Nadia’s family had a plan. If ever their house was bombed they were supposed to meet at the dentist’s office. But Nadia is terrified of leaving her house because she already knows what it feels like to live through a bombing and the shrapnell in her leg is a constant reminder. So when her sister wakes her up one night to leave because the bombing is getting close Nadia hesitates a moment too long and is thrown out the front door by the force of the bomb. Her family leaves her for dead. But she’s not dead and when she regains consciousness she makes her way to the dentist’s office where she finds a note from her grandmother saying they are on the way to Turkey. So Nadia sets out on the long journey alone. But she doesn’t stay lonely for long. Along the way she meets an old man with many identities and his donkey, Jamila. They travel together to the old man’s friend’s house where they meet two orphaned boys who join them. But hiding from the Syrian Army, the rebel groups, bombers and snipers make their journey to the border very long and perilous. Last year I made a friend who was Syrian and who, five years before had fled from the war when her kitchen was bombed. This book helped me understand a little better what she went through and what other refugees are still going through today. I did not enjoy this book very much because I did not like the style of writing and it was very hard to like the main character, Nadia. She was a one dimensional character who didn’t have much personality. She was self absorbed and did not seem to realise that having perfect nails in the middle of a warring country did not matter. However, by the end of the book she became more likeable but I never really liked her enough to worry about whether she would get to the border. Even though I did not like the main character or the style of writing, Escape from Aleppo gave me a clearer picture of what is happening in Syria. I also learned a lot about Syrian culture and how and why the war started in the first place. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about what is happening in Syria but not to someone who wants a good story with a strong main character. Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai. Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2018. Buy the book here and support Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? If so, comment below!
Between the Lines, Reviewed by Lauren Stewart, 13
Between the Lines by Nikki Grimes tell the stories of nine teenagers connected by one powerful poetry class. It describes the teens’ hopes, dreams, and ambitions and how each is working to achieve his/her goals against all odds. While some books can be confusing when told from multiple perspectives, Grimes simplifies things for the reader by changing grammar and style to reflect each character. She also employs a unique structural element. Almost every chapter ends with a poem, reflected upon by the main character, Darrian. This helps keep the reader intrigued, amused, and on track. Reading Between the Lines greatly deepened my understanding of the purpose and power of poetry. It shows how strong friendships and one common interest (in this case, poetry) can help youth overcome life challenges. It also provides a glimpse into a world of immigration struggles and stereotypes, an unjust foster and legal system, dysfunctional families, and an unplanned child born to an unready mother. Between the Lines gives multiple examples of how you can never truly know what’s going on in a person’s life. Empathy and compassion, however, are the bonds that unite us. While I have not read any book similar to Between the Lines, I have watched a movie with a similarly oppressed main character. American Violet tells the story of a young woman living in a neighborhood under siege. She is offered a plea deal even though she is innocent. She refuses, battles the system, and rights an unconstitutional wrong. The father of one of Between the Lines main characters is not so lucky. He accepts the plea bargain in order to return to his family, but as his son says, he does not return the same. He is angry that he cannot get a decent job, that his children are hungry, and that his family has been forced to move to a smaller apartment even though he has done nothing wrong. The author comments on the complexity of the judicial system and how it plays out for poor Black and Brown males, in particular, whether innocent or guilty. Despite these heavy themes, I greatly enjoyed Between the Lines. It tells the truth but in such a way that I felt empowered not overwhelmed. Between the Lines is a book that is sure to lift your spirits, to make you feel like you can accomplish anything, all the while teaching you valuable life and history lessons. Between the Lines by Nikki Grimes. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018. Buy the book here and support Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? If so, comment below!
Full Cicada Moon, Reviewed by Shelley Tang, 11
Mimi Yoshiko Oliver is not your typical protagonist. She is a half-black, half-Japanese girl who is unusually independent. She is also a stereotype-buster. When she moves to Vermont in 1969 as a middle schooler, the snowy state has few to no black people or Japanese people—only white. Mimi’s parents are not surprised that the neighbors ignore them, but Mimi doesn’t understand. When Mimi starts school, no one understands or accepts her. It seems that every time Mimi does something, all the others seem to have a certain thought about it, and soon Mimi feels like an alien, just not fitting into this brand new town. Not only is Mimi not accepted because of her race, but also because of her interests. Mimi tells her teacher that she wants to be an astronaut. As soon as she says that, the whole class bursts out laughing thinking that she just told the funniest joke. This is the usual behavior when it was in the 1950s because at that time, women had to do housework, while the men earn money. The day drags along until she requests to take the Wood Shop, instead of boring, old, Home Ec, yet the teachers seems surprised that any girl would ever say that and refuses to let Mimi join the boys in Wood Shop. Months pass, until finally the Science Competition comes. When Mimi’s project is selected to go onto the next round of competition (Group A) and a classmate’s is put into the runner -up group, “Group B,” the classmate starts to bully her. When Mimi goes to the bathroom, that classmate steals one of the major components in her project, getting Mimi moved down to Group B, and the child is moved up. Mimi feels different, left out, day after day. Each day people stare at her and ignore her because of her skin, but her math teacher actually seems to understand her. Telling Mimi that she also dreamed of becoming an astronaut once but couldn’t. Finally, after being alone for several months, a girl named Stacy befriends Mimi. But as Stacy’s birthday party rolls around, Mimi isn’t invited. As it turns out, Stacy’s mother, didn’t want a “black girl” at the celebration. But in spite of all this, Mimi stays strong and refuses to back down, showing grit and determination. Mimi’s journey, in the two years is incredible. She learns how to be proud of herself and never lose her dreams. From some of the student’s comments about her color and even teachers, Mimi come around and accomplished one of her many goals. From being able to something else changes to, her classmates respect her and now doesn’t tease her. In these several years, Mimi changes from being that little girl in the corner to a outgoing teenager, with a lot of friends. The theme of this book is grit and determination because without these characteristics, Mimi would never had been able to reach her goals and accomplishments. An unusual aspect of this book is that it is all written in free verse.When reading this book, I noticed a important part of the story was following your dreams. This is because without Mimi’s strong desire to be an astronaut the story wouldn’t be as influential. She never let the critic’s voices get in her head, and kept on believing in her ideas even when no one else would even think of them. The fact that the author was able to show all these meanings and words through free verse is incredible. Full Cicada Moon is a story that will last you your entire life. It teaches you about the 20th century with stories of a young girl. You will want to fight for Mimi, and help change those cruel students. It is an amazing journey with Mimi, from the first year in Vermont to high school. So go to your local library and read Full Cicada Moon! Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton. Penguin Random House, 2015. Buy the book here and support Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? If so, comment below!
