Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #626, Debut Mysteries
by muffy
If you are waiting for The Girl Before *, J.P. Delaney's cunning debut, you might give these a try.
Little Deaths * * * by Emma Flint is inspired by a true crime case which occurred in Queens, NY in 1965.
When single-mother Ruth Malone reports her young children missing from a locked room with an open window, suspicion immediately falls on her. A stylish cocktail waitress who works long hours and is separated from her husband, Ruth smokes, drinks, and parties, often with married men and keeps their love letters under her bed.
When the bodies of the children are found, the police investigation focuses solely on her. The lead detective, a strict Catholic who believes women belong in the home, leaps to the obvious conclusion. The only person who becomes convinced that Ruth may not be guilty of the crime is Pete Wonicke, a rookie tabloid reporter determined to make a name for himself.
"This accomplished debut novel will intrigue fans of both true crime and noir fiction. Flint, a technical writer in London, is a welcome addition to the world of literary crime fiction. Readers of Megan Abbott may want to investigate." (Library Journal)
The Dry * (one of January's LibraryReads picks, and winner of the 2015 Victorian Premier Literary Award for an unpublished manuscript) is drawing debut novelist Jane Harper comparisons to Dennis Lehane.
It has been 20 years since he and his father were driven out under a cloud of suspicion, Melbourne-based Federal Agent Aaron Falk returns to his hometown Kiewarra for the funeral of his childhood best friend Luke. Beyond trying to repay the debt he owed Luke, he questions the official narrative that Luke killed his young family and committed suicide on his farm - the desperate act of a man pushed to the brink by financial woes caused by the area's two-year drought.
With the help of recently arrived Sgt. Raco, Falk finds that small towns have big secrets and Luke's death might be connected to Ellie Deacon’s suspicious death by drowning 20 years ago.
"From the ominous opening paragraphs, all the more chilling for their matter-of-factness, Harper, a journalist who writes for Melbourne’s Herald Sun, spins a suspenseful tale of sound and fury as riveting as it is horrific." (Publishers Weekly). Film rights to Reese Witherspoon’s production company.
Read-alike: The Broken Shore by Peter Temple which also offers a portrait of small-town Australia.
* * * = 3 starred reviews
* = starred reviews
Blog Post
Newbery Awards Announced!
by manz
It’s a big day in the world of children’s literature and libraries! This morning awards were given for excellence in books, video and audio books for children and young adults at the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards. The Newbery Medal is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. This year there were three honors given in addition to the winner.
Winner:
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian. Xan rescues the abandoned children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic.
Honors:
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
Twelve-year-old Annabelle must learn to stand up for what's right in the face of a manipulative and violent new bully who targets people Annabelle cares about, including a homeless World War I veteran.
The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz
A peasant girl and her holy greyhound, an oblate on a mission from his monastery, and a young Jewish boy travel across medieval France to escape persecution and save holy texts from being burned.
Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
Using original slave auction and plantation estate documents, contrasts the monetary value of a slave with the priceless value of life experiences and dreams that a slave owner could never take away.
Blog Post
Caldecott Awards Announced!
by manz
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. This year there were four honors given in addition to the winner. There were some really beautiful illustrations this year!
Winner:
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, written and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocked to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art work had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe's vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat's own introduce young readers to the powerful message and art doesn't always have to be neat or clean--and definitely not inside the lines--to be beautiful.
Honors:
They All Saw a Cat, written and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel
In simple, rhythmic prose and stylized pictures, a cat walks through the world, and all the other creatures see and acknowledge the cat.
Leave Me Alone!, written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol,
Grandmother wants so badly to be left alone to finish the knitting for her grandchildren that she leaves her tiny home and her big family to journey to the moon and beyond to find peace and quiet to finish her knitting.
Freedom in Congo Square, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Carole Boston Weatherford
As slaves relentlessly toiled in an unjust system in 19th century Louisiana, they all counted down the days until Sunday, when at least for half a day they were briefly able to congregate in Congo Square in New Orleans. Here they were free to set up an open market, sing, dance, and play music. They were free to forget their cares, their struggles, and their oppression. This story chronicles slaves' duties each day, from chopping logs on Mondays to baking bread on Wednesdays to plucking hens on Saturday, and builds to the freedom of Sundays and the special experience of an afternoon spent in Congo Square.
Du Iz Tak?, written and illustrated by Carson Ellis
Readers are invited to imagine the dramatic possibilities to be found in the natural world, even the humblest back garden! With exquisitely-detailed illustration that will appeal to children and art-lovers alike, and a wonderfully playful invented language, we soon find ourselves speaking "Bug" ... Du iz tak? What is that?
Blog Post
Printz Awards Announced!
by manz
This morning many awards were given for excellence in books, video and audio books for children and young adults at the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards. One the biggies given annually is the Michael L. Printz Award, which is given for excellence in literature written for young adults. This year four Printz Honors were named in addition to the winner.
Winner:
March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
The stunning conclusion of the award-winning and best-selling MARCH trilogy. In this graphic novel, congressman John Lewis, an American icon and one of the key figures of the civil rights movement, joins co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell to bring the lessons of history to vivid life for a new generation, urgently relevant for today's world. (This book also won the Non-fiction, Sibert, and Coretta Scott King Author Awards)
Honors:
Asking for It by Louise O’Neill
It's the beginning of the summer in a small town in Ireland. Emma O'Donovan is eighteen years old, beautiful, happy, confident. One night, there's a party. Everyone is there. All eyes are on Emma. The next morning, she wakes on the front porch of her house. She can't remember what happened, she doesn't know how she got there. She doesn't know why she's in pain. But everyone else does.
The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry
In mid-thirteenth century Provence, Dolssa de Stigata is a fervently religious girl who feels the call to preach, condemned by the Inquisition as an "unnatural woman," and hunted by the Dominican Friar Lucien who fears a resurgence of the Albigensian heresy; Botille is a matchmaker trying to protect her sisters from being branded as gypsies or witches--but when she finds the hunted Dolssa dying on a hillside, she feels compelled to protect her, a decision that may cost her everything.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
In a world where disease has been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed ('gleaned') by professional reapers ('scythes'). Two teens must compete with each other to become a scythe--a position neither of them wants. The one who becomes a scythe must kill the one who doesn't.
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Natasha is a girl who believes in science and facts. Daniel has always been a good son and good student. But when he sees Natasha he forgets all that and believes there is something extraordinary in store for both of them.
Looking for more Printz winners? Here’s a list of the winners and the honors that have been awarded since 2000.
Blog Post
Hygge-ing Away the Winter Blues
by mansii
Scandinavian style is known for its clean colors and edges, with high contrast. Think brilliant whites with striking red, softened by floral and wildlife designs with a geometric slant. What appears is a modern aesthetic that feels homey, while letting you breath peacefully in a room that lets in the light and is organized by useful objects that stand out by their artistic quality.
This external beauty can be an internal lifestyle as well. The Danes have designated this concept as "hygge" (pronounced hue-gah, rhyme with “cougar”) : setting apart simple pleasures as something very special, and cosying yourself away to enjoy them with good friends.
This is what winter is all about, and here are some books to help you feel the good vibes!
How to Hygge: The Nordic Secrets to a Happy Life
This book will give you a break down of all the delicious details and tips of taking things slow the Nordic way. Along with lots of warm, cardamom filled recipes, concepts such as enjoying kinship and nature, finding joy, self-care, and making lovely spaces enter these pages like a lick of ice-cream.
Scandinavian Gatherings: From Afternoon Fika to Midsummer Feast...
With a simple craft and some gorgeous and tasty food, Melisa Bahen elevates every day celebrations like tea time or brunch to something to wiggle your toes at and jump all in. I would check this book out just for the drool-worthy photographs.
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living
Recommended by the New York Times, and authored by Copenhagen's think tank The Happiness Institute, this book also contains recipes and crafts, but stands out for its research-based look at this fast-spreading cultural phenomenon.
SO MUCH MORE can be found ON THIS LIST for endless inspiration in designing, gardening, cooking, baking, crafting, and music making to set apart your winter days as wonderfully memorable.
Blog Post
Gender Identity for Kids
by evelyn
Do you know a little one who is starting to learn about the big, fun, sometimes messy world of gender and gender identity? We’ve got books for that!
Introducing Teddy is an adorable new picture book about a boy and his best friend and teddy, who wishes that she was a girl instead of a boy. Teddy is afraid to share her feelings with her friend, but when she does, she’s very glad she did! This is a wonderful book about both gender and unconditional love.
Who Are You?: The Kids’ Guide to Gender Identity is a new nonfiction book by Brook Pessin-Whedbee that teaches children about gender identity with simple language and bright, engaging pictures.
Flamingo Rampant Press is a new publisher offering picture books about gender and sexual orientation. The stories in these books are imaginative, diverse, fun, and feature all kinds of kids.
If you want more information on supporting kids in their gender exploration, take a look at The Gender Creative Child by Dr. Diane Ehrensaft. This title offers lots of information on supporting children as they grow and discover who they are. Included is information on how to talk with children about gender expression, how to make sure all of a child’s needs are getting met, how to navigate schools and other environments, and when to research medical options like hormone therapy. Raising the Transgender Child is a great resource for parents of transgender children and offers lots of detailed, science-backed, information.
For more great books on gender for kids and their grownups, take a look at this list!
Blog Post
In the kitchen with Julia
by Lucy S
The French chef in America : Julia Child's second act
Alex Prud’homme, Julia Child's grandnephew, was the co-author with Child of My Life in France. In his new book, The French Chef in America: Julia Child’s Second Act, he picks up where that story left off. Prud’homme takes us from the beginning of Julia Child's television career to the last days of her life, and succeeds in delivering many tales that highlight the essence and esprit of Child, strong in her convictions, yet always playful. Prud’homme chronicles Child's many successes but also reveals the books, shows and recipes that weren’t an immediate hit. We journey with her from France to Cambridge, Massachusetts and back again many times, and are given an intimate look at her long, loving marriage to and partnership with Paul Child. Paul was responsible for many of the photographs in her books, including all of the photographs in The French Chef in America. We also learn of Child's longtime partnership with her editor, Judith Jones, of her friendship and collaboration with Simca Beck, of her friends in the business, like Jacques Pepin and James Beard, and many celebrity chefs who got their start under her tutelage, such as Sara Moulton and Emeril Lagasse. Julia Child worked until the end of her life, and in a particularly poignant passage, Prud’homme shares the story of the 93rd birthday party that she planned, but never made it to. Yet there were all her biggest fans, colleagues, friends and family members now gathered together, thanks to her, to celebrate her life.
Julia Child created an enduring legacy and helped pave the way for women in the culinary field. Alex Prud'homme has given us a wonderful glimpse into her enthusiasm and vitality and the many lives she touched. She greatly informed the way we eat and celebrate food today.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #625, Part 3
by muffy
A Word for Love * is inspired by the author Emily Robbins' year spent as a Fulbright Fellow in Syria, where she studied religion and language with a women’s mosque movement, and lived with the family of a leading intellectual.
Bea, an American student of Arabic is spending an exchange year in an unnamed Middle Eastern Country under dictatorship. Rather than enrolling in an established university program, she studies with a private tutor and immerses herself in the daily life of her host family. Her ultimate goal is to locate “The Astonishing Text,” an ancient manuscript of a famous Arabic love poem that is said to move its readers to tears.
As Bea becomes entwined in her host family’s complicated lives during a time of civil unrest and violence, she is also increasingly being drawn into a contemporary Romeo and Juliet-like romance between their Indonesian housemaid and the handsome policeman guarding their apartment block. Bea’s own story begins to mirror that of “The Astonishing Text” that drew her there in the first place—not in the role of one of the lovers, but as the character who lives to tell the story.
“Robbins’ melodic novel is story of war, family, language, but above all, a paean to unabashed, unbridled love. Told in quiet but elegant prose, each thump of this melodic novel’s heart (and what an enormous, rousing heart it is) attests to the timeless and life-giving power of love." ~ Khaled Hosseini
For readers who enjoyed The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway; The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu; and The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht.
* = starred review
Blog Post
AADL Writing Contests Begin Today!
by krayla
We want to see it in writing! Starting today, AADL's two writing contests are accepting entries and offer the chance to win fabulous prizes! Read on for more information:
KIDS in grades 3-5 can enter the by email or in person at the Downtown branch. View the for more details. Please send questions to youngwrite@aadl.org
TEENS in grades 6-12 can send works of flash fiction and short stories to the through our . View the for more details. Please send questions to allwrite@aadl.org
If you're stuck wondering what the judges are looking for, try structuring your story to include these elements:
*A creative and original plot with a solid resolution
*Well-developed and detailed characters
*A clear story sequence from beginning to end
Happy writing!
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #625, Part 2
by muffy
First, you need to know that as one trusted Library Journal reviewer puts it in no uncertain terms: "(t)his bleak, potent picture will scare the pants off readers".
According to debut novelist Lindsey Lee Johnson (herself a former tutor/teen mentor), The Most Dangerous Place on Earth * * is your local high school - where we send our precious ones as a matter of course.
Alternately narrating is a group of privileged Mill Valley juniors, linked by the parts they played in the suicide of a middle school classmate. Among them are the classic high school archetypes: the jock, the A-student, the bully, the stoner, the outcast - all in the throes of a time of tumult and confusion, amplified by the seduction and tyranny of social media.
Caught up in the daily drama of these teens is Molly Nicoll, a mid-year replacement teacher from scrubbier Fresno. First time away from home, and barely out of her teens, she too, is navigating faculty-lounge cliques; the vigor of teaching; demands of entitled and indulgent parents; and trying to connect with her students. Lonely and naive, she strikes up a relationship with a fellow teacher who turns out to be a predator.
"(Johnson) keeps the action brisk and deepens readers’ investment, culminating in a high school party that goes wrong. Readers may find themselves so swept up in this enthralling novel that they finish it in a single sitting." (Publishers Weekly)
Suggested for fans of Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You and The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer.
* * = 2 starred reviews