An American Summer Sadly Like Every Other American Summer

although this one seems worse.  Or maybe I am finally more aware.  An American Summer:  Love and Death in Chicago is written by the brilliant Alex Kotlowitz.  And if one hasn't read There are No Children Here, it should be read today.  And then this one. 
And we have to do something, right?  But what do we do?  How do we make things right?  How do we, especially those of us who claim to follow the example of Jesus, and try to be Christ in the world, live out of faith so that we will live in a world where Black Lives will Matter?

Just a wee bit long

I liked Stolen Things.  It sucked me in right away.  But the thing was, I really didn't like the characters.  I liked JoJo okay....but the mom?  Na...and Harper?  I tried to feel for her, I really did.  I don't know...this was just kinda died for me.  Good premise.  But maybe needed a little editing? 

Man...

Sharon M. Draper is one of the BEST.  Truly.  And Blended is just excellent.  I love all of the characters and I think this is a really, really good look at racism and divorce and identity and blended families and love.  And all done with that incredible Draper way.  Not preachy.  Just real.  Real.  Real.

I worry

that the language used in Tyler Johnson Was Here will keep some schools from purchasing this book.  And this book needs to be purchased and it needs to be read.  I have read critics of the book say that it is racist.  I have heard that term "reverse racism" applied to the book.  And wow, how uneducated those people are.  How truly uninformed.
There are also those who say that the characters act like children.
Um....
well...
yeah...
because they are.
And then there was even someone who said there was too much use of Tupac.  REALLY?  Okay.
So I guess all of the books that fawn all over Jane Austen or Shakespeare or The Beatles or Harry Freakin Potter.  That's okay?
Um...yeah...
This was an excellent book and realistic and horrifying.  And it needs to be read.

Newbery

Jewell Parker Rhodes should have won the Newbery for Towers Falling.  She should win it next year for Ghost Boys.  This book is incredible.  JPR is one of the most talented writers to which I have ever been exposed.  Incredible.  Moving, honest, sadly "ripped from the headlines."  Creative, sad, hopeful.  Real. 

AGH!!

All American Boys was so good and so real that by the end of the second chapter I had to listen backwards. 
When a book is so heartbreaking/real/frightening I skip to the end and listen backwards, just to make the ending a little easier on myself it is a horrible ending and just to confirm it will "all be okay" if it is a hopeful ending.  I won't give away the ending here, but this was just so powerful, I had to take it in chunks.  Excellent. 

American Girl

Fabiola is an American who has lived in Haiti with her Haitian-born mom for most of her life.  The book chronicles her first year back in the US as she lives with her aunt and three cousins and hopefully awaits the release of her mother from an immigration detention center.  American Street is one of the best books I've read this year and I would hope that it would get some kind of Printz recognition.  It takes place in Detroit on American Street.  Excellent book. 

This will be a hard one...

to beat for the Printz this year.  The Hate U Give is Timely and real.  It asks hard questions and makes one think.  And doesn't demonize anyone.  And not a cheesy exploitation of a hot topic.  Really, really, really excellent.