May 2021 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge: Magnificent Middle Grade

May's motif was "Magnificent Middle Grade," which is defined as "a book that is marketed toward ages 8-14." I'm not gonna lie - I really enjoy reading young adult and children's literature, so this was not a problem for me at all. I know that Louis Sachar has been on some reading lists for schools and is sort of considered classic for the newer generation (i.e. I'm pretty sure I've seen this on summer reading lists for kids these days), so I decided to go with one of his award winning books, Holes. I actually saw the stage adapatation of this book years ago at the university in my hometown, and they did a really good job with it. Thus, I knew the basic plot, but stage/film adaptations can never put in the detail that you find in the books. Also, it had been long enough since I'd seen the play that I didn't really remember it all that well.

All in all, I think the book is well constructed. It tells a story in an interesting way, using some flashbacks to previous eras. There's an interesting mystery and survival skills and redemption and all kinds of good stuff. It also pretty strongly suggests that hating or treating people poorly based on something they can't really control (e.g. skin color) is stupid and wrong. I mean, I think this is an extremely important thing for kids to learn, especially as middle grades are when they really start to absorb the culture around them (outside of their home). This book does a good job touching on the subject in an interesting and somewhat relatable way. I think the book deserves the Newbery medal it received, and it's worth a read, even if you're not middle grade aged. There is some mild abuse in the book, but nothing too graphic. It's enough that I would be cautious about letting someone younger than, say 10?, read it. It's possible 8-9 year olds would do okay with it, too, but I would call it an individual decision based on the sensitivity and maturity of the kid.

So I'm going to say something that sounds kind of silly here, but it actually made me happy. Stanley, the main character, is a fat kid. I love this because it's so hard to find fiction where a fat person is actually the protagonist, and even harder to find fiction where the fatness is not the main thing about who that person is. I mean, there is definitely mention of his size and its impact on him, but it is not what defines him in the book. I love this, and I love it for kids who may read it and see themselves in it, and see that they don't have to be defined by their size. I mean, maybe this newer generation of kids has already figured that out, but it took me years, and I still struggle with feeling judged and defined by my weight.

I also like that Sachar has several middle grade books all set in different parts of the South (US). I spent a large portion of my childhood in the South, and I have to say - there was a dearth of children's books set there to which I could relate. I mean, so much children's literature was set in a place with snow in the winters and Northern culture, which was great to read and learn about, but there was so little to read that reflected my own experience. Sometimes, I just wanted to read about a character who had never experienced a snowy winter and had to say, "Yes, ma'am," to her adults. It's nice to see a little more variety in setting for children's books now. Also, even though I now live in a different area of the country, there's still a bit of nostalgia for the place where I grew up, which is a nice itch to scratch with books every once in a while. (My December challenge book for 2020 actually scratched that itch, too.)

So there it is. Do you have any favorite middle grade books?

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April 2021 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge: Books on the Menu

I really enjoyed my April book for the monthly motif challenge (and I did, in fact, finish it in April, despite not getting to this blog post until July). The motif was "Books on the Menu," and the description said to "Read a book that features food, restaurants, cafes, cooking, or baking, on the cover or in the story." I chose the book Crescent, by Diana Abu-Jaber. Though the book is set in the United States (in LA), this book could have counted toward my March motif, Countries and Cultures, as it delved deep into the expatriate Arabian community in Los Angeles. There have been few times in my life when I've had the opportunity to live near Arab and Muslim populations, so I have never had the opportunity to learn much about them. So this book sort of introduced me to lively characters and their lives in an engaging and interesting way.

I took an english elective class in college that was called "Soul Food," and it focused on the ways in which food and dining together play important roles in our bonding as families/friends/cultures. We had three units, focusing on three different cultures within the US - the African-American culture, the Asian-American culture, and the Latinx culture. All of the books/writings we read were written by women, and they all focused on the importance of food in each culture. It was one of the most memorable classes I took in college, and it enriched and expanded my reading and author repertoire. I share this small anecdote because I think Crescent could easily and beautifully fit into that class. The writing is good and engaging, and it's easy to invest in the characters. I think I particularly felt an affinity with the main character (Sirine), as she was around the same age as me.

I enjoyed journeying with Sirine as she truly fell in love for the first time and experienced all the ups and downs of that time of life. I also really enjoyed the descriptions of cooking and how Sirine found herself and her culture in cooking, learning new recipes, and sharing them with the customers/friends in the restaurant. It really highlighted how food plays such an important role in connecting with others and in evoking home for people. All Arabian expats who visited Nadia's Cafe (the restaurant at which Sirine works) found both community and a taste of home there. There's a bonus in the book, too, as there are recipes to try out at the end of the book! I may be keeping this one, rather than passing it on, so that I can try them out! All in all, I would definitely recommend this one if you like romance stories, if you like and/or want to read more about expat Arabian culture, and/or if you like a good story.

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March 2021 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge: Countries and Cultures

(I started writing this entry back in early April, but I only finished it in July.)
I finished my book for March only a day or two before the end of March. The prompt for March was "Countries and Cultures," asking you to "Read a book set in a country, or about a culture, that’s different than your own and that you’d like to learn more about." I chose to read The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy. It is set in India in the 1960s/1990s, flashing back and forward between the two time periods. To be honest, I found it a little slow at the beginning, but the pace definitely picked up. It was also...kind of hard to read, not because it's a bad read, but because it's kind of sad and deals with some difficult topics. The style of telling is also a little different, but I think it fits the characters.

It's certainly an interesting read for someone not really aware of the social class/caste system in India, as an important part of the book is one upper class Christian family's interaction with a young man in the Untouchable caste and how that association affects all their lives. This really had me thinking about why humans (and maybe all animals?) seem to have this need to separate ourselves into classes, and particularly why we not only separate ourselves in such a way but actually completely demonize some other classes. I kept thinking about how poor people all over the world are blamed for things and dehumanized. Roy does a great job of really illustrating how unfair this sytem is and how the prejudices associated with caste systems ruin not only lives in poverty but the more wealthy lives as well. The book is well-written, though it is a tough read at times. There are some sexual themes in it and moments of child abuse that can be tough to read. However, I think it does a great job of psychological exploration. In general, I would recommend it, though if you prefer lighter reads, this may not be the book for you.

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