Jennifer J. Chow's Blog, page 27
April 30, 2018
#BookReview: The Hate U Give
“You have a deep appreciation of the arts and music.”
4 stars
Genre: YA contemporary
Pros:
A real protagonist
Deep issues
Exploration of family
Cons:
Quite dark for 8th graders
I’ve heard so much about The Hate U Give. It lives up to its hype. I love the setting of this novel and how real it is. The struggle that Starr battles within herself and in her community also feels authentic.
I did take off a star for the beginning portion of this book. The party scene and the girl caught between two worlds felt too similar for my taste to Lilliam Rivera’s The Education of Margot Sanchez. For me, it felt like familiar territory for the first few chapters. Also, even though it’s rated 8th grade and above, I would pause to give it to a middle grader. There is some explosive content in this novel.
Anyway, as the book continued, I got swept into the atmosphere of Starr’s family, friends, and enemies. I enjoyed how Thomas added in the spice of music into the text as well. Also, I’m grateful that Thomas didn’t wrap things up in a nice bow but left it realistic.
An eye-opening book that provides a real-life character braving today’s world of societal clashes.
Find more of my book ratings and reviews here.
April 25, 2018
April 20, 2018
Festival of Books
Hi, folks!
Just a quick note to say I’ll be at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books THIS SUNDAY (4/22) from 4pm-5pm! If you’re checking out books and authors on the USC campus, come swing by. I’ll be at booth #367 (Sisters in Crime).
Thanks!
P.S. Here’s a pic of me from last year:
April 16, 2018
South Coast Botanic Garden
“Don’t ask, don’t say. Everything lies in silence.”
Sometimes you just need to get away from it all to rejuvenate. The beauty of nature always calms me. It also fires up my creativity.
I mean, look at this tree:
Know what it’s called? Shaving-brush tree. Spot on!
I recently explored the vast South Coast Botanic Garden, which covers 87 acres. Different sections have varied features, including desert plants, majestic redwoods, verdant meadows, exotics fruits, and a sensory garden (my fave was the chocolate plant!).
Here a few photos from my trip:
The tranquil Japanese garden which has a koi pond. The stone lanterns decorating the area are over 200 years old.
Look at the roots on this banyan! Did you know that they’re a type of fig?
The rose garden features this beautiful fountain. Look at the floral details on the trellis. (I discovered a few coins in the pool, making this a very elegant wishing well.)
The first time I’ve seen a sausage tree.
P.S. The cherry blossom trees are bursting with blooms right about now!
April 11, 2018
April 3, 2018
Printing Museum
Who knew that there was a printing museum close to Los Angeles? I visited the International Printing Museum at 315 W. Torrance Blvd in Carson at the end of March.
This museum holds a large number of vintage presses, including a replica of the Gutenberg press. Since I went to their annual Krazy Krafts Day for Kids, I got a whole lot more to see, including letterpress printing, papermaking, cartooning, origami, and bookbinding.
Although the front of museum looks small, the inside holds a huge warehouse. Here are a few highlights from my time:
Paper marbling:
Using inks, you got to create your own swirly paper.
Screen printing:
From a choice of several designs, I picked a T-shirt to imprint. Here I am wearing the chipmunk logo at a botanical garden:
Calligraphy:
Several artists were stationed at a long rectangular table and used their talent to provide personalized bookmarks and nameplates. (If you’re patient, you can watch the entire video of my customized bookmark.)
Toys:
I even spotted paper toys. These robots were constructed by just folding paper and sliding the pieces into place. And the head and limbs are all malleable!
Slugs:
In the era of typesetting, slugs were used to create lettering. I got my own personal one crafted at the museum. Here’s the machine and the final result.
A big thumb’s up! This was a reader and writer’s dream of a museum.
March 28, 2018
March 23, 2018
Foodie Friday: Laksa
Laksa: spicy noodle soup
I first had laksa in Malaysia, and it nearly burned my tongue off because of the spiciness level. Ever since then, I wouldn’t touch the dish. Nevertheless, I grew brave a few weeks ago and tried laksa again.
There’s something extremely sensory about getting a noodle soup that’s coated in red. Two types of laksa exist: a sour one and a curry-based soup. I’m partial to the curry with coconut milk version.
I took a deep breath and tried the soup again. It was really tasty this time! And maybe because it was offered in a US restaurant, they didn’t spice it all the way up. A pretty flavorful soup on those cold dreary days!
If you want to control the level of heat, you can also make your own using this laksa recipe.
Stay warm and dry!
March 14, 2018
March 8, 2018
Brave New Girls
“Personal achievement will be your key to happiness.”
Hi, all! If you remember, I recently posted that I was part of a STEM science fiction anthology for girls. The title of the volume I’m in is Brave New Girls: Tales of Heroines Who Hack.
You can find a list of all the titles in the anthology, along with short descriptions of the stories here.
