New Crayons

New Crayons is a metaphor for multicultural lit. The excitement of getting a new book is kind of like the excitement felt as a child opening a new box of crayons.

This week we got:

 Ari-

Don't Know Where, Don't Know When by Annette Laing

Hannah and Alex move from San Francisco to boring Snipesville, where they meet Brandon, a dorky kid who is plotting his escape from the Deep South. Suddenly, the kids are catapulted to World War Two England. They encounter a world of bomb blasts, dragon ladies, painful punishments, and non-absorbing toilet paper. But they can't go home unless they find George Braithwaite, whoever he is, and whatever it is that he has to do with Snipesville.

 

 

The Agency: The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee
July 1859. A bricklayer falls to his death from the Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament – the most recent horror in a string of scandals that plagues the building site. With the British people eagerly watching the installation of Big Ben, Mary Quinn disguises herself as a 12-year-old boy laborer to uncover the grim truth. Her fellow workers are suspicious. Mary’s secret past distracts her. And then James Easton returns…

 

 

 

 

Losing My Cool by Thomas Chatterton Williams

A pitch-perfect account of how hip-hop culture drew in the author and  how his father drew him out again-with love, perseverance, and fifteen thousand books.

Williams is the first of his generation to measure the seductive power of hip-hop against its restrictive worldview, which ultimately leaves those who live it powerless. Losing My Cool portrays the allure and the danger of hip-hop culture like no book has before. Even more remarkably, Williams evokes the subtle salvation that literature offers and recounts with breathtaking clarity a burgeoning bond between father and son.

Moonshine by Alaya Johnson

 Imagining vampires at the heart of the social struggles of 1920s, Moonshine blends a tempestuous romance with dramatic historical fiction, populated by a lively mythology inhabiting the gritty New York City streets Zephyr Hollis is an underfed, overzealous social activist who teaches night school to the underprivileged of the Lower East Side. Strapped for cash, Zephyr agrees to help a student, the mysterious Amir, who proposes she use her charity worker cover to bring down a notorious vampire mob boss. What he doesn’t tell her is why. Soon enough she’s tutoring a child criminal with an angelic voice, dodging vampires high on a new blood-based street drug, and trying to determine the real reason behind Amir’s request—not to mention attempting to resist his dark, inhuman charm.

Terri-

Address: House of Corrections by Monice Mitchell Simms
Award-winning writer Monice Mitchell Simms' engrossing debut novel, "Address: House of Corrections" seamlessly shifts through time and locale to follow the empowering, entertaining journey of Merry, a stubborn 32-year-old ex con and recovering addict, who moves to 1947 Detroit as a spunky twelve-year-old with her estranged mother and comes full circle as Merry fights to stay sane, stay straight and make peace with her children and her torrid past. Gritty, yet hopeful, Mitchell Simms ingeniously births refreshing characters in this, her first book in a trilogy series, and elevates what could have easily become a stereotypical hard luck tale into a literary triumph.

Overcoming Speechlessness by Alice Walker
More by Austin Clarke
Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo by Ntozake Shange
No Sweetness Here by Ama Ata Aidoo
Bitter Sweets by Roopa Farooki


What books have you received this week? What are you looking forward to reading?

New Crayons

New Crayons is a metaphor for multicultural lit. The excitement of getting a new book is kind of like the excitement felt as a child opening a new box of crayons.

This week we got:

Benjamin Banneker: Astronomer and Mathematician, by Laura Baskes Litwin. (from the library)


I've always been interested in the unseen/not-in-the-spotlight people of color who contributed to science. I really got exposed to them when I started college. Our science tutoring room was full of posters about the great discoveries in science, but with an emphasis on African American, Egyptians, Asians (and more) mathematicians, physicists or engineers.

Benjamin Banneker was a free African American man in a time of slavery, and as such not welcome in White society. Born in 1731, he spent most of his time on his Maryland farm. He taught himself mathematics and astronomy. Among his astounding accomplishments, he surveyed the site for the nation's capital city, Washington, D.C. He published almanacs with tide calculations and weather predictions. He is also famous for being one of the first African Americans to speak out against slavery, as well as for his correspondence with Thomas Jefferson.

He is one of the few with several books written about him.  His buigraphy was written by Laura Baskes, and published by Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Getting There, by Marla Steward Konrad, published by Tundra Books.(library)

It's a WorldVision Early readers book about transportation in different parts of the world. The cover attracted me, the pictures are gorgeous and the book looks so positive that I couldn't resist. :)

Oh, No, Toto! written by Katrin Hyman Tchana and Louise Tchana Pami, and illustrated by Colin Bootman. (Library)

I heard of this picture book on numerous occasions. It takes place in Cameroon, and Toto is the name of the name character, a little boy who is very much into... food! I look forward to getting to know the writers through their writing. As for the illustrations, I'm a huge fan of Bootman's work and his way of capturing facial expressions. This is another book I look forward to.

Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet, by Kashmira Sheth

The book is about Jeeta, an Indian girl caught in an arranged marriage situation, topped by her duty in honoring her family traditions and the desire to follow dreams of own independence. 

I am wondering how she will conciliate or choose or reject, while figuring out who she really is. :)

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: A Novel by Lola Shoneyin

This book will officially be released in June 20, 2010.  Here's the official description:

"When Baba Segi awoke with a bellyache for the sixth day in a row, he knew it was time to do something drastic about his fourth wife's childlessness.

Meet Baba Segi . . .
A plump, vain, and prosperous middle-aged man of robust appetites, Baba Segi is the patriarch of a large household that includes a quartet of wives and seven children. But his desire to possess more just might be his undoing.
And his wives . . .
Iya Segi—the bride of Baba Segi's youth, a powerful, vindictive woman who will stop at nothing to protect her favored position as ruler of her husband's home.
Iya Tope—Baba Segi's second wife, a shy, timid woman whose decency and lust for life are overshadowed by fear.
Iya Femi—the third wife, a scheming woman with crimson lips and expensive tastes who is determined to attain all that she desires, no matter what the cost.
Bolanle—Babi Segi's fourth and youngest wife, an educated woman wise to life's misfortunes who inspires jealousy in her fellow wives . . . and who harbors a secret that will expose shocking truths about them all."

And that concludes today's post. What books have you received this week? What are you looking forward to reading?

New Crayons

New Crayons is a metaphor for multicultural lit. The excitement of getting a new book is kind of like the excitement felt as a child opening a new box of crayons.

This week we got

Efrain's Secret by Sofia Quintero

Ambitious high school senior Efrain Rodriguez dreams of escaping the South Bronx for an Ivy League college like Harvard or Yale. But how is his family going to afford to pay for a prestigious university when Moms has to work insane hours to put food on the table as it is? And Efrain wouldn’t dare ask that good-for-nothing father of his who has traded his family in for younger models. Left with few options, Efrain chooses to do something he never thought he would. He embarks on a double life—honor student by day, drug peddler at night—convinced that by temporarily capitulating to society’s negative expectations of a boy like him, he can eventually defy them.

Sofia Quintero makes a stunning debut writing for young adults with this gritty, complex, and real exploration of the life of an urban teen whose attempt to leave one world behind for a better one could cost him everything.

Foxy: My Life in Three Acts by Pam Grier

Some may know her as hot, gutsy, gun-totin' Foxy Brown, Friday Foster, Coffy, and Jackie Brown. Others may know her from her role as Kit Porter on The L Word. But that only defines one part of the legend that is Pam Grier.

Foxy is Pam's testimony of her life, past and present. In it, she reveals her relationships with Richard Pryor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Freddie Prinze Sr., among others. She unveils her experiences as a backup singer and a blaxploitation star. In particularly candid and shocking chapters, she shares-for the first time-her view of those films and the persecution that blacks, especially women, needed to endure to make a name for themselves . . . including how it felt to be labeled one of the most beautiful women alive, yet not be permitted to try on clothes in a department store because of the color of her skin. And in words sure to inspire many, she tells the story of her ongoing battle with cancer.

From her disappointments to her triumphs, nothing is held back. With FOXY, Pam wishes to impart life lessons to her readers-and hopes to touch their heartsSome may know her as hot, gutsy, gun-totin' Foxy Brown, Friday Foster, Coffy, and Jackie Brown. Others may know her from her role as Kit Porter on The L Word. But that only defines one part of the legend that is Pam Grier.

Foxy is Pam's testimony of her life, past and present. In it, she reveals her relationships with Richard Pryor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Freddie Prinze Sr., among others. She unveils her experiences as a backup singer and a blaxploitation star. In particularly candid and shocking chapters, she shares-for the first time-her view of those films and the persecution that blacks, especially women, needed to endure to make a name for themselves . . . including how it felt to be labeled one of the most beautiful women alive, yet not be permitted to try on clothes in a department store because of the color of her skin. And in words sure to inspire many, she tells the story of her ongoing battle with cancer.

From her disappointments to her triumphs, nothing is held back. With FOXY, Pam wishes to impart life lessons to her readers-and hopes to touch their hearts.

Bitch is the New Black by Helena Andrews

Meet Helena Andrews, sassy, single, smart, and, yes, a bitch—but Tina Fey said it best, bitch is the new black!

When Helena Andrews heard this declaration on Saturday Night Live, her first reaction was How daaare you? But after a commercial break and some thought, she decided to poke at the stereotype that says "successful" and "bitch" are synonyms. Unafraid and frank, she comes to realize that being a bitch is sometimes the best way to be—except, of course, when it's not.

Bitch Is the New Black follows Andrews—sexy, single, and a self-described smart-ass—on her trip from kidnapped daughter of a lesbian to Washington, D.C., political reporter who can't remember a single senator's name. Told in Andrews's singular voice, this addictive memoir explores the roller coaster of being educated and single while trying to become an "actual adult" and find love.

In these candid yet heartfelt essays, she chronicles that ride from beginning to end: a childhood spent on an all-white island, escaping via episodes of The Cosby Show; being set up with Obama's "body guy" Reggie Love by Maureen Dowd; and the shocking suicide of a best friend. Through it all, Andrews and her gang of girlfriends urge each other to "keep it moving." But no one can stay strong all the time—not even the women we believe do so without trying.

As Andrews says, "Despite the fact that the most recognizable woman in the United States is black, popular culture still hasn't moved past the only adjective apparently meant to describe us— "strong." She is also flawed, tired, naive, greedy, gutsy, frightened, and kind: secret sides that come out in honest detail here.

32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter (ARC)

Davie—an ugly duckling growing up in small-town Mississippi—is positive her life couldn’t be any worse. She has the meanest mother in the South, possibly the world, and on top of that, she’s pretty sure she’s ugly. Just when she’s resigned herself to her fate, she sees a movie that will change her life—Sixteen Candles. But in her case, life doesn’t imitate art. Tormented endlessly in school with the nickname "Monkey Night," and hopelessly in unrequited love with a handsome football player, James Farrell, Davie finds that it is bittersweet to dream of Molly Ringwald endings. When a cruel school prank goes too far, Davie leaves the life she knows and reinvents herself in the glittery world of Hollywood—as a beautiful and successful lounge singer in a swanky nightclub.

Davie is finally a million miles from where she started—until she bumps into her former obsession, James Farrell. To Davie’s astonishment, James doesn’t recognize her, and she can’t bring herself to end the fantasy. She lets him fall as deeply in love with her as she once was with him. But is life ever that simple? Just as they’re about to ride off into the sunset, the past comes back with a vengeance, threatening to crush Davie’s dreams—and break her heart again.

With wholly original characters and a cinematic storyline, 32 Candles introduces Ernessa T. Carter, a new voice in fiction with smarts, attitude, and sassiness to spare.

Release Date: June 22, 2010

Summaries from Amazon.com

What new books did you get this week? Leave a link to your New Crayons post in the comments :)

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 at Color Online is a good week.

We had another great week of donations. Check these out:

6 pack from Lee & Low:
The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby by Crystal Hubbard,Illustrated by Robert McGuire
Born into an African American sharecropping family in 1880s Kentucky, Jimmy Winkfield grew up loving horses. The large, powerful animals inspired little Jimmy to think big. Looking beyond his family’s farm, he longed for a life riding on action-packed racetracks around the world.


Night Golf by William Miller, Illustrated by Cedric Lucas
James loves sports, but he's too short for basketball and too small for football. However, he finds an old golf club one day, and quickly realizes that golf comes naturally to him.



Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis,Illustrated by George Ford
As a young boy he fell in love with music, and as a man, the world fell in love with his music. Ray Charles and his soulful, passionate rhythm and melodies have been embraced around the globe for decades.




Love to Langston by Tony Medina, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Fourteen original poems offer young readers an exciting glimpse into the life of Langston Hughes, one of America's most beloved poets. Each of Medina's engaging poems explores an important theme in Hughes' life — his lonely childhood, his love of language and travel, his dream of writing poetry.



Howard Thurman's Great Hope by Kai Jackson Issa, Illustrated by Arthur L. Dawson
Born in segregated Daytona, Florida, in 1899, Howard Thurman grew up dreaming of a better life—a life where his mother and grandmother would not have to cook and clean for other people; a life where he could become a college man, honoring his late father’s wishes and his own dreams.

Junettenth Jamboree by Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by Yvonne Buchanan
As she helps prepare red velvet cake, fried chicken, and piles of other dishes, she wonders what makes June 19th so important. It isn't until Cassie and her family arrive downtown that she discovers what the commotion is about.

What did you get this week in the mail, at the bookstore or on trade? Post a link to your crayon post and your name is entered in a monthly random drawing for a free book.

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 booka t Color Online is a good week.

We received so many books that this week I'm blogging here and at Color Online about the wonderful donations we received. Check these out:


Glorious by Bernice L. McFadden. First on the list is for us big girls. If you don't know Bernice's work, check out Jill's review of Sugar at Rhapsody in Books.
The story progresses from Georgia to railroad tracks to Harlem and high-class apartments in New York. Through waves of powerful emotions, innocent errors and devastating betrayals, it all ends back where it began, in the small town of Waycross, Georgia. Years have passed and it’s now 1961. The world is changing, but hasn’t changed enough. And the reader learns where Easter’s wonderful mind and words have led her. It could be tragic, but instead it’s powerfully hopeful, beautiful and moving. And the quote from Zora Neale Hurston on the final page—“God balances the sheet in time”—rings gloriously true in the reader’s mind. Read Sheila's full review at Books Gather.

Most Loved in All The World by Tonya C. Hegamin. I recently read and loved, M+O 4EVR. Looking forward to this and A Place Where Hurricanes Happen by Renee Watson and illustrated by Shadra Strickland. Shadra illustrated Bird by Zetta Elliott.





She Loved Baseball by Audrey Varnick, illustrated by Don Tate. Don is a quiet guy. Talented but he doesn't like the spotlight. Well today he's in it because it's because of him I had to write two NC posts to cover all the books we received this week. Thanks Don. Doret has a pretty comprehensive lineup on baseball. Do check it out.



Closing out with My Friend Maya Loves to Dance by Cheryl Willis Hudson, ilustrated by Eric Velasquez. Let's talk about longevity. Ms Hudson has enjoyed an impressive career. If you don't know her work, you should. Check out Maya. Personally, I have to order a hard copy of Bright Eyes, Brown Skin for my daughter's 25th birthday. She hasn't forgiven me for donating her first childhood copy. :-)

What did you get this week in the mail, at the book store or from the library? Drop us a link and your name will be entered in a random monthly drawing to win a book from our Prize Bucket.

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.

This week we have all children titles, all donations:

Scarlette Beane by Karen Wallace, illustrated by Jon Berkeley
When Scarlette is five she is given her own garden. After planting her seeds her fingers glow in the night. The next day her vegetables are so big the neighbors have to come with construction vehicles to harvest the crop, and everyone has to eat outside... See full reveiw at Maya Reads.



Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life by Jan Reynolds
is a primer for teaching ecology and sustainability to elementary school children. But it is also an engaging photo documentary of Bali, the land and the social and spiritual interdependency of rice and the Balinese people. My 5-year-old thoroughly enjoyed our exploration of this book together. Jan Reynolds thoughtfully connects science and social studies with visual imagery that explains a rather complex system in a way children as young as five can understand. See full review at Bees Knees Reads.

Flower Girl Butterflies by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard, illustrated by Christiane Kromer
When I read this story to my four-year-old great-niece, Carolina, she asked so many questions about being a flower girl. Sarah is the little girl whose aunt asks her to be the flower girl in her wedding. You can see Sarah on the cover. Isn't she beautiful? But she is so scared about walking from way, way in back of the church to way, way down to the front. Full review at Amazon by Judy P.

What did you get this week from the library, bookstore or on trade?

Drop us a link to your crayon post and you'll be entered in a random drawing for a free book from our Prize Bucket.

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.


This week we received:

Arc & Hue by Tara Betts. Get your poetry own. Tara is a gifted writer, teacher and mentor. Visit her on Facebook and do pick up her collection.


Saving Maddie by Varian Johnson. I really enjoyed My Life As A Rhombus. Mr. Johnson is back with the tale about preacher kids. Check out Edi's review at Crazy Quilts.

Vasilly- Miles From Nowhere by Nami Mun and The Book of Night Women by Marlon James. These are going to be part of the upcoming Tournament of Books. The list of books in the tournament are at the end of the linked page. There's some diversity in the tournament and books by Kamila Shasie and Victor LaValle are also taking part.


What did you get this week from the library, bookstore or on trade?

Drop us a link to your crayon post and you'll be entered in a random drawing for a free book from our Prize Bucket.

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.

Color Online staff and I have had a good week. Check out our bounty:

Me-
Brown Eyes, Brown Skin by Cherly Willis Hudson and Bernette G. Ford, illustrated by George Ford. When Cheryl commented at RAWW, I recognized her name but couldn't remember why. Then I visited the link she provided, saw this book and I broke out in a wide grin. This was one of my youngest daughter's early books. Cheryl sent several children's books. Some will be listed others will be set aside for donations. Cheryl had very kind words to say about us. Of course, I asked her to join us here.

One Million Men and Me by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Peter Ambush. Kelly is an active member and supporter here. See her wwoc profile and do check out her work. She sent several titles including The Rock and The River by Kekla Magoon. Thank you. Adding these to our Prize Bucket.


One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. Elyse at Harper Collins discovered Color Online via Mitali Perkins. I have been wanting to read this so you know I was glad to receive this unexpected gift. See Doret's review here
and Ari's at Reading In Color.














Ah Yuan-
All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka.
Sun Sword: Uncrowned King,Sun Sword: Shining Court and Sun Sword: Sea of Sorrows by Michelle (Sagara) West
8th Grade Superzero and A Wish After Midnight. Thanks to the awesome Zetta Elliott.

Doret-
The Girl Who Fell From The Sky by Heidi Durrow

What did you get this week in the mail, at the bookstore or on trade?
Happy Reading.

New Crayons: What's New Our 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.

Color Online staff and I have had a good week. Check out our treasures:

Vasilly-

Little by David Treuer because of Susan's CORA Diversity Roll Call.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde. I have this. Lorde is amazing.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

Little Machine by Victor LaValle

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat. You cannot go wrong with Danticat.

The Girl who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow. Want this. We need to feature this writer. Can anyone get a hold of her?

I got Page from a Tennessee Journal by Francine Thomas Howard. Thanks, Zetta! Stay tune for Zetta's interview with the author.

Ari-

Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti by Frances Temple. Had this on the shelf. Must push this up tbr.

Fabulous by Simone Bryant. The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. 3 African American girls in private school uniforms, it screams chick lit about POC. So I've decided to give it a try.


What did you get this week from the library, bookstore or on trade?

Happy Reading.