Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

OUR MISSING HEARTS by Celeste Ng (Little Fires Everywhere) should not be missed, even though it is an emotionally difficult read. Ng sets this dystopian novel in the near future; it occurs after the Crisis (a period of economic upheaval) and subsequent passage of PACT (Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act). Desperate leaders sought a common enemy and Asian Americans suffer the consequences of anti-Chinese feelings. One of them is a young mother and poet named Margaret Miu. She becomes a target when a poem that she wrote transforms to a rallying cry for those protesting as more and more children are taken from their supposedly subversive families and “re-placed” in foster care as a form of re-education. Margaret flees, leaving behind her husband Ethan Gardner, and their mixed race, pre-teen son called Bird. This story - with literal and figurative journeys by Bird and by Margaret - allows Ng to explore the characters’ feelings and dawning comprehension while also encouraging readers to reflect. At one point, she writes, “Would one person be compelled? One out of eight million, a fraction of a fraction. But not nothing. … saying to others at last: Listen, this isn’t right.” Book banning and suppression of dissent is repeatedly referenced, as is the quiet resistance and strength of librarians (e.g., “the brain of a librarian was a capacious place”).

A LibraryReads selection for October, OUR MISSING HEARTS received starred reviews from Booklist (“utterly stupendous tale”), Kirkus (“sensitive, nuanced, and vividly drawn”), Library Journal (“beautiful yet chilling tale”), and Publishers Weekly (“remarkable”). Ng is an extremely gifted writer; consider this description of a rainstorm: “The rain hisses as it falls, like a thousand tiny snakes, and where it hits, the ground writhes. It needles the dirt, punching holes that widen to craters that fill and swell into ponds.” Her wordplay (“Spirare, Bird hears his father say. To breathe. Con: together. So conspiracy literally means breathing together”) and emphasis on fables and the art of storytelling is amazing. Start reading for yourself or with others – this title would make an excellent book group or literature circle selection. For more reaction, see Stephen King’s review in the New York Times. He says, “Governments are right to fear words. They can change hearts and topple tyrannies.”

The Trayvon Generation

THE TRAYVON GENERATION by Elizabeth Alexander will be on our Library shelves soon.  It received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus (“A dynamic critique on the sprawling effects of racism and its effects on today’s youth.”), Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly (“a thought-provoking must-read”). Alexander, an award-winning author, poet, and scholar, offers a series of essays on racism in America and the impact especially on Black youth, who have virtually witnessed the stories of Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland … well, the list goes on and on. Alexander uses poetry and art in surprising ways to convey her points. She also references history and, for me, one of the more informative sections was her discussion of the 1966 debates over Land of the Free, an eighth-grade history textbook by John Hope Franklin; there were many echoes of today’s debate about critical race theory. Our students and teachers will find much to discuss here.

Six-Word Memoirs ...

A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD YEAR from Six-Word Memoirs is filled with “Hundreds of Stories on the Pandemic by Teachers, Students & Parents.”  Have you ever tried writing a six word memoir? It definitely requires some skill and readers of this collection will be admiring (and relating to!) the work it contains. There are so many favorites from which to choose; here are a few:

• You’re a primary source. Take notes.  - Rachel Klein, teacher
• It goes over your nose, pal. – Stina Perkins
• Finally, I can mute my teacher. – Darshana Chandler, 10
• We all took 2019 for granted. – Lexus P.
• Teaching is hard. Remote teaching harder. – Ellis Reyes, teacher.
• It’s all about showing you care. – Samantha Tanner, teacher.

The collection includes some beautiful drawings and commentary from editor Larry Smith, and other contributors like Michelle Wolff, a suburban English teacher from Michigan, who explains, “Technology Made Things Harder, Then Easier.” A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD YEAR is the tenth book in the series and its publishers call it a “time capsule.” In fact, The New York Times recently offered the idea as an exercise on its Learning Network, publishing some results a few days later.  Enjoy!

Me (Moth) by Amber McBride

ME (MOTH) by Amber McBride is a new work in verse that will surprise young adults. The cover of this debut novel is so appealing and eye-catching, isn’t it? It captures the feelings of cocooning and becoming in this story about Moth and Sani, a young Black girl and a half Navajo/half White boy. Both are hurting due to their family situations and some mental health issues. They travel together across the United States, visiting places like Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia and Fort Smith National Historic Site in Arkansas, ultimately arriving at the Navajo Nation in Four Corners, New Mexico. The efforts to confront ghosts along the way is a spiritual quest that helps with reconnecting to a love of dance and music. The writing is beautiful, but like so much poetry requires the reader to really contemplate emotions, feelings, and the writer’s message. Woven throughout are references to HooDoo and Moth’s gray-bearded Grandfather and to Native American Creation Myths and other stories. ME (MOTH) received starred reviews from Booklist (“excellent choice for lovers of poetry and for those who see the beauty in sadness”) and School Library Journal (grades 8 and up).