Month: March 2017

At only 96 pages, this short novel clearly sends the message to be accepting of others.  ‘Queen’ looks at gender roles, bullying in schools, acceptance and not being afraid to be who you are.  There is a new student in Evelyn’s 5th grade class. He immediately causes a stir when introduced. His name is Queen.  Not even the teacher is sure how to react. Evelyn is from a strict home who does things by routine. She realizes that she and Queen share some commonalities and, more importantly, like each other. There are some mean boys in class who tease Queen and Evelyn gets the fallout from that. Will she decide not to be friends with him to ensure she isn’t the bullies next target?  Evelyn recognizes that she doesn’t want to back down. She likes Queen too much to lose his friendship. The novel reads like a short vignette that teaches tolerance and celebrating our differences. Grades 2-6.

The 3/28 American Libraries Direct has an article that lists 9 blogs on the use of new educational methods, most using technology as the teaching tool. Among the blogs discussed are Tech Tips 411, which explains hyperblogs, an interactive way for students to showcase their research on a particular topic; The Daring Librarian, who blogs about using Instagram to showcase book recommendations by her students; and The Innovative Educator, who references an article on the teen brain. For more information, here is the list of blogs.

The Other F-Word by Natasha Friend is a humorous and heartfelt novel about two teenagers, Milo and Hollis, who were conceived via in vitro fertilization. Although they share the same sperm donor they live states apart and have only met once because of the efforts of Hollis’s late mother. Milo has two great moms, but he’s never known what it’s like to have a dad. When Milo’s doctor suggests asking his biological father to undergo genetic testing to shed some light on Milo’s extreme allergies, he realizes this is a golden opportunity to find the man he’s always wondered about. Hollis isn’t so sure but when Milo contacts her to seek her help in locating their donor they form an instant friendship and bond and she begrudgingly agrees. Hollis’s mom Leigh hasn’t been the same since her other mom, Pam, passed away seven years ago. But suddenly, Leigh seems happy—giddy, even—by the thought of reconnecting with Hollis’s half-brother Milo.

I don’t want to give too much away but they eventually find out that they have three other half-siblings and the relationships that they all form are heartwarming. I would recommend this book to anyone, it adds humor to a serious topic and brings to light what modern families truly look like in our current times.