What I'm Listening to at the Moment - I, Juan de Pareja

I, Juan de Pareja - Elizabeth Borton de Trevino

I am up to CD 1 out of 4. I am enjoying it so far. I would recommend listening to this one rather than reading, so you get all the pronunciation right :) This is from Christian Audio 

In the era of Rembrandt, Spain has its own great painter, Diego Velázquez. His assistant is Juan, an African slave who becomes an artist himself. Self-taught by watching his master’s technique, Juan is torn between the need to keep his secret—for the creation of art is forbidden to slaves—or revealing his own talents.

What I'm Reading at the Moment - The Traitor

The Traitor - Laurence Yep

This book is part of the series 'Golden Mountain Chronicles' 

Which includes these titles: 

1. The Serpent's Children (1849) - published 1984
2. Mountain Light (1855) - published 1985
3. Dragon's Gate (1867) (Newbery Honor) - published 1993 - This book is a Sonlight Book
4. The Traitor (1885) - published 2003
5. Dragonwings (1903) (Newbery Honor) - published 1975
6. Dragon Road (1939) (originally titled The Red Warrior) - published 2007
7. Child of the Owl (1960) - published 1977
8. Sea Glass (1970) - published 1979
9. Thief of Hearts (1995) - published 1995

Summary/Blurb of 'The Traitor': 

In the Wyoming territory in 1885, life is tough, especially for Michael Purdy. An outcast in the small town of Rock Springs, he's either bullied and bloodied, or ignored. Michael feels he might as well be a ghost in this rough coal-mining town.

But life is even harder for Joseph Young, a Chinese American boy and Michael's secret ally. 

Despised by the white miners, the Chinese work in dangerous conditions, struggling against poverty and racism. Still, Joseph yearns to be a "real American" a dream his father and the other Chinese laborers can't understand.

When the town's growing resentment toward the Chinese explodes, Michael and Joseph must test their unlikely friendship and trust each other with their lives.

My review(so far)...

I am enjoying this book. It shows clearly the history of the Chinese in America and the resentment that the 'Westerners' or the 'Americans' had of the Chinese people. I have jumped into the 'Golden Mountain Series' at the 4th book, but i think these are a series that you can get away with just starting at any book. This book is a Sonlight tie-in

What I'm Reading at the Moment - Prayer for Blue Delaney

Just a bit of Aussie history. I have read one of Kirsty Murray's other books in this series(Bridie's Fire) which i enjoyed alot. So far i am really enjoying this book as well. I couldn't put it down! i went from chapter 1 to chapter 13 in one day, which is quite a feat for me :) i tend to spend weeks just reading one book! 

A prayer for Blue Delaney Summary:

Colm is an orpan of the Empire sent from the UK after World War II to the infamous Bindoon Boy's Home in the WA bush. He escapes and teams up with old Billy Dare and his dog, Rusty. Together they evade the authorities and go adventuring through western and central Australia, along the dingo fence, looking for work. Ages 10+. Australian author.

I also found this Teachers Notes PDF download 

What I'm Reading at the Moment - "It's a Jungle Out There!"

Great Book! Enjoying it loads. Here is a small taste:

The Competition for best scars was pretty tough. One of our friends at Yarinacocha, Heather Swanson, had the end of her toe bitten off by a piranha in the lake where we swam every day. The piranhas hardly ever bothered us, but Heather had a bit of blood on her toe and forgot to keep it moving . "I'm gonna get revenge on that creep," vowed her brother Peter, who was addicted to fishing. True to his word he caught the fish and sure enough, his sister's toe was still in it. They put the toe in formaldehyde and took it to school for show and tell.