Rita’s Reading List – August 2013

Hi All,
Just stopping thru to give you a heads-up on my latest reading list. Actually, it’s too long to post here…but I can at least tell you about the top three that I’m toggling.

So here they are:

Brown Gold, by Michelle H. Martin, is simply a wonderful book. If you’re interested in the history of African American picture books, this is the book for you. One warning, though: The reading is heavy. What I mean is, this is a serious topic full of shocking revelations about race, racism and children’s books, and if you’re easily offended, you probably don’t want to pick this one up.

One other note: This is not a new book; it debuted in 2004, but the lessons it teaches and the path it uncovers is every historian’s dream.

Look for my review to post on the New York Journal of Books in the next few days. In the meantime, here’s my NYJB Profile Page. Enjoy! – http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/reviewer/reviewer-profile-rita-hubbard

The Indomitable George Washington Fields: From Slave to Attorney, by Ziff Professor of Law, Kevin M. Clermont, promises to be an intriguing book. It’s the story of an escaped slave who worked to support his family, pursued his legal studies, and eventually became Cornell University’s first African American graduate.

As if overcoming slavery wasn’t enough, he later lost his sight, yet continued to push on until he became a leading attorney in his region.

Thanks to the very generous Professor Clermont, who uncovered this amazing tale and provided this great review copy.

Look for this review to be posted on the New York Journal of Books website in the next few weeks. In the meantime, here’s my NYJB Profile Page. Enjoy! – http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/reviewer/reviewer-profile-rita-hubbard

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering how in the world What We Found in the Sofa and How it Saved the World, by Henry Clark, got into this stack of serious review books.

The simple answer is, it’s here because I’m a sucker for a great MG, especially if it’s funny. And from the few pages I’ve read, this one is funny! It’s the story of how a zucchini-colored crayon launches a group of kids into a plot to conquer the world.

Look for this review to post on my review site, PICTURE BOOK DEPOT in the next two weeks: http://PictureBookDepot.com

As I mentioned, my TBR (To-Be-Read) stack is pretty long, so I’m off to get some more reading done…before my stack swallows me whole.

Enjoy the day!

Rita Lorraine