Recommendation: "While I Was Away" by Waka T. Brown

 

While I Was Away by Waka T Brown is a memoir of the author, who was raised in Kansas and had only visited her parents' homeland of Japan for short periods of time. At age 12, her parents sent her to Japan for five months to study in a regular elementary school and live with her maternal grandmother.

I recommend this to any child whose families send them away from their familiar surroundings to another country to bond with relatives or learn a language. In fact, even adult college students going for study abroad programs should read this. In my experience in study abroad programs, a surprising number of students don't perform well because of homesickness and failing to deal properly with the difficult and embarrassing situations Waka encountered.

Recommendation: "Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear" by Mosab Abu Toha

 

I'm not going to pretend I have put enough effort into reading Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear, a collection of poems by Mosab Abu Toha (Twitter), to write a review. Professor Mosab is a Palestinian from Gaza. As I've mentioned in another blog entry, poetry uses a language which requires the use of brain regions which for me are quite undeveloped. Nevertheless, I'm recommending this book for a few reasons:

• When I did put effort into thinking about the poems, Mosab's words rewarded me.
• I listened to an interview and found Mosab to be engaging. He has another virtual interview May 14, 2022 in which you can "meet" him.
• The published volume includes photographs with thoughtful captions and a written interview with Mosab.
• I don't want anything to do with any activist in USA, especially Muslim, who thinks supporting Palestinians incurs too high a cost.

Recommendation: "I Am the Night Sky & Other Reflections by Muslim American Youth," by Hena Khan (editor)

 

Hena Khan (Twitter) edited I Am the Night Sky & Other Reflections by Muslim American Youth, an anthology of stories, poems and drawings by Muslim youth in the United States.

Being a grumpy, past middle-aged male, I don't do deep dives into most Young Adult literature, much less literature written by young adults.

Nevertheless, the attempts by the book's authors and artists to express their inner lives as they navigate a difficult time are worth exploring and may benefit others, especially younger readers.

The publisher Shout Mouse Press looks like it has a lot of cool titles.