Random Things Tours: The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams

Women searching for the truth. Women trying to forget the truth. Women trying to hide the terrible bounds of inter-generational drama. Women writing about all of this.

The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams is following this literary pathway. Without pathos but also avoiding the sugar coat the drama, to make it acceptable, to normalize it.

Tati, a 14-year old poetry lover, is imperative about finding the truth about her father. As she is starting her journey of revealing the disparate fragments of family history, she may stumble upon family secrets well hidden, that may help her nevertheless to start revealing her own story. The story is placed in the mid-1990s, but goes far to the beginning of the 20th century.

The short description of the book topic may look nothing but average, but the writing and the honest voice of the characters do make a significant difference in this case. The dialogue of different women, living in different time and geographical circumstances is as important as the slowly reveal of the layers after layers of trauma. 

Although there are many similar books on similar topics published in the last decades, I would rather avoid drawing comparisons. Therefore, I fully immersed into the story and allowed it to take it over any other topics and approaches, no matter how similar. I may confess that I needed some time off once the book was finished, as it really loaded my mind with so many traumatic realities that are hard but impossible to ignore while and after reading this book.

A recommended read for the Black History Month, but that deserves open debate and consideration all round the year.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own

Rachel´s Random Resources: Erma Does the Math by Ann Strawn illustrated by Anisha

 

How could I resist a book about mathematics? Particularly, about women that love mathematics and even practice it for a job? Ann Strawn´s Erma Does the Math ticks those fine boxes aimed at mathematics´ lovers and even more as it introduces a strong Black American woman, the author´s great aunt, Erma Tynes Walker.

Erma Tynes Walker worked alongside with Katherine Johnson at the Flight Analysis Department calculating flight trajectories for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo Missions. Between 1943 and 1980 - times during which segregation policies was in place - she worked as Human Computer at Langley Jet Propulsion Lab in Hampton, Virginia.

Aunt Erma in the book is long retired. When Tameka is visiting her elderly aunt, she is happy to share with the little one the beauty and practicality of mathematics. Both those aspects are unfortunately largely ignored in the daily teaching process of mathematics, turning this very interesting mind challenge into a very isolated, dry activity. In fact, we are using mathematics - this applies also to those who may not like it - on a very regular basis: from basic price calculations to the time counting one needs in order to be in time on different occasions or the temperature update from one system to another, among many others.

Erma Does the Math is a reminder of the place of mathematics in the everyday life while cherishing the memory of a brave intelligent Black woman.

The writing style is accessible and appealing to a curious first grade(s) audiences. Both characters are relatable and empathic. The short questions at the end of the book may help both parents and educators to better structure a post-reading discussion.

Personally, I have not been impressed with the illustrations and felt that the book deserved probably a better visual representation. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour, but the opinions are, as usual, my own