OUTSIDE IN by Deborah Underwood and ALL THIRTEEN: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soortornvat

We enjoyed our first In Person meeting on July 1, along with two people joining us on Zoom....too bad they had to miss the great refreshments, capped by a magnificent Pavlova dessert made by Ann's very talented granddaughter. We discussed our picture book, Outside In by Deborah Underwood first. We unanimously agreed that this book was just NOT for young children, its presumed audience. The idea that 'Outside' was constantly reminding us that it was there continually helping us just didn't seem like a concept that young children would easily grasp...even with possible loving explanation by the adult reading the story. And even the little girl in the illustrations seemed to ignore everything that 'Outside' was trying to show and tell her; she was too busy reading, writing, playing with her dog -- just living her life. We did like the sensitively nuanced watercolor illustrations by Cindy Derby, but viewing the book from a distance, as a child would in a classroom read-aloud situation made it obvious that their beauty was less engaging from afar. We thought these illustrations could be valuable in an art class however...in a lesson on watercolors....otherwise -- not so much.

We had mostly positive reactions about our longer nonfiction book, All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat. We all agreed that the author had done an excellent job in her research on this story that the world watched unravel in June 2018. This included talking in person with many of the heroic rescuers and volunteers and others involved in the saga -- an endeavor which was helped a great deal by her own father who was a fluent Thai speaker -- even though she was not. We mostly liked her straightforward writing tone, where she discussed the many very technical issues that were relevant to the rescue, and explained them clearly for young readers...probably middle- and high schoolers. Some readers liked the many sidebars which explained various technical issues in detail, as well as Thai culture, and Buddhism, both of which played a strong role in the boys' frame of mind as they endured during this heart-wrenching 18-day period when they were trapped by a flood in a cave that they had been exploring. We agreed that all of the maps, graphs, photos, and illustrations throughout the book were very helpful although a couple of readers found the appearance of the sidebars in the middle of the actual text somewhat distracting. We also liked the author's explanation at the end of why she wrote this book and how she went about putting the pieces of the puzzle together. We felt that the book could be used in so many ways in classroom situations: in science, geography, culture, religion, social studies, history, engineering, physics, weather, and political systems discussions. This very long, very dense, very heavy (in weight!!) book was definitely appreciated by all of us.

WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS by Carole Lindstrom and MIDSUMMER MAYHEM by Rajani LaRocca

We began with our picture book, We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom; illustrated by Michaela Goade. We all loved this beautiful book about the historic role of Ojibwe women to protect water, told in the voice of a young Native girl. We liked the beautifully poetic way it was written, while at the same time dealing with the contemporary and uncomfortable issue of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which is depicted in words and pictures as a 'black snake that will destroy the land.' We liked the way water's relationship with and importance to all of life was described, and shown on almost every page with beautiful, brightly colored undulating watercolors (of course!!) on almost every page and in every context -- even on one page as the protagonist's hair. We loved the two-page pictorial spread, rendered in various shades of blue, which showed the earth in the middle of the universe, adorned with traditional Native floral motifs and encircled by depictions of many Native spirit animals, and the text, "We are all related." We thought the end notes were very helpful in providing additional information regarding the text and the Native Alaskan illustrator's  choices in what she determined to depict to honor the author's Ojibwe culture.There were also translations of several Native terms that had been used in the text. We felt that very young listeners to this story as a read-aloud might not fully understand the controversial parts or the idea of the beauty of water vs. a threat, but that it could create a beginning appreciation of the importance of water to humans and all other living creatures. We felt the book could be used with older readers, even in middle or high school to begin a discussion of this very important social issue. Finally, we felt it was deserving of its recently bestowed Caldecott Award for picture books.

Although there was much to like about our novel, Midsummer's Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca, we had a few issues about the plot, the pacing, the surplus of characters and scenes, and the interconnection with Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." We did like the main character, Mimi Mackson, an eleven-year-old Indian American girl who was obsessed with baking and whose main desire was to win a local baking contest so that she could feel as important as her three older overachieving siblings: an actor, a musician, and a sports star -- all high school students. We liked the relationship between Mimi and her dad, a food writer who had somehow lost his sense of taste, and the descriptions of many Indian foods and ingredients that were mentioned throughout the telling of this story. We were a bit confused by Mimi's connection with Vik, a strange boy she met in a weird forest, who began to have a big influence on her decisions and choices and later turned out to be a VERY old inhabitant of an ancient fairy culture, the magic of which was throwing obstacles in Mimi's path around every corner...turning the real events in the narrative into a Shakespearean comedy OR tragedy -- depending upon one's interpretation. We just felt that this author had tried to do too much in this novel, and it could have benefited from better editing. We were also not enthralled with the several black-and-white illustrations throughout the book -- we felt that they didn't enhance the story in any way. BUT we all learned a lot about spices, flavors, and baking techniques and we did feel that young readers, especially young 'foodies' who watch a lot of kids' cooking competitions on food TV, would 'eat this up.'!! Even if they were confused by some of the elements, there was enough food/cooking/baking-related content to keep them happy. AND a great food-related glossary at the end, plus three recipes of things Mimi had baked.

AT THE MOUNTAIN'S BASE by Traci Sorell and Weshoyot Altrite and THE HOUSE THAT LOU BUILT by Mae Respicio

We began our April discussion with our picture book, At the Mountain's Base by Traci Sorell & Weshoyot Altrite. We all liked the simple, flowing text of this pictorial poem depicting a family awaiting the return of a member who had gone to war. We were puzzled by some of the illustrations, which were somewhat ethereal, showing several generations of women in their cabin at the base of a mountain. (Where were the men??) But when we saw a young woman flying a P-38 warplane -- about halfway through -- her depiction looked almost photographic. We found that confusing and somewhat jarring, and felt it might confuse young readers also. There were a few other things that were a bit off-putting after we learned more. Why did the Author's Note say that this was about a "fictional Cherokee family," and then inform us that it was an homage to Ola Mildred "Millie" Rexroat, an actual WWII pilot from the Oglala Lakota tribe? We also felt that another confusion was the depiction of various Native artifacts and cultural entities...and although the illustrations throughout the book portrayed cords/threads surrounding various parts of each page, we couldn't decide for sure what this actually meant. We were glad to learn about this undersung Native American WWII heroine, but we felt that a serious picture biography about her life and her many accomplishments would have been a better choice.

We all liked our novel, The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio. We loved the portrayal of Lou, a 13-year-old biracial (Filipino/Caucasian) girl who was adept at using tools and relished building things. We also loved the relationships she had with her best friends, her cousins, her mom, and her multi-generational extended family who frequently gathered in her Lola's (grandma's) small apartment in San Francisco, CA where they enjoyed the food, music, and stories that had bonded them together for generations. Everything about the family and the Filipino culture and the conversations felt very real. We liked Lou's persistence as she worked toward her dream of building a 'tiny house' on the land in Marin County that her deceased father had left her, even though we knew that it might be a bit unrealistic to assume that she could actually accomplish this by herself. We liked the way that each character's personality was developed, and felt that drove the story more than the actual plot, which we felt was a bit too long and convoluted, and could have benefitted from cutting a few scenes. (Are our attention spans shortening??) We also discussed the fact that Lou told many lies to further her goals, and even though there were consequences, we wondered if so much lying should occur in a middle-grade story. We didn't actually arrive at an answer to this question. However we felt that middle-school readers would love reading this book, because of its lively language and great characters, and that they would root for Lou throughout. All things considered, it was a pretty good book, and we were glad to have read it also.

I TALK LIKE A RIVER by Jordan Scott and FRANKLY IN LOVE by David Yoon

We started with our picture book, I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott. It was beautifully read aloud to us by one of our members, and when she finished, we all just said, "Wow!" One member said the book was 'breathtakingly gorgeous,' and another said it was 'what a picture book should be.' We loved the quiet support the dad gave to his son who had a stutter, and felt self-conscious every time he had to talk in class because his words churned around in his head but just wouldn't come out of his mouth properly. When the two of them visited a nearby river, the boy realized that the gurgling, flowing, pounding, rushing sounds of the river were similar to the way he felt when he tried to talk. We loved the quiet kinship between father and son and the idea of connecting the boy's troubles to nature and all the kinds of movement of the river, which were beautifully depicted on a double-page foldout in the center of the book. We were pleased to learn in the Author's Note at the end that this was his own story, and an homage to his father. We felt the book was a wonderful read-aloud, but we weren't sure if it would be equally appreciated in the hands of a young reader. But -- regardless -- we all loved it.

We were equally enamored by our novel, Frankly in Love by David Yoon. We loved being in high school senior Frank Li's head as he tried to figure out his life. How could he be a good Korean son and a regular American kid at the same time? What does love really mean? How important was his best friend, 'Q', an African-American kid who was equally smart and nerdy? Which girl did he really love? -- very American 'Brit Means' or 'Joy Song', daughter of Korean family friends. What would be his future as a college student and a music designer? These and other questions made for many smaller stories in the total plot, which a few readers felt was a bit too long, but which was enjoyable reading, full of fun metaphors and humor, and provided a surprise ending. We liked how the story dealt with family relationships, work, racism, friendship, school, a mirror into the life of a Korean immigrant family, and how -- in life -- you never know what will happen because things keep changing. We felt that YA readers would love this book because of its accessibility, realism, and humor.

BEFORE THE EVER AFTER by Jacqueline Woodson and ANTIRACIST BABY by Ibram X Kendi

We were unanimous in our love of our novel, Before the Ever After told in short verse pieces by Jacqueline Woodson. We loved the voice of ZJ, a 12-year-old youngster whose dad, Zachariah 44, a famous professional football player, is deteriorating before his very eyes -- probably due to the many concussions he has experienced throughout his career...now known as CTE. We learned from the author's end note that in 2000,when this story takes place, little was known about this condition...fortunately, now that has changed. Everything about ZJ and his descriptions of his life felt real: his relationships with his mom and dad, the importance of music between ZJ & his dad, the love and friendship provided by "his boys" -- four guys who each brought specific skills and behaviors and support and fun and joy to him, his questioning and distrust of doctors, and his awareness of how things were changing almost from moment to moment and the feelings all of this created in his mind and heart. A couple of readers felt that it was "individual pieces," -- i.e.,1 or 2-page poems that could stand alone, and not really a story; but others felt that wasn't really an issue. We felt there was a strong connection between the situations ZJ described and the issues he was attempting to handle. We felt it would be very accessible to young readers, both because of the format, and the real voice of ZJ. One reader said it was, "breathtakingly beautifully written," and we all agreed. 

Our picture book for our February meeting was Antiracist Baby by Ibram X Kendi. Our first remark was "this is a book for adults, not young children."  We felt it was didactic; the language -- especially for an obvious read-aloud -- used vocabulary way beyond what even a brilliant young child might know; it wasn't a very smooth read. We couldn't imagine a young child being very engaged by listening to this non-story. Some of us liked the illustrations better than others, and there were a few illustrations that we felt might be useful in iliciting responses and beginning discussions with children. We also felt that many of the suggestions in the 'back matter' could also be helpful. We agreed that a well-told story that would hit kids emotionally could do far more in creating positive attitudes about people who are in some way different. We were happy that authors are taking on this very important issue of helping children to become antiracist, but we all agreed that this book is not the one to accomplish it. We also agreed that people who "really need" this type of book are probably not going to ever pick it up.

DANCING HANDS: TERESA CARRENO PLAYED THE PIANO FOR PRESIDENT LINCOLN by Margarita Engle and RESTART by Gordon Korman

 We began our January discussion with our picture book, Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle (2019). Some of us thought this book was wonderful; and no-one actually disliked it. We all loved the colorful illustrations, and the way that they portrayed the mood of Teresa's story through the physicality and expressions of the characters and the depictions of the scenes. A couple of people were confused by the illustration of the Civil War soldiers, since it was difficult to recognize the difference between the Union and Confederate uniforms. Several of us also noticed the colorful little bird that appeared on many pages, and found it interesting when President Lincoln requested that 10-year-old Teresa play "Listen to the Mockingbird," even though she was miffed by the fact that the White House piano was out of tune, but we wondered why the bird wasn't on every page. Most of us liked the poetic language of the story, but one reader noted that there had been an abundance of similes, which she found somewhat jarring. We all liked the "Historical Note" that was actually shown on the back endpaper and we were all pleased to learn a story about a person about whom we had never heard, and felt that it would be a good story for young readers -- or -- as a read-aloud.

We all had positive things to say about our novel, Restart by Gordon Korman (2017), which tells the story of Chase, a 13-year-old boy suffering from amnesia after a bad fall, who was trying to figure out who he really was: the football-playing bully he had been before or the nice guy he was becoming now. We agreed that the writing, although not literally magnificent, was quite straightforward and accessible for young readers -- specifically middle-schoolers, the target age group. We felt that the story was plot-driven rather than character-drive, and we didn't really feel any true connection with any of the characters. But we did feel that it portrayed the angst and impulsivity of kids of that age as we read accounts by Chase's 'friends' and 'enemies' and learned of the events of his 'before' and 'after' lives. We all knew how it would end, and several of us felt that there were too many scenes to get through before arriving at the satisfying conclusion. We thought it would be a good kickoff for a discussion about bullying and the "nature vs. nurture" issue: could one's behavior really change in a situation like this? One reader who had not heard of Korman before was now eager to read all of his books, and to introduce them to middle-school students...so that is a good thing!

BUNNY'S BOOK CLUB by Annie Silvestro and PRAIRIE LOTUS by Linda Sue Park

We began with our picture book, Bunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro. We all loved this book for the following reasons: 1) the poetic, flowing, clever, sometimes alliterative language; 2) the warm and loving illustrations which fit the story perfectly; 3) the fact that it was a perfect read-aloud; 4) the titles of the books that each animal chose to check out from the library; and 5) because anything that encourages young children to become readers is a good thing. That pretty much says it all.

For our novel, Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park, we basically all liked it, with a few caveats. Some readers felt that this re-imagining of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder was a bit didactic, as the author tried to 'right some of the wrongs' from the historical series. A couple of readers felt that the language was a bit too sophisticated for the protagonist, Hanna, a bi-racial Korean-American 14-year-old girl who had migrated from Los Angeles in 1888 to the Dakota Territory with her white father after her Korean mother had been killed in the Chinese Massacre of 1871. We loved the stress on the importance of school and reading, and the many mentions of the wisdom Hanna remembered from her deceased mom. We liked Hanna's bravery, her growth as she found her own voice, and learned to deal with bullying, racism, communicating with her dad, and the work it would take to reach her own goal of becoming a dress designer and seamstress for the town in which she lived. We also liked the role of the teacher, who, though seemingly nonjudgmental, ultimately acted in ways that were very helpful to Hanna's endeavors. One reader was enchanted by the title, but then became disappointed that was an "issue book." Some felt that Hanna's 'inner voice' was great, and really felt for her, while others were not moved by Hanna's voice at all and felt that it didn't really come from her heart. A couple of readers thought there were too many scenes that could have been more fully developed. We all liked the Author's Note at the end, where Park explained why she undertook the writing of this story, as well as all of the first-hand research she had done related to Native tribes, their language and culture, and Asian-Americans who settled on the Prairie in the late 1800s. We thought it was an important book, and look forward to a Native American writer perhaps creating another version of this time and place in history.