Triple PB Book Review

And away we go!!!

1) The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights
Full disclosure, Carole Boston Weatherford and I are totally BFF's. We've only met once but we had a powerful connection. Anywho, The Beattitudes is one of those books that made me shiver, almost made me cry and definetly made me question my own skills. We all know what an amazing talent Ms. Weatherford is, but this book just feels extra special. As she goes through the Beatitudes (Mark 5:3-12), she coordinates each verse with a moment from history.


I am the Lord your God.
I was with the Africans who were torn
from the Motherland and cramped in holds of ships
on the Middle Passage from Africa to the Americas
I heard them chant: Kum ba ya, kum ba ya.

Each page informs/reminds the reader that God was there through the midst of it all. The book is rich and flavorful. It's also a great way to begin having a conversation with your kids on African-American history. I know it's a big topic of conversation in my mommy-circles of how do we teach our kids our very complicated history? This book gives the young ones just enough to introduce them and begin the dialogue of how we got to where we are now. Also a great book for older kids because it introduces them to some events in history that they could also dig deeper into and learn more. This would be a great resource for the classroom or at home. Be on the lookout because Ms. Weatherford also has a book coming out about OPRAH!!! Is there any wonder why she is my BFF.

2) Big Red Lollipop
Rukhsana Khan has written a wonderful story about sibling rivalry but also about learning new customs. Sana's mother insist she take her younger sibling to a birthday party only she (Sana) was invited too. Her mother has no idea what a birthday party is, or why Sana would not want to take her sister with her. Of course the little sister ruins the party but that's not all. A wonderful story about sisters. I love that it an Arab American family. I also love the illustrations which I usually don't pay too much attention too.(Sorry, I focus on the words.) Illustrator Sophie Blackall captures each girls expression so well. We see the anger boiling out of Sana when her little sister ruins her day. We see the mischievious smirk on the little sister's face as she torments her older sister. Fabulous book all around.

3) Most Loved in All the World
Again, another book that made me ask why even bother to write because it is so obvious I suck. (Here is where you reassure me that I'm brilliant, pretty etc.) Written by Tonya Cherie Hegamin,this story did make me cry. I cried because it's a beautiful story about the sacrifices a mother makes for her children. But the rhythm of the story is just luscious. Almost like a poem. The mother sews a quilt for her daughter to use as her map to freedom. She sews in a patch with a happy little girl in the middle and says "This little girl is the most loved in all the world." Okay hold on I gotta get my tissue again. sniff, sniff, sniff. Until next time.


 

Book Review: Out of My Mind

I haven't seen this one reviewed yet over at Happy Nappy Bookseller, so maybe I'm one up on Ms. Doret!! First of all, I need to just say that Sharon Draper may be my new hero!! Out of My Mind is so brilliant and beautiful. Melody is an extremely intelligent girl with a photographic memory and quick wit. The only problem is, she is in a wheelchair, can't move her body and can't speak. After spending 11 years of being stuck in her head with limited resources to communicate, technology saves her and gives her a voice.

Melody's character has been written so well, I feel like when I step outside of my house it's a real possibility that I may bump into her. She is funny, sassy, gets an attitude. The story is also a real look at how we as a society look at individuals with differences. It made me think a lot about when I was teaching and would walk past the self-contained classroom everyday. I would walk past the room but not really give much though to the different types of kids in the room (besides feeling sorry for them). But this book has taught me that they too are kids with hopes, dreams, fears. Maybe they can't express it the way I might but they're still there. Melody points out how people talk about her as if she is not in the room, or talk to her as if she is a baby. Out of My Mind is an important book for everyone to read, especially teachers and students. This is a book that gives huge insight into the way we treat those who are different and how they feel about it. I know it's way too early for 2010 awards, but I sure hope this one gets some accolades. This may be the book that I need to buy for everyone in my life. I also discovered that Ms. Draper lives in Cincinnati which is where my in-laws live. Next time we go for a visit, I may need to find her, follow her around and see if she will adopt me. Maybe her brilliance will rub off on me. Until next time.

My Secret Weapon

My peanut butter story (it involves peanut butter, but not about peanut butter) is finally giving me a reason to smile. You know when you are in your writing process and know you are on to something but the birthing process is just agonizing. (Moms are you feeling me?) Anywho, that is how this story has been. I know it has potential but looking at my words on the page make me seriously want to take my bat and go home. Alas, I'm seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. Finally after two days of working on my opening paragraph think I'm making some progress. Because I love you, I'm sharing my secret weapon with you and only you.  Picture book writers if you don't have Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul you are doing yourself a huge disservice. This book has been an invaluable resource for me. Ms. Paul walks you through the process and has you stop to check your manuscript to see if it "follows the rules". I may have to buy another book. I've had mine less than a year and it is already getting so beat up because I carry it everywhere. I feel really confident that if I follow her guidelines that my work will be much more polished and ready for the world than if I just went on my own instinct. (Or that of my friends and family who continue to think everything I write is brilliant. thanks guys!!) Until next time.

Study Time

One of the best things you can do as a writer is to study the books in your genre. As I've mentioned before, I have found that actually typing the books out (or maybe just a section of it) helps you see things you wouldn't see just by reading it. I recently finished a manuscript that is pretty kick-ass if I do say so myself. I also had a writer friend read it who said it was kick-ass. Well maybe she didn't use those exact words but she said it was good. Anywho, it's a picture book, but it covers serious topic. So I needed to find other serious picture books to see how they managed to find the balance between being serious but also age appropriate  For that book I studied the brilliant Bird by Zetta Elliott. This is a book about a family dealing with the death of a grandparent and also a siblings drug abuse. (Picture books ain't just about kittens and rainbows anymore.) It's sad yet hopeful which I think is the main thing to think about when attempting to cover heavier topics. I'm certainly not as poetic as Ms. Elliott but just studying the tone of the book was extremely helpful.

I also studied Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting. This picture book is told from the perspective of a young boy who is homeless. Again, another beautifully written book. I read this one a lot because I really wanted to figure out how to capture that simple, quiet power. I've read several books by Ms. Bunting and the way her books are written it is almost as if the character just appeared and said let me tell my story.

Now, I'm working on something different that is driving me crazy. I'm going in the opposite direction and trying to write a funny, very light-hearted book. For this one I've been studying Chicken of the Family by Mary Amato which is one of my favorites. It just makes me laugh over and over. I'm also looking at
The Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County which is funny, full of life and has that fun surprising twist at the end. Good books make my heart sing. What about you friends. What are some books you've been studying or just reading that have made your heart sing? Until next time.

Gracias

I have made a decison, found some peace and I'm moving on!!! Thanks for the cyber support over the last few days. I really appreciate it. As a reward I'm giving you a link to a totally random, totally hysterical website. If you laugh out loud or your jaws actually drop, let me know!! Check out Cake Wrecks. Happy St. Patty's Day. Until next time.

Amen Sister

Just stumbled on a very interesting blog. This is an old post, but it's an open letter to Oprah. Amen sister! Can I get a witness!! Eloquent, profound and everything I have thought but never expressed about the current state of African-American fiction. Check out Naki. Until next time.

My Advice, Revise

I just received two of my manuscripts back from F1rst Pages. Eileen is like a  personal trainer for your manuscripts, she whips them into shape. One manuscript got lots of great feedback and I only needed to work on a few things. The other manuscript, well let's just say she was very polite but basically said it was a hot mess. My focus was all over the place. Ahh, gotta love the writing life. Anywho, I have been working on it over the weekend and this morning woke up and realized maybe I need to change my POV(point of view). My story is about twins Jordan(girl) and Jeffrey. I wrote it completely in the narrator voice but with Jordan featured as the main character. Now I am thinking I need to rewrite it in first person with Jeffrey telling the story. Eileen said the skeleton was there, but now I have to fatten it up.

On  a personal note, I'm still struggling with the big drama I was telling you about. To put it eloquently it sucks. It's definetly taking up too much of my brain and spirit. I'm trying to release it, but it's easier said than done. Send me some good vibes folks!!! Until next time.

Zen & the Art of Creating

This is going to sound totally crunchy-granola, but hang in there.
I have some major drama going on in my life right now(does not involve anyone I live with). With the drama comes choices. I can choose to be bitter and hold a grudge, or I can choose to release the negative feelings to make way for positive change. There is a part of me that really wants to hold on to that bitterness, but where does that get you? Nowhere. I don't think you can be a creative being when you are blocked up with negativity. The universe does not reward anger. I think when you open yourself up for change and growth then everything opens up;your mind, your heart, your spirit. So without further adieu, I am releasing said issue to the universe. Do with it what you will. Ommm I'm an open receptacle to creative energy and I will be camped out at Barnes and Nobles all day in the hopes that the universe will send me a kick-ass muse who will help me write a bestseller. Watch out J.K.R. Until next time.

Book Review: The Rock and the River

Good books make me wanna holla' !!!!!!!! The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon is absolutely delicious. It's like a home-cooked meal. The words fill you up and stay with you for awhile. The story takes place in 1968. Pop quiz friends, what major historical events occurred around this time? Well, the civil right movement was in full swing and this was also the year Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Now, back to the story. The book revolves around Sam and his older brother Stick. Their father is a well known civil rights activist. They've grown up having Martin Luther King seated at their dinner table. Sam has never really questioned anything until he discovers his brother is involved in the Black Panther Party. Life at home becomes complicated as Stick and his father square off, and life outside of home becomes complicated as Sam deals with growing into manhood in a world that tells you you are less than. This was a very powerful read. There were several times I found myself reading with my mouth hanging open or muttering "oh no." This would be a fantastic book for high school classes to read as it really puts you in the time period. You get a very clear sense of what life was really like. Ms.Magoon did a wonderful job of making real characters. They have a pulse, you can feel their heart beat. Kick-ass book, kick-ass writer, can't wait to see what else she comes up with.

Spring Awakening

A friend of ours gave us tickets to see Spring Awakening. If you get a chance to see it please do. It was amazing. It was beautiful, funny, sad, timely even though it was set in the 1800's. Just goes to show some things never change. In case you don't know it is a musical about teenagers discovering love and lust. Discovering who they are as individuals and also dealing with parents and other adults who just don't get it. I was actually sobbing at one point in the show. But I was in good company. The girl beside me was crying and their were lots of sniffles echoing all around me. Thanks so much Doug for our unexpected surprise.

Spring is beginning to wake up from her slumber. In my corner of the universe it is going to be in th 60's all week. Praise God!!!! I was feeling so inspired that I actually went for a run yesterday. Now I'm by no means a lazy girl, I exercise, but I never "go for a run." Yesterday it felt pretty good, today I'm feeling pretty sore. It's all good. Anywho, gotta run and check out all the Oscar winners. I hope Precious did well. Until next time.

It Runs In The Family

This is my blog, and I can be proud momma when I want to. My daughter wrote a story and wanted me to write it down for her. I wrote it exactly as she dictated and without further aideu, here it is. It's about her brother known here as A.

A. weared his hat and mittens.
A. loves to play and swim in the pool.
A. is very silly.
A. bothers his sister too much.
A. likes to swim and make messes in the bathtub.

Written By Jeannine Montgomery

Made the words by K.

Bravo, Bravo!!!!!!!! Okay sorry. You can never trust a mom to not brag when it comes to her kids. If any publishers are reading this, feel free to contact me. I will be handling all contracts since she is only 4 and can only read about 5 words right now. Until next time.

Feeling Uneasy

I have been super excited to read The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow. I've had it on my list forever and finally got it from the library. The thing is, I've read two chapters but now haven't looked at the book in 3 days. I literally can't go near the book. I've never had this happen. It is sad subject matter, but I read heavy stuff all the time. For heavens sake, my favorite book is Push. How much heavier can you get? I was telling my dear hubby my predicament, that my spirit was just not letting me read the book. He said that maybe that was my spirits way of protecting me. Maybe I'm not to read it right now, but can come back to it another time. Sometimes hubby's are smart. Here's the thing, I read an interview the author gave where she revealed the inspiration from the book. Many years ago she read an article in the newspaper about a mother who took her children to the roof of her apartment building, pushed them off and then jumped. The daughter somehow survived.(Hence the title) I can't seem to wrap my brain around this story and it hurts my spirit to know that there is a real girl with this horrible past walking around in the world. Does she know the book is based on her story? Of course the book is just about that one event and then the rest becomes fiction but still. I'm already in a melancholy mood. It's still winter, I'm anxious about my agent letter that as we speak is sitting on an agent's desk and I'm just in general feeling blah. The book hits too close to home for me to deal with right now. There is mother-loss (my mom died when I was 21), and the character dealing with being biracial(my children are biracial). I know it's an amazing book and hopefully when the sun begins to shine again, I will be able to pick it back up. Anywho, if you love me, send me some happy thoughts and sunshine. Until next time.

Skinny Washing???

Oh those tricky publishers are at it again. In the weeks issue of Entertainment Weekly, there was a teeny blurb about a new book that is on my TBR list.
A Wife's Tale by Lori Larsens is about a 302 pound woman. But, if you check out the cover it shows a pair of probably size 4-6 legs. Interesting. Check out these other books with plus-sized characters with skinny models on the front. Until next time. By the by I would have put the covers directly on my blog, but I can't figure out how to do that. If you want to hook a sista up and tell me how, I'm all ears!!


Big Boned
Big Girls Don't Cry
Pleasure for Pleasure 
Take Me
Size 14 is Not Fat Either