What Do I Read Next?: Williams Garcia & Smith

Last week some of you asked for reading suggestions on bullying. Here's a short list of what we recommend. Tell us about your experience with bullies or how you've talked to students and your children about bullying. Please add your recommendations.


Doret:
Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones. Patrice Williams is the new girl at her Chicago middle school. Patrice is teased by everyone at school because she has a lot of hair. Everyone calls her Puffy. I think many girls will be able to relate to this opening passage:

"Just two more blocks," she whispered to herself as she stood waiting for the light. During the bitterly cold days of winter, the thirteen-year-old had gotten into the habit of counting the blocks until she was safe at home- safe from the freezing cold, wind safe from the nasty comments made by girls who had cut school and were always hanging out in front of the local drugstore, safe from the gang of boys who had all but quit school and who hung out in the broken down playground in front of her building.They all seemed to have something mean to say about her.

Reading this, I could almost feel Patrice's self-esteem slipping away. Having to race home with your head down is an awful feeling. The author focuses more on how the boys mistreat Patrice. Girls everywhere, who are still growing into their bodies must deal with boys who think it's their right to call the girls out of their name. Yet there aren't many YA books that deal with this topic. There is much to be discussed, learned and enjoyed from Standing Against the Wind. Traci L. Smith was awarded the John Steptoe Award for new talent for this book.

Susan:
Jumped by Rita Williams Garcia. I'm a Williams fan so I was very pleased when I got my hands on her latest work. After reading this, I was compelled to write a review. Warning, I was also long-winded in my examination about this work about girl on girl violence.
Rita Williams-Garcia’s latest book, Jumped is raw. I suppose I could be eloquent but the truth is, for me, raw best describes the tension and the fear I clung to the entire read. I wrote earlier on my blog that the story of three teens linked through a single event possesses all of the intensity of a “24” episode without cars and building exploding and Jack’s questionable tactics. A better analogy might be the movie “Cloverfield,” the intensity is ratcheted up because Jumped plays out like a movie shot with a single lens camera carried by an anonymous cameraman who records the events as they happen, unscripted and unedited. No commercials. No romantic scenes. No happy endings. See my review here.

Other titles we recommend:

Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos. Rico is a light-skinned Cuban who is bullied by Blacks and Latinos. Hijuelos won the Pulitzer Prize for Mambo Kings. This is his first Young adult novel.

The Absolute Diary of A Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. See Ari's review at Reading In Color.

The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake. This title is available for loan. Ms. Flake is hugely popular in our library. I love the cover and many readers identify with the MC. I really enjoy Ms. Flakes' style. I've read her before and this novel delivers an authentic voice and realistic scenarios. Meelaka Madison is a social outcast (she's very dark-skinned) who is desperate to fit in at her middle school. Read more here.

If A Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko.(Susan) This was my surprise read for the year. The focus is not bullying but the author does a fantastic job showing how kids will tolerate bullying just to fit in.








What books would you recommend to teachers and students on the topic of bullying and violence in schools? Does this list help? Have you read any of these?

What topics or themes would you like us to address next week?

Until next time, happy reading.

Renee Simms Guest blog: Black. Girl. Bookworm

I like books maybe too much. Having a modest income all of my life has saved me from full fledged, books-stacked-on–the-floor bibliophilia, but if I had Usher’s money, you better believe I’d own 10,000 books. (I just read that Usher owns 10,000 pairs of shoes!)

I used to be embarrassed that I loved books this much. I remember an employer who joked that instead of dating on the weekends, I was curled up with two novels and a cup of hot chocolate. He made this remark in front of two male coworkers and it made me feel like I was unfeminine and, well, a nerd. Let’s be honest, no one aspires to be a nerd, you just are one. And if there are no bookish role models in your community you grow up feeling like you’ve sprouted a foot in the middle of your forehead. My family wasn’t deep into books. My parents read newspapers and business magazines, and we subscribed to entertainment rags like Ebony and Jet, but I never stumbled across a “classic” in my house. The books in my house were cookbooks, books on astrology, Seventies’ titles like “The Bermuda Triangle.” I’ve always admired people who can say, “I found James Baldwin in my father’s library at ten and it changed my life forever.” That was not my experience.

Even though the books in my house weren’t literary, I read them. I also sat in my school library and read Judy Blume, Nancy Drew, the Peanuts anthology, Archie comic books. As a teen I liked V.C. Andrews and Stephen King. I consumed a lot of popular fiction as a kid because that was what was readily accessible to me. Every now and then, something more serious that we read in school, like Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” or Edgar Allen Poe, would resonate with me.

Since books were all I really liked, I became an English major in college. Soon though, I was frustrated that I was only reading work by white men. I’d been reading that all of my life. I wanted more world literature and literature by contemporary women. I wanted more than just early British fiction and poetry. Didn’t POC’s write books? Schools today provide courses that are multicultural and interdisciplinary, but back in the day, not so much. Determined to read more, I applied to my school’s independent concentration program and crafted a major that included classes in English literature but also in history, philosophy, political science, and “ethnic studies.” I got to read works that I would not have, works by Hegel, Karl Marx, Chinua Achebe, Ralph Ellison, Friedrich Nietzsche, Zora Neale Hurston, Hsun Tsu, Sigmund Freud, and Maxine Hong Kingston.

Despite my interest in literature, I never thought that I could write literature. I was never encouraged by a teacher to pursue writing. I was encouraged to teach. So what did I do? I went to law school, of course. I practiced for four years then quit to pursue a career in writing. People told me that I was crazy. I was 29 years old.

My story is not the narrative we often hear from writers; it’s not “I knew that I was a writer at six when I penned my first novel.” But I think that it’s a familiar story for women writers of color. Few of us find mentors early in our lives. Most of us fly under the radar and have to figure out that writing is what we do best. We have to believe in our talent because we’re rarely “discovered” or encouraged. We also have to believe that our experiences are the stuff of classic literature because the literary canon will give us reasons to be doubtful.

But the thing is this: books make great mentors. My mentors included Gwendolyn Brooks, Gayl Jones, Amiri Baraka, Ntozake Shange, and Toni Morrison. I feel like I’ve had whole conversations with these authors. Their work validated my existence and gave me courage to write my first words. Today, with blogs, our writing and reading communities are easy to reach. Because of this, I predict an explosion of POC literature in the future. The question is, How will you contribute? Will you tell your story?
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Renee Simms' writing can be found online at Our Stories Literary Journal, 42 Opus, Oregon Literary Review, and Pindeldyboz. Read Renee at her blog Writing In Real Life.

New Crayons: What's New On Our Shelves

Remember when you were a kid and getting new crayons was a big deal? Getting new books holds the same kind of magic for some of us big kids. Every week on Sunday, I post what's new in our box. I think crayons is a pretty cool metaphor for multicultural lit. Every week we receive a book is a good week.

Here's what's new on our shelves:

The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland. My daughter starts high school this year. This was on freshman's summer reading list. Looking forward to it. My daughter shrugged and was already talking about homecoming. But when 12-year-old Mariatu set out for a neighboring village, she never arrived. Heavily armed rebel soldiers, many no older than children themselves, attacked and tortured Mariatu. During this brutal act of senseless violence they cut off both her hands. Read full synopsis at Annick.


Ash by Malinda Lo. Thanks to Steph from Steph Su Reads. I could not get my hands on a copy. The unemployed cannot buy a book simply because she wants it. The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love. Read a full review at Frentic Reader.


Paula by Isabel Allende. Doing some shifting in our library. Pulled this from the shelf and brought it home. We have a few Allende titles. Let me know if you'd like to borrow this. In December 1991, Isabel Allende's daughter Paula, aged 26 fell gravely ill and sank into a coma. This book was written during the interminable hours the novelist spent in the corridors of the Madrid hospital, in her hotel room and beside Paula's bed during the summer and autumn of 1992. Fantastic Fiction.


Broken China by Lori Aurelia Williams. The writing is poetic and poignant in When Kambia Elaine Flew In From Neptune by this author. I am so impressed with her work, I got this based on my first book by her. It's available for loan as well. Her story centers on 14-year-old China Cup Cameron (named by a physician's assistant since, at the time, her teen mother 'could care less'), who herself became a mother at 12. But in the first chapter, China's two-year-old daughter dies, and she takes on an enormous debt to pay for an elaborate funeral service. See review at Powell's.

My Two Grannies byFloella Benjamin . This is on our wish list. Very happy to a new book about mixed-race familes. [A]ppealing story about a mixed-race family learning to accept different traditions and customs. Alvina has two grannies: Grannie Vero from Trinidad and Grannie Rose from England. When Alvina’s parents go on vacation, both grannies arrive to look after Alvina. But the two grannies have two very different ideas about what to eat, what to play, even what stories to tell. Rainbow Book Cooperative.

What did you get this week from the library, the bookstore or in the mail? Drop us a link. Happy reading.

The Sunday Salon: What We Read, Said & Wrote

It's amazing how quickly things can change. Some personal challenges are looming but that's why it's good to have family and friends and a life outside of work. Thanks to the upcoming Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I have had plenty to keep me busy. While we have certainly been having a good time here before, I confess knowing BBAW panelists are evaluating our blog has led to me completing projects I've had sitting on the back burner.

It's like having out-of-town guests. You pick up new towels and curtains for the guest room, straighten up the closets (you never know). Of course, I'm not talking simply cosmetic changes. I want to share what projects I've completed this week because I think they will enhance your enjoyment while here.

Look up. Check out the new tabs across the page. New additions include About Us. For all of you who didn't know our history, learn about our beginnings and our vision. Check out Book Loan. We've had this program for some time promoted at our discussion forum and always linked here but never actively promoted on our blog until now. I hope you'll take advantage of it. I want to share great literature with you. Our Contact tab tells you in one place how to email, send donations and tweet with us. There's more, check the sidebar for our new meu buttons: writers' links and features. Easily access specific areas on site and off. One button link in particular, Feature Legend. Find out what our regular features are so you can find the posts you're most interested in.

We are close to ending our August Color Me Brown Book Challenge. To date, we have more than 100 links. Amazing! This is what we can do. If you haven't check the sidebar daily for links to participants' reviews. And you see Color Online member reviews here, too. Every Tuesday, we will have a kidlet/YA review and on Wednesday, you'll find an adult book review. Thank you to all participants. In addition to CMB, there is CORA Diversity Roll Call that Ali at Worducopia and I co-host and Diversity Rocks! Challenge. Color up the blogosphere, people.


Very happy to share this week for COLA, we have Renee Ting from Shen's Books. Show her some love and do check out her latest feature, the "Multicultural Minute," a great vlog clip.

Full week as always. Three days left before our random drawing for posting to our Color Online quiz. Select the 'quizzes' tab and search for unanswered quizzes.
Deadline is August 31st.



Check out this week's reviews: Good Enough by Paula Yoo reviewed by Tari and Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri reviewed by Tina.

This week for "What Do I Read Next?" we looked at titles about friends. Thanks for your feedback and request. Monday, we'll talk about bullying.

Camile is her usual naughty self. Check out "Kryptonite for The Uber Mom."

For Poetry Friday, we revisit the debut collection Underlife by January O'Neil. You won't want to miss her selection, "The Ripe Time."

New Crayons is a favorite feature of mine. Any chance, any of you are going blog a New Crayon post, too?

I only finished one read this week, If A Tree Falls At Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko. This is my surprise read of the year. Fantastic!


Hope you have a great week a great read.

Color Online Quiz: Literature and Women Studies

Quiz #65
Answer the quiz and your name will be entered in a monthly drawing. Post your reply to the comment box. Must provide your email addy to be eligible to win. Cool prizes, check out our Prize Bucket.

Love them [crack-addicted and AIDS-infected babies.] Help one another, love one another.~Clara Hale


April 1, 1905-December 18, 1992
Philanthropist, social activist, child care worker.

Thanks Rhapsody. To read more go here. I used Prominent Women of the 20th Century. UXL. A Gale Imprint. I also use "I Dream A World," the calendar based on the photo essay work of Brian Lanker.

Read It Again: Poetry Friday With January O'Neil

Underlife
January Gill O'Neil
CavanKerry Publishing
2009

Underlife represents that gnawing wilderness of thought and emotion hidden away from the external world. The dynamics of race, family, motherhood, career, sex, and, ultimately, transformation are explored in this debut collection. Vivid and unflinchingly honest, O’Neil’s narratives are portals through which we see our lives as if for the first time. These poems make the ordinary extraordinary.

*I featured January earlier this month. This is from the same collection, new poem.

The Ripe Time

Each month she thinks her nipples
are becoming more tender,
areolas blooming into wild ginger.
Before her is a bed filled with ardor.

Pregnant, not pregnant,
she is the princess without the pea—
a ball stuck in the pinball machine
that tilts like clockwork.

After making love
they lie on their sides silvered with sweat.
She listens for the soft chirp of her own breathing:
it does not reveal why her body operates
like a failed business.

On this night
where marriage is the only safe place
she can go, her husband holds her,
tells her it’s just a matter of time.

But all she can think about
is this empty house they can’t afford
and the ripe tomatoes growing in backyard containers,
smooth-fleshed and heavy,
falling from their stems.

Originally appeared at Literary Mama.

January's debut poetry collection scheduled release is September 2009. Her work has appeared in numerous publications. A Cave Canem Fellow, January regularly participates in writers' groups, poetry festivals and readings. She blogs at Poet Mom and is a columnist for readwritepoem.

January is my peer, my friend, my confidant for our weekly Confession Tuesday. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do. Support poetry. Buy her collection. Poetry Friday is hosted this week by Kate Coombs at Book Aunt.

Another Faust: How Deep Is The Rabbit Hole?

Another Faust
Daniel and Dina Nayeri
Candlewick
2009
Reviewer: Tina

Nothing in life is free and in the Faust household, five teenagers are going to find out firsthand what happens when you sell your soul to get to the top…

Christian, Bice, Belle, Valentin & Victoria find themselves in a new city five years later, after their mysterious disappearances. They emerge with special “gifts” that could change the course of their lives forever…

Another Faust is a beautifully written tale where sinister deeds grab you by the collar and immerse you into the pages until you’re left wondering if the prospect of REDEMPTION could sound any better.

Another Faust provides great insight into what ultimately leads these characters to this particular point in time. The reader learns the characters motivations' and what they want out of life. The Dynamic Nayeri Duo cleverly recreate a great story that dares you to take a second look. The writing is intricately woven where all actions has consequences that ripple throughout the lives of the teens and this gives the manipulative and diabolical Madame Vileroy what she wants most.

I loved how the authors give us glimpses into past lives that were affected by the Faustian Bargain and how it ties in perfectly with the storyline. I was captivated by how deep the rabbit hole went and devoured every single page. I stayed up in the wee hours of the night to finish this book. To quote James Bryce, “The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.” Need I say more?

Can I say I loved to hate Victoria? Hate is such a strong word, so I’ll say I despised Victoria! She constantly had her hand in the cookie jar which is one of the reasons I kept turning the pages. I.Wanted.To.Know – NO – I.Had.To.Know. With sinister deeds running amok, could these characters truly be redeemed?

Well, I got my answer and I’m still scratching my head thinking, "Maybe? Or What if?"
Only Daniel and Dina can answer that question. Oh, where are my manners? You want to know what the question is? Well, Daniel and Dina have we seen the last of Madame Vileroy?
I look forward to reading more of Daniel's and Dina's Nayeri books!

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 Stars
See Tina's interview with the sister and brother duo at Fantastic Books

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I run a blog called Fantastic Book Review which is basically my outlet for my book obsession for both YA and adult novels. I have a special love for all things fantasy, paranormal, and supernatural. I love spreading the word on great books all around the world by featuring information and reviews on previous, new and upcoming novels and authors.

Calendar: Books, Art, Culture, Activism and Women

Community,
Often I get emails or tweets about events in the blogosphere or physical spaces. I receive dozen of event notices daily. It's impossible to create a blog for every single one. When I can, I'm going to post notices that are book, art, culture, activism or women related events to this thread. Check often. Please disregard the time stamp of this post instead look at each announcement. I'll try to be consistent with this format:
DATE
STATE
EVENT
DETAILS

Blogs have limited functionality. Check this thread by selecting the tab at the top of the page.

*********
DATE: September 4th
STATE: MI, Detroit. Don Bosco Hall Community Resource Center
EVENT:DEVELOPING K.I.D.S 2nd Family Ballroom Hustle Night
DETAILS:DEVELOPING K.I.D.S

**********************
DATE: September 4th
WEB: Blog Talk Radio
EVENT: Live Chat with poet, Jayne Cortez
DETAILS: Blood-Jet Writing Hour

***********
DATE: Saturday, October 17th
STATE: Washington D.C.
EVENT: The Annual Kidletosphere Conference
DETAILS: Conference details

Color Online Quiz: Literature and Women Studies

Quiz bonus quiz
Answer the quiz and your name will be entered in a monthly drawing. Post your reply to the comment box. Must provide your email addy to be eligible to win. Cool prizes, check out our Prize Bucket.

Read the world! Don’t confine yourself. Discover what extraordinary journeys can be made through ink on paper, including journeys into the mind and heart. Alert your senses to your own world around you.~Beverley Naidoo

This children author was born May 23, 1943 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in 1963. At twenty-one, she was imprisoned in solitary confinement for her involvement with the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

Read more here. Thanks Rhapsody.

COLA: Celebrating Multicultural Lit at Shen's Books

Blog name: Shen's Books Blog

Blogger: Renee Ting

Blog Origination date: August, 2006

Focus: Books published by Shen's Books and Multicultural Children's Literature

Regular features: News about our books, Shen's author events, and book reviews of multicultural children's books (published by other companies)



Your 2009 short list:
Multicultural Picture book: Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa, illustrated by Ed Young
Multicultural Novel: Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It by Sundee T. Frazier
Shen's Books title: Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina Lazo Gilmore, illustrated by Kristi Valiant
General Middle Reader: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
General YA: Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

*See review of Cora at Happy Jack Eats

How frequently do you update your blog? At least once a week

Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out: I just started a new series of short videos called "The Multicultural Minute," in which I discuss multicultural children's books, publishing, and ideas in one minute! The first episode is on our blog here.

50 words or less how would you describe your blog: Shen's Blog is not only where you'll find the latest information about Shen's Books, but it’s the place to go to read about all multicultural children's literature. At Shen’s Blog, you’ll find a world of information about multicultural issues, literature, authors, and illustrators.

What do you hope readers will gain, find or enjoy because they’ve visited your blog? Mostly, I would like to introduce readers to more great multicultural books that they ever knew were available, and keep them updated on what Shen's Books has been doing, and how our books have been doing.

Thanks, Renee.

COLA- Color Online Love Alert. Find links to blogs, books and articles written by women of color or news about awards and articles celebrating the work of women of color writers, poets, artists and activists. We'll also feature multicultural publishers. Check the sidebar regularly for new COLA links.

Kryptonite For The Uber Mom

Who knew that when we moved into this community I would at times become Ms Hyde? I try hard to think good thoughts and follow the ideals of Buddah and The Talking Heads ("Remain In The Light") but biology/instinct rears it ugly head and allows the dark side to seduce me. Four years ago the elderly couple next door sold their home and faster than you can say Martha Stewart on speed Uber Mom and her family moved in next door. Yesss, on reflection now I see this is the exact moment when I began begin my search for Kryptonite.

Why is she my Uber Mom? Because she home schools! I wanted to home school but somehow the need to pay off my student loans, buy some crap and forge an independent identity away from my family trumped my nobler goal. Forgive me Buddah for truly knowledge was not my only goal, I wanted to use my college education for making cash. I’m a bad bad mom for unleashing the school system on my children. But I have made sure they have iPods. On second thought that just makes it worse: Buddah, ring up Dante tell 'em I coming express to level 4 or 5.

Truth time, my neighbor has been a great member of the community. Twenty-four days or so out of the month, we are actually quite chummy. It’s only during that special time or shall we say level, that I focus on her refined southern accent and the fact that she went to Tulane. Yah, sure she is as unblemished as porcelain in the moonlight and pale enough to make said moon tan with envy, and when she approaches the fence in the backyard I always imagine her in a white lace hoop dress looking for Rhet Butler. She says things like “Isn’t that darling?” While I say things like “What the frack?” Might as well slather me in grease, knock out my front teeth and put overalls on me cause Imma goin pig callin after I talk to the Missus.

It’s strange how so many things come down to food for me. I have gotten over my lack of trunk and my only self-inflicted weakness in my cooking of soul food. Once Uber mom found out my husband was from southern roots, she started sending pans of cornbread over. She floats to the porch, rings the doorbell daintily with one of those gentile fingers and remarks what a task it is finding traditional southern fare here if you don’t venture into “the inner city.” The inner city? The words hung in the air and rearranged as code for where working class black folks live. I know my neighbor is not prejudiced or racist, but at this time of the month, I imagine her owning many people of color. If I looked like her with that accent and those mannerisms, I would not go into the hood either for fear or hope of a Mandingo moment. I’m Japanese but I sometimes channel black.

I know I have become overwhelmed with my own machinations but why the cornbread always around this time of the month? I smell a conspiracy! Of course what truly bothers me is that I don’t home school. When the yearly scholastic tests come around, I have so far come out on top. This band-aid tempers my guilt quite a bit if I can manage to focus on it. Still, I know one day her children, Ashley and Jefferson Davis will score higher than my kids in reading and math and I will have to deal with it. My husband says I’m being “catty.” I really hate that word. Last Friday she came to the door and as she handed my husband a pan of cornbread she casually touched his shoulder. I don’t know if it were a cramp or her touch that triggered the rage. But as my family gobbled down her warm cornbread at the table I began humming Dixie.

My husband looked up startled and all I could think was Claws in Camile, claws in…
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Camile Ryerson is our regular contributing writer. Her column appears every Wednesday. Read her views on politics, world affairs, pop culture, family and what she's reading. Her favorite genre is sci-fi.

Color Online Quiz: Literature & Women Studies

Quiz #64
October 18,1948-
Trenton, New Jersey
Poet, writer, playwright, black feminist



When I die, I will not be guilty of having left a generation of girls behind thinking that anyone can tend to their emotional health other than themselves.
~Ntzoke Shange


Thanks Ari. Visit Ari at Reading In Color.

Answer the quiz and your name will be entered in a monthly drawing. Post your reply to the comment box. Must provide your email addy to be eligible to win. Cool prizes, check out our Prize Bucket.

Wordless Wednesday

Good Enough: Not Perfect but sooooooooo good

Good Enough
Paula Yoo
2008
Harper Teen
Reviewer: Tarie

How to Make Your Korean Parents Happy

1. Get a perfect score on the SATs.
2. Attend Korean church every week, no matter what.
3. Don't talk to boys. (They will distract you from your studies.)
4. Get into Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth, Columbia, Brown, Penn, MIT, Stanford, University of California at Berkeley, Smith/Mount Holyoke/Bryn Mawr/Wellesley. Then get into Harvard or Yale Law School and/or Harvard or Yale Medical School.
5. Become a Korean doctor. When all else fails, marry a Korean doctor.

In Good Enough by Paula Yoo, Korean American Patti Yoon guides us through her struggle to be a P.K.D (Perfect Korean Daughter). Patti is in her senior year of high school and the pressure is on to ace all six of her AP classes, get at least a score of 2300 on the SATs, become concertmaster of the Connecticut All-State High School Orchestra for the fourth time in a row (this would mean that she is the best violinist in the state), graduate valedictorian, and get into HARVARDYALEPRINCETON (or HYP). Patti is also thinking of going to Julliard. Her parents would never even allow her to apply though. According to Patti's parents, music is waaay too risky - there is no security in a career in music. But Patti is a remarkable violinist who truly feels the music and plays with emotion. Playing the violin makes her feel safe and happy, and lately she has been feeling empty and confused from trying to get into HYP.

Then there's the guy Patti is falling hard for, Ben Wheeler, aka Cute Trumpet Guy (whose main instrument is actually the guitar!). Patti meets Ben during auditions for All-State Orchestra and he is a new transfer to her high school. They talk about music all the time, exchange mix CDs, and have really fun jam sessions together. Ben suggests Patti apply to Julliard without telling her parents.

Good Enough is a fairly predictable story. Teenage girl is stressed out by always trying to make her parents happy - at the risk of abandoning her real interests and at the risk of her own happiness. Plus, girl meets boy and falls for boy. And with lines like Suddenly all the chaos in the lobby silences, and everyone disappears, and we are the only ones in the room. There's this weird rushing sound in my ears, as if I'm falling off a cliff. the cheesiness factor gets pretty high in Patti's "love story." But aren't we all cheesy anyway when we really, really like someone? And Paula Yoo does throw us a couple of curve balls in the plot to make the story different. The narrative is in very simple, straightforward language, but things are kept interesting because Patti's story is also told through lists, recipes, SAT tips, sample SAT questions, and college essay questions.

I really enjoyed reading Good Enough. I enjoyed reading about Korean American culture. I enjoyed reading about Patti's and Ben's passion for music. I also enjoyed being introduced to new (to me) artists and songs! I found myself really caring about Patti, her family and friends, and her problems. While reading I could really feel the pressure Patti was experiencing. I literally winced or had real *facepalm* moments every time Patti made a mistake and/or embarrassed herself. Above all, I really rooted for her to excel in her studies and music AND have a social life.

Good Enough is a much more than good enough exploration of a young adult's enormous pressure from family, peers, and/or self to be the best; confusion about what one really wants in life; and confusion about the relationship between success and happiness. Can you have happiness without success and vice versa? The novel also perfectly captures the worries, sense of endless possibilities, uncertainties, and feeling of freedom from taking the SATs, taking senior year classes, applying to colleges, and choosing a college to go to. I highly recommend this book to high school seniors and to other teenagers who are curious about what the last year in high school is really like. Good Enough is not perfect, but it is sooo good.
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Tarie is a reader, graduate student, editor, and English teacher in the Philippines. She blogs about literature for the young and young at heart at Into the Wardrobe.

What Do I Read Next? Friends Matter

Susan and I are still waiting on requests, until then we are happy to give suggestions. Today we're talking about friends. One of the great things about reading novels featuring friends is a reader can find a piece of themselves in one or all the characters. It's also a pleasure to watch the friendships develop. We recommend the following list of YA books featuring groups of friends:

Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim. I really enjoyed this novel. I believe this is the only book on this list where friendship isn't obvious from the summary. The author does an excellent job of developing Bridget and Helena, the best friends of the main character Nina. I absolutely loved the easy banter and diversity of the lunch scenes that included the best friends' boy friends.

Its Chicks by Tia Williams. If you're looking for a fun, laugh out loud read, filled with a little drama I highly recommend this series. See feature on Tia Williams at The Brown Bookshelf.

Who's Your Daddy? by Lynda Sandoval

Chicks Ahoy by Lynda Sandoval. I haven't read either of the Sandval titles (yet) but they both look like fun.


Chameleon by Charles R Smith Jr. This is one of the most overlooked titles of '08. It's a great book. Readers get to know four friends. Its '80s Compton, the summer before the boys will go to high school. Read review at Happy Nappy Bookseller.

Temptress of Four by Gaby Triana

Rogelia's House of Magic by Jamie Martinez Wood






So Not the Drama by Paula Chase - Fans of Harrison's Clique series my find a new series to love. You can read Ari's review at Reading In Color.

Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena. I loved this book. The author took the time to develop the friendships between the main characters.


Girls Stay in the Picture by Melissa de la Cruz. I love this cover.


Lip Gloss Chronicles by Shelia M. Goss. Check out the feature at the Brown Bookshelf.


If after you reading this list, your first thought is,"What about this?" or "I can't believe you forgot that?," please add the forgotten or unknown title to the comment box. If something looks interesting, please tell us what is and why.

Did this work for? What should we talk about next week? We need your feedback. Thanks.

Shades of Love. This symbol and tag will be used to help you readily identify posts focused on children and YA literature. We're going to do our best to consistently use this and other markers to help you navigate here at Color Online. Click on the tag to find more Shades of Love titles.

A Few Good Men: CORA Diversity Roll Call

Ali is hosting this week at Worducopia. Our current assignment: we were asked to list or review POC titles with male leads and the setting is outside of the US and preferably YA titles or works suitable for teens. I put together a list. Some of my choices are books I read, some many years ago. I was difficult to find reviews (No surprise there). Most of my selections are also serious reads. I'm looking forward to reading others' submissions because I felt limited and frustrated in my search.


Keeper by Mal Peet
I am not, and will not ever be, a soccer buff - but this book gave me an appreciation for the game that I definitely did not possess beforehand. Peet has written a novel that weaves mysticism and football into one package that takes surprising turns. See review at Persnicketysnark.

No Longer At Ease by Chinua Achebe. I believe I read both titles for high school. Achebe is an accomplished novelist and poet. I enjoy his work. While the writing is deceptively simplistic, the social critique in all his work is thought-provoking and timeless. His work is highly anthologized in reference titles.

Obi Okonkwo is a young man, about twenty-six years old, who returns to Nigeria after studying in England at a university for four years. No Longer At Ease, begins with a trial against Obi that takes place a while after his return, and the novel then works its way backward to explain how Obi has come to be charged with accepting a bribe.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
...relentlessly unsentimental rendering of Nigerian tribal life before and after the coming of colonialism. First published in 1958, just two years before Nigeria declared independence from Great Britain, the book eschews the obvious temptation of depicting pre-colonial life as a kind of Eden. Instead, Achebe sketches a world in which violence, war, and suffering exist, but are balanced by a strong sense of tradition, ritual, and social coherence.

Out of Bounds by Beverly Naidoo. I've written about this title before. Compelling read and while the topics are complex and serious, this is very accessible for YA readers.
For almost fifty years apartheid forced the young people of South Africa to live apart as Blacks, Whites, Indians and 'Coloureds'. This unique and dramatic collection of stories, one for each decade, is about young people's choices in a beautiful country made ugly by injustice. But shining throughout the conflict and drama are acts of bravery that offer hope for a new rainbow country.

"Death of the King's Horseman" by Wole Solinka. I saw this play in college more than twenty years ago. Made an indelible impression on me.
...builds upon this story to focus on the character of Elesin, the King's Horseman of the title. According to a Yoruba tradition, the death of the Chief must be followed by the ritual suicide of the Chief's Horseman as the Horseman's spirit is essential to helping the Chief's spirit ascend to the afterlife. Otherwise the Chief's spirit will wander the earth and bring harm to the Yoruba people. The first half of the play documents the process of this ritual, with the potent, life-loving figure Elesin living out his final day in celebration before the final process begins.

They Poured Fire on Us From The Sky by Benson Deng, Alephosion Deng and Benjamin Ajak with Judy A. Bernestein. My daughter bought this for me one year for Christmas. I was very impressed with her choice. Like many gifts, I put this on the shelf but I've failed to read it. Maybe it's time.

Raised by Sudan's Dinka tribe, the Deng brothers and their cousin Benjamin were all under the age of seven when they left their homes after terrifying attacks on their villages during the Sudanese civil war. In 2001, the three were relocated to the U.S. from Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp as part of an international refugee relief program. Arriving in this country, they immediately began to fill composition books with the memoirs of chaos and culture shock collected here.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. My daughter read this for a college course and was very engaged in writing the essay for it. I read the other's book and planned to read this one, too. Quite a bit of controversy about some of the scenes for the movie. I'm very interested in seeing the film adaptation.

[F]ollows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty.

I don't have a round-up for our last assignment. In fact, I need to write my review. Last week was hectic. Hope you all can forgive me this time.