Posts

Hillbilly Elegy...

 I'm having Thoughts about Hillbilly Elegy, a book I just listened to because of a book challenge.  I'm late to the party on this one, as it came out in 2016 and was a best-seller and had a lot of nominations for things. Given that, I've heard both praise and criticism of the book. That, and Vance now has a political career and has done a 180 on many things he previously stated.  I'm not going to review this based on his political career, or the politicians he now supports. (One that he once criticized, apparently.) I should note, that I listened to the audiobook. And I listened to it right after finishing Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Land. All in all, this book felt overhyped.  This book brings up a lot of problems in a growing segment of society, but offers very few solutions other than have a person in your life that believes in you, believe in your country as the greatest in the world, find god, join the marines, and work hard. Not...
Post a Comment
Read more

YA titles dealing with Mental Illness

This is a list of titles for teens/young adults (YA) that have at least one character that deals with a mental illness, be it the main character or a major supporting one. Again, many thanks to Bri Saab for all their help. You, my dear, are amazing. As always, these lists are works in progress. I'll try to keep them updated over the coming months/years, as well as flesh out some more of the titles on the list. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/150mFjRST6kwaogCODBWK3ziwL6QL3P-Bb1rBfiWass4/edit?usp=sharing
Post a Comment
Read more

YA titles with LGBTQIA+ characters

I wanted to have this done for June, and for Pride, however I wanted to make sure I had that the terminology was appropriate. I want to thank Bri assisting with this list. Bri is AMAZING and so knowledgeable. Thank you so much! And thanks for being so patient with me as I thought I had a handle on things, but discovered I had a lot more to learn. Sometimes, I suck. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Vd_60x0BpCAudqxlRP_rkh-iG-x4Fh-9Zcw5bfC5Fso/edit?usp=sharing I'm also finding this link to be helpful: https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/evkwm4/how-to-be-an-ally-to-non-binary-gender-non-conforming-people-support?utm_campaign=sharebutton As always, this list will be a work in progress and I'll keep updating things as time allows. For those that identify as LGBTQIA+, you are loved. You are accepted. And most importantly, you matter. Cheers!
Post a Comment
Read more

Movies into other media

Hi folks! This month I've been working on a books that were made into movies of TV shows. Given this year that we've already had A Wrinkle In Time and Ready Player One hit the big screen, it seemed like a good time for this list. It's a shorter list, as I've had other commitments, and will continue to add to the list as I have time. I've also been updating the Historical fiction list, too. Without further ado: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gToTl9WOt2jSo5ENwObQuAj86WWM0gha1bHsdH4VzC0/edit?usp=sharing I'm working on a list of LGBTQIA+ books for next month. Ta!
Post a Comment
Read more

Random bits - wool, book lists, and more!

There are several things I'm passionate about enough to say I'm passionate about them. Books, cats, and wool are probably the top three. I geek out about a lot of other things, but passionate? Books, cats, and wool. In my spare time, I am a wool worker. I work with wool in all sorts of forms - from fresh off the sheep, to yarn, and everything in between. Coming from a long line craft people, I prefer to knit to crochet, and I also adore spinning on either a wheel or drop spindle. And, because those hobbies aren't weird enough, I also process wool - taking it from this dirty mass of wool to something you can knit with (or spin with, if you'd rather spin it yourself.) Let me tell you something about wool - when it's fresh off the sheep, it's filthy. Imagine only rinsing your hair when it rains or when you wade through a pond or stream. It would be rather disgusting, and it's really no different from what's on the sheep. Except what's on the sheep will ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why I'm dreading the new Wrinkle in Time movie

Image
There's several big (named) reasons that I'm dreading the new Wrinkle In Time movie. Now, this is the book (series) that more than anything got me into SciFiFan. While most of my friends will point to Tolkein or Lewis as the books that got them started, I can in through L'Engle. Specifically Meg Murray. Now, you might think I have a problem with the young actress playing Meg, and the only problem I have with her (is the same problem I have with the movie version of Hermoine) is that she's too adorable/attractive. Meg is an ugly duckling. She's gangly, and awkward, and smart, and will grow into her self and who she is, but first, she has to learn to accept her faults and herself. She doesn't have to be perfect, she just has to be herself, and true to herself. So, until  I see the movie, that's my biggest problem with her. She's too adorable. (I'm guessing that they're going to be using race as what makes her awkward, instead of the typical ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Some people have asked about historical fiction for middle to high schoolers, so I started compiling a list of Historical Fiction for about grades 6-12. (About.) I've tried to see what reviews have suggested the book for, but don't take that as hard and fast. If your kid wants to read something, let them. As my friend mentioned, Homeschoolers don't always have an idea of what grade translates to what age, since homeschoolers may not follow the same format as institutional school. As a general rule, in 12th grade, children turn 18. So, the grade plus six (or the child's age minus five or six, depending on if they've had their birthday yet during the school year), will give you about what age is in that grade. I'll be updating this as I go, but figured others might find it useful. Check back, and see what's been added. Other quick notes: SLJ refers to School Library Journal, and their recommendations are done by grade. BL refers to BookList, and their ...
Post a Comment
Read more