Category Archives: Nonfiction

Review: Hidden Figures: Young Readers Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,
Hidden Figures Young Readers' Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly

Hidden Figures: The Untold True Story of Four African American Women Who Helped Launch Our Nation Into Space (Young Readers Edition)
Margot Lee Shetterly
HarperCollins
Published November 29, 2016

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Hidden Figures: Young Readers Edition

The uplifting, amazing true story—a New York Times bestseller

This edition of Margot Lee Shetterly’s acclaimed book is perfect for young readers. It is the powerful story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space program. Now a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

This book brings to life the stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, who lived through the Civil Rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the movement for gender equality, and whose work forever changed the face of NASA and the country.

My Review

This book has been on my reading list for a long time. Since we’re facing more explicit attempts to erase the achievements of women and BIPOC, I wanted to take the chance to read and talk about this book.

One amazing thing about the book is that the author, Margot Lee Shetterly, grew up in Hampton, Virginia. So she grew up where these women worked and lived. She knew many of them. I imagine it must have been really cool to compile the information and create this book telling the stories of people she knew herself.

In addition to doing a great job laying out the development of the space program alongside other historical events, such as the Civil Rights Movement, Hidden Figures (Young Readers Edition) also has some great resources in the back. A timeline shows how the space program developed with other major events listed. This reinforces the narrative’s work, anchoring these women’s lives in the larger story of American history. A glossary defines words younger readers may be less familiar with. A chapter-by-chapter list of sources makes it easy for readers wanting more information on a particular event to find it. The backmatter also includes a section listing books for further reading.

The biographies of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden are the focus of the book. Shetterly shares information about their education, family life, careers, and their roles in the space program.

I wish I’d read the book before watching the movie so that this was my first interaction with the information. I’m still really glad I read the book. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the space program, Black history, women’s history, or careers in mathematics.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief reference to marriage and family.

Spiritual Content
I think there was brief reference to attending church.

Violent Content
References to the Civil Rights Movement and sit-ins. Brief reference to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Banned Together edited by Ashley Hope Pérez

Anthology, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Banned Together
Ashley Hope Pérez
Holiday House
Published March 4, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Banned Together

A dazzling YA anthology that spotlights the transformative power of books while equipping teens to fight for the freedom to read, featuring the voices of 15 diverse, award-winning authors and illustrators.

Books are disappearing from shelves across the country.

What does this mean for authors, illustrators, and—most crucially—for young readers?

This bold collection of fiction, memoir, poetry, graphic narratives, essays, and other genres explores book bans through various lenses, and empowers teens to fight back. From moving personal accounts to clever comebacks aimed at censorship, fifteen legendary YA authors and illustrators confront the high-stakes question of what is lost when books are kept from teens.

Contributors include Elana K. Arnold, Nikki Grimes, Ellen Hopkins, Kelly Jensen, Brendan Kiely, Maia Kobabe, Bill Konigsberg, Kyle Lukoff, MariNaomi, Trung Lê Nguyễn, Ashley Hope Pérez, Isabel Quintero, Traci Sorell, Robin Stevenson, and Padma Venkatraman; the collection is a star-studded must-read that packs strength and power into every last word.

Striking illustrations from Ignatz-nominated artist Debbie Fong pair perfectly with the searing, impactful narrative. Resources include tips from the Vandegrift Banned Book Club and other teen activists, as well as extensive recommended book lists, a How to Start Your Own Little Free Library flier, and more.

My Review

I’ve never read an anthology like this one before. As I read, I felt energized by the resources, from book lists to tips for pushing back against book bans to creating an oasis of banned books to share with others.

Some authors share personal stories about facing book bans or hate-filled emails in response to their work. Others share stories about formative events in their lives that led to them writing the stories they have for teens. They share the hope that their words will reach teenagers who have questions or who’ve faced similar challenges and that they’ll encourage readers.

A few authors share short stories showing the emotional impact that book bans have on people or what might drive someone to try to control what books are available to read. Some appear in prose, others in poetry, and others in graphic novel panels.

The format of the anthology is engaging and energizing. I found myself adding so many books to my reading list. I loved celebrating the books mentioned that I’m already familiar with. Reading helped me think through some of my questions surrounding my own content notes here and how they might be weaponized against authors and readers.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for ways to support authors of banned books. It offers great resources for fighting book bans and expanding allyship, too.

Content Notes for Banned Together

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. References to sex. References to sexual abuse/assault. (Not depicted on page.)

Spiritual Content
References to faith.

Violent Content
Brief instances of racism and homophobia.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Layers: A Memoir by Pénélope Bagieu

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

Layers: A Memoir
Pénélope Bagieu
Translated by Montana Kane
First Second
Published October 17, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Layers: A Memoir

Following the Eisner-award-winning Brazen, Pénélope Bagieu pens her first autobiographical work in this hilarious and bitter-sweet graphic memoir.

Pénélope Bagieu never thought she’d publish a graphic memoir. But when she dusted off her old diaries (no, really―this book is based on her actual diaries), she found cringe-worthy, hilarious, and heartbreaking stories begging to be drawn.

In Layers, Bagieu reflects on her childhood and teen years with her characteristic wit and unflinching honesty. The result is fifteen short stories about friendship, love, grief, and those awkward first steps toward adulthood.

My Review

I have to agree with the endorsements calling this book “hilarious.” Pénélope’s recollections about her childhood and transition to adulthood are so relatable. She’s awkward and earnest, and I both laughed and cried reading this memoir in vignettes.

The book opens with a chapter about when her parents got her and her sister two kittens. Her cat is exceptionally clingy and causes all sorts of mayhem, but Pénélope absolutely loves her. She recalls the phases of cat ownership, and how hard it is when we have to say goodbye to our furry friends. She captures the emotions of pet ownership so perfectly.

Several of the chapters or stories focus on Pénélope’s adventures in romance. She has unrequited crushes, friendship betrayals, and a wild week with an early boyfriend, which culminated in her hitchhiking to see a gynecologist. She has an incredible way of showing that confident naïveté that feels so classic to a teen experience. I felt so much nostalgia reading this book.

This is the first book by Bagieu that I’ve read, but after reading about her other work in her author biography, I’ve already got more of her books on my reading list. I’m pretty sure I’m going to need sources of joy in the coming year.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Brief, strong swearing.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and references to sex. A couple of panels show topless ladies (one image references something shown on TV on certain days when the author was growing up). One scene shows Pénélope and her boyfriend nestled together. We infer that they’re having sex based on body positions, but there’s no graphic nudity other than the above.

A couple of scenes reference sexual assault. It’s two stories told side by side, one when Pénélope was a child and one when she was older. In the younger scene, she spends the night with friends, and a boy gets out of bed and comes to her in the middle of the night. All we see are their eyes, but it’s clear Pénélope is scared and uncomfortable. She sneezes loudly and wakes up her friend, and the boy goes back to his own bed. Similarly, in the later scene, she’s gone to sleep, and a man touches her. She tells him to stop, and he acts entitled to her body. When she refuses him again, he kicks her out of his apartment. In both instances, she worries about telling someone else and being blamed for what happened.

Spiritual Content
A loved one promises Pénélope that she’ll sense her presence with her after she dies. Pénélope imagines or senses arms wrapped around her later when she feels sad. One image shows two angels who’ve sent the translucent, hugging arms.

Violent Content
References to unwanted sexual advances and feeling unsafe.

Drug Content
Pénélope and her friends smoke cigarettes in some scenes.

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

Review: The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby

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

The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, a Legacy of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History (Adapted for Young Adults)
Karen Valby
Delacorte Press
Published January 14, 2025

Penguin/Random House | Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults)

A full accounting of five incredibly talented Black ballerinas from The Dance Theater of Harlem, founding members among them, that illuminates their hard-fought, historic, and overlooked contributions to the world of classical dance at a time when racism shut out Black dancers from major dance companies.

It was true until only recently, their past achievements had been erased—that’s what happened to five Black ballerinas, members of the groundbreaking Dance Theater of Harlem. At the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, Lydia Abarca, who dance critics praised effusively, was the first Black prima ballerina of this major dance company, performing lead roles in the most iconic ballets. She was also the first Black ballerina to grace the cover of Dance magazine.

Alongside fellow founding members Sheila Rohan and Gayle McKinney-Griffith, and first-generation dancers Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells, these swans of Harlem shone a bright light on the depth of Black professional classical dancers. Their grit, determination, and exquisite artistry propelled them to dizzying heights, but over the decades, their trailblazing and triumphs were largely forgotten.

Now these ballerinas and longtime friends are giving voice to their stories on and off stage—reclaiming a past so that it is finally recorded and acknowledged.

My Review

I couldn’t put this incredible book down. As a former dancer myself, I love reading about dance history. This book is packed with personal stories and experiences centering on five Black ballerinas who had ground-breaking careers beginning in the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

One of the things the book does so beautifully is to hold many things concurrently. For example, it acknowledges the five dancers’ love and appreciation for Misty Copeland and her career but also respects their frustration at the way their own achievements have been erased.

The book celebrates the incredible achievements of the Dance Theatre of Harlem but doesn’t shy away from the flaws or harm that existed in the company, whether through colorism or harsh criticism from its director.

Really, the story continually centers the stories of these five incredible women. It follows the paths of each one’s career to their reconnection during the COVID-10 pandemic and their reflections on the past from that vantage point.

When I received my review copy of this book, I grabbed my copy of Misty Copeland’s Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy. I’d read it back in 2023 wanted to see if it included any of the women featured in this book. It doesn’t, and in fact, Copeland didn’t even know about these dancers until after writing her book. In a chapter near the end, the five ballerinas join her on stage and share their history with her. I wasn’t expecting to have their absence in Copeland’s book explained. I love that it was something the author included, though.

Conclusion

Dance fans and fans of the arts will especially want to check out this book. The writing is compelling and makes you feel like you get to know each dancer personally. The story is perfectly timed to add to our conversations about the erasure of Black achievements in history and the importance of continuing to tell these stories.

Don’t miss the giveaway at the end of the post!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
References to verbal abuse. References to colorism and fat-phobic comments.

Romance/Sexual Content
Very brief references to marriage and divorce.

Spiritual Content
One dancer eventually converts to Islam. Another uses yoga and Buddhist practices to manage stress.

Violent Content
See above references to verbal abuse. Brief reference to a marriage ended by domestic violence.

Drug Content
Reference to a partner’s cocaine addiction and two dancers’ struggles with alcoholism.

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

The Swans of Harlem Tour Schedule

Visit the other stops and get more information about the book.

February 24th — The Candid Cover

February 25th — The Story Sanctuary (you are here)

February 26th — Lit Lemon Books

February 26th — Tea Time Lit

February 27th — Twirling Book Princess

February 28th — Bloggin’ ’bout Books

Giveaway for The Swans of Harlem

Enter to win a copy of the book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

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

Between the World and Me
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Spiegel & Grau
Published July 14, 2015

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Between the World and Me

“This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.”

In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?
 
Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.

My Review

I listened to an audiobook version of this book that was read by the author. It’s a pretty short book, only about 150 pages divided into three chapters. The first two are much longer than the third chapter.

This is Coates’ letter to his son, and it’s about his experience as a young Black man and his thoughts and experiences about becoming a father to a Black son. While this was published in 2015, it could have been written today. Everything in these pages feels just as relevant today as it did almost ten years ago.

One of the things that the author talks about is his relationship to history and education. Some of the ways he describes his interest in or quest to learn more about history really resonated. He talks about wanting history to have one cohesive narrative in which historians agree, and that instead, he found the opposite: lots of voices with different takes on historical events and their significance.

He also talks about realizing that we simplify historical figures into something that we want them to be. This doesn’t allow room for who they truly were because it removes part of their stories. I want to reread that passage in particular because it’s so true, and he says it so well.

Coates also talks about someone he knew in college whose life was cut short when he was killed by a police officer. He returns to this story several times through the book. Again and again he talks about the idea that in this world, safety means having control of your body. And there are situations in which he does not have a guarantee of that control, including in encounters with police.

He refers to “people who think they are white” many times, which I think comes from a quote attributed to James Baldwin. That gave me some food for thought as well, as it really highlights the made-up-ness of race and the self-assigned value of whiteness. Again, a really concise way to say a big idea, something the author does really well.

Overall, this book delivered a lot of ideas that I want to let percolate. I loved reading this vulnerable, wise letter from a father to his son. It makes sense that this one got the awards and acclaim that it has. It’s definitely worth reading.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Includes use of the N-word very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to falling in love, getting married, and having a child.

Spiritual Content
Coates himself does not believe in God, but he references others that do and the power of that belief in others’ lives.

Violent Content
References to racist comments. Vague references to street fights. References to police violence and death at the hands of a police officer.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

Black Heroes of the Wild West: Featuring Stagecoach Mary, Bass Reeves, and Bob Lemmons
James Otis Smith
TOON Books
September 15, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Black Heroes of the Wild West

True stories from the Wild West, but not like you’ve seen in the movies.

This graphic novel by James Otis Smith celebrates the extraordinary true tales of three black heroes who took control of their destinies and stood up for their communities in the Old West. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Mary Fields became famous as “Stagecoach Mary,” a cigar-chomping, cardplaying coach driver who never missed a delivery. Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi, was one of the wiliest lawmen in the territories, bringing thousands of outlaws to justice with his smarts. Bob Lemmons lived to be 99 years old and was so good with horses that the wild mustangs on the plains of Texas took him for one of their own.

My Review

I stumbled onto this book while looking for resources for Black History Month. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. This book is packed with great information and engaging stories about historical figures in the American West.

The book opens with an introduction from the award-winning Kadir Nelson, who explains the book’s purpose and offers additional context for the work itself. Three biographies presented in graphic novel format follow the introduction. Through these engaging biographies, readers meet Mary Fields, Bass, Reeves, and Bob Lemmons.

Maybe I’d heard of Mary Fields, or “Stagecoach Mary,” as she came to be known, before reading the book. I definitely had not heard of the two men featured in the text. I love how the panels not only give facts about the lives of these incredible people but also reveal their character.

After the graphic novel panels relating those three biographies, there are a few pages of text and photographs that tell more abbreviated information about other Black heroes of the American West. The text also offers a more comprehensive view of what was happening at the time. There’s also a timeline that puts everything into perspective.

Conclusion

This book is as informative as it is engaging. A great pick for anyone interested in learning more about the history of the American West or about Black history.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Stagecoach Mary cared for and worked with nuns for years in Montana.

Violent Content
Vague references to gunfights and outlaws. Nothing graphically shown or described.

Drug Content
References to adults drinking alcohol and smoking cigars.

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