Reads
I am an avid reader and love writing book reviews. Hopefully you will find your next great read here. I read a little bit of everything including comics and graphic novels, YA and children’s literature, non-fiction, and more.
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Questlove is on a Creative Quest
Creative Quest by Questlove Questlove is most famous for being the drummer of The Roots, but he is many more things. He is a DJ, a music connoisseur, an avid record collector, a music journalist, and a writer, among other things. His latest book explores creativity in a unique way. Here are some of the…
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Unspoken Maxims of Childhood
“There are unspoken maxims we embrace as children that even the most educated, experienced, advanced adults should never abandon if we want our days to still fascinate and fulfill us.” So writes erik wahl in his book Unthink: rediscover your creative genius. I decided to take a few of his words and write them as…
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Hip-Hop Was Always Inclusive
Hip-Hop was always an inclusive art form. From its humble beginnings in the Bronx to its expansion throughout the world though, it has moved away from its roots and forgotten this fundamental truth. Dart Adams breaks it down in his new book, The Book of Dart, part of the Best Damn Hip Hop Writing series.…
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Old School New School Need to Learn Though
Run-DMC is my favourite group of all time and literally my introduction to rap music and hip-hop culture. When I first heard them, I knew they were something new and special. They referred to their style as “all brand new, never-ever old school” and back then, I wasn’t quite sure what that meant. Now, old…
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Why There Will Never Be Another Golden Era in Hip-Hop
The Golden Age of Hip-Hop was a magical time where we had amazing releases from a variety of acts with unique and varied styles that somehow seemed to mesh and compliment one another. According to Dart Adams, there isn’t one continuous golden era, however. “Some people believe it that the Golden Era was one continuous…
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Teachers Need to Lead By Example
Preshool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World by Angela C. Santomero For the past month, my Teaching Tip Tuesday posts have been directly inspired by the wisdom in this book. First, we looked at how we can use scaffolding to help our students reach new heights. Then, we looked at…
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A Graphic Novel History of the Apollo Theater
Showtime at the Apollo: The Epic Tale of Harlem’s Legendary Theater by Ted Fox and James Otis Smith The Apollo Theater is one of those legendary venues that has a rich, history behind it. It only makes sense that someone chose to immortalize that in graphic novel form. It goes in depth too, looking at…
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Ms. Marvel, Catwoman, and Batman
Here are the latest graphic novels that I have had the pleasure of reading. Ms. Marvel: Volume 9 – Teenage Wasteland When Ms. Marvel disappears, her friends decide to step in and make sure that Ms. Marvel’s presence is still felt in the city. It’s quite funny to see a group of teenagers, none of…
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The Story of a Unlikely DJ
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales Elise Dembowski is fifteen years old and determined to turn her life around. She thinks that if she studies popular culture over a summer that she can fit in better at school. She will no longer be an outcast. She spends months looking at magazines, doing…
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Eveyone in L.A. is an . . .
Everyone in L.A. is an Asshole: Book 01 by Sarah Fuller Everyone in L.A. is an Asshole . . . except Ellen Degeneres. So writes Sarah Fuller in her humorous work of fiction that revolves around a character also named Sarah. She tells a quick story in her first person narrative that shows how Ellen…