Book Musings with Cattau

        Written by Saraciea Fennell Published by Flatiron Books in 2021 ISBN: 978-1338255812 Plot Summary: This anthology is written through 15 different stories and the purpose is to show that each Latinx person has a different story and a different path. These stories do not have the same experiences and many of them outright talk about the marginalization of the Latinx community. Eres un Pocho was a personal favorite as it talks about the story of Mark Oshiro as a queer transracial adopted kid. It goes through many very sad aspects of his growing up and why he felt like he was a threat to those around him even though he was just trying to live his life. The other standout in this anthology to me was Caution Song by Natasha Diaz as she tells her story through a poem about what it means to be who you are and to be grilled by a stranger about your heritage.  Critical Analysis: This anthology goes through many ups and downs and it does an excellent job of showing that even though people

       Written by Ann Clare LeZotte Published by Scholastic Press in 2020 ISBN: 978-1338255812 Plot Summary: Mary is a deaf girl who lives in Martha's Vineyard in 1805 with her father who is also deaf and her mother and brother who are hearing. Her brother George loses his life after saving Mary from being run over by a carriage and it tears her family apart. Mary is content in her life and dreams of one day being a teacher. She enjoys the company of Ezra who tells her stories about life as a sailor and he is also deaf. A man named Andrew Noble is visiting the island to study the reason behind many occupants being deaf and in doing so decides to kidnap Mary to study her with his boss Dr. Henry Minot. Mary sees how people who are deaf are treated as though they have a psychiatric issue and she sees all the discrimination that happens in Boston. Mary decides to become a teacher to change the hearts and minds of the American people about deafness.  Critical Analysis: Mary is a very to

      Written by Benjamin Alire Saenz Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2012 ISBN: 978-1442408937 Plot Summary: Aristotle is a young Latino boy growing up in El Paso, Texas "who is a mystery even to himself." He doesn't have anyone helping him through his teenage years as his older brother is in prison. He meets a boy named Dante who is unlike any boy that he has ever met as he shows his emotions each and every day. Ari risks his life to save Dante when a car swerves in the street and ends up with broken legs. Dante moves to Chicago where he experiments with kissing girls but finds out that he prefers to kiss boys. Dante gets beaten up and Ari comes to his defense and realizes that he loves him. Ari and Dante grow close and Ari realizes that his parents are human and have big emotions like the ones tied to his brother and Ari finally embraces his true self.  Critical Analysis: This book goes through so many highs and lows and teaches us what it

     Written by Tahereh Mafi Published by HarperCollins in 2018 ISBN:  978-0062866561 Plot Summary: Shirin is a 16 year old Muslim woman who is tired of being stereotyped after 9/11. She is terrorized by people at her school and this causes her parents to move around to find somewhere that is more tolerant. Shirin finds a boyfriend at her new school and he is captain of the basketball team but that causes many issues with the school and his parents. Shirin feels pressured to break up with him.  After joining a breakdancing crew with her brother, Ocean learns about how the school has been treating Shirin and he punches the coach and gets back together with Shirin before her parents decide to move again at the end of the year.  Critical Analysis: This book works through many aspects of life that people who are not in the minority probably won't be familiar with. The themes of racism, fear of peers, and how family influences lives are very apparent throughout the book. Shirin is an ex

    Written and Illustrated by Ed Young  Published by HarperCollins in 2001 ISBN: 978-0060279196 Plot Summary: Monkey comes to the earth through a magical rock that burst and spit him out. Monkey becomes king but he is a restless soul and he wants to go out and have adventures. He learns many fighting tricks and he uses that knowledge to send back the Red Beard Bandit. Monkey comes to battle with bigger armies and does things like splitting himself into hundreds of people but that makes him proud and arrogant. Buddha teaches Monkey a lesson and he loses his power. He meets Black Bear who ends up swallowing him and the magic robe but Monkey kicks so hard that he is let out. Monkey learns his lesson about being proud and boastful.  Critical Analysis: The illustrations are what stand out in this book as the prism and geocentric illustrations are sure to catch the readers eye and the many characters that are introduced are easily recognizable through Young's use of watercolor and color

   Written by Cynthia Kadohata Illustrated By Julia Kuo  Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2013 ISBN: 978-1442474659 Plot Summary: Summer is a 12 year old girl who lives with her family in Kansas. She deals with a bout of malaria which almost takes her life and makes her not trust mosquitos anymore even though she sees them all the time. Her family is hired by Parker Harvesting Company to pick crops. Her parents have to go back to Japan all of a sudden so she is left with her grandparents and her brother Jaz. They get sent to Texas to harvest there but end up in Oklahoma even though they didn't get to see the finished product in Texas. Summer completes the work that is set before her and she gets the full amount of the company when they head back to Kansas where she catches up with her parents and learns the value of hard work.  Critical Analysis: The thing about luck is a coming of age story that shows many different aspects of what it means to be a part of a multig

  Written by Grace Lin Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in 2009 ISBN: 978-0316114271 Plot Summary: Minli and her family live at the bottom of a mountain that is not thriving as it is called Fruitless Mountain. Minli hears a story about the Old Man in the Moon and how he can help save the mountain so she goes on a journey to meet him. Minli goes on a series of quests in order to meet the old man including releasing a goldfish and meeting a flightless dragon. The Old Man will only answer one question so Minli asks to help the flightless dragon and because of her sacrifice, the dragon gifts her with a stone that she gives to the king of her land who gives her seeds so that her family can grow and thrive.    Critical Analysis: The author weaves a tale that teaches many life lessons including being grateful for what you already have, and that hard work and dedication pay off in the end. The cultural markers for this book are very apparent as many different themes and motif

Written and Illustrated by Allen Say Published by Clarion Books in 2009 ISBN: 978-0547237473 Plot Summary: May is the author's mother and this book tells that story of her life that is split between two countries and how that causes a great amount of strife and stress in her life. Masako (her Japenese name) spent her formative years growing up in the U.S. but after graduating high school her family moves back to Japan and she must go with them. She is not used to the customs of Japan but after being set up with a matchmaker, she is able to find her own partner where she creates a home in Yokohama with Joseph her husband.  Critical Analysis: This book is a very well written memoir of Allen Say's mother and the choices that she faced growing up in the U.S. and then abruptly moving to Japan with her parents after high school. The character is shown as a little girl through the story eating traditional Japanese foods as well as eating food that was culturally normal for the U.S. an