Day 13 of Summer 2019 #Bookaday Challenge: Other Words for Home

Vlog Transcript Below

Slide 1: Hi! My name is Kate Narita. This is day 13 of my summer 2019 #bookaday challenge. Today I will be talking about the gorgeous Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga.

Slide 2: My friend, mentor, and fellow author, April Jones Prince, recommended that I read Other Words for Home. April has written several books. Here are two of my favorites. The first is Goldenlocks and the Three Pirates. Goldenlocks is a spunky character with a can-do attitude, it’s a fun read and it’s perfect to have on hand for National Talk Like a Pirate Day which is September 19th. Another one of my favorite books by April is ​Twenty-One Elephants and Still Standing. The artwork in this book is luscious, the lyrical language is lovely plus it features elephants. You cannot go wrong with books that feature elephants.

Slide 3: Other Words for Home is a gorgeous novel written in verse. It features Jude who is a character with a lot of pluck. She doesn’t let people’s opinions of her hold her down. She pursues her dreams no matter what the cost.

Slide 4: On day 8 of my summer 2019 #bookaday challenge I featured another book that features an immigrant. In Pie in the Sky the main character immigrates to Australia. Also, cake plays a very important role in Pie in the Sky. Cake doesn’t play an important role in Other Words for Home; however, it is a revered object. I found it funny that both of these novels about immigrants also talked about cake. Another novel that Other Words for Home reminds me of is Inside Out and Back Again by Thanha Lai. Thanha Lai also features a girl who immigrates to the United States, and the novel is also in verse. 

Slide 5: The novel that Other Words for Home most reminded me of is Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan. What stuck out to me about both of these novels is they both feature hate crimes and in the end both of the main characters shine on stage. 

Slide 6: One of my favorite aspects of Other Words for Home is that the main character is proud to wear her hijab. She doesn’t care that other people don’t understand why she’s proud to wear it. Here’s what the author writes: “That I cover my head not because I am ashamed, forced or hiding. But because I am proud and want to be seen as I am.” Such a powerful passage! I think there’s a picture book that embodies the same message. It’s Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins- Bigelow. In this book, the little girl uses her mommy’s khimars to dress up. It’s super fun, it’s a gorgeous read and I highly recommend it.