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Author Archives: Alicia Abdul

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About Alicia Abdul

You'll find me drinking tea in a dress and reading... or making lists.

Celebrate romance

10 Aug

Romance is in the air. I’m feeling extra lovey today on my wedding anniversary and having finished Jason Reynolds’ new book that will be out in October called Twenty Four Seconds from Now last night, I thought I’d post some favorite romances.

First, let’s spend a few minutes bowing down to the genius of Jason Reynolds. This story of Neon and Aria has a timeline that sparkles in addition to the community including family and friends that support their two year romance. It’s heartwarming and natural and is exactly the kind of story that teens deserve.

The others that I’ve adored that range from tragic and sad to all-encompassing and sweet.

What are your favorite romance stories?

 
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Posted by on August 10, 2024 in Adult, Authors, Comics, Cover Love, Fiction, Graphic novels, Illustrators, Manga, Middle grade, Upcoming Releases, Verse, Young Adult

 

National book lovers day

09 Aug

What does a book lover do on National Book Lovers Day? Here’s a list of possibilities.

  • Read a book
  • Go to your indie bookstore and treat yourself to a new book
  • Post a favorite book meme to your bookish account
  • Take a shelfie
  • Quote a book
  • Read and snack
  • Reread a favorite book
  • Stay up late… and read
  • Read and sip
  • Smell a book
  • Buy a bookish item (bookmark, tshirt, etc.)
  • Read aloud to your kid, your pet, or your spouse
  • Take a walk with an audiobook
 
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Posted by on August 9, 2024 in Events

 

Six sensational stories of friendship

30 Jun

It’s fitting to end this week of posts with books that feature a friendship. We all need friends in this world and these are some of my favorites.

  1. Hilo series by Judd Winick: When an alien kids come down to earth, friends rally around Hilo and welcome him into their circle.
  2. Laid Back Camp manga series by Afro: Camping buddies.
  3. Heavy Vinyl comic series by Carly Usdin illustrated by Nina Vakueva: Girl power friendship set among the backdrop of a 90s record store but they have a secret about what else they do.
  4. A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan: Differences become shared experiences.
  5. Cornbread & Poppy series by Matthew Cordell: Opposites attract.
  6. Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow: Friends are there when you need them the most, especially for comic relief.

My wish is that you enjoyed the collection of lists over the past month to find and use in your own classrooms, libraries, personal collections, and TBR piles. Happy summer!

 
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Posted by on June 30, 2024 in Audiobooks, Authors, Childrens, Comics, Fiction, Graphic novels, Illustrators, Manga, Middle grade, Verse, Young Adult

 

Six sensational Muslim stories

29 Jun

Earlier I featured stories with Jewish characters so I also wanted to feature stories with Muslim representation.

  1. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: The GOAT of a generation fighting for women and education specifically.
  2. Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson illustrated by Adrian Alphona: Superheroine? Sign me up.
  3. Once Upon an Eid edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed: From fashion to food, a celebration of Islamic culture.
  4. An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi: A Muslim girl navigating a post 9/11 world.
  5. Yasmeen by Saif A. Ahmed illustrated by Fabiana Mascolo: This is a comic you’ll never forget, not only the story but the storytelling in comic form.
  6. Huda F. Are You? by Huda Fahmy: A funny graphic memoir with the best title.
 
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Posted by on June 29, 2024 in Comics, Fiction, Graphic novels, Illustrators, Middle grade, Nonfiction, Young Adult

 

Six sensational nonfiction

28 Jun

I will always stop to read middle grade and YA nonfiction (in addition to nonfiction for any other audience). Here are some oldies that are my favorite:

  1. How They Croaked: The Awful Ends to the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg illustrated by Kevin O’Malley
  2. Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery
  3. The Great American Dust Bowl written and illustrated by Don Brown
  4. “The President Has Been Shot!”: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson
  5. To the Moon: The True Story of the American Heroes on the Apollo 8 Spaceship by Jeffrey Kluger
  6. Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein by Linda Bailey illustrated by Julia Sarda
 
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Posted by on June 28, 2024 in Nonfiction, Young Adult

 

Six sensational stories set at boarding schools

27 Jun

School is out here in New York state, but I’m thinking about those dark academia stories or books with settings at boarding schools.

  1. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan: When you discover you’re not like the others.
  2. Into the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner: When you need something more challenging.
  3. Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide: When a dead body turns up.
  4. The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson: When the woods are more deadly than the school’s secrets.
  5. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White: When “they” want to make you into something you’ll never be.
  6. Medusa by Katherine Marsh: When you are leaning into your monstrous self discovery.
 
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Posted by on June 27, 2024 in Fiction, Middle grade, Young Adult

 

Six sensational covers

26 Jun

Yes, we do judge books by their covers. And as a high school librarian, my readers advisory absolutely includes the books cover art. Here are six favorites with nothing but the covers to speak for themselves.

 
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Posted by on June 26, 2024 in Cover Love, Fiction, Graphic novels, Illustrators, Middle grade, Young Adult

 

Six sensational books with multiple points of view

25 Jun

There’s nothing more satisfying than a book with more than one perspective. I have a Goodreads shelf specifically for books with multiple points of view in them hence why I’m bringing you six of the most sensational.

  1. Legend by Marie Lu: Polar opposites who end up fighting for the same side.
  2. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys: Moving toward disaster in this historical thriller, shifting between four stories increases the tension and emotion.
  3. Allies by Alan Gratz: Is there anyone who can do it better than Gratz?
  4. Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan: A romance from both angles.
  5. How You Grow Wings by Rimma Onoseta: Sisters in Nigeria whose outcomes could not have been more discordant.
  6. The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh: Three stories, three timelines that mesh perfectly and why it’s an award winner not to be missed.
 
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Posted by on June 25, 2024 in Authors, Fiction, Middle grade, Young Adult

 

Six sensational books related to beauty standards

24 Jun

There can be multiple list or a super long list of books featuring conversations about beauty standards whether it deals with eating disorders, disability, fashion/style, or body positivity, however here are six that stick out to me.

  1. Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying: Mom’s focus on body and a tragedy lead Valerie down the path of an eating disorder.
  2. Lu by Jason Reynolds: Born with albinism, Lu is the co-captain of his track team and helping other makes things right as the stellar main character in the four part series of Reynolds’.
  3. Boys Run the Riot by Keito Gaku: The transgender character finds refuge in fashion.
  4. The Skin I’m In by Sharon Flake: This classic in which a student and her teacher bond over conversations of self esteem related to colorism.
  5. A Face for Picasso by Ariel Henley: Henley details the quest to “normalize” her face having been born with Crouzon Syndrome and always comparing herself to her twin.
  6. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley: Born with a port wine stain, the quest to cover it rather than accept it is Terra’s journey of self acceptance in this YA title.
 
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Posted by on June 24, 2024 in Fiction, Graphic novels, Illustrators, Manga, Middle grade, Nonfiction, Young Adult

 

Six sensational vampire stories

23 Jun

I already shared a post about witches so it’s appropriate that I share one about vampires- whether they’re making a comeback or they never really die (see that?!!) there are some oldies and some new for your reading pleasure.

  1. Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey: A witty mix of Romanian lore, romance, power, and deception.
  2. Camp Sylvania by Julie Murphy: A middle grade about a woman who is running a camp, but it’s not just any summer camp, it’ll be a blood farm for vampires.
  3. The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron: A group of pals realize their family’s history and lean into being a part of the solution even though the new problem is their new friend just became the thing they’re supposed to fear.
  4. A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal: This complex and epic beginning to a series drips with creativity.
  5. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: No need to say more. Love it or hate it, it is a seminal read.
  6. Fangs by Sarah Andersen: This slim graphic novel is the sweetest love story.
 
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Posted by on June 23, 2024 in Adult, Authors, Comics, Fiction, Graphic novels, Illustrators, Middle grade, Young Adult

 
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