Voices of books

Can we read? No. 121

Hi there! 👋

Lately things have been sideways in our house when it comes to our reading routines. Full disclosure that over my kids’ winter break last month, we didn’t read over breakfast as we usually do, there were several nights when we skipped reading before bed, and I made zero effort to sit down and read aloud at random times a day like I’ve done, well, forever.

I’m telling you this not as a confession — I’m a grown up and can do what I want, even with something so foundational to my parenting I don’t know who I am as a mother without it — but as reassurance and reminder that everything goes through phases and seasons and ups and downs, even the “small” things, even the parts of our lives that are so ingrained we barely even think about them. Things change. We change.

And that’s okay.

And I promise that wherever you feel like you’re failing or falling short, you’re not.

(And for those of you who are like, no, Sarah, listen, I really am failing or falling short: fine. Use that information. Look at your situation squarely, be honest with yourself, and utilize whatever you find to get yourself back on track.)

I read somewhere once — some sort of actual scientific study — that the best caregivers are the ones who try.

That’s it.

The ones who try.

Nowhere did it say you have to be perfect. Nowhere did it say my kids will fail to be readers if I don’t have the energy, patience, or desire (I SAID IT) to read a ton, or even as much as usual, over winter break. Nowhere did it say I love my children less when I fail or fall short, or whatever ruinous verbs I sometimes use to berate myself entirely unnecessarily.

Your trying matters. Every part of it. Every minute of it. Whether we’re talking about reading routines or potty training or managing bad moods or navigating homework or negotiating technology or whatever it may be.

Keep trying, keep going. You’re doing so much better than you think you are.

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The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin (2017)

Set in colorful La Paz, a town where singing and noise are strictly forbidden by the oppressive Mayor, Deedy’s rhymthic tale focuses on Little Rooster, a brave chicken who refuses to be silent, using his loud “Kee-kee-ree-KEE!” to stand up for what’s right in the face of adversity and fight the powers that be.

There is an excellent underlying message here about resilience and the courage to use your voice to bring about positive change, but rather than taking a didactic or heavy-handed approach, Deedy uses her incredible storytelling skills to make this an ultra-satisfying modern fable (brightened by Yelchin’s vibrant oil pastel, colored pencil, acrylic, and gouache illustrations) in its own right, a delight for preschoolers to early elementary kiddos.

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Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brosgal (2016)

This review first appeared in issue No. 8 — I’ve edited and updated it here.

When my brother first saw the cover of this book lying around at my house, he said, “Oh, someone wrote a book about you!” YES; YOU’RE SO FUNNY. (Except he’s right.)

So it’s no wonder that I love this book. I can deeply relate to the starring grandmother here, cooped up in a small house with way too many children. She has a lot of work to do, none of it’s getting done, and she has had it. She tidies up, makes sure the children are taken care of, and hits the road, yelling “LEAVE ME ALONE!” as she goes.

She tries to live with some bears, then some goats, then she climbs to the moon, all to no avail, until she finds a rip in the universe where she is utterly, entirely alone. It’s perfect. Until it’s not.

Sometimes it’s hard for children to understand why grown-ups might need a little time to themselves to recharge and renew their sanity — this title does a strangely elegant job of explaining that through uproarious humor, subtle grace, and incredibly entertaining digital illustrations — while also making clear that leaving and being alone is followed by good-natured coming home.

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Animals Nobody Loves by Seymour Simon (2001)

This is unlikely to be a book you sit down and read with your kiddo cover to cover — I mean, you could, but it would be a long commitment. As such, my children and I read a page or two at bedtime when we first picked it up, and we (all three of us) looked forward to it every night.

This straightforward nonfiction title covers exactly what it says it does: animals nobody loves. Simon, a master in this field, profiles 20 of them — from sharks, vultures, skunks, and bats (let the record show that I, for one, deeply love bats) to hyenas, gila monsters, coyotes, and piranhas — filling a page each with basic but fascinating facts that are sure to capture most kids, preschool to late elementary, interested in animals or the natural world.

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Voices of the People by Joseph Bruchac, artwork and illustration by various artists (2023)

When I first read this collection as part of my work serving as a judge for a children’s literary award, I was left a little speechless by its power: it’s a brilliantly conceived, captivating tapestry of narratives that celebrate the cultural diversity and wisdom of Indigenous peoples, told through poems that capture the essence of individual lives.

Here Bruchac — of Abenaki descent (though I am aware that that is currently up for debate) — brings to life a wide range of famous Indigenous leaders from The Peacemaker in 1000 A.D. to modern-day dancer Maria Tallchief and many others in between. Each poem is accompanied by work from a contemporary tribally enrolled artist — a beautiful and thought-provoking combination that makes this a must-have for any classroom or library, at home, school, or otherwise.

This gorgeous book serves as an essential bridge between the voices of the past and voices of the present, preserving indispensable Native stories, perspectives, and history.

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Thanks for reading today! If you know someone who might enjoy this newsletter too, please pass it on.

Sarah