Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids by Cynthia Leitich Smith, editor

 

First, I was attracted to the cover illustration, which I think is great. Then, I was attracted to the title, thinking it was going to be a collection of family history stories (because of the word Ancestor in the title). What it is, however, is a collection of 16 contemporary short stories and two poems that are centered around the University of Michigan powwow that is held each year at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan (except 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19).

The stories begin with a poem called "What is a Powwow?" by Kim Rogers who writes that it is about family, friends, and remembering those who have passed on, it is also dancing in regalia made with love, and eating fry bread and corn soup, and healing and soul-soothing. And these are just some aspects of what you will find in the stories that follow. 

One of the things I really loved about this collection is the way they connect to each other. Characters show up in different stories. For example, there is a story called "Joey Reads the Sky" by Dawn Quigley. Joey's mom sells the World Best Fry Bread and this fry bread stand also briefly appears in "Bad Dog"  by Joseph Bruchac and "Between the Lines" by Cynthia Leitich Smith. One of my favorite stories is called "Rez Dog Rules" by Rebecca Roanhorse, about a dog named Ozzie with no master who travels to the Powwow with Marino. Marino is hoping to sell his silk screen T-shirts celebrating Native identity and culture to help out his grandma. At one point, Ozzie wiggles into a T-shirt that says Ancestor Approved on it and becomes a walking advertisement. The story is told from Ozzie's point of view, and he briefly appears in "Flying Together" by Kim Rogers, "Brothers" by David A. Robertson, "Wendigos Don't Dance" by Art Coulson, "Senecavajo: Alan's Story" by Brian Young, "What We Know About Glaciers" by Christine Day, and "Between the Line"s by Cynthis Leitich Smith. Connecting the stories to each other like this gives the reader a sense of continuity and the sense like they are also there, to the point where I could feel the beat of the drums as the dancers danced. And I could most definitely taste the fry bread, one of my favorite things about having lived in Arizona for a while.

The stories are varied, ranging from lighthearted to very serious. There are a number of different nations represented, including Ojibwa, Choctaw, Cree, Cherokee, Navajo, Haudenosaunee, and Abenaki, and there is a smattering of words in the various Native languages throughout. I was also stunned by the impressive descriptions of the regalia that is made and worn by the dancers. By the end of the book, I had developed a much deeper appreciation for the importance of Powwow than I had had before, mainly because these stories were so informative about them. And yes, anyone can go to a powwow, just learn what the etiquette is if you are not Native.  

Back matter includes Notes and Acknowledgements for each story and the poems, and a Glossary of all the Native words used in the stories and the Nation they belong to. This is followed by short biographies of the different writers.

Ancestor Approved is a wonderful collection that introduces young readers, as Cynthia Leitich Smith writes, to "the diversity of the intertribal Native and First Nations community, of each Indigenous Nation within it, and of young Native heroes." I was so happy to read this and discover they are perfect for middle grade readers because so often anthologies like this are geared toward young adult readers and, believe me, these are stories not to be missed. 

This book is recommended for readers age 9+

This book was an eARC gratefully received from Edelweiss+ 

MMGM: Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices, edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

Here is a collection of 15 very different, but all well-crafted stories that give readers a glimpse into lives of young Muslim girls and boys as they prepare for the joyous celebrations of Eid-al-Fitr, a time marking the end of Ramadan and fasting and Eid-al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice. And although the writers of these stories come from diverse places and backgrounds, it is the shared belief and practice of their Islamic faith that is the common thread in all these stories, and yet, their stories reflect the many cultural traditions, experiences and themes within their faith. But do not think that these stories are for Muslim readers only, no indeed, they are meant for everyone to enjoy. As the editors write in their epigraph:

"Bismillah. For all readers who know Eid joy, and for all who want to share in it."

In her story "Perfect," Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow explores themes of family, judging, acceptance, and learning to be friends. Hawa, 12, her mom and dad head out of Philadelphia to visit her dad's relatives for an Eid celebration in the Bronx, NY. It is not a visit Hawa is looking forward to. Black American on her mom's side, Hawa's dad's family is from Guinea and most don't speak much English, except for her perfect cousin Fanta, who not only speaks perfect English, but already cooks, and bakes, and is, as far as Hawa is concerned, a major suck up. But when Fanta accuses Hawa of being stuck up, things come to a head between the two girls. Have they always had the wrong impression about each other?

The color blue takes center stage in N.H. Senzai's "Searching for Blue." Bassem, 12, his younger sister Dina, and his mom have fled war-torn Syria and arrived, unwanted by most, on a small Greek island. Now, it's almost Eid, his father's favorite holiday. How can Bassem celebrate with his dad gone, and his family living in a converted factory with a shared kitchen with other refugees. Besides, there are no ingredients for making any of the tasty Eid food he remembers so well, But on his way to work, an idea comes to Bassem and maybe, just maybe the joy of Eid could be found even in this gloomy, overcrowded, run down refugee camp. Senzai has really captured what it feels like to be an unwanted refugee, trying to escape the war that has taken away your life, your father and grandparents, and left you with so little, and the joy and hope that comes from remembering just what Eid is really about - faith and community.

One of the funniest stories is "Yusuf and the Great Big Brownie Mistake" by Aisha Saeed. As last minute preparations for his family's traditional Eid brunch the next day get underway, Yusuf and his mom prepare their favorite Eid brownie recipe, while sister Roshan breaks with tradition and makes a fruit tart. This year's Eid is a big celebration with over 50 people, so everything needs to be perfect. The next day, feeling pretty confident, Yusuf puts his brownies into the oven and goes upstairs to help his best friend Erza figure out how to set up his new video game. It sure is easy to lose track of time when it comes to video games, and that's just what happens. When Yusuf pulls out a pan of burnt brownies, he learns a good lesson about eating humble pie, having appreciation for others, and a great family secret.

Once Upon an Eid certainly lives up to its promise of hope and joy. This wonderful collection of short stories (there is even a story in graphic format), aimed a middle grade readers, is filled with love,  humor, some grief and loss, even some disappointment but always centered around faith, family, and community.

All together, this anthology offers young Muslim readers 15 wonderfully realistic stories they can relate to, and a window into these important celebrations for non-Muslim readers.

This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was an EARC gratefully received from NetGalley

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle.

Blog Tour: Alex Rider: Secret Weapon by Anthony Horowitz

Welcome to the Kids Know Best Blog Tour, a two part tour featuring two different books: Theodore Boone: The Accomplice by John Grisham and Alex Rider: Secret Weapon by Anthony Horowitz. For this tour, I chose to read the Alex Rider book.

And I have to confess, I have never read an Alex Rider book before, but chose it based on different things I have heard from young readers, who are fans of the series. So far, there are 11 books in the Alex Rider series, not counting Secret Weapon, which is a book of 7 short stories.

For those like me who don't know, 14-year-old Alex has been well trained to be a spy by his uncle, Ian Rider, who was a secret agent for MI6. After his uncle was killed, MI6 approached Alex, recognizing his potential, talent, and training. Now, Alex is working for MI6 and having some incredible adventures.

In the first story, "Alex in Afghanistan," Alex is sent to a remote area in the Herat Mountains, where Darcus Drake is holed up in a ancient citadel, hoping to get an old Soviet calutron working again, so he can quickly produce the uranium needed for bombs and offer it to every terrorist group in the Middle East. All Alex has to do is find it to prove it exists. Why Alex? The back way into the citadel is through some narrow ventilation pipelines.

In "The Man with Eleven Fingers," Alex's trip to the dentist for a sore tooth turns into a exciting day when he is given a free chocolate bar being handed out to passersby. But when Alex notices something wrong with the wrapper, he begins to follow the man who gave the candy out. He recognizes the driver that picks up the candy man, and decides to punt on the dentist and follow them to see what's up. No sooner does Alex figure out what's going on, then people all over London start dropping in their tracts. This was an interesting story and the ending really surprised me.

The third story is called "Secret Weapon" and involves a drug-dealer named Skoda, whom Alex had a run in with in an earlier book. Skoda has finally figured out how to sneak out of prison and take care of Alex. And his plan works, until it doesn't. This story also has a surprise at the end, and again, I didn't see it coming.

"High Tension" is a little different, as it doesn't involve any spy activity. Alex is on vacation with a friend in the South of France. When he finds himself with some free time, his host, Andrew Hale, insists that he go parasailing and enlists his wife Celestine to drive Alex to the beach. Not really wanting to parasail, Alex reluctantly agrees and is not sooner in the air, then the driver of the motorboat to which he is harnessed passes out. Getting out the air safely may require readers to really suspend their disbelief more than in other Alex Rider stories, but it's still a tense, action-packed story.

The fifth story, "Tea with Smithers" is not action-packed or a spy story, but rather a look at Alex's 'quieter' side of life. After a debriefing at MI6, Alex runs into Smithers, the man who invents and then disguises all of Alex's James Bond-like gadgets for fighting off bad guys. Smithers invites Alex to tea and when he shows up, he learns all about Smithers' life and how he became an inventor/disguiser for MI6. But when he challenges Alex to try to find his brand-new gadget, one sitting right in front of Alex, the ace 14-year-old is totally stumped. This was a fun story, and there are lots of hints as to what the new gadget is, but if you, like Alex, can't figure it out, it is a fun, surprise ending.

"Christmas at Gunpoint," the sixth story is the only one in which Ian Rider appears. During a ski trip to Gunpoint, Colorado, Alex meets Sahara Sands, a fellow teen, there with her dad, who does "something in government" The two teens have lots of fun skiing and snowboarding, but one night, he catches his uncle fighting with a man over a gun with a silencer, then he sees Sahara looking scared and being escorted into a gondola by two rather sketchy men. This is an exciting story, and Ian's lesson for Alex here is to closely observe the people he meets - how they dress, how they speak, what they eat and drink, and where they carry their guns: "You have to notice these things, Alex...all the details. People tell a story the moment they walk into a room. You can read them." (pg. 227) What does this advice have to do with the story - only everything.

The seventh and last story, "Spy Trap," Alex wakes up in what appears to be an MI6 hospital in an old abbey, and is told he was in an accident. Kept confined to bed, except for visits to a Dr. Feng, who claimed to be a therapist, Alex quickly suspects that things aren't what they appear to be. Yet, when asked questions about his life with MI6, Alex can't stop himself from speaking the truth. When he suspects his food is drugged, he stops eating and drinking and begins to control what he tells Dr. Feng. As Alex's memory returns, he begin to plan his escape, then discovers he isn't the only MI6 agent being held hostage.

To call these short stories thrilling and action-packed is an understatement. More than once, I found myself shaking my leg to release the nervous energy as the tension of a story built. I actually thought these stories all quite good. They are well-written, there is plenty of excitement, and even though it is pretty improbable that a 14-year-old would ever be allowed to be a spy, it is still fun reading about Alex Rider's adventures. I really liked that Alex is so detail oriented, as I am as well, so I enjoyed reading all the descriptions he relates about his surroundings and the people he encounters. And Alex is quite personable. I also found that not knowing anything about the Alex Rider series, there was enough information in these stories so I never felt lost.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, I definitely do. Would I read another Alex Rider book? Well, I do have Book 1, Stormbreaker on a hold at the library.

This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This book was provided to me for review purposes

Be sure to visit all the other stops on the Kids Know Best Blog Tour:

PART ONE: Theodore Boone: The Accomplice

WEEK ONE

May 6 – InRandom – Review

May 7 – Homeschool on the Range – Novel Study

May 8 – Min Reads and Review – Spotlight

May 9 – Picture Books to YA – Listicle: Non-fiction books + TV Shows for kids who are interested 

              in law

WEEK TWO

May 13 – Reading Corner for All – Crossword/Word Search + Review  

May 14 – Two Points of Interest – Review

May 15 – Homeschool by the Beach – Creative Instagram Picture

May 16 – Little Homeschool on the Prairie – Review

PART TWO: Alex Rider: The Secret Weapon

WEEK THREE

May 20 – Createexploreread – Creative Instagram Picture

May 21 – Alohamora Open a Book – Review + Playlist

May 22 – Somethewiser – Review + Video Clip

May 23 – Lost in Storyland – Listicle: Teenage Spy Survival Guide

WEEK FOUR

May 27 – @gobletoffiction – Creative Instagram Picture + Review

May 28 – Randomly Reading – Review

May 29 – Amanda Seghetti – Creative Instagram Picture  

May 30 – Ms. Yingling Reads – Memorable Moments in Alex Rider History

Flying Lessons & Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh

In this anthology, Ellen Oh presents 10 short stories, all written by authors whose work we already know and admire for their honesty and integrity, not to mention their talent, and for their belief in the We Need Diverse Books movement Oh began just a few years ago in response to the underwhelming number of books by diverse authors that are being published. 

The title of the anthology, Flying Lessons, comes from the story by Soman Chainani, author of the School for Good and Evil series, by the same name. A shy young Indian boy is traveling through Europe with his grandmother, a rather colorful women who insists on wearing a couture dress, red stiletto heels and a white fur coat to the beach after outfitting her grandson, Santosh, in a tiny striped Speedo. She has other things to do, so she deposits Santosh on a nude beach with the admonishment “make friends.” Santosh finds himself drawn to a boy about his own age, not sure why he finds him so attractive. But Santosh’s Nani may just understand him better than he understands himself. She is like a (grand)mother bird teaching her young that he is meant to soar, to be who and what he is by nature, and the European trip is her flying lesson.

And so it is with all the stories in this anthology - each story features a young main character who has stood on the margins of society until they come into their own and take off. For instance, in Matt de la Peña’s “How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium,” a smart 8th grader knows what to expect when he decides to play basketball with the best at Muni Gym during summer vacation- to be told that he’s too young, too light, too short, too skinny, too Mexican. At the end of summer, he definitely does leave his mark on the basketball court, but what he learns off the court is the most important lesson of all.

In “The Difficult Path,” Grace Lin takes the reader to long ago China, where Mrs. Li promises to educate the female child, Lingsi, she has just bought. Though a servant to the family, Lingsi turns out to be a formidable student, unlike Mrs. Li’s lazy, uninterested son FuDing. Eventually, when no one will marry FuDing, it is decided that Lingsi will be his bride. But fate has another path for Lingsi - and all because she can read - and what a path it is.

The last story in this collection is called “Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push” by Walter Dean Myers. Chris knows his father’s dream was for him to become an athlete and follow in his footsteps onto the basketball court. And although an auto accident has left Chris in a wheelchair, it does not keep him off the court. Chris plays in a wheelchair league, but his dad seems to have trouble accepting it. When his dad must take him to a game, things change. Slowly, a dream comes true - but whose dream?

As a rule, I’m not a big fan of short stories. I like the depth and meatiness of a novel. Besides, when a collection of stories is put together, it’s a sure bet that not of them are going to be good. But, Flying Lessons sounded just too good to pass up. After all, some of my favorite authors have contributed to this anthology and, to a teacher like myself, I know how important their diverse characters and variety of themes are for  the young readers who, after all, will shape the future. And I wasn’t disappointed reading Flying Lessons - the stories have  substance, the characters are well developed and the themes are universal, and each one is unique. 

There is a short biography of each author at the end of the book, plus a short history of why and how the We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) movement began written by its founder and editor of this anthology, Ellen Oh. After reading it, you may want to refresh your reading of Walter Dean Myer’s New York Times article “Where Are the People of Color in Children’s Books?” written shortly before his death, an article which he ends with the exhortation "There is work to be done." And finally, publishers are beginning to listen to that.

The stories in Flying Lessons are aimed at middle grade readers, but could certainly be read and enjoyed by high school kids and adults.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC received from NetGalley

Half a Creature from the Sea: A Life in Stories by David Almond, illustrated by Eleanor Taylor

David Almond has been one of my favorite, go-to authors for a long time now.  He always manages to write stories that seem to be about the ordinary until he peels the ordinary away and reveals the extraordinary in life.  Each one of his works has a distinctive voice and perspective and I have often wondered where or how Almond comes up with his ideas.  I think you will agree that novels like Skellig and The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean Telt by Hisself, and his latest, A Song for Ella Grey, are all riveting and unique.

Well, I thought to myself, wonder no more as I read the introduction and the eight short stories that make up Half a Creature from the Sea.  In the book's main autobiographical Introduction, Almond writes "I'll start with things I can hardly remember, things I've been told about, things that are like fragments of a dream."  From there, he goes on to introduce the reader to Felling-on-Tyne, the town where he grew up and the one he uses in his writing for "it's landscape, it's language, it's people" and rgwb procedes to show the reader just how he makes the ordinary extraordinary.

Each of the eight short stories that follow the Indroduction are also preceded with their own substantial autobiographical prologue.  In them, Almond explains where his idea first came from, and gives enough background information to not only make the story richer for the reader, but also to give us a way of seeing how Almond's writing process happens.

The character's in each story come to life, in a way that is difficult to master in so short a space, but everyone in these Almond stories feels real and full-bodied, even the ghost in "The Missing Link."  Almond's descriptions on which each of the landscapes his stories unfold become just as important, just as realistic as his characters, to the point where they become characters in their own right.  As the stories wander around this North-East area of England that Almond knows and seems to love so well, you can almost smell the salt in the air in the story "Half a Creature from the Sea" and taste those wonderful meat pies from Myer's pork shop from "Slog's Dad."

And Eleanor Taylor's black and white illustrations throughout the book compliment and enhance the hauntingly mysterious stories.  I especially liked the illustrations showing the ordinariness of Felling-on-Tyne as Almond introduced readers to it:

1 of 4 Felling-on-Tyne illustrations
in Half a Creature from the Sea

Half a Creature from the Sea offers readers a brillant peek at an author's inspiration and writing process supported by eight superbly crafted short stories.  If you are already a fan of David Almond's or even if you are new to his work, you are in for a rare treat, and you will totally understand why he won the 2015 Guardian's Children's Fiction Prize recently.

I should mention that there some bullying, some violence and a lot of cursing and it can be raw, but not ever gratuitous.

This book is recommended for readers age 13+
This book was an EARC received from NetGalley

Thirteen Chairs by Dave Shelton

One night, young Jack is drawn to a dark old abandoned house mostly out of curiosity.  When he finally opens the door and enters the house, he finds 12 people sitting about a table in the dark, each with a candle in front of them.   Asked if he will be joining the group, Jack says yes and a thirteenth chair and candle are brought to the table for him.

After introductions are made, an evening of ghostly storytelling begins.  Jack is naturally a little scared, after all, he's been told about what go on in this house, amazing stories, and although Jack didn't believe what he was told, he's still relieved to be sitting nearest the door, just in case.

One by one, the chairs occupants tell their stories.  Some are traditional tales like "Let Me Sleep" and "The Red Tree," with endings that will give you chills and maybe even creep you out a bit.  Other stories are more modern, like "Beneath the Surface" and "Snowstorms."

As each tale is told, the teller snuffs out their candle and moves their chair back from the table so Jack can no longer see them.  As the room gets darker and darker, Jack worries about what he will say when his turn comes.  No unnatural, haunting story comes to mind and each time another person is chosen to tell a story, Jack is relieved that he has been given more time to come up with something.

But, alas, no more can be said about Jack without giving the ending away.  Just know this, it is rather ironic.

Each storyteller has their own distinct personality and they are of various ages, and seem to have come from different time periods, though I think that there is a preponderance of more modern stories.  For instance, the tale told by Amelia, a young school age girl sitting next to Jack, is a modern story called "The Girl in the Red Coat," and is about a young girl in school being bullied, and is totally riveting nonetheless.  As is "The Wrong Side of the Road"which might make you think twice about using your GSP next time you need it, and "Unputdownable" a story that may make you hesitate the next time you reach for a book that the library has discarded and put on sale.

I loved reading Thirteen Chairs.  There is something for everyone and each tale has an originality about it.  On some level, the tales reminded me of all those ghost stories we all told as kids at sleepovers or around the campfire, but these are much more sophisticated and polished.  I think that some of the themes and tropes like the effect that the sudden constant, mysterious ticking of a clock can have on an otherwise calm, orderly person may be recognizable but they have a new twist in these short haunting tales.

Thirteen Chairs is a perfect Halloween book, but fun no matter what the day is.

What are Dave Skelton's top 13 scariest stories for Halloween?  You can read all about them HERE

This book is recommened for readers age 12+
This book was an EARC received from Edelweiss/Above the Treeline

Happy Halloween!

Introducing Lois Lane, teenager - two short stories by Gwenda Bond

I knew the minute I read about the new Lois Lane: Fallout novel by Gwenda Bond way back in the cold days of winter, that this was a book for me.  But even before the novel was published, Bond had given us a taste of what was to come in two Lois Lane teaser short stories.

Bond's Lois Lane is a teen aged military brat, the daughter of an Army General.  The family has moved around a lot and Lois may not have time to make friends and settle into a school routine, but she has excellent powers of detection and deduction, ideal for solving the mysteries that keep coming her way.   Lois does have one "best friend" though, a boy she only knows as SmallvilleGuy, whom she met in a secure online chatroom.

In the first teaser short story, "A Real Work of Art," Lois is once again starting a new school and discovers that she has third period ART, but art is something she is really not good at.  As she walks into the studio art room, she notices five students, but more importantly, the unframed museum quality paintings hanging on the wall.  The teacher is a pretentious little man called Professor Jacques,  and his teaching technique - imitate the painting masters because "originality is highly overrated."

But something about Professor Jacques and his imitated paintings doesn't sit right with Lois.  She had just read an article about an art forger in one of her mother's magazines and her suspicions begin to climb, especially when she notices the same particular signature on the paintings in the school studio as the infamous art forger in the article used.

Downloading a cleverly designed phone app that does brushstroke analysis, Lois sneaks back into her classroom after school and activates the app.  Waiting for the analysis, she follows Professor Jacques to the post office and discovers more evidence that he is exactly who Lois thinks he is.  Is she right?  Has Lois uncovered the whereabouts of a famous art forger?  Or has she made a terrible mistake?

In the second teaser short story, "Cloudy with a Chance of Destruction," Lois and her family have moved once again, and she finds herself in yet another high school.  Because she began the semester late, she doesn't have a partner in chemistry class.  Working alone gives her time to observe what is going on at the workstation next to hers between studious cheerleader Sophie and basketball bench warmer Mike.   Sophie is breaking up with Mike, who refuses to accept that.  But Mike won't do the work and Sophie needs to keep her grades up.

Trying her best to mind her own business, Lois can't help but try to make Mike understand that Sophie in no longer interested in him.  Finally, Mike vows to help Sophie with their experiment the next day, but the smug look on his face when he says that makes Lois wonder what he is up to.

The next morning on the bus, Mike is carrying a bag containing a mysterious device and with the logo of the Atomic Heights National Laboratory on it.  He's nervous and sweaty, but won't let Lois see what's in the bag, just claims that it's a big surprise for Sophie.

Suspicious, Lois sends a text message to SmallvilleGuy telling him about Mike's mysterious device.  Trouble is, however, that the device is a mystery to Mike, too.  All he knows is that is will cause a reaction, one that people have been trying to do for a long time.  So when Mike enters the code to start the device, Lois notices some hazard signals light up on it.

Questioning Mike, she learns his father is a nuclear scientist.  Suspecting she needs to evacuate the class, and maybe the whole school, Lois decides to make an explosion of her own.  But will it work in time?

Most of us know Lois Lane as the female reporter for The Daily Planet.  But Bond has imagined a younger Lois, and a smarter, more independent person than the character we are accustomed to from comic books, TV, and movies.  But trouble still manages to find her, just like her adult counterpart, so there's always excitement in Lois's life.  I really like this Lois Lane and I think that these two short stories are nice introductions to her.  Both stories take place before Lois and the Lane family move to Metropolis, a move that they are hoping will be permanent.

The best part is that you can download, read and enjoy both of these short stories for free right HERE on Gwenda Bond's website.

Up next: my review of Lois Lane: Fallout, Gwenda Bond's first LL novel (and if you like it, you will be happy to know that the next book, Lois Lane: Double Down, will be out in May 2016.

These short stories are recommended for readers age 14+ though I think some savvy middle grade readers will enjoy them as well.
Both short stories were downloaded and are available to anyone who wants to read them.