Empowering Unsung Women in History
(first published by Paper Lantern Writers, May 2020) To wrap up a month of celebrating motherhood, I thought I’d share some books you might not have read about mothers of famous people. I started searching for historical fiction, but only found two. The others are biography and memoir. I know there’s a lot out there… Continue reading Celebrating Mothers
The Last Aloha, by Gaellen Quinn, is the story of Hawaii's last queen, Queen Liliuokalani, and the power brokers that brought her kingdom to its knees so it could become part of the United States. This is a story most people don't know. King Kalakaua, the last king and Liliuokalanai's brother, could read and write,… Continue reading The Last Aloha
American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt, by Stephanie Marie Thornton, is the story of President Theodore Roosevelt's daughter. I admit that I really didn't know he had a daughter prior to finding this book. The novel does exactly what historical fiction should do. It takes the public record of a rebellious girl… Continue reading American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt
I'll Give You the Sun, by Jandy Nelson, is one of the best magical realism books I've read for Young Adults. It features twins, a boy and a girl, named Noah and Jude. They are coming of age in a world where Jude regularly sees and receives advice from her dead grandmother, and Noah sees… Continue reading I’ll Give You the Sun
Okay For Now, by Gary Schmidt, is the story of a boy who discovers a love of beauty and of himself by learning to appreciate plates from a book of Audubon's birds. Doug is fourteen years old. He is new to town and has no friends. His father abuses him and his brother is a jerk.… Continue reading Okay For Now
