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Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors

Caldecott Honor Book: Berry Song

Cover of Berry Song
A review of Berry Song by Michaela Goade

Caldecott medalist Michaela Goade's new picture book is a gorgeously illustrated tale of family and land that warmed my heart and felt so cozy. 

On an island at the edge of the sea, a young girl learns from her grandmother how to live on the land, picking berries of all kinds from the forest:

Feb 8, 2023

2023 Plutarch Award Longlist announced

Cover of New Biographies
New Biographies

Are you a reader of biographies? Then check out the longlist for the 2023 Plutarch Award. This is the 10th annual award given by the Biographers International Organization (BIO).  "Named after the famous ancient Greek biographer, the Plutarch is awarded to the best biography of the year by a committee of five distinguished biographers from nominations received by BIO members and publishers."

Feb 7, 2023

Most distinguished American picture book for children

Cover of Hot Dog
A review of Hot Dog by Doug Salati

It is summer and it is HOT in the city. In this incredibly illustrated new picture book by Doug Salati, you can feel the summer heat, sweltering pavement, and oppressive crowds. Past the fire engines, construction crews, and chaotic skateboarders mom and her little dog walk until her hot dog has had ENOUGH. “THAT’S IT!” And lays down in the middle of the crosswalk. Throughout the illustrations, readers will notice little dog’s mom growing grumpier and grumpier as errands progress and doggy drags his feet. 

Feb 6, 2023

Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award winner

Cover of Frizzy
A review of Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega illustrated by Rose Bousamra 

Marlene spends every Sunday in a salon having her hair straightened in order to look presentable according to her Dominican mother's standards. Keeping her hair smooth requires her to avoid running around, sweating, and playing outside with the other kids. This makes Marlene miserable. The situation reaches a fever pitch at an older cousin's quinceañera where Marlene is taunted and berated for her wild behavior and unruly hair.

Feb 2, 2023

An attainable goddess?

Cover of Aphrodite and the Duke
A review of Aphrodite and the Duke by J. J. McAvoy

Aphrodite Du Bell hates her name. The eponymous heroine of J. J. McAvoy’s romance Aphrodite and the Duke certainly has the beauty and bearing reminiscent of the Greek goddess, but ever since she was jilted by Evander Eagleman, Duke of Everely, she’s been reluctant to reenter society. An ultimatum from her formidable mama means she must find a husband this year, but the discovery that the now-widowed Evander will be present this season gives Aphrodite a sliver of hope she might be able to rekindle the love she knows Evander genuinely held for her.

Feb 1, 2023

Caldecott Honor Book: Choosing Brave

Cover of Choosing Brave: How Mamie
A review of Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy Illus. by Janelle Washington

This book opens on August 31, 1955, when Emmett Till's body was found and his mother, Mamie, chose to have him sent home - the braver thing. We then jump back in time to Mamie's childhood, learning about her family, her schooling, her marriage, and Emmett's birth, with each of Mamie's brave choices highlighted. Emmett's childhood comes next, noting his stutter of speech that came from polio, and his trick of whistling to calm him down.

Jan 31, 2023

Never broken

Cover of Inheritance: A Visual Poem
A review of Inheritance: A Visual Poem by Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo’s Inheritance: A Visual Poem weaves themes of identity, self-love, generational trauma, and beauty standards into a lovely poem. Beautiful illustrations by Andrea Pippins work in tandem with Acevedo’s words to create an immersive experience that pulls the reader further into the poem. Though it is a short read, it is touching and rousing in ways that other longer books may fall short.

Jan 27, 2023

International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023

Cover of New Holocaust Titles
New Holocaust Titles

"The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this annual day of commemoration, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides."

Jan 25, 2023

The siren song of Puget Sound

Cover of Spells for Forgetting
A review of Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young

When I think of an atmospheric novel from here on out, I'm going to be thinking of Spells for Forgetting. The story of Saiorse Island off Puget Sound and the residents who live there and listen to her calling weaves together magic, belonging and longing, loss and betrayal, and good and evil. On the surface, Saiorse Island is a lovely ferry ride from Seattle with an apple orchard that attracts a tourist crowd through spring, summer, and fall.

Jan 23, 2023

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