams-Garcia & Jacqueline Woodson

I wish I could attend all the events, but please go out and support all these wonderful authors (I've read books by all but three of the authors mentioned and I'm going to remedy that asap). Do you plan on attending DiYA? Where? Link to your post about the event please!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Detention Club

The Detention Club by David Yoo

Release Date: June 21, 2011

Detention

The best worst thing to happen to Peter Lee?

Peter and his best friend, Drew, used to be so cool (or, at least, not total outcasts) in elementary school. But now they're in middle school, where their extensive mica collection and prowess at kickball have earned them a new label: losers. Then Peter attracts the unwanted attention of the school bullies, and his plan to become popular through his older sister, the practically perfect Sunny, backfires.

Things go from bad to worse when Peter gets detention. But what at first seems to spell his utter doom turns into an unlikely opportunity for making friends and influencing people. . .

-In my experience it's much harder to get detention in public school than in private school (I was /am in detention a bit for the silliest things in middle school and now in high school). Anyway, detention stories have always amused me (or at least stories that involve detention I don't think I've ever read a book that entirely revolves around detention). And don't we all know what it's like to go from being accepted in middle school to being a bit of an outcast in middle school (or the reverse), at least for a little while?

This meme is hosted by Breaking the Spine. Summary from HarperCollins

Male Monday: Bird in a Box

Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney 2011
Little, Brown & Company/Hachette Book Group

Rating: 2.5/5

IQ "I rush past everybody else who's waiting. I pretend to have lost my mama which is really not faking anything, because even though my mama is nowhere near this coldest ever, I truly don't know where my mother is. That makes it true. I've lost my mama." Hibernia pg. 145

It's the late 1930s and the Great Depression is in full force, the pain felt by all. It's also the golden age of radio and Hibernia wants to be a famous singer at the Savoy Ballroom, just like her mother. Or at least she imagines that her mother is a famous singer at the Savoy, since her mother left her to sing at the Savoy when she was a newborn. Now Hibernia lives with her preacher father and hasn't heard from her mother since she left. She listens to radio programs that bring the sound of jazz into her home. Otis is living at The Mercy Home for Negro Orphans and he only has the Philco (type of radio) and gum wrappers from his father and an embroidered handkerchief of his mother's. Willie also lives at The Mercy Home for Negro Orphans but he is much more close-lipped about his family. They each have hopes and dreams and they find themselves drawn to Joe Louis, their hopes seemingly tied inexplicably to his fate.

I chose that particular incredible quote because it's both amusing and annoying, just like Hibernia. While Hibernia is annoying, she has a distinctive voice, in contrast to Otis and Willie, whom I kept mixing up. The voices of Otis and Willie blended together. I knew that one of them had scarred hands and that the other was an actual orphan but I could rarely remember who was who. Furthermore there was no character development, no growth in maturity and Otis was a saint. As it was Otis and Willie had to grow up fast, but then their growth stagnated. I'm not even sure why Hibernia was in the story to be perfectly honest. She wasn't living at the orphanage and I think her character would have been more interesting if she was actually an orphan and set off to pursue her dreams. I wasn't thrilled by the dialogue and descriptions either. Phrases such as "[i]t's as if a mighty hand is yanking the room to its feet." (pg. 253) and "Carmen turns her voice in popcorn blips. I backflip the melody into flatted riffs." (pg. 228) made the book seem like it was trying to hard to be creative with words. I don't even know what a 'flatted riff' is. The flashbacks were stiff and I didn't understand why the story couldn't just start at the beginning instead of a year later, as a teaser it was rather ineffective. Finally the narrative would abruptly end at points and never be revisited such as when *SPOILER, highlight to read*: The boys get the radio back from the bleach man. I refuse to believe the bleach man wouldn't know it was them, so why was no mention made of their punishment?*End spoiler*

Occasionally the creative wording/descriptions worked well such as when Hibernia "put pepper on that tune." (pg. 227). I loved the details about the radio though. I really did get the impression that this was the "Golden Age of Radio" the commentators had personality and it was easy to see through the author's words how the radio programs affected the listeners. The variety of programs was shown ranging from jazz music, to of course, the Joe Louis fights. The other historical tidbits gel quite well with the fictional characters, places and events, there is a real sense of time and place. The illustrations were lovely, simple but expressive. The only character who became fully fleshed out (in my opinion) was Lila, the orphanage worker. She was a doll, tough when needed but always ready to give the children a hug, she has a tough past but doesn't wallow in depression. Although I would like to know why she randomly showed up at Hibernia's church...

Bird in a Box left more questions in my mind than answers except when it came to the importance of radio during the 1930s. Storylines were abruptly ended and the three children had interesting backgrounds but remained flat with no development. I don't much about the 1930s but all the facts seemed to be in order to me, the town of Elmira, New York came to life. A town that was filled with people who wanted to work but couldn't find jobs and yet still mustered up the cheer to DRESS UP (I mean that in the best of ways) for church. Personally, I wish the story had actually taken place in the more exciting New York City but at least Elmira developed a presence in my mind (and I could understand Hibernia's frustration with the town). A hit or miss read I think.

Disclosure: Received for review from publisher. Thank you L&B!