Black Boy Joy review

Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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With a veritable HIT list of African American male authors, this book is pure lyrical magical joy. I absolutely love Kwame Mbalia's work, and his short story in 3 parts does not disappoint. Jerry Craft includes a graphic novel short, and I enjoyed P. Djeli Clark's Percival and the Jab. Great addition to any middle school library!

From the description:
Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors--including Jason Reynolds (the Track series), Jerry Craft (New Kid), and Kwame Mbalia (the Tristan Strong series)!
Black boy joy is…
Saving the universe in an epic intergalactic race.
Finding your voice—and your rhymes—during tough times.
Flying on your skateboard like nobody’s watching.
And more! From seventeen acclaimed Black male and non-binary authors comes a vibrant collection of stories, comics, and poems about the power of joy and the wonders of Black boyhood.
Contributors include: B. B. Alston, Dean Atta, P. Djèlí Clark, Jay Coles, Jerry Craft, Lamar Giles, Don P. Hooper, George M. Johnson, Varian Johnson, Kwame Mbalia, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Tochi Onyebuchi, Julian Randall, Jason Reynolds, Justin Reynolds, DaVaun Sanders, and Julian Winters.

Book Review: Muted by Tami Charles; Scholastic Press: 2021.

 

Muted by Tami Charles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Damn.

This book will
                                fill you with hope
break your heart
                                write a chorus
perform your melody
                                remind you
to cherish your daughter
protect her
                                before
                                                 she
                                                                 flies
                                                                                away.




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Frankie the Ferret by Kimberley Paterson - 3 stars

Frankie the Ferret by Kimberley Paterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cute, especially if you have/had a ferret! Frankie the Ferret is about a ferret pet and the shenanigans it gets up to before going back to sleep.

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Pigs and Strawberries by Jenni Garrick - 2 stars

Pigs & Strawberries: The Adventures of Laurence & Hamilton by Jenni Garrick
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a story about two pigs who live in California and go searching for strawberries. They go around the world and find out that strawberries don't grow everywhere or in all seasons. This book is clearly self-published, and would be improved with a stronger editor. I thought it could be better, and the concept itself is poorly designed (pigs go on a boat to look for strawberries). A fact or 2 about the countries might be a good addition, or a different pair of animals who want different fruits might also make it a little more interesting.

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Thinking about the Inauguration?

I made this activity in time for January to incorporate the inauguration. In this activity, there are slides for the following learning experiences:

• Read about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
• Review a timeline about each.
• Write/illustrate what you might do as president
• Think critically about why articles are published
• Research a person close to you who inspires you
• Research a FAMOUS person who inspires you
• Use Google Slides tools to make a timeline

Want it? https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Inauguration-2021-Interactive-Slides-6384549


Let me know if you use it, and feel free to tag @mrsthakkar or #thakkarsthinkers in your posts!