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In our household we take our Blackness seriously. We feel that it is something that we should celebrate not only during Black History Month but every day of the year. One of the best ways to do this with kids is through reading.
As a Black mom it is important for me to be proactive in surrounding my children with a vast collection of books that tell OUR stories through OUR own voices from all different walks of Blackness. Representation STILL matters. I want my kids to be surrounded by stories that tell our history as well as stories that celebrate our beauty, uniqueness, accomplishments, strengths, and resilience.
With the current state of race relations being in major upheaval, if you are non-Black it is also important for you to immerse yourself in our culture as well. One of the best ways to do so without appropriating Black culture is through reading Black own voices stories as well. Doing so will challenge and stretch the way you see Blackness and hopefully assist you in starting dialog with your children about racism, diversity, and equality.
That said, here are 40 Black stories written by Black authors that I'm challenging everyone to buy for their child's/family's bookshelves.
New year, new selection of movie releases from Disney to enjoy. Yes, if you didn't already know, we are big fans of Disney movies including Marvel Studios. Last year Disney kind of knocked it out of the park with so many great releases like Endgame, Toy Story 4, and we finally got a follow up to Maleficent. This year, I have five movies that I've been amped to watch since I saw the trailers last year and am looking forward to seeing each of them.
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What do you do when you love talking about books almost as much as you love reading them? You start a book club of course. Having talked about books here on the blog and pretty much everywhere else, it seemed like the next logical step for me was to start a digital book club. Thus, the YUMMommy Book Club was born.
This giveaway is sponsored by Illumination Entertainment.
"Welcome to New York. It's been waiting for you." It's been three years since we've hit the streets of the Big Apple with our favorite pet pals. Now The Secret Life Of Pets 2 is adventuring into theaters on June 7th just in time to kickoff Summer Break! Here's a look at why the kids and I are beyond excited to catch up with Max and the gang.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sony Animations. Also, I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of the affiliate links in this post.
Who's ready for a vacation? A monster summer vacation that is. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is sailing into movie theaters Friday, July 13th! Yes, Drac and the crew are back for another awesome and fun adventure.
This post is sponsored by Front Gate Media and Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Publishers. Product for this post was provided. Also, this post contains affiliate links and may receive a commission for purchases made using those links.
My sophomore year of high school I made the decision to join the track team. My depression was starting to consume me and some of my teachers had started expressing concern over how withdrawn I seemed. I'll never forget the day one of my teachers asked me to stay for a few minutes after class. "I'm worried about you. Is everything okay at home?" she asked. "Somethings's going on with you like you're always sad."
Disney's A Wrinkle In Time hits theaters this Friday, March 9th. It's no secret that we're big fans of Disney films. You can just take a look at my reviews for Moana and Beauty and the Beast if you think I'm kidding. Also, in the spirit of full disclosure, the rest of this post does contain affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of my links.
Anyways, back to A Wrinkle In Time. This film is based the beloved A Wrinkle In Time Quintet written by Madeleine L'Engle. I'm beyond stoked that the film is directed by the fabulous and greatly talented Ava Duvernay!
This post is sponsored by Sony Pictures. All opinions expressed are my own.
Guess who's hopping into theaters on February 9th? If you answered Peter Rabbit, you are correct. Everyone's favorite furry rebel and michievous hero is back to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter's Tale of Peter Rabbit.
I received an ARC of Between the Blade and the Heart. I would like to thank St Martin's Griffin (St. Martin's Press) and Amanda Hocking sponsoring this review and giveaway.
When the fate of the world is at stake, loyalties will be tested. Game of Thrones meets Blade Runner in this commanding new YA fantasy inspired by Norse Mythology from NewYork Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.
As one of Odin's Valkyries, Malin's greatest responsibility is to slay immortals and return them to the underworld. But when she unearths a secret that could unravel the balance of all she knows, Malin along with her best friend and her ex-girlfriend must decide where her loyalties lie. And if helping the blue-eyes boy Asher enact his revenge is worth the risk-- to the world and her heart.
Book Review
Hello 2018 and Happy New Year! It's only right that I'm starting off the New Year talking about books as I spent the last part of 2017 with my head in them. You guys already know that my love of books is real. And when I heard that Amanda Hocking's latest novel, Between the Blade and the Heart, was a cross between Throne of Glass and Blade Runner, I just knew that I had to read it for myself. Also, if you'll remember, I did thoroughly enjoyFreeks by Amanda Hocking.
This post is sponsored and contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of the links below, I will receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
How do you talk to your child about diversity and equality? My children are still young. Therefore, I've found books to be to a great and helpful conversation starter and teaching tool when it comes to tackling these two subjects. Here are 5 important diverse reads we recently added to our personal library.
Religious Tolerance
Religion is a topic that has been a bit touchy to discuss since the beginning of time almost. However, I don't want to raise Moo and JJ thinking that our way is the only right way to worship. Hats of Faith is a picture book shows how many cultures can worship in similar ways, specifically through wearing hats and head coverings.
Short and easy to read, this beautifully illustrated book is a great way to talk to our children about the importance of religious freedom and giving others the right to worship in their own way. After reading Hats of Faith, Moo asked if I would be okay if she decided to cover hair as a sign of worship and honor to God. We also talked about how some of her friends and their moms wear a hijab. It was something she always noticed, but didn't want to offend them by asking them what is was and why they were wearing it. I love that reading this book has opened up the door for her to learn something new about her peers.
Racial Equality
Rosa Parks is one of the most talked about Civil Rights activist in American history. She took a stand against racial inequality and won. However, who was Rosa Parks before she become Civil Rights icon? When Rosa Parks Went Fishing gives children (and adults) a look at what Rosa's early years as a child were like.
We get to see how family, education and the mistreatment of Blacks in the South all helped to lead Rosa Parks refusal to move the back of the bus. Reading this book not only taught my children about equality but it showed them that when it comes to bringing about change, you have to be willing to be the one to take the stand for what's right.
Cultural Appreciation
Rice & Rocks is a book about a boy named Giovanni. He's invited his friends over for Sunday but gets embarrassed when he finds out that his grandmother is cooking a traditional Jamaican dish instead of something less weird. Giovanni's friends aren't Jamaican and he's afraid they won't want to eat his grandmother's rice and beans.
His aunt and magical pet parrot Jasper, take Giovanni on journey around the world where he visits different countries. It's in these countries that he finds out how not weird rice and beans aka rice and rocks are. What I love about this book is that it not only teaches kids about culture similarities but it reminds them of the importance of embracing and appreciating the uniqueness and differences of their cultures.
Courage
McKenzie's New School Blues is a book that teaches young readers the importance of finding the courage to face their fears. McKenzie Mason is the new kid in school. Like most kids, on her first day of school she's worried about fitting in and making new friends.
However, McKenzie soon finds out that those are the least of worries when she lands a lead role in the school play. You see, McKenzie has stage fright and she has decide whether she's going to sink or swim. What I love about this first book in the Meet McKenzie Mason series is that it features a female main character of color that other young girls of color will be able to relate to. Also, this easy to read chapter book is perfect for talking to children about why it's okay to step outside of their comfort zone and how to find the courage to overcome their fears.
Gender Equality
Having a daughter and a son, gender equality is something I've become more passionate about. In fact, it's something that I'm encouraging my children to be passionate about as well. When Hillary Rodham Clinton Played Ice Hockey chronicles young Hillary's life and some of the adversities she faced being a woman.
This book is an important read because it shows children that they don't have fit into the molds others have laid out for them because of their gender. Also, I think this is a great book because it shows children that success isn't as instantaneous as the media can make it seem. They will have failures like Hillary Clinton did. However, those failures should serve as encouragement to continue dreaming big and putting in hard work.
I have to admit that while there is still a ways to go, I'm proud of how much the world of children's books has evolved. I love that there more books featuring main characters of color and that there are more books that are highlighting important issues on level in which our children can understand. I hope that you will consider adding a few of these to your child's library.
This post is sponsored. I received a complimentary copy this book from publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Are you talking to your children about discrimination? If not, you probably should be. Chances are your child has already faced discrimination either from a peer or an adult that they come into contact with on a regular basis. It's crazy, right?! This week Moo and I revisited our discussion on discrimination when we read I Just Kept Spinning by debut children's book author Destini Bridges.
This post is sponsored. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase using one of my product links.
Raising kids is hard. Teaching our kids how to love and accept the things that make them different and unique is harder. From their peers to the media, our children will be bombarded with messages of "This is how you are supposed to look or everyone has to do xyz in order to fit in."
This giveaway is sponsored by Capitol Christian Music Group. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links which means that I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase using one of my links.
I've always been a fan of Hillsong's music ministry and have been looking forward to Wonder, their new album since their last album, Of Dirt And Grace, dropped. As a teenager and even into my young adult years, "Shout To The Lord" became my anthem of sorts as I struggled to deal with my father's decision to reject his family. There were so many emotions warring inside of me as a young woman whose heart had been broken time and time again by the most important man in my life.
This post is sponsored by Disney·Pixar. Also, this post contains affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you use one of my links to make a purchase. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep YUMMommy running.
We're still counting down the days until Disney·Pixar's Cars 3 hits theaters nationwide. Trust me when I say the Cars fever is real in the YUMMommy household. Thankfully, the kids (and I) got to attend the Cars 3 Road to the Races Tour stop this past weekend with lots of other Disney fans. Yep, Lightning McQueen and the crew raced into the Charlotte Motor Speedway and it was awesome!! You can check out some of the fun we had below.
This giveaway is sponsored by DisneyᐧPixar. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep YUMMommy running.
Disney·Pixar's Cars 3 rolls into theaters nationwide on June 16, 2017. It's been all JJ and Moo have talked about since they saw the first teaser trailer months ago. The kids aren't the only ones excited though. I'm a Cars fan as well and can't wait to see what's going to happen to our fave Lightning McQueen and his racing career not that he's no longer a spring chicken. To celebrate the upcoming Cars 3 movie release, we're attending the Cars 3 Road to the Races Tour this weekend!!
This post is sponsored by DisneyᐧPixar. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep YUMMommy running.
Calling all DisneyᐧPixar's Cars fans! 5-time Piston Cup champion #95 aka Lightning McQueen is come the Carolinas!!! This is HUGE news in my household as JJ is obsessed with anything that has to do with Lighting McQueen or the Cars crew. I wish you guys could have heard his squeals of glee and saw his reaction when I told him that #95 was making a pitch stop here in Charlotte on May 19th-20th from noon to 6 PM (entry ends at 5PM) at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. In celebration of Cars 3 coming out June 16th, stars of the movie - Lightning McQueen, Cruz Ramirez and Jackson Storm - are on a 27 cities Road to the Races Tour from the West Coast to the East Coast.
Mara has become used to the extraordinary. Roaming from place to place with Gideon Davorin's Traveling Carnival, she longs for an ordinary life where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future.
She gets her chance when the struggling sideshow sets up camp in the small town of Caudry, and she meets a gorgeous local guy named Gabe. But before long, Mara realizes there's a dark presence lurking in the town that's threatening the lives of her friends. She has seven days to take control of a power she didn't know she had in order to save everyone she cares about -- and change the future forever.
Book Review
I'd never read anything written by Amanda Hocking, but when I saw the cover of Freeks, I knew had to give this book a read. Judging a book by its cover is a bit of a gamble I know, but if a book even looks like it might have something to do with magic/the supernatural or have some type of mystery/crime/thriller element, then I'm all in. I was totally getting the vibe that this book had a combination of all of the above.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Walt Disney Studios. We attended a complimentary screening of Moana to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are our own.
Dubbed the "ultimate anti-princess movie" by Time Magazine, the kids and I have been waiting for what feels like forever for Disney's Moana to hit theaters. Well, our wait is finally over because Moana is finally here! Now usually have a rule about not having family movie nights (outside of the house) on school nights. However when we got invited to attend an early screening right here in Charlotte, I knew that I couldn't pass this opportunity up.
Why all of the hype and excitement?
Diversity matters. No this is NOT up for debate. While Moana is Polynesian, she's still a brown girl/girl of color. As a multiracial woman and mom of color raising children of color, I will ALWAYS be here for supporting inspiring movies and stories about main characters of color. This movie is not only a win for Polynesians but brown people everywhere! The first thing Moo pointed out about Moana when she saw the first colored illustrations of Moana, was that Moana had light skin like her and curly/wavy hair.
Our children need to see the diversity of our world represented in movies, television shows, books and other forms of media. Because again, diversity matters. Also, this type of diversity opens up the door for us to talk about, research and experience different cultures. And I'm firmer believer that more we open ourselves and our families up to those who are different from us, the better we can fight ignorance when it comes race and ethnicity.
Not a damsel in distress + life lessons
While Moana is considered a "Disney Princess" Moana herself sets the record straight. She and Maui, a demigod, are sailing across the open sea when he makes the mistake of referring to her as princess in a way that hints that she's a damsel in distress. "I'm not a princess," she fires back. While there's nothing wrong with being a princess, I felt like this scene was so powerful young girls. Watching it I wanted scream "You go girl. Let him know!"
She's daughter of Chief Tui and future chieftess of Motonui. She's strong, brave, smart, head strong and determined. She is NOT a damsel in distress. She does NOT need Prince Charming to sail up on his shiny white boat to save her. In fact, it's just the opposite. Moana actually the one who tries to do the saving as she heads out beyond the reef to search for Maui to help save her people and their island.
And as much as I love a great romance, I was so glad that there were no romantic elements in this movie as far as the main characters were considered. For a while I was concerned that they were going to have her ending up in love with the demigod. This is NOT a spoiler as Disney and the stars of the movie have already revealed and made it clear that Moana is not the typical princess movie and there will be no smooching going on.
Secondly, I appreciated that Moana was so much more than a story of a 16-year old trying to save her people. It was about teaching us how to go beyond the reef. Casting aside our fear and safety nets to go outside of our comfort zones. This was story about the importance of passing down the history our ancestors to our children and encouraging them to do the same with their children.
Maui taught us that even the strongest warrior can be crippled fear/doubt. However, it's up to us to defeat that fear or that doubt so that we can rise up to our full potential. Also, Maui taught us that it's important to remain humble and not sacrifice our integrity trying to be people pleasers.
Culturally stimulating and rich
I'm going to be honest and admit that Moana was everything that I had hoped Princess Tiana would be. Don't get me wrong, The Princess and the Frog will always be in my Top 3 when it comes to Disney Princess movies. But . . . I really wished Disney had made Tiana a true African princess, left Prince Naveen where he was at and delved more into the richness and uniqueness of African cultures.
Like mentioned earlier diversity matters, but so representation. While we're not Polynesian, we did feel immersed in the Polynesian culture. From the music, to the dancing and mythology, everything felt so rich and authentic. We truly loved getting an inside look at what their culture looks like. It's so much more than hula dancers and floral necklaces.
Just learning that Maui the island was named after Maui the demigod was educational for me. Since watching the movie, I've actually been googling Polynesian culture and mythology to learn more. At the end of the day seeing Moana gives me hope that Disney will go to the drawing board in future give us another African princess movie that will really delve into the richness of African cultures.
Great cast
Dewayne Johnson aka The Rock is like a Disney pro by now. Prior to this movie, he's worked with Disney twice - The Game Plan and Race to Witch Mountain. Couple that with that fact that he's Polynesian and was born and raised in Hawaii, he was the perfect choice and fit for Maui. And when I say you guys are going to be pleasantly surprised by his singing chops, I mean it. Like he's been holding out on us.
We knew he had acting chops, but who knew he had such jazzy and smooth baritone?! I would love to see him do another animated film with singing or even take a stab at Broadway.
Did you guys know that Auli'i Cravalho, also Polynesian, was 14 years old when she started recording the vocals for her role as Moana?! She turned 16 today! Happy Birthday Auli'i! She truly nailed Moana. I've heard so many seasoned adult actors talk about how much harder it is to narrate an animated movie than it is to do a live action movie.
Why? Well, because in a live action movie, there's a set, other actors, costumes, makeup and the whole shabang to help them get into their role. When you're narrating or voicing over animation it's often times just the actor in a box watching the characters on the screen. There are no props, wardrobe or set to help your mind slip into character easily. I truly admire Auli'i for being able to master this at the age of 14. I mean she delivers her lines like a pro and her singing voice is amazing.
Overall Moana was and is an amazing movie. We laughed, we (mainly I) cried. The kids were mesmerized from the start to the finish. We all left feeling inspired, motivated, empowered and most of all proud. Disney knocked it out of the park with this. Moana hits theaters on November 23rd and we encourage you purchase tickets for your family to see it.
This post is sponsored by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
One of the main reasons the YUMMommy household proudly supports the Monster High brand and series is because each movie (and book) always seems to have a positive message or lesson for kids. I've said it before and I'll say it again: These aren't your average ghouls! As a parent, I find it comforting that Moo is learning about more than being fashionable from her favorite ghoulfriends. In their latest movie, Welcome To Monster High, Draculaura, Clawdeen, Cleo and the gang tackle the tough subjects of fighting for acceptance and how to celebrate the things that make us each unique.
Giving all of the recent happenings in our country these past few months, many of us could use a lesson in learning not only how to accept our own differences, but the differences of others around us, too! After all it's our uniqueness that makes each of us great. In Welcome To Monster High, Draculaura sets out to create a school where everyone will be accepted and welcomed as they are. No hiding their uniqueness or differences to fit in with society, but instead creating a society where their uniqueness is embraced and celebrated instead.
It's really cool to have a movie completely dedicated to showing Monster High lovers how and why Monster High came to be. However, it's not all smooth sailing and drama free as a villainess zombie tries to stir up trouble. Will her antics expose Monster High to still unaccepting human world and force everyone back into hiding? Or will Draculaura and our favorite ghoulfriends save Monster High before everyone's secret is revealed? You'll have to watch the movie (available Tuesday, September 27th) to find out.
Speaking of watching the movie, I'm delighted to announce that I am giving away 3Welcome To Monster High Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Packs. Thanks Universal! Entering is easy. Just use the widget below. Remember, you have to be 18 years or older and live in the US to enter. Good luck!
OMG y'all, I can't believe I forgot to recap our June reads and faves. This post has been sitting in my drafts. Being down at my mom's last month without any internet really threw off my blogging schedule. Better late than never, right? Anyways, we set a goal of reading 100 books for Summer (June - August) and didn't do too shabby thus far.
We read a total of 49 books in June. We almost knocked out half of our Summer reading goal. A full list of the books we read and which ones were our faves are below. Don't forget you can find our May recap here.
Moo is all about books related to animals, princesses and dance. So this book combined of her three favorite subjects in a slightly funny story about Cat and her friend Bear, who is scared to leap because she doesn't want to see the underpants under her tutu. Aside from being a fun and easy read, this book fave me the opportunity to talk to Moo about always finding the courage to tackle her fears, especially if they stand in the way of your dreams or prevent you from doing whatever you love. We also talked about how it's important to encourage those we love to overcome their fears as well.
This was JJ's fave. I wasn't the least bit surprised that he wanted to read this book a million times. He's very much your typical boy. Mud and cars are definitely a few of his favorite things. Combine them both in a book and he's instantly hooked. This story was super cute! Can y'all keep a secret? I picked up a copy of this book for him for Christmas!
I don't even know where to start. Why didn't anyone tell me how awesome Sarah J. Maas was/is? Seriously, ACOTAR has made me fall back in love with the Young Adult Fantasy/Romance genre, specifically fairy tale retellings. I absolutely loved Feyre and Tamlin's story. This isn't your typical Beauty & the Beast love story.
The characters and Maas's writing style had me sucked in by the end of the first chapter. I'm really struggling NOT to give y'all ALL the details. So I'm going to just say READ IT!
I love Giada's Everyday Italian show on the Food Network. It's so cool that she branched out and started writing a children's book series about food as well. I can't believe I didn't know this already. Anyways, I we picked up the first book from our library and can't wait to get started on it.
It's important for me to read books to Moo and JJ that feature main characters of colors and not just during Black History Month. Sometimes though those books aren't always written by authors of color which is the case with this Liberty Porter series. Nevertheless this book seems to be a fun read so far. I would go as far to say that this series may have been inspired the Obamas.
You guys already know that I'm obsessed with the BFF writing duo that is Christina Lauren and their Beautiful series. I've read all of the main books and now I'm currently going back to catch up on the novellas.
Well we've officially broken the 300 mark with 314 books read thus far. Originally our family reading goal for the #52BooksIn2016 Reading Challenge was 150 books. I moved our goal to 600 books last month and now we've passed the half way mark! I've been loving this whole reading challenge and think we'll pick another reading challenge for 2017 to do as a family.
What's been the best book you've read so far this Summer?
