Julie Hale

Children's & YAPicture Book

Eyes all aglow for magical picture books

Feature by Julie Hale

Are your little elves brimming with Yuletide cheer? To help them (and you!) survive till Santa arrives, try curling up together with a holiday story. We suggest one of the merry books below. Ho, ho, ho!

Patricia Toht captures the thrill of one of the best parts of the season in the warm, wonderful Pick a Pine Tree. In buoyant, rhymed stanzas, Toht recounts one family’s holiday preparations, from selecting the perfect pine to placing a special star at the top of the tree. It’s a community affair, as friends arrive to untangle the tinsel and unpack ornaments: “Jolly Santas. / Dancing elves. / Wooden reindeer. / Jingle bells.” Capturing the merriment of the occasion, Jarvis’ illustrations feature wide-eyed children, mischievous pets, an electric train with teddy bear passengers and lots of twinkling lights. Filled with infectious joy, Toht’s book is a gift from start to finish.

HIGH-FLYING SURPRISE
A young girl has an unforgettable adventure in Nicola Killen’s The Little Reindeer. On Christmas Eve, Ollie is awakened by a tinkling sound. Determined to find out where it’s coming from, she slips outside and sleds into the woods, where she finds a collar with bells hanging on a tree. Ollie is astonished when a reindeer—one of Santa’s own—emerges from the forest to claim it. The magical creature surprises Ollie when he takes her for a ride through a sky filled with stars. Killen’s illustrations feature fun cutouts that give readers a peek of what’s on the next page. This jolly tale delivers a sleighful of Christmas charm.

THE GREATEST GIFT
Lezlie Evans’ Finding Christmas is a stirring little story about the importance of giving. It’s Christmas Eve, and Hare, Mouse and Squirrel are celebrating in their cozy burrow. Hare is trimming the tree, while Squirrel is baking cookies. In need of a gift for Hare, Mouse heads out into the woods, where she finds a helpless swallow lying in the snow. The three friends bring the bird home and nurse her back to health using the gifts they were planning to give each other for Christmas. The presence of their new friend makes the holiday extra special. Yee Von Chan’s delicate illustrations add plenty of appeal to this touching tale. Little readers will want to spend the holiday with Evans’ sweet creatures.

THEATER ENCHANTMENT
Elly MacKay’s wordless picture book, Waltz of the Snowflakes, sparkles with the magic of Christmas and the allure of the stage. On a wet December night, Gran takes her unwilling granddaughter to see The Nutcracker ballet. The young girl doesn’t want to go out in the nasty weather (or wear a dress!), but at the theater, she falls in love with the spectacle of the performance. The book is divided into two acts, with an intermission, and by the time the curtain falls, the girl has befriended a young boy in the audience. In intricate illustrations that have depth and texture, MacKay’s paper-cut figures stand out against colorful backdrops. Dancers-to-be will ask for encores of this enchanting book.

SUGAR PLUM
Set during the Harlem Renaissance, T.E. McMorrow’s The Nutcracker in Harlem is an inspired re-envisioning of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s beloved story. Marie is excited about the holidays but shy around the people who show up for her Uncle Cab’s Christmas party. When she falls asleep beneath the Christmas tree with the nutcracker Cab gave her, she dreams of an army of mice fighting against a group of soldiers. In Marie’s dream, the nutcracker is a brave young officer who partners her in a dance. Artist James E. Ransome adds 1920s-era touches to the story through vibrant watercolor illustrations that brim with the mystery of Christmas. This is a holiday gem that readers of all ages will treasure.

COME IN, COME IN
The sweet, seasonal book A Christmas for Bear is the latest entry in Bonny Becker’s popular Bear and Mouse series. Cranky as ever, Bear is preparing for his first proper Christmas party, but his ideas for celebrating (eating pickles and reading poetry) aren’t quite what Mouse, his little guest, has in mind! Hoping for a present, Mouse explores the house high and low. Meanwhile, Bear—bluffing—insists that gifts are “unnecessary hogwash.” When Mouse finally discovers his present from Bear, the festivities really begin. The opposing personalities of timid Mouse and grumpy Bear shine in Kady MacDonald Denton’s expressive illustrations. This playful story is sure to become a holiday favorite.

 

This article was originally published in the December 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Are your little elves brimming with Yuletide cheer? To help them (and you!) survive till Santa arrives, try curling up together with a holiday story. We suggest one of the merry books below. Ho, ho, ho!

Children's & YAPicture Book

One-of-a-kind connections: Picture books of special friendships

Feature by Julie Hale

When it comes to making friends, timing is everything. And when two people really click, magic can occur! The books below celebrate perfect pairings—companions who find each other at just the right moment.

TAKING FLIGHT WITH A FRIEND
A homebody learns what it’s like to step outside his comfort zone in Gus Gordon’s whimsical Somewhere Else (ages 4 to 8). George, a white duck who wears a tweed cap, is a rare bird, indeed. Content to stay in the kitchen and whip up pastries, he has no desire to explore the outside world. George’s mates stop inviting him on outings, except for his faithful bear friend, Pascal. When Pascal discovers why George sticks close to home (it’s a secret!), he’s determined to remedy the situation, and the two set off on an incredible journey in the sky. There’s a lot to look at in this appealing little book, thanks to Gordon’s ingenious, collage-like illustrations, which blend drawings, photographs and old newspaper clippings. This fanciful portrait of the power of companionship is sure to draw in young readers.

A CHANGE OF HEART
Tommy Greenwald’s Hooked (ages 4 to 6) is a warmhearted tale about fishing and family. A natural-born angler, young Joe has the focus and patience required to wait for a great catch. Not so his father, who finds the sport dull. “I like more action,” he says. “And I don’t like worms.” In search of company for his fishing excursions, Joe becomes a part of his local fishing club. When the group plans an ice fishing trip—an outing that requires parental accompaniment—Joe’s father reluctantly agrees to come along. The excursion doesn’t go quite as expected (Joe hooks a stuffed elephant!), but the two bond during their time on the ice. And when spring rolls around, Joe’s father is ready to cast a line. Illustrated with precision and delicacy by David McPhail, Hooked captures the special rapport that exists between father and son.

FRIENDSHIP IN THE FORECAST
The Pink Umbrella (ages 6 to 9) by Amélie Callot shows how small gestures of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life. Adele is the proprietress of the Polka-Dot Apron, a cheery café that she decorates with fresh flowers. The café is popular with customers thanks to Adele’s buoyant personality. Indeed, the only thing that can dampen her spirit is rain! When the weather is gloomy, Adele stays in bed and keeps the café closed. One day at work, she discovers a surprise: bright pink rain boots that fit her perfectly. The boots are the first of many rain-related gifts (a pink raincoat comes next) that she receives from an unknown well-wisher—gifts that give her a new appreciation for gray skies and lead to a wonderful friendship. Geneviève Godbout’s colorful, spirited illustrations add to the enchantment of Adele’s adventures. Readers of all ages will appreciate this ray-of-sunshine story.

When it comes to making friends, timing is everything. And when two people really click, magic can occur! The books below celebrate perfect pairings—companions who find each other at just the right moment.

NonfictionBusiness & FinanceBody, Mind & Spirit

Warning: Work in progress

Feature by Julie Hale

Got goals for 2018? Yeah, we thought so. For gentle motivation, practical guidance and fresh ideas on how to make this the best year yet, check out the inspiring books below.

FIX YOUR FINANCES
January is the ideal time to size up your fiscal situation. If the prospect of looking at your checking account puts you in a panic, then pick up a copy of Chelsea Fagan’s The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner’s Guide to Getting Good with Money. This handy manual is packed with concise, clear advice on fundamentals like maintaining a personal budget and building credit. Fagan, a journalist and successful blogger, strikes a breezy, cordial tone on the page. Untangling knotty topics such as investing and retirement planning, she delivers a crash course in economics that’s informative and—yes!—enjoyable.

Featuring invaluable insights from a wide range of financial experts, The Financial Diet also includes economical recipes, tips for getting more mileage out of your wardrobe and smart suggestions for stretching that paycheck. “Saving money isn’t about depriving yourself,” Fagan says. “It’s about deciding you love Future You as much as you love Today You.” With a nifty layout by designer Lauren Ver Hage, this appealing book can help you make 2018 the year of spending—and saving—wisely.

BE YOUR BEST SELF
Does your 2018 to-do list include learning to love yourself? If the answer is yes, then here’s your next need-to-read title: Sarah Knight’s inspiring You Do You: How to Be Who You Are and Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want. An author with attitude (her 2015 book was titled The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck), Knight uses humor and a bold, cut-to-the-chase style to lay out strategies for avoiding what she calls Lowest Common Denominator Living—a follow-the-crowd mindset that smothers individuality.

Knight instead champions learning to identify—and successfully express—your needs and letting go of the expectations of others. And the concept of perfection that permeates our culture? Knight can show you how to tune it out and turn your weaknesses into assets. A self-esteem essential, You Do You will empower you to take risks and take charge of every aspect of your life. Self-love (not to mention like) can’t be achieved overnight, but Knight’s book will get you started.

REFINE YOUR CHARM
French femmes—self-possessed and effortlessly elegant—are the envy of women around the world. What gives them that extra edge? According to bestselling author Jamie Cat Callan, it’s charm, a quality the French appear to have perfected. In Parisian Charm School, Callan shows you how to cultivate the trait through a transformative take on life that includes practical steps for nurturing your own unique appeal.

In chapters enlivened by warm personal anecdotes and inspiring quotes, Callan provides assignments that will nudge you out of your routine and get you engaged with others. She offers instruction in charm-related undertakings, like how to plan a world-class dinner party (and command attention at said fête) and how to flirt effectively (yes, it’s possible to do this without sacrificing your dignity). She also recommends easy wardrobe adjustments with advice on wearing the bold colors you’ve always loved but may have been too much of a wallflower to try. Stepping out of your comfort zone will put you on the path to attaining Parisian allure. “Trust your heart,” Callan counsels. “Say yes. And bring the flowers.” Très charmant!

PICK UP A HABIT
Meditation: It’s one of those polarizing practices that seems to have as many detractors as devotees. ABC News anchor Dan Harris was a longtime doubter of the discipline—until he experienced a panic attack on live TV. In an effort to manage his anxiety, he turned to meditation, and it was a choice that transformed his life. Harris chronicled his conversion experience in his bestselling 2014 memoir, 10% Happier. In his new book, Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, co-authored with meditation teacher Jeff Warren and journalist Carlye Adler, Harris aims to find out why so many folks are resistant to the ritual. Hopping aboard the 10% Happier tour bus with the free-spirited Warren as his sidekick, Harris tours 18 states and talks to people from all walks of life about what keeps them from taking the meditation plunge. The reasons range from lack of time to boredom with the routine. Harris counters these and other impediments with practical advice on starting—and sticking with—a meditation regimen, and he offers easy techniques for neophytes. Harris’ book will revise your ideas about the ancient exercise and help you feel more focused in the months to come.

CHEAT ON YOUR DIET
Taking a more mindful approach to nutrition is a post-holiday objective many of us set for ourselves. Whether you’re trying to break a serial snacking habit or focus on long-term weight loss, you should take a look at Aaron Carroll’s The Bad Food Bible: How and Why to Eat Sinfully. In this informative, accessible book, Carroll, a doctor and healthcare expert, sifts through the research, advice and straight-up hype surrounding diets to reveal that some of the foods we view as off-limits aren’t as awful as we think.

According to Carroll, we can once again make room on our plates for red meat, eggs, dairy and bread. He discusses these and other controversial culinary categories in the book, stressing the significance of moderation along the way. “More important than what you’re eating is how you’re eating it—especially how often and how much,” he says. The book has plenty of sensible tips for maintaining a healthy diet, such as cooking nutritious dishes at home and making each meal a communal affair. After all, Carroll says, food is meant to be enjoyed. Here’s to a delicious new year!

 

This article was originally published in the January 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Got goals for 2018? Yeah, we thought so. For gentle motivation, practical guidance and fresh ideas on how to make this the best year yet, check out the inspiring books below.

Children's & YAPicture BookMiddle Grade

Stories to inspire: Picture books for Black History Month

Feature by Julie Hale

February is a special time for celebrating seminal figures and events from African-American history. Six new books pay tribute to the black pioneers of the past—trailblazers who made progress on the road to equality.

FINDING THE RIGHT PATH
Sandra Neil Wallace’s engaging biography Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery (ages 4 to 8) is a powerful story about the importance of dreams. Young Ernest loves to draw. When it rains, he scribbles figures in the mud with a stick. In his sketchbooks, he captures scenes from his Durham, North Carolina, neighborhood. He wants nothing more than to become an artist, but in the 1940s South, his chances are slim. When a coach recruits him for the high school football team, Ernest begins a successful career in sports. He’s offered 26 scholarships and plays with the pros. But through it all, he holds onto his desire to express himself—and in the end his dreams pay off. The story of his transition from athlete to artist is brought to vivid life through Bryan Collier’s rich illustrations. Featuring breathtaking examples of Barnes’ work, this is a top-notch introduction to an important artist.

CELEBRATING FEARLESS WOMEN
Vashti Harrison’s mini-encyclopedia of African-American heroines, Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History (ages 8 to 12), is accessible, informative and appealing. Featuring 40 brave and brilliant women who made significant contributions in the areas of politics, art, sports, education and entertainment, the book includes capsule biographies and magical portraits that capture each woman’s unique vocation. Readers will find a wide range of notables in this delightful anthology. Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Ella Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston and Raven Wilkinson are among those who receive tribute. Harrison also spotlights contemporary figures such as Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey and Julie Dash, and she provides a thoughtful reading list and information on additional resources. Her inviting illustrations—certain to capture the imaginations of little readers—make the book extra special. This outstanding volume is a great way to connect kids with role models and a title that’s sure to spark further study.

BEFORE HE PLAYED BALL
In The United States v. Jackie Robinson (ages 4 to 8), Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen delivers a fascinating chronicle of the early life of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. Young Jack grows up under segregation in Pasadena, California. His family is shunned by the neighbors, but Jack’s mother encourages her children to believe in themselves. A star athlete in college, Jack enlists in the army after Pearl Harbor is attacked, and there he continues to experience discrimination. One day, he sits down in the middle of the army bus, and the driver orders him to move to the back. When Jack refuses, he’s court-martialed and finds himself facing the threat of jail time. During the agonizing trial that follows, he holds tight to his beliefs—and comes out on top. R. Gregory Christie’s textured, impressionistic illustrations add a wonderful sense of history to the story. Youngsters will find a hero in this compelling tale.

MAKING HER OWN KIND OF MUSIC
Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten (ages 5 to 8) by Laura Veirs is a spirited homage to a folk icon. Libba finds music in everything, from the sound of the river to the movement of the train. She tries out her brother’s guitar, but because he’s right-handed, Libba—a leftie—has to flip the instrument over and play it backwards: “Nobody else played that way, but it was the way that felt right to Libba.” Libba practices and writes her own tunes, but as the years go by, her music falls by the wayside. When she goes to work for composer Ruth Crawford Seeger, Libba finds the inspiration to play again. With the Seegers’ help, she launches a successful musical career with engagements around the world. In her delicate, expressive illustrations, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh does a masterful job of tracing the arc of Libba’s life from eager girl to dignified grande dame. Readers will love learning about this innovative performer.

POEMS OF PRIDE
Sharing history through verse, Andrea Davis Pinkney tells the story of the final days of Martin Luther King Jr. in Martin Rising: Requiem for a King (ages 9 to 12). Featuring lyrical, impressionistic pieces as well as more concrete compositions, the book looks at the key events of 1968 via a diverse group of 39 poems. “Roar” chronicles a march in Memphis by striking sanitation workers, whose cause precipitates Martin’s fateful April visit: “They cling / to the peace-dream / of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” The bold, exclamatory “Shattered” captures the spirit of the March 28 protest Martin leads in Memphis: “Four words / shout simple affirmations / of their humanity: I AM A MAN.” From the sense of portentousness that grows on April 3 to the dramatic events of the following day, Pinkney portrays the passing of a remarkable man, using language in innovative ways. Brian Pinkney’s swirling, cascading, colorful illustrations provide an exhilarating backdrop for an outstanding collection of poems that’s destined to become a classic.

YOUNG LEADERS UNITE
Monica Clark-Robinson’s Let the Children March (ages 6 to 9) is a stirring account of the 1963 rally in Birmingham, Alabama, known as the Children’s Crusade. Clark-Robinson presents the story from the perspective of an African-American girl who goes to church with her family to hear Martin Luther King Jr. speak. When she learns that her mother and father will lose their jobs if they take part in the upcoming demonstration, the girl joins other young people who protest on behalf of their parents: “Hand in hand we marched—so frightened, yet certain of what was right for our freedom.” Beautifully realistic illustrations by Frank Morrison communicate the upheaval of the day—the girl is arrested with other youngsters—but there’s also a sense of hope in the story’s final scene of a desegregated playground filled with children. This is an impressive tribute to a group of courageous leaders.

February is a special time for celebrating seminal figures and events from African-American history. Six new books pay tribute to the black pioneers of the past—trailblazers who made progress on the road to equality.

FictionDebut Fiction

Stories from the homefront and beyond

Feature by Julie Hale

Is there anything better than the tension and tremendous heart of a rousing wartime tale, especially when it recounts the experiences of courageous heroes? Through globetrotting stories of loyalty and love, three new historical novels deliver an unforgettable look at the sacrifices of women during World War II.

In her fast-paced blend of fact and fiction, The Atomic City Girls, Janet Beard uses the viewpoints of a diffuse group of characters to create an impressively realized portrait of life in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the makeshift city where uranium for the atomic bomb was secretly generated during the war. Eighteen-year-old June Walker is excited and nervous about working at Oak Ridge, but she doesn’t know what to make of Cici Roberts, her gorgeous, flirtatious dormitory roommate. Between tedious shifts monitoring big machines and evening dances where they blow off steam, the two girls form a friendship. Like nearly everyone else in the city, they’re kept in the dark about the purpose of their work. Joe Brewer, an African-American man who’s part of a labor gang at Oak Ridge, adds another layer to the novel, as he works to send money home to his family. Providing an outsider’s perspective is Sam Cantor, a Jewish scientist from the Bronx. June—hoping to learn the secrets behind Oak Ridge—begins a romance with Sam, who has the shocking answers she needs.

A native of East Tennessee, Beard brings a sure grasp of the region’s past to the narrative and infuses her central characters with a Southern sensibility that’s pronounced but never parody. In this compelling novel, she distills the essence of an era.

A TALE OF TWO SISTERS
White Chrysanthemum, Mary Lynn Bracht’s assured, atmospheric debut, takes place in 1940s Korea during the Japanese occupation. Hana is a haenyeo, or sea woman—a female diver who catches fish in the ocean. Hana learned the trade from her mother, and she uses her earnings to help her family make ends meet. One day, during a dive, a Japanese soldier appears on the shore. When she tries to protect her younger sister, Emi, from the man, Hana is captured and taken to Manchuria, where she’s made to work as a comfort woman for the Japanese.

Decades later, Emi comes to Seoul to try to locate Hana and to join in the protests near the Japanese embassy in memory of women enslaved as prostitutes during the war. Emi has long been haunted by Hana’s disappearance and hopes to finally discover the rest of her sister’s story.

Bracht, an author of Korean descent, has produced a psychologically acute, emotionally resonant novel. She skillfully develops separate plots for the sisters and, with remarkable depth, portrays both the oppression of daily life during the occupation and the haunting aftereffects of the experience.

Rich with historical detail, White Chrysanthemum is a compelling and important account of civilian women’s lives during wartime.

RIDING THE TIDES OF WAR
Sara Ackerman delivers a dramatic saga of motherhood, loss and the possibility of renewal in Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers. In Hawaii, as the war effort ramps up, Violet Iverson struggles to make sense of her husband’s disappearance. Rumors about his fate are on the rise, and some locals believe he is working for the Japanese. The one person who might have answers is Violet’s daughter, Ella, but no amount of coaxing will make her talk about what she has seen. It seems she’s been scared into silence.

Joining forces with her female friends, Violet starts a pie stand near Camp Tarawa—an undertaking that gives the enlisted men a taste of home. When the women are accused of spying, Sergeant Stone, a bold marine, lends a helping hand. Violet soon finds herself in the grip of a strong attraction, but she faces the possibility of another loss when Stone leaves for Iwo Jima.

With a sensitive touch and an instinct for authenticity, Ackerman depicts the fraught nature of wartime relationships. The letters Violet receives from Stone are filled with a sense of yearning, and her devotion to him as he risks his life is palpable. Born and raised in Hawaii, Ackerman mixes romance, suspense and history into a bittersweet story of cinematic proportions.

 

This article was originally published in the February 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Is there anything better than the tension and tremendous heart of a rousing wartime tale, especially when it recounts the experiences of courageous heroes? Through globetrotting stories of loyalty and love, three new historical novels deliver an unforgettable look at the sacrifices of women during World War II.

NonfictionWomen's HistoryAmerican History

We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for

Feature by Julie Hale

Women speak up louder and stronger with every passing day, even though it can be hard to make the world listen. Women’s History Month is a time for recognizing the milestones reached on the road to equality and the pioneering women who have made progress possible. Five outstanding new titles focus on the female experience from a variety of viewpoints.

An inspiring tribute to 100 sensational women, Julia Pierpont’s The Little Book of Feminist Saints celebrates trailblazing figures from the past and present. This who’s who of winning women spotlights educators and athletes, artists and activists. Luminaries include Maya Angelou, Frida Kahlo, Gloria Steinem, Sandra Day O’Connor, Billie Jean King and Oprah Winfrey. Small but jam-packed, the volume contains facts and anecdotes about each woman, along with memorable quotes and plenty of feminist trivia. Taking her cue from Catholic saint-of-the-day books, Pierpont gives each woman in her book “matron saint” status and a special feast day. (Nina Simone, for instance, is the “Matron Saint of Soul.”) In luminous, full-color portraits, artist Manjit Thapp captures the essence and individuality of her subjects. Small enough to tuck into a bag, this delightful book offers instant inspiration.

PROGRESS AT THE POLLS
On August 18, 1920, Tennessee ratified the 19th Amendment—a history-making move by the state legislature that enabled women to vote in elections across the nation. In her absorbing new book, The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote, bestselling author Elaine Weiss retraces the road to victory traveled by female reformers such as Carrie Chapman Catt and Alice Paul. Weiss does a wonderful job of laying out the background of the American women’s suffrage movement, which began to take shape in the 1840s, providing a setup for the tension-filled debates and protests in Nashville that culminated in the August vote. Weiss brings the struggle for women’s suffrage to life through vivid portrayals of the suffragists and the “Antis” who challenged them, including Tennessee native Josephine Pearson. A lively slice of history filled with political drama, Weiss’ book captures a watershed moment for American women.

JOIN THE SISTERHOOD
The internet may make connecting with others easier than ever before, but there’s no substitute for old-fashioned, face-to-face friendship. In I Know How You Feel: The Joy and Heartbreak of Friendship in Women’s Lives, F. Diane Barth, a prominent psychotherapist, explores the particular challenges and rewards women face when forging friendships. Barth interviewed a wide range of women on the topic of friendship, and she includes their heartfelt testimonies in the book. She also provides advice on negotiating the thorny territory that often comes with connection, offering suggestions on what to do when a friend drops you, as well as guidance on relationships with women who are competitive or controlling. Each chapter concludes with a “What You Can Do” segment that has proactive steps on how to combat loneliness, reach out to others and find the unique fulfillment that comes with friendship. A compelling look at the ways in which women bond, Barth’s book is eye-opening and essential reading for anyone trying to build—or maintain—a strong social circle.

POWER TOGETHER
Beverly Bond established the organization BLACK GIRLS ROCK! in 2006 in order to support and promote the accomplishments of black women. Over the years, the organization has evolved into a movement, with an annual awards show, youth enrichment activities and now a book edited by Bond, Black Girls Rock!: Owning Our Magic. Rocking Our Truth., an inspiring salute to outstanding black women who are leading the way in politics, education and entertainment. This coffee table-worthy book spotlights fierce figures like Misty Copeland, Maxine Waters, Joy Reid, Lupita Amondi Nyong’o, Erykah Badu and Serena Williams, each of whom contribute thoughtful essays on their experiences as black women. Divided into nine sections that highlight a particular facet of “Black Girl Magic,” the volume is filled with gorgeous new and archival photographs. “The women in this book showcase the beautiful complexity, depth of diversity, rich cultural traditions, and bountiful contributions of Black women,” Bond writes. “They remind us of our collective magic.” Rock on!

EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE
Former USA Today editor-in-chief Joanne Lipman delivers a fascinating overview of today’s working environment in That’s What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together. In this important, accessible book, Lipman examines on-the-job dynamics between genders, addressing topics such as unconscious bias, communication and salary disparity. She also shares stories about her own professional evolution and investigates efforts by companies such as Google to create an equitable workplace. Women, Lipman says, “are attempting to fit into a professional world that was created in the image of men.” Drawing upon statistics from studies about women in the workplace, she explores the unique obstacles that female professionals face. (Case in point: According to one survey, women are 15 percent less likely to get promoted than men.) Perhaps most importantly, Lipman looks at the ways in which small businesses and large corporations alike can bridge the gender gap. Her book is a must-read for the career-minded reader—male or female.

 

This article was originally published in the March 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Women speak up louder and stronger with every passing day, even though it can be hard to make the world listen. Women’s History Month is a time for recognizing the milestones reached on the road to equality and the pioneering women who have made progress possible. Five outstanding new titles focus on the female experience from a variety of viewpoints.

Children's & YAPicture Book

New picture books celebrate female firsts

Feature by Julie Hale

March is a time for paying tribute to the pioneering heroines who paved the way for the generations of women after them. Three new biographies for young readers will introduce three extraordinary ladies who made lasting contributions in science and math.

SNAKE CHARMER
With a title that’s hard to top, Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles, by Patricia Valdez, is sure to intrigue little readers. As a girl in London during the early 1900s, Procter entertained an unorthodox fondness for snakes, lizards and turtles, which she studied with keen enthusiasm. Well-suited for a career in science, she eventually became curator of the Reptile House at the London Zoo—the first woman to hold the position. Asked to redesign the Reptile House, Procter created a cutting-edge enclosure with light and heat, along with plants similar to those found in the creatures’ native environments. Her career took off when two Komodo dragons—seven-foot-long lizards, one of whom Procter befriended—are brought to the zoo, attracting worldwide attention. Felicita Sala’s soft, colorful illustrations bring the story of Procter and her cherished reptiles to vivid life. There’s plenty to love about this playful biography of a trailblazing zoologist.

A KNACK FOR NUMBERS
Tanya Lee Stone chronicles the remarkable career of a 19th-century math whiz in Who Says Women Can’t Be Computer Programmers? The Story of Ada Lovelace. The daughter of poet Lord Byron, who deserted the family early on, young Ada was raised in Kent, England, by the strict Lady Byron. In an effort to curb any capriciousness her daughter might have inherited from her flighty father, Lady Byron made sure Ada received a first-rate education with an emphasis on mathematics. But there was no denying Ada’s creative side—she longed to design a pair of wings or a horse-shaped flying machine. When Ada met inventor Charles Babbage and assisted him with his calculating device, the Analytical Engine, she wrote what’s considered to be the first computer program. Stone’s story of how she comes into her own as a mathematician features whimsical illustrations by the incomparable Marjorie Priceman. Inspiring from start to finish.

MAKING HISTORY IN THE LAB
Demi provides a fact-filled yet accessible biography of a groundbreaking female physicist in Marie Curie. Born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, Marie—called Manya by her family—was an eager student who was captivated by her physics-teacher father’s scientific instruments. But she experienced her share of hardships and made the best of it after the deaths of her mother and sister. Given the opportunity to study in Paris, Marie attended the Sorbonne and graduated at the top of her class with degrees in physics and math. While in Paris, she also met and married like-minded scientist Pierre Curie. In the midst of raising children and keeping house, she conducted important research with Pierre involving radiation. The hard work paid off when the pair received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics. The first woman to receive the award, Marie had a history-making career. Demi’s luminous, finely detailed illustrations enliven this fascinating tale of a rare genius.

March is a time for paying tribute to the pioneering heroines who paved the way for the generations of women after them. Three new biographies for young readers will introduce three extraordinary ladies who made lasting contributions in science and math.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Pointing out the everyday possibilities for poetry

Feature by Julie Hale

Four terrific new collections of verse will show beginning readers that the possibilities for poetry are everywhere—in the backyard, on city streets and even (surprise!) in the classroom. Here’s to the poets of tomorrow!

INSPIRED BY NATURE
Sarah Grace Tuttle pays tribute to the wonders of the outside world in Hidden City: Poems of Urban Wildlife. Tuttle’s playful poetic romp through the great outdoors features pieces inspired by the insects, plants and—of course—animals that can be found in urban areas. Her free-verse poems are filled with strong imagery and arresting phrases. In “Falcon Fledge,” a baby peregrine falcon on a high-rise building “teeters thirty-two stories above / busy sidewalks and a traffic jam.” In “At the Park,” under the limbs of a willow tree, “two ducks dabble down— / heads underwater / tail feathers above.” “Community Garden” celebrates a flourishing neighborhood flower bed, where “snakes sun themselves / by the graffitied wall.” From a pesky mouse to a fierce feral cat, this memorable collection introduces youngsters to an intriguing cast of wild characters. Amy Schimler-Safford’s multilayered illustrations bring depth, richness and color to the proceedings. Little readers will enjoy identifying the wild creatures in this collection.

A TRIP TO THE GALLERY
A book that hints at the splendors housed in America’s largest museum, World Make Way: New Poems Inspired by Art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins, features contributions from a group of acclaimed writers, including Marilyn Singer and Naomi Shihab Nye. Writing in response to images by Mary Cassatt, Kerry James Marshall, Gustav Klimt and other artists, each poet expresses a unique voice and vision. Julie Fogliano’s poem “Cat Watching a Spider” is the perfect companion to Ōide Tōkō’s painting of the same name, thanks to its brevity and playful rhyme scheme: “so silent and certain / a spider / can cause / a watchful and wondering cat / to pause.” In “Early Evening,” a poem inspired by Winslow Homer’s radiant “Boys in a Dory,” Charles Ghigna writes of “a watercolored world / where we float and dream, / soft and serene.” Filled with breathtaking reproductions of the artists’ work, World Make Way is an excellent tool for teaching young readers about the delights of visual art and the pleasures of poetry.

A CAUTIONARY COLLECTION
Angela McAllister uses poetry to explore endangered environments in the innovative book, Wild World. Rainforest and coral reef, desert and savanna, the Arctic and the outback—all are highlighted in this globe-trotting anthology of evocative free-verse poems. McAllister’s lovely, lyrical works provide fascinating perspectives on the Earth’s varied—and fragile—natural habitats while inspiring mindfulness and a sense of stewardship. “The Wild World is in danger, / Calling with many voices for your care. / What we see may soon be gone,” McAllister writes in the introductory poem. From “Mountain,” a natural monument “born in a collision of continents,” to “Prairie,” in which “plains of tall bluestem brush the bison’s shaggy hide,” this wide-ranging volume captures the essence of each locale. Thanks to the crisp illustrations of Danish design team Hvass and Hannibal, the book delivers a realistic visual sense of each setting. Wild World is the perfect blend of poetry and environmentalism.

CONNECTING IN THE CLASSROOM
Irene Latham and Charles Waters collaborate on a one-of-a-kind collection with Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship. This lively anthology focuses on 5th-graders Irene and Charles (younger versions of the authors themselves), who get paired for a poetry project that they aren’t thrilled about. “Now I’m stuck with Irene?” Charles, who is African American, thinks. “She hardly says anything. Plus she’s white.” The engaging poems that follow chronicle everyday experiences—a beach trip, shopping, Sunday worship—and demonstrate the contrasting viewpoints of the two partners. In “Hair,” Irene describes her blond locks as “a curtain I can hide behind,” while in “Strands,” Charles gets angry when his hair attracts unwanted attention from a schoolmate. “My fists clench,” Charles writes, “and my face gets hot.” Artists Sean Qualls and Selina Alko work in a collage style that’s deceptively simple, creating childlike illustrations filled with color and texture. This is a winning anthology that offers important lessons about diversity and connection.

Four terrific new collections of verse will show beginning readers that the possibilities for poetry are everywhere—in the backyard, on city streets and even (surprise!) in the classroom. Here’s to the poets of tomorrow!

NonfictionMemoir

Overcoming hardship and hitting refresh

Feature by Julie Hale

Spring is a time for renewal—a period of promise that brings with it a sense of fresh possibility. These five new books celebrate the season and deliver inspiring perspectives on personal growth, healing and inner transformation.

In her uplifting memoir I Will Not Fear: My Story of a Lifetime of Building Faith Under Fire bestselling author Melba Pattillo Beals tells the story of how her spiritual beliefs helped her find a path forward during a troubling time in American history. Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, Beals endured death threats and harassment from white supremacists. On September 25, 1957, along with eight other African-American students, she integrated Little Rock’s Central High School, becoming part of the group dubbed the Little Rock Nine. “That day, I confronted for the first time the reality of what I was facing,” Beals writes. “I questioned whether I had what it took to live through the integration process over the long haul.”

She found the fortitude necessary in her Christian faith. Beals went on to become a successful journalist and reporter, and while building a career, she also raised a family. Her poignant memoir serves as a testament to the dynamic influence of faith and how it can be harnessed to improve individual lives and heal broken communities. Filled with stories of victories both great and small, Beals’ memoir is a true spirit- booster.

LEARNING TO LET GO
If you’re struggling with negative emotions or bad habits (and who isn’t?), you’ll find relief in Dean Sluyter’s Fear Less: Living Beyond Fear, Anxiety, Anger, and Addiction. In his new book, Sluyter, an expert on stress management and meditation, offers advice on how to break self-sabotaging habits, from obsessive overthinking to digital-device addiction. He also includes solutions for coping with deep-seated sources of anxiety, like aging and death. By combining spiritual teachings from across the centuries with current research, he shows readers how to embrace everyday life and build self-esteem.

Sluyter’s approach taps into both the body and the mind, providing simple meditation techniques and stretching exercises that are easy to integrate into a daily routine. “If, after a little practice,” Sluyter says, “you fear less—even one percent less than before—then you’re already coming out of the darkness and into the light.” With his help, you can banish negativity and adopt new habits that will improve your all-around attitude.

PAIN INTO TRIUMPH
In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart made national news when she was abducted and held captive for nine months by religious zealot Brian David Mitchell. She chronicled the horrors of her kidnapping in her bestselling memoir, My Story (2013). Using her past trials as a point of departure, Smart has built a life based on positivity. Now president of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, she works as a victim advocate. In Where There’s Hope: Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up, she reflects on her personal journey and explores the heartening accounts of others who have transcended hardship and found happiness. Smart interviewed a wide range of subjects for the book, from notable women like Ann Romney, who has struggled with multiple sclerosis, to survivors like Bre Lasley, a stabbing victim who founded the support group Fight Like Girls. The result is an empowering narrative that gives readers guidance for working through resentment, fear and sadness. “I think hope is something we can create for ourselves,” Smart writes, “and it can be a stronger force than anything life throws at us.” Readers in search of a bright side will find it here.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
​​​​​​​“I have spent much of my life worried that I was an ingrate,” bestselling author Diana Butler Bass admits in Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks. Bass had long associated gratitude with the disagreeable notion of “debt and duty,” and so in her new book, she set out to increase her understanding of what it means to be thankful. In the process, she cultivated her own life-changing sense of gratitude.

Mixing sociological research with warm personal anecdotes of appreciation for the everyday, Bass examines why individuals find it challenging to maintain a practice of gratitude and reveals how thankfulness can serve as the foundation of a healthy community. “Gratitude is not about stuff,” Bass stresses. “To choose gratitude is to hear an inner urging toward thanks, to see the grace in life, and to respond.” As Bass’ story proves, it’s never too late to start being grateful.

LEARNING LOVE
Bestselling author Geneen Roth wrestled with body-image issues for years before realizing that being thin did not equal being happy. She tried various approaches to self-improvement until her path to inner peace took an unexpected turn: Roth found that when she quit working on herself, she finally felt comfortable in her own skin. In This Messy Magnificent Life: A Field Guide, she opens up about the move from self-improvement to self-acceptance—a critical shift that allowed her to find true fulfillment.

Roth, whose 10 previous books include Women Food and God, has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “The View.” In This Messy Magnificent Life, she shares insights into her struggles with food along with practical suggestions for overcoming the fears and anxieties that so often stand in the way of self-acceptance. Roth says a willingness “to relinquish the Project of Me and stop trying to fix what had never been broken” made it possible for her to live contentedly in the now. Her advice: Stop waiting for “someday.” Now is the time to celebrate the qualities that make you unique and to be bold in your pursuit of personal bliss. This book will help get you started.

 

This article was originally published in the April 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Spring is a time for renewal—a period of promise that brings with it a sense of fresh possibility. These five new books celebrate the season and deliver inspiring perspectives on personal growth, healing and inner transformation.

Celebrating National Poetry Month

Feature by Julie Hale

We live in a country that loves poetry. Today, 44 states have acting poet laureates, and April is acknowledged as a time for recognizing the beauty and power of verse. We’ve rounded up a quartet of terrific new poetry collections—the perfect picks for National Poetry Month.

An electrifying group of impassioned poems, Not Here is the sophomore offering from up-and-coming poet Hieu Minh Nguyen. Writing from the first-person perspective, Nguyen reflects upon his cross-cultural, Vietnamese-American roots and explores the nature of sexual identity.

Intergenerational friction is the subject of “Nguyễn,” a provocative look at the burden of family expectations, in which the narrator’s homosexuality is an affront to his traditionally minded mother—an offense “soiling the lace- / white landscape of her desires.” In an arresting tableau of forbidden affection, the speaker and a male companion are “two flies / drowning in a dish of honey.” The narrator of “Punish,” a poem about forgetting and forgiving, grapples with a painful scene from his boyhood: “I’m trying to understand that memory / is not a technology, a full charge / will get you nowhere, if you’re stuck / tracing the perimeters of your dull nostalgia.”

In this accomplished collection, Nguyen practices an abundance of poetic approaches and modes. For the reader, the richness of expression is intoxicating.

A DIALOGUE WITH HISTORY
“History is in a hurry,” U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith writes in her majestic new book, Wade in the Water. In this intimate yet epic collection, Smith aims to counteract that rush. Incorporating 19th-century correspondence and other documents (including the Declaration of Independence), Smith sets up a dialogue between history and the present that allows readers to muse on the passage of time. In composing the long piece “I WILL TELL YOU THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS, I WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT,” Smith condenses and assembles statements from African-Americans who served in the Civil War. Says one veteran, “I always signed my name while in the army / by making my mark / I know my name by sound—”

It’s a pleasure when Smith narrows her scope for more personal works, like the lovely poem “4½,” a snapshot of life with a demanding young daughter: “Just the tussle of her will against mine, / That scrape and crack. Horn on rock. Rope / Relenting one fiber at a time.” Overall, this is a formally varied, masterful collection from the nation’s poet laureate.

A VISIONARY COLLECTION​​​​​​
In her ninth book of poetry, Blue Rose, former California Poet Laureate Carol Muske-Dukes probes both the personal and political realms to produce visionary works that plumb the limits of language. Her pieces often feature tightly packed stanzas alive with assonance and unexpected enjambments. In the taut title poem, she portrays childbirth as a metamorphic process, from which the newborn emerges looking “danger blue, yet to me her color was like / something never imagined: if-flower of myth, / blossoming on the isle of the color-blind.”

Tracing humanity’s preponderance for vengeance back to the fall, “Creation Myth” features a God who’s confused by what he has wrought: “Should he have / allowed Satan to arm Adam & Eve at the outset? / Should he have accepted the wager: that in no time / they’d zero in on each other—shooting like snipers / from the Tree of Knowledge?” This wide-ranging book includes a powerful triptych about gun control and tributes to Simone Weil, Adrienne Rich and Mark Twain. Muske-Dukes’ facility and breadth of vision make Blue Rose a standout volume.

BEARING WITNESS
Spare, plain-spoken poems marked by unobtrusive beauty comprise Night School, the 13th collection from Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Carl Dennis. A writer who’s attuned to nature—images of lakes, woods and snow-covered trails recur in the collection—Dennis looks deeply at the world and encourages readers to practice “the task of witnessing.”

In works that express empathy for the human condition, the poet seems to be wrestling with himself—who he is now and who he should be—while speculating about the experiences of others. In “Blind Guest,” the narrator thinks about loaning his eyes to a sightless man: “For an hour or two, I can try to dwell / On the good it might do him to escape / The pervading dark.” A poem called “A Letter” comes as no surprise, as Dennis seems the sort of meditative correspondent who’d treasure the traditions of snail mail: “To fold the pages twice and insert them / Into an envelope seems to make them / More of a gift.” In an era of sensory overload, Dennis’ closely observed, perceptive collection is itself a gift.

 

This article was originally published in the April 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

We live in a country that loves poetry. Today, 44 states have acting poet laureates, and April is acknowledged as a time for recognizing the beauty and power of verse. We’ve rounded up a quartet of terrific new poetry collections—the perfect picks for National Poetry Month.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Splashing into summer

Feature by Julie Hale

Nothing’s better than a spending a long, lazy day at the seashore! Get the young ones ready for summer with these three buoyant tales of fun in the sun.

AN UNEXPECTED CONNECTION
Lori Mortensen’s If Wendell Had a Walrus (ages 4 to 8) is the heartwarming story of one boy’s quest to find an out-of-the-ordinary companion. Wendell dreams of having a walrus as a sidekick. They’d tell jokes (“What do walruses like to chew? Blubber gum.”), climb trees and build forts. Hoping to find this longed-for friend, Wendell heads to the seashore, where he throws a bottle containing a message—addressed to a walrus—into the water. At the beach, he crosses paths with a boy who’s on a similar quest, and the two become buddies. Wendell soon finds that there’s no longer a need to wish for a walrus thanks to his newfound human pal. Illustrated by Matt Phelan, whose vivid pencil and watercolor illustrations lend a special charm to the story, this richly imaginative tale is filled with the warmth of sun, sand and true companionship.

TEAMWORK BY THE SEA
Megan Maynor’s delightful book The Sandcastle That Lola Built (ages 3 to 5) demonstrates the importance of creativity and community. During a perfect beach day, Lola is erecting a fancy sand tower, complete with sea glass, when a foot squashes her construction. The foot belongs to a boy with a Frisbee, whom Lola enlists to help repair the damage. They’re soon joined by a youngster with a toy bulldozer who digs a moat around the castle. As their work progresses, a girl collecting shells joins the squad. When a wave wipes out the castle, Lola is heartbroken until her mates persuade her to build again. Inspired by the classic nursery rhyme “This Is the House That Jack Built,” Maynor’s book is a fresh and fun take on the traditional tale. Kate Berube’s mixed-media illustrations bring texture and color to this high-spirited tale of teamwork.

FOURTH OF JULY FUN
Pie Is for Sharing (ages 2 to 6), by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard is a lovely tale that takes place during a summer celebration. Starting with homemade pies being passed around by a group of youngsters picnicking on a lakefront beach, the story moves on to other items that can be shared, including a book, a ball, the branches of a tree and a sun-warmed towel. Ledyard’s text is lyrical and poetic: “Other things for sharing: a jump rope, your place in the middle, a rhyme, time . . . ” Jason Chin’s watercolor and gouache illustrations are beautifully realistic and add extra appeal to the story. Ledyard’s tale ends with a Fourth of July fireworks show—an impressive display that the group enjoys together. The upshot of this sweet story: Happiness means making sure everyone gets a piece of the pie.

Nothing’s better than a spending a long, lazy day at the seashore! Get the young ones ready for summer with these three buoyant tales of fun in the sun.

NonfictionMemoir

Reaching for new heights

Feature by Julie Hale

Spring is finally here, which means it’s matriculation time! Filled with humor and advice, these three books will help grads face the future with confidence—or at least give them a good laugh as they step into the wide world.

Whether they’re stressed about starting college or anxious about impressing a new boss, grads who are fretting about the future will find a kindred spirit in Beth Evans, whose new book, I Really Didn’t Think This Through: Tales from My So-Called Adult Life, is chock-full of the clever comic doodles and enlightened observations that have earned her a substantial Instagram following. In this humorous, heartfelt volume, Evans shares stories about her personal challenges, from coping with obsessive-compulsive disorder to assuming “grown-up” responsibilities like balancing a bank account. Readers on the cusp of adulthood will discover that they’re not unique in feeling flummoxed by the future. “Basically, what I’m trying to say is that you’re okay,” Evans writes. “And sometimes just being okay is a great place to be.” This nifty little book provides the perfect blend of comedy and camaraderie.

FAIL BETTER
In Failure Is an Option: An Attempted Memoir—a title that’s sure to grab your grad’s attention—H. Jon Benjamin, a comedian and the voice of the titular characters in the animated shows “Bob’s Burgers” and “Archer,” looks back at the mistakes that made him the man he is today. That’s right—in this quirky retrospective, Benjamin takes stock of past failures that seemed terrible in the moment but ultimately resulted in growth and progress.

Benjamin is up-front and funny as he recounts his unsuccessful launch of a kids’ late-night TV talk show (tentative title: “Midnight Pajama Jam”) and documents his parental shortcomings (bad idea: babysitting an infant in a video arcade). Yet failure “doesn’t mean the end of something,” Benjamin writes. “Often, it’s a springboard toward something better.” He delivers these and other words to live by with concision, wit and a stand-up’s sense of timing.

CONGRATS, WITH CAVEATS
It’s a dream team: Roz Chast, aka everybody’s favorite illustrator, and Carl Hiaasen, author of innumerable bestselling books, pair up for a one-of-a-kind commencement address in Assume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You’ll Never Hear. Hiaasen graduated from college in 1974, in an era besmirched by Watergate and the Vietnam War, and he doesn’t think the world has improved much since. To freshly minted grads, the chief piece of wisdom he imparts is “assume the worst.” Black humor abounds in this wry treatise, as Hiaasen refutes the “lame platitudes” usually included in commencement speeches (i.e. “try to find goodness in everyone you meet”). Chast’s genius cartoons provide extra laughs along the way. This is a book today’s grads will return to when commencement is nothing more than a dim memory.

 

This article was originally published in the May 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Spring is finally here, which means it’s matriculation time! Filled with humor and advice, these three books will help grads face the future with confidence—or at least give them a good laugh as they step into the wide world.

Fiction

Best story collections for a laid-back summer

Feature by Julie Hale

Perfect for dipping into, these four collections offer the experience of great fiction without the commitment that a novel requires. If you’re in need of an excellent read for the lazy weeks that lie ahead, check out the selections below.

PORTRAITS OF HUMAN NATURE
Dark humorist A.M. Homes taps into the contemporary American mindset and our obsession with perfection in Days of Awe. An irreverent writer, Homes can create a completely realized character in just a few strokes, and her dialogue—chiseled to film-script perfection—is enlivened by rapid-fire exchanges and funny one-liners.

The collection’s excellent title story takes place at a genocide conference, where, among stiff scholars and serious academics, two old acquaintances—a novelist and a war reporter—strike up a romance that almost upends their lives. In “Brother on Sunday,” Tom, a plastic surgeon, injects himself with a Botox-like substance—an action that’s horrifying in its offhandedness. While vacationing with a group of affluent friends, an old feud erupts between him and his brother, disturbing the calm of their getaway. In “Hello Everybody,” Walter visits his wealthy friend Cheryl in her pristine, technologically advanced home. Her family’s fixation on physical flawlessness borders on the satirical—and feels all too familiar.

In these perceptive stories, Homes hits a nerve, offering reflections of who we are and projections of who we might become.

IN A WILD PLACE
Lauren Groff (Arcadia, Fates and Furies) plumbs the mysteries of her home state in the captivating collection Florida. Through arresting imagery and a sustained mood that’s ominous and unsettling, Groff, who lives in Gainesville, delivers a sense of the peninsula’s humid exoticism. Of an old cabin at a hunting camp, she writes, “the screens at night pulsed with the tender bellies of lizards,” and Florida itself is described as a place of “frenzied flora and fauna.” The region’s wild environment infects and affects her characters.

“Ghosts and Empties” features a figure who appears in a number of stories—an anonymous wife and mother who’s worried about the world’s decline and finds relief in walking through her neighborhood at night, where she observes the lives of others through lit windows. In “Dogs Go Wolf,” two young sisters are abandoned on an island and are able to adapt to their rough surroundings—it’s when they’re rescued that hardship begins.

In gorgeous prose, Groff offers startling insight into the human heart. Florida is as mesmerizing as its namesake state.

CALIFORNIA TALES
Set in Los Angeles and its affluent environs, Fight No More, Lydia Millet’s masterful collection of intertwined stories, features characters with conflicting wills and interests who can’t be made to compromise. The undercurrent of friction that results lends a quiet force to stories that explore the challenges of communication and the meaning of home.

Nina, a recurring figure, is a young real estate agent transformed by the prospect of new love. Many of the stories in the book feature her clients—people in various states of transition—and in a phenomenal feat of plot-spinning, Millet links the lives of this disparate group of characters. In “To Think/I Killed a Cat,” 16-year-old Jeremy, caught in the crossfire of his parents’ divorce, does his best to repulse potential purchasers of the family home. In “The Fall of Berlin,” his frail grandmother, Aleska, is forced to sell her beloved house and move into her son’s guest cottage, yet she refuses to surrender to the inevitabilities of old age. “I only want to keep going,” Aleska says. Like the other characters in these richly realized stories, she’s unwilling to give up the fight.

STORIES OF THE MODERN SOUTH
Mississippi author Nick White made a memorable literary debut with How to Survive a Summer, his 2017 novel about a gay-to-straight conversion camp. In his new book, Sweet and Low, an accomplished, atmospheric collection of stories that take place in his native state, White continues to explore the experience of being queer in a conservative culture.

“Gatlinburg” chronicles the unraveling of a romantic relationship involving Reed, a New Yorker, and Eric, a Mississippian. The two have fallen “into something like love” but can’t seem to fully connect, in part because of the North-South disjunction. (When Reed’s mother introduces Eric at a party, she says, “He’s from Mississippi—isn’t that adorable? Just wait till you hear him speak.”) In “The Lovers,” Rosemary knows her husband, Arnie, was having affairs but assumed they were with women. She learns otherwise after Arnie’s tragic death, when she unexpectedly connects with Hank, his last lover. A wonderful sequence of stories centering on would-be writer Forney Culpepper has the makings of a first-rate novel.

An author on the rise, White displays impressive range in this rewarding collection.

Perfect for dipping into, these four collections offer the experience of great fiction without the commitment that a novel requires. If you’re in need of an excellent read for the lazy weeks that lie ahead, check out the selections below.

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