Snekcoatl: An INKspire Article I wrote for Black History Month

Phases

Phases I went through

1. My Passenger Pigeon Phase: I once had a phase where I was obsessed with these birbs and I wrote a story about them. I ended up seeing taxidermy samples at the museum. Read about this phase here.

2. My Dehydration Phase: I was preoccupied with thoughts of death by dehydration and I would drink absurd amounts of water every day. Read about this phase here.

3. My Oklahoma Phase: I went to Tulsa, Oklahoma for like 4 days and enjoyed it much more than I was expecting honestly. Read about this life-changing travel experience here.

Freya's bookshelf: read

Analyzing Meaning

by Paul R. Kroeger

I appreciate that this book gets straight to the point and doesn't have any annoying fluff at the beginning of the chapters. It could be better organized to highlight key words. The conclusions at the end of each chapter could be a littl...

Two Sisters

by Rabindranath Tagore

As is to be expected of Tagore, beautiful prose and lots of allusions to both western and Bengali literature which makes his writing fun to read. The actual plot of the novel was really predictable but it was meant to be that way (about ...

How to Deal: Tarot for Everyday Life

by Sami Main

I'm one of those people who says things like "lol i don't really believe in that kind of stuff" but I was drawn to tarot cards because of the cool art on them and the medieval origin. I wanted to understand what tarot is, and this book w...

The Real Thing

by Henry James

The premise is interesting. The artist meets two people- Mr. and Mrs. Monarch- who are desperate to do anything for money and want him to hire them as models. The story has an interesting and thought-provoking theme, which is that real t...

Cities of Blood

by Peter Ackroyd

The 4 stars is mainly for the full colour page layouts and the amazing photos and illustrations. Reading this book was like watching a documentary. It was to fully immerse you in Aztec, Maya and Inca culture. But like a documentary, it t...

Kholstomer

by Leo Tolstoy

This was a wonderful story by Tolstoy which is partially told from the point of view of a horse. It is tragic because the horse is unfortunately a piebald horse (has black and white spots) which made him subject to a lot of abuse because...

Who Moved My Cheese?

by Spencer Johnson

A perfect example of why I hate self-help books. Extremely overrated. No idea why it's so popular. Half the book is a pre-story and a conclusion that say the story will "change your life." The story itself was less than mediocre. The onl...

Decolonizing Discipline: Children, Corporal Punishment, Christian Theologies, and Reconciliation

Decolonizing Discipline: Children, Corporal Punishment, Christian Theologies, and Reconciliation

by Valerie E Michaelson

This book is tremendously important. I know it came out quite recently, but I really hope this is a book that will circulate widely and won't just be limited to academic circles. I've always been really interested in Indigenous history a...

Shades

by Arthur Slade

Great collection of short stories. The subtitle "tales of fear and wonder" is really accurate. A lot of these stories are frightening but also really draw you in with the details. Some of them make you feel like you're having a fever dre...

Magical Mermaids!

by Dave Aikins

Nice illustrations but the story kinda sucked. It came with stickers though.

Aztec, Inca, and Maya

by Elizabeth Baquedano

The style of Eyewitness Books is amazing for learning about other cultures and time periods. You can really immerse yourself in the world of the Aztecs, Incas and Maya with the beautiful photos of artifacts in the book. There are a few m...

Because of Winn-Dixie

by Kate DiCamillo

It's been a while since I read this book but I remember thoroughly enjoying it. It's sweet and heartwarming because it revolves around the friendship between a girl and a dog. The girl also moves to a new town and makes a new, wholesome ...

Aztec

by Laura Scandiffio

Ok this was way better than I thought it would be and was an absolute delight to read. Many of the children's educational books I've come across about Aztecs are extremely biased and oversimplified. This went into far more detail about M...

History News: The Aztec News

by Philip Steele

I'm so glad I picked up this edition of the Aztec news for 3 cocoa beans xD . This whole series is really fun to read and quite clever. It's like looking at history memes but a bit more educational. However I agree with another user's re...

The Lost Temple of the Aztecs

by Shelley Tanaka

It was a pleasure to return to this book (which I first read in 4th grade). It's told in a wonderful narrative style with fascinating illustrations. I'm sure any kid would be hooked on to Aztec history if they read this book. That being ...

The Syntax Workbook: A Companion to Carnie's Syntax

The Syntax Workbook: A Companion to Carnie's Syntax

by Andrew Carnie

Very useful book for anyone who struggles to understand syntax. There are a lot of typos in the answer key to watch out for however. Some of the explanations in the answers also feel a bit incomplete. There a good mix of easy and advance...

Stargirl

by Jerry Spinelli

A beautiful story. I think every school has a Stargirl. I appreciated that there wasn't too much romance, or it would've derailed the story. But there was a really wholesome friendship. The New Mexico setting was also amazing.

Syntax: A Generative Introduction

by Andrew Carnie

Syntax is one of my weak areas in linguistics and this book helped me a lot. The explanations are clear, concise and to-the-point. I compared this with a different syntax textbook and this book is far better. The chapter summaries are al...

Gods of Jade and Shadow

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

An amazing YA fantasy novel inspired by the Popol Vuh. There's some romance in here between the protagonist and a Mayan god omg. This was extremely entertaining and had beautifully written prose. The ending was also great. I was super ne...

Entering Sappho

by Sarah Dowling

This poetry collection had a very original concept. I enjoyed reading this tribute to the classical lesbian. This is about a town called Sappho. There are thousands of cities and towns in the U.S named after classical stuff... "Ninety-se...

A Tempest

by Aimé Césaire

Amazing work based on Shakespeare's "The Tempest." I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish I could watch it performed live. The original had a lot of focus on Miranda and the comedic/romantic plot between her and her lover. It also had a happy ...

Writing Alone and with Others

by Pat Schneider

Normally I stay away from books like this, but this was incredibly helpful and had a wonderful philosophy: everyone is a writer. Some parts were old-fashioned/out of date (technology and the way things work now just aren't the same anymo...

Hana's Suitcase: A True Story

by Karen Levine

A deeply moving book. It starts off in Japan with a woman who is the director of a Holocaust education centre. She asks other museums to send artifacts and gets a suitcase that belonged to Hana Brady, a girl who died at Auschwitz when sh...

The Travels

by Marco Polo

I can see why this book was a bestseller in Europe at the time. Very entertaining to read. I especially enjoyed the chapters on India. There are hilarious episodes in this and you can tell it's often inaccurate but it doesn't matter beca...

Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography

by Chester Brown

This graphic novel had a great storyline and great dialogue. The author tried to get historical details as accurate as he could when possible. The main thing I didn't like about it was the art style. The art wasn't detailed enough, in my...

The Marrow Thieves

by Cherie Dimaline

Amazing and terrifying. The setting was in the future after climate change gets really catastrophic and all the coastal cities sink (this part was really realistic for a dystopian book. Wouldn't be surprised if it actually happened). All...

When We Were Vikings

by Andrew David MacDonald

AMAZING. I did in a more detailed review on my blog, which you can read here: http://freyathefrypan.blogspot.com/2020/06/book-review-when-we-were-vikings-by.html

Copper Sunrise

by Bryan Buchan

Fun fact: this author is from the same boring Ontario town as me. Anyways, I agree with the review that says this book was poorly researched. I prefer historical fiction that is more detailed and realistic. The generalizations were annoy...

The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories

by O. Henry

All of these short stories had unexpected endings, which I really enjoyed. My favourite was "The Last Leaf."

Aru Shah and the End of Time

by Roshani Chokshi

Very humorous writing style, and great for people who aren't very familiar with Hindu mythology and want to get into it. This book is for 12 year olds but it can be enjoyed at any age.

The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America

The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America

by Thomas King

Amazing and breathtaking. A lot of topics covered in this book are tragic, but the author is so clever and funny that it's very different from reading a typical history book.

A Bride's Story, Vol. 5

by Kaoru Mori

Beautiful as always. Kaoru Mori never disappoints. In this volume, you get to see a Central Asian wedding.

Indigenous sovereignty and socialism

by Valerie Lannon

This is an ambitious book as it attempts to introduce readers to the history of Indigenous rights movements in Canada and then write about their connection with socialism. I thought it gave a lot of great information but the writing styl...

Nights at the Circus

by Angela Carter

The ending was very nice. I liked the conclusion that Fevvers seemed to arrive at. Being in love doesn't mean losing your freedom. Maybe this genre is just not my cup of tea though, because even though I appreciated some parts I still fo...

We Should All Be Feminists

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I liked this book and also this author's Ted talk on stereotypes about Africa. Her work is very engaging because she always talks about her life experiences to go along with what she's saying. I can't wait to read some of her other books.

Madame Bovary

by Gustave Flaubert

The prose was nice and I also liked the way Emma's emotions were described in some parts because I like reading depressing books. But the plot was boring and none of the characters were likeable.

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

by Olaudah Equiano

A fascinating book to read that really made me want to look further into books written by formerly enslaved people. I enjoyed the beginning of the book in which Equiano talks about his life in Benin before he is kidnapped. He contrasts c...

The Golden Compass

by Philip Pullman

Epic story. The setting is so cool. It's kind of like a mix of our real world with fantasy elements. The concept is original and definitely stands out from other fantasy/adventure novels I've read. I know it's meant for children, but the...

Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality

Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality

by Bob Joseph

I suggest reading "21 things you may not know about the Indian Act" like I did before picking up this book as it gives a lot of context. This book was great. Very well-written and engaging. Even if you don't work in the corporate world i...

Don Quixote

by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

There are definitely parts of this book which are hilarious and entertaining to read, but the entire plot is directionless and aimless. It is hard to remember the order in which the events happen. I was pretty disappointed by this book, ...

Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing by and about Indigenous Peoples

Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing by and about Indigenous Peoples

by Gregory Younging

Very helpful and a must-read for anyone wanting to write about Indigenous Peoples. It is less like a style guide and more like an interesting book you can read cover to cover instead of only to look up certain things. There are 22 princi...

Indeh: A Story of the Apache Wars

by Ethan Hawke

Stunning art work. It really brought this part of history to life. Overall this was a breath-taking graphic novel.

A Bride's Story Vol. 4

by Kaoru Mori

Amazing series. This volume introduced two new characters, the twins Leila and Leily. It was adorable and was infused with lots of wholesome humor. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference

by Greta Thunberg

Amazing and inspiring book. Great start for anyone who wants to get into climate activism and needs some basic information to get started. There are some points in here that I think should have been elaborated on, such as the equity issu...

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

by Ocean Vuong

I wanted to like this book. I might get hate for not liking it because it's so popular. But I just didn't like the writing style. It's something in between prose and poetry. To some people that might be great, but I wasn't a fan of it.

Sunstone/Piedra De Sol

by Octavio Paz

As someone who loves poetry and Mexican culture, this was fun for me to read. It is cool to analyze how Paz's culture influences his work. The symbolism used is very Mexican, although there are also allusions to Greek myths.

Holes

by Louis Sachar

The plot and the tragic backstory of the characters was incredible. The author also talked about mature subjects but in a way that was still appropriate for a children's book.

And Then It Happened: Book One

by M. Wade

Hilarious. A collection of funny short stories meant for young readers but they can be enjoyed by any age. The two stories about the turkey were my favourite :) .

The Breadwinner

by Deborah Ellis

It's kind of amazing how Deborah Ellis manages to write about such serious topics for children.

The Communist Manifesto

by Karl Marx

Not gonna lie I didn't understand it that well and so a second reading would probably be worth it. I admire the writing style as it is usually really energetic and persuasive. I recommend reading it with a group of other leftists if you ...

A Visit from the Goon Squad

by Jennifer Egan

The book's point of view was interesting to analyze as some chapters were in first person while others were in third person. There was even one in second person, which was weird. Also one chapter of the book is entirely made of PowerPoin...

Hoot

by Carl Hiaasen

This is a really heartwarming story and a great novel for children to read as it shows no one is too small to make a difference.

Apples & Chalkdust

by Vicki Caruana

This book contains some valuable lessons on teaching but the way they're presented is horrible. I wanted short stories with great prose in which the students and teacher undergo a transformation and learn a lesson, instead each "story" i...

Zoobreak

by Gordon Korman

Great children's novel. Haven't read such a well thought out plot in a while. Great characters and great action! There was never a dull moment. Also easy to read even if you haven't read the first book in the Swindle series.

21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality

21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality

by Bob Joseph

Awesome book although I would've liked it better if the second section which was called something like "if not the Indian Act then what?" were a bit longer.

Savvy

by Ingrid Law

It was great how even though this book had many magical elements to it, the setting was in the real world and it showed that even though the Beaumont family had magical powers their life wasn't easy. This book is unique and entertaining....

Stoner

by John Williams

Look, I understand why this book and its themes could be valuable to analyze and discuss. But I only rate books based on how FUN they are to read... And this book wasn't FUN. None of the characters are likable. Stoner, Edith, Katherine, ...

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

by Erika L. Sánchez

At first I had a hard time getting into this book because I didn't like the way the protagonist (Julia Reyes) sounded like she was so judgemental of everyone but overtime she grew on me and I learned to love her. The book is narrated by ...

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

by Beverly Cleary

Lighthearted and short. Humorous at times. Arrives at a really meaningful conclusion about family in the end. The author is really good at writing from the perspective of an 8 year old. Good book for very young readers who are just start...

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

by James Weldon Johnson

A really interesting and unique perspective on race. It was oddly optimistic. The protagonist never really complains, even when something terrible happens to him. He's really stoical. This book presents a question that I think white peop...

Superfudge

by Judy Blume

An interesting continuation of the series. The ending of this book was more satisfying than the other books. Like the other books in the series there isn't much of a plot but it focuses on daily events in the characters lives as well as ...

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

by Judy Blume

I read children's books when I'm really bored okay? Don't judge. Anyway this one was really funny, and I'm sure anyone with a younger sibling will be able to relate to this. I'm an only child but it made me wish I had a sibling just beca...

Antigone

by Jean Anouilh

I was a bit reluctant to read this as I really enjoyed the classic play by Sophocles and was worried this adaptation wouldn't be as good. I'm glad I was wrong. What made this play extremely interesting was the portrayal of Creon. All his...

Islands of Decolonial Love: Stories & Songs

Islands of Decolonial Love: Stories & Songs

by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

Beautiful collection of poetry and stories. A masterpiece. My favourite work was "leaks," which is a really short poem but I loved it and the musical accompaniment was beautiful too (you can get the musical pieces on the publisher's webs...

Mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins

this trilogy is so overrated. still fun to read though.

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

A Bride's Story, Vol. 3

by Kaoru Mori

I love this series so much

A Bride's Story, Vol. 2

by Kaoru Mori

Beautiful, as expected. The first two volumes were wonderful and I can't wait for the third book! I loved the drawings of the battle scene with Azel. I wonder where Mr. Smith is going.

A Bride's Story, Vol. 1

by Kaoru Mori

Why isn't this more popular? It's so beautiful! It's my favourite genre as well, historical fiction romance. If it weren't for one of my friends who knows a lot about niche manga, I probably never would've heard of it. I'm in awe of how ...

DNA

by Dennis Kelly

I'm acting in this play! I'm super excited. I think this play has a brilliant plot. The dialogue is written in a very natural, conversational tone that really does sound the way teenagers speak. It is suspenseful and original while still...

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

by Mark Manson

I normally don't read self-help books. I just find the tone that they're written in to be annoying and they're usually saturated with new age BS. This book wasn't like that at all. It was recommended to me by a good friend. If you're loo...

Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

by Reni Eddo-Lodge

This was cool. Obviously it's an important book and I highly suggest reading it, but it kinda reads like one very long internet comment about race. There are a lot of facts and statistics which are important to include but made the book ...

Tribes

by Arthur Slade

I have never related more to a character before than I have to Percy. I'm a grade 12 student in Canada as well and I'm fascinated by anthropology. One of my earliest obsessions was Australopithicus afarensis (Lucy) which was what initial...

Norse Mythology

by Neil Gaiman

Oh my gods that was beautiful. I almost cried because of how perfect this book is. This is the greatest retelling of the Norse myths I've ever read. It's written in a narrative style so the story flows like in a novel and the gods are al...

King Lear

by William Shakespeare

This play can teach you a lot about life. It can warn you about fake friends and people who try to win you over with flattery without actually proving their love to you. If you've been lead astray by manipulative people before, don't wor...

The Boy Who Loved Too Much: A True Story of Pathological Friendliness

The Boy Who Loved Too Much: A True Story of Pathological Friendliness

by Jennifer Latson

It was the title of this book that made me pick it up when I saw it on the shelf at a library. I didn't even know what Williams syndrome is before I read it. This book was very well-written and made me interested in genetics. Very few bo...

Circe

by Madeline Miller

This was the best retelling of Greek myths I've ever read. I appreciated its accuracy and detail. At the same time, it brought gods, heroes and monsters to life and humanized them in a way that you could really empathize with their emoti...

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

by Thomas Hardy

Saddest book I've ever read. I don't know why so many of the other reviews seem to hate the protagonist Tess or are saying she should have known better about Alec. In my opinion, she is an amazing character. She was the most mature, resp...

Wenjack

by Joseph Boyden

The writing style evoked a lot of emotion. Joseph Boyden was just really good at putting himself in someone else's shoes. That's the only way I can think to describe it. The book is based on the true story of Chanie Wenjack, who died try...

The Dehydrated Diaries: My Parched Voyages through Time

The Dehydrated Diaries: My Parched Voyages through Time

by Freya Abbas

Hamlet

by William Shakespeare

My favourite Shakespeare play so far (I'm going to read all 37 of them eventually). I felt like it wasn't violent enough for a "revenge tragedy" though. I find Hamlet to be the most relatable of all of Shakespeare's characters because I'...

The Boy Who Played Tiger

by Patricia Wallace Garlan and Maryjane Dunstan

An amazing children's book set in a small village in Myanmar. Very entertaining to read. I highly recommend this to parents who want reading suggestions for their children as I think it's a good idea to start reading about other cultures...

New Finnish Grammar

by Diego Marani

Omg what did I just read? This book is... idiosyncratic. It's so different from other books I've read that I almost don't know where to start when reviewing it. I have a huge interest in learning about other cultures, and consequently I ...

Fools and Mortals

by Bernard Cornwell

This was good but it wasn't great. I loved the concept of the story, as it was interesting that the novel revolved around William Shakespeare's brother. It was really fun to read because of this and the setting and historical details fel...

Storywallah

by Neelesh Misra

A nice collection of short stories by the Mandali. They were translated from Hindi. It's a good quick-read, although if you're not into romance I wouldn't recommend it as that's the focus of most of these stories. A lot of them are reall...

The Whipping Boy

by Sid Fleischman

Walk Two Moons

by Sharon Creech

Sometimes I enjoy revisiting books I liked in my childhood and this was one of them. The Native American motifs were really interesting to me. This is a really emotional story for something directed at children, and it contains a lot of ...

Immortal India: Articles and Speeches by Amish

Immortal India: Articles and Speeches by Amish

by Amish Tripathi

Impossible to put down! Of course I didn’t agree with everything Amish said in this book but the core of his views include religious liberalism and patriotism (not the unquestioning type but the good type of patriotism) which is cool. I ...

I, Robot

by Isaac Asimov

Very original and thought-provoking if you have the patience to put up with the extremely confusing plot. There were some memorable events that stay with you but the rest of it is kind of boring. Maybe I’m just not into sci-fi.

Pygmalion

by George Bernard Shaw

This was brilliant play and I love how the title is an allusion to a Greek myth. I was inspired to read this after watching some of my friends perform scenes from it. I aspire to be as good at phonetics as Henry Higgins some day. He's so...

Asterix and Cleopatra

by René Goscinny

The Snarling Tiger

by Freya Abbas

Four Chapters

by Rabindranath Tagore

Othello

by William Shakespeare

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

by Jon Krakauer

The Sun and Her Flowers

by Rupi Kaur

Milk and Honey

by Rupi Kaur

I CRIED

Swan Song

by Freya Abbas

Starry River of the Sky

by Grace Lin

This is amazing for a children's book. It's poetically written, the characters give you "the feels" and you can learn a lot about Chinese folklore from reading this if you initially didn't know about it. The illustrations are also stunni...

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Friday, February 28, 2020

An INKspire Article I wrote for Black History Month

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