Books of 2025

Books read: 47
Fiction: 26
Nonfiction: 21
Adult: 29
Teen: 6
Children's: 12
Graphic Novels: 2
Classics: 4
Longest: 1312 pages
Shortest: 60 pages 

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 

The 1995 adaptation of this movie, written by Emma Thompson and directed by Ang Lee is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I was bound to love the book. I love the characters and how they often contrast each other—especially Elinor and Marianne, sense and sensibility, so to speak. Willoughby, beautiful, unmoderated, reckless and selfish, acts as a perfect foil to Edward and Colonel Brandon who are good, honorable and unassuming. I appreciated Austen’s portrayal of relationships and the effects of romantic feelings and entanglements on the two sisters. Truly, very little has changed in 200 years. Austen’s descriptions are spot on and she does it all with wit and grace.

I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This: A Graphic Memoir by Eugene Yelchin 

I was immediately pulled in by this graphic memoir by Eugene Yelchin, set in 1980s Soviet Russia. Yevgeny is an artist, showing a self-portrait at an illegal art show, when his eyes meet with an American girl's through the crowd. He falls hard, and much of the book involves their relationship, but the specter of the Soviet Union always looms. KGB eyes watch, people go missing or die unexpectedly (in "accidents") and a draft for the Afghanistan War (that isn't really a war, it's a "military operation") threatens Yevgeny. He takes a job painting sets in Siberia to avoid the draft. Yelchin's art is arresting. He evokes not only the cold and dark of the snow but the oppressiveness of the country. The backgrounds are grainy like old film reels, and images of Soviet propaganda and leadership  are constantly featured. Yelchin creates cinematic moments with his panels, like when Yevgeny and Lizzy meet, you get the distinct feeling that time has stopped as their eyes meet through the crowd. And I love the faces--so expressive, never especially beautiful, but that's what I loved. The effect is powerful. Yelchin’s story is harrowing and brutal. It blew me away, and I hope Yelchin continues to share more of his story through literature. (The book that came before this, about his childhood (and written for a younger audience), The Genius Under the Table, is also excellent, as is his fictional children’s book, Breaking Stalin’s Nose.) (Teen)

I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You by Miranda Hart 

Miranda Hart is virtually unknown in the US, but in the UK, she’s a well-loved comedian with a TV show called Miranda. I loved that show. It made me laugh and, in some ways, feel less alone, because she was awkward and silly. For the last 10 years or so, she’s been living out of the spotlight, largely because of chronic illness. This book is a bit of a memoir, but it’s largely about living with chronic illness and the “treasures” that have helped her to approach it in a mentally healthy way and experience more joy, peace and confidence in her life. I really loved this book. For one, I loved hearing the stories from her life—especially how she met someone and fell in love in the most unlikely circumstances and eventually got married at the age of 51. But I also loved her realistic approach to her treasures. She describes how much she rolled her eyes at certain platitudes, how much she resisted optimistic and zen attitudes, and how she came to believe she could have a good life in her difficult circumstances. I listened to this book and have listened to it again at times when I needed a boost or comfort or encouragement. 

The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eger 

Edith Eger was sent to Auschwitz as a teenager. She survived and returned home, married, had a baby and then fled the communist takeover of her homeland. She immigrated to America where she and her family started from scratch, enduring poverty and prejudice before finally settling in El Paso, TX, which, for her, was a land of tolerance and freedom. But no matter where she went or what she did, the trauma of her experiences at the hands of the Nazis came with her. She went on to study psychology, wondering, much like Viktor Frankl, what it was that allowed some survivors of the Holocaust to thrive. Her story is a fascinating one, and her ability to forge ahead in spite of her stolen youth, murdered family, and horrible trauma is impressive, to say the least. She is one of those people with a gift for resilience, but she doesn’t sugar-coat trauma or view the world through unrealistic rose-colored glasses. The book has lots to offer—an interesting life story as well as psychological wisdom that she’s gleaned over the years both from her own experiences and from counseling others in her psychology practice.

Cabin Head and Tree Head by Scott Campbell 

I don’t even know how to explain this book. Who are Cabin Head and Tree Head? Best friends who like to say hello to other heads, like Mossy Rock Head and Telephone Pole Head. They have six stories, plus one chapter that is a collection of stories read to them by Library Head during storytime. In one story, Leaf Head asks for an overly ambitious “leaf cut” (think haircut but for a tree) of “a dolphin jumping over a wave made of stars with an octopus surfing on it eating a taco covered in planets and a tiger wearing a hat.” Needless to say, it doesn't go well. In another story Cabin Head and Tree Head go around offering enthusiastic “hellos” to everyone in sight and startle Volcano Head so much that he starts to erupt and they must find a way to calm him down. The illustrations are well done and give kids plenty to look at–-there are so many heads participating in various activities. The book has Frog and Toad and Noodleheads vibes. It’s a graphic novel, but would probably work as an easy reader and/or an easy chapter book. Delightful, funny, silly, weird. It’s great. (Children's)

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides 

An account of Captain Cook’s fateful and final voyage. I was pretty drawn in from the beginning of this book. Hampton Sides has written an interesting narrative that pulls you in while also providing a balanced, fleshed out account of Captain Cook, somewhere between the extremes of hero and villain. He used sources from native Hawaiians as well as the first-hand accounts of crewmembers and commentary from modern historians. I found everything about the story interesting. There was so much I didn’t know, hadn’t heard. And as is so often the case, truth is often stranger than fiction. (Adult)

Infidel: My Life by Ayaan Hirsi Ali 

Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Somalia but spent portions of her childhood in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Kenya. As an adult in her 20s she fled an arranged marriage on her way to Canada by claiming refugee status in the Netherlands. Her life and perspective were so interesting to read about—her experiences in different countries, her relationship to her religion, and then her experience living in a Western country for the first time. I especially appreciated hearing her take on Europe--seeing the West from an outsider’s perspective rather than someone who grew up in it. This book was written years ago, when she was a quite vocal atheist. But fascinatingly, she announced her conversion to Christianity in 2023. I very much hope she will publish a book about that part of her life to add to this one. 

Heidi by Johanna Spyri 

I read Heidi because of an upcoming trip to Switzerland. Heidi is raised by her grandfather up in the mountains with goats and goat-herding neighbors. She’s not educated and doesn’t go to church, until her aunt whisks her away to the big city to become a companion to a young teen confined to a wheelchair. Heidi is too young and uncivilized for the position but charms most everyone with her exuberance, spunk, and frankness. I was charmed too. Heidi is funny, heartwarming, and surprisingly religious. It’s about the healing power of nature, friendship, faith, and that Secret Garden trope of you can be healed from your wheelchair-confining illness if you just get some fresh air and try to walk. Also, it gives the distinct impression that Swiss farmers subsisted mostly on milk and cheese. (Children's)

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor 

I loved this book. Marty is presented with a moral and ethical dilemma: he finds a dog that doesn’t belong to him and wants to keep him. To make matters worse, the dog rightfully belongs to Judd, a mean man who is known to abuse his dogs. Marty knows he can care for and love the dog better than his true owner. Marty first tries theft and dishonesty, hiding the dog at home, knowing that his parents won't approve. (spoilers follow) But keeping Shiloh in a hiding spot in the woods puts him in danger. When Shiloh is attacked by another dog, Marty must get him to the vet, revealing his secret to everyone, and sending Shiloh back into the hands of Judd. Next, Marty sees an opportunity to blackmail Judd into getting Shiloh back, but Marty’s naivete leads him into a worthless contract with no leverage. What I really loved was what Marty does once Judd reveals he’s not going to honor the deal: Marty continues to work, fulfilling his promise, and doing his part to earn the money to buy Shiloh. It’s in this honorable act that Marty gets to know Judd a little bit better, and Judd's heart is softened to the point that he gives Shiloh to Marty as originally promised. (Children's)

George Orwell: A Sage for All Seasons by Michael Shelden

A lecture series from the Great Courses--does that count? Because it absolutely was one of my favorite things I listened to this year. Orwell lived a fascinating and adventurous life. Michael Shelden wrote the authorized biography of Orwell, speaking to many people who knew him personally and gaining access to letters. I read a number of essays alongside the lectures, notably "The Prevention of Literature" and "Politics and the English Language," both of which are incredibly relevant today. I admire many things about Orwell--for one, his willingness to get dirty. Instead of just talking about class, he lived amongst the working class and got to know them and their challenges first-hand, he even fought in the Spanish Civil War. But even more than that, I admire his pursuit of truth and his determination to speak truth no matter what (and in the midst of a mess of propaganda and ideology). He saw hypocrisy and called it out, even when it was coming from people supposedly pushing his own ideals.  

Honorable Mention

Raising Hare: A Memoir by Chloe Dalton 

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 

The Wish Swish by Lynn Painter 

On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel and the Future of Civilization by Douglas Murray

In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks by Richard E. Turley Jr.

The Wild River and the Great Dam: The Construction of Hoover Dam and the Vanishing Colorado River by Simon Boughton

All the books:

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor • The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman • Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan • Heidi by Johanna Spyri • I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You by Miranda Hart • Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White • Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger • Infidel: My Life by Ayaan Hirsi Ali • Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie • The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke • The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness by Simon Wiesenthal • You’re the Boss by Brian Weisfeld & Bonnie Bader • The Wild River and the Great Dam: The Construction of Hoover Dam and the Vanishing Colorado River by Simon Boughton • Build the Life You Want by Arthur C. Brooks • Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton • The Wish Switch by Lynn Painter* • The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas • The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins • What Happened to Rachel Riley? By Claire Swinarski • Fahrenheit 182 by Mark Hoppus* • George Orwell: A Sage for All Seasons by Michael Shelden •1984 by George Orwell • It’s Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and the Search for Common Ground by David Litt* • I Am Rebel by Ross Montgomery* • The Art Thief by Michael Finkel • Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass: How I Went 77 Years Without Growing Up by Dave Barry* • The Midnight Library by Matt Haig • The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar* • O Pioneers! By Willa Cather • The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night that Saved America by Kostya Kennedy* • Homecoming by Kate Morton • I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang* • Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King • The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger • Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim* • The Gift: 14 Lessons to Save Your Life by Edith Eger • The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas • On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel and the Future of Civilization by Douglas Murray •  I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This: A Graphic Memoir by Eugene Yelchin* • In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks by Richard E. Turley Jr. • The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides* • The Village Beyond the Mist by Sachiko Kashiwaba* • Hostage by Eli Sharabi* • Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen • 100 Years of Healing: The Legacy of a Missionary Doctor by Evelyn E. Cook

* indicates published in 2025

Best Picture Books of 2020

I finally caught up with 2020 books. Here is my rather indecisive list of the best of 2020.

1. In the Half Room by Carson Ellis

A half house next to a half tree, filled with half objects, a half cat and even a half person. Reminiscent of Goodnight Moon except whimsical, absurd, and surreal. The more times I read it, the more I loved it! 

1. Sugar in Milk by Thrity Umrigar, illustrated by Khoa Le

A young immigrant girl feels homesick, and her aunt tells her a story. A group of refugees landed in a kingdom where they don't speak the language. The king and the refugees speak through symbols. The king shows them a full glass of milk with "no room for more." The refugees show the king a spoonful of sugar which they drop into the milk. The sugar both dissolves and sweetens without it overflowing. The king allows them in, and they promise to add sweetness to life wherever they are. The girl, upon hearing this story, reenters the world with new eyes. "Nothing had changed. And yet, everything had." She goes about her life offering smiles and kindness--sugar--to all around her. She sweetens both her own life and the lives others, and in the process finds a warm home. 

Could there be a better book for the year we all just went through? I love how the story is not just one story with one thesis/moral/message. There are many stories and many inspirations to be found in its pages. The illustrations are intricate and beautiful. Elaborate patterns are incorporated into clothing and backgrounds and borders. The legend is framed, reminiscent of old parchment, making it easy to distinguish from the modern story. The illustrator communicates well the feelings in the book--the bleakness of solitude, followed by the literal flowering of kindness. 

1. Bunnies on the Bus by Philip Ardagh, illustrated by Ben Mantle

"Bunnies on the Bus! Bunnies on the bus! No wonder there's a fuss about bunnies on the bus!" Every page of this book is jam-packed with bunny havoc. Newspapers, cakes, mail, packages all go flying as they whizz past. The trouble-making bunnies themselves are a bit nuts, hanging out of windows, stuffing carrots into their mouths, chasing after balloons, and the list goes on. And then there are all the stories happening in the background--the front-page escaped convicts conducting another heist, a bear getting ready for a date with his sweetheart, the celebrity hair model lion whose haircut goes terribly wrong (thanks to the bunnies, of course), and this list goes on, too. It rhymes and there's repetition. It's tons of fun all around. 

4. My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki

The joys of childhood and friendship captured in one book. It only takes moments for two girls who meet in the park to be best friends. Silliness and imagination abound as the girls quack like ducks, pretend to be a pickle, and turn a leaf into a skeleton hand. But it's not just fun and games. They care for one another, try to make things better for each other, and are still best friends, even when they disagree on ice cream flavors. You can see pure, unadulterated joy shining out of the girls faces as they laugh and play. It's hard not to share in it. 

5. The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita L. Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora

 Mary Walker was born into slavery, forbidden to read. At the age of 15, slavery ended in the US, and while technically she was free to learn, the hardships of life prevented her from pursuing her desire. It wasn't until she was 116, after her entire family had died, that she stepped into a reading class and became the oldest student. It's an amazing story, and this picture book tells it beautifully. It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Oge Mora, and her illustrations shine as they always do here. Rita Lorraine Hubbard's text is excellent also. It was when I read it aloud that I really noticed the beauty of the text: instances of alliteration, the flow of language, the imagery, the little details that make you stop and think. And there was a lovely circularity to the story. Mary sees birds and dreams of freedom and reading as a child at the beginning, and at the end she has learned to read and flies through the air on an airplane, like one of those birds. Beautiful! 

6. Rita and Ralph's Rotten Day by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Pete Oswald

Rita and Ralph are best friends, but when their play gets a little out of hand and one of them gets hurt, they part ways. Ralph feels bad and Rita is mad. The thing is, in order to get to Rita's house to apologize, there are a number of hills Ralph must climb up and down (4 to be precise), and by the time he goes all that way he's tired and grumpy and doesn't sound particularly sorry. They go back and forth (down the hill and up the hill and down the hill and up the hill and down the hill...) a number of times before finally meeting in the middle in their usual place, both apologizing. Humor is found in the repetitive trips over all those hills, but also in their individual grumpiness. It's a great story about what goes into maintaining friendships when harm, sometimes unintentional and sometimes not, is done. The author's note says, "Nothing feels worse than hurting a friend. Breaking things takes little effort; mending them takes time, humility, and a heap of trips up and down the hills of reconciliation." 

7. Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Shawn Harris

The title says it all. This is a book about a polar bear in the snow. The almost all white paper cut illustrations are all about texture, lighting, and the occasional black accents that define faces. The effects he's able to create are stunning. 

8. Lift by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

Iris loves to press elevator buttons. She always presses them--that is until her little brother swoops in and starts pushing them instead. Frustrated, she grabs an old elevator button she sees in the trash and so she can press the button in the privacy of her own bedroom, even if it doesn't do anything. Except that when she presses the button, something does happen. Her bedroom door opens to reveal another world. Humor, imagination, and sibling relationships are all in display in this lushly illustrated picture book. 

9. The Fabled Life of Aesop by Ian Lendler, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Aesop's life was fabled in many ways. Fabled because his name became so well known, fabled because of the fables he told, and fabled because his life itself was a fable. Born a slave, Aesop learned to communicate with his masters through fables. His wisdom was so great that he helped his master become successful both in business and in character. When his master asked if he could reward him, Aesop told another fable, indicating his desire for freedom, which he was granted. It's an incredible story. We don't know if it's really true, but it's inspiring nonetheless. Lendler tells this story well, incorporating Aesop's fables in real-life situations where they might have been used as well as including a collection of fables, some of which are very familiar and others less so. The illustrations are lovely—especially those on glossy pages for the fables themselves. An afterword shares a little historical context and detail.

10. Friday Night Wrestlefest by J. F. Fox, illustrated by Micah Player

"Ladies and gentleman, it's Friday night! That's right. School is out. Dinner was pizza. Annnnd best of all...it's time for...FRIDAY NIGHT WRESTLEFEST Main Event: Battle the Bedtime" Funny, dynamic, saturated with color, this is a ton of fun. And yes, it is a bedtime book. 

10. Prairie Days by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Micah Archer

Big sky and endless prairies are the hallmarks of a childhood in Wyoming, lovingly remembered in Prairie Days. The collage illustrations are vibrant and stunning. 

Honorable Mention:

Bedtime for Sweet Creatures by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall

On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex

Drawing on Walls: A Story of Keith Haring by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Josh Cochran

Books of 2020

Books read in 2020: 32
Children's: 15
Teen: 12
Adult: 5 

Well, I'm about to post my picture book list from 2020, so might as well post this one, too. I didn't read for large chunks last year, and sometimes struggled to enjoy reading, but there are a few that stick out as top 10 material. 

Favorite books read in 2020 

1. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
The perfect thing for a difficult year. Magical. I relished going back to it and hearing about the young girl trapped (and freed, really) in the body of an old lady, dealing with a wicked wizard and his fire demon. The kind of book I wanted to last and last. (Children's)

2. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Another story that does the soul good. A story of powerful friendship, kindness and bravery. (Children's)

3. Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden
Not only was this very well done, it gave me even more appreciation for our men and women in uniform and what they do for us as Americans and for each other. To quote the author, “Black Hawk Down is a reminder that the seemingly inhuman machine of the American military is made up of individual men and women, often serving at great personal sacrifice even when not thrust into war. The men of Task Force Ranger gave more than will ever be asked of most of us. They deserve to be honored and remembered.” (Adult)

4. It Ain’t So Awful Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas
I read this pre-covid which seems like a lifetime ago, and yet it sticks out not only because I enjoyed reading it so much but because it feels so relevant now despite being set in the 70s. Zomorod, who calls herself Cindy for simplicity's sake, has just moved to Newport Beach, after moving back and forth between her home country, Iran, and the US for her dad's job as an engineer. It isn't easy being different, but life gets even more difficult when Iran has a coup, and Americans are taken hostage, creating a lot of anti-Iran statement in the place Zomorod thinks of as home. And did I mention that it is genuinely funny and entertaining? (Middle Grade)

5. A is for Elizabeth by Rachel Vail
Elizabeth has to make a poster of her name, but because Elizabeth is such a long name with so many different letters, it’s a much harder assignment for her than for Anna, who is not her best friend. Spoiler alert, she makes a poster out of sticks and stones where her name is spelled: AAbmmm!moxooo!Eoo’oAth You’ll have to read it to find out how she got there. I love a good funny and silly early chapter book. A delight! (Children's) 

6. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
Mattie Gokey promises a guest at the hotel where she works in upstate New York that she will burn a stack of letters. When that guest is found drowned in the lake the next day, Mattie opens the letters to discover a tragic story that may mean the death was no accident. This premise, which is based on something that really happened, immediately captured me. But this book also deals with Mattie and her own life—the decisions she must make, and how to address her own aspirations and dreams in a world where not all paths seem open. It had a nice feel to it, and I really enjoyed it. (Teen)

Honorable mention:

• Almost American Girl by Robin Ha
• Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
• Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
• Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim

All books read in 2020:

A is for Elizabeth by Rachel Vail • Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens • I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day • Frankly in Love by David Yoon • The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in our Food and Drugs by Gail Jarrow • Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez • The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown* • Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir by Robin Ha* • It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas • Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy • An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson • Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang* • The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candace Fleming* • The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima • From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks* • Bloom by Kenneth Oppel* • A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly • My Life as a Potato by Arianne Costner* • The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass • The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf* • Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham • Louisa May Alcott by Susan Cheever • Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park* • Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones • The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol • Number the Stars by Lois Lowry • Thorn by Intisar Khanani • So This is Love: A Twisted Tale by Elizabeth Lim • A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson • Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley* • Stand Up Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim* • Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden

*Published in 2020

I don't include content warnings in my reviews, but feel free to ask.

Recent Read: Princess Cora & the Crocodile

Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Brian Floca

Cora’s parents love her dearly. So dearly, they worry about all the things that could go wrong. They want to make sure she is prepared, so they schedule her so that every minute of every day is spent in training. She takes three baths a day, she spends hours poring over boring books, and her father makes sure she gets a rigorous workout every single day. Cora is sick of it! She wants to be able to get dirty and play and have a dog. She writes her fairy godmother in desperation:

Nobody listens to me. My mother and father won’t let me have a pet and Nanny says I don’t even want one. But I do. And I’m sick and tired of everything.
Please help me.
Love,
Princess Cora

The next morning, a box with breathing holes in it is sitting at the foot of her bed. But it’s not the furry, golden dog she’d wished for, it’s a crocodile! What follows is a hilarious misadventure as Cora finally gets to play, and the crocodile takes her place during lessons.

You know it’s going to be great when one of the first things out of the crocodile’s mouth is “I bite.” The crocodile often resembles a two-year-old as much as a crocodile and gets into all sorts of trouble in his ridiculous Cora costume. Silliness and laughs abound.

Even though the crocodile gets most of the laughs, the story is about Cora and her parents. In an interview, Laura Amy Schlitz said, “It surprises me that there are so few picture books about the conflicts between parents and children. That’s odd, when you think about it, because this is where children live: with their parents, in a love-haunted combat zone. I’m not talking about abusive parents, or delinquent children; I’m talking about parents who are trying desperately to be good parents, and children who are trying hopelessly to be good children.” I was also struck by the fact that Cora retains her respectfulness. She never devolves into a brat, she doesn’t hate her parents, she doesn’t throw all of her responsibilities out the window. That’s for the crocodile. What Cora needs is some adventure, some play, and some independence.

Laura Amy Schlitz is one of my favorite children’s authors out there. Her books always seem to have a classic, timeless feel to them. They entertain and charm. Princess Cora and the Crocodile is no exception. She balances sweetness with humor and mischief. Brian Floca’s illustrations are a perfect match. If ever there was a perfect easy chapter book, this is it.

Recent Read: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice & Virtue

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by MacKenzi Lee

“On the morning we are to leave for our Grand Tour of the Continent, I wake in bed beside Percy. For a disorienting moment it’s unclear whether we’ve slept together or simply slept together.”

So begins this rollicking romp in 18th Century Europe. Monty is an English gentleman, but he’s also a playboy, regularly getting into compromising positions with both girls and boys. He’s leaving on a grand tour of Europe with his sister, Felicity, and his best friend (and secret crush), Percy. Monty is determined to have one last hurrah before his father imprisons him in gentlemanly adult responsibilities, like marriage and overseeing the estate. He has barely started his adventures in France when, at the Palace of Versailles, he gets caught naked with a courtesan and flees out the window, but not without stealing a pretty box of the Duke of Bourbon’s out of spite. They learn just how valuable this box is when highwaymen run them down the next day. Now, Monty, Percy, and Felicity appear to possess the secret to immortality and must decide what to do with it and manage to stay alive to do it.

This is at once a hilarious, scandalous, and thrilling book that may also surprise you with poignant moments. It was pure enjoyment the whole way through. Lee’s writing was a delight—snarky and funny one moment, tender and poetic the next. Percy and Felicity are lovable without question, while Monty is so selfish and irresponsible, it takes a while (and some growth) before I came to love him as well. It may seem a bit fluffy because of the light tone and humor sprinkled throughout, but Lee includes some pretty serious and ambitious ground: grand tours of Europe (which was a common practice for the upper classes at the time), epilepsy at a time when people had no real understanding of it, ditto for homosexuality, physical abuse, feminism, alcoholism, racism, shall I continue? And yet it all works together. She explains the historical context for many issues covered in the book in her note. Are there anachronisms? Is it a bit rosy to be realistic? Probably. Did I care? Not so much. This book made me laugh, blush, gasp, and fall in love. I warn you, it’s a bit mature for a teen book; there’s a fair amount of raunch, but alas, I absolutely loved it.

Recent Read: Scythe

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Imagine a world with no hunger, no disease, no misery, no death. Because no death exists naturally, Scythes are designated to “glean” (permanently kill) people, ostensibly to prevent overpopulation.

This is the world in which teens, Citra and Rowan, live. Chosen as apprentice scythes by the ascetic Scythe Faraday, they reluctantly begin to learn the art and craft of death. Scythe Faraday instills in them a reverence and respect for human life and the work of scythes. But not all scythes subscribe to the same philosophy. Elsewhere in the Scythedom, a movement is forming to embrace the violence and death of their work, placing themselves as superior to the unappointed citizenry. Citra and Rowan find themselves caught in the middle of this battle, and must figure out how to come out of it all alive. (Kind of vague I know, but sometimes knowing less gives you more enjoyment in the reading.)

Now, the idea that the entire world would agree that the best way to control the population was to designate a small group of people who are above the law to kill people by whatever method they prefer seems a bit ludicrous. Just the idea that gleaning someone by flame-thrower or bowie knife would be acceptable rather than some universally accepted humane method is hard to believe. And those aren’t the only qualms I have. But if you can buy into the world-building, this is a compelling, thought-provoking read.

The existence of such a truly utopian world prompts all sorts of questions about the nature and purpose of life and death. Is pain required to feel joy? What does life become when there may be no end? But it’s not just philosophical, the story is good. There are unpredictable twists around every corner. It’s filled with action and suspense. The characters are each so distinct, and their arcs drive the story as much as the plot. I couldn't put it down, and I loved the way it made me think.

Just as a note, this is a violent book...and yet, not explicitly so. In his straightforward, unadorned style, Shusterman describes horrifying events, but there is no gore. It's not graphic. If you're worried, compare it to The Hunger Games.

Recent Read: The 57 Bus

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

In November 2013, an agender teen riding the 57 bus was set on fire. The story became international news. The victim suffered horrible third degree burns. Many asked why. The answer the press and the district attorney’s office provided was simple: bigotry. To many it was a simple black and white case of right vs wrong.

Dashka Slater, the journalist who first covered the story for New York Times Magazine, tells a bit of a different story. She tells the story of two kids whose lives were both drastically changed in an instant. Sasha was a gender nonconforming teen with Asperger’s from a middle class white home who asked to be called by the pronouns they/them/theirs. Richard was a good natured teen from the inner city who was trying to improve his life despite the difficulties he faced. They both had friends and loving families. Slater describes two well-loved teens, good kids. So how did everything go so wrong? What kind of crime was committed and what is the punishment that fits it?

Slater goes into depth, describing where the teens came from their environments and the justice system that will determine Richard’s fate. It’s rife with hot button issues—race, class, transgenderism, incarceration, bullying, to name a few—but Slater handles them with sensitivity. She is even-handed in her portrayal of the teens, and you might be surprised by how much sympathy you feel for both. Dreadful as the whole thing may sound, the human spirit miraculously shines through. There is inspiration and heart to be found even here.

Recent Read: I'm Just No Good at Rhyming

I'm Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups by Chris Harris, illustrated by Lane Smith


I'm just no good at rhyming.
It makes me feel so bad.
I'm just no good at rhyming,
And that's why I am blue.

But in reality, Chris Harris IS good at rhyming in this hilarious collection of clever poetry. Everything about this book is funny, including the dedications, acknowledgments, & author bios. It includes word play, mischief, riddles, reader interaction, stories, and tons of silliness. In “The Good-Child Test,” Harris writes, “I used special ink on this poem’s last line / That some children see and some don’t / If you’re a good child, then you’ll read it just fine — ” And of course the space is left blank (or maybe I'm just a bad child who can't see it??). There’s the “Alphabet Book (by the laziest artist in the world)” where every letter looks the same: “K is for kiwi (halved),” “O is for orchestra pit,” “Q is for quail (under a serving lid)”. “If you ever have to memorize a poem of twenty lines or longer and deliver it to your class, then this is a pretty good choice” is a poem with only two words in it, moderated by intonation. I loved the “Unfair Riddles,” which are exactly what they say they are. Every now and then there is interference from the illustrator (“Sorry, Chris, I have to stop you right there. This poem is too ridiculous. I don’t think I can illustrate it.”). Even his indices are funny. An “Outdex” includes a list of poems not in the book like, “Syrup in Europe Makes Me Therup.” There are even a few sweet poems without a punchline. Lane Smith of Stinky Cheese Man fame has created illustrations that perfectly complement and accentuate the humor. The title says it all, and certainly I must fit the latter category because I laughed my way through the whole thing.

Recent Read: Real Friends

Real Friends by Shannon Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Friendship is not always an easy thing to navigate. Shannon Hale recalls her own real childhood in this memoir about the hazards of making friends. She becomes instant best friends with Adrienne in kindergarten, but it becomes a little more complicated in third grade when Adrienne becomes friends with the most popular girl in her class. Adrienne is welcomed at the top of the pack while Shannon is relegated to the bottom. Often others (particularly one) in “The Group” make fun of Shannon and try to undermine her. Meanwhile, at home, her oldest sister, Wendy, is alternately nice and abusive. Hale and Pham depict Wendy as a wild bear who could strike at any moment. Shannon has days where she spends recess crying in the bushes and gets home only to have to run from the bear. Her path is not always clear, but through all the messiness of real life, Shannon learns what it is to have and be a real friend.

I think sometimes we think of these social hierarchy problems (queen bees and wannabes) emerging in middle or high school, but I experienced them most strongly in elementary school, and it looks like Shannon Hale might have as well. I remember being phased out of the cool group when I was in third grade. As I saw Shannon’s pain, I felt it and related to it. LeUyen Pham notes in the acknowledgments, “my heart is still convinced that you [Hale] crawled inside my memories and handpicked all these events and feelings and insecurities from my childhood and called them your own.” I tend to think that the book will have this effect on many readers, as it did me. And while I had no siblings, the portrayal of her difficulties with her sister still affected me because of the authenticity of it. Hale deftly maneuvers through this story, and while the central focus is friendship (particularly female), she manages to touch on other complex subjects like anxiety, sister relationships, empathy, and identity.

In the lovely author’s note, Hale says, “Real Friends is the story I’ve been telling myself about my elementary school years. If you were to ask the other people portrayed in this book how it happened, surely the story they’ve been telling themselves would be different from mine.” She provides a little extra context and some follow up on some of the people in the story, like Wendy. She wraps it up by encouraging her readers, “You deserve to have real friends.”

Then there are the illustrations! It’s so easy to take illustrations for granted. LeUyen Pham's illustrations brim with life. She captures all the emotions so brilliantly in her drawings. She knows how to use color and space to accentuate and depict the story. She incorporates the bear and dreamy fantasy sequences seamlessly. I can’t do her work justice!

And did I mention it was so engaging I read it in one sitting? Regardless of whatever personal, emotional impact this may have had on me, this is one fantastic little book.

Recent Read: City of Saints and Thieves

City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

“If you’re going to be a thief, the first thing you need to know is that you don’t exist.”

Tina is an excellent thief. She knows how not to exist—how to go through a crowd unnoticed, swiping valuables from unsuspecting victims. She and her mother practiced the same kind of invisibility as they slipped away from Congo as refugees, landing in Kenya where her mother found a job working as a maid for the prominent and wealthy American businessman, Roland Greyhill. It was there, in Greyhill’s office, that Tina’s mother was murdered years ago.

Now Tina returns to the scene of the crime, hoping to exact revenge on the man who murdered her mother. With the help of her street gang, she plans to hack Greyhill’s computer and acquire secrets to ruin and bankrupt him. Everything is going according to plan until she's interrupted by his teenage son, Michael, her former best friend.

Michael doesn’t believe his father did it and convinces Tina to hold off on her revenge until he can acquire the security footage of what really happened that night. What follows is a compelling murder mystery. Twists lurk around every corner as Tina and Michael delve deeper into her mother’s history—including why and how her mother fled Congo.

I listened to Pascale Armand read this as an audiobook. Her narration combined with the developed characters, vivid setting, and good writing made for a very enjoyable read. But while the driving force of the book is this exciting murder mystery, at its heart lies a story of victims of conflict in Africa. The author worked for NGOs in Africa, and for 3 years, she interviewed refugees seeking asylum in the U.S. Her job was to listen to refugees tell their stories all day. In an interview, she said, “What I’d heard was every bit as compelling and engrossing as any dystopian or post-apocalyptic world.” It’s true, we have real life dystopias in our world today. Anderson handles this most heart wrenching part of the story with grace, delicacy, and, dare I say, even beauty. So while it is an excellent murder mystery, it’s also much more.

Recent Read: Shadow Magic

Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan

A lowly woodcutter's son, Thorn has been enslaved for breaking the law. He thinks he's got it pretty bad until a mysterious man in black purchases him, a man who he discovers is the executioner of House Shadow. Now on his way to Gehenna, the land of darkness, he's pretty sure he'll be stuck cutting up corpses for the oven. He imagines that Lilith, the new ruler is a troll with warts and green skin, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Lilly was never supposed to rule Gehenna. She's a young girl who must take the throne after her family is mysteriously murdered. She comes from a long line of powerful sorcerers, but not only do the powerful glory days of magic seem to be a thing of the past, women are not allowed to practice sorcery. Even though she desperately wants to practice magic and rule on her own, she is being pressured to marry into power and protection.

As you might suspect, Lilly and Thorn are thrown together in an exciting and often humorous adventure that involves murder, necromancy, magic and an enormous bat named Hades. I felt the same kind of enjoyment reading this story as I did reading Harry Potter. It's a page turner with humor, appealing characters, and lots of charm.

Best Picture Books of 2015

It's a bit late, but I finally have my picks for the best picture books of 2015.

1. In a Village by the Sea by Muon Van, illustrated by April Chu

2. Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Zachariah OHora

3. Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley

4. Wait by Antoinette Portis

5. Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

6. Little Elliot Big Family by Mike Curato

7. Float by Daniel Miyares

8. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bearby Lindsay Mattick, illustrated by Sophie Blackall

9. Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson

10. Supertruck by Stephen Savage

Honorable Mention: 

Two Mice by Sergio Ruzzier

Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Written and Drawn by Henrietta by Liniers

An Ambush of Tigers: A Wild Gathering of Collective Nouns by Betsy R. Rosenthal, illustrated by Jago

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach

Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Tanya Simon, illustrated by Mark Siegel