Blogging each day during a month has been a fun adventure to challenge me and I’ve decided February is a LOVE-ly month for another round using the theme of love. Have an idea for a post? Drop it in the comments.
This past Monday was the premier event in children and teen publishing: the Youth Media Awards. While it will undoubtedly look different next year without having a midwinter conference beforehand, it will continue to be an event to be viewed. It’s where winners of big awards that add seals to books get announced to the gasps, claps, and exuberance of all who are watching. There are years I’ve been “in the room” and years like this year that I was watching the livestream making audible noises and shaking my hands in celebration. Here were the titles that I was most excited to see come across the screen either because I devoured them (not having known about them previously in the days following the YMAs or precisely because I loved them leading up to the YMAs).
On November 24, 2023, I posted Over this next year that explained a challenge I was embarking on to read forty books that had affected me since I was turning forty. Challenge complete.
Pacing myself throughout the year, I listened to some of the books and read others but I did purchase a few of the titles that I hadn’t previously owned. As I read each one, I flipped it to show my progress over the year.
Ultimately, a few of them will not remain on my shelf because that’s the thing about rereading books, it’s not always the same the second time around. But I’m glad for it because it shows I’m not the same person. Tastes and interest shift in books the same that it does with food or decorating or clothing. That’s to be celebrated and one of the reasons I wanted to undertake the reflective practice of rereading because I rarely reread and prefer to remember the feelings about the books rather than the content. What I learned:
Mood as a literary device is important to me a reader. The books that remain impactful are a direct result of the book’s atmosphere such as The Virgin Suicides, The Girl From the Other Side, and Mudbound.
Nonfiction, especially food memoir, literally takes the cake. Read: Crying in H Mart and Dessert Can Save the World. But books about food are right next to them like Chicken Every Sunday, First Bite, and Lessons in Chemistry.
The classics on my list didn’t hold their own unfortunately. Sorry Brave New World, The Catcher in the Rye, and Jane Eyre. But neither did the epic first book in the Mayfair Chronicles The Witching Hour, though I heart Anne Rice forever and always.
Strong, whip smart, sassy, or otherwise memorable characters are hard to forget. Benny from Circle of Friends, Naomi from Out of Darkness, Maddie from A Northern Light, Lena from Between Shades of Gray, Anne from Anne of Green Gables, Melinda from Speak, Carey from If You Find Me, Charlotte from The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, and Hazel from Anatomy: A Love Story.
Significantrelationships tug at my heartstrings which is why I carry a torch for all of the creatures in The House In the Cerulean Sea and Saga; the dystopian community in The Giver, Werther opining in The Sorrows of Young Werther, the ultimate friendship trio in The Serpent King, and the whole crux of what Turkle stands for in Reclaiming Conversation. And as long as there will be star-crossed lovers, there will be Edward and Bella from Twilight.
Innovative formatting or a unique approach to storytelling keep me thinking about a book long after I’ve finished it. Think The Lovely Bones‘ from beyond the grave, mental illness in Challenger Deep, Long Way Down‘s mystery elevator, Crank‘s verse, The Vagina Monologues‘ well, monologues, Milk and Honey‘s Instagrammable poetry and illustrations, the library in The Midnight Library, and Calvin and Hobbes‘ daily and Sunday strips.
Picture books say so much without having to say much at all. This is where pictures speak a thousand words and the author creates the write words to allow the pictures to shine which is why Farmhouse and My First Day by Quang and Lien were on my list. Both I’ve gifted several times over.
And let’s just say I ripped a page right out of The Power of Moments to create this personal challenge, which is why I’ve relished this project over this last year; celebrating book love by reading Book Love, which was a gift from a friend. I couldn’t have asked for a more fulfilling opportunity and urge others to find a moment to reflect on your own reading journey– whether it’s been a few months or years or a lifetime.
What would October 31st be without a few book recs to get us all in the Halloween spirit?
Sheets by Thummler: Because Wendell the ghost haunting Marjorie’s family laundromat is sentimental and sweet.
Gyo by Ito: Because anything Ito creates is the thing of nightmares and phobias.
The Girl from the Other Side by Nagabe: Because Teacher is a creature that doesn’t eat or sleep with a deer-like skull for a head who is smitten with Shiva, a little girl he wants to protect is as innocent as it is dark woven perfectly in this manga.
Eternally Yours edited by Caldwell: Because you want creepy in bite-sized short stories.
Fangs by Anderson: Because a werewolf and a vampire fall in love.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by Romero: Because a verse novel about a ghost haunting a cemetery that a human teen befriends is my kind of book.
Ghost Book by Lai: Because creative storytelling in middle grade graphic novels couldn’t have gotten better than this book about lives lived, lost, and found again.
The Weight of Blood by Jackson: Because what book can get you to read another classic book (Carrie by King) with both bringing the gore and thrill.
The Night Easters by Liu and Takeda: Because there is so much to take in visually in this graphic novel backed by so much emotional and family baggage.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Horvath and Otsmane-Elhaou: Because an Eisner winning comic series about an unassuming bear in a small town with a penchant for murder is psychologically riveting from the first page to the last page.
Today I saw a publisher post on Instagram highlighting Sy Montgomery’s new book What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird due out in November. Without thinking, I opened my Goodreads app and added it to my TBR. It got me thinking about those authors that automatically get added to my TBR without a second thought. They are, in no particular order:
Book birthdays are as special as human birthdays, especially for book lovers who adore the authors that have put the book out into the world. Therefore, happy book birthday to The Bletchley Riddle, coauthored by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin whose individual works are as impactful as their first collaboration and must be celebrated.
The Bletchley Riddle is a middle grade historical fiction set in 1940 at Bletchley Park, home to the infamous codebreakers during World War II. In addition to incorporating ciphers into the text and providing an entrancing overall mystery amidst war, the book’s best feature are the vivid brother and sister duo. Who doesn’t love an alternating point of view? Intricately layered with historical facts because both are powerhouse researchers, Sheinkin wrote Jakob’s character and Sepetys wrote Lizzie’s character. How did it all blend together? Some of their secrets were revealed at an event at Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs, NY last night as the last event for the Saratoga Book Festival; plus the hometown indie bookstore for Sheinkin. To have both authors, since Sepetys lives in Tennessee, was a real treat. Then to have the book in hand (if it was preordered, a spy pen was a bonus gift) and signed after an enchanting evening of their conversation and answering audience questions, made for a memorable book launch.
I’ve only teased a few elements of the book because it’s better to clear your calendar and spend a weekend with a cup of tea and Jakob and Lizzie. And if you want to put a goulash casserole in the oven for later, even better. I did this a few days after I read the advanced reader copy.
Collaborations are hard work, as they attest to, but readers will read the book and find it an effortless meshing of two talented authors who find history that we all need to remember more than we do; finding palatable ways to learn, question, and feel. I wonder… is another collaboration on the horizon?
It’s been a few weeks since I finished the last issue of Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been thinking about it almost daily. I had been reading an article about the Eisner nominations for 2024 where it was given the best new series nomination. And the second piece fell into place: Hoopla had the series.
Believe me, I tried to pace myself. I borrowed the first and second issue. Then waited a day before borrowing the third through sixth. I did spread out reading them over several days though I had to resist the urge to ignore work and household duties to sit and read them all in one sitting. It’s the age-old bookworm problem– the compulsion to sit and read it through because it’s THAT good but the knowledge that once you’ve read it, you can’t read it again for the first time, so you have to slow down.
So, I did have them at my fingertips with Hoopla, though I do also now have it on my list to own. When they’re this good, it must be owned. The combination of storytelling and stark visuals (even as evidenced in the cover art) create an air of disturbing questions that must be answered by reading them. And when you meet Samantha Strong, a brown bear living in an idyllic small town operating a business who confesses that she doesn’t murder the locals, well, you know it’s something you need to know more about. Science meets mystery. Intrigue meets turmoil. Curiosity meets wit.
Each issue moves the needle a little closer to a resolution. And when (in this case because it was a digital read) I swiped to the last page, read it, and paused. The complete picture, set up from the very first pages of the first issue was all wrapped up and I was not the same. Who could be?
The series is smart in the same way I was taken completely by W. Maxwell Prince’s Swan Songs. I feel smarter for having read them. I value the creativity that the creators put into their work. I marvel at the work that goes into capturing a piece of the human experience that can reach out from the pages of a comic to shift perspective and make me think deeply.
Romance is in the air. I’m feeling extra lovey today on my wedding anniversary and having finished Jason Reynolds’ new book that will be out in October called Twenty Four Seconds from Now last night, I thought I’d post some favorite romances.
First, let’s spend a few minutes bowing down to the genius of Jason Reynolds. This story of Neon and Aria has a timeline that sparkles in addition to the community including family and friends that support their two year romance. It’s heartwarming and natural and is exactly the kind of story that teens deserve.
The others that I’ve adored that range from tragic and sad to all-encompassing and sweet.
It’s fitting to end this week of posts with books that feature a friendship. We all need friends in this world and these are some of my favorites.
Hilo series by Judd Winick: When an alien kids come down to earth, friends rally around Hilo and welcome him into their circle.
Laid Back Camp manga series by Afro: Camping buddies.
Heavy Vinyl comic series by Carly Usdin illustrated by Nina Vakueva: Girl power friendship set among the backdrop of a 90s record store but they have a secret about what else they do.
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan: Differences become shared experiences.
Cornbread & Poppy series by Matthew Cordell: Opposites attract.
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow: Friends are there when you need them the most, especially for comic relief.
My wish is that you enjoyed the collection of lists over the past month to find and use in your own classrooms, libraries, personal collections, and TBR piles. Happy summer!
There’s nothing more satisfying than a book with more than one perspective. I have a Goodreads shelf specifically for books with multiple points of view in them hence why I’m bringing you six of the most sensational.
Legend by Marie Lu: Polar opposites who end up fighting for the same side.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys: Moving toward disaster in this historical thriller, shifting between four stories increases the tension and emotion.
Allies by Alan Gratz: Is there anyone who can do it better than Gratz?
Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan: A romance from both angles.
How You Grow Wings by Rimma Onoseta: Sisters in Nigeria whose outcomes could not have been more discordant.
The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh: Three stories, three timelines that mesh perfectly and why it’s an award winner not to be missed.
I already shared a post about witches so it’s appropriate that I share one about vampires- whether they’re making a comeback or they never really die (see that?!!) there are some oldies and some new for your reading pleasure.
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey: A witty mix of Romanian lore, romance, power, and deception.
Camp Sylvania by Julie Murphy: A middle grade about a woman who is running a camp, but it’s not just any summer camp, it’ll be a blood farm for vampires.
The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron: A group of pals realize their family’s history and lean into being a part of the solution even though the new problem is their new friend just became the thing they’re supposed to fear.
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal: This complex and epic beginning to a series drips with creativity.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: No need to say more. Love it or hate it, it is a seminal read.
Fangs by Sarah Andersen: This slim graphic novel is the sweetest love story.
Readers Be Advised 