Book Review: Every Falling Star

EVERY FALLING STAR by Sungju Lee and Susan Elizabeth McClelland tells the true story of a twelve year old boy growing up on his own in North Korea after his parents are banished then disappear.

The book begins with background information about North Korea and a prologue introducing the story. The memoir describes how the Sungju Lee’s family was banished and how his parents disappeared. The fast-paced story details his life traveling the country in a gang and how he was ultimately reunited with his family. The epilogue does an excellent job completing the story.

Librarians will find that fans of memoir quickly become immersed in Sungju Lee’s life in North Korea. Develop a literature circle of the many teen memoirs available from around the world.

Watch Sungju Lee introduce the book at https://youtu.be/4jaa2sTelk4.

Published by Harry N. Abrams on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Becoming Maria

BECOMING MARIA: LOVE AND CHAOS IN THE SOUTH BRONX by Sonia Manzano is a touching memoir about a Puerto Rican-American girl growing up in New York City during the 1950s and 1960s.

Many readers will recognize Sonia Manzano as Maria from the children’s television program Sesame Street. This poignant story follows Sonia from her earliest memories through her college experiences. It concludes with her job interview for Sesame Street that made her famous with generations of children.

Manzano provides an authentic look at the daily life of a Latino family living in the Bronx during the 1950s-1960s. Readers experience the racial and social issues of the times through the eyes of a child trying to make sense of the world.

Librarians will enjoy reading this book themselves as well as sharing it with young adults. The fast-paced story will keep readers interested. This book would be a wonderful addition to your WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign.

For amazing photos and primary source documents from her life, visit the author’s website at http://soniamanzano.com/.

Published August 25, 2015 by Scholastic Press.

Book Review: El Deafo

Three of the best children’s books of 2014 are autobiographical including THE SCRAPS BOOK and BROWN GIRL DREAMING. EL DEAFO is at the top of my list. Feature all three in your library and encourage youth to write their own stories.

EL DEAFO by Cece Bell is a powerful graphic memoir focusing on the frustration of growing up with a hearing impairment. While Cece’s story highlights the embarrassment and loneliness of deafness experienced by many children, the universal themes of friendship and acceptance are at the core of this unforgettable story.

The author’s warm and honest approach to storytelling contribute to it’s appeal. Cece’s “listener for all” alter-ego El Deafo is wonderfully drawn in sequences placed in green bubbles to separate them from reality.

Besides the exceptional storyline, what makes EL DEAFO so magnificent is the graphic memoir format. Many students who might overlook the traditional autobiographical format will embrace the simple, well-drawn, visually-rich approach.

Librarians who grew up in the 60s-70s will enjoy her spot-on references to everything from Batman and John-Boy to Hostess Cherry Pies and sleep-overs. You may even be moved to sing Yellow Submarine.

Having experienced hearing loss as an adult due to an illness, I can empathize with Cece’s frustrations. Like Cece, my problem isn’t with volume, it’s clarity of sound. Her book does an outstanding job educating readers about how to interact with a person with hearing loss. These small informative details make this much more than your typical graphic memoir.

To learn more about Geisel honor book winner Cece Bell, go to her website at https://cecebell.wordpress.com/.

Book Review: Brown Girl Dreaming

BROWN GIRL DREAMING by Jacqueline Woodson has been named the 2014 National Book Award winner for young people’s literature.

Written in verse, this inspiring memoir traces Woodson’s life as an African American child growing up during the turbulent 1960s and 70s. From her experiences with the Civil Rights Movement to her religious upbringing as a Jehovah’s Witness, readers get a glimpse into the life of an ordinary child that will grow up to be an extraordinary voice for a generation.

Through short powerful poems, readers become immersed in Woodson’s world. Many children will empathize with her struggles with reading and writing.

BROWN GIRL DREAMING would be a wonderful addition to a literature circle exploring the lives of well-known authors. It would also be an excellent shared experience for a class exploring the genre of autobiography, biography, and memoir.

This three-time Newbery Honor author has written some extra-ordinary books for young people. Use this memoir to jumpstart an exploration of all her works such as LOCOMOTION, FEATHERS, and AFTER TUPAC AND D FOSTER.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/. Her website contains a useful research guide providing helpful hints for conducting inquiries related to the topics associated with her books.

Publisher ARC used for review