News and Reviews
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #797
by muffy
“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives…. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.” ~ Howard Zinn
Agatha of Little Neon by National Book Foundation "5 Under 35" Honoree Claire Luchette (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) which the reviewer at Kirkus Reviews called “(a) charming and incisive debut.”
When their Buffalo diocese went bankrupt and Mother Roberta decides to retire, Catholic sisters Frances, Mary Lucille, Therese, and narrator Agatha are transferred to a halfway house for people with chemical dependencies called Little Neon, “painted the "chemical, lurid" color of Mountain Dew” in Woonsocket RI, a former mill town now dotted with wind turbines.
Cramped into an airless attire, the sisters care lovingly for their charges: jawless Tim Gary, Lawnmower Jill (who drove drunk too many times and now resorts to riding around town in her namesake), Horse, Baby, and Pete; and try to make a new life for themselves with community bible study group, art projects, and learning to roller skate in the garage. When the high school needs a geometry teacher, the sisters volunteer Agatha, by far the smartest among them, where for the first time in years she has to reckon all on her own with what she sees and feels.
“Employing short, clipped chapters and shimmering prose, Luchette garnishes each scene with tender and nuanced descriptions of longing and chastity, creating a lovely story of how cross-cultural exchange can foster hope and fruitful advancements. This is charming and remarkably thoughtful.” (Publishers Weekly)
A Little Hope by Ethan Joella (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), a deeply moving and life-affirming debut set in Wharton, Connecticut, that explores the intertwining lives of friends and neighbors, and celebrates the importance of small moments of connection and the ways that love and forgiveness can help us survive even the most difficult of life's challenges.
Freddie and Greg Tyler seem to have it all: a successful career in finance, a lovely home and a beautiful daughter - until Greg was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an aggressive form of cancer, plunging them into despair and uncertainty, and turning Greg prickly, even with Alex Lionel, more of a father figure than boss. Freddie, who plans to return to writing fiction instead, takes a part-time job as a seamstress at a dry cleaner, owned by widow Darcy Crowley.
Alex Lionel, we learn, is riddled with guilt over a long-ago affair after the death of his son at 14, now hopes Kay, his wife of 50 years will agree to meet his grown illegitimate daughter, Iris. Darcy Crowley, brisk and efficient at work, continues to mourn her husband’s death and wishes to mend things with her son, addicted to pills and alcohol after a breakup with his girlfriend.
“The domino effect of neighbors' choices impact one another far more than they could ever imagine. A chance meeting blossoms into a new relationship, a tragic diagnosis inspires independence, a surprise visitor helps breach an emotional wall, a marriage's foundation becomes cracked in an instant. In his debut novel, Joella has an eye and ear for suburban pathos, highlighting tragedy and growth in equal parts… Loyal readers of Meg Wolitzer and Matthew Norman will gravitate to this immersive, illuminating novel.” (Booklist)
May your new year be filled with hope and kindness.
Blog Post
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #796
by muffy
Our annual gathering of some of the best short story collections, just in time for the shortest day of the year.
Hao : Stories * * is the debut collection from three-time Pushcart Prize winner Chun Ye, and longlisted for the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. The title, drawn from the most common word in Chinese, an ubiquitous greeting, can be translated as good and is symbolized traditionally by a kneeling woman holding a child.
“That iconic mother-and-child scene reveals multiple layers here. In the titular story "Hao," a mother struggles to stay alive for her four-year-old during the vicious Cultural Revolution. They play their nightly "word game," during which the mother traces characters on her daughter's back, literally inscribing her with precious knowledge. Repeatedly beaten down, she becomes the kneeling woman, wrapped around her child; to live another day to hold her is hao.” (Booklist)
In the remaining 11 stories, the author examines the ways in which Chinese women in both China and the United States in the last three centuries, can be silenced as they grapple with sexism and racism, and how they find their own language to define their experience. In “Gold Mountain,” a young mother hides above a ransacked store during the San Francisco anti-Chinese riot of 1877. In “A Drawer,” an illiterate mother invents a language through drawing. And in “Stars,” a graduate student loses her ability to speak after a stroke, except for a single word - "hao”.
“Ancestral experiences echo throughout the dozen stories as Ye’s protagonists battle cyclical repressions and common losses: Feet are bound, children are lost, and husbands are absent, heedless, or worse.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Afterparties : Stories, * * * a posthumous debut by Anthony Veasna So (1992–2020) is a New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice - "A deeply personal, frankly funny, illuminating portrait of furtive, meddling aunties, sweaty, bored adolescents and the plaintive search for survival that connects them. Its nine stories sketch a world of hidden histories, of longings past and present, and of a culture carving its way out of historical trauma. It is a testament to the burgeoning talent of So. . . . Electric, alive and transportive, Afterparties is a glimpse of a world rarely seen in literature, and of a talent gone too soon."
Centered around a tightly knit community of Cambodian-American immigrants in California’s Central Valley, grappling with the complexities of race, sexuality, friendship, and family. “What makes the stories so startling is the characters’ ability to embrace life and all its messy beauty despite the darkness of the past. Characters have weddings, play badminton, fall in love, read Moby-Dick, and sometimes quip, surprisingly nonchalantly, about their national traumas—“there were no ice cubes in the genocide!” yells a father in “Three Women of Chuck’s Donuts.” Some leave home (“the asshole of California,” one of them calls it in “Maly, Maly, Maly”); others want to stay, despite how little their region has to offer. “ (Publishers Weekly)
I'm Not Hungry But I Could Eat : Stories by Christopher Gonzalez “crackles with humor and tension in brilliantly crafted stories about food and relationships….Exploring the lives of bisexual and gay Puerto Rican men, these fifteen stories show a vulnerable, intimate world of yearning and desire. The stars of these narratives linger between living their truest selves and remaining in the wings, embarking on a journey of self-discovery to satisfy their hunger for companionship and belonging.” (Publishers Weekly)
“The standout story "Better Than All That" accompanies the narrator on a life-changing night that begins in an Applebee's, winds through bars, and ends in painful reckonings with desire and the past. To his credit, Gonzalez does not shy away from the gross, the strange, or the uncomfortable. A sister dies. A breakup ruins lives. A hookup wants to be punched in the chest. A bedroom stool invites sex-watching while cereal-eating. Food is compellingly centered in the lives of these queer characters to provocative effect.” (Booklist)
* * * = 3 starred reviews
* * = 2 starred reviews
Blog Post
AADL Named Five Star Library for 14th Year in a Row
by richretyi
For the 14th year in a row, the Ann Arbor District Library earned five stars in Library Journal’s annual ratings of public libraries across the nation. AADL has been a five-star library since Library Journal created the America Star Libraries ratings in 2008.
LJ's ratings are based on per capita output measures based on FY19 data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services Public Library Survey. Seven measures determined total scores and star ratings:
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #795
by muffy
Longlisted for the 2021 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, Dava Shastri's Last Day (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) by former entertainment reporter Kirthana Ramisetti, is a Good Morning America book club pick. It’s a thought-provoking and entertaining take on the “family dynamics and dysfunction” exacerbated by an unusual holiday gathering.
It’s Christmas eve, 2044. 70 year-old billionaire and philanthropist Dava Shastri has gathered her family on her private island off the coast of Long Island. Recently diagnosed with inoperable cancer, she plans to leave this world on her own terms. Her four grown children were surprised by the news of her terminal illness but were shocked and dismayed when Dava decided to leak the news of her death early so she could read her own obituaries and examine her legacy.
Instead of articles lauding her philanthropic work, the media reveals two devastating secrets, throwing the household, especially the 4 siblings who were never close to begin with, into utter chaos. In the time she has left, Dava must come to terms with the decisions that have led to this moment and make peace with those closest to her.
“Told from a variety of perspectives, the story is reminiscent of Jonathan Tropper’s This Is Where I Leave You in that circumstances force adult children to spend several days together working through years of resentment and regret. The strength of the story lies in its depiction of a strong-willed matriarch who has doggedly pursued success while doing things her own way…A solid debut that will appeal to readers who enjoy quirky family stories with a focus on character over action.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Readers might also enjoy The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, and Kathy Wang's Family Trust.
Blog Post
Family Fun (and Learning?!?) Over the Holidays
by mrajraspn08
December is the month of holidays, which means family, fun, and...school? Fortunately, keeping up on lessons can still be relaxing with puzzles and games from our Tools collection.
As you eat holiday candy and sweets, you can play the game Cacao. But that's not chocolate...is it? Use this game as a starting point to think about how chocolate gets from the cacao plant to the yummy candy you're eating. As you establish workers and markets, you can learn the basics of how the market works. You want to store some of your cacao, but not too much, and why do you think some is worth more than others, anyway? You can even discuss history and culture while playing--there are sun worshipping tiles in the game, why and how do you think this culture (or others) worshipped the sun? And what is the history of plantations and how they were run?
Then, while you're wrapped up in your quilt in front of the fireplace, get out the game Patchwork. While looking at this game, I started researching quilts and found interesting and unexpected history and cultural lessons there. For example, you could look up the story quilts used by African American slaves, or the history of Amish quilting. Who knew there were so many variations? Once you've made your quilt, try to think if it looks like one of the quilts you've learned about. Does it tell a story? Was it used in a Native American ceremony?
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #794 - December
by muffy
Always, in December * (eBook and also in downloadable audiobook) is Emily Stone’s “magnetic, bittersweet debut.” (Publishers Weekly)
London publicist Josie Morgan has extra reasons to dread December this year. She has just broken up with long-term boyfriend Oliver who has been cheating on her with their office-mate. She is not looking forward to attending the office Christmas party alone. Since losing both of her parents on a snowy December night, for the past two decades she has swapped out letters to Santa with letters to them with the same three words: Missing you, always. But this year, her annual trip to the postbox is knocked off course by a bicycle collision with a handsome stranger who has his own reasons to dread the Christmas season.
When architect Max Carter’s flight to New York is cancelled, the two wind up spending the holiday season together, enjoying a brief, intense affair, until Max disappears without saying goodbye. Over the course of the next year, Max and Josie will find that fate continues to bring them together in places they’d never expect - a Brooklyn art gallery, a wedding in Scotland, and Josie’s childhood home. As it turns out, Max is harboring a secret that explains his reluctance to have a relationship…“the revelation will change Josie’s life forever. Romance fans should be prepared for a tearjerker ending to this poignant, well-plotted tale of once-in-a-life-time love. It’s as unforgettable as it is heart-wrenching. “ (Publishers Weekly)
Bringing to mind Jojo Moyes' Me Before You, it will also appeal to fans of Josie Silver’s One Day in December; Jenny Bayliss’s The Twelve Dates of Christmas; and the Christmas novels by Jenny Colgan. Readers might also want to check out Eight Perfect Hours, (after her debut novel Dear Emmie Blue) by Lia Louis (also in eBook and audiobook) for an enchanting, cozy read on a snowy night.
* = Starred review
Blog Post
For these, we are thankful : The Best of 2021
by muffy
Publishers Weekly’s Best of 2021:
Top 10, Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, Poetry, Romance, SF/Fantasy/Horror, Comics, Nonfiction, Religion, Lifestyle, Picture Books for Young Readers, Middle Grade, and Young Adult.
Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2021:
Best 100 Fiction, Mysteries and Thrillers, Book Club Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Fictional Families, Short Fiction, Fiction in Translation, Debut Fiction, Environmental Fiction, and the Best 2021 Writers to Discover.
For the nonfiction readers, here are the Best 100 Nonfiction Books of 2021, Best Biographies, Best Memoirs, Best American History, Best Books About Being Black in America, Best Nature and Environment Books, Best Collections, Best Culture Books, Best Science Books, Best, Most Urgent Books of Current Affairs, Best 2021 Books To Stir Heated Debate
BookPage shares the Best (Literary) Fiction of 2021, Nonfiction, Mysteries and Suspense, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult, and Middle Grade & Chapter Books.
The 2021 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books.
Who doesn't trust NPR ? Here is a curated list of the 2021 Books We Love, recommendations from the NPR staff and trusted critics, covering a wide range of genres and reading preferences.
The New York Times announced the 100 Notable Books 0f 2021. And at 9 a.m. on November 30, the editors of The Book Review will announce The 10 Best Books of 2021 in a virtual event. Subscribers could RSVP here.
Blog Post
Warming Up with the Tools Collection
by mrajraspn08
It’s getting cold out there! Our tools might not be able to make the weather warmer, but at least they can help you use the cold to your advantage in the classroom.
You can heat up the house, closing and opening doors to keep heat in or out, and kids can use a Thermal Leak Detector to see how the temperature rises and falls. Learn about the transfer of heat and energy and ask why doesn’t the heat stay in the room? What are some ways to keep it in, and how do they work? Once you have some ideas, why not try making some insulating clothes to keep the heat inside you? Try different fibers on a Drum Carder and think about how different cultures might make their clothes differently to fit their environment. Would someone living in the Arctic make similar clothes to someone living in Africa? Why not? If that doesn't cut it, get an Energy Meter and use it to see how much energy you use heating the house or room. Most of us know that to have more heat, you need more energy, but how does that work exactly? How does energy usage convert to heat? 
Hopefully all this thinking has helped you start warming up!
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #793
by muffy
“Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy.” ~ William Butler Yeats
If you are on the waitlist for Sally Rooney’s latest Beautiful World, Where Are You, may I suggest Snowflake * (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) by debut novelist Louise Nealon (Trinity College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast)?
Like Connell and Marianne in Normal People, 18 year-old Debbie White just earned herself a place at Trinity College Dublin. Commuting from her family’s dairy farm in rural County Kildare, Dublin, just forty minutes away, might well have been another world. Overwhelmed by the anonymity of big city life and feeling out of place with her fellow students, she considered giving up her spot, if it wasn’t for Uncle Billy’s encouragement
Debbie never knew her father, and besides all the chores on the farm, she does not want to burden Billy with the care of her mother Maeve, a skittish woman who takes to her bed for days on end, and who believes her dreams are prophecies. Almost miraculously, Debbie makes a new friend, Xanthe at college, and begins to thrive in her double life. Then a tragic accident on the farm upends the family’s equilibrium, and Debbie discovers her next steps may no longer be hers to choose.
“Nealon's well-crafted debut loses no charm or sweetness for all the difficult things it juggles, including mental health issues, death, grief, and even suicide. Packed with emotion, terrific dialogue, raw and real characters, and spiritual elements, like Debbie's and Mam's dreams that seem to predict the future, it also never feels overfull. A genuine, wise, and promising debut.” (Bookklist)
“Louise Nealon’s Snowflake is one of the most heartwarming, honest and brilliant coming-of-age novels you will read this year.” (BookPage)
BONUS FEATURE
Small Things Like These * * by multi-award-winning Irish novelist Claire Keegan, is a “gorgeously textured novella” (Publishers Weekly), that “indicts the social culture that enabled Ireland's Magdalene Laundries, and brilliantly articulates a decent person's struggle of conscience.” (Library Journal)
It was the week before Christmas, the busiest season for New Ross coal and lumber merchant Bill Furlong when a morning delivery to the local convent deeply troubles him. He finds a disheveled girl, barefoot and in rags, locked in the coal shed, begging to be taken away. For years, there have been rumors about the "training school" at the convent being a front for free labor, using the young unwed mothers in a laundry service.
This encounter forces Bill to confront both his past and the complicit silence of a town controlled by the Church. Despite pleading from his wife Eileen to "stay on the right side of people," Bill makes a courageous choice on Christmas Eve that would rock the whole community.
"Despite the brevity of the text, Furlong’s emotional state is fully rendered and deeply affecting. Keegan also carefully crafts a web of complicity around the convent’s activities that is believably mundane and all the more chilling for it. The Magdalen laundries, this novel implicitly argues, survived not only due to the cruelty of the people who ran them, but also because of the fear and selfishness of those who were willing to look aside because complicity was easier than resistance...A stunning feat of storytelling and moral clarity.” (Kirkus Reviews)
* * = 2 starred reviews
* = Starred review
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #792, The Secret Life of a Tokyo Housewife
by muffy
Fault Lines is London-based freelance journalist and travel writer Emily Itami’s “brilliant”(Booklist) debut novel.
Set in contemporary Tokyo, on the surface Mizuki should be the envy of her peers - a beautiful apartment with a view of the city’s skyline, a successful husband, two adorable children, and fashionable friends, and yet, she often thinks about throwing herself off the high-rise balcony. In truth, Mizuki struggles with an absent and neglectful husband, demanding and ill-tempered children, and laments the choices she made. Once a promising jazz singer who spent some years in New York, she now takes odd assignments as tour guide and language/cultural interpreter for foreigners when she is not attending to the needs of her family.
Then, on a rainy night, she meets Kiyoshi, a successful restaurateur. In him she finds an attentive listener, friendship and adventure. Together, they rediscovers the city - tucked-away neighborhoods, the sweet shop like the one Mizuki's father once owned, French cafes and historic geisha homes, and a memorable stroll at cherry blossom time. Soon she finds herself living two lives. And it would take a natural catastrophe for Mizuki to realize that she must make a choice.
“While a somewhat pat ending feels unworthy of the novel's provocative premise, Itami makes palpable Mizuki's loneliness and her need to feel seen. Itami's brave, frank portrayal of Japan's societal expectations of women is worth a look.” (Publishers Weekly) Timely, in view of recent events and controversies in Japan.
Check out The New York Times Book Review.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #791, Magic, Mayhem and Metamorphosis
by muffy
Payback's a Witch * * * by Lana Harper is the first in The Witches of Thistle series, (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) and her adult debut (after four YA novels written as Lana Popović), “a queer rom-com that bewitches from the very first page.”(Publishers Weekly)
Emmy Harlow is heading home to Thistle Grove (IL) after fleeing with a broken heart almost a decade before. She plans to stay only long enough to carry out the familial duty of being her generation’s arbiter, overseeing the magical tournament that pits the 4 founding families against each other... that is, until she sets eyes on the devastatingly gorgeous, wickedly charming Talia Avramov; reconnects with her childhood besties Linden Thorn; and witness first hand, the mechanization of the despicable sleazeball Gareth Blackmoor who broke her heart (and that of almost every other woman in town).
As heir to the most powerful magical family in town, Gareth is favored to win the tournament but the three scorned women have something up their sleeves. As they team up and Emmy’s magic returns, she begins to wonder if leaving would mean giving up what she wants most.
“The love story between Talia and Emmy develops beautifully, but the true romance is with the town and the community. The bonds of both family and friendship shine from start to finish, and Harper balances the different clans and captures how, together, they make Thistle Grove the magical place that it is.“ (BookPage)
Ex Hex * (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), is the first in a new Georgia-set paranormal romantic comedy series by bestselling author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling.
Nine years ago, little witch Vivi(enne) Jones fell hard for Rhys Penhallow, a Welsh exchange student whose family founded the town of Graves Glen and the local college, and promptly broke her heart when she found out he was engaged. Now he is back, reluctantly, to represent his family at the annual fall festival, and to recharge the town's ley lines, a necessity every 100 years.
But as soon as he sets foot in the town, one calamity after another strikes Rhys. Could it be the curse the young and broken-hearted Vivi put on him, fueled by vodka, weepy music, bubble baths? Soon, mysterious affliction begins affecting the town as well, forcing Rhys and Vivi to get over their mutual mistrust, ignore their chemistry, and work together to break the curse before it kills everyone.
“Sterling writes a fun, sexy romantic comedy with a compelling plot, fantastic worldbuilding, twists that give the story depth, and engaging primary and secondary characters. The novel wraps up plenty of loose ends, but readers will be eager for sequels.“ (Library Journal)
In Nightbitch* by Rachel Yoder (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), an unnamed sleep-deprived “de-facto single mom” of a demanding toddler (her tech husband travels for work every week), becomes convinced she's turning into a dog. As the dense patch of hair in the back of her neck grows thicker, and her canines look decidedly sharper, she is bewildered by her metamorphosis, and struggles to keep her alter-canine-identity secret. Online searches are no help, she seeks answers at her local library. There she finds the mysterious academic tome A Field Guide to Magical Women: A Mythical Ethnography which validates her experience and encourages her to embrace the freedom of her new animal nature. She also finds common ground with a group of other mommies involved in a multilevel-marketing scheme who may also be more than what they seem.
“Bursting with fury, loneliness, and vulgarity, Yoder's narrative revels in its deconstruction of the social script women and mothers are taught to follow, painstakingly reading between the lines to expose the cruel and downright ludicrous ways in which women are denied their personhood. An electric work by an ingenious new voice, this is one to devour.” (Publishers Weekly)
Already optioned for film.
* * * = 3 starred reviews
* = Starred review
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #790, British Rom-Com Debuts
by muffy
Battle Royal * by Lucy Parker (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) is “(b)rimming with pop culture references and quick wit, (an) enemies-to-lovers romance that kicks off the Palace Insiders series. (Publishers Weekly)
Four years ago, Sylvie Fairchild was voted off the most popular television baking show Operation Cake due to an unfortunate mechanical malfunction with her glittery unicorn cake. Now she is to return to the show as a judge. The publicity would not only help her business Sugar Fair but might just get her shortlistedfor HRH Princess Rose's wedding cake.
The only problem is Dominic De Vere, her fellow judge on the show, His Majesty the King’s favorite baker, brilliant, talented, hard-working, an icy grouch who would never let Sylvie live down the unicorn experience. The bride adores Sylvie’s quirky style. The palace wants Dominic’s classic perfection. In this royal battle, can there be room for two?
“From the zippy dialogue and humorous banter exchanged between the book's perfectly matched protagonists to the delectable descriptions of sweet treats that would not be out of place in Willy Wonka's factory, this deliciously sexy love story whips up everything romance readers crave.” (Booklist)
Ghosts (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) is memoirist (Everything I Know About Love, 2020) Dolly Alderton’s debut novel. From a columnist for The Sunday Times Style and co-host of the weekly pop-culture and current affairs podcast The High Low comes this “smart, sexy, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about ex-boyfriends, imperfect parents, friends with kids, and a man who disappears the moment he says "I love you."
32 years-old London food writer and author Nina Dean is in a good place - her second book is about to be published, she loves flat ownership, and she is on good terms with her ex, Joe. But with most of her friends married, having kids, and moving to the suburbs, she tries a dating app. Seemingly impossible, she meets Max - handsome, dishy, an accountant with an adventurous spirit, and they have chemistry.
And if Max seems too good to be true, he is, forcing Nina to deal with everything she's been trying so hard to ignore: her father's Alzheimer's, her mother's denial, trouble with her editor; and being ghosted by her childhood best friend.
“Alderton's fiction debut delivers a refreshing and clever meditation on a single British woman's late coming-of-age...Full of quirky characters, sardonic commentary, and millennial ruminations, Ghosts is for fans of the show Fleabag, Sally Rooney's Normal People (2020), and Lily King's Writers & Lovers (2021).” (Booklist)
The Mismatch by Sara Jafari (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) Discussion questions for book groups included.
Away at uni from her strict Muslim family, Soraya drinks, wears short skirts and talks to boys, never mind at 21, she has never been kissed. As she is about to graduate with no job prospect, she knows she will be heading home. At a party, she sees her chance in Magnus Evans - rugby player, a notorious man-about-town, just the person with whom to get her first kiss "over with”. There is no risk of falling in love since Mangus is exactly whom her family would not approve of.
Soraya's shocked to find that Magnus is nothing like she expected, and despite their wildly different backgrounds, they discover they have a lot in common.
“Jafari's authentic portrayal of the complexities of interracial dating is deeply emotional and her characters are refreshingly flawed: Magnus is charming and patient, but initially clueless about navigating cultural difference, while endearing Soraya feels intense emotion but bottles it up. Each scene of this moving love story reveals new depths.” (Publishers Weekly)
* = Starred review
Blog Post
Homeschooling Field Trip--to Outer Space!
by mrajraspn08
You may have heard about the upcoming Orionoids Meteor Shower or December’s complete lunar eclipse. While you’re checking out the Telescope, check out some other out of this world tools for learning about space!
If your child dreams of reaching for the stars, check out The History of Space Travel Puzzle. While you're putting it together, you can start talking about the various space missions that have occurred. Look at the ways the technology has evolved over the years, from the first launch to the most recent. How has this improved our space travel? How do these tools work? How do they compare with some you may have seen or read in sci-fi books and movies? How do you think they'll improve by the time you'd be starting your own space adventure? Older kids might want to watch the streaming video Functions and Relations, showing how to use advanced math principles as we plan space travel. See if you can apply those same principles to travel to a different planet in our solar system. Check out other videos on space travel in our streaming collection!
Now let's blast off on a journey of our own to visit the planet Venus with the Venus Globe! Venus is often compared to Earth. What similarities do you see between the planets? What differences? Do you think we’ll be able to live on Venus one day? Why or why not? Who knows--maybe you'll get the chance to some day!
Blog Post
October Service Update
by richretyi
Expanded Hours
Starting Monday, October 18, all AADL locations will be open 10am-8pm daily.
Early Access to Westgate
Starting Monday, October 18, AADL will resume early access to Westgate during morning Sweetwaters Cafe hours (click for Sweetwaters hours of operation). Westgate desk service begins at 10am daily.
More Than 10,000 New Streaming Videos Added to the Collection
AADL has added more than 10,000 new streaming movies, documentaries, and videos to its collection, including HBO miniseries, Ken Burns documentaries, and popular series like Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr., and StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson. Click to see some of the popular titles in the collection, or browse the catalog at AADL.org by searching for titles and clicking "Streaming Video" in the filter section.
Blog Post
Homeschooling Fun at the Library!
by mrajraspn08
Last year, many parents found themselves unexpectedly homeschooling. Over a year later, some of us still are, by choice or necessity. Whether you’re an experienced homeschooler or a complete novice, the library is here to help make lessons fun with our great tool collection!
My child’s favorite tool is the Bagimals. Even this simple tool can be used to inspire a lesson plan. Check out several Bagimals with your grade school kid and look at the animals and the environment they live in. Get one of the Early Learning Globes and figure out where each animal lives in the world. Talk about the environment in each place; for older children, you can talk about how each animal evolved to be suited to its environment. Could a polar bear live in the desert? Why or why not? How might the animal have evolved if they lived in another environment? How do they co-exist with other animals and even people living in this environment?
Blog Post
AADL Director Josie Parker Announces Retirement
by aadl-news
After nearly 22 years with the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL), Director Josie Parker announced her retirement effective February 28, 2022. Upon her retirement, Parker will have served as Library director for 20 years.
“It has been a joy and a privilege to serve the Ann Arbor community as Library Director for 20 years,” says Josie Parker. “I want to acknowledge the courage of all of the people who have served as elected Board members over these years. Without them, nothing was possible. The several hundred people who have worked with me as staff over two decades made the possible happen in amazing and astonishing ways. Lastly, but most importantly, all of the community members who responded to our efforts, challenged us to keep innovating and improving library services. I thank you all, and I will see you in the Library!”
The AADL Board of Trustees will conduct a national search for the next director beginning later this fall.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #789, An Alternate Universe
by muffy
Voted one of the 50 Favorite Sci-Fi And Fantasy Books Of The Past Decade by NPR readers, A Master of Djinn * * * (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), is Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djeli Clark’s first full-length novel after a number of novellas, also set in an alternate Cairo universe.
1912 Cairo is a bustling metropolis with commerce, intrigue, and steampunk technology. Fatma el-Sha’arawim, the youngest and only female agent of the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities is brought in to investigate multiple murders at the home of a wealthy British merchant.
Ever since the mystic and inventor Al-Jahiz pierced the veil between realms decades ago, djinns, magical beings and humans have been living together in relative peace. Now someone claiming to be Al-Jahiz has murdered members of a secret brotherhood dedicated to his legacy at the eve of an international summit of major European powers that is likely to have global ramifications. Together with her clever new partner, Agent Hadia Abdel Hafez, and her mercurial, half-djinn girlfriend, Siti, Fatma sets out to uncover the truth behind this self-professed prophet, and save the world from destruction.
“The fantastical worldbuilding highlights the thematic issues of colonialism, spirituality, and race relations, while Clark's prose provides a cinematic lens to issues of gender and class viewed through Agent Fatma's investigations and relationships.” (Library Journal)
“Give this to alternate history enthusiasts and mystery readers who enjoy a dose of the magical. Fans of S. A. Chakraborty, Martha Wells, and Zen Cho should be particularly pleased.” (Booklist)
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), the first in the Dangerous Damsels series, is “a treat for readers who enjoy supernatural historical romances, wordplay, and quirky situations.” (Booklist)
Miss Cecilia Bassingwaite, a junior member of the Wisteria Society, a crime sorority of thieves, pirates and assassins is eagerly anticipating induction into the highest rank (and a place at the high tea table) now that she has robbed a bank, mastered the skills of piloting flying battlehouses, and foiled an assassination attempt on her life.
Before she could claim her seat at the tea table, all the members of the Society were kidnapped by the dreaded Bronte-obsessed, self-proclaimed poet Captain Morvath, Cecilia has no choice but to team up with her devilishly handsome would-be assassin Ned Lightbourne, who may be a pirate employed by Captain Morvath, or a royal agent assigned to protect her.
“In this joyride of a debut, Holton draws us into a madcap world of courtly corsairs, murderous matrons, and pity-inspiring henchmen. Familiar romance tropes appear but as if in a fun-house mirror, with broad winks at their origins, while characters make sarcastic references to passionate novels in the Victorian canon… As if The Parasol Protectorate series met The Princess Bride and a corseted Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.” (Kirkus Reviews)
* * * = 3 starred reviews
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #788
by muffy
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ~ Charles W. Eliot
“The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books.” ~ Katherine Mansfield
The Reading List * * by Sara Nisha Adams (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook). 17 year-old Aleisha, a summer desk clerk, is the first to find the list between pages of a returned book at the Harrow Road Library. It reads JUST IN CASE YOU NEED IT, followed by eight titles: To Kill a Mockingbird, Rebecca, The Kite Runner, The Life of Pi, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, Beloved, and A Suitable Boy.
Just then, grieving widower Mukesh approaches the desk, intent to return a much-overdue copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife he found among his wife Naina’s things. Never a reader, he nevertheless enjoyed the story and the opportunity to honor Naina's memory, he asked for Aleisha’s recommendations. Caught unprepared, Aleisha remembered the list. Intrigued, and a little bored, stuck at home, unable to reach her mentally-fragile mother, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list as well. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between them.
As it happens, the same list shows up at the shoe rack at the yoga studio, the bulletin board at the local supermarket, the bus stop, and the community garden, drawing lonely strangers into the library and each other’s company.
“Full of references to popular and classic novels, this debut focuses on reading as a means of processing and coping with challenging life events. The author deftly captures the quiet and listless vibe of ill-fated libraries everywhere. Told from the perspectives of both Aleisha and Mukesh, as well as a sampling of other characters, the story shows an insightful empathy for difficulties faced at divergent life stages. The author explores many difficult topics with grace, like mental illness, grief, abandonment, and self-doubt...A quiet and thoughtful look into loneliness, community, and the benefits of reading, suited for true bibliophiles.“ (Kirkus Reviews)
Hey, if you are still on the waiting list, you might want to try The Last Chance Library where a lonely librarian June Jones in a sleepy English village, joins a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to save the library, including old school friend Alex Chen, a successful lawyer newly back in town, This is BBC documentary producer Freya Sampson's debut novel.
* * = 2 starred reviews
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #787, Fantasy Debuts
by muffy
For the Wolf * * * * by Hannah Whitten, the first in the Wilderwood series, (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) is “a dark, dazzling reimagining of the Brothers Grimm’s Little Red Riding Hood” (Publishers Weekly)
For centuries, the Kingdom of Valleyda kept a bargain : to hold the monsters of the Shadowlands at bay, the second daughter born to the queen would be sacrificed to the Wolf of the Wilderwood, a magical forest. Now, Red(arys), as she approaches her 20th birthday, is almost eager to embrace her fate, plagued by a secret power she could not control.
The Wolf, as it turned out, is a man - Eammon who offers to release her. But Red chooses to stay. As real danger lurks round them, Red’s magic makes her a powerful ally as Eammon struggles to repair the woods, keeping out the dark creatures from the Shadowlands.
“Whitten weaves a captivating tale in this debut, in which even secondary characters come to feel like old friends. The novel seamlessly blends "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Beauty and the Beast" into an un-put-down-able fairy tale that traces the boundaries of duty, love, and loss. A masterful debut from a must-read new voice in fantasy.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Malice * by Heather Walter (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) is imaginative retelling of Sleeping Beauty with sly references to Cinderella.
Princess Aurora, the last in a long line of princesses cursed by a wicked Vila, an evil race of magical beings, is the last heir to the Briar’s throne. Now the Vilas have all died out, except of Alyce, called "Malyce" by the Graces she lives with at Lavender House. The Graces, gold-blooded and gifted with Fae magic, is part of an alliance between the humans of Briar and the Fae of Etheria, while Alyce, known as the Dark Grace, is rejected publicly, even as the rich and powerful solicit her dark magic in secret.
Thus, it is assumed that the invitation to Princess Aurora's 20th birthday ball does not extend to Alyce, but she attends anyway. There she meets the princess, who is desperate to break the Vila curse that will kill her on her 21st birthday if she hasn't found true love. As their friendship grows, Alyce agrees to help Aurora lift the curse, even if it would destroy her own power.
"The story grows deliciously darker at every turn, though the youthful protagonists still ensure plenty of YA crossover appeal. Fairy tale lovers of all ages will be thrilled." (Publishers Weekly)
She Who Became the Sun * * * by Shelley Parker-Chan, the first in the Radiant Emperor duology, an epic high-fantasy series, gives the historical Red Turban Rebellion a grimdark twist (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook). The author was awarded a Otherwise (Tiptree) Fellowship for a work of speculative narrative that expands our understanding of gender.
1345. In Mongol-ruled China, the Zhu family, starving peasants in the Central Plains , at great expense they could ill afford, consulted a local fortune teller who proclaimed that their eight-born son, Zhu Chongba was destined for greatness while second daughter - nothingness. Yet, when a bandit attack orphaned the two children, Zhu Chongba succumbed to despair and died while the girl assumed her brother's identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. Propelled by a burning desire to survive, She learned she was capable of doing whatever it took. When her monastery was burned for supporting a rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu threw herself into her brother's path for greatness.
In this Mulan meets The Song of Achilles, “The characters are bold and complex in this story of fealty, family, and self. Epic worldbuilding, high action, and ruthless shades of love and desire make the tale at turns tragic and inspiring. Parker-Chan's debut is forceful, immersive, and unforgettable. This inspired queer retelling of Chinese history is an exciting read.” (Library Journal) For fans of The Poppy War.
* * * * = 4 starred reviews
* * * = 3 starred reviews
* = Starred review
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #786
by muffy
Songs in Ursa Major * by Emma Brodie (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) opens at the 1969 Bayleen Island Folk Festival. When headliner Jesse Reid was injured in a motorcycle crash, local band The Breakers, instead of being the opening act, took center stage. Led by Jane Quinn, a young singer/songwriter, they delivered the performance of a lifetime.
As Jesse recuperated on the island, nursed by Jane’s aunt Grace, the two met. Sensing Jane’s raw talent and naivete about the music industry, Jesse mentored her through the production of her first record, and when The Breakers began touring with Jesse’s band, they became involved, a relationship that Jane insisted on keeping secret. “She feared that, if the world knew her as Jesse’s love interest before she’d ever opened her mouth on a national stage, that was all she’d ever be.” Then she made a shocking discovery on tour about Jesse, Jane took off for home.
“(T)his sprawling novel follows Jane and Jesse through the epic highs and lows of their careers. Moving from New York to Los Angeles to Greece to the Grammys, then always back home to the island, Brodie's debut is a furious page-turner, meditating on the glittering beast of fame.” (Booklist)
“Inspired by the folk rock scene of the late '60s and early '70s, and reputedly by the relationship between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, this superbly crafted debut novel immerses readers in a story of family, love, and music from the first page. Brodie makes a point about the destructive force of drug abuse, and bears witness to unsavory business practices in the music industry. (Library Journal)
For fans of Daisy Jones & The Six.
* = Starred review
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #785, Women's Fiction Debuts
by muffy
The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton * by Eleanor Ray (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook)
Once an aspiring artist, Amy Ashton now rescues and collects beautiful objects, online and from charity shops, ever since her boyfriend Tim and her best friend Chantel left her on the same day more than 10 years ago. These days, Amy is hardly able to move around under piles of trinkets and treasures, risking safety violation and eviction as she desperately try to keep the world at the door. But with the arrival of a young family next door, Amy’s carefully managed and guarded routine starts to unravel.
She finds herself charmed by the two young boys, one with a treasured collection of toy bulldozers (Amy could relate to THAT!) and their helpful sort-of single father. Then she discovers a ring hidden in a flower pot (the one Tim was going to propose with) and a sodden letter, thus throwing her into the role of amateur detective.
“Heartwarming and tender… an ideal read for anyone looking for a good-humored and uplifting story, but especially for those who enjoyed Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and Ruth Hogan’s The Keeper of Lost Things.”(BookPage)
“Mystery lovers and fans of Liane Moriarty will also enjoy the quick-paced plot and perfectly timed reveals.” (Booklist)
Lizzie & Dante * * (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) by Mary Bly is a “poignant, character-driven novel about living, loving, and looking mortality in the eye...Fans of emotional tearjerkers, of romance, or of authors Kristin Hannah and Elin Hilderbrand will not be able to put this down.” (Library Journal)
Shakespeare scholar Lizzie Delford is spending what would likely be her last summer, on the Island of Elba, at a luxurious seaside resort as a guest of her life-long friend Grey and his boyfriend, movie-star Rohan Das. Between catching sun and lavish parties, Lizzie is to help Rohan develop an unconventional script for Romeo and Juliet, his first movie as a director.
At the public beach, Lizzie is befriended by a bedraggled dog named Lulu, and her cantankerous owner Dante, a celebrated chef and a single father to precocious 12 year-old Etta.
“Bly, known best for the best-selling historical romances she writes as Eloisa James, deftly pivots to contemporary fiction with an emotional roller coaster of a novel that candidly explores such complicated subjects as sex and desire, love and loss, and family and friendship. Whether toothsomely describing Italian dishes, celebrating the natural beauty of Elba, or performing some literary dissection of Romeo and Juliet, Bly writes with a Prosecco-fizzy wit that is simply irresistible, but what will equally resonate with readers is her richly nuanced characters and their embrace of life in all its glorious messiness.” (Booklist)
* * = 2 starred reviews
* = Starred review
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #784, New York, New York
by muffy
Angel & Hannah: A Novel in Verse by Ishle Yi Park (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook, performed by the author, first woman named poet laureate of Queens) reimagines Romeo and Juliet as an interracial couple in 1990s New York City.
Hannah, the daughter of Korean immigrants in Queens, meets Angel, a Puerto Rican boy in Brooklyn, at a quinceañera in the spring of 1993 and their “forbidden love instantly and wildly blooms along the Jackie Robinson Expressway.”
Told in seasons as opposed to Acts, in hip-hop sonnets and poems, we follow the blossoming of their young love to its gradual withering under the realities of poverty, racism, addiction, and the impacts of the AIDS epidemic.
“Park's intermingling of slang with fragments of Spanish and Korean electrify the free-verse lyrics that dance and slide across the pages. With an energy and attitude closer to Lin Manuel Miranda's In the Heights than West Side Story, the spoken-word style of Park's wildly creative rendition will entrance readers.” (Booklist)
Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia is the first in a new historical mystery series set during the Harlem Renaissance.
A 15 year-old Louise Lovie Lloyd was abducted on her way home. A new fountain pen and ingenuity allowed her to escape and saved three other girls held in captivity. Immediately, she was hailed as Harlem's Hero by the press. Now a decade older, Louise waits tables at Maggie’s Cafe during the day and spends her nights drinking and dancing at the Zodiac, Harlem's hottest speakeasy, trying to put her notoriety and her preacher father’s disapproval behind her.
Then dead girls, elaborately groomed and posed begin turning up outside Maggie’s in the early hours. After an altercation with the police, Detective Theodore Gilbert makes her an offer: help solve the case or go to jail.
“Even as she has little choice, she doesn't know how dangerous a deal she has made until subsequent deaths bring the killer close. In this atmospheric debut mystery, with a sequel already planned, Afia ably tracks how Louise goes from reluctant hero to detective, infusing the transition with the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance.” (Booklist)
The Chosen and the Beautiful * * by Nghi Vo is “a fantastical reimagining of the world of The Great Gatsby.” (also in eBook and audiobook) from the point of view of Jordan Baker, the supposedly jaded and hollow golf pro on the sidelines of Fitzgerald's original novel. This is the author’s first full-length novel after 2 well-received novellas.
In Vo’s version, Jordan Baker, a Vietnamese adoptee brought up in the rarefied Louisville society, stays close friends with Daisy Buchanan. Though a constant fixture at some of the most exclusive parties in 1920s New York, she remains an accepted outsider, being queer and Asian. When Daisy sets Jordan up with her cousin, Nick Carraway, Jordan takes little notice of him until Jay Gatsby sets his eyes on Nick as well.
“Between magic-filled parties at Gatsby’s house and whispers of dark bargains, Jordan watches the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby unravel over the course of the summer, at the same time struggling with her own relationship to Daisy and eventually coming to question her place in their society. Vo has crafted a retelling that, in many ways, surpasses the original, adding logic and depth to characters’ motivations while still—uncannily—unspooling the familiar story. Astonishingly crafted, with luscious prose and appeal for both fans of the original and those who always felt The Great Gatsby missed the mark.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Readers might also want to look out for Nick by Michael F. Smith, which provides Nick Carraway with a fascinating backstory before his move to West Egg and into Gatsby’s periphery.
* * = 2 starred reviews
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #783
by muffy
The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin (also available in downloadable eBook and audiobook) is “a joyous celebration of friendship, love, and life.” (Publishers Weekly)
17 year-old Lenni Pettersson is a patient in the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Though terminally ill, she is not ready to give up living, or asking questions. Curiosity leads her to the hospital’s almost-always empty chapel and she befriends the chaplain Father Arthur, but it is the 83-year-old purple-wearing, fruitcake-eating, dumpster-diving rebel Margot McCrea whom she meets at the hospital’s art class that sparks the recognition of a kindred spirit.
As they exchange stories, Lenni realizes that together, they have been alive for 100 yeas, and comes up with the idea of creating 100 paintings, a painting for every year of their lives. Moving back and forth in time, the narrative beautifully renders Margot's much-longer life of a lost baby, a missing husband, a complicated lifelong friendship with a woman and second chance at love with an astronomer while we learn about Lenni’s childhood in Sweden, and her mother’s mental illness.
“Holding all the pieces together are Lenni's exquisite honesty, humor, and curiosity at the life she won't live. Readers will know by page two that sharp-tongued, funny, brave Lenni will break their heart, and that they'll be all in for the ride. Rich for its cast of characters unique in their messiness, humanity, and kindness, debut author Cronin's masterpiece won't let go, long after the last page.” (Library Journal, reviewed by Beth Andersen, formerly with Ann Arbor Dist. Lib., MI)
Already optioned for film adaptation.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #782, Thrillers Out of Africa
by muffy
In the Company of Killers, * * * * is “an exceptional adventure thriller” (Publishers Weekly) by Bryan Christy (Law, UMich, and National Geographic's founder of Special Investigations) where elephants and humans alike are pawns in a global game of espionage.
In Samburu County, Kenya, American journalist Tom Klay’s latest counter-poaching assignment went terribly wrong. In an ambush, he was wounded while his trusted friend and guide Bernard Lolosoli was killed, and they had failed to document local crime kingpin Ras Botha killing a world-famous elephant for its massive tusks. Back at his DC office of The Sovereign, Tom finds that the magazine has been sold to Perseus Group, the largest supplier of paramilitary forces in the world, and that his CIA handler/mentor is retiring, unraveling his carefully constructed double life.
To settle the score and to take down Botha's smuggling empire, the CIA offers to send Tom to Johannesburg to team up with his one-time lover - South African prosecutor Hungry Khoza. But Tom soon discovers that he and Hungry are part of a larger, more lethal game, one that involves a ruthless mercenary and a global superpower. And everything he thought he knew about his work and his friends might have been a lie.
“Fans of both espionage and global crime thrillers will find a gem here: Klay is an introspective, flawed survivor who bends operative stereotypes, and the intersection of corporate greed, media, technology, and crime is chillingly current.” (Booklist)
“A riveting plot, complex characters, deep backstory, and an engrossing setting enhance this finely written novel about justice, personal responsibility, and saving the environment.” (Publishers Weekly)
Lightseekers * by Femi Kayode
Nigerian investigative psychologist Dr. Philip Taiwo, recently returned from the US to his hometown of Lagos, is called on by a prominent banker, whose son was one of three undergraduates "beaten, broken, and burnt alive" by an angry mob in the university town of Okriki, to investigate. The case known as the Okriki Three is highly controversial. Footage of the crime is widely shared on social media, and a number of people are arrested and tried, but no reasonable motive emerges.
With the help of his of loyal and streetwise driver, Chika,” Taiwo slowly, and cleverly, pulls the veil back on violent, secret societies of college-age men. “With alluring characters, including a chillingly psychotic villain; an original, many-faceted plot; and blazing psychological and social insights, Kayode's commanding and thought-provoking first crime novel launches a profoundly promising series.” (Booklist)
* * * * = 4 starred reviews
* = Starred review
Blog Post
June Almeida, Virus Detective!
by samanthar
One of the latest children's books from Sleeping Bear Press is June Almeida, Virus Detective! The Woman Who Discovered the First Human Coronavirus. The clean illustrations and flowing biography of June, a timely yet little-known female virologist, make this a fascinating read.
June loved photography, especially taking photos of nature. She also loved reading - science fiction books were her favorite. When she was older, June found a job that combined two of her favorite things, science and photography, by working with electron microscopes. Through this work, June was able to photograph antibodies and viruses on a microscopic level, which helped scientists find and identify viruses. In 1964, scientists around the world found a new and unique virus that no one had seen before. It was through June’s photographs that a clear picture emerged of the dots surrounding the virus, which looked like a crown - or corona in Latin! They decided to name it coronavirus.
Blog Post
Life Spectrum Doulas
by mrajraspn08
The best thing I did while pregnant was hire a doula. She was a huge help during and after my birth and helped with a difficult time. I was thrilled when I found out that there are doulas for other major life events!
There are doulas for birth, but what about when a pregnancy ends another way, through miscarriage, adoption, or abortion? The Doulas! points out how challenging this can be, and how little support there is for those going through such events. With personal narratives and medical experience, The Doulas offers a starting place for an expansion of doula care, with an added bonus of being gender-inclusive.
Caring for the Dying addresses doula work from the other end of life. It provides guidance for the dying and their loved ones from reminiscing on the life lived, creating ritual around the final days, and working with loved ones to process the death that has occurred. If hiring a doula isn’t possible, reading through this book for suggestions and counsel may help to make a trying time just a little bit easier.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #781
by muffy
The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World,* * Laura Imai Messina’s English-language debut (translated from the Italian by Lucy Rand) is an international bestseller (also available in downloadable eBook and audiobook). It is inspired by the author’s visit to a wind phone (風の電話, kaze no denwa) in Otsuchi, (Iwate Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan), a rural town decimated by the 2011 tsunami.
On March 11, 2011, an earthquake off the coast of Japan caused a tsunami that reached miles inland, killing an estimated 15,897 people, among them Yui’s mother and 3-year-old daughter. Relocated to Tokyo, she makes the arduous journey every month to the garden created by artist Itaru Sasaki where visitors could hold one-way conversations with deceased loved ones in an old disused telephone booth. But once there, radio host Yui finds that she cannot bring herself to speak into the receiver.
Instead she finds Tokyo surgeon Takeshi, a bereaved husband whose own daughter has stopped talking in the wake of her mother’s death. Over time, they form a deep connection to the place, to each other, and others who make use of the phone.
“This wonderful, gentle, hopeful story leads the reader through the beginning of Yui and Takeshi’s 30 years together. Through their sorrow and grief, they learn how to let happiness, hope, joy, and laughter reside side by side with their memories of loss. It is a beautifully written book. Messina, an Italian who has lived in Tokyo for 15 years, writes in a way that’s evocative of Kazuo Ishiguro but in an opposite way: While Ishiguro leads with comfort and hints at the sadness to come, Messina offers grief and sadness first but offers the reader a trail of breadcrumbs toward future happiness. A must-read. “ (Kirkus Reviews)
Since it has been opened to the public, the wind phone has received over 30,000 visitors. A number of replicas (including one in Aspen Mountain, Colorado to commemorate persons who died in the COVID-19 pandemic) have been constructed around the world. It is the inspiration for several novels and films, including The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden, a 2019 picture book by Canadian writer Heather Smith.
* * = 2 starred reviews
Blog Post
Gender Inclusive Pregnancy
by mrajraspn08
When I was pregnant, there was little to no books for me. I could read books about pregnancy, but it was always “mom” this, “mom” that. This is great for most people, but for those who don’t identify as a mom, they’re left out of the conversation during an important time in their life. This prompted me to write a fictional account of my own experience as trans person trying to start a family, navigating everything from the foster care system to pregnancy, just to have something out there for people like me.
But last year brought us Why Did No One Tell Me This?, a gender inclusive pregnancy book. Doulas and reproductive specialists answer pregnancy questions in a funny and relatable way that anyone would appreciate, but the use of terms like “parent” and “chestfeeding” makes it a veritable lifesaver for those outside or on the other end of the binary. Besides providing information for the entire pregnancy journey, it’s also just incredibly affirming, however you view your body and identity. It’s exciting not just to have a book for trans and queer people’s pregnancies, but to have one like this!
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #780
by muffy
“May you grow up to be righteous, may you grow up to be true. May you always know the truth and see the lights surrounding you. May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong. May you stay forever young.” ~ Bob Dylan
Set in the Wisconsin's Northwoods where the author grew up, Raft of Stars * (also available in eBook and audiobook) by Andrew Graff is the adventures of 10-year-olds Fischer "Fish" Branson and Dale "Bread" Breadwin the summer of 1994. Fearing that he had killed Bread’s abusive father with his own gun, Fish and Bread fled into the woods around Claypot, WI. With limited supplies and great ingenuity, the pair crafted a raft to carry them down the river. Their destination - the armory where Fish’s father was a decorated soldier.
Cal, the new sheriff in town, and Fish’s grandfather Teddy, with whom he spent his summers took off after them on horseback, trying to intercept them before the deadly rapids, while Fish's mother Miranda, and Tiffany, a purple-haired gas station attendant who found a rare connection with Cal, were making their way in a canoe to reach the boys.
“By the time these six converge at a perilous waterfall, each has come to know more about themselves and each other. Though the resolution yields few surprises, Graff depicts the harsh Northwoods setting and his misfit characters' inner lives with equal skill. The dynamic quest narrative offers plenty of rich moments.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Reminiscent of stories like Stand By Me and Have You Seen Luis Velez?, Graff's debut novel will enchant fans of Chris Cleave and Melissa Bank. Graff's narrative voice is lyrical, with a Southern Gothic edge that fits surprisingly well with the Wisconsin Northwoods setting. Exploring the necessity of the stories we tell ourselves to survive, Raft of Stars is a clever, compelling coming-of-age tale.“ (Booklist)
In The Music of Bees * (also available in downloadable eBook and audiobook) by Eileen Garvin, each of the 26 chapters opens with an observation from L. L. Langstroth, American apiarist, considered to be the father of American beekeeping. It tells the story of how three lonely strangers in a rural Oregon town save the local honeybee population.
44 year-old widow Alice Holtzman, a hobbyist beekeeper in Hood River, Ore. is driving home at twilight with a truck-load of new beehives when distracted, nearly runs over 18 year-old Jake Stevenson in his wheelchair. Left paraplegic from an accident at a graduation party, and with his music scholarship gone, Jake rides his chair all over town to escape his abusive father. Charmed by Jake’s sincere interest in her bees, Alice invites Jake to stay at her farm.
To extend her hive operation, Alice hires Harry Stokes, a 25 year-old with little option and no family for some carpentry work, and ends up offering him the use of the bunkhouse, and soon the trio find themselves friends as well as family. As Alice toils at her underappreciated job at the county planning department, Jake increasingly takes on the beekeeping responsibilities, and is the first to notice that something is killing the bees. They soon identify the threat - the pesticide conglomerate SupraGro, openly courting the local orchards with free products.
“Both buoyant and bittersweet, Garvin's impressive first novel, a luscious paean to the bonds of friendship and limitations of family, is the kind of comforting yet thought-provoking tale that will appeal to fans of Anne Tyler and Sue Miller.” (Booklist)
* = Starred review