Category: Uncategorized

The Coronavirus Ripple Effect

With the outbreaks of Coronavirus happening around the globe, and getting bigger here in the United States, there have been A LOT of cancellations. Book fairs, Comicons, festivals…you name it, at least one of them has been cancelled. And here’s the thing – it’s for the best, in light of how contagious this virus is – and here, the U.S., how little actual information our government is giving/getting. But there’s a flip side to those cancellations as well.

When a city hosts a big gathering of any sort, there are hundreds of thousands of dollars up for grabs – maybe even millions, depending on the size of the gathering. For example, let’s use Emerald City Comicon in Washington. All the vendors that are signed up have to stay somewhere, eat food, get around, and will probably do at least a little bit of shopping. All the visitors that come to SEE the vendors are doing the same thing, and probably even MORE shopping. So when it gets cancelled, you have a ripple effect of people who start losing money.

First, the con itself – all the funds it’s put towards making this “the best year yet” are potentially gone. There may be some refunds available, but due to the timeline, they may not be in full. Some funds may not be refundable at all. Then you start looking at the people who were *working* the con, all of them losing income. On to the vendors, who are now faced not only with a *huge* source of income drying up, but for many, travel expenses that can’t be recouped. Hotel costs that have been paid, plane fares that cost even *more* to change (or re-book completely), etc. Many of these artists rely on the income from these large cons – they do two or three or four a year, and that’s a significant portion of their yearly pay. In addition to the artists, you have the food and drink vendors that *also* counted on the income from this con.

Once you get outside of the those *directly* impacted, then you have the outer ripples in this pond. The hotels that typically are fully booked, the restaurants around the con area where artists and customers alike will eat. The Uber, Lyft, and taxi drivers that would have been kept busy from dawn until dusk – and probably later. The grocery stores and corner markets for those who may have booked an Airbnb.

From there, the people who *work* in those hotels and restaurants. The front desk personnel, the maids, the cooks, the wait staff – all the people whose hours get cut instead of being boosted, who may be depending on those extra hours to help make ends meet.

It really is a ripple effect, and there are thousands of people in any city where these large events have been cancelled that will be the worse for it. So, may I suggest that – whenever possible – you take some of those funds you would have spent attending the function, and use them to support one of the artists or restaurants or shops? Even the newspapers suffer due to removal of advertising, so maybe purchase a subscription that can be gifted? The main point, however, is to be thoughtful about how many lives are being impacted when something like this is forcibly cancelled, and do what you can to try to help offset that. If you have a favorite artist that you visit at every con? Visit their website, or look for any pop-ups that might be taking place (online or otherwise) and support them there.

For Emerald City Comicon, I know there’s a hashtag that’s been going around on twitter – #ECCCOnline – where vendors and pop-ups and other information can be located. For SXSW, go to the website and find artists that you were interested in and support them by purchasing something from them. For book fairs/festivals, buy a book or two from an author that was scheduled to appear. Let these people know, as best you can, that you support them and that you have their back.

Coronavirus is a shitty thing, and right now the world is a mess. But these artists put their hearts and souls into what they make, hoping that it will bring someone pleasure. Now it’s *our* turn to show them it’s appreciated.

And lest you think I’m preaching, but ONLY preaching…

A friend was going to get one for me at ECCC, so I ordered one instead.

Why Honesty Matters

Heads up – discussions of sexual assault, as related to Woody Allen’s memoir controversy.

So, you may have heard about Woody Allen’s memoir being published by Hachette, and then Hachette walking that back? If not, here’s a brief summary of what started it all, as given by @RonanFarrow:

Once he posted this, and word got out, there was a sort of general outcry. Quite a few Hachette employees in various publishing departments walked out and protested, MANY people spoke up about the whole thing, until this happened:

Now, I’m 100% certain that there are people out there either confused about why this was such a big deal, or angry at Hachette for caving, or what-have-you. Here is my take on the issue.

The absolute #1 thing Hachette did wrong here was their lack of transparency. Hiding something is just as dishonest as actually lying about it. If your husband believes that *you* believe he isn’t drinking, but you find beer cans hidden around the house? THAT IS DISHONEST. He doesn’t have to come right out and say, “No, I haven’t been drinking” for it to be wrong. It’s the same principle here – Hachette specifically bought this title from a man they *knew* had allegations against him and they did not contact the accuser to do any fact-checking. Worse – they HID it from another author who has not only spoken out about those very allegations, but has MADE THEM MILLIONS with a book about sexual assault and how powerful men cover it up. Ronan has spoken out about his sister’s accusations against Woody Allen, and has been very clear where he stands. Hachette had a moral obligation to at least let him know they bought the rights, and give Ronan an option to find another publisher. Instead, they bought Allen’s title, kept it quiet, and hoped it would all come out in the wash. It may be *legally* fine, but morally – it absolutely was dishonest.

For me, that’s where the problem is. I truly don’t give a damn if Allen finds another publisher for his title. There probably are people that want to read it, though I’m certainly not one of them. I don’t believe in censorship of any sort, and he always has the option to continue shopping it around, or even to self-publish. I believe that if any other publisher decided to acquire Allen’s book, while Ronan had his at Hachette? This would be a non-starter in the major controversy department. There would be the usual articles and conversations about he said/she said, hopefully some more enlightened discussion in the light of #MeToo and Harvey Weinstein’s convictions…but not anything to the extent this has become.

See, the thing is – women are finding their voices. For so long, we’ve been told we can’t talk, we shouldn’t speak, no one will listen or believe us. We’re finally discovering our power, and demanding that those who handle our stories do it with some measure of respect. We are *also* finding that we DO have allies, people who will stand with us and amplify our voices in a way that we cannot. Ronan is an ally, and he has spoken up for so many women. Simultaneously, his book has been a HUGE seller for this publisher. He absolutely earned the right to be told what was going on. Yes, this is Allen’s memoir – but it comes with a hell of a lot of baggage, some in the form of alleged sexual assault. That deserves a measure of honor and respect in how it’s handled, and that is exactly the OPPOSITE of what Hachette did.

I am a military sexual assault survivor – the group that gets talked about the LEAST when it comes to #MeToo. Seeing so many people, men AND women, speak up about their assaults was both horrifying and freeing in a visceral way. With Weinstein, Lauer, and more facing accountability for their actions (though still a FAR too small percentage), it gives me hope. Hope that my daughter will never have to deal with this, but if she does, hope that she will find the justice I never did. That’s the key – accountability at all levels. By refusing to be open about their acquisition, knowing that Ronan was writing about this very subject and that his knowledge of their purchase might affect his choice to stay with them, they chose to hide it. They were dishonest. To Ronan, to their employees, and to the customers – like me – who would care about this terrible lack of morals. With the latest outcry, Hachette was held accountable – and I can’t find it in my heart to be upset about that.

Note: If you’ve been sexually assaulted and are looking for resources or just need to talk, please visit https://www.rainn.org/

#FeelGoodFriday

It’s that time of the week again! Going into the weekend like that kid at the table who is determined to eat but suddenly finds himself waking up with spaghetti on the side of his face. No? Just me?

To get us started, I feel like we should “shake off” all the bits and bobs that have irritated us so. Be like this little girl, and her new friend, and find joy in some music.

Kindness seems, these days, to be in short supply. Particularly if you spend much time on the interwebs, there’s a lot of negativity and downright MEAN going on. Thankfully, as Mr. Rogers says, we can “look for the helpers” – and it can inspire us to not only feel better, but to be a helper ourselves.

Man drops everything & runs to crying elderly neighbor as she mutters “I don’t have him anymore”

BABY SIGHTING! And a very *special* baby, too – one that will do her part, big or small, to help continue her species until we humans can get our nonsense sorted out.

https://people.com/pets/denver-zoo-first-baby-greater-one-horned-rhino/?fbclid=IwAR28LoWXZO9fMFkcjAzVmS2RB5i2scqN0JrBq8GmY85WAQQ7QVKm0DWGPNE

And last – but not least – this AMAZING video shot over the course of a year, of all the animals using a log bridge. Not only is it fascinating to see the diversity, but it’s also just sort of relaxing to watch.

The Variety of Animals that Crossed this Log in a Year is Just Incredible

Ok, folks – that’s it for this week. I hope you have a weekend that is relaxing and healing. And for all of you just starting your week? I hope it’s a good one. And please remember: as Ellen says, Be Kind. It costs you nothing, and it may make all the difference in the world to a struggling soul.

Be Kind…and DANCE.

Projects. Or: What The Hell Have I Done?

So, my daughter has been a competitive gymnast for many years now. She started out in rec (THAT’S HOW THEY GET YOU), and then suddenly she was moving up to a higher class, and then there was an invitation to try out for pre-team, and then she moved up to team and competitions became a thing…It’s been a ride, that’s for sure. But, after 8 years of gymnastics, and more hours in the gym than I can even TRY to count, she’s decided to hang up her leos and move on. She made optionals, which was a goal for her. She’s traveled, she’s got more damn medals than she knows what to do with…but her love and passion just aren’t there anymore. So, after this season is over, she’ll be finding other things to do.

Being the loving mother that I am (natch), and knowing how much she has struggled with this decision (over MONTHS, and much of it not sleeping well), I wanted to put together a book of memories for her. Shutterfly has always been our choice in the past, and they do a great job, so that’s where I headed. I like that I can personalize it (you don’t have to), which is what I wanted for something like this. (No, they’re not paying me. They don’t know I exist, except for when *I* pay *them*.)

AND THEN REALITY SET IN.

It took me – literally – AN ENTIRE DAY to go through all the pictures from the last 8 years. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY HANDSTAND PICTURES I HAVE – from literally every single place she’s ever been? Then I had to organize them. I’m doing the book by year, so that made sense – so I had to divide the pics into folders by year. Add a few more folders for special spreads like camps, travel competitions, special people, etc. Then simply start putting pics into the book. Right?

Wrong.

I cannot count how many hours I have been working on this book so far. Seriously. And I’m only up to 2017 thus far. Between design, words, the right pictures, the backgrounds, any embellishments…it’s not a short-term project. And State is in less than 2 weeks, which is when I was hoping to have it mostly put together. Plus, I work, husband travels, I babysit, AND IT’S A SEKRIT PROJEKT so I can’t work on it when she’s around. I literally had to force myself to sit down and work on it today because, gah. It’s a lot.

Don’t get me wrong – I cannot wait to be able to give this to her. I respect and honor the size of commitment she made to her gymnastics – 20+ hours in the gym a week is A LOT. Getting up and getting literally scored by strangers is A LOT. Doing back handsprings and such on something *4 INCHES WIDE* and not falling off is…well…insane, but also A LOT. I’m proud of her, and this is one way to honor all of that. But maybe I could have done, say, a smaller book for each year? Instead, as is my wont, I have gone full-on BALLS TO THE WALL CREATIVE, and I may finish the thing in 2021. (Kidding. It *will* be done on time if it kills me. Which it may. Never say never.)

Surely I cannot be the only one out there that does this sort of thing? Gets an idea and just absolutely RUNS with it before realizing the scope of the idea, and the time involved? Enthusiasm is something I have in spades. Sense of time? Notsomuch. I’d be curious to hear from all of you – what stories do you have about projects that went awry in one way or another? I could use the reassurance 😉

My girl…doing crazy things on that 4″ wide beam

Yes, I’m Judging You

So, for those who follow this blog and weren’t aware, I work at possibly one of the BIGGEST germ factories it’s possible to be in. Nope – not talking about a school (though BLESS TEACHERS EVERYWHERE!). I’m talking…about the airport. *International* airport, even. One that sees a LOT of traffic coming through on a daily basis (though admittedly – nothing like an airport the size of, say…JFK). And with all of those people – the ones traveling, the ones greeting/saying goodbye, the kids, the folks working there…THAT’S A LOT OF GERMS. And, frankly, ones in which I have absolutely zero control. Which, normally – not a big deal. I’m *far* from being a germophobe, for sure. HOWEVER. With the coronavirus outbreaks, I’ve started paying more attention to the habits of the folks around me, and OMG it’s terrifying.

For example, I had one very nice lady in the store recently who *was so proud* of herself that, when she coughed – she coughed into her hand. Ummm…no? Because then, how many books or items did you turn around AND TOUCH WITH THAT HAND? And even worse, that implies that she normally…doesn’t? Just spews germs with the best of ’em? I was a little perturbed by all of that.

AND THE BATHROOMS. It’s an airport. Very busy, very public bathrooms. I cannot tell you how many people I see that DO NOT WASH THEIR HANDS. And if they do? It’s like, a 5 second rub around – at best. Then they take all those germs that had no chance of dying, and rub them around their hands a little more with the paper towels, then grab that door handle on the way out. *insert vomit emoji here*

Listen, I’m not an alarmist. I’m well aware that the coronavirus will not instantaneously kill us all the moment we get it. However, I *am* aware that there are people out there who dare NOT get it – the elderly, the young, the immunocompromised…and it’s up to all of us to do our part. Herd immunity really is a thing, folks, and even if you don’t care whether YOU get the virus – those people and their families DO care. Also, frankly, I just don’t want to get the damn thing. SO…here’s a quick primer:

  1. When you cough or sneeze – NOT INTO YOUR HAND(S). Your upper arm or the crook of your elbow is the best space.
  2. Wipe down spaces you share regularly – for example, there is a counter that customers touch all the day long, and I share computers with co-workers. Every so often, I’ll pull out a bleach wipe and go to town – on the keyboard, the mouse, the scanner, the counter, the phone…and, if my cell phone is handy? On that too – because THE GERMS ON PHONES WOULD TERRIFY YOU IF YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
  3. Hand sanitizer is a great option *if* you can’t wash your hands. But to be truly effective, you need a pretty decent amount – often the size of a quarter. You need to rub it in UNTIL IT’S DRY – no waving your hands in the air, peeps. That’s cheating. Make sure to get all over your hands, and between your fingers.
  4. Try not to touch your face. Now, how many of you had the nearly UNCONTROLLABLE urge to itch/rub at your face when you read that? Welp. Don’t.
  5. And of course – WASH YOUR HANDS. Wash them thoroughly, as in – tops, bottoms, between fingers, don’t miss your thumbs (I guess that’s a thing?), and under nails. We’ve all heard the 20 second rule, and about singing Happy Birthday. In the interest of MORE OPTIONS, I give you this – because not ALL heroes wear capes:
A little Shakespeare, maybe?
Or some Austen?

Basically, peeps. Just use some common sense. Why take a chance if you don’t have to, and why not help those who CAN LITERALLY DIE if they get this by doing your part? Because yes – if I see you in the bathroom not doing the right thing? I *will* be judging you.

Review: Snapdragon

In doing yesterday’s blog post about graphic novels (https://stillmorewords.com/2020/03/02/they-are-too-books-or-10-reasons-why-graphic-novels-are-good/), one of those I mentioned was this title – Snapdragon, by Kat Leyh. Which probably would never have caught my eye, except that I’m lucky enough to work with a gal at our store than LOVES her graphic novels, and she recommends great ones to order. And when she *reads* good ones, she is quick to write a shelf talker for them, and to let us know why they’re worth our time. This was one such book. The cover was intriguing, the synopsis had me curious…but, as is often the case, the shelf talker is what convinced me. I picked it up during one of my regularly scheduled shifts in the kids room, and ended up taking it home that night to finish. And I’m so glad I did. I mean, how do you go wrong with the opening of, “Our town has a witch. She fed her eye to the devil. She eats roadkill and casts spells with the bones…”? Answer? YOU DON’T.

Snapdragon is the main character of the story – yes, as in the flower. We’re first introduced to her as she’s heading to the witch’s house to find her missing dog, refusing to believe in all that witch nonsense, but nervous anyway. Her nerves make her “brash”, but she gets her dog…and when she finds a dead mama possum with live babies in her pouch, she heads back to the witch’s house for help – and strikes a bargain that will come to affect everyone around her…even the witch.

This book just…touched my heart in SO many different ways. Snap is impulsive, but caring – she’s got heart, and she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Her best friend in this small town has his own struggle – but Snap just knows they’re friends, and that’s what matters. Mix in some *old* and buried family history, a scary ex-boyfriend, some animal skeletons – and you’ve got a wonderful story about owning your own story, your own power…and about the power of family. It really is a delight, and I found that I wasn’t ready to leave Snap’s world as the story was ending. I’m hoping there will be another, but even if there isn’t, I’m better for having read this. I can’t wait to share it with customers – and with all of you.

THEY ARE TOO BOOKS! Or: 10 Reasons Why Graphic Novels Are Good

So, I’ve been meaning to discuss graphic novels, and the shaming that often accompanies them, and this thread by the amazing Jim Di Bartolo brought it to mind…

As a bookseller, graphic novels are particularly problematic for those of us helping customers buying for kids. I cannot begin to tell you HOW MANY TIMES I have heard a parent/grandparent say, *absolutely* dismissively, “That’s not a REAL book.”. When I hear that, you can imagine this 👇

Me. Every time.

Here’s the deal. Graphic novels are *absolutely* books. REAL books, even. With words and EVERYTHING OMG. Not only that, but sometimes, they are even the best option to purchase. Here are 10 reasons why:

  1. Early/struggling readers! Graphic novels can be AMAZING for this category of folks. As others read the books to them, they see the images that go with – images that are more striking than simple line drawings, and more likely to catch their attention. They begin to learn the story better, and therefore the words – helping their reading progress. And with fewer words, it’s often less overwhelming for those who are just learning, or who are struggling. Overwhelm a reader, and you’ve lost them – which is *exactly* what we’re trying NOT to do. In fact, according to this article, they’re even good for readers with dyslexia! http://dyslexia.yale.edu/resources/tools-technology/suggested-reading/graphic-novels/
  2. More Interesting! Serious talk, here – have you ever really LOOKED at some of those early readers, particularly books used to help struggling students? I mean, really paid attention to the storyline? OR WERE THEY SO BORING YOU DOZED OFF?? So many books designed for early/struggling readers have tepid plots and boring characters, primarily because of word comprehension. But why in the *world* would a struggling/early reader think that “Reading Is Fun” if that’s what they’re stuck with?? Not only that, but it can be embarrassing for some students who *know* they’re struggling, and their reading material just reinforces that fact. Graphic novels help level that playing field by making sure that EVERYONE can read the same books. With fewer words, and images to assist, early/struggling readers can feel like they are a part of the class, and that encourages them to continue.
  3. Making complex topics easier to understand and more fun to read about! Some of my favorite graphic novels are nonfiction. In fact, one of the top sellers from the children’s section at our store is a series of graphic novels I found and thought were so awesome, we HAD to carry them. They are called Science Comics, and they address topics such as Cats, Sharks, Wild Weather, Robots & Drones, Skyscrapers, and more. Most everyone on staff has a favorite, and I’ve had *adults* buy them for themselves – while kids get SUPER excited about them. For those who may still be unclear – getting kids excited about science topics is an EXCELLENT thing, and will often carry forward to more advanced topics when they find some they click with.
  4. Classics! Yep, classics are available in graphic novel form. One of my favorite books *ever* is Anne of Green Gables, and the graphic novel version of that book is just so lovely. And face it – it can be hard to get “kids these days” into the classics, because the writing then was just so very different than what they see now. Graphic novels can be an excellent introduction, and they make an amazing gift when coming from a grandparent – the sharing of a common interest is always the best gift, regardless of how that gift is packaged.
  5. Variety! In the last several years, graphic novels for middle grades – and even early readers! – have EXPLODED in popularity, so it’s usually pretty good odds you’ll find *something* to like. From contemporary, to history, to science, to fantasy…they’re not the comic books of yore, that’s for sure.
  6. Good for ALL ages! Contrary to the opinion you’ve probably gained thus far, I’m actually NOT a huge graphic novel reader [Insert shocked face here]. I’m just now starting to enjoy them, and I’m still sort of picky about the ones I read (See #4 above). However, I have found some that I really do like, and I’m in my mid-40’s. Most of my co-workers enjoy them to some degree as well, and the kids LOVE them – and there is one out there for everyone (Head back to #4 again).
  7. Great for the commitment-phobic! Seriously. Unlike a full-on, 300+ page novel, the commitment level is low with graphic novels. They’re reasonably quick reads, and you’re not out multiple hours if you decide it just wasn’t your thing. That’s one of the reasons I’ve started trying them more – because there’s really no loss if I’m not feeling it. It also means that I’m more willing to try ones I might not otherwise, because there’s not as big of an investment. For example, I read one recently that I ended up liking far more than I anticipated: Snapdragon, by Kat Leyh. It just…drew me in, and never quite let go. But for the titles that DON’T have that effect? Minimal time wasted.
  8. Re-readable! People, please do not tell kids that you don’t want to buy them a graphic novel because they’ll “read it too fast”. I cannot COUNT how many times I’ve heard *that* one. Every single child that I know that reads graphic novels reads them over and over and OVER again. Find them a graphic novel they really like, and they will wear it out reading it. And honestly – WHO CARES IF THEY READ IT TOO FAST, BECAUSE THEY’RE READING! But yeah, kids *love* to re-read their graphic novels.
  9. Fiction helps make better people! Yep. I talked about it in this blog post: https://stillmorewords.com/2020/02/26/book-shaming-is-only-shameful-for-the-shamer/ – and it holds true for graphic novels as well. In fact, it would stand to reason that it might even be MORE true, because in this case, you get the benefit of actually *seeing* faces and reactions – the hurt or the happiness, the anger or the joy, the love or the embarrassment…As humans, we are conditioned to read people’s faces to know what’s happening and where we stand. Kids are no different, and seeing those emotions played out in a story where someone gets picked on, or loses a family member, or even *is* the bully? They learn from that – lessons reinforced from the page.
  10. READING IS READING! Let me write that again, in case you missed it the first time: Reading. Is. Reading. It doesn’t matter what form that reading takes, if someone is working to process words and put them together in story form from what they see on a page? IT IS READING. The goal is to get people *excited* about reading, and to encourage them to read more. Graphic novels do that – for all the reasons listed above, and probably more I’ve not elaborated on. As a loving parent or grandparent, isn’t that ultimately your goal? To help foster a love of reading? The adults I know who are most hard-core about reading graphic novels ALSO love to read nonfiction and literature and whatever else pops up. Graphic novels don’t take *away* from the pleasure of reading – they ADD to it, and help FOSTER it.

So the next time someone mentions a graphic novel, or you’re in your local (indie) bookstore, and you ask for help for that favorite grandchild – don’t roll your eyes, or book shame, or walk away. Take a minute and really reflect on what your goal is with buying books for your loved one. Is it to just foist a gift on them and be done? Then by all means, head for whatever choice YOU prefer. But if your goal is to find something THEY would really like, and to maybe even share some good discussion with them about it, then take a listen to what the bookseller has to say. We don’t recommend things just for the hell of it (at least, the good ones don’t) – we listen to what you say about preferences, reading levels, etc. and then give recommendations we think will truly be great ones. And if there’s a graphic novel or two in that list, give one a shot. You’ll be the “cool” one, they’ll be thrilled to talk to you about it, and you will have succeeded not only in helping foster your bond, but that of the love of reading.

RESOURCES:

I mentioned several books above, so I wanted to give more information here for anyone interested in checking them out!

Science Comics: There are quite a few out, with roughly 3 planned for each year. I’m SUPER excited about the one on Crows coming this month, and the on Sharks is also a favorite. https://us.macmillan.com/series/sciencecomics/

These are just a *few* of the selections available

Anne of Green Gables: They really did a *fabulous* job with this. The colors, the art…it’s all wonderful.

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781449479602

Snapdragon: This showed up, and I was curious, so I picked it up during a shift. Aaaannndd…I ended up taking it home so I could finish it. There’s a lot to like with this one.

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250171115

So there you have it – the graphic novels I mentioned above. Do you have any favorites?

#FeelGoodFriday

Happy Friday, everyone! Can you believe that February is already almost over?! It’s crazy…it really, really is. However, on the plus side – spring is *definitely* trying to make an appearance, at least where I live. Bulbs are starting to grow, flowers are beginning to make their first tentative appearances, the weather is getting incrementally better…I mean, honestly – this needs to be the first thing on the agenda for #FeelGoodFriday!

And WHO’S A GOOD PUPPER IN THE FLOWERS?!

Next up – did you hear about Sabrina Ionescu? If you don’t follow sports – women’s college sports, in particular – and don’t live in the Pacific Northwest, you may not have. But this woman did something *amazing*. Record-breaking, in fact – and only hours after speaking at Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s memorial service. She became the first (and only) NCAA player – male OR female – to earn 2000 points, 1000 rebounds, and 1000 assists within a college career. It’s pretty damn impressive, and kudos to her!!

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/25/809271558/sabrina-ionescu-sets-ncaa-record-hours-after-speaking-at-bryant-memorial

Most of us are probably pet lovers of one stripe or another. I have a dog, 2 foster dogs (https://stillmorewords.com/2020/02/13/it-starts-small-and-it-starts-with-us/), 3 cats, plus another that lives on our front porch. Seriously – he decided he wanted to be an outdoor cat, so he has a house WITH A HEATING PAD on our front porch. Some life, right?? *Anyway*…the Wisconsin Humane Society decided to do a fundraiser a few days ago, and it was SO POPULAR, they had to shut it down early. Click on the link to see why – and be prepared for some adorable (and amusing!) pictures…I’m thinking they should replicate this everywhere??

Humane Society Promises To Make A Bad Original Drawing Of Your Pet For A $15 Donation And Here’s The Results (35 Pics)

And one last little giggle, because HEY! IT’S FRIDAY! I hope you all have a *wonderful* weekend, and that you also begin to see some signs of spring. To me, it’s the season of hope, and couldn’t we all use a little of that right now?

Admit it…you giggled. Chuckled? LOL’d? YOU DID, I KNOW IT!

Review: Legacy and the Queen

This picture doesn’t do it justice…more below

Kobe Bryant was a legend on the court, and in some ways, off of it as well. But not a lot of people knew that he had books out as well – specifically, books for kids that centered around sports. I’m honestly not sure how much he had to do with the writing – my belief is that he created the idea for each story, and then had an author actually fill in the blanks. This article seems to show a bit about how that process worked for different books:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2020/01/23/kobe-bryant-new-book-wizenard-series/4524611002/

In Legacy and the Queen, we find a girl whose home has become an orphanage, whose father can barely keep food on the table for all his charges, and a country that has been united under one ruler. Legacy, however, just wants to play tennis – and when her father refuses to allow her, and instead plans to send her best friend to work in the mines, she runs away to try and get a scholarship to the best tennis academy there is. Upon arrival, however, Legacy learns that she’s looked down on for where she came from, that magic is not as hidden as she had supposed – and that some secrets should never have been buried.

It’s not a long book – perfect for the hesitant reader, or for reading out loud in a classroom/library setting. It’s an interesting story, and one that promotes friendship as well. Honestly, I ended up liking it more than I anticipated – there was something about the name “Kobe Bryant” being attached that sort of turned me off in the beginning – primarily, because it felt like there must have been an arrogant ego attached to anyone who assumed they could just…whip out a book that would be any good. And, I think part of me assumed that because the books are SO COOL LOOKING…all that flash must have been to make up for a deficiency within the story. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Legacy was a great story, one I started and didn’t want to finish. I definitely would have loved to read more about her, had Kobe not passed. I don’t know where that leaves his burgeoning book publishing, but it is just one more tragedy piled upon tragedy that this sports fiction niche may now go unfulfilled.

That brings me to another neat part about these books. Finding good middle-reader titles about other sports besides *football* can be hard to do. These books help young athletes find books that they can relate to – in Legacy, it is tennis. And I will be the first to admit, I know ZERO about that sport. However, it didn’t matter to the overall enjoyment and immersion of the story. Having said that, I would be willing to bet that a reader who actually *knows* about tennis would find that some of the details contained in the book would only enhance their personal enjoyment.

Above, I mentioned that the books are pretty cool looking? Well, I don’t normally include extra photos in my reviews, but…YOU HAVE TO SEE.

Yes, that is a velvet-type cover…watch out for pet hair.
The front endpapers…the back are *different*
IT’S GOT STRINGS FOR A BOOKMARK…YOU KNOW…LIKE TENNIS STRINGS!!
Every page has that cool design on the sides. Every single one.

Basically, whoever did his design for not only this book, but the others? Did a bang-up job. Kids love this sort of stuff, and so do adults like myself. It sets the books apart from others on the shelf, and gives them an aura that so many cannot match. They really are *very* cool.

Most middle-grade readers would enjoy this – there is a hint of fantasy about it, a bit of magic and some pretty amazing creatures. But that part is light, and the story revolves more around Legacy’s attempt to win her spot, the friends she makes, and trying to right an old wrong that gets discovered. For sure a great addition to any school library or classroom shelves, and I can say that I will be looking for more of Kobe’s titles to read myself.

Book Shaming is Only Shameful for the Shamer

I was at work yesterday, and a couple came into the store. Roughly mid-20’s, I would say? For the uninitiated, I work at an indie bookstore, which is where this all unfolded. Anyway, they’re looking around at the books – mostly *he’s* looking, while she’s talking and checking out more of the *stuff*. He picks up a book and mentions something along the lines of how interested it looks – and the response of the girl with him KILLED ME. She looked at the book, looked at the section where it came from, looked at him and said, “That’s a book for TEENS. You’re in the TEEN section.”.

This was me at that moment…

Guys. STOP BOOK SHAMING PEOPLE. Seriously, does it *matter* what section the book comes from? I have had adults buy board books, not because they have any kids, but because the pictures and the story are just so lovely that they couldn’t help themselves. I read middle-grade novels, young adult, and adult books – fairly interchangeably. In fact, I just finished a Kobe Bryant book last night (Review to come!), and it was quite lovely. I’m in my mid-40’s. And honestly? Sometimes the YA and middle-grade novels seem like they’re better, in that the authors have to work just a bit harder to keep the attention of kids and to make sure things make sense – because kids WILL call you out on that.

Now, in this particular case, the guy went ahead and bought the book anyway. But IMAGINE how many people wouldn’t, because they would start to feel silly after someone close to them says something like that? Imagine how many WORLDS they could have found and loved, but lost due to Book Shaming. Imagine how many lessons learned, how many different viewpoints heard from, and how many fabulous stories get put back on the shelves because someone made fun of someone else for their interests? Worse, imagine if that person who was shamed put back that one book that may have helped them in some way – the book that told them they too would be ok?

Listen folks – reading is reading is reading. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what you’re choosing to read (YES GRAPHIC NOVELS ARE INCLUDED. A post on THAT another time.), or what age group you’re reading from. Whether you’re a child like my daughter, reading WAY above her age level, or an adult like myself and *so* many others, enjoying the lessons and literary escapes provided by books for a “younger audience” – it LITERALLY doesn’t matter. What *matters* is that people are choosing to spend their time with characters that are important to them, that tell a story meaningful to them, and that maybe – just maybe, if they’re lucky – they’ll walk away having had a truly impactful interaction with the words on those pages. Like the individual in the following article, who read Illegal: Reflections of an Undocumented Immigrant *while he was in prison* and learned more than he ever would have imagined. (Book censorship in prison is a WHOLE OTHER TOPIC, but also bad in many, many cases.):

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/22/806966584/who-should-decide-what-books-are-allowed-in-prison

So, let’s stop with the Book Shaming? People are different, and just like with the clothes they wear, need to have choices that appeal to them in whatever way they’re feeling at that moment. What matters is that they’re reading, and since studies have shown that those who read fiction have better “social cognition” – and will often feel more empathy for others, we should be encouraging that REGARDLESS of whether they’re reading manga, young adult, graphic novels, middle-grade, or adult novels. OR YES, EVEN ROMANCE.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190523-does-reading-fiction-make-us-better-people

Book shaming is only shameful for the shamer, that they feel it’s acceptable to try and control someone else’s reading. Honestly, I feel like #BookShamingIsBad should be a thing, so I’m going to start here. Have any of *you* ever been shamed for the book(s) you choose to read? What are some of your favorite titles that seem to bring out the worst in others’ shaming tendencies? Maybe someone will feel that connection and know that it really IS ok to read what you choose.