wombat.jpg

Kids books

“Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A (Not So) Serious Guide,” by Abi CushmanOh wombats! Ever since reading Jackie French’s picture book “Diary of a Wombat,” this reviewer has been enchanted by the marsupials. Abi Cushman has written an irreverent yet very informative nonfiction book about these Australian critters. Are you ready for some interesting facts? I know you are! Wombats have cube-shaped dry poop! One wombat may drop up to 100 cubes in a day. Am I hearing you say, “Please, tell me more?” Well, their bottoms are armored with a layer of cartilage similar to human’s nose and ears! When challenged by a predator, wombats go to their burrows and block the entrance with their rugged bums. There is so much more in this delightful book that is suitable for all human joeys.

“You Are Here: Connecting Flights,” various authorsTwelve of the most respected Asian-American children’s literature authors have combined their talents and created a powerful short story collection. Traveling by plane is not easy these days and, when a thunderstorm hits the Chicago International Airport, delays and cancellations start stacking just like the storm clouds. Stuck at the airport, 12 Asian-American children with different destinations, backgrounds and reasons for traveling, find their lives intersecting. Many of these moving stories are about the children confronted with racism and microaggressions just because of the way they look. All of these poignant stories are about the children finding their voices and a sense of self and family in the face of challenges. This impactful book is for children in upper elementary, middle school and their parents to read and talk about together.

Teen books

“¡Ay Mija!”

by Christine Suggs

“¡Ay Mija!” is a graphic novel inspired by author Christine Suggs’ experience growing up as a queer, Latinx kid in Texas. In ¡Ay Mija!, we meet Christine who’s 16 and about to embark on their first solo trip to México to visit their grandparents and tía. For many teens, a solo trip sounds exciting, but as an English-speaking, biracial kid with a white American father and an immigrant Mexican mother, such a trip can feel isolating and frustrating. Christine is also figuring out who they are and coming to terms with their body, gender and sexuality. “¡Ay Mija!” is a complex story and product of colonization, made accessible and light through comical situations, universal themes, a healthy dose of pan dulce. The illustrations of contrasting yet complementing hues of blue and orange, capture the collision and harmony of Christine’s worlds. While fully understanding and accepting one’s family and identities is an ongoing process often filled with pain and discomfort, ¡Ay Mija! shows us that finding your place in the world is also a journey filled with wonder and joy.

“Sin Filtro y Otras Mentiras,”

por Crystal Maldonado

En “Sin Filtro y Otras Mentiras,” Kat Sánchez vive una doble vida. A 17, la introvertida y sarcástica, Kat está cansada de su vida aburrida y mundana. En la vida real, ella vive en Bakersfield, California, una ciudad pequeña y monótona, el año escolar va de pique, le va mal en el amor, y quiere más de lo que sus abuelos y amigas le pueden ofrecer. En línea, Kat es otra persona tras abrir una cuenta falsa de Instagram, bajo el alias de Max Monroe, usando fotos que robó de su compañera de trabajo, Becca. Max Monroe es todo lo que Kat quiere ser pero no es. Max es blanca, delgada, y “bonita” de acuerdo a las normas sociales racistas y gordofóbicas. En Instagram ella es una chica popular de veintiún años que vive en Los Ángeles, es amiga de influencers, ofrece consejos a sus seguidores, y su vida está repleta de aventuras. Todo es perfecto…hasta que un día Becca se entera y la vida perfecta en línea de Kat, se empieza a derrumbar. Kat no encuentra cómo salir del lío en el que se ha metido. Dificultando la situación aún más, es que Kat está procesando sus sentimientos románticos hacia una chica en Instagram, llamada Elena. El problema es que Elena, es amiga de Max Monroe, la identidad falsa de Kat. Sin Filtro y Otras Mentiras nos presenta las maneras en las cuales los retos de la adolescencia son exacerbados por el conflicto familiar, el racismo, las normas sociales injustas, y las redes sociales. (“No Filter and Other Lies” is also available in English.)

Adult books

“The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches,”

by Sangu Mandanna

Mika Moon lives a solitary life in Britain who must hide her magic and stay away from other witches so they don’t draw attention when their powers mingle. Through the online account where she “pretends” to be a witch, she is asked to come to a remote location to teach three young witches to control their magic. The adults of the house are protective of their charges, but Mika endears herself to the misfit family. Has she finally found a place to call home?

“The House in the Cerulean Sea,”

by TJ Klune

Linus Baker lives a solitary life working as a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. For 17 years he has been over-seeing the well-being of children in government orphanages. Suddenly he is sent to a remote orphanage to review and report on both the caretakers and the six dangerous children under their charge. What he finds is both curious and surprising. This is a story of inclusion, acceptance and finding one’s place in the world.