A Child’s View from Gaza
“Crayons, pencils and magic markers. Wielded by children. That’s all these pictures are. But they are also so much more. Radiating an energy that has reached all around the world, these pictures-and the struggle to make sure they could be seen-reminds all of us that true power comes not from a gun or a tank or great wealth-it comes from our collective humanity, and our … Continue reading A Child’s View from Gaza
Sitti’s Bird: A Gaza Story
Sitti’s Bird is the true story of a young artist in Gaza. Her name is Malak Mattar. The book was published in 2022 and it relates to Malak’s experiences during Israel’s 55 day bombing and ground invasion of Gaza in 2014. Despite living under siege (from 2006 Gaza was described as the world’s largest open air prison), Malak went to school, visited with her friends … Continue reading Sitti’s Bird: A Gaza Story
Determined to Stay: Palestinian Youth Fight for their Village
“As Silwani youth and community members share their lives with us, their village becomes a doorway to Palestinian history and current reality”. It’s impossible to write without thinking about Palestine and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Gaza is/should be on everyone’s mind and the destruction and horrors that Gazans are subjected to every second of every day is unfathomable. Western governments are so weak in … Continue reading Determined to Stay: Palestinian Youth Fight for their Village
Books of April 2023
Dust Child There are three narrative threads here. The story of a “dust child”, the abandoned son of a Viet mother and a Black American father. The story of a Vietnam vet returning to the country for the first time with his wife and childhood sweetheart. The story of two Viet girls from the country who move to Saigon to save up money for their … Continue reading Books of April 2023
Books of March 2023
Year of the Tiger A powerful and brilliant book. I had so much fun reading this. I knew a little bit about Alice Wong but I hadn’t delved into her life before this. She includes interviews and blog posts along with drawings. The story starts with a short story about her birth and life as a cyborg. It’s far different to other memoirs I’ve read. … Continue reading Books of March 2023
Books of February 2023
Maroons When I finished Grievers I wasn’t aware of a sequel. It stood on its own and stories don’t need to tie up neatly. I felt a strong presence from Dune and I was so glad there is more to hear from her and her story. In Maroons Dune becomes friends with another “survivor”. This story shows Dune and Dawud navigating their life in this … Continue reading Books of February 2023
Books of January 2023
The World We Make N.K. Jemisin’s world building has no equal in my book. From the Inheritance trilogy to the Dreamblood duology and the Broken Earth trilogy she takes me places I never imagined. In “The City We Become” and its sequel the world building is placed on New York City and the concept of the world’s great cities having avatars. In The City We … Continue reading Books of January 2023
Hmong Text Set
At the Olympic Games this year Sunisa Lee won the All-Around Individual Gold Medal for gymnastics. She is the first Hmong American to compete in gymnastics and her success brought visibility to Hmong communities in the United States. Sunisa Lee Is Representing America in the Tokyo Olympics—and a Community America Left Behind in TIME magazine. The US abandoned Hmong people who had helped them in … Continue reading Hmong Text Set
Build Your Stack-Middle Grade Girls
Last week I went to my first (virtual) NCTE Build Your Stack event. During the convention I usually avoid the exhibit hall and so I hadn’t been to a BYS in person. Last week was so much fun! The idea is that people share five books that they want people to know about. There was a whole group share, including a video from two young … Continue reading Build Your Stack-Middle Grade Girls
NAIDOC week Build Your Stack-the Indigenous Literacy Foundation
NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) week was last week but I’m always a little bit slow with things like this. So here is one of hopefully a couple of contributions from me, albeit late. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation has been around for about 10 years and its goal is to increase literacy opportunities in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The … Continue reading NAIDOC week Build Your Stack-the Indigenous Literacy Foundation
APIDA children’s literature-picture books
Originally posted on Sowing seeds of literary love:
Before I move to discuss some picture books I have on hand I’ll link to another couple of book lists that are helpful. They aren’t all picture books but I’m going to focus on picture books here. 31 Books to Celebrate Asian/Pacific Heritage Month Asian American Kids Books AAPI Month from the Today Show The Today Show… Continue reading APIDA children’s literature-picture books
“Build-your-stack” First Nations’ Children’s Books
With all these book presentations I am coming at it from a white perspective and so my discussion comes from this perspective. There is a lot that would pass me by. I would love to see these books in classrooms around the world as well as in Australia. They are all contemporary publications (with the exception of “Stradbroke Dreaming”) and are verbally and visually stunning. … Continue reading “Build-your-stack” First Nations’ Children’s Books
Palestine Text Set-Middle Grade (from December, 2021)
A couple of weekends ago The Right Pen Collective launched the inaugural Virtual Australian Muslim Writers’ Festival. The Right Pen Collective’s mission is to make books by Muslim Australian authors be as common as Vegemite. “Muslim Australian writers have a lot to say. Our books ought to be as common as Vegemite.” The Guardian For the opening session Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah joined them. I just … Continue reading Palestine Text Set-Middle Grade (from December, 2021)
Reflections on #AustralianPoetryMonth
I’ve spent the last month highlighting a book of poetry a day by a poet writing in so-called Australia. Over the past year and a half I’ve been reading a lot more poetry from local authors. This month gave me a chance to look more closely at my collection. There are of course many more poets I could have included and many of the authors … Continue reading Reflections on #AustralianPoetryMonth
#AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry-Day 31: Maria Takolander: Trigger Warning (UQP, 2021)
“Trigger Warning is not for the fainthearted, but neither are the elemental realities of domestic violence and environmental catastrophe that these astonishing poems address. Comprising three sections, the first summons a difficult personal history by conversing with poets – from Sylvia Plath to Anne Carson – whose dramatised confessions trigger Takolander’s own. The second part remains focused on the domestic, while redeeming that scene of trauma … Continue reading #AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry-Day 31: Maria Takolander: Trigger Warning (UQP, 2021)
#AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry-Day 30 Arelhekenhe Angkentye “Women’s Talk”: Poems of Lyapirtneme from Arrernte Women in Central Australia (Ptilotus Press, 2020)
“There is healing in this poetry. These are our words. From our country. Our lands. Our spirits. For all the troubles we face every day, we are a passionate people. When we hear these poems, we know, we are lovers of life.”This anthology of poems was written by twenty-one Arrernte women from the heart of the continent in Mparntwe Alice Springs around the theme of … Continue reading #AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry-Day 30 Arelhekenhe Angkentye “Women’s Talk”: Poems of Lyapirtneme from Arrernte Women in Central Australia (Ptilotus Press, 2020)
#AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry- Day 29: Homeland Calling edited by Ellen van Neerven(Hardie Grant, 2020)
‘[W]e are strong, we are beautiful and we should be proud of our culture, our stories, our languages.’ – Danzal Baker (aka Baker Boy) Homeland Calling is a collection of poems created from hip-hop song lyrics that channel culture and challenge stereotypes. Written by First Nations youth from communities all around Australia, the powerful words display a maturity beyond their years. Edited by award-winning author and … Continue reading #AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry- Day 29: Homeland Calling edited by Ellen van Neerven(Hardie Grant, 2020)
#AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry-Day 28 Lucy Van: The Open (Cordite, 2021)
“The old hill near where I grew up was outwardly ruined: its pines were dead, its vines gone to seed and its sheds, which once held some purpose, sunk and rusted. With my immature logic I considered this place open and powerful, even though the land was enclosed by a wire fence and fallow from overcultivation and neglect. Like other places in the world, the … Continue reading #AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry-Day 28 Lucy Van: The Open (Cordite, 2021)
#AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry-Day 27 Nandi Chinna: The Future Keepers (Fremantle Press, 2019)
“The poems in The Future Keepers honour ecosystems and the custodians of future ecologies. They navigate the poet’s own embodied experiences of change and succession – of family, community and place. From the research scientists, gardeners, birds and plants of Kings Park, to the activism and ecosystems of the Beeliar Wetlands, to the poet’s own inherited landscapes, these poems evoke mutuality and exchange in speaking of the … Continue reading #AustralianPoetryMonth with #RedRoomPoetry-Day 27 Nandi Chinna: The Future Keepers (Fremantle Press, 2019)
Sowing Seeds of Love 