Y‘all! I‘ve missed you! Life has been...eventful. 😑

1. Jhumpa Lahiri, Jenny Lawson, Jane Austen
2. Dolly Parton, Carrie Fisher, Tina Fey
3. Does my Instagram for diverse graphic novels count? http://www.instagram.com/diversegraphicnovels/
4. Well, I had never heard of Honey Pot until the recent controversy, but I‘ll be heading to Target soon. #friyayintro @howjessreads @4thhouseontheleft

LITSY!! I have missed you. But I have excuses! I finish my master‘s degree in library science NEXT WEEK, and this capstone project has taken up all of my free time. I hope you will check it out! I created a resource for libraries, teachers, etc. for diverse ya graphic novels. You can follow the Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/diversegraphicnovels/ and the blog at diversegraphicnovels.blogspot.com

This is shockingly good. It is one of the best-written pieces of satire that I have read in a while. It manages to address PTSD, religion, infertility, war, and homophobia in a relevant and smart way. Using the Flintstones. I know, I was surprised, too. But trust me.

I read Little Women several times as a kid (Team Jo! Wasn't everyone?), but I don't have the same nostalgic attachment to it that I do to other favorites. That, and the fact that I tend to adore graphic novels made this a great pick for me. I loved the diversity, sisterhood, and getting through crap together as a family. It wasn't perfect, but it will introduce a classic that kids may otherwise miss. It is not Little Women, but it is a good book.

Oh my goodness - I am SO glad there are more picture books lately representing modern-day Native children. I like this one, with it's combo of dream and realism, but the kids had a hard time understanding where the dream started, so they were a little thrown by the dogs at first. But the art is expressive, and the story captures the feel of a powwow, so well done.

This was so sad and depressing. Whatever the opposite of body positive is, this book is it. I just can‘t imagine thinking THIS much about food and weight and wasting this much time on sucking every bit of joy out of eating. Like twenty pages of this is just lists of food and calorie counts. Just awful.

I read the 2nd edition of this book. I order all of the graphic novels, juvenile through adult, for my entire public library system. I have, by default, become an expert. This book is excellent. It not only provides excellent graphic novel recommendations, it also explains the why and how of graphic novels for librarians who are less familiar with the genre. It is an excellent basic overview with practical advice that can be applied beyond this.

Because a week isn‘t long enough, I put up banned and challenged books on both children‘s display areas to encourage people to read banned books all month long.

Because a week isn‘t long enough, I put up banned and challenged books on both children‘s display areas to encourage people to read banned books all month long.

I love the format of this book - twenty very sort explanations with accompanying art describing various Inuit mythic creatures. Some I wouldn't exactly call monsters, but others are exactly that, so be careful with your sensitive kiddos. But the art is fantastic, and the explanations, while short, do give the basics of each creature's story.

I liked this more than Goodnight, Goon. :) It is just the right amount of creepy for kiddos, and most will be able to handle it just fine. Plus, they will think it is super funny, because it is. It would be really fun to read this alongside The Runaway Bunny so they are in on all the jokes.

Fantastic. Poetically written, but completely understandable for kids, which is a tough line to balance. Present-day setting, which is a great, as it is not common enough for Native characters in children's literature. And it is just cute and fun and colorful, too. Excellent, and I can't wait to include it in a storytime program.

Captures a feeling of urban community in a way that even the youngest readers can understand. Some of the writing is a little clunky, and I think the pictures would be better suited to a larger format than a board book, but a great concept!

Takes tales from a whole bunch of tribes, barely distinguished between them, and then writes them in an insultingly simplistic manner. The art is a bit cutesy. There is an academic explanation at the end of who Coyote is and why he is important in Native American storytelling, but it doesn't make up for the rest.

Very text-heavy for a picture book, but it is an interesting, relatively contemporary look at a native family. I read the updated 2013 edition, and I was confused because the pictures felt VERY 80s, but I didn‘t realize it was a reprint. The update at the end helped clarify. Super cool, but much too long for the younger elementary years.

Adorable and inclusive. All kids are good kids!

Matter of fact, yet age-appropriate, this book addresses a very specific need - how a baby is made in a donor situation. But it is accessible and is a good book to read to any kid as a way of understanding that there are all sorts of ways to make a family. The art is spectacular. Warm and expressive and joyful.

Blerg. I‘ll start with the positive. The writing was ok.

I have 0 problems with open marriage, nonmonogamy, not wanting kids - none of that‘s the problem here. The problem‘s the author. Her husband‘s an asshole, but he‘s honest. He doesn‘t want kids. He doesn‘t say he does & change his mind, doesn‘t pretend to & do a 180 after marriage. He just doesn‘t want them. But she thinks she can convince him otherwise, so they get married. Cont‘d below.

There's not a lot new here, but most of it is good to remind yourself of. It made my guffaw (yes, guffaw) that Robbins has quotes at the beginning of each section, and in addition to quoting things like, oh, the Bible, or people like, say, the Buddha, he quotes himself. I unironically love that. It reminds me of that Danielle Steel author photo where she is standing in front of a LIFE-SIZE portrait of herself. I ain't even mad. That's amazing.

NOOOOPPPPPEEE. This freaked me the freak out. The illustrations are terrifying. Thank you, Inuit culture, for introducing me to the Mahaha, WHICH WILL TICKLE YOU TO DEATH. NOOOOO.

Yeah, not for the sensitive. But if your kid is looking for scary stories & is tired of ones that they've heard a million times, an attack polar bear could do the trick. It is well-written & exposes kids to a mythology they may be unfamiliar with. But it scared me. :)

Really interesting. This is a trilingual (yes, tri!) children‘s book that is not a traditional Native story, but it a modern story by a Native author told in a traditional style. Written in Keres and English, followed by a Spanish translation, it has the feel of an old oral story passed down through the generations. Definitely unique.

Wow. I underestimated this book. I had it checked out of the library forever before I finally read it. It is so powerful and amazing and there were a couple of pages that gave me literal chills. The art enhances the story perfectly. I could just picture this being told out loud and captivating an audience. Fantastic.

Awwww. Just the right amount of humor, gorgeous illustrations, and a hopeful, optimistic message. Plus a squirrel named Stu. The world wouldn‘t be the same without Stu or you.

These are thought-provoking questions, even for adults. I found the format too gimmicky - the alphabet part was okay, but the forced rhymes were distracting. The art was not my favorite, either, and I felt it was amateurish. But the questions themselves were well done, and it is an approachable philosophy book for kids. 3.5 stars.

Fascinating. I don't agree with every conclusion that she draws from the data she presents, but this is thought-provoking and I learned a lot. There is some extra fluff that didn't feel necessary, and was at times distracting (why does she physically describe every person she interviews?!), but the stories and facts offer insight into our current ideas about female sexuality in the West and how they can be damaging to all people, not only women.

A well-written & well-researched book about Native doctor & leader, Carlos Montezuma. It doesn‘t gloss over the fact that he was kidnapped & sold as a slave, but I question the use of the 1st person. It is based on a letter written by Montezuma, but it combines his words & the author‘s interpretation without distinction. It is informative, but it could be hard for kids to distinguish fact from embellishment. Intriguing art & photography.

I read soooo many picture books. I try to read all of the native and indigenous themed picture books in our library collection because I‘m pretty sure no other library staff member does. I have noticed an absence of native girl characters that are not presented as historical figures or living through residential schools. Review continued in the comments.

Very sweet. I have never read Julie of the Wolves, so I have no idea how much it would add, but this worked fine as a stand-alone. Affectionate, emotional, and warm story of a boy and a wolf cub who bond.

Happy, inclusive, and inspirational. Everyone has something to say, and there are all sorts of ways to say it. Just delightful.

Clever! Witty! Hilarious!

As another reviewer put it, Wash‘s “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!” comes to mind.

Odd little graphic novel short story collection of different coming out/coming of age stories about lesbian and bi women. Some of the stories are sweet, most have a sexual component, but the whole anthropomorphic animal style of illustration was really not my cup of tea. It made the book weird for me.

Gorgeous illustrated poem that would be the perfect gift for a daughter or granddaughter, a new what being welcomed into the world, or an excellent variation on the “Oh the Places You Go” kind of a thing for a young woman graduating from high school or college. Joy Harjo is the poet laureate for a reason, and this poem is an excellent example. Mercedes McDonald‘s illustrations add even more value.

This is from 2009, but things have changed quickly, so it is a little dated in how it deals with lesbian moms. They experience one person who is homophobic, but it is not treated as a big deal, and I didn‘t like that the story forced two women who are very uncomfortable in dresses to wear dresses to a tea party to be “good moms”. That being said, I love that this is a loving, happy family who laugh joyfully on most of the pages. Cont‘d below.

Unicorns are basically just overgrown, magical, flying cats. They shed and scratch and chew and burp. Also, they attract other unicorns so they don‘t get lonely. That‘s pretty much how I ended up with five cats, so same same. Fun and colorful and totally didn‘t convince me that I shouldn‘t get a unicorn.

This is gorgeous, and I absolutely love the concept of a "babymoon". As an idealistic parent pregnant with my first, this beautifully illustrated book would easily have been five stars. However, as a mom of five, with my baby days behind me, I wished for a little more realism. There was no inconsolably crying newborn who is hungry because mom's milk hasn't come in. Review continued in comments.

Wow. This is so needed, so necessary. When kids come into the library looking for books about “Indians”, it is hard to convince them that Native people still exist and are not just a story from a history book. If they know that there are still Native and First Nation people, they think they all live on reservations or in teepees. This is artistic, gorgeous and enlightening, particularly for the YA age group it is aimed at. I‘m glad it exists.

“Every family has a kid who won‘t eat.” The whole time I was reading this, I kept thinking of that line from A Christmas Story. 😂 I have been a mom for 16 years, and I have never, not once, served a meal where at least one kid didn‘t complain. It does tend to make one sweary.

I mean, a bunch of elementary school kids wrote up this Goshute legend and illustrated it themselves. Many of the students are Goshute; all the proceeds benefited the tribe - what on earth could I say bad about this?! Way to go, kiddos. Nice job.

Gorgeous poetry, but I don't know how much kids will understand it. As a lyrical way for adults to process the horrors of Sandy Hook, which are still traumatic almost seven years later, this is beautiful, though. I'm not usually a fan of Kellogg's illustrations, and that is pretty much the case here, too, but that last page - he nails it. The text and picture are perfection.

I went through a phase when I was about 9 where I read and reread the 1st Boxcar Children book. This book was a part of that phase. It didn‘t get read quite as much as the former, but a trolley car was almost as good as a boxcar. Rereading it as an adult, it is charming. Still has some 1940/50s gender issues, but other than mom telling dad he is the boss of the family, they are pretty mild. Plus, it has an amazing 1980s apple paperbacks cover.

Ugh. Why are books about parenting teens so awful? “Your kid is a narcissist and an asshole and has no-self-control, but it‘s not his fault.” No. Teens absolutely can be self-absorbed and impulsive, but this book underestimated them, and it is SO gender binary. Girls, don‘t dress showing any cleavage, or boys will think you want to have sex with them. It‘s your fault for sending that message. Nah. Fuck that.

See my other posts for my rant about the drug/alcohol chapter. The rest is mediocre. But that chapter is so terrible the book should be ignored. I get that the authors are Mormon & don‘t drink, but to make a moral judgment about people (& not even just teens) who drink or smoke is completely unacceptable. Drink, don‘t drink. I don‘t give a shit. But it‘s not a matter of morality, & fuck them for making it sound like it is. Teens don‘t need that.

I don‘t even care if the rest of this book is amazing (it isn‘t); the chapter on drugs and alcohol is SO BAD I can‘t in good conscience recommend it to anyone trying to raise teens. It is judgmental and inaccurate and completely assumes that there is no healthy way to drink alcohol in any amount and literally says that marijuana causes brain damage. I don‘t think teens are mature enough to drink or smoke pot, but lying to them is not a solution.

I don‘t even care if the rest of this book is amazing (it isn‘t); the chapter on drugs and alcohol is SO BAD I can‘t in good conscience recommend it to anyone trying to raise teens. It is judge mental and inaccurate and completely assumes that there is no healthy way to drink alcohol in any amount and literally says that marijuana causes brain damage. I don‘t think teens are mature enough to drink or smoke pot, but lying to them is not a solution.

I don‘t even care if the rest of this book is amazing (it isn‘t); the chapter on drugs and alcohol is SO BAD I can‘t in good conscience recommend it to anyone trying to raise teens. It is judge mental and inaccurate and completely assumes that there is no healthy way to drink alcohol in any amount and literally says that marijuana causes brain damage. I don‘t think teens are mature enough to drink or smoke pot, but lying to them is not a solution.

I don‘t even care if the rest of this book is amazing (it isn‘t); the chapter on drugs and alcohol is SO BAD I can‘t in good conscience recommend it to anyone trying to raise teens. It is judgmental and inaccurate and completely assumes that there is no healthy way to drink alcohol in any amount and literally says that marijuana causes brain damage. I don‘t think teens are mature enough to drink or smoke pot, but lying to them is not a solution.

I keep trying to picture this in its original oral form, because I think it may have been less confusing that way. I feel like it kind of skips around and doesn‘t fully explain some confusing parts. However, this captures a traditional story told by an Inuit storyteller and has lovely illustrations. It offers accessibility to the tale for people who may not have ever gotten a chance to hear it.

Gorgeous in both words and art. Alexander and Sweet should always work together. They should come to my house and decorate my walls. They should turn my house into a poetic art installation.

I digress.

This is fantabulously amazing. I read the criticisms that it is difficult to read (like physically) because the words and text are mixed into the art. That is totally valid. I just think it is completely worth the effort.

Cute idea, mediocre execution. The boys won‘t let Lulu join the basketball team because she‘s a girl, so she creates her own team of teamless girls from around the world. The rhyme is really forced in this one, and the art is okay. It isn‘t bad - it could just be much better.

I posted a picture of my favorite page.

Completely adorable true story of two male penguins who hatch an egg together and become a family. It alternately cracks me up and makes me furious that this is consistently one of the most challenged/banned books in the U.S. Yes, it positively portrays a same-sex relationship. BETWEEN PENGUINS. If you are really concerned about that, you have bigger problems than a book.