Diversity

Diversity in MG Lit #35 April 2022

Here’s the roundup of some of the many diverse MG books on sale in April.  As always if I’ve missed an April title please drop a mention in the comments on this page.
Contemporary
The Not-so-uniform Life of Holly Mei is the debut MG novel of Christina Matula. It’s refreshing to see a character whose biracial identity (Taiwanese-Canadian) is not the focus of conflict in the novel. Another nice twist is the immigration story is not to North America but from there to Hong Kong. Kids will find plenty to root for as Holly Mei finds her way in a new city and school. This is the first of a planned three book series.
In Shabbat Sabotage by Emma Carlson Berne, Maya’s first time at sleep-away camp is enlivened by the mystery of who stole the kiddush cup and candlesticks they need to celebrate Shabbat.
Horse Country: Can’t be Tamed by Yamile Saied Méndez is a new series centered around a western horse ranch and the power of second chances. Great to see a horse series that does not feature wealthy East coast mean girls, but rather centers on the Hispanic contributions to the American west and the healing power of horses.
book cover Karthik DeliversKarthic Delivers by Sheela Chari has elements to delight a wide range of readers. Karthic trys to help his parents hold things together financially by delivering Indian groceries around his Boston neighborhood on his bike. He loves theater, admires fellow immigrant Leonard Bernstein, and is navigating a first crush with the aid of his earnest, even aspirational, to-do lists.
My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel is a YA rom-com that should have plenty of appeal for older MG readers. What I liked the most about this story of finding love amid the busy events of a traditional Indian wedding was the many cousins who are on Zurika’s side every step of the way.
Graphic Novels
In the full color graphic novel Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo, Sue/ Suyapa was hoping for a summer with her American friends at an art camp but her mother brings her to Honduras instead to be with family and have her Quinceñero ceremony. Sue is mortified but comes to appreciate them in the end. I appreciated the way the story embraced the spiritual elements of a the ceremony, rather than focusing entirely on the more glamorous party afterward. There is back matter with more information on the meaning of the Quinceñero traditions.
Messy Roots: a graphic memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao is a YA graphic novel that may appeal to the older end of the MG spectrum. It’s a memoir about growing up as an immigrant queer Chinese-American in Texas. It’s rare to find a book that illuminates the experience of being both an immigrant and an LGBT community member. I’m hoping it will do well enough to usher in more intersectional stories.
Fantasy & SciFi & Historical
The Last Mapmaker by master storyteller Christina Soontornvat is going to appeal to fans of popular dragon series like Wings of Fire but also to kids who like maritime adventure stories in the mold of the Horatio Hornblower books.
Memorably set on a family estate in the Himalayas, Tamarind and the Star of Ishta by Jasbinder Bilan is a tale of  culture shock overcome and family secrets unraveled.
Young chapter books
Wednesday & Woof: Catastrophe by Sherri Winston is a new chapter book series featuring a spunky black main character with juvenile arthritis and her service dog  Woof. Together they solve the mystery of a neighbor’s missing cat. Short chapters, large type and plenty of color illustrations make this an inviting first series for a new reader.

B’nai Mitzvah books + a giveaway!

My bat mitzvah reception was held at Roma di Notte, an Italian nightclub in Midtown Manhattan. Described by New York magazine as the perfect spot for an “after-hours rendezvous,” the club boasted an impressive collection of Roman statues, medallions, and urns. Hidden caves, or “grottos,” insured ultimate privacy for lovers indulging in “a romantic nightcap.”

Mystery of the White Gym Socks

Why my parents chose this particular venue to fête my coming of age as a Jew is beyond me. Another mystery is why I wore a pink floor-length dress best suited for a five-year-old flower girl at a fancy wedding. Or why my mom allowed me to wear white gym socks with my patent-leather T-straps.

Turning the Tables

Another thing I don’t get? Why I didn’t claim my rightful place at the head of the kids’ table instead of way down at the end, next to my dorky cousin Jordan. (I dare you to find me in the picture, below.)

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

These details aren’t important, of course. I’m telling you this because, to be brutally honest, it’s all I can remember about my mitzvah. The day went by in a blur.

Sure, I have photographic evidence of the event, courtesy of my shutterbug cousin Keith, and I know I read from the Book of Leviticus, which details how and when religious offerings should be made to God. (I won’t go into specifics, but let’s just say I learned more about animal sacrifice than a 13-year-old old should ever know.) Other than that…? Nada.

That’s why, when I was asked to write a short story for the upcoming Jewish MG anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’nai Mitzvah Stories, out from Albert Whitman & Company on April 19, I chose not to borrow from my own bat-mitzvah experience. I had too many unanswered questions, and no one to answer them for me. Fiction felt more real—and more immediate—than anything my memory could provide.

With that in mind, here’s a collection of middle-grade novels that feature characters preparing for a b’nai mitzvah. Their fictional memories are way more reliable than mine. 🙂

PLUS don’t miss a chance to win a copy of Coming of Age: 13 B’nai Mitzvah Stories if you enter the giveaway. Scroll down for details! 👇👇👇

B’nai Mitzvah Books

Beyond Lucky by Sarah Aronson

Ari Fish, who’s in the throes of studying for his bar mitzvah, believes in two things: his hero-Wayne Timcoe, the greatest soccer goalie to ever come out of Somerset Valley—and luck. So, when Ari finds a rare and valuable Wayne Timcoe trading card, he’s sure his luck has changed for the better. Especially when he’s picked to be the starting goalie on his team. But when the card is stolen—and his best friend and the new girl on the team accuse each other of taking it—suddenly Ari can’t save a goal, everyone is fighting, and he doesn’t know who, or what, to believe in. Before the team falls apart, Ari must learn how to make his own luck—and figure out what it truly means to be a hero.

The Truth About My Bat Mitzvah by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Seventh-grader Caroline Weeks has a Jewish mom and a non-Jewish dad. When Caroline’s nana dies around the same time that Caroline’s best friend, Rachel, is having her bat mitzvah, Caroline starts to become more interested in her Jewish identity.

The Long Trail Home by Kiersi Burkhardt and Amber J. Keyser

Rivka can’t wait to get away from her family for the summer. Since that terrible day last year, she wants no part in their Jewish community. At least at Quartz Creek Ranch, she feels worlds away from home among the Colorado scenery, goofy ranch owners, and baby animals. Other parts of Quartz Creek, however, are too familiar, including the unsettling wave of anti-immigrant threats to ranch workers. On a trip to the country, Rivka is also surprised to learn the history of Jewish pioneers in the area. When she and her defiant cabinmate, Cat, face disaster in the wild, Rivka will need to find strength deep within her to help them both get home safely.

The Queen of Likes by Hillary Homzie

Karma Cooper is a seventh grader with thousands of followers on SnappyPic. Before Karma became a social-media celebrity, she wasn’t part of the in-crowd at Merton Middle School. But thanks to one serendipitous photo, Karma has become a popular poster on SnappyPic. Like most kids at MMS, her smartphone—a bejeweled pink number Karma nicknamed Floyd—is like a body part she could never live without. But after breaking some basic phone rules, Karma’s parents take Floyd away, and for Karma, her world comes to a screeching halt. Can Karma learn to go cold turkey and live her life fully unplugged?

My Basmati Bar Mitzvah by Paula J. Freedman

During the fall leading up to her bat mitzvah, Tara (Hindi for “star”) Feinstein has a lot more than her Torah portion on her mind. Between Hebrew school and study sessions with the rabbi, there doesn’t seem to be enough time to hang out with her best friend, Ben-O―who might also be her boyfriend―and her other best friend, Rebecca, who’s getting a little too cozy with the snotty Sheila Rosenberg. Not to mention working on her robotics project with the class clown, Ryan Berger, or figuring out what to do with a priceless heirloom sari that she accidentally ruined. Amid all this drama, Tara considers how to balance her Indian and Jewish identities and what it means to have a bat mitzvah while questioning her faith.

Recipe for Disaster by Aimee Lucido

Hannah Malfa-Adler is Jew . . . ish. Not that she really thinks about it. She’d prefer to focus on her favorite pastime: baking delicious food. But when her best friend has a beyond-awesome Bat Mitzvah, Hannah starts to feel a little envious …and a little left out. Despite her parents’ firm no, Hannah knows that if she can learn enough about her own faith, she can convince her friends that the party is still in motion. As the secrets mount, a few are bound to explode. When they do, Hannah learns that being Jewish isn’t about having a big party and a fancy dress and a first kiss—it’s about actually being Jewish. Most importantly, Hannah realizes that the only person’s permission she needs to be Jewish is her own.

This Is Just a Test by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan Long Shang

Twelve-year-old David Da-Wei Horowitz has a lot on his plate. Preparing for his upcoming bar mitzvah would be enough work even if it didn’t involve trying to please his Jewish and Chinese grandmothers, who argue about everything. But David just wants everyone to be happy. That includes his friend, Scott, who is determined to win their upcoming trivia tournament but doesn’t like their teammate: David’s best friend, Hector. Scott and David begin digging a fallout shelter just in case this Cold War stuff with the Soviets turns south… but David’s not so convinced he wants to spend forever in an underground bunker with Scott. Maybe it would be better if Hector and Kelli Ann came with them. But that would mean David has to figure out how to stand up for Hector and talk to Kelli Ann. Some days, surviving nuclear war feels like the least of David’s problems.

Echo Still by Tim Tibbitts

Twelve-year-old Fig’s life at school is perfectly normal: He’s sure his science teacher hates him, his dad is forcing him to attend Bar Mitzvah classes because his mom would have wanted it, and he’s just been passed over for the football team in favor of Gus Starks, a ball hog and a bully. And, as if Fig’s life needed one more complication, his grandmother Gigi is unexpectedly coming to stay with him and his dad for a while. As Gigi helps Fig navigate the obstacles of school and a tough football season, Fig comes to understand some important things: about his religion, about his family, and about Fig himself.

Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues by Ferida Wolff

After her Bat Mitzvah, all Alyssa wanted to do was dance. She loved the practice sessions at the studio. And she loved performing. But suddenly there were so many other pressures. The persistent but sympathetic rabbi wanted her to join the confirmation class. Alyssa’s best friend was very sick and needed her badly. And if Alyssa missed another dance rehearsal, she would be thrown out of the Nutcracker. If only she could decide what to do.

And last but not least…

Coming of Age: 13 B’nai Mitzvah Stories edited by Jonathan Rosen and Henry Herz

What does it mean to become an adult in your faith? Join thirteen diverse characters as they experience anxiety, doubt, and self-discovery while preparing for their b’nai mitzvah. And whether celebrating with a lavish party or in reception room A with an accordion player, the Jewish rite of passage remains the same. Filled with humor, hope, and history, there’s something in this anthology for every reader, regardless of their faith.

Giveaway!

For a chance to win a copy of COMING OF AGE: 13 B’NAI MITZVAH STORIEScomment on the blog–and, if you’re on Twitter, on the Mixed-Up Files Twitter account, for an extra chance to win! (Giveaway ends 3/25/22; U.S. only, please.)

Melissa Roske is a writer of middle-grade fiction. Before spending her days with imaginary people, she interviewed real ones as a journalist in Europe. In London she landed a job as an advice columnist for Just Seventeen magazine, where she answered hundreds of letters from readers each week. Upon returning to her native New York, Melissa contributed to several books and magazines, selected jokes for Reader’s Digest (just the funny ones), and received certification as a life coach from NYU. In addition to her debut novel Kat Greene Comes Clean (Charlesbridge, 2017), Melissa’s short story “Grandma Merle’s Last Wish” appears in the Jewish middle-grade anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories (Albert Whitman & Company). An active blogger for the popular MG website, From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-grade AuthorsMelissa lives in Manhattan with her husband, daughter, and the occasional dust bunny. Learn more about Melissa on her Website and follow her on  TwitterFacebook, and Instagram.

Diversity in MG Lit #34 March 2022

I’ve heard some interesting predictions in a recent Publisher’s Weekly article about how 2022 is going for children’s publishing. Ongoing concerns about the price of paper and shipping are somewhat concerning. Continuing strong sales for MG books are again encouraging. But here’s the item that really caught my eye. For the first time ever at Scholastic they will have a year (in2023) with more than 50% of their titles from diverse creators and about diverse topics. The promotion of these books will begin in 2022 and the effects, I think, will resonate long beyond this watershed moment. I know how hard booksellers and librarians and agents and editors at every publishing house have worked to make increased diversity possible. I’m so proud of how far we’ve come in making the face of children’s book writing resemble the faces of the children we serve more closely.

Here’s a roundup of some of the diverse books coming out in March.

book cover Just a Girl by Lia LeviFirst up, something for the younger end of MG readers. Just a Girl by Lia Levi is the translated memoir of a Jewish Italian girl who lived through the Holocaust. I think it makes a good introduction for the youngest readers. The author writes of her childhood with great tenderness as if she is speaking to her own grandchildren. She is careful at tense moments to assure the young reader that even with the discrimination, the loss of rights and jobs and home for Jewish people, things will turn out alright for Lia and her sisters and parents. They move many times to escape the Nazis. In the end they take shelter in a convent where she learns not only to receive the compassion of others but to find that well of compassion within herself. Many illustrations and an album of family photos round out this wartime memoir.

Two novels in verse for March

book cover Alias Anna by Susan HoodAlias Anna: a true story of outwitting the Nazis by Susan Hood and Greg Dawson. Memorably set in WWII Ukraine and then Germany, this is the story of two sisters who used their talent playing the piano to escape her parent’s fate. They hid in plain sight as a students in a prestigious German music school. One of the authors is the son of the main character Zhanna Arshanskaya. The book includes family photographs, an afterward about how the story Zhanna had kept secret for decades came to light, a list of the music she and her sister played, the role music played in WWII and lots of source notes. Current events in Ukraine should make this a story of particular interest.
book cover Wave by Diana FaridWave by Dian Farid with art by Kris Goto is set in California in the 1980s. It tells the story about 13 year old Persian American girl with OCD who finds refuge in a surfing and Rumi poetry and her best friend Phoenix.

Two graphic novels for March

book cover Aquanaut by Dan SantatThe Aquanaut by Dan Santat is at first glance a zany, fanciful story about what happens when a group of sea creatures figure out how to animate an old diving suit and come ashore in search of a new home. It is also a story of faithfulness to family and finding (or reclaiming) your true calling. Young eco-warriors will find lots to cheer for. And anyone who is trying to hold it all together in the face of great loss will find a heartfelt message of redemption–all wrapped up in vivid panels of Santat’s warm and energetic illustrations. On a personal note, I was an avid fan of The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau and I was delighted to spy a few tributes to Cousteau in the artwork.
book cover Wingbearer by LiuWingbearer by Marjorie Liu & eny Aida Issakhanian is another story for animal-lovers. In it Zuli is raised in a magical tree that shelters the spirits of birds waiting to be reborn. When the tree is threatened Zuli and her owl companion go on a quest to save the souls of birds.

I am a huge fan of the MG picture book.

book cover BlueBlue: a history of the color as deep as the sea and as wide as the sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, illustrated by Daniel Minter. The history of where blue dye and paint came from is rich and fascinating and often cruel. Natural blue paints and dyes were hard to make and highly prized. I was fascinated to learn about the lengths people went to get the color blue. A perfect mix of science and history.
book cover Angel of Santo TomasThe Angel of Santo Tomas: the story of Fe Del Mundo by Tammy Yee. Here is a small press gem from Tumblehouse. The story of WWII in the Philippines is one I’ve not seen in literature for children. A remarkable young Filipina doctor left her comfortable medical practice in the US to serve her home country. She spent the war years taking care of children in an internment camp in Santo Tomas.

March Debuts

book cover Sir Fig NewtonWith the number of diverse books for MG readers growing dramatically, I’m going to try to focus more on debut titles. One such novel is Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence by Sonja Thomas. Unabashed science nerd Mira Williams faces a summer of navigating new territory without her best friend at her side. Whether it’s dealing with changes in employment for her parents, a science fair rival or the mysterious illness of her beloved cat, Mira learns the value of tenacity.

Finally here are 5 contemporary MG novels from veteran writers Kelly Yang, Naomi Shihab Nye, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Ernesto Cisneros.

book cover Falling Short by CisnerosThose Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly
book cover Turtle of MichiganThe Turtle of Michigan by Naomi Shihab Nye
New from Here by Kelly Yang
Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros