The Angel of History, Rabih Alameddine
Another Day in the Death of America, Gary Younge
The Kingdom of Ash and Briars, Hannah West
A Hero of France, Alan Furst
Optimists Die First, Susin Nielsen
Top Prospect, Paul Volponi
Photo of Hobbit House at Holden Village during family’s August stay
For adults:
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, Shannon Chakraborty
Swashbuckling pirate adventures aren’t only for the young, male, and greedy. Amina is none of these, as she sets out ‘one last adventure’ and tries to do the right thing. An amazing narrator made me laugh aloud in delight.
Properties of Thirst, Marianne Wiggins
An American epic from the West, in an almost empty California spot where a Japanese internment camp is being built. Rocky, Schiff and Sunny are all complex, intelligent, and flawed characters. Wiggins explores family, food, business, love, and (evil) land development. The beauty of the described landscape, always important in a Western, is ultimately matched by the interior lives of these characters.
Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
The second doorstopper of a book I read retells David Copperfield. Kingsolver sets her masterpiece in, of course, Appalachia. Both books reveal the ills of our society, especially how poverty creates lost children. No need to have read Dickens to feel the impact of this!
Calling for a Blanket Dance, Oscar Hokeah
Ever is the protagonist, who we come to understand through the voices of a dozen people in his life. A mix of Cherokee, Kiowa, and Mexican, he first faced violence as a child, and still struggles with it, both from without and within. The last chapter, finally, is in his voice.
Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound, David B. Williams
This human history of our part of the world is centered on fish, kelp, rivers and Sound. Williams melds his personal account with the information of archaeologists, historians, biologists and natives. The story of how we have damaged the ecology ends with a tiny bit of hope.
For children:
To Catch a Thief, Martha Brockenbrough
11 year old Amelia has to quickly solve the mystery of who sabotaged her small town’s icon before the tourist season. Luckily, she meets a stray dog she takes in as an assistant. This local author has a great storytelling voice, and a sweet tale to tell here.
Ancestry, Hannah Salyer
If you were intrigued with the Caves of Lascaux, here’s a way to bring that wonder to your child.
Sora’s Seashells, Helena Rhee
Two very good friends died this year, so I’ve gravitated to books that deal with grief. This one is tender and surprising.
Penny & Pip, Candace Fleming
Fleming is one of my favorite authors of nonfiction, and this fiction rocks! Penny goes on a fieldtrip, and is the only one to notice an egg hatching in the dino exhibit. Clever art, too.
The Skull, Jon Klassen
So, I hesitated to include this one. If you’re a Jon Klassen fan, you probably already know it! He says, “Folktales…are supposed to be changed by who is telling them, and you never find them the same way twice.”
These are my favorite books of the year. Please look into one or more!
Children’s
Books For Adults
How the Word Is Passed, Smith. Thoughtful essays by a poet.
400 Souls, Kendi and Blain. Collection of imaginative essays and some poems to document the history of Blacks in America.
Hamnet, O’Farrell. Historical fiction tells a tale of grief.
I, Derricotte. Poetry that stunned and affirmed and amazed me.
The Grammarians, Schine. Sisters who loved word play; not as tragic as the rest of my list.
Matrix, Groff. Historical fiction of a woman banished to a medieval convent.
The Mercies, Hargrave. Historical fiction of an even earlier time when women had little power.
Master of Djinn, Clark. Agent Fatma worked in 1912 Cairo to fight the supernatural in this complicated and rewarding fantasy.
She Who Became the Sun, Parker-Chan. Adult Fantasy retelling of a character like Mulan.
Aetherbound, Johnston. This is young adult, but I had to have it on one of my lists!
Books for Adults
The Firekeepers Daughter, Angeline Boulley
In (almost contemporary) Upper Peninsula Michigan, Daunis readjusts her life plan in order to take care of her grandmother. At 18, Daunis doesn’t feel like she fits anywhere, not accepted as part of the tribe of her father, and not wanting the privilege and racism of her white grandparents. She still plays hockey with the best, and plans to later study medicine in a new way, beginning from native knowledge. But illegal drugs have infiltrated her community, and she adjusts her life again to try to fix its harms. This thriller leaves several dead, but Daunis creates a new place for herself based around native Ojibwe culture. It’s sold as YA, but it’s more developed than most, so I put it here for adults.
Project Hail Mary, Andy Weir
Wow, wow, wow. The author of The Martian has topped this achievement. In this science fiction adventure of a mostly solo astronaut,survival requires intelligence, luck, and quick reactions. And a friendship with an alien may help him save the earth from its near destruction. Most reviews I’ve seen give away little of the plot, and I’m trying to follow that, but I gotta say (spoiler alert from midway) this protagonist is a middle school science teacher. Yes, please.
Leave Only Footprints, Conor Knighton
I don’t watch much tv, so I didn’t know the writer. In this book of personal essays, he is very clear and lucid, with prose that often stops me with an insight, a silly pun, or an unexpected detail. Knighton visits all the National Parks, presenting them as treasures and making me feel quite patriotic. For the parks I’ve visited, his experiences ring true, and for the ones I haven’t, they often make me more curious. While he regularly brushes over negatives, like mosquitos in the Midwest, heat in the desert, and his loneliness after heartbreak, this book adds to my expanding appreciation of travel books.
The Mercies, Kiran Haargrave
This atmospheric novel will chill you as you read to the devastating conclusion. I knew it would be tragic, but didn’t guess the specifics of how it would come about. A coastal town in medieval Norway loses most of its men in a freak storm. The surviving women split in two groups, one following the church and the other determined to survive, which requires revolutionizing gender roles. Young Maren is part of the second group, helping to store the frozen bodies as they turn up on the shore, then bury them when the ground softens. She fishes her family’s traditional spots, mourning her fiance even as newlyweds arrive, a new pastor with his city wife, Ursa. Ursa is the other narrator, at first delighted by Absolom’s attentions, then silently shocked as his personality and role as executioner of witches develops into a point of pride. The two women bond over household tasks and the raw beauty of the coast, even as the feminist tendencies of this tiny village are about to be burnt out violently.
Middle Grade/ Children
D-39, Irene Latham
In a future world involved in a still-distant war, on land damaged by politics, climate change, and/or greed, 12-year-old Klynt keeps a log of her days. The prose poems use a new delightful vocabulary and show how Klynt reacts to the loneliness of her farm, the closing of school, and her missing mother. Soon, this is a survival story, brightened immensely by the title character. D-39 is an early model of a robot dog, developed after the government killed all dogs, carriers of a killer virus. He arrives on the family farm, and quickly bonds with Klynt, appealing to her scientific side as much as anything else. I think my decision not to read books about dogs is a good one — since they all die — but robot dogs definitely are exempted! Don’t be put off by the length, this book reads quickly!
The Leak, Kate Petty
This graphic novel tells a story like that of Flint, Michigan. Ruth is our intrepid 12 year old journalist, determined to discover the truth and suspecting corruption everywhere. As a biracial middle schooler, she has school drama and romance to deal with, and should maybe ignore the black sludge she found at the lake. With the help of friends and family, she learns the difficulties of becoming an ethical journalist, and with persistence changes the world. I love the message of journalism, and a heroine who fights for the environment and persists after making mistakes.
Roy Digs Dirt, David Shannon
So, this picture book doesn’t need a plug from me, as David Shannon is so well known as a fun and silly bookmaker. Roy is a white dog, but only just after a hated bath. Otherwise, he loves dirt! So, let yourself go by messing through this fun romp.
Books for Adults
Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, V. E. Schwab
In 1700s France, a woman was expected to marry who her parents picked for her, but Addie wanted her own life. She made a deal with the devil, gaining independence and immortality in exchange for her soul. She didn’t pay attention to the details of their contract, and missed a big one: nobody will remember her. She meets ‘her devil’ almost every year, as he appears to ask if she’s ready to quit life, or maybe ready to join him. How long can she value a life like this? It is fascinating to find out, and I enjoyed the mind games she played with the devil, and the ways she survived and made living meaningful. Philosophy and fantasy go together so well.
A Promised Land, Barack Obama
I remember shouting and dancing with joy the night Obama was elected. This memoir, like that night, restores my belief in democracy. I know many who loved his first book, and I was not surprised by how well written and thoughtful this book is. For the first chapters, I repeated several passages out loud, appreciating Obama’s ideals and ability with words. However, this took almost all month for me to read. It is 700 pages, and after his Presidential election night — and I knew this already — there are not many triumphs. I didn’t enjoy reading history that I personally remember, though Obama’s knowledge and insight helped me deal with my frustration, sometimes. So why is it on my list of best? Could it be that after all my hours of reading I cannot omit it? My reasons to recommend it: this book is a great piece of history; Obama personalizes many powerful people with quick sketches and humor; I enjoyed knowing how Obama was thinking when I thought he was doing the right (or wrong) thing. I can trace where we are now to many moments in this book, including insights about Joe Biden, party divisiveness, and emergency preparedness and pandemic. If you like this book, too, you may also like books I’ve read by Susan Rice, Sonya Sotomayor and Nancy Pelosi.
Books for Children
The Blue Wings, Jef Aerts
This tale seems ageless, despite the many timely details. Josh’s mom is working to blend her Muslim family with her new husband’s, when her boys find an injured crane and determine to save it. Jadran is the older brother, but Josh is his prime caretaker and our main character. Jadran, nicknamed Giant, is so neurodiverse that he may be soon institutionalized. The crane’s survival in their urban apartment looks unlikely, and its odds of survival may not improve when Jadran steals a tractor to take it south, a journey that takes the boys through the bulk of the book. The brother’s relationship is incredibly strong, often unspoken and excludes their new stepsister. The title comes from a costume the mother wore when a young performer, rich with potential symbolism and amazing images. The story is separated into 5 sections, each with a lovely 2 page watercolor. This should become a classic, and be shelved near The Summer Book, Junonia, and The Brothers Lionheart.
Mister Invincible: Local Hero, by Pascal Jousselin
The Blue Wings and this book are both written by Europeans, and published in translation. This graphic novel explodes beyond the frames of its story in a most amazing and creative way. Invincible is a masked chubby superhero whose ability is to leave his frame and ‘time travel’ outside it. His yellow outfit takes him through several traditional-looking comic book adventures, and his goodhearted charm solves the case whether it be small, like a cat up a tree, or large, like pollution from large corporations. His nemesis include a thief, a mad scientist, and the villainous Jester. His creators’ inventiveness has me smiling every time I think of this book, which is still quite a lot!
For Adults:
I recommend these three books, all very well written even though they are all dark and filled with grief and you may be looking for escapism. Maybe check out this blog next month? I’ve just started some science fiction, so my tone will be different and I’llhave some lighter fare to offer.
Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell
Hamnet is Shakespeare’s son, who died when still a boy, and his story includes Hamnet’s mother Agnes Hathaway, Shakespeare’ wife. This book quickly immersed me in a different and unexpected world, and I was intrigued by Agnes and her son Hamnet, their unique perspectives, and the blend of folktale, dreams, and history. As a Shakespeare fan, I may be the ideal reader, although I’d like to think Agnes is such a thoughtful strong individual any reader would feel drawn ( and that of course William is definitely a minor character). The book is about grief, as we know Hamnet will die when the story starts, and it ends not with his death, but with a long term of mourning.
Four Hundred Souls
Ibram Kendi and Keisha Blain have gotten almost a hundred people to write illuminating essays that tell the 400 year history of African Americans. Authors had a 5 year period as their subject, and they responded with poems, personal essays, historical analysis and even fictionalized short stories. Each piece is short, and I thought I’d read an essay a day. But I read this anthology much faster, as the stories and writing felt so essential. In addition to reading history from their Black and individual perspectives, many made pointed connections to the world we live in today. Another bonus: I have a list of authors I want to read. I recommend the first time you read this you go chronologically, but for my second reading I’m reviewing my favorites: Ijeoma Oluo, Sylviane Diouf, Annete Gordon-Reed, Nikole Hannah-Jones,…
Dear Edward, Ann Napolitano
So, if I tell you the premise of the book, you may avoid it like I did. Until the King County Library sent it home with me in a bag of fiction. Edward’s story is heartbreaking, and you know this from the first page, but the real point of the book is not the developing tragedy, but the second story line, which shows his recovery. Edward is adopted by his aunt and uncle, who live on the other side of the country, and is quickly befriended by his neighbor, and slowly challenged by the media surrounding him. While not epistolary, this book depends on a few letters. I surprised myself a bit by liking this, but it passed Pearl’s 50 page test. (Nancy Pearl argues you should read the first 50 pages of a book before quitting. If you’re over 50, you can take a page off for each year.)
Young Adult
Michigan vs. The Boys, Carrie Allen
I decided to read this because it was about hockey, and Seattle will soon have a team. I’ve read a few books lately on the sport, and this is the best of the fiction (for graphic novels, consider Chec , Please!). Michigan is a girl who plays hockey on the boy’s high school team, since the girl’s team has just been cut. She faces bullying and makes some mistakes, failing to confront the bullies until the stakes are incredibly high. Michigan’s grit keeps her going, even while she feels abandoned by the friends who used to be her team. This story is dramatic, with hockey competitions, new relationships, and friendships falling apart. The final scenes involve the police. The hero of this story is not the sport, but the athlete.
Children
Ickabog, J.K. Rowling
The Ickabog was a fairy tale monster from children’s stories, which warn children to stay home, obey their parents, and be wary. But the twist comes when a corrupt advisor tells his King that one has been spotted, and the King goes out to do battle. The king would be hilariously obtuse and cowardly, except that he is self-centered and (albeit indirectly) deadly. Rowling draws a couple of children in his kingdom to show as more developed characters, and capable of growth, bravery and caring. This fable is dark and many people die because of a stupid vain king who is manipulated far too easily by his few contacts. Children save the tale in two ways: real children illustrate scenes, and the two best friends presented at the beginning save the kingdom.
Megadogs of New Kansas, Dan Jolley
This graphic novel takes place on New Kansas, a newly colonized planet. Sienna is the daughter of a breeder and dog trainer (in a colored family), and she spends most of her time with her oversized pet Gus, a megadog developed by her mother. When her pet megadog is tricked into misbehavior, Sienna decides she needs to save the day before planetary leaders destroy their best protection: these dogs. The main character is brave and empathetic towards the dogs, though she struggles to interact with her human peers. She overcomes some of that anxiety in the rescue mission of this charming science fiction! I enjoyed this story of a girl who succeeds!
Lupe Wong Won’t Dance, Donna Barba Higuera
Lupe lives in Issaquah, so one reason to love this book is all the local references! It’s also funny, and a continuing “would you rather” contest repeatedly dispels frustrating moments. Lupe wants to get straight A’s for her 7th grade year so she can meet the Mariner’s pitcher she idolizes, the first Asian Latino pitcher in the major leagues. She also aspires to become a first like Fu Li Hernandez, practicing her pitching almost every day in her backyard. Lupe’s goal is made more difficult when the PE teacher introduces the next unit: square dancing. Lupe fights back several times, finding the dances unathletic, racist, and sexist. I love her best friend Niles, and hope for sequels. Higuero gets the tone just right on this, and Lupe works hard for success, realizing the importance of friendship along the way.
Explanatory Note: Until last summer, I posted to this blog monthly. I would list the best books I read that month, trying to only point out what I liked about the books, no tough criticism, and no mention of books I don’t like. I hoped it would encourage my followers to read and enjoy these great books!
This fall, I began working in elementary schools. The change was overwhelming,and my reading patterns changed dramatically. I read almost a hundred books for children. Some months, the only words I read intended for adults were teaching manuals, emails, newspapers, and notes for my favorite podcasts. Since Winter Break, though, I have been pondering a reboot. SO, here it is! If you want me to include more or less information, please let me know. If you like this, you can follow it. I will not often write about the books I am teaching. I hope this provides you some ideas when you wonder, ‘what should I read?”
Books for Adults
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism, by Naoke Higashida (2013)
Thirteen year old Higashida tells a few stories as he explains his own experience of autism, answering dozens of questions. The text was easy to understand, enlightening, and appealing. I remember I used to think spinning looked like fun, and for Higashida it is, but I didn’t realize he felt he had no control of his body. Higashida is not looking for sympathy for seeing and interacting with the world in a different way, but does seek understanding and this book provides insight into his perspective.
Murder in Chianti, by Camilla Trinchieri (2020)
Nico wakes early one morning in his old Italian farmhouse, makes espresso and heads out for his regular uphill run, a ritual that helps him deal with his new widowed state. Later that morning, though focused on preparing tomatoes in his kitchen, his routines are disrupted by a gunshot. Then he follows a mutt and finds the body. Slowly, Nico’s life and the secrets of a small town are revealed, as the maresciallo, an Italian police detective, enlists Nico’s help. Nico was a homicide detective in NYC, and has moved to Tuscany to be with his in-laws and work in their restaurant. Trinchieri creates a lovely town in Italy, not idyllic, but warm and filled with good food and perhaps a home for Nico. I highly recommend this mystery, which came out this month.
Books for Young Adults (YA)
Aurora Burning, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (2020)
Aurora Cycle book 2 follows the young intergalactic heroes in their fight against an evil takeover by a species most don’t recognize, the Ra’haam. This sequel explores two characters from book one more interesting than Auri — Kai and Scarlett — while still providing non-stop action adventure. While alien species keep producing new abilities and weapons, our heroes have what they had before: fast reactions, quick intelligence, and specialized skill sets. Their growing trust leads them to accept gifts from absent mentors that may save the galaxy, a needed deus ex machina. OK, there may be some plot holes, but I wasn’t bothered because the payoff was like an extended version of Mos’ cantina in Star Wars.
Skyhunter, Marie Lu (2020 ARC)
Talin is a refugee in a future land, and subject to the prejudices of refugees today. However, she has also trained for years to be a fighter in the elite Strikers, a unique military force which operate in trained pairs and use sign language to silently communicate. Strikers fight a war against the Federation, a multinational group that modifies its prisoners of war into mindless superpowered killers. When her Striker partner is killed in a battle with these monsters, not only is Talin devastated, but alone she now faces more overt racism than before. She adds to her outsider status when she interrupts an execution, saving a teen who seems to be an escaped Federation soldier. This dystopian war, which draws (minimally) on science, creates nonstop action with seamless flashbacks to explain a society in danger of losing its humanity. Talin, our heroine, Red, her beastly protegee, and their small collection of friends and family, will be interesting characters to follow in this new series.
Books for Children
Boonoonoonous Hair, Olive Senior (2019)
This picture book shows a Canadian/Jamaican girl learning to appreciate her wild hair. The pictures are funny and energetic and the message relates to everyone who’s had a bad hair day. It presents the Black experience as filled with possibility.
Bedtime Bonnet, Nancy Redd (2020)
Another book about Black hair, this shows a little girl getting ready for bed, and includes the members of her intergenerational family and their routines. It’s a fun and loving family and the illustrations have the beauty of a fairy tale.
Alma and how she got her name, Juana Martinez-Neal (2018)
Every page is artistically framed in the story of Alma’s history. Alma is frustrated that she has six names; this is too many! Her dad sits her down, and explains the reason behind each Hispanic name. This story addresses the importance of our past to our identity, in a manner that will please adults and children, with simply colored visuals.
Books for Adults
Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest, Hanif Abdurraqib (2019)
Abdurraqib asks how music affects the growth of our souls, by examining his appreciation for the music of A Tribe Called Quest. This huge philosophical question, it turns out, is best approached from multiple perspectives and specific examples. In this book, the author talks about the evolution of rap (and this band’s use of jazz); about musicianship and lyrics; about himself as a middle schooler; about the central band’s members and their community; and about the world as it was in the 1990s and around the election and inauguration of Trump. It is all masterfully done, with the highlights being the letters that Addurraqib wrote to Q-Tip, Phife, and Phife’s mother. I’ve added A Tribe Called Quest to my Spotify playlist because of this book (not the other way around).
In West Mills, De’Shawn Charles Winslow (2019)
Knot is not a protagonist that draws you in with her goodness (cause she’s not), but this story’s protagonist is actually her friendship with neighbor Otis. Set in small town North Carolina beginning in the 40’s, Knot’s arrival is not an unmitigated success, as her position as school teacher took a local job away. Living by herself, frequently drinking in the local bar, and not committing to a man who loves her further ostracizes her. Then keeping her pregnancy secret and giving her daughter to a family requires her to keep her distance from anyone besides Otis and his wife Pep. The strength of their friendship through the ups and downs of their lives puts them both in a positive relief.
The Sun Does Shine, Anthony Ray Hinton (2018)
I read the first chapter of this Summer Reading Book out loud to record for students, and then had to read the rest. Hinton was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and lived on Death Row for thirty years. The first three years, he writes, he was depressed and silent. He survived, with weekly visits from his best friend and his mother. He worked with a series of attorneys, until Bryan Stevenson swore to get him out. Even then, it took years. It’s not a spoiler to know the courts eventually set him free. A key conflict is how Hinton managed to keep his faith and his spirits in the face of an Alabama justice system that not only disregards a black man’s innocence, but works diligently to break him, oppress him, and kill him year after year. The burdens of racism and poverty do not destroy his compassion and humor. The legacy of our racist system took 30 years of his life, and yet Hinton remarkably forgives and then understandably speaks out for prison reform.
The Fifth Season, N.K. Jemison (2015)
Jemison’s Broken Earth story begins at the end: a devastating volcano splits the (vaguely North American) continent, and small clans either board up protectively, or leave their destroyed lands in order to survive. The disaster, caused by a powerful wizard-outcast who can shift plate tectonics and his stone-controlling ally, causes repercussions that are shown both personally and continentally. Only part way through did I realize the story is not told chronologically (hope that’s not a spoiler). People with superpowers to move the earth are controlled by a government that ostracizes and mistreats them; the biology of the world has been destroyed repeatedly; and mistrust and secrets have created a metaphorical dark age that will soon be manifested in dark skies that kill off the land. The book reads like a mystery and a psychological study as much as it does a fantasy, or even a companion to A Canticle for Leibowitz.
Young Adult Books
Always Human, Ari North (2020)
This graphic novel romance shows Sunati, a young woman who continually changes her appearance using technology, falling for Austen, who has a medical condition that precludes her use of these nanobots. The technology, in a near distant future, seems fun and innocuous, like fashion, and the artwork is rewarding, artistic and romantic. Their relationship advances and retreats, as the two make assumptions and missteps. They build trust only with persistence. An interesting and hopeful look into a techie future that accepts queer identities.
Devastation Class, Glen Zipper, Elaine Mongeon (2020 Advance Copy; out in September)
This science fiction book starts in media res, with an exciting life threatening situation. Someone dies. An alien invasion seems poised to defeat the barely surviving civilization on Earth. Spaceship California is manned by experienced leaders who train young people to be future leaders. The ship is attacked when its captains are off on leave, and the teens on board use experimental tech to try to save themselves, soon deciding to lead a mutiny. Our heroes are two best friends, both dealing with the blessing and curse of having heroic military parents. If you like lots of action and plot twists, this space adventure supplies it.
Four Dead Queens, Astrid Scholte (2019)
At first, I was sad that Quadara, a fantasy land supposedly ruled by four provincial queens, is basically patriarchal. Chapters are narrated either by a queen, or Keralie, a successful thief and pickpocket for her Dickensian master of the underworld. After Keralie steals a comm device and it isn’t immediately auctioned as expected, she swipes it back. Her mark, Varin, has sought her out. Together Keralie and Varin cross their cultural boundaries to discover what has happened to the queens. Keralie has fantastic skills, a troubled family she has deserted, and slowly grows to realize she has been manipulated.
Children’s Books
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom, Teresa
Robeson. Grade k-5 (2019)
A 100 years ago, Wu Chien was a treasured daughter for her Chinese parents, who opened a school for girls so she could be educated. Her parents let her leave to go to school and follow her curiosity in physics. She eventually became Princeton’s first female instructor, valued for her research in beta decay and for keeping a strong work ethic. She faced Chinese-imposed hardships and the sexism in sciences probably prevented her from earning more than one Nobel prize. This picture book shows math equations and graphics of atoms as well as characters and settings. Go female scientists!
Forever , or a long, long time, by Caela Carter grades 5-7(2017)
This rare book doesn’t simplify for its readers. Flora is 11, and she and her little brother Julian don’t believe they were born. Instead, they create fantastical stories of how they came into existence, having few memories of the foster system that so abused them. This disturbing misunderstanding of their past is revealed when their new mother –she adopted them one year ago– gets pregnant, and she and Dad tell them about a new baby sibling. The traumatized kids show their hurt in different ways; Flora will stop speaking; Julian will hoard food, or fake smile. Told in Flora’s halting and limited perspective voice, the family travels to find out their unknown past. Emily, their mother, knows it will be difficult. I did too, but was surprised by the many loving moments couched in everyday details. I cried more than the characters did. I highly recommend this to demonstrate the power of love and family and the difficulty of overcoming past trauma.
Adult Books I Liked:
Lab Girl, Hope Jahren (2016)
Hope Jahren’s highly praised memoir recounts moments that give insights into her life as a biologist, from her childhood retreat under the shelves in her father’s lab, to undergrad studies at the University of Minnesota, and then to graduate study, award winning professor and grant writer. Struggling with manic depressive disorders, her fascination with trees and the support of Bill, a lifelong colleague, keeps her going, and keeps this book intriguing. I especially enjoyed the short chapters that either develop from an idea about trees, or show the green plants that so spark her curiosity. This book is not just for scientists, showing the joy of following your curiosities.
Unnatural Death, Dorothy L. Sayers (1927)
When Lord Peter Wimsey hears from a doctor at another table in the coffee shop about 
an almost suspicious death, he decides to investigate. Seattle Public Library’s Summer Reading Bingo for Adults ( I recommend it to everyone) has a box reserved for a book published in the 1920’s. In my twenties (number redundancy?), I loved mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers. Since my eyes hurt from reading on the screen, rather than request another eBook, I decided to reread a book on my shelf. In today’s New York TImes Book Review, Jules Feiffer suggested nobody should reread anything that shaped your life before you were 40. Well, too late. I wonder if I noted the limiting portrayals of race and gender when I first read it? Still, Lord Peter Wimsey was almost as smart as I remembered, dialogue was witty, Bunter was still excellent, the crimes weren’t too violent, and the pacing was gentle but not slow.
Dancing After TEN, Vivian Chong (Preview of June 2020 release)
Vivian Chong shows herself blind, suffering, and trying to recover before explaining how she got there. Travelling with a (really bad) friend to St. Martin, she comes down with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, which covers her body with scars and almost kills her. This graphic novel manages to show her pain and trauma without overwhelming the reader, alternating panels of simplistic lines with complex or dark scenes. Vivian overcomes her physical and emotional challenges to become a performer, and her successful risk taking includes yoga, dancing, and a seeing eye dog.
The Collapsing Empire, John Scalzi (2017)
Since the cover shows spaceships, this book isn’t really about our crazy world today. 
Instead, much of the future universe has united, ruled by an emperox, with a nationalized church and all goods sold by a small group of entrepreneur families with monopolies. Trade ships use a mysterious Flow, a stream that defies space time to allow fast travel. But one scientist has warned his friend the emperox that the Flow is being disrupted, potentially leaving planets without a chance of survival. In chapter one, Cardenia watches her father the emperox die, not knowing this secret, and unprepared for ruling since she was far younger than the other, better prepared children in his line. And Kiva, a profanity-spewing trader, also not leader in her family monopoly, stumbles on a master manipulator, son of the Nohamapetan clan. Ghreni Nohamapetan is the leading advisor to the leader of the planet End, while simultaneously brewing a revolution against him. The world is amazing, funny as a comnetary on ours, and creatively interstellar. I immediately read the sequel.
The Consuming Fire, John Scalzi (2018)
Ships travelling between planet using the Flow are disappearing, as forecast by a lone physicist who most want to ignore, especially the top businessmen who see ways to make more money. Emperox Grayland (formerly Cardenia) is expected to be too green and naive to rule effectively, much less deal with empire ending disaster. Instead, she grows quickly, drawing upon allies like Kiva and her former lover Marcus, a scientist who understands the upcoming disaster. Its fun, adventurous, thrilling, political and surprising. Maybe the good guys can win, though the empire won’t survive.
The Last Emperox, John Scalzi (2020)
So, I said I was having a hard time reading books during the coronavirus shut down. 
ANd then, I started reading this science fiction trilogy, and I instead had a hard time setting a book down. As the Flow, a stream of space that defies space and time to allow travel between distant planets, collapses, and the collapse can no longer be denied (yes, there are lots of allegories here) , Emperox Grayland avoids repeated assassination attempts and installs friends like Kava and Marcus into powerful positions. But her goal is not to keep her leadership, it is to save as many people as possible from the upcoming destruction of a system that depends on trade that will soon be unavoidable. Understanding science, getting military assistance to build new ships, and creating cooperation seem impossible. Yeah, got that! The conclusion to the trilogy still made me laugh, still delighted, and still surprised. Thank you, Scalzi.
Young Adult Titles
Dragon Hoops, Gene Luen Yang (2020)
Gene Yang’s latest graphic novel grows on his earlier work. His artistic style is recognizable, and sometimes basketball plays are presented with the graphics of superheroes. The setting of a basketball court is new, though, as is Yang’s interest in the sport. In this work, Yang is a character, and he uses the comic frames to push the boundaries of the art form: in one series, his wife’s image transforms multiple times until his conversation with her is actually an internal dialogue presented by two images of himself. The meta-story is interesting to me, but readers looking for a good graphic novel will not be put off by it. I think this may be his longest book, but basketball history, family and coaching dynamics, are quickly addressed with humor and insight but never judgement.
The Cloven, Garth Stein and Matthew Southworth (Preview of July 2020 release)
This graphic novel supposes that a biologist made half human half goat creatures, who escape and live in the homeless camps of Seattle. Clearly, we have an allegory here, but the suspense, mystery, and adventure makes for a driven plot. Panels exploit the color for tone, and interesting perspectives highlight the crazy creations. Seattleites may enjoy recognizing local sites, though they may not all see themselves in the naive scientists. And does the villain purposefully look like Jeff Bezos, or is my mind coronavirus warped?
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins (2020)
This prequel to the Hunger Games books shows the early years of the cruelest contest that kills all but one. You’ll learn how and why several aspects developed, and see how even years after the war that developed the Capitol and its subservient Districts, the ruling people failed to understand the perversions of their society and its inequalities. I was simultaneously intrigued and disgusted by the evil created in the games. Coriolanus Snow is still a teenager, fighting poverty and starvation, when he is invited to sponsor a candidate to the games. As her mentor, he sometimes acts bravely and other times is a coward; sometimes he thinks about his actions, and other times he is thoughtless. The Games end about half way through the book, and since I only write what I like in a book, I won’t give any spoilers to the next part!
A Deadly Education, Naomi Novik (preview of September 2020)
Oh, you are so lucky! This book is fun. Galadriel, called El by her friends, although she
doesn’t really have any, is a student at Scholomance, a darker version of Hogwarts. Since students are killed before they graduate, El should appreciate that classmate and golden boy Orion Lake keeps saving her life. Rather than practicing her magic, as she should, El avoids it, knowing how strong and dangerous her powers are. But junior year might be the time she needs to stop hiding. Without teachers to distract, high school elitism and monsters flourish, and I loved El’s growth, her caustic attitude, and ability to be a friend.
Here are the best books I read this month!
Apeirogon, Colum McCann (2020)
This title refers to a shape that looks like a circle, but a close examination will show many sides. McCann looks at a long friendship between two men, based on their grief over the deaths of their daughters, and examines it in myriad ways. Bassam Aramin is a Palestinian academic, whose ten-year-old daughter was killed by Israelis shooting rubber bullets. Rami Elhanen is an Israeli living in Jerusalem, whose daughter was killed in a suicide bombing when she was thirteen. Bonded by grief, both men speak around the world for peace. This book is made up of mostly short bits of prose, and this makes reading about their excruciating pain on the edge of manageable. It is a lovely, emotional and intelligent book, and I know it will be on my top ten list in December. It may be on my top 10 of all time.
Go Down the Mountain, Meredith Battle (2019)
Bee is a teenager during the Depression when she meets (and falls for) a government 
photographer visiting her mountain outpost in Virginia. Her dad has just died of snake bite, her mother is cruel, and the idea of leaving is romantic. When she actually is pushed out her home by the government, she and her community resist futilely, losing the beauty of the mountains as well as all their possessions. Treated as an ignorant hillbilly, Bee is thrown out of her home, imprisoned in a mental asylum, and has to use all her resources to stay alive and to fight back. This story of loss nevertheless has humor, love, and survival. Based on real events, Battle’s book reads like a Laura Ingalls Wilder of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
An Ocean of Minutes, Thea Lim (2018)
I picked this up from the recommended books at my local bookstore, Third Place Books. In 1981, Thea Lim imagines, a deadly, fast moving virus threatens to kill Frank, who has just proposed to Polly. The only possibility of survival is time travel: if Polly becomes an indentured servant in the future, Frank will receive the best of care. They agree to meet twelve years in the future, and Polly is sure of their love surviving, so sure that it is hard to think of her as a hero. The world Polly flies to has been dramatically transformed by the virus, with a majority of people (and businesses) gone, the country actually split into two, and indentured servitude taking all her autonomy. This science fiction story from 2018 grabbed my attention at a time I thought the only books I could focus on were fantasies. Its dystopia is strangely insightful in this pandemic, of how even at the worst moments, little things express humanity.
Trace Elements, Donna Leon (2020)
Commissario Guido Brunetti struggles through another overly hot summer in Vienna,
dodging tourists, sipping coffee and large glasses of water, and dreaming of his wife’s meals. He is accompanied by Claudio Griffoni, from Naples, in following up on a dying woman’s request to talk to the police. Her husband, recently killed in a motorcycle accident, was murdered, she seems to suggest. Senora Elettra is again an amazing research assistant. The corruption, decay, and pandering to tourists that represent Venice is (again) the fascinating subject of Leon’s detective story, and this time I don’t think Brunetti has conquered its influence.
One To Watch, Kate Stayman-London (2020)
Bea is a plus size fashion blogger, chosen to be the lead in a reality show modelled after The Bachelor ( I’ve only watched this show once, so the author may have transformed it in ways I don’t know). Bea was vetted after her posts ridiculing the show for its lack of diversity went viral. The story bounces between her posts, her story, to blogs and social media reactions and conversations, to descriptions of episodes. It is a romance, and a fun escape from the loneliness of staying at home. Bea’s suitors, initially disappointing, are more than I expected, and she realizes that they are not the problem. She needs to change herself and take more risks if she wants to find love.
Young Adult
The Extraordinaries, TJ Klune (2020)
Nova City has superheroes, called Extraordinaries, and Nick is their biggest fan. How 
does he know he’s the biggest? Because he writes the most popular fan fiction, expressing his love for Shadow Star by creating adventures that place him in gay romances. And Nick is in love, a crush fanned into obsession by a chance meeting where he’s saved by you know who. This coming of age romance had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Nick’s emotions are so over the top, he’d be annoying were it not for his friends. It was supposed to be out this month, but its publication is delayed until July. Get a copy then! Klune had fun writing this, and he shares it so well!
Sword in the Stars, Amy Capetta and Cori McCarthy (2020)
I loved their first books, Once & Future, a mix of science fiction and fantasy. It imagines King Arthur is endlessly reincarnated, until his soul reaches Ari, a queer space explorer in the intergalalctic future. In this second volume, Ari and her band of LGBTQ friends are transported by Merlin into the months before King Arthur begins his Round Table. This is perfect for fans of The Once and Future King and science fiction. It includes lots of relationship growth and addresses communal ethics, which may also be what gets us through this corona virus pandemic. I also think this is for adult fans of YA.
The Grace Year, Kim Liggett (2019)
Ironically, the grace year is a horror story of what girls can do to each other when sent to
an island for a year, a mix of Lord of the Flies, “The Lottery,” and Handmaid’s Tale. Tierney has been a tomboy all her life, playing in the woods and being independent, until the county’s ritual forces her into a religious marriage market. Chosen to be a wife, she travels with the other 16-year-olds to an enclave for a year to destroy the magic that young girls have. Much of the suspense comes from the secrecy that surrounds the year. Tierney quickly sees the cruelty of others, but it takes longer for her to realize the depths of the society’s evil. Violence, brutality, and a lack of survival skills mean that less than half the girls survive what is called The Grace Year.
Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything, by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Sia’s mom has been gone for three years. She left after being harassed by the town sheriff and ICE agents, and her attempt to return across the border illegally ended in her disappearance. Sia finds meaning in the magic realism of her culture’s spirituality, especially comforted by her abuela’s ghost, when a new boy in town disrupts her nightly routine. Spoiler alert: although the first part of the book reads like a romance with important cultural statements, it transforms into science fiction. A UFO is haunting the night sky, and it relates to Sia’s mother. If you can enjoy a book that takes a new direction midstream, then you should read this. It is graceful, spiritual, and beauty.
New Kid, Jerry Craft (2019)
In this graphic novel, Jordan plans to be an artist when he grows up, but he’d first got to make it through middle school. His parents transfer him from his neighborhood school to begin at Riverdale Academy, a rich private school where microaggressions and more make each day a struggle for brown kids like him. He turns these struggles into art in his sketchbook, and slowly makes a couple friends. The pages that show his sketchbook simplify the book’s style, but the message and characters are not sacrificed. Written for ages 8-12, this would be a good read for anyone older. New Kid is the first graphic novel to win the Newbery!
Truly Devious, Maureen Johnson (2018)
Stevie wants to be a detective. She brings to school books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy Sayers, as well as many nonfiction crime studies. As a high school sophomore, she is thrilled to be offered a spot at Ellingham Academy, a school for geniuses in the Vermont woods. The school was founded in the 1930s by a millionaire who loved games, but is still haunted by the disappearance of Ellingham’s wife and daughter in 1936. Stevie plans to solve this crime, hoping to one day see a dead body like her favorite detectives. And then, she does. At a time I cannot focus well, and have put many books back on the shelf, the riddles, characters, and clues made this quite readable. If you want to escape into a mystery, this one should hold your interest.
It Sounded Better in my Head, Nina Kenwood (2020)
Natalie’s a bit surprised when her parents calmly tell her, at the end of a lovely Christmas Day, that they’re divorcing and have planned it for 10 months. It’s both heartbreaking and funny. She has two best friends, but is otherwise a social outcast, in part because of an extreme case of acne, now past. Her friends Zach and Lucy are fully developed characters, usually helping her through her problems, but now they’re in a romantic relationship and Zach’s older brother is becoming Natalie’s love interest. What Natalie expected from her life and friendships is all changing, and fast, sometimes in funny ways, sometimes threatening to be tragic. The Australian setting has some interesting differences from the US, but the social media and the wait for college acceptances translate for teens anywhere. While sex and drinking are part of her friends’ lives, they are not part of Natalie’s.
Check Please!, Ngozi Ukazu (2018)
Eric Bittle is a small naive skater on Samwell’s University team, awed with older and famous players on the team. His favorite things besides hockey are baking, and vlogging. This graphic novel follows his frosh and soph years of team drama, with the brash guy talk countering a surprisingly charm-filled story. When I finished, I was delighted to find Bittle’s tweets, extra comics, hockey terms defined, and read them all. The sequel, due out next week, should arrive at my door then.
Tweet Cute, Emma Lord (2019)
So, what I can handle best right now in our stay-at-home quarantine is books that are funny, light, and sweet. This one lives up to the promise of the title. Pepper’s mom runs a growing burger chain, and Pepper agrees to help out the failing social media manager, starting a twitter war with a small mom-and-pop sandwich shop. Their son (and employee) Jack is her classmate, and he fights back well. Making lovers of enemies contrasts the real world with the online one. Ah, I remember when those two were separate!
Heretics Anonymous, Katie Henry (2018)
I brought this Brave Read home after a student told me it included our recent controversy: a Catholic school teacher was “let go” after she married someone of her same gender. The students want to protest the loss of a well-liked leader. Micheal, the narrator, is sarcastic in an almost annoying way, an atheist forced by his parents to attend Catholic high school when his family moves during the school year. While he learns about himself and the world, partly by joining the title’s group, and partly through a budding romance, Henry reveals a vast knowledge of church history and a snarky sense of humor dispensed generously with grace and sweetness.
Love a la mode, Stephanie Strohm (2018)
While I know books shouldn’t get judged by their covers, this one really matches well, with the upside-down Eiffel Tower an ice cream cone on a bright turquoise background. In this romance, teenagers arrive in Paris to attend the culinary school of a celebrity chef. One main character, Rosie Radeke, is from small town Ohio, and lacks the experience and worldliness of her fellow students. Henry, the other narrator, meets her on the plane to Paris and is charmed. Henry’s missteps in pursuing Rosie, and Rosie’s struggles to prove herself and avoid getting expelled are the background to their teacher’s cooking lessons, which follow the pattern of television competition shows. Paris, of course, is romantic and full of great food, a great place to learn lessons about yourself and who you can become.
Lumberjanes: The shape of friendship, Lilah Sturges, Shannon Watters, et al (2019)
A group of friends at summer camp terrorize their counselor with pranks. One night, they sneak out and find a group of pookas in a nicely-furnished cave. Pookas are shape shifters, and they steal the campers’ identities and return as them, having fun with crafts and camp songs. The campers locked in the cave search for an escape, and the graphic novel’s single color scheme works particularly well in their underground scenes. This creative and funny graphic novel shows characters growing up, learning about friendship, and working together to save the day.
Lawn Boy, Jonathan Evison (2018)
This book has been on my list of books to read for a while! Mike Muñoz works for a landscape business and still lives with his mom, taking care of his disabled brother when he’s not working. They live on the Olympic Peninsula, in a trailer home on reservation land with low rent. Mike has little ambition, except to read. During this low-key book, his commentary made me laugh and delight in what actually is a world set up against him. Evison’s voice is understated and fun to read. At a time humor is needed, this book provides and is never saccharine.
Tough Love, Susan Rice (2019)
Susan Rice was US ambassador to the United Nations, and then became Obama’s national security advisor. In this book, chapters begin with an event from those days, and then go back to explore how her life prepared her for that moment. Rice was brought up by privileged, college educated parents, who descended from slaves. They taught her she could do anything, and she went to Stanford, was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and wrote her doctoral thesis on Zimbabwe. She worked for Clinton, though the focus in this book is Obama’s administration, which she supports wholeheartedly, noting that what critics call failures were results of a pragmatic policy. Rice doesn’t criticize others, though the media’s vilification of her interviews after the 2012 Benghazi attacks which killed 4 Americans is carefully presented; it destroyed her chances to become Secretary of State. Her book is a wonderful anecdote to today’s Presidential tantrums, showcasing her love for her family, an ability to express regret and grow from it, and the value she places on respecting others and doing what is right in difficult times. She is patient and intelligent, and I learned more about government and recent history from this book.
Photos taken at Greenlake, during Stay Home afternoon dog walk
Bookshelf Picks of a Librarian 