• STACKED
  • About Us
  • Categories
    • Audiobooks
    • Book Lists
      • Debut YA Novels
      • Get Genrefied
      • On The Radar
    • Cover Designs
      • Cover Doubles
      • Cover Redesigns
      • Cover Trends
    • Feminism
      • Feminism For The Real World Anthology
      • Size Acceptance
    • In The Library
      • Challenges & Censorship
      • Collection Development
      • Discussion and Resource Guides
      • Readers Advisory
    • Professional Development
      • Book Awards
      • Conferences
    • The Publishing World
      • Data & Stats
    • Reading Life and Habits
    • Romance
    • Young Adult
  • Reviews + Features
    • About The Girls Series
    • Author Interviews
    • Contemporary YA Series
      • Contemporary Week 2012
      • Contemporary Week 2013
      • Contemporary Week 2014
    • Guest Posts
    • Link Round-Ups
      • Book Riot
    • Readers Advisory Week
    • Reviews
      • Adult
      • Audiobooks
      • Graphic Novels
      • Non-Fiction
      • Picture Books
      • YA Fiction
    • So You Want to Read YA Series
  • Review Policy

STACKED

books

  • STACKED
  • About Us
  • Categories
    • Audiobooks
    • Book Lists
      • Debut YA Novels
      • Get Genrefied
      • On The Radar
    • Cover Designs
      • Cover Doubles
      • Cover Redesigns
      • Cover Trends
    • Feminism
      • Feminism For The Real World Anthology
      • Size Acceptance
    • In The Library
      • Challenges & Censorship
      • Collection Development
      • Discussion and Resource Guides
      • Readers Advisory
    • Professional Development
      • Book Awards
      • Conferences
    • The Publishing World
      • Data & Stats
    • Reading Life and Habits
    • Romance
    • Young Adult
  • Reviews + Features
    • About The Girls Series
    • Author Interviews
    • Contemporary YA Series
      • Contemporary Week 2012
      • Contemporary Week 2013
      • Contemporary Week 2014
    • Guest Posts
    • Link Round-Ups
      • Book Riot
    • Readers Advisory Week
    • Reviews
      • Adult
      • Audiobooks
      • Graphic Novels
      • Non-Fiction
      • Picture Books
      • YA Fiction
    • So You Want to Read YA Series
  • Review Policy

What I’m Reading Now

May 16, 2018 |

Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power by Rachel Maddow

I read a lot of short pieces online about various political and governmental topics, but I generally stay away from the full-length books. I’m actively trying to change that by seeking out books on interesting topics written by people I already know and trust. Maddow’s central thesis is that over the years, the American military has transformed from a small force engaged in war only when absolutely necessary into a bloated, inefficient machine with a muddled mission and ineffective tactics, a military that is now perpetually at war. That’s no denigration of the soldiers; rather, she takes issue with the power of the executive to send soldiers into war without calling it such, with the increased privatization of military action, with the military’s obsession with nuclear weapons and its myopic focus on counterterrorism, with the CIA’s de facto status as a branch of the military unsupervised in any meaningful way, with the public’s apathy toward the fact that we’re always at war somewhere, and more. She documents just how far we’ve strayed from Thomas Jefferson’s proclamation to “never keep an unnecessary soldier,” from the idea that war is to be avoided at all costs and if the nation must enter into it, it must deeply affect the general populace of the United States – so that it hurts us at home just as much as it hurts the soldiers fighting it. It’s well-argued, clearly-written, and mostly non-partisan. Maddow reads the audiobook version, which is of course the perfect choice.

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

For almost a decade of my life, adult fantasy novels made up 90% of my reading diet. It’s been a long time since that was the case; now I read mostly YA science fiction and fantasy, adult romance, and adult mysteries and thrillers. But I haven’t forgotten my longtime love, and I’m hoping to rekindle our romance with this doorstopper of a novel that’s universally beloved by pretty much all my fantasy-loving friends. It’s got a traditional fantasy plotline – an oppressed people fights back against their evil overlords with the help of a magically gifted, inspiring revolutionary – with an interesting magic system and detailed, well-realized world-building. At 541 pages, I’m hoping I can finish it before it needs to be returned to the library.

When Light Left Us by Leah Thomas

This is a weird one (I’m hoping in a good way!). The three Vasquez siblings’ father left their family without an explanation, and soon after, a strange being named Luz joins them. Incorporeal Luz lives inside the kids for a brief time, experimenting with each of their most valued physical features in order to explore the world around it: Hank’s hands, Ana’s eyes, and Milo’s ears. In return, the siblings’ abilities with these particular features, already sharp (Hank plays basketball; Ana makes movies), are heightened. But Luz doesn’t stay long either, and when it leaves, it cripples the very things the kids valued most. Written a certain way, this premise might come across as silly, but Thomas’ writing is dense and dreamlike, layered with emotion, and so far, it’s working.

 

Filed Under: audiobooks, Fantasy, Non-Fiction, nonfiction, Science Fiction, What's on my shelf, ya, ya fiction, Young Adult, young adult fiction

A Month Of Nonfiction for #NonFictionNov: An Instagram Book Challenge Round-up

December 11, 2017 |

 

Earlier this year, I ran Book Riot’s first ever Instagram photo challenge. We dubbed it #RiotGrams, and after a successful event in February, I ran it again in June and October. The challenge involved creating a prompt for each day of the month and encouraging readers to take photos of their books relating to their interpretation of the theme (or not!), and then having them tag those images. It was a way to build community, as well as a way to get a whole boatload of amazing book recommendations from die-hard readers.

Despite having created a challenge myself, I’ve never participated in one all the way through. So when I saw the information about this year’s #nonficnov challenge, I decided it would be the one I did. As someone who is continually talking about nonfiction, continually advocating for seeing more of it (particularly in the youth lit world), and writing it, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to have fun, to stretch myself, and to grow my to-read list. I only wish I’d spent more time going through the other posts from participants to be more engaged. But the beauty of a hashtag challenge like this is that those posts will be there for the long haul, so I can peruse and use them from here on out.

And I even managed to remember to take photos in advance to post when I was out of town for a week. It would have been easy to fall behind, but I’m glad I stayed on top of it. I also love how you can tell which cat spends a lot of time in my office.

Here’s a round-up of all my posts from the month, which I hope provides a lot of interesting book recommendations for you all. Many are aimed at adults but are perfectly fine for teen readers. But there are also a lot of YA nonfiction titles scattered throughout, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, nonfiction, reading, reading life, young adult non-fiction

Yoga Books For Practitioners and/or Teachers In Training

October 23, 2017 |

Last week, I wrapped up the final assignments of my yoga teacher training program. I didn’t write about this much, if at all, here on STACKED, in part because yoga has been such an intensely personal part of my life and keeping it as something almost entirely offline has been really important to me. But after a year of giving up a weekend every month to learn how to deepen my practice, as well as how to teach, I wanted to not only talk a bit about it, but also highlight some of the books I read along the way I think might be valuable for those who practice yoga and those who are thinking about or beginning a teacher training program.

My 200-hour training program had three required books, all of which were read in part or in whole:

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with commentary and translation from Sri Swami Satchidananda

Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar

 

The Key Muscles of Yoga by Ray Long

 

The sutras, I think, should be required reading for those with a long, dedicated yoga practice who want to go beyond the asana (pose) level. It’s the philosophy and system of beliefs underpinning yogic studies, and while it looks intimidating, it’s actually a good read. There are parts which are surprisingly funny, as some of the examples given about ideas are meant to encourage a little laughter for them to settle in. We spent a weekend reading this aloud and discussing it, and I found myself taking a lot from it for my own personal life, both on and off the mat.

The Iyengar book I didn’t really read. I browsed it and used it as a reference book, but one of the problems is that the plates and descriptions are useful from that sort of reference standpoint only. Iyengar is a tiny, muscular man, so there aren’t modifications offered for any of the asanas, and more, there are examples in there where he’s hyperextending which can be dangerous (especially for people like me who have are hypermobile and can hang out in the joints if we aren’t being conscious of engaging muscles — that can do some serious damage down the line).

Without question, Long’s reference on muscles was a necessary read. I didn’t quite “get” everything at first read, but I’ve read it a few times now, and each time, I gain a little bit more understanding of how the various muscle groups in the body work with one another. It’s really fascinating stuff once you have a baseline knowledge, and I know this is a book I’ll come back to again and again. Long has another book, The Key Poses of Yoga, which I’ve had sitting on my shelf for a while, and though I’ve heard it’s not as great as Muscles, I think I’ll spend some time with it to get a sense of how he approaches different asanas.

And that was it for program reading. I liked having a light reading list, in part because we had a nice, extensive manual from the teacher who’d provided a lot of information on asanas, on sequencing, and on other teacher-side things. Having little required reading meant that I had some time to explore other books, and more, that my teacher and fellow students in the program had an opportunity to explore what else was out there and share our hits and our misses.

Some of the books I found to be worthwhile reads:

Yoga Sequencing by Mark Stevens

This one was recommended by fellow classmates pretty early on into the training, and I picked it up immediately. I didn’t read it, though, until we were deep into talking about sequencing and how to build a coherent, logical, injury-free, and fun class. I read through it, cover to cover, and I made a lot of notes, but the most valuable part of the entire book is the reference guide in the back. There, Stevens has not only listed some of the most common asanas, but he talks about what muscles and joints need to be open and fired up in order to properly transition into the pose, and then he talks about appropriate counterposes for them.

We focused a lot of training on injury prevention, and having this guide has been so helpful. Why is it that it’s not necessarily great to transition from half moon to warrior 3? It has to do with the rotation of the hip joints — and the Stevens guide does a great job of offering what might make for better transitions instead.

This wouldn’t be a book I’d recommend to those looking to begin a yoga practice, but it might be one for those who have a regular practice looking to deepen it at home and/or for those planning to go through a teacher training.

 

Teaching Yoga by Mark Stevens

Another Stevens book, but this one was one I didn’t buy. I borrowed it from my teacher and read through it one morning while working the desk at the yoga studio. This is a really basic overview of how to teach, how to give solid cues, and some of the dos and don’ts to prevent injury and ensure solid alignment in asanas. One of the things Stevens really harped on in this particular guide was something I really appreciated, which was why it’s not a good idea to pull the flesh out from beneath your sitz bones in poses like dandasana.

The biggest takeaway for me in this particular book, though, was something we ended up discussing a LOT, which was the precision of words we use while curing. Stevens talks specifically about words ending in “ing” and how they should be used as deepening cues, rather than as a means of communicating to students what they’re to do. So, if you’re going to cue something like baddha konasana (butterfly legs, as many know it), you would say “bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop out to the side,” as opposed to “bringing the soles of your feet together and letting your knees drop out to the side.” The “ing” cues are better served as means of deepening. In the same pose, an “ing” cue would work better if you added “bringing your feet closer to your perineum may bring a stronger stretch.” In other words, the “ing” of cues are options, rather than the cue itself.

As a language nerd, this has been something I know has been committed to memory.

This, like the sequencing book, isn’t one I’d pass along to a beginning yoga student, and it likely isn’t one I’d recommend unless teaching is something you plan on pursuing. It covers a lot of basic concepts any teacher would learn in training, but it was a nice refresher and offered those small bits of wisdom for me to think about as I begin my teaching.

 

Every Body Yoga by Jessamyn Stanley

If there were a yoga book I’d recommend to everyone interested in beginning a practice, deepening a practice, or teaching yoga, it would be this one. I talked at length with Stanley about her book when it released earlier this year and I’ve yet to stop thinking about it. It’s part memoir, part guide to beginning a practice, but what makes this book stand out is that Stanley doesn’t look like your stereotypical western yoga practitioner. She has a larger body, she’s black, and she’s proudly queer. These are all part of her story, of course, but the part which really makes it stand out is how, when offering poses and sequences for readers to try, there are a variety of bodies modeling the asanas, as well as plenty of options to make the practice your own. Meaning there are prop options, that there are modifications, and there’s a general sense of welcoming anyone into the practice.

Stanley’s story is one that isn’t atypical of those I’ve met through yoga. She was going through hard shit in her life, and she found yoga to be a way to connect with herself and manage her life better. This was what turned me onto the practice, and it’s been a tremendous means of my learning how to manage my mental health and love and honor what my body can do right here and right now. It’s a story I’ve heard from other teacher trainees and from those who walk through the door itching to learn and practice.

One reason I think this should be required reading is that it’s a reminder that any body is a yoga body. That it’s essential to know that part of the job of teaching is reminding people to honor where they are right now, and to listen to the cues their bodies and breath are giving them every single day. My experience in yoga at my studio hasn’t been what is so frequently seen in the media. There are very few willowy, young, blonde women with fancy clothes and equipment. It’s a wide range of ages, of fitness levels, of bodies, of experiences, and that’s part of what makes yoga what it is — anyone can do it and take something powerful away from it.

 

 

Ayurveda was another huge component of my teacher training. It’s the sister science to yoga and focuses on eating and lifestyle choices to help keep the body and mind health and well. Ayurveda, like yoga, is a set of practices and tools, some of which will work for you and some of which won’t. But for me, it’s been really valuable in better understanding why some people act the way they do when they are acting out of line with their normal character. There’s simply an imbalance somewhere. An easy example: people become a little weird and spacey sometimes at the beginning of fall, and that’s simply because there’s a higher concentration of vata in the air (vata is the principle of movement). So it simply needs to be decreased by focusing on things which are grounding and slower paced to help balance that out.

We didn’t have any required reading for Ayurveda, but I read a few books the weekend we did the unit on it because I wanted to learn as much as possible. And I’ve found integrating some of these things to be valuable in my diet and wellness. Both of the books below would be accessible for the general reader.

 

Ayurveda and Panchakarma by Sunil Joshi

Written for Westerners, this was a really quick and clear guide to the basics of Ayurveda. It includes what to eat for your dosha, what to avoid, and how to find balance in any situation.

I ended up not reading the second half of the book on panchakarma, though it’s there for anyone who’s interested in the practice (which is, in basic terms, akin to doctors who practice western medicine but for doctors who practice ayurveda).

What I especially appreciated about this book was that it’s written by a practitioner in a way that explains how logical and intuitive ayurveda is. It makes sense of a lot of the new and emerging research that western science has found about the best ways, times, and foods for eating, except it’s based in a 5000 year old practice. I loved finding those connections and ah ha moments, and I’ve been able to implement a lot of ayurveda practices into my own diet.

 

 

The Ayurveda Way by Ananta Ripa Ajmera

I bought this one because it was inexpensive and looked really pretty. This is definitely a book that would work well for those new or interested in ayurveda but who might be skeptical about the reality of incorporating it into their lives. Ajmera has put together short ways to live in tune with ayurveda, along with the whys and hows, and a variety of recipes and gorgeous images. It’s a very pretty book, as well as one that’s practical.

What I appreciated is that because of the shortness of the tips and ideas, I could bypass what I knew what wouldn’t work for me. And rather than write it off as something weird or strange, I could literally see how Ajmera found the practices useful and powerful and accept that just because it doesn’t sound realistic for me, that doesn’t mean it’s not realistic for others (there are, I should mention, certain ideas about how tasks and activities should happen in the morning and in what order, which for me, are totally out of the question but for many others, might be perfectly workable and life-changing).

I would peruse this one at a library and then decide whether it’s worth the cash unless it’s on sale. I think I got it for under $10, which was worth it to me. And if this book piques your interests, the one above certainly will take you even further in depth.

 

On My To-Read

A few books that I’m itching to read post-training to help deepen my understanding and education include the following. I’ve pulled descriptions from Goodreads.

 

Curvy Yoga by Anna Guest-Jelley

Have you wanted to try yoga but wondered if it was for you? Or perhaps you were uncertain whether you could carry out the poses? As the creator of a body-affirming yoga phenomenon that embraces people of all shapes and sizes, Anna Guest-Jelley has written an encouraging book that is about to become your go-to resource. In Curvy Yoga®, she shares stories about body shaming with poignancy and even sometimes with humor. Guest-Jelley also reveals how things started to change once she found yoga—the last thing the self-declared non-athlete ever thought was possible. In addition, Guest-Jelley shares how yoga can help you connect with your body and why accepting your body doesn’t mean giving up on it. Finally, in the appendix, she presents a series of pose instructions and options to make yoga work for your body—not the other way around.

I listened to Guest-Jelley on the Creative Super Powers podcast and not only did I love her story and background with yoga, she talked about how teachers might consider beginning their asana cues with the most supportive version before moving deeper. Though I learned a lot about modifications and prop use and believe in them, the idea of starting there never occurred to me, and it’s given me a lot to chew over, especially as I want to create a space welcoming to all bodies.  

 

Yoga Bodies by Lauren Lipton

Artfully capturing yoga’s vibrant spirit, Yoga Bodies presents full-color yoga-pose portraits of more than 80 practitioners of all ages, shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and skill levels–real people with real stories to share about how yoga has changed their lives for the better. Some humorous, some heartfelt, others profound, the stories entertain as they enlighten, while the portraits–which joyously challenge the “yoga body” stereotype–celebrate the glorious diversity of the human form. Handsomely jacketed and richly visual inside and out, Yoga Bodies is a coffee table-worthy contemplation, a meaningful gift, and a source of endless inspiration for anyone seeking fresh perspectives on how to live well.

I’ve had this sitting on my shelf and really need to take an afternoon to peruse it because I know it’ll be a gorgeous reminder of how yoga is for every body. 

 

The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi

Yoga is well known for its power to create a healthy body, but few realize the emotional and spiritual benefits. In The Secret Power of Yoga, world-renowned Yoga expert Nischala Joy Devi interprets Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the principles at the basis of Yoga practice, from a heart-centered, intuitive, feminine perspective, resulting in the first translation intended for women.

Devi’s simple, elegant, and deeply personal interpretations capture the spirit of each sutra, and her suggested practices offer numerous ways to embrace the spirituality of Yoga throughout your day.

This book was sitting in the waiting area at one of the studios I visited during my teacher training (because I did try out some other local studios to explore other teaching styles and methods) and it immediately caught my eye. I bought it but haven’t looked at it yet. As I itch to learn more about the power of the Sutras, this sounds like a perfect companion for doing just that. 

 

The Goddess Pose: The Audacious Life of Indra Devi, The Woman Who Helped Bring Yoga To The West by Michelle Goldberg

Born into the minor aristocracy (as Eugenia Peterson), Devi grew up in the midst of one of the most turbulent times in human history. Forced to flee the Russian Revolution as a teenager, she joined a famous Berlin cabaret troupe, dove into the vibrant prewar spiritualist movement, and, at a time when it was nearly unthinkable for a young European woman to travel alone, followed the charismatic Theosophical leader Jiddu Krishnamurti to India.

Once on the subcontinent, she performed in Indian silent cinema and hobnobbed with the leaders of the independence movement. But her greatest coup was convincing a recalcitrant master yogi to train her in the secrets of his art.

Devi would go on to share what she learned with people around the world, teaching in Shanghai during World War II, then in Hollywood, where her students included Gloria Swanson and Greta Garbo. She ran a yoga school in Mexico during the height of the counterculture, served as spiritual adviser to the colonel who tried to overthrow Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega, and, in her eighties, moved to Buenos Aires at the invitation of a besotted rock star.

Everywhere she went, Indra Devi evangelized for yoga, ushering in a global craze that continues unabated. Written with vivid clarity, The Goddess Pose brings her remarkable story—as an actress, yogi, and globetrotting adventuress—to life.

I’ve checked this book out from the library approximately ten times but haven’t yet found the time to dig in. I am so curious about the woman who brought yoga west, in part because yoga was a practice by men for men at its roots, so any of the feminist history is something I will be enjoying.

 

The Wisdom of Yoga by Stephen Cope

While many Westerners still think of yoga as an invigorating series of postures and breathing exercises, these physical practices are only part of a vast and ancient spiritual science. For more than three millennia, yoga sages systematically explored the essential questions of our human existence: What are the root causes of suffering, and how can we achieve freedom and happiness? What would it be like to function at the maximum potential of our minds, bodies, and spirits? What is an optimal human life?

Nowhere have their discoveries been more brilliantly distilled than in a short–but famously difficult–treatise called the Yogasutra. This revered text lays out the entire path of inner development in remarkable detail–ranging from practices that build character and mental power to the highest reaches of spiritual realization.

Now Stephen Cope unlocks the teachings of the Yogasutra by showing them at work in the lives of a group of friends and fellow yoga students who are confronting the full modern catastrophe of careers, relationships, and dysfunctional family dynamics. Interweaving their daily dilemmas with insights from modern psychology, neuroscience, religion, and philosophy, he shows the astonishing relevance and practicality of this timeless psychology of awakening.

More info on the sutras and the philosophy behind yoga beyond the asanas is going to continue to be an interest of mine. 

Filed Under: Adult, book lists, Non-Fiction, nonfiction

Picture Book Biographies of 2017

July 12, 2017 |

As a public librarian, I’ve come to appreciate the picture book biography for many reasons. The format is ideally suited to telling a true story in an efficient, beautiful, and interesting way. In a picture book biography, much like a fiction picture book, the illustrations are as important as the text: the two should pair with each other to create a unified work of art.

But perhaps most importantly, the picture book biography is a great way to bring to light the contributions of lesser-known individuals from history both distant and recent, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and disabled people, and all their intersections. They show kids that people like them have always done remarkable things, pique kids’ interest in something new and fascinating, and spur them to do more investigation on their own afterward.

2017 is looking to be a great year for picture book biographies. This post is a round-up of several notable titles with an emphasis on biographies of marginalized people.

Out Now

Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal, illustrated by Laura Freeman

As soon as Ann Cole Lowe could walk, her momma and grandma taught her to sew. When her mom died, Ann continued sewing dresses. It wasn’t easy, especially when she went to design school and had to learn alone, segregated from the rest of the class. But the work she did set her spirit soaring, as evidenced in the clothes she made. Rarely credited, Ann Cole Lowe became “society’s best kept secret.” This beautiful picture book shines the spotlight on a figure who proved that with hard work and passion, any obstacles can be overcome. (Goodreads)

Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez

Musician, botanist, baseball player, pilot—the Latinos featured in this collection come from many different countries and from many different backgrounds. Celebrate their accomplishments and their contributions to a collective history and a community that continues to evolve and thrive today! Biographical poems include: Aida de Acosta, Arnold Rojas, Baruj Benacerraf, César Chávez, Fabiola Cabeza de Baca, Félix Varela, George Meléndez, José Martí, Juan de Miralles, Juana Briones, Julia de Burgos, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Paulina Pedroso, Pura Belpré, Roberto Clemente, Tito Puente, Ynes Mexia, and Tomás Rivera. (Goodreads)

Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing by Kay Haring, illustrated by Robert Neubecker

Traces the life of artist Keith Haring, from his childhood love of drawing to his meteoric rise to fame, with a focus on his concern for children, humanity, and disregard for the established art world. (WorldCat)

Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey, illustrated by Dow Phumiruk

As a child, Maya Lin loved to study the spaces around her. She explored the forest in her backyard, observing woodland creatures, and used her house as a model to build tiny towns out of paper and scraps. The daughter of a clay artist and a poet, Maya grew up with art and learned to think with her hands as well as her mind. From her first experiments with light and lines to the height of her success nationwide, this is the story of an inspiring American artist: the visionary artist-architect who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. (Goodreads)

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating, illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens

At 9 years old, Eugenie Clark developed an unexpected passion for sharks after a visit to the Battery Park Aquarium in New York City. At the time, sharks were seen as mindless killing machines, but Eugenie knew better and set out to prove it. Despite many obstacles in her path, Eugenie was able to study the creatures she loved so much. From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie’s wide scientific contributions led to the well-earned nickname “Shark Lady.” (Goodreads)

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton

Meet the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963, in this moving picture book that proves you’re never too little to make a difference. Nine-year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks intended to go places and do things like anybody else. So when she heard grown-ups talk about wiping out Birmingham’s segregation laws, she spoke up. As she listened to the preacher’s words, smooth as glass, she sat up tall. And when she heard the plan—picket those white stores! March to protest those unfair laws! Fill the jails!—she stepped right up and said, I’ll do it! She was going to j-a-a-il! Audrey Faye Hendricks was confident and bold and brave as can be, and hers is the remarkable and inspiring story of one child’s role in the Civil Rights Movement. (Goodreads)

Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee! by Andrea J. Loney, illustrated by Keith Mallett

James VanDerZee was just a young boy when he saved enough money to buy his first camera. He took photos of his family, classmates, and anyone who would sit still for a portrait. By the fifth grade, James was the school photographer and unofficial town photographer. Eventually he outgrew his small town and moved to the exciting, fast-paced world of New York City. After being told by his boss that no one would want his or her photo taken by a black man, James opened his own portrait studio in Harlem. He took photographs of legendary figures of the Harlem Renaissance and ordinary folks in the neighborhood too. Everyone wanted fancy portraits by James VanDerZee. Winner of Lee & Low’s New Voices Award, Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee! tells the story of a groundbreaking artist who chronicled an important era in Harlem and showed the beauty and pride of its people. (Goodreads)

Trudy’s Big Swim: How Gertrude Ederly Swam the English Channel and Took the World By Storm by Sue Macy, illustrated by Matt Collins

On the morning of August 6, 1926, Gertrude Ederle stood in her bathing suit on the beach at Cape Gris-Nez, France, and faced the churning waves of the English Channel. Twenty-one miles across the perilous waterway, the English coastline beckoned. Lyrical text, stunning illustrations and fascinating back matter put the reader right alongside Ederle in her bid to be the first woman to swim the Channel and contextualizes her record-smashing victory as a defining moment in sports history. (Goodreads)

Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and June Jo Lee, illustrated by Man One

Describes the popular street cook’s life, including working in his family’s restaurant as a child, figuring out what he wanted to do with his life, and his success with his food truck and restaurant. (WorldCat)

Marti’s Song for Freedom by Emma Otheguy, illustrated by Beatriz Vidal

A bilingual biography of José Martí, who dedicated his life to the promotion of liberty, abolishment of slavery, political independence for Cuba, and intellectual independence from colonialism for all Latinos. Written in verse with excerpts from Mart’s seminal work, Versos sencillos. (Goodreads)

When You Look Out the Window: How Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin Built a Community by Gayle E. Pitman, illustrated by Christopher Lyles

Tells the story of Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, one of San Francisco’s most well-known and politically active lesbian couples. Describing the view from Phyllis and Del’s window, this book shows how one couple’s activism transformed their community – and had ripple effects throughout the world. (WorldCat)

The Girl Who Ran: Bobbi Gibb, the First Woman to Run the Boston Marathon by Frances Poletti and Kristina Yee, illustrated by Susanna Chapman

In 1966, the world believed it was impossible for a woman to run the Boston Marathon. Bobbi Gibb was determined to prove them wrong. She said she would do it, she wasn’t a liar; she’d show them by running like the wind in the fire. (WorldCat)

Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing by Dean Robbins, illustrated by Lucy Knisley

Margaret Hamilton loved numbers as a young girl. She knew how many miles it was to the moon (and how many back). She loved studying algebra and geometry and calculus and using math to solve problems in the outside world. Soon math led her to MIT and then to helping NASA put a man on the moon! She handwrote code that would allow the spacecraft’s computer to solve any problems it might encounter. Apollo 8. Apollo 9. Apollo 10. Apollo 11. Without her code, none of those missions could have been completed.  Dean Robbins and Lucy Knisley deliver a lovely portrayal of a pioneer in her field who never stopped reaching for the stars. (Goodreads)

Lighter Than Air: Sophie Blanchard, the First Woman Pilot by Matthew Clark Smith, illustrated by Matt Tavares

In eighteenth-century France, “balloonomania” has fiercely gripped the nation . . . but all of the pioneering aeronauts are men. The job of shattering that myth falls to a most unlikely figure: a shy girl from a seaside village, entirely devoted to her dream of flight. Sophie is not the first woman to ascend in a balloon, nor the first woman to accompany an aeronaut on a trip, but she will become the first woman to climb to the clouds and steer her own course. (Goodreads)

Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark, illustrated by Katy Wu

Who was Grace Hopper? A software tester, workplace jester, cherished mentor, ace inventor, avid reader, naval leader—AND rule breaker, chance taker, and troublemaker. Grace Hopper coined the term “computer bug” and taught computers to “speak English,” and throughout her life succeeded in doing what no one had ever done before. Delighting in difficult ideas and in defying expectations, the insatiably curious Hopper truly is “Amazing Grace” . . . and a role model for science- and math-minded girls and boys. (Goodreads)

The Legendary Miss Lena Horne by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

Lena Horne was born into the freedom struggle, to a family of teachers and activists. Her mother dreamed of being an actress, so Lena followed in her footsteps as she chased small parts in vaudeville, living out of a suitcase until MGM offered Lena something more—the first ever studio contract for a black actress. But the roles she was considered for were maids and mammies, stereotypes that Lena refused to play. Still, she never gave up. “Stormy Weather” became her theme song, and when she sang “This Little Light of Mine” at a civil rights rally, she found not only her voice, but her calling. (Goodreads)

Forthcoming

Long-Armed Ludy and the First Women’s Olympics by Jean L.S. Patrick, illustrated by Adam Gustavson | August 8

Lucile “Ludy” Godbold was six feet tall and skinnier than a Carolina pine and an exceptional athlete. In her final year on the track team at Winthrop College in South Carolina, Ludy tried the shot put and she made that iron ball sail with her long, skinny arms. But when Ludy qualified for the first Women’s Olympics in 1922, Ludy had no money to go. Thanks to the help of her college and classmates, Ludy traveled to Paris and won the gold medal with more than a foot to spare. (publisher marketing)

Yayoi Kusama: From Here to Infinity! by Sarah Suzuki, illustrated by Ellen Weinstein | August 22

Growing up in the mountains of Japan, Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929) dreamed of becoming an artist. One day, she had a vision in which the world and everything in it—the plants, the people, the sky—were covered in polka dots. She began to cover her paintings, drawings, sculptures, and even her body with dots. As she grew up, she traveled all around the world, from Tokyo to Seattle, New York to Venice, and brought her dots with her. Different people saw these dots in different ways—some thought they were tiny, like cells, and others imagined them enormous, like planets. Every year, Kusama sees more of the world, covering it with dots and offering people a way to experience it the way she does. Written by Sarah Suzuki, a curator at The Museum of Modern Art, and featuring reproductions of Kusama’s instantly recognizable artworks, this colorful book tells the story of an artist whose work will not be complete until her dots cover the world, from here to infinity. (Goodreads)

Danza! Amalia Hernandez and El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico by Duncan Tonatiuh | August 22

Award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh tells the story of Amalia Hernández, dancer and founder of El Ballet Folklórico de México. Danza! is a celebration of Hernández’s life and of the rich history of dance in Mexico. As a child, Amalia always thought she would grow up to be a teacher, until she saw a performance of dancers in her town square. She was fascinated by the way the dancers twirled and swayed, and she knew that someday she would be a dancer, too. She began to study many different types of dance, including ballet and modern, under some of the best teachers in the world. Hernández traveled throughout Mexico studying and learning regional dances. Soon she founded her own dance company, El Ballet Folklórico de México, where she integrated her knowledge of ballet and modern dance with folkloric dances. The group began to perform all over the country and soon all over the world, becoming an international sensation that still tours today. (Goodreads)

The World is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter | August 22

Zaha Hadid grew up in Baghdad, Iraq, and dreamed of designing her own cities. After studying architecture in London, she opened her own studio and started designing buildings. But as a Muslim woman, Hadid faced many obstacles. Determined to succeed, she worked hard for many years, and achieved her goals—and now you can see the buildings Hadid has designed all over the world. (Goodreads)

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown, illustrated by John Parra | September 5

The fascinating Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is remembered for her dramatic self-portrait paintings featuring bold and vibrant colors. Her artwork brought attention to Mexican and indigenous culture with images renowned in celebrating the female form. Brown’s story recounts Frida’s beloved pets—two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn—and playfully considers how Frida embodied the many wonderful characteristics of each animal. (Goodreads)

Dumpling Dreams: How Joyce Chen Brought the Dumpling From Beijing to Cambridge by Carrie Clickard, illustrated by Katy Wu | September 5

Carrie Clickard’s delectable rhymes tell the story of how Joyce Chen, a girl born in Communist China, immigrated to the United States and popularized Chinese cooking. Illustrator Katy Wu brings this inspiring story beautifully and deliciously to life. (Goodreads)

Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters by Michael Mahin, illustrated by Evan Turk | September 5

Muddy Waters was never good at doing what he was told. When Grandma Della said the blues wouldn’t put food on the table, Muddy didn’t listen. And when record producers told him no one wanted to listen to a country boy playing country blues, Muddy ignored them as well. This tenacious streak carried Muddy from the hardscrabble fields of Mississippi to the smoky juke joints of Chicago and finally to a recording studio where a landmark record was made. Soon the world fell in love with the tough spirit of Muddy Waters. In blues-infused prose and soulful illustrations, Michael Mahin and award-winning artist Evan Turk tell Muddy’s fascinating and inspiring story of struggle, determination, and hope. (Goodreads)

Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Eric Velasquez | September 12

Amid the scholars, poets, authors, and artists of the Harlem Renaissance stood an Afro-Puerto Rican named Arturo Schomburg. This law clerk’s life’s passion was to collect books, letters, music, and art from Africa and the African diaspora and bring to light the achievements of people of African descent through the ages. When Schomburg’s collection became so big it began to overflow his house (and his wife threatened to mutiny), he turned to the New York Public Library, where he created and curated a collection that was the cornerstone of a new Negro Division. A century later, his groundbreaking collection, known as the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, has become a beacon to scholars all over the world. (Goodreads)

The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath by Julia Finley Mosca, illustrated by Daniel Rieley | September 26

As a girl coming of age during the Civil Rights Movement, Patricia Bath made it her mission to become a doctor. When obstacles like racism, poverty, and sexism threatened this goal, she persevered ― brightening the world with a game-changing treatment for blindness! (publisher marketing)

Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope With Her Song by Kathryn Erskine, illustrated by Charly Palmer | October 10, no cover yet

Miriam Makeba, a Grammy Award–winning South African singer, rose to fame in the hearts of her people at the pinnacle of apartheid―a brutal system of segregation similar to American Jim Crow laws. Mama Africa, as they called her, raised her voice to help combat these injustices at jazz clubs in Johannesburg; in exile, at a rally beside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and before the United Nations. (Goodreads)

Filed Under: book lists, nonfiction, picture books

Monthly Giving: The Innocence Project

May 17, 2017 |

Our justice system is broken in a lot of ways. It disproportionately targets and incarcerates people of color, giving them longer and harsher sentences and funneling them into the school to prison pipeline early. It favors the wealthy and leaves the poor with substandard representation, often leaving them in jail simply because they are poor. It relies on flawed evidence often obtained illegally or unethically and sentences innocent people to life sentences and even death.

The Innocence Project tackles this last facet. Their mission is to “free the staggering number of innocent people who remain incarcerated, and to bring reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment.” They do this mainly through DNA testing, helping to free people wrongly convicted through a procedure not available at the time of their conviction. Since 1989, 350 people have been exonerated through DNA evidence. Twenty of these served time on death row. 217 of these – 62% – were African American. The Innocence Project started their work in 1992 and have been instrumental in helping 183 of those wrongly convicted get justice. If you haven’t yet donated to an organization this month and have the means to do so, I urge you to join me in supporting their cause.

innocence project

For this month’s book list, I’ve focused on novels and nonfiction featuring kids and teens in prison or kids and teens whose parents or other loves ones are in prison. If you know of any I’m missing, please let me know in the comments. Also be sure to check out the In the Margins book list, curated each year by Library Services for Youth in Custody. It focuses on recommended books for teens “living in poverty, on the streets, in custody – or a cycle of all three.”

picture books

Fiction – Picture Books

Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty

A boy wakes up one morning to find his father gone. At first, he feels lost. But his father has left him a letter filled with advice to guide him through the times he cannot be there.

Far Apart, Close in Heart: Being a Family When a Loved One is Incarcerated by Becky Birtha

Children who have a parent in prison express their feelings of sadness, anger, worry, and embarrassment and suggest that talking to others and keeping in contact with the missing parent helps them deal with the situation.

Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson

A young girl and her grandmother visit the girl’s father in prison.

middle grade

Fiction – Middle Grade

Ruby on the Outside by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Eleven-year-old Ruby Danes is about to start middle school, yet no one in her life, except her aunt, knows her secret–her mother is in prison. Then Margalit Tipps moves into Ruby’s condo complex, and the two immediately hit it off. Ruby thinks she’s found her first true-blue friend. Is she ready to tell Margalit the truth? When Margalit’s family history seems to tie in too closely to the very event that put her mother in prison, Ruby fears she may lose everything–but she may learn the true meaning of friendship, honesty, and love along the way.

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor

Eleven-year-old Perry was born and raised by his mom at the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility in tiny Surprise, Nebraska. His mom is a resident on Cell Block C, and so far Warden Daugherty has made it possible for them to be together. That is, until a new district attorney discovers the truth–and Perry is removed from the facility and forced into a foster home. When Perry moves to the “outside” world, he feels trapped. Desperate to be reunited with his mom, Perry goes on a quest for answers about her past crime. As he gets closer to the truth, he will discover that love makes people resilient no matter where they come from .. but can he find a way to tell everyone what home truly means?

Pieces of Why by K. L. Going

Twelve-year-old Tia lives in a white slum in New Orleans with her mother, and her whole world revolves around singing in the gospel choir with her best friend, Keisha–but when practice is interrupted by a shooting outside the church, and a baby is killed, Tia finds that she cannot sing, and she is forced to confront her feelings about her incarcerated father who killed a girl in a failed robbery years before.

young adult 1

Fiction – Young Adult

Wise Young Fool by Sean Beaudoin

Teen rocker Ritchie Sudden is pretty sure his life just jumped the shark. Except he hates being called a teen, his band doesn’t play rock, and “jumping the shark” is yet another dumb cliché. Part of Ritchie wants to drop everything and walk away. Especially the part that’s serving ninety days in a juvenile detention center. Telling the story of the year leading up to his arrest, Ritchie grabs readers by the throat before (politely) inviting them along for the (max-speed) ride.

Holding Smoke by Elle Cosimano

John “Smoke” Conlan risks everything to clear his name of the two murders he did not commit while he cultivates his supernatural ability of travelling freely outside the concrete walls of the dangerous juvenile rehabilitation center known as the Y, helping himself and his fellow inmates have a chance at redemption.

Something Like Hope by Shawn Goodman

Shavonne, a fierce, desperate seventeen year-old in juvenile lockup, wants to turn her life around before her eighteenth birthday, but corrupt guards, out-of-control girls, and shadows from her past make her task seem impossible.

young adult 2

The Row by J. R. Johansson

After visiting her father on death row for twelve years, seventeen-year-old Riley is determined to find out if he is guilty or not before he is either executed or retried and, perhaps, released.

Locked Out (series) by Patrick Jones

Explores the complex ways that parental incarceration affects teens, from physical absence to family histories of crime to stigmas and emotional health.

Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy

Eighteen-year-old Nikki’s unconditional love for Dee helps her escape from her problems, but when he involves her in a murder Nikki winds up in prison, confronted with hard facts that challenge whether Dee ever loved her, and she can only save herself by telling the truth about Dee.

young adult 3

Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers

Teenage Reese, who is serving time at a juvenile detention facility, gets a lesson in making it through hard times from an unlikely friend with a harrowing past.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken.

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

A handless teen escapes from a cult, finds herself in juvenile detention, and is suspected of knowing who murdered her cult leader. | Kimberly’s review | Kelly’s review

young adult 4

The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez

After a brawl with a rival gang, sixteen-year-old Azael, a member of Houston’s MS-13 gang and the son of illegal Salvadoran immigrants, wakes up in an unusual juvenile detention center where he is forced to observe another inmate through a one-way mirror. | Kelly’s review

Burning by Danielle Rollins

After three years in juvenile detention, Angela is just months shy of release, but then ten-year-old Jessica arrives in shackles and is placed in segregation, and while no one knows what she did to end up there, creepy things begin to happen and it becomes clear that Jessica and her possible supernatural powers are more dangerous than anyone expected.

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

Orianna and Violet are ballet dancers and best friends, but when the ballerinas who have been harassing Violet are murdered, Orianna is accused of the crime and sent to a juvenile detention center where she meets Amber and they experience supernatural events linking the girls together. | Kimberly’s review

nonfiction 1

Nonfiction

Caught Up: Girls, Surveillance, and Wraparound Incarceration by Jerry Flores

From home, to school, to juvenile detention center, and back again. This book follows the lives of fifty Latina girls living forty miles outside of Los Angeles, California, as they are inadvertently caught up in the school-to-prison pipeline.

Runaway Thoughts and Ghetto By the Sea edited by Amy Friedman

In 2013, students at Venice High School in Los Angeles formed the first P.O.P.S. (Pain of the Prison System) club, a club for those whose lives have been touched by prison. Many have parents, friends, siblings, uncles and aunts inside; some have had their own brushes with the law. All have stories to tell. These anthologies offer the stories, artwork and essays of those whose voices we too seldom hear.

Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos

The author explains how, as a young adult, he became a drug user and smuggler, was arrested, did time in prison, and eventually got out and went to college, all the while hoping to become a writer.

nonfiction 2

No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row by Susan Kuklin

This compelling work takes readers inside America’s prisons and allows inmates sentenced to death as teenagers to speak for themselves. In their own voices–raw and uncensored–they talk about their lives in prison and share their thoughts and feelings about how they ended up there.

Girls in Justice by Richard Ross

Reveals the world of incarceration of America’s young girls in detention. A rare, multi-dimensional look at these girls’ vulnerable lives, this book speaks to the unique issues they face with essays, images, and the life stories shared by girls in custody.

Juvenile in Justice by Richard Ross

The photographs in Juvenile in Justice open our eyes to the world of the incarceration of American youths. The nearly 150 images in this book were made over 5 years of visiting more than 1,000 youth confined in more than 200 juvenile detention institutions in 31 states. These riveting photographs, accompanied by the life stories that these young people in custody shared with Ross, give voice to imprisoned children from families that have no resources in communities that have no power.

nonfiction 3

Let Me Live: Voices of Youth Incarcerated edited by Save the Kids

This anthology collects the work of incarcerated youth worldwide. The poems and autobiographical sketches featured remind readers that incarcerated youth are thinking and feeling individuals with the same aspirations and goals as other children, not merely statistics to analyze or incorrigible people to forget and discard. As a creative outlet and space for expression, the book provides a means for the poets to empower themselves and resist victimization by the supposed criminal justice system.

Real Justice (series) published by Lorimer

True stories of wrongfully convicted young people in Canada, including Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and David Milgaard.

What Will Happen to Me? by Howard Zehr and Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz

Pairs portraits of children whose parents are incarcerated with the reflections of grandparents who are caring for them and includes resources for caregivers and advice on dealing with the unique emotions of these children.

Filed Under: book lists, monthly giving, Non-Fiction, nonfiction, ya, ya fiction, Young Adult, young adult fiction, young adult non-fiction

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • Next Page »
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search

Archives

We dig the CYBILS

STACKED has participated in the annual CYBILS awards since 2009. Click the image to learn more.

© Copyright 2015 STACKED · All Rights Reserved · Site Designed by Designer Blogs