Deborah Hopkinson

NonfictionHistory

Crusaders

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Dan Jones, author of The Templars, returns to dazzle readers with a fascinating look at the Crusades. And lest you hesitate because events that took place a thousand years ago appear irrelevant, rest assured: This is no dry, boring tome. Entering the world of Crusaders: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands is a bit like plunging into the political machinations of the fight for the Iron Throne of Westeros, only in this case all the players and events are real.

Like “Game of Thrones,” this epic tale is peopled with a large cast. Helpfully, Jones begins with a chart of major characters (17 pages’ worth). The book also boasts several maps, copious source notes, lists of major rulers in the appendix and, of course, an extensive bibliography. In other words, even neophytes will feel well armed to appreciate the journey.

And what a journey (or rather journeys) it is. The book is organized into three parts, with the first section devoted to the personalities and events that birthed the crusader movement from the 1060s forward; the second takes place in the 12th century and focuses on crusader states in Syria and Palestine; and the third covers the events that precipitated the Second and Third Crusades in 1144 and 1187.

Jones’ focus on human characters and his strength as a storyteller are what make Crusaders a success. Vivid descriptions and the use of primary source quotes help readers span the centuries. The book begins, for instance, with a colorful scene between a Norman count reacting to advice from his courtiers: “Count Roger of Sicily lifted his leg and farted. ‘By the truth of my religion,’ he exclaimed, ‘there is more use in that than in what you have to say!’ ”

In a thought-provoking epilogue, Jones brings his narrative into the present day. For while the Crusades are part of history, violent conflicts between Christians and Muslims continue to shadow the 21st century. “The Crusades are over,” Jones notes in a final thought. “But as long as there are crusaders—real or imaginary—in the world, the war goes on and on.”

Dan Jones, author of The Templars, returns to dazzle readers with a fascinating look at the Crusades. And lest you hesitate because events that took place a thousand years ago appear irrelevant, rest assured: This is no dry, boring tome. Entering the world of…

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Oh, Rats!

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Tor Seidler, acclaimed author of A Rat’s Tale, revisits the theme of community in this New York City adventure of a hapless squirrel named Phoenix.

Snatched from his wooded New Jersey home by a hawk named Walter, Phoenix is dropped onto the hot tar of a Manhattan construction site, where he escapes with his life but loses most of his fur—including his beautiful bushy tail. Phoenix has always despised the “naked worm-tail” of the rat, along with the creatures sporting them, but now finds himself forced to look anew at his prejudices. As the days pass, Phoenix comes to appreciate the highly organized community of wharf rats that comes together to nurse him back to health. There’s P. Pandora Pack-Rat, the wise matriarch healer, as well as the kind and friendly Lucy and her literary brother, the aptly named Beckett, who’s teaching himself to read (and write) from the various newspapers and past issues of The New Yorker the rats collect for winter heating.

Phoenix’s climbing abilities and Beckett’s communication skills come in handy when the community is threatened by a developer intent on demolishing the pier. Phoenix and his new friends hatch a daring protest and attempt to dismantle the nearby electric substation. Can the community be saved? Can it rally support among humans? And when the opportunity arises, will Phoenix return to his own kind or decide to make his home on the Hudson River?

While young readers will be enthralled by Phoenix’s adventures, which are enhanced by Gabriel Evans’ delightful illustrations, Oh, Rats!, also offers lots of opportunities for discussion about being part of a community and how neighbors come together in times of crisis.

Tor Seidler, acclaimed author of A Rat’s Tale, revisits the theme of community in this New York City adventure of a hapless squirrel named Phoenix.

Snatched from his wooded New Jersey home by a hawk named Walter, Phoenix is dropped onto the hot tar of…

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Some Places More Than Others

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

A new book by Renée Watson, Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winner, is always a cause for celebration. In Some Places More Than Others, the Oregon-born Watson has penned a love letter to her adopted home of New York City where, in addition to writing, she serves as founder and executive director of I, Too, Arts Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing underrepresented voices in the creative arts.

Eleven-year-old Amara lives in Beaverton, Oregon, with her parents and a baby sister on the away. Amara is also eagerly anticipating her upcoming birthday and knows exactly what she wants: to accompany her father, a Nike executive, on a business trip to New York City. Amara wants to get to know her father’s family in Harlem. Her dad hasn’t talked to Grandpa Earl in 12 years, though he is close with his sister, Aunt Tracey. Amara has never even met her teenage cousins.

At first, Amara’s mother is against the trip, which isn’t the only point of tension between the two. Amara balks at the dresses her designer mom makes her wear. She’d much rather wear the new shoes her sports marketing dad can get. Her mother agrees to the trip when Amara begins a school assignment called the Suitcase Project, in which she must fill a suitcase with poems, objects and essays about her family. Amara’s mother also gives her a special task: to make sure that her dad and grandpa have some time alone to reconnect.

Amara’s first-hand discovery of black culture in Harlem is a revelation, as is the news that her father loved to write poetry in high school, something Grandpa Earl didn’t understand. Amara realizes that just as she is feeling pressure from her mother to be something she’s not, her own dad was pressured by Grandpa Earl to be someone he wasn’t. As Amara gets to know her family and the city, Watson expertly balances her heroine’s outward adventures with her inner exploration of identity, family heritage, black history and independence.

With an appealing narrator and a celebration of family and community, Some Places More Than Others is a story for all readers.

A new book by Renée Watson, Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winner, is always a cause for celebration. In Some Places More Than Others, the Oregon-born Watson has penned a love letter to her adopted home of New York City where, in addition…

Children's & YAPicture Book

You Are My Friend

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Canadian author Aimee Reid and the incomparable illustrator Matt Phelan team up for an accessible introduction to the life of Fred Rogers for young readers. Although it is fictionalized, the book incorporates a factual biography of Rogers in the back, as well as notes from the author and illustrator and a select bibliography.

The story begins with an aspect of Fred Rogers’ life that many adult readers may not know: He was a sickly child who suffered from allergies and spent a lot of time inside and alone. In his own neighborhood, Rogers was bullied. Thanks to helpers, including his grandfather, Rogers gained confidence and a strong sense of values that became the underpinning of his groundbreaking television series, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” As the book tells us, “His grandpa told Fred that he liked him just the way he was. He said Fred was special and that, just by being himself, Fred made the day special, too.”

The book includes scenes of Rogers reaching out to other helpers in the community. Although one scene shows Rogers surrounded by a gathering of diverse children, this aspect of the book might have been strengthened by mentioning, for instance, African American police officer Officer Clemmons, who appeared on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

Overall, however, Reid’s simple text and Phelan’s soft pencil and watercolor illustrations come together to capture the gentle force of nature that was Mister Rogers himself.

Canadian author Aimee Reid and the incomparable illustrator Matt Phelan team up for an accessible introduction to the life of Fred Rogers for young readers.
Science Fiction & FantasyYA FictionYAFantasy

The Storm Crow

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

As The Storm Crow opens, Princess Thia of Rhodaire is soaring over the city of Aris, perched on the back of a strong and beautiful storm crow. It’s a special day for the teenage princess. On this night she won’t be riding a borrowed crow but will get her very own.

Then tragedy strikes. Rhodaire’s enemies set fire to the rookery, destroying all the crows, and Thia’s mother and her beloved aunt are both killed in the attack. The princess plunges into months of depression, and the kingdom is at risk without the crows. 

Knowing that a full-on war would destroy Rhodaire, Thia’s older sister, now Queen Caliza, arranges a match between Thia and Prince Ericen, son of Queen Razel of Illucia, the enemy who destroyed all Thia held dear. But just when all seems hopeless, Thia makes a discovery that could change everything. A single crow’s egg has somehow survived the devastating fire, and if she can find a way to hatch the egg, and if Caliza can convince a neighboring kingdom to come to their aid, they just might stand a chance against Illucia.

Storm crows might not be as spectacular as dragons, but teen readers will nonetheless marvel as Thia soars through the sky, and as she strategizes to survive in Illucia and negotiate her relationship with her intended. Debut author Kalyn Josephson is adept at world building, and with its powerful women and diverse set of characters, The Storm Crow is sure to attract a loyal following.

As The Storm Crow opens, Princess Thia of Rhodaire is soaring over the city of Aris, perched on the back of a strong and beautiful storm crow. It’s a special day for the teenage princess. On this night she won’t be riding a borrowed crow but will get her very own.

NonfictionEssays

I Like to Watch

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Emily Nussbaum, the Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic for The New Yorker, explores the fascinating and ever-evolving medium of television in I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution. This insightful, thought-provoking collection of essays includes both previously published and new work, with topics ranging from “difficult women” and exploring the legacy of “Sex and the City” to arts criticism in the age of Trump and how “Black-ish” rethinks the family sitcom.

In the author’s preface, she explains her selection process: The essays aren’t about her favorite shows or based on any sort of rating system. Instead, she writes, “These reviews are simply the ones I thought held up the best as criticism—and also the ones that most effectively made my argument about TV.” And hold up they do, as Nussbaum turns her gaze on Joan Rivers, “Jane the Virgin,” “True Detective” and product integration.

It seems fitting that Nussbaum begins her entertaining collection with a new essay entitled “The Big Picture: How Buffy the Vampire Slayer Turned Me into a TV Critic.” Here she contrasts that show with the cultural impact of “The Sopranos.” She goes on to explore the many ways in which television has changed—and revolutionized—since her own TV-watching childhood in the 1970s. And she reveals how this public square of our culture has continued to reshape and reinvent itself anew in often surprising ways.

It’s also here, in this first essay, that Nussbaum reveals her own model of criticism: “It’s about celebrating what never stops changing.” Whether you’ve long been a TV fan or you’ve recently found yourself returning to this fascinating medium for long binge-watching sessions, this is a book you won’t want to miss.

Emily Nussbaum, the Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic for The New Yorker, explores the fascinating and ever-evolving medium of television in I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution. This insightful, thought-provoking collection of essays includes both previously published and new work, with topics ranging from “difficult women” and exploring the legacy of “Sex and the City” to arts criticism in the age of Trump and how “Black-ish” rethinks the family sitcom.

Nonfiction

Monsieur Mediocre

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Ah, Paris! There’s no other city quite like it. And these days, when Americans are finding vacations as scarce as video rental stores, it’s hard not to look with longing at the six weeks’ getaway still in vogue across the pond.

In truth, American-born columnist John von Sothen didn’t move to France for the vacations. Fifteen years ago, as a young writer living in New York, he fell in love with a French actress. When Anais became pregnant, the couple moved to Paris. Now the father of two teens, von Sothen has penned an entertaining memoir of his life as a husband, father and constantly surprised expat.

Take those notions of idyllic vacations. “I learned the hard way my first few years in France that vacation wasn’t to be trifled with,” von Sothen reveals. Turns out vacations are more like expeditions, undertaken with a group of friends and requiring extensive planning. Forget long, unscheduled days of relaxation. Instead, group activities reign supreme. “On the first night of my first French vacation, I was told I’d be running a two-week workshop.”

Von Sothen also dissects dinner parties, for which guests often arrive more than an hour late. We witness him learning the ins and outs of urban parenting and shepherding his children through the French education system, where timeliness does matter. Latecomers must sit on “a bench of shame.”

But while von Sothen’s vibrant memoir is often humorous, he is also a thoughtful observer of politics and modern family life, including the pain of living far from elderly parents and the unique perspective that comes from being an outsider. As his wife, Anais, tells the author, “We critique best what we love the most.” And that is definitely true for Monsieur Mediocre.

Jonathan von Sothen has penned a hilarious, entertaining memoir of his life as a husband, father and constantly surprised American in France.
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A Kind of Paradise

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

No one expected 7th-grader Jamie Bunn to be called into the principal’s office. No one thought that quiet, artistic Jamie would be the one to violate her middle school’s strict Honor Code, especially not while trying to help a cute boy named Trey cheat on a test about Jane Eyre. And to make things worse, Trey’s sister, Jamie’s long-time nemesis, posts Jamie’s revealing apology letter to Trey for everyone to see.

Now, Jamie must live the consequences, which means summer community service at the Foxfield Public Library. There, she meets three caring adults who epitomize what we love about public libraries. There’s the warm and loving Sonia, an immigrant from Puerto Rico who makes everyone feel welcome; the committed director, Beverly, battling to save her library from budget cuts; and part-time worker Lenny, who loves to bake and harbors a not-so-secret crush on Sonia. Jamie’s perspective broadens further as she is drawn into the life stories of patrons like Wally, an elderly film lover who brings a flower each week and a homeless man she calls Black Hat Guy.

Tan’s debut novel is a warm-hearted look at some of the ways in which community libraries touch lives in unexpected ways. Jamie’s growth is believable and will ring true to young readers. And it goes without saying that book lovers of all ages can always make room for another story centered in a bookstore or library, especially one that features Jane Eyre.

Tan’s debut novel is a warm-hearted look at some of the ways in which community libraries touch lives in unexpected ways.

Children's & YAPicture Book

The Not-So Great Outdoors

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

In her debut as both illustrator and author, Madeline Kloepper depicts the story of a reluctant city kid facing the prospect of a family camping trip with a huge amount of skepticism and reluctance. The narrator, clearly attached to her diverse, urban neighborhood, can’t imagine enjoying herself without electricity, street musicians, fountains or sculptures. “It’s not like there’s anything out here,” she gripes.

The magic in The Not-So Great Outdoors is the juxtaposition of the narrator’s words against Kloepper’s richly imagined wild landscapes, replete with running streams, plants, songbirds and, of course, bears. As the story proceeds, we see the girl, who is part of a mixed-race family, beginning to open up and see the wonders before her. There may not be city lights, but there are stars. And while there are no playgrounds, there are logs to cross and caves to explore.

The Not-So Great Outdoors is also a reminder of the simple pleasures of family camping—toasting marshmallows, going for walks, cooking on a camp stove and fishing. The book is clearly a labor of love for Kloepper, and with its simple, tongue-in-cheek text and gorgeous artwork, it’s the perfect picture book to help prepare those (perhaps reluctant) future campers in your life.

In her debut as both illustrator and author, Madeline Kloepper depicts the story of a reluctant city kid facing the prospect of a family camping trip with a huge amount of skepticism and reluctance.

YA FictionYA

Ordinary Girls

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Blair Thornburgh’s second novel, Ordinary Girls, is a delightful, contemporary take on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility with a bit of Brontë sprinkled in for fun.

Plum and her older sister, Ginny, live in an old house along with their widowed mom, an assortment of pets and a gay doctoral student in music whom they call “Almost-Doctor Andrew.” Unlike the sisters in Austen’s novel, it’s not the death of their father but a plumbing disaster—combined with a publishing demise—that precipitates their family’s financial ruin. Their mother learns that the popular children’s book series she illustrated is being reissued for its 25th anniversary with a new artist. The result? No more royalties.

For high school senior Ginny, who’s caught up in the pressure of college admissions, the weight of social expectations has become nearly unbearable. Like Marianne in Austen’s novel, she loses herself and even has a frightening brush with death.

Early on, however, it’s the plumbing situation that propels Plum outside her self-imposed cocoon. A loud sophomore boy named Tate Kurokawa offers Plum the use of his family’s shower. From there, Plum ends up tutoring Tate in English (her foray into governessing), and the two seemingly mismatched teens begin to make surprising discoveries about each other and themselves.

Although Thornburgh’s intended audience is young adults, Ordinary Girls is a romantic comedy that’s perfect for adult Janeites. So if you’re looking for a gift for a sister or a friend who loves books about people who love books, pick up this humorous, heartwarming tale by a very talented novelist.

Blair Thornburgh’s second novel, Ordinary Girls, is a delightful, contemporary take on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility with a bit of Brontë sprinkled in for fun.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Ruby’s Sword

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Author Jacqueline Véissid’s debut picture book Ruby’s Sword is the kind of simple family story that sometimes gets lost in the flurry of children’s publishing. But with its resolute young heroine and gorgeous, summery illustrations, this is a perfect example of a book young readers will want to curl up with and read again and again.

Argentinean artist Paola Zakimi shows little-sister Ruby wading through tall grass as she tries to catch up with her two older brothers. When Ruby flops down to rest on her own, the wind blows her way and reveals something special—sticks in the shapes of swords.

In Ruby’s hand, her “sword” vanquishes a fearsome dragon. But fighting dragons is best with companions, and the generous Ruby races to grant swords to her siblings. Sadly, her gift is not at first appreciated, and Ruby is once again left to her own devices. But soon, the magical world she begins to create becomes irresistible, and her two brothers return to join in. Together, the three children work to build a magnificent castle from the simplest of materials: a sheet from the clothesline, sticks, rocks and flowers.

Ruby’s Sword is a reminder of the importance of imaginative and collaborative play for young children. Perhaps this story will remind parents or grandparents of their own long-ago forts and imaginary adventures. If there’s no beautiful, bucolic meadow like the one Zakimi depicts nearby, don’t worry. When you’re fighting dragons, sometimes all you need is the corner of a backyard.

Author Jacqueline Véissid’s debut picture book Ruby’s Sword is the kind of simple family story that sometimes gets lost in the flurry of children’s publishing. But with its resolute young heroine and gorgeous, summery illustrations, this is a perfect example of a book young readers will want to curl up with and read again and again.

NonfictionHistoryAmerican History

The Guarded Gate

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Daniel Okrent, best known as the first public editor of the New York Times and the author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, brings his considerable research and narrative talents to a neglected, disturbing aspect of America’s past: the creation of harsh anti-immigrant laws driven by eugenics.

Okrent begins his detailed, compulsively readable account with a bit of family history: He descends from Jewish immigrants from Poland and Romania. While Okrent’s ancestors slipped through the gate, strict immigration limits were imposed on many Jews, Italians, Greeks and Poles seeking new lives in the United States between 1924 and 1965. Okrent traces the rise of the supposed science of eugenics, which underscored legislation and categorized whole groups of people as having such imagined traits as “defective inheritance” or “inferior blood,” and which promoted the notion that the average intelligence of a steerage immigrant was “low, perhaps of moron grade.” Through his analysis, Okrent chronicles the forces and individuals behind the Immigration Restriction Act of 1924, which effectively made Ellis Island, once the symbol of America’s melting pot, into what one observer called “a deserted village.”

Okrent follows immigration policy through World War II, where quotas and restrictions had horrifying results for the generation of Jews desperate to escape Nazi-occupied Europe. Okrent notes: “had the immigration regulations that began to change in 1921 remained as they were before, many, many people who might otherwise have found their way to Chicago or Boston . . . perished instead.”

Okrent spent five years researching this sobering look at immigration policies based on bigotry and racism and how they shaped America in the 20th century. Now, in the 21st, The Guarded Gate: Bigotry, Eugenics, and the Law That Kept Two Generations of Jews, Italians, and Other European Immigrants Out of America is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the history of immigration in the United States—and how the past might be relevant to policy makers and citizens today.

Daniel Okrent brings his narrative talents to a neglected, disturbing aspect of America’s past: the creation of harsh anti-immigrant laws driven by eugenics.
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins

Review by Deborah Hopkinson

Gail Shepherd’s colorful debut novel The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins takes place in 1985 in the town of Love’s Forge, Tennessee. As the story opens, 11-year-old Lyndie and her parents have lost their home and have had to move in with her grandparents.

Lyndie is an outspoken, curious girl who loves research, history and getting to the bottom of things, but her quest to discover the truth about her father’s job loss and her parents’ strained relationship isn’t easy. One thing Lyndie does know is that it’s best to keep her daddy’s habit of hiding George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey in his glove box a secret from her opinionated grandma, who isn’t so sure that her son, a wounded Vietnam vet, quite knows how to raise Lyndie into a proper young lady. As for Lyndie’s mom who’s moved into a small room alone: “When she’s not at her new job at Miller’s Department she stays holed up in that room chewing on Bayer aspirins.”

In addition to Lyndie’s troubled family situation, her best friend Dawn is dealing with the outcome of her own issues; Dawn’s family is taking in a boy named D.B. who’s just come from a reform school. Eventually, both Lyndie’s father and D.B. realize they cannot outrun their past, and that they instead must undertake the long, hard work of trying to recover.

This richly voiced story explores themes of PTSD, the hope of redemption and the importance of friends and family. Full of humor and insights, The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins will give middle school readers much to think and talk about.

Gail Shepherd’s colorful debut novel The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins takes place in 1985 in the town of Love’s Forge, Tennessee. As the story opens, 11-year-old Lyndie and her parents have lost their home and have had to move in with her grandparents.

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