Review: Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Synopsis: Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee—fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama—this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration. Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America. (from the online description)

Review: Ever read a book and feel your view point shift, like taking a step to the side and seeing the world from slightly different angle. This book. Told in short free-style poetry, we follow a ten-year old Vietnamese girl as she and her family are evacuated from Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and sent as Refugees to Alabama, in 1975. Viewing our world from her eyes shifted something inside me, a small something, but I know I finished the book a different person then when I started.

Looking at one’s own culture and country from other’s eyes can be jarring. It is vital, however, for growth. And seeing one’s culture through the eyes of a hurt and bewildered child is particularly eye-opening. It gives one a change to examine prejudices and ideas, to ponder them anew.

For children, I would recommend, although only if an adult reads with. There are some strong and hard truths about the world. But there are some great lessons to – particularly about how to treat someone who is different from you. In this day and age, that is a valuable lesson. 

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: National Book Award, Newbery Honor

ISBN: 978-0-06-196279-0
Year Published: 2011
Date Finished: 8-31-2018
Pages: 262

Review: My Brigadista Year by Katherine Patterson

Synopsis: When thirteen-year-old Lora tells her parents that she wants to join Premier Castro’s army of young literacy teachers, her mother screeches to high heaven, and her father roars like a lion. Nora has barely been outside of Havana — why would she throw away her life in a remote shack with no electricity, sleeping on a hammock in somebody’s kitchen? But Nora is stubborn: didn’t her parents teach her to share what she has with someone in need? Surprisingly, Nora’s abuela takes her side, even as she makes Nora promise to come home if things get too hard. But how will Nora know for sure when that time has come? Shining light on a little-known moment in history, Katherine Paterson traces a young teen’s coming-of-age journey from a sheltered life to a singular mission: teaching fellow Cubans of all ages to read and write, while helping with the work of their daily lives and sharing the dangers posed by counterrevolutionaries hiding in the hills nearby. Inspired by true accounts, the novel includes an author’s note and a timeline of Cuban history. (from the online description)

Review: One of the best books I’ve read this year! Lora, only 13, volunteers for Fidel Castro’s Literacy Program. After learning how to teach, she is sent with an army of other young people into the countryside, to teach the poor how to read. It is full of danger and challenge.

First, having the story told in First-Person gives us real insight into the character growth and courage of Lora. Second, the research of the history of Cuba is impeccable. Seeing America through the eyes of Cubs Under Castro was enlightening and made me think about our country in a different (but good) way. Americans can get a bit myopic when it comes to our place in the world and this book helps open the viewpoint in a good way.

I highly recommend for anyone, ages 8-9 and above. There is some talk of death and fear, and one character does die. While not graphic (or even on-screen) it has an effect on the characters. The realities of what these kids did and what Cuba was like at the time is not washed-over, but told in simply language. History is not always pretty but worth reading and Patterson has given us a book worth reading. 

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: None (Yet)

ISBN: 978-0-7636-9508-8
Year Published: 2017
Date Finished: 8-29-18
Pages: 198

Review: The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt

Synopsis: Raccoon brothers Bingo and J’miah are the newest recruits of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts. The opportunity to serve the Sugar Man—the massive creature who delights in delicious sugar cane and magnanimously rules over the swamp—is an honor, and also a big responsibility, since the rest of the swamp critters rely heavily on the intel of these hardworking Scouts. Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn is not a member of any such organization. But he loves the swamp something fierce, and he’ll do anything to help protect it. And help is surely needed, because world-class alligator wrestler Jaeger Stitch wants to turn Sugar Man swamp into an Alligator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park, and the troubles don’t end there. There is also a gang of wild feral hogs on the march, headed straight toward them all. The Scouts are ready. All they have to do is wake up the Sugar Man. Problem is, no one’s been able to wake that fellow up in a decade or four…

Review: It was with much trepidation that I picked up this novel. Kathi Appelt’s The Underneath made me ugly-cry and left me depressed and heart-sore (although it is an excellent book for that very reason) and I was not eager to engage in a book that would cause emotions again.

However, I was pleasantly surprised. Told with a folk-tale vibe, along with exclamations and onomatopoeia and funny little quips, this story follows two raccoons who have the illustrations job of being Scouts for the Sugar Man. The Sugar Man rules the swamp, a creature of lore and legend, who guards the swamp and enjoys the particular sugarcane that grows in the damp low soil.

When the swamp is threated by unscrupulous land developers, the scouts, along with unintended help by a local boy, search for the Sugar Man.

The adventure, the character growth, the well-drawn atmosphere of the swamp, the real trouble the characters find themselves facing, all create a story fun to read for children. This book would be particularly suited to reading aloud, for all the fun works and exclamations it includes.

Recommend for mid-late elementary children and older, and worth reading for adults as well. 

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: National Book Award Long Listed Novel

ISBN: 978-1-4424-2108-0
Year Published: 2013
Date Finished: 8-28-2018
Pages: 327

Review: Beanpole by Barbara Parks

Synopsis: Lillian Pinkerton is tired of being teased about her height by her classmates and tries to make the Pom Squad to improve her self-esteem

Review: An older book, dated, and intended for a middle school audience. But I was drawn to it as a tall girl, who, like Lillian, grew tall in middle school, to the point I felt I towered above all my friends, and defiantly over the boys! I connected strongly with all the feelings of self-consciousness that Lillian did.

The story is simple enough. Lillian decided that on she wants three wishes – and she works (a good lesson) towards those wishes. But they don’t come true – at least, not how she intended.

But the real magic of the story was her growth. In the beginning, she hides herself, embarrassed of her height, and that causes her to shy-away from being a leader. But as she works towards her wishes, she grows: in courage, in confidence, in understanding about herself. It is good to see. By the end of the book, she has learned, at least a little, to accept her height and that other people don’t see it as big of a deal as she does. She also sees that she has more to offer to the world then her looks and finds confidence from her work ethic and successes.

Even if it is a dated (being written in 1983, naturally) it is worth reading for young girls, particularly those struggling with being quite tall at an early age. 

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 0-380-69840-4
Year Published: 1983
Date Finished: 8-24-2018
Pages: 147

Review: The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (Vorkosigan Saga, Book 3)

Synopsis: Discharged from the Barrayan Military Academy, Miles Vorkosigan chances on a jumpship with a rebellious pilot and arranges to take over the ship. Events escalate from there, and soon Miles is commander of a mercenary fleet and reinvents himself as Admiral Naismith of the Dendarii Mercenary Army. (from the online description)

Review: The third in the Vorkosigan Saga, one of the first written, this is the first told from Miles' point of view. After he is denied entrance to the Military Academy due to his health, Miles heads to his Mother's home world, aimlessly and depressed. There, one small gesture of assistance mushrooms beyond his control and he soon finds himself at the head of a (fictional) mercenary fleet in charge of breaking a blockade.

Miles is a hilarious and ingenious character. Hyper-active, audacious, daring, and naïve – he’s thrilling to watch as he just digs himself a deeper hole. At the same time, he isn’t without depth. Constantly reminded of his own physical disabilities and his fear of his Father’s disappointment, his heart is there as well as his mind.

Fast-action, sorrow, character development, and intrigue make this a fun space adventure with surprising depth. As the all Bujold’s work, I highly recommend, particularly if you like solid science fiction adventure novels.

Bookmark: 4 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 0-671-72066-X

Year Published: 1986

Date Finished: 8-22-2018

Pages: 315

Review: The Ketogenic Cookbook: Nutritious Low-Carb, High-Fat Paleo Meals to Heal Your Body by Jimmy Moore and Maria Emmerich

Synopsis: In 2013, the fifth-most Googled diet search term was "ketogenic"; in 2014, it rose to number two. Now, The Ketogenic Cookbook, one of the most highly anticipated cookbooks of 2015, is set to be the ultimate resource for the growing number of people interested in eating a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet to lose weight, improve their health, and heal their bodies from the inside out. In this first-of-its-kind collection, Jimmy Moore, leading low-carb diet blogger and podcaster and bestselling author of Keto Clarity, joins forces with fellow keto advocate and nutritionist Maria Emmerich to bring you more than 150 delicious, real food–based, keto-friendly recipes that are ideal for anyone who wants to be in nutritional ketosis or simply wants to eat healthier. In addition, The Ketogenic Cookbook explains why a ketogenic diet can help treat chronic illnesses from type 2 diabetes to heart disease to epilepsy, offers practical advice for pursuing nutritional ketosis, outlines the unique combination of whole foods that will help you become ketogenic, and much more. If you're seeking a healthier way to eat that will help heal your body of damage done by years of eating tons of sugar and carbs, the ketogenic diet may be for you. There's no need to sacrifice taste for good health! (from the online description)

Review:  As with many keto/low-carb/paleo books, the recipes here are divided into two sorts –Basic Ideas (omelets and steaks) and Re-makes of “bad” food (keto-fied muffins and ice cream). This is why, in general, I avoid these sorts of books. It feels like a waste of money for someone to tell me how to make scrambled eggs and meatballs.

However, with this book, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, many of the recipes were obvious items (the after mentioned omelets) but unlike others, the authors focused make those items as Fat-Rich as possible. Instead of just eliminating carbs, they created recipes that diligently and deliberately increased the fat content of the food. This is precisely what you want in a keto recipe book!

I have tried a few of their recipes and find them easier to make. Some of the ingredients are expensive – but then, the keto/low-carb/paleo diets aren’t for the economically-challenged, right?

Worth reading, to be sure. But I got mine at the library and had no issue returning it nor did I have a compulsion to purchase my own copy. Better than most, but not enough for me to buy. 

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-1-628600-78-0
Year Published: 2015
Date Finished: 8-20-2018
Pages: 384

Moribito II: Guardian of the Darkness by Nahoko Uehashi (Moribtio, Book 2)

Synopsis: Balsa returns to her native Kanbal to clear the name of Jiguro, her dear mentor, who saved her life when she was six years old. But what should be a visit of truth and reconciliation becomes a fight for her life when she learns that Jiguro had been a member of King Rogsam's personal bodyguard. After Jiguro fled Kanbal with her, Rogsam sent the other bodyguards after them one by one--Jiguro's best friends, whom he had to kill to protect Balsa. Now, with the help of two Kanbalese children, Balsa must unwind the conspiracy surrounding Jiguro and the mystery of the Guardians of the Dark. (from the online description)

Review: As with the first, this book explores the relationship between The Seen World and the Spirit World. Balsa returns to her homeland, a barren, mountain region, seeped in poverty and dependent on the King’s relationship with the Spirit world for survival.

Balsa, weary after years away and burden by guilt, is determined to return, to make amends and lay to rest the spirit of her mentor.

The beauty of this story is in how Balsa fights for the freedom of her soul and her people. Told with a realist sorrow and depth, but never straying in to maudlin prose, the reader walks with Balsa as she faces her greatest fear.

Interwoven with that is the story of a young man and his courage and his growth as a person. There is plenty of action, adventure, mystery, and humor.

I would highly recommend this book. In particularly, it would be excellent for late elementary age children, and any looking to read a story told by a non-western female author. 

Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-0-545-10295-7
Year Published: 1999 (English Trans. 2009)
Date Finished: 8-13-2018
Pages: 259