Taco Queens and Epic Fails

Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer    Torres
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stef Soto wants what most pre-teens want: for her parents to be normal, and for her classmates to accept her. (Tickets to the Vivianna Vega concert would be nice too.)

First thoughts: Stef is a super relatable character, especially for me. She knows that a family business is truly a family business, and when she does homework in her dad's taco truck (affectionately named "Tia Perla"), it reminded me of spending my after school hours at my mom's store. We usually got candy bars from the drugstore down the street instead of fresh tacos, but close enough. She's also an admirable character, but not without faults.

More similarities: When Stef equates art class with autonomy, I immediately thought of my childhood love of reading and writing. Torres truly seems to understand the pre-teen need for a unique identity, and it shows in her well-rounded characters and believable dialogue. Spanish conversations feel natural, not forced, and the dynamics of Stef's immigrant family are authentic as well.

Recommended for: I think most of us would enjoy an afternoon or two with Stef Soto. I'd recommend this to all of my previous students, kids who are still kids but have adult worries, and anyone with interests in municipal policy and how it affects families.

Final thoughts: All ends well in the world of Stef Soto, Taco Queen, but not without struggles, tough conversations, and real life fears. I appreciated the quick, yet thoughtful, pacing of the story - the conflict isn't wrapped up neatly in a few pages, but takes time to develop and resolve. There are important lessons to be learned here, about family, hard work, the "American Dream," and growing up.


The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Arturo Zamora is excited for his summer, even the dish-washing part, but a smooth talking land developer threatens his fun and his family's business. Can he save the day?

First thoughts: I read The Epic Fail right after Stef Soto, Taco Queen, and definitely felt the similarities (food & family as main themes, young Latino protagonists who must draw on their inner strengths to overcome a challenge and save something important to them...). One more similarity? I enjoyed it just as much.

Authenticity: My biggest gripe with children's fiction is its believably, and I'd say the plot, characters, and setting of TEFOAZ are all believable. Cartaya writes dialogue I could totally picture my students saying. Yes, the plot is spectacular, but again, Arturo struggles with the main conflict and works to solve it in ways that a pre-teen with his resources could do.

Recommended for: My middle schoolers, any school-aged kid living in Logan Square or one of the other many neighborhoods undergoing gentrification, people looking for an underdog to root for, fans of Stef (of Stef Soto, Taco Queen) or Junior (of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian).

Final thoughts: A fun and fast read. Plenty of heart, plenty of culture, a hero to cheer for, and a villain you can't wait to see fail.


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Banned Books Week

Happy Banned Books Week!

Let's talk about reading and censorship of kids' books. More specifically, let's talk about trying not to censor the books that kids are reading. If kids are reading, they're learning. They're learning words, sentence structure, and paragraph composition. They're learning about plot and conflict, exposition and resolution. When they get invested in the story and the characters, they're learning about empathy, inclusion, stamina, and problem solving. Most importantly, they're learning about themselves.

Plus, as soon as a book is challenged, its popularity with kids and teens skyrockets. Want a 12-year old to read something? Tell them it's off limits. If book bans and challenges were really about protecting children, they wouldn't put the offending book in the spotlight.

Yes, words and books can be powerful, but let's not turn them into representations of evil. If we as adults can read and view things that we don't agree with, coming up with our own opinions of what we consume, why can't kids learn to do the same? Parents, teachers, and librarians should show kids how to read things that are challenging and teach them to shape their own worldviews in relation to what they read. When kids learn about difficult subjects in books and with the guidance of a trusted adult, they can wrestle with conflicting thoughts intentionally, instead of on their own and on the fly.

More about why kids should read banned books and why illustrated books are challenged so frequently.

A Closer Look at Librarianship

The Heart of Librarianship: Attentive, Positive, and Purposeful Change by Michael Stephens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great companion to class discussions and readings, giving me plenty to think about as I continue my journey to librarianship.

First thoughts: Several times parts of the book echoed class discussions, especially about the evolution of librarianship. There is lots of mention of leadership and management, plus how to work with technology - all classes I still have coming up - so I was particularly excited to read about those topics.

Favorite quotes:

"No amount of training or professional development can move us forward if an individual is uninterested in learning or growing. I'd argue for two vital traits that will serve librarians well throughout their careers. Longtime librarians, mid-career folks, new hires, and students, I'm talking to you! The traits are simple yet pack a powerful punch: curiosity and creativity."

"Beginning this learner's journey in library school should be a given....'Follow your curiosity' is my answer when students ask me what emerging ideas and tech they should focus on. This emphasis on learning will carry our graduates forward into their positions." (This made my heart soar as a subscriber to the Follow Your Curiosity life motto.)

Career thoughts: As someone who's never quite known what she's wanted to "be" when she grows up, so far librarianship has offered me the most. Part social worker, part teacher, part book reviewer - these are all the things I've already committed my life to. Life is wild and wonderful sometimes.

Recommended for: library students, library teachers, librarians at all stages of their careers.

Final thoughts: I'm so glad I picked this book up before the start of my fall semester. It was the perfect motivator for jumping back in to classes and keeping my focus on the purpose of all this reading, discussing, writing, and learning.

The New Librarianship Field Guide by R. David Lankes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First thoughts: This book reaffirmed things I've learned already in library school, and reminded me of other concepts I'm excited to learn more about.

Favorite quotes:

"Let's face it, if you're reading this, you are either are or want to be a librarian." (guilty)

"The mission of librarians is to improve society through facilitating knowledge creation in their communities."

Career thoughts: Librarians are in the knowledge business, not the information business, and knowledge is a conversation. A conversation leading to creation, which is the purest form of creativity I can think of. I'd love to be a part of those conversations in the future.

Recommended for: library students, library teachers, librarians at all stages of their careers.

Final thoughts: One of the best points this book made for me was in the admittance of mistakes librarians of the past made (and those present librarians make, and the ones librarians of the future will make) - Lankes says we honor these librarians by questioning and improving their systems. It does no good to pretend libraries were always beacons of democracy, or to assume that all librarians always have the best interests of their communities in mind when making decisions, but if enough librarians and library members take the time to understand why decisions were made, and when it's time to change things up, libraries will continue to stand for equality and access for everyone.


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Celebrate International Day of Peace With New Picture Books

As a graduate assistant, I'm writing for Butler's Pantry, the online presence of the Butler Children's Literature Center. Check out my latest post!

Celebrate International Day of Peace With New Picture Books

Solo

Solo by Kwame Alexander

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story of Blade Morrison, newly graduated son of a rock star who wants to know where he fits both in his family and in life, told in poetic verse.

First thoughts: I both read the print version of Solo along with listening to the audiobook - and I highly recommended listening. This is a musical story - the playful language deserves to be heard. It's always a treat to hear the author read their own works, and Kwame Alexander doesn't disappoint. Novels told in poetic verse are always going to be some of my favorites.

Favorite quotes:

"It is a good feeling
not to be recognized
and still noticed."

"It's as awkward
as things can get.
But I hear grace
can feel
that way
at first."

Bonus!: The audiobook version comes with recordings of the original songs Blade writes, performed by Randy Preston. I loved the originality of this detail, and how it really cracks open what a "book" can be. Why wouldn't a story about a young musician growing up in Hollywood include his songs as well?

Recommended for: high school seniors (or juniors or sophomores or even freshmen) and their parents, people who feel like outsiders in their own families, music lovers, world travelers, readers of celebrity gossip, and rockers young and old.

Final thoughts: Solo is sweet, yet it hits hard when it needs to. The audiobook is both powerful and fun.

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Librarian Blueprints: Two Book Reviews

This Is What a Librarian Looks Like: A Celebration of Libraries, Communities, and Access to Information by Kyle Cassidy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Photos of librarians past, present, and future, paired with their thoughts on what it means to be a librarian.

First thoughts: This was a very inspiring read for the beginning of a new semester of library school! The longer essays by librarians and the people who love librarians (Hello, Neil Gaiman!) were interesting as well.

Recommended for: library lovers, library students, and library skeptics.

Final thoughts: A fun, informative, and timely look at all the ways there are to be a librarian. This would make a great coffee table or lobby book - easy to dip in and out of, with wonderful photo spreads.

Becoming a Powerhouse Librarian: How to Get Things Done Right the First Time by Jamie M Gray

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A practical guide for librarians looking to step up their game in various areas.

First thoughts: This read like an insider's guide, or a playbook for more established librarians who need to freshen up their skills. It had practical advice and info, but as a library student it wasn't anything new that's not already being taught in my current classes.

Recommended for: Any librarian looking to shake things up a bit, or re-motivate themselves after getting stuck in a routine, library directors and managers hoping to keep their staff in top librarian shape.

Final thoughts: Less learning about becoming a library than improving current librarianship - it's possible I revisit this (or an updated edition) in the future, but not a whole lot I could take action on in my current position.

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S.

S. by J.J. Abrams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A story in the margins of a story about another story...S. is beautiful, intricate, and, sometimes confusing, but a joy to read as a librarian-in-training.

First thoughts: It's so hard to just read the book, without reading all the margin notes left by previous readers Jen and Eric or getting lost in the lore surrounding the whole thing. With J.J. Abrams involved, of course there are layers upon layers of story.

How do I read this book?!: I don't think there is any right or wrong way to read S. Read it all, all at once, or try to go layer by layer - either way you'll still have to piece things together. Don't forget about all the inserts! (My copy didn't have them included, since it was from the library, but I found a website that described them all.) Personally, I started reading EVERYTHING on each page, but felt like certain events were being spoiled before I had context for them, so then I split the book up into about 4 different readings. First, the actual typed pages of The Ship of Theseus, the story of a man searching for his identity. Then I went back to read each set of notes left by "Eric" and "Jen," focusing on the different sets of pen/pencil colors they used to read semi-chronologically.

Wait, what?: Yes, I was confused pretty much the whole way through...this blog helped me a lot! I had little to zero idea what the "real" story of The Ship of Theseus was until I read Eric and Jen's notes, and their notes I needed outside context to fully grasp. Whew!

Favorite quotes:

"We create stories to help us shape a chaotic world ,to navigate inequities of power, to accept our lack of control over nature, over others, over ourselves."

"Really: we imagine ourselves to be so well-contained, so clearly defined, so individually integrious yet it takes so little to open us up, to send us spilling outward or to introduce something foreign and toxic."

Character thoughts: Eric's first (penciled) notes remind me of me taking notes - some personal, lots of similar themes pointed out, mildly embarrassing to read back after several years... A lot of Jen's notes were relatable too, in her conversations with Eric, along with her library science leanings and her romantic side.

Writing thoughts: This book must have been so much fun to write. Fun and frustrating - adding in notes to a story you've written, being able to make sure your reader takes note of what you want them to, but also having to keep all the narratives straight!

Recommended for: Durst and Abrams write for people who love a puzzle, anyone who analyzes all parts of their life, and those who need a deep dive escape into reading. Librarians and librarian types will appreciate the game of reading and figuring out the book, as will anyone involved in other ARG-type experiences.

Final thoughts: S. is a book that sticks with you. The concept is better than the actual story, I think, and really truly works because of the margin notes, but I always welcome novelty in my reading. It's refreshing to know there are always different ways to write and consume books!


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