Ms. Marvel: Civil War II

Admittedly not my favorite in the series, but it's still a good read and I'm not abandoning Ms. Marvel even though everyone else )in the comic) seems to be. Captain Marvel entrusts her to lead a group of cadets to help wipe out crime before it happens, at first she thinks it's great but the ethics of what she's doing doesn't really hit home until one of her friends is detained for thinking about frying an electrical grid. Her friends turn against her for holding him since he hasn't done anything wrong, and when she questions the morals of what she's doing Captain Marvel and her cadets turn against her too. It really is a civil war.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

I can't give this book enough praise, it was truly an eye opening, enlightening, and powerful read. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't know much about Malcolm X except that he took the opposite stance from Dr. Martin Luther King on Civil Rights and was also assassinated, I knew nothing about the religion of the Nation of Islam or even Malcolm X's life. Starting with his early life, through his time hustling on the streets of Harlem to prison, then to his conversion to the Nation of Islam and his political beginnings his autobiography covers it all. Sad;y he never got to see it published but Alex Haley wrote a wonderful and fitting epilogue to his life that was cut too short. Not an easy read, but a necessary one.

That's So '90s Pop!

Fill in activity/ coloring books keep getting more ridiculous and wonderful. This is no exception. Filled with 90s pop icons such as the Sprice Girls, R. Kelly, Aaron Carter, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, TLC, Destiny's Child and more there is a little something in here for everyone. They even have some slightly obscure gems such as Lil' Kim's two truths and a lie, the Lou Bega word search, Kriss Kross Kriss Crossword, and more. Besides coloring there is trivia, crossowrds, haikus, mazes, hangman, and word searches. The quality of some of the celebrities leaves a little to be desired and another drawback is that the pages aren't perforated and don't rip out easily, but overall the creativeness and bizarenees makes up for it. Who doesn't want to color Alannis Morissette?!? 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased review.

After Tupac and D Foster

A good story that lots of teens will relate too, but I was a little disappointed it wasn't longer or had a larger plot. It's a pretty simplistic story about how two young black girl's lives are changed when a girl named D. Foster walks onto their block. They immediately become best friends and the girls try to probe for details about D's mysterious life. All they know is that she has a foster mom and is obsessed with Tupac. Over the next two years they slowly learn more about her troubled past and that only makes them more committed to being her friend. They learn how to deal with boys, racism, broken homes, gays, developing bodies, and more. A good coming of age novel, I just wish there were a little more to it.

Mary Wept over the Feet of Jesus

A quick, thoughtful, and interesting comic series on prostitution and religious obedience in the bible. Chester Brown does a fantastic job bringing to life the stories of Ruth, Mary, and other famous prostitutes mentioned in the Bible in a comic format that is engaging and well drawn. There is a lengthy afterward and notes section where he talks about his appreciation of prostitutes, the stigma behind them, and the inspiration for the creation of the comic. A fun read, even for those who aren't super practicing Christians. It may offend some, but hey, it's in the Bible.  

Grimm's Fairy Tales

When I was a kid I had an illustrated edition of Grimm's Fairy Tales and it always terrified and delighted me. Listening to an all star cast (Jim Dale, Alfred Molina, etc) narrate the abridged version of these classics really brought me back. Also, it helped me recall how truly messed up the stories were. This abridged version is still a cakewalk to the original messed up dark fairy tales that you can find if you dig deep enough, but they're still enough messed up to give you a picture. There's lots of murders, bad parents, naughty kids, kings that like killing their daughter's suitors, and magic animals. There is truly a little something for everyone. This collection includes all the classics such as: Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Cinderella, the little goose girl, and Rumpelstiltskin. The all ages, genders, and accents brought by the full cast make it a joy to listen to. A wonderful version, suitable for kids (and adults).

March: Book One

There is no way to not give this book a 5 star rating, wonderfully laid out, illustrated and portrayed; this moving graphic novel adaptation of Senator John Lewis' life and involvement in the Civil Rights movement should be required reading. Not just for teens or kids, but adults too. Starting with his early life and going up through the lunch counter protests, book one shows how John Lewis got his feet wet in the movement and started to become a figurehead in it. I can't wait to read the next two in this graphic novel trilogy. This book will never not be relevant.