The illustrations by Christy Hale in The Forgiveness Garden are subtly beautiful. They appear to be water color and collage, and they give the effect of ancient art.The story, by Lauren Thompson, centers on two young people, Sama and Karune,…
Category: Environment
The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy
The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin excels in exploring realistic problems in an urban fantasy landscape. The novel opens with Lorelei Robinson struggling with misguided thoughts concerning the recent death of her mother, and feeling ostracized from…
Jane Addams’s Legacy: An Interview with Author Susan C. Griffith
Jane Addams was an extraordinary woman, a leader dedicated to peace and empowerment of women, an activist whose work for social justice improved the lives of so many people. Her life and work continue to inspire those of us concerned…
Dare to Daydream
Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes (Wordsong) $15.95 Ages 8 and up “How did I feel when called out for daydreaming?” asked Nikki Grimes after I had put the question to her. “Caught. Exposed. Annoyed. For me, daydreaming…
Kenta and The Big Wave
While Kenta and the Big Wave is technically about the tsunami that devastated the east coast of Japan two years ago, the real heart of it is the concept of peaceful practices. Kenta and his family are spared when the…
CODA: A novel of Revolution against addiction and control
Coda (Running Press Kids) by Emma Trevayne $9.95 In her debut novel, Emma Trevayne has painted a punk and rock world in which addictive music controls a future society. The encoded music heals pain and sickness, and controls the…
WRITTEN IN STONE
WRITTEN IN STONE by Rosanne Parry is a story about the struggles of one girl, Pearl, to help her family, her people, her Native culture survive. Many phrases will continue to echo in your heart: “I could raise him…
Mishan’s Garden
It’s very early to review Mishan’s Garden, a lovely picture book being published by Wisdom Publications in October, but I suppose a good buzz can only help with pre-orders. (It was previously published in the nineties with a different title.) Mishan is…
When the Water Runs Out: A Review of Parched
This past month has gone into the record books as the rainiest June in my city’s history. Last year was one of the warmest on record, and in late October a rare East Coast hurricane devastated the New York metropolitan…
Human Trafficking in Space: A Review of The Color of Rain
When people think of books for children and teens that address social justice issues, contemporary and historical fiction and nonfiction are the genres that come to mind. Rarely do we think of speculative fiction as inherently political, though dystopian novels…