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Showing posts from June, 2025

The Magical World Of Fantasy

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       Fantasy is one of my favorite genres. I remember reading The Percy Jackson series in a week. After that, I moved on to the Artemis Fowl series. Each book felt like a new adventure, and since I was the quiet, awkward kid, escaping into a fantasy world was a nice treat. I was excited about this week, and I was surprised by its outcome.       My first book was a masterpiece. King And The Dragonflies takes place in Louisiana and follows a young boy named King. He recently lost his brother, Khalid, and believes that his brother turned into a dragonfly. The primary focus of the novel is King’s grief and his friendship with a young boy named Sandy, who ran away from his abusive father. Callender does a fantastic job of weaving elements of magic into the realistic, heartbreaking feelings of grief, systemic racism, and figuring out your sexuality in a place that is not entirely accepting.  King And The Dragonflies by Kacen Callender  ...

The Art Of Writing A Fiction Novel

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  Writing fiction is not as easy as it looks. I think of it as juggling multiple hats. You must ensure the setting is immersive without overshadowing the plot. You need to have dynamic characters, and your plot should be concise and engaging. Plenty of writers believe that middle grade or young adult fiction is easier to write, but I find it even more difficult to cater to a younger audience. Your writing must be clear and concise, but avoid talking down to your audience. Plenty of authors struggle to find that balance, but both of the books I read were great novels.  Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac is a slow-paced, quiet novel about a young girl named Malian who is sheltering at her grandparents' place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Written in verse, Bruchac does a fantastic job balancing the day-to-day life of a young person during the pandemic and Penacook's history. As readers, we learn about residential schools and colonialism through Malian, which ma...

Transitional Reads

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       Safari Pug By Laura James       My first memory of books like these is Junie B. Jones books. They were extremely popular when I was a child, and my siblings and I would try to get as many books as we could for Junie B. Jones. Jones series as we can. Reading these books reminded me of being in elementary school and waiting to read the next book in the series.      The most interesting aspect of these books is that they belong to a distinct category of their own. They are not entirely picture books, but they are not strictly chapter books either. They feel like they are for older children, but I would not recommend them for a twelve or thirteen-year-old. These books are a unique genre, and their sole purpose is to serve as a bridge between picture books and chapter books.      The books I chose were mostly for nostalgia reasons. Despite the books being recent releases, I wanted to be reminded of my childhood. I d...

Informational Books and Knowing Your Audience

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       Teaching is a difficult skill to acquire. Many people believe that teaching is merely relaying information, but it is more than that. It is the ability to engage with your audience. It is an art form, and plenty of the teachers I know discuss how important it is to know your audience. Both of the books I read this week are well-targeted to their audience, and they attempt to convey information in an approachable and engaging manner.      My first book, Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes, by Juan Felipe Herrera, profiles prominent Hispanic figures, such as Joan Baez and David Glasgow Farragut, and elevates them to the status of heroes. Each historical figure has their own section, and each section delves into their life, story, and history. Herrera also provides a picture of where they were born, and if they are alive. Each story is short, simple, and easy to read. Since Herrera is a poet, his writing is both factual and lyrical...