Chapter Book Review - Lone Bean by Chudney Ross

Ramona Quimby was one of my favorite fictional characters when I was a kiddo. Ramona was so relatable to me, with all the scrapes she was always getting herself into and the way she often acted first and thought about it later. Her adventures, and the entire dynamic of the Quimby family and friends, made a huge impact on me -- so much so, in fact, that when creating this blog I almost named it in honor of this wonderful series of books.

I'm thrilled that Ramona has endured and continues to capture the attention of a new generation. But I can't help but wonder what fictional characters of this era will fill the same niche, especially in a multicultural sense. So many of the books I loved are absent of any diversity at all - and so many wonderful books with diversity are "issues" books, about heavy thoughts but not always about the everyday reality of life as a middle grader. The Ramonas of this world should be not just Caucasian, but Latina, African American, Asian and biracial. We need characters of color not only for the girls and boys who look like them, but for the many who don't, and who need to see their own experiences lived by someone whose life is somewhat different.

For that reason, and many others, I was excited to get my hands on the debut children's novel from author Chudney Ross, Lone Bean. Among other activities, Ross is the owner of Books and Cookies, a combination children's bookstore and bakery in Santa Monica (this place is going on our must-visit list for sure!). And I suspect that her years as a bookseller and educator are what makes Lone Bean such a well-rounded portrait of a young girl's experiences. Bean is not only a relatable and realistic kiddo, she's also a lot of fun, very like Ramona and so many other classic characters.

The book opens as Bean Gibson begins third grade, which she's quite looking forward to. But almost right away, things go awry. First her best friend Carla has found someone new to hang out with over the summer. Then Bean tangles with the class bully, Terrible Tanisha. Then she has to be partners with Stanley, and everyone in the class thinks she likes him. And then her dad announces that Bean has to start music lessons, on the piano of all things! It seems nothing will ever go right in third grade.

Throughout the story, Bean navigates her way through social mishaps and conflicts with her parents and siblings, all the while finding her place in the new order of things. Bean's outlook on life is one that many kids will relate to; Ross gives us a heroine who is by no means perfect, but who makes mistakes and learns from them (eventually). Bean has a great support system in place, and it's nice to see a story where the main character tests her limits but never doubts her family's love for her. Eventually all the drama sorts itself out -- not exactly how Bean would have liked it to, but in a way that's great nonetheless. Kind of like real life, I'd say.

Next time you're thinking about handing your kiddo a classic like Ramona Quimby, Age 8, reach a little further and consider a book like Lone Bean instead. With characters who are familiar and yet unique, this is a novel worth reading, and I for one am hoping for a sequel -- looking forward to more from this spirited girl and her creator!

Lone Bean by Chudney Ross, published by Amistad Books
Ages 9-12
Source: Library
Sample: "I'm the youngest of three girls and we're all named after flowers. Mom said she wanted her own bouquet, but I think she got a thorn bush with my sisters because they are m-e-a-n MEAN! I have a flower name too, of course, but it is long and hard to spell and terrible. I'll never tell anyone what it is. Mom and Dad sometimes call me by my real name when I'm in big trouble, but otherwise I'm just called Bean."
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One Year Later

Happy blogoversary to me! Today marks one year since I began this blog, and what a year it's been. Here's a look at where we are, one year later.

First, I'm another year closer to my MLIS, though not much closer to figuring out just what type of career I might find most fulfilling. Librarianship offers a lot of options, from public to academic to special libraries, not to mention specific areas of focus. I know one thing, that I want a career that will help me continue to emphasize the importance of diversity in children's literature. I've seen firsthand the way a child lights up when he/she finds a book with characters that "look just like me", and that's an experience I want to see replicated for every child, everywhere. With one more year of coursework ahead, I'll have more opportunities to consider how to make that a reality.

Second, this blog has really grown and changed in the past 12 months. What started out as a sort of virtual bookshelf for Sprout has expanded into a way for me to share titles that support the identity of all children, and of adults as well. I've read books about many nations and cultures, and considered how literature reflects the unique experience of people from all walks of life. Of course I've barely scratched the surface there, and I have a lot more to go (as evidenced by my daunting TBR list!). Most recently, I've indexed all the titles discussed here on the blog, to make it easier to locate a specific review or discussion. In the months to come I look forward to adding a lot more items to that title list.

And perhaps most importantly, Sprout is another year older. Wow oh wow, what a difference 12 months make! He's gone from a spunky two-year-old to a precocious and aware three-year-old. He's recognizing letters in his name (and working really hard to learn to spell it), "writing" with his crayon, and connecting the dots between letters and sounds. In a year we've read aloud every single day, without fail - sometimes only one book, sometimes three or five or twenty. He's come to be recognized by the Friday morning library staffers, who always smile to see him running toward the checkout counter, clutching a new book in one hand and our precious library card in the other. And he is very proud that this year we are taking part in Summer Reading, hoping to earn a way-cool yard sign for our front lawn!

All in all, a year of achievements and milestones. I've read some amazing books this past year, many of which I'll be recommending to Sprout in the years to come. I've participated in some challenges that connected me with some of the many talented kidlit bloggers out there. I've learned a lot too, and my perspective on race, identity, adoption, culture and family continues to transform. Above all, I've had a fantastic time sharing my thoughts with all of you, whoever and wherever you are.

Here's to another year of great books - old favorites, new discoveries and hours of reading aloud!

News of the World - and the 48 Hour Book Challenge!

Time, ladies and gentlemen, does not stand still. This has never been more apparent to me than in the past 2 years, when we've gone from couplehood to parenthood, and suddenly we have a three-year-old on our hands. Crazy! And crazier still, my little ol' blog here is just about to celebrate its one-year blogoversary. Yes indeed, that's a full year of sharing news and insights and lots and lots of scrumptious kidlit. Oh boy, and there's so many more books I want to share with you!

To that end, I'm starting a couple of new features on the blog. First up is "Wayback Wednesday". Every Wednesday I will share a classic favorite kidlit title. Some will be picture books, some novels, and there may even be a classic collection or two thrown in. I expect that it won't be tough for me to come up with titles for this feature, as there are so many fantastic oldies-but-goodies that I want to experience all over again with Sprout. But I'd love input from you, dear reader - if you have a classic kid's book that you'd like us to share our thoughts on, please email me (sproutsbookshelf *at* gmail *dot* com) or leave the title in the comments. I'm going to keep the definition of classic pretty loose here, but I'd say it has to be published at least 15 years ago or longer to qualify. And if you have a book blog of your own, we'd love it if you'd join in with a Wayback Wednesday choice of your own. If you do, and you send me the link, I'll share it here as well. This should be a fun one!

The next is a reboot - I'm aiming to bring back my periodic "Link Love" posts, in which I share a plethora of kidlit news from around the globe. This was one of the most popular features when I started it several months ago, but alas, it fell by the wayside with the advent of a hectic couple of semesters there. But I'm chin up and determined to give it another go. So if you come across a juicy tidbit of kidlit loveliness, please send that on to me post-haste. I promise to share with the class.

And the last bit of news is my idea of total self-indulgence - my intention to join in the fun of the 48 Hour Book Challenge. Sponsored by MotherReader, this event is in its seventh year, but this will be my first time to join in. I'm SO excited to be a part of this annual readathon, particularly since this year participants will be donating to Book People Unite, a project of Reading is Fundamental. I'm starting at the shallow end of this challenge, committing right here and now to 12-23 hours of reading and blogging in a 48 hour period this coming weekend, June 8-10. Wow, and even that is going to be a challenge of its own, with a three-year-old Sprout demanding more than a little attention. But I'm determined to get some major reading done, and am building up the TBR Pile even as we speak!

Stay tuned for more blogoversary news, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the big reveal of our first-ever Wayback Wednesday title!