by Michael J. Blahut Michael J. Blahut III ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2013
An engaging, if occasionally disjointed, memoir.
A proud father shares correspondence with his son, who served in the Peace Corps in Fiji.
In May 2007, New Jerseyite Michael J. Blahut III departed for Fiji, where he would spend just over two years in the provincial Cuvu Village teaching such skills as computer literacy and environmental awareness. This book consists of the emails and online chats he shared with his father while he was away, as well as his father’s recollections of his own trip to Fiji to visit his son. Michael opens each message to his father with “Bula Pops!” (“Bula” is a Fijian greeting) and offers detailed firsthand accounts of his day-to-day experiences living in Cuvu. Michael lived near the village chief and was expected to consult with him regarding community requests and inform him of any environmental concerns. One key issue was pollution, particularly the manner in which the locals disposed of waste, so Michael instructed the community on waste management and how to build composting toilets. He got to know the people of Cuvu socially and described their culture and customs—from the ceremonial consumption of the intoxicating Kava beverage, to the British-influenced tradition of “tea-time,” when everyone stopped work for tea and snacks. Michael displays an intimate knowledge of Fiji and is also acutely aware of his status as an outsider there. He eloquently discusses what it’s like to be an American serving abroad and the delicate nature of advising without imposing. Michael’s father’s recollections of his Fiji trip are rather staid compared to Michael’s fluid email prose. However, some readers may find the presentation of the emails a bit too choppy and may wish that this fascinating content had been reworked and edited into a more traditional memoir about service and island life. Nevertheless, this book will likely prove enlightening, particularly for readers considering joining the Peace Corps or visiting Fiji.
An engaging, if occasionally disjointed, memoir.Pub Date: March 26, 2013
ISBN: 978-1460210949
Page Count: 184
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: July 2, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Marti Dumas illustrated by Stephanie Parcus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 11, 2017
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
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A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Paul Langan Ben Alirez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2004
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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