Praise for The ABCs of Asian American History
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"In The ABCs of Asian American History, kids will find representation. People just like them who have accomplished amazing things, big and small. It's impressive how much author Renee Macalino Rutledge is able to cram into each of her four-line stanzas...The ABCs of Asian American History is the sort of book that will prompt conversations."
Jessica Harrison, Cracking the Cover
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"The book succeeds in giving a balanced view of the variety of Asian American culture, in a child appropriate way. The illustrated book is very fun and entertaining for kids...however, it is an eye-opener for an adult reading the book."
Nicole Molders, High Latitude Style
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"This book is a much-needed antidote to books that use the label Asian American but only focus on people of East Asian heritage. It also counters narrow and stereotypical ideas of what Asian Americans are like with its historical and present day examples."
Rebekah Gienapp, Nurturing Antiracist Kids
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"A great family book--younger kids will enjoy the rhyme and get exposure to to concepts, while older kids will get a deeper understanding of and appreciate for the many different cultures represented in the book...This is a great book for anyone seeking to create a more diverse bookshelf, whether that's at home or in the classroom."
Bekah, Motherhood Moment
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"As an Asian American, I would've loved a book like this growing up. I'm glad I now get to read it with my daughter."
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"As author Renee Macalino Rutledge says, 'Asian American history is U.S. history.' Nothing is better said...Rutledge does a phenomenal job and this book needs to be in schools and public libraries. I believe racism is based on fear, and when we educate ourselves that fear can start to dissolve. This can be a wonderful book to open a child's eyes to Asian American Pacific Island cultures. For young Asian Americans, this can be a book of empowerment...5 out of 5 stars."
Janny C, Medium.com
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"There is so much to be learned within The ABCs of Asian American History. I’ve already read it to my five-year-old nephew; it’s a book we’ll return to over and over again."
Jody Lim, The Asian Reporter
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"A beautiful addition to any picture book collection, which will improve vocabulary while celebrating the diversity, resilience, and beauty of Asian American culture."
Amber Guetebier, Tinybeans.com
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"I savored reading all the details in this book...I love that this book recognizes various pioneers in history as well as those who continuously pave the road for fellow Asians across various fields. The thoughtful words chosen for each letter of the alphabet and their examples capture the expansive Asian American community."
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"The ABCs of Asian American History is informative, nicely illustrated, relevant, and a fun read!"
Danielle Pharr-Matthews, principal
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"Like the main character, a multiracial child who reads this book will soon discover that one of the most beautiful things in the world is how different each and every one of us are...The other beauty is how well we can all blend together, especially through the eyes of children. These are conversations to be had at home with our young ones, interracial or not, so they too can feel 100 percent confident of who they are and kindly and respectfully accept others from around the world, regardless of who or what they look like."
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"The author’s goal for the book was to give young children words to explain their multiracial heritage and to claim their belonging in a world that constantly seeks to define them—and she does this successfully. This book will leave readers of all ages celebrating their multiracial beauty and uniqueness."
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"This book hit home..."
Christine Lee-McNaughton, LifeonManitoulin
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"I've never felt so seen...it's such an important message and I wish I had read it as a child."
CozyBookNook
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"A sweet book for those young readers to embrace and love who they are."
What Is That Book About
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"A wonderful book not just for children, but for adults. They can learn and empathize more with others who are mixed race."
Diana Sweeney, Forever My Little Moon
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"I really loved this adorable book! It did so good to talk about multiculturalism and ancestry in an easy-to-understand way for children. I’d love to see more books talk about multiculturalism and normalize it more in children’s books. I also loved that the book featured so much diversity in it and it really offered a great chance for a multitude of children to see themselves in the book. The illustrations were adorable as well and this is a highly recommended book from me."
PoptheButterfly Reads
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"A powerful and heartwarming story for multicultural and mixed families."
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"I wish I had a book like this when I was a kid. This...reminded me of the talks I had: 'What are you?' 'Where are you from?' 'You have your mother's eyes.' etc. But ultimately, I always tried to be whoever the person talking to me wanted me to be...As I've gotten older I've become extremely proud of my heritage and while yes, my family is from here and there and I am of mixed heritage... through it all I'm ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ME and this book just exemplifies how important that is."
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"This is a joyful story for curious children."
Dominique Thompson, Books_of_Colour
"What a wonderful story that children, especially multicultural children and families, will absolutely enjoy. This story will teach children the importance of celebrating their differences and uniqueness. It will also affirm in children that regardless of what culture you are a part of, you are still one hundred percent yourself."
Kimicia Byrd, M.Ed., Pretty_in_Primary
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"This beautiful book is about a young girl exploring her mixed race identity. It celebrates how we are all unique. It is beautifully written!"
The Multicultural Classroom
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"Reading One Hundred Percent Me brought tears to my eyes as I followed the little girl through her encounters with people asking questions such as "what are you?," and through her attempts to respond. Although my background is 100 percent European, I believe I could have used this book as a child to help me understand how I am unique and one of a kind, just as Renee Rutledge's little girl finds a way to explain and be proud of her own heritage and uniqueness. The author's simple yet poetic language and the beautiful illustrations by Anita Prades carry the story forward to its happy conclusion."
Kevis Brownson, Organizer of the Alameda Authors Series 2017-2020
Praise for One Hundred Percent Me
Praise for The Hour of Daydreams
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“Renee Macalino Rutledge’s debut novel is unclassifiable—fable, critique, love story, dreamworld, myth and social realism push at the edges of this suspenseful and profoundly intelligent work. The Hour of Daydreams exists in a world of conflicting truths and contested histories, all inherited by later generations who must find a way to believe everyone while admitting the partiality of all. It is a beautiful, startling work, playful and compassionate and acute all at once.”
New American Voices Award Judge and Novelist Madeleine Thien
"With its enticing undertow of secrets and magic, The Hour of Daydreams will seduce readers with its reverence for mystery, its gentle humor, and its deep empathy for its characters’ longings and losses. Sometimes it takes a village to tell a story as extraordinary as this—and Renee Macalino Rutledge has managed to do just that."
Cristina García, award-winning author of Dreaming in Cuban and King of Cuba
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"The Hour of Daydreams isn't just a wonderful book—it's a lyrical and poetic journey, one that's simultaneously magical, surprising, and mesmerizing. It's a love story, fable, fairy tale, and contemporary novel woven together with seamless thread, reminiscent of Isabel Allende. A brilliant start to a beautiful literary career."
Erin Entrada Kelly, Newbery Award-winning author of Hello, Universe and The Land of Forgotten Girls
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"Lyrical and compelling. You won't forget the characters and myths Renee Macalino Rutledge brings to life in her stunning debut."
Vanessa Hua, author of Deceit and Other Possibilities
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"An honest love story is of two minds—it reveals and confounds, it wounds and redeems. The Hour of Daydreams is nothing short of an honest love story, and Renee Macalino Rutledge is a singular talent."
Jamie Duclos-Yourdon, author of Froelich's Ladder
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"Macalino Rutledge's debut novel is a tale of dreams and secrets and what is hidden inside a marriage, and what cannot be denied. The writing is vivid and evocative, the world richly textured and alive. Here the duende speaks!"
Micheline Aharonian Marcom, author of Three Apples Fell from Heaven and The Daydreaming Boy
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"A stirring and haunting exploration of marriage, culture, and gender roles. You will find yourself cheering for Tala and Manolo as they stumble through fears and desires, and you will celebrate the choral narration with its multiple perspectives on love and community. This debut novel is a delicate weaving of mythology and every day lives and it is a necessary addition to the literature of the Filipina diaspora."
Daisy Hernández, author of A Cup of Water Under My Bed: A Memoir
"A beautiful book that collapses the boundaries between reality and fairy tale, The Hour of Daydreams is both gritty and poetic. The atmosphere is fresh and vivid, like a broad green leaf shimmering with raindrops."
Elena Mauli Shapiro, author of In the Red and 13, Rue Thérèse
"The Hour of Daydreams soars beyond its magical premise into the wild and wide-eyed realm of a love story—one of the best and bravest I’ve ever read. How well do we know our spouses? What truths do we fabricate in order to handle everyday disappointments? Renee turns an intimate family tale into a sumptuous triumph."
Publisher and author of Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary Laura Stanfill
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"Confident and imaginative storytelling. Multiple perspectives weave together and explore the secrets that lurk between lovers, friends, and family members. The Hour of Daydreams has stuck with me since I finished reading it...always a good sign that a story has dug its way into my bloodstream."
Elise Hooper, author of The Other Alcott
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"Renee Rutledge’s beautifully crafted novel examines marriage, family, and identity. Inspired by a Filipino folktale, Rutledge deftly knits fable and contemporary story to explore the power of secrets in everyday lives. This lyrical, stirring first novel invites the reader to linger and dream."
Kate Brandes, author of The Promise of Pierson Orchard
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"Ultimately, this is a story about human connection, ambition, and dreams. It reminded me of an old saying: If you love someone, set them free. I enjoyed reading this story as I would read a poem, open to the possibilities."
Sandi Ward, author of The Astonishing Thing
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"Reading The Hour of Daydreams is like waltzing with words as Renee weaves folktale with the sweet and deceptive love story of Manolo and Tala. Be prepared for the moments the story shifts to folktale. The brief detours will quickly bring you back to Manolo and Tala, so enjoy the language, savor the images, and tuck them in your pocket. They are clues to secrets that will be revealed. As a reader, I am enchanted by Tala, just as the characters in the book are. As an English teacher, I am enchanted by Renee's brilliant and lyrical writing."
Karen Sargent, author of Waiting for Butterflies
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"A tender retelling of a Filipino myth, shot through with hope and magic, grounded in truth and despair."
Rene Denfeld, award-winning author of The Enchanted and The Child Finder
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“The Hour of Daydreams is a gorgeous read that should be relished as one would a piece of dark chocolate cake. Rich with tantalizing characters and delicious prose, this is a novel that readers, both young and old alike, won't be able to help but savor.”
Leslye Walton, New York Times best-selling author of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
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From the very first line of the book, , you know you're in for something different...Lovely and utterly unique, this is definitely worth a read.
Kathleen Barber, author of Are You Sleeping
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"In The Hour of Daydreams, Rutledge combines the fantastic with the realist. She infuses a literary story of a husband and wife with fabulist elements, and by doing so creates a reading experience that feels more like a dream than a story. At times the beauty of the sentence-level writing is enough to break your heart. Other times, it’s the imagery that seems magical. But the strength of Rutledge’s writing is that even at these more fantastical moments, the complexity and nuance of the characters’ rich emotional lives are very real. This is a wonderful debut, and a promising new voice in the literary landscape."
SJ Sindu, author of Marriage of a Thousand Lies
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"It’s like sitting under a tree listening to an elder spin a fable. The blend of magic and myth and gritty reality takes our collective breath away. It's the book we had to have."
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