P is for Pam!
Welcome to P day! Naturally I had to choose my letter day to share my thoughts with you, right? I'm so happy to be here today and I am thrilled to share a special book with you. The book is called
P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia
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What's important about this title is that the main characters are children of color, which children's literature is still sorely lacking. The author, Williams-Garcia, is an award winning author and one that I'm thrilled to share with you today. P.S. Be Eleven is the sequel to One Crazy Summer which describes the events of three young sisters who visit their estranged mother in California. Their mother is part of a radical activist group and leads a life very different from the one they are accustomed to living in Brooklyn with their father and grandmother.
As if that glimpse into life in the African American community in the 1960s isn't interesting enough, P.S. Be Eleven continues the story as the girls return to Brooklyn with a new found independence. Aside from the usual struggles of being sisters and starting school, family dynamics and change and the girls witness a relative return from Vietnam and the damage that the conflict has inflicted on him.
I remember being eleven years old. Barely. It's supposed to be a time of discovery and fun. I can't think of a better book to share with you on my name day!
Have you read any of Williams-Garcia's books? Do you have a book that starts with P?
Pam, An Unconventional Librarian
Pam, An Unconventional Librarian
Thanks for sharing that book, I hadn't heard of this author before.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Enjoy the rest of the challenge!
DeleteWhy yes I do! I even have two! Why there's Panda Whispers, by Maine author, Mary Beth Owens; and A Pig Parade, by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by a Mainer, Kevin Hawkes. And of course, my poem - or two! http://mainelywrite.blogspot.com/2014/04/ayuh-to-z-challenge-p.html
ReplyDeleteDonna Smith
The A-to-Z Challenge
http://mainelywrite.blogspot.com
Mainely Write
Let's not forget the Pigeon Wants a Hot dog!
DeleteI have never heard of the author, either. "P.S. Be Eleven " sounds like a good book.
ReplyDelete--As for the book starting with P, on my desk, there happen to be a book titled "Poem into Poem, Reading and writing poems with students of English" by A. Maley and S. Moulding. (Cambridge University Press.)
Poetry and students? Great combo!
DeleteThe book and author are new to me, but wow, I can see how they would appeal to their target audience. I remember being eleven (like you said...barely...) but I do remember how questioning I was of all that was happening around me at the time (Nixon...)
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014
I think I wanted to be a spy when I was 11. Or an astronaut.
DeleteI'll need to check that book out. I love books that allow us to go back in time - for many kids, it allows them to take a time capsule to a time they have not lived in before! My favorite P book is Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco.
ReplyDeleteSue
http://www.door2lore.com/3/post/2014/04/primary-resources-for-storytellerswriterseducators.html
yes, I love Patricia Polacco!
DeleteThis book really sounds like it is worth a read. Thank you so much for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteLittleCely's Blog
you're welcome. let me know if you check it out!
DeleteI have to applaud your P for Pam day post (as that is my real name too). I also like your book recommendation. I'm not familiar with this author, but I'll definitely check on this read.
ReplyDeleteHappy Pam day to you too!
DeleteP.S. Be Eleven. I like that title! It says so much. Sounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteyes, once I found out what it meant, i was all over it!
DeleteMy sister's name is Pam. Book titles beginning with "P"...I just can't think of any on my book shelf at the moment. Have a good day! :)
ReplyDeletehappy Pam day to your sister!
DeleteNo, I haven't read yet. But, will love to read!
ReplyDeleteMy post for today- http://sayantini-bhattacharya.blogspot.in/2014/04/palaces.html
thank you for visiting. I hope you are enjoying the challenge!
DeleteSounds an interesting book. Mine is here:
ReplyDeletehttp://imagery77.blogspot.com/2014/04/prospects-of-good-swing.html
Hank
I haven't heard of Williams-Garcia, but this book sounds wonderful! Thank you for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting!
DeleteBringing new authors (especially the worthy ones you mention) to our attention is really great.
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me it's Easter weekend...so, Happy Easter. Chocolate eggs or not, we must persevere with The Challenge next week...
and eat all the chocolate we can get our hands on, non?
DeleteInteresting book, Pam. A recommendation from a librarian (unconventional, to boot) raises my interest all the time. Was not familiar with the author, no, but with a ten-year old at home, I should go remedy that shortly.
ReplyDeleteSilvia @
SilviaWrites
That must have been a very volatile time for those young girls. Must be a very interesting look into the life of those girls, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete~Mr. McLovin at Fuel For The Furnace
happy name day. My hope for your name day is that in your life time we can describe kids as kids without having to add any other descriptor because no one will see any difference. <3 I remember being 11 and it was tough. Not a little kid but not yet in that teen stage. In between is always awkward.
ReplyDeleteI love that title!
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of this author.
I have heard some great things about this book! I agree that it seems there need to be more books with characters of color for YA. Great post, and thanks for stopping by my P post earlier.
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of this before but it looks great. Thanks for the boost on A to A blogging. This has been an amazing year so far and I've come across some great blogs I have started to follow! Persepolis ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persepolis_%28comics%29 ) is the name of a book I've read, and the movie they made of it...
ReplyDeleteDid you know RITA is the Saint of the IMPOSSIBLE ? #AtoZchallenge ☮Peace ☮ ღ ONE ℒℴνℯ ღ ☼ Light ☼ visiting from http://4covert2overt.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book. =) My favorite P book? Pippi Longstocking! =D
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed your P Day, Pam!