Food, Girls, And Other Things I Can't Have - Allen Zadoff

Food, Girls, And Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff
15 yr old Andy Zansky weighed 307, when the new school year begins, he's down to 306.4 pounds. He's in model UN with his best friend Eytan. Andy doesn't like model UN, but figures its an after school activity someone like him should do. His parents are separated. Andy and Jessica his younger sister live with their mother.

I've heard a lot about this book, and I am so glad I finally read it. I loved Andy's voice.

"God went on vacation my first week of school. There's no other explanation. Here's the bright side. April looks good in gym clothes. Really good. When she turns, I see the outline of her bra through her T-shirt. It takes my breath away, and I didn't have much breath to start with. April glances in my direction, without thinking, I speed up. It makes no sense for a guy who can barely run to run even faster, but my body does it automatically. It's like it doesn't give a crap what it can and can't do. When it sees April, it tosses out the rules and starts hauling ass."

To impress, April a new girl, Andy decides to make some changes. He uses his weight to his advantages and goes out for football. After making the team Andy believes everything will turn around for him. Soon Andy is hanging out with O, the quarterback and the most popular kid in school.

I really enjoyed reading a YA novel that isn't set in an all White H.S. Food, Girls and Other Things I Can't Have is a great story with a wonderful twist

The Latte Rebellion - Sarah Jamila Stevenson

The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson
Best friends Asha Jamison and Carey Wong, senior year and friendship are threatened after an inappropriate joke at a pool party. Roger Yee, a classmates calls Asha a towel head. Asha and Carey are tired of the misconception and inappropriate remarks of their peers.

"The heat rose behind my cheeks, my head filling with any number of things I could tell her. Carey is not Japanese. And J. Lo. is not from Mexico - she's a Puerto Rican American. This is not even close to the same thing. There are these things called maps; you should look at one. And, am I dreaming or did you just say my butt was big? But in the end, I didn't say any of it. It seemed futile. Kaelyn just didn't get it. Maybe she really did think she was paying us a compliment."

The two decide to start a business selling T-shirts. They call it Latte Rebellion, for their love of Lattes and multiethnic people, who come in many shades of Brown. Soon Asha decides she wants to do more then sell T-Shirts. When everything gets too big it leads to unexpected trouble for Asha

The story alternates between Asha hearing in front of the school disciplinary board and the beginnings of the Latte Rebellion. This really worked for me, I liked being able to see Asha in both situations. Its obvious that the Asha in front of the school board is very different from the one who started the Latte Rebellion. Though I wish the author's transitions were smoother. They were too abrupt and early for me. There were many times when I felt a scene could've been developed more.

I enjoyed The Latte Rebellion but was also frustrated it. As good as it is, I don't think it reached it's full potential. The author's writing is good. I kept reading because of Asha. She was a great character, I couldn't help but care about her. Though I wish Stevenson's editor would've challenged her to flush out and develop her characters and storylines more.

I still found this a very worth while read, there's a lot here. I believe Asha got in so much trouble partly because of one word- Rebellion. To her it meant change. To her school board it meant - threat. It because of things like that I think this would make an excellent book club selection. Also it doesn't hurt that Asha remembers to have fun while taking up the cause of the Latte Rebellion. An excerpt

The sayings in italics would've made great Latte Rebllion T-Shirts.

"Yeah, here's an idea," Carey said, a little sarcastically. " We could print instructive T-shirts that say, No I am not Mexican. Neither is J. Lo. Thanks for asking"

"One of the ideas the Latte Rebellion posed early on was "ask not what the brown can do for you, but what you can do for the brown. "

The Fourth Stall - Chris Rylander

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander

Christian who goes by the nickname Mac runs a business in school, helping other students out with this problems. Vince is Mac's best friend and partner. Mac's office is the fourth Stall in East Wings boys bathroom. Mac has built a name for himself and does great business. Everything is threatened when Mac learns that Staples, a high school crime boss is setting up business at his school.

There are a few other (not many) very fun middle grade novels in the same vein as The Fourth Stall. Though this one stands apart because Mac isn't all that good. Mac will help other students get answers to test or sneak into PG 13 movies. After Mac said in his business he helped other students cheat, I was like uh-oh. Though then I remembered its fun to read about a character who would do something you would never do. Mac is definitely the good guy here. He's a great friend to Vince and listens to his parents.

Mac must figure out a way to get Staples operation in his school closed down. He is forced to ask the school bullies for help. One of the books strengths is back information. Mac, outlines all nine bullies, from Nubby to Kitten the top bully. Also in the beginning Mac explains how he came to acquire the fourth stall as his office. The explanation fit smoothly into the story and made sense.

Rylander tells a good and entertaining story. Some of it, like high school students going to war with middle grade students is a bit over the top. Though Mac's likability and his friendship with Vince keeps it grounded. Mac and Vince love the Chicago Cubs. They do their best to stump each other with Cubs trivia.

My favorite small character was Tyrell, the schools best spy. Mac only uses his services when he has no other choice. When Mac realizes there's one of his people is giving Staples insider information, he calls on Tyrell.

When I first saw the cover of The Fourth Stall, I thought it was something I would enjoy. I was right. This is a great suggestion for fans of Grief Carver, Hallway Patrol by Jim Krieg, The Big Splash by Jack D. Ferraiolo or Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer

Salytypie - Tim Tingle, Karen Clarkson

Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkess to Light by Tim Tingle illus. by Karen Clarkson

Tingle shares a family story that begins in 1915. When Tingle's father was almost two years old, the family moved Oklahoma to Pasadena Texas. One day someone threw a stone cutting the face of Tingle's grandmother.

"My father was two at the time. He ran to see his mother sitting on the floor, her hand covering her face. It looked like the peep-eye game to him. He crawled into her lap and saw shiny red liquid squishing from between her fingertips. It reminded him of sweet cherry pie filling, bubbling up from the criss cross crust of Mawmaw's pies. He reached to her face to get a taste of it, then touched his fingertip to his lips. "Saltypie!" he said, spitting as he said it. " Saltypie!"

That rock may have caused Tingle's grandmother to lose her sight. Though he didn't realize she was blind until he was six years old. In 1970 the family gathered at the hospital. Tingle's grandmother was having surgery to fix her eyesight.

I loved Tingle's straight forward approach. Many times I was moved by his beautiful words.

" A quiet but remarkable change occurred in the room. The light streaming through the window took on a copper glow, floating above the green waiting room carpet. It reminded me of the late afternoon sun in Mawmaw's backyard. The spirit of who we were as a Choctaw family was coming alive in the room. We could almost hear the cicada hum their night music in the Choctaw river bottoms of years ago. The stories continued, but there were fewer words now and much silent nodding. Many heads bowed to the moment."

Clarkson's illustrations bring Tingle's family to life. Saltypie is a very beautiful book, textually and visually. Tingle's afterword is just as good. With so few American Indian children's authors, its as important as the story.

In "How Much Can We Tell Them?" Talks about his family and touches upon many stereotypes American Indian's face and what people can do to stop them. An excerpt

I've linked this post to Non Fiction Monday. This week its being hosted by Mary Ann over at Great Kids Books.

Online African American Read In (Updated)

On Monday, I announced an online African American Read In, I would be doing with Edi from Crazy Quilts and Ari from Reading in Color. Everyone had until Friday to head over to Ari's to vote for one of six YA novel to discussed.

We've settled on President's day weekend. The Read In will be on Sunday Feb 20th. Stay tuned for more details.

The Six
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves


Jumped by Rita Williams Garcia


Tyrell by Coe Booth


A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott


When the Black Girl Sings by Bil Wright


Yummy by G. Neri

61 people voted (thank you) and a book was selected by just one vote. If only 30 people participate in the Read In, I will be happy. If only 15 people seek out more then one title on this list, I will be happy. Though in an effort to increase both of those numbers, I will take a moment to do one of my favorite things, talk up great books.

Jumped by Williams Garcia - is a rhythmically beautiful story, that alternates between three high school girls; Leticia, Dominique and Trina. The author uses the less in more approach with her words. Every word and comma has a purpose. Its a well crafted and very believable story. Jumped was published in 2009 and was a National Book Award Finalist. An excerpt

Tyrell by Booth* - I read this when it first came out in 07. Its still makes me very happy when I get a chance to recommend Tyrell. I don't know what I liked more Booth's writing or Tyrell himself. Either way I am really looking forward to the sequel, Bronxwood which is scheduled to be released in September. An excerpt

A Wish After Midnight by Elliott - 15 yr old Genna loves to makes wishes in the Brooklyn Botatical Gardens, one night a midnight wish lands her back in Civil War - Brooklyn. Please don't confuse this as just another civil war story. Its the first YA novel to mention the NY Draft Riots. More importantly its about Genna, a well developed character, that I had no choice but to care about. Elliot's writing has a beautiful purpose from the very beginning. An excerpt

When the Black Girl Sings by Wright - This one I haven't read. (shocking I know) Ari gave it a 4 out 5. An excerpt

I also really liked the gospel choir aspect of the book. The imagery described. I could see (and honestly I felt like I could hear) the gospel choir, see the church, Lahni, her parents. Nicely detailed. Onyx 1 was scarily creepy (gotta read to find out who that is!) and sometimes I wanted to smack Donna or just laugh at her. This novel was sweet and just plain wonderful.

Yummy by Neri - I think its very fitting that this is one of the six. Since Ari, Edi and I did a group interview with the author about Yummy. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 All I can say about Yummy is believe the hype. Yummy is as powerful as people say it is. An excerpt

The people have voted, we will be reading Bleeding Violet by Reeves
This was one of my favorite novels last year. Its crazy and beautifully strange. This is a great excuse to read it again. I love that Bleeding Violet is so far from the pigeonholed idea of what is good YA with Black characters or in this case biracial characters by Black authors is . Reeves used her Portero key* to escape that awful box. An excerpt

We've established the What - Bleeding Violet. We hope the Who will be greater then 61. We know part of the When - Feb. We will get back to you very soon with the rest of the When and the Where. And of course the Why is we love YA literature and diversity.

According to the two books that got the must votes, Bleeding Violet and A Wish After Midnight, half the people who voted didn't get the memo; Black characters and fantasy do not mix.

I want to take a moment to thank Booth for stopping by and voting for Yummy
If your confused about this key reference, you won't be after you join us for the Read In