Author: Katisha Smith

Read This Book: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT FIRST LADIES by Ruby Shamir

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date January 19, 2021

Sponsored by Algonquin Books, publishers of At the Edge of the Haight.

Maddy Donaldo, homeless at twenty, has made a family of sorts in the dangerous spaces of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. When she unwittingly witnesses the murder of a young homeless boy and is seen by the perpetrator, her relatively stable life is upended. Suddenly, everyone from the police to the dead boy’s parents want to talk to Maddy about what she saw. As adults pressure her to give up her secrets and reunite with her own family before she meets a similar fate, Maddy must decide whether she wants to stay lost or be found.

Welcome to Read This Book, the newsletter where I recommend a book you should add to your TBR, STAT! I stan variety in all things, and my book recommendations will be no exception. These must-read books will span genres and age groups. There will be new releases, oldie but goldies from the backlist, and the classics you may have missed in high school. Oh my! If you’re ready to diversify your books, then LEGGO!!

Today, we are ushering in a new (and hopefully more positive) political era in America with the inauguration of our 46th President, Joseph Robinette Biden. Of course, a new president means we also have a new First Lady. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will make history as the first to keep her day job while serving as First Lady.

What’s the Big Deal About First Ladies by Ruby Shamir, Illustrated by Matt Faulkner

First Ladies are more than just the wives of U.S. presidents. This children’s book provides fun and kid-friendly trivia and history that shows the many ways, both big and small, they influenced America. In addition to being hostesses, ambassadors, advocates, and role models, each First Lady leaves her mark on the White House and the country.

This book is perfect for introducing elections, inaugurations, and other aspects of the White House to children.

The main job of First Lady began as official hostess of the White House because women weren’t allowed to attend parties hosted by men unless there was a woman hostess. However, their roles quickly evolved to do more than hosting dignitaries at the White House. In their own way, each First Lady left an indelible mark on the White House and American culture.

For example, Nellie Taft was the first First Lady to ride with her husband after he took the oath of office. She is also the reason Washington, D.C. enjoys cherry blossoms each spring. Julia Grant was the first to issue press releases and invite reporters to White House events. Florence Harding was the first to vote for her husband and get Secret Service protection. Most recently, Hillary Clinton made history by being the first First Lady to run for president after also being the first First Lady to be elected to the U.S. Senate.

Overall, I enjoyed reading What’s the Big Deal about First Ladies because I learned so many interesting facts about America’s First Ladies. If you are not familiar with the role of First Lady, this book is great to read and to share with children who might one day become a First Lady (or First Gentleman) themselves.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date January 18, 2021

Sponsored by The Frozen Crown by Greta Kelly.

Askia became heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh because of her devotion to her people. But that won’t be enough to save them from the mad emperor of the Roven Empire, who has unleashed a horde of invading soldiers. As the enemy advances, she turns to Emperor Armaan of Vishir for help. But in his glittering court, where secrets are worth more than gold, Askia fears one false step with expose her true nature. For Askia is a witch gifted with magical abilities, knowledge that in the wrong hands would not only destroy her life, but her people as well.

In the United States, we are honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today. Whether you are reading this in your office or in the comfort of your home, please remember to take the time to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King by becoming a more engaged member of your community today and every day. If you are looking to read more about the Civil Rights icon and the good trouble he encouraged, then look no further than these books written by, about, and inspired by the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Justyce McAllister is top of his class at Braselton Preparatory Academy and bound for the Ivy League. However, none of that matters to the police officer who just put Justyce in handcuffs. To find answers to his many questions, Justyce turns to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He starts a journal to find out if they still hold in today’s world.

Before reading Dear Martin, I was worried about this book feeling too similar to The Hate U Give since this story also centers around a Black teen from a poor neighborhood attending an expensive private school who experiences a traumatic event involving a police officer. Although the basis of the stories are similar, the vibe of Dear Martin is very different from The Hate U Give. If you’ve been avoiding Dear Martin because you think you’ve already read this story, then think again, friend. This story is worth reading, and it’s worth reading Dear Martin and The Hate U Give as companion pieces.

One of the aspects of Dear Martin I appreciated most was Justyce not being the only Black kid in his class or the only Black person at his school. With his best friend Manny along with Justyce’s teacher Dr. Dray. (Did that make you chuckle, too?), the book presented different lived experiences of Black Americans because we are not a monolith. Another aspect of Dear Martin that makes it a must-read is the way the story handles anti-Black racism. It does an excellent job of not only presenting overt racism Black people experience, but also the covert microaggressions, which tend to occur most often.

Above all else, I like that this book did not leave me devastated and in tears. Dear Martin is by no means a feel good story, but it did leave me feeling more hopeful, which is all I can ask for on MLK Day.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: YEAR OF YES by Shonda Rhimes

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date January 12, 2021

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

In this funny, profound, and intimate memoir, one of the most powerful women in Hollywood, Shonda Rhimes, reveals how saying “YES!” changed her life and how it can change your life as well.

With three hit television shows and three children at home, Shonda Rhimes has plenty of reasons to say no to Hollywood parties, speaking engagements, and all media appearances. Then the six words her sister Delorse muttered during Thanksgiving 2013: “You never say yes to anything,” changed everything and actually saved Shonda’s life.

Year of Yes was the best book to read during the final days of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. It was a little self help mixed with some biography, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Although I am a fan of Shonda’s work, I never knew much about her. I thought she was married. Through the book I learned not only is she not married, Shonda doesn’t plan to ever marry. I didn’t know she had kids. Shonda has three daughters and has always wanted to be a mother.

Despite not knowing her intimately, I still felt a kindred spirit in Ms. Rhimes as a fellow introverted F.O.D. who loves some Beyoncé and is perfectly content with not being the center of attention. Although I don’t have the same reservations about saying “Yes!” to new opportunities, I understood how Shonda could get herself into a seemingly insurmountable rut.

What I loved most about Year of Yes was how it felt more like a conversation than a book. I felt like Shonda and I were chatting over brunch and she was sharing all these anecdotes and lessons learned during the year she challenged herself to stop saying no to everything. There were plenty of lessons to be learned like ending the Mommy Wars, letting go of toxic people, and embracing the Ride or Dies. Truer words have never been spoken.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: ALEXANDER HAMILTON: THE GRAPHIC HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN FOUNDING FATHER by Jonathan Hennessey

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date January 11, 2021

Alexander Hamilton: The Graphic History of an American Founding Father by Jonathan Hennessey, Illustrated by Justin Greenwood

Alexander Hamilton was one of the most influential figures in United States history. He fought in the Revolutionary War, helped create the Constitution, and served as the country’s first Secretary of the Treasury. However, his life along with his political ambitions were cut short during a duel with political rival Aaron Burr. This fully-illustrated biography highlights this improbable American hero who inspired a Broadway musical.

Since I haven’t seen Hamilton, and the only fact I knew about Alexander Hamilton was learned from a “Got Milk?” commercial. Reading this Alexander Hamilton graphic novel gave me the history lesson that I never received in school. The biggest takeaway I got from this book was the Founding Fathers were petty with a capital “P.” While we are taught these great minds came together to form a more perfect union, what really seemed to happen was a group of rich, white men came with their big egos, hidden agendas, and unlikely alliances to cobble together laws for a newly birthed country that sounded good to them based on their privileged life experience. Alexander Hamilton was on top of the list for implementing laws based on what sounded good in theory since he just wanted to make a name for himself.

This is the perfect read for anyone who wants an overview of Alexander Hamilton’s life and his role in the founding of America including the American Revolution and Continental Congress. However, I must warn you the story is choppy and slightly disjointed. Chapters jump from one event to another without much of a transition. Overall, I was able to overlook that because of all the history I was learning. I also appreciated being able to get a lot of information in less than 200 pages. Unfortunately, in the end, I felt underwhelmed about Alexander Hamilton in general. I still don’t get the hype. Hopefully, you fare better, dear reader.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: A GREAT BIG CUDDLE: POEMS FOR THE VERY YOUNG by Michael Rosen

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date January 5, 2021

A Great Big Cuddle: Poems for the Very Young by Michael Rosen, Illustrated by Chris Riddell

Curl up with this playful collection of 36 poems that invite children to celebrate sounds and the infinite possibilities of language. Their imaginations will go wild with these verses full of nonsense words and vivid illustrations featuring characters both big and small. These poems don’t just focus on cuddles, these poems explore various aspects of a child’s world, like expressing emotions and observing the world around them.

Before I share the reasons why you should add A Great Big Cuddle to your reading list, I must express disappointment in the lack of diversity in this book. It is beyond a shame that a children’s book published in 2015 has less than a handful of children of color and exponentially more animals. Despite that criticism, I did enjoy A Great Big Cuddle. It is full of silly and funny poems with accompanying illustrations that will certainly delight children. They might even make a few adult readers chuckle because I let out a few laughs myself.

One of the standout poems for me was Lunchtime with a child and an alligator (or crocodile because I can’t tell the difference) chomping down on corn on the cob. The other poem I really got a kick out of was Are You Listening? where a kid is chastising a T-Rex eating pasta. It’s hilarious, and my description does it no justice. Surprisingly, for a book called A Great Big Cuddle, there is only one poem about cuddling, and it’s also one of the shortest poems. Nevertheless, that shouldn’t keep you from reading A Great Big Cuddle because it’s still an excellent book to read cuddled up with your favorite tiny humans.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: MONDAY MORNINGS by Sanjay Gupta, MD

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date January 4, 2021

Sponsored by The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict.

December 1926: England unleashes the largest manhunt in its history. The object of the search is not an escaped convict or a war criminal, but the missing wife of a WWI hero, up-and-coming mystery author Agatha Christie. When her car is found wrecked, empty, and abandoned near a natural spring, the country is in a frenzy. Eleven days later, Agatha reappears, claiming amnesia. She provides no answers for her disappearance. Was Christie’s greatest mystery one that involved her own disappearance?

Welcome to the first Monday of 2021! Today is officially known as TGIM. Thank God It’s Monday Day encourages us to celebrate the first Monday of the new year with enthusiasm and vigor with the hope that the TGIM spirit will continue through the rest of our Mondays. It’s time to stop dreading Mondays and embrace the new beginnings they represent. For the doctors of Chelsea General, Mondays are the chance to learn from previous mistakes and become better healers.

Monday Mornings by Sanjay Gupta, MD

Each time a surgeon operates, they are betting on their operating skills, but sometimes they are wrong. When the surgeons at Chelsea General Hospital bet wrong, they must confront their failings in the operating room in front of their peers on Monday morning at the Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conference. These meetings provide a rare opportunity for reflection and introspection. If they’re lucky, on Monday mornings, these doctors have a chance at redemption.

Although Monday Mornings wouldn’t be considered award-winning material, I found the story engaging despite the clichés, typos, and seemingly dated references. Who is even using Mapquest in 2012?! For me, it was easy to forgive such faux pas because I was interested in both the medicine and the drama unfolding before my eyes.

This is a straightforward story about the lives of these top-notch doctors at Chelsea General from Dr. Jorge Villanueva, the ex-football player turned ER doctor, and Dr. Tyler Wilson, the rock star surgeon who seems to have lost his mojo to Dr. Sung Park, the neurosurgeon who had to restart his medical training when he emigrated to the United States from Korea, and Dr. Michelle Robidaux who is a first-generation college graduate currently struggling as a resident.

Coming from the mind of Dr. Sanjay Gupta, yes that Sanjay Gupta, Monday Mornings is a story that reads like an episode of Grey’s Anatomy and ER rolled into one, which is probably why it became a beloved, but short-lived TNT drama. If you need a dose of doctor drama while waiting for your favorite shows to return, then pick up Monday Mornings, STAT!

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: FESTIVUS: THE HOLIDAY FOR THE REST OF US by Allen Salkin

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date December 22, 2020

Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us by Allen Salkin

Are you ready to take out Santa and throw away the Elf on the Shelf? Then it’s time to add a little bitterness to your holiday season with Festivus. The holiday became a household name thanks to Seinfeld where Frank Costanza celebrated Festivus with a bare aluminum pole, “feats of strength,” and “airing of grievances. Soon, it transcended the show and inspired a global phenomenon. Join journalist Allen Salkin as he tastes Festivus beer, meets Miss Festivus while sharing all the ways Festivus is and can be celebrated.

If you’re wondering what’s the deal with Festivus, then you are probably not much of a Seinfeld fan. No worries, I was right there with you. It was just one of those Seinfeld plots that became part of the cultural zeitgeist. However, if you believe Festivus began in December 1997, then you are in for a rude awakening. People have been celebrating Festivus for centuries! Although not the Festivus as we know it, the raucous bacchanalian Festivus spirit apparently originated with the Romans.

The celebration as we know it began with Daniel O’Keefe. There was no pole, but there was an “Airing of Grievances” into a tape recorder and wrestling matches between younger Daniel O’Keefe and his siblings. The younger Daniel would go on to become a writer on Seinfeld where he adapted that family holiday tradition into the subplot of the now infamous Seinfeld episode “The Strike.” Although the episode was about Kramer’s strike against a bagel shop, it has become known as The Festivus Episode. In addition to the true origin story of Festivus, Festivus includes more insight and anecdotes about the episode, but the majority of Festivus is about how people around the world celebrate the holiday.

No matter your Festivus affiliation, you are sure to find something enjoyable in Festivus. For me, there was the foreword from Jerry Stiller along with the story about the cat named Festivus and her progeny Microfestivus. After reading this book, I have no doubt the future of Festivus is strong! I also predict many 2020 Festivus celebrations being overrun with the Airing of Grievances.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: DOCTOR WHO: THE RUNAWAY TARDIS by Rebecca Gyllenhaal and Kim Smith

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date December 17, 2020

Doctor Who: The Runaway TARDIS by Rebecca Gyllenhaal (Author) and Kim Smith (Illustrator)

Join the Doctor and her smallest companion on an adventure through space and time!

Unable to make friends at her new school, Lizzie packs a bag and decides to run away. While trying to find her old neighborhood, Lizzie discovers the TARDIS where she meets the Doctor, a mysterious woman claiming to be a time-traveling space alien. When the TARDIS begins to malfunction, Lizzie and the Doctor are sent through time and space. Along the way, Lizzie learns to make new friends, but will she ever be able to get back home?

This 8th book in the Pop Classics series is a great way to introduce Doctor Who to a young audience. As someone who knows very little about Doctor Who, I will admit this book shot to the top of my list above all the others solely for the cover featuring the latest Doctor (the first woman to hold the title) and a little brown girl. What I enjoyed most about The Runaway TARDIS is how you don’t have to know much about Whovian culture to understand the adventure.

Yes, there are some silly words like “glorp,” “plorp,” and “wibbly wobbly bit,” but the general premise of the story is another imaginative adventure kids will find engaging whether or not they already know and love Doctor Who. In fact, this is a good book for any kid who has recently moved to a new town and had to leave their friends and old life behind. Change like that can be especially hard for a young person, but reading The Runaway TARDIS may help them see the silver lining in their new life.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: EMMA by Jane Austen

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date December 15, 2020

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Happy Birthday, Jane Austen! On this day in 1775, Jane Austen was born in Steventon, Hampshire, England. At the ripe age of 36, Austen published her first novel Sense and Sensibility, but the novel that turned Jane Austen into a literary icon and launched a thousand retellings is the classic Pride and Prejudice. However, I’ve never actually read Pride and Prejudice. In fact, I’ve only recently read my first Jane Austen novel. The only reason why I read said book is because it was the inspiration for one of my all time favorite movies, Clueless.

Emma by Jane Austen

Emma Woodhouse is beautiful and witty, but also spoiled and vain. Emma spends most of her time in a sleepy village town organizing the lives of her fellow inhabitants and playing matchmaker with devastating effect.

I will admit Emma was a roller coaster read for me. There were times when I finished a chapter and wondered what purpose all those words served in the story because nothing significant occurred. Other times, I was devouring this literary rom-com. Unfortunately, the good times were few and far between for me. However, experiencing some of the best parts from Clueless while reading Emma were priceless! Looking for those “Clueless” moments in this story is what kept me turning the page. Tai being Harriet, Elton being Mr. Elton, Josh being Mr. Knightley, and of course Cher being Emma had my inner Clueless heart squealing with delight. Although, I was still way squicked out about the borderline incestuous love between Cher Emma and her “brother” Josh George, and their 17-year age difference did not help the situation.

Despite the literary world claiming Emma as one of Austen’s best novels, it took my obsession with a cult classic teen romantic comedy to finally read it. If you can’t get enough of Clueless either, then it’s time to become familiar with the tome that inspired it. Even if you are not really a Clueless fan (As if?!), I still recommend reading this book on principle alone. Pride and Prejudice is constantly in the spotlight, and it’s time for Emma to get some shine.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: MERRY CHRISTMAS, CURIOUS GEORGE by Cathy Hapka and Mary O’Keefe Young

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date December 14, 2020

Sponsored by Rosewind Books (an imprint of Vesuvian Media).

Abby Nicholson used to love Christmas. Until she didn’t. After leaving Winter Glen, a town famous for Christmas and her family’s greeting card company, Abby is forced to return when her father passes away. Deciding to sell the business, she signs the paperwork with the very pen her father used to create it and wakes to discover her hometown has become a whole new world. One where Christmas has vanished! Determined to set things right but unsure how, Abby discovers some are determined to keep an iron grip on the town and will do anything in their power to stop her.

Happy Monkey Day! That’s right, today is all about celebrating monkeys along with the other simians we know and love. The holiday started as a joke between art students at Michigan State University in 2000, but since has gained worldwide popularity, especially among animal and environmental activists. Traditional celebrations include zoo events, art exhibits, and fundraisers. For book nerds like us, the only way to celebrate is with an epic reading session. What would be better than reading about all the adventures of every book lover’s favorite curious monkey.

Merry Christmas, Curious George by Cathy Hapka (Author) and Mary O’Keefe Young (Illustrator)

It’s Christmastime, and Curious George is full of that Christmas spirit. He is looking forward to helping his best friend, The Man with the Yellow Hat, pick out a Christmas tree. However, at the tree farm, George literally gets carried away among all the excitement of finding the perfect tree. Eventually Curious George finds himself at the local children’s hospital where his antics not only cheer up the children, but they get him front and center with a jolly man in a bright red suit.

I don’t read Curious George books often, but whenever I read them, I always find the story delightful. Merry Christmas, Curious George is no exception. It begins with Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat making a trip to the Christmas tree farm. Obviously, George experiences choice overload because every tree he sees better than the last one! Of course, when Curious George finally finds the perfect tree, it leads him on an adventure he didn’t see coming. That adventure leads to Curious George meeting Santa Claus! Who can say no to meeting Santa?!

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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