Real Stories from My Time: March on Washington

Published 2019. Author: Bonnie Bader (with excerpts from Denise Lewis Patrick's Melody stories). Illustrator: Kelley McMorris.

Summary

Melody's older sister Yvonne is back from college, and Melody is enraptured with her ideas--like equality for all races. Her parents and grandparents agree that the inequality is unacceptable, but are divided on the best way to address the problems and effect change. Melody wants to support the cause too, closing her account at a bank that won't hire black people. When her father calls for a boycott of a local clothing store that treats black patrons like criminals, Melody wants to join the picket line he plans to have outside the store. Melody's cousin Val, originally from Birmingham, AL, is worried about safety--should children really be involved? Melody thinks they should. It's their world, too.

Melody gets to be part of MLK Jr's Walk to Freedom, and Yvonne is going to take part in the March on Washington. About 250,000 people (70% black, 30% other races including white) join her on August 28, 1963, to show that they deserve equal and that they won't back down. In 1964,  the Civil Rights Act became. The Voting Rights Act followed in 1965, and the Fair Housing Act in 1968, just days after MLK Jr was assassinated. Melody's account closes with her, Val, and Yvonne visiting Birmingham, and noticing that the "whites only" signs are gone from store windows.


Misc

Dedicated to "Lauren and Allie--may you always stand up, and march, for what is right."

The book has a note at the beginning about the use of "Negro" and "colored people" and how they were accurate for the time, but are now outdated and offensive. To drive the point home, the first journal entry from Melody recounts a debate among her family members about what they should call themselves. Her grandfather says colored people, her mother Negro, and her older sister describes herself as black. She also agrees with Melody that "American" is perfectly suitable.

To give historical context to the 1963 March on Washington, the book gives a brief overview of US slavery, starting in 1619, and goes past the Emancipation Proclamation to Jim Crows laws and other injustices, like literacy tests for voting. It also mentions actions that laid the groundwork for the March, like the union formed by the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the march that A. Philip Randolph planned which resulted in FDR's order to prohibit discrimination in the defense industry.

Nice, the book mentions Claudette Colvin and Mary Louise Smith, who both refused to give up their seats to white people before the more famous (and more press-friendly) Rosa Parks. All three were important, and they all deserve recognition.

News of protests and other issues were able spread fast over the whole country, and thanks to advances in photography, the Civil Rights Movement had access to proof of wrongs they sought to right.

The book's epilogue notes that equality and equity have yet to be fully realized: "Today, people continue to fight for civil rights. Black, white, Latinx, Native American. People from different religions. Men and women. Gay people and straight people. Young and old. Leaders and everyday citizens. Americans have not stopped demonstrating, protesting, boycotting, sitting in, and standing up for equality."

The Baby-sitters Club Netflix TV Series: Mary Anne Saves the Day

 Netflix has a new original series: The Baby-sitters Club! The first season covers the first eight books plus a sort of adaptation of of the second super special, Baby-sitters Summer Vacation. AND...it's set in the present day (2019/2020), updated accordingly, and much more diverse. The plots are broadly the same as the original books. Here are some things that I noticed:

What stood out as surprisingly (not necessarily good or bad) different to me:

The impetuous that starts the fight is Mrs. Delvecchio (whose family replaces the Prezziosos) asking for Mary Anne specifically, because she knows Mary Anne's dad through work, and she trusts Mary Anne with her transgender daughter, Bailey. When Mary Anne vents to her dad, he calls the other parents, which makes everything worse.

Dawn's parents divorced when her father came out as gay. (She's handling it way better than two friends of mine whose parents split up for the same reason, but it sounds like in the Schafer's case, the reveal wasn't much of a surprise to anyone. With both of my friends, there were affairs involved.) Dawn's experiences with this help Mary Anne understand how Bailey feels. Mary Anne wasn't acting inappropriately, but she was privately confused and unsure if she was handling everything okay, and Dawn reassures her. This later helps Mary Anne tell the medical staff that Bailey's gender isn't what's on the medical chart.

Dawn is an only child.

Morbidda Destiny/Esme Porter is Dawn's mother's aunt, which is why Dawn's mom wanted to come back to Stoneybrook. She's into New Age stuff, which is why Karen thinks she's a pointy-hat green-faced variety of witch.

What I was happy stayed the same:

Dawn's introduction is fun to watch.

Richard Spier and Sharon Schafer meeting each other is pretty great, too. They realize who the other is when Dawn and Sharon (and Aunt Esme) come for Thanksgiving dinner.

Other interesting touches: 

Mary Anne's mom was a lawyer.

The actresses playing Mary Anne and Mimi are actually knitting, not just holding the needles and yarn.

Dawn sees a therapist, presumably to help her with the divorce and move, which seems like a great idea to me.

Real Stories from My Time: Pearl Harbor

Published 2018. Author: Jennifer Swanson (with excerpts from Kirby Larson's Nanea stories). Illustrator: Kelley McMorris.

Summary

Nanea enjoys playing with her friends in Honolulu, but rumors of war making her nervous. She knows fighting is going on around the world, but none in Hawaii--so far. But that date which will live in infamy dawns with a surprise attack. Nanea's peaceful morning is interrupt with the sounds of battle. Her father heads for the shipyard, reasoning that they'll need his civilian help in addition to the military people already called in via radio. Nanea's mother and siblings are terrified, Nanea most of all. By afternoon, martial law and a curfew are in place. And then people with Japanese ancestry, even American citizens, start facing suspicion, discrimination, arrests...and internment camps. One of Nanea's best friends, Lily, has her (Japanese-American) father arrested before her eyes. Lily's family is no longer allowed to have their radio, and her brother's car had a racial slur written on the windshield. Her father is released in Nanea's book, but that's skipped here. Nanea's last excerpt has her and her friends assisting Nanea's grandmother in making fabric netting that the military will use for camouflage. Helping, even in a small way, makes Nanea feel better, and gives her hope.


Misc

Dedicated to the "men and women who lost their lives in the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7. 1941." I still can't get over the fact that those lives lost included two babies. Janet Yumiko Ohta was three months old, Eunice Wilson was seven months. They weren't the only minors killed.

"Hawaii is a beautiful place to live." Having done so...it's not for everyone. Lots of amazing things there, but I can't handle that kind of humidity. It's expensive, too.

Imperial Japan wasn't just taking land from China. They were committing horrible atrocities and war crimes, which aren't child-friendly, but could have been mentioned obliquely.

I find calling the Pearl Harbor attack "a daring plan" (the title of one chapter) to be disrespectful to the people who died during it, especially the completely innocent civilians. It makes the attack sound too noble to me. It would like describing the Japanese interment camps as "a brave idea."

I really like this quote from President Roosevelt, upon lifting the ban on Americans of Japanese ancestry in the military: "Americanism is not, and never was, a matter of race or ancestry...Americanism is a matter of the mind and heart."

Like the other Real Stories from My Time books, this one includes stories from real people who lived through the attack, as well as pictures (hand-drawn and photographs).

The Baby-sitters Club Netflix TV Series: The Truth About Stacey

Netflix has a new original series: The Baby-sitters Club! The first season covers the first eight books plus a sort of adaptation of of the second super special, Baby-sitters Summer Vacation. AND...it's set in the present day (2019/2020), updated accordingly, and much more diverse. The plots are broadly the same as the original books. Here are some things that I noticed:

What stood out as surprisingly (not necessarily good or bad) different to me:

Stacey keeps her diabetes secret until this episode, She uses an insulin pump instead of having daily injections. Her mom seems more invested in hiding Stacey's diabetes than her dad does.

Some of the adults are called by their first names--which is how I prefer everyone to address me.

Charlotte Johanssen is adopted rather than either of her mothers doing IVF with one of their ova. At least, I think she's not the same ethnicity as her moms, but I'm not great with faces.

The Baby-sitters Agency sends the BSC on fake jobs, including one for an elderly man.

The Agency finds a cell phone video of Stacey having a seizure brought on by diabetic shock and post it online to discredit the BSC. There's a brief mention of cyber-bullying, but it's pretty disappointing to see the parents of the BSC charges so ready to think that it's better to trust the group that sent the video as retaliation for being called out on leaving a four-year-old unsupervised outside over a group that includes someone who had trouble getting an accurate medical diagnosis. Stacey has to basically hold a press conference to explain and nearly apologize, and offers to resign from the BSC. Dr. Johanssen comes to her defense, explaining how maturely Stacey handles her diabetes. Even then, it takes Kristy reminding the other parents about the cyber-bullying for them to trust the BSC.

What I was happy stayed the same:

Kid-kits make their debut.

The scene with Jamie Newton alone in the street and talking to his mom is done well.

Other interesting touches: 

Watson gives Elizabeth a family heirloom ring for an engagement ring.

I'm impressed that the cars have Connecticut license plates.

Kristy says the club has to do the most responsible thing possible. Mary Anne confidently replies, "Vacuum."

Real Stories from My Time: Titanic

Published: 2018 Author: Emma Carlson Berne. Illstrator: Kelley McMorris

Summary

On April 14, 1912, Samantha, Jenny, and Bridget are at their New York City boarding school when they learn that the Titanic has sunk. Aunt Cornelia, Nelly, and baby William were on it, heading home from Ireland. Samantha is reminded of her time on the Queen Caroline, when Grandmary thought it unwise for boat owners to obsess over who could make a crossing the fastest. Was speed a factor? Sick with worry, they return home to be with Uncle Gard while waiting to hear if any of three survived. All they know is that most of the passengers made it, but they can't help worrying that their family wasn't among them. On April 17, they learn that the death toll has risen significantly: only 868 of the 2,200 people on the Titanic survived. Samantha and Uncle Gard are now more worried than ever that they've lost more loved ones to drowning, but they try to stay brave for Jenny and Bridget. It's not until the next that a telegram finally arrives from Aunt Cornelia, with the information that she, Nellie, and William are safe on the Carpathia and due to dock in New York that afternoon at three. A few days later, Samantha and her sisters walk the few blocks to the just-founded Titanic Relief Fund office: Samantha's family is intact, but there are many orphans and widows and other survivors who need help.

Misc

Dedicated to "Oscar, my sunshine-faced little boy--and my last baby."

Nellie has really been through a lot of childhood trauma.

I knew the Titanic had a pool (thanks to the joke about how even today, its pool has water in it) but I didn't know it was heated!

The book includes several anecdotes and photographs (due to lack of cameras, there are drawings but not photographs in the books set earlier) of Titanic passengers, crew, construction, and more; really giving it a nice historical context. There is a lot of great information, from the three-year construction of the ship to where different people were billeted on the boat to how the disaster happened to the aftermath.

The epilogue mentions Robert Ballard's expedition which found the remains of the Titanic in the 1980s and answered many questions about the disaster. I think the book was remiss in not mentioning the further work that James Cameron did in his research for his movie. His team discovered a lot of information as well.

The Baby-sitters Club Netflix Series: Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls

Netflix has a new original series: The Baby-sitters Club! The first season covers the first eight books plus a sort of adaptation of of the second super special, Baby-sitters Summer Vacation. AND...it's set in the present day (2019/2020), updated accordingly, and much more diverse. The plots are broadly the same as the original books, although here the focus is more on the school dance and Claudia's relationship with her parents in regards to her grades, and the only phantom calls we see on-screen aren't a shy boy trying to ask someone out. Here are some other things that I noticed:

What stood out as surprisingly (not necessarily good or bad) different to me:

Trevor is an artist like Claudia instead of a poet, which is how he and Claudia notice each other in the first place. Because he knows her better in this version, he actually asks her out to the Halloween Hop in the first place instead of calling, getting nervous, and hanging up.

Stacey offers Claudia her own math test to pass off as Claudia's, since Claudia failed hers and her parents won't allow her to go to the dance with a failing grade. Claudia takes her up on the offer, too. Claudia does come clean on her own to her parents, rather than being found out. Her parents aren't thrilled about her lying, but they do acknowledge that she's putting in an effort and has improved a bit. They don't let her attend the dance, but they are more obviously supportive of her than some of their book appearances seem.

Janine is more overtly antagonistic toward Claudia in the series, which makes Claudia's reactions to her more understandable. Janine's the one to suggest that the Kishi parents not allow Claudia to attend the Halloween Hop if she fails her test.

Karen has more of a creepy child vibe than an overbearing one.

The titular phone call turns out to be Mary Anne, calling from an old phone to talk to Kristy.

What I was happy stayed the same:

I love the scene with Claudia and Mimi cooking together.

Mary Anne and Kristy communicate by flashlight.

Other interesting touches: 

Mary Anne has to use a flip phone as part of her punishment for not calling her dad to let him know she's running late.

Claudia dresses in a style evocative of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, hoping it will inspire her to understand math better.

Real Stories from My Time: Underground Railroad

Published: 2018. Author: Bonnie Bader (with excerpts from Connie Porter's Addy stories). Illustrator: Kelley McMorris

Summary

Addy's perspective is told through excerpts from Meet Addy, starting with her overhearing her parents plan how to escape to the North. They'll need to make it to a safe house owned by a Miss Caroline, a white woman who can get them to the next stop on the Underground Railroad. Her father and brother are sold before they can act on their plans, forcing Addy and her mother to leave her baby sister behind with older slaves. Under cover of darkness, they bravely make their way through a raging river, a group of Confederate soldiers, and other dangers before finally reaching Miss Caroline's. There's one last excerpt from Happy Birthday Addy! about the Civil War ending, and Addy's family (her father has joined them) determined to reunite fully.


Misc

Dedicated to "David, my history buff." The book also includes Connie Porter's dedication from her Addy books: "For Rachel Dunn, my mother's great-grandmother, born into slavery in 1807, and her daughter, Hannah, my mother's grandmother, my "Addy," born into slavery in 1850. She died free. Your strength inspires me today."

The book includes several anecdotes about real people who traveled and "worked" on the Underground Railroad, like Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman. It also goes in to the history of slavery in the US starting before it was even country, the Abolitionist Movement, the Fugitive Slave Act, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the end of the Civil War.

The excerpts are edited slightly to help them fit the flow of the historical narrative better.

It makes sense, but it didn't occur to me that some slaves in more southern locales escaped to Florida (then under Spanish rule) or Mexico. Those in Florida often lived with Seminole tribes.

The book includes a note about Addy's dialect, explaining that since it was illegal to teach slaves to read or write or give them any education, they often had poor grammar. Portraying Addy speaking "improperly" isn't meant to denigrate her intelligence but to be historically accurate.

The Baby-sitters Club Netflix Series: Kristy's Great Idea

Netflix has a new original series: The Baby-sitters Club! The first season covers the first eight books plus a sort of adaptation of of the second super special, Baby-sitters Summer Vacation. AND...it's set in the present day (2020s). 

Naturally, a lot is updated, like Kristy's mom joining an expy of care.com to look for a sitter for David Michael. Claudia's working on a sculpture about menstruation and takes a life drawing class. The girls have cell phones and email, and use social media. The calendar is kept on a laptop. And the girls reference current pop culture AND look like seventh-graders. 

There's a big effort for inclusion, too. A lot of background characters aren't white, and same goes for more of the main and supporting cast than in the books. Mary Anne is biracial: her mother was black and her father is white, which is a clever way of explaining her perpetual braids, as it's the only hairstyle her dad knows how to do with her more textured hair (he doesn't require braids unlike the books, but Mary Anne assumed she was only allowed braids because it's how he did her hair when she was young). Dawn is Hispanic. Charlotte Johanssen's parents are both women. One of the kids the club sits for (Bailey Delvecchio) is transgender. Ethnic and sexual orientation diversity are far more common here than in the books, which makes sense--when the first books came out, it was unusual to even have divorced parents in children's and young adult books, but society marches on! Overall, I think it's a fun update, but the original holds a special place for me because of the nostalgia. I'm also not the target audience. I'm glad I watched it, and I'm happy it's been renewed for a second season.

The plots are largely the same as the original books, so I won't rehash that except for the episodes that veer way off. But here are some things I noticed:

What stood out as surprisingly (not necessarily good or bad) different to me:

Mr. Redmont is a misogynistic jerk in this version. Kristy doesn't get in trouble for jumping out of her seat at the end of class, but for yelling out why Thomas Jefferson didn't say all people are created equal instead of all men. 

Watson isn't heavyset or balding. He also helps the club get a lot of clients by word of mouth.

Kristy sees Stacey in Stoneybrook when she's supposed to be in New York City, but doesn't tell Claudia or Mary Anne. Stacey knows Kristy saw her and is grateful to Kristy for keeping her secret. Stacey doesn't mention her diabetes yet.

What I was happy stayed the same:

Claudia still has a landline.

Louie is still a rough collie.

The girls' friendship is great.

PSA Time: Don't give the Heimlich maneuver when someone's coughing! 

Other interesting touches:

Mary Anne uses a backpack that she pulls behind her rather than the typical kind, perhaps a nod to her over-protective father.

Season 1 Cast

Kristy Thomas: Sophie Grace
Claudia Kishi: Momona Tamada
Stacey McGill: Shay Rudolph
Mary Anne Spier: Malia Baker
Dawn Schafer: Xochitl Gomez
Mallory Pike: Vivian Watson
Jessi Ramsey: Anais Lee
Logan Bruno: Rian McCririck

Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer: Alicia Silverstone
Charlie Thomas: Ethan Farrell
Sam Thomas: Dylan Kingwell
David Michael Thomas: Benjamin Goas
Watson Brewer: Mark Feuerstein
Andrew Brewer: Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguz
Karen Brewer: Sophia Reid-Gantzert

Mimi Yamamoto: Takayo Fischer
Kimiko Kishi: Diana Bang
John Kishi: Kevan Ohtshi
Janine Kishi: Aya Furukawa

Edward McGill: Peter Benson
Maureen McGill: Shauna Johanssen

Richard Spier: Marc Evan Jackson

Marc Schafer: Andy Canete
Sharon Porter: Jessica Elaina Eason
Esme Porter/Morbidda Destiny: Karin Konoval

Deidre Pike: Caitlin Howard
Forrest Pike: Stephen Weigand
Jordan Pike: Remi-Gael Panon
Adam Pike: Valen Peyton
Byron Pike: Brock Brown
Vanessa Pike: Daphne Hoskins
Nicky Pike: Connor O'Mahoney
Margo Pike: Evelyn Burke
Claire Pike: Sara Halliburton

Dr. Johanssen: Kalyn Miles
Mrs. Johanssen: Luvia Petersen
Charlotte Johanssen: Naomi Tan
Kim Newton: Christina Sicoli
Jamie Newton: Sawyer Frasier
Baby Lucy: Stella and Sophia Rahou
Natalie Barrett: Rebekka Johnson
Hamilton Barrett: Matt Hamilton (funny coincidence)
Buddy Barrett: Benjamin Jacobson
Suzi Barrett: Nadia Batista
Marnie Barrett: Julianna and Emilia Lucente
Todd Delvecchio: Todd Matthews
Francine Delvecchio: Julie Lynn Mortensen
Bailey Delvecchio: Kai Shappley
Nate Marshall: Seth Ranaweera
Mrs. Papadakis: Malaika Jackson
Mrs. Rodowsky: Krista Magnusson
Other Parent #1: Kareem Malcolm

Mr. Redmont: Milo Shandel

Mr. Thompson: Faustino Di Bauda

Claudia's teacher: Jasmine Lukuku
Trevor Sandbourne: Bodhi Sabongui
Shillaber Twin #1: Angelina Belsey
Shillaber Twin #2: Kiara Belsey
Lacy Lewis: Madison Guppy
Michelle Patterson: Kenya Jordan
Janet Gates: Katarina Mueller
Luke Howard: Connor Wong
Caleb: Ben Cockell

Laine Cummings: Beatrice Kitsos

Scott: Kyle Clark

Alex: David Raynolds
Toby: Mason McKenzie

Philomena Means: Tami Sagher
Barb: Heather Feeney
Nurse: Helenna Santos

Doctor: Eric Ruggieri
Sarah: Jacqueline Breakwell
Nurse Diane: Kendra Westwood
Cop #1: Celia Aloma
NYC Camper: Alozie LaRose
Camper #1: Emily Delhunty
Camper #2: Romy Sanchez
Paola: Valeria McNicol
Mean Girl: Zoriah Wong
Saleswoman: Angela Galanopoulos
Nora: Mila Morgan
Doctor: Donna Soares
Teenage Counselor #1: Kenneth Tynan
Glam Squad Member: Garth Hodgson
Old Man Carl: Alex Kliner
Gus: James Reed
Nurse: Charles Singh
Bruce: Cedric Ducharme
Teen Girl: Asia Lizardo
Teen Heckler in Car: Lyric Kennedy
Saluting Camper: Amelie Timer