Revenge of the Red Club - Kim Harrington

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Riley Dunne loves being a member of the Red Club. It's more than a group of girls supporting each other through Aunt Flo's ups and downs; it's a Hawking Middle School tradition. The club's secret locker has an emergency stash of supplies, and the girls are always willing to lend an ear, a shoulder, or an old pair of sweatpants.

But when the school administration shuts the Red Club down because of complaints, the girls are stunned. Who would do that to them? The girls' shock quickly turns into anger, and then they decide to get even."

EVERY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A RED CLUB!

I had to get that out before I started reviewing the actual book. Truly, I can't even imagine how different my life would be if growing up I had a group of peers to talk frankly with about periods and other mysteries of life. Shit, I would be down to start a Red Club now, and I'm a full-grown adult.

Anyway, to the book. I have to admit, I may have been sleeping on Middle Grade recently. The two most mind-blowing books I've read in the last few months have both been MG, and rest assured, I will be stepping up my TBR game! My very first thought upon learning about this book was "A book about periods?! Sign me up!" And while I need to clarify that this is SO much more than a book about periods, my enthusiasm was not misplaced. I loved Riley from the second I started reading, and I cheered for her throughout the book. She's a role model I wish I had in middle school, and my library may not be open to the public right now, but when it is I'll be doing everything I can to get Riley's story into the hands of as many middle schoolers as possible.

Riley is feisty as hell, not afraid to stand up for herself, and when things at school start getting bad for the girls who go there, she and her friends refuse to take it lying down. Banding together, they plan a week-long protest to bring awareness to what the female students have been facing and bring about change, and Riley uses her super skill - a gift with words - to fight for change. She and her friends are an inspiration and a reminder that we can all use our super skills to affect change. Changes that, like in Riley's life, may feel small but often have a ripple effect. Now let's carry some Red Club energy into the injustices we see in our own circles!

First Page Friday - Easy to Read Books

My ability to focus is a little like a badly-tuned radio. Sometimes it seems like it's getting better (like today, when I sat down and read an entire book in basically one sitting!), but then it goes fuzzy again and I re-read the same sentence eight times because I can't concentrate. So if you, like me, still can't seem to get it dialed in, I hope some of these books help.

1. Beauty by Robin McKinley

This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is delightful. I first read it probably in my tweens, and I've been in love with it ever since. I still re-read it regularly, and every time I do it's as good as it was the first time.

2. Between Shades of Gray or Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

I have recommended Between Shades of Gray to library patrons many times, and a pretty significant portion of responses are a strange look followed by some variation on, "is that like a Fifty Shades book?" Rest assured, my friends, it is not. Both books take place during World War II - Between Shades of Gray follows a Lithuanian family fighting for survival at a work camp in Siberia, and Salt to the Sea tells the story of the greatest yet relatively unknown maritime tragedy ever to take place, the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustlaff at the hands of a Soviet submarine.

I'm sure some of you are thinking right about now "easy to read books? How are either of these easy to read?" And yes...the subject matter is not easy to read. It's ugly, and it's a gut punch. Ruta Sepetys does a masterful job of showcasing the best and worst that humanity is capable of. In the case of these books, "easy" may not be the right word...but they pull you in, and they're hard to put down. You should read them.

3. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Aw yeah, getting some Middle Grade on the list! A fantasy series about hidden sanctuaries for magical creatures under attack by a secret organization? Sign me up!

4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I know, I know, I include this on every list I do, but honestly, if you're looking for an easy to read book, they don't come any easier than this. Devour it in a day.

5. Legend by Marie Lu

This was on my list for a pretty long time before I read it, and then I ended up getting a copy with one of my book subscriptions, started reading that night, and just...didn't stop. It's intense, it's exciting, and it's a quick read because you can't help but be sucked in right away. For a long time, it was a trilogy, and now there are four books, since Rebel came out last year. Woohoo!

6. Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

I reviewed this a while back if you'd like to read my full thoughts on the book, but the short version is while I think it wrapped up a little too neatly, this book is amazing. 

7. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

This book is amazing. Written in verse, it's Xiomara's experience in high school, navigating assholes, her first relationship, and her super strict, religious mother. It's her discovery of slam poetry, sharing her voice, and being true to who she is. I can't read it without crying, Xiomara is incredible.

8. Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Ok, I cannot tell a lie. I haven't actually finished this series. But I read the first one, and I loved it! Then I got a new job and things got hectic, so Thunderhead fell by the wayside, and now The Toll is out, and I need to read them all. Ooh, maybe we could do a read-along to motivate me! We'll see!

9. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

It's pretty well-documented that I love anything and everything Becky Albertalli writes, so if you're still sleeping on the Creekwood books, please remedy that ASAP. For the record, this includes Love, Victor on Hulu. I'm watching it right now (literally, as I type), and it makes my heart so happy. I mean I know that isn't necessarily written by Becky Albertalli, but...still.

10. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Great movie, even better book! It's told from the alternating perspectives of two high school students, one unwillingly preparing for his college interview, the other fighting like hell to stop her family from being deported. It's a beautiful story.

11. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

I'm obsessed with this series, both the books and the movies. Obsessed. Light, low-risk, heartwarming. 

12. The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo

This book makes me so hungry. And so happy. I tried to combine happy and hungry to make a hybrid word meaning you're happy but feeling snacky and couldn't. Hacky, maybe? That doesn't sound very nice, though. Whatever, read the book. It's marvelous.

13. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Alright, this is another one I need to qualify because there's a high probability it will make you cry. It's not an easy to read book in the emotional sense, because it's heavy and it packs a punch, but it's short and it pulls you in and won't let you put it down. And it's beautiful.

14. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Yessssss, girls who code! This book caught my eye because of its cover, and the book is just as good as the cover art. Personally, I recommend the book over the audio, but either option is great. And I fell out of the loop a little bit and didn't realize there were MORE BOOKS! Another read-along option, I guess!

15. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Was that a record scratch I just heard? Yeah, this one is a little bit of an outlier. But I love it! I read it for the first time in elementary school, and I'm a little ashamed to admit that I fell so hard for it that I stole the copy from my classroom library. (Mrs. Johnson, I know you're not reading this, but I'm so sorry). That copy was pretty beat up, so eventually I had to buy a new one, and every time I reread it I enjoy it just as much as the first time.

Guest Review - The Grace Year

This week I've got a special guest here to share her thoughts on The Grace Year by Kim Liggett. Just in case my review was not enough to convince you to give it a shot, my sister Molly Whoremon (friends call her Whore) dropped by to provide a second opinion.

From the cover (for anyone who needs a refresher):

"No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.

In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.

Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.

With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between."

💬    💬    💬

I honestly do not know how to even begin to review this book. I don't read synopses for books so I never really know what to expect, but as I made my way through this book it felt like a totally different experience than other books.

It's such a chilling tale of oppression, heartbreak, misunderstanding, love, fear, realization, and so many other emotions. I don't think I've ever been so moved and truly connected to a story before. I felt every emotion of the main character, Tierney, as she did and was briefly a part of her journey through this book.

I know this really doesn't explain what the book was about at all. I don't think I could ever do it justice. I will say though that nothing is ever what it truly seems. 🖤

10/10 would recommend.

Anti-racist Reads

In light of everything going on this week (this week, and basically every day, week, and hour since the pilgrims came over on the Mayflower), I've decided to hold off on the post I was planning to make this week and instead focus on books about racism and how to be anti-racist. I also figured that since so many better-informed people than I have already put in the work to share such resources, I should take this opportunity to amplify some of those voices. So, let's get to it.

First things first, while this is not a book, it is an incredible resource. Brianna Wallace and Autumn Gupta (@Autumn_Bry on Twitter) created Justice in June, a month-long curriculum designed to be a starting point for allies to use in educating themselves. Please use and share this, because it is truly phenomenal.

Victoria Alexander also shared some fantastic book lists on Twitter, subdivided by topic no less! Follow the link for a thread of start recommendations, intermediate recommendations, a topic-specific list, biographies and personal narratives, Black feminism, Black LGBTQ+ literature, and Black-centered fiction. For anyone interested in adding to their personal book collection, Victoria also provided a list of Black owned indie bookstores you can support, AND, as if that wasn't enough, put together an anti-racist resource guide. (Note: The book lists on Twitter are images, so I'll be sharing the titles featured on each list in the comments for anyone unable to view those images.)

Then there is this comprehensive compilation of resources for all ages put together by Dr. Nicole A. Cooke. It includes a variety of formats, so peruse and learn! 

And finally, since everyone deserves to see themselves in the books they read, and since Black and Indigenous People of Color deserve books that celebrate their lives in addition to books that document their struggles, below are two great reading lists highlighting authors of color. In addition to educating ourselves on how to be anti-racist, let's also celebrate some of the excellent stories being told about experiencing joy and success.

52 books by women of color to read throughout 2020.

14 Incredible Books to Read When You Need a Dose of Black Girl Magic

The Cousins - Karen M. McManus

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point--not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious--and dark--their family's past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over--and this summer, the cousins will learn everything."

I was stoked when I got an advanced copy of this book to read, because I love Karen M. McManus, and WHEW, let me tell you, she has done it again! Right off the bat we get into it with the discovery that Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah's uber-rich grandmother very abruptly cut their parents off with a mysterious one-lined letter - "You know what you did."

Uh, yeah. I'm hooked! What did they do, y'all? I must know!

As more pieces of the story came together, I cycled through a variety of theories, and I was pretty proud of myself when one of my theories ended up being half right - nailed it! Sort of. Basically.

   

I don't even want to talk about the book itself for fear of saying something that accidentally gives away part of the mystery and ruining it for someone else, so let me just say that Karen McManus's super power seems to be writing ending scenes that are so intense they force a gasped "OH SHIT!" out of me as I read. Seriously, it's 4/4 at this point. Karen knows how to put pedal to the metal when the mystery starts coming to a head and then not let up until the final pages.

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Howdy all! In this week's Adventures in Times of COVID, I have been wringing my brain out for work on a couple of time-sensitive and intricate COVID-related projects, and y'all, my brain can only handle so much! In lieu of a blog post this week, please enjoy this GIF reminding you to breathe...

Maybe He Just Likes You - Barbara Dee

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching - and ultimately uplifting - novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.

For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, one of the boys, Leo, tells Mila it's his birthday and and asks for a birthday hug. He's just being friendly, isn't he? And how can she say no? But Leo's hug lasts a few seconds too long and feels...weird. According to her friend, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn't she know what flirting looks like?

But the boys don't leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice - the one place Mila could always escape. It doesn't feel like flirting - so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others - and herself.

From the author of Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice."

I put this ebook on hold as soon as I heard about it, and WHEW am I glad I did. My difficulty focusing on reading material is well-documented at this point, but let me tell you, I sat down to read this and ended up finishing the entire thing in one sitting. The description from the cover ends by calling this a timely story, but I have to say, whenever this book had come out, it would have been timely. Books about women, especially young women, dealing with sexual harassment are always timely. Maybe that will change in the future (I fucking HOPE that will change in the future!), but my god, I wish there had been a book like this to read when I was in seventh grade. Really, truly, this should be required reading - for middle school students, for teachers, for librarians, for any adult who interacts with young people, for any men who interact with people who are not men...basically for everyone on the face of the earth. Books like this are so important.

"Why is that, Dewey? What makes this book so special?"

I'm glad you asked!

Firstly, and probably most importantly, because it gives young people the language to not only recognize harassment but also to label it. While all this weird stuff is happening to Mila, she knows it makes her uncomfortable, and even when some of her friends downplay its seriousness, she understands that it's wrong because it makes her feel wrong. But she doesn't know how to name it, and that causes a lot of problems for her, both in communicating with her friends and in knowing if or how she should talk to an adult about it. As much as we might want to believe that seventh grade (or sixth grade...or fifth grade...or fourth grade...) is too young to talk about this stuff, shit happens, and kids need to be empowered with the vocabulary to speak out and stand up for themselves or their friends when they experience things like this. It's also super important that they know that something doesn't have to be HUGE to be sexual harassment...if it's unwanted and makes you uncomfortable, it qualifies. There is no metric it is required to meet.

Mila's experience also highlights the importance of being an ally. This can happen in all different ways - encouraging your friend to talk to someone, like Mila did with Max the year before and Max does for Mila now, speaking up when you see something happening that you disagree with, or making sure that you are there to offer support when you know a friend needs it - but whatever your allyship looks like, it's necessary, and it helps. Believe people when they say they are being harassed.

Another thing we see throughout Mila's story is the importance of young people having trusted adults that they can talk to. Mila's mom obviously loves and cares about her, but she has a lot going on, and even if she didn't, I think we all know that kids don't always feel comfortable going to their parents when they have things going on. Unfortunately, she's still pretty new to the seventh grade, the guidance counselor she felt comfortable talking to has just gone on maternity leave, and there isn't anyone else that she trusts to listen and understand what she is dealing with. That's why I think it's so important for adults who work with kids to read this book...to remind us that we need to do our best to be that person for the kids we work with, so they don't have to keep shit like this to themselves. I know it meant the world to me when I was in junior high and had teachers I could rely on, and I also felt that absence when I didn't. Having a trusted adult in their lives has a measurable positive impact on young people.

Finally, (be warned, here there be spoilers) something the book touches on that is very close to my heart is restorative justice. I read a few different reviews that talk about the too-perfect ending because in the *real world* the boys wouldn't have just stopped being jerks after one conversation. And in fairness, maybe they wouldn't have. We never know. But for anyone who feels it was too Disney-esque an ending, I'd like to invite them to consider that perhaps what the boys said was true, and they really didn't realize that what they were doing was so wrong. After all, how often do we hear "boys will be boys" or, as our title suggests, "maybe he just likes you" in reference to shitty behavior from young men? If someone is constantly getting a pass and having their behavior excused, when do they learn that behavior is wrong?

That is why I love that Barbara Dee resolved the conflict by having Mila's band teacher and two of the guidance counselors hold a version of a restorative justice circle with the involved students, rather than just doling out punitive justice like suspension or expulsion. After all, what would have happened if they had been suspended? They might have spent their time out of school thinking about Mila and realizing that what they had been doing was wrong...or they might have just been pissed that they got in trouble, blamed Mila, and been even worse to her when they came back. Punitive justice is great for telling people they did something wrong and they need to pay a penance for it, but it doesn't do much to improve behavior or allow for growth. By giving the boys involved an opportunity to talk things out, not only were they able to confront how their actions affect other people and learn from what had been happening, but Mila was also given an opportunity to begin to heal from what she had experienced. I'm not saying there aren't instances where punitive justice needs to take place, but I wish more organizations defaulted to restorative justice first. And for that matter, imagine how different this story might have been if the Vice Principal had taken a restorative approach when Mila kicked what's-his name. Restorative Justice forever!

Alright, alright, this is getting super long, and I know I already said "finally" but one last thing I have to bring up is how much I love that part of what helps Mila is karate. HELL YES to strong girls and women! Hell yes to Mila falling in love with karate!