Tales from the Rushmore Kid

May Recommendations--Lynn Becker Book Picks

Read anything great lately? Here are some of my favorites from the past month.

Novels:

In MS. BIXBY’S LAST DAY, by John David Anderson, three boys must come to terms with the cancer diagnosis of a very special teacher. Faced with the prospect of not getting to say goodbye, they execute a complicated mission to visit her in the hospital, and learn an awful lot along the way. Told in alternating points of view, the subplots coalesce into a rewarding story that is funny, deep, and completely “frawsome." (MG)

THE ONE MEMORY OF FLORA BANKS, by Emily Barr, refers to the only thing 17-year-old Flora can remember since doctors removed her brain tumor when she was 10: kissing Drake, her best friend’s boyfriend, at his going away party. Flora knows if she can just find Drake her brain will work again, so she follows him from England to Svalbard, Norway. Barr does a terrific job showing how disorienting life is for Flora, who can only remember things for two or three hours at a time. But she perseveres, inspired by writing on her hand which reminds her “Flora, be brave.” (YA)

A LIST OF CAGES, by Robin Roe, is the incredibly moving story of high school senior Adam Blake and his onetime foster brother, Julian. Julian is having trouble dealing with everyone and everything in his freshman year, and the school counselor assigns Adam to draw him out. Julian’s got lots of secrets, and plenty of trouble, and the stakes rise for both boys as Adam tries to help. Reminiscent of Good Night, Mr. Tom, and The War that Saved my Life, and just as heart-wrenchingly wonderful. (YA)

Picture Books:

A PERFECT DAY, by Lane Smith, is a beautifully produced picture book from Roaring Brook Press, written and illustrated by a master of the genre. A perfect day for cat, dog, chickadee, and squirrel gets turned around when Bear arrives on the scene, eager to enjoy his own perfect day.

BEST FRINTS IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE, by Antoinette Portis, shows how the more things are different on planet Boborp, the more they are just like on Earth. Yelfred and Omek have been best frints since they were little blobbies, but teef are long and tempers are short, and stuff needs to be worked out!

ALL EARS, ALL EYES, by Richard Jackson, illustrated by Katherine Tillotson, is a bedtime poem by the legendary editor that demands to be read aloud. Full of romping, chomping, whoo-whoooing, with crick-crick-crickets chirring, this poem delves into the dim-dimming woods and, with the help of nightfall-colored watercolor and digital art, soothes us to sleep.

--Lynn

The Girl Who Drank the Moon--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

May’s Book Pick is this year’s Newbery-winning fantasy, THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON, by Kelly Barnhill.

On the annual Day of Sacrifice, Elders of the Protectorate (also called the City of Sorrows by some) collect the first baby born each year as an offering to appease an evil Witch. Except the Witch isn’t really evil, and she doesn’t understand why babies keep appearing in the woods. Instead of devouring them, Witch Xan takes them to grateful families on the other side of the forest.

One year, though, things don’t go as planned. A mother refuses to willingly hand over her baby. She goes mad with grief, and is imprisoned by the Sisters in a tower. Xan becomes charmed by this infant, and accidentally allows her to become enmagicked by the moon. Since an enmagicked child would be too dangerous to leave with just anyone, Xan brings little Luna home to raise. The swamp monster, Glerk, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian, make up the rest of Luna’s devoted new family.

Luna’s magic is so strong that she does indeed become dangerous. Trees turn into birds, goats grow wings, and Glerk becomes a bunny. Desperate, Xan binds the magic until Luna can be taught to contain it. Except that the spell goes a bit awry, and Luna has no idea what magic is until just before her thirteenth birthday, when it begins to leak out of her with increasing strength. At this time, too, Xan’s magic drastically wanes, the slumbering volcano begins to awaken, the madwoman escapes her tower, the Sorrow Eater leaves on a mission of death, and another couple in the Protectorate refuses to give up their baby. Also, the Perfectly Tiny Dragon grows up!

Kelly Barnhill has written a number of notable fantasies, beginning with The Mostly True Story of Jack, and more recently The Witch’s Boy. Though her work deals with matters of good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, her characters are usually nuanced and multidimensional. And there is always plenty of love, adventure, and magic.

THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON is a neatly woven, thought-provoking fantasy with an uplifting message: The world is good. Go see it.

Have you read THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON? What did you think?

--Lynn

April Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

I’ve been reading up a storm lately and here are some of my favorites:

Novels:

In MY SISTER ROSA, by Justine Larbalestier, 17 year old Che’s little sister Rosa looks like a doll, but she’s not. She’s a dangerous psychopath, and Che’s the only one who knows. Their parents are in denial, but it looks like Rosa’s games might spiral out of control now that the family is starting over in NYC. Terrific suspense and great characters, this is a real page-turner. (YA)

Neal Shusterman begins a new fantasy series with his Printz Honor book SCYTHE, which also stands pretty well on its own. In the future, humankind has conquered death, so to keep the population under control, scythes perform this “crucial service for society.” Citra and Rowan are reluctantly apprenticed to Honorable Scythe Faraday. But the art of killing isn’t the only thing these two will need to master in order to survive. Great stuff by the National Book Award winning author of Challenger Deep. (YA)

VASSA IN THE NIGHT, by Sarah Porter, is a modern take on the Russian fairy tale, Vassilissa the Beautiful, set in Brooklyn. At a time when night is getting “bigger and fatter and stronger," Vassa leaves her stepmother and two stepsisters on a mission to the corner store, owned and operated by Babs Yagg, who beheads shoplifters and innocents alike. Good thing Vassa has Erg, a talking doll gifted to her by her dying mother. Dark, twisted, magical, and mesmerizing. (YA)

The Sun is Also a Star--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

April’s Book Pick is the 2017 Printz Honor winner, THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR, by Nicola Yoon.

Natasha doesn’t believe in fate. But she’s desperate enough to ask anyone—even fate—to help her find a way to stay in America. She’s been living as an undocumented immigrant since she was eight and her parents moved the family over from Jamaica. Now her father’s DUI means they to leave New York. Tonight. Natasha repeatedly visits US Citizenship and Immigration Services, hoping for a reprieve so she can stay in “the only place [she] calls home.” Finally, just hours before deportation, she’s handed a long shot: the name of a lawyer known as “the fixer,” and she arranges an appointment for that very day.

Daniel’s on his way to a college admission interview with a “Yale alum.” His parents are determined that Daniel apply there to become a doctor, especially since his brother Charlie’s been suspended from Harvard. But Daniel wants to be a poet and is in no hurry to get to the interview. Unlike pragmatic Natasha, Daniel believes in fate, and love, and when he spies her he knows “it’s definitely a Sign.”

I found Yoon’s characters to be so engaging that, right from the start, I was along for the ride. Natasha and Daniel are are caught up in realities imposed on them by their parents, but are desperate to forge their own futures. I think young readers will root for both of these kids. Yoon unravels her story mainly through narration by these two appealing protagonists. But their story is also enriched by voices of the people they meet, and lives they touch, in their search for answers. It's a captivating discussion of love, fate and the interconnectedness of the universe.

Have you read THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR? What did you think?

--Lynn

March Recommendations--Lynn Becker Book Picks

I’ve read some terrific books this past month—here they are, and what have you been reading lately??

Novels:

In The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, Xan rescues baby Luna from the woods. But Xan is a witch and Luna accidentally drinks moonlight, filling her with powerful magic. Pitted against them are a nearby town who thinks Xan is evil, a Council of Elders who really IS evil, and a Sorrow Eater wth a masterful plan. Fun, original fantasy, and winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal. (MG)

In The Sun is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon, Natasha’s family is scheduled to be deported to Jamaica this very night. Daniel has an interview to get into Yale—his family wants him to attend but he’s not so sure. When they meet in NYC, Daniel spends the day convincing Natasha they are fated to fall in love. It's told in multiple POVs, including Natasha's and Daniel's, but we also hear the random and not so random thoughts of people they come into contact with. An extremely engaging story about life, love, fate, and the universe. (YA)

And in The Bone Witch, by Rin Chupeco, Tea learns she is a bone witch on the day of her brother Fox’s funeral, when she accidentally raises him from his grave. With Fox along as her familiar, headstrong Tea is hustled to the capital city to be taught to manage her power. She learns to dance, fight, and navigate political intrigue in the district’s teahouses, but ultimately she will be sent to fight the “strange and terrible” monsters which haunt the land. This is fantasy world-building at its best, and includes a colorful cast of characters. First in a series. (YA)

Wolf Hollow--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Happy month of March and welcome to Book Talk for WOLF HOLLOW, by Lauren Wolk. This impeccably crafted, wonderfully heartfelt middle grade story was recently awarded a Newbery Honor. It’s one of my favorites from 2016, which seemed to me like an especially strong year for mid-grade.

Twelve-year-old Annabelle lives a quiet life in rural Pennsylvania, until Betty Glengarry shows up with all of her cruel, bullying ways. Annabelle must protect her two small brothers, and also shell-shocked World War l veteran, Toby, even when town sentiment tries to dictate otherwise. Annabelle’s courage and compassion will touch readers as she learns to stand up for what she knows is right in this pitch-perfect coming of age story.

It’s interesting to me that the author chooses to use a prologue to introduce readers to Annabelle’s story. In it, adult narrator Annabelle indicates she is looking back at her own childhood and describing, as she puts it, the way that, at age twelve, she learns to lie. The device allows Wolk to use a more adult tone throughout, which suits the quiet yet strong Annabelle very well. There’s a bit of an epilogue, too, which brings us back to grown Annabelle describing how that year, the year she turned twelve, she also learned to tell the truth.

This haunting, yet hopeful, story shows the power of one young girl acting on her convictions. It’s an important message, artfully imparted.

Or so I think!! How about you??

--Lynn

February Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

I’ve recently enjoyed these fine kid lit titles—maybe you will, too!

Novels:

Full of suspense, GORILLA DAWN, by Gill Lewis, takes place in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Imara is a child soldier enslaved by a gang of murderous rebels. Bobo stumbles into camp while searching for his father, a wildlife park ranger who disappeared while trying to protect a family of gorillas. When the leader of the gang sets up an illegal mine, his buyer wants a baby gorilla as part of the deal. Despite the danger, Imara and Bobo know they must return the newly captured baby gorilla to the wild. (MG)

A TANGLE OF GOLD, by Jaclyn Moriarty, is the third and final book of the Colors of Madeleine trilogy. In this completely original fantasy series, we see two worlds occurring side by side. In the Kingdom of Cello, where magic exists and colors manifest as storms, the royal family has gone missing. Access to the World occurs through small, seemingly random cracks, though travel between the two places is forbidden. It’s a good thing rules don’t stop Madeleine (in the World) and Elliot (in Cello) from getting to know each other. Charming and funny. (YA)

And in GOLDENHAND, Garth Nix continues his fabulous Abhorsen series (including the Abhorsen trilogy of Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen, their prequel, Clariel, and the novella Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case). In Goldenhand, Lirael serves as the Abhorsen-in-Waiting. When she finds Nicholas after he is attacked by a Free Magic creature, she takes him to the Clayr’s Glacier to heal. But when she gets a message from her dead mother, delivered by a strange girl from the North, she learns that a huge battle is looming. One that must be fought both in the Old Kingdom and in the river of Death. (YA)

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE PERRY T. COOK, by Leslie Connor, was one of my favorite middle-grade novels of 2016, a year filled with especially strong middle-grade titles.

Eleven-year-old Perry Cook, born and raised in the minimum security prison where his mom serves a term for manslaughter, knows all about family. In addition to his mom, Perry has grown up with plenty of loving, supportive people in the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility. This includes the warden, foreman, and many of the inmates (“rezzes”). Perry’s life isn’t conventional by any means. But Blue River is for nonviolent offenders, and the author shows us the people behind the mistakes they have made. When a DA with an agenda decides Perry needs a “real” family, he separates the boy from the only home he has ever known.

Perry is an extraordinary character, as is his entire supporting cast. From Warden Dougherty, who okays the unusual arrangement, to Big Ed and Mr. Halsey, to Perry’s mom Jessica, best friend Zoey, teacher Ms. Maya, new lunchroom cashier Miss Jenrik, and even the deplorable DA Thomas VanLeer, these are fully-realized characters that have a mighty story to tell. Connor has written a feel-good novel that stands up to repeated readings.

--Lynn

January Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

It’s time to talk about great books again—have you read any great ones lately? Here are my favorite recent reads:

Novels:

GERTIE’S LEAP TO GREATNESS, by Kate Beasley, features a powerhouse of a fifth grade character. When Gertie’s estranged mother’s house goes on the market, Gertie decides that being the greatest fifth grader in the universe will keep her mom from leaving. But when perfect Mary Sue Spivey arrives, fresh from Hollywood with a movie director dad, Gertie’s plans go south pretty quickly. Chock full of fun, with plenty of action and heart, this one’s a winner! Spot illustrations are by Caldecott Honor artist Jillian Tamaki. (MG)

THE CREEPING SHADOW, the fourth Lockwood & Co. book by Jonathan Stroud, is every bit as much dark fun as the first three. Psychic Investigator Lucy Carlyle has been out on her own for a while, but when Lockwood & Co. need her special Listener skills for a particularly gruesome assignment, she agrees to work with them. Then Lucy’s valuable ghost-jar is stolen, and she finds she needs the help of her old crew to uncover the secret behind a recent spate of haunted relic robberies. Plenty of thrills and chills, sarcastic snark, and lots (and lots) of ghosts! (upper MG)

CROOKED KINGDOM, by Leigh Bardugo, is a follow-up to the very wonderful Six of Crows. Set in the same imaginative world as Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy, this duology is just as strong as the original three books, and maybe even more so. Kaz Brekker is leader of a gang of misfit thieves and murderers who have been double-crossed after pulling off the heist of the century. This plays like a version of Ocean’s Eleven with the addition of Grisha superpowers, a horribly addictive drug known as jurda parem, and an especially valuable hostage. Great characters, smart, non-stop action, imaginative setting: these books have it all! (YA)

Thunder Boy Jr.--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Happy New Year!

January’s Book Pick is Thunder Boy Jr., written by Sherman Alexie and illustrated by Yuyi Morales.

Thunder Boy Smith Jr. loves his dad but hates that they share a name. Why can’t he be Sam, the way his mom had wanted? People call his dad Big Thunder, like "a storm filling up the sky." Jr. gets called Little Thunder, which sounds “like a burp or a fart.” He wants a name of his own, one that celebrates his own life and accomplishments. There are so many possibilities! Finally, Big Thunder reads his son’s heart, and Little Thunder gets a new name that celebrates both their love AND individuality.

Alexie’s text is lyrical without wasting words. His narrator, Little Thunder, is appealing and full of life, with interjections in speech bubbles adding humor to this heartfelt story. And Morales uses textures scanned from wood and brick in her art, to build an appealing, stylized world. On every page, this team’s efforts combine to portray the pride and silliness, but most importantly, the affection that binds this family.

It’s a terrific package, and has landed on many Best of 2016 lists. Headed for a Caldecott or Golden Kite? Regardless, it should find its way to many story times.

Have you read Thunder Boy Jr.? What do you think?

--Lynn

December Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Have you read any great kid’s stuff lately?

Here are some of my own recent favorites:

 

Novels:

I continue to enjoy the most excellent JACKABY series, by William Ritter. The title character, Mr. R. F. Jackaby, is a detective and a Seer of supernatural beings. In book three, called GHOSTLY ECHOES, narrator Abigail Rook and her boss, Jackaby, are investigating the decade-old murder case of their landlady, Jenny Cavanaugh, who is now a ghost. This world contains beings of all sorts, from vampires to chameleomorphs to Abigail’s half-man, half-hound boyfriend, Charlie. (YA)

 

THE INQUISITOR’S TALE, by Adam Gidwitz, is a loose adaptation of the Joan of Arc story, told by multiple narrators in the style of The Canterbury Tales for kids. It features Jeanne, a peasant girl who has visions of the future (and a resurrected dog), William, a young monk with extraordinary strength, and Jacob, a Jewish boy who is a miraculous healer. This clever, engaging tale is also populated by good monks, bad monks, King Louis IX of France, an angel, and a farting dragon. It’s an excellent read!! (MG)

 

HEARTLESS, by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles), is a prequel to Alice in Wonderland, telling the backstory of the Queen of Hearts. Catherine is a noble young lady, who has caught the eye of the King of Hearts, but all she wants is to open a bakery, where she can sell her delectable treats to the kingdom. When she meets the mysterious and sexy Jester, things get even more complicated. Fun and absurdist, as it should be. (YA)

Sketchbook Art - Bethlehem

I love to repeat this post every Christmas.

I have been lucky enough to have visited the town of Bethlehem on Christmas day.  It was one of my parochial school kid's dreams come true.  Our Jewish mother tour guide took us to the Church of the Nativity on Christmas night.  The line was hours long to go down to the cave where the baby Jesus was born, but our guide knew of a secret door that is open only on Christmas. We followed her down and viewed the glorious Nativity scene--surround by chicken wire, just in case someone wanted to take baby Jesus home.  As we sang Christmas carols on our way back to the hotel, the brightest star I have ever seen shone over the land.

On this blessed day, Merry Christmas to all.

Raymie Nightingale--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

December’s Book Pick is RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE, by the astonishing Kate DiCamillo. How does she do it: write book after strong book, all different, and all worthwhile?

Raymie Clarke is determined to learn how to twirl a baton. She’s got to win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, so her father will read about her in the newspaper, leave the dental hygienist he ran off with, and come back home. But even though baton twirling lessons do not go as planned, Raymie meets Louisiana Elefante (daughter of the famous Flying Elefantes) and Beverly Tapinski (lock picker extraordinaire). Louisiana dubs them the Three Rancheros, “bound to each other through thick and thin.” Despite Beverly’s rather persistent grumbling, good-deed-doing ensues (sort of), as well as lots of adventures and insights into the human condition. Ramie’s soul expands and contracts as she considers such existential questions as the meaning of life, and the role of story.

There is not one misplaced or casual word in this book. Each statement is elegantly crafted and contributes to the whole. It’s been said that each chapter of Because of Winn-Dixie could stand alone as a short story—while reading RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE, I felt like the entire novel was a short story. Everything single thing is important, and circles back around. It’s funny, and it’s wry, and it’s chock full of wisdom that will likely go over the heads of many readers who are enjoying the darkly zany plot line. But maybe they will find it again, maybe even years later and, looking through, be amazed at all that’s packed in here.

Have you read RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE? What do you think?

--Lynn

November Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Have you read anything fun lately? Here are some of my recent favorites:

Novels

WOLF HOLLOW, by Lauren Wolk, is one of my very favorite books of 2016. Twelve-year-old Annabelle lives a quiet life in rural Pennsylvania, until Betty Glengarry shows up with all of her cruel, bullying ways. Annabelle must protect her two small brothers, and also the shell-shocked WWl veteran, Toby, even when town sentiment tries to dictate otherwise. Annabelle’s courage and compassion will touch readers, as she learns to stand up for what she knows is right, in this pitch-perfect coming of age story. (MG)

 

Delia Sherman (Changeling) has written another amusing, offbeat magical fantasy in THE EVIL WIZARD SMALLBONE. When Nick runs away from his horrible uncle in the middle of a blizzard, he takes refuge at a magical shop called Evil Wizard Books. The resident wizard makes Nick his apprentice, but refuses to teach him any magic. Luckily the bookstore does so instead. Nearby residents include a town of eerily similar people (supposedly under the protection of Nick’s master, the Evil Wizard Smallbone) as well as the Evil Wizard Fidelou with his pack of evil shape-shifting bikers. A fun story examining whether an evil wizard can also be good, the qualities necessary for success, and the importance of writing one’s own story. (MG)

With intriguing, flawed characters and a gripping storyline, WRECKED, by Maria Padian, explores a college rape case in which alcohol is involved, evidence is scarce, and social-media insults are flying. Alternating chapters reflect the perspectives of Haley, roommate of the accuser, and Richard, housemate of the accused, who are also—very inconveniently—developing a sweet, stormy, and wholly believable romance. Powerful, suspenseful, and timely—don't miss this one! (YA)

Unbecoming--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

November’s Book Pick is UNBECOMING, by Jenny Downham, a story about three generations of red-headed women dealing with life, love, and dementia.

Katie’s grandmother, Mary, suddenly turns up, and she's having trouble with her memory. She doesn’t recognize Katie, Katie's brother Chris, or even her own daughter, Katie’s mother Caroline. To make matters worse, Caroline and Mary have had an extremely difficult relationship, and Caroline bitterly resents having to take Mary in. It’s a mess, but Katie feels drawn to the mysterious grandmother she never knew she had.

While Mary’s dementia is a challenge, Katie also struggles with her own issues. Like being seventeen and getting tormented for kissing her best friend Esme, dealing with intense pressure from her mom to be perfect, and figuring out how to take charge of her own, soon-to-be-adult life. Mary’s presence brings plenty of unanswered questions, and the family begins to peel back the layers to expose a whole slew of secrets and misunderstandings. UNBECOMING describes the importance of being true to one’s own self vs. the stifling power of conforming to expectations, while also creating a multi-faceted take on family, past, present, and future.

The author creates compelling strands for all three women. But, first and foremost, it's Katie’s story, as she grows and begins to come into her own, allowing the stories of the others to feed into who she is and who she is struggling to become. Heartfelt and wise, UNBECOMING is also accomplished on a much more intimate level, with Downham (also the author of Before I Die) crafting beautiful words into beautiful sentences, into paragraphs and chapters that are a joy to read.

Have you read UNBECOMING? What did you think?

--Lynn

October Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Have you read anything great lately? Here are my recent favorites:

Novels:

THE SECRET KEEPERS is by Trenton Lee Stewart, who also wrote The Mysterious Benedict Society. It’s a wonderful, suspense-filled story, wherein eleven-year-old Reuben Pedley squeezes into the narrowest alley he’s ever seen, climbs to a dangerously high ledge, and discovers a wonderful treasure—a round, antique pocket watch with an incredible secret power. Reuben has to escape danger after danger to outwit The Smoke, the dangerous mob boss-like ruler of New Umbra, who wants that watch at all costs! Smart fiction for readers who aren’t afraid of a long book. (MG)

THE FORBIDDEN WISH, by Jessica Khoury, is a superb original take on the story of Aladdin. Zahra is the genie of the lamp, where she’s been imprisoned for hundreds of years. Apparently she got too emotionally involved with her last master and caused the destruction of an empire. When Aladdin finds her and takes her to his city, the King of the Jinn forces Zahra into a bargain. But which will she chose—love or freedom? Really great adaptation! (YA)

Two amazing early readers are from Holiday House’s I Like to Read series.:

In PUG, Ethan Long tells a complete, funny story, with just 30 words (plus some doggie yapping). Pug wants to go out, but everyone is warm and cozy inside. Who wins? and why? Likewise, in UP, Joe Cepeda pulls off a wholly imaginative tale using only 27 words. In both cases, excellent full-color art does a lot of heavy lifting. These two books are standout examples of the genre.

 

The Nest--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Welcome! October’s Book Pick is the wonderfully creepy mid-grade book, THE NEST, written by Kenneth Oppel, with occasional (and also wonderfully creepy) illustrations by Jon Klassen.

There’s something wrong with Steve’s baby brother. No one really knows what, although it’s pretty certain he won't develop normally. When Steve first has the dream, he thinks he’s seeing an angel who tells him she has come to help with the baby, and this makes him feel better.

The dream seems so benign at first. Angels want to help fix the baby. Such a hopeful dream. But dread slowly builds, as a swarm of strange grey wasps make their nest outside the baby’s room. The Queen begins to manipulate Steve, begins to change her story. Slowly, Steve comes to realize that her kind of help may not be the kind his family needs.

September Recommendations--Lynn Becker Book Picks

As summer stumbles into fall, what great reads have you discovered?

Here’s what I’ve been enjoying lately:

Novels:

GREENGLASS HOUSE, by Kate Milford, takes place during twelve-year-old Milo Pine’s winter vacation. Just when he’s looking forward to relaxing with his family (they never have guests the first week of vacation), the doorbell rings. Somehow, on a cold and snowy night, the old smuggler’s hotel fills up with strange guests who tell strange stories about why they’ve arrived. Milo and cook’s daughter Meddy uncover plenty of secrets as they use lessons from an old role-playing game to help investigate a string of robberies and more. This is a top-notch mystery with plenty of atmosphere. Especially perfect for a cold night and a cup of hot chocolate, but worthy of being enjoyed anytime! (MG)

Jennifer Nielsen’s newest novel is a stand-alone, called THE SCOURGE. Like her False Prince trilogy, this one features a troublemaker with a heart of gold. Ani and her best friend Weevil are taken by the governor’s men to be tested for a deadly plague called the Scourge. Though initially Ani tests negative, a second, more radical test indicates that she actually has the disease. She and Weevil, who contends that he has it, too, are sent to the Colony, a place of banishment for all Scourge victims. Ani’s strong sense of justice stirs up more than the governor and her henchmen have bargained for, as she and Weevil do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. Strong characters drive this adventure. (MG)

HOW TO HANG A WITCH, by Adriana Mather, is a contemporary novel of ghosts, witches, and an ancient curse, all of which harken back to the 17th century witch trials in Salem, MA. Like the author, protagonist Samantha is a direct descendant of Cotton Mather, the Puritan minister responsible for the Trials. When her dad slips into a coma, Sam and her stepmother sell their NYC apartment and move to the family home in Salem to save money for medical bills. Sam immediately runs afoul of the Descendants, a group of rich goths whose ancestors were witches actually hanged in the Trials. Throw in a couple of handsome guys, one of whom is a ghost, and you have all the elements of a very engaging story. Good messages about bullying and mob mentality, too. (YA)

 

Waiting--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

September’s Book Pick is WAITING, by the legendary Kevin Henkes. He’s previously won a Caldecott Medal, two Newbery Honors, and a Geisel Honor, and WAITING has brought new Caldecott and Geisel Honors. Also not to be overlooked is his supremely popular and beloved Lily (Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse), plus other mice characters which include Owen, Chrysanthemum, and Wemberly, each featured in their own charming picture books. But back to this story . . . .

Five animal toys wait on a window ledge. Mostly, they wait for different things, but one of them (a rabbit with stars) isn’t waiting for anything in particular. He just likes to look out the window and wait. Toys come and go, seasons come and go. Wind, rain, snow, fireworks, and the moon come and go. And still the animals wait on the ledge. One day a cat with patches joins them. What, if anything, is she waiting for?

There’s so much character development here, and so much emotion expressed on these pages. If you have ever wanted to write—and publish—a quiet picture book, WAITING is one you must look at. Read it aloud. Marvel at the uncomplicated yet expressive text and illustrations, the uncluttered page design, the muted color, the incredible production value of this book. Look under the dust jacket and you will find a little surprise on the board covers. The end papers pick up the color of the type. It’s perfect.

Have you read WAITING? What do you think?

--Lynn

August Recommendations--Lynn Becker Book Picks

Novels:

I finally got to read THE MIDNIGHT WAR OF MATEO MARTINEZ, by Robin Yardi, and I’m so glad I did! This funny novel features Mateo, a fourth-grader in Santa Barbara, who is obsessed with knighthood and who, aboard his silver bicycle, Steed, tries to recover his trike (ok, maybe it’s his sister Mila’s now) and save the neighborhood from a gang of thieving skunks. Mateo also has troubles with his ex-best friend, Johnny, who’s been hanging out with thuggish Danny Green. Plus, his mom’s on his case for not holding Mila’s hand on the way home from school, as if Mila listens to anything he says! Mateo is a good guy with a great sense of humor, and some incredible nighttime adventures. (MG)

NOT IF I SEE YOU FIRST, by Eric Lindstrom, features blind high school junior Parker Grant, whose father died three months ago, and who hasn’t cried since. Parker is one tough cookie who loves to run, dispenses relationship advice on the Junior Quad, and wears a vest with buttons that say things like “Yes, I’m blind, get over it!” Parker’s Rules are a strict code of conduct that people in her life have to embrace. But when Scott Kilpatrick, breaker of Rule #1, forever subject to Rule # INFINITY, transfers to her school, Parker begins to lose her way. Lindstrom’s novel has great voice, characters, and is a terrific look at living and loving while in high school. (YA)

E. K. Johnston, author of The Story of Owen, Dragonslayer of Trondheim, brings us a very different story in EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR. Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, at the top of her game and on top of the world. Now, in her last year at cheerleading camp, someone has done the unthinkable. She has been drugged and raped at a camp party, and nothing will ever be the same. This is a good solid look at what it takes to survive. (YA)

The War That Saved My Life--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

August’s Book of the Month is the impeccably crafted, heartwarming, and life-affirming THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

Ten-year-old Ada’s mam keeps her locked up in their squalid one room apartment because Ada is “a cripple.” (She has a clubfoot.) When her brother, Jamie, gets older and more independent, Ada resolves to fight for a better life for herself by learning to walk. She does, and just in time, too. London’s children are being evacuated to the countryside and Ada and Jamie sneak off to join them. A Kent woman, Susan Smith, reluctantly takes them in, but it’s not an easy transition. Susan is kind, but building a family takes time.

Because Ada has never been educated or allowed outside, it’s heartbreaking to see how little she knows of the world. She’s strong and determined, however, and she teaches herself all kinds of things, beginning with how to ride the pony in the meadow outside her new home. Slowly, slowly, Ada grows healthy, learns to read and write, and finds friends in the village. But the emotional abuse inflicted on her all those years by her mam has taken its toll, and trusting that this new life won’t disappear is almost impossible.

July Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Novels:

PAX, by Sara Pennypacker, is the moving story of a boy and the fox that he raised. When his dad goes off to war, the boy must leave the pet behind and move in with his grandfather three hundred miles away. But the boy is overwhelmed with worry and runs off to find his fox. Told in the alternating voices of fox and boy, this is a dual survival story, as each learns what it takes to live and thrive. It’s an age-appropriate look at compassion and responsibility that will tug at reader's heartstrings (and quite possibly give them a good cry). It’s also a nice example of quality bookmaking. From the illustrations by Jon Klassen, to the deckle-edged pages, to the deep green and gold-embossed cover, this is a book to hold and enjoy. (MG)

In UNBECOMING, by Jenny Downham (Before I Die), a grandmother Katie never knew she had comes to live with her mum and brother. But Mary has Alzheimer’s and brings more questions than answers. What’s the real story of Katie’s family tree? How does Mary fit in, and why hasn’t she been around before? Mum is hiding plenty of secrets, but Katie has a secret, too. Three generations of red-headed women confront past and present with confusion, clarity, and an astonishing amount of heart. Don’t miss this top-notch storytelling about letting go and learning to honor your own, true self. (YA)

A wonderful book, THE PASSION OF DOLSSA, by Julie Berry (All the Truth That’s in Me), is historical fiction with a distinct magical touch. In 1241, a young noblewoman named Dolssa shares visions of Christ, her beloved. The Catholic Church arrests her for heresy, but she escapes before the burning. Botille, peasant from a small seaside town, finds Dolssa and saves her from the men who pursue her. Botille brings Dolssa to the tavern she runs with her two sisters, where they desperately try to keep Dolssa a secret. All plans fail when Dolssa shows an ability to heal the sick, and a friar obsessed with finding her appears. The writing is absolutely mesmerizing in this smart, literary tale.

Finding Winnie--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

July’s Book Pick is the exceptional 2016 Caldecott winner, FINDING WINNIE: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, by Lindsay Mattock, illustrated by Sophie Blackall.

A mother, cuddling with her son, tells of how Harry Colebourne, a Canadian veterinarian on his way to care for horses in WWI, spied a trapper with a baby bear. He bought the bear for $20 and named her Winnipeg to remind his fellow soldiers of home. Winnie sailed to England, where she became known as the Mascot of the Canadian Infantry Brigade. When the order came that it was time to fight, Harry took Winnie to the London Zoo. A boy named Christopher Robin befriended her and he named his own stuffed bear Winnie-the-Pooh. Christopher Robin's father, who was A. A. Milne, wrote about all sorts of adventures that Christopher Robin had with his stuffed animals in the wood behind their home.

This is a charming story, framed as a cozy-but-true bedtime tale. We begin with endpapers showing the woods where bear cub Winnie plays, and end by learning how the author’s son, Cole, fits in (he was named after his great-great-grandfather). A family tree, as well as reproductions of old photos, a diary, and the official record card from the zoo, help illuminate the many layers of this story. The illustrations are also extremely descriptive, and beautiful, as well. Clearly, we are being offered an often-told, much-loved piece of family lore, passed down through generations, and now turned into this award-winning picture book. Readers of all ages will relate to the story the author tells her son about how one very special bear became the inspiration for A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh.

Have you read FINDING WINNIE? What do you think?

--Lynn

June Recommendations

I’m on a roll, still reading great books!!! There is so much to love in kid lit these days!! Here are my recent favorites:

Novels:

THE LIE TREE, by Francis Hardinge, has been winning awards, including the Costa Children’s Book Award and the Costa Book of the Year in the UK, and now the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award here. I have been a fan of Francis Hardinge for a long time, ever since I heard her editor speak about her first US-pubbed book at an SCBWI Summer Conference. She has many books out now, and I have read and enjoyed most of them. THE LIE TREE describes the frustration felt by Faith Sunderly, a budding young scientist growing up in a time when young ladies do not study science. They are modest and well-mannered and they get husbands. But Faith idolizes her father, the grim, formidable Reverend Sunderly, a renowned scientist himself, and the finder of a fossil of great importance. Now, however, the fossil has been found to be a fraud, and the Reverend turns up dead. Faith determines to make sense of it all, including the origins of a mysterious plant that her father cherished above all of his recent finds. A complex and satisfying read! (Upper MG/YA)

THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE, by Janet Fox, is so good!!! Like the above, this is a complex novel tinged with darkness, featuring a sensible young woman (who reveres her father) trying to make sense of impossible circumstances. But that’s where the similarities end. Siblings Kat, Robbie, and Amelie escape the German bombing of London in 1940 by relocating to boarding school in a remote Scottish castle. Here they encounter the icy Lady Eleanor, 13 magical charms, wartime spies, and the strange, silent children who haunt Rookskill Castle. Beginning with a deliciously eerie, off-kilter poem to set the mood, this literary WWII steampunk-ghost story is one of the best reads ever. If you liked The Night Gardener, by Jonathan Auxier, be sure to give CHARMED CHILDREN a try! (Upper MG)

And now for something completely different: RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE, by Kate DiCamillo, is beautifully crafted fiction set in 1975. Raymie intends to win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition so that her father can read about her in the newspaper, after which he will leave the dental hygienist he has run off with and return home to his now-famous daughter. Instead, during baton-twirling classes that never really materialize, Raymie bonds with the overly dramatic Louise Elefante (of the Flying Elefante family), and Beverly Tapinski (who intends to sabotage the contest). I love the way the author writes with terrific care on all levels, from plot arcs all the way down to her perfectly constructed sentences. (MG)

Mother Bruce--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Hello! June’s Book Pick is very funny MOTHER BRUCE, by Ryan T. HIggins.

Bruce is a bear who is a grump. Apparently, the only thing Bruce likes is eggs, cooked into fancy recipes (which he finds on the internet). One day, after gathering all the ingredients for a rather intricate recipe (boiled goose eggs drizzled with honey-salmon sauce), Bruce returns from restocking wood for his stove, only to find that the main part of his breakfast has hatched. And the cute little geese think he is their mama! Suffice it to say that while the goslings have immediately imprinted on Bruce, it takes more than a few pages for this particular bear to begin to embrace his new family.

I like how the author/illustrator jumps right in with his endpapers—we see Bruce’s forest home, even before the title page. So when the text actually begins, the scene has already been set. All we need now is that very grumpy bear. We can immediately learn about some of the things that Bruce does NOT like (sunny days, rain, and cute little animals). Also, the endpapers at the back of the story do nice job of playing us out, by depicting the Florida vacation spot this entire family has migrated to.

May Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Read any great books lately? Here are a few of my recent finds:

Novels:

Continuing in my recent lucky trend of finding wonderfully written stories that go in unexpected directions is THE WALLS AROUND US, by Nova Ren Suma. This time, a superb literary text brings with it an eerie ghost story. Amber tells the moving story of life inside Aurora Hills juvenile detention center, and what happens when Orianna appears. Violet is a dancer on the outside, about to leave for her dream school (Juilliard) yet she’s got a rotten secret involving Ori. A rich, rewarding YA.

 

ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE PERRY T. COOK, by Leslie Connor is, coincidentally, also set in a prison, but this time we’ve got Perry, whose mom has been serving time at the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility for nonviolent offenders in Surprise, Nebraska, since before he was born. Though Perry goes to a regular school in town, the warden has always allowed him to make his home at Blue River. Along with his caring mom, many of the inmates are his friends and family, and things go well for all concerned until an ambitious DA decides that he knows what’s best for Perry. This is a warm, loving story with plenty of heart and kid-appeal. (MG)

 

REBEL OF THE SANDS, by Alwyn Hamilton, is an engaging fantasy, set in a fictional desert where magic still lives, though it’s mostly in hiding. Amani lives in Dustwalk, a town every bit as forlorn as it sounds. Her only hope is to pass for a boy and somehow escape to the city, where life must surely be better. When she meets Jin, they form an uneasy alliance, and her plans take a detour into forbidden magic and full-scale rebellion. (YA)

Bone Gap--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

May’s Book Pick book is this year’s Printz Award winner, BONE GAP, by Laura Ruby.

When I first talked about this story, I called it both lyrical love story and chilling mystery. I’m going to add mythic retelling to the description. My second time through, the Persephone themes shone through much more strongly for me. This is a richly textured story with some really gorgeous prose.

To the people of Bone Gap, Finn always seems to have his head in the clouds. When beautiful Roza disappears, Finn has trouble identifying her kidnapper, even though he was with her when it happened. Without any clues, people stop believing him, including the police and his brother Sean, who has lost more than any brother deserves to lose. Just as Finn feels Sean slipping away, he begins to find himself with Petey. The town of Bone Gap is full of secrets and magic, including talking corn, a huge black horse that appears out of nowhere, and the terrifying man lurking at the fringes of Finn’s vision.

This highly original story is about love and beauty and seeing what no one else can. I think the author did a terrific job of weaving her ideas throughout the entire narrative, so that themes come and go and slowly build right up to the powerful conclusion.

Have you read BONE GAP? What did you think?

--Lynn

April Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Have you read anything recently that you really enjoyed? Here are some of my favorites.

Novels:

Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy) does it again, with SALT TO THE SEA, a beautifully realized portrait of WWII as seen through the eyes of Joanna, Florian, and Emilia, all with secrets, all trying to stay clear of two armies while not starving or freezing to death, and of Alfred, a rather despicable German soldier. All paths converge on the ill-fated Wilhelm Gustloff. Riveting. (YA)

 

 

JUST MY LUCK, by Cammie McGovern, is well told, well plotted middle grade fiction, with fun characters you can really root for, and an overall sense of humanity-doing-its-best that is very uplifting. Fourth grader Benny is having a tough year, what with his dad's brain injury (not his fault), and having a challenging time in school. McGovern does an excellent job with Benny’s brother, George, who is autistic but not high-achieving. It’s good stuff. (MG)

 

ANNA AND THE SWALLOW MAN, by Gavriel Savit, is another WWII story. I loved the fairytale feel to this one, and the mythic, evocative writing. It started slowly for me but, as often happens, I’m so very glad that I stuck with it. Anna is just seven when the Germans kill her father, a Polish professor. Alone, Anna turns to the strange protector she dubs the Swallow Man, and they travel through war-torn Polish winters. (YA)

 

 

Last Stop on Market Street--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

April’s Book Pick is the Newbery award-winning picture book, LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET, with words by Matt de la Peña and pictures by Christian Robinson. It’s almost unheard of for a picture book text to be awarded a Newbery or even an honor, with the award typically going to the novel that the ALA panel judges to be the most distinguished piece of writing for children in any given year. So what makes this picture book so special and worthy of this honor?

LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET is the story of CJ and his nana taking a bus ride through the city, on their way to serving a meal at their soup kitchen. CJ peppers his nana with questions—why do they wait for the bus when it's raining? why don’t they have a car? why do they always have to go here? and Nana answers by showing him the richness of life exactly as they are living it. The book portrays a diverse, urban, population.

The prose is lovely, with well-placed repetition and descriptive language. Although they are not considered for the Newbery, the illustrations help to elevate this book to the very highest level of art and craftsmanship.

Or so I think! What about you? Do you think that a picture book winning the Newbery might bring older kids, as well as new readers, to the genre?

--Lynn

March Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Read any good books lately? Here are some of my recent favorites:

Novels:

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, by Sabaa Tahir, is a terrific fantasy inspired by ancient Roman culture. Life in the Martial Empire is tough and uncompromising. Laia and her family subsist as they can, until her grandparents are killed and her brother gets arrested for treason. Laia seeks out the Resistance for help in setting him free. In return, she agrees to go undercover as a slave in the Empire’s brutal Military Academy. Told in the alternating points of view of Laia and Elias, an unwilling student at the Academy, this is top-notch, if rather violent, fantasy. (YA)

THE BEAST OF CRETACEA, by Todd Strasser, is an interplanetary adventure based on that classic story of revenge and madness, Moby Dick. Gone are descriptive passages about whale species and shades of white. Instead, Strasser focuses on the action. Ishmael wakes up aboard a rusty old ship called the Pequod, and he’s amazed by the clean, beautiful planet on which he now finds himself. The Earth he has left behind is a filthy, coal-burning, oxygen depleted mess with very little water. His job is to hunt sea creatures to send back to feed Earth, but the real quarry on this ship is the Great Terrafin. Aye, there be pirates, too! (YA)

ALL AMERICAN BOYS, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, is a provocative look at race relations, specifically how one white policeman reacts when a woman trips over a black kid in a convenience store. It’s narrated alternately by the black kid, Rashad, along with a witness, Quinn, who is white, a close friend of the policeman, and a classmate of Rashad. Pair it with Kekla Magoon’s fascinating How it Went Down, and you will have plenty to think about, guaranteed. (YA)

The Thing About Jellyfish--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

March’s Book Pick is a heartfelt middle grade novel, THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH, by Ali Benjamin.

Suzy Swanson is devastated when her ex-best friend Franny drowns the summer before seventh grade. Suzy cannot believe there is no rational, scientific explanation, that "sometimes things just happen.” It’s a terrible answer. On a class field trip to the aquarium, Suzy learns about the lethal Australian Irukandji jellyfish, is convinced that a sting from one caused Franny’s death, and becomes obsessed with proving this is the case.

Woven into Suze’s present day trials in middle school is a portrait of her friendship with Franny, how it grew and changed over the years as the girls themselves grew and changed. Though very different, they are inseparable from the time they meet at the pool when they are five, until the day in fifth grade that Franny admits to liking Dylan—it’s all downhill from there, and we see how the relationship unravels.

Shortly after Franny dies, Suzy decides to stop talking, and the story is very much about the importance of communication. It’s also about science and jellyfish (obliviously), about being different and finding your place, and it’s about Diana Nyad.

It’s also warm and sweet and prickly and well-crafted.

And brave and awful and I’ll stop now!

--Lynn

February Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

It’s time for Recommendations, but first I want to take a moment for some thoughts about book awards:

There’s a definite downside to them, in that many amazing books don’t win the big awards, and maybe because of that they don't ever get the readership they deserve. Which is pretty sad, considering how subjective awards are.

Conversely, I am very, very grateful to this year's awards for helping me get to some wonderful books I might not otherwise have read. A few I already had on hand because they were recommended by friends, and others I got after reading about the ALA winners and “best of the year" lists in online and print journals.

So, beginning with Echo, February’s Book Pick, it’s been a rich time for reading recently!

Here are my favorite recent post-award reads:

Novels:

BONE GAP, by Laura Ruby, is both lyrical love story and chilling mystery. Finn is a moony kind of dude, and when beautiful Roza disappears, Finn has trouble identifying her kidnapper even though he was with her at the time it happened. Without any clues, people stop believing him, including the police and brother Sean, who has lost more than any brother deserves to lose. Yet the town of Bone Gap is full of secrets and magic, including talking corn, a huge black horse that appears out of nowhere, and the terrifying man lurking at the fringes of Finn’s vision. Mythic yet pragmatic, and wholly original. (YA)

THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, is a wonderfully moving novel reminiscent of Michele Magorian’s classic, Goodnight, Mr. Tom. Ten-year-old Ada, born with a club foot, is kept prisoner in her cruel mam’s tiny apartment. When brother Jamie is evacuated from London to avoid Hitler’s bombs, Ada makes sure she’s on that train, too. Reluctantly taken in by Susan Smith, in a small village in the Kent countryside, Ada’s world begins to expand in unimaginable ways. But trust is hard to learn, especially since Ada knows what awaits her when the war ends. Yes, I cried. (MG)

WINTER, by Marissa Meyer, is a satisfying conclusion to The Lunar Chronicles, which began with the groundbreaking cyborg Cinderella story, Cinder. In this one, Princess Winter is breathtakingly beautiful, and beloved by the people of Luna. Is it any wonder that her evil stepmother, Queen Levana, wants her dead? But, instead, Princess Winter finds herself swept up in a revolution in which she herself will play no small part. Reuniting in this volume are Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Emperor Kaito, and all of the cast of memorable characters who populate this series. (YA)

Susan Patron - Writing Tip of the Day.

I have known 2007 Newbery winner, Susan Patron for many years.  This former librarian is active in the SCBWI and has a well deserved reputation for her enormous talent, but also her generous heart.  I was amazed by the grace and dignity that she conducted herself when her Newbery winner, "The Higher Power of Lucky," hit a firestorm of controversy over one little word, scrotum!
I am so pleased that Susan agreed to give us a Writing Tip of the Day.

Realize each day that everything in your story is connected, especially the most disjointed aspects, and you must discover those deeply hidden links between them. 

Echo--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

February’s Book Pick is the luminous ECHO, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, which recently won a Newbery Honor. When Otto gets lost in the forest, he meets three otherworldly sisters who infuse his harmonica with magic, and the tale begins.

We follow as this harmonica touches the lives of three children who could all use a little magic: First there is Friedrich, who must save his father from one of Hitler’s concentration camps, then orphaned Mike in depression-era Philadelphia, and finally Ivy, daughter of Mexican American farmworkers in World War II California. All three children build better lives through their love of, and talent for, music.

Structurally, this novel comes full circle, with the different narrative segments held together by the same magical harmonica. As each owner passes the instrument along, so do readers follow the path of this story.

The writing is lovely, and while the vehicle is music, this novel celebrates art and artists of all kinds, as did the author’s previous work, THE DREAMER.

--Lynn

Read ECHO and prepare to be inspired, energized, and enriched.

January Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Read anything really good lately?

Some of my recent favorites:

Novels:

SIX OF CROWS, by Leigh Bardugo, is a new story set in the same icy world as her fabulous Grisha trilogy. A motley crew of thugs and thieves from the city of Ketterdam agrees to take on the impossible task of breaking a prisoner out of the Fjerdan Ice Court. If they succeed, they’ll have enough money to make all of their dreams come true, along with saving the world from Grisha made insane (and insanely powerful) by the drug jurda parem. But success is not at all likely. Plenty of action, compelling characters, and a unique fantasy setting make this author’s work so good. (YA)

Another fantasy that’s worth reading is FAIREST, by Marissa Meyer. It’s the backstory of how Princess Levana becomes the powerful Lunar Queen who goes on to invade Earth in the novels CINDER (a cyborg Cinderella story!), SCARLET, CRESS, and the newly released WINTER. While those other novels, each based on a classic fairy tale, are hefty tomes, FAIREST is a quick and easy read, thoroughly entertaining, and the three chapters of WINTER which are included will send you racing to find that one, too. (YA)

And on a completely different note, the 2015 National Book Award winner, CHALLENGER DEEP, by Neal Shusterman, is the narrative for a fifteen year old’s descent into mental illness, his hospitalization, and fight to return to mental health. Obviously, this is no quick and easy story: readers will need to work their way through some confusing visions, interspersed with the more grounded parts of the story. There is a rich payoff, though, for readers who persevere. Shusterman’s son provided art and inspiration for this cautiously optimistic story. (YA)

Boats for Papa--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Happy New Year!

In BOATS FOR PAPA, by Jessixa Bagley, young Buckley lives with his mama in their small home at the beach. Every day they walk together on the sand, collecting treasures. Buckley begins making boats out of the driftwood he finds, and decides to send them to his missing papa, along with a note of love. Buckley knows that if the boats don’t come back, they must have managed to reach Papa. Buckley makes many boats and, while he still misses his papa, sending the boats helps to comfort him. The turning point in the story, when Buckley realizes that Mama has been finding his boats all along, is understated and charming.

Best Books of 2015--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

What are your favorite books of 2015?

I have lots, but the list is not comprehensive in any way—I didn’t read nearly as much as I wanted to this past year—I never do!

Here are my (too many) top picks:

Picture books:
HOME, by Carson Ellis
POOL, by JiHyeon Lee
LENNY AND LUCY, written by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin Stead
WOLFIE THE BUNNY, written by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Zachariah OHora
THE NEW SMALL PERSON, by Lauren Child
LOOK! by Jeff Mack
LITTLE ELLIOT’S BIG FAMILY, by Mike Curato
THE NIGHT WORLD, by Mordecai Gerstein
TWO MICE, by Sergio Ruzzier
BOATS FOR PAPA, by Jessixa Bagley

MG Novels:
ECHO, by Pam Munoz Ryan
GOODBYE STRANGER, by Rebecca Stead
THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH, by Ali Benjamin

YA novels:
THE HIRED GIRL, by Laura Amy Schlitz (publisher calls it YA, though I think it’s really for 10 to 14 age range—older MG)
THE MURDSTONE TRILOGY, by Mal Peet
AS I CRAWL THROUGH IT, by A. S. King
THE ACCIDENT SEASON, by Moira Fowly-Doyle
LAIR OF DREAMS (sequel to DIVINERS), by Libba Bray

And I’m not finished with it yet, but MANNERS AND MUTINY, by Gail Carriger, is looking to be a strong favorite, too!

Happy Holidays!

--Lynn

December Recommendations--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

Read anything good lately? We’d love to hear!

Here’s what I’ve got:

Novels:

GEORGE describes the efforts of one transgender kid, born George, who wants everyone to know her for the girl she really is. When George’s fourth grade class begins practicing for the play version of Charlotte’s web, more than anything George wants to perform the part of Charlotte. That’s a pretty huge leap for a kid in grade school. George is an earnest, appealing character, and even though her journey may seem a tad easy, author Alex Gino does a great job of bringing readers along George’s path towards being recognized as Melissa. (MG)

THE ACCIDENT SEASON, by Moira Fowley-Doyle, is a beautifully written, atmospheric novel revolving around the annual titular phenomenon that afflicts Cara and her family. Every October, they are all bruised and battered despite the elaborate precautions they take, like wearing thick layers of clothing, ridding the kitchen of knives, and padding over sharp corners in the house. This season will be a bad one, Cara’s friend Bea predicts, and indeed many things come to a head, including love, death, and deeply hidden family secrets. This is an unexpected favorite of the year for me. (YA)

THE HOLLOW BOY is the third LOCKWOOD & CO. installment, by Bartimaeus books author Jonathan Stroud. I love this series—it’s pure, self-indulgent escapist reading of the supernatural kind. Narrator Lucy Carlyle is definitely not happy about perfect, perky Holly Munroe joining the agency, but a massive outbreak of supernatural activity is wreaking havoc in London and all agents, including the talking skull in the ghost-jar, must work together to figure out the mystery. (MG)

Dory Fantasmagory--Lynn Becker's Book Picks

December’s Book Pick is the fabulous DORY FANTASMAGORY, by Abby Hanlon. This chapter book is heavily illustrated by the author. In fact, I would go so far as to say that, with a six-year-old protagonist and illustrations filling every spread and nearly every page, in many ways DORY can be viewed as a 153-page picture book!

The irrepressible Dory, tellingly nicknamed Rascal by her family, has an older brother and sister who won't play with her. Luckily, Dory's friend Mary (who is invisible to everyone but Dory) always wants to play, thinks Dory is the greatest, and even sleeps under her bed. Despite the constant chatter (to Mary, of course), the temper tantrums, and the weird quirks (like wanting to wear her flannel nightgown day and night all summer—except for the time she wears her cow costume, of course), Dory is an incredibly endearing and imaginative character. Her story is completely perfect for the age and format, and this is a stellar example of fine literature for young people.

Abby Hanlon did her own illustrations, seamlessly weaving them into her text, but writers who do not illustrate should feel confident that they, too, can tackle this genre. And illustrated books are highly desirable right now, repeatedly asked for by editors and agents.

Have you read DORY FANTASMAGORY? Well, if not, have at it and enjoy!!!

--Lynn

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for...

my family, my friends,
my editor Steve Meltzer, the sucess of
Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose,
chocolate cupcakes with white icing,
fine French champagne, sushi,
Maui Jim sunglasses, Mephisto sandals,
being an American,
the SCBWI, my writers' group,
watercolor sketchbooks,
my Calloway driver,
costume contests,
my two kitties Toulouse & Monet,
my puppy Honey, gardenias, good health,
and yoga.

Happy Thanksgiving!