Happy New Year! Yes, I know it is late. I was really busy. I don’t remember what I was doing but I am sure it was overwhelming. Oh, yes! We have had a new president and I have been reading about politics, well, as you can see, I was overwhelmed. Well I was going to stop reading children’s books, but then I realized that was a poor choice, so now I am playing catch up and I will, indeed catch up.
So without further ado, here is 5 Books for January 2026…LOL!
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Dreams To Ashes by Livia Blackburne
By 1871, 172 Chinese people had settled in Los Angeles because they were drawn to California for a better way of life. The stories of gold was promising, but elusive, in actuality. So these travelers made money made money by many other trades among the people who lived in The United States. Dreams To Ashes by Livia Blackburne is a nonfiction history account of how people from China, trying to help their families back in their homeland survived here.
White people were jealous and passed laws that took freedoms away from Chinese people. They thought Chinese people were taking jobs from white people.
On October 24, 1871 there was a gunfight between 2 gangsters and a policeman was shot. People reacted too quickly, wanting revenge. They arrived at the Chinese neighborhood and the sheriff and city marshal deputized bystanders, telling them to shoot anyone trying to escape. In the end 18 humans were killed. Only one of them was part of the original gunfight.
The same newspapers who encouraged people to hate the Chinese people, now condemned the violence. Chinese people filed suits, while other Chinese communities sent aid. 525 men were charged for the attack. 10 stood trial. No witnesses were allowed to testify. 8 men were convicted but the California Supreme Court overturned their sentences.
Legislation has come and gone. So have people and businesses. The art by Nicole Xu illustrates the truth and the hope we must keep hold of. This is a powerful story but not one that young children can probably understand. I would think this story might be best for a child of 8, middle grade, or older.
I got this book from Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Dreams To Ashes by Livia Blackburne from Amazon.
Dreams to Ashes: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre by Livia Blackburne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dreams To Ashes by Livia Blackburne is a story about a real moment in United States history about a gun fight that took place on October 24, 1871, in a Chinese neighborhood, that turned into a massacre that took many lives. The imagery created by Nicole Xu is as profound as this immigration story. The lessons we can learn are still available. This story is meant for a more mature child.
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Poo Pile on the Prairie by Amy Hevron
Poo Pile on the Prairie by Amy Hevron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Poo Pile on the Prairie by Amy Hevron is a great nonfiction nature story about how bison poop becomes a meal, a home, and fertilizer for so many creatures, critters, and creeping things in the meadow as the seasons change from spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The illustrations and rhythm are inspiring and I know any child who wants to talk about poop, and many of them do, will really enjoy this picture book as much, or maybe even more than I do; I didn’t even notice it was about science.
I got this book from Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Poo Pile on the Prairie by Amy Hevron on Amazon.
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What Love Looks Like by Laura Obuobi
What Love Looks Like: A Tender Bedtime Story for Kids (Ages 4-8) About Love and Nature’s Wonders ― A Mother’s Day Gift by Laura Obuobi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What Love Looks Like by Laura Obuobi teaches us that love looks like poetry and adventures we take in our imagination. Illustrated by works of art created by Anna Cunha, this book can take you as far as your mind can take you. This wonderful children’s book is magnificent and a wonderful way to end the day, spreading seeds for beautiful dreams. I think you should read this one. I am definitely going to buy this one for my collection.
I got this book from Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of What Love Looks Like by Laura Obuobi on Amazon.
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Vision of Beauty by Kathryn Lasky
Vision of Beauty by Kathryn Lasky is the biography history of Sarah Breedlove Walker, who might be better known as Madame CJ Walker. Sarah was born on December 23, 1867. She was the first free-born child of Minerva and Own Breedlove, and their third child. They were sharecroppers in Delt, Louisiana.
Yellow Fever, Consumption, and Cholera were common in the hot, humid towns along the Mississippi River and Sarah’s parents were not able to over come these diseases because of poor nutrition. She was an orphan by the time she was 7-years-old.
In 1904, after being inspired at the St Louis World’s Fair, Sarah prayed to God. She had seen black women with beautiful hair, and she asked God to make hers stop falling out. That night she had a dream of Africa. She saw plants, trees, flowers, and leaves. She imagined oils and other ingredients that could be used on her hair. When she awoke she began looking for these herbs, salves, different items.
She tried the products on herself until they were perfect. In 1905, she married Charles Walker and named herself Madame CJ Walker, as well as her business. Although she was poorly educated, she hired people to help her and teach her. She built a business that allowed women to sell her products and make good wages. She also invested in her culture and community.
This chapter book has wonderful pictures by Nneka Bennett and is probably appropriate for ambitious 2nd graders and up. The story itself, is inspiring for any young lady or entrepreneur.
I got this book from Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Vision of Beauty by Kathryn Lasky on Amazon.
Vision of Beauty: The Story of Sarah Breedlove Walker by Kathryn Lasky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Vision of Beauty by Kathryn Lasky is a nonfiction story about how Madame CJ Walker came from nothing and through hard word built a successful business that was able to invest into her community and help others live well. I love this story.
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Lady of the Lines by Michaela MacCall
Sometimes you need to see proof of something that exists just because. Lady of the Lines by Michaela MacCall is a memoir about how Maria Reiche saved the Nazca Lines in Peru. These amazing large drawings in the desert, that can only be seen from a helicopter, or by Googling “Nazca Lines” were created between 500 BCE – 500 CE.
In 1941 Reiche was asked by Dr. Paul Kosok to investigate some lines that were disappearing. When she got there, Reiche bought all the brooms she could find and a box of sweet potatoes to live off of and began sweeping the years of rocks and sand that had collected on top of the lines that revealed the many shapes, some being a spider, monkey, a whale, hummingbird, a condor and many others.
These lines became Reiche’s life’s works as she had to petition government protection. She wrote a book. She made connections for structures to be build so people could view the art without disturbing the lines. This book is great for kids interested in anthropology and science. I would think third graders and up. The illustrations by Elisa Chavarri really help you connect with this story.
I got this book from Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Lady of the Lines by Michaela MacCall on Amazon.
Lady of the Lines: How Maria Reiche Saved the Nazca Lines by Sweeping the Desert by Michaela MacColl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lady of the Lines by Michaela MacCall is a story about how Maria Reiche saved the Nazca Lines is Peru. I had never heard of the Nazca Lines before I read this book. I think what Reiche did is amazing. What an astounding inspiration that this woman took on the preservation of this site and made it her life’s work.
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When I go to the library, I don’t look for specific books. I tend to wander over to the new releases and grab a couple that grab my attention. If my wife is with me, I might let her pick a few, if she doesn’t take too long. And then I randomly wander around until I have chosen 5 – 10, depending on how many months I am searching for. It really doesn’t take very long. A couple of the books I chose were hard for me to read. Some topics are hard to read. But every book is worth reading. I guess people are like that too. But every person is important and I will take that belief with me everywhere I go.
I love you. Be blessed!
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
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