Full of Beans: by Jennifer L. Holm

Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm

(author of Newbury Award Winner Turtle in Paradise)

What's it About?

Beans Curry is forced to become the man of the house when his father leaves Key West to look for work in New Jersey. As Beans and his gang of friends navigate the struggles of the Great Depression they learn to do what has to be done to survive and keep their homes, even when those things make them question everything. When survival becomes keeping Key West their home can they come together and make it work?

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Full of Beans

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Jennifer  L. Holm dives into the lives of children living in Key West during The Great Depression and brings characters alive in her story of survival, and change, without diminishing the historical content included. This story of a young boy navigating the world around him as his father leaves to find work captures the reader's attention with vivid descriptions and details that most young readers can relate to. 

Full of Beans provides a great introduction to the struggle of people during The Great Depression and the sense of community that banded people together as they did what they could to get by day by day. Great for fans of historical fiction or to pique their interest in the genre, it provides an easy-to-read story and authentic historical accounts but avoids the feel of reading about history that could be dry for some young readers.

As a classroom read or just a casual book read for enjoyment Jennifer Holm captures the audience and provides an interesting story. Her account of Beans Curry, his family, and his community gives a great interpretation of life in Key West during The Great Depression. The Author's Note included in the book connects the reader to the New Deal and the factual connections of the time to events in the book allowing even young readers to begin to understand. 

310 words

For more books by Jennifer L. Holm click here.

You may also want to check out Turtle in Paradise about Beans Curry's cousin Turtle and her story in Key West.

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson: Seeds of Kindness

 

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson: Seeds of Kindness

What's it About?

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson presents a story about planting seeds and how they grow with love and care. Planting the wrong seeds, however, can grow trouble. Coming together though we can grow the sweetest fruits.

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Goodreads: If You Plant a Seed

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If You Plant a Seed is a thoughtful and sweet story that provides an important message to all readers. Kadir Nelson gives an inspiring lesson on the importance of the seeds we plant and how being mindful of what we plant produces the "sweetest fruit." 

Nelson's book developed into much more than I expected. Illustrated with engaging and appropriate pictures that help to complete the message If You Plant a Seed gives readers so much more than just a story about seeds in a garden. 

For a booklist and information on Kadir Nelson click here

Watercress by Andrea Wang: "a love letter and an apology"

 

(image taken from Goodreads)

Watercress by Andrea Wang: "a love story and an apology"

Caldecott Award winner 2022

Asian /Pacific American Award for Literature for Picture Book 2022

What's it About?

From the backseat of her car, an important lesson about family history and culture arises. As the young Chinese American girl collects watercress from a ditch embarrassment arises and having to eat it for dinner makes it even worse. Learning her family's story from her mom gives way to wanting to be like everyone else and gives watercress a new meaning. 

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Goodreads: Watercress by Andrea Wang

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Watercress is an emotional story of a little girl who learns an important lesson about her family and how who she is, is nothing to be embarrassed about. As children, many of us have time when the things our parents did embarrass us. The world our parents know is marked with experiences and memories we know nothing about and as we grow and learn to understand those things we become more and more connected to who we are. Andrea Wang presents this sentiment in a touching way, highlighting things lost when families come to a new world. 

Andrea Wang describes Watercress as a "love letter and an apology." This autobiographical story presents a touching moment with her family where she learns an emotional lesson about her mom. Her mom's revelation leads to a deeper understanding and compassion for her family and builds new connections to her history. She beautifully weaves the emotion of her experience into the story of picking watercress on the side of the road and eating it for dinner.

Jason Chin illustrates the story by mirroring the tone and mood of Wang's story. Underwhelmed at first by the appeal of the cover illustration that seemed unmatched by many of the “popular” book covers with flashy colors, fonts, and cartoon-like illustrations that tend to attract and draw in young readers, this book was originally left on the back burner. Finally picking this book up, honestly because of its status on award lists, I was touched by the theme of the story and its connection to a part of history that many people may not recognize. Watching the character connect to her family’s history and the sadness connected to that history it became clear how the illustrations in this book could lead to a Caldecott award. 

While it may, in my opinion, have trouble gaining recognition from a child audience (that doesn’t have a connection to the story) the illustrations surely mimic the tone and provide an appropriate illustration of the story, theme, and concept. It's definitely something to expose young readers to and sends a positive message about understanding and recognizing that our history is an important part of who we are and being proud of the struggles that make us who we are.

For more on Andrea Wang click here.

For what Jason Chin says about Watercress, click here.

Nana Akua Goes to School by Trisha Elam Walker & April Harrison | A Grandmother's Hug

(Cover Image taken from Good Reads)

Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker

Winner of Ezra Jack Keats Award, 2021

What's it About?

Watching how her favorite person in the whole world is treated because of traditional West African markings on her face leaves Zura hesitant to share her with her class. Grandparent's Day at Zura's school has her worried about how Nana will be treated.  Using beauty and confidence along with Zura's quilt Nana has an idea that just might work.

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GoodReads: Nana Akua Goes to School

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Nana Akua Goes to School is a heartwarming story about the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren. Relatable to anyone lucky enough to have a grandparent with "hugs that wrap you up in a blanket" the story of Nana and Zura provides a great lesson about confidence and beauty.

Nana Akua's West African facial markings are misunderstood by many and Zura is determined to protect her favorite person in the entire world, even if it means not participating in Grandparent's Day. Traditions and love create the perfect solution. 

Tricia Elam Walker provides a cultural lesson in her story of love between a grandmother and a granddaughter. In Nana Akura Goes to School, Walker delivers a story about a little girl, Zura, and her grandmother, Nana, participating in a school event that most children can relate to wrapped in a lesson about West African culture that solicits acceptance and understanding.

The palpable connection Zura has for Nana evokes love and connection to Nana. There are moments where the reader can feel the love Zura has for her grandmother and the sadness for how her grandmother is treated. A grandmother's hug that is unmatched and the pride in her culture that has marked her grandmother forever emerges simply and with purpose. 

Ultimately it's a simple story that exposes readers to traditions of West African culture that are not understood by many. Introduced to cultural language and not shying away from the idea of sharing cultural traditions with people from different cultures,  this story promotes understanding and acceptance. Nana's clever use of traditions exemplifies confidence and beauty as her facial markings symbolize. 

It would be remiss to not mention the illustrations by April Hamilton. The imagery that solidifies the emotion felt by Zura throughout the story is remarkable. Hamilton somehow visually provides a feeling of warmth and love that mirrors the story written by Walker. 

For more on Tricia Elam Walker click here.