I thought I'd give Amber McBride another chance, since I gave 3 stars to one of her previous books. But Onyx & Beyond was just okay.
I wanted more refI thought I'd give Amber McBride another chance, since I gave 3 stars to one of her previous books. But Onyx & Beyond was just okay.
I wanted more references to the time period, but the Civil Rights Movement only felt like a place mat. You could transpose the main plotline into the present and it wouldn't really read any different.
I definitely would've loved this when I was younger. (Growing up in the 90s and 00s, there was no SE Asian rep by actual SE Asian authors.) BDNF @ 69%
I definitely would've loved this when I was younger. (Growing up in the 90s and 00s, there was no SE Asian rep by actual SE Asian authors.) But as an adult, it's really nothing I haven't read before, and I found it hard to keep my attention....more
The immigrant childhood experience is really relatable, but the novel in verse aspect didn't really work for me. It felt too chop3.5 stars rounded up.
The immigrant childhood experience is really relatable, but the novel in verse aspect didn't really work for me. It felt too choppy and I wanted so much more out of the descriptions and the FMC's feelings.
I liked some verses in a couple of the poems.
From "Be Yourself (But Don't Mess Up)":
Marcus says, really loudly, Ya sound like my lola! and kids around us crack up.
Melissa turns her eyes passing mine meeting his.
He snorts. She shakes her head.
Only kind words in this room, please says Mrs. Kapoor.
In every class until lunch through all the other intros no one else has an accent like mine —or even has one at all.
And from "How It Started":
The cruise ship brochure had
bedrooms for princesses blond kids with big smiles slipping down water slides and happy, silent servers working mile-long tables topped with towering cakes.
In every brochure
the workers looked like Mama the kids looked nothing like me.
Wow! Despite this being a Middle Grade nonfiction book, I really learned a lot! I highlighted so many passages from this book and4.5 stars rounded up.
Wow! Despite this being a Middle Grade nonfiction book, I really learned a lot! I highlighted so many passages from this book and I don't think I've highlighted so much in a setting outside of academia.
Also, I think this book might be better for upper MG and the YA set because of the content (and possibly the book's length and semi dry-ish nonfiction tone too).
I'm really glad a book like this is being published. Native American boarding schools was something I never learned about in K-12 or college. I only know about this topic because of the news about the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Canada, and because lately, I've been interested in US history from marginalized perspectives.
Even though this book is written for younger audiences, adults can definitely learn a lot if you're new to Native American history during the colonial period and modern times. The author made it easy to read and follow along, even though he does go off on (related) tangents. (Which is why I had to knock down half a star.) If you're familiar with nonfiction books on history written this way instead of chronologically, then this might not bother you.
Along with learning about the history of boarding schools and how Native children were treated by the US government, I loved how the author talked about his family's experiences with Chilocco Indian School. It really gave a well-rounded perspective on how Chilocco went from destroying any traces of Indigeneity to one that fully accepted its students for who they were when US policies on boarding schools became more progressive.
I really appreciated the mini biographies of historical boarding school attendees, especially the pictures showing these children in their traditional clothing before vs. after the boarding school officials essentially destroyed their culture and forced them to wear European clothing, forced haircuts on them, etc. The black and white photos were really powerful.
I also loved the chapters on the American Indian Movement and their protests at Alcatraz and Pine Ridge, including how they brought light to the US government's historical and ongoing mistreatment of Native Americans, their cultures, and their land.
The author also mentioned successful Native American activists today (such as US Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland) and how their parents and grandparents were affected by boarding schools and US policies. He also talked a bit about Native Americans in the film industry and how it has evolved from racist stereotypes to much more accurate representations and portrayals today.
I really appreciated learning about all of these topics. I'd definitely recommend for anyone interested in US history or Native American history, written in a way that's easy to read and digest.
Thank you to Scholastic Focus and NetGalley for this arc....more
Such a sweet, hopeful story about a very young girl who makes the best out of a horrible, life-changing situation! The illustrations are bright and coSuch a sweet, hopeful story about a very young girl who makes the best out of a horrible, life-changing situation! The illustrations are bright and colorful, and very simple to follow along. If I had kids, I'd definitely read this to them.
As an adult, I did love the additions at the end that talked about partition. It's very basic, but it still gives enough context to historical events.
Thank you to Kids Can Press and Edelweiss for this arc....more
Besides Maha being such a spoiled brat lmao, this was such a great read! As someone who was a documentary filmmaker, Maha's journey as a budding journBesides Maha being such a spoiled brat lmao, this was such a great read! As someone who was a documentary filmmaker, Maha's journey as a budding journalist/documentary filmmaker reminded me of my good old days.
As an adult reader, I didn't really learn anything new. But if I were in the age range for this, I would've learned a lot about Partition and how it affected everyone in the region on a personal and generational level.
I did sympathize with the bestie drama though, along with growing pains, learning about your own culture and religion, and gaining new interests/hobbies.
Lastly, I loved the secular Muslim rep. It was so relatable. I loved that Maha wasn't shamed for not being as religious as her cohort or her grandmother. And reading this during Ramadan while Ramadan also took place in the story was the icing on the cake. ☪...more
Such a beautiful and heartbreaking story! Definitely a must-read if you're looking for Indigenous voices in children's lit.Such a beautiful and heartbreaking story! Definitely a must-read if you're looking for Indigenous voices in children's lit....more
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