Lauren
Maple and Quinn love visiting their grandmother and hearing her tell stories. As N8hkumuhs tends her garden with the Three Sisters, weeâchumun (corn), beans, and squash, she says that their people call this Keepunumuk “the time of the harvest”. Her tale begins with Seagull warning Weeâchumun -depicted as a woman- that newcomers have arrived on Turtle Island. She tasks Fox with keeping an eye on these newcomers, and in the spring he reports that it’s been a hard winter and many have died. They’ve been given the tools, but don’t have the knowledge. Weeâchumun and her sisters want to help and send the First Peoples to assist. The Wampanoag people teach the survivors how to live with the land. The settlers hold a feast to celebrate the harvest and this becomes widely known as the First Thanksgiving. Excellent backmatter explains why many see this day, not as a cause for celebration, but rather as a day of mourning. Meeches’ gorgeous illustrations, based on the Plains art style, perfectly complement this Native centered, retelling of the Thanksgiving story.
Eleven year old Maizy has only met her grandparents once. They live halfway across the country in the small town of Last Chance, MN. She’s never been-until now. When her Opa becomes ill, Maizy and her mother fly out to spend the summer and help run the family restaurant, the Golden Palace. Last Chance is quite a bit different from Los Angeles, but Maizy soon settles in; exploring the town, making new friends, and meeting a whole cast of interesting characters. She spends time with Opa while he recovers, and what begins as tentative bonding over a food travel TV show, rapidly becomes something much deeper as Opa tells Maizy stories about the life of his grandfather, Lucky Chen, an immigrant from China in the 1800s. As the stories unfold, Maizy begins to see connections to her life, both concrete and abstract. When facing racism, Maizy leans on family and friends and learns that one of the Chen family’s greatest legacies is creating community and connections. And that legacy is in Maizy’s very capable hands. This story is hilarious, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and healing. Yee’s impeccable research shines through, including several pages of back matter that are not to be missed.
The true joy in reading a Susanna Kearsley novel is becoming lost within its pages. She is a master of weaving meticulous research, historical figures, and complex political ideas with fascinating fictional characters and a damn good story. One of her particular talents is her ability to restore voice to these historical figures and make you care about them just as much as her fictional characters. Set in Edinburgh and moving seamlessly between two timelines, THE VANISHED DAYS is like reconnecting with old friends and getting to know others that you hope will become lifelong friends. The dual unraveling of Lily and Adam’s stories drew me in and I was quickly entirely invested in the histories and futures of these two. As much as I wanted to know what fates awaited these characters, I found myself reading slower, not wanting the story to end. When it did, I found the resolution satisfying and heartfelt, done only the way Kearsley can. Within this story lay the foundation for my favorite of her stories, THE WINTER SEA, and while I never need an excuse to visit Slains castle, I simply can’t let this world go yet.
Nick Bell wants to be Extraordinary. He’s not a superhero-yet- but he writes popular epic fanfiction about Nova City’s finest superhero (and his biggest crush), Shadow Star, and that’s a good start, right? After being saved by Shadow Star, Nick is more determined than ever to become a hero. The true heart of the story lies in the relationships. Klune perfectly captures the depth and complexities of these characters that I’ve come to adore. The dialogue is near perfection; it is, at turns, hilarious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking. Full of snark and charm, this fresh take on the often overdone superhero genre was completely delightful and I can’t wait to read what’s next!
I LOVE this book! A perfect blend of history, romance, tragedy, rebellion, and "time travel". This story has it all, and you'll be thinking about it long after you've turned the last page.
L.M. Elliott has once again taken a fascinating woman from the sidelines of history, and brought her front and center. Peggy Schuyler was so much more than simply "...and Peggy". She was whip smart, charming, fearless, fiercely loyal, and socialized with the great leaders of her day. Well researched and full of fun cameos and Hamilton references, this is not to be missed!
Absolutely delightful! If you're looking for a fun romantic comedy about tech, relationships, matchmaking, and dogs--and really, who isn't?--this is the story for you! Simi seems to have the gift of facilitating love connections, much to her family's delight. The Sanghas have been matchmakers for generations and would love for Simi to join the family business. But art is where her heart lies, and she has no interest in being a vichole--or maybe she does. With her tech-savvy older brother and best friend, Simi designs a matchmaking app that turns the high school hierarchy on its head. This is a lovely story about family and balancing traditions of the past with the demands of the future. Bonus point for creating a large extended family that I'd love to be a part of!
Did you know that Prince Charming isn't a name, but a title? Four very different Princes Charming have been cast out of their kingdoms and have to work together to foil an evil witch's kidnapping plot. Filled with wicked humor, adventure, and mystery, this is a must read!
Seventh grade is not going well for Will Levine. He's bullied at school for a facial problem that might require surgery and Will hates hospitals, his nature refuge behind school is in danger of being developed, he's just not sure about his friends, and he's studying for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah. As if it couldn't get worse, the Rabbi wants Will to do his community service hours at the hospital, visiting RJ, an older boy with an incurable disease. Though wary at first, things change when RJ shares his bucket list. As Will completes each item on the list, he learns that life is too short to live in a shell. I truly love these characters; Wolkenstein tackles grief and the many ways it manifests itself with humor and heart. I laughed and teared up in equal measure--this is perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and R.J. Palacio.
Darius just doesn't fit. He's half Persian, but knows more Klingon than Farsi and is more comfortable with Hobbit social cues than Persian. So, Darius fears the worst when his parents announce a trip to Iran to visit his mother's family for the first time. Struggling with depression, a difficult relationship with his father, and a little sister who is everything he isn't, Darius feels way out of place. That starts to change when he meets Sohrab and an entirely new world is opened up. Sohrab is a lifeline, helping Darius discover himself and his place within this new sprawling Persian family. This book is so charming! I completely fell for Darius, and his entire family and would live between the pages of this book forever if I could. Make sure to read this with a cup of tea!
Twelve year old Sophie has never quite fit in. All that changes when she meets Fitz and he reveals the reason why--she's an elf and the key to saving their world. One of my favorite series!
I loved every minute of this charming, spooky, twisty gem! From the magic and history, to the well-developed and intensely interesting characters, and practically perfect dialogue, I was hooked. Hard to believe this is a debut!
Mary Lambert has always felt safe on her beloved Martha’s Vineyard. She, like many Chilmark residents, is deaf. Nearly everyone, both hearing and deaf, communicate in a sign language that is unique to the island. Yet not everything is as idyllic as it appears. Mary’s family is still grieving the accidental death of her brother months before; it has left a hole in the home that Mary is desperate to close, but isn’t sure how to begin. She’s also begun to notice the prejudice that exists between some of the white settler descendants and the local Wampanoag tribe, worsened by disputes over land rights. The town experiences additional turmoil when a cunning young scientist, Andrew Noble, has arrived looking to discover the origin of Chilmark’s prevalent deafness. In his increasingly frenzied drive to find the answers, Noble kidnaps Mary, bringing her to Boston as a “live specimen” to be studied. Her struggle to rescue herself and return to her community is the heart of this historical thriller. This is a deaf book written by a Deaf author, and it pushes at our perceptions of ability and disability. I want to put this in every customer's hand.
Perry Cook's home life is fairly normal -- except for the fact that he's lived his entire life in a prison. His mother now has a chance at parole, and a real life on the outside. But the intercession of a new ambitious District Attorney threatens to derail everything. This novel is all at once heartbreaking, uplifting, humorous, and cannot be missed!
After smallpox kills her parents, Camille has to rely on petty magic--la magie ordinaire--to buy food and desperately needed medicine. When her brother takes off with the family's meager savings, Camille turns her eye to a new, and much more dangerous, mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. But all magic has a cost and Camille is starting to lose control. The effortless mix of fantasy and historical fiction drew me right alongside Camille and I loved experiencing Paris through her. The true magic of Enchantéeis in the characters. They are so genuine, so well-developed, and spellbinding that I just couldn't stop reading until I knew their fates. If I could jump into the pages of a book, I'd definitely jump in this one with both feet.
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Freddie Rogers was frequently sick and had to spend a lot of time indoors. It was hard to make friends, so his puppets became his friends; he could talk about his feelings and didn't have to hold them inside. He also found comfort in playing music and in the words of his grandpa McFeely, "you've made this day a special day, by just your being you." This confidence sent Fred off into the world believing that he could help everyone feel as special as his grandpa made him feel years before. And through Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, he did just that. This is a truly lovely book.