The Birthday Party Pledge!

Take the Birthday Party Pledge:
I promise to give multicultural books as gifts to the children in my life for ONE year.
I promise to encourage them to read about and appreciate diversity in all its forms.
I commit myself to building a new generation of readers!

Click on the link above to download the certificate! There is also a Birthday Party Pledge blog which you should definitely check out, the blog will be updated at least monthly.

The Birthday Party Pledge website features lists on the side that we update periodically (I helped create the global fiction list with Lyn Miller Lachmann :) Most of the books on the website are MG or YA but we also have a Picture Books list that will be refreshed monthly as well. We refresh the lists in order to offer a wealth of options, hopefully at least one book on the list will appeal to the young reader in your life.

Why did we start this website? And whose we? Doret from theHappyNappyBookseller, Edi from Crazy Quilts, Jill from Rhapsody in Books and authors Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller Lachman and myself started this website and blog to promote an early love of reading for children of color. We also wanted to provide an unbiased website with no reviews, only summaries of books about people of color, to help parents find diverse reads for their children. Please stop by and SIGN THE PLEDGE!

Male Monday (Off Color): The Lighter Side of Life and Death

The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C.K. Kelly Martin 2010
Random House Children's Books

Rating: 4/5


IQ "I don't want to obsess on what Kat said about staying away from each other but how exactly do you cut yourself off from someone that you've thought of/seen/spoken to every day for the past three years? I understand that she's confused but her cure hurts worse than the disease." Mason pg. 94


Mason Rice is loving life as a sixteen-year old. He just came off a performance high for a play that he had a starring role in. Then, that same night, there was a party and he lost his virginity to his gorgeous best friend, Kat Medina. he thought it was an amazing. Until he learns that Kat didn't see as such a great experience. She regrets crossing the friendship line and she wants to forget it ever happens, even if she has to forget Mason. Mason is confused by Kat's reaction and hurt so when he meets the attractive Colette, he decides he wants to get involved with her. Thing is, she's twenty three. Mason's not sure his feelings are reciprocated until Colette invites him to her apartment and from there a good times relationship ensues.

I saw the cover of this book and for some odd reason I thought it was about two poc. I now realize Mason is white and the brown-skin belongs to Kat. Who knows what I was thinking. I also didn't know the story took place in Canada. I was completely confused when Mason said he only had a year and a half till he left home since y'know, in the U.S. it would be two years. Not that this bothered me, the story was a great one. I do wish that Kat had been better developed. I guess since Kat was trying to stay away from Mason, it's harder to show her personality. I wanted to understand why Mason was so enamored with her but since his contact with her was limited in this book, I never got a grasp as to why he thought she was so special. She didn't handle the situation well, but that made the book more realistic. I could understand why she felt so flustered after she lost her virginity to Mason. That's a bit awkward, especially since they weren't dating. I didn't understand Brianna's deal either. Brianna is Mason's new stepsister and I wasn't sure if she just hated life in general or if she was mad that her mom married Mason's dad? I needed some more glimpses into her life. I also would have liked more about Mason's friends. He seemed to keep them all at a distance which was interesting.

I love that it's about a guy who's living a fantasy, getting involved with a sexy older woman. I love that Colette knows Mason's 'living the dream' and she doesn't mind. well I don't love it per se, I love that it's being addressed. I like that the author is so unflinching in writing about it. There's no moral undertone to this story, everything is just reported. This is how Mason feels, this is what Colette says, etc. There's no grand explosion in the end and I appreciated that. The consequences of the relationship aren't ignored, there are consequences but nothing drastic happens. I was worried that this book would be very high-drama but it was low-key, much like Mason and Colette's relationship. There are no graphic sex scenes but they are portrayed. After all, would anyone really expect Mason and Colette not to have sex? Their relationship starts off as being focused on the good times, but it does get complex. There are significant others in both their lives and what they are doing, while not illegal, is frowned upon. I like the added situation of Mason having to adjust his home situation. Mason's parents are divorced and for years it's been just him and his dad. Now he has to accept that his father is getting re-married to a woman with a pre-teen and a young kid. It's a big adjustment and on the surface Mason seems to take it in stride. On the surface only.

The Lighter Side of Life and Death is indeed about situations that are a lot easier to deal with than life and death (drugs, death of family members, etc). The author doesn't mock the issues teenagers face or try to show that there are simple solutions to our problems. it's complicated, but in this story at least, teens can handle it. There's a great distinction between love and lust and the author makes that clear. Mason has to find that out for himself though. The 'i-love-yous' aren't traded until the very end, as it should be. The book could use further secondary character development but the book mostly focuses on Mason and Colette, and those two are at their fullest potential. Their relationship is one of fun and doubt. The reader (like Mason) knows it won't work out, but that doesn't make this any less of a notable tale and I got caught up in it all. Plus there's an added bonus of the story being set in Canada, a country that was quite foreign to me.

Disclosure: Overdue from the library. Yay late fees!

Best Books I've Read in 2010 (So Far)

Due to a certain someone (no worries, a few other people asked as well!) inquiring as to when I would be publishing this list. I decided to go ahead and post it today because these are books I am so grateful for, they enriched my 2010 (and who knows some of them will probably have a long lasting impact on me). Plus Borders is having an awesome Black Friday sale so maybe some books on this list will qualify for the bargains. I didn't want to go on and on so I chose 18 titles (my age plus one for good luck, heehee) and tired to stick to 1-sentence gushing. Have a happy thanksgiving to all who celebrate it! And obviously I am especially grateful for my followers both on the blog and on Twitter, for everyone who retweets my links, to everyone who leaves comments even as 'simple' as "Great review!" Those make my day. Thank you to everyone who signs up for the holiday book swap, enters my contests, and emails me to ask for book recommendations/writing advice (not that I'm any good at giving that). And to my inner online circle, those that I can email and vent and celebrate with. You know who you are. THANK YOU.

(Image from sodahead.com)

My Top 18 Books Read in 2010!

1. 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter-Hilarious and heartwarming with unforgettable characters, especially if you're a John Hughes fan.

2. Children of the Waters by Carleen Brice-A genuine novel that covers a wide berth of issues without trying too hard.


3. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves-Eccentric characters, out of this world creatures, and unusual setting make this book "wonderfully bizarre".



4. His Own Where by June Jordan-92 pages of Black English, a touching love story filled with subtle and not-so-subtle metaphors for love and being a teenager and being Black and well it's just stunning, ok?


5. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson-Lyrical writing that tells a heart-wrenching tale of first love (I'm going to take a wild guess that this was one of the first interracial YA love stories) and love between parents and friends.


6. 8th Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich-8 cheers for middle school students having a conscience and for the author, who tells this story with humor, grace and authentictiy (and I swear if you don't watn to become Ruthie's best friend, you're crazy).


7. The Agency series by Y.S. Lee (A Spy in the House: book 1, The Body in the Tower: book 2)-A mystery series set in Victorian England with an exceptional eye to detail and a jolly good heroine who gets caught in a wardrobe with a man, most unseemly ;)


8. Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins-As I've said before, depending on your personality, you will need a tissue. And/or a stress ball.


9. The Billi Sangreal series by Sarwat Chadda (Book 1: Devil's Kiss, Book 2: The Dark Goddess) Heart-pounding beginnings characterize these two books along with Billi, one of the strongest, stubbornest and most flawed heroines, plus there's some really good side romance (and it's way off to the side, like not important).


10. Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley-A girl athlete who snowboards and happens to be Chinese combined with a Latino male best friend/possible love interest combined with social justice, manga and the Cultural Revolution. It's pulled off brilliantly and Syrah is named after wine and the whole book ties into that concept, brava!


11. Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes-Haven't reviewed yet so I'll hold off on the praise, but I think this book is a solid Coretta Scott King award contender (and a strong contender for any other award too), it's so good! Read an interview with the author


12. Losing My Cool: How a Father's Love and 15, 000 Books Beat Hip-Hop Culture by Thomas Chatterton Williams. This book is 85% the story of my life, the struggle of being an "oreo" or "sellout", my love of hip hop and yet the hypocrisy that love entails. LOVE this memoir.


13. Saving Maddie by Varian Johnson-Don't let the cover fool you, this book is told from the guy's perspective about a girl (one who many of us girls probably wish we were like), he wants to save her, but if he keeps attempting to save her, he will lose her. Not at all preachy and there is no clear answer.


14. When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer-LOVE. The magnificent cover matches the magnificent story in the pages.

15. The Rock & The River by Kekla Magoon-One of a pair of good books about the Black Panthers, I love that it delved into classism and the civil rights movements (who upper class Black people versus working class Black people supported and why). <3>Sammy and Julianna in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz-I first read this book when I was in 5th grade or so and I did not fully appreciate, upon re-reading it, I've fallen in love with it and the author. Exceptional

17. Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin-If you want to get angry or cry, it's a must-read. Believe me, you WANT to cry and/or get angry.


18. We Were Here by Matt De La Pena-Another tearjerker (every time I think about it, I swear tears well up). You figure out the crime early on but that doesn't take away from the book, in fact it makes the characters and sitautions stand out even more.


Want more suggestions from me (I doubt it you do but...)? Some books cross-over on these lists.


My favorite YA romances


Best books with male multicultral characters


So what books would be on your list? Do you (dis)agree with my choices?

2011 YA/MG Debut Authors of Color

I was going to wait to publish this till January 1st, when the Story Siren's YA/MG Debut Author Challenge begins. But I decided to publish this list earlier to put the books on people's radars and hopefully you can add on to my list! Especially because I would hate to miss an author of color and not be able to interview them for my Elated Over Eleven feature. (so basically this is also a list of authors I hope to interview :) I will accept self-published books as long as they are YA/MG by a debut author of color.


1. Teenie by Christopher Grant (YA). Release Date: December 28th. My interview

2. The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang (MG) Release Date: January 1, 2011
Interview

3. The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson (YA). Release Date: January 4th, 2011 My interview

4. Eliza's Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary by Jerdine Nolen Harold (MG). Release Date: January 4th, 2011

5. The Trouble With Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante (MG). Release Date: January 6th, 2011. My interview

6. How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen (MG). Release Date: February 22, 2011 Elated over Eleven interview

7. Illegal by Bettina Restrepo (YA). Release Date: March 8th, 2011 EoE interview

8. What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez (YA). Release Date: March 2011 Interview

Luminous by Dawn Metcalf (YA). Release Date: July 7th, 2011 (ETA: Dawn Metcalf has kindly informed me that she is not a poc author. I will include her book on my future list of all 2011 YA/MG debuts ABOUT POC. Thank you so much for clearing that up Dawn and I'm sorry if I mislead anyone! But seriously the cover is so brilliant and the book sounds so fabulous, you shouldn't mind ;)

9. The Bestest Ramadan Ever by Medeia Shariff (YA). Release Date: July 8th, 2011

10. Vanished by Sheela Chari (MG). Release Date: July 26th, 2011

11. Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai (MG). Release Date: February 22, 2011

12. Tall Story by Candy Gourlay (MG). Release Date: February 8, 2011 Interview

13. Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall (MG). Release Date: October 2011

14. Under Pressure by Rashaun Hughes (YA). Release Date: January 7, 2011.

15. Stir it Up! by Ramin Ganeshram (MG) Release Date: August 1, 2011

16. My Own Worst Frenemy (Chanti on the Case #1) by Kimberly Reid Release Date: September 1, 2011

Please add books to this list!