Melanie Florence

A young girl asks her grandfather what the word for grandfather is in Cree in this poignant picture-book examination of the cross-generational legacy of Canada's residential schools for First Nations people. He is forced to explain that he doesn't know - his words were stolen from him when he was still a young boy, sent off to an abusive institution where he was punished for speaking his own language. Sad and concerned, the little girl takes steps to help him regain what was taken from show more him...

Winner of the Second Story Press Aboriginal Writing Contest, Stolen Words was inspired by author Melanie Florence's relationship with her own grandfather, who was Cree. Like Nicola Campbell's picture-books about the residential school experience, Shi-shi-Etko and Shin-chi's Canoe, it addresses some very un-gentle realities in a gentle way, making it a good introduction to this troubling aspect of Canadian (and American) history. The hopeful ending, in which the granddaughter helps her grandfather to begin to regain what he has lost, hints at the idea that the younger generation might be able to undo some of the cultural damage done by the residential schools. The artwork by Gabrielle Grimard is absolutely lovely, with a subtle and very appealing color palette, and expressive faces on both nôsisim (granddaughter) and nimosôm (grandfather). Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about the indigenous experience in Canada, and the residential school experience specifically. show less

The One About the Blackbird by Melanie Florence and Matt James is a beautiful picture book that strikes all the right notes in exploring the enduring power of music and connection across generations.

Florence crafts a beautifully understated narrative that follows a young boy learning guitar from his grandfather, with "the one about the blackbird" becoming their treasured shared song. When the boy, now grown, returns to find his grandfather living with dementia, the story delivers a show more profoundly moving moment: while his grandfather may not recognize his face, his hands still remember the guitar, and their beloved song becomes a bridge across time and memory.

Florence navigates the sensitive topic of dementia with remarkable grace, focusing on what remains rather than what's lost. The story is genuinely touching without becoming maudlin or dwelling on the more difficult aspects of memory loss, making it both accessible and relatable for young readers while offering them a meaningful way to understand and process similar experiences in their own lives.

The One About the Blackbird is more than a book about dementia—it's a story about dreams, doing something hard, and our love for our family.

With the experience that comes from having a parent who suffered from dementia, this is a sensitive and wonderful balance for a children's picture book. show less

I always love reading about art and artsy people, and the book cover caught my eye. I requested it without bothering to see that it was YA/middle grade fiction. Once I realized that, I was a bit dubious as to whether I'd enjoy it.

I'm happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Melanie Florence's Dreaming in Color. While this definitely wasn’t my normal type of reading material, it was a refreshing change from some of the heavy, dark novels I’d recently read.

From the start, Jen is a show more sympathetic character. She’s hard-working, loves her family, and passionate about her art. She desires to push her creative boundaries and to be around people who take art as seriously as she does. The art school accepts her, which thrills her. But she’s nervous, too. Will she fit in? Will she make friends? A lot of kids–even a lot of adults–will able to identify with her mixed feelings and insecurities.

Jen feels like a true fourteen-year-old girl. Even her new art school friends have their lives mapped out, while she wonders what to do after high school. As I read her internal thoughts, I was nodding, too. My young teen daughter complains that all her friends have their lives planned out (unrealistically so, IMO) and she doesn’t have any ideas for her career. Reassurances from me don’t help, especially when schools–even cool art schools like Jen’s–push for specialization early on. But for those who feel that they’re already “behind” (at age 14!) because they haven’t picked their life-long dream career, Jen’s emotions will feel familiar and reassuring. Not everyone knows what they want to be when they grow up.

I absolutely loved that the art school teachers are so cool. I would’ve loved to have seen more of them, in particular the English teacher. Mr. Sutherland has a first-day-of-school monologue about how graphic novels are just as important as other kinds of books. While my high school English teachers would’ve frowned upon this notion (and never would’ve worn a Spider-Man hoodie) this is an important idea. Books are books, whether they’re audio or graphic, low readability or high readability. I appreciate that Melanie Florence took the opportunity to subtly encourage this.

The plot moves at a quick pace, building up to a school-wide art show. Jen, who often uses indigenous-inspired elements in her artwork, works hard. But even her hard work and obvious talent can’t stop other students from sneering that she was the school’s “diversity pick.” A small group of bullies picks at her. Their words are cruel, but their assumptions are unfortunately all too common.

Jen is part Cree, part white. While she resembles their Cree mother, her older brother John resembles their Caucasian father. Jen wishes that she looked more like John: life would be easier, she thinks, because it would be easier to fit in. Yet as she learns, that’s not really true.

I would’ve liked a little more depth to some of the secondary characters like Jen’s friends Sabrina and Dan. They didn’t come to life for me like Jen and her family did. However, that’s really my only complaint.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was the descriptions of Jen’s artwork. She incorporates indigenous elements into her work in some creative ways. I was particularly impressed by the piece she exhibits at the final art show. It is a moving, emotional piece that powerfully portrays a message of love and acceptance.

Melanie Florence does a terrific job telling Jen’s story of self-acceptance in a warm, interesting, and reassuring way. I thoroughly enjoyed Dreaming in Color and recommend it for hi-lo readers and middle-school aged tweens/teens, especially those interested in art or racial issues.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. show less

(Full disclosure: I received a copy of this book for review through Library Thing's Early Reviewers program.)

Sarabeth is what you might call a "tomboy" (Gen X-er here). Sarabeth loves everything about cars: the smell of motor oil; the way a carefully serviced engine purrs like a big cat; repairing broken fan belts and replacing spark plugs. She even loves the stains the engine grease leaves under her nails, because each mark is a reminder of happy memories. Saturdays spent working alongside show more her father in his garage, the family pup supervising from the cool concrete floor. Troubleshooting and bonding.

But her grandmother is a little more old-fashioned, and never hesitates to share her opinions on how things "should" be: Back in my day, little girls played with dolls and wore dresses, not cars and coveralls. When gram's own car has a little hiccup, it's Sarabeth who comes to the rescue. Will Sarabeth's confidence be enough nudge gram into the 21st century?

SARABETH'S GARAGE is an instant favorite. The artwork is lovely, the scenes nicely staged, and it's got a great, empowering message. Sarabeth is so stinking cute (look at her rocking buns-on-braids!) and you can't help but root for her and her in-flux self-confidence. Her parents are awesome and I wish Big Don could adopt me. The only thing that's missing is a spin-off about the family dog - Aussie/cattle dog mix, maybe? - who is a constant, soothing presence in the story. Honestly, everything about this is perfect. No notes. show less