You probably saw this one coming … by participating in Lee Wind’s and MotherReader’s Comment Challenge, I had already hedged on the resolution “I will not participate in challenges in 2010.” Well, now the other shoe has dropped. I have signed on for the People of Color Reading Challenge.

Do I need to join a challenge to broaden my reading and be more thoughtful in the selections I make? No, and you probably don’t either. But like you,  I AM part of a community … an online community that draws attention to books by talking about them, and as a walking, talking resident of Charlottesville, VA.

Although I have not commented on the recent series of cover controversies, I have followed the discussions (link to Colleen Mondor/Chasing Ray). If you have not read the various posts, you need to. Whether you agree with the method or strategy, they are passionate, eloquent, thoughtful, and share views  with respect for each other’s positions. You will walk away thinking not only about your own approach to books, but with the eyes of readers of color.

If we want kids to be lifelong readers, then we need to connect them with books that resonate with them … where they are, who they are, and how they see themselves. For me, it is not just about changing book covers, adding more display space, and/or buying/boycotting publishers. It is about modeling a reading life. If we want them to read broadly, then WE need to read broadly. If we want them to be citizens of the global community, then WE need to read books that represent that community AND guide them there. If don’t read things that look/sound/feel interesting to them, then how can we ever hope to create that magic spark we feel every time we pick up a book? [stepping off soapbox]

I  have joined the People of Color Reading Challenge. I have officially signed up for 7 to 9 books, but I am going to shoot for 15. If you’re looking for ideas on books to select, then…

• head over to the POC Reading Challenge blog. In the upper left corner is a box that has the link-up pages for each month. You can see what people are reading.  Right above that is also an extensive list of authors and books by People of Color.
• visit Diversity Your Reading. On the right side, there are Category lists of authors by region of origin.
• check out the books folks read in 2009 as part of Ali’s Diversity Rocks Book Challenge.
• ask your librarian!

If you aren’t able to participate in the challenge, that’s Okay. I would encourage you to add these two blogs to your reader so you can regularly visit some of the bloggers who are writing about diverse books, add books of interest to your TBR pile, then write a post about these new books you want to read!

Yep, it’s December. It’s time to grab a cup, look back at where we’ve been and think about where we want to go. Today, is the reflective post. Tomorrow (or maybe next week), I’ll launch the post for 2010.

When I separate myself from the “trees” and look at the “forest,” I realize that we have had a fantastic year. There are times when it seems overwhelming and I feel like we are spinning our  wheels, but progress doesn’t come by standing still. So let’s see …

I’ll start with a goal I didn’t know I had … Share a Story – Shape a Future, a literacy blog tour.  When I talked with Jen Robinson, Sarah Mulhern, and Jill Tullo in December 2008, we didn’t get much further than “that’s a nice idea.” I would never have imagined that we could pull off a week-long event in just a few weeks, make it a global event (thanks Susan) with A-list librarians, bloggers, and teachers; and create a brand with a world-class logo by Elizabeth Dulemba, too. SaS 2009 made my year!

When I was setting goals for 2009, I was mindful of just how much the economy would affect our growth.  Donations pretty  much kept pace with what we wanted to do. Here is our progress, goal by goal.

Launch Read it Together. – Not much. This is a project to distribute books for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers via pediatricians and family services organizations. We are working with Reach Out and Read – Virginia, but we haven’t gotten very far.

Turn 12 struggling readers into inspired readers. I was hopeful that in the course of a year we would have comments from dormant readers to the effect that “this book made a difference for me.” The closest we came were in the reviews by the students at North Junior High School.

Eliminate the term “Reluctant Reader.” I am a huge fan of Donalyn Miller’s (Book Whisperer and her idea that everyone is a reader. Whenever I can, I try to use Donalyn’s terms: developing, dormant, and underground reader.

Participate in Kidlitosphere 2009. My goal for my first KidLitCon was just to attend. I had never envisioned sitting on a panel! It was an unbelievable opportunity  … if I have to forego IRA, BEA, and ALA next year, I’m going to KidLitCon 2010.

Build on what I learned about reviewing and blogging in 2008. My plan was to thin the number of cumulative posts and do more individual reviews.  The Diversity Rocks book challenge helped with that, and I also did some unrelated reviews. They were ad hoc, and I hope to create a more consistent schedule next year.  Greg’s presentation at KidLitCon gave me lots to think about, as do his posts at The Happy Accident.  I will continue to reflect on his ideas and keep plugging away at improving my craft.

There were two late-arriving goals, too.

Diversity Rocks Book Challenge – When I signed on for the Diversity Rocks Challenge I had planned to read a minimum of nine books, secretly hoping I’d make it to twelve. I read and reviewed ten books. I have one more sitting in my office, but it’s going to have to wait. Books covered lots of different eras in the United States, Asia, and Africa. They included biographies, folktales, and historical fiction, too.

Picture Books Challenge – I completely dropped the ball on my summer goal of reading the top 30 books in Fuse #8′s Top 101 Picture Books poll. There were 14 titles I had not yet read. over the summer I read five … I just forgot to post a wrap-up. Max has carried that angst out into the wild, and I”m not about to retrieve it.

My last goal  was rather obtuse: be inspired.

I love thoughtful prose and incredible art. I hope to discover, hear, and read things that open my heart and mind, show me new ways of looking or thinking about things, and leave me wanting more.

Nailed that one! To say I spent much of the year in drop-my-jaw awe of the talent around the Kidlitosphere and the great things folks are doing to raise readers would be an understatement.   It keeps me going and reminds me every day that we each have a role and that what we do is never too small to make a difference.

My only disappointment is that we weren’t able to ship out as many books for the nonprofits who give them to kids. We shipped out 342 books ($4,362.90), a decrease over the previous two years. The good news is that we placed almost as many books as we received in donations.

I choose to look at 2009 as an amazing year. Not “despite the economy” or for any other rationalization I can think of. Yes, there were puddles and speed bumps, but that’s life. I am thrilled with the opportunities – some planned for, some spontaneous – that continue to move us forward to the ultimate goal: giving every child the chance to reach their full potential.

In this week’s Wednesday Window, Carol Rasco (Rasco from RIF) was talking about Thanksgiving.  In her post, she talks about several conversations – literal and virtual – and concludes that she has a lot to learn about American Indians. I’ve been thinking a lot about what Carol said …

I grew up in an Italian/German/Polish Catholic household on the largely Roman Catholic west side of Baltimore, Maryland.  We were a fairly devout family … if my dad hadn’t met my mom, he would have been a priest.  When I got to high school, I was the principal’s daughter at the only Catholic high school in largely Southern Baptist Charleston, West Virginia.

My window on the world is framed by growing up in a white, Christian household. I’ve never been the victim of discrimination physical or emotional, racial, or religious. There are family stories, but they are not my experiences.  How does one learn the difference between tolerance and acceptance?

Quite simply: through literature. Thankfully, with places like Paper Tigers,  Diversity Rocks, Color Online, and the Brown Bookshelf, as well as the reviews within the kidlitosphere at large, there are opportunities to learn about the experiences of others.

Ultimately, what these stories offer – including fictional works – is the opportunity to see the world through their eyes. These are THEIR windows.

Carol, I say all this to say yes. I’d like to join you in your study. Not just of American Indians, but in the cultures and religions of those whose window is framed differently from mine.

How about you? Would you like to join us? This isn’t a book challenge or a meme or a blogathon. Rather, it’s a personal commitment to consciously select something beyond your traditional choices … just to see what the world looks like from a different window.

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• (more) Administrivia | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
  Can you guess what I've been doing in the evenings? Yep … cleaning up old posts. Unfortunately, that has resulted in a bunch of new links in our daily list.
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• Diversity Rocks! Book Challenge | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
  When I started the Reading Tub, I wrote the tag line Turning a page … opening the world. I thought it captured the potential and reach of reading. There is
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• Organizing the Books | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
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• Books We Read – May | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
  May 2009 I'm a little disappointed we didn't have much nonfiction this month, but we still found plenty to read. I didn't return from BookExpo America until
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• Week 2 of the Library Club | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
  We kicked off our first day of vacation last week with a trip to the library to sign up for the Summer Reading program.  We read all of the books we brought
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• Week 3 of the Library Club | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
  On our visit to the library last week, we picked up a broader variety of books: 5 picture books, 2 illustrated chapter books, and Dr. Frankenstein's Human Body
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  Reading Ahead – June 2009 | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog The shelves are once again bulging. Starting in early
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• Reading Ahead – June 2009 | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
  The shelves are once again bulging. Starting in early May the pace of new arrivals began to pick up, aided in early June by BookExpo America. Look for a post in
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• Nonfiction Monday Roundup – 6 July | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
  Welcome to Nonfiction Monday! We'd love to hear about your review of a nonfiction book for children. Nonfiction books for children can be lots of fun. They
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• Books We Read – July | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog
  July 2009 Beginning with the July list, I have added a note to all of our book reviews on the website. The note explains the source of the book and/or
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  Catherine and I returned to the library probably for the last time this summer. I wanted a batch of books with a return date that got us through to school.
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As I was writing reviews for Bad News for Outlaws and Keep On! this morning, I realized just how much these two nonfiction picture books have in common.

• Bass Reeves’ and Matthew Henson’s lives began at the time of the US Civil War.
• Neither man had formal education, but were very learned men.
• Both men immersed themselves in cultures that were “foreign” to them.
• Both men had remarkable, noteworthy careers … but I had never learned about them.
• The stories offer not only a biographical study, but exemplify integrity, perseverance, and maximizing your talents.
• These incredible books don’t seem to have generated much buzz.

After reading these books, I thumbed back through them to grab more facts. The stories are fascinating, and I kept wondering why I had never heard about Bass Reeves or Matthew Henson. Frankly, I feel like my knowledge of history falls short of where it needs to be. Now, I will be looking for more information about them.

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal
written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Published by Carolrhoda Books, 2009
Audience (Reading Level): 7 to 12 (6.7 Flesch Kincaid)

Colonel George Reeves was so impressed with the marksmanship skills of his young slave Bass that he would take him hunting and enter him in shooting contests. He even took Bass to fight beside him in the Civil War. After Bass got into an argument with Colonel Reeves and struck him, he had no choice but to run. Bass eventually settled in Indian Territory. At the end of the Civil War he bought some land in Arkansas and settled down. When outlaws started using Indian Territory for their hideouts – and wreaking havoc – it was time for the government to step in. Bass was deputized as a US Marshal not only for his skill as a marksman, but because of his knowledge of  Indian territory and it’s people. He captured many wanted men and women, even earning their respect.

This is a fascinating story. The book opens with Marshal Reeves killing one of the most notorious outlaws in the Old West, and then steps back to present his life using a time line.  Then, it transitions to a more descriptive, anecdotal format as it talks about Reeves and his accomplishments.

The presentation is impeccable. First, the author created subtle chapters by grouping periods of time. Many of the pages are framed giving them the look of the Wanted posters of movie fame. Last but not least, the illustrations create a gallery of paintings, like an art show.

This is an exceptional book, not only for introducing all of us to someone we should know about, but also in the way it offers kids a first-hand example of how to live an honorable life – no matter what circumstances present themselves. I’d love to be part of classroom discussions about whether they would arrest their son! Would their parents arrest them?

Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson Co-Discoverer of the North Pole
written by Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
Published by Peachtree Publishers, 2009
Audience (Reading Level):  6 to 12 (4.0 Flesch Kincaid)

Matthew Henson lived to explore. He was born in 1866, at a time when young black boys were lucky to have any formal education, much less see the world. He started to learn the trades of the sea at age 13, and Captain Childs offered him an education he could never get in school. After Captain Childs died, he met Robert E. Peary, who asked him to join his expedition to Greenland. Ultimately, after multiple attempts, Henson and Peary reached the North Pole.

I had picked this book to read with my daughter, hoping that the dogsled on the front would grab her interest. Within a few pages she was totally into it, and asking lots of questions. The author incorporated journal entries from both Henson and Peary, which really added dimension to our discussions. For example, there were turns of phrase and words she didn’t understand, so she’d ask me to stop and we’d discover them together.

The story itself is PACKED with details, but they are well presented for the audience. The story is very understandable, but does not talk down to them, either. I love how it pushed my daughter to learn new words and understand idioms. The journal entries and line-drawn illustrations offer a great complement to the story. Although my daughter wasn’t interested in the Explore! section at the back, I found it as fascinating as the main story … almost it’s own book. There is no emphasis within the story of the prejudices and slights that Henson suffered, yet these are realities that are important in understanding the magnitude of his accomplishments.

I would highly recommend this story for all kids, but particulary kids who are interested in science (and the scientific process) and geography.  Although not as prominent in this book as in Bad News for Outlaws, there are themes of perseverance and integrity.

When I was looking for other book reviews for these books, I was shocked to see they had not been reviewed on either Amazon or BarnesandNoble.com. It is good to see, though, that they are being celebrated in the blogosphere.

Bad News for Outlaws
The Brown Bookshelf – Author Interview
Just One More Book!

Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson
Kiss the Book!
Through the Looking Glass Children’s Book Reviews
Young Adult (and Kids Book) Central

Today’s Nonfiction Monday roundup is at Bookends.

14 Cows for America
written by Carmen Agra Deedy, in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah
illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez
published by Peachtree Publishing, 2009
Audience (reading level): 7 and up (2.2 Flesch Kincaid)

Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah had come to the United States to study and further his education. He was in Manhattan the day a beautiful autumn sky dissolved into billowing clouds of burning jet fuel, molten steel, and the souls of nearly 3,000 people.  September 11, 2001.

Eight years ago. Today. When a colleague handed me this book at Book Expo America, what grabbed my attention first were the illustrations. I couldn’t stop thumbing through it. They are just beautiful. Still, I knew as we got closer to this National Day of Remembrance, my mood would become more thoughtful. It does every year.  So I waited until this week to read 14 Cows for America.

In the spring of 2002, Kimeli returned to Kenya with a heavy heart. He had news to share, but he wanted to speak with the elders first.  As a boy, Kimeli had hoped one day to buy a cow – the symbol of life and strength for the Maasai, his people. He fulfilled his dream and asked the elders to bless the cow so that he could make it a special gift to the Americans. Upon hearing the story, 13 others offered their precious cows. The cows were presented to the US Ambassador to Kenya and his wife in a formal ceremony of celebration and the blessing of the cows. In the past several years, this group of sacred, healing cows has become a herd of more than 35.

There is a part of me that is very glad I waited until now to read 14 Cows for America. Its themes of compassion and hope are exactly what we need today as we reflect on what has happened and where we are going.  Kimeli’s is an inspiring story, not just for his personal courage but also in the way he showed that compassion and sacrifice build a most incredible bridge of hope. Having read the story several times now, I keep flipping back to the last page

Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.

This is a sentiment we need every day … for the elderly neighbor who can no longer cut their grass, the child who doesn’t have enough to eat, or the friend who is overwhelmed by bad news.  A hug, a kind word, a bit of your time.

One of the things I like about the book is that you don’t have to go into a lot of detail about the events of that day to enjoy the story or convey its lessons. Although September 11, 2001 is the backdrop for the story, Deedy is offering us a timeless, universal story of empathy, compassion, and shared dreams of hope. Sharing this book with a child will open their minds to other cultures, traditions, and belief systems.  In the United States, we take for granted that everyone watched the events and aftermath unfold on television. This was not the case … yet even in the most remote corners of the world where “skyscrapers” have no meaning, people hurt for us. Yes, it offers insight that show our differences, but it celebrates – and emphasizes – what makes us brothers and sisters.

I highly recommend this book for children and adults alike.

Other Reviews

5 Minutes for Books review by Carrie (August 2009)

School Library Journal review by Diana Chen (July 2009)

Wall Street Journal review by Megan Cox Gurdan (July 2009)

Newsday review by Sonja Boll (September 2009) note: Scroll down, it is not the headline review.

Other Links

14 Cows for America book trailer on YouTube

14 Cows for America website sponsored by Peachtree Publishers

14 Cows for America Blog Tour Schedule at A Year of Reading

Carmen Agra Deedy: Spinning a Story of Mama YouTube video

Illustrator Thomas Gonzalez with Mary Lee Hahn at a Year of Reading

Interview with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah at Children’s Literature

Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah at the 2009 National Book Festival Library of Congress page

Sikulu & Harabe by the Zambezi River;
An African Version of the Good Samaritan Story
written by Kunle Oguneye
Illustrated by Bruce McCorkindale
Published by Blue Brush Media, 2008
Audience (Reading Level): 3 to 8 (3.8 Flesch Kincaid)

Late Saturday afternoon, I stopped by the Mom’s Choice Awards booth at Book Expo America to see who was around. There were a few authors milling about, including Kunle Oguneye, who had been signing books earlier in the afternoon. We started talking about children’s books and reading meaningful stories. Near the end of our conversation, he reached in his bag, pulled out a book, signed it, and gave it to me. Kunle told me earlier in the conversation that he had signed all of his books and had none to give away. Yet, he generously shared his last copy. When I closed the book after reading it, I realized Kunle was demonstrating the story itself.

Sikulu (see coo lu) is a spider; Harambe (ha ram bay) is a hippo. They are best friends. While playing hide and seek in the savanna, they get thirsty. Just as they are reaching the river bank, they see an old woman slip into the Zambezi River. Her basket of clothes land in the water and are flowing downstream.

Sikulu and Harambe yell saying they will help, but they are too far away for her to hear them. While they are making their way toward her, the woman approaches Lubinda the fish, because she and her friends are the closest. They aren’t swimming in the right direction; they cannot help her. Then she approaches Imasiku (E ma see coo) the stork; he is too busy trying to find his lunch. Mundia the elephant can’t help either – it isn’t his bath day, and he doesn’t want to get wet.

The woman gives up hope … until she sees Sikulu and Harambe wade into the water. Like all spiders, Sikulu is afraid of water, and this was a terrifying experience. He relied solely on Harambe to protect him.  In exchange for their help, the old woman let them select gifts from a pot she had with her (think purse). Although both tried to return the treasures – Sikulu selected emerald and gold bracelets for all of his legs; and Harambe pulled out a chitenge cloth fit for kings – the woman insisted they keep them.

When Mundia, Imasiku, and Lubinda saw the gifts, they were jealous.  They remembered how they had behaved and were ashamed. They vowed to make a different choice the next time someone asked for help.

This is a beautifully told, wonderfully illustrated story. Kunle ( a native Nigerian) has set this story in Zambia and the language – which is a collection of words from various African dialects – is exquisite. Each of the words’ origins is included in a glossary at the back of the book.

The story celebrates the themes of selflessness, compassion, and community that are both universal and timeless.  For me, the story blended the traditional good Samaritan story and The Little Red Hen. Although some may see this as “religious,” there is nothing to suggest a Creator or specific religion.

Bruce MacCorkindale did a wonderful job with the illustrations. The colors are bright and the level of detail and busy-ness is just right for a young audience. The Lozi people and the animals are unique and expressive. A minor point:  Sikulu is a bit over-the-top and more comic than the other characters. That may be of necessity, since normally a spider doesn’t take up half of a Hippo’s back.

I highly recommend Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River.  It is storytelling at its best, with the lessons build into the story but still completely evident. The crayon-styled illustrations might lead you to think this is a book for only the youngest audiences. Preschoolers and Kindergartners will love this book, but so will kids up to third grade. The story itself and the lessons it offers will engage newly independent readers and offer a wonderful complement to the study of folklore and culture.  The last spread int he book includes information about each of the animals and facts about Zambia.

Other reviews
Curled Up with a Good Kid’s Book, undated
Parent Reviewers, March 2009

Right Reads, January 2009
Testimonials by Children on the Website

Book-related Information and Activities online
Sikulu.com
Book Bites for Kids (Global Talk Radio) August 2008
Kunle talks abut Sikulu and Harambe

This is our contribution to two wonderful events celebrating diversity and authors of color. This is our seventh book for the Diversity Rocks Book Challenge.  We are also happy to participate in the August: Color Me Brown Book Challenge at Color Online.  The goal is to collect 100 titles in August … When I checked this morning, there were 96 links! Even if you don’t have a book to offer, you now have a ready-made list and there is sure to be a book there you’ll enjoy.

Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story

written by Janet Halfmann
illustrated by Duane Smith
Published by Lee and Low Books, 2008
Audience (reading level): 7 to 10 (8.5 Flesch Kincaid)

Almost two years ago, author Janet Halfmann contacted me to ask if the Reading Tub would be interested in reading her upcoming book Seven Miles to Freedom. She had seen our reviews of two of her other books (Little Skink’s Tail and Hermit Crab’s Home), and thought that this new picture book would also be a good fit for our audience.

When it arrived, I knew this was a book I wanted to read before I added it to one of our Use Your ABCs school collections. The cover image of Mr. Smalls grabbed me immediately. It is the image of a slave in a military uniform, but the look on his face is one that says “hello, it’s nice to meet you”; that Southern hospitality that says “let’s sit a spell and talk.” I found that interesting given what I knew about the book.

For the last year I have picked up the book and thumbed through it, shifting its place in my “short pile.” I was anxious to read it, but I wanted some “quiet time” to really enjoy it. Once I found the time to read it, the time to write the review eluded me for months. Now, finally, I have some time to put together my thoughts on this great book.

Robert Smalls was born and raised in the slave quarters on the McKee plantation in Beaufort, South Carolina. He proved himself to be an amiable and useful even as a boy, and Mr. McKee made him a house servant.  Although there were privileges that came with working in the house, a slave is a slave, and Robert Smalls didn’t want to be a slave.  When he was 12, Mr. Smalls was sent to live and work in Charleston at the Planter’s Hotel. This wasn’t freedom it was a change of venue; all of his earnings went to Mr. McKee.

Mr. Smalls spent his free time at the waterfront, and he eventually persuaded Mr. McKee to let him work there handling cargo. Once again, Mr. Smalls proved himself and by 15 he was the crew foreman. Before long, he was an apprentice wheelman, the title for colored boat pilots in the South. Ultimately, his skill as boat handler and knowledge of harbor practices offered the means of escape. Mr. Smalls, his family, the crew, and their families waited patiently for their opportunity. In May1862 that moment came and he did not hesitate. He captained the Planter and headed north.

This is a fascinating biography. The author does an exceptional job offering setting the context of the pre-Civil War South. Slavery is ever-present, but it is not the theme of the story. Only the details relevant to Mr. Small’s life are mentioned.

When it comes time to escape, I felt like a stowaway on the Planter as it pulled away from the dock just before dawn. Unlike the first part of the book, the pages divide the story to build the tension. My cheers were premature cheer when “No Confederate guns could reach the planter now.” Turning the page, I learned there was more danger ahead.

This is nonfiction for kids at its best. There are myriad historical details, but they are woven into a story that celebrates the achievements of a fascinating man of great accomplishment. In the Afterword, Halfmann adds even more details about Mr. Smalls’ accomplishments: he helped convince President Lincoln to let African Americans list in the Union Army; he was the first African American captain of a US vessel; he helped write a new democratic state constitution in South Carolina; and he was elected to the United States Congress in 1875.

Normally I don’t pull out this many details from a story, but I found the contrast of Mr. Smalls’ accomplishments and the lack of knowledge about him amazing.  Did you know any of this (before you read the book)? While I’m certain students in South Carolina know who he is, I never heard this story when I studied US history. I wish I had. This is the kind of book that will hook kids on history.

Thankfully, Seven Miles to Freedom will broaden our understanding of the people who risked their lives to have things that should never have been taken away: freedom, respect, and opportunity.

Seven Miles to Freedom is an excellent, important story. It is a nonfiction picture book that can be shared at home or school, with young children or  elementary students. It can serve as a window into biography and history.  Last but not least, it is an excellent choice for reluctant or remedial readers.

Other Blog Links
Artist to Artist Interview with illustrator Duane Smith on The Brown Bookshelf
Bookdads Book Review
Breeni Books Review
Charlotte’s Library Book Review
Fuse #8 Book Review
The Well Read Child Book Review
A Wrung Sponge Book Review

Can you guess what today is?

I’ll give you a hint: today marks the official start of the slide toward 50.  Technically, it doesn’t start until 9:26 PM, but heck, I’ll be asleep by then!

Since  I am heading into a new year (and it is midway through 2009), I thought it would be a great opportunity to take a bloggy step back and do some mid-year updates.

…

First up, the Diversity Rocks Book Challenge.  I joined the Challenge when it opened in January, because I love Ali’s premise:  add multicultural awareness to your reading. I set a goal of nine books for the year, though I secretly hope to read twelve. I finished June with five books for the challenge. Two chapter books, three picture books. I listed six books, and have only read three: I reviewed Little Leap Forward;  I read Give a Goat, but didn’t review it; and I have finished Seven Miles to Freedom and will do the review this month.  I’m not wedded to finishing the other three, because I my purpose is to explore new worlds. So I’d rather be open to new opportunities than stick to a list. I am certainly on track for nine books, and am comfortable that I can read/review twelve – without feeling pressure.

Speaking of book numbers … as of June, we have filled the Reading Tub with 336 new titles; all but 100 (BEA acquisitions) are unsolicited requests for review. Wow! That’s pretty  amazing since we are only accepting books from authors and publishers that we have worked with in the past.  We aren’t likely to double that for the remainder of the year, but that is STILL a lot of books we can get to at-risk readers.

Most of the other goals for the year, still sit in the starting blocks … thanks to the economy. It is what it is, and I am one of those people who believe that things happen when they’re meant to happen. There are plenty of other things to do in the meantime.

So what am I looking forward to now? Just two things.

• The Share a Story Shape a Future literacy blog tour pushed me beyond my comfort zone and was a catalyst for new friendships and opportunities.  We’ve got Share A Story 2010 on the drawing boards …
• October 17. I am r-e-a-l-l-y excited about the Kidlitosphere Conference in DC/Northern Virginia. I met lots of folks at Book Expo America in New York, and there will be a lot more folks at the Conference.

Everything else is icing on the cake!

photo credit: Terry Doherty, whose actual age is now closer to a MULTIPLE of seven!

For the first time this year, I will not have a book for the Diversity Rocks Book Challenge. I have one book in progress and several books lined up, I just didn’t get to them this month.

Be sure to checking out all the great June reviews at Ali’s Blog. It’s not too late to join or be a cheerleader, either. The purpose of the challenge is to integrate “racial and ethnic diversity in the authors that we read.” It’s meant to be fun and is guaranteed to be enlightening.