July 2020 Books

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.