Julie Hale

Children's & YAPicture Book

Flights of imagination

Feature by Julie Hale

Big adventures are in store for rising readers, as these three picture books celebrate the imagination and its limitless potential. These inspiring tales are all about discovery, exploration and letting your imagination take the lead. Anything is possible!

An independent little girl gets lost in an adventure of her own imagining in R.W. Alley’s Gretchen Over the Beach. With her spiffy new sunhat and toys, Gretchen is ready to spend a day at the seashore with her siblings. But she’s disappointed when they race to the ocean, leaving her alone on the beach. Gretchen plays in the sand until her hat is caught by a gust of wind. She snags it by the tail—a length of red ribbon—and is soon airborne. Flying along with her toys for company, Gretchen zips over the ocean. A ride on the back of a seagull makes her beach day complete. Alley uses ink, pencil and acrylics to create a swirling dreamscape of ocean and sky—the perfect backdrop for the story of Gretchen and her out-of-this-world imagination. 

FACING UP TO FEAR
Danny Parker’s Parachute is the uplifting story of a small boy who confronts a big challenge. Toby is never without his parachute. Folded away in an orange pack, it makes him feel less uneasy about descending from his bunk bed or swinging in the park. It becomes very necessary when Toby is forced to climb up to his treehouse to retrieve Henry, his cat. Using the parachute, Toby sends Henry safely to the ground. But now Toby is stranded. How will he get down? With the help of his imagination, of course! Artist Matt Ottley plays with perspective in ingenious pictures that deliver a sense of Toby’s vertiginous experience. His paint, pastel and pencil illustrations are filled with brilliant details (like the stuffed rabbit that’s strapped to Toby’s pack). This is a triumphant tale about defeating fear that readers of all ages will appreciate.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
Flying bovines and a friendly dragon—there’s plenty to love about Gemma Merino’s The Cow Who Climbed a Tree. Tina the cow is often teased about her inquisitive mind by her sisters, a complacent trio whose thoughts rarely stray beyond their stomachs. In the woods one day, on a whim, Tina climbs a tree, where a surprise awaits her: a winged dragon! The two trade stories and become fast friends. At home, Tina tells her sisters about the dragon, but they don’t believe her. When she disappears the next day, they make their very first venture into the forest in hopes of finding her. The sisters soon learn that the woods are full of wonder, a place where their wildest dreams can take flight. Merino’s delightful illustrations feature simple lines and bold washes of color. Her story is sure to ignite the spirit of discovery in young readers.

 

This article was originally published in the March 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Big adventures are in store for rising readers, as these three picture books celebrate the imagination and its limitless potential. These inspiring tales are all about discovery, exploration and letting your imagination take the lead. Anything is possible!

Celebrating 20 years of Poetry Month

Feature by Julie Hale

This year marks an important literary milestone: the 20th anniversary of National Poetry Month. Established by the Academy of American Poets, the annual event has blossomed into a worldwide celebration. We’re joining in the festivities by highlighting three terrific new collections. 

THE POLITICAL AND THE WHIMSICAL
Last year, Ohio appointed its first Poet Laureate, Amit Majmudar, who, despite his literary success, hasn’t quit his day job as a diagnostic nuclear radiologist. The son of Indian immigrants, Majmudar grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and in the innovative yet accessible poems collected in his superb new book, Dothead: Poems, he explores the experience of growing up as a cultural outsider among mostly white classmates and how his heritage shapes his everyday adult life. “It happens every trip, / at LaGuardia, Logan, and Washington Dulles, / the customary strip / is never enough for a young brown male,” he writes in “T.S.A.” This painful prejudice rears its head again in “The Star-Spangled Turban”: “Any towel, / any shawl will . . . mark me off as / not quite level- / headed. . . .” Along with his pointed cultural critique are stark, electrifying pieces like “Ode to a Drone” and inventive, playful poems like his celebratory ode to grammar in the sly “His Love of Semicolons” (“The comma is comely, the period, peerless, / but stack them one atop / the other, and I am in love”). Majmudar finds poetry in the modern world where we least expect it. 

A CAREER-CLOSING VOLUME
Larry Levis was only 49 when he died of a heart attack two decades ago, but his reputation as a rare and compassionate poet was already well established. The award-winning author of five collections of verse, Levis casts a long shadow over the poetry world, which makes the appearance of The Darkening Trapeze: Last Poems a cause for celebration. Edited by poet David St. John, this never-before-published volume features expansive works constructed from long, Whitmanesque lines and a cast of marginal characters that were a recurring thread in Levis’ verse. In “Elegy for the Infinite Wrapped in Tinfoil,” a drug-addled boy sets his girlfriend’s house on fire and goes walking “past eaves & lawns that flowed / Beside him then as if he’d loosened them / From every mooring but brimming moonlight.” A sense of the poet as a vulnerable figure searching for meaning in a tumultuous world permeates these works, including “The Space,” in which “The Self sounds like a guy raking leaves / Off his walk. It sounds like the scrape of the rake. / The soul is just a story the scraping tells.” This collection moves between poetic modes to reveal Levis’ breadth of vision. The Darkening Trapeze serves as a poignant final statement from a poet whose voice remains vital. 

NEWLY DISCOVERED NERUDA
Then Come Back: The Lost Neruda is a true treasure: a new group of poems by Nobel Prize-winning Chilean author and statesman Pablo Neruda (1904-1973), thoughtfully translated by American poet Forrest Gander. Discovered by the Pablo Neruda Foundation, these previously unseen works were written between the 1950s and the early 1970s. The 21 pieces—image-saturated, sensuous, earthy yet elegant—highlight Neruda’s unselfconscious ease as he explores themes that loomed large in his life: home, nature, exile, art. Ardency for nature enlivens “Poem 2,” which conjures “the corollas / of giant sunflowers, defeated / by their very fullness.” “Poem 10,” with its celebratory opening lines—“Marvelous ear, / double / butterfly, / hear / your praise”—brings to mind Neruda’s famous odes to other body parts (eye, liver, skull). Of poetry itself, Neruda writes, “All my life it’s coursed through my body / like my own blood.” Indeed, these beautifully unaffected poems serve as yet another testament to the fluency of Neruda’s genius. Photographs of his handwritten drafts are included throughout, lending an archival air to this essential collection.

 

This article was originally published in the April 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

This year marks an important literary milestone: the 20th anniversary of National Poetry Month. Established by the Academy of American Poets, the annual event has blossomed into a worldwide celebration. We’re joining in the festivities by highlighting three terrific new collections.
Children's & YAPicture Book

Better than a bouquet

Feature by Julie Hale

This year, forget the flowers! Celebrate Mom with a story instead. Filled with humor, poetry and plenty of love, these fresh picture books pay tribute to mothers and their special magic.

PREPARING FOR MOTHERHOOD
Laura Krauss Melmed delivers a beautiful salute to the bond that exists between mother and child in Before We Met. Jing Jing Tsong’s breathtaking digital collage illustrations feature an evocative palette of violets, purples and blues—the deep hues of a night sky—to create a magical backdrop for a mother’s musings. The phrase “before we met” serves as a refrain in the book’s rhymed lines, turning the text into a lullaby: “Before we met, I dreamt I felt the beating of your heart. Before we met, I promised you I’d love you from the start,” the mother tells her newborn. Soon night gives way to day and a sun-drenched gardenscape filled with flitting birds and blooming flowers. This celebratory scene, signifying birth, is the perfect endnote for Melmed’s gorgeous, impressionistic story-poem. 

MOM ON A MISSION
Emma Levey’s delightful Hattie Peck features a one-of-a-kind mom—a broody chicken who longs for a family all her own. The only egg Hattie ever laid failed to hatch! She dreams of having eggs—lots and lots of them—and so she sets out on a quest. Her goal: round up all the abandoned eggs she can find and hatch them, “every last one!” Beginning this madcap mission in a rowboat, Hattie plumbs oceans, braves caves and climbs mountains, collecting a “colossal clutch” along the way. Back at home, she sits atop a pile of eggs and waits for the cracking to commence. Soon Hattie has hatched a veritable zoo that includes alligators, snakes, a penguin and a peacock. With so many critters to care for, Hattie is happy at last. Featuring colors that pop, Levey’s bold illustrations make this an extra-special story for families of every breed.

TWO OF A KIND
You Made Me a Mother captures the sense of nervous anticipation that precedes a baby’s arrival. Laurenne Sala’s buoyant story follows an excited mom-to-be as she prepares for her big day, studying baby guides and puzzling over new furniture for the nursery. When the tot finally arrives, the young mom naturally adjusts to her new role, making lovely discoveries about herself along the way: “I realized that I would spend my life doing things to make you happy. And that would make me happy,” she tells her little one. Over time, through trips to the playground and walks in the rain, mother and child learn from each other and grow together. Robin Preiss Glasser’s detailed ink-and-watercolor drawings are just right for this moving tribute to a mother’s unique capacity for love.

 

This article was originally published in the May 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

This year, forget the flowers! Celebrate Mom with a story instead. Filled with humor, poetry and plenty of love, these fresh picture books pay tribute to mothers and their special magic.
Children's & YAPicture Book

Required reading: Terrific new books for the start of school

Feature by Julie Hale

If the little readers in your household are stuck in summer mode, then you’ve come to the right place. Prep those kiddos for class with one of these inspiring books, and get set for a sensational school year.

COURAGE IN THE CLASSROOM
A grade-A story from start to finish, Jennifer P. Goldfinger’s Hello, My Name Is Tiger features Toby, a shy boy who likes to pretend he’s a cat. Toby even wears a kitty costume, complete with whiskers and tail. He’s a fearless feline—except when it comes to starting school. Adjusting to life in the classroom when you’re a cat can be tough! At first, Toby resists. He plays by himself in the sandbox and climbs trees during recess rather than joining the other kids. But with the help of kindred spirits—including Pete, who loves to pretend he’s a monkey—Toby finds his comfort zone. Goldfinger’s buoyant mixed-media illustrations—a blend of chalk doodles, pencil sketches and vivid washes of color—give this appealing story extra charm. Just the thing for nervous newbies who aren’t sure what to expect from school.

FROM A SCHOOL’S PERSPECTIVE
The main character in Adam Rex’s ingenious School’s First Day of School is Frederick Douglass Elementary, a spiffy new building with a bad case of the first-day nerves. The idea of incoming students makes the school creak! The building befriends a kindly janitor, who readies him for the big morning, and then the children arrive—“more of them than the school could possibly have imagined.” In class, the kids learn the definition of a square (“Wow,” the school says to himself. “I did not know that.”), and one girl makes a picture of Frederick Douglass Elementary (“It looks just like me,” the school thinks.). Not bad for a first day! Artist Christian Robinson depicts the building as a place with personality—the main door, with its window eyes, seems to be smiling—and his colorful illustrations give the book a timeless feel. It’s sure to become an end-of-summer classic.

EDUCATION AGAINST THE ODDS
Based on true events, Deborah Hopkinson’s inspiring, accessible Steamboat School tells the story of the remarkable school established by St. Louis teacher and preacher John Berry Meachum. In 1847, when a state law is passed denying education to African Americans of all ages, free or enslaved, Meachum has a daring idea: construct a steamboat on the Mississippi River, beyond the reach of the Missouri government, and use it as a school. Two young students, James and his sister, Tassie, help him build the boat and get pupils on board. “I felt like a pot about to boil over,” an excited James says when their work is done. Ron Husband’s detailed, realistic pen-and-ink illustrations have an old-fashioned sepia feel and perfectly complement Hopkinson’s lyrical lines. Young readers are sure to be intrigued by this chronicle of a classroom on the water. 

If the little readers in your household are stuck in summer mode, then you’ve come to the right place. Prep those kiddos for class with one of these inspiring books, and get set for a sensational school year.

NonfictionFiction

Not for the faint of heart

Feature by Julie Hale

From real haunted spaces to magic spells you can cast at home, these three new books offer plenty of spine-tingling spookiness.

THROUGH THE GLASS
It’s a given in many a fairy tale and myth: There’s more to a mirror than meets the eye. Mickie Mueller explores the legends and the lore the glass has inspired over the centuries in The Witch’s Mirror. An expert on natural and fairy magic, Mueller delivers a crash course in wizardry via this little volume, providing background on what makes a magic mirror tick while urging readers to tap into the power that lies behind its silvered facade. Would-be witches will find instructions on how to prepare their own magic mirrors, along with a wide range of incantations involving the glass (who can pass up the “You Are Beautiful Spell”?). Mueller also provides advice on using mirrors for meditation and astral travel. Filled with insights from practicing witches, this handbook of enchantment is an October treat.

SERIOUSLY SCARY
It’s hard to imagine a better-qualified chronicler of America’s paranormal past than historian Colin Dickey, who came of age not far from our nation’s most haunted abode, the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California. A longtime connoisseur of the macabre—he was once director of Brooklyn’s Morbid Anatomy Museum—Dickey takes readers on a spine-tingling tour of supernatural sites in Ghostland. From Portland, Oregon’s Cathedral Park, where a young woman was brutally murdered in 1949, to Shiloh, Tennessee’s infamous Civil War battleground, Dickey explores the hotels and homes, bars and brothels, asylums and—yes—cemeteries that have hosted all manner of eerie activity over the centuries. Along the way, he addresses larger questions about how the living deal with the possible presence of the dead. Pursuing ghosts from coast to coast, Dickey delivers a truly creepy travelogue that’s a must-have for Halloween.

HEAD TRIP
Marc Hartzman resurrects a disquieting bit of British history in The Embalmed Head of Oliver Cromwell. A political heavyweight who helped orchestrate the downfall of King Charles I, Cromwell was interred in Westminster Abbey in 1658. King Charles II, seeking revenge for his father, dug the statesman up, cut off his head and placed it on a post at Westminster Hall, where it remained for two decades, until—liberated by the forces of nature—it began a protracted postmortem journey, passing through the hands of curio collectors and museum owners. In his deliciously twisted book, Hartzman tracks the unhappy fate of Cromwell’s pate over the course of 300 years, and in a ghoulish turn of ventriloquism, he lets the head do the talking. From beginning to end, this startling yarn is recounted by Cromwell’s long-suffering skull, and it has quite a story to share. Unsettling, yes, but also irresistible.

 

This article was originally published in the October 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

From real haunted spaces to magic spells you can cast at home, these three new books offer plenty of spine-tingling spookiness.
Children's & YAPicture Book

Participation is mandatory

Feature by Julie Hale

These picture books require audience involvement, whether it’s peeking beneath panels and flaps on a page or simply reading between the lines of a multilevel story. The interaction lends extra magic to these entertaining books. 

INTO THE REAL WORLD
Set in the days of the dinosaurs, Patrick McDonnell’s Tek: The Modern Cave Boy is a winning sendup of digital addiction. Tek—a hairy little tyke—spends all his time inside. Neither his parents nor his dino pal, Larry, can coax him from his cave. That’s because he’s lost online, connected to not one, but three individual devices! When Big Poppa, the local volcano, blows, something wonderful happens: Tek loses internet access and rediscovers the pleasures of the outside world. McDonnell presents the first section of Tek’s story in gadget format: Each page is like a tablet screen, complete with a border featuring WiFi and battery icons. But when Tek gets disconnected, the electronic elements disappear, and McDonnell’s exuberant cartoons fill the pages. Tek is a smart story that sets a great example in an era of digital distraction.

TURN FEAR INTO FUN
In Little Mouse’s Big Book of Beasts, Emily Gravett’s tiny hero introduces readers to the creepy creatures he fears the most, including “sharp-tempered” sharks and “un-bearable” bears. Can Little Mouse stand up to the beastly bunch? But of course. Using a paintbrush and his own smarts, he’s able to disarm his adversaries and demonstrate his own strength. Gravett’s rhymed lines turn this tale of triumph over fear into playful poetry, and her signature interactive storytelling style rewards re-readings. There are fun flaps and folds, and tell-tale signs of Little Mouse throughout (many of the pages have a chewed-through appearance, and paw prints in paint are everywhere). Gravett’s ingenious collage-like visuals will inspire scrutiny in readers of all ages (check out the origami instructions). This is a story to be savored. 

NO FROWNS ALLOWED
Bob Shea’s whimsical, wonderful The Happiest Book Ever is a story that speaks to the reader—in more ways than one. Personified on the page by a grinning face, the book itself—irrepressibly upbeat—addresses the audience directly: “Whaddya say we make this the happiest book ever?” The book then introduces a surreal assortment of friends, starting with a sullen-looking frog and a dancing cake. Grinning clouds, napping cats and parading candy pieces follow, but their jollity is lost on the frog, who remains impassive. Exasperated, the book banishes the frog from the story, but soon backtracks: “Being mean is not happy . . . I was wrong to chase Frog away.” Lesson learned! The frog returns, and the gaiety resumes, Shea-style. With his neato illustrations and a snazzy color palette, this is a tale that lives up to its title.

 

This article was originally published in the October 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

These picture books require audience involvement, whether it’s peeking beneath panels and flaps on a page or simply reading between the lines of a multilevel story. The interaction lends extra magic to these entertaining books.
Children's & YAPicture Book

Puppy appeal: Dog stories to delight young readers

Feature by Julie Hale

Get set for a tail-wagging adventure! The picture books below are filled with the kind of frisky, rambunctious fun that can only be found in the company of a canine. As these stories demonstrate, nothing measures up to the love of a good pup.

AN UNEXPECTED STUDY BUDDY
In Lisa Papp’s Madeline Finn and the Library Dog, a reader-in-training gains confidence thanks to a canine companion. At school, Madeline Finn struggles to read out loud: “Sometimes the sentences get stuck in my mouth like peanut butter,” she admits. Madeline is discouraged but determined to earn a gold star in reading, so she pores over assigned pages at home. Then her mother takes her to meet the library dogs. Madeline gets paired with Bonnie, a gentle pooch who resembles a “big, snowy polar bear.” By reading aloud to Bonnie, Madeline gradually conquers her uncertainty with words—and scores that coveted star at school. Papp’s pencil and watercolor illustrations are filled with delightful details. Madeline herself is disheveled but adorable, with striped tights and an overflowing backpack. Books and dogs—what more could a little girl ask for?

DOG PSYCHOLOGY 101
What goes on inside the head of a snoozing pooch? This perplexing question lies at the heart of Arthur Howard’s My Dream Dog. The narrator, a young boy, knows nearly everything concerning his furry pal, Scooter, including the stuff he likes (burgers and bones) and the stuff he can’t stand (felines and fleas). “What I don’t know,” the boy admits, “is what he dreams about.” His mother thinks Scooter fantasizes about food. His brother believes Scooter dreams of the thrill of the chase. When the boy asks his grandpa about Scooter’s dreams, the wise old man offers the best answer of all. In his big-as-life watercolor illustrations, Howard presents Scooter as a quintessential mutt, scruffy and lovable, with a lolling tongue and always-alert ears. This exuberant tribute to the child-and-dog bond is also a clever exploration of what makes canines tick.

FUN ON ALL FOURS
A furry family member is the center of attention in Old Dog Baby Baby by Julie Fogliano. While crawling across the kitchen floor, a tow-headed tot encounters the senior member of the household—a grizzled gray dog who’s enjoying a snooze. Excited and curious, the tot is soon frolicking with his new playmate: “Baby peeks / baby spies / in old dog ears / and old dog eyes.” Meanwhile, mom and big sis watch over the proceedings as they flip through a family album that’s filled with photos of the dog—of course! Fogliano’s short, rhymed stanzas create a reader-friendly rhythm, while Chris Raschka’s colorful, close-up illustrations of baby and pet reflect the book’s buoyant mood. This sunny celebration of dog love will leave little readers pleading for pups of their own.

Get set for a tail-wagging adventure! The picture books below are filled with the kind of frisky, rambunctious fun that can only be found in the company of a canine. As these stories demonstrate, nothing measures up to the love of a good pup.

NonfictionWomen's History

Books for the superwoman in your life

Feature by Julie Hale

As the holiday season approaches, we’re paying tribute to the visionaries of the past with a collection of books that honor the leading ladies who paved the way for generations to come. Whether you’re shopping for a girl with a change-the-world attitude or a woman in search of gifted role models, these books are sure to inspire.

BRAINS AND BRAWN
Mathematicians and physicists, smugglers and spies, suffragettes and explorers—you’ll find them all in Wonder Women, Sam Maggs’ spirited tribute to 25 pioneering females. Maggs, the bestselling author of The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy, has put together an intriguing roundup of thinkers and doers who forged new paths in their chosen areas. Notables include algorithm whiz Ada Lovelace (1815-1852), daughter of Lord Byron and creator of code for an early computer, and inventor Margaret E. Knight (1838-1914), designer of—among other devices—a machine that mass-produced flat-bottomed paper sacks.

Maggs provides brief bios for each of her subjects, and her off-the-cuff prose style and winning sense of humor keep the proceedings lively. Maggs’ lineup of influential females is well curated and inclusive, while smart illustrations by Sophia Foster-Dimino bring the ladies to life. Wonder Women is a must-read for the girl who’s a bit of a geek.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Featuring an epic roster of female athletes, Molly Schiot’s Game Changers is a stirring tribute to the record setters, barrier breakers and milestone makers who opened the way for the women competitors of today. Inspired by Schiot’s popular Instagram account, @TheUnsungHeroines, this adrenaline-infused photography book focuses on overlooked but outstanding women athletes—20th-century sports greats who aren’t household names but should be. 

Schiot shares the stories of luminaries like mountain climber Annie Smith Peck, who caused a scandal in 1895 when she ascended the Matterhorn in pants instead of a skirt, and Bernice Gera, pro baseball’s first female umpire, who was harassed by the men in her class at the Florida Baseball School. From bullfighting to boxing, every corner of the sports world is represented. Discussions between legendary ladies like soccer player Abby Wambach and Title IX advocate Margaret Dunkle provide background on the place of women in a male-dominated industry. Packed with classic photographs, Schiot’s book is a gold-medal gift idea for the sports fan.

INK, TYPE AND INSPIRATION
Grassroots gals Chandler O’Leary and Jessica Spring create art with the power to incite—and unite—women of every age and stage. They’re the team behind Dead Feminists, the broadside series they crank out (literally) via printing press, using hand-drawn lettering and imagery to highlight quotes from famous feminists. A new book based on the series captures the duo’s crisp press work and knack for making bold statements through innovative design. 

In Dead Feminists, O’Leary and Spring honor 27 illustrious ladies—strong-willed leaders who changed the world through leadership, literature, art and education. Eleanor Roosevelt, Virginia Woolf, Shirley Chisholm, Emma Goldman and other eminent feminists are profiled in chapters filled with vintage photographs, ephemera and, of course, the team’s original broadsides, which are stop-the-presses sensational. Beautifully designed all the way down to endpapers showing a collage of nifty type blocks, this volume has a handcrafted quality. Insights into the printing process and a rousing foreword by Jill Lepore make this the ultimate gift for the gutsy girl.

SO BAD THEY'RE GOOD
One hundred remarkable women get the diva treatment in Ann Shen’s Bad Girls Throughout History, a sparkling celebration of formidable females who lived their lives outside the constraints of convention. As Shen explains in the introduction, “To be a bad girl is to break any socially accepted rule.” These trailblazing ladies did just that and more, transcending the boundaries imposed by gender to leave a permanent imprint on popular culture.  

Shen includes innovators of every era, from Cleopatra, the original bad girl, to anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman, birth control advocate Margaret Sanger and feisty figures of the present day like Tina Fey. Brief biographical essays provide background on the lives and accomplishments of these iconic individualists, who, as Shen puts it, “knocked up against that glass ceiling and made a tiny fissure or full-on crack.” Activists and artists, musicians and politicians, cinema stars and scientists—these bad girls definitely made good. Shen’s elegant watercolor illustrations round out this salute to a group of distinguished grandes dames.

ESSAYS WITH ATTITUDE
Frank and fearless—there’s no better way to describe The Bitch Is Back, a collection of 25 essays contributed by some of today’s top female writers. Edited by Cathi Hanauer, it’s a companion to The Bitch in the House (2002), the bestselling anthology that took stock of the female experience at the start of the century.

Nine writers from the first volume return in this edgy collection, along with new contributors like Julianna Baggott and Sandra Tsing Loh. Ranging in age from 38 to 60-plus, they speak their minds on motherhood, monogamy and midlife. With barbed humor, Pam Houston ruminates on five realizations that have accompanied aging (#3: “I don’t care what men think of me anymore.”), while Jennifer Finney Boylan recalls “the strange blessings of turbulence” connected to coming out as transgender. Susanna Sonnenberg and Cynthia Kling both reflect on making major decisions at midlife. Filled with hard-won wisdom and more than a little good news (getting older is definitely liberating!), The Bitch Is Back will motivate gals to take a kick-butt attitude into 2017. 

 

This article was originally published in the November 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

As the holiday season approaches, we’re paying tribute to the visionairies of the past with a collection of books that honor the leading ladies who paved the way for generations to come. Whether you’re shopping for a girl with a change-the-world attitude or a woman in search of gifted role models, these books are sure to inspire.
NonfictionLiterature

Holiday must-haves for literature lovers

Feature by Julie Hale

If you’re shopping for someone who’s happiest in the company of a book, then these recommendations are for you! Bibliophiles will delight over the goodies we’ve gathered this holiday season.

LOST LANGUAGE
First up is a story of cinematic proportions: An ancient codex, written by an unidentified author in a hand no one can decipher, flits in and out of history, confounding researchers across the centuries. The codex in question, known as the Voynich Manuscript, is one of literature’s great enigmas. The work dates back to the 15th century, and what’s known about its past is piecemeal. After passing through the hands of various owners, it surfaced in a book sale in Rome in 1903. Nine years later, it came into the possession of Polish antiquarian Wilfrid Voynich. Today it’s housed at Yale University.

Readers everywhere can now puzzle over this archival oddity thanks to a magnificent new facsimile edition created from fresh photographs of the original. The Voynich Manuscript includes the full text of the codex, as well as reproductions of its arcane illustrations. Edited by rare books expert Raymond Clemens, the volume features essays on the background of the manuscript and the latest research connected to it—efforts that have produced few clues about its provenance. A strange yet sublime work, The Voynich Manuscript is a jewel for the literary enthusiast and a prize for any personal library. 

MINDING THE STORE
For book lovers, nothing beats a few hours of browsing in a well-stocked bookshop. New Yorker illustrator Bob Eckstein celebrates the singular joys of perusal and possible purchase in Footnotes from the World’s Greatest Bookstores, an international tour of 75 indie bookshops that includes literary institutions such as City Lights (San Francisco) and Shakespeare and Company (Paris). Eckstein captures the essence of each shop in his luminous illustrations and shares stories from the stacks.

The destinations are worthy of a bibliophile’s bucket list, like Word on the Water, a London bookstore located on a floating barge, and Librairie Avant-Garde, an underground book emporium in a former bomb shelter in Nanjing, China, with 43,000 square feet of browsing space. A foreword by Garrison Keillor and quotes from Alice Munro, Robin Williams, Patti Smith and other notables make this the ultimate valentine to the brick-and-mortar bookstore. 

THE WRITING LIFE

Getting writers to interview other writers is a long-held practice at Vanity Fair that has resulted in classic contributions to the magazine. The best of these literary pairings appear in the lively new anthology Vanity Fair’s Writers on Writers. Assembled by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, these 43 pieces are filled with the larger-than-life reportage and sophisticated criticism that have made the publication famous.

In “Mississippi Queen,” Willie Morris goes for a drive with Eudora Welty—“quite simply,” he says, “the funniest person I’ve ever known.” In “The White Stuff,” Michael Lewis pays a call on Tom Wolfe in his Hamptons home, finding the great writer turned out in (you guessed it) a white suit and matching fedora. When it comes to author appraisals, the collection’s lineup of matches is remarkable: James Wolcott tackles Jack Kerouac, Martin Amis assesses Saul Bellow, Jacqueline Woodson honors James Baldwin—and that’s just a preview. In his introduction to the collection, fellow editor David Friend writes, “the life of every storyteller brims with revelatory tales.” So does this terrific anthology. 

FICTIONAL WORLDS
Like a brave heroine or stalwart adventurer, setting takes a leading role in many a beloved literary work. Middle-earth, Oz and Narnia are fully realized worlds that readers can map with their imaginations. These and other sensational sites are celebrated in Literary Wonderlands, an unforgettable expedition to 90-plus places made famous in fiction and poetry. 

Edited by Slate columnist Laura Miller, Wonderlands tracks almost 4,000 years of narrative. Starting with lands brought to life in time-honored tales like The Odyssey and The Tempest, the volume moves forward to explore 20th-century favorites (Fahrenheit 451, Slaughterhouse-Five) and up-to-date offerings (The Hunger Games, 1Q84). Author biographies, background on the creation of each work and a wealth of visuals complete this standout tribute to stories that transport the reader. Isn’t that what fiction’s for?

A BOOK CLUB’S BEST FRIEND
Is your book group in need of a boost? This holiday, surprise the members of your circle with A Year of Reading and get set for inspired discussions in 2017. Amply qualified authors Elisabeth Ellington (Ph.D., British lit) and Jane Freimiller (Ph.D., philosophy) share creative ideas for a year’s worth of reading in this handy guide.

In a month-by-month format, the book offers reading recommendations tailored to each season. Ideas for February range from the new to the tried-and-true: Aziz Ansari’s Modern Romance; Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. For November, there’s a bounty of food-related reading, including Lucy Knisley’s Relish, a culinary memoir told in graphic-novel form. Along with out-of-the-ordinary selections, the guide provides talking points that can kickstart a conversation and questions to keep the dialogue alive. With tips on how to organize a new reading group and resources for researching titles, this manual is a must for book-clubbers.

 

This article was originally published in the December 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

If you’re shopping for someone who’s happiest in the company of a book, then these recommendations are for you! Bibliophiles will delight over the goodies we’ve gathered this holiday season.
Children's & YAPicture Book

Dazzling picture books to become December traditions

Feature by Julie Hale

Gather your little elves for story time, and get set for a sparkling holiday with heartwarming tales of Christmas Eve magic. The plum picks featured here will bring the spirit of December to any reading circle.

THE NATIVITY
A new book from paper-craft whiz Robert Sabuda is always a cause for celebration, and this year he delivers another pop-up masterpiece. The Christmas Story is a spellbinding depiction of the Nativity that will enchant readers of all ages. Sabuda uses white paper with touches of gold to create pristine scenes that capture the majesty of the story of Jesus’ birth. His crisp tableaux lend a new dimension—literally—to the cherished tale. Wise men astride camels, a sparkling star and a stable filled with very special occupants are standout elements in a book brimming with pop-up surprises. It seems there’s nothing Sabuda can’t create out of paper. His visionary take on the Nativity is destined to become a December staple.

MEOWY CHRISTMAS
You can’t go wrong with a title like Stowaway in a Sleigh. This irresistible Christmas caper from C. Roger Mader features a feline with a problem only Santa can solve. On Christmas Eve, Slipper, a green-eyed cat, discovers an intruder in the house—a big man with furry boots, dressed in head-to-toe red! Deciding to check out his bag of goodies, Slipper crawls inside. Unsuspecting Santa shoulders the sack, and in a breathtaking nod to The Polar Express, Slipper soon finds herself flying high in Santa’s sleigh, heading for the North Pole. How will she get home? With the help of Mr. Claus, of course! In his richly detailed pastel illustrations, Mader conveys Slipper’s many moods—curiosity, wonder and, in the end, contentment. This is a trip readers will want to take again and again. 

AN ANTICIPATED ARRIVAL
In Anik McGrory’s The Christmas Fox, a mischievous fox is summoned by his animal friends to help prepare the stable for the arrival of a baby. “Come . . . there’s a place to make warm with sweet-smelling hay,” says the cow. “Come,” the lamb tells him. “There are gifts to get ready with soft, cozy wool.” But the fox—uncertain about how he can help—ignores their words. He frolics in the snow and plays in a stream. Once he arrives at the stable, he finds that he’s able to contribute after all, in true fox-like fashion. Youngsters will fall for McGrory’s impish fox, whose personality comes alive in her appealing illustrations, and if they don’t yet know the Nativity story, they’ll find an easy introduction here.


The Christmas Eve Tree. Illustration copyright © 2015 by Emily Sutton. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA on behalf of Walker Books, Limited.

WISHES CAN COME TRUE
Lisa Wheeler celebrates the miracles of the season in The Christmas Boot. Hannah Greyweather is out gathering wood when she discovers a lone boot in the snow. It fits her left foot perfectly and eases her walk back to the solitary cabin she calls home. How wonderful it would be, Hannah thinks, to have its mate! The next morning, she’s surprised to find two boots by her bed. Soon anything Hannah wishes for materializes before her eyes, including bright red mittens and a magnificent new house. When the owner of the lost boot—Santa himself—comes to claim it, he brings the magic to an end, but before he departs, he gives Hannah the gift she needs the most. Jeff Pinkney’s breathtaking illustrations make this an exceptional holiday story and a tale to be treasured. 

SPECIAL DELIVERY
Kallie George’s The Lost Gift is all about the goodness of giving. Squirrel, Rabbit, Bird and Deer wait on snow-laden Merry Woods Hill in hopes of spotting Santa. When they finally spy him overhead, the wind whips his sleigh and a present falls off “like a shooting star.” In the forest, the critters find the gift—a package tagged for the new baby at a local farm. With some ingenuity—and Santa-inspired goodwill—they deliver the present to its tiny rightful owner. At the end of their mission, they discover a surprise—a present just for them, from you-know-who. Stephanie Graegin’s pencil-and-ink illustrations make this Christmas Eve, with its star-studded night sky, one to remember. Little readers will feel big love for George’s furry holiday heroes.

AN OVERLOOKED TREASURE
In Delia Huddy’s The Christmas Eve Tree, a homeless boy rescues a forlorn little fir fated for the trash and takes it to his camp beneath a railway bridge. With the help of candles, the resourceful lad transforms it into a magnificent symbol of the season. The tree’s blazing branches attract passersby, who come together around it and sing. After the holiday, the boy moves on and the fir is forgotten—almost. In the end, it endures, growing to majestic heights in a park. Thanks to artist Emily Sutton, whose watercolor visuals have a delightful retro quality, Huddy’s story brims with holiday sweetness. This distinctive tale is a testament to the way Christmas can create a sense of community.

 

This article was originally published in the December 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Gather your little elves for story time, and get set for a sparkling holiday with heartwarming tales of Christmas Eve magic. The plum picks featured here will bring the spirit of December to any reading circle.
Nonfiction

Keep on the sunny side of life

Feature by Julie Hale

Most of us would agree that happiness is a state of mind, one that requires more than a little maintenance. Perfect for giving your attitude a tune-up, the books below are all about achieving—and sustaining—a sunny mindset. Get ready to focus, reflect and feel happy, starting today.

In a 2016 United Nations report, Denmark was named the happiest place in the world, a title the country has earned in previous years. The sod, it seems, really is greener in Scandinavia. What’s the key to Danish contentment? Copenhagener Meik Wiking, a researcher for the World Database of Happiness, believes it’s hygge (pronounced hue-gah), the feeling of snug domesticity, companionship and security that’s central to the country’s culture. 

For those of us who live in less idyllic locations—the U.S. ranked 13th on the list of happy nations—Wiking has written The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living. In brief, breezy chapters, Wiking outlines ways we can weave hygge into the fabric of our daily lives, offering ideas on everything from decorating (candles are a hygge must-have) to dining (try the recipe for robust Skipper Stew). But hygge, Wiking points out, is much more than an aesthetic. It’s a state of mind that fosters optimism and stresses pleasure over the pressure to be perfect. The hygge way means it’s OK to disconnect from work and assemble with friends, to indulge in—yes—a Danish or two (statistics show that Denmark outeats the rest of Europe when it comes to sugary treats). As life philosophies go, this one sounds pretty sweet.

Author Malene Rydahl presents a different take on what makes Denmark tick in Happy as a Dane: 10 Secrets of the Happiest People in the World, arguing that her homeland is flourishing thanks to a solid social framework and a value structure that emphasizes personal contentment instead of status. Her 10-secrets list features qualities that define Danish society—traits such as trust, a supportive educational system, a sense of unlimited opportunity and an appreciation for simple pleasures. 

When applied to our personal lives, Rydahl says, these big-picture elements can generate the same sense of positivity that makes Denmark the happiest place on the map. Rydahl, who is Copenhagen’s goodwill ambassador, suggests simple shifts in perspective. By focusing on community, calibrating the career-life equation and developing independence and self-worth, we can create a strong foundation for fulfillment. From start to finish, Rydahl lays out a persuasive case for making 2017 the year of living Danishly.

HOW-TOS FOR HAPPINESS 
For more than a decade, sought-after speaker Halley Bock has worked with companies across the country as an advisor on workplace relationships. She’s the founder of Life, Incorporated, an organization that promotes connection, compassion and good old-fashioned joy as prime factors in personal satisfaction. Bock shares her unique approach to self-growth in Life, Incorporated: A Practical Guide to Wholehearted Living. The key word here is practical, as Bock provides concrete techniques that can help readers find new ways to flourish.

Bock’s position on self-fulfillment is holistic. She urges us to inventory our lives—to take stock of home environment, physical health, career and downtime and, through writing prompts that tap into personal inspiration, envision more rewarding versions of each. Building self-esteem, finding a sense of purpose and maintaining authentic connections with others are among her areas of emphasis. “The more we are able to live life on our own terms,” Bock observes, “the more we are able to experience wholehearted success and fulfillment.” If you’re looking for a hands-on plan for cultivating happiness, Bock’s book is for you.

POSITIVE PRACTICES
So many of us, it seems, are creatures of habit, ruled by schedules and routines. In the midst of all the busyness, it’s easy to stagnate—and stress (two verbs you should banish from your vocabulary in 2017!). Are we humans really capable of change? According to Zen master Joseph Emet, the answer to that question is a resounding yes, and in Finding the Blue Sky: A Mindful Approach to Choosing Happiness Here and Now, he shows readers how. Through a series of daily practices that includes planned meditation, Emet offers a blueprint for forming a more mindful mode of living and stopping the cycles of negative thinking that so often undermine happiness. 

Drawing on his Buddhist background, Emet provides themes for meditation and soul-searching questions, all aimed at helping the reader develop a more affirmative outlook. He also delves into issues that can complicate daily life, including mood management and relationships. Establishing positive habits and patterns of thinking is central to contentment, Emet notes, but practice makes perfect—we have to act with intention if we want the changes to be permanent. He makes it all seem achievable in this stirring, heartfelt book.

PATH TO A HAPPIER YOU
Full of smart suggestions for finding fulfillment, Rachel Kelly’s Walking on Sunshine: 52 Small Steps to Happiness is sure to put a spring in your stride. In this mood-brightening guide, Kelly, a bestselling British author and mental health advocate who has struggled with depression, reveals the techniques she relies upon for leading a bountiful life.

In journal entries attuned to the seasons, Kelly supplies 52 ideas—one for each week of the year—for creating a more satisfying lifestyle. Try building into your schedule “pockets of peace”—times to power down, pause and reflect—in order to become more mindful of the present moment. Start practicing gratitude by pinpointing positive incidents and recording them in a notebook. Tiny tweaks like these, Kelly says, can make a big difference in our attitudes and interactions.

 

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

Most of us would agree that happiness is a state of mind, one that requires more than a little maintenance. Perfect for giving your attitude a tune-up, the books below are all about achieving—and sustaining—a sunny mindset. Get ready to focus, reflect and feel happy, starting today.
Children's & YAPicture Book

New picture books focus on the benefits of bonding

Feature by Julie Hale

The start of a new year is a great time for making new friends! If your young one is developing into a wallflower instead of a social butterfly, check out the terrific books below. These spirited stories will inspire introverts of all ages to step outside their comfort zones and connect.

ADVENTURE AT SEA
A verbal mix-up leads to big fun in Kat Yeh’s The Friend Ship. Hedgehog spends her time alone, “curled up in a prickly little ball.” When she overhears the words “friendship is out there,” she’s inspired to hit the high seas to find what she thinks is an actual ship. She sets sail in her own boat, asking the animals she meets along the way if they’ve seen the Friend Ship. Nobody has, but everyone wants to, and Hedgehog is soon joined in her search by a beaver, a herd of deer, a mouse, a polar bear—even an elephant! The members of this menagerie are all looking for the same thing, and by story’s end, they’ve definitely found it. Chuck Groenink’s masterful spreads of the shipmates on the water have a classic feel. His critters are irresistible. Who wouldn’t want to befriend this winning bunch?

FRIENDS AGAINST ALL ODDS
Jessica Olien’s adorable Adrift: An Odd Couple of Polar Bears demonstrates the importance of keeping an open mind when it comes to making friends. Karl and Hazel don’t get along. Introverted Hazel savors solitude—she likes to read and daydream—while rowdy Karl enjoys showing off for his bear buddies. When these polar opposites (I couldn’t pass up the pun . . .) get stranded on an ice floe in the middle of the ocean, they realize they’re stuck with each other. But once the ice floe starts to melt, they begin to bond and discover they’re more alike than they ever imagined. Olien’s cute, comic illustrations feature seals, penguins and other cold-weather creatures, all vividly depicted in bold lines and bright colors (check out Hazel’s polka-dotted scarf!). Adrift is a delightful reminder that friendship can blossom where it’s least expected.

PERFECT PAIRINGS
In the clever, quirky Before You, Rebecca Doughty uses friendship and the sense of fulfillment it brings as the basis for a series of witty comparisons: “Before you . . . I was a bowl without a fish. A birthday cake without a wish.” Doughty explores the idea of “before”—pre-friendship—throughout the first half of the book; the latter half she devotes to the time when buddies finally find each other: “I had a cup, you brought the tea. I had a boat, you brought the sea.” In minimalist ink-and-paint drawings, she uses her trademark deadpan visual style to hilarious effect—there’s a frowning four-leaf clover in need of luck, and a droopy noodle who could use some soup—and the result is a book that will appeal to readers of all ages. This is a nifty little volume that celebrates the power of companionship.

The start of a new year is a great time for making new friends! If your young one is developing into a wallflower instead of a social butterfly, check out the terrific books below. These spirited stories will inspire introverts of all ages to step outside their comfort zones and connect.

Children's & YAPicture Book

Teachers’ picks: Listen, look and learn

Feature by Julie Hale

If wintry temps have you dreaming of spring, then read on! The outdoor adventures featured below will tide you over till the milder months. Focusing on the marvels and mysteries of nature, they’re tailor-made for storytime in the classroom or at home. Who knew that science could be so much fun?

IN THE GARDEN
What Will Grow? (ages 3 to 6) by Jennifer Ward celebrates seeds in all their many forms, from acorns and flower pods to apple pips. In short rhymed stanzas, Ward nimbly addresses the idea of plant growth, tracking it from sprout to full flower: “Very tiny. / Then so viny! / What will grow? / Tomato.” Susie Ghahremani’s detailed scenes of neat garden rows showcase each seed along with a critter who’s hungry for the yield to come (watch out for the raccoon in the pumpkin patch!). Little readers will be impressed by the book’s fold-out spreads, which emphasize the miracle of buds and blossoms. Encapsulating the magic packed into seemingly simple seeds—and the surprises they produce—this beautifully rendered story is a great way to get kids interested in the great outdoors. Here’s to the green thumbs of the future!

IN THE WOODS
Tim McCanna’s Watersong (ages 4 to 8) offers a wonderful introduction to the connections that exist between animals and their native habitats. A little fox dodges raindrops, dashes through a stream and takes shelter beneath a tree as a storm crashes through the forest. McCanna uses simple lines of onomatopoeia to communicate the drama and power of the sudden squall: “Wash! Wham! / Lash! Whirl! / Bash! Swirl!” He depicts the storm from the perspectives of other animals—geese, snails and a wide-eyed owl—to show how the downpour disrupts the tranquility of their surroundings. By story’s end, the rain has passed, and the fox emerges from hiding to play with her pups beneath a sparkling rainbow. Capturing the clarity of a world washed in rain, Richard Smythe’s watercolor illustrations up the appeal of this delightful depiction of nature’s cycles and the unexpected gifts a storm can bring.

IN THE WATER
Rivers of Sunlight: How the Sun Moves Water Around the Earth (ages 4 to 8) is the latest entry in the popular, science-inspired Sunlight Series from author Molly Bang and artist Penny Chisholm. This informative yet accessible book is filled with fun facts about H20 and the role it plays with the sun in earth’s life-sustaining cycles. The sun itself serves as narrator: “Together, water and I give LIFE to your blue planet, and to YOU.” Presenting sophisticated information in a clear and engaging style, the book delves into concepts like evaporation and photosynthesis. Chisholm’s dazzling illustrations of the sea, the stars and the sun capture the magnitude of our ecosystem while creating a sense of intimacy readers can relate to. A bold typeface and short chunks of text make the book’s big ideas easy to process. Youngsters will see the world in a new way once they spend some time with this appealing primer.

If wintry temps have you dreaming of spring, then read on! The outdoor adventures featured below will tide you over till the milder months. Focusing on the marvels and mysteries of nature, they’re tailor-made for storytime in the classroom or at home. Who knew that science could be so much fun?

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