Books of 2022

Total books read in 2022: 71
Adult: 23
Teen: 19
Childrens: 28
Fiction: 34
Nonfiction: 21
Graphic Novels: 15

1. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

My mom read these to me as a child, but I have no memory of them, though I knew the basic story of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. I absolutely loved them. They were everything I needed this year: edifying, entertaining, comforting, meaningful. I loved that there was religious symbolism and meaning along with lessons about life, and yet it didn't feel didactic. And I loved Aslan and loved how it produced this feeling of wishing he were in every scene. "The value of the myth is that it takes all the things we know and restores to them the rich significance which has been hidden by ‘the veil of familiarity.’"

1. And Away... by Bob Mortimer

I was first introduced to Bob Mortimer through his appearances on Would I Lie to You? (a sort of variation on two truths and a lie) which had me in stitches. Then I moved onto Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, a half hour show where the two British comedians who've both had heart surgery embark on a fishing weekend in the beautiful English countryside and talk about life and act silly and catch fish; it's equal parts funny, silly, relaxing, beautiful and contemplative. I was so thoroughly delighted, I picked up his autobiography and the delight continued. The fascinating thing is he worked as a lawyer for years and stumbled into show business by attending the shows of Vic Reeves. He also revealed that he was very shy. And while he made me laugh plenty, he also got my heart, as demonstrated by this closing remark:

3. Can You Whistle, Johanna? by Ulf Stark

Berra wishes he had a grandfather when he hears about all the fun his friend Ulf had with his. Ulf knows exactly where Berra can find a grandfather for himself: at the old folks' home. This is already a beloved children's book in Sweden. It hasn't been translated into English until now. Everything about it is perfect. It's funny and heartwarming.

4. Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba

This book starts with a boy named Kazu climbing out his bedroom window onto the roof in the middle of the night to pee because he hates going downstairs to the bathroom in the dark. While he's out there, he sees a mysterious girl leaving his house and he realizes she's a ghost. But when he goes to class the next day, she's there and everyone acts as if they've always known her! Kazu starts to investigate and finds history and legends and stories that captivated me the whole way through. This is five-star storytelling.   

5. The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

Lucy was struck by lightning. Ever since, she's had savant syndrome, giving her genius-level math skills and a touch of OCD. She's been homeschooler her whole life and now, at the age of 12, she's ready for college. Only grandma insists she attend middle school and make one friend before she can go to the advanced math classes of her dreams. Turns out friendship is a much bigger challenge than calculus. Wonderful. Great for fans of Smile and Real Friends, as it hits on the woes of navigating female friendships in a very real way. 

6. The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

Excellent

7. A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis

This was the experience of 2022 for me. 

8. Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Another solid middle grade book, with that perfect mix of humor, challenges and realism. A story centered around family that addresses the challenges of life and change with courage and personality.

9. The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen

A great story of young women from different classes and backgrounds realizing coming together as they see what they have in common and their strength.

10. The Heavens are Open by Wendy Nelson

Honorable Mention:

All of Huda Fahmy's graphic novels:
Yes, I'm Hot in This: The Hilarious Truth about Life in a Hijab by Huda Fahmy
That Can Be Arranged
Huda F Are You?

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee & Molly Brooks

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

Where is God When it Hurts? by Philip Yancey

Everything read in 2022:

The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth by Sam Quinones • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas • Can You Whistle, Johanna? By Ulf Stark, illustrated by Anna Höglund • Sylvie by Sylvie Kantorovitz • The Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley • Crushing by Sophie Burrows • The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera • Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff • How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams • Ambushed! The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield by Gail Jarrow • Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina • They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera • When It Doesn’t Make Sense by John Bytheway • The Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox • You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson • The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman • Heartstopper by Alice Oseman • Living with Viola by Rosena Fung • The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty • The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery by Ross Douthat • Where is God When It Hurts? By Phillip Yancey • Gallant by V. E. Schwab* • Fuzz by Mary Roach • The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis • A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis • Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis • The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey • Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner • Murder Among Friends: How Leopold and Loeb Tried to Commit the Perfect Crime by Candace Fleming* • Sheets by Brenna Thummler • Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy • That Can Be Arranged by Huda Fahmy • The Big Break by Mark Tatulli • Real Food/Fake Food: Why You Don’t Know What You’re Eating and What You Can Do About It by Larry Olmstead • Night by Elie Weisel • Ain't Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds & Jason Griffin • Yes, I'm Hot in This: The Hilarious Truth about Life in a Hijab by Huda Fahmy • Lost and Found by Orson Scott Card • The School for Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix* • Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee* • The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile by Neal Bascomb* • Concealed by Christina Diaz Gonzales • The Year of the Horses by Courtney Maum* • L’Appart by David Lebovitz • The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson* • Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee & Molly Brooks* • The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen* • Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas* • Melissa by Alex Gino (formerly George) • Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett • Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis • Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis • Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos* • The Spirit of Revelation by David A. Bednar • Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis • Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina • Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce • Smaller Sister by Maggie Edkins Willis* • The Heavens are Open by Wendy Nelson • The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis • Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A. F. Steadman* • Everything is an Emergency: An OCD Story in Words and Pictures by Jason Adam Katzenstein • The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis • The Aquanaut by Dan Santat* • Aviva vs. The Dybbuk by Mari Lowe* • And Away... by Bob Mortimer • Only A Monster by Vanessa Len* • Foster by Claire Keegan • The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis • Free Kid to Good Home by Hiroshi Ito*

Best Picture Books of 2021

1. Watercress by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin

This was one of the first 2021 books I read, and I wondered if it was too soon to declare it the best of the year. Every word and brushstroke is chosen with care to tell the story of a girl learning to connect with her past through watercress found by the side of the road. A beautiful story, beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. (It deals with her mother's life in China during the Great Famine when her brother died, so be aware.)

2. The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld

A childless king and queen go to an inventor and a witch to try to get the children they always dreamed of. They get a wooden robot and a log princess. The princess transforms into a log when she falls asleep and back into a princess when the magic words are spoken. But one of the maids doesn't know this, and she throws the princess in log form out the window. A grand adventure begins for the little wooden robot as he tries to find and rescue his sister. At two points the narrator sums up the many challenges and adventures faced along the way with titles and illustrations but no more detail than that. So readers will be left to wonder about "The Old Lady in a Bottle" and "The Mischievous Pixies," or they could make up the stories themselves. Spoiler alert, they all live happily ever after with some help from friends. This is a new fairy tale that children will love. The illustrations are excellent as is the story.

3. Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer

"Is fog the river's blanket?" "Are trees the sky's legs?" "Is the moon the world's night light?" These are the imaginative questions of two small "wonder walkers." It's amazing what Archer can do with collage. Each page is a feast for the eyes.

4. Off-Limits by Helen Yoon

"I'm just looking," a little girl says when going into her father's "off-limits" office. "...and I don't think anyone would miss one piece of tape." I think you can tell where this is going. The girl's facial expressions are priceless. Exuberant celebration of office supplies might be one way to describe this book.

5. The Lost Package by Richard Ho, illustrated by Jessica Lanan

A little girl in NYC carefully puts a package together and drops it off at the post office. But on the road the package falls out of the truck and lands in a gutter. Fortunately, a conscientious little boy whose family happens to be moving to the package's destination finds it and hand delivers it once they pack and drive all their stuff across country. I think more than one thing can be gathered from this story. The package arrives at its destination despite obstacles and detours. It's also a story of kindness and friendship--the girl who sent the package in the first place, the boy who rescued the package, the family who decided to make sure it reached its destination, the new friendships that formed as a result. Also, I loved seeing the workings of the post office. The illustrations have a cinematic feel. 

6. Mel Fell by Corey Tabor

Mel decides that today is the day she will learn to fly, so she jumps off her high branch and falls and falls, page after page, passing all sorts of animal onlookers. This journey downwards is pretty funny as the animals attempt to save her (of course no one is better than snail who speaks as slowly as he moves). Mel hits the water, catches a fish, flips back up and flies all the way back up, passing all the animals who are now cheering her on. She is a kingfisher, after all. The orientation of the book changes with the direction Mel is going. Funny and charming.

7. Norman Didn't Do It (Yes, He Did.) by Ryan T. Higgins

Norman the porcupine's best friend is a tree named Mildred. They play catch (you can imagine how that goes) and "tree" and chess. But Norman becomes jealous when another tree starts to sprout, and he thinks that the new tree threatens his friendship with Mildred. So Norman digs up the tree under cover of night and takes it away to an island, hopefully never to be seen or heard from ever again. Problem solved, right? Funny, funny stuff.

8. Moon Pops by Heena Baek

When the moon begins to melt in the oppressive heat, Granny catches the drips and makes the perfect cooling treat with them: moon pops. Everyone in her apartment building experiences relief from the heat thanks to her moon pops. But then two discombobulated rabbits show up at the door worried about their home which has melted away. Granny will figure out something. A note at the beginning explains the Korean folklore than suggests there are rabbits on the moon. Baek has illustrated the story with dioramas and charcoal drawn cutouts. LED lights illuminate the moon and its pops.

9. We Wait for the Sun by Dovey Johnson and Katie McCabe, illustrated by Raissa Figueroa

Before dawn, Dovey and her Grandmother leave the warmth of their home and venture into the darkness of the forest to pick berries and watch the sunrise together. It's a sensory experience filled with descriptive language and illustrations that are all about light. It's also more than a fond remembrance of a beloved experience, though. It's a story about patience, perseverance, and courage in the darkness. It's a story about the sun rising literally and figuratively. It's a story about a grandmother loving her granddaughter, spending time with her, and teaching her to be strong and have hope. 

10. The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem by Colleen Paeff, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Any book that has the phrase "poop pollution problem" in its title bound to be good, right? It's a book that combines humor, colorful language (including almost every word for poop imaginable) and good storytelling with the factual story of the development of sewers which saved London from stinkiness and cholera.

Honorable Mention:

The Night Walk by Marie Dorleans

The Longest Storm by Dan Yaccarino

The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen

Chez Bob by Bob Shea

Boo Stew by Donna L. Washington, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler

Magic Candies by Heena Baek

Books of 2021

Total books read in 2021: 83

Adult: 13

Teen: 18

Childrens: 52

Published 2021: 26

Fiction: 70

Nonfiction: 83

Graphic Novels: 17

Unlike last year, I read a lot this year. Here are my top 10 in no particular order, and plentiful honorable mentions. As usual, these are my favorite books. There are many more I thought were excellent, that I could wholeheartedly recommend but just didn't occupy the same place in my heart as these.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

I went into this book knowing almost nothing. At first, I wondered if I wanted to continue. I had a hard time figuring out what was going on, there didn't seem to be anything happening. But I persisted and was rewarded. It's almost like a puzzle that unfolds gradually and then all at once into something thrilling and even beautiful. I will reread it at some point, though it will never quite have the original magic of discovery this first read did. (Adult)

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

A tribute to humanity--and specifically to the people of Thailand. Ingenuity, selflessness, creativity, generosity. It will restore your faith in humanity. It will make your heart tense with worry and then swell with joy. And the most amazing thing of all? They did it. They saved all thirteen. They accomplished the impossible. (Children's/Teen)

The Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

As soon as I read "her familiar is a sourdough starter," I knew I had to read this, and it did not disappoint. The wonders of dough magic never cease in this whimsical, entertaining, and funny fantasy. (Teen/Adult)

Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon

A wicked fairy curses Princess Harriet Hamsterbone to prick her finger on an enchanted hamster wheel and fall into a deep sleep on her 12th birthday. When Harriet learns about the curse at age 10, she celebrates what she sees as 2 years of invincibility by jumping off the tallest tower into the moat and starting a career on the professional jousting circuit. Humor, adventure, twists and turns, a fairy tale unlike any you've seen before. Thoroughly entertained by this one. Also, Ursula Vernon = T. Kingfisher. (Children's - Easy chapter book)

The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis

A young dragon beguiled by chocolate. Delightful and charming. It's the kind of story that makes your heart feel as warm as the molten chocolate you're bound to want to drink as you read. (Children's)

Mere Christianity and The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis

I love C. S. Lewis's philosophical approach to religion.

Red, White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca

My heart! Fictional, but also drawing on the author's experiences growing up in and Indian family in an American city in the 80s. While the author has a unique perspective of growing up in those two worlds, the book ends up being a universal story of family, friends, resilience, loss and sorrow, love, strength, and acceptance. Beautifully written. And it may make you cry. (Children's/Teen)

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Thoroughly entertaining book! Action, humor, adventure, charm, secrets, great characters and good pacing. (Teen)

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

The true story of Omar Mohamed's experience living in a refugee camp. On the one hand, it tells a story so different from our experience in the US--a story that teaches us about the hardship and suffering that others experience. But it also tells a story of being human, a story that feels familiar in so many ways, because things like trying to maintain friendships, caring for family members, struggling with dashed hopes are universal experiences that we can all relate to. It's a beautiful story of friendship community, faith, resilience, and hope. (Children's)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

This and its sequel acted as comfort food for me in early in 2021. Later I watched the miniseries which performed the same comfort food function. I just love the characters and setting. Audiobook version is very good. (Adult)

Lighten Up by Chieko Okazaki

Written in 1993, but it feels modern and relevant to today. I appreciated her perspective, stories, and wisdom.

Honorable Mention

Friends Forever by Shannon Hale & LeYuen Pham

Josephine Against the Sea by Shakirah Bourne

Pity Party by Kathleen Lane

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown

Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb by Candace Fleming

Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by Steve Sheinkin

The Haunted Mask by R. L. Stine

Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card

Everything I read in 2021:

Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume • Frindle by Andrew Clements • The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith • Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith • Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan • The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware • The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle • The Haunted Mask by R. L. Stine • Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien • Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbett • Lighten Up by Chieko Okazaki • Magyk by Angie Sage • Just Listen by Sarah Dessen • Maniac McGee by Jerry Spinelli • We Had to Be Brave: Escaping the Nazis on the Kindertransport by Deborah Hopkinson • Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis • A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin • Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan • Class Act by Jerry Craft • Piranesi by Susanna Clarke • Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley • All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat • When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson • The Chosen by Chaim Potok • Eventide by Sarah Goodman • The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. by David Levithan* • The Inheritance Games by Jennier Lynn Barnes • Amber and Clay by Laura Amy Schlitz* • Red, White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca* • Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera* • My Last Summer with Cass by Mark Crilley* • The Crossroads at Midnight by Abby Howard • Skyward by Brandon Sanderson • Monster and Boy by Hannah Barnaby • Dustborn by Erin Bowman* • Normal: One Kid’s Extraordinary Journey by Magdalena and Nathaniel Newman • Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland* • Twins by Viran Johnson & Shannon Wright • Golden Arm by Carl Deuker • The Postman from Space by Guillaume Perreault • Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd, illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter* • The Montague Twins: The Witch’s Hand by Nathan Page & Drew Shannon* • Wink by Rob Harrell • Long Distance by Whitney Gardner* • Oh My Gods! by Stephanie Cooke & Incha Fitzpatrick, illustrated by Juliana Moon* • Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card • Red Prophet by Orson Scott Card • While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown* • Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable & Stephanie Yue* • Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe • How to Be Yourself by Simon Doonan • Bunnicula by James Howe • The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis • Josephine Against the Sea by Shakirah Bourne* • Rival Magic by Deva Fagan • Mary Shelley: The Strange True Tale of Frankenstein’s Creator by Catherine Reef • Shark Summer by Ira Marks* • Pity Party by Kathleen Lane* • Friends Forever by Shannon Hale* • The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb by Candace Fleming* • Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman* • A Separate Peace by John Knowles • Foundation by Isaac Asimov • The Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher • Bad Sister by Charice Mericle Harper, illustrated by Rory Lucey* • Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen* • Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon • Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by Steve Sheinkin* • Catfishing on Catnet by Naomi Kritzer • The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Eugene Yelchin* • The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes • One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia • Clementine by Sara Pennypacker • The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor • The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis • My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier • The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katharine Peterson • You Can’t Say That! Writers for Young People Talk About Censorship, Free Expression, and the Stories They Have to Tell edited by Leonard S. Marcus* • Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick* • Uprooted by Naomi Novik • Alien Nation by Sandro Bassi*

If you are ever interested in content warnings or other info on any book I've read, feel free to ask!

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.