one who see things

Always thinking, always imagining. An artist revealed. Inspiring.

A Boy Named Isamu: a story of Isamu Noguchi by James Yang

Loud, proud, strong

Take your voice and make it loud like Sharice Davids.

A wonderful book with a great message for all kids, whether you want to be in Congress (Sharice) or take care of animals or work in a restaurant or whatever.

Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman by Sharice Davids, Nancy K. Mays, and Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

a big life, in miniature

Art and math are friends, and real life is colorful.

Roots and Wings: how Shahzia Sikander became an artist by Shahzia Sikander, Amy Novesky, and Hanna Barczyk

unlikely champions, unlikely coach

A reminder — everyone’s story does not have the same beginning.

And with the right support, we all have an opportunity to shine.

Sakamoto’s Swim Club: how a teacher led an unlikely team to victory by Julie Abery and Chris Sasaki

brains doing weird things

So, a few months ago, I had a little incident which unexpectedly brought my head and my driveway together and created a concussion, a lot of medical appointments and unexpected bills, and a complete re-thinking of my brain, what it is, and how it works. In the weeks that followed that day, my brain wiped entire days, complete conversations, even a few plot details from my memory. It was very, very weird, unsettling, and sometimes upsetting, especially because since the emotion part of my brain was bruised, I occasionally burst into tears somewhat randomly — not my usual thing. I worked pretty hard to keep my game face on at work, and I was super lucky to have other staff and my manager supporting me and backing me up when I just had to go home.

After two months, when I was finally able to get in to see a neurologist, I had a fascinating conversation and by then, I could even remember it. At one point, when he was explaining something that had been going on, he told me that sometimes brains just do weird things, kind of like a misfire. That’s my brain, apparently.

Anyway, knowing what I experienced, for a very short time and without requiring brain surgery, made this graphic novel much more vivid, alarming and interesting. I can’t even imagine, but it’s good for us to try, I think. People struggle in so many ways in their lives, because of poor health, emotional and mental issues, systemic racism, all kinds of things. Trying to understand someone else’s world is a messy process, but so, so important.

Parenthesis by Elodie Durand

code breaker queen

There are all kinds of interesting picture book biographies these days. Sometimes they pop up, and I wonder, does that author read the same books I read? And if they do, I’m ok with that, because I read some pretty interesting stuff, right?

This is the story of Elizebeth Friedman, a woman who was a code breaker in a time when most of the credit would have gone to her husband, though she was a leader and change-maker in her own right.

Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars by Laurie Wallmark and Brooke Smart

a life in words

Or a life of words?

Anyone who writes a history report in rhyme is some kind of amazing, and a life as full as that of Gwendolyn Brooks? Even more than amazing. Infinity + amazing.

Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade and Cozbi A. Cabrera

what we don’t know about the rest of the world

So much of learning and knowing history is perspective and interest. I’m always finding out about things that happen or happened around the world which I somehow missed. Coups take place, natural disasters destroy, dictators rise and fall.

We are all part of history, whether it feels like it or not most days. Banned Book Club reminds me of how we don’t always know we’re in the middle of it. We don’t always see our power or our responsibility. And we miss it when it’s not right in front of our noses.

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ko Hyung-Ju, and Ryan Estrada

Laughing, crying, remembering

The end of the year, the beginning of the year… both good times to think about what we leave behind and look forward to. Jacqueline Winspear’s stories of her family are an escape from this somewhat dark time and a reminder that the past was just as dark in different ways. We always find ways and times to laugh when we need it most.

A fascinating look at a world past. If you’re a reader of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries, you’ll also see where some of those stories might have sprung from.

This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing by Jacqueline Winspear

books can change a child’s world

• 

• 

Whether it’s a garbage collector creating a library from salvaged books or a woman finding a way to bring Ferdinand to a war-ravaged country, individuals can and do change the world for children through books. True story. (Actually true stories.)

Digging for Words: Jose Alberto Gutierrez and the Library He Built by Angela Burke Kunkel and Paola Escobar

The Lady with the Books: a Story Inspired by the Remarkable Work of Jella Lepman by Kathy Stinson and Marie Lafrance

magic scissors

You could read this book for the pictures alone. Who even needs the words? It’s just that amazing, but with the story, and it’s a true story, there is so much more. Fascinating!

Lotte’s Magical Paper Puppets: the woman behind the first animated feature film by Brooke Hartman and Kathryn Carr

who we are and who we become

It seems like a book about an artist finding her way at first, but so much more is layered within. Where do we even begin on our journeys to ourselves?

Spellbound: a graphic memoir by Bishakh Som

Where you come from, where you’re going

Beautiful, painful, eye-opening, unsurprising, beautiful. Our families and communities build us, feed our souls, wound us, and heal us.

Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth

Living your life on your own terms

What do you do when the world wants you to be one thing, and you know you are something else? It’s not always easy to be who you know you are.

Were I Not a Girl: The Inspiring and True Story of Dr. James Barry by Lisa Robinson and Lauren Simken Berke

never give up. never surrender.

• 

• 

Two very different lives with one thing in common. Persistence.

Yusra Mardini dreamed of swimming in the Olympics. War in Syria and fleeing to Germany as a refugee might have set that dream aside for most people. But she found a way and became one of ten athletes to compete in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics as part of the Refugee Olympic Team.

Sophie Kowalevski was born in a different century and a different country. Russia did not have any opportunities for female mathematicians, but she found a way, too, eventually becoming a university professor in Sweden.

Yusra Swims by Julie Abery and Sally Deng

Numbers in Motion: Sophie Kowalevski, Queen of Mathematics by Laurie Wallmark and Yevgenia Nayberg

legends & friends

It’s the unexpected nature of the friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe that makes this book so groovy. Ella is a star looking for a place to shine. Marilyn is not the kind of star people expect, so she’s looking for another galaxy. They connect, and together they’re part of changing the world while also changing each other.

Lovely.

Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield and Alleanna Harris

it all goes horribly wrong

Way, way back, when I first moved to Iowa, I taught English to refugees, some of whom came from Cambodia. We spent more time on colors, numbers, basic verbs, and food than on anything else, but occasionally students would share their stories with us. One woman talked about losing her husband and six children, having to hide in the forest for a month, and being afraid of bad people, some only teenagers with guns and way too much power.

It’s not like we heard a lot about the Khmer Rouge in the middle of the U.S., even when it was happening, but now, I feel like it’s fallen into the abyss of distant bad human moments. And yet, real people and their family members still bear the trauma of that horrible time.

Not an easy read, but such an important one, and throughout, even in the darkest moments, there is always a little hope. Amazing.

Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna

warrior for equality

We can all be warriors if we find the place we can make change. Sometimes it’s small; sometimes it’s big. But working for change, the fight for justice — it’s a long road.

Wonderful biography. Amazing illustrations (as always).

Soldier For Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War by Duncan Tontiuh

write your own story

Mean girls and boring school board meetings could be hurdles, but Cindy finds ways through the awkward and uncomfortable moments of getting through junior high and figuring out she wants to be a reporter. It’s nice that her story really shows how much work goes into both.

Cub by Cynthia L. Copeland

begin with inspiration

A new year should always be started with hope for a better world, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s story — in graphic novel format — is the perfect place to find that. Such a hard worker! Always planning! Thinking about how the law affects real people! Calling out gender discrimination and reminding everyone that it really doesn’t work well, even for men!

Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful.

Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Journey to Justice by Debbie Levy and Whitney Gardner