Hello, my reading friends! I wanted to get one more post in before turning the calendar to April (no joke!), and waving a hearty farewell to what seemed like an exceptionally long and cold winter! These two books are not being paw rated, and I'll share why with each. But each book was really good, for very different reasons, and I wanted to share a bit about both - even without a formal Zelda review.
The first book is a new addition to the school library collection, donated by some generous person in the Richmond community, and an important piece of Richmond history. The book is called (re)Framing Protest (NOW): Design + Hope, curated by The Branch Museum of Design in partnership with Richmond Free Press, with images by Regina H. Boone and Sandra Sellers. The book is a collection, in photos, of the protests that occurred in Richmond, VA after George Floyd was killed by police in 2020. The photos specifically focus on Monument Avenue in Richmond, and the monuments that have stood for a long time in tribute to men who supported and fought for the American South during the Civil War.
If you're new to our nation's history, this may be new information, or a bit confusing, but if you know something about the war between the north and the south in the late 1800s, and you know about more recent racial history in the United States, than this collection may make more sense to you. The images are powerful, and need to be part of our collective moving forward as a nation, addressing the racism that is as old as our country. For those of you living in or around Richmond, it may be even more powerful for you - you have probably seen the statues and places this book highlights. In any case, I recommend this to you, wherever you are in your knowledge of race and history, but especially if you currently call Richmond home. NO paw rating, just a recommended from a pup you know and trust!
The second book I've been reading (and just finished last night!) is not categorized as a kids book, which is why I'm not rating it, but might be a book you older readers could enjoy. It is called Unlikely Animals (you can see why I was attracted to it, right?), by author Annie Hartnett. It is a very easy story to read and follow, but really hard to explain - it has so many twists and turns, plots and subplots - but it is clever, and fun, and funny and sad, and really hard to put down and not just finish! It deals with a lot of adult (and teen) issues, and does not glorify anything that most teens would find objectionable...but again, it is not marketed as a kid's book, so if you go in search of it, know that it is meant for adults. But, like some John Grisham or Stephen King books, written for adults, but teens enjoy and seek out. You won't find Unlikely Animals on the school library shelves, but if you are a more mature reader and like some "older" books, I recommend this! This is author Hartnett's second book, and I will definitely seek out her first book - probably this summer when I need a change of pace again and want something besides a teen or YA book.
I hope you reading books you love, and finishing at least one book every now and again! Life's too short to read a book you don't like, but if you only read a few pages of every book you try, you are not giving any of the books a chance to win you over! That said, I'm currently reading a really good graphic novel - look for that post for that soon! Happy reading! Wag more, bark less!
Zelda! xoxo
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