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[raybeansbooks]

Iron Widow

Iron Widow - Diverse Characters By Xiran Jay Zhao Published 2021 by Penguin Teen

In a sci-fi retelling of China’s only female emperor, author Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow. According to the author’s site in description of the book, “The series follows an 18-year-old re-imagining of her as she avenges her sister’s murder by an intensely patriarchal military system that pairs boys and girls up to pilot giant magical mecha…” using chi and the spiritually system of yin and yang, “in which boy pilots are treated like celebrities, while girl pilots must serve as their concubines” (2020).

This has been a stellar hit for YA and Adult audiences alike with Asian/ Chinese identity and culture representation throughout as well as the main character having a disability- needing to use a wheelchair when not in her mech or for longer periods of time-, there being sci-fi elements like mechs and otherworldly creatures, and- the real star- an actual polyamorous relationship. The three members involved in this relationship aren’t fighting in a love triangle but sharing immense compassion and love for one another with the bond only strengthening as the story progresses. We are definitely going to see all of this again in the second installment titled Heavenly Tyrant.

Author Xiran Jay Zhao is masterful in her character development as well as world building in this science fiction best selling gem. It’s rare to see someone with this much strength in creation paying attention to eastern storytelling- as opposed to omnipresent western themes- and doing so in a way that feels very human in a universe so much different from our own. 

Not only is her book powerful, but so is the author. Zhao, whether sporting her iconic cow-onesie or an incredibly gorgeous hairstyle and garb, she speaks up for what she believes in and stays true to herself while uplifting her community of writers and readers. You can find her active on a number of social media platforms but she gets a lot of traction on tiktok for her informative news on her and wider spread literary events.

I think this piece, and materials like it hold an amazing place in literature and of course on library shelves. Like author Elizabeth Lim who also writes in fantastical Chinese spaces, Zhao helps bridge the gap for older YA readers into adult fiction. The power of someone able to write for this transitional space shouldn’t be ignored- since this area is so often. People in this stage deserve as much representation as any other reading group and- as previously ranted upon by me in writing, life, and probably in this blog- adult representation doesn’t hold a candle that in YA materials. I am amazed at the diversity in this area of media and that it continues to grow exponentially year after year- take note adult materials publishers and buyers. 

As I said, this book couple holds an awesome presence in a display or place celebrating Chinese culture, Chinese writers, and even just the transitional space of older aged or higher level themed YA materials. I look forward to the next installment of this series which I believe is going to be a trilogy and I encourage you to check it out and engage with the author. She has a lot to give readers.

- Ray 12/16/2023

Xiran Jay Zhao. (n.d.). https://xiranjayzhao.com/ 

P.S. After you read Iron Widow, please check out and appreciate the fan art and memes on the author’s website- blessed https://xiranjayzhao.com/

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Checking Out Instagram as a New User

This past week I had created a new account on the social media app Instagram to see how the algorithm would bend with my engagement of posts and users. When I started, I followed a couple profiles from some categories I determined: following two bands/ musicians I like, a couple artists, a couple authors, a couple political figures, a couple actors, and a couple famous cats because, well, it’s icon of the period I joined the internet as a teen and I’m going to stick beside those furry little dudes.

When I first started using the app maybe a decade ago, I remember the feed being mostly whomever you followed with occasional sponsored or recommended posts. With how much the app and technology has changed over the years, the content I have specifically followed versus not has changed significantly; I now have my feed flooded with ads, sponsors, and recommendations like videos and posts from others related to whom I follow but it didn’t take long to lose my specific follows in the fog. While I can understand how something can get buried if the user I am following doesn’t post frequently enough, it was interesting to see what did show up- sometimes fan-edits or reposts from fan accounts recycling content to make sure my Hozier quota was met but slowly things got more wide in content that the art and music and books were part of the background. I intentionally had to put forth some effort to make sure I was continuing to see my interests. However, this shifted again and incredibly in a way I am thankful for as I went.

Due to my interest in world events and especially what is happening in Gaza, Congo, and Sudan, I have been following and engaging with sharing information from content creators who have done the work to research and inform as well as people who are in the areas of these disastrous events. As a Librarian in a Library space and representing the Library, I unfortunately understand that these are things in my position I have to stay neutral on professionally. To make up for it, my personal engagement is quite high. Now when I refresh or log onto the app, I am seeing information from Turned-Due-To-Events Press Creators and well informed content creators very frequently. I am following a number of individuals whom I am learning and sharing information with daily and am okay with my personal follows from joining the app have fallen back a little as a result.

I am still not entirely knowledgeable of the way social media ebbs and flows as someone who engages mainly through content sharing rather than creation but it’s not hard to see that the content you are given is tailored to who and what you interact with and how. Some engagements are more influential than others. On another note, I don’t know why I am surprised by the negative backlash and comments I see on the internet and social media over simple human rights. It’s something I struggle to grasp. I just don’t get it why people feel they have to make themselves feel bigger or whatever by throwing slurs around or what someone gains from wishing death upon innocents. I know there are aspects of this behavior some are raised with and taught and learned but, I’m not sure… It’s just heartbreaking.

While I still see my silly little cats and some amazing art and music, I am also learning about the world around me and sharing that information and that feels pretty good too. Though like most, I wish I could always do more.

If you are interested in engaging with content regarding Gaza, Congo, and Sudan I recommend the following creators- be aware there is triggering and sensitive content being reported on by these creators:

@ wizard_bisan1 on Instagram and TikTok 

@ motaz_azaiza on Instagram

@ simplysimone on TikTok (note: not who this is linking to on Tumblr)

@ alluringskullworld on TikTok

@ crutches_and_spice on Instagram and TikTok

@ sincerelyawa on TikTok ( Be sure to check out accounts/ creators/ people they discuss and share with you)

Please note that it is up to you to make your own effort in learning and engaging with content like this if there is something you believe in. Be wise in where you put your time and money. Take care of you and yours.

- Ray 12/10/2023

[raybeansbooks]

Turning Red

Turning Red - Movie 2022 - Disney, Pixar Studios 

(All Images Copyright Disney Pixar, 2022)

In 2022, the coming of age film Turning Red took the Internet by storm. In Toronto, Canada during the early 2000s, thirteen-year-old Mei Lee finds herself being torn between tradition and being her mother's perfect daughter and being herself wholeheartedly as she navigates the changes of adolescence. In addition to the stress on this over achiever, people pleasers’ plate is that when she gets too stressed or upset she turns into a giant red panda.

Director Domee Shi masterfully crafts a story interweaving Chinese traditional values and family, growing up in the early 2000s, navigating adolescence with your weird and lovable and supportive friends, and challenging what it means to finally be yourself. 

Granted this movie was released with a young teen protagonist, even as a person twice her age I related a lot to the everyday nature of her and her friends, the 2000s culture, and, to some extent, making my own path and learning more about me and my needs- I figured this out further into college than as a newly teen but I’m sure Mei Lee still has plenty of growing to do.

I loved her friends, the way she geeked out over a boy band, the references, the colors and art direction, the movie, the tears I shed oh my gosh. Such a beautiful film and a great way to have diverse characters making a place for themselves in not just media but coming-of-age media. Showing us a range of Asian identities and skin tones and abilities and so much more. It’s hard to name and point out all the things that are so beautiful about this film but there are plenty of folks on the internet who could definitely lend a helping hand.

I have seen plenty of libraries host book and film discussions but nothing is more popular than providing snacks and a screen to experience the media together. I think this could be an excellent way to bring a community together physically but could also be used in a discussion and display of identity and growing up. 

While I am by no means a Disney Adult as the internet would call it, I am appreciative of what it’s partnership with Pixar has allowed such an incredible studio to continue to do, create everlasting, impactful pieces of film and media for viewers of all ages. Sure, the media may be marketed with younger people in mind but you are never too old or young to forge a connection with these characters we encounter- to see ourselves in them and/ or be inspired by them.

- Ray

12/09/2023

Character design. Pixar Animation Studios. (n.d.). https://www.pixar.com/turning-red

Turning red. Disney Movies. (2022, March 11). https://movies.disney.com/turning-red 

Turning red. Disney Movies. (2022, March 11).

[raybeansbooks]

Freerice

Freerice - Website Launched 2007

(Image Copyright Freerice and the United Nations World Food Programme)

Freerice, originally penned FreeRice, is a web-based application that allows users to participate in a myriad of categories, multiple choice quizzes whose correct answers translate to donations of rice to communities in need. For every question the user answers correctly at any category, at any difficulty level, results in 10 grains of rice donated via the United Nations World Food Programme. 

I remember first being introduced to this program when I was in high school in the early 2010s and there's a nice feeling about seeing a production like this still going along almost a couple decades after launch. Language arts teachers specifically at my school really enjoyed its use to help with vocabulary and as the only French student who didn't get into honors society for French I was pleased that it at least allowed my struggling foreign language student self pass. I also remember having competitions between myself and my classmates, especially my one friend in the class, to see who could earn the most grains of rice during our computer lab/ library time session. The website now seems to play to the strength of kind hearts and competitive teens in hosting events that challenge users to participate in gaining a goal grain count. It would be interesting given the global events happening currently between Gaza and Congo to see how organizations like Freerice respond in their Food Programme efforts.

Rather than this being an application used in frequency in a public library space when they would probably much rather indulge in Roblox, I could see this being something that we discuss in conversation with school teachers. Considering the range of categories a user of the site can quiz with, there could be a range of opportunities in the classroom and perhaps beyond given proper planning and initiative. 

FREERICE. Freerice. (n.d.). https://freerice.com/home 

[raybeansbooks]

Discord

Discord- Application Launched 2015

(Image Copyright Discord)

Discord, launched in May of 15, is an instant messaging application that also allows users to voice chat and even stream content to each other over distance in a- possibly- organized “Server.” When joining the application and creating your account, you are able to create a Server for whatever needs you have: managing a community space, keeping in contact with a spread out and busy friend group, working with coworkers or classmates on assignments or just creating a community, and so much more.

I originally joined Discord several, several years ago to keep in touch with the close friend group I had made early in college. Their friendship came at a low time in my life and they have filled it with so much safety, comfort, joy, and creativity allowing me to grow and express myself in ways more me every day. I adore them incredibly and can’t imagine having not had their companionship while earning my associates degree, nevermind the adult life and degrees to follow. However, as life has it, we have been separated. Most of them still sort of linger around where we attended community college while others live across the state, and- like me- out of state. While we do relish opportunities to play video games in person or go for drives or break into abandoned buildings in person- you have no proof- we are appreciative of applications like discord that allow us to casually check in and remind each other that we still love one another, that we are still friends, and that we will always have each other.

This is the first time I think- beyond this friend group- that I have actively joined a Discord server that focused on school. We tentatively discussed it during my senior year of my bachelors and that was quickly scrapped. While I still discuss school with my friend group, we chat and live with so much beyond that that we involve each other in. With this server created by a fellow URI MLIS classmate, we are focusing more on the theme of school, classes, and Library Materials with some discussion of connecting with a book club of some sort. I am excited to see how this goes.

Given the right direction, maturity, and responsibility, this might be a good way to keep students engaged with each other not just in college but perhaps even high school- if they are interested in and able to join a community space like this. AS with any other service or application, it is important to discuss what the application is and what the rules and regulations are regarding it and the group you are establishing there to stay safe. In a library setting, if there is someone on staff familiar with it or something similar, it couldn’t hurt to ask for technological advice or instruction in conversation or as a program option.

- Ray 12/09/2023

Your place to talk and hang out. Discord. (n.d.). https://discord.com/

[raybeansbooks]

Life is Strange: True Colors

Life is Strange: True Colors - Game Square Enix, Deck Nine 2021

(Image Copyright Square Enix)

A cold breeze blows through my cracked window as I curl up in bed with a blanket and my cat. I boot up my switch and start my game. The main protagonist flickers onto the screen before it goes black and the music kicks in. The theme song of Haven plays as developer names fade in and out on the screen; stringed instruments pull me in. The title card comes on as I look onto a scene of the town I will be occupying, as Alex Chen in Life is Strange: True Colors.

Life is Strange: True Colors and its add-on story ‘Wavelength’ are the most recent releases in the Life is Strange franchise developed by Deck Nine and released by Square Enix. In this entry to the series, you as the player take the role of Alex Chen, an Asian-American girl recently out of the Foster Care system and has the Supernatural Ability to read peoples’ emotions. Traveling to Haven Springs, Colorado, she finally reunites with her brother Gabe. He introduces her to the town and its people, a warm and welcoming environment to Alex as she starts her new life… but it isn’t long before things go sideways.

In a review written by ‘I Need Diverse Games’:

“ The Life is Strange franchise is a curious piece of work. It specifically engages with fascinating concepts, often ones confronting difficult themes that largely affects marginalised communities. From racism to child abuse, trauma to immigration, it is a franchise unafraid to deal with these themes as part of the games’ plot.”

Life is Strange games are more than just stories with super-powered teens navigating their abilities and identities as they figure out school and more adult aspects of their lives. We are focusing on the dark twists and turns of the everyday and real villains that walk among us. We are focusing on the memorable people that fill our lives as active or passive participants in our journey and development. 

While I owe my interest to this franchise and my pursuit of Photography as an art- yes, a video game affected me in a way I knew what major I wanted- this latest iteration is in a league all its own. We still have supernatural abilities as an element in our story but it doesn’t drive the direction of the plot as much as it did in the past- time travel or trigger major events. We use it as a connection to analyze feelings and navigate expression and empathy. 

I love the worlds this franchise immerses me in. The background music is stunning, the characters are cringy but fun and interesting and deep, the events around these characters truly affect them, and we watch them grow and foster relationships and community. While I definitely have favorites in terms of characters and installments- with personal preference leaning toward the original release and this one, I love this universe as a whole and can see myself continuing to invest in it.

A series like this makes fantastic leaps between mediums in its exploration of its universe. We don’t just have video games, we have written work in the form of comics and novels, following the continued and expanded stories of the characters we have gotten to know over the years. I think this could be a stellar way to bridge media for readers and gamers alike in a library setting. We could have little displays of materials together that are the same franchise and allow for people to see the source material and the materials that have come from it. Of course, items will be allowed to be checked out through policies of the institution and there is plenty of overlap that there can be multiple franchises at once and/or things can be switched around if the materials are on hand.

Since the games don’t really have to be played in any particular order, I’d recommend this title regardless of your familiarity with Life is Strange. It’s an adventure game full of life and loss and connections. 

- Ray 12/09/2023 *All Images Copyright of Square Enix

Square enix. Life is Strange: True Colors. (n.d.). https://lifeisstrange.square-enix-games.com/en-us/games/life-is-strange-true-colors/

Tauriq. (2021, October 4). Life is strange: True colors review. I Need Diverse Games. https://ineeddiversegames.org/2021/10/07/life-is-strange-true-colors-review/

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Interview with YA Librarian: Jak Miller

For my Librarian Interview, I met with the Young Adult Services Librarian at Hopkinton Public Library in Hopkinton, MA. What we scheduled to take twenty minutes actually took nearly an hour as we connected and fed off of each other. We first started a little formal about resources formally and informally she uses to build and hone her collection and what she uses to make sure she is curating YA needs in the community as well as the larger network.

Jak explained something quite interesting to me: that she regularly compares her department to five other demographically similar towns in MA, Southern NH, and RI- sharing commonality in size, budget, collection, and community aspects. She continued to explain that in curating the collection that works best for the community she serves in a way that fosters recreational reading and a lifelong love of reading and library spaces. I asked her to expand upon this and she explained that recreational reading drops off a lot in middle school so she spends a fair amount of time connecting with the local schools to bridge gaps and lift each other up.

Jak said that there are actually a lot of technology savvy teens these days, especially because of COVID, so we just need to remind them of what exists and how to get to it, they handle the rest. She explained that COVID didn’t help with the boundary issues that already existed in teens to begin with. Jak went on to say that it’s often Mean Girls in practice daily with cliques. We ask ourselves, how do we keep the peace between social groups? We can do this to the best of our abilities but teens are teens. This is the safest place where they can make mistakes and learn from them. Hopefully the extent of it is we tell them to take a lap and come back another day.

An incredible and passionate discussion we had was Jak’s thoughts on Managing Parent Expectations versus Teen Needs. There seems to be an awful awareness and balance between adult expectations and what teens need and are able to do. She explained the teen's parents like she has explained the teen's nonfiction presence: “excessively concerned with minor details or rules”; greater concern with morality and ethics over basic knowledge about something like safe sex or your menstruation and overall basic privacy and self-guidance. Jak has even expressed concern over the over-structuring to the point of mental breakdown over staying up late for homework and they still aren’t up to their parent’s standards. We are in a position where we try to help and make it easier for them best we can.

Quotes from Jak Miller:

“I may not relate directly to that person, but it makes my world bigger”

“They are not using literature to expand the world of their child, they are using it to keep it closed”

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Valiant Ladies

Valiant Ladies - Fiction – Historical Melissa Grey 2022 by Feiwel and Friends

Valiant Ladies, released in 2022, is a fantastic, historical fixture with queer women as our protagonists. Author Melissa Grey writes of Ana Lezama de Urinza and Eustaquia de Sonza and their latest adventure in their home of “Potosí, in the Spanish Empire's Viceroyalty of Peru” (Goodreads, 2022). On the night Ana’s, “Kiki’s”, engagement to the Viceroy's son is announced, her older brother and heir to the throne is murdered and his death is framed as suicide. Following his death, his beloved goes missing and girls start to show up dead in Potosí, all with mysterious symbols carved into them- same for Kiki’s brother. These two teenagers go forth on an epic adventure to investigate the corruption of their town and deliver justice for those who have been killed and wronged.

Melissa Grey leaves an author’s note in the back of the book giving word on the historical context and inspiration of her story. She states that while our two pain protagonists were real women drinking and swinging swords around in tailored mens’ clothes, her story is a work of fiction. Grey says, “I was tremendously inspired to write of two heroic girls falling in love and fighting the forces of evil” and though she has taken liberties in certain aspects of the characters there are truths to this story including “the death of Eustaquia’s older brother, … the bond shared by these two extraordinary women, and the significance of Potosí in the greater Spanish Empire” (Grey, 2022).

If you love a couple bad ass chicks who are smart and real and don’t have their whole story revolve around finding and falling in love, this is for you. While marked as a YA read for the age of the characters, they are closer to 17 and 18 so there is some more crude language and context clues that suggest more adult themes. However, I wouldn’t call it an adult novel or lewd by any means, it’s just a kick ass historical retelling with queerness and older teen audiences in mind- it’s important to highlight these pieces that bridge the YA and Adult sections of reading. These materials exist but due to marketing and special issues it isn’t always something that has attention. There are folks in the YA realm that deserve more adult stories as well as newer adults who deserve transitional spaces or the representation YA has that adult don't have in the range of the stories and identities that are represented. 

When I was reading this story, I really did love the focus on the relationship of the two main leads without the entire focus being romance; the pining was everything. I also had the opportunity to listen to the audio book through Libby (with my local library) while reading and having two women reading the alternating points of views of the main characters was icing on the already delicious cake.

- Ray 12/02/2023

Goodreads. (n.d.). Valiant ladies. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51591630-valiant-ladies?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=DIBJZmZji8&rank=1

Grey, M. (2023). Valiant ladies. Feiwel and Friends.

[raybeansbooks]

Virtual Book Discussion - Messy Roots by Laura Gao

This past week I had the opportunity to participate in a book discussion about Messy Roots by Laura Gao. It was wonderful to have an informative discussion with my classmates about the subject matter, the format, the art, and the impact a piece of literature like this can have on a community. We agreed that perhaps the best way to find enjoyment in the art of the author as well as keep engrossed in the story is to read the graphic novel physically; given there are a handful of movement tactics artistically and even two page spreads that deserve being seen in full view. We also discussed the use of color and saturation of it as well as the range of detail the author uses depending on the event occurring- usually more emphasis put in artistically to compliment the emotion and impact of the scene. We also discussed Gao’s references, storytelling, and themes, all of which seem to hold a feeling of timelessness- at least beyond the references- in finding connections between the storyteller and reader (it was just fun as someone only a few years younger than the author to recognize what she wawa making references to, like video games). We also discussed ways in which we could incorporate this into the library space at different levels and all seem to find agreement in its potential to have a great place in a number of spaces. After our discussion, I actually got invited to join a little book group with some classmates and joined a low pressure horror book club online. I have a lot of personal titles I want to get to and invest in but I like the idea of having a community I can return to for conversation on the same or like titles. I look forward to it.

- Ray 12/01/2023

[raybeansbooks]

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me - Fiction – Fantastic Jamison Shea 2023 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Published in 2023, Shea’s debut novel is horrific, fantastical, cutthroat, and stunning. Watching a Black Ballerina turned demonic villain is a treat as she figures out who she really is and who her allies truly are. Readers follow protagonic Laure Mesny as she pushes herself to be a perfectionist and invaluable in the world of ballet that continues to disregard and shrug her off. When given the opportunity to be the best, she doesn’t hesitate to take it and refuses to back down or go back. Laure’s villain origin story is fantastic and chilling, one can’t help but root for her when someone the world around her is just as demonic as she is.

It is excellent to see more horror and black authors in YA fantasy, like most genres regardless of audience being dominated by white voices- no matter how good the story is, this is refreshing, invigorating, and just as fantastic.

I am neck deep in the world that Shea has created and the magic within it and I cannot wait for book two that is scheduled to release next year. She is one of the better horror YA authors I have read and cannot wait to check out further releases from her as well as investigate the work of her peers and/lr recommended authors/ titles. 

There have been a lot of diverse voices this past year or so in this slice of YA fiction and it’s been exciting to see how amazing it has been for me as well as other readers who are really appreciating the stories. I think something like Shea’s title would be an excellent recommendation for someone who is a fan of the horror genre that wants to see a clever and powerful black girl protagonist. I think there could be a great display of black girl or POC girl power with this as one of the representing titles. There is also discussion of the expectations and stereotypes of race and class addressed in this book that could be discussion points and warrant inclusion of this title in other settings. 

I recommend this book highly and if you are a fan yourself or not sure how interested you are, I recommend checking it out on websites like goodreads to read the comments and discussions people are having about it along with recommendations of other titles. 

“From debut author Jamison Shea comes I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me, a slow-burn horror that lifts a veil on the institutions that profit on exclusion and the toll of giving everything to a world that will never love you back.” -Goodreads, 2023

Goodreads. (n.d.). I feed her to the beast and the beast is me. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75283912-i-feed-her-to-the-beast-and-the-beast-is-me

Shea, J. (2023). I feed her to the beast and the beast is me. Henry Holt Company.

[raybeansbooks]

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American - Graphic Novel (Nonfiction, Memoir) Laura Gao Published 2022 by Balzer + Bray

Laura Gao, Chinese-American comics artist, published her first large scale project Messy Roots in March of 2022. In Gao’s memoir, she illustrates expressively and colorfully a coming of age story about figuring out her identity and sense of self- from being Chinese-American, to being an artist, to being interested in girls. Gao is original in her storytelling, humorous, heartfelt, serious, reflective, and thoughtful in her storytelling between her past and present, between her family’s ancestral home in Wuhan, China to their new home in America. 

Many reader’s of Gao’s work discuss the importance and complexity of discussing identity in the way that she does. She tackles the life of a young girl bridging the cultural and language gaps by translation papers for her parents and overworking herself to overachieve in her school work and activities. Gao struggles with the identity of someone who is Chinese-American but doesn’t quite fit in with either crowd in a way that feels right. She is expressive in her frustrations as well as when she starts to overcome hurdles she is vibrant in her celebrations. Personally, I adore how Gao seamlessly works back and forth between complex emotions as well as the past and present in her storytelling. I love recognizing popculture references in her work as someone not too off in age. I am entangled in her range of detail and color and motion and emotion in her illustrations- her two page spreads stunning. This is something I wish that I could experience rereading again and again. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming.

I think a piece like this not only holds a special place in an individual’s heart but in that of a community at large. There are plenty of folks in your community who can probably find connection and reflection in a piece like this and that’s so very important. This could definitely be presented in a display setting along with other titles in regards to themes like: Asian Identity, Asian Heritage, Immigration, Asian-American Identity, Non-White Queerness, graphic memoirs, memoirs, etc. This could also be a fantastic addition to comic book clubs for reading and discussion.

There’s just something about this comic… makes me think about Almost American Girl by Robin Ha and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. There’s magic in these women’s words and I cannot wait to read more.

Ray

(11/26/2023)

Gao, L. (2022). Messy roots: A graphic memoir of a Wuhanese-american. Harpercollins Childrens Books. 

Goodreads. (n.d.). Messy roots: A graphic memoir of a Wuhanese American. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55867756-messy-roots?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=DznrEIHW9a&rank=4

Messy roots. Laura Gao. (n.d.). https://www.lauragao.com/messyroots (Images used from Gao’s website; all rights reserved).

[raybeansbooks]

The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition

The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition - Informational (nonfiction) Anne Frank, Otto H. Frank (Editor), Mirjam Pressler (Editor) This Edition Published 1995 by DoubleDay

This uncut edition of the diary of Anne Frank was put together in hopes of showing readers of all ages what this young writer, freedom fighter, and tremendous soul went through during her time before and while in hiding during the reign and terror of Hitler in World War 2. While most readers know the jist of the story and what happened to Anne Frank in the end, we do not have as much of an idea of how human and real she was with previous edits of her diary. This edition contains everything she initially wrote including notes she added after entries when she learned of interest for accounts to be published after the war.

In this non-fiction novel, through the entries of Anne’s diary in the form of letter to someone named “Kitty,” we join her as we learn about her getting her diary, going into hiding, schooling, family troubles, growing up in the time period she did, the people she knew, and get to feel the heartbreak as her entries cease and the editor takes over and finishes the story for us. We followed along through the daily life of hers and learned of her aspirations, liberating thoughts and ideas, and her interest in the world beyond as well as her fears. We know her story was cut short but it still hurts to see her own hand stop scrawling.

Parts of Anne Frank’s diary was cut by her father Otto with it’s initial release to the public, removing mentions of her having a difficult relationship with her mother especially but also her questions of puberty and her discussions of sexuality being open, curious, and fluid. Upon Otto’s death and with plenty of respectful cross referencing, these parts were restored and we see all of Anne’s thoughts uncensored. 

I can understand why there may be some communities or groups may be up in arms in their closed feelings regarding discussing things like sex and menstruation but these are important parts of Anne’s life and her humanity and what makes nonfiction and biographical/ autobiographical work so important and compelling- especially for young readers. The humanity. Someone isn’t straight just cause they imagine themselves kissing someone of the opposite sex. Someone’s period doesn’t stop because there is a war going on. Someone’s relationships with loved ones aren’t automatically mended but outside trauma or tragedies. We have always been shaped by the world around us and the knowledge we take in and Anne absorbed and gave so much.

Using a piece of literature like Anne Frank's diary helps make the reading experience of those usually more into fiction more engaged in the facts of nonfiction. The way writers like Anne present their work has the reader involved and enveloped in it. It’s written like fiction and we join in the story. 

As I mentioned, the humanity of works like this is incredibly important. It helps readers of all forms connect with the past and understand it. With a piece like this, we are given the humanity of those affected and the terrors of surviving daily. There is a line within nonfiction retellings of history, especially those that are tragic and traumatizing as this in that we don’t want to censor everything that could be triggering or upsetting but we also don’t want to retraumatize the next generation. I think with proper content warnings and narration, readers can learn and understand goings on and empathize appropriately.

Anne Frank’s story is a marvelous representation of biographical/ autobiographical work and has its place for tween/ teen readers. While we can honor and appreciate it any time, we can make special displays of it in remembrance of the Holocaust as well as highlighting young, own voices in nonfiction.

- Ray 11/23/2023

Frank, A., Frank, O., & Pressler, M. (1995). Diary of a young girl:the definitive edition. Doubleday. 

[raybeansbooks]

Eat, and Love Yourself

Eat, and Love Yourself - Graphic Novel – Contemporary Realistic Fiction Sweeney Boo Published 2020 by Boom! Box

Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo (2020) is a fantastic YA graphic novel that discusses the very real world of disordered eating. Boo has created a very digestible and understandable representation of this disorder and writes in a way that can be relatable and appreciated by a range of audiences, especially YA readers.

This 160pg graphic novel focuses on main character Mindy as she navigates womanhood and disordered eating in a realistic and familiar world with this connection is all too common. Throughout this short novel, we explore her ebb and flow of feelings and relationships as she tries to learn how to love herself again.

Tackling issues of mental health and disordered eating for a young adult audience, in my opinion, is very admirable and appreciated. Boo does an excellent job of showing us the range of feelings and tactics one goes through while struggling with things like these and is realistic with us that there isn’t just some cure all or perfect resolution- it’s an uphill battle that takes a lot of strength and resilience. 

My sister gifted this to me early in the COVID-19 pandemic and felt like an incredible welcome when my personal issues with mental health, eating, body image, identity, expression, depression, and anxiety shot all over the place. Boo writes her character with extreme character and realism, I related to her struggles immediately, my mental health and consequential behaviors having things like my weight fluctuate often and leaving my emotions to follow suit. The writing and illustrations are grounding and beautiful and a breath of fresh air. I can see myself reading this novel again soon.

At once of my jobs, we have a designated YA room with materials, displays, and space specifically for our YA patrons that need that. Over the past year, the YA Librarian has been working tirelessly and diligently in making sure that those who use this space and are in this community are seen, heard, and supported. We have even partnered with the High School and students there to build up representation in our displays. Over the summer, we worked with high school students to build a display featuring representations of eating disorders in teens and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t impact me. Every nuance of identity deserves a place in media, everyone deserves to be seen. I can definitely see this graphic joining a display such as this in the library it calls home. Body appreciation and acceptance as well as positivity is important for a range of ages and identities; especially with media pushing specific ways to be in various forms 24/7. I think this could also be a great addition to representative and/or simply annual graphic novel book clubs/ reading groups.

(c. Sweeney Boo, 2020)

- Ray 

11/18/2023

Boo, S. (n.d.). Eat, and Love yourself. Sweeney Boo. https://www.sweeneyboo.com/eat-and-love-yourself 

Goodreads. (n.d.). Eat, and Love yourself. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51252946-eat-and-love-yourself?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=vwsBKGx9FB&rank=1 

[raybeansbooks]

We Deserve Monuments

We Deserve Monuments - Fiction – Contemporary Realistic Jas Hammonds Published 2022 by Roaring Brook Press

Jas Hammond’s debut novel We Deserve Monuments is a young adult, queer contemporary novel that finds itself on the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards nomination for best YA Fiction.

Readers follow Avery Anderson as her life in DC is uprooted her senior year of high school to move with her family to take care of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. Avery is desperate to learn the shared past of her mother and Mama Letty while also learning about who she really is in this new place with her new friends. As Avery grows closer with her Mama Letty and her new friends Jade and Simone, she uncovers the mysteries behind her family as well as the racist history of Bardell, Georgia- expanding her expression of queerness and finding romance along the way. What will she uncover about her Mama Letty and the town throughout this romantic, slow-burn mystery?

This book takes an excellent look at the impact of generational racism and trauma, the effects it has on individuals as well as the community as a whole. We also get to see a teenager come to terms with toxic past relationships and foster newer and better ones that allow her to fully realize herself. 

With a piece like this and similar readings, I think there could be validating recognition of a range of readers in the experiences present in these pages as well as host larger conversations in relation to the aforementioned: generational racism, generational trauma, identity and queerness. 

We Deserve Monuments could count itself as a member of a number of displays regarding mixed race protagonic representation, queer representation, black representation, and perhaps more focused possibilities. There is possibly for a piece like this to be present in a range of representational experience and discussion; passively or actively. 

I look forward to future works from Jas Hammond and finding similar voices to read and support.

- Ray

11/18/2023

Goodreads. (n.d.). We deserve monuments. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58484187-we-deserve-monuments 

Zamora, K., Brown, A., & Summers, J. (2023, February 2). Encore: Author Jas Hammond on their book, “we deserve monuments.” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/02/02/1153936550/encore-author-jas-hammond-on-their-book-we-deserve-monuments

[raybeansbooks]

Finding Baba Yaga

Finding Baba Yaga: A Short Novel in Verse - Book in Verse Jane Yolen Published 2018 by Tordotcom

Released in 2018, Finding Baba Yaga: A Short Novel in Verse focuses on a young girl and her time with the Russian Fairy Tale Witch Baga Yaga; who is known to fly around in a mortar, lives in a home that walks around on chicken feet, and has a nose and teeth made of iron. Her being is ageless, both feared and revered in tales.

This tale focuses on a young girl named Natasha, who runs away from home; away from her controlling and harsh father, away from her dormant mother who doesn’t do anything to help. After a week of traveling on her own, Natasha discovers the home of the fairy tale witch Baga Yaga. Under her roof and tutelage, she learns how to take care of and speak up for herself.

This poetic retelling of Baga Yaga speaks to the audience it is written for… it speaks to teenagers with tough familiar relationships learning to express themselves and speak up for themselves and what they believe. We are not encouraging readers to run away and move in with the first old crone that doesn’t eat them but we are offering a chance at discovering one’s own power and encouraging others to find their own.

Jane Yolen’s novel is an excellent, poetic piece of literature within the category of poetry and novel-in-verse. Within an educational setting, this could be a great way to connect discussions on fantasy figures in culture(s) and the stories they hold and lessons they tell as well as a wider conversation on what poetry can be and is. Poetry can be a difficult unit for young writers and readers, learning how to pace and express themselves and interpret others. A novel in verse like this feels like an insightful in between for understanding. Like I mentioned, there could be a crossroads of poetry and folk tale discussion we could reach with a novel-in-verse/ piece of literature like this and it could hold a great place in understanding these genres/ subjects as well as hold a place in educating in a place or program like a workshop or classroom unit.

When I was in school, poetry was a very dividing time for me and other students. We might have been okay writing Hikus in elementary school or memorizing a poem or two in middle or high school… however, it was when we had to start writing our own pieces that things got intimidating and scary, for lack of a better term, and participating without choice in Poetry Out Loud was quite a draining experience. While I can understand where teachers are coming from in hosting these lessons, I wish we had more ebb and flow in regards to what we could do in this unit and how we could do it. Maybe we would have felt more able and willing to open up and express ourselves in this medium if we understood it more. Maybe if we mixed contemporary works into the mix things wouldn’t have been as intimidating and perhaps more personal and fun. Who knows? I do know I discovered my favorite poem to date in this chaos but also lost personal ability to invest in it though I am lucky enough to still recognize appreciation. In the end, I understand we don’t have to like every unit or lesson, that’s totally fine and valid. 

- Ray

11/12/2023

Goodreads. (n.d.). Finding Baba Yaga: A short novel in verse. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39680799-finding-baba-yaga?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_12 

Yolen, J. (2018). Finding Baba Yaga: A short novel in verse. Tor USA.

[raybeansbooks]

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Historical Fiction (Listening to Audio Book) Mildred D. Taylor Originally Published 1967 by Scholastic Inc.

Author Mildred D. Taylor released the historical fiction middle grade book Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry in 1976 and it continues to enrich young readers to this day. I read it initially when I was in middle school over a decade ago and, like many other books I read growing up, I felt I should revisit it and find appreciation for such a stunning book that I didn’t fully recognize when I was younger. 

This Newbery Medal winning novel takes place in a country adjusting to the new United States after the civil war, racial tensions still high and potent in the south. We focus on the Logan family and follow along specifically with the daughter Cassie as we witness life and happenings surrounding her family and community over a very turbulent year. We see how the school district treats her and other black students with no buses and poor conditions books passed down until they “weren’t good enough” for white children anymore. We watch as Cassie and her siblings deal with troublesome children in the community as well as adults. We see how far a community will go to get “justice” on a black person who has done them wrong. 

In a way, this reminds me a little of Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises. As his title suggests, and how I find some connection between the two, is that they highlight the going ons of everyday life for a time, place, and people. That this is just how life is in this moment, even if unfair and unrewarding as a reader or someone looking for a just and satisfactory ending to their story. Sometimes, that isn’t how it is.

As this novel was introduced to me as a reading in middle school, I can find myself keeping it somewhere between YA and JUV categories in a collection. This transitional period can be hard to place for people and reading materials so perhaps I would work a “middle” category into my catalog and collection to mark transitional pieces for young readers. There are some difficult matters and language addressed in it that make me hesitant for a children’s collection even if put in a higher reading level area so maybe a YA or Middle grade space with proper labeling.

For me, someone reading this in the wake of the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, it feels very potent and disturbing that these feelings and actions towards people of color persist to this day; how people are being brought up and raised in a way to perpetuate an unjust hatred. Considering I have seen this on banned books lists, the prejudice doesn’t surprise me but disappoints me; the company it shares in these thoughts is revealing.

Speaking of Banned Books, I could definitely see Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry joining a display of banned materials recorded by the ALA. In a library that I currently work at, a number of the front line books on this display also come with interests in the form of book marks educating readers on why this material has been contested and recognizing the general history of it and its author. I can see Taylor’s novel taking up valuable space with other stunning and notable works in a Banned Books Display. Let’s also not forget when we highlight pride and appreciation of communities, we could also use it as representation for Black History month in February and recommend it as a quick read considering the page count.

I remember having no complaints about this book in Middle school and I definitely don’t now. It is a beautiful book, though sad. I recommend readers take their time with this one considering what happens to the Logan family and their community, especially in the novel’s conclusion. Be well. 

- Ray

11/10/2023

Anonymous. (2020, February 20). Banned & Challenged books. Advocacy, Legislation & Issues. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks

Taylor, M. D. (2004). Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry. Puffin

Books.Taylor, M. D. (n.d.). Roll of thunder, hear my cry (Logans, #4). Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/310459.Roll_of_Thunder_Hear_My_Cry

[raybeansbooks]

Squire - Graphic Novel By Sarah Alfageeh, Nadia Shammas Published 2022 by Quill Tree Books

This stunning graphic novel by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas follows a young girl named Aiza who finally gets the opportunity to follow her dreams and join the military to become a Squire- and then Knight.

Along the way, we as the reader learn that there is heavy tension between races within the Bayt-Sajji Empire; especially towards the Ornu people which Aiza is a part of. In joining the military, she covers up her Ornu distinctive tattoos and faces challenges of new friendships, rivalries, and training- and racial tensions- under the intense General Hende.

As Aiza works harder and harder to prove herself to the empire and General Hende, she soon learns to question and defy the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises- realizing just how exclusionary and damning it is upon the Ornu people like her. She takes action to protect her friends and right her wrongs in attempting to change her course and that of the empire. She risks losing her friends and self along the way. 

Will her friends join her in her revolt? Will other members of the military join? Will she make a difference in the way people see her once her identity is revealed?

Take a look at this wonderful, young adult, historical fiction, graphic novel and follow along with themes of fantasy and adventure that hold discussions and conflicts very real in our own world.

Quote: “There is no justice in joining them, but there is no justice in simply waiting on the side either.” 

Finding, reading, and enjoying a work from a writer of Palestinian -and another of Jordanian- descent just felt right this week and this time given what is happening in our world now. There is so much we can do every day to show our support and make our voices heard and simple ways include boycotting businesses that support heinous behavior and reading from the voices that need to be heard.

I understand that as a librarian and working in a library, we are supposed to pose and present as unbiased in our presentation of information to the public so personally I have been gravitating towards non-fiction information and the accessible world of YA fiction. This was an excellent way, I think, to hold conversations about racism, prejudice, and war while also having a greatly presented story in graphic novel form. These are difficult but necessary topics to be held in conversation, especially today. The more forms these can take, the better; educating audiences of all ages and interests. People should get involved in learning and putting their voices out there. Like I said, a great way to do that is simple, honest boycotting and, of course, reading.

Beyond that, this is a well written and visually stunning piece. A lot of effort went into the presentation of these characters and this story and you can tell page to page as well as how Alfageeh and Shammas talk about their work- where it has come from and how it has grown into the book we get to hold.

This book was found in my local library in the YA section; it is also available digitally. I was able to read it in a couple days between shifts and classes and it was lovely just to get sucked in and follow along.

As a YA Librarian, I would use this text as a discussion piece about war and its impact on those targeted racially/ by the overwhelming power. It could sit in a display discussing war as a whole or highlighting veterans/ military personnel perhaps.

-Ray 11/04/2023

Alfageeh, S., & Shammas, N. (2022). Squire. Quill Tree Books, HarperAlley, imprints of HarperCollinsPublishers.