Tag: read

travelry:

‘How do you afford to travel?’

This is by far the most common question I receive. So I’ve compiled a concise list of information and resources I use. 

Saving money to travel comes down to prioritizing how you spend your money. Traveling is expensive, but so is buying lots of stuff you don’t need. The only way to make it happen is by working hard and spending/saving wisely when you are not traveling. Moneysavingexpert is a UK based site that gives excellent advice on saving and boosting your income by earning extra money on the side.

Travel Hacking is about earning airmiles and points for free flights and accommodation. The main method of doing this is through credit cards that reward you for spending. Some good resources for finding the best airmiles schemes are TravelHacking, and Flyertalk. If you are from the UK, read this article, check HeadforPoints, and use HUKD for good travel deals. 

Budgeting and planning ahead is the best way to avoid overspending. Check fares early and often using flight comparison sites like Skyscanner and Kayak. Flying during off-peak times (when kids are still in school) is generally cheaper. Doing all your traveling in one go and making a proper itinerary, can save money in the long run. You can sleep for free if you Couchsurf. Hostelworld is great for budget accommodation and you meet lots of people this way. AirBnB allows you to rent rooms and apartments from people directly, and finding somewhere with a kitchen is a great way to save on food expenses.

Do your research before you leave. The absolute best way of finding out the cheapest deals on tickets and transport in a city is by asking the people who live there. Go on reddit, and find a specific subreddit for the city you are going to (e.g. /r/Tokyo). Search the subreddit, and ask people there for advice and tips. Ask at the desk at hostels and hotels. If you stay with Airbnb, many hosts are super helpful and full of knowledge of the best budget bars, restaurants and stores. Avoid tourist traps. Visit a place because you want to, not just because it has a good rating on Tripadvisor. 

Earning whilst abroad is an option if you want to travel long-term. TEFL is Teaching English as a Foreign Language. It is probably the most common ‘working abroad’ route for travellers in Asia, because it’s easy to qualify for, in demand, and pays well. I use TEFL.com and ESLCafe for information and job searching. You can also find plenty of other work abroad, in hostels, bars, cafes, summer camps, or working as a personal tutor or nanny. Networking, making friends with the locals and word-of-mouth, is the best way to find these smaller jobs whilst abroad.

Work exchanges are when you volunteer in exchange for free accommodation and food. The three main sites for this are Helpx, Workaway and WWOOF. 

disabilityinkidlit:

disabilityinkidlit:

Disabled protagonists in seven non-contemporary fantasy YA novels:

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
Winterkill by Kate Boorman
Drowned by Nichola Reilly
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
The Elementals by Saundra Mitchell
The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Of these novels, we’ve only reviewed Gathering Blue and The Elementals at Disability in Kidlit. We can’t vouch for the other portrayals as of yet, but are working on getting several of these titles reviewed.

If you’ve read any of these, how did you think the disability aspect was handled?

Coming soon: disabled protagonists in modern-day fantasy YA novels.

Want more Disability in Kidlit booklists?
Want to review one of these titles for us?

Since slecnaztemnot asked in the tags which disabilities these characters have:

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner features an MC with a recently amputated hand; 
Winterkill by Kate Boorman features an MC with a limp as a result of a childhood injury;
Drowned by Nichola Reilly features an MC with an amputated lower arm as a result of a childhood accident;
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry features an MC born with a “twisted foot”;
Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey features an MC who’s deaf in one ear as a result of abuse;
The Elementals by Saundra Mitchell features an MC who limps as a result of childhood polio;
The Young Elites by Marie Lu features an MC who’s had one eye removed after a childhood illness.

diversityinya:

This week’s diverse new releases are:

The Doubt Factory by Paolo Bacigalupi (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

“In this provocative thriller, Bacigalupi (The Drowned Cities) traces the awakening of a smart, compassionate, and privileged girl named Alix Banks to ugly realities of contemporary life, while seeking to open readers’ eyes, as well. Alix’s life is thrown into disarray when an activist group targets her family, its eyes on her father’s powerful public relations business. Moses is a charismatic black teen living off the money from a settlement with a pharmaceutical company after one of its medications killed his parents. Along with four other brilliant teens who have lost family to this sort of legal/medical maleficence, Moses hopes to enlist Alix’s help to release incriminating data from her father’s files, à la Edward Snowden.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw (Roaring Brook Press)

“In this no-holds-barred autobiography, 21-year-old Burcaw sheds light on what it has been like to grow up with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a deadly disease that has left him confined to a wheelchair and dependent on others. … His honesty, tempered by mordant humor and a defiant acceptance, is refreshing, even as he thumbs his nose at the disease that is slowly stripping him of the basics.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina by Michaela DePrince with Elaine DePrince (Knopf)

“A compelling narrative of the journey of an African orphan whose hard work, emotional strength, and supportive adoptive American parents helped her build a life as a professional dancer, 19-year-old Michaela DePrince’s memoir, coauthored by her mother, holds many stories. … There is plenty of ballet detail for dance lovers to revel in, and the authors achieve a believable, distinctive teenage voice with a nice touch of lyrical description.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang (First Second)

“Online gaming and real life collide when a teen discovers the hidden economies and injustices that hide among seemingly innocent pixels … Through Wong’s captivating illustrations and Doctorow’s heady prose, readers are left with a story that’s both wholly satisfying as a work of fiction and series food for thought about the real-life ramifications of playing in an intangible world. Thought-provoking, as always from Doctorow.” — Kirkus

Bottled Up Secret by Brian McNamara (Bold Strokes Books)

Book Description: Brendan Madden is in the midst of his senior year of high school and couldn’t be happier. He has a great group of friends, his pick of colleges, and he has recently come to terms with his sexuality. One night, he meets Mark Galovic, a gorgeous, younger classmate of his. In a matter of minutes, Brendan is hooked. As the friendship between them grows, Brendan reaches his breaking point when he spontaneously confesses his feelings to him. Brendan is shocked and elated to find out that Mark feels the same way about him. The two begin to date, but because Mark is not out, it must remain a secret. As their friends and family become suspicious, openly gay Brendan becomes increasingly frustrated with their discreet relationship, while Mark becomes more and more paranoid that they’re going to be found out.

Maxine Wore Black by Nora Olsen (Bold Strokes Books)

Maxine is the girl of Jayla’s dreams: she’s charming, magnetic, and loves Jayla for her transgender self. There’s only one problem with Maxine—she already has a girlfriend, perfect Becky. Jayla quickly falls under Maxine’s spell, and she’s willing to do anything to win her. But when Becky turns up dead, Jayla is pulled into a tangle of deceit, lies, and murder. Now Jayla is forced to choose between love and the truth. Jayla will need all the strength she has to escape the darkness that threatens to take her very life.

The Gospel Truth by Caroline Pignat (Red Deer Press)

Book Description: Award-winning author Caroline Pignat’s new historical novel recreates the world of a Virginia tobacco plantation in 1858. Through the different points of view of slaves, their masters and a visiting bird-watcher the world of the plantation comes to live in this verse novel. Phoebe belongs to Master Duncan and works in the plantation kitchen. She sees how the other slaves are treated — the beatings and whippings, the disappearances. She hasn’t seen her mother since Master Duncan sold her ten years ago. But Pheobe is trying to learn words and how to read and when she is asked to show the master’s Canadian visitor, Doctor Bergman, where he can find warblers and chickadees she starts to see things differently. And Doctor Bergman has more in mind that just drawing the local birds. Pheobe’s friend Shad works on the plantation as well — but mostly he worries about his brother Will. His brother is the last member of his family and he is determined to escape from the master and the tobacco plantation. He has already been caught and beaten more than once. And the stories about life in Canada can’t be true, can they? How does a man survive without the master there taking care of everything?

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero (Cinco Puntos)

“Struggles with body image, teen pregnancy, drug addiction, rape, coming out, first love and death are all experiences that touch Gabi’s life in some way during her senior year, and she processes her raw and honest feelings in her journal as these events unfold. … Readers won’t soon forget Gabi, a young woman coming into her own in the face of intense pressure from her family, culture and society to fit someone else’s idea of what it means to be a ”good“ girl. A fresh, authentic and honest exploration of contemporary Latina identity.” — Kirkus, starred review

UnDivided by Neal Shusterman (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

“In the final book of the ”Unwind Dystology,“ everything comes full circle. Shusterman expertly reminds readers about the characters and their current situations without distracting from the current plot. Teens gain information on all of the key players, and each well-crafted narrative moves at a refreshing pace. … Characters old and new are integrated into the story line, providing insight and closure. Shusterman generates a lot of thought-provoking topics for discussion. The story is intriguing: a wonderful end to a unique and noteworthy series.” — School Library Journal