Whoops! Looks like we forgot to blog some books in June. Well, we're back on track now with two weeks of great July book recommendations! Let the reading begin.
Daniel also recommends The Small Stuff by Ian Bogost: "Washington University Professor and game designer Bogost
laments the loss of tactile experience with the increasing automation and
standardization. Stick shift is a big one. How about using a rotary phone?
Business cards. Or try opening doors on a college campus – fire code has made
them heavy and ADA compliance means there’s a button within reach. Keys! Plane
Tickets! Equal parts investigation, celebration, and meditation, The Small
Stuff offers insight into the periodic resurgence of analog – vinyl
records, board games, and of course, physical books. And it got me to thinking,
maybe we should do something with all the bubble wrap we get from shipments."
Kay recommends The Earth Said Remember Me by
Jason Dove Mark: "Based on personal experiences, generations have different
baselines for tracking things such as winter snow and insect populations
(Boomers: remember car windshields covered with masses of dead insects in
summer?). The author calls this Shifting Baseline Syndrome, and it’s speeding
up. Mark fears we are facing knowledge extinction, and he has a simple
solution: go outside, bear witness, make a record, pass it on. Amen."
Greta recommends Astronaut! by Oana Aristide: "There's a dry humor in Astronaut! that feels
cathartic. It is a rebel yell that makes a point of questioning authority. It
follows two very different characters: a little girl who is obsessed with
colors and a police officer investigating a series of murders. The book takes
place in Romania in 1989 under Nicolae Ceausescu's dictatorship. Author Oana
Aristide constructs the book with moments of tension and a nonsensical feeling
that one with could associate with the intensity and magnitude of
extremism."
Ingrid recommends Marriage With Benefits by Ellie Palmer: "Another romance
novel that restored my faith in romance novels! In this slow burn, vaguely
enemies to lovers, the author takes the "friends with benefits" trope
and says, "but what if they got married so the main character can
(finally!) have insurance that covers her debilitating chronic illnesses?"
It's been so long since I've read a romance novel that manages to feel
relatable while maintaining the dreamy, sugary sweet feeling of a love story.
The two main characters, Lainey and Elliot, have CHEMISTRY, and their ability
to maneuver a maze of government red tape and a cast of absurdly lovable
characters is legendary. A truly insane, perfectly wonderful romance novel that
felt so, so relevant."
Kathryn recommends Raven, Rising by
Christine Hartman Derr: "This is such a sweet story about dealing with loss,
building new friendships, standing up for what’s right, and finding your own
kind of magic. It deals with some serious topics that were written in an
age-appropriate way. Such a cozy book for fall!"
Kathryn also recommends The Dark and Other Scary Stories by Max Brallier, with illustrations by Letizia Rubegni: "This collection of ten short stories is the perfect
introduction for newly independent readers who are intrigued by all things
spooky! The illustrations are reminiscent of pre-digital storybook style
drawings and the perfect pairing to these hair-raising tales. I particularly
liked "The Dark" and "Forever Hotel." Get this while
they're young so your kids can memorize their favorite story and scare all
their friends at their first slumber party."
Tim recommends Sneaks by Amy Tern: "Valory is a kleptomaniac. Yes, she steals things, and she's
not sure why. It's not about money. The thrill makes her feel more alive and
free from her small apartment life with a mom who cleans rich people's houses.
She calls the rich kids who do everything right asparagus-eaters. Diplomacy
isn’t really Valory’s thing, but when she's cornered in denial after stealing a
valuable coin from her mom's best clients, her only way out may be their quiet,
apprehensive, piano prodigy son called Rook. Valory's mother knows better than
to believe she's innocent, and this kid Rook understands his own mom’s
obsession with her coins. A very unlikely pair of twelve-year-olds will warm up
to having a rare friend, and the friendship will become essential after they
witness a bizarre tantrum from the woman across the street. I loved the depth
of this sharply written, insightfully human, suspensefully spooky middle grade
mystery. These characters rise in such interesting ways. Well done, Amy Tern!"
Back to McKenna for her take on The Story Rug by Sophie Blackall, with illustrations by Phoebe Wall: "As the children in Class 203 learn to braid, each of them
begins to bring scraps of fabric from their home to braid. As they begin to
work on a braid together and share and listen to stories, they create a special
surprise for their teacher. A heartwarming and vibrant picture book about
storytelling and creating joy and community through craft."
And finally, how about one more Kathryn kids book rec - The Skeleton and the Cat by
Brandon James Scott: "You might think a black cat and a skeleton would make a
perfect pair, but the skeleton in this book would strongly disagree with you.
This is a sweet tale about an unlikely friendship that's broken into bite-sized
stories that are perfect for littles who are excited to read, but still want
the comfort of a picture book. Most people will want this for their Halloween
collection, but these illustrations are too bright and beautiful to hide away
in the springtime, so I recommend keeping this one out year-round."
Until next time, read on.
