Zine Release: How To Be Humble

Excitingly, Norman Adams' "How to be Humble" zine was published today, just in time for the zombie invasion of our school library at Belmont.  The Walking Dead comic-turned-cultural-phenomenon was celebrated all weekend at comic book stores across America and it's so nice to be included.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Puerto Rico Strong: A Comics Anthology Supporting Puerto Rico Disaster Relief and Recovery Edited by Marco Lopez, Desiree Rodriguez, Hazel Newlevant, Derek Ruiz, and Neil Schwartz

In the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria upon Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017,  it’s hard not to appreciate some graphic attention in an imaginative and inspiring comic by Marco Lopez et al,  set in the year 2062,  that begins with the line,

“Ok, children!  Activate your AR headgear and we’ll begin our tour of the Diaspora of the Puerto Rican People,  20th -22nd centuries.”

This is the lovely premise of “Pasitos Grandes” by Tristan J. Tarwater and Cynthia Santos. The gorgeous colors, full of purples, teals and magentas, make the journey all the more appealing, and hint at the variety that’s in store for intrepid readers of this thick, full-color anthology.

Other highlights for teachers include the text-heavy “A Broken P.R.O.M.E.S.A.” by Rosa Colon and “La Casita of American Heroes” by Anthony Ortero.  

One of the most accessible stories,   both visually and textually is “Taino Online” by Joamette Gil,  which also serves as a great entry point for inquiry work.  However,  the best thing about an anthology like this which bears the marks of excellent editors,  is the many treasures waiting for students to discover for themselves. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Lopez, Marco, et al.  Puerto Rico Strong: A Comics Anthology Supporting Puerto Rico Disaster Relief and Recovery.  St. Louis: Lion Forge, 2018.  Print.

Programming Spotlight: Hispanic Heritage Month

Today at Belmont four groups of students engaged in multi-dimensional learning in a program honoring Hispanic Heritage Month.  

Kicking off four weeks of study, we asked students to activate schema around Latin America, and then challenged them to put together a Latin America geography puzzle.  When the puzzle was completed we asked students what they noticed and then instructed them to generate a list of questions they have about Latin America and its people.  --Lori Ikawa and Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Welcome back!

So much to read and it’s only September!  We’re optimistic that it’s going to be a great (school) year for reading.  Sit tight and don’t go away--we’ll be right back with more reviews, more programs, and, you know, more of what’s good. --Claudio Leon and Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager and Zoe More O’Ferrall

Full disclosure: I received this book in conjunction with a meet-the-author event at Andrea Swenson’s amazing school library.  And I’m so glad I did because I think every school librarian serving high school students will want a copy of Prager’s chatty collective biography of queer history on their shelves.  Brief as they are, her twenty-two biographical chapters on twenty-three historical figures are intriguing and leave the reader wanting to know more.  Through the brief lives examined, the casual reader will start to grasp the bigger outlines of queer histories.  Prager’s considered and inclusive stance will aid younger readers in exploring multiple perspectives in a world wracked with adversarial and exclusionary politics.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

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Prager, Sarah and Zoe More O’Ferrall.  Queer, There and Everywhere:23 People Who Changed the World.  New York: HarperCollins, 2018.