Julie Hale

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.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Salute dear old dad with four fresh picture books

Feature by Julie Hale

Plan some family storytime this Father’s Day with one of the four new warmhearted books below that celebrate dads and families. These sweet, silly and love-filled tales are sure to make any dad feel extra special. 

A HAPPY HOMECOMING
Good Morning, Harry—Good Night, Daddy (ages 4 to 8) by Katy Beebe is a delightful celebration of a father and son’s bond. As the story opens, Harry’s father sets off for work in the evening as a conductor on an overnight train while Harry, Mummy, Gran and Baby settle in for the night. Beebe artfully juxtaposes their separate stories, alternating between scenes on the train, where Daddy looks after passengers, and scenes at home, where it’s almost bedtime for Harry: “Whoo-whoo sings the train, rocking on its way. ‘Too-ra-lee, Too-ra-loo,’ sings Mummy, winding down the day.” The concurrent stories come together when Daddy returns from work the next morning, and the family is reunited. Valeri Gorbachev’s detailed illustrations bring out the warmth of Beebe’s tale. The final scene of the book is a playful moment between father and son, making it clear that every day is Father’s Day at Harry’s house.

BETWEEN GENERATIONS
In Davide Cali’s funny, furry family tale, Great Dog (ages 3 to 7), a father-and-son canine pair peruses portraits of their four-legged forebears and discuss their distinguished pedigree. From Aunt Doris, a courageous firedog, to Uncle Tibor, a champion runner, their relatives were all Great Dogs who the young son hopes to emulate. Anxious about living up to such high ancestral standards, he asks his father, “What about me? What will I be?” Dad is ready with the right answer: “No matter what,” he replies, “you will be a GREAT dog.” Each canine portrait is accompanied by a fold-out page with scenes of each dog’s remarkable exploits, and the book’s final spread reveals a surprise. Animal lovers of all ages will adore Miguel Tanco’s droll dog illustrations. This wry, uplifting story is just right for sharing with Dad on his special day.

A DAD WHO’S ALWAYS THERE
Written and illustrated by popular Instagram artist Soosh, Dad by My Side (ages 4 to 8) is a tender little tale that captures the special connection between dads and daughters. The narrator—a tot with braided pigtails—enumerates all the things she loves about her father: “With Dad by my side, there’s nothing we can’t do. He knows how to make me smile,” she begins. “He’s not afraid to look silly.” Whether he’s presenting a puppet show or getting stuck in a hula hoop, Dad is clearly game for anything, and Soosh portrays him as a big, bearded figure who’s capable, comforting, sensitive and completely worthy of his daughter’s adoration. Her gorgeous watercolor illustrations beautifully depict the duo’s special relationship. Featuring simple, poetic text and a heartfelt message, this is an ideal gift book.

A TWILIGHT ADVENTURE
In Laura Krauss Melmed’s Daddy, Me, and the Magic Hour (ages 3 to 6), a spunky youngster can’t wait for the special time after supper when he and his father go for a stroll. The boy views their evening walks as a time of discovery and excitement and calls it “the Magic Hour.” As they begin their trek, “bright, loud daytime is getting softer.” Neighbors are doing yard work and joggers and dog owners fill the sidewalks. After they swing at the playground and catch fireflies, darkness begins to fall, and it’s time to head back home. “One swoop, and I’m up on Daddy’s shoulders. . . . Together, we make a quiet giant who can almost reach the moon,” the boy says. Sarita Rich’s bold, expressive illustrations communicate the boy’s sense of wonder surrounding the outside world—and his admiration for dad. This fun father-son adventure will inspire families to implement Magic Hours of their own.

Plan some family stor time this Father’s Day with one of the four new warmhearted books below that celebrate dads and families. These sweet, silly and love-filled tales are sure to make any dad feel extra special. 

Children's & YAPicture Book

Wacky tales of animal antics

Feature by Julie Hale

These rollicking picture books feature animals who get mixed up in some outrageous situations. High jinks and humor ensue in five slapstick stories for young readers. Reading has never been more uproarious!

Sterling, Best Dog Ever by Aidan Cassie is a heartwarming parable about a lonely pooch’s search for his place in the world. Sterling is living in a box in an alley when he gets a crazy idea. He sneaks into the Butlery Cutlery Company’s warehouse, takes a ride down the silverware assembly line, gets packed up in a box of brand new forks and is soon delivered to the Gilbert family’s front door. As a skinny critter with a silvery coat, Sterling blends right in with the utensils at first glance, but the Gilberts quickly realize that he’s different. Their daughter befriends him, and Sterling is determined to please her and keep up the ruse. Instead—with the help of his new friend—he learns the importance of being himself. Cassie brings Sterling’s changeable nature to vivid life through vibrant, playful illustrations. This is a sweet story that addresses important ideas about self-esteem and individuality.

TOO MANY MISSING PETS
The confused little girl in Mark Iacolina’s Did You Eat the Parakeet? is convinced her cat has made a meal of her pet bird, but readers know from the get-go that this isn’t the case. It’s a silly scenario that’s sure to elicit lots of laughs during storytime. The girl takes her cat to task: “Did you eat the parakeet? He was right there on his tiny seat! He was such a small and scrawny bird. To eat him would be absurd!” The frustrated feline soon sets the girl straight, and all is well—until her pet mouse goes missing! Iacolina’s rhyming text is irresistible, and his stick-figure illustrations, embellished with patches of color and pattern, are wonderfully expressive. There’s lots to love about this story of pet ownership gone awry.

FINDING FRIENDSHIP
Jim Averbeck’s touching Trevor features a solitary canary who longs for someone to sing with. Perched in his “safe, boring cage,” Trevor is feeling dejected until he spies a lemon hanging on a branch outside the window. Mistaking it for a bird, he leaves his cage and flies to the tree with a seed as a gift. Although the lemon remains strangely silent, Trevor builds a nest where they can live together. When the lemon disappears during a storm, Trevor is alone again, but not for a long. The kernel he brought as a gift has sprouted into a sunflower, and its seeds attract a feathered flock who welcome him as one of their own. Amy Hevron’s lovely acrylic-on-wood illustrations have eye-catching texture. Filled with hope, this gentle book shows that friendship can materialize at the perfect moment.

AN UNEXPECTED GUEST
Deborah Underwood’s madcap Walrus in the Bathtub is filled with splish-splash fun. Mom, Dad and the kids are excited about their new house. It has a large yard and a big bathtub that—surprise!—is already occupied by an enormous walrus. He’s having a leisurely soak as the family arrives on move-in day, accidentally creating some “bathtub tidal waves.” Between the walrus’ pool parties (er, bathtub parties)—complete with friendly seagulls and a blasting boombox—and his unendurable singing, the family’s nerves begin to fray. Despite the efforts of a plumber, a firefighter and a wildlife rescuer, the walrus won’t budge from the tub, which means the family might have to move out, but perhaps the troublesome walrus is just a little misunderstood. Matt Hunt’s bright, vivid illustrations are chock-full of details, including lots of floating soap bubbles. Bath time will never be the same once the kiddos get a look at this book.

LOST AT SEA
Leo is a wee infant when he goes flying overboard—and away from his frantic parents—during a boat trip. Following the accident, he’s cared for by friendly sea lions. In A Home for Leo, Vin Vogel tells the delightful story of the boy’s life by the ocean. Leo has fun with his new family—they teach him to swim and catch fish—although he doesn’t quite fit in with them. After he’s unexpectedly reunited with his parents, Leo is one happy lad, but he misses his animal pals. Can he find a way to bring his two lives together? Vogel’s energetic, cartoonish illustrations add to the appeal of Leo’s adventures. This out-of-the-ordinary story has a heartwarming ending, as Leo and his parents find the perfect home—by the sea, of course.

 

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

These rollicking picture books feature animals who get mixed up in some outrageous situations. High jinks and humor ensue in five slapstick stories for young readers. Reading has never been more uproarious!

Children's & YAPicture Book

Ready, set, it’s time for school

Feature by Julie Hale

The end of summer signals the start of something big: a new school year! To get little readers ready for what lies ahead, try one of these five picture books that capture the infectious energy of the back-to-school season and offer loads of encouragement, inspiration and fun.

Coaxing anxious students into the classroom proves to be a challenge in Mae’s First Day of School by Kate Berube. Mae is less than excited about the start of school. She crawls under the bed and tells her parents, “I’M. NOT. GOING.” When Mae finally leaves the house and arrives at school, she hides in the branches of a tree outside. But she isn’t alone: Rosie, another anxious pupil, soon perches beside her, and the pair commiserates over a cookie. “What if no one will play with me?” Rosie says. “Or what if I have to read—I don’t know how!” A surprise visitor to the girls’ hideout helps them realize that together they can brave the day.

Berube’s endearing illustrations of the two fretful students and their most feared classroom scenarios strike a chord. This charming book is the perfect remedy for first-day fears.

FIND YOUR NICHE
Bug School is “abuzz with hundreds of shiny, scurrying shapes,” but nobody—not even Miss Orb, the spider teacher—takes note of new student Heidi. A stick insect with a narrow physique, Heidi blends right in with the scenery. Author Aura Parker tells the story of this adorable, overlooked insect in her ingeniously illustrated Twig. When a student named Scarlett mistakes Heidi for a stick and tries to use her in a craft project, Heidi finally speaks up and becomes the center of attention as Miss Orb and the other bugs work to make her feel welcome. Because she’s tall and thin, Heidi—no longer shy—can help with all kinds of activities, and her school year gets off to a promising start. Teeming with bustling bug activity, this sweet story provides plenty of back-to-class inspiration.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS
If your kids are heading to class for the first time this year, Priscilla Burris’ Hello School! is the perfect read to prep them for the big day. From meeting their new teacher to finding the right cubbyhole and painting in art class, the kids in this appealing book gradually become accustomed to life in the classroom. Important lessons like learning how to listen and share (especially at snack time!) reinforce this gentle story of what it’s like to be a new student. With friends to meet, letters of the alphabet to learn and songs to sing, the first day turns out to be “the best day ever!” Burris’ expressive illustrations capture a sense of wonder as the youngsters make discoveries about their new environment. This light-hearted look at the classroom routine can help readers establish expectations for the year ahead.

FEELING AT EASE
Alexandra Penfold celebrates diversity in the uplifting All Are Welcome. In this bright, inviting book, the school semester kicks off right, with an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality in which a diverse set of pupils from many different cultural backgrounds feel at ease: “In our classroom safe and sound. Fears are lost and hope is found. Raise your hand, we’ll go around. All are welcome here.” Using rhymed stanzas throughout, Penfold details the students’ day, from music class, where they play a variety of instruments, to lunch and more.

This is an inspiring tale that showcases a group of youngsters—each with individual talents and traits, as made clear by Suzanne Kaufman’s irresistible illustrations—who are united by their differences. It’s a simple story that offers a big back-to-school boost.

A GALAXY FAR AWAY
Set on the planet of Boborp, Best Frints at Skrool features the pair of extraterrestrial pals from author and illustrator Antoinette Portis’ Best Frints in the Whole Universe. This time, Omek and Yelfred are ready to tackle the school year together—until a newcomer arrives.

The best friends blast into a classroom filled with colorful aliens, but during recess, Yelfred finds a new friend named Q-B, and Omek feels left out in the cold. The trio squabbles and gets into trouble at lunchtime, but they soon discover that three friends can have more fun together than two. Portis’ playful space creatures and creative vocabulary—“skrool” for school; “skreecher” for teacher—add to the book’s out-of-this-world attraction. There’s no better way to usher in a new school year than this laugh-out-loud tale of life in an intergalactic classroom.

 

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

The end of summer signals the start of something big: a new school year! To get little readers ready for what lies ahead, try one of these five picture books that capture the infectious energy of the back-to-school season and offer loads of encouragement, inspiration and fun.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Breaking down barriers

Feature by Julie Hale

It’s never too early to teach kids about acceptance and compassion. This month’s roundup features three uplifting titles that focus on the importance of creating unity in a world that’s often defined by difference.

FORGING FRIENDSHIPS
In his irresistible new tale, The Wall in the Middle of the Book, Jon Agee uses a smart premise to impart important lessons about camaraderie and connection. A brick wall splits each spread of the book into two sections: A pint-size knight stands on one side, and a group of fearsome creatures—a tiger, a rhino and (oh no!) an enormous ogre—stand on the other. The knight is thankful for the protection that the brick divide provides. But when an emergency occurs and help quickly arrives from the other side of the wall, he realizes that friendship can arise when it’s least expected. Agee’s appealing illustrations and clever approach to storytelling make this a standout story. With a valuable message about conquering fear and reaching out to others, it has the makings of a classic.

CREATING COMMUNITY
Bestselling adult author Dave Eggers introduces readers to the concepts of community and public engagement in the smart, accessible What Can a Citizen Do? In this inspiring book, a diverse cast of young change-makers transform an isolated island into an inviting space and provide a sense of belonging to an unexpected guest—a bear in pink pants! Eggers weaves simple civics principles into the whimsical plotline, and his rhyming text is full of memorable quotes: “A citizen’s not what you are—a citizen is what you do. A citizen cannot forget the world is more than you.” Shawn Harris’ dynamic illustrations, creatively rendered in paper collage, provide an easy point of entry for readers. Parents who are looking to cultivate community-mindedness in their little ones will find rich lessons here.

OVERCOMING MISCONCEPTIONS
In The Very Last Castle, Travis Jonker tells the story of a town with a mystery at its center: a strange, medieval-looking fortress. “For reasons no one could remember,” Jonker writes of the castle, “no one ever came out. And no one was allowed in.” Young Ibb passes the castle each day and wonders what’s inside. (Her grandfather says snakes; her friend Alex suspects giants.) After Ibb bonds with the castle’s lonely caretaker, she persuades him to let the community in. Soon the townspeople are welcome onto the grounds, where they find a world of beauty and enchantment. In his striking watercolor illustrations, Mark Pett depicts Ibb as a spunky girl in yellow boots. She’s a heroine with an open heart, an open mind and the courage to ignore preconceived notions. Youngsters will love this story of discovery and acceptance.

It’s never too early to teach kids about acceptance and compassion. This month’s roundup features three uplifting titles that focus on the importance of creating unity in a world that’s often defined by difference.

Children's & YAPicture Book

New picture books give a glimpse behind real creative figures

Feature by Julie Hale

We’re spotlighting a group of terrific new picture book biographies for young readers that focus on the lives of three outstanding artists. Their stories prove that while the path to achievement is often indirect, with perseverance, anything is possible.

RISE OF A ROCK ICON
Michael Mahin’s When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana (ages 4 to 8) provides an intriguing look at the life of the Mexican-American guitar whiz known as Santana. Following in the footsteps of his violin-playing father, young Carlos longs to be a musician. His father’s violin produces “a sound that made angels real,” and Carlos, seeking to replicate its effect, moves through a range of instruments, finally connecting with la guitarra. During his teenage years in 1960s San Francisco, Carlos encounters new sounds and influences, including the Beatles and B.B. King, which he synthesizes into what becomes his signature Latin-rock style. With the formation of the Santana Blues Band, his musical dreams come true. Mahin mixes Spanish terms into a narrative that’s fact-filled yet poetic, and José Ramírez’s folk-art inspired illustrations provide the perfect complement to the text. This an accessible and appealing introduction to a game-changing guitarist.

VISIONS OF THE U.S.
Hudson Talbott chronicles the life of a groundbreaking painter in Picturing America: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Art (ages 6 to 8). As a young lad in his native Britain, Thomas Cole (1801-1848) roams the countryside, making sketches from nature. In 1818, he and his family immigrate to America, eventually settling in New York, and his interest in art solidifies. Encouraged by a patron, Cole explores the wilderness of his adopted home. A boat trip up the Hudson River provides him with the inspiration for grand, expansive landscape paintings and inaugurates a new art movement, characterized by a spirit of inquiry and exploration, known as the Hudson River School. Talbott has written a fascinating account of Cole’s career, and his gorgeous watercolor illustrations do their subject justice. At once entertaining and instructive, this lovely biography is just right for young readers with artistic aspirations.

PASSION FOR FASHION
An esteemed photographer who documented New York City’s street-fashion scene for almost four decades, Bill Cunningham died in 2016 at the age of 87. Deborah Blumenthal tells his story in the delightful Polka Dot Parade: A Book About Bill Cunningham (ages 4 to 8). A Boston native, Cunningham made hats for a time before turning to photography—an art he taught himself. Exploring Manhattan by bike, he captured the city’s fashion-forward inhabitants with his camera, and his snaps appeared regularly in the New York Times. Cunningham’s instinct for fashion earned him acclaim and honors, including the Legion of Honor from the French government. Masha D’yans brings Cunningham and his sartorially splendid subjects to vivid life in whimsical watercolor illustrations. This loving tribute is the perfect way to acquaint a new generation with Cunningham’s contributions to the culture of couture.

We’re spotlighting a group of terrific new biographies for young readers—captivating picture books that focus on the lives of three outstanding artists. Their stories prove that while the path to achievement is often indirect, with perseverance, anything is possible.
FictionDebut Fiction

Book clubs: New in paperback

Feature by Julie Hale

Irish author Roddy Doyle delivers a daring narrative about the power of the past with his 11th novel, Smile. After a breakup with his wife, Victor Forde leads a solitary life as a writer, and he begins frequenting a local pub, where he meets a man named Ed Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick claims to remember Victor from school and is familiar with his personal history. After this strange encounter, Victor goes home to his apartment, where he’s soon lost in the maze of memory, recalling his student years at Christian Brothers school. In the days to come, as Victor continues to encounter Fitzpatrick and to recall his youth, an alarming discovery regarding his past brings about the book’s unforgettable finish. Doyle, the Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, has written an electrifying novel that explores the importance—and imprecision—of memory. With its surprising conclusion, this haunting book will spur fascinating conversations.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
With the entrepreneurial culture of San Francisco as a backdrop, Robin Sloan’s second novel, Sourdough: or, Lois and Her Adventures in the Underground Market, tells the story of Lois Clary, a young woman whose existence is transformed by (believe it or not) bread. Two immigrant brothers cook up a special type of sourdough that proves irresistible to their restaurant’s patrons, including Lois. When the brothers are deported, they leave her their sourdough starter, and Lois begins baking in earnest. A colleague at the robotics factory where Lois works suggests that she sell the bread at a farmers market, and—one thing leading to another—she is soon invited to participate in Marrow Fair, a clandestine market involved in food experimentation. Lois makes for a witty, intelligent commentator in this skillfully constructed novel. Sloan, author of the bestselling Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, reinforces his reputation as a writer to watch with this rewarding read.

TOP PICK FOR BOOK CLUBS
Set in the early 2000s as the Iraq War amps up, Asymmetry, Lisa Halliday’s impressive debut novel, explores the complexities of relationships and the quest for creative fulfillment through three very different characters. In New York, Alice, an aspiring writer, gets involved with Ezra, an older, celebrated novelist. Living in the shadow of his literary fame proves difficult for Alice, and when health problems put Ezra in the hospital, she’s forced to come to terms with their relationship. The book’s second section focuses on Amar, an Iraqi-American economist who’s being interrogated at Heathrow Airport. Told in part through flashbacks, Amar’s narrative is dramatic and bleak. The novel’s third section unites the three characters, bringing their stories into penetrating focus. Halliday is a deft storyteller who provides remarkable insights into the human heart, and this book marks her arrival as an important new author.

 

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

Our October picks for book clubs—a fiendish literary thriller, a deeply impressive debut and a look at how bread can change your life.
FictionSpeculative Fiction

Book clubs: New in paperback

Feature by Julie Hale

Acclaimed author Amy Bloom dramatizes the love that blossomed between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena “Hick” Hickok in her well-crafted novel White Houses. In 1945, following a separation of eight years, Hick pays Eleanor a visit. Franklin Roosevelt is dead, and World War II is nearing an end. The reunion sparks memories for Hick, who looks back on her life. After a rough upbringing in South Dakota, she becomes a successful journalist, covering politics for The Associated Press. She meets Eleanor in 1932, and their connection intensifies over time. Hick moves into the White House and eventually works for the Roosevelt administration. As chaotic political events unfold, the love between the two women proves to be a lasting force. Skillfully mixing fact and fiction, Bloom creates a poignant portrait of the pair—two kindred spirits who were ahead of their time. Fans of historical novels will find much to savor in Bloom’s moving book.

UNHAPPY HOLIDAYS
Ali Smith follows up her acclaimed 2017 title, Autumn, with Winter, the second entry in her series of season-inspired novels. It’s Christmas 2016, and Art is headed to Cornwall, where his mother, Sophia, awaits him and his girlfriend—with whom he just broke up. So when Art meets Lux, a lesbian Croatian woman, he pays her to pretend to be his ex, and they arrive at Sophia’s for what turns out to be an unforgettable holiday. The presence of Sophia’s radical, estranged sister, Iris, creates friction as the foursome debate Brexit and the state of politics in America. Past events come into play through scenes of Iris’ involvement in protests and the first meeting between Sophia and Art’s father. Smith employs a daring narrative style in this book that is at once a powerful family novel and a shrewd exploration of the Trumpian era. Readers will be eager for the next installment in Smith’s compelling series.

TOP PICK FOR BOOK CLUBS
Award-winning novelist Louise Erdrich, known for her realistic portrayals of American Indian life, moves into the realm of speculative fiction with Future Home of the Living God. Twenty-six and pregnant, Cedar Hawk Songmaker is living in a dying world. Instead of progressing, evolution appears to be moving in reverse: Plants have a prehistoric quality, and pregnant women are bearing primitive infants. Cedar was adopted by a kind, forward-thinking couple in Minneapolis, but she hopes to connect with her Ojibwe birth mother. Presented as a letter written by Cedar to the child she carries, this haunting tale portrays America as a police state in which pregnant women are imprisoned. When Cedar is captured and held in a hospital, she must fight to survive. Convincingly rendered and filled with suspense, this futuristic tale is a remarkable departure for Erdrich. Her storytelling skills are on full display in this all-too-resonant narrative.

 

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

We know it's a cliché, but it's true—this month's book club picks couldn't be more timely.
NonfictionPhotographyLiteratureAnimals

For library dwellers and book hoarders

Feature by Julie Hale

The shelves are brimming with extra-special titles for bibliophiles. If there’s a discerning reader on your gift list, check out our must-have recommendations below. Here’s to a very literary holiday!

Poets and novelists can be solitary souls, but as Alison Nastasi reveals in Writers and Their Cats, they often have a rare appreciation for pets, especially of the feline variety. Featuring photos of 45 famous authors and their cat sidekicks, Nastasi’s purrrfectly charming book is filled with surprises, including a picture of a kitten-covered Stephen King. Sensational shots capture Alice Walker, Neil Gaiman, Gillian Flynn, Haruki Murakami and other beloved authors with cats at writing desks, in libraries and cozied up on sofas.

For the writer, what’s the allure of le chat? According to Nastasi, “The cat represents traits most appealing to the creative personality—qualities like mystery, cleverness, fearlessness, unpredictability, and sensuality.” Her book is catnip for literature lovers and an extraordinary celebration of kindred spirits.

© Underwood & Underwood / New York Times. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons. From Writers and Their Cats by Alison Nastasi, published by Chronicle.

 

RA-RA-RUSSIAN LIT
Author Viv Groskop takes heart from the tales of Tolstoy, Chekhov and Pushkin in The Anna Karenina Fix: Life Lessons from Russian Literature and looks at the morals and messages that can be gleaned from the masters’ works. With insight and humor, she examines 11 books and plays, revealing how her own experiences have been informed by timeless titles such as Dr. Zhivago, The Master and Margarita and War and Peace.

By chronicling the heartaches, dramas and hardships of daily existence, Russian literature can provide solace to the reader who seeks it. If you’re enmeshed in an ill-fated romance, Groskop prescribes A Month in the Country. Tormented by inner conflict? Pick up Crime and Punishment. Stories, Groskop says, “are as good at showing us how not to live as they are at showing us how to live.” Read and heed.

BOOK LOVER’S BOUNTY
An delightful compendium of literature-related history and trivia, Jane Mount’s Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany is one of the season’s standout gift selections. In this splendid treasury, Mount explores literary genres and shares the reading recommendations of librarians and booksellers from across the country. She also presents nifty lists of literature-based enterprises, like blockbuster book-into-movie projects (Emma, The Shining) and famous songs inspired by great books (Bowie’s “1984,” Springsteen’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad”).

An avid reader since childhood, Mount has been painting what she calls Ideal Bookshelves, renderings of fellow bibliophiles’ favorite books, since 2008. Readers will enjoy perusing the colorfully illustrated, artfully assembled stacks that have become Mount’s trademark. Her artistic talents are on full display here in enchanting illustrations of meticulously detailed spines, book jackets, authors and notable libraries and bookstores.

Bibliophile is bliss for the book lover, from cover to cover.

LITERARY LIVING
Susan Harlan explores the estates, castles and cottages that appear in classic works of fiction in Decorating a Room of One’s Own: Conversations on Interior Design with Miss Havisham, Jane Eyre, Victor Frankenstein, Elizabeth Bennet, Ishmael, and Other Literary Notables. Harlan, who teaches English literature at Wake Forest University, brings scholarly expertise and epigrammatic wit to this guide to famous fictional figures’ digs.

Casting the literary hero as homeowner, the book features Apartment Therapy-style interviews with a wide cast of characters who expound upon design ideas and DIY projects. There’s plenty of decorating advice on offer: “If you own an abbey, don’t feel obligated to adopt an overly monastic style,” Emma’s Mr. Knightley counsels. “That would be badly done indeed!” From opulent (Pride and Prejudice’s Pemberley) to plainspoken (the March home in Little Women) to utterly inhospitable (Castle Dracula), the residences in this delightful volume run the gamut. Becca Stadtlander’s dainty illustrations make this a tour that readers will want to take again and again.

GALLERY OF GREATS
Growing up, photographer Beowulf Sheehan took refuge in books, and he pairs his twin passions to perfection in Author: The Portraits of Beowulf Sheehan, a gallery of 200 acclaimed contemporary writers, from Margaret Atwood to Colson Whitehead. Sheehan took his first author portraits in 2005 at the PEN World Voices Festival; by 2017, he’d photographed around 700 writers. His photos capture the idiosyncrasies and moods of each of his subjects, whether it’s a brooding Karl Ove Knausgaard or a radiant Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. In the book’s introduction, he shares on-the-job anecdotes involving the likes of Donna Tartt, Chinua Achebe and Umberto Eco. With a foreword by Salman Rushdie, this revelatory volume will bring a sparkle to any bibliophile’s holiday.

 

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

The shelves are brimming with extra-special titles for bibliophiles. If there’s a discerning reader on your gift list, check out our must-have recommendations below. Here’s to a very literary holiday!

NonfictionPhotographyNatureMemoirAnimals

For the animal aficionado

Feature by Julie Hale

Do you know someone who likes animals a lot more than they like people? We’ve rounded up a gaggle of delightful books that celebrate creatures great and small.

Award-winning naturalist and author Sy Montgomery has visited remote regions of the world to study some of nature’s most uncommon creatures. She looks back on what she’s learned from them about communication, sensitivity and kindness in How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals, beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Green. In this funny, moving book, Montgomery recounts transformative episodes with beasts both domesticated and exotic. “Being with any animal is edifying,” she writes, “for each has a knowing that surpasses human understanding.” From Clarabelle, a “pretty and elegant” tarantula, to the playful, 40-pound Pacific octopus Octavia, the animals in Montgomery’s book have unique dispositions that align them with humankind. Montgomery’s writing is rich and lyrical, her insights invaluable. And as all animal lovers know, “Knowing someone who belongs to another species can enlarge your soul in surprising ways.”

HONORING THE ANIMALS
A touching tribute to the creatures we let into our hearts and homes, Love Can Be: A Literary Collection About Our Animals brings together contributions from a remarkable lineup of authors. Susan Orlean, Lalita Tademy, Rick Bass, Joyce Carol Oates, Alexander McCall Smith and Juan Felipe Herrera are among the 30 writers spotlighted in this excellent anthology. Standout selections include a moving essay by Delia Ephron about the bond between pets and humans; Dean Koontz’s remembrance of his golden retriever, Trixie; and an ingenious cat-inspired poem by Ursula K. Le Guin. Literature fans will love the photos of authors and their animal companions that accompany each piece. In keeping with the spirit of the season, proceeds from sales of the book will go to animal charities. This is a heartwarming, hopeful anthology.

PAMPERED POOCHES
In Puppy Styled: Japanese Dog Grooming: Before & After, Grace Chon celebrates dog grooming the Japanese way, with hand-scissoring techniques to create cuts that play up the personalities of canine clients. For this irresistible volume, Chon—an acclaimed pet photographer—snapped nearly 50 pups as they transitioned from scruffy to smart. She writes that Japanese dog grooming “has one objective: to make the dog as cute as possible!” Cuteness undoubtedly abounds in the book, along with fresh ideas for turning your frowzy mutt into a chic chien. Check out Rocco, a Yorkshire terrier whose bangs get lopped into an asymmetrical ’do, or Bowie, a bichon frise whose wayward tangles are trimmed to form a fluffy nimbus. From start to finish, Puppy Styled is crammed with tail-wagging glamour.

 

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

Do you know someone who likes animals a lot more than they like people? We’ve rounded up a gaggle of delightful books that celebrate creatures great and small.

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