Monday, March 18, 2024

Everyday Gratitude: Inspiration for Living Life as a Gift edited by Saoirse McClory, Kristi Nelson, and Margaret Wakeley


Often library patrons ask for a book of “inspiration” or “positivity” or “philosophy ” or “life.”   For them Everyday Gratitude may be the perfect choice.    Appealingly small and colorful, each page contains a short quote intended to inspire gratitude and attributed to its source.  Sources range from contemporary figures like the Dalai Lama, Angela Davis, and Julia Alvarez, to older sages like Zora Neale Hurston, Khalil Gibran, and ancients like Confucius and Lao Tzu.  

In addition to each quote the reader will find a question or two offering more reflection for readers to ponder. 

Unfortunately the irregularity of size and shape of the lettering for the quotes may be a hindrance to some students with reading challenges.  Nevertheless the small size and brevity of the text on each page makes it worthwhile for inclusion in collections,  and note the sewn-in ribbon book mark.  Backmatter includes acknowledgements and source credits.  

This slim volume may offer classes and bookclubs much material for rich discussion and debate around these seemingly simple, profound quotes. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber




Wednesday, March 13, 2024

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

As her final high school project Pippa Fits decides to solve the cold case of Andie Bell’s murder.  But unknowingly Pippa embarks on a trail of secrets that reveal not just the identity of Andie's killer,  but the person who Andie really was. With all the twists and turns of a good who-done-it,  A Good Girl's Guide to Murder keeps its readers guessing who the killer is as it reveals Andie’s double life. Those who read When or One of Us is Lying should feel right at home here. --Claudio Leon

Click here to see a trailer for the book along with some discussion questions designed for book clubs at Underlined.

Jackson, Holly. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. New York: Random House, 2019. Print.

Monday, March 4, 2024

Strange Fruit Volume II: More Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History by Joel Christian Gill

This beautiful sequel to Strange Fruit Volume I will be welcomed by readers eager to glimpse more historical heroes presented in author Joel Christian Gill’s wonderful graphic style.  Using a palette of rich earth tones, Gill introduces the reader to African Americans born in the 19th century,  both familiar and unknown.  Each comic feels complete but also whets our appetite for further learning.  We can only hope Gil gives us Volume  III.

Librarians may wish to use any of the eight chapters as a jumping off point for inquiry.  Social studies teachers may wish to use some  chapters to supplement instructional texts.  

ELA teachers may engage students in the study of expository narrative structures in graphic shorts,   or examine the epistle that provides the text for the opening chapter.  This particular use of a primary source for content would make for a perfect introduction or companion to a rich conversation about reparations to African Americans specifically, and to the idea of  reparations in general.  Art teachers may wish to utilize Strange Fruit in collaboration to examine sequential art and its power to bring biography and history to life.  


Highly recommended.  Educators will want to pay attention to the visual symbolism Gil employs to represent hateful speech.   Back matter includes extra kernels of knowledge for each biography, a bibliography, an author-illustrator bio, and brief acknowledgements.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber


Gill, Joel Christian.  Strange Fruit Volume II: More Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History.  Golden: Fulcrum Publishing, 2018.  Print.

Friday, January 5, 2024

Samurai Rising: The Epic Life Story of Minamoto Yoshitsune By Pamela S. Turner

This story of the life of Minamoto Yoshitsune is one many fiction writers might aspire to create. At a young age Yoshitsune witnessed the murder of his father and brothers, survived exile, and rose to become one of the most powerful Japanese military strategists. 


Later he was betrayed by his own family, bringing an end to his meteoric rise and his life. Although a biography,  the book reads like an action novel following Yoshitsune through his life and the many battles he fought.   And throughout the book readers will also find tips on strategic thinking that can be applied not only on the battlefield but in everyday life. 


Students who like The Art of War and action books are never disappointed by this action- packed biography!--Claudio Leon


Turner, Pamela. Samurai Rising. Watertown: Charlesbridge, 2016. Print


Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Programming Spotlight: The New Victory Theater and Phare Circus


“Hey!  Hup!  Hup!  Hup!”  were the directions one of the students gave the rest of our group of teachers, students, and staff when taking the reins from Hassiem Muhammad and Marisol Rosa-Shapiro, two visiting teaching artists.  It was during a Phare Circus pre-theater workshop that the two visitors facilitated last week  in Belmont’s little library.  

There by tackling basic juggling challenges our group developed a deeper appreciation for the teamwork and precision required to successfully juggle plates,  balls,  and rice-filled balloons.  With the aim of preparing us to learn from and enjoy the New Victory’s presentation of the Phare Circus performance at Stage 42,  our two talented workshop leaders engaged everyone in hands-on circus activities and developed the participants’ schema around rice and Cambodia.  

The following day Physical Education teacher Mr. Bent and myself led a school trip bringing the same groups to the theater where we all oohed and aahed over the performers’  dazzling circus feats.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Programming Spotlight: Field trip to the Jay-Z exhibit at BPL



photo credits: Jamila Abdulrashid


During September & October 2023, students from Bronx Hope took a trip to visit the Jay-Z Exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library. On display were various artifacts from the career of the legendary rapper including magazine covers & Grammy Awards. In addition, for a limited time only, any New Yorker with membership to the Brooklyn Public Library can obtain any of the limited-edition Jay-Z library cards.  Click here to see them all.--Jamila Abdulrashid



Tuesday, October 17, 2023

NYPL's College and Careers Pathways at Passages Academy--Belmont


Would you like to have $1000 to spend toward your postsecondary plans?  Would you be willing to complete 30 library programs and a portfolio of documents to prepare yourself for your postsecondary journey?  Passages students at Belmont learned about the opportunities offered by the New York Public Library’s College and Careers Program last month from the manager of the program itself, Katrina Ortega. 

The “magic money” program, aka ICCAAN, is just one of many ways the public libraries offer support to teens as they consider their options after secondary school.  We can’t thank Katrina enough for personally visiting with all of our students inside Belmont’s school library, building bridges, and signing students and staff up for library cards. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy




This fictionalized memoir  begins  with a confrontation between Huda and her mother who is holding up a mediocre report card and demanding to know where Huda keeps her drugs.

After grabbing the reader’s attention in media res, the story rewinds back to Huda’s move with her mother and four sisters to Dearborn, Michigan.  There the sisters attend  public school for the first time with other hijab-wearing Muslim girls.  


With a heaping dose of self-deprecating humor, this story of an American Muslim teen is highly accessible to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Raina Telgemeier graphic format memoirs and offers a humorous perspective on one girl’s effort  to fit in and find herself. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

You can find a seven-page educator's guide, including discussion questions and extension activities from the publisher here.

Friday, October 6, 2023

The Waiting Place: When Home is Lost and a New One is Not Yet Found by Dina Nayeri

This picture-book brings the reader into the world of a Greek refugee camp populated by children from Iran and Afghanistan living in repurposed shipping containers.  The author effectively anthropomorphizes the camp as she writes,   “The Waiting Place doesn’t mind.  It wants more children and mothers and fathers.  It doesn’t want you to visit the nearby lake… to learn your new language, or to work, or build, or learn.” 


The Waiting Place invites the reader to investigate refugee crises past and present.  


Back matter includes a lengthy afterword by the Iranian American author who is a refugee herself, as well as a helpful glossary.


This is an excellent picture book for older readers and a jumping-off point for conversations and explorations of purgatories, asylum, undocumented persons, migration and, immigration,   and may pair well with When Stars are Scattered.  Teachers and facilitators may find engagement materials here, including a six page discussion guide from the publisher.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber


Monday, September 18, 2023

Welcome Back!


 Welcome back to an exciting new school year!  The Passages Academy Library team is ready to provide innovative and social-emotional based student programming for our court-involved students.  As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month we'll explore the life of Frida Kahlo and how in the early 20th century she managed her social-emotional well-being by using self-portraits or art therapy to alleviate and/or mitigate her daily pain.  Self-care in any form is vital.  Stay tuned . . . great literacy is on the horizon!--Jamila Abdulrashid