Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Today I am sharing my final review for Multicultural Children's Book Day 2024. It is hard to believe the day is almost here!! Today we are sharing a young adult sci-fi novel that will have you questioning morals and ethics. The book is Orbit by Leigh Hellman.
From the Publisher:
Ciaan Gennett isn’t green, despite the brand of light hair that betrays her heritage: an Earth mother. A mother she remembers but doesn’t know, who left one day and never came back. Ciaan’s as metal as her home planet—cold and hard and full of so many cracks she’s trying to ignore that she doesn’t have time to wonder about questions that don’t get answers. After one too many run-ins with the law, Ciaan finds herself sentenced to probation at a port facility and given an ultimatum: Prove that your potential is worth believing in. With help from her best friend Tidoris, Ciaan stays away from trouble—and trouble stays away from her. But when a routine refueling turns into a revelation, Ciaan and Tidoris find themselves forced into an alliance with an Earth captain of questionable morality and his stoic, artificially-grown first officer. Their escalating resistance against bureaucratic cover-ups begins unraveling a history of human monstrosity and an ugly truth that Ciaan isn’t so sure she wants to discover. Now they all must decide how far they are willing to dig into humanity's dark desperation—and what they are willing to do about what digs back.From Me:
Let's begin with the creativity of the manmade metal planets that are satellites to Earth. I love that the governments sent the criminals and poor to the p-planets as the book calls them. Our main character, Ciaan, is half p-planet and half earthling. Her mother was from Earth, but she does not know the whole story. Her mother disappeared when she was younger. Her father is remarried and her second mother cares so much about Ciaan, but Ciaan keeps disappointing her. Ciaan is bullied because of her blond hair. Blond hair is a sign of an earthling and not a person from the p-planets. She also tends to fight the regulations put on hair length and such. She finds herself in trouble over and over and ends up arrested. Her second mother pleads for her to not be sent to a detention center and she ends up working at a port. Her best friend ends up getting a job at the same port. He is in charge of the technology. Things are going fine until Ciaan gets a ship landing that has some illegal cargo. The illegal cargo opens her world to see issues that happened on Earth but were kept from the p-planets and her first mother seems to be right in middle of it.
The book has so many twists and turns. It delves into the ethics of medical research as well as trafficking people. It also goes into family relationships and loyalty. It is well written and pulls you in. First you want to explore this futuristic world and then you wonder about Ciaan both her past and present. There are mysteries to solve and problems to overcome. Is following the law always the right thing to do? What if it means others will get hurt? Do you still follow the law? These are the questions this book gets the reader thinking about. In a world where the wealthy get ahead and the government is full of people who take bribes or bribed their way in, what does the law mean. And of course, then there is the entire discussion of how Ciaan's world parallels our society. This book will bring about some interesting class discussions if it is assigned. I hope you will check it out!
About Multicultural Children's Book Day
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2024 (1/25/24) is in its 11th year! Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen founded this non-profit children’s literacy initiative; they are two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural diverse books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.
Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission and history HERE.
Read Your World celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day and is honored to be Supported by these Medallion and Ruby Sponsors!
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr (Audreypress.com)
🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media
🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight, Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Lerner Publishing Group
🏅 Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Astra Books for Young Readers
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🏅 Bronze Sponsors: CK Malone, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Anita Crawford Clark, Star Bright Books, Blue Dot Kids Press, Brunella Costagliola, Red Fin, Fabled Films
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Crayola
Poster Artist: Rebecca Burgess
Classroom Kit Poster: Barefoot Books
MCBD 2024 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Authors: Gwen Jackson, Josh Funk, Eugenia Chu, Sivan Hong, Marta Magellan, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Angela H. Dale, Maritza M Mejia, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Charnaie Gordon, Alva Sachs, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Lisa Chong, Diana Huang, Martha Seif Simpson, DARIA (WORLD MUSIC WITH DARIA) Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, Gea Meijering, Stephanie M. Wildman, Tracey Kyle, Afsaneh Moradian, Kim C. Lee, Rochelle Melander, Beth Ruffin, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Alina Chau, Michael Genhart, Sally J. Pla, Ajuan Mance, Kimberly Marcus, Lindsey Rowe Parker
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📌 FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
- MCBD 2024 Poster
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📌 Register for the MCBD Read Your World Virtual Party
Join us on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 9 pm EST celebrating more than 10 years of Multicultural Children's Book Day Read Your World Virtual Party! Register here.
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 25, 2024, at our virtual party!
