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Top 10 of 2020: The extra edition

It’s not as much about saving the best for last as using it as the last opportunity to highlight the coolest books that came out in 2020 that defy categories. If you’ve stuck with me over the last few days, I appreciate your willingness to read through my picks and share yours with me too. With this, is there anything that you’re looking forward to in 2021?

Home Body by Kaur
- I had it in my hands the day after it was published because Kaur puts it all out there with her poetry and artwork that make you laugh, cry, and just plain feel.
Dancing at the Pity Party by Feder
- This graphic memoir brings up all of the pain that any child who lost a parent young must feel with dark humor and heaps of love.
Once Upon an Eid edited by Ali and Saeed
- One of the first books I read in 2020, the anthology sparkles and shines on Muslim writers and the culture and religion in their celebration of Eid.
You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It Matters by Murphy
- It goes without saying that I liked listening to this book about listening. Murphy touches on aspects of our inability to listen that you hope to internalize as a reader to help you improve yourself.
Fights: One Boy’s Triumph over Violence by Gill
- I’ve read his other graphic nonfiction and was surprised that this was his memoir until I got into it and thought that everyone should read it. Gill’s raw demonstration of a boy on the wrong path is a testament to growth and maturity.
Girl From the Other Side (Volume 8) by Nagabe
- I’m ready for volumes nine and ten whenever they get published here in the United States. The haunting darkness of the other side and the saccharine relationship between Teacher and Shiva create a rich atmosphere and intriguing storyline.
When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World by Parker
- This was my book of the month in October. Parker’s humorous approach to serious mathematical issues encourages everyone to pay attention to why math matters.
Dear Justyce by Stone
- Stronger than her first, this epistolary novel punches you in the gut as Quan and Justyce write to each other.
Go With the Flow by Williams and Schneemann
- A graphic novel about periods, sign me up. Their approach using female friendship and activism is the kind of story any middle graders should read.
This Book is Antiracist by Jewell
- The choice of layout and color scheme enhances the message about antiracism that’s a workbook for working on yourself.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on December 28, 2020 in Adult, Blogging, Fiction, Graphic novels, Nonfiction, Poetry, Young Adult

Top 10 of 2020: Nonfiction edition

27 Dec

What did you think of yesterday’s young adult fiction list? Anything you agree or disagree with? Up today is nonfiction. I read widely in this genre so it’s not organized in any particular way from children’s through adult, simply my favorite 10 published in 2020 because there’s nothing more spectacular than learning from the people, places, and things that you read about.

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys Soccer Team by Soontornvat
- I know the outcome but I’m still in the cave with the boys and out of the cave with the rescuers every minute that Soontornvat writes this out.
Beauty Mark by Weatherford
- Most younger readers won’t know Marilyn Monroe, but this verse novel biography is more about her ability to overcome immense adversity rather than about who she was as a celebrity.
The Beauty in Breaking by Harper
- Tugging at every heart string you have, Harper details her life, her work in medicine, and her self care routines while fighting against racism in healthcare.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You adapted by Reynolds
- One word: listen. If you haven’t listened to Reynolds read the book, you haven’t really read the book. Then do what I did and read the book too. And then make sure everyone else does too.
All Boys Aren’t Blue by Johnson
- Using essays to share his life’s story was the perfect choice for this new voice in literature about his upbringing as a queer Black man.
Lifting As We Climb by Dionne
- When the whole story isn’t told, Dionne decides to tell it. The story which was important as election season ramped up, she goes back in time to talk about the Black women’s fight for the right to vote.
A Most Beautiful Thing: The True Story of America’s First All-Black High School Rowing Team by Cooper
- You can’t get more inspirational and heartfelt than the story being told by one of the rowers on this first all-Black high school rowing team from Chicago. Sports story with heart.
Becoming a Good Creature by Montgomery
- Creating a picture book from her adult biography in thirteen animals, the artwork compliments the storytelling and makes you appreciate what animals can teach us about being human.
Wisdom of the Humble Jellyfish: And Other Self-Care Rituals from Nature by Shah
- This was a sleeper hit for me and a quick audiobook I listened to during a readathon this summer. Similar to Montgomery’s book, sometimes we have to look toward non-humans to help us be better humans.
You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Coe
- A female biographer’s approach to telling George Washington’s story is equally fascinating to learn it from her perspective as it was to provide the best humor to learning about a founding father with one of the punniest title for a book.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on December 27, 2020 in Adult, Blogging, Childrens, Cover Love, Middle grade, Nonfiction, Verse, Young Adult

Top 10 of 2020: YA fiction edition

26 Dec

There’s nothing like the end of the year lists, pictures, and stories to review the year. If you’re not a fan, then you might as well stop reading now and ignore the next few days worth of posts. First up, my top 10 of young adult fiction, tomorrow is nonfiction that spans all levels, and last will be my “extra edition”. As always, my top 10 lists are not what I read (which was a lot) in 2020 and finding my top 10, this is a true top 10 in which all of the books published were published in 2020. Though the order is not noteworthy. You’re already asking me to pick from the multitudes, I simply can’t also then rank them.

More Than Just a Pretty Face by Masood
- This was my book of the month in June. There’s just something about this hard-hitting story with loveable leads.
Fighting Words by Bradley
- Gut-wrenching situation in which two sisters are feeling their way through the foster care system after experiencing trauma.
Punching the Air by Zoboi and Salaam
- Captivating drama that could be ripped from the headlines with discussable elements about the prison system and juvenile justice.
Every Body Looking by Iloh
- Iloh heavily borrows from her own upbringing for this verse novel about religion, family, and growing up and into yourself.
Watch Over Me by LaCour
- The magical realism coupled with the main character’s loneliness is a whole mood.
Show Me A Sign by LeZotte
- Historical fiction? Sounds like the kind of thing more people should know about and that’s why LeZotte works an unimaginable story based on true events.
Crownchasers by Coffindaffer
- The first in a planned duology, I’m not always the first one to pick up science fiction but the action and a sassy female lead makes it a must.
Cinderella is Dead by Byron
- This was my book of the month in July. Retellings are imaginative and this one makes sure to infuse fantasy and dystopia.
Darius the Great Deserves Better by Khorram
- It’s even stronger than Khorram’s introduction of Darius to readers because of the liveliness of Darius’ internal dialogue.
Verona Comics by Duggan
- An underrated author in YA fiction, this salty/sweet play on Romeo and Juliet delights.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on December 26, 2020 in Blogging, Cover Love, Fiction, Young Adult

It’s all about the food

14 Dec

I regularly contribute short pieces to other book blogs and sites, especially when I sit on committees or the mood strikes me. Likewise, I write in library land too. I started a new venture this fall as a columnist for the New York Library Association’s bimonthly digital newsletter with the column title– Brain Food: Learning Through Reading which falls in line with my refocused work on the significance of unending learning especially nonfiction.

In December’s article I recommended Julia Childs’ book written with her nephew Alex Prud’homme called My Life in France. And since I’ve penned it, I thought about writing a sister article. One where I can share more books about the celebration of food in our lives since so many have brought me back to my own memories, which is ultimately going to spawn another post about fictional books that do the same thing! Here are some of my favorites with a “Readers Be Advised” advisory note:

Chicken Every Sunday by Rosemary Taylor is advised for those that want to go back in time. I had my indie bookstore find me a copy of this 1943 publication after it was mentioned in another book about it being a popular title among servicemen during World War II. And it does give you those comfy/cozy home vibes.

Save Me The Plums by Ruth Reichl is advised for those curious about the the creation of food and life magazines especially as the internet dawned and people could find recipes outside of those trusty clipped magazine picture-perfect recipes.

First Bite: How We Learn to Eat by Bee Wilson is advised for a bit of social psychology with our food. I’m a big fan of Bee Wilson in general who writes for many magazines and newspapers in addition to her books (plus her Instagram is full of food).

Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi is advised for the entrepreneurs out there. How do you make it in the business? Trial and error and blood, sweat, and tears. Onwuachi’s story is amazingly rich with feeling and food.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain is advised for those that followed his shows (of which I hadn’t) to understand the underbelly of what keeps kitchens running like well-oiled machines.

The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan is advised for the thoughtful readers. Who would have thought that the potato is as poetic and magnificent to read about as they are to eat?

Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant edited by Jenni Ferrari-Adler is advised for the emotional readers who want a visceral connection to experiences we’ve all had in the kitchen. Being a series of essays make it a special read and one in which I bought a copy to send to a foodie friend.

Maker Comics: Bake like a Pro! by Falynn Koch is advised for everyone young and old. Yes, it’s written for a middle grade and teen audience but Koch is blinding us with science. Kitchen science!

What recommendations do you have for amazing nonfiction books that are food forward?

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on December 14, 2020 in Adult, Authors, Nonfiction

Really old things

09 Dec

As much as I’m a homebody, I like a good adventure. Specifically, one that will teach me something. And this likely stems from my childhood since we were not the family whose vacations were vegging out on a beach or waiting in the long lines of a theme park, we were the family that went to places like “the Grand Canyon of the east” and Gettysburg.

Maybe that’s why I became a librarian. Endless learning possibilities.

48 Hudson Ave. What you see is a mockup of the original structure for preservation purposes.

I’ve built my own family and (not ironically), we have the same adventures. I also have a fellow librarian who likes learning adventures that usually also include a good drink or spectacular food too. This past Friday night, we spent a bundled up half an hour touring the oldest Dutch home in our area in desperate need of restoration to return it to its former glory. But not to make it a museum. Instead, the historic foundation would like to make sure it’s used as a soft space appreciating the history and glory while being functional. So often we throw away things that are old or unusable. Heck, I still guiltily think about my first year as a school librarian saying “get it out of here!” to the overpowering but beautiful card catalog holding up a few computers. It was the best decision to find it a new home, but I think about it from time to time. The stories it held, the kids hands who touched it, the years it had seen.

Kind of like the stories that are told in What We Keep: 150 People Share the One Object that Brings them Joy, Magic, and Meaning by Bill Shapiro. Just like this Dutch home that had seen families and industry, been remodeled and redone, only to be discovered again. What stories it holds.

What can you discover around your area, especially the old things, the often overlooked things?

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on December 9, 2020 in Reflections

Outstanding book of the month for November 2020

30 Nov

Is it already the end of November? Didn’t that seem to go by fast? Yet I’m just as excited to share my outstanding book of the month!

That Way Madness Lies: 15 of Shakespeare’s Most Notable Works Reimagined edited by Dahlia Adler which will hit shelves in 2021. Why am I choosing a book that’s not even out yet for the outstanding book? Well obviously because it needs to be pre-ordered so that you can get it in your hot little hands unless you’re the kind that uses sites like Edelweiss and Netgalley to get a jump on great literature.

I’ll share that the book was on my TBR list on Goodreads well in advance of the publication and even before it had an actual cover. I exclaimed with glee seeing it hit Edelweiss and read it pretty quickly thereafter devouring each short story contribution.

YA short story collections have been my jam and with the uptick in anthologies published, I’m always in the market to read more. But it’s a dangerous proposition since each must carry the weight of the theme of the anthology so that even a dud here and there don’t dissuade the appreciation for the whole collection. Then you find the rare anthology where each short story shines individually and collectively. This was that kind of anthology. Each includes a few lines from the Shakespeare work (including one that’s a sonnet!) and the reimagined story with a few author’s notes depending on the story. It’s a thing of beauty. It can inspire reading Shakespeare’s original work or not because the story itself is cleverly plotted.

Get thee to the local, independent bookstore nearest you to preorder!

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 30, 2020 in Book of the Month, Short Story, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult

Upon reflection, a meaningful change

22 Nov

What better way to celebrate a few tweaks and changes than on a day that’s made for celebration anyway. Birthdays make me reflect, just like New Years, and the first day of each school year, and a few other random times that are ripe for new beginnings– an opportunity to improve, shift, focus, and change.

I have been thinking for a while about how I want to use the blog moving forward and I’m proposing a small but meaningful shift. I want to focus on the journey of learning. The endless quest to know more. The celebration of curiosity inspired by John Dewey’s quote

“Education is not preparation for life; it is life itself.”

I want to examine the work I do in school librarianship, reading, and life experiences through this lens. One that is similar to Asimov’s “education isn’t something you can finish.” I firmly believe this and look to any adventure I have as an education.

You’ll see a few changes to what I post and the lens I’m looking through, but it’s still me. The high school librarian of close to fifteen years who doesn’t consider my job work because I’m trying to always have fun. Someone who reads vivaciously. And someone who continually looks to improve through reflection and introspection, which is why I started this blog so many years ago.

And I’m ushering in this new wave by sharing an amazing piece commissioned by my former student, Maxine. She captures the essence of my being: dressed and in heels among books and baked goods.

Cheers!

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 22, 2020 in Blogging, Miscellaneous

Outstanding book of the month for October 2020

01 Nov

It’s so much harder to pick a book of the month when you read so many more than thirty because you enjoyed the Dewey’s Readathon just last weekend that definitely added to the read pile. I even toyed with cutting myself some slack and picking a middle grade, YA, and adult outstanding book of the month– but I’m going to stick to it and just pick one. For this bibliophile, this is a tough decision.

But here it is, even though I thought maybe I’d pick Alexis Coe’s You Never Forget Your First or Kate Murphy’s You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why it Matters.

I picked Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World by Matt Parker, a former math teacher who uses his comedic skills and keen interest in math to share with laypeople the craziness of math.

I picked it for several reasons. First, math gets a bad rap as being unreadable in literature and this is just not the case with Parker’s 2020 book. I was fascinated by each section he focused on whether it was finance and taxes to Excel spreadsheets or time. And it left an impression when he said

“Mathematicians aren’t people who find math easy; they’re people who enjoy how hard it is”

And I can appreciate that. I spend time on hard tasks because I like the accomplishment of overcoming it. For some, it’s math. Likewise, he also includes a statement that we can’t stop pushing the boundaries of math just because mistakes happen and sometimes end lives.

The infusion of humor and math made it readable. But I also wanted to share the tidbits out loud with whoever was close by. I spent many days following finishing the book adding something into the conversation “about this book I read recently”. And that definitely makes for a good book. It’s useful in conversation. I continue to think about it days after I’ve finished it. I want to read more that Parker has written. And I feel confident in the smallest of mathematical abilities I do have.

I look forward to what November brings for sure while also recognizing that there were a handful of captivating books from October that also included Poisoned Water by Cooper and Mobituaries by Rocca.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 1, 2020 in Miscellaneous

Closing survey for October’s readathon

25 Oct

Wow, that went quick.

How would you assess your reading overall? Strong! I picked some real winners and the audiobooks were spot-on to get me from book to book or moving instead of sitting on my butt the entire time.
Did you have a strategy, and if so, did you stick to it? Yes, I usually have a huge stack that fit most of the criteria for the BINGO board (because that’s my jam EVERY readathon) but still pick by mood. And guess what? Blackout!
What was your favorite snack? My apple cinnamon scones to kick it off yesterday. It’s a keeper!
Wanna volunteer for our next event? Stay tuned for the recap post! I volunteered this readathon including hosting a few questions on Goodreads, one hour on Twitter, and doing two guest posts on the main Dewey Readathon blog page (What are you wearing? and Inspiring Readers)

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on October 25, 2020 in Miscellaneous

Mid-survey questions for October’s readathon

24 Oct

It’s halfway already??? Here are my answers to the midway survey.

What are you reading right now? Cursed, a collection of retold fairytales edited by O’Regan and Kane
How many books have you read so far? I think 6?
What book are you most looking forward to in the second half of the readathon? Definitely my animal books: Where Have All The Bees Gone? and My Penguin Year.
Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? A few including taking about an hour break to attend church. But I also do have a family and a dog, so random questions and dinner interrupted, so I roll with it.
What surprises you most about the readathon so far? How quickly it has gone by when it starts at 8am.