Ship of Souls - Zetta Elliott

Ship of Souls by Zetta Elliott
After 11 yr old Dmitri, who goes by D loses his mother to cancer, he's placed in foster care and goes to live with Mrs. Martin. Just happy to have a place to live, D is on his best behavior. D's only indulgence is bird watching in the park and he keeps to himself at school. D's status as a loner is challenged after he finds himself hanging out by chance with two of the popular kids, Hakeem and Nyla.

D's life changes forever after coming to the aid of a Bird that is anything but, its a being that goes by the name Nuru can take on any shape of its choosing. D has been selected has a host to assist Nuru in bringing peace to millions African American souls by providing them with a way to finally pass over. Though the friendship is newly formed Hakeem and Nyla will not let D do this alone.

When I finished it the first time I thought it was good. I loved the characters. They made the story for me. One of the things I love about Elliott's writing is she knows how to craft dimensional characters. Even the walk- ons, will leave an impression. Though at times this skill can lead the reader astray. I found myself being wanting to know more about the characters that were meant only to make a quick appearance. A good example of this was the eclectic group of kids that sit at Nyla's lunch table and embrace their freak status.

While this is D's story from beginning to end, Elliott still makes room for Hakeem and Nyla, sharing enough about both to paint a clear picture. Much of the appeal for all three characters comes from the fact that they easily come across as real teenagers, with distinct voices. The three had good chemistry together and I would've liked at least another chapter in which they got to know each other better.

The guiding spirit that goes by the name Nuru has the task of helping the dead who want to pass over to find eternal peace. Though Nuru has been held captive for 100 of years and unable to help the souls of many African Americans that died around the time of the American Revolution cross over. Nuru elects D has is host to complete this quest. When Nuru first appears I didn't know if D could trust this being or if it was simply using D has a host to accomplish its mission without any concern for his well being. I liked not knowing, it kept me on my toes.

The first time in I felt Ship of Souls had a few unexplored threads but there was still a lot to like about it. Beyond the characters its visually amazing. When the kids finally found the room where the African American souls were trapped, Elliott had my heart. She describe sorrow with such beauty. Also Elliott's writing is strong and crisp. There are moments and lines that are hard not to be moved by. The first time in I wished Ship of Souls was longer. However when I read it again I was more okay with the length (though I still wanted an extra chapter in which the three friends get to know each other better) and everything came together better.

Everything I enjoyed the first time was still there and I found a few more things to appreciate. Ship of Souls is claffisified as YA but comes across as more MG. Ages 11 up. The chapters are short making this an excellent choice for reluctant readhers. The cover wasn't final until around mid or late Janurary I believe but I think it was well worth the wait. I really like it and believe it has some serious eye appeal.

An excerpt
Starred Booklist review
Edi's review

Disclaimer aka putting it all out there - I am friends with the author and she sent me a review and finished copy from the author. Since some will think the line might be a bit blurred (which is understandable) I plan to link to more reviews of Ships of Soul once they become available. Though if you are worried about this reviews credibitility (though I hope you aren't ) I highly recommend reading the excerpt, the booklist review and the few reviews on amazon.

TU Publishing, Japanese Relief Effort

Lee&Low, an independent publisher just announced the first three titles to be released under their new imprint TU Books.

Fantasy, science fiction, and mystery: these genres draw in young readers like no other. Yet it is in these genres that readers of color might feel most like an outsider, given that such a large percentage features white characters (when they feature human characters). It is the goal of Tu Books to publish genre books for children and young adults that fills this gap in the market—and more importantly, this gap in serving our readers. By focusing on diverse settings and characters in fantastic stories, we also open up worlds to all readers.

The three books are coming out in the Fall. - Tankborn by Karen Sandler, Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac and Galaxy Games by Greg H. Fishbone. Checkout the summaries and the great covers.

If you place a winning bid you can win all three and support the Japanese relief effort. Japan Auction# 97 From Stacy Whitman.

I just found this today and was very tempted not to mention it to increase my chances of winning. But that would be wrong. The auction ends Monday 4/11 9 AM, Edt. So go bid now.

Spread the word about TU Books. Its success means more diversity. As their author list grows, I hope to see more authors of color. For now I plan talking up TU Books whenever I can. Slipping in a few mentions in comment boxes when appropriate.

The Dragon's Child - Jenny Nimmo

The Dragon's Child by Jenny Nimmo

The one good thing about doing recovery is finding new books. I was putting back some early chapter books and came across The Dragons's Child by Jenny Nimmo. I gave a little happy squeal. I am always excited to find new chapter books for early readers. Jenny Nimmo is the author of Charlie Bone books, a bestselling series for middle grade readers. I haven't read any of the Charlie Bone books. However, if an early chapter book looks slightly interesting I will read or at least skim it.

The story begins on an island with a mother dragon trying to teach the dragon child, Dando, how to fly. I loved the voice of the mother dragon. You could hear her frustration and impatience as she tried to teach Dando to fly. "No, no sighed the mother dragon lift your wings not your feet." Dando practiced and practiced yet couldn't fly. Flying is a must for dragons, as a group they always fly north. When its time to go he still can't fly. Mother dragon is desperate, so she decides to fly him on her back. Unfortunately Dando can't hold on, and mother dragon doesn't notice him fall. He would be alone on the island if not for bird. Bird and Dando had recently meet becoming quick friends. (for some reason bird makes me think of Woodstock, the snoopy bird) I won't give anything else away you'll have to read it for yourself. Though there is a girl who speaks the language of dragons (If there's a sequel I hope the author explains how she can speak the language of dragons) The island is inhabited by doggins, evil creatures who hunt in packs. Okay that's really it, no more. Check out the rest for yourself. This was a fun well paced read. I would recommend The Dragon's Child to struggling readers. It doesn't read young and is reluctant reader friendly.