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Tessa's Top Titles of 2019!

12/30/2019

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Well here we are again – the end of the year! This was another great and constantly improving year for picture books as they continue to impress with their ability to address complex subjects, and embrace diverse faces, voices and intersectionality (well, at least the best ones do!). Without any further ado ... here are my favorite picture books of the year! Click on the covers for more book details.
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Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2019

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There were a lot of great additions to picture books this year, so many that I couldn't limit it down to just 20 like last year! Many of my top contenders in 2019 celebrated black children, including titles like I Am Perfectly Designed (Karamo Brown), M is for Melanin (Tiffany Rose), and Hair Love (Matthew A. Cherry). I also picked some books that really highlighted and embraced intersectionality and celebrating our differences, like When Aidan Became a Brother (Kyle Lukoff) and IntersectionAllies: We Make Room For All​ (Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council & Carolyn Choi).

It was hard not to pick books that so beautifully captured the love of family, culture, and familial traditions, including Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao (Kat Zhang), Grandpa's Stories: A Book of Remembering (Joseph Coelho), Bilal Cooks Daal​ (Aisha Saeed), Where Are You From? (Jamie Kim) and You Made Me a Dad (Laurenne Sala,) ... WARNING: Tissues needed for that last one.

I also, of course, chose books that also (age-appropriately) tackled contemporary issues like immigration with Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story From the Border (Mitali Perkins); Islamophilia with Under my Hijab (Hena Khan); toxic masculinity with Big Boys Cry (Jonty Howley); feminism with I Will Be Fierce! (Bea Birdsong) and Mary Wears What She Wants (Keith Negley); and confronting personal biases in What If Everybody Thought That? (Ellen Javernick). The ability picture books have to introduce complex issues like these to young children is one of my many favorite things about them!
But there can only be one absolute favorite ... and for 2019, it is easily Fry Bread: A Native American Family Tradition (Kevin Noble Maillard​).​ It is a beautiful story that captures contemporary Native people's present, past, and future.

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Fry Bread is truly something special. In a world where Native voices are often silenced or erased, this title demands to be heard. It breaks the misguided and wrong(!) stereotype that far too many people still ascribe to when they think of of Native Americans – that they walk around in buckskin and headdresses, and live in teepees.

This wonderful gem also shatters the image of what Native people look like. The book features a ton of helpful back matter that breaks down every page, including a note from author Kevin Noble Maillard regarding this representation. He states:

"Most people think Native Americans always have brown skin and black hair. But there is an enormous range of hair textures and skin colors. Just like the characters in this book, Native people may have blonde hair or black skin, tight cornrows or a loose braid. This wide variety of faces reflects a history of intermingling between tribes and also with people of European, African, and Asian descent."

Looking for, reading, and enjoying books about Native people shouldn't be something only done around Thanksgiving – though sadly that seems to be the case for many. Fry Bread is undoubtedly a book that could and should be enjoyed year-round by all types of readers. Don't miss it!
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While I try to keep track of all my favorites throughout the year, but I inevitably miss a few. Here are some amazing titles from 2018 that I missed in my wrap up post at the end of last year!
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Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2018 (Continued 1 year later...)

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​Here's to another great year of picture books in 2020!

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Libraries are breaking down walls – not building them

1/30/2019

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"The Castle" brick wall installation art by Jorge Méndez Blake. Image retrieved from MyModernMet.com.


The Power of a Book.
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Books change lives – even save them – and at the right time, a single book can have that same power.

A recent article from School Library Journal, discussed how libraries across the country are seeing diverse titles on the rise. After all, many readers – kids in particular – want to read about people and things they can relate to, and sometimes that means judging a book by its cover. Who's image do you see on the cover? What about the author's photo on the back? Do they look like you? Why not? The fact is, these images should be diverse as the plot lines in the stories that line the shelves. And thanks to a big push by librarians, that's becoming more of a reality. 

The SLJ article Can Diverse Books Save Us? shows that in today's divided world, librarians are on a two-fold mission. First, to address the need of representation and make sure readers can find characters, authors and illustrations who are like them on their shelves. The second is to deliberately give readers access to books with characters, authors and illustrators who are not like them, in hopes of building empathy and understanding by getting a glimpse of someone else's lived experience and point of view.
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According to the article, "
Across the board, librarians are buying more diverse books – two-thirds of the sample, 68 percent of survey respondents – report purchasing an increased number of children’s/YA (young adult) titles with diverse characters in the last year." Not surprisingly, the level of importance of access to a diverse collection varies in communities where populations tend to be more homogenous.
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Infographics retrieved from the School Library Journal article "Can Diverse Books Save Us?"

​While there has been a lot of progress made thanks to the work of individual librarians and organizations like We Need Diverse Books, there's still a long way to go. My own experience as a librarian and a few quotes for the SLJ article make this clear:
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“Please, more books about Muslim kids. Also Black Muslim kids. My students are Somali—there are no books that I can find published by big publishers,” commented Anna Zbacnik, a media specialist at Brimhall Elementary in Roseville, MN.

In Brunswick, Melissa Orth has difficulty finding contemporary stories of East Asians. Other librarians also seek non-historical portrayals of various cultures and ethnicities and ones that bust stereotypes and “single story” narratives.

“I am trying to find books where there are kids or teens just living life while black / gay / trans / fat / Muslim, etc.,” says Libby Edwardson, youth services librarian at Blue Hill (ME) Public Library. “Not that they ignore the challenges that accompany being a minority, but kids want to see mirrors of themselves in books. They don’t want to always have to see characters that represent or teach something bigger than themselves.”

I encourage you to read the entire article to draw your own conclusions, but mine is this: There are lots diverse voices writing books, and more readers are reading them. Librarians are buying diverse books now more than ever, which is great – but that can't be it. Now let's see the school curriculums change to reflect this, and let's support publishers who use their resources to make these types of books a reality. Let's hold each other accountable and not build any more unnecessary walls. Let's work together to keep tearing them down, brick by brick.
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Image retrieved from the School Library Journal article "Can Diverse Books Save Us?"
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My Top 20 Picture Books of 2018

12/12/2018

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Wow, I can't believe 2018 is already almost over! It's true what they say: that each year passes a little more quickly than the one before it. Luckily, each trip around the sun also seems to bring us more beautiful and diverse picture books written by, illustrated by and featuring all sorts of different people.

If you're still looking for some gift ideas for the children in your life, consider these my suggestions! And if you don't feel like spending the money, I encourage you to visit your local public library and check some of these beauties out. Without any further ado – here are my favorite picture books of the year:
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Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2018

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This year there were some great (and seriously needed) books focused on breaking gender norms (Pink is For Boys, Julián Is a Mermaid​ and Teddy's Favorite Toy) and some very touching stories about serious issues that can be difficult for children to understand, like a grandparent's memory loss (The Remember Balloons [good luck not crying through that one]) and the refugee crisis (Marwan's Journey). 

There was also some very strong books promoting acceptance and understanding (All of Us and All Are Welcome), books about feeling like you might not fit in (Neon Leon and Neither) and adorable confidence boosters (I Am Enough and The Day You Begin). Of course, there were also some books with show-stealing illustrations (Yellow Kayak and Ocean Meets Sky) and heartfelt plots (Run Wild and Dad By My Side).
​But out of all these top picture books, there could only be one favorite, and it certainly stood out. Mixed: A Colorful Story by Arree Chung is perfect for storytime or one-on-one sharing. This important book serves as a childhood primer on a difficult topic for most people to discuss: the social construct of race.

With simple yet stylized illustrations, Mixed tells the story of how "colors" have their differences and some might not always get along. But when these colors start to blend (and blend, and blend!) – they realize the world becomes a pretty colorful and beautiful place. I can think of few things more special than that.
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Wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season, filled with lots of special moments and memories!

(and hopefully some of these wonderful books, too!)

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When it comes to childhood reading

11/20/2018

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As an Early Literacy Librarian, I hear a lot of adults talk and ask about what books are age appropriate for their children. There are those parents of kids with advanced reading skills who closely monitor the content of what their children read for fear that the subject matter is too graphic or mature. There are also the parents who couldn't care less about what their child is reading, because really – how bad can a kid be if they want to spend their free time with a book? The later sentiment is one that resonates with me, but it is absolutely up to each parent to decide what is right for their child. 

And then of course there are those archaic rules imposed by some schools or  teachers that kids can only read books that correspond with their particular reading level. I understand the thinking behind this notion, but I cannot help but think it is absolutely crazy. Sure, reading levels are a good way to narrow down the field to match readers with potential books they might like – but it should absolutely not be the determining factor of whether or not they read it. If it's too hard, adults can read along with them to help when needed. If it's too easy, you can let them fly through it and try to steer them in the direction of something a little more challenging when they're done. In my opinion, if a kid wants to read it – let them!  Helping readers discover what they like to read does not always align with their reading level, and it doesn't have to.
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One thing is for sure – it's never too early to introduce books into a child's life. From the time a child is in the womb to the moment they take their first breath – books can make a profound impact. Below is a beautiful infographic courtesy of MomLovesBest.com about some of the benefits reading has on young minds, and how to encourage your little one to stick their nose in a book. With the holidays quickly approaching, remember that a book is a gift that keeps on giving – especially if it's the right book for the reader. In the words of Dr. S.R. Ranganathan, the father of Library Science, "Every book its reader, and every reader their book."
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May we know them, raise them, be them and READ them!

3/19/2018

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I love March. It starts to get warmer, the dreariness and the grey begin to seep out of the world and color returns once again. Red robins, blue skies, green grass – and then it's officially spring! But March gets even better, because it means one of my favorite times of the year is here . . .
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March means National Women's History Month
​and International Women's Day!


​One of my favorite things about being a librarian is getting to do book displays – which not only help match every book with its reader; they also give librarians a chance to boost circulation and highlight important parts of their collection that might otherwise get lost in the stacks. So naturally, March yields some wonderful Girl Power book displays.

I must point out, of course, that March shouldn't be the only time of the year strong girls and women are highlighted in your library – this should be happening every month, just as books about people of color and/or different cultures should be found in book displays year-round, not just during the months designated to honor them.

Whether you're a librarian or not, March can serve as an annual reminder for all of us about *just how important* it is to see ALL girls (and boys and others – but largely, girls) of ALL kinds represented in the media we consume and willingly and/or otherwise allow the future generation to consume!

So without any further ado, here are some of the titles I've been paying extra attention to displaying this month! Broken down into five categories, these are a few of my favorite picture books that promote women's history, feminism, bravery, strength and independence to our youngest library patrons – male, female or anything beyond and in-between!

​Brains, Beauty AND Bravado 

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"Beautiful" written by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff / Published by Running Press Kids, 2016
Here are some of my favorite picture books that inspire girls to be bold, smart and strong, in addition to helping them find/embrace self-love and the true, inner beauty of themselves and others.
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I Am Enough (2018)
by Grace Byers

A self-affirming text featuring girls of all colors, sizes and abilities, this book reminds girls that regardless of what others say (or what you might sometimes think about yourself): YOU ARE ENOUGH! This lyrical ode to being yourself, loving who you are, and treating others with kindness and respect makes it a picture book that I think everyone could use right now!

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon (1994)
​by Patty Lovell

This endearing story (only a few years younger than myself)  is about a little girl who proves she's "big" in lots of other, special ways – much in thanks to her healthy and loving relationship with her wise grandmother. This book provides excellent reinforcement about the power and importance of nurturing healthy relationships between multi-generational women.
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Beautiful (2016)
​by Stacy McAnulty

A truly adorable book with tremendous, inclusive illustrations that show the many different ways girls are beautiful. As the back of the book explains, it's not all about your clothes, your hair, your style. It's all about WHO YOU ARE.

NOTE: This one may be my all-time favorite Girl Power picture book EVER! I've bought this book multiple times as birthday presents for the young girls in my life, because it is a book that could and should be shared aloud together, again and again.
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Future Leaders & Early Activists

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"The Pink Hat" written and illustrated by Andrew Noyner / Published by Random House/Schwartz & Wade, 2018
Here are a few of my favorites that emphasize taking the power to the streets (and polls!), and will surely inspire future generations to be politically active, stand up and be heard, and whenever possible – lend a literal or metaphorical mic to someone else's voice that isn't otherwise being heard, perhaps maybe even because of the sound of your own.

Grace for President (2008)
by Kelly DiPucchio

Perhaps one of the better known contemporary Girl Power picture books, Grace for President serves as a fun and understandable childhood introduction to the American electoral system. But even more importantly, this book also teaches children the value of supporting brave and hardworking leaders who listen to and fight for their constituents. And in this book, that leader just so happens to be a young black girl​ named Grace, not her white, male opponent.
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The Pink Hat (2018)
​by Andrew Joyner

The Pink Hat was inspired by the 5 million people (many of them children) in 82 countries who participated in the 2017 Women's March. This timely and adorable story is empowering and promotes strength in a diverse and active feminist community, beginning at a young age.

NOTE: I'm willing to bet that this will be one of my favorite picture books of 2018, and we're only a quarter through the year! The first time I read this book after I ordered it for my library, I could not stop smiling, almost cried, and then ran around showing it to my colleagues before reading it again. 

Malala's Magic Pencil (2017)
by Malala Yousafzai

I mean . . . is it even an option to not include a book about (AND BY) Malala in this section? If she hasn't exemplified what a Phenomenal Woman can be . . . I just don't know who has!

Malala's recent book details how her desire and drive for equality and girlhood education ultimately almost cost her her life, but it also led to her becoming the youngest recipient of Nobel Peace Prize at just 17 years old.

NOTE: I sometimes hear/see parents steering their child(ren) away from particular books, not dissimilar to this one, because they address "more adult topics" like violence and oppression. OK. It's your child – it's your right. But wasn't Malala herself just a child when what she writes about took place? Clearly, some children don't have the privilege to ignore those "adult topics," and can still flourish and grow into someone as amazing as Malala.
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Full STEAM Ahead, Girls

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"Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire" written by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville and illustrated by Brigette Barrager / Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics – they're all important fields that no child should be dissuaded from pursuing on the grounds of their identifying gender. Here are a few STEAM books that show young girls that female success in male-dominated fields is possible and important!
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Ada Twist, Scientist (2016)
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by Andrea Beaty

"'Why does it tick and why does it tock?' 'Why don't we call it a grandDAUGHTER clock?' 'Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose?' 'Why are there hairs up inside of your nose?' 

She started with 'Why?' and then 'What?' 'How?' and 'When?' By bedtime she came back to 'Why?' once again. She drifted to sleep as her dazed parents smiled at the curious thoughts of their curious child, who wanted to know what the world was about. They kissed her and whispered, 'Figure it out,'" -Ada Twist, Scientist
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For another endearing and aspirational book about girls and STEAM, be sure to check out another of Beaty's books: Rosie Revere, Engineer! They both make great gifts for the curious and knowledge-hungry youngsters in your life.​

The Girl Who Thought in
Pictures: The Story of
​Dr. Temple Grandin
 (2017)
​by Julia Finley Mosca

As such a great, colorful and rhythmic piece of Girl Power nonfiction, The Girl Who Thought in Pictures just has to be included in this section.

​When young Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism at the age of two, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in a field like modern science, which is heavily dominated by men. But yet, somehow the determined visual thinker did just that, and proved that people on the autism spectrum can and will accomplish incredible things!
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Pocket Full of Colors: The
Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire 

(2017) by Amy Guglielmo and
Jacqueline Tourville

This story reinforces the idea that well-behaved women seldom make history. Disney artist Mary Blair was a renegade and a rule breaker from the start. During a time when movie studios wanted to hire men and think only in black and white, Mary shook things up by painting twinkling emerald skies, peach giraffes with tangerine spots, and magenta horses that could fly. Without her contributions, today's Disney products might not ever have become quite so magical.

Pretty Princess in Pink & Beyond

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"Not All Princesses Dress in Pink" written by Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple and illustrated by Anne-Sophie Lanquetin / Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010
There's nothing inherently wrong with girls liking pink or wanting to be a princess when they grow up. But when the vast majority of mass media and popular culture teaches girls that this is what they are SUPPOSED to like or that girls are the only one's who can like it . . . that's where I take issue. Here are a few not-so-pink and perfect stories to show just how bad ass princesses can be.

Not Every Princess (2013)
by Jeffery and Lisa Bone

This lovely book asks children who they want to be and where would they like to play, rather than what they are ascribed or told. What makes this selection even more useful is the included is "Note to Parents and Caregivers" that is filled with useful advice and strategies to help children engage in imaginative play, and ultimately envision and inspire themselves beyond the limited roles and expectations that gender stereotypes create.
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The Paper Bag Princess (1980)
​by Robert Munsch

In traditional princess books and movies, the seemingly helpless girl is always waiting for her Prince Charming to arrive and save the day – but not The Paper Bag Princess. Not only does she spend little time worrying about her material possessions or appearance (something that causes great alarm to her perspective suitor Prince Ronald), she also doesn't wait around for a man to come solve her problems. Instead, our princess uses her brains to outwit a scheming dragon, and eventually tells her hopeful Prince Charming to buzz off!

Not All Princesses Dress in Pink​ (2010) by Jane Yolen and Heidi
Elisabet Yolen Stemple

Another personal all-time favorite, this book proves that girls can jump in mud puddles, climb trees, play sports and make messes – all while wearing their tiaras if they want! As the Goodreads book summary states, "Not every girl has a passion for pink, but all young ladies will love this empowering affirmation of their importance and unlimited potential." What makes this story even more special is that it was co-written by a mother and daughter! How sweet and lucky they both must feel to have each other and to have created this book together.
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Our Foremothers & Trailblazers

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"I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark​" written by Debbie Levy and illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley / Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016
Girls are so often told to be nice, quiet and obedient while growing up. But thanks to a few noisy and persistent women banging the drum and demanding to be heard throughout history, we now are in a position where we are having mainstream conversations about equality and representation. Without these brave women paving the way for us, I don't know that we would be able to say the same.
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Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the
​World
 (2018) by Susan Hood

This new title from Susan Hood not only talks the talk – it walks the walk. The entire book was written, illustrated, edited and designed entirely by women. How cool is that? What's even cooler is the book introduces readers to 14 revolutionary young women – each paired with a noteworthy female artist – that will inspire the next generation of activists, trail-blazers, and rabble-rousers.

The persistent women featured in the book include the following: Selina Alko, Sophie Blackall, Lisa Brown, Hadley Hooper, Emily Winfield Martin, Oge Mora, Julie Morstad, Sara Palacios, LeUyen Pham, Erin Robinson, Isabel Roxas, Shadra Strickland and Melissa Sweet.

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark​ (2016)
​by Debbie Levy

There's a living legend on the Supreme Court who goes by a lot of different names: Some call her "Ruth," others say "Justice Ginsburg," but I'll always prefer "the Notorious RBG." And boy, what I wouldn't give to shake her 85-year-old hand!

In this first picture book about her life, RBG proves that girls can say no(!), and that disagreeing does not make you disagreeable. Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime as a woman dissenter in a male-dominated world, and her story is one that is truly incredible. When asked if there will ever be enough women on the Supreme Court, RBG replied: "When there are nine." Think of how many times in history there were nine men on the bench and no one though anything of it! If that quote alone doesn't already make you love her, then this book will fuel your feminist fire even more.
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She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History  (2018) by Chelsea Clinton

Earlier this month Chelsea Clinton published a new follow-up to her highly acclaimed 2017 nonfiction children's book called ​She Persisted. Similar to its predecessor, this book offers another collection of great biographical information about real women who never took no for an answer, and who always, inevitably and without fail – persisted. It is these women who helped rewrite history (*HERstory) around the globe, and they are surely worth celebrating. 

NOTE: This book is a great resource for learning about international female leaders and activists who children aren't generally taught about in school. For slightly older readers, I also recommend: Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History by ​Kate Schatz 

What are some of your favorite Girl Power books? Share them with me using #TessaFoxReads

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Any new homebuyers should know their best friend is ...

8/17/2016

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THE PUBLIC LIBRARY!

While an unlimited flow of cash might be the ultimate pal of someone who recently purchased a house (like me!), a much more realistic and almost as helpful best bud is your local library. 

Buying a house is exciting, and if it's your first one like mine, even more so. But it can also be daunting and a bit overwhelming, particularly if you plan on doing any renovations to your new abode. While the Internet can be a great source of decoration inspiration (thank you, Pinterest), it's not always the most reliable or easy for getting reliable professional opinions – design or otherwise. And if you don't have wifi hooked up at your new house (also me, for the time being), having a physical copy of a book to look at could also be more beneficial than having YouTube tutorials eat up all your phone data.

Since my fiancé Taylor and I will have had just over a full month to work on house before we move in mid-September, we're making all (or at least most) of the cosmetic changes we want on the main floor while we are still living at our apartment. This means a couple coats of paint in every room, new hardwoods throughout, a facelift for our fireplace and a few other odds and ends ... like a new roof and new gutters, but those aren't nearly as fun or glamorous. Here are a couple of books available at my local library that I've already paged through for some design inspiration (If you belong to a public library in Kenosha, Racine or Walworth counties, just click on the book to reserve your copy today).
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It just wouldn't be right if my new home did not include some built-in bookshelves, and those will be in the works soon enough. While I'm not so confident in my personal aptitude for doing the job and will be paying someone else to do it (see why the unlimited flow of cash would be nice?), if you feel handy enough to do some woodworking projects yourself, your local library also has materials that will have that covered. Looking for some landscaping ideas and tips? Your library has that too! Plumbing basics? Check. From books about being your own contractor to The Everything Guide to Flipping Houses, your library has your back. Not to mention most also have a subscription to HGTV Magazine!

So if you've recently relocated, decided to finally tackle that DIY project or are unable to suppress your HGTV obsession any longer, make sure you add a trip to your local library to your to-do list. You, your house and your wallet
 will be sure to thank me! ​
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Our new home!
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'Eat, Pray, Love': A Book Talk

6/3/2016

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Why did it take me so long to read Elizabeth Gilbert's 2006 bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love? To be honest, I have no idea. That's a lie — I do have an idea. I think it was part of the title. "Eat?" Sure! I love to eat. "Love?" Absolutely! But "Pray?" Eh....

I wasn't raised religious, nor have I ever become so. If there was an official list of things I hated (maybe I'll make one?), people trying to press their religious beliefs upon others would probably be a the top of that list. For some reason I got it into my head that this is what would happen during the "Pray" section of the book, but boy, was I wrong. In fact, I think I actually ended up enjoying that part of the book the most. I didn't find it religious it all, instead I found it spiritual — and spirituality is something that I can most definitely dig. And with over 10 million copies of the book sold worldwide, I'm obviously not the only one!
I think Eat, Pray, Love was such a huge success because it made people step back and look at their lives and determine, like the author did, if it was really the life they wanted to be living. If it wasn't, what could be done to change that? In fact, a collection of stories called Eat, Pray, Love Made Me Do It was published earlier this year, in which numerous men and women detail how Gilbert's memoir personally affected them, and some of the stories are quite profound. 

While I can rant and rave about this book about how inspiring it was to me personally, I'd rather spend the rest of this blog post warning you against how horrible and inaccurate the movie version of this book was. When I say horrible, I mean horrible ... As in absolutely the worst book-to-movie adaptation I've ever seen!

The movie overwhelming dwells on the "Eat" section of the book, practically skims over the "Pray" portion and totally misses the mark on the "Love" part. The movie makes it seem like Liz (played by Julia Roberts) is just a selfish and depressed white lady who takes on the White (Wo)man's Burden of traveling around the world and "saving" others to save herself. This could not be further from the truth and message of the book, and I actually had to shut the movie off before the end because I found it that upsetting.

The long story short is, I don't care who you are, you should read this book. Whether you read it or not ... you should definitely not watch the movie. 
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I give this book:
★★★★★

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Book Review: 'The Devil in White City' by Erik Larson

5/26/2016

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Well here we are – the end of the semester and the last of my weekly book reviews for my readers' advisory class. Out of all the genres we covered, I've read more of the nonfiction titles mentioned in the class than any of the other genre books we could choose from to review. I was a journalism major in undergrad and have always loved narrative nonfiction, so it's no real surprise that I've read a lot of it.

It's easy to identify what is nonfiction in comparison to fiction, however, how to distinguish nonfiction titles from each other is much more tricky. The narrative context plays a large role. Is the book written like a novel or does it read more like interesting facts presented as research? Can an "Average Joe" (or Jane) read it easily, or does there need to be more of a specialized education to understand the material? I think the easiest way to start to narrow down what sort of nonfiction book a person is looking to read is the subject, followed by time period and/or setting. The type of nonfiction (biography, memoir, essays, letters, etc.) also plays a large role. Pacing, characterization, story line and setting are all additional determining factors for suggesting nonfiction to a reader, just as they are for fiction.

This week's assigned nonfiction title was The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert, which I really enjoyed. It was rather scary though (much more of a "horror" pick for me than World War Z!) as it alluded to the likelihood of human beings causing the world's next major extinction. While I still really enjoyed the book, I found myself thinking that the pacing was a little slower than I would normally prefer, and the narrative context was a bit more scientific at times than I would have liked. However, these elements did not at all make me dislike the book. 

For the nonfiction book of my choosing, I selected Erik Larson's The Devil in White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. Not only does the title sound intriguing, word on the street is that professional actor/dreamboat Leonardo DiCaprio and film genius Martin Scorsese will be reuniting for a film adaptation of the story, set to release in 2017. So naturally, I had to read the book before the movie comes out. Below is my review.

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I give this book:
★★★★

After recovering from a devastating fire a couple of decades prior, 1890s Chicago was a time of progress and excitement. With the dawn of the 20th century approaching, now was the perfect time for ambitious architect Daniel Burnham to make a name for himself, his city, and his country by championing Chicago as the site of the 1893 World’s Fair.

In the midst of all of the construction, increased tourism and general exhilaration the Fair brought to the city, another man known by H.H. Holmes (and many other aliases) found it was also the perfect time to pursue his passion – one that would eventually earn him the title of America’s first serial killer.

The Devil in White City is really a book of two true stories. The first is that of Burnham’s professional struggles and ultimate triumph to pull off one of the greatest patriotic events in American history. The second and more gruesome is that of Holmes and his habitual acts of fraud, manipulation, seduction and murder. The juxtaposition of these two narratives makes for a well-researched and captivating story sure to be enjoyed by lovers of true crime stories and history buffs alike!
In addition to having a similar title, Joel Engel’s book L.A. '56: A Devil in the City of Angels hits on a lot of the same areas of interest as Larson’s 2002 work. Another telling of a true crime story occurring in America’s past, L.A. ’56 details Detective Danny Galindo’s quest to track down a serial rapist terrorizing the city’s young women. Detailing Los Angeles’ contentious racial relations during this historic time of segregation, L.A. ’56 is another real-life and historic thriller to be quickly read and enjoyed. Truman Capote's well-known work In Cold Blood also comes to mind as a gripping read-alike.
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Book Review: 'Station Eleven' by Emily St. John Mandel

5/21/2016

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Out of all the genres covered in my readers' advisory class, it looks like we've saved the best genres – or at least, my favorites – for last. This week we covered mainstream fiction, which is definitely my most-read genre. To me, mainstream fiction can be determined based on how you would describe the book to another person. Some books you can clearly say, "Well it's a mystery about _____," or "It's a really exciting thriller about ____." When it comes to mainstream fiction, there isn't necessarily an easy label to describe it with like there is for genre fiction.

Mainstream fiction is more about the story itself, whereas genre fiction is about the type of story that it is, if that makes sense. Whereas I think literary fiction tends to be a bit more lofty and reminds many people of the books they've read in high school English classes, mainstream fiction generally does not require as much literature analysis, it can just be read and enjoyed for what it is while still having substance. 

This week our assigned novel was All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, which I absolutely loved. It had been on my to-read list for quite a while and this course finally got it pushed up a few places. I listened to the book on audio in the car and thought it was extremely well done. I'm a bit of a Francophile, so anything set it France or includes French generally gets two thumbs up from me. That, and the Museum of Natural History in Paris (where the beginning of the story takes place) is hands down my favorite museum I've ever been to. I find books and movies about WWII also tend to be pretty incredible since it was such a fascinating and devastating time in history, so there's lots for the author to work with. This book was great because it also appeals to readers of historical fiction. It checked all the boxes for me as far as character, setting, language and plot, and was the only assigned book for that class that I gave as five stars from this class (although many of them did get four). 

The mainstream fiction title of my choosing for the week was Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. While I'm not always a huge fan of dystopian fiction, as I think it's been a little bit overdone as of late, I loved that this book was written in more of that literary fiction style. Below is my review.

It’s not often that a book can be both science fiction and mainstream, but Station Eleven is. Alternating between different characters and settings, Station Eleven is a realistic dystopian story that takes place before, during and after the collapse of modern civilization due to a pandemic flu.

The story begins one snowy night at a Canadian theater just hours before the global virus outbreak. The production stars famous actor Arthur Leander in the lead role of Shakespeare’s King Lear, but the show can’t go on when he suddenly collapses dead on stage.

Fifteen years after the Georgia Flu epidemic, an actress named Kristen travels the Great Lakes region with a nomadic band of actors and musicians known as the Traveling Symphony. The troupe’s motto is “Survival is insufficient,” as they journey town to town preforming the works of Shakespeare for others who are also still alive. But when they arrive in the next town the Symphony encounters a violent, self-proclaimed prophet who does all he can to prevent anyone from ever leaving again.
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St. John Mandel masterfully weaves together diverse characters and details of various subplots, resulting in an incredible story about the resilience of people. Station Eleven is speculative fiction at its finest.
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I give this book:
★★★★★

Another excellent read that takes place in the future aftermath of a devastating plague is The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman. This dystopian thriller features fifteen-year-old Ice Cream Star and her wandering tribe made up almost entirely of children. The plague is a strange disease called Posies that has been killing people before reaching the age of 20 for generations. When her brother starts showing symptoms, Ice Cream Star sets off on a quest desperate to find a rumored cure.
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Book Review: 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams

5/13/2016

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Science fiction is a really interesting genre to me because I always sort of discounted it as not being "for me," but every Sci-Fi book I've read I've actually enjoyed. Maybe Sci-Fi is for me, I just didn't know it before. A few of the reading stepping stones I took in my readers' advisory course that made me realize I like Sci-Fi were John Scalzi's 2005 book Old Man's War and the 1979 classic, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy​ by Douglas Adams.

Old Man's War was the required reading for the course's Sci-Fi week, and while I initially approached it thinking, "Oh boy, a story about an old man in space ... I can hardly contain my excitement ..." I actually thought it was quite good! In particular, the humor of the book and the way it portrayed the humanity of the characters – even those who were not really "humans" – was impeccable. Overall, it was just a really well written novel with a neat concept, and one of my favorites that I've read for this class so far.

And for the Sci-Fi book of my choosing this week, I could not pass up one of the most canonical titles of the genre. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is hands down one of the funniest – if not the funniest – books I've ever read. Below is my review.

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I give this book:
★★★★★

When Arthur Dent discovers his house is about to be bulldozed to make room for a new bypass, he thinks his world is over. Within the hour, his world is over – or at least it’s been destroyed. Coincidentally, Earth also needed to be demolished to make room for a new bypass, albeit an intergalactic one.

Luckily, Arthur is able to escapes Earth’s destruction thanks to his friend Ford Perfect who is, as it just so happens to turn out, actually from another planet entirely. Ford has not actually been living on Earth all these years he’s known Arthur, but rather has been temporarily trapped there as he travels from planet to planet writing new entries for the ultimate interstellar encyclopedia known as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Hilarity ensues as the duo bounces from spaceship to spaceship and they meet a very strange variety of characters along the way. Perhaps one of the most classic and timeless works of humorous science fiction to ever be published, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will have you laughing out loud and never wanting the madness to end. Luckily for you, there are four other books in the series.
Another canonical and hilarious science fiction book is Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle. Similar to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, this book is also a story of global destruction dripping with deadpan humor and irony, although it is a bit heavier in content. This book is another great example of a Sci-Fi “oldie, but goodie,” originally published in 1963.
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    Tessa Fox is the Early Literacy Librarian at the Kenosha Public Library. After working in the journalism and publishing fields, Tessa decided to dedicate her life to books and public librarianship, and went back to school to get her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she graduated in December 2016. Tessa has been working in public libraries since 2014. Disclaimer: The views expressed here are mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer.


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