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Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors
Alexander and Nelson garnered multiple awards with their moving ode to African Americans throughout US History. Shining a spotlight on artists, athletes and activists, The Undefeated has been recognized with two prestigious medals for Nelson’s illustration, the Caldecott Medal and the Coretta Scott King Medal for illustration, in addition to a Newbery Honor award in recognition of Kwame Alexander’s distinguished writing.
Every reader likely has their own idea of an escapist read, but for me, there’s a few prerequisites: a location completely unlike the environment I’m currently occupying, a storyline worlds away from current headlines, and characters that I can root for. Christina Lauren’s romantic comedy The Unhoneymooners fits the bill perfectly. It’s a classic enemies-to-lovers story that can be easily devoured in a couple of long winter evenings, boasts snappy and fun dialog, but still has a bit of substance to it.
The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, video and audio books for children and young adults, including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards at its Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits in Philadelphia today.
The beautiful and hearfelt final collaboration of amazing illustrators, Love and the Rocking Chair echos the intergenerational love of Robert Munsch's Love You Forever. Partners in life and art, artists Leo and Diane Dillon received Caldecott and Coretta Scott King medals, among many other awards, and Love and the Rocking Chair is both a precious gift to parents and grandparents as well as a fitting memorial to Leo (who died in 2012). Keep your tissues handy and prepare for tears of love, gratitude, and hope!
For the last part of 2019 the mystery book group read a modern mystery classic, a generation-spanning, family crime story and a twisty thriller. Of the three the twisty thriller was my favorite, the group's favorite and our best discussion item, so we ended the year on a high note.
I'll tell you what it was like: there were tons of phone calls. On a landline. Everything took forever. If you made plans with a friend to meet up and one of you went to the wrong location, there was no way to connect with them. You both went back home and that was the end of it. It's not that life was easier or harder but communication and work were different. Gary Janetti's book captures this time with perfection and hilarity.
Some of the things that I enjoy most about Gary:
After 30 years together, Mia’s husband Boris announces that he needs a “pause” in their marriage. This sends Mia off the deep end and she is locked up and medicated in a mental hospital for a week and a half. Once discharged, she realizes she can’t stay alone in her Brooklyn apartment, so she leaves to spend the summer in her Minnesota hometown where her mother is living in a senior community.
Gunslinger Lizbeth Rose lives in what used to be the United States, but after the assassination of FDR in the 1930s Texas and Oklahoma have become a small land of their own known as Texoma. Other parts of the US have been ceded back to Britain (the northeast), Canada (the upper midwest), and the far west the last Tsar to escape Russia. And the rest of the south (not Texas and Oklahoma) is known as Dixie and has reverted to a post-Civil War, reconstruction society in which race relations are very, very bad.
Looking for a way to help your child find their own quiet place in a busy, noisy, clambering world? Charlotte and the Quiet Place by Deborah Sosin takes a gentle look at how to find quiet and peacefulness inside your own self. Charlotte, the young protagonist in the story, lives in a noisy house, a noisy neighborhood, and a noisy school. She has trouble finding one spot that’s quiet and peaceful. Then, one day while she’s walking her dog, she finds a place in nature – that’s quieter than quiet.
