Deb Nance
Who is the most beautiful bird? Blackbird, of course. All the other birds, all colors of the rainbow, envy Blackbird his beauty, and they beg Blackbird to share a bit of his beautiful black color with them. And so he does, painting black on the neck of a dove, and adding black spots here on this bird, and putting black lines there on another bird.
A celebration of the color black based on a folktale from Zambia.
Julilly is sold away from her mother and is taken to work on a cotton farm in the deep South. Before she leaves, her mother tells her about the promise of freedom in Canada. Julilly befriends Liza, a girl who has attempted to run away but was captured and severely beaten. They meet an ornithologist from Canada who uses his profession as a cover to help the enslaved escape to freedom, and he helps the two girls along with two young men get started on the road to Canada.
What a great story!
A 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.
I've been waiting to read Braiding Sweetgrass for more than a year until my book club read it together, but the wait was worth it...What a book! Robin Wall Kimmerer uses her Native American traditions and her scientific knowledge of plants to offer up ways for people in the world to step back from our wasteful and destructive ways and to save our planet. And all of this, she tells us, can be done by taking one small step at a time.
Kimmerer focuses on healing through gratitude and reciprocity. I am fascinated with these concepts and I love the idea of applying them to everything we do in the world.
I have so many quotes from this book that I love.
“If we want to grow good citizens, then let us teach reciprocity. If what we aspire to is justice for all, then let it be justice for all of Creation.”
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (pp. 116-118). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
‘I looked around at the garden and could feel her delight in giving us these beautiful raspberries, squash, basil, potatoes, asparagus, lettuce, kale and beets, broccoli, peppers, brussels sprouts, carrots, dill, onions, leeks, spinach. It reminded me of my little girls' answer to “How much do I love you?” “Thiiiiiiiis much,” with arms stretched wide, they replied. This is really why I made my daughters learn to garden—so they would always have a mother to love them, long after I am gone.'
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 122). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
“I spend a lot of time thinking about our relationships with land, how we are given so much and what we might give back. I try to work through the equations of reciprocity and responsibility, the whys and wherefores of building sustainable relationships with ecosystems. All in my head. But suddenly there was no intellectualizing, no rationalizing, just the pure sensation of baskets full of mother love. The ultimate reciprocity, loving and being loved in return.”
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (pp. 122-123). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
“The old teachings recognized that Windigo nature is in each of us, so the monster was created in stories, that we might learn why we should recoil from the greedy part of ourselves. This is why Anishinaabe elders like Stewart King remind us to always acknowledge the two faces—the light and the dark side of life—in order to understand ourselves. See the dark, recognize its power, but do not feed it.”
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 306). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
‘We are all complicit. We've allowed the “market” to define what we value so that the redefined common good seems to depend on profligate lifestyles that enrich the sellers while impoverishing the soul and the earth.'
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 307). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
“The fear for me is far greater than just acknowledging the Windigo within. The fear for me is that the world has been turned inside out, the dark side made to seem light. Indulgent self-interest that our people once held to be monstrous is now celebrated as success. We are asked to admire what our people viewed as unforgivable.”
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 308). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
“For what good is knowing, unless it is coupled with caring? Science can give us knowing, but caring comes from someplace else.”
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 345). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
‘It has been said that people of the modern world suffer a great sadness, a “species loneliness”—estrangement from the rest of Creation.'
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 358). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
‘“You might not get to be around those other fires very often,” he says, “but there's fire you must tend to every day. The hardest one to take care of is the one right here,” he says, tapping his finger against his chest. “Your own fire, your spirit. We all carry a piece of that sacred fire within us. We have to honor it and care for it. You are the firekeeper.”'
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 364). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
“...I believe the answer is contained within our teachings of “One Bowl and One Spoon,” which holds that the gifts of the earth are all in one bowl, all to be shared from a single spoon. This is the vision of the economy of the commons, wherein resources fundamental to our well-being, like water and land and forests, are commonly held rather than commodified. Properly managed, the commons approach maintains abundance, not scarcity. These contemporary economic alternatives strongly echo the indigenous worldview in which the earth exists not as private property, but as a commons, to be tended with respect and reciprocity for the benefit of all.”
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 376). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
“We are all bound by a covenant of reciprocity: plant breath for animal breath, winter and summer, predator and prey, grass and fire, night and day, living and dying. Water knows this, clouds know this. Soil and rocks know they are dancing in a continuous giveaway of making, unmaking, and making again the earth.”
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 383). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
“The moral covenant of reciprocity calls us to honor our responsibilities for all we have been given, for all that we have taken. It's our turn now, long overdue. Let us hold a giveaway for Mother Earth, spread our blankets out for her and pile them high with gifts of our own making. Imagine the books, the paintings, the poems, the clever machines, the compassionate acts, the transcendent ideas, the perfect tools. The fierce defense of all that has been given. Gifts of mind, hands, heart, voice, and vision all offered up on behalf of the earth. Whatever our gift, we are called to give it and to dance for the renewal of the world. In return for the privilege of breath.”
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass (p. 384). Milkweed Editions. Kindle Edition.
Oh, this is delightful. All the most wonderful parts of Anne of Green Gables are in this lovely graphic novel. If you, like me, feel like Anne is your bosom friend...or even if you've never experienced Anne at all...I encourage you to read this wonderful graphic novel adaptation.
And I read this on my Kindle, and it was easy to read as the screen moved from box to box perfectly..
Peter and the Wolf is the story of the classic symphony. Author/illustrator Chris Raschka uses onomatopoeia and other poetic devices to recreate the musical depiction of the action in the story, and it's a strong and fresh way to do so. The illustrations capture the action of the story, snapping the characters right in the middle of movement.
Nasreen has not spoken since soldiers took away her parents, and now she is forbidden to attend school. To help her, Nasreen's grandmother enrolls her in a secret school for girls. As time passes, Nasreen makes a friend, learns many things, and gradually begins to speak again.
Based on a true story set in Afghanistan.
A man on a horse is on the road to the city of Lhasa. He sees an old woman and asks her how far it is to the city. Very far, she tells him. You will never make it there by evening. The man on the horse speeds on his way. A boy walking with his yak is on the road to Lhasa. He sees an old woman and asks how far it is to the city. She tells him, Very far, but you can make it by night. The boy walks faithfully on. Eventually he comes across a man asleep with his horse on the side of the road, and he wants to stop with the exhausted pair, but he continues on. And he makes it to Lhasa.
A lovely gentle story with lots to teach us all set in Tibet.
I had been listening to this audiobook for several days when I ran across this passage:
“I just couldn't stop worrying about everything.
‘Kaia, just relax,' my mom had said.
‘I'm trying as hard as I can,' I exclaimed.”
Oh my, I thought. I remember that. In fact, I'd written it down; I liked it so much.
Still later, I found this passage:
REMEMBER THESE THINGS
1. You are responsible for your own experience.
2. Start each day with gratitude.
3. Whenever possible, ignore or avoid anything that makes you feel bad.
4. Keep a mental portfolio of happy thoughts you can refer back to regularly.
5. Exercise until you sweat at least three times a week.
6. Look for opportunities to smile and laugh.
7. Walk outside, look around, and marvel at what a miracle it all is.
8. Indulge your five senses in some form of pleasure every day.
9. When in doubt, drink more water and eat more vegetables.
10. If you are having relationship troubles with your spouse, make love. Most of the time that will solve it.
11. Nothing is ever as big a deal as you think it is.
12. Complaining about something is telling the universe you'd like a second helping, please.
13. You don't have to be defined or limited by your hardships.
14. There's no such thing as failure, only research and plot twists.
15. When things are hard, remember you are on the verge of a breakthrough.
16. The key to success isn't intelligence or money; it's faith.
17. Parking spots and cookies are just as easy to manifest as dream jobs and financial abundance.
18. The universe has a creative way to fulfill all your desires beyond what you can imagine. Your fear and worry only get in the way.
19. Look for ways to say yes instead of no.
20. Always come back to gratitude.
Oh yes, I copied these into my journal, too.
Clearly I needed to read this book again.
So I did. Over and over. I listened to the whole book once, twice, and then I randomly went back and listened to the chapters I enjoyed the most.
Very, very helpful book.
A group of children go into the forest to gather firewood. Suddenly they see the terrible troll-bird. It threatens to take their horse, so off they flee. But the children gather up their courage and come up with a plan to end the life of the terrible troll-bird, and the whole village celebrates by eating the roasted bird. In come the trolls, angry that their troll-bird has been eaten. But the children know how to deal with trolls, too.
A beautifully illustrated, action-packed folktale from Norway.
Abuela has loved Niña from the moment she was born. The two spend a lot of time together. Abuela decides she wants to buy Niña a very special gift and she starts setting money aside to do that. But much time goes back and the money becomes worthless. What can Abuela do now?
A charming little story set in Mexico.
Almaz, a girl who lives in the mountains of Ethiopia, wants to become the best beekeeper in Lalibela, but she is scorned by the men of her village for her ambition. Nevertheless, despite many obstacles, she presses on and she eventually wins the respect of the men of her village for her beekeeping skills.
A story of overcoming obstacles.
In an unusual move, the author of this book contacted the illustrator for the right to create a story based on the beautiful artwork the illustrator had made using collages of stones. The author used the collages to tell the story of a happy child who had to flee Syria with her family to escape the dangers of war.
Amazing illustrations. Set in Syria.
Life is What You Bake It: Recipes, Stories & Inspiration to Bake Your Way to the Top is the journey of Vallery Lomas, the first Black woman to win The Great American Baking Show. She shares her adventure of going from being a lawyer, working in a field she did not enjoy, to finding her life's passion as a baker. She also shares stories of the lives of her family and their influences on her baking.
Vallery and I have a lot in common, and I think that's one of the things I enjoyed so much about her book. Like me, Vallery had one grandmother from the country and one from the city, and her baking reflects these two diverse cultural influences. Like me, Vallery is driven to add that little extra something to each bake to surprise and amaze her audience. Like me, Vallery loves France and delights in trying her own takes on French baking.
So, now, the important question...What recipes are calling out to me? Here are the recipes I plan to try first...
Accordian Biscuits...
I am always in search of the best biscuit recipe, and this one, with its layers, looks promising.
Cornmeal Pancakes...
I'm intrigued with the idea of using cornmeal in pancakes.
French Toast...
Olive Oil-Chunk Chocolate Cookies...
Another bucket list dream of mine is to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie.
Picnic Peach Cobbler...
I've never made a cobbler. Maybe I've been waiting for this recipe with orange zest and brandy.
Lemon Surprise Tart...
What's the surprise? Candied ginger!
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Old-School Dinner Rolls...
I pride myself on my amazing dinner roll recipe. But could this one be even better?
Hot Skillet Cornbread...
I've got a sure-fire cornbread recipe, too, but this one, with creamed corn? Got to try it!
There are a dozen more recipes—One-Bowl Blueberry Buckle, Cake Truffles, Lemon-Honey Madelines—that I also want to try.
Update: I did try the Hot Skillet Cornbread with creamed corn in it. What did I think? It stayed moist for several days, and it had a delicious taste.
I also made the Olive-Oil Chunk Chocolate Cookies. My brother-in-law said they were one of the best chocolate chip cookies he has ever eaten.
I will make more from this cookbook.
Chandra and her sister Deena are at the market to get things to help with their brother's cough, a cough made worse by the smoky lamp they use in their homes. While they are there, the girls see a lantern that runs on solar power. They are determined to find a way to buy it for their family.
A great story of resolve set in Nepal.
Cateura, Paraguay is a town built on a garbage dump. To survive, most of the people of the town must scavenge through the garbage. As the children get older, they start to join gangs and to cause trouble. Then a man comes to the town and begins to teach music lessons. There are not enough instruments for all the children, so the adults scavenge through the garbage to make their own instruments. The children form an orchestra with recycled instruments and it becomes famous as the Recycled Orchestra.
A story of hope set in Paraguay.
Mama and Baby go to market. While Mama shops, people offer Baby treats which Baby stows in the basket on Mama's head. Eventually, the basket becomes very heavy, and Mama is startled to find it filled with all sorts of things.
A delightful cumulative story that includes number concepts along with beautiful illustrations. Set in Nigeria.
The women of Iceland have a problem: it's too difficult for them to gather the eggs of the birds that nest on the cliffs. They bought chickens to get eggs more easily, but soon a new problem arose...the chickens wanted to act like the women and didn't want to lay eggs. Now the women must find a way to solve this problem, too.
A gentle story set in Iceland.
Neftali grew up in Chile, and loved words and nature. He saw problems in the world around him and he began to write poems to address them. His father did not wish him to become a poet, so Neftali took on the pen name of Pablo Neruda. He became one of the most famous poets in the world, known for being a poet of the people.
A biography set in Chile.
A young girl goes to stay with Auntie Luce in Haiti. While she visits, she learns about her Haitian heritage through Auntie Luce's paintings.
One of the things I learned from this story is that the Black citizens, the former enslaved people of the island, defeated the French and won the right to rule themselves. But the country was forced to pay hundreds of millions to the French for the land and the Haitians' own bodies, which the French said they had a right to own. This agreement guaranteed a future of poverty for the country. Shocking.
Big colorful illustrations are featured in this fascinating story set in Haiti.
I added this to my TBR in order to meet the requirements of a challenge, but I'm glad that I did. It's a collection of the stories of countries that existed at one time (sometimes only for less than an hour!) but which no longer are considered countries. I was only familiar with a few of the stories (well, duh, Texas as I had to study Texas history in school not only one year but two). It was interesting to see that many of them seem to have been created by the scheming of various greedy and strikingly odd men.
