Rutabaga's Reads 2023: Part 10

This is a compilation post featuring a historical American Girl character. Here, readers get to know nine-year-old Claudie Wells. The year her stories take place is 1922.

Meet Claudie: An American Girl (Aug. 23, 2022) by Brit Bennett.

   Laura Freeman, illustrator.

<This is the first of two books in a series.>

It’s Harlem in NYC during the Roaring ‘20s. Claudie Wells is a nine-year-old girl with her feet stuck on the ground when she’d prefer to be one whose imagination soars. She and her family – Mama, a dedicated reporter; Daddy, an artistic baker and WWI veteran; and Jody, her six-year-old brother – live at Miss Amelia’s boardinghouse. She’s surrounded by talented people who are singers or musicians or artists. Her best friend, Nina, is a terrific dancer, but Claudie is not. Everyone has an obvious talent except for her! When she learns that the boardinghouse has been served with an eviction notice, she comes up with an idea that might bring in the extra funds they need. One of the boarders tells Claudie she’ll help on the condition that Claudie participates in the show. Why? “Because art is about taking risks,” Gwen says (p. 59).

            I realize that American Girl as a Mattel product has been far more commercialized in comparison to its humble beginnings, but I really wish that more people would recognize the importance of the historical characters, both the founding and the much more recently released. These stories celebrate girls. No matter a person’s color, these stories encourage resilience, confidence and kindness. They promote education, even when it’s not fun to read. After all, plenty of history is not fun to read about, but that doesn’t mean we ignore it or watch cat videos instead (though they are understandably distracting). Bennett’s writing is strong, her storytelling strengthening the illustrator’s skilled artwork.

            NOTE 1: There is a message before the story begins that informs readers there are terms used in the stories that are not appropriate today, but are included in the story as “an accurate reflection of how people would have thought and spoken during this time.”

            NOTE 2: I see that there is a third book releasing in January 2024 called “Claudie Finds Her Talent.” It’s a Step 3 Step Into Reading book, so I’m uncertain if it’s considered part of the Claudie series. I’m treating it as separate since it’s a leveled book, and it’s also releasing from a publisher that is not American Girl Publishing.

Adventures With Claudie (June 6, 2023) by Brit Bennett.

   Laura Freeman, illustrator.

<This is the second of two books in a series.>

Traveling from Harlem to Shellman, Georgia, is an adventure for Claudie, for before this trip, she’d only seen a small slice of New York City. This trip is over 1,000 miles with the Model T’s tank holding 10 gallons of gas and able to travel up to 17 miles per gallon. They travel about 30 miles an hour, and it takes Claudie, her mom (Gloria) and Cousin Sidney almost 30 hours of driving time to get there. She’s meeting Grandmother and many other relatives for the first time, including Ross and Mavis, her 11-year-old twin cousins. It will also be a first-time experience for her visiting a farm. Claudie’s looking for inspiration from her family so she can write a sketch for the variety show she’s planning. She’s trying to help the boardinghouse, where her family lives in Harlem, raise money so it can stay open. Claudie’s grandmother tells her a legend from slavery times called The People Could Fly. Is this the inspiration Claudie’s looking for? Or will she be too distracted by Mama, a dedicated newspaper reporter who “never leaves anything alone?”

            Over the decades, I have read a multitude of American Girl books featuring historical characters, and I love the research and care that each of the authors puts into their stories. Through Bennett’s words, my pulse would pound at the tense moments, and I’d feel riled at the condescension. This intensity should not deter young readers from learning of Claudie’s world. I would hope they’d read them and gain historical knowledge they may not have had before. I want readers to have a care for others from a young age, to know how to be compassionate and understanding, to see beyond the color of someone’s skin. These stories are understated, but so important. Please read them!

            P.S. For another story inspired by The People Could Fly, I highly recommend reading the fantasy adventure, middle-grade novel “Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy” by Angie Thomas.

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 3

Am I a grown woman? Yes. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the American Girl (AG) brand. (This post is NOT sponsored by AG or anyone affiliated with AG. Books were purchased by me.)

            This post features AG’s Girl of the Year (GOTY) for 2022: Corinne Tan. Corinne is Asian American (specifically, Chinese). As someone who’s also an Asian American (specifically, Korean), I love that AG is featuring an Asian doll of color!

Corinne (Dec. 30, 2021) by Wendy Wan-Long Shang.

There’s a lot of newness going on in 10-year-old Corinne Tan’s life. She and her younger sister, Gwynn, are about to gain a stepfather. His name is Arne, and when their mom marries him, they all move into his spacious, professionally-designed home in Aspen. There are certain perks, like a fabulous bedroom for the sisters to share and getting a rescue pup, Flurry, from the local shelter, but Corinne is uncomfortable. She hides the truth of her new privilege and living in wealth from her best friend, Cassidy, including when Gwynn begins private skating lessons, because Cassidy thinks all who pay for private lessons are snobs. Then there’s the mean boy who makes xenophobic remarks and the two grown men who say equally bigoted things, making seven-year-old Gwynn cry. Arne seems to want to sweep the negativity under the rug, rather than discuss it. When truths and frustrations come out in a disastrous way, Corinne flees to her home outside of home. But will her survival skills kick in when it becomes clear that she’s lost?

            Props to the author for crafting such an authentic, current story. The COVID-19 pandemic has, unfortunately, brought a lot of xenophobia toward Asians and Asian Americans to light. I appreciate that the author wrote the story as she did. Corinne needs to be able to discuss the hurtfulness of being a racial target, and it annoyed me terrifically when she wasn’t getting that support from her new stepfather. It’s an intensive topic for all ages, but young people are far more observant than adults often give them credit for, and they need to know that open discussions should always be encouraged. I love the addition of Flurry, a rescue pet, one that’s going to be trained to be a search and rescue dog, and the “sister brain” dynamic shows a closeness between the two sisters that I wish all siblings had. This book, aimed at a 3^rd-4^th grade reading level (according to the book), is written with depth while remaining easy to understand and is a fast read.

Corrine to the Rescue (Dec. 30, 2021) by Wendy Wan-Long Shang.

With no snow now that summer’s here, Corrine worries about keeping up with Flurry’s search and rescue training. Fortunately, with advice from Kim, a dog trainer, Corinne learns that there are things Flurry needs to be comfortable doing for summer searches, such as be able to hop into an all-terrain vehicle, climb onto Corinne’s back (to carry one’s dog so the dog conserves strength and energy) and learn to ride in a canoe (if there were snow, it’d be learn to ride in a sled). Corinne is determined to get Flurry up-to-snuff so that Kim will become Corinne’s mentor, but these tasks are harder than expected due to interference from Gwynn. Corinne thinks that having her own bedroom will fix that issue until their mom shares huge news that will change their family forever. Corinne banks her training hopes on their annual camping trip instead, though Arne’s not easily convinced. When disaster strikes during their trip, their training time becomes a real rescue mission. Her family’s safety is at stake!

            As expected of all AG stories, this is another cute tale with a good message. Life can bring big changes no matter the age, as Corinne experiences in this story with her mom’s news. She’s also written with a good head on her shoulders when she seeks out aid with Cassidy and Flurry with her, though she isn’t 100% brave 100% of the time, making her character more realistic and believable. It’s an adventure-turned-rescue-mission with a sweet bundle of joy at the end. For anyone who follows AG stories, these aren’t to be missed, and I would hope libraries would add them to their collections, especially if they already carry AG books.

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 2

While straightening books on a Sunday at my workplace library, I came across a set of books that caught my eye. The title character’s name is Mindy Kim, so I immediately wondered to myself if she’s Korean. Yes. It took me naught but a nanosecond to decide I needed to check out the books offered in the library right away. (But I waited to start the first book until I got home. While I love reading, I won’t abuse the time for which I’m being paid.)

            These stories are chapter books for intermediate readers with a level above picture books but not yet ready for middle-grade. According to the copyright page, the series’ target audience are readers ages 6-9.

            The series is by Lyla Lee. Dung Ho is the illustrator.

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business (Jan. 14, 2020).

Moving is hard. Being the only Asian (Korean) American in her new school makes it even harder for seven-and-a-half-year-old Mindy Kim (Korean name: Min-jung). On her first day of school, she declares that lunch is already her favorite subject, but her tune changes when her usual lunch of rice, kimchi, rolled eggs and dried seaweed snacks that she always ate in California don’t go over well with her classmates at Wishbone Elementary in Florida. When a new friend, Sally, asks to try a seaweed snack – “My mom always says I should try things out before I decide I don’t like them.” – interest amongst her other classmates is aroused, and they become so popular that she begins trading them for other snacks. Trading turns to selling them for money, which gets Mindy, Sally and a boy named Brandon in trouble. How can Mindy untangle this mess and resume her new friendship with Sally?

            Having spent all of my years within the same school district (Preschool – 12^th Grade), I’ve never had to be the “new kid,” but being the one who stands out based on her Asian appearance is something I understand greatly (even as an adult in all the workplaces I’ve been in). That the main character isn’t only Asian American, but specifically, Korean American, resonates with me, and her character’s perspective is valuable and needed in fiction literature (for any age). Yes, Mindy’s a kid who wants to make friends, fit in and get a puppy. But Mindy’s also a kid who’s known grief (her mom is deceased after a long illness) and notices her dad’s grief. She’s been exposed to micro-aggressions, but is clearly dearly loved by her dad (appa). Mindy’s voice is authentic for her age and the significance of weighty issues isn’t lessened by her age, nor made to sound beyond what a young person might construe about such weight. The illustrations are black-and-white, but complement the story to a T.

Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year Parade (Jan. 14, 2020).

A new year means a new lunar new year, too. (In 2022, Lunar New Year began on Feb. 1.) Mindy isn’t looking forward to it, as it’s the first one without her mom, but her dad really wants to attend the parade in Orlando. She wants her dad to be happy, so she is willing to go and is able to bring her BFF, Sally, who’s excited to attend. Mindy’s hanbok (“a traditional Korean dress that people wear on holidays and special occasions”) that her mom bought her last year still mostly fits, which is a plus. Unfortunately, the parade doesn’t go as planned – there are no Korean performers – and when the girls are distracted by an entry in the parade route, they rush off, thinking Mr. Kim is right behind them, except he isn’t. Despite unexpected turns-of-events, will Mindy find fun in her day and turn disappointment into success? And why is her dad acting so weird around Julie, his coworker whom he runs into at the parade?

            While I grew up in a Caucasian household, I’m not without knowledge of some Korean things. For example, I love that Mindy wears a hanbok to the parade. I happen to have two. I received my first one when I was right around Mindy’s age, and the style is very similar to the one Mindy’s wearing on the cover, but the colors are slightly different. That was a gift from a paternal uncle, who, in those years, spent a lot of time traveling for his job, including trips to Korea. The second one came in my early 20s, a gift from a college friend who, unlike me, grew up in Korea within a Korean family. She and her mom picked it out, and to this day, that hanbok remains such a special gift!

            Reading this story makes me want to eat all kinds of Korean food! Anybody with me?

Mindy Kim and the Birthday Puppy (June 9, 2020).

Turning eight is a big deal when you’ve been working so hard to prove you’re responsible enough for a puppy! And that is exactly what Mindy has been doing, even going so far as to not have all of her stuffed animals on her bed at one time. Having a birthday party with her dad, her dad’s girlfriend (Julie) and her classmates with her favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream cake is great, but the very best thing is getting a puppy. She names her rescue pup Theodore, because his bushy face kind of reminds her of Teddy Roosevelt, whom they’ve been learning about in class. What she doesn’t realize is exactly how much work it is to train and take care of a puppy. From potty training to teaching commands like “Sit!” to learning that wrecking things isn’t okay to making other doggy friends, Mindy worries that her dad may want to return Theodore. Fortunately, Mindy is armed with lots of love and a bag of treats, and she’s on a mission to make Theodore a part of the Kim family, trained and all!

            Anyone who’s ever had a puppy knows how much work they are – and how adorable they are – and can therefore empathize! I appreciate how these stories continue to have plots that aren’t out-of-proportion for a typical eight-year-old. This one is friendly and sweet.

            I know not everyone is a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream, but I happen to be a big fan of it, so I LOVE that it’s Mindy’s favorite. (I wouldn’t say it’s MY favorite, but that’s only because I can’t choose a favorite.)

Mindy Kim, Class President (Sept. 15, 2020).

Vote Mindy, Vote Snacks! Mindy has decided to run for class president of Room 303 at Wishbone Elementary. She likes to be kind to everyone, she wants to be friends with everyone, and she enjoys giving out snacks, especially when sharing snacks opens others’ eyes to many of the Korean snacks she so loves to munch on. Mindy is excited to run for class president, but she’ll have to write a speech and present it in front of her entire class, according to their teacher, Mr. Brady. Can Mindy face her fear of speaking in front of people and prove to others, particularly herself, that she can do this and do it successfully? Will she win the majority vote?

            Of the five Mindy Kim books in this post, this is the only one that my local library didn’t have. I’m not sure why they skipped this fourth book. While chapter books may be thought of as simple, I found this story to have depth in Mindy putting in practice and hard work to overcome a fear of speaking in front of others. This also makes the story realistic, because I remember how scary I thought speaking or performing in front of others was! No joke; I was that little girl that would walk onto a stage and then walk right back off! I grew up to find speaking in front of an audience is one of my strengths, but that was definitely not the case when I was in elementary school.

Mindy Kim and the Trip to Korea (June 8, 2021).

It’s Mindy’s first time in Korea! She is nervous to travel so far (Florida and South Korea are very far apart), she knows she’s going to miss Theodore, and she’s nervous about meeting her uncle and cousins in person for the first time. She finds out what jet lag is and is unsure of Korea at first with its unfamiliarity, but soon she’s conversing with her relatives in Korean to the best of her ability, picking out souvenirs and even getting fitted for a hanbok that fits her nine-year-old self. She even helps Julie, her dad’s girlfriend, make kimbap, with a very interesting result on the first attempt, reminding her that it is always okay to ask for help. Surrounded by family, delicious Korean food made by her halmeoni (grandma) and the excitement of visiting places like Seoul (Korea’s capital) and enjoying mulnori (Korean word for “playing in the water”), Mindy is in for the trip of a lifetime. The two weeks that look so far out at the start of the trip, when it still looks intimidating, will actually fly by quick-as-a-wink!

            I’ve been saying this for awhile now, and I’ll say it again many more times, but I want to visit Korea again so much. Korea isn’t home to me; I am a tourist when I go, but I so enjoyed my visit there way back in 2009. I am a strong proponent of traveling, domestic and international, as it is so eye-opening to so many cultures. I want all people to embrace other cultures and not be afraid to learn about them and ask questions!

 

Overall Thoughts: Although my story doesn’t exactly coincide with Mindy’s, to have been introduced to a character who “looks like me” when I was little would’ve been amazing, which means I appreciate these stories all the more as an adult. These stories have real-world flair, but are understandable for young readers making the step from picture books to intermediate stories. Mindy shows us kindness and friendship go a long way, even when it isn’t reciprocated. She also brings us a lesson in culture, as some may not know about Korea, despite the popularity of things like K-pop and K-dramas.

Rutabaga's Reads 2021: Part 8

The newest historical character from American Girl is Courtney Moore. She’s an 80s child; her stories take place in 1986. Although American Girl is currently owned by Mattel, I remember when it was under its original owner, the Pleasant Company. And considering that the American Girl brand came into existence by featuring historical character dolls, all of the historical characters hold a special place in my heart. I continue to maintain that these stories can be marketed as chapter books or lower middle-grade novels.

Courtney Changes the Game (Oct. 1, 2020) by Kellen Hertz.

When it comes to the arcade, Courtney Moore is an ace gamer, but it isn’t always so easy to reach the next level in real life. Nine-year-old Courtney lives with her mom (Maureen), stepdad (Mike D’Amico), stepsister (Tina) and half-brother (Rafi). She normally visits her dad (Bruce) on the weekends, but every weekend will turn to one weekend a month. Since her dad’s promotion, he’s moving to a city further away. This creates friction with Tina, whom she already shares a room with, who balks at having to share her room with Courtney most weekends. And the fact that Courtney’s guinea pig, Parsley, is also moving into their room? The worst. Add in that Courtney’s mom is running for mayor (if elected, she’d be the first female mayor of Orange Valley, California), and their blended family has even more to work around. In school, Courtney and her classmates are readying to watch the Challenger launch. It inspires her to invent her own female superhero video game featuring Crystal Starshooter. Now, Courtney wishes she could be as brave and confident as her imaginary superhero.

            Ah, the 80s. Leg warmers. Side ponytails. Caboodles. Scrunchies. Give me all the scrunchies. While people now may question the fashion of that decade – or show renewed enthusiasm for it – it was more than the clothes they’re known for. The 80s introduced a new president in Ronald Reagan and the early 80s found many Americans struggling financially. Family life was different. Like with Courtney’s family, more families were blended or single-parent families. Many of those two-parent families found that they needed two incomes to keep up with the bills. There was the Challenger disaster. But there were also rad things like Cabbage Patch dolls and the launch of MTV. As a youth in a blended family, Courtney works to figure out her own family-school-life balance. Life isn’t usually easy for adults, and it isn’t always easy for kids, either, as Hertz’s story shows. The first book in Courtney’s duology is adorable and also tubular, but it’s not without turbulence.

Courtney – Friendship Superhero (Feb. 16, 2021) by Kellen Hertz.

Fourth grade is a step up, because now Courtney and her best friend, Sarah Barrett, can perform in show choir together. Courtney is continuing her adventures with her made-up superhero Crystal Starshooter, and she has the full support of Sarah and their other good friend Kip Tomatsu (who’s also into gaming like Courtney). New to the arcade is Isaac Wells, as he recently moved to California from Ohio. He’s an epic gamer, and they form an epic friendship. She includes him in Crystal Starshooter’s game world, as it seems only natural, and he gets along great with Sarah and Kip. Crystal and Isaac end up with the same fourth grade teacher, Ms. Markarian, and she’s so happy to have one friend in the same classroom. When Courtney learns that Isaac is fighting HIV, Courtney is quick to support him, even when the people around them say mean things because of their lack of knowledge on the subject. Those people are afraid and lashing out. But Sarah is one of those who’s very afraid and believes the rumors, and it affects their friendship. Courtney wants to be bold and brave like Crystal, but that is scary and complicated to Courtney. How can she reassure Sarah that they are still best friends, and she doesn’t like one friend more than the other, it’s just that Isaac needs her more right now? How can she help educate the uninformed?

            Without a doubt, this story felt more weighted than the first. For those unaware, HIV was first reported in 1981, though it didn’t yet have a name, nor did researchers yet know that HIV was the virus that caused AIDS. Ryan White was 13 years old in 1984 when he was diagnosed with AIDS after receiving a contaminated clotting agent to help manage his hemophilia. He was told he’d live for six months, but lived for six years, passing away in April 1990. Like with the storyline created for Isaac, Ryan and his family were treated so horribly that they moved away.

            I am fortunate to have grown up in a household where my parents expected my brothers and me to treat others well, no matter what. I would’ve been like Courtney, befriending Isaac and supporting him. Reading the story of Isaac’s maltreatment – and even Courtney’s – is heartbreaking and maddening, but it makes the story all the more powerful. Being bold and brave like Courtney doesn’t mean never having vulnerable moments. It’s just part of being human, and that’s an okay thing. Like, totally.

Rutabaga's Reads 2021: Part 5

You know I couldn’t go through this year without talking about American Girl 2021’s Girl of the Year (GOTY), Kira Bailey. While I do believe these books are now marketed as middle-grade, they also read as chapter books. In other words, for intermediate readers, where much of the book contains prose, but also contains occasional pictures to accompany what the reader’s read.

Kira Down Under (Dec. 26, 2020) by Erin Teagan.

Summer vacation has arrived, and Kira is excited to travel with her mom to a wildlife sanctuary in the Australian bush run by her Aunt Mamie and her wife, Auntie Lynette. Mamie is a veterinarian, which is what Kira wants to be when she’s older, as she loves caring for animals. She falls instantly in love with Bean, an orphaned koala joey, but she soon learns that rehabilitation involves releasing animals back into the wild, hard as that is when one grows attached. Kira meets the Curry family: Alexis is almost 11, her mom is the vet nurse at Bailey Wildlife Sanctuary, and her dad is the ranger. Kira regards Alexis as a quick friend, but she envies that Alexis is living the life she wishes she were living. When the two of them wind up in a spat around the same time she puts the wombats in danger with an unknown predator on the loose, while Mamie’s in the hospital with an emergency health issue, Kira feels she can do nothing right.

            Remembering that we were all 10 years old once is helpful when it seems a character is being too dramatic or immature, and because of that, I believe that Teagan represented the character’s age well. There are many people of all ages, the young included, that have passion projects, and caring for animals is obviously Kira’s. I appreciate that she’s portrayed as having a nurturing nature and educates herself, but is presented with the struggle of having to let the wildlife they care for go. It feels authentic. As all American Girl stories do, they celebrate all girls. I hope this story encourages others to be active responders in any “do-something situation” and ignites a flame for traveling (if one doesn’t already enjoy traveling)!

Kira’s Animal Rescue (Dec. 26, 2020) by Erin Teagan.

How far would you go if you thought you’d found an animal widely believed to be extinct? Kira and, begrudgingly, Alexis, team up with PhD student Evie to attempt to track the paradise parrot. Unfortunately, bushfires are threatening the sanctuary. Evacuating the wilderness vet clinic is daunting enough, but it’s downright overwhelming to Kira to include evacuating all of the wild animals, too. The sanctuary has a roundabout number, but 200 acres is a lot to cover, especially when all of the animals must be evacuated. Kira becomes desperate to save a wallaby joey who jumps out of his mother’s pouch and rushes off. During this time, Evie has become practically obsessed with finding proof of the paradise parrot. She goes out to the parrot’s habitat despite the threat of the bushfire. When Kira discovers something disturbing, will she have the courage to speak up?

            Of the two, I liked this story even more. I’ve never been to Australia (or New Zealand, but someday, hopefully) and so cannot truly fathom the intensity of what it would mean to have to evacuate because of bushfires or even the threat of one. When Kira, others at the sanctuary and volunteers in the area arrive to help evacuate the animals, the reader can feel the gravity of the situation and the fluttering fear at the thought of not saving the wildlife. Yes, there is sweetness to the tale – it’s an American Girl book, after all – but there is weight to it. It’s not all bouncing kangaroos and inquisitive wombats, but drought-fueled bushfires and catching a lie, too. This story encourages action against climate change and highlights some young ladies who are global changemakers.