Category Archives: Nonfiction

Review: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

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The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

The Gifts of Imperfection
Brené Brown
Hazelden Publishing
Published August 27, 2010

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About The Gifts of Imperfection

A motivational and inspiring guide to wholehearted living, rather than just the average self-help book, with this groundbreaking work Brené Brown, Ph.D., bolsters the self-esteem and personal development process through her characteristic heartfelt, honest storytelling. With original research and plenty of encouragement, she explores the psychology of releasing our definitions of an “imperfect” life and embracing living authentically. Brown’s “ten guideposts” are benchmarks for authenticity that can help anyone establish a practice for a life of honest beauty—a perfectly imperfect life.

Now more than ever, we all need to cultivate feelings of self-worth, as well as acceptance and love for ourselves. In a world where insults, criticisms, and fears are spread too generously alongside messages of unrealistic beauty, attainment, and expectation, we look for ways to “dig deep” and find truth and gratitude in our lives. A new way forward means we can’t hold on too tightly to our own self-defeating thoughts or the displaced pain in our world. Instead, we can embrace the imperfection.

When our embarrassments and fears lie, we often listen to them anyway. They thwart our gratitude, acceptance, and compassion—our goodness. They insist, “I am not worthy.” But we are worthy—of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love. With Brené Brown’s game-changing New York Times bestseller The Gifts of Imperfection—which has sold more than 2 million copies in more than 30 different languages, and Forbes recently named one of the “Five Books That Will Actually Change Your Outlook On Life”—we find courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness, strengthening our connection to the world.

My Review

Okay, so I listened to DARING GREATLY multiple times because it was too good to read just once. I wanted to hear it all from the beginning a second time (and a third time) once I kind of had the whole in my head already. And I’m super glad I did that.

I will do that same thing with GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION, but I’m writing the review between my first and second times reading it. (Mostly because I’ve been swamped and am way behind where I want to be with my reading and review calendar. Also because the publication dates on books keep getting pushed back, leaving me with weird, unexpected gaps in my calendar. It’s stressful, y’all!)

At any rate. So. This book. First, I want to say that I had this playing on my Audible account while wrapping Christmas gifts, and my daughter listened to it with me briefly. That led to some really great conversations. I hope we can listen to more of the book together at some point.

So I loved that DARING GREATLY gave this deep dive into what vulnerability is and why it’s so critical to be able to experience it in a healthy way in order to have healthy relationships and connections in your life. GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION is similar, but it focuses a lot more on perfectionism. The book examines our tendencies to overcommit or fill our lives to the seams with events and stuff and busyness.

And HOW not to do that. WHY not to do that.

I need this book in my life. Because I so do that. Everything must have a purpose, be structured, have some sort of benefit or gain. I forget sometimes that there is real value in just wasting time on something you love for no other reason than you love it. For me the biggest black hole of this kind of unstructured time is social. I end up feeling guilty later if it took me a long time to get something done. This is especially true if in addition to working on the tasks, I was chitchatting with someone.

I feel like I’m still learning to rewire myself to consider that time valuable and productive. And to try to listen to my heart or my body or my spirit and respond when I really genuinely need that rest time or unstructured, unproductive time.

At any rate, this book was a pretty key read for me in this season of my life. I’m super glad that I read it. I noticed that Brown has a new book out recently called ATLAS OF THE HEART. So, that one is now on my reading list!

If you’re looking for a book that kind of helps you quantify why being super busy feels like it’s not sustainable or not working, or you just feel like it’s time to rebalance priorities in your life and make more time for what matters, this is a GREAT book to read. I highly recommend it.

Content Notes on The Gifts of Imperfection

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Relates stories and data based on a broad range of research.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some brief mentions of sex from the perspective of the way that asking for sex or participating in it means experiencing vulnerability. .

Spiritual Content
Mentions going to church.

Violent Content
Vague mentions of abuse situations.

Drug Content
Mentions of drinking alcohol and smoking as a poor coping strategy for vulnerability. She also discusses the connection between shame and addiction.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Pirate Queens by Leigh Lewis

Biography, Book Review and Content, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, , , , ,

Pirate Queens
Leigh Lewis
Illustrated by
National Geographic Kids
Published January 11, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Pirate Queens

This wow-worthy book proves that women have been making their mark in all aspects of history―even the high seas!

Meet Ching Shih, a Chinese pirate who presided over a fleet of 80,000 men (by contrast, Blackbeard had some 300). Get the scoop on Anne Bonny who famously ran away from an arranged marriage to don trousers and brandish a pistol in the Bahamas. And there are more!

Each pirate profile includes a dramatic original poem presented against a backdrop of gorgeous full-color art by award-winning illustrator Sara Gómez Woolley. Each profile is followed by fascinating information about the real life and times of these daring (and dangerous!) women.

Vetted by the world’s leading pirate experts and historians, this book is a cool and edgy gift. It’s also perfect for any curious kid who dreams of adventure and for parents who are eager to show their tweens and teens that history is more diverse, daring, and surprising than what is typically found in textbooks.

My Review

What a cool idea for a book! I had no idea there were female pirate captains, much less that there were so many or that one commanded 80,000 pirates. Wowza.

I like that the author included a note at the beginning of the book talking about why she wrote the book. Basically, her daughters were playing a game and she discovered that they were all thinking of pirates as only men. She wondered if there were female pirates, and from there, the book was born. I also like that she clarifies that this book isn’t to glorify the piracy or romanticize what is a violent life. It’s about bringing to light stories of powerful women who history may have otherwise forgotten.

The book is divided up into six biographies: Artemisia of Caria, Sela, Sayyida al Hurra, Grace O’Malley, Anne Bonny, and Ching Shih. Each biography features a poem telling the story of a critical moment in the pirate captain’s life followed by historical information. I learned a lot of things, and I’m really excited to have read this book.

I think PIRATE QUEENS would make a great addition to a library or classroom, and it’s a great nonfiction book for readers who love seafaring adventures.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Details the lives of six pirate queens. One is Chinese. One is Muslim and Moroccan.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to marriages.

Spiritual Content
Sayyida al Hurra was a Muslim who grew up in Spain when its rulers forced Muslims out of their homes. As a pirate, she specifically sought out Christian vessels as revenge for how she and her people were treated.

Violent Content
References to battles and stealing/looting. References to execution.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of PIRATE QUEENS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Know Your Rights (And Claim Them) by Amnesty International, Angelina Jolie, with Geraldine Van Beuren

Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Know Your Rights (And Claim Them)
Amnesty International, Angeline Jolie, with Geraldine Van Beuren
Andersen Press
Published September 2, 2021

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About Know Your Rights (And Claim Them)

Jointly written by Angelina Jolie and Amnesty International with Geraldine Van Bueren QC.

If you are aged under 18 you have your own set of human rights. Child rights are unique freedoms and protections designed for you. Governments should uphold them but all across the world they are violated. Know Your Rights (And Claim Them) gives you the knowledge and tools to claim your rights. It introduces them and explains why they matter in the real world. From gender and racial equality, to the rights to free expression, health, a clean climate and a sustainable environment, they are yours to claim.

Know Your Rights (And Claim Them) celebrates the difference young activists have made in every corner of the world, and shows you how to challenge injustice wherever you may find it. It presents expert advice on peaceful protest, raising awareness at school and in your community, starting your own campaign and getting those in power to listen, plus vital guidance on protecting your safety, digital security and mental health.

These are your rights. It is your right to know and claim them.

My Review

Probably the most important thing to note here that isn’t specified in the cover copy is that this book explains children’s rights as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). While the US has signed agreement to the convention, it has never been ratified, which means it’s not actually the law in the United States. Some of the rights outlined in the book are covered by other laws, and some protections vary based on the state in which you live.

Basically, all that is to say that the book explores the rights outlined in the UN CRC, not the rights guaranteed to a child under US law, which I didn’t realize until reading the book.

I thought it was interesting to look at what 196 nations have agreed are the legal rights all children should have. Most were pretty basic things, like the right to live in a safe place or the right to an education. Some rights protect marginalized groups, like the right to speak a native language and practice your religion (with parental guidance).

There wasn’t anything in the book that made me think, well, that’s why the convention wasn’t ratified in the US. I didn’t see anything that I found to be at odds with US values, so that was interesting.

The book has a long section about what to do if you feel that your rights are being infringed upon or if you experience injustice and want your political leaders to address it. I liked the way that section broke down what to do and how to evaluate what kinds of actions you could or should take.

Conclusion

I’ve read books aimed at this age group that were more engaging in their tone and through the inclusion of graphics and other interactive materials. I think this book gives a good overview of what rights children have under the UN CRC. It also offers a great step-by-step tool to help kids challenge groups that infringe on their rights.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The text includes brief biographies of child activists from across the world.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
References to groups persecuted for their faith.

Violent Content
References to countries which imprison people or execute them for protesting or speaking out against the government.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of KNOW YOUR RIGHTS (AND CLAIM THEM) in exchange for my honest review.

10 Great Books on the Environment and Climate Change for Young Readers

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10 Great Books on the Environment and Climate Change for Young Readers

It’s Earth Day on April 22, so to celebrate, I wanted to share some of my favorite books on the environment and climate change for young readers. These books cover topics from the water crisis in Flint, Michigan to the falling populations of giraffes or butterflies. Some explore the damage to the environment (and to us!) caused by pollution. Others tell stories about activists who’ve dedicated their time and energy to problem-solving and speaking out to protect the planet.

Trashing the Planet by Stuart K. Allen

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: What happens if trash isn’t properly handled? How are we going to fix environmental crises caused by trash? This book started my interest in environmental reading, and I still sometimes refer back to it for information. A fabulous read.

Ages: 10 up | Published August 1, 2017 | My Review

Giraffe Extinction by Tanya Anderson

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What you need to know: Great balance of interesting facts, history and context for why giraffes are threatened and what happens to their environment if they become extinct. I learned so much from this book.

Ages: 12 up | Published October 1, 2019 | My Review

Making Waves: Saving Our Oceans by Albert Bates

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What you need to know: Focuses on how pollution harms marine life and ecosystems. Beautiful illustrations. Great for middle school readers.

Ages: 10-14 | Published August 5, 2021 | My Review

When the World Runs Dry by Nancy F. Castaldo

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Explores LOTS of causes of water crises from environmental to border issues to contamination. Each chapter features case studies exploring real communities facing these problems. Really well done.

Ages: 10 up | Published January 18, 2022 | My Review

Poisoned Water by Candy J. Cooper with Mark Aronson

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: An informative, heartbreaking look at what citizens in Michigan endured (and are still enduring) in their fight for clean water. A must-read book.

Ages: 14 up | Published May 19, 2020 | My Review

The Story of More by Hope Jahren

Review | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Gives a great overview of how we got to where we are with climate change from changes in human population, farming and other industries, etc. Looks at how individual changes can impact communities.

Ages: 14 up | Published November 2, 2021 | My Review

Bugs in Danger by Mark Kurlansky

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What you need to know: Great starting point for understanding how important bees, butterflies and beetles are to our environment. Easy to read. Informative and engaging.

Ages: 10 up | Published November 12, 2019 | My Review

The Environment: Explore, Create and Investigate by Jonathon Litton

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What you need to know: I really liked the broad reach of the information it offers and pairs with experiments and activities. Perfect for use with a science unit or to inspire summer crafts.

Ages: 6-12 | Published September 22, 2020 | My Review

The Magic and Mystery of Trees by Jen Green and Claire McElfatrick

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Packed with fascinating information and gorgeous diagrams explaining processes from growth to reproduction to communication and protection. I bought the ebook version of this book on sale and ended up ordering a hard copy as well.

Ages: 8 up | Published March 5, 2019 | My Review

Girl Warriors by Rachel Sarah

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: 25 profiles of young climate activists under 25 years old, how they got started making changes and how their work impacts communities across the globe. I found these stories incredibly inspiring and hopeful.

Ages: 8 up | Published April 6, 2021 | My Review

What are your favorite books on the environment or climate change?

What are some of your favorite books on the environment and climate change for young readers? Let me know if you’ve read any of these books or have other favorites I should check out! I’d love to expand my library and add more books for review. Happy Earth Day!

Review: When the World Runs Dry by Nancy F. Castaldo

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When the World Runs Dry
Nancy F. Castaldo
Algonquin Young Readers
Published January 18, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About When the World Runs Dry

What would you do if you turned on the faucet one day and nothing happened? What if you learned the water in your home was harmful to drink? Water is essential for life on this planet, but not every community has the safe, clean water it needs. In WHEN THE WORLD RUNS DRY, award-winning science writer Nancy Castaldo takes readers from Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey, to Iran and Cape Town, South Africa, to explore the various ways in which water around the world is in danger, why we must act now, and why you’re never too young to make a difference.

Topics include: Lead and water infrastructure problems, pollution, fracking contamination, harmful algal blooms, water supply issues, rising sea levels, and potential solutions.

My Review

If you’ve been following my blog awhile, you have probably seen some other climate-slash-water-slash-pollution books come through my review listings. Hopefully I’ll be doing a whole list post featuring those kinds of books in early April to get ready for Earth Day, so they’ll all be listed in one place then.

This book, WHEN THE WORLD RUNS DRY had a lot of great information exploring various causes of water crisis– too little water, too much water, contaminated water, border issues, etc. So it took a slightly different approach than the other books that I’ve read. Each chapter is devoted to a specific kind of water crisis, which made the book really easy to follow. Each chapter explores case studies of communities faced with the type of water crisis talked about in the chapter, so there are real examples of communities dealing with these issues. Some of them I recognized from news headlines, while others were completely new to me.

I thought the case studies were well-presented. They included a lot of facts and information without being overwhelming or too data-heavy. Though I’d read books on similar topics in the past, there was a lot of new information in this book that I hadn’t come across before, so that was really helpful, too. I liked that the chapters often talked about activists or new legislation that was making a difference in the issue. The last chapter focuses on what can be done to help. So, the book definitely works to include positivity and hope, which I appreciated as well.

WHEN THE WORLD RUNS DRY had some overlap with a couple of the other books on water or the environment that I’ve read recently, namely THE STORY OF MORE by Hope Jahren and TRASHING THE PLANET by Stuart A. Kallen. There’s also a section in the book that covers the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, which I also read about in POISONED WATER by Candy J. Cooper and Marc Aronson. Those books were also really worth checking out if this is a topic that interests you.

I also recommend WHEN THE WORLD RUNS DRY. I think it’s a great look across the board at a lot of different types of water crises, examples of them in different communities, and what we can do to help.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
The book includes case studies and personal stories from BIPOC.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Brief mentions of spiritual ceremonies.

Violent Content
Brief mention of a protest in which someone chained himself to a bulldozer and was arrested.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of WHEN THE WORLD RUNS DRY in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community by Lois Peterson

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community
Lois Peterson
Illustrated by Taryn Gee
Orca Book Publishers
Published October 12, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community

There are 150 million people experiencing homelessness worldwide, and that number is increasing every year. Homelessness is not a choice, yet it exists in almost every community. But why are people homeless? Who are they? What can you do? In SHELTER: HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, readers will get answers to these complex questions. They’ll learn about the root causes of homelessness and its effects, and what people and organizations around the world are doing to address the problem.

It shares the personal stories of people who live on the street and the adults and kids who work with them. As a former homeless-shelter worker, author Lois Peterson encourages young people to approach the issue with knowledge and compassion. She dispels some of the myths about homelessness and makes the case for why everyone deserves a safe, permanent place to call home.

My Review

The author of SHELTER has been both a librarian (where she encountered homeless people regularly) and the executive director at a homeless shelter. So, she brings a lot of personal experience to the book. She also includes bits of stories about different people she’s met and their situations. This helps to illustrate some of the information and statistics presented about the homeless.

Since the author is Canadian, a lot of the information relates to how homelessness is viewed and handled there. She also includes statistics and information about homelessness in the United States. The book is full of facts and ideas for how to help. It discusses what kinds of interventions have been shown to work and how people can help in their own communities.

Possibly one of the coolest parts of the book is that over and over the author tells about kids who’ve been inspired by volunteer work to create their own charities or inventions to help homeless people receive care and services. I thought that was particularly inspiring. There are also some great lists, both for additional nonfiction resources and fictional stories highlighting the challenges of poverty and homelessness.

This book would make a great resource for a classroom, public or home library. It would also serve as a helpful resource guide for youth at religious institutions. I think it’s a great way to begin to get more educated about homelessness and learn ways to help in a local community.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
The book includes short snippets of stories from people who are or have been homeless, including Indigenous and Black interviewees.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some references to churches and other spiritual centers offering support or services for homeless people.

Violent Content
Brief references to risks associated with homelessness, such as being assaulted or robbed.

Drug Content
Reference to some homeless people struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SHELTER: HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY in exchange for my honest review.