Books read 2023 - Adult Books

 ADULT FICTION = Read in 2023  

Bradley, Alan. The sweetness at the bottom of the pie, a Flavia de Luce Novel. NY: Bantam 

books/ Random House, 2009.  

    ….   The weed that strings the hangman’s bag, a Flavia de Luce Novel. NY:  Delacourt Press 

/ Random House, 2010.  

    ….   A red herring without mustard, a Flavia de Luce Novel. NY:  Delacourt Press 

/ Random House, 2011.  

    ….   I am half-sick of shadows, a Flavia de Luce Novel. NY:  Delacourt Press 

/ Random House, 2011.  

(many awards including the Crime Writer’s Association Debut Dagger Award.)

Bujold, Lois McMaster. Penric’s progress.  Riverdale, NY: Baen, 2020.

            (trilogy of the first three books.  Includes the first book – Penric’s Demon, which had 

previously only been available in e-book format, 2015. I hope she gets her other e-books 

published in this trilogy format because I’ve discovered there are many more of his tales besides the ones listed below which DO come in book format.)  

    ….   Penric and the Shaman, a fantasy novella in the world of the five Gods.

Burton, MO:  Subterranean Press, 2016.

    ….   Penric’s Mission, A fantasy novella in the world of the five gods. Burton, MO: 

 Subterranean Press, 2016.

    ….   Penric’s Fox, A fantasy novella in the world of the five gods. Burton, MO: 

 Subterranean Press, 2017.

    ….   Mira’s last dance, A fantasy novella in the world of the five gods. Burton, MO: 

 Subterranean Press, 2017.

    ….   The prisoner of Limnos, A fantasy novella in the world of the five gods. Burton, MO: 

 Subterranean Press, 2017.

    ….   The physicians of Vilnoc, A Penric and Desdemona novella in the world of the five gods. 

Burton, MO:  Subterranean Press, 2020.

    ….   Knot of Shadows, A Penric and Desdemona novella in the world of the five gods. 

Burton, MO:  Subterranean Press, 2021.

Cass, Laurie. Lending a Paw, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

Print/ Penguin-Random, 2013.

    ….   Tailing a tabby, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

Print/ Penguin-Random, 2014.

    ….   Borrowed Crime, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

Print/ Penguin-Random, 2015.

    ….   Pouncing on Murder, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

            Print/ Penguin-Random, 2016.

    ….   Cat with a Clue, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

            Print/ Penguin-Random, 2017.

    ….   Wrong Side of the Paw, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

            Print/ Penguin-Random, 2017.

    ….   Booking the crook, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

            Print/ Penguin-Random, 2019.

    ….   Gone with the whisker, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

            Print/ Penguin-Random, 2020.

    ….   Checking out Crime, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

            Print/ Penguin-Random, 2021.

    ….   The crime that binds, a bookmobile cat mystery.  Thorndike, ME: Center Point Large 

            Print/ Penguin-Random, 2023.

Castillo, Linda.  Sworn to silence, a thriller.  NY: Minotaur books, 2009.

    ….   Pray for Silence, a thriller.  NY: Minotaur books, 2010.

            (it turns out that I prefer “cozy mysteries,” not stressful ones like this series)

Connelly, Michael .  The Lincoln Lawyer. NY: Little Brow and Co,. 2005.

Davidson, Diane Mott. Catering to nobody. NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1990.

    ….   Dying for chocolate. NY: Bantam Books, 1992.

    ….   The Cereal Murders. NY: Bantam Books, 1993.

    ….   The Last suppers. NY: Bantam Books, 1994. 

    ….   Killer Pancake. NY: Bantam Books, 1995.

    ….   The main corpse. NY: Bantam Books, 1996.

    ….   The Grilling Season. NY: Bantam Books, 1997.

    ….   Prime Cut. NY: Bantam Books, 1998.

    ….   Tough Cookie. NY: Bantam Books, 2000.

    ….   Sticks & Scones. NY: Bantam Books, 2001.

    ….   Chopping Spree.  NY: Bantam Books, 2002.

    ….   Double Shot. NY: Harper Torch, 2004.

    ….   Dark Tort. NY: William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2006.

    ….   Sweet Revenge. NY: Avon/ HarperCollins, 2007.

    ….   Fatally Flaky. NY: Avon/ HarperCollins, 2009.

    ….   Crunch Time. NY: William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2011.

    ….   The whole enchilada, a novel of suspense. NY: William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2013.

Deveraux, Jude. The Princess. NY:  Pocket Books/ Simon and Schuster, 1987. 

    ….   A Knight in shining armor. NY:  Pocket Books/ Simon and Schuster, 1989, 2002.

    ….   Remembrance.  NY:  Pocket Books/ Simon and Schuster, 1994.

    ….   The Invitation. NY: Pocket Books, 1994. (three short stories)

    ….   Legend. NY: Pocket Books, 1996.

    ….   High Tide. NY:  Pocket Books/ Simon and Schuster, 1999.

    ….   Forever…, a novel of good and evil, love and hope. NY: Pocket Books/ Simon and 

Schuster, 2002.

    ….   The Mulberry Tree. NY: Atria Books, 2002.

    ….   Forever and Always. NY: Pocket Books/ Simon and Schuster, 2003.

    ….   Always. NY: Pocket Books/ Simon and Schuster, 2004. (high suspense)

    ….   Holly. NY: Atria Books, 2004.

    ….   Someone to love. NY:  Atria Books, 2007.  (not time travel, but ghosts from the past)

    ….   Return to summerhouse. NY: Pocket books, 2008. (time travel-to medieval times)

            (Sequel to The Summerhouse. I had thought I had already read this book, but the story

 was brand new to me. Nice surprise)  

    ….   Days of gold, a novel. NY: Atria/ Simon and Schuster, 2009.

    ….   Lavender morning, Edilean novel, book 1. NY:  Atria/ Simon and Schuster, 2009.

    ….   Scarlet nights, a novel. NY:  Atria/ Simon and Schuster, 2010.

    ….   Heartwishes, an Edilean novel. NY:  Atria/ Simon and Schuster, 2011.

    ….   The scent of jasmine. NY: Pocket Books, 2011. 

    ….   Moonlight in the morning. NY: Pocket Books, 2012.

    ….   Stranger in the Moonlight, a novel. NY: Pocket Books, 2012.

    ….   Moonlight Masquerade, a novel. NY: Pocket Books, 2013.

    ….   Change of Heart, an Edilean novel. NY: Pocket Books, 2014.

    ….   As you wish. NY: Mira, 2018. (return of the Summerhouse time travel person)

    ….   Met her match.  NY: Mira, 2019.

    ….   My heart will find you. NY: Mira, 2023.  (another time travel tale)

Garmus, Bonnie.  Lessons in Chemistry. NY: Doubleday Books, 2022. (now a streaming series)

Irwin, Sophie.  A Lady’s guide to fortune-hunting, a novel. NY: Viking, 2022.

            (If you are a Georgette Heyer fan, this is for you.)

Lackey, Mercedes.  By the Sword. NY:  Daw Books, 1991.

    ….   Sword of Ice and other tales of Valdemar, edited by Mercedes Lackey. NY:  Daw Books, 

1997. 

    ….   Oathblood. NY:  Daw Books, 1998.

    ….   The Black Swan. NY: Daw Books, 1999.

    ….   Reserved for the Cat, the elemental masters, book 5. NY:  Daw Books, 2007.

    ….   Gwenhwyfar, the white spirit.  NY: Daw Books, Inc. 2009.

            (The tale of three – no four – Guineveres)

    ….   Steadfast, the Elemental Masters, book 8. NY:  Daw Books, 2013.

    ….   Elementary, all-new tales of the Elemental Masters, edited by Mercedes Lackey.

            NY:  Daw Books, 2013. (cover shows items from her full length elemental masters

 books, but only one of them actually relates to any of her books, I think it’s the first

 chapter of From a High Tower or one of the others that take place in the Schwarzwald.) 

    ….   Into the West, the founding of Valdemar: book 2. NY:  Daw Books, 2022.

    ….   Shenanigans, all new tales of Valdemar.  NY:  Daw Books, 2022. 

            (short stories edited by Mercedes Lackey.)

    ….   Gryphon in Light, Kelvren’s Saga, book 1.   NY:  Daw Books, 2023.

Bradley, Marion Zimmer; Norton, Andre; and Lackey, Mercedes. Tiger Burning Bright.

            NY: William Morrow & Co, 1995. 

Huff, Tanya. The Demon’s Den and other tales of Valdemar, in the world created by Mercedes 

Lackey.  NY: JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc, 2018.  

(A collection of her short stories previously published in various Mercedes Lackey edited short story books)

Oliver, Patricia. Double Deception. NY:  Signet/ Penguin books, 1997.

Patterson, James.  1^st to die,  The women’s murder club book 1.  NY: Little Brown and company,

 2001.  (He certainly does write short chapters)

    ….   2^nd Chance, The women’s murder club.  NY: Little Brown and company, 2002.  

    ….   3 days to die. The women’s murder club.   NY: Little Brown and company, 2003.

    ….   And Maxine Paetro.  4^th of July. The women’s murder club.  NY: Little Brown and

 company, 2005.  (ah – now he’s giving credit to his co-writer)

    ….   (both authors) 5^th Horseman, The women’s murder club.   NY: Little Brown and

 company, 2006. 

    ….   (both authors) 6^th Target, The women’s murder club’s toughest case ever- a serial

 kidnapper is stalking the city.   NY: Little Brown and company, 2007. 

Pattterson, Susan and Susan DiLallo with James Patterson. Things I wish I told my Mother.

NY: Little Brown & co/ Hachatte book group, 2023. (James P. has a book line with this

 company, so his name also goes on every one of them and he gets the copyright rights.

 Shocking ending.  Be prepared to cry.)

Quinn, Julia    Minx.  NY: Avon Books/ HarperCollins, 1996. 

    ….   To catch an heiress. NY: Avon Books/ HarperCollins, 1998.

    ….   First comes Scandal, a Bridgerton prequel. NY: Avon Books/ HarperCollins, 2020.

See, Lisa.  Lady Tan’s circle of women. NY: Scribner/ Simon & Schuster, 2023.

Sutanto, Jesse.  Vera Wong’s unsolicited advice for murderers, a novel. NY: Berkley/ Penguin

 Random House, 2023. (now a movie, too)  By the author of Dial A for Aunties.

Taylor, Jodi. Hope for the best, the chronicles of St. Mary’s. London, England: Headline 

Publishing group,  2019. (Time travel)

    ….   Plan for the worst, the chronicles of St. Mary’s. London, England: Headline 

Publishing group, 2020. (Time travel)

    ….   Another time, another place. the chronicles of St. Mary’s. London, England: Headline 

Publishing group, 2021. (Time travel)

    ….   A catalogue of catastrophe. the chronicles of St. Mary’s. London, England: Headline 

Publishing group, 2022. (Time travel)

Tey, Josephine. Miss Pym Disposes. NY: Scrivener/ Simon & Schuster, 1976.

Winspear, Jacqueline.  A sunlit weapon, a Masie Dobbs novel.  NY: HarperCollins, 2023.

    ….   The White Lady, a novel. NY: Harper/ HarperCollins, 2023.

            (a stand alone taking place during the 2 world wars and afterwards in England and 

Belgium. Not connected to her Masie Dobbs stories of the wars.) 

Zevin, Gabrielle.         Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2022.

            (The lives of Game creators.)

 

823.08766       The Book of Dragons. Edited by Jonathan Strahan. Illus. Rovina Cai. 

NY: Harper Voyager, 2020.  (A collection of poems and short stories)

 

ADULT BIOGRAPHY

 

B-Felton          Felton, Tom. Beyond the Wand, the magic & Mayhem of growing up a

 Wizard. NY: Grand Central Publishing/ Hachette Book Group, 2022. 

B-Heumann    Heumann, Judith with Kristen Joiner. Being Heumann – an unrepentant memoir 

of a disability rights activist. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2020. 

B-Hutchinson  Hutchinson, Cassidy. Enough. NY: Simon & Schuster, 2023.

B-Patterson     Patterson, James.  James Patterson by James Patterson, Stories of my life. 

NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2022. 

B-Stewart        Stewart, Patrick.  Make it so, a memoir. NY: Gallery books/ Simon & Schuster,

 2023.  (our favorite Star Trek the next generation Captain and leader of the X-Men. 

It turns out he’s better known as a Shakespeare actor and has actually worked with my aunt, who was the vocal coach of the Royal Shakespearian Company.)

B-Trump         Haberman, Maggie.  Confidence Man – the making of Donald Trump and

 the breaking of America. NY: Penguin Press, 2022.

B-Winspear. This time next year we’ll be laughing, a memoir. NY: Soho Press, 2020.

            (author of the Mazie Dobbs mystery series which take place during WWI and WWII)

813.52             Nel, Philip. Crockett Johnson and Ruth Krauss -- how an unlikely couple found 

love, dodged the FBI, and transformed children’s literature. Jackson, MS: University 

Press of Mississippi, 2012.  (An awkward biography written like a university dissertation. The photographs have too much source information, but no indication where the photograph was taken or the circumstance – information that readers would rather have had. Good Index and extensive bibliography and footnotes, and yet when I tried to locate the source of a quote, the footnote was so abbreviated that it did not lead me to the original source.) 

 

 

ADULT NONFICTION

            

320.973B        Borowitz, Andy. Profiles in Ignorance: how America’s politicians got dumb and

 dumber.  NY: Avid Reader Press/ Simon & Schuster, 2022.

            (I was expecting the usual comedy from this writer, but this is a factual report about

politicians whom I have observed in real life and yes, he has them exactly.) 

324.2734D      Draper, Robert. Weapons of mass delusion, when the Republican party lost its 

mind.  NY: Penguin Press/ PenguinRandomHouse, 2022. 

384.55             Wolf, Michael. The Fall – the end of FOX news and the Murdoch Dynasty. 

NY: Henry Holt and Co, 2023.  (Well written/ well researched) 

791.4575B      Britt, Ryan. Phasers on stun!, how the making (and remaking) of Star Trek

 changed the world. NY: Plume/ PenguinRandomHouse, 2022. 

973.934           Taylor, Miles.  Blowback – a warning to save democracy from the next Trump.

            NY: Atria books, 2023.  (Miles Taylor is the Anonymous author who wrote the warning

 article in the New York Times exposing how Trump was corrupting the Presidency 

with the help of people around him – his loyal followers. That article said he was part of 

the Adults in the room who were trying to keep the government on a steady keel. But

 most of the ‘Adults’ were booted out and Trump began putting people loyal to his 

dictatorship in.  This time Taylor is warning us what the next take-over by Trump and his

 criminal gang would be like if he is elected president – mostly destroying our 

Democracy and vowing to put his ‘enemies’ in prison, something he is repeating more

 and more these days.  An Important read.)

Books read 2023 - Children's Books

  Booklist of Books Read in 2023

 

Picture Books

             

Appelt, Kathi. Counting Crows.  Illus. Rob Dunlavey. NY: Atheneum books for young readers/

 Simon & Schuster,  2015.

Bagley, Jessixa. Boats for Papa. NY: Roaring Brook Press, 2015. 

Baker, Keith. L M N O peas. NY: Beach Lane books/ Simon & Schuster, 2010.

            (Alphabet book)

Blackall, Sophie. Negative cat. NY: Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random, 2021.

Bledsoe, Josh. Hammer and nails.  Illus. Jessica Warrick. NY: Flashlight press, 2016

Boynton, Sandra. Woo Hoo! You’re doing Great! NY: Little Brown & Co, 2023.

Brown, Peter. Mr. Tiger goes wild. NY: Little brown and Co., 2013.

            (2014 Boston Globe/ Horn Book illustrator award, and others)

Celenza, Anna Harwell. Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite. Illus. Don Tate. Watertown, MA: 

Charlesbridge, 2011. (Music CD included) 

Charles, Tami. All Because you matter. Illus. Bryan Collier. NY: Orchard/ Scholastic, 2020.

Cohen, Paula. Big dreams, small fish. Montclair, NY: Levine Querido, 2022.

            (2023 Sydney Taylor Honor award)

Cronin, Doreen. Click, clack, Moo, cows that type. NY: Simon & Schuster, 2000.

            (2001 Caldecott Honor book)

De La Pena, Matt. Last stop on Market Street. Illus. Christian Robinson. NY: GP Putnam sons/

 Penguin group, 2015.   ( 2016 Newbery Medal, Corretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, 

and a Caldecott Honor) 

De Seve, Randall.  This story is not about a kitten. Illus. Carson Ellis. NY: Random House 

Studio, 2022. 

Denise, Christopher. Knight Owl.  NY: Little, Brown and Co, 2022. (2023 Caldecott Honor)

Diterlizzi, Angela & Tony. A very cranky book. NY: Quill tree books/ HarperCollins, 2023.

Doerrfeld, Cori. The Rabbit Listened. NY: Dial books/ PenguinRandom, 2018.

Donaldson, Jula. The Gruffalo. NY: Dial Books, 1999.

Dyckman, Ame. Dandy. Illus. Charles Santoso. NY: Little Brown & Co., 2019.

Ferneyhough, Liza. Nana, Nenek, & Nina. NY: Dial Books for young readers, 2022.

            (2023 ALA Asian Pacific American Award.)

Ferry, Beth. The Scarecrow.  Illus. The Fan Brothers. NY: Harper, 2019.

Fraser, Lu. The littlest Yak. Illus. Kate Hindley. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree, 2020.

Gehl, Laura and Tom Lichtenheld. One big pair of underwear. NY: Beach Lane Books/

 Simon&Schuster, 2014. 

    ….   One big pair of underwear, (board book) NY: Little Simon. 2018. (contains full text)

    ….   Peep and Egg, I’m not hatching. (board book) NY: Little Simon. 2016.

    ….   Peep and Egg, I’m not Trick-or-treating. NY: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2016.

Goade, Michaela. Berry song.  NY: Little, Brown and Co, 2022.

            (2023 Caldecott Medal Honor book, Notable Children’s books)

Going, K.L.  Dog in Charge. Illlus. Dan Santat. NY: Dial books, 2012.

Gordon, Gus. Herman and Rosie. Neal Porter books/ Roaring Brook Press,, 2013.

Hennessy, B.G. The once upon a time Map Book, take a tour of six enchanted lands. Cambridge, 

MA: Candlewick press, 1999.

Hobernam, Mary Ann. The seven silly eaters. Illus. Marla Frazee. NY: Browndeer Press/ 

Harcourt Brace & Co, 1997.

Higgins, Carter. Big and small and in-between. Illus. Daniel Miyares. San Francisco, CA: 

Chronicle Books, 2022.  (2023 Geisel Award)

Knudsen, Michelle. Library Lion. Illus. Kevin Hawkes. 2006.  (many awards) 

    ….   Marilyn’s Monster. Illus. Matt Phelan. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015.

Lindstrom, Carole. We are water protectors. Illus Michaels Goade. NY: Roaring Brook Press,

             2020.  (2021 Caldecott Award)

McGinty, Alice B. Bathe the cat. Illus. David Roberts. San Francisco, Chronicle Books, 2021.

Messner, Kate. Once upon a book. Illus. Grace Lin. NY: Little Brown and Co., 2023.

            (Caldecott Honoree Illustrator Grace Lin forces you to read the book twice – once for the

 story and twice for the illustrations, to find the rabbit she put on every page and to 

appreciate how the girl’s dress changes on each page.)

Morales, Yuyi. Dreamers. NY: Neal Porter Books/ Holiday House, 2018.

Munsch, Robert. The paper bag princess.  Illus Michael Martchenko. Toronto, Canada: Annick

 Press Ltd., 1980.

Noll, Amanda. I need my monster. Illus. Howard McWilliam. Brooklyn, NY: Flashlight Press,

 2009.

Oliver, Carmen. Bears make the best reading buddies. Illus, Jean Claude. North Mankato, MN: Picture window books/ Capstone, 2016.

Nambi, Shoshana. The very best Sukkah, a story from Uganda. Illus Moran Yogev. Moosic, PA:

 Kalaniot Books, 2022. 

(2023 Coretta Scott King author award, National Jewish book award)

Nickel, Sandra. Big bear and the little fish. Minneapolis, MN:  Carolrhoda Books, 2022.

            (2023 Charlette Huck Award)

Petty, Dev.  I don’t want to be a frog. Illus. Mike Boldt. NY: Doubleday, 2015.

Portis, Antoinette.  A seed Grows. NY: Neal Porter books, Holiday House, 2022.

            (2023 Sibert honor award, Geisel honor award)

Rinker, Sherri Duskey. Goodnight, goodnight, construction site.  Illus. Tom Lichenneld. 

            San Francisco, CA: Chronicle, 2011. (I read the board book version)

Salati, Doug. Hot Dog. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2022. (2023 Caldecott Medal Award)

Savage, Stephen. SuperTruck. Neal Porter books/ Roaring Brook Press, 2015.

Scanlon, Liz Garton. Noodle & Lou. Illus. Arthur Howard. NY: Beach Lane Books/ Simon &

 Schuster, 2011.

    ….   One dark bird.  Illus. Frann Preston-Gannon. NY: Beach Lane Books, 2019.

Shea, Bob. Chez Bob. N: Little, brown and Company, 2021.

Smalls. Irene. My Nana and me.  Illus. Cathy Ann Johnson. NY; Little Brown and Co., 2005.

Stein, David  Ezra.      Interrupting Chicken. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2010.

            (2011 Caldecott honor book)

Sullivan, John. Kitten and the night watchman.  Illus. Taeeun Yoo. NY: Paula Wiseman book,

 Simon & Schuster, 2007.

Underwood, Deborah. Bearnard’s Book. Illus Misa Saburi. NY: Henry Holt and Co, 2019.

Vischer, Frans.  A Very Fuddles Christmas. NY: Aladdin/ Simon & Schuster, 2013.

Wallmark, Laurie. Rivka’s presents. Illus. Adelina Lirius. NY: Random house, 2023.

    ….   Her eyes on the stars – Maria Mitchell, astronomer. Berkeley, CA: Creston

 Books, 2023. 

Watt, Melanie. Scaredy squirrel makes a friend. Tonowanda, NY & Toronto, ON, 2007.

Wheeler, Lisa. Someone builds the dream. Illus Loren Long. NY: Dial books for young readers/

 Penguin Random, 2021.  (heavy construction of the plans others make)

White, Dianne. Dark on Light. Illus. Felicita Sala. NY: Beach Lane Books/ Simon & Schuster, 

2022.

    ….   Green on Green. Illus. Felicita Sala. NY: Beach Lane Books/ Simon & Schuster, 2020.

Willems, Mo.  Goldilocks and the three dinosaurs. NY: Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins, 2012.

Windness, Kaz. Bitsy Bat, school star. NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2023.

Yoon, Salina. Be a Friend. NY: Bloomsbury, 2016.

 

Nonfiction Picture Books

 

J 620.136     Theule, Larissa. Concrete from the ground up. Illus Steve Light. Sommerville, MA:

     Candlewick Press. 2022.  (2022 ALSC Notable Children’s Books)

 

 

I Can Read

 

Emberley, Michael.  I did it!  NY: Holiday House, 2022. (2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

 winning Book)

Dubois, Liz Goulet. That egg is mine! Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2022. 

            (2023 Crystal Kite Award, New England Region)

Iwai, Melissa. Gigi and Ojiji.  NY: Harper, 2022. (2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book)

Madan, Vikram. Owl and Penguin. NY: Holiday House, 2022. 

(2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book)

Ruzzier, Sergio. Fish and Wave.  I Can Read Comics. NY: Harper/Alley, 2022. 

(not a graphic style.  Not a comic.) (2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book)

 

J – FICTION :

 

 Anderson, M.T. (Tobin)  Elf Dog and Owl Head.   Illus.  Junyi Wu. Somerville, MA: 

Candlewick Press, 2023. 

Bramucci, Stephen. Race for the Ruby Turtle. NY: Bloomsbury children’s books, 2023.

Christmas, Johnnie. Swim Team- small waves, big changes. NY: HarperAlley/ HarperCollins, 

2022.  (graphic novel) (2022 National Book Award Long list) 

(2023 Coretta Scott King Honor book)  

Clayton, Dhonielle.  The Marvellers. NY: Henry Holt and Co, 2022. (Texas Bluebonnet winner)

Holm, Jennifer L.  The lion of Mars. NY: Random House, 2021. 

Jordan, Anna.  Shira & Esther’s double dream debut. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books,

2023.  (told in present tense by a narrator who keeps inserting his own amusing comments, explaining what’s happening and translating parts to English for the reader.)

King, Amy Sarig. Attack of the black rectangles. NY: Scholastic Press, 2022. 

            (She is an ALA Margaret A. Edwards award winner. I happen to have met both her and

 the author she features in this story – Jane Yolen. Based on a true story about what

happened to Jane’s book The Devil’s Arithmetic. Sure to be banned in Florida

 because “Attack…”  features censorship of books.)

Lowry, Lois. The Winderby puzzle, history and story. NY: Clarion Books/ HarperCollins, 2023.

Luqman-Dawson, Amina. Freewater.  Boston: Little Brown and Co, 2022.

            (2023 Newbery Medal)

Nash, Mary.  Mrs. Coverlet’s magicians. Boston: Little Brown and Co, 1961. (I was surprised to

 find this at my local library. Their copy is 47 years old and still in good shape.)

Soontornvat, Christina.  The Last Mapmaker. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2022.

            (2023 Newbery honor book, plus other awards) 

Sutanto, Jesse o.  Theo Tan and the fox spirit. NY: Feiwel and Friends, 2022.

    ….   Theo Tan and the Iron Fan. NY: Feiwel and Friends, 2023.  

            (The author of the fun adult book, Dial A for Auntie, this delves into Asian based

 fantasy.) 

Van Draanen, Wendelin.  Mr. Whiskers and the shenanigan sisters. NY: Alfred A. Knopf/

 Penguin Random House, 2023. 

(I’ve tried writing several stories from the viewpoint of a dog, but this one is the best!)

Wrede, Patricia. The dark lord’s daughter. (possibly book 1) NY: Random House, 2023.

            ( I can’t wait for the next book in this series.)

Yang, Kelly. Front desk. NY: Scholastic, 2018.  (2019 Asian Pacific American Award)

    ….   Three Keys, a front desk novel. NY: Scholastic, 2020.

    ….   Room to Dream. a front desk novel. NY: Scholastic, 2021. 

    ….   Key Player, a front desk novel. NY: Scholastic, 2022.

    ….   New from here. NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2022.

    ….   Finally Seen. NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2023.  (mentions book banning)

 

 

YA Fiction:

   

Springer, Nancy. Enola Holmes and the black barouche. NY: Wednesday Books/ St. Martin’s,

 2021. (this series is now a popular movie series)

    ….   Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade. NY: Wednesday Books/ St. Martin’s,

 2022.    

    ….   Enola Homes and the mark of the mongoose. NY: Wednesday books/ St. Martin’s Press,

 2023. 

Urban, Linda. Talk Santa to Me. NY: Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster, 2022.

            (Excellent, by a graduate and now faculty member of VCFA)

Wrede, Patricia and Caroline Stevermer. The Grand Tour or the purloined coronation regalia – 

being a revelation of matters of high confidentiality and greatest importance, including

 extracts from the intimate diary of a noblewoman and the sworn testimony of a lady of quality. NY: Harcourt Inc., 2004.

   

PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHIES:

 

JB Bartali        Hoyt, Megan. Bartali’s Bicycle, the true story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s secret hero.

 NY: Quill Tree Books / HarperCollins, 2021. 

JB Barton        Friddell, Claudia. To the Front! Clara Barton braves the battle of Antietam.

            Illus. Christopher Cyr. NY: Calkins Creek/ Astra Books, 2022. 

JB Gilmore.    Rockliff, Mara. Sweet Justice, Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery bus boycott. 

            Illus. R. Gregory Christie. NY: Rando House Studio, 2022. (ALA Sibert Honor book)

JB Heumann   Cocca-Leffler, MaryAnn. Fighting for Yes!  The story of disability rights activist

 Judith Heumann. With a note from Judith Heumann.  Illus: Vivien Mildenberger. NY: 

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2022. 

JB Heumann   Pimentel, Annette.  All the Way to the Top, How one Girl’s Fight for American

 with Disabilities Act Changed Everything.  Illus. Nabi Ali.   Naperville, IL:  Sourcebooks

 Explore, 2020.

JB Knox          Silvey, Anita. Henry Knox -- bookseller, soldier, patriot. Illus: Wendell Minor.

NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/ Clarion Books, 2010.

JB Ocasio-Cortez        Denise, Anika Aldamuy. Phenomenal AOC, the roots and rise of 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Illus. Loris Lora. NY: HarperCollins, 2022. 

            (2023 Pura Belpre’ Illustrator Honor award)

JB Winton       Sis, Peter. Nicky & Vera, a quiet hero of the Holocaust and the children he 

rescued. NY: Norton Young Readers, 2021.

GN J B Santat, Dan. A first time for everything. NY: First Second/ Roaring Brook Press,

 2023. (Graphic novel memoir) (National Book Award Winner- young people’ literature) 

 

 

J and YA BIOGRAPHIES:

 

J Butler           Zoboi, Ibi. Star Child, a biographical constellation of Octovia Estelle Butler.

            NY: Dutton, 2022.  

YA-B Heumann          Heumann, Judith with Kristen Joiner. Rolling Warrior – The incredible, 

sometimes awkward true story of a rebel girl on wheels who helped spark a Revolution. 

Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2021.  (A great Read; better than her adult autobiography.)

J Pinkney        Pinkney, Jerry. Just Jerry – how drawing shaped my life, a memoir. NY: Little,

 Brown and Company, 2023.

 

J and YA NONFICTION: 

 

J 333.9541      O’Connell, Jennifer.  Elephants Remember, a true story. Thomaston, MA: 

Tilbury House publishers, 2022.  

J 362.779        Yang, Kao Kalia. From the tops of the trees. Illus. Rachel Wada. Mn: Carolrhoda

 Books, 2021. 

(2023 Asian/Pacific American Award for picture books. 2022 Notable Award.)

YA 688.7        Stone, Tanya Lee.  The good, the bad, and the Barbie; a doll’s history and her 

impact on us – Unauthorized.  NY: Viking/ Penguin, 2010. 

YA GN 920.72           Anderson, Laurie Halse, editor. Wonderful Women of the World. 

            Crowfordsville, IN: DC Comics, 2021.   

(short, graphic novel type biographies of 24 women)  

 

J 940.5318      Stiefel, Chana.  The tower of life, how Yaffa Eliach rebuilt her town in stories and

 photographs.  Illus. Susan Gal.  NY: Scholastic Press, 2022.  (2023 Sydney Taylor Book

 Award, Robert F. Sibert Honor book, and Russell Freedman Nonfiction Award)

J 940.5449      Stone, Tanya Lee. Peace is a Chain Reaction, How World War II Japanese 

balloon bombs brought people of two nations, together. Somerville, MA: Candlewick 

Press, 2022.     

J 973.0496      Weatherford, Carole Boston. Standing in the need of prayer, a modern retelling of 

the classic spiritual. Illus. Frank Morrison. NY: Crown BFYR, 2022. 

            (2023 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award)

976.6   Grann, David. Killers of the Flower Moon, the Osage murders and the birth of the FBI.

            NY:  Crown books for young readers/Random House, 2021. (the YA version)

Happy Boxing Day -How many miles do you walk a year?

I seemed to have missed blogging for most of December.  I hope you had a nice holiday season or are having a nice holiday season.  

People are discussing how many miles they walked this year so I gave myself a math problem this evening.  I walk a mile a day and then i put my cell phone down and it stops calculating steps

So I wondered how many  miles I walk in a year.  Activated the computer calculator and multiplied one mile by twelve months.      Hmmmm.   I'm sure I walked more than 12 miles.

Then I had an idea. There are 365 days in the year - give or take. Multiply THAT by one mile a day and you get -- 365 miles.   No, I didn't use the calculator for that.  My brain told me "Don't be silly. Do it in your head."  

Ya -- 365 days multiplied by one mile a day is -- TA-DAH -- 365 miles.

Geeeezzzz! 

No Thanksgiving plans

 Our plans are no plans. For years I helped my mother with Thanksgiving.  

Then i became THAT mom and was up at 6:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving day to prepare everything - having already baked 4 pies the day before. 

Then I retired from work, moved to California to be near my children. (Could they have moved any further away from Maryland? geezzzz.) Then I retired from doing Thanksgiving and turned it over to my oldest daughter. 

This year I retired from Thanksgiving completely. Oldest daughter is going skiing. (broke both her legs skiing last year but hey, she loves skiing. She says she'll be careful) Second child is married to a Native American and therefore does NOT celebrate Thanksgiving. (Whatever happened to the historical fact of pilgrims and native Americans having a harvest celebration together?) My third child doesn't want to have Thanksgiving with her friends this year, so she has promised to bake pumpkin pies for me. 

yum.

Talking to Middle Schoolers about the writing profession

 I always ask for two tables whenever I'm asked to participate in the local Middle School display of different professions in the Springtime. (It has a different name, but I forget) It exposes those kids to a variety of jobs they could think about.  We always try to make it fun for them.

I have a video running that answers all the questions their teachers have printed out and they have to answer about my profession. (I ask for the list ahead of time) 

I have a three foot model of the Wright Brother's Flyer alongside my books about them plus some of the awards those books have been given. I have copies of my books. I have examples of editor's notes on manuscripts. Plus I have a galley sheet from a picture book that shows how they are printed. Plus some folded and gathered samples. (F&Gs)

It's a madhouse of classes flowing in and out , talking to them, and answering questions.

Fun!

Telling time these days

 When I used to wear a watch (when we all wore watches), I insisted on a water resistant one because having babies and toddlers in the house, I was constantly dunking them in water to wash body parts off as they explored the world or needed bathroom stuff.  

It wasn't until my watch stopped working on a trip that my granddaughter convinced me that - actually grandma - we carried cell phones all the time and cell phones told us the time, so why wear a watch? I haven't worn a watch since. 

I do have a clock in my bedroom from way back when we used those to set alarms to wake us up. (replaced by cell phone alarm) plus the stove and microwaves also tell the time. By now, I've actually stopped looking at my wrist when I want to know the time.

President Kennedy shot November 22, 1963

There are certain events in your life that you never forget.  A friend on FaceBook brought this up and we chimed in with our own memories.

I was in college, practicing my bassoon in the music building in college when someone ran down the hall, knocking at everyone's practice room door yelling that President Kennedy had been killed. We didn't believe him. Then another person announced it and another and we slowly came to the realization that it might be true.

This was a few days before Thanksgiving, November 22, 1963. I lived in a house full of girls, not the dorm, so we had to rent a TV set so we could watch the news. For hours we watched. Nobody went to classes. Finally the University simply declared classes closed and said we could all go home early for Thanksgiving.  

At that time I had been knitting a scarf for my current boyfriend and continued to knit it as we watched TV for hours for several days. Yes, we saw Oswald being shot, live, on TV. My knitting became quite tight and after I finished the scarf later, I noticed that the foot length of scarf that I knitted during that time period was tighter making the scarf about an inch narrower at that point.

So many other drastic events happened in the 1960s, so it's no wonder those of us who lived thru them have stark memories of them:

The Cuban missile crisis in October of '62. 

The Birmingham Church bombing in Sept. of '63.

 JFK - November 22 of '63.

 Lee Harvey Oswald killed two days later. 

Martin Luther King in April of '68. Robert Kennedy in June of '68.

 Sharon Tate in August of '69. 

Students at Kent State College in May of '70.

 Underneath all of this rumbled the background news from Viet Nam. 

Many felt that the 60s ended what had been a kind of national euphoria of emerging from WWII. Adults in their 40s in 1960 grew up during the Great Depression. The contrast between how they lived before WWII and the economic boom after the war must have been a constant surprise.