Unleashing Readers – Helping Students Navigate the World of Books

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao

March 30, 2023 by Ricki

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American
Author: Laura Gao
Published: March 8, 2022 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Summary: After spending her early years in Wuhan, China, riding water buffalos and devouring stinky tofu, Laura immigrates to Texas, where her hometown is as foreign as Mars–at least until 2020, when COVID-19 makes Wuhan a household name.

In Messy Roots, Laura illustrates her coming-of-age as the girl who simply wants to make the basketball team, escape Chinese school, and figure out why girls make her heart flutter.

Insightful, original, and hilarious, toggling seamlessly between past and present, China and America, Gao’s debut is a tour de force of graphic storytelling.

Ricki’s Review: I read this book last year and immediately knew I wanted to use it in my class. It fit into so many topics that we discuss in class, and it is a powerful memoir. Gao offers a nuanced look at discrimination, specifically against Wuhanese Americans related to COVID-19, and she also offers insight into issues that many immigrants face in the US. I love the book description that she is trying to figure out “why girls make her heart flutter.” Gao’s sexuality is a part of the book, but it isn’t the plot driver. This normalization is important in literature, and I think readers expect that when a character is LGBTQ, it will be the main focus of the text. Instead, Gao’s life—told with a great level of humor, even when topics are tough—is depicted through images and words in a way that will connect with readers.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: It would be interesting to have students depict the themes of this book visually.

Discussion Questions:

What are some of the themes of this text?
How does Gao integrate images and words to tell her story?
What aspects of this book connected with you?
What did you learn about discrimination related to Wuhanese Americans?

Flagged Spreads:

Recommended For:

Student Voices: Christina Diaz Gonzalez’s Visit to Kellee’s Middle School

March 28, 2023 by Kellee

I am so lucky because my principal began an initiative at my school where we get to have an author visit our school yearly (2022: Nathan Hale, 2020: Neal Shusterman, 2019: Jennifer A. Nielsen). The author sees all students in the school, so it is a great community literacy event for my school, and I love being able to bring this experience to all 1200+ students each year!

This year, we hosted Christina Diaz Gonzalez!
The visit was phenomenal and included 5 presentations for approximately 240 kids, book signings, and a small presentation in Spanish for our emerging bilingual students who have been in the US for a year or less. It was all such an amazing experience!

Here are some reflections from my students from after the visit. I asked them to think about what they learned, what they enjoyed, how they were impacted, or anything else they wanted to share:

The Christina Diaz Gonzalez visit was something I will cherish forever. I learned to normalize authors and realize how authors are real people and how they’re not magical beings with neverending ideas. I enjoyed how she managed to keep the presentation light and sweet but as well as interactive, she made me interested in so many more of her books!…I love how she reminds us how important Hispanic Representation is. These author trips are something I will forever cherish when I go to High School. Thank you for putting the effort and time into doing this Mrs. Moye! I really appreciate it!
[The visit] impacted me because it showed me that I could accomplish my dreams.
I learned that you can pursue whatever you like and you should be passionate about what you want to do.
I learned a lot from her visit to our school, and it was really cool! I learned about how it could be a struggle to write a book, and how 1 book or author can inspire someone. I really liked how she got to answer my question, and how a lot of people cared to ask many questions which made it even more detailed and fun to listen to stories. I feel like it impacted me, and some other people, to encourage them to be an author. I am currently writing a book, and her amazing books are encouraging me to finish my book. I am so glad she came because it was really cool to see an author explain and show about writing books.
I’m glad she came because her whole presentation was just amazing, I liked that I had the opportunity to meet her and I liked the tips she gave us and of course, the stories that she told us.
I am glad she came because in my other school we never got a visit like this one.

Well, I really enjoyed how much Christina Diaz Gonzalez was like an everyday person. You see famous people on the back of book coves, and their names on movie posters, and things like that. You expect them to be a different way. You expect them to be different from everybody else. But that’s obviously not the case seeing as many actors, authors, and directors all act just as normal as everyday people. Christina Diaz Gonzalez seemed just as normal as me and I respect her a lot for this.
I very much enjoyed how she let us ask questions, and I liked the questions that the kids asks.
This visit also made me think differently about books like how you can relate to a story really easily or learn something new every day.
From the Christina Diaz Gonzalez visit, I learned that being an author is harder than people may think. I enjoyed that she was fun. She spoke in a way where you can’t really get too bored or bored at all and she showed us those cool trailers of her books. This impacted me by meeting someone who’s Cuban. I don’t ever meet any others that are Cuban.
I learned that she has a similar childhood to some of the people at the school that don’t know how to speak English or understand it. I’m glad she came because the whole school knew about her books and to be able to see those students that were so excited to meet her happy and to get to know her more.
What I learned from yesterday was that Christiana Diaz Gonzalez is an inspiring author that uses her family to help write her books, which I enjoyed. It inspired me to try to write my own stories about my family. I am glad she came to HCMS because she has a difficult past, and I have had one too.
During the part where she was talking about her very first story that she had written, it made me think about how creativity really does come from anything. A little thought can slowly grow and grow, it just needs a little bit of effort added into it, so that impacted me to open my eyes and “see beyond” generic ideas.

As you can see, Christina’s visit was highly engaging and inspiring. I would highly recommend her for a school visit!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 3/27/23

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. It offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Trent’s Favorite Books He Read When He Was Eight

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Every Child Needs Space to Play” by Mark Angelo, Author of Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

This is my week off! To learn more about any of these books, check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

A Thing Called Snow by Yuval Zommer is about two animals who are searching for snow. It’s a sweet book that my almost 4-year-old really loved.

I am so mad I didn’t know about this book sooner. It’s really cool! Milo’s Museum by Zetta Elliot tells the story of a child named Milo who doesn’t see herself in the museum, so she creates her own.

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak is a beautiful story about the changing of seasons.

I reread Promise Boys by Nick Brooks to teach it to my class last week. They absolutely love it, and so do I!

Ricki

I am reading Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh. I am excited because I’ve heard it is great!

Tuesday: Student Voices: Christina Diaz Gonzalez’s Visit to Kellee’s Middle School

Thursday: Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

and

Author Guest Post: “Every Child Needs Space to Play” by Mark Angelo, Author of Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?

March 26, 2023 by Kellee

“Every Child Needs Space to Play”

A few years ago, I was visiting my brother Chris in Los Angeles, where we spent several days recalling memorable stories from our youth. We shared lots of laughs, but one story in particular that we fondly remembered took place in 1958 and centered around our search for a nearby place to play ball. As kids, my brother and I were passionate about the game of baseball. We loved the Dodgers, who had just moved to L.A. from Brooklyn, New York.

Chris suggested I write the story down and that eventually led to the publishing of my most recent illustrated children’s book, Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?

Writing the story brought back many great memories, not the least of which was an unforgettable encounter with perhaps the greatest and most legendary person in film. But going through the process of producing the book also made me even more cognizant of how my childhood search for a field to play ball influenced my later work as an environmental advocate and a proponent of outdoor spaces for all to enjoy.

The neighborhood I lived in as a boy was beautiful, but it was also located in the hills. There were very few appropriate and accessible places to play ball. In addition, public parks were too far away for young kids like us to get to on our own.

It was those circumstances that ultimately led us to Mr. DeMille’s backyard which, rightly or wrongly, became the “the field of our dreams.”

Fast forwarding to current day, I’ve long believed that from a city planning perspective, we should do everything possible to ensure that residents— especially kids— have nearby access to sports fields and places to play ball. In addition, ensuring that more natural parks are readily accessible to all is a key issue. Many youngsters don’t get exposed to nature and the outdoors as much as we’d like, particularly in cities. The alternative often becomes screen-time for children. If not used thoughtfully and moderately, we know from research this can have detrimental effects on both mental and physical health. After all, how can a kid get excited to play outside if they don’t have the space?

For those that read Can We Play Baseball Mr. DeMille, my hope is that the story of a young boy’s love for a game and his dogged determination to find a place where he and his friends can play, will make you smile and inspire young ones. To this day, while watching my own grandchildren play ball, I still find myself thinking back on occasion to those early days and the field of my youth that had such an impression.

The book has several elements to it, including a sense of nostalgia along with a slice of classic Hollywood history. But just as importantly, it has an environmental message that highlights the fact that accessible outdoor spaces are good for all of us, both young and old. From parks to sports fields, they provide active and passive recreational opportunities, contribute to our improved health and well-being, and make our communities better places to live!

Illustrated by Patricia & Robin DeWitt
Published January 30, 2023

About the Book: Set in 1958, a young boy and his friends want to be baseball players just like their Dodger idols. There’s just one problem: they don’t have a field to play in.

Luckily, the kids know a secret. There’s a mansion around the corner with a yard big enough for an entire ball field and the hedge surrounding it has a gap just big enough to crawl through. Apparently, the owner is a big-time Hollywood mogul. He won’t mind a few ball games, right?

This sensational true story of a young boy’s encounter with a Hollywood legend is rich with youthful determination and summer fun, highlighting how every child needs space to play.

About the Author: Mark Angelo has been a baseball fan since he was a little boy! He is also a globally renowned river conservationist and the founder of World Rivers Day, now celebrated by millions of people in over one hundred countries. Among his many accolades, Mark is a recipient of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest honor. His acclaimed best-selling debut picture book, The Little Creek that Could, is the true story of a stream that came back to life. Through his work with groups such as the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC, Mark has been a long-time advocate for outdoor spaces for all to enjoy. Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?, about a young boy’s search for a place to play ball, recounts an actual experience from his childhood. Mark lives in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada with his wife, Kathie.

For more information on Mark, please visit: https://www.canweplaybaseballmrdemille.com/

Thank you, Mark, for this focus on play and its importance!

Trent’s Favorite Books He Read When He Was Eight

March 21, 2023March 21, 2023 by Kellee

I read 202 books when I was 8. Here are my favorites:

I Need a New Butt! by Dawn McMillan

This picture book is funny because he’s asking for a new butt, and he is thinking of things that might make a good butt. I think it’s silly that someone got fired for reading this book to kids because it is appropriate and is just funny.

Cat Kid Comic #3 & #4 by Dav Pilkey

This series is about a comic club that all make comics and share them with the reader which is fun. Everyone should read this because it is a really good series. I like the illustrations because most of the comics they make are made from paper of photos or objects.

The Investigators series by John Patrick Green

I like this series because it full of mystery and you have to think about who could have done it or what happened. It is humorous, too. The illustrations are really good also.

Housecat Trouble series by Mason Dickerson

I like this series because it is fun and kind of suspenseful and surprising. The cat tries to save his home from monsters in book one and the cat is trying to help his cat friend who teleports in book two. It is called Housecat Trouble not because he causes trouble but because he finds himself in trouble. He is trying to prevent the monsters from destroying houses.

The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett & Shawn Harris

During COVID, I watched Mac Barnett’s Book Club Show since episode one, so I saw the first episode of The First Cat in Space during Live Cartoons with Mac and Shawn. I’ve seen every episode multiple times. I am so glad they made a book!

Katie the Cat Sitter series by Colleen A.F. Venable & Stephanie Yue

This series is so much fun. She cat sits like 247 cats, and she finds out that the person who she is cat sitting for is a super hero and that who she thought was good isn’t. And the cats aren’t normal cats! One can hack into the pentagon! They have thumbs 😆

Hooky series by Miriam Bonastre Tur

I like this series because the characters find out they’re witches and then they try to find a safe place to stay because the village they live in will not allow witches in or else they will burn them. I didn’t want to stop reading because it was so interesting. You read enough of the book, and you just get sucked in!

Penguin & House series by Akiho Ieda

I love the penguin in this book because he is so intelligent and fun! He even cooks food for his owner. He goes on walks on his own and still comes back. It is also funny because the penguin is so much smarter than his owner.

Sue & Tai-Chan series by Kanata Konami

This series is so much fun to read because the older cat just wants to sleep and the younger cat wants to play, so it annoys the older cat which really makes the older cat angry.

Chi’s Sweet Home series by Kanata Konami

I like this series because Chi is so much fun. His reactions are super exaggerative. He is also so cute! And it is sweet how he is with his friend who comes and visits him.

Cat & Gamer series by Wataru Nadatani

In this book, there is a gamer who is given a cat that was found in a parking lot even though she hasn’t ever had a cat and has no idea why she wants a cat, but she ends up loving having a cat. And the cat is so cute! I love this series because it is fun to watch the gamer grow, and it is funny when she’s trying to play her game and the cat gets in her way.

Cat Massage Therapy series by Haru Hisakawa

This book is so funny because at the beginning a man goes into a massage parlor for a massage and learns that the massages are done by cats, and he ends up bonding with the cats and helps them out, including taking them to his job to do massages. Everybody wants to get a massage by the cats because they all are so cute and so warming.

A Man and his Cat series by Umi Sakurai

At the beginning, a man finds a cat that no one else wants at a pet store, but he felt sad for him and fell in love with him, so he adopts him. But he doesn’t know what to do with him, so he talks to the lady at the store who helps him find what he needs to take care of a cat. At home, the man and his cat bond and the man begins to change—he gets happier! I like this series because it makes me feel happy for the man.

Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston

I really enjoyed this book because it has lots of magic, magical creatures, and drama—oh, and suspense! I like Amari because she is a good person; she tries to protect the world. I think everyone should read this book because it teaches that not everyone should be judged based on who they’re related to; if they’re related to a bad person, that doesn’t mean they’re a bad person.

Wonder Cat Kyuu Chan Vol 1 & 2 by Sasami Nitori

This book is like Penguin and House but with a cat. The cat is super intelligent. This book makes me laugh because it is funny to see a cat that is more intelligent than his owner.

Bounce Back by Misako Rocks!

This is a very unique book because her cat talks to her and helps her with school and having a new life (they moved from Japan to America). I liked it because it had sad and happy parts; there were twists and turns.

Nights with a Cat Vol. 1 by Kyuryu Z

This book was enjoyable because the cat is really hilarious. For example, he gets in his owner’s way all of the time. I also like this book because I connect with his sister since the sister wants the cat’s attention but never gets it, and I always want my cats’ attention.

Wings of Fire Graphic Novels series by Tui T. Sutherland & Mike Holmes

In this series, there is a prophecy, and a group of dragons are trying to do the prophecy. I like the dragons in this series because they are all trying to save their world. This leads to a lot of suspense and fighting.

Travis Daventhrope For the Win! by Wes Molebash

This book was full of suspense since he’s trying to save the multi-verse. At first when he does sword training, he is pretty terrible at it which was entertaining (though he ends up being good at it). I also liked Juniper because she is a unique character and shows that girls can be good at fighting.

Strange Planet: The Sneaking, Hiding, Vibrating Creature by Nathan W. Pyle

This book shows us aliens who are studying a cat then act like the cat. One of my favorite parts is that the aliens came up with silly words for things because they are our words but with a little twist, like a bed is a rest slab.

With a Dog & A Cat Every Day is Fun 1 & 2 by Hidekichi Matsumoto

I found this series to be humorous because the cat doesn’t like the dog and the dog is really happy. The cat is always mad about the dog playing with him, but the dog never gives up. But they do live together okay.

Leonard (My Life as a Cat) by Carlie Sorosiak

I love that Olive rescues Leonard and right away treats him like he has always her pet. Leonard is cool because he is an immortal entity from another planet. This is unlike any cat book I’ve ever read before.

Honorable Mentions
If I listed and mini-reviewed all of the books I loved, it would take forever! So here are some other favorites:

The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein
5 Worlds series by Mark Seigel, Alexis Seigel, Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, & Boya Sun
Max Meow series by John Gallagher
Mayor Goodboy series by Dave Scheidt & Miranda Harmon
Stuntboy, In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds & Raúl the Third
Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
New Kid & Class Act by Jerry Craft
Yuzu the Pet Vet Vol. 1 & 2 by Mingo Ito
The Evil Society of Cats Vol. 1 by Pandania

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 3/20/23

March 20, 2023 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Global by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, Illustrated by Giovanni Rigano

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

Global by Eoin Colfer How to Heal a Gryphon by Meg Cannistra

Julieta and the Diamond Enigma by Luisana Duarte Armendáriz: What a fun early middle grade mystery book! Julieta is a character who is easy to love, it was great to explore Paris with her, I was fascinated by all of the art and mythology that were discussed, and it was fun trying to figure out the culprit!
The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart: I have read every book by Dan Gemeinhart, and it is so fascinating how different they all are and how wonderful they all are. This one was steeped in magical realism but was all about finding your family, even if they aren’t by blood, and learning to find the confidence in yourself to stand up to bullies.
Global by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, & Giovanni Rigano: I reviewed this last week!
How to Heal a Gryphon by Meg Cannistra: In a world where magic is real and mythical creatures exist, Giada finds herself in the most important fight of her life–one against the witches underground to save her brother. Through this journey, she also hopes to show that her passion is just as important as tradition.
Cat’s Cradle: The Mole King’s Lair by Jo Rioux: The second book in this trilogy picks up where the first left off with Suri venturing to the Monster’s Cradle with Caglio and Byron, but they’ve run out of money and provisions and must figure out how to survive. They learn that what you see is not always what it seems in this adventurous graphic novel that puts Suri’s taming to the test.

To learn more about any of these books, check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off; I’ll share what I’ve been reading next week!

Kellee

Reading: Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont by Nick Brooks
Listening: We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammons
Listening with Trent: Amari and the Great Game by BB Alston
Reading because Trent recommended it: Wings of Fire The Graphic Novel #3: The Hidden Kingdom by Tui T. Sutherland

Tuesday: Trent’s Favorite Books He Read When He Was Eight

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Every Child Needs Space to Play” by Mark Angelo, Author of Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?

and

Global by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, Illustrated by Giovanni Rigano

March 16, 2023March 14, 2023 by Kellee

Global
Authors: Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin
Illustrator: Giovanni Rigano
Publishing April 11, 2023 by Sourcebooks Young Readers

Summary: Time is running out for Sami and Yuki. Sami and his grandfather live in a village along the Indian Ocean. They earn their living by fishing. But the ocean is rising and each day they bring back fewer and fewer fish. Yuki lives in the far north of Canada where warming temperature are melting the ice. Polar bears have less food to hunt and are wandering into town looking for something to eat. Yuki is determined to do something to help the bears.

Extras:

- Four pages, written in graphic novel format, that summarize the history of global warming and the climate change movement
- An author letter
- Character sketches

Plot Synopsis as put by the authors:

Book Trailer:

About the Creators:

Eoin Colfer is the author of Illegal as well as the internationally bestselling Artemis Fowl series. Eoin lives in Ireland with his family. Learn more at eoincolfer.com

Andrew Donkin is the author of more than sixty books and graphic novels for children and adults. He lives in London. Learn more at andrewdonkin.co.uk.

Giovanni Rigano is an artist and illustrator who has illustrated many graphic novels, including the Artemis Fowl series, The Incredibles, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Illegal. He lives in Como, Italy.

Review: Just like in Illegal, Colfer, Donkin, and Rigano do a beautiful job putting a narrative to a crisis to make it more accessible to children who may not understand how something so big is affecting their life and their world.

In Global, the two stories that are told are half a world apart but are tied in the young people who are willing to fight to make the world a better place amidst what many would find truly unlivable and treacherous times.

These three creators obviously have a mission that they have taken on in spreading information to young minds about about “man-made disaster(s) that most impact vulnerable children who had no hand in causing it,” and they do it so well. I look forward to their next collaboration.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book would be a great text to read in conjunction with the teaching of climate change because it gives a face and story outside of science to the problems our world is facing. Students could also write their own story in the vein of Global (see below in discussion questions) to connect the science to their life.

Discussion Questions:

How do the two stories told in Global relate to each other? Why would the authors choose to tell these two specific stories?
How do the authors tell the story of climate change without writing a informational nonfiction book?
What did you learn about the two settings that you didn’t know before?
How is climate change affecting your home? If there was a story like Global about you and your home, what would it be about?

Read This If You Love: Illegal by the same trio of creators, learning about plights faced in our world, graphic novels about serious topics

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing a copy of the book to review!**