My Reading Frenzy

What I've Read - What I am Reading - March 22, 2021

I read quite a few short books this week, but also finished one I have been reading for two weeks and another it took over a week to listen to. More and more I appreciate the intensity offered by middled grade books that cater to an audience that wants a good story in a small package. I think it may be more difficult to write children's books that cannot draw out descriptions and plot lines without losing their audience.

 

Read:

• A Court of Silver Flames (purchased hardback) by Sarah Maas - I finished this one at the end of the week. I am glad to have read it, but I probably don't need to read any more Maas books. I thought I wouldn't read anything else by here after opting not to read The Assassin's Blade or others in the Throne of Glass series, but I liked the A Court of Thorns and Roses series better and am happy to have seen what I think is the end of the story. As much as this installment was one of my favorites, I will not continue even if Maas does. 
• Sunny (elibrary book) by Jason Reynolds - This was definitely my favorite of the four novels, both because of the dairy format, but also because I could see myself in Sunny's introspective nature.
• Lu by Jason Reynolds - I really liked Lucas's story because his family dynamic was different from the others. 
• The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane (purchased) by Julia Nobel - boarding school in England, American girl sent by a too busy parent, missing other parent, secret society - Check, check, check. I enjoyed the heck out of this book.
• Yes, Chef (library eaudiobook) by Marcus Samuelsson - I don't know if it is a phase or a new life-long attraction, but I want to listen to chef memoir after chef memoir with no breaks. Though I am on a "not by choice" break because of what came in next from my library holds. But I'll be back to my food memoirs soon. I wasn't loving this one at first, but as Samuelsson progressed in his career I found the story more interesting. His early days in Ethiopia combined with being raised and first cooking with his Swedish grandmother set him up for a unique cooking profile. I'd like to eat at Red Rooster, his NYC restaurant.

 

Reading:

• The Secret of White Stone Gate (purchased) by Julia Nobel - I wanted to read this second installment right after finishing the first, so I purchased it to be ready. It has many of the positives of the first book, but has not drawn me in as much. I feel like the characters are going around again in the same mystery without making much progress toward a resolution, especially considering there will not be a third installment.

 

 

Listening:

• Truth & Beauty: A Friendship (eaudio library book) by Ann Patchett - I discovered this book while listening to Patchett's book of essays This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. This one is the story of Patchett's friendship with poet Lucy Grealy.

 

 

Up Next:

Some familiar titles here, with a new one at the top.

• You Should See Me in a Crown (elibrary book) by Leah Johnson - This one is open on my Kindle to start after I finish The Secret of White Stone Gate. It came in from my library holds a few days ago so I need to get reading before it is due back.
• The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden - I am eager to read this second installment.
• Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - I read and loved Gideon the Ninth and feel ready for the 2nd book.
• Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - I am making my way through all of Patchett's backlist after being bowled over by The Dutch House. I had previously read Bel Canto at the recommendation of a number of readers, for some reason had not read anything else until recently.
• Four Hundred Souls (purchased hardback) edited by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blair - I think this collection of essays exploring 400 years of the history of African America will be a good companion to read alongside Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Dr. Kendi.

 

 

What have you read? What are you reading and listening to?

 

 

**A note on the picture. I always use an image from the Prints and Photographs collections of the Library of Congress. I like these because they are interesting, and freely available because they are in the public domain. I mainly choose images of people reading. If you click the image in any of my posts you will be able to see the Library's bibliographic record which includes whatever they know about the image including its creator. There are also usually links to other similar items or to the collection the image is a part of.***

What I've Read - What I am Reading - March 15, 2020

I went two weeks again between posts, but have also not been able to carve out as much time for reading, so there are probably as many "reads" and "readings" after 14 days as there usually are after seven. I should have more time this week and am feeling more energetic with the time change. I don't like changing the time twice a year, but I do like sunlight later in the day.

 

 

Read:

• Patina (elibrary book) by Jason Reynolds - I loved seeing the whole track team through Patina's eyes and hearing details about her life that were only ancillary to Ghost's story. I am sorry not to have read this series sooner, but glad to be now. Reynolds has found a really engaging way to draw us into the lives of these four runners. It has taken me some time, but I see how Reynolds likes to explore situations from different perspectives as he did in Look Both Ways. 
• Notes from a Young Black Chef (eaudiobook purchased from Audible) by Kwame Onwuachi - There was so much I did not learn about Onwuachi from watching Top Chef, a point he made in the book, about the way the show is edited to create a persona for each chef that may or may not align with their true personality. His story also caused me to be disappointed that he is no longer a DC chef. 
• I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (purchased Manga) by Yoru Sumino - Think The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews rather than The Walking Dead. I decided it was time to try Manga. Happening upon this book is what made me decide to take the plunge, because the blurb revealed it to be a realistic, almost-romance and the entire story was contained in one volume. I did not want to get myself into an on-going series. I enjoyed the story and appreciated the way manga must be read front to back and each page right to left, then left to right and back again. Once I got the hang of it, it was not an issue and provided an additional layer of mental stimulation.
• Spoiler Alert (egalley) by Olivia Dade - This one takes place in the world of fanfiction and cons (conventions). I purposely chose to read this right after One to Watch because both have been praised for positive portrayal of a plus sized main character. I wanted to compare the approach. I found Dade's characters to be more sophisticated, with more depth. This is in part because there are far fewer characters than the group of bachelors in One to Watch. There were interesting differences in the family dynamic with Bea having a loving family while April's was toxic that added a layer to each woman's expereinces. I also appreciated Dade's clever word play between April and Marcus. This as well as Marcus as a fully fleshed out character made this the novel I liked better, so if you were going to read just one of these I would recommend Spoiler Alert. I am looking forward to Dade's next novel All the Feels, due out in October. I may also look into some of her backlist.

 

Reading:

• A Court of Silver Flames (purchased hardback) by Sarah Maas - I am a bit over halfway finished and enjoying this story immensely. Maas is an excellent storyteller, creating characters I care about and situations that fit well into the sophisticated world she has created.
• Sunny (elibrary book) by Jason Reynolds - Two weeks ago, I was reading Patina, the second in the series, hoping that when it ended, the 3rd book would pick up where it left off. In true Jason Reynolds fashion, he surprised me by revealing what happened in Patina's relay without beginning Sunny's story with hers. This installment may be my favorite so far because I like the use of Sunny's diary entries to tell his story. I also feel more connected to Sunny because the entries show his introspective side which feels familiar to me.

 

Listening:

In order to decide on my next listen, I searched for a list of "best chef memoirs" and found a wonderful list. Many I put on hold at the library or in my Goodreads list, but only found one available when I finished my previous listen. 

• Yes, Chef (library eaudiobook) by Marcus Samuelsson

 

Up Next:

Again, these are at the top of the list, but I have moved books that have come in via library holds as well as new purchases ahead for a few weeks. 

• Lu by Jason Reynolds - This is truly my next read after I finish Sunny because it came in from the library before Sunny and I am in a time crunch.
• The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden - I am eager to read this second installment.
• Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - I read and loved Gideon the Ninth and feel ready for the 2nd book.
• Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - I am making my way through all of Patchett's backlist after being bowled over by The Dutch House. I had previously read Bel Canto at the recommendation of a number of readers, for some reason had not read anything else until recently.
• Four Hundred Souls (purchased hardback) edited by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blair - I think this collection of essays exploring 400 years of the history of African America will be a good companion to read alongside Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Dr. Kendi.

 

 

What have you read? What are you reading and listening to?

 

 

**A note on the picture. I always use an image from the Prints and Photographs collections of the Library of Congress. I like these because they are interesting, and freely available because they are in the public domain. I mainly choose images of people reading. If you click the image in any of my posts you will be able to see the Library's bibliographic record which includes whatever they know about the image including its creator. There are also usually links to other similar items or to the collection the image is a part of.***

What I've Read - What I am Reading - March 1, 2021

Last week I added a new list "Up Next," which includes the titles at the top of my TBR list. You will find, which I already knew about myself" that I may or may not really choose my next reads from those I mentioned. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read:

• Ghost (library ebook) by Jason Reynolds - It is not a surprise that I loved Castle's story. I just started the second book in the series, Patina, which I am glad to say picks up right where Ghost left off, but this time from Patty's perspective. Really an innovative way to tell four different stories (the next two books are Sunny and Lu.)
• Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton -  Even since getting hooked on Top Chef, I have been seeking memoirs by chefs. I have listened to Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, David Chang's Eat a Peach, Padma Lakshmi's Love, Loss, and What We Ate (She's not a chef, but a judge on Top Chef), two books by Ruth Reichel Save me the Plums and Garlic and Sapphires (She's a home cook and a food writer/restaurant reviewer), and now am listening to Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi.
• Amari and the Night Brothers (purchased hardback) by B.B. Alston - This book was fantastic. The magical world Alston has created was a delight to visit. I have to believe there is another book on the way.
• One to Watch (library book) by Kate Stayman-London - This romance was promoted as a body-positive story, which is one of the reasons I chose it. It also has a multi-faceted and well-written main character in plus-size fashion blogger Bea Schumacher. I found the messaging a bit heavy handed at times, but overall I enjoyed Bea's journey.

 

Reading:

• Patina (elibrary book) by Jason Reynolds - Before I even finished Ghost, I put this one on hold at the library and it came through just at the perfect moment to start after finishing One to Watch while I was waiting the required 10 minutes after my 2nd COVID shot! (Thank you SCIENCE!)

 

Listening:

• Notes from a Young Black Chef (eaudiobook purchased from Audible) by Kwame Onwuachi - I am just at the beginning, but so far Onwuachi's early life led him almost inevitably to becoming a chef. 

 

Up Next:

Four of these have been carried over from last week - I ended up reading one from this list this week and then reading a one library book that is due back soon and starting another.

• The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden - I am eager to read this second installment.
• Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - I read and loved Gideon the Ninth and feel ready for the 2nd book.
• Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - I am making my way through all of Patchett's backlist after being bowled over by The Dutch House. I had previously read Bel Canto at the recommendation of a number of readers, for some reason had not read anything else until recently.
• Four Hundred Souls (purchased hardback) edited by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blair - I think this collection of essays exploring 400 years of the history of African America will be a good companion to read alongside Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Dr. Kendi.
• A Court of Silver Flames (purchased hardback) by Sarah Maas - I have stuck with Maas's series over the years and people I trust say this one is not to be missed. They also said this was not a book they thought would be appropriate for high school students. I will be interested to see if I agree. I have found that people who do not interact much with teens are more conservative in their outlook than I am.

 

What have you read? What are you reading and listening to?

 

**A note on the picture. I always use an image from the Prints and Photographs collections of the Library of Congress. I like these because they are interesting, and freely available because they are in the public domain. I mainly choose images of people reading. If you click the image in any of my posts you will be able to see the Library's bibliographic record which includes whatever they know about the image including its creator. There are also usually links to other similar items or to the collection the image is a part of.***

What I've Read - What I am Reading - February 22, 2021

I have been remiss in posting anything here at all, but I am back with an overview of what I have been reading during these long, cold weeks. In addition to what I have read, am reading, and am listening to, I have added an "Up Next" section to preview what I have at the top of my TBR pile.

 

Read:

• The Best of Me (audiobook purchased from Audible) by David Sedaris I am thoroughly enjoying this one. I listened for hours the other day while working on a jigsaw puzzle while the snow fell.

 

• A Rogue of One's Own (egalley) by Evie Dunmore - Yep, romance is my go-to when I need a comfort read. The assurance that it will all work out in the end gets me through the frustrations every time. If only real life were so predictable.

 

• Riviera Gold by Laurie R. King - This is the most recent Mary Russell mystery to have been published. It takes place mainly in Monte Carlo and brings us back to Mrs. Hudson's story. I like these mysteries when I take a break from Elizabeth George and Louise Penny. The more recent novels have not lived up to the fascination I found in the earlier books, but I will keep reading unless they take another downturn. (Next book in the series is due out in June.)

 

• Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love by Jonathan Van Ness - (library eaudiobook) I have loved watching the revival of Queer Eye over the past five seasons. Jonathan is a force of nature with his positivity and vision for each of their heroes. His book was personal in tone, as if we were sitting together having a chat. 

 

• The Bear and the Nightingale (purchased paperback at a DC independent bookstore) by Katherine Arden - This was recommended to me by a bookseller when I asked for something to follow the Daevabad trilogy. I loved its fairy tale and folklore roots as well as the magical and fierce Vasya. I am looking forward to the continuation of her story in The Girl in the Tower. 

 

• Dangerous Alliance (library ebook) by Jennieke Cohen - Eh, I finished it. The ending was satisfying, but predictable. The rest was also predictable and just ok. 

 

• Deception on His Mind (library ebook) by Elizabeth George - I am moving through these quickly because I can't get enough of definitive mystery solving. But I can take a break now and read one Louise Penny before the next Lynley mystery. This will be seamless, in part, because I have the next George installment in print having found it in a neighborhood Little Free Library and am not therefore beholden to when my library hold comes in.

 

• Fashionopolis (audiobook purchased from Audible) by Dana Thomas - This is not my first read about the dangerous waste associated with fast fashion, but this is the first to give equal time to designers and companies who are trying to shift the industry to sustainable practices. This is an important read for anyone interested in the the environmental impact of clothing production. 

 

• The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win (audiobook purchased from Audible) by Maria Konnikova - I am not sure when I last gave a book 5 stars in Goodreads, but this story earned every star. Wow! I found the mix of poker history, strategies, and play with Konnikova's personal progression to winner to be fascinating. She spends time with poker masters, game theorists, and psychologists as she learns about the world of poker, not only for the book, but also for herself. Some of the most interesting revelations are how what she learns about being successfully at the poker table spills into other areas of her life in positive ways. 

 

• All's Faire in Middle School (purchased paperback) by Victoria Jamieson - While this story does not quite live up to Roller Girl, Jamieson captures the challenges Imogene faces in attending middle school after previously being home schooled, while also exploring the respite the Renaissance Faire provides. This was a fun read.

 

• It Had to Be You (egalley) by Georgia Clark - This was a lovely romance. It could have dived right into some romance tropes, but Clark was able to write the love stories of a new widow, recently out queer woman, and music partners in a way that felt fresh even while the outcomes were expectedly happy.

 

 

Reading:

• Ghost (library ebook) by Jason Reynolds - I realized after watching an online chat between Reynold and Dr. Ibrahim X. Kendi that I have missed a few of Reynolds works, so I am jumping into the Track series with Ghost. I have two others on hold at the library. 

 

 

Listening:

• Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton - I am only about 14 minutes into this listen, but settled in easily as Hamilton explores some of the ways food was important to her family as she grew up in New Hope, PA a town I have loved since high school visits during the annual geology trip. 

 

 

Up Next:

• The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden - see "Read" for my thoughts about the first book in the trilogy. 
• Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - I read and loved Gideon the Ninth and feel ready for the 2nd book.
• Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - I am making my way through all of Patchett's backlist after being bowled over by The Dutch House. I had previously read Bel Canto at the recommendation of a number of readers, for some reason had not read anything else until recently.
• Four Hundred Souls (purchased hardback) edited by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blair - I think this collection of essays exploring 400 years of the history of African America will be a good companion to read alongside Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Dr. Kendi.
• Amari and the Night Brothers (purchased hardback) by B.B. Alston - I admit it, sometimes I buy books for their covers. While the cover is spectacular, as soon as I read that Amari would be dealing with a ticking briefcase from the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, I was in for the premise too. 

 

 

What have you read? What are you reading and listening to?

 

**A note on the picture. I always use an image from the Prints and Photographs collections of the Library of Congress. I like these because they are interesting, and freely available because they are in the public domain. I mainly choose images of people reading. If you click the image in any of my posts you will be able to see the Library's bibliographic record which includes whatever they know about the image including its creator. There are also usually links to other similar items or to the collection the image is a part of.***

2020 Reading Reflections and Favorites

Wanting to write a post about everything I read in 2020 made me grateful for my diligence in logging everything I read on Goodreads. I was able to pull up my 2020 challenge and look at all the books I read this year, including dates and a look at the cover. I have always told my students the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover" applies in many situations as a metaphor, but not when talking about books. Artists, marketers, and salespeople count on book covers being engaging in order to sell them to us. I am highly visual, and almost never buy a book simply for its cover, but the cover does imprint in my brain and help me remember reading it and at least a bit about it, making a walk down book-memory lane much easier. 

 

 

 

 

Here they are - My 2020 favorite reads:

In roughly in the order I read them.

• Happier at Home (eaudiobook from the library) by Gretchen Rubin - I have found valuable takeaways in all of Rubin's books, but this one hit exactly where I needed it to, when I needed it to. It was particularly prescient because I was isolated at home starting in March, not too long after finishing this listen. I was able to incorporate some of her ideas that in turn helped make staying at home less fraught with anxiety.
• Almost American Girl (purchased book) by Robin Ha - While I read this one as soon as it arrived in our library in February, it was not until August that I had the opportunity to watch an online discussion between Ha and Malaka Gharib, author of the graphic memoir I Was Their American Dream hosted by One More Page Books, an independent bookstore in Arlington, VA.
• City of Girls (egalley) by Elizabeth Gilbert - This is a work of historical fiction that takes place in 1940s New York City in the glamourous-ish theatre world. It reminded me very much of Herman Wouk's Marjorie Morningstar with a young hero who longs to be New York theatre star. This year I also read Gilbert's Big Magic (non-fiction) about living a creative life. It just barely missed being on this list, though here it is I suppose. Ha!
• New Kid and Class Act (purchased books then gifted to my niece) by Jerry Craft - New Kid was the 2020 Newbery winner, the first for a graphic novel. Class Act is an equally thought provoking companion.
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (purchased audiobook from Audible) by Lori Gottlieb - Gottlieb chronicles her therapy journey after a sudden break up, while also sharing details of therapy patients she is seeing. And interesting look at therapy from both perspectives.
• The House in the Cerulean Sea (purchased book) by TJ Klune. This might be my favorite read of the year. It is one of the books I specifically sought at the beginning pandemic related isolation. The story of Linus Baker and the magical children he is seeking to help was a perfect mix of humor, heartbreak, and fantasy. I want to read it again to savor all the delights of the family they all become.  
• Buzz Saw: The Improbable Story of How the Washington Nationals Won the World Series (purchased book) by Jesse Dougherty - One of my most missed 2020 activities was baseball. We are and have been Washington Nationals fans, which made 2019 the culmination of 14 years of hopes with our first World Series win. It was tremendously disappointing to be deprived of all the celebrations that should have come at the beginning of the 2020 season. Dougherty's book came to me just when teams were cancelling spring training and the season was put on hold indefinitely. I derived great comfort from reliving the triumphant season through this book. I also had the opportunity to hear Dougherty discuss writing the book in  a live Twitter talk.
• Kingdom of the Blind (purchased book) by Louise Penny - Penny's mysteries get better and more sophisticated with every book. This one was particularly satisfying because it finished out a significant story arc. There are two books after this one, which I have not read. I try to stay a bit behind her publications so I do not run out. I have one with me in FL to read soon.
• A Banquet of Consequences (elibrary book) by Elizabeth George - I have found mysteries a great comfort during the pandemic, perhaps for the way they end with the solving of the crime. I read 8 Lynley mysteries this year, but this was my favorite.
• The Goldfinch (eaudiobook from the library) by Donna Tartt - I loved Tartt's The Secret History, I was less enamored of The Little Friend. The Goldfinch was wonderful. I listened to it because I balked at sitting with such a long book. In retrospect I would have torn through it, probably faster than I was able to listen. I had to pause twice because the audiobook was due back at the library before I could finish. In the end, I was on edge for most of it after the initial disaster, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It did, in spectacular fashion. I loved it.
• Magic Lessons (egalley) by Alice Hoffman - I saw the movie Practical Magic when it came out in 1998, having no idea it was based on a book, which I just read in 2019. I followed in 2020 with the others in the family of books, but this was my favorite, with its overtones of The Scarlet Letter.
• Untamed (eaudiobook from the library) by Glennon Doyle - This was my favorite non-fiction read/listen of the year. Doyle is amazing. She shares her own story in all her books, but somehow is also able to tap into the ways we all feel weak and not enough in our own situations, but then she offers badass wisdom to build us up. I like this one so much I also purchased this book to re-read and re-visit.
• Daevabad Trilogy (purchased books) by SA Chakraborty - Like I sometimes do, I rejected these books because they were too popular, everyone was reading them, I was going to be different. I am a fool because I LOVED them all. The benefit however of my stubborness is having been able to read all three books in a row without waiting. 
• The Year of Living Danishly (eaudiobook from the library) by Helen Russell - Having never lived outside the United States, I appreciated Russell's thorough exploration of her temporary (or so she thought) country. The book is organized by months, beginning when she arrives in January. She explores, in depth, 12 different facets of life in Denmark from work to motherhood to eating to winter to traditions. This detailed look at moving and living in another country was intriguing.
• The Left-Handed Booksellers of London (purchased book) by Garth Nix - I have raved about this one more than once. It was definitely ending up on this list.
• Return of the Thief (purchased book) by Megan Whalen Turner - While I really liked how Turner wrapped up this six book series, reading it was an important reminder that sometimes it is a good idea to re-read earlier books.
• The Witches are Coming (eaudiobook from the library) by Lindy West - I recently listened to Shit, Actually, West's most recent publication, but this one is so far my favorite of hers. I need regular feminist commentary in my life so I do not get complacent. 
• A Promised Land (purchased audiobook from Audible) by Barack Obama - I was so eager for this one, I pre-ordered the audiobook. I spent much of the book lamenting the loss of dignity and integrity in the White House. (I am looking forward to their return next week.) But I also learned about aspects of law making and running for office I had not known. 

 

What were your 2020 favorite reads?

 

Some 2020 Reading Reflections (based on all my reading, not just my favorites)

1. I need more diversity in authors, particularly in non-fiction. I don't feel I need to diversify in genre as I read:

• fantasy
• science fiction
• literary fiction
• historical fiction
• romance
• mystery
• non-fiction 

In all of the above I read adult as well as YA and some middle grade (mostly realistic). There were also MANY graphic novels and comics in my reading year. These tended to be memoirs, realistic, and fantasy. I will admit I avoid horror, thrillers, crime. They just take the intensity of a mystery up a notch too far for me. 

2. I want to try to tackle more of my TBR this year rather than jumping immediately to new publications. I make no promises about this one. If I decide however that I am most satisfied when I read newer releases, I need to cull my physical shelves of older books I may never get to. They should find a home with someone else.

 

What reflections do you have on your 2020 reading life? What are you looking forward to in 2021?

 

To picture books, with love

Many of us begin our reading lives by being read to. This is one important step in becoming a life-long reader, as is having access to books. Dolly Parton is such a strong advocate for getting books into the hands of children that she founded Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to gift books to children from birth to five years old. According to the site, 143 million books have been gifted as of August 2020. This is not the only program of this kind because being read to and having books is crucial for child development as well as future success. Reading is Fundamental is another organization that seeks to get books into the hands of all children. 

Each night before bed my brother and I were treated to a story. Sometimes two. Those times with my brother are the earliest memories I have, but I know I was being read to before he came along. I also know that having books and hearing books is what started my love of books and reading. 

We both liked the Dr. Seuss books, in particular One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and Fox in Socks, both of which my father claims he can still recite. While neither of these is truly a story, they both feature rhyme and word play that I appreciate as an adult reader. In my favorite part of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish a "nook has a hook on which is a book about how to cook" and in Fox in Socks I am partial to the segment about the "tweetle beetle battle." 

There were others I favored because I enjoyed the story. One I loved and still do is Christina Katerina and the Box by Patricia Lee Gauch. It is the story of Christina and her friend Fats Watson and the days following a new refrigerator and its box coming into Christina's home. The two friends turn the box into all manner of fantastic things including a castle and a race car. 

Others I remember are The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban. We were fortunate to have many books in our home to choose from and read on our own, once we could. (Being able to choose ones own books is an important element to becoming a lover of books and reading.) I was excited to learn to read and was able to do so quickly. 

When I got to school and had access to the school library I branched out. An early favorite was The Girl who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble, which won the 1978 Caldecott Medal and depicts the story of a girl of the Plains Indians of North America. [Goble's work is generally accepted as a respectful and accurate depiction of the Plains Indians as he was "adopted into the Yakima and Sioux tribes (with the name Wakinyan Chikala, “Little Thunder”) by Chief Edgar Red Cloud" in 1959.] I checked out this beautiful story as many times in a row as I was allowed then checked it out again once other students had had a chance. I own a number of copies today.  

Another book I have fond memories of and still own is The Star Wars Storybook that I woke up early on weekend mornings to read in bed before breakfast. 

As a high school librarian I am rarely asked for picture book recommendations, but as a school librarian it is important for me to be familiar with books for all levels of readers, because not all high school students read at a high school level and I might not always be a high school librarian. I have also over the years shopped for books for friends as they became parents.

My most reliable sources for knowing what is being published are:

• School Library Journal and Booklist reviews
• Awards lists 
• Browsing in bookstores 

I try to buy books that are current and not just fall back on old favorites. I like to explore new authors when possible knowing as this post from Book Riot reasons, many of the favorites of the parents as well as those buying the books are outdated without a broad or diverse viewpoint, and more practically may be purchased many times over for a new reader. 

Some recent books I have purchased either for my library or as gifts:

	The Undefeated	Kwame Alexander & Kadir Nelson
	Hello Lighthouse	Sophie Blackall
	Maybe Something Beautiful	F. Isabel Campoy & Theresa Howell
	Stellaluna	Janell Cannon
	Last Stop on Market Street	Matt de la Peña
	Henry Hikes to Fitchburg	D.B. Johnson
	The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore	William Joyce & Joe Bluhm
	Drawn Together	Minh Lê & Dan Santat
	Julián is a Mermaid	Jessica Love
	The Word Collector	Peter H. Reynolds
	And Tango Makes Three	Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, & Henry Cole
	Parrots Over Puerto Rico	Susan L. Roth & Cindy Trumbore
	The House in the Night	Susan Marie Swanson & Beth Krommes
	The Insomniacs	Karina Wolf & Brothers Hilts
	What Do You Do With an Idea? What Do You Do With a Problem?What Do You Do With a Chance?	Kobi Yamada & Mae Besom

 

What are some of your favorite picture books to read and gift?

 

 

 

 

Yes, comics and graphic novels are REAL reading.

I am not the first writer, nor will I be the last to make the case for the legitimacy of comics and graphic novels as "real" reading.

• "Raising Super Readers: Benefits of Comic Books & Graphic Novels" from Scholastic 
• "The Power of Comics" from the International Literacy Association

The reason I am writing about a topic that has been addressed by experts in reading and the ways our brains get involved in different types of reading is because even colleagues of my own, high school English teachers AND librarians sometimes still want to debate if students are really benefiting when they read comics and other graphic works, which leads them to forbid graphic stories as choice or free reading in the classroom. I believe this is harmful to students who need opportunities to read what they choose rather than what has been assigned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's start with the difference between comics and graphic novels:

from "The Power of Comics" -

"Stylistically, comics and graphic novels are very similar. Comic books are usually about 24 pages and are released in single issues usually once or twice a month. These individual books often form an ongoing story that spans several issues. Like TV shows, they are published regularly and collected in what are called trades. Batman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Bone are all popular examples of comics.

Graphic novels are basically longer versions of comics. Usually, graphic novels tell one full story and can be a couple hundred pages long. Examples include Amulet, The Witch Boy, and Smile."

 

There is also a fabulous book called Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, who is a graphic novelist, in which he covers in great detail how visual communication works and the ways in which artists use pictures and words to convey meaning.

When I began reading comics, my first was the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. The series was published between 1989-1996, but I did not read any of them until they were complete and I could get them in trade paperback form. I like reading comics this way because I am not usually able to acquire the next installment every month and fall behind. I would prefer to read them quickly to remember the story line. The books tell the story of Dream and his fellow Endless: Destiny, Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, and Destruction. 

I am glad I began here because these are considered a triumph in cartooning. The series won more than 26 Eisner Awards among many others. Gaiman wrote the story but a variety of artists were brought in for the visuals. This means that each comic book or chapter in the story has a different look. This makes it vital for the reader to closely engage with the art to see and "read" details important to the story. 

While visual literacy is one of the reasons comics are good for the brain, it is also where I stumbled when I first began reading. I start by reading just the words and skipping the pictures, assuming I was getting the gist of it, but I wasn't. Facial expressions, gestures, and other body language as well as background details were telling parts of the story that I was missing. It took little time for me to slow down and modify my reading style to engage fully with the story. 

I have continued to read the work of Gaiman, but have added other comics. Some of my favorites have been 

• Saga by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples
• Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
• Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, Max Sarin, Whitney Cogar, and Jim Campbell
• Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona with a changing group of additional authors
• Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe, Roc Upchurch, and John Upchurch

Some of these are teen friendly but most are for an adult audience. 

 

When choosing graphic novels to read, I focus on those I have or will order for my high school library.

Some of my favorite authors are:

Raina Telgemeier 

Lucy Knisley

Gene Luen Yang

 

Some recent favorite books are:

Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, which is a graphic memoir and was a National Book Award finalist

The March Trilogy by Rep. John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, which has won Coretta Scott King awards as well as a Robert F. Kennedy book award among others. The idea for Lewis to write about his experiences at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was prompted by "Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story," a comic published in 1957. 

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, a book I enjoyed but is beloved by my 10-year-old niece

New Kid by Jerry Craft, which was the winner of the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and Emily Carroll, which is a graphic version of Anderson's 1999 novel of the same name. It is powerful reading for any teen. 

 

It would take a novella for me to list and discuss all of the graphic novels I have read over the years, but I believe it is an important format for readers because of the need to visual literacy skills when we are surrounded by images in the news and social media. 

 

What are your favorite comics or graphic novels?

 

How I started reading mysteries, or much love to the somewhat controversial Nancy Drew

In my previous post, I introduced the queens of my favorite sub-genre of science fiction - time travel. 

This time, I'd like to explore my second most read genre: mystery.

My love of mysteries began with the gift of a box of Nancy Drew books that had belonged to my mom. I am not entirely sure how they came to be mine, but I believe that during a trip to Michigan one summer or at Christmas, I was presented with this box that contained a wealth of reading material, not just Nancy Drew. 

As I recall, I started reading immediately. And by immediately, I mean I read the entire 13 hours home in the car. This was when I could read in the car without becoming nauseated. Since then I have switched to audiobooks or sleeping to get me through long car rides. 

I re-read all the Nancy Drew books and would also check others out of the library or ask someone to buy new ones for me. First published in 1930, Nancy Drew's stories were still being written in the 1980s and beyond. In 2018, Smithsonian Magazine  explored the beginnings and history of these popular tales that were not ever written by anyone named Carolyn Keene.

 

 

My favorites were: 

• The Clue of the Broken Locket (1934)
• The Secret of the Wooden Lady (1950) 
• The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1954)

but while looking through a list on line, many of the titles struck a chord. I don't think there were any I did not like, just some I liked a bit better and re-read more often. 

My first school librarian job was in a middle school. A group of students asked to start a Nancy Drew book club. I agreed to read the first choice along with the club members - this was a mistake. Whichever book we read was not well written or anywhere near as exciting or engaging as it had been when I was a tween. This is not a surprise, since many books written for young people do not transfer well to adult readers. While not a part of the mystery we read, the original version of at least one Nancy Drew story contained overt racism and others contained characters who were negative stereotypes. If schools still have these versions, many of which have been revised to remove these elements I think parents, teachers, or librarians should find a way to engage readers with conversations about the problematic elements. The end of the story is that the students loved the book and had an intense conversation during lunchtime book club, then promptly lost interest and moved on to a Rick Riordan book club. 

When I was ready to move on from Nancy Drew, my father gave me a copy of Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie, this means my first Christie detective was Hercule Poirot, not a bad place to start. I really enjoyed moving to "adult" mysteries and Christie was a good choice since her stories are low gore and horror and high intrigue.

Now, my favorite mysteries are those in series that feature a crime solver I can get to know. The two queens of mystery writing for me are Louise Penny and Elizabeth George. Penny's books often take place in the town Three Pines in Québec. Her sleuth is Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of Sûreté du Québec. I am drawn to these novels because every character, including all the towns people and Gamache's family and co-workers are complex characters who each take a central role in one or more books and a smaller role in others.

Elizabeth George's books feature Inspector Thomas Lynley of New Scotland Yard. The stories themselves take place both in London and around the UK. Lynley's partner Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers features prominently while other characters come in and out regularly. 

Even after having read 14 by Penny and 6 by George I have not yet felt them to be repetitive or possible to figure out until the characters do or only just before. Both series work best if read in order, because the events build from book to book. I started to read the Lynley series because I was going to run out of Penny books, so now I have one more Penny to read before her next is released in September. 

Honorable Mentions go to:

• Tana French - these take place in Ireland and feature various members of the Dublin Murder Squad. My favorite has been The Secret Place. 
• Charles Finch - in these, British gentleman Charles Lennox, a member of Parliament, moves around Victorian London solving murders. There are 13 books in the series currently. I have read the first five and particularly liked A Burial at Sea which takes place on a ship making it a little like And Then There Were None since everyone is trapped with a murderer. 
• Alan Bradley - Flavia de Luce is the 11-year-old sleuth with an expertise in chemistry. The 10 novels, all of which I have read, take place in Bishop's Lacey, a small town somewhere in rural England. My favorite so far is As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust in which Flavia is sent to the same boarding school in Canada her mother once attended. 
• Laurie R. King - Of all the honorable mentions, I may be fondest of these because they feature the husband and wife team of Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell with a focus on Mary. The books sometimes take place in parts of England but there is also some exciting case-based travel. I have read 14 of the 16 in the series. My favorites are The Language of Bees and The God of the Hive which work together more closely than the rest in the series. 
• Jaqueline Winspear - The Maisie Dobbs series begins just after the end of World War I during which Maisie served as a field nurse. She is now back in London solving murders and other crimes as a private investigator. There are 15 books in the series; I am caught up and looking forward to 16. A favorite is A Dangerous Place which takes place primarily in Gibraltar in 1937. 

 

Who are your favorite mystery authors and sleuths?

Double, Double Toil and Trouble - So many books about witches

Recently, after having finished reading Magic Lessons (October 6, 2020) by Alice Hoffman, I sat down to start drafting this post, part of which is a list of other books I have read by Hoffman as well as books about witches. I discovered in listing them, that I have read MANY books featuring witches, which means that many books about witches are out there in the world, which made me ask "Why?" To answer this, I am starting with myself. Why do I like to read books about witches enough to seek them out regularly?

1. Many of these books include the history of witch hunts in both the US and around the world

2. For the same reason I read fantasy books in general - the possibility of magic and the supernatural being real leads to exciting day dreams (I have my three wishes all ready to go should I ever encounter a being that would like to grant them.)

3. Maybe it is a cliche, but powerful women are of interest to me. 

The first Hoffman novel I read was Practical Magic. While it was published in 1995, I did not read it until last year and I only did that because a second book had been released and I thought I should read this one first. And though I should have known better, I had seen the movie, and don't often read a book AFTER I have seen the movie, but of course it was far better than the movie, which I liked. This was the first novel Hoffman wrote about the Owens women, but it is not the first chronologically. Magic Lessons takes place first and tells the story of the beginning of the Owens family starting with Maria who is found abandoned in the woods by Hannah Owens who is herself a witch who can "see" that Maria is as well. The Rules of Magic, published in 2017 is a direct prequel to Practical Magic and features Frances and Jet who are aunts to Gillian and Sally. 

While those are three of the most recent witch books I have read, I have also read a surprising number of others that I liked:

The All Souls Series

1. A Discovery of Witches (2011)
2. Shadow of Night (2012)
3. The Book of Life (2014)
4. Time's Convert (2018)

There's just something about witches and vampires that is irresistible entertainment.The first book has been made into a television series and I have heard they are making two more seasons that will correspond to the second and third books.

If you want your witch books to be hilarious, you can't miss with the Tiffany Aching novels by Terry Pratchett. I have read other books by Pratchett, but when I found out he had a young witch character i zoomed through them.

• The Wee Free Men – 2003
• A Hat Full of Sky – 2004
• Wintersmith – 2006
• I Shall Wear Midnight – 2010
• The Shepherd's Crown – 2015

One I read back when it was first published, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (2009) by Katherine Howe, has a companion novel, The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs that I have had in my TBR since it was published a year ago.

There are others on my TBR I am looking forward to. I am on a witch roll.

• The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (October 13, 2020). The Ten Thousand Doors of January by the same author was one of my recent reads. 
• The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan - This one is witches and historical fiction that takes place in Gilded Age New York and London. 

In case you are looking for a different format, I have read two witchy graphic novels in the past few months as well:

• The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner
• The Witch Boy and The Hidden Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag

 

Why are books about magic and witches in particular so popular? What are your favorites?

Graphic novels vs. illustrated stories vs. comic books

I am sure there is an official definition that differentiates between graphic novels, illustrated books, and and comic books. I do not intend to refer to one of those definitions, instead I will provide my own based on recent reading.

Here in Washington, DC there is an excellent comic book store called Fantom Comics. They used to be located in Union Station, which made me happy because it was easy to get to, but then one day, they were not there any more. I was sad. I went home to look for information on-line and discovered they had moved to Dupont Circle, not as convenient, but when I visited the first time, I understood. The new store is probably four times as big as the old one giving them space to have a wide variety of stock like:

• a whole wall of current and new release comic books
• almost a whole wall of trade paper backs
• a big chunk of the same wall devoted to graphic novels
• a section of children's books, mainly graphic easy readers and novels
• and a variety of special interest displays that change

The place is amazing. I was already moving toward reading comic books more regularly. I am doing so even more now, but also exploring books that have been around for years that I am just discovering. In the area of comic books I am reading Saga by Brian K. Vaughn, The Runaways also by Brian K. Vaughn, and of course Neil Gaiman's newest, Sandman Overtures. This is just a short list but will serve to illustrate what I think a comic book is. Comic books are generally released episodically or serially, meaning the reader only gets a part of the story each month, or every few months in the case of Gaiman. The books do not stand alone, but usually make up one part of a larger story. They tend to have a large array of characters who each step forward to be the focus in one or more books. It seems to me, that like TV shows comic books last as long as there is demand and until then the writer does not necessarily have an ending in mind.

Graphic novels on the other hand have a full story arc just like a non-graphic novel. They are    stories that are told  textually and visually. One recent read is Mercury by Hope Larson that I enjoyed immensely. A little bit historical fiction, a little bit fantasy, and really unique art. I also picked up This One Summer by cousins Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki. The story revolves around friends who meet up each summer when their families visit Awago Beach. They grapple with the issues that appear in many YA books: Who am I? And where will be my place in the world?  (Really versions of the same "search for self" theme.)

What these two types, comic books and graphic novels, have in common is that visually the story takes place in panels, or squares that move across the page in a pattern. This is also what makes them different from illustrated books in which the story is told in standard text format, supplemented by pictures on the same page or on a separate page. A gorgeous recent example is Neil Gaiman's The Sleeper and the Spindle, a version of the Sleeping Beauty story. The illustrations are all black and white with gold and simply amazing.

I've read lots of other graphic novels and comic books recently and with so many amazing choices these days I don't see myself giving up this genre any time soon.

A Sweet Read - Happy Birthday Madame Chapeau

While browsing the book buying area (this year run by an independent book store, DC's Politics and Prose) I ran across a delightful picture book: Happy Birthday Madame Chapeau, written by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts. It was drawn to it for three reasons:

1.  The book festival took place on my birthday

2.  It was about hats/fashion

3.  Madame Chapeau is French!

It turned out to be a wonderful story. It is all about Madame Chapeau, who somewhat unsurprisingly is a milliner. She goes out for dinner by herself on her birthday and her hat is stolen by a crow. As she chases it, she makes a number of friends, one of whom is able to give her a perfect replacement hat.

Things that make this a great story:

1.  The illustrations are lovely, with a wide-variety of fabulous hats, some of which are recognizable and others that are satisfyingly unique.

2. The characters are diverse. The "We Need Diverse Books" movement is all over the internets these days and this book is a refreshing look a wide variety of people without diversity being the stated topic of the book.

3.  I seriously dislike the idea of "girl books" and "boy books," as I believe good stories are for everyone. This is a good story!

 

Additional: After writing and sceduling this post, I read Iggy Peck, Architect by the same authors.  Also wonderful.  I love the drawings, the diversity, and the story.  Moving to Rosie Revere, Engineer next.

Raina Telgemeier - Sisters

This past Saturday the Library of Congress held its annual National Book Festival. Because of some difficulties in negotiations with the National Park Service, the festival was moved from the National Mall to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. I heard mixed reviews throughout the day but more positive about the move than negative. Because of the indoor venue, the festival's hours were expanded to 10pm, but all events were condensed into one day.

One of the evening events was a graphic novels super session. As I had been at the festival since 8:30am and it was my birthday, I only stayed to hear one author. And I am glad I did.

Raina Telgemeier is the author of Smile, Drama, and most recently Sisters. She spoke generally about her books and her start as the illustrator of the Babysister's Club graphic novels. She also brought a few kids up to help her read a chapter from Sisters. This was a really sweet portion of the presentation, as was the question and answer session during which mostly children asked a wide variety of questions about her ideas and topics and even her teeth, a story she tells in Smile.

The answer I found most interesting was about how she picks which stories from her own life to tell. For both Smile and Sisters she chose just one small part of her greater experiences. The difficulties she had with her teeth spanned about 4 years of her life, but she was really focused in the book about her orthodontic adventures. In Drama, the time span was through one musical production during her middle school years. She spoke about wanting to capture the experiences of the behind the scenes kids. (I can tell you from experience that as an adult director, having reliable, creative, and wonderful kids painting the sets and moving them during the production has a tremendous, positive impact on the entire production.)

Sisters, is specifically about a road trip Raina took with her mom, sister, and brother the summer she was 14. More generally it is about Raina's relationship with her sister, told through flashbacks. It is really a well-done story, bringing in Raina's feelings about her now-teenage cousins and younger brother as well.

I highly recommend all three of Telgemeier's books for middle school in particular, but they are not too young for freshmen and sophomores perhaps, and would probably work well in 5th grade too.

This is my life...

Me: Love!

Friend: Is it another character from a book?

Me: NO! maybe... Ok, yes, but this time it is different.

Friend: Because this time he is going to come out of the book and love you back?

Me: No, because this time he is just a sweet boy I wish were my nephew (not to replace the fabulous nephew I already have, but in addition).

Friend: (sigh) Who is it?

Me: Nate Foster from Tim Federle's Better Nate Than Ever and 5,6,7, Nate.  And he is fabulous.  He runs away from home to audition for a Broadway play.  He is brave and resourceful.  He wonders if he might have feelings for other boys, but also knows he is just not really even ready to consider it seriously because he is pursuing a career and is only 13.  Federle has just done a great job presenting Nate as a great kid who is just trying to do what he loves. Nate is sweet and talented and reminds me of a few kids I directed when I was doing the HS musical.  I LOVE these books!

Me Again: The books are perfect for a middle school library where books with the question: "Am I gay or not?" are needed but at the level for kids 12-13.  As a librarian I really appreciate the way Federle has woven the excitement of the theatre in with the wondering and questioning.  Standing ovation!

Interesting article about old-timey games and toys and maybe some books...

This morning, my American Libraries Direct "newsletter" linked to this awesome article I couldn't help but share.  It does not hurt that the first item is from Nathaniel Hawthorne (swoon).

Gilded Age Games and Toys

I like sweet love stories and I cannot lie

I have managed to read quite a bit recently, but have not managed to blog much. But here I am to get in a post before Christmas hits, though honestly I should probably still be outdoors enjoying this freakishly warm weather. 

1.  Attachments by Rainbow Rowell  Rowell is the queen of the slow burn.  She pulled it off beautifully in Eleanor and Park as well as Fangirl, both YA romances.  Attachments is a romance featuring adult characters.  (I dislike using the phrase "adult romance" because it makes me think of "those" kind of adult romances.)  It does not pack quite the romantic power of the YA stories, but it was Rowell's first and I think she just needed to settle into her romance groove.  Beth and Jennifer are friends who work together and use work e-mail to chat through the day.  (The books takes place in 1999 and 2000.)  Lincoln's job is to monitor employee e-mail that is flagged for inappropriate content.  This leads to Lincoln falling for Beth because of her witty banter.  Her cute freckles do not hurt once he sees her.  It is a sweet story that is not saccharine and though the set-up could be creepy, but with Rowell's way it is not. 

 

2.  Meet me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenni Colgan  This story on the other hand is far too sweet, but I love it anyway.  For crying out loud, the story centers on Issy opening a cupcake cafe. It does not matter to me that the ending is predictable, and even some of the more major plot points.  I read mainly for enjoyment and I do not take umbrage at a story that does not surprise me.  I like Colgan's style and enjoy the storytelling, and I like a happy ending.  

3.  Less a straight love story is Adriana Trigiani's The Supreme Macaroni Company, which picks up just after the end of Brava, Valentine.  Valentine and Gianluca's romance has progressed to engagement and marriage.  This story is really about how two independent people come together in a marriage.  It is not all birds singing and romance, but instead Trigiani focuses on how each person must give a little in order to be married successfully.  I always like Trigiani's stories and look forward to more. 

4.  I took a bit of a break from YA with the titles above, but I have not neglected it entirely.  I have had The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle for a few weeks.  I have not read any of Myracle's Internet Girls series (ttyl, ttfn, and l8r,g8r), but I have read Shine.  There is no doubt this is a romance.  Wren and Charlie meet just as high school is ending, the set up for a summer romance.  However, what they find with each other is more intense and probably long-lasting than a summer fling.  The issues with which Wren (overbearing parents) and Charlie (foster home) deal keep the story from being purely romance, but the two fall hard for each other in the way only teens can.  Sadly, adults tend to be a bit more jaded about love and romance.  The story has some pretty graphic sex scenes, but I would not label these as gratuitous. They serve to illustrate the intensity of the relationship as well as present the reality that teens are sexual beings no matter what some churches, schools, and parents would like to believe. 

4.  Just to avoid having to write an entirely new post for one book, I am going to include From Norvelt to Nowhere by Jack Gantos in this post.  While it does contain an element of romance I would place it more in the comedy genre than anywhere else.  I loved Dead End in Norvelt to which I listened (narrated by the author).  In that novel, Ms. Volker takes center stage when she composes the fasinating obituaries for all the women who are murdered.  In this one, Ms. Volker and Jack travel from Pennsylvania to Florida with more than a few stops in between.  Note: These are the only two books by Gantos I have read.  I found this story to be empty.  I did not care much what happened to anyone, which really made me sad.  The tale was just so far-fetched I had trouble suspending my disbelief, which led to apathy.  

Now that I have a break from work I am planning a full scale attack on my TBR pile, hopefully followed by lots of posting!

 

 

 

Holly Black is AWESOME and so is the National Book Festival

So, it has been a woefully long time since I posted a review, or anything at all for that matter, but the good news is I have been reading and have something to talk about.  I reviewed Doll Bones by Holly Black in my previous post.  Since then I have also read The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and bought her graphic novel series The Good Neighbors: Kin, Kith, and Kind.  I am pretty excited to read them.  I picked up a couple of other graphic novels when I went to Politics and Prose to see Rainbow Rowell last Wednesday - more about that in another post. 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a vampire book...I know, I know haven't we all had enough vampire books, but this one is different I promise.  First of all, the heroine is not a ridiculous, swoony girl who can't bear to be without her vampire (I think we all know to whom I am alluding here.)  Tana is remarkably strong-willed in the face of some pretty harrowing stuff.  There is no way around it, this book is not afraid to talk about what vampires do, which is suck the blood out of people and sometimes kill them. 

Tana wakes up after a party to find that only she, a friend who has been bitten, and a vampire have survived a huge and horrific vampire attack.  It is only through guts and some probably unwise behavior that Tana gets the survivors away.  Not knowing their fate, she heads for the nearest coldtown where Aidan (the bitten friend), and Gavriel (the vampire) probably need to be and where she herself may need to be if she has been infected by a slight encounter.  I really do not want to give much away, but this is certainly a vampire novel to redeem YA vampire novels and to realign with the greats of vampire fiction: Dracula and Interview with the Vampire.  I for one would not mind more of Tana and Gavriel.  (My insider info. tells me Holly Black is not done with this world.)  WHAT INSIDER INFO. YOU SAY???

Well, in my previous post I revealed that I would be introducing Holly Black at the National Book Festival. 

This is Holly Black speaking to the crowd after my introduction.  She was funny, and gracious to all those who asked questions and came up to her afterwards for pictures and to ask questions.  She even signed my book before going on.  Now you might be saying that I could have just snuck up by the side of the stage and snapped this shot.....but

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one is indisputable...this is me WITH Holly Black after her talk.  After this I wandered around the Book Festival in a bit of a daze until I got my act together to go see Patrick Ness give his talk.  His was actually in an interview format with a Washington Post reporter, but he did take questions afterwards.

 

 

 

He is super adorable, and has a husband....I did not know this.  My crush is however unabated.  His newest book More Than This is one at the top of my TBR pile.  I loved A Monster Calls and have been looking forward to reading others for a while now.   I was walking by the fiction tent when I happened across Brad Meltzer and stopped, became entranced by his stories about the Archives, Washington DC, and being invited to the White  House.  As you can see I was quite far away, but had a perfect line right to him.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After that I had to head to the Library of Congress for my presentation that went quite well despite the windyness.  My final author of the day was Paulo Bacigalupi author of Ship Breaker and The Drowned Cities.  In the Q & A he specifically address the idea of sequels which he does not like to do.  But he also said, he does not think he is done with the world he created in those two novels.  The book he spoke about was Zombie Baseball Beatdown, which I bought on the off chance I got to introduce him, but I doubt I will read it now because does not sound like my thing.  I think I'll send it to my favorite nephew who may really enjoy it.                  

I truly appreciated the opportunity to hear all these wonderful authors.  But all that pales in comparison with the experience I had today. I began by being present for the "Book that Changed Me" awards for which I had been a judge in the final round.  The three kids who were the top winners almost brought me to tears with their sweet and wonderful readings.  The essays were not really sad, but to know that these kids were so deeply affected by books is why librarians, teachers, and parents work so hard to get kids to read.  Part of the ceremony was also the "Letters about Literature" national winner who happens to live in DC.  She wrote to Laura Ingalls Wilder and connected her works to the life of her father who had grown up in Eritrea and then back to her own life during which she has not had to struggle to find food, water, or education.  That one made me cry because is was a sweet homage to her father and Little House on the Prairie. 

 

 

I then worked our booth through the afternoon talking to many librarians and teachers from around the nation who are eager to use or already use primary sources with their students.  Near the end of the day, Dr. James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress stopped by, and this happened.   What a day and what a weekend!

Books in DC

On one hand, my grand schemes to read a lot while living in DC have worked out, on the other, they haven't.  Maybe I should explain.  I have discovered that there is a lot of really awesome stuff to do in DC that does not involve books, though there is a bunch of book related stuff as well.  In my just over a week here, I have spent a great deal of time doing stuff and exploring the city and not necessarily reading books all the time.  But that is not to say that I have not done any reading or bookish type adventuring.

1.  I have been carrying a book with me everywhere so that on the Metro or if I just happen to see a lovely bench during my travels I am prepared for some reading.  This has also helped to justify my purchase over the years of various purses that really are bigger that what I usually prefer to carry.  Now a requirement is that a book fit in along with all my other exploring gear.

2.  On Wednesday I fulfilled a dream by going to the DC famous independent bookstore Politics and Prose.  The author was Joe Yonan a food writer for The Washington Post, the book is Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes for the Single Cook.  I have made one recipe so far and have grand plans for a few more in the not too distant future. 

3.  I have read four books since I have been here, which is pretty good given how much time I have spent jaunting about when reading is not appropriate, like say while viewing the exhibits at the Corchoran Gallery of Art. 

     A.  Among the Janeites by Deborah Yaffe.  I always thought I was a fan of Jane Austen, but this book convinced me that at best I am just a liker...sort of.  It did make me want to re-read all her work and seek out a few of the more highly regarded film versions of her works.  I have always liked Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet and did find the version with Dan Stevens because I liked him in Downton Abbey.  There is also a Mansfield Park with Billie Piper of Dr. Who fame I have queued up.  This morning I also watched the first installment of a BBC version of Emma from 2009.  To continue, the book was a really interesting look into the world of people who truly love Austen's work and know it far better than I.

    B.  Superstar Babes by Narinder Dhami.  This one is a cute book in a series about three young teen sisters in London who get themselves into various scrapes.  This is the author who wrote Bend it Like Beckham, which I have not read (I saw the movie though.).  The other books, Bindi Babes, Bollywood Babes, and Bhangra Babes are equally charming stories appropriate for a middle school audience.  

    C.  Next was Doll Bones by Holly Black.  This was creepy, but not as creepy as I was expecting.  I acquired this book right after it was released, because after White Cat, Red Glove, and Black Heart, I have been wanting to read more of her work.  AND I just found out at the end of last week, that I am going to get to introduce Black when she comes to the National Book Festival in a few weeks.  (Yes, this is super-exciting and I am nervous and thrilled and a bit afraid I might act a fool in front of her.) She is coming to talk about The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, which I have pre-ordered to read in time for the intro.  I really felt that if I were going to introduce  her properly I better have read a few more titles.

   D.  Today I read Borrower of the Night by Elizabeth Peters, who passed away August 8th.  She is the author of the Amelia Peabody series of mysteries as well, but I liked this one better than I did those.  I like mysteries a lot, but really enjoy ones I can finish quickly so I am not tempted to flip to the last page to end the suspense. The heroine, Vicky Bliss is an art historian, which means creepy castles, and lost artwork.  Just my type of mystery. 

4.  Today I visited Capitol Hill Books, a used bookstore near the Eastern Market.  The last time I was there it was impossible to look for anything because of all the people.  The shelves and their close proximity to each other makes browsing an adventure already so it was much more pleasant with only a few other patrons.  I picked up a few Terry Pratchett Disc World novels.  I have been planning for a while to jump into these and was chivvied along this path recently by Charlotte of Charlotte's Library who recently devoured these and whose opinions I regard highly.  

5.  Next up in non-fiction is a biography of Margaret Fuller by Megan Marshall who also wrote  The Peabody Sisters, a book that totally blew up everything I thought I knew about Transcendentalism.  I recently listened to Marmee and Louisa by Eve LaPlante about Louisa May Alcott and her mother in which Fuller was discussed so it seemed time when I ran across this biography to find out more about her. 

The end of the challenge

As I am moving TONIGHT/TOMORROW to Washington, DC, and will begin work on Monday, my book-a-day challenge for myself is officially ended. 

I read The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall.  I have enjoyed the first three books in this series.  They feel a bit old timey to me.  The stories are far from saccharine, but feel less heavy than other modern stories.  The Penderwicks have issues - dead mother, remarriage of father, and in this latest tale, close family friend Jeffrey deals with his difficult mother and step-father while also working through the problems associated with having never known his father.  The continual and strong presence of adults is reassuring to the characters and the reader.  In some middle-grade and YA book the adults are just absent, which is clearly realistic.  I believe these stories are also realistic in that while the kids try to deal with problems on their own, they always know there is an adult ready to bear the burden if needed.  I think it is a healthy portrayal of families that are not perfect, but are strong in their devotion to each other. 

After this I was able to finish The Hundred Dresses.  This is not the children's story by Eleanor Estes, but instead a look at 100 dress styles that have been significant in history.  The book was written by blogger and lexicographer Erin McKean who also wrote the novel The Secret Lives of Dresses which I enjoyed immensely.  I have been reading this one slowly at a pace of two to three dress styles a day. 

Currently I am reading Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield who wrote The Thirteenth Tale, a gothic novel if ever there was one, which I loved.  (I remember clearly reading it on Christmas day 2007 which was a dreary, rainy day in NJ.  I was cozy by the fireplace and flew through the story, taking breaks only to help with dinner.)  I was lucky enough to receive an ARC and would love to post my review before release.  Hopefully if my exploring DC schedule is not too hectic, I will finish and blog about it next week. 

I am off to finish packing and maybe get a reading break this afternoon.

Off the Pace

I think I am off my book-a-day pace.  My last post was Monday the 12th and it is now Tuesday the 20th.  In that time I have read only four books.  In all honesty, one of the books, The Uncommon Reader I read the evening of the 12th.  (It's a quick read.)  In it, the uncommon reader is Queen Elizabeth II who has come to reading a bit late in life, 2007 if we go by the book's publication date.  It is an interesting look at how she becomes immersed in books, realizing how much can be learned about life, the world, and humanity from reading.  It is a sweet little story worth the hour or so it takes to read.  Another good Queen Elizabeth II is Mrs. Queen Takes the Train. 

Next I moved on to another Diana Wynne Jones, Earwig and the Witch.  This one is definitely an elementary read, but it was a cute story about an orphan who outsmarts a witch.  A good "girl power" story.  Yey, again a very short book. 

Next, I picked up Infinityglass by Myra McEntire at the bookstore last Wednesday and began reading immediately.  This threw me off my pace a bit because it was not as quick a read as the rest in the pile I had created for myself.  I had not planned to buy it, since I did not care for the second book in the series Timepiece.  (This was yet another title that proved my theory about second books in trilogies.) But I caved because the third in a trilogy is usually much better than the second, though rarely as good as the first.  This proved true in this case as well.  This third book focused on a secondary character from the first two books as well as someone completely new.   The old favorites popped up eventually, but their stories were not central to this one.  McEntire has created a complicated world with all sorts of details to remember about each character's powers and his or her limitations.  I can be a bit unwieldy without re-reading the earlier book, which I have not.  Someday, if I ever have time (ha) I might read the trilogy again to refresh the whole arc of the story.  I will be interested to see what McEntire does next. 

Finally, just moments ago I finished No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman.  Earlier in the summer I read Schooled, which may have been the first in my book-a-day challenge.  I have been intrigued by Korman since I heard him speak at my state's library conference last November.  His stories often take place in middle school, kids seem to enjoy them.  I find them to be a bit unrealistic, but the exaggerations certainly fit the tales and are not beyond believability.  In this one, Wallace Wallace's (Yep, same first and last name, not a typo.) detention for writing a negative book review of the teacher's favorite novel sets of a series of events related to the school play based on the book and Wallace's somewhat disappointing middle school football career.  A weird mix, but one  that works for this story about how important being part of something is for kids. 

That's it, in 8 days, 4 books.  Sad, I know.  But in my defense I spent one whole day moving most of my stuff to Washington, DC and two others packing, and I went to the gym four of last week's five week days. 

Next up: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall.

6 down....infinity to go

After challenging myself on August 4th to read a book a day until I finish the pile of kids books I have selected along with some books of short stories I need to finish, I have read six and a half books, and anticipate finishing the 1/2 today.  This means I am a bit ahead of the pace!  Yay me!

I have read:

I'll Pass for Your Comrade by Anita Silvey, which I mentioned in the original book challenge post.  I really liked this, but it left me wanted to know more about each woman Silvey mentions.  Right now I have no time for further research, but someday.... 

Next was Everything on a Waffle, by Polly Horvath, a Newbery Honor Book from 2002.  This one takes place in a quaint town in British Columbia with some stock characters like the gruff uncle, the quirky diner lady, and a sort-of orphan.  But when the plot veers away from the expected, the characters do as well, which is I suppose why this was considered for a Newbery. 

After that I read the companion books Just as Long as We're Together and Here's to You Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume.  I enjoyed both and they moved well covering just brief periods in the lives of 7th graders Stephanie, Rachel, and Alice.  These were not as delightful as Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, nor as controversial as Are You There God it's Me Margaret, but were nonetheless good showings by Blume. 

The final book I have read so far in its entirety is Romeo Blue by Phoebe Stone, the sequel to The Romeo and Juliet Code, a book I LOVED!  Ironically I stated in my review that I would prefer their not to be a sequel, but there is and I read it and love it too!  Just goes to show how much I know.  I love Stone's phrasing, it is almost poetic, and since I dislike verse novels, I am surprised I like her style.  Because the book takes place during World War II, it is not primarily a happy story, but the way the characters go on with life, managing to find joy amid the awfulness is a real portrayal of life at this time.  It is historical fiction, without feeling like historical fiction.  I love historical fiction, but my students avoid it, but this is a book that might trick them. 

The book I am half done with is Diana Wynne Jones's The Ogre Downstairs.  It is really about step-families and not surprisingly, a magical chemical set.  So far I am enjoying it.  I find Jones's books fabulously inventive.  Other people may follow in her footsteps, but she is fresh and unique every time.  Not sure what I will move to after this one, it will depend on my mood later this afternoon when I finish. 

A Book a Day

I own a lot of books.  It was not always this way.  There was a time when I had to rely on other people to buy books for me.  This resulted in many, many rereads.  I suppose if this had not made me happy we would have gone more often to the library, but I loved Anne of Green Gables and its sequels so much, I did not mind.  Even after I was old enough for a job, I did not spend a great deal of money on books.  In college I had little time for personal reading as I had plenty to read in my classes as an English/Education major.  After I began teaching, I was again far too busy to read as much as I would have liked and needed to put my meager salary toward car payments, mortgage payments, and student loan payments.

So, when did it all begin?  I mark my descent into excessive book ownership from the summer I worked at B. Dalton in the mall.  I was about 7 years into my teaching career at the time and needed a summer job that would not wear me out too much.  Waitressing was not something at which I excelled and teaching summer school was not an alternative I wanted to pursue.  I was lucky enough to be hired and spent my summer talking to people about books, reading books, and buying books.  The discount was fabulous and even such a small store introduced me to books I would not have otherwise found.  My book buying ratcheted up a notch again when I was taking classes for my librarian licensure.  While other students were content to borrow all their class reading material from the library, I felt drawn to own everything I read.  

So, here I am 10 years after working as a book seller and 4 years after the start of my library education and my house is overrun.  I have been very aware of my buying tendencies for years, and have managed to curtail my purchasing with library cards from two different towns.  However, since new books are always being released that I feel I ne-e-e-e-e-d, I acquire much more quickly than I can read.  One problem I have is that when a book I want to read is released I buy it right away.  On more than one occasion the book languishes on my shelf until I take it down to the used bookstore or sell if off to Powell's without ever having read it.  I am trying to stop doing that, instead keeping a running list of books due out and holding off buying them until I am ready to read.  (This tactic works sometimes.)

Now, I am preparing to move to Washington, DC for a year to serve as the Teacher-in-Residence at the Library of Congress (luckily the books there are not available for check-out).  This means I need to pack up enough reading material to last about a month until my first visit home.  This took me approximately 5 minutes.  But this endeavor also left me staring at a significant number of books I would not be able to take right away, as well as, a significant list of books that have not yet been released, but that I will want to read before anything that has been relegated to the second string.  The question is: Do I get rid of these second stringers, or keep them around in the hopes that evenings on my own will result in greater reading time?

In doing some reorganizing and weeding this evening, I separated out a pile of books to read between now and the end of August when I officially move.  Most of these are short, children's or young adult books I can read at a pace of one a day.  Some are anthologies of short stories which I like, but have difficulty reading because of the choppy nature of the reading time.  I plan to read at least one book a day and still have time to pack and do all those other things one does when one is about to move away for a year. 

I started today with Schooled by Gordon Korman, which was sort of cheating since I brought the book home from work at the end of the school year, and do not own it.  Even though it was a bullying book, which I generally do not enjoy because they can be so cliche, I found this one refreshingly unique.  Cap (short for Capricorn) has been raised by his grandmother in what used to be a thriving commune, but is now just the two of them.  When she is injured and Cap must move in with a foster family and go to school for the first time, hilarity ensues.  Cap is a believable, wide-eyed innocent who is an easy target.  The story ends well, as expected, but Cap's sweetness is a nice change from the usual downtrodden protagonist. 

Before beginning this post, I began reading, I'll Pass for Your Comrade, by Anita Silvey.  I started with this one because during my recent week in a workshop at the National Archives, I learned about a women who had masqueraded as a man to fight in the Civil War.  She and others are explored in some detail in this book that has a remarkable number of pictures of women in uniform considering they were trying to hide in the ranks to fight as men.  I will finish this tomorrow and hopefully another of the pile I have selected for these few weeks.  

Updates on my "book-a-day" challenge to follow as the week goes on.

YA at its Finest

I recently read three really excellent YA titles:  A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff (which is admittedly a bit closer to middle grade than YA.), Enchanted by Alethea Kontis and Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller and Zach Stentz.  I really enjoyed them all for different reasons.

A Tangle of Knots involves people coming together because of old and new attachments.  The story is really beautifully done as we meet individuals who turn out to have connections to others in the story.  They all cross each others paths and either become permanent parts of each others lives or help to foster other long term relationships after a chance encounter.  It is really well done, lining everyone up and untangling by the end.  It illustrates how closely related we all really are in this big family of humanity. 

Enchanted has some similar tangles in it.  Sunday is the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter making her particularly interesting in a family of unique people.  This story is a brilliant mash-up of many fairy tales including "Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and others.  A tiny piece of each figures into the bigger story of Sunday and her immediate and extended family.  It is beautifully written  and ends with the possibility for a sequel that I personally would love to read. 

The main character in Colin Fischer loves a good mystery.  He likes the ordered thinking required to figure something out.  He takes notes on what he observes around him in a notebook.  He often ends a note with the word "Investigate."  Much of what Colin does is influenced by his Aspberger's Syndrome.  Unfortunately, this also causes problems for him as he begins high school on his own.  The story moves quickly and really only captures the first few weeks of Colin's time in high school but seems to accurately portray someone with Asperger's.  I would be interested to hear from a student like Colin to see how well done his characterization is.  

If you are perhaps interested in a bit of crying

then I would recommend both One for the Murphy's by Lynda Mullaly Hunt and See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles.  I cried during both of these books.  My threshold book for crying is Of Mice and Men so if you cried when George shoots Lennie then you will cry during these.

In One for the Murphy's, Carley moves in with the Murphy family as a foster child after her mother's new husband injures her and seriously injures her mother.  With the Murphy's, Carley is able to be part of a happy family.  They are by no means perfect, but they give Carley the sense of normalcy she needs after such a harrowing experience.  I won't ruin it by telling you how it all ends: with Carley going back to her mother or staying with the Murphy's, but I will say Carley realistic reactions, doubts, and changes really get to the heart of why it is tough to be a foster kid.  (On principal I wanted to avoid this book because of its "kid in snakers" cover, but I am glad I did not.)

 

See You at Harry's is again about family.  This time a family that owns Harry's, an ice cream shop and restaurant.  In addition to Fern, the main character, there are Holden, a high school freshman, who is just beginning to feel comfortable as a homosexual, Sara a recent high school graduate, and Charlie their three-year-old surprise brother in addition to their ex-hippie parents.  They are all getting along as best they can when tragedy strikes.  How they deal with this is the most singnificant part of the novel as each member of the family feels tremendous guilt, but must rely on the others for comfort and support.  This one is difficult to reveiw without giving away the key event, but the portrayal of this confused and hurt family is realistic.  On another note, I am glad to have found a book that deals with a homosexual character in a way that is appropriate for younger readers who may also be struggling with admittance and/or acceptance.  

Holiday Reading

WARNING:  This post about holiday reading is about the books I have read over the holidays, not books with holiday themes or topics.  I started with The Selection by Kiera Cass, moved to Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead and then The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth.  I really liked all of them. 

First, The Selection takes place in a dystopic world, a genre I will continue to enjoy as long as authors keep finding a way to make it fresh.  Cass's take is fresh.  It is one part The Hunger Games in that young women from each of Illea's 35 districts is chosen to compete to marry Prince Maxon, making this one part The Bachelor as well.  What could have been written as a shallow story instead asks questions about choosing a spouse, ruling a nation, staying true to oneself, and class systems.  The main character, America Singer, a 5 (a relatively low caste) is automatically made a 3 when she is chosen to compete, thus helping her entire family to a better life.  They are all artists and musicians who make their living performing for 2s.  America's selection ensures they will have food and work steadily.  She will also have the opportunity to marry well if she is not chosen by the prince.  As always there is a wrench, she is in love with someone else, her childhood sweetheart, a 6 who does not have much hope for upward mobility.  This is the first in the series of what will undoubtedly be a trilogy.  The second book is due out in April.  I have high hopes, but am warily optimistic given my general observations about second books. 

Rebecca Stead is quietly brilliant.  I loved When You Reach Me, which I even reread recently, which I rarely do.  Liar & Spy is almost as good.  It too has some revelations that do not come until the end, but are hinted at throughout.  Some of these revelations I was able to figure out early on.  Others were a surprise.  The main character Georges (Yes, Georges, named after the painter Georges Seurat.)  and his parents have just moved away from their house in Brooklyn to an apartment because his father has lost his job.  In the new building, Georges meets Safer, a boy his age and his younger sister Candy and older brother Pigeon along with their eccentric parents.  It really is a great story addressing some standard middle school issues along with Georges' personal struggles.

Most recently is The Miseducation of Cameron Post.   This one addresses a pretty difficult topic I think needs to feature in more fiction.  The story begins with the death of Cameron's parents in a car accident, but this does not happen before Cam and her best friend kiss, for real. Cameron's born again aunt Ruth and her grandmother move in to the family home.  By this point Cameron is pretty sure she is a lesbian, but is not entirely comfortable with this realization.  She finds herself in love with Coley Taylor who "turns her in" at which point the next segement of the book takes Cameron away to Promise, a school for sinners, where they embrace God to overcome their sin of same sex attraction.  I think that more fiction addressing homosexuality for middle school and high school age students needs to exist.  These days, some children begin to wonder about themselves in elementary school and may not have anyone to speak with.  Fiction can provide some initial guidance that may help them to open up to a trusted adult.  My only quibble with the book is that is it set in 1991-93.  I think the author may misguidedly feel that what happens to Cameron would not be possible in 2012, but I fear she is mistaken.  Small societies, small towns, and small minds have not disappeared.  

I am not sure what I am going to pick up next as I have a stack I had intended for break reading, but I always seem to have the urge to read something outside the stack.  We shall see...we shall see.

Happy New Year!

Reading Multiple Personalities

You would think based on my reading choices that I might have a multiple personality disorder; I rarely stick to one particular genre for a sustained period of time.  For this reason you may find my most recent reads to be all over the place genre-cally. 

In my last post I mentioned reading The Age of Desire by Jennie Fields, which is primarily about the extra-marital love life of Edith Wharton, one of my most favorite writers of all time.  While I enjoyed the novel, I was disappointed in Wharton.  While I understand this is a fictionalized account, the author used excerpts of Wharton's letters to Morton Fullerton.  I cannot possibly understand what Wharton's marriage to Teddy Wharton was like, but she allowed for what seems like a great deal of mistreatment from Fulleron in exchange for only small bits of happiness. 

Following that read, I began Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead.  The novel takes place during three days of the wedding weekend of Daphne Van Meter and Greyson Duff on Waskeke Island.  The wedding itself takes up only a few pages, but the two days before are rife with all sorts of turmoil.  Winn, Daphne's father finds himself inappropriately attracted to one of his daughter's bridesmaids.  Daphne's sister Livia is recovering from heartbreak using all sorts of wedding weekend techniques.  And all the other members of the wedding party, including the families, sometimes spectate and sometimes participate in all sorts of other shenanigans.  This novel is not a comedy, or maybe it is a black comedy, but it is the story of a family the reader likes but feels sorry for, roots for, and wants to slap all in turn.  I do recommend this book and enjoyed it quite a lot. 

SHIFT

(to a new genre)

Next I decided to go with Seraphina by Rachel Hartman.   This is a middle grades/YA fantasy novel that takes place in a society in which dragons and humans have forged an uneasy alliance.  The main character, Seraphina, is a brilliant musician who also happens to be half dragon, which as you can imagine is not an accepted species in either society.  When a rogue former General begins to attack humans the fragile peace is in significant danger.  This is clearly the beginning of a series or trilogy and I am eager to read more.  I have also ordered this for my school as I think my kids are ready for a new dragon series. 

 

 

SHIFT

(again)

 

Next I picked up The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean.  I have been wanting to read this ever since I began following the author's blog, which is about the dresses she makes, generally from vintage patterns.  By profession, McKean is a lexicographer, but from what I can see she could go into dressmaking or writing at any time.  The book is a really sweet story about Dora who must come home from college when her grandmother, who raised her, has a stroke.  Mimi runs a vintage clothing shop in which Dora has grown up and she takes over the shop when she is not at the hospital.  Sadly for me I just read Jennifer Weiner's, The Next Best Thing whose main character is also a woman raised by a grandmother because her parents are deceased, but McKean wrote hers first so this is just an unfortunate coincidence on my part.  Foolishly, I thought at the beginning that the story would be somewhat predictable and certainly elements of it were, but there were also some twists I did not see coming.  I was drawn right into the story and was fascinated by all the descriptions of the vintage clothes Dora finds in a closet her grandmother has been cultivating for her for years as well as those in the shop.

 

I have just started The Importance of Being Seven by Alexander McCall Smith, the next in his series of 44 Scotland Street stories.  I would recommend anything by Smith, but I like his Isabel Dalhousie series best but his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books are wonderful as well.