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:

Asleep by Wendy Raven McNair. Doret introduced me to the author. I'm looking forward to getting to know the writer and reading her work. Wendy writes,"The popularity of fantasy stories led me to the realization of the scarcity of African American lead characters in these stories. Fantasy stories like Harry Potter and Twilight are read by a diverse audience however I didn’t see this diversity reflected in the stories. "

Synopsis
Adisa Summers does not know her boyfriend, Micah Alexander, can fly. This teen African American couple share a love that defies the odds like Micah defies gravity.

Kickboxing Gieshas: How Modern Japanese Women Are Changing Their Nation by Veronica Chambers. From Publishers Weekly:
In her fifth book, Chambers (Mama's Girl) reports on dramatic changes in women's lives in postbust Japan, where, she notes, men are no longer the "financial titans" and where women—international travelers and avid consumers—are now driving the economy. Yet, Chambers says, rampant consumerism masks the true complexity of these women's lives as they negotiate the divide between Japan's traditions and their own more career-centered outlook.

Can't remember where I saw this, but I like Ms. Chambers' work. Can we have too many books about the empowerment of women? It's been too long since I've read non-fiction particularly women studies (Yes, I just admitted that publicly.) Looking forward to reading this.

The author of a new book about gender in Japan sets aside Western stereotypes and talks about how ordinary women are fueling a feminist revolution that's transforming the country. Read an interview with the author at Geisha Grrls.

February Flowers by Fan Wu. Discovered this during or Color Me Brown Challenge. Got this from Paperback Swap. Love that site. Looking forward to reading this.

Chen Ming is a studious, violin-playing first-year student at a university in Guangzhou, fresh off a farm into the big city. Miao Yan is worldly and cynical, an at-ease flaunter of boyfriends, and the oldest undergraduate at the university at twenty-four. An unlikely friendship is struck when the two cross.
Read Niranjana's full review at Brown Paper.

So what did you get this week in the mail, from the library or at the bookstore? Drop a link in the comments. Looking for ways to increase participation in NC. When we have regular contributors, I'll add Mr. Linky back. Happy reading.