HFE, Stop Buying Books Challenge

I told myself to stop buying books until I finished at least one of the books I’m currently reading…

This post is a testament to how I majestically failed.

So let’s do a 📚 book 📚 haul 📚 for April 2023!

I’ve never done one of these before, so even I’m wondering what I’ll come up with~. And I’m the one who bought the books 😅.

1. That Flag
   • Picture book; recommended for ages 6-10.
   • People involved: Tameka Fryer Brown (author); Nikkolas Smith (illustrator).
   • Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books.
   • Reasons to read That Flag:
     • In the writer’s own words: “[to] foster transformative conversations that lead to change”.
     • I thought about writing something snarky about white parents needing a way to talk to their kids about white supremacy, subtly acknowledging that Black parents find a way just fine; but I don’t have it in me to be snarky about this subject matter. So with sincerity, I lead your attention this way for all your uncomfortable-talks-about-race-and-history-needs.
     • Nonfiction fans will feast on the notes and sources in the back. I myself am planning on reading them when I can.
       • Taking Down the Confederate Flag; Facing History & Ourselves.
       • (1861) Alexander H. Stephens, “Cornerstone Speech”; BlackPast.
       • The Lost Cause: Definition and Origins; American Battlefield Trust.
       • How the Confederate battle flag became an enduring symbol of racism; Erin Blakemore; National Geographic.
       • The Declaration of Causes of Seceding States; American Battlefield Trust.
       • I’ll throw in a few of my own suggestions for good measure. Watch them all at once with this nifty youtube playlist!
         • Confederacy; Last Week Tonight.
         • The Ongoing Battle to Remove Confederate Statues; Beyond the Scenes.
         • Mitch Landrieu – Confronting Confederate Myths with “In the Shadow of Statues”; The Daily Show.
         • Critical Race Theory; Last Week Tonight.
         • U.S. History; Last Week Tonight.
         • The Battle Over Critical Race Theory; Beyond the Scenes.
         • South African vs. American Culture; Between the Scenes.
   • My favorite page features Kiera’s parents hugging her “[f]or an extra long time” the night before the story’s fateful field trip. The characters’ expressions are palpable, and the lighting is amazing and moody.
   • Another favorite passage involves Kiera and Bianca in the cafeteria together.
     • At school the next day, I wait for Bianca to say something about the pictures.
       
       She talks about her puppy instead.
       
       I guess those pictures didn’t bother her.
       
       I guess we’re not the same.
       
       I guess we’re not best friends after all.
2. Poems for Nighttime
   • Poetry anthology.
   • People involved: Rich Hazelton (interior design); Yehrin Tong (cover illustration); Melissa Farris (cover design).
   • Publisher: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
   • Why I bought it:
     • To be the moody goth teen I never got to be when I was a teen cuz my mom thought wearing all black would mark me as a gangster… in New Hampshire . The only other people in NH who were as obsessed with gangsters as she was were the losers in my middle schoo. They wanted to be gangsters… in New Hampshire.
     • Apparently, it’s National Poetry Month; so I guess it behooves me to read some poetry eventually.
     • The cover is gorgeous. I especially love how Tong shaped the moon amongst the leaves.
3. Magical Princess Harriet: Chessed (World of Compassion)
   • Middle grade fantasy.
   • People involved: Rabbi Leiah Moser (author, designer, typesetter); Magdealena Zweirzchowska (illustrator).
   • Publisher: Dag Gagol.
   • Why I bought it:
     • Tran and autistic Jewish rep!
     • Plot sounds interesting: middle schooler with gender gender feelings is told he’s a magical princess who must save his school from the forces. of. evil!
4. Everblade
   • Fantasy.
   • People involved: G M Browning (author); Steven Novak (cover design); Marny K Parkin (book design).
   • Publisher: WiDō Publishing.
   • Why I bought it:
     • Cover: sword wreathed in rainbow flames.
     • Author is a fellow New Hampshirite.
     • It was in the used book section. It’s hard to argue with an $8 book covered in rainbow flames.
5. Moonflower
   • Middle grade fantasy.
   • People involved: Kacen Callender (author); Daniel Minter (jacket illustration); Elizabeth B Parisi (jacket design, book design); Abby Dening (book design).
   • Publisher: Scholastic Press.
   • Reasons I bought it:
     • Summary has me hooked! I won’t lie, it’s also super relatable to me. A kid prefering to live in a fantasy world cuz reality sucks? Yes please!
     • The summary on the jacket doesn’t make it seem like the book will condemn Moon for doing so either. Moon has to save this other world, after all. Thus, I’m looking forward to positive mental illness rep.
     • I actually din’t notice the they/them pronouns until my mom was reading the jacket, and I’m looking forward to rep for people who use something other than the popular pronouns.
     • I love the typography for the book title. It’s so comforting and cozy. Reminds me of a poster for a wholesome movie.
6. The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
   • Nonfiction: History, Race, and Politics.
   • People involved: Richard Rothstein (author); Steve Attardo (cover design).
   • Publisher: Liveright.
   • Why I bought it:
     • Recced by Hachiko and some of eir friends.
7. Rima’s Rebellion: Courage in a Time of Tyranny
   • Middle grade, coming-of-age, historical fiction-poetry.
   • People involved: Margarita Engle (author); Reka Simonsen (editor) Carina Guevara (jacket illustration); Rebecca Syracuse (jacket design and interior design).
   • Publisher: Atheneum.
   • Why I bought it:
     • Horse! More animals in stories, please.
     • This was the book that told me it was National Poetry Month. Out of all the books in the display, this interested me the most. Poems for Nighttime was in another section of the store.
8. Dead Silence
   • Sci-fi horror.
   • People involved: S A Barnes (author); Timo Noack (cover art); Katie Klimowicz (cover design).
   • Publisher: Tor Nightfire.
   • Why I bought it:
     • A desperate salvage crew stuck in a haunted space ship? I’m in!
9. Last Sunrise in Eterna
   • Young adult fantasy.
   • People involved: Amparo Ortiz (author); Tamara Grasty (editor) Rosie Stewart (cover and book design); Nicole Medina (cover illustration).
   • Publisher: Page Street Publishing Company.
   • Why I bought it:
     • Puerto Rican rep!
     • Elves! Will I finally move the fuck on from my childhood love of Legolas of the Woodland Realm? Stay tuned to find out!
     • Magic!
     • Badass goth girl! I’m serious about living that goth teen life. Gangster-fearing white women can’t stop me now!!!
10. The School for Good Mothers
    • Dystopia sci-fi.
    • People involved: Jessamine Chan (author); Grace Han (cover design); Jaya Miceli (cover design); Carly Loman (interior design).
    • Publisher: Marysue Rucci Books / Scribner.
    • Why I bought it:
      • Interesting premise: Big Brother goes after “bad” mothers.

🦄🧝‍♂️🚀

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