Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

In this case, that means reviewing when I can and not beating myself up when I don’t get to it at the time of day in which I have the concentration for it. I’m finding that worry for my girlie is taking up a lot of mental space, and since this week and next are our PTA fundraiser, I’ve been at the school first thing in the morning yesterday and today, and I’ll likely continue to be there through next Thursday. (I’ve also been hitting the laundry pretty hard.)

Anyway. Today you get my review of Linda Sue Park’s Prairie Lotus, which I put on hold in audio back when it was one of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature winners in 2021. I finally let it come to the head of my queue, and after listening to it, I’m reminded of just how much I enjoy Linda Sue Park at her best. Hanna is a driven sort of heroine–think Joan Bauer-esque–whose continual experiences with racism and prejudice are infuriating. Her victories are always liberally mixed with compromise, and yet her school experiences are fabulous nonetheless; what happens afterward dips into even more serious territory, and yet Hanna emerges triumphant in the ways that matter most. Park intentionally evokes Laura Ingalls Wilder even as she gives us a wholly different experience of the American frontier, and in doing so, reminds us to pay attention to the stories of those around us, especially those whose stories are not always told.

Don’t miss this one.