Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Health & Wellness Relationship Fiction: Spotlight On Spotlight On
Health & Wellness Relationship Fiction: Spotlight On Spotlight On
16
4/15/23
Spotlight on Spotlight on
Health & Relationship
Wellness Fiction
Focus on
Social-Emotional
Learning
Art from The Hospital Book,
by Lisa Brown.
SPRING INTO READING WITH FRESH
NEW BOOKS FOR ALL AGES!
MʅȔȒȓȌȍȐȋȓȏȋȐȋȔʅ˅ʅF.®ʅȎɲȑʅ˅ʅsʅ®g.ʅȑɐȍȋɐȍȎ
MʅȔȒȓȋȎȒȏȎȌȍȌȒȑʅ˅ʅF.®ʅȏɲȓʅ˅ʅsʅ®g.ʅȐɐȍɐȍȎ
MʅȔȒȓȌȍȐȋȓȎȋȑȍȎʅ˅ʅF.®ʅȎɲȑʅ˅ʅsʅ®g.ʅsÛ
A lettuce who thinks he’s a melting A laugh-out-loud picture book about A young child learns that even
iceberg learns how to cool himself a hare, a bear, and some pie to superheroes hurt too in this
ĔůNjţʅNjŀƪĻʅƪĻěʅĻěŘƓʅůijʅĻŀƞʅijƖŀěţĔƞɐ share—a must-read companion to ĻěðƖƪƖěţĔŀţĴʅƓŀčƪƲƖěʅČůůŕɐ
Jory John’s ®ůšěƪĻŀţĴɼƞʅÛƖůţĴɍ
MʅȔȒȓȋȎȒȏȎȌȎȋȍȔʅ˅ʅF.®ʅȌȋɲȌȏʅ˅ʅsʅ®g.ʅȐɐȎȋɐȍȎ
MʅȔȒȓȌȍȐȋȓȌȋȏȎȏʅ˅ʅF.®ʅȓɲȌȍʅ˅ʅsʅ®g.ʅȓɐȌȐɐȍȎ
MʅȔȒȓȋȎȒȏȎȔȌȎȒȔʅ˅ʅF.®ʅȓɲȌȍʅ˅ʅsʅ®g.ʅȑɐȑɐȍȎ
MʅȔȒȓȌȍȐȋȓȎȌȌȑȎʅ˅ʅF.®ʅȌȏɲȌȓʅ˅ʅsʅ®g.ʅȐɐȌȑɐȍȎ
A poignant YA novel in verse from A moving YA graphic memoir about Return to a world of scrappy heroines
the author of In the Key of Us, a Vietnamese immigrant boy’s and vengeful gods in this sequel to
ƖěčŀƓŀěţƪʅůijʅƪĻěʅ®ƪůţěNjðŘŘʅMůţůƖɐ ƞěðƖčĻʅijůƖʅČěŘůţĴŀţĴʅŀţʅšěƖŀčðɐ qðƖĴðƖěƪʅNjěţɼƞʅgŀƪƪŘěʅ»ĻŀěNJěƞɐ
I M P R I N T S O F M AC M I L L A N C H I L D R E N ’ S P U B L I S H I N G G R O U P M A C K I D S S C H O O L A N D L I B R A RY. C O M
April 15, 2023
Volume 119, Issue 16
Editor / Publisher Letter from the Editor / George Kendall
George Kendall
T
Editorial & Production Staff
Donna Seaman, Editor, Adult Books
wo weeks ago, our April 1 issue highlighted series nonfiction and a
Susan Maguire, Senior Editor, Collection focus on summer reading (youth) and our annual installment of To
Management and Library Outreach Beach Their Own (adult). Who isn’t looking forward to summer and
Annie Bostrom, Senior Editor, Adult Books perhaps reading at the beach or outside in the sun (or in the shade!)? The
Bill Ott, Contributing Editor, Adult Books
thought brings feelings of joy and connection. So often, for me, reading a
Sarah Hunter, Editor, Books for Youth
Maggie Reagan, Senior Editor, Books powerful book in a new or different setting, especially in nature, links story
for Youth and place, uniting and enhancing memories of both.
Julia Smith, Senior Editor, Books for Youth This issue, featuring spotlights on Health & Wellness and Relationship
Ronny Khuri, Senior Editor, Books for Youth Fiction is, in a world seemingly on the edge, important. The news is
Carolyn Phelan, Contributing Reviewer,
Books for Youth
depressing. War is escalating; the economy is shaky. Unstable social
Heather Booth, Editor, Audio conditions have a way of seeping into consciousness and fostering
Terry Hong, Contributing Reviewer, negativity. That’s why it’s crucial to concentrate on our health and wellness,
Adult, Youth, Audio
on our loved ones, and on developing positive relationships. This is not to
Ben Segedin, Production Director
Carlos Orellana, Senior Production Editor say we should disregard the world around us. It’s vital to do our part and
Michael Ruzicka, Operations Manager help reinforce beneficial change
Chris Anderson, Editorial Assistant where possible. A good example is
Kelly Ferreira, Editorial Assistant our work at Booklist in conjunction On the Cover
Abeje Schnake, Editorial Assistant From The Hospital Book, written
with the American Library and illustrated by Lisa Brown and
Sales & Marketing published by Neal Porter Books/
Association’s Office for Intellectual Holiday House. The Hospital Book
Grace Rosean, Marketing Specialist
Daniel Kaplan, Subscriptions Freedom (OIF). According to OIF appears in this issue’s Top 10 Health &
Wellness Books for Youth. Illustration
Linda Cohen, Advertising Sales, New York data, the 1,269 demands to censor © 2023 by Lisa Brown. Used by
permission of the publisher.
(914-944-0135) library books and resources in
Ryan King, Advertising Sales, Midwest & West 2022 was the highest number of
(773-414-9292)
Cynthia Harden, Ad Traffic
attempted book bans since ALA
Biz Hyzy, Marketing Specialist began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago.
Taylor Crossley, Marketing Coordinator This is why we are part of the #UnitedAgainstBookBans campaign to stop
censorship and find tools to fight for the right to read.
Advisory Board Amid this and other life struggles, a deep focus on self-care is imperative.
Montoya Barker As is so often the case, books are instructive and invaluable. For example,
Crystal Chen
Katie Clausen
Donna Seaman notes in “The Essentials: Women’s Health” that “the time is
Aryssa Damron right for clarifying and empowering books about women’s bodies and well-
Brian Kenney being” (p.16). And, in “When Parents Get Sick” (p.50), Julia Smith explores
Jamie Kurumaji middle-grade novels that take “nuanced looks at kid characters finding
Sara Martínez
Heather-Marie Montilla
inner strength and external support to weather unforeseen health crises.”
Shamika Simpson I’m running out of room and haven’t yet discussed relationship fiction,
Rebecca Vnuk but I can’t express it better than Susan Maguire in “Intergenerational
Printed in USA Relationship Fiction” (p.33): “you can’t go it alone, and there is wisdom to
www.booklistonline.com be had in both youth and age.” Yes, I will read some of Susan’s excellent
Follow us on social: recommendations, perhaps outside, maybe at the beach, or in a park.
Please take care of yourselves and those close to you!
Booklist (ISSN 0006-7385) is published twice monthly September through June and monthly in July and August by the American Library Association (225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL
60601). Address editorial correspondence to Booklist, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601. Subscriptions: USA and Canada: $174.95 per year; PUAS, and other countries, $209.95.
Single copy $10. Address new subscriptions, renewals, and related correspondence to Booklist, P.O. Box 421027, Palm Coast, FL 32142 (phone: 888-350-0949; fax: 386-447-2321). New orders and
renewals may also be submitted via e-mail: booklist@emailcustomerservice.com. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to Booklist, P.O. Box 421027, Palm Coast, FL 32142. Copyright © 2023 by American Library Association. All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may
be photocopied for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting, photocopying,
or translating, address requests to George Kendall (gkendall@ala.org). Opinions expressed in Booklist, Book Links, and Booklist Reader columns are those of the author and do not reflect ALA views
unless so stated.
I LIVE BETTER, LONGER, WITH
THE BLUE ZONES LIFESTYLE
AVA I L A B L E W H E R E V E R B O O K S A R E S O L D
NatGeoBooks @NatGeoBooks © 2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC
April 15, 2023
Volume 119, Issue 16
Sections
4 Adult Nonfiction
In This Issue
20 Adult Fiction
35 Graphic Novels
38 Youth Nonfiction
41 Continuing Series Nonfiction
Showcase
53 Youth Fiction
60 Audio
p. 19, 34, 46
48 Focus on SEL
50 The Essentials
When Parents Get Sick
by Julia Smith
Spotlight on
Relationship Fiction p. 30, 48, 62
31 New Relationship Fiction
32 Top 10 Relationship Fiction Index to Advertisers
Abrams cover 3
33 The Essentials Bloomsbury 55
HarperCollins cover 4
Intergenerational Relationship Fiction Lerner 47
by Susan Maguire Macmillan cover 2
National Geographic 2
61 Top 10 Relationship Fiction on Audio Pajama 44
Pegasus 5
Rowman & Littlefield 17
Shadow Mountain Publishing 46, 52
Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture
Adult Nonfiction from the K-Beauty Capital.
By Elise Hu.
May 2023. 384p. Dutton, $29 (9780593184189). 391.
Philosophy & Psychology Everybody Come Alive: A Memoir in In her engaging debut, journalist and
Essays. podcaster Elise Hu examines the globally
Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get By Marcie Alvis Walker. influential K-beauty industry. “I’ve seen the
Unstuck When It Matters Most. May 2023. 288p. Convergent, $27 (9780593443729). future,” she writes, “and it is poreless.” Mov-
By Adam Alter. 305.48. ing to Seoul in 2015, Hu is overwhelmed by
May 2023. 320p. Simon & Schuster, $28.99 Walker’s debut memoir is a collection of per- the time and money South Koreans spend in
(9781982182960). 158.1. sonal essays about family, faith, and identity. pursuit of beauty. Government investment
Professor of marketing and author Alter She explores the pain of being a dark-skinned in K-beauty and medical tourism created a
(Irresistible, 2018) wants us to rethink the African American woman who never felt seen hugely profitable and innovative industry that
way we, as a society, herald success while or experienced the comfort and ease that comes is seamlessly integrated into other Korean cul-
often disregarding the struggles it takes to with belonging. Walker observes that Black tural exports, like K-pop and K-dramas, all
achieve it. Brie Larson, for example, was women “pull their weight like a tug-of-war of which have a profound impact on Korean
an ambitious actress from the age of six team against all the heavyweight champs of ideals. Hu dives into the complex historical
and faced stinging rejections for years be- the world—Misogyny, Patriarchy, White Su- and cultural factors underpinning the indus-
fore winning an Academy Award in 2016. premacy, Sexism.” While growing up, she lived try, revealing a society that equates beauty
Airbnb faced skepticism from investors in in two different socioeconomic settings, two with goodness and pressures women and girls
its initial years. Amazon operated at a loss worlds ladened with emotional abuse. Dur- into conforming to a perpetually young and
until the end of 2001 and faced hurdles with ing the school year, she stayed in an affluent thin “prototype” with perfect, blemish-free
getting their shipments delivered on time. white neighborhood with her grandparents; in skin. She also explores the #EscapeTheCorset
Both companies pushed through creative in- the summer, she moved back to a Black com- movement, which rejects South Korea’s per-
ertia, hired the right personnel, and became munity with her mother. Her mother found vasive patriarchal culture. Hu skillfully walks
giants. Alter emphasizes the importance of inspiration in God and Black culture, but was the line between understanding Korean wom-
people and businesses getting unstuck from constantly tormented by mental illness. Walker en’s investment in their looks as “the fear of
their ruts, even at the risk of failure, making provides lots of quotes throughout her mem- being a social outcast” and “a genuine desire
this a helpful guide to freeing oneself from oir-in-essays about love, Black experiences and for empowerment.” A well-researched, acces-
the shackles of uncertainty and doubt. Al- identity, race relations, and religion. Everybody sible, and fascinating look at Korean culture
ter also sees examples in Miles Davis, A-ha, Come Alive is an appropriate fit for a diversity, and the beauty industry. —Rebecca Hopman
and Doctor Who as he illustrates the power of equity, and inclusion book collection, and will
persistence, innovation, and pivoting. Alter’s challenge readers to create their own stories by The Great American Transit Disaster:
work will strike a chord with many looking looking within, considering the people who A Century of Austerity, Auto-Centric
to break out in their fields. —Philip Zozzaro shape them, and questioning the world around Planning, and White Flight.
them. —Sharon Wyatt By Nicholas Dagen Bloom.
May 2023. 368p. illus. Univ. of Chicago, $35
Social Sciences Everyday Utopia: What 2,000 Years of (9780226824406). 388.40973.
Wild Experiments Can Teach Us about There has been a steady decline in mass
The Bookseller at the End of the World. the Good Life. transit ridership in the U.S., primarily owing
By Ruth Shaw. By Kristen R. Ghodsee. to mounting inconveniences like fare hikes
May 2023. 320p. Allen & Unwin, paper, $18.99 May 2023. 352p. Simon & Schuster, $29.99 and service changes, with commuters opting
(9781988547756). 381.450. (9781982190217). 335. to drive their own cars instead of taking trains
At first glance, readers might believe Most would say a utopian society is some- or buses. Author Bloom cites three factors
Shaw’s life is common and quaint. She be- thing that sounds like a wonderful but leading to the decline of mass transit: austerity
gins by describing her Two Wee Bookshops, unattainable dream. Yet many individuals, funding (or pay-as-you-go), autocentric plan-
located in Manapouri, New Zealand, and cultures, countries, and religious groups have ning, and racist white flight. He examines the
provides anecdotes about the custom- set out to achieve just that—a perfect world mass transit systems of a variety of cities, such
ers who pass through. But Shaw’s story is for humanity. Ghodsee (Red Valkyries, 2022) as Baltimore, Chicago, and New York, and
far more than that of her bookshops. Af- outlines experimental communities and ways how they were funded. The success of mass
ter surviving a sexual assault as a teenager, of life atypical in the Western world, span- transit—whether through trains, streetcars, or
Shaw became pregnant and had to give up ning from antiquity to today. The good and buses—depends on more than demographics.
her son for adoption. She threw herself into bad, successes and failures of everything from Consistent lifetime funding and planning for
adventure, taking all manner of jobs, from Pythagoras’ seaside community to modern the future are of paramount concern. The cit-
sailor to gambler to cook and more. Shaw cohousing communities to matrilineal and ies that have experienced a transit downturn
is unafraid to take risks; she recounts a time matrilocal societies both modern and historical need to look to the cities that have succeed-
when she “borrowed” a dress from a neigh- are discussed in depth. Ghodsee extrapolates ed. In this excellent socioeconomic history,
bor’s clothesline because she needed it for the lessons that can be learned from these Bloom offers a comprehensive and thought-
an interview. Anytime she felt restless, she’d experiments and how they could be applied
run away, traveling to Papua New Guinea to modern society in order to achieve a bet-
or Australia. It wasn’t until she was reunited ter, easier way of life. The text is rounded out YA Recommendations
with Lance, the love of her life in their youth, with endnotes, a bibliography, and chapter-
Adult titles recommended for teens are
that she settled down in Manapouri. Despite by-chapter reading recommendations, an
invaluable addition for readers seeking more marked with the following symbols: YA,
the deep tragedies that Shaw has faced— for books of general YA interest; YA/C, for
including the loss of a second pregnancy utopian philosophy and history. Everyday Uto-
pia is perfect for readers interested in utopian books with particular curricular value; and
and the dissolution of two marriages—she
maintains a spunky and positive voice, pro- societies, history, and sociology and for those YA/S, for books that will appeal most to
ducing a delightful and fascinating memoir. looking for an uplifting look at what the fu- teens with a special interest in a specific
—Cari Dubiel ture may hold. —Kathleen Townsend subject.
L
ast year I surveyed 179 library professionals across the cess credible, unbiased sources of information. As librarians
country about the sexual and reproductive health informa- who provide reference and reader’s advisory services, we can and
tion that they do or do not provide in their collections. A should offer those resources. By providing this information, even
significant number explained that they have limited resources in
though many people are afraid or reluctant to ask for it, we are
their collections and do not have programs or partnerships on
these topics because patrons do not ask for them. However, just communicating to our patrons that we are supportive of their
because people are not outwardly asking for this information reproductive-health choices. Access to reproductive-health infor-
does not mean that they do not need it. Shame, stigma, and fear mation is also part of upholding intellectual freedom.
are just a few reasons that some people may not be comfort- These are the books and other resources that I recommend all
able going to their local library to ask for reproductive-health librarians read, add to their collections, and recommend to their
information. As librarians, we can frame our community con- communities through programs, book discussions, displays, and
nections, build our collections, and develop partnerships that readers’ advisory lists. I also think that there are opportunities
advance reproductive health. The Reproductive Justice frame- for librarians to develop partnerships and programs with Repro-
work can help us do that. ductive Justice collectives.
So often when people talk about reproductive-health issues,
particularly birth control, pregnancy, and abortion, the conver- Books
sation comes down to concepts of “choice” and opposition to
certain forms of health care. Such discussions focus on personal Reproductive Justice: An Introduction. By Loretta Ross and Rickie
preference as opposed to systemic inequities. That’s why I prefer Solinger.
to use the Reproductive Justice framework. Reproductive Justice Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of
combines concepts surrounding reproductive health and social Liberty. By Dorothy Roberts.
justice for a more inclusive, holistic approach to discussing re-
productive health. Reproductive Justice: The Politics of Health Care for Native
Reproductive Justice was formally introduced in 1994 by American Women. By Barbara Gurr.
a group of Black women in Chicago as a way to counter the
The New Handbook for a Post-Roe America. By Robin Marty.
traditional women’s rights movement, which centered white,
middle-class women. SisterSong, a Reproductive Justice collec- When Abortion Was a Crime. By Leslie J. Reagan.
tive, defines it as “the human right to maintain personal bodily
autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the The Turnaway Study. By Diana Greene Foster.
children we have in safe and sustainable communities.” Black Other Resources
women, Indigenous women, women of color, and trans women
have faced, and continue to face, barriers to reproductive health SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective:
care. sistersong.net/
That’s why Reproductive Justice is necessary, because it means
that we are not solely providing information about someone’s If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice: ifwhenhow.
personal preferences. After all, many people make reproductive org/
decisions based not on choice, but on laws determining health Guttmacher Institute: guttmacher.org/
care and health-care availability, their socioeconomic status, ac-
cess to housing, livable wages, ability to obtain clean water and National Network of Abortion Funds: abortionfunds.org/
fresh food, child-care costs, and the ramifications of the prison- Plan C: plancpills.org/
industrial complex on their family and community. That’s why
I consider information to be a Reproductive Justice concept. Digital Defense Fund: digitaldefensefund.org/
While there are larger, systemic issues that must be addressed
in order to support safe, thriving communities and health care, Barbara Alvarez is a PhD student in Information Science at University of Wisconsin–
library workers can play an important role in empowering our Madison with a focus on reproductive health and the author of The Library’s Guide to
patrons through information. To make informed decisions and Sexual and Reproductive Health Information published by ALA Editions. Alvarez is a
access comprehensive health care, one needs to be able to ac- 2011 Spectrum Scholar and a 2022 Library Journal Mover & Shaker.
Women’s Health
by Donna Seaman
W
Art from Period. End of Sentence.
omen’s health and healthcare have always been crash course conducted with passion and
humor.
warped and undermined by systemic misogyny in the
medical profession and society-at-large, a dangerous Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and
Myth in a Man-Made World. By
form of inequity doubled by racism for women of color, and Elinor Cleghorn. 2021. Penguin, $28
now the long struggle for universal reproductive health has (9780593182956).
As long as there have been physicians,
once again intensified. The time is right for clarifying and most have been male and most have
empowering books about women’s bodies and well-being. viewed women as somehow inferior to
men, an insidious bias that has had seri-
Birthing Liberation: How Reproductive forthright champion of women’s health ous medical consequences pertaining to
Justice Can Set Us Free. By Sabia and rights, seeks to empower women with everything from the female reproductive
Wade. 2023. Chicago Review, $28.99 this frank and expert, informative and system to autoimmune and endocrine
(9781641607964). reassuring look at menopause. diseases and mental-health disorders.
Wade, a Black doula and educator, Period. End of Sentence: A New Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage.
strongly promotes reproductive justice for Chapter in the Fight for Menstrual By Rachel E. Gross. 2022. Norton, $30
all, while revealing how far Black people Justice. By Anita Diamant. 2021. (9781324006312).
are from that goal while citing statistics, Scribner, $17 (9781982144296). Recognizing that the mainstream medi-
delving into history, and addressing sys-
Best-selling novelist Diamant’s scorch- cal approach to “the female reproductive
temic racism in women’s reproductive ing and utterly unforgettable narrative system” was insufficient, Gross sets out
health and far beyond. covers history, politics, economics, to define more accurately what it means
Linea Nigra. By Jazmina Barrera. Tr. by and individual women’s stories as she to be female, focusing on anatomy and
Christina MacSweeney. 2022. Two Lines, details how societies around the world women’s rights and expertly combining
$21.95 (9781949641301). have long treated the normal, natural authoritative sources, history, and scientif-
The linea nigra—the pregnancy line—is function of menstruation as a source ic data with frank discussions by medical
the dark, vertical line that runs down the of shame and how this abuse is being professionals, scientists, and people of all
bellies of many pregnant women and an eradicated. genders.
apt title for Barrera’s refreshingly different Talking to My Tatas: All You Need to Womb: The Inside Story of Where We
alternative to traditional what-to-expect Know from a Breast Cancer Researcher All Began. By Leah Hazard. 2023. Ecco,
titles for mothers-to-be. Prepare to feel in and Survivor. By Dana Brantley-Sieders. $28.99 (9780063157620).
awe of the female body and of Barrera’s 2022. Rowman & Littlefield, $36 In this homage to the womb, Hazard—
way with words. (9781538155103). midwife, writer, podcast host, and mother
The Menopause Manifesto: Owning Brantley-Sieders, a breast-cancer re- of two girls—engagingly and unabashedly
Your Health with Facts and Feminism. By searcher and survivor, talks a lot about shares the fascinating, sometimes-gory
Jen Gunter. 2021. Kensington/Citadel, tatas and how they feed “tiny humans” details of periods, conception, labor,
$18.95 (9780806540665). and offers in-depth information about menopause, and hysterectomies, offering
Gunter, author of the best-selling The breast cancer, sharing her own experience easy-to-understand explanations of this
Vagina Bible (2019), an OB/GYN, and a and dispelling myths in a “cancer 101” oddly underappreciated organ.
16 Booklist April 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com
Great Reads For Your
Spotlight
Physical and Mental Health
9781538185476 • Jul 2023 • Paper 9781538172803 • Dec 2022 • Cloth 9781538164235 • Mar 2023 • Cloth 9781538169735 • Mar 2023 • Cloth
9781538169377 • May 2023 • Cloth 9781538164532 • Jan 2023 • Cloth 9781538161746 • Dec 2022 • Cloth 9781538166536 • Dec 2022 • Cloth
9781475871258 • Mar 2023 • Paper 9781538165577 • Feb 2023 • Paper 9781538173695 • May 2023 • Paper 9781538162361 • Jan 2023 • Cloth
Rowman.com | 800-462-6420
Continued from p.14 show host.” Be prepared to both laugh and diligent focus, and yet this information is of-
feel horrified. —Karen Springen ten lost in the search for treatments and cures.
at fertility, Schrock addresses what people What if, Marusic posits, we tried to prevent
Spotlight
who want to conceive should know. This is a Joy Is My Justice: Reclaim What Is cancer from ever occurring? Why accept that
much-needed book. At least one in six couples Yours. places like Cancer Alley in Louisiana should
struggles to conceive. She By Tanmeet Sethi. even exist? This a surprising and significant look
frankly shares her own story May 2023. 288p. Hachette, $28 (9780306830037). 158.1. at cancer research, an eye-opening book readers
of two miscarriages and, ul- Joy is not the same as happiness, says Sethi, will feel compelled to talk about with everyone
timately, two healthy sons. a Sikh American physician, activist, and they know. —Colleen Mondor
Over the past half-century, meditation teacher. Nine months pregnant, YA/S: Any student interested in pursuing
sperm concentration and she is devastated when her three-year-old son a career in public health will be thrilled
count have dropped mysteri- is diagnosed with Duch- to dive into these candid and compelling
ously. Endocrine-disrupting enne muscular dystrophy. profiles. CM.
hormones, pollution, mari- Desperate for hope, Sethi
juana, steroids, and even heated car seats seem begins a search for joy with- No Longer Radical: Understanding
to be detrimental when it comes to fertility. in herself. The joy she finds Mastectomies and Choosing the Breast
Couples can do more than they think they acknowledges deep feelings Cancer Care That’s Right for You.
can; Schrock advises and reassures readers that and past histories. It leads By Rachel Brem and Christy Teal.
“becoming a parent has nothing to do with to power, connection, and May 2023. 352p. Simon Element, $30 (9781668001141);
the ability to conceive ‘naturally.’” Women belonging. It’s an act of resis- e-book (9781668001158). 616.99.
should know that their fertility starts to de- tance and justice. Sethi scatters “Take a Pause” The authors, a breast radiologist and a breast
cline between ages 25 and 30; around 37 is breaks throughout, describing exercises, med- surgeon who had mastectomies themselves,
the age when it significantly drops. Declining itations, and journal prompts to help readers want other women to feel empowered to get
egg quality and “diminished ovarian reserves” with their own search for joy. Though Sethi is them. “The decision to undergo preventive
are inevitable with aging. It’s a guy issue, too. frank, her memoir is filled with heartbreak- mastectomies is no longer radical,” they say.
First- and second-trimester pregnancy loss in- ing thoughts and images. In an attempt to The two George Washington University doc-
creases by 27 percent in fathers older than 35 learn from her young son’s journey, she seeks tors wisely start with their own stories. At just
and doubles in 50-year-olds, and the risk of to change “Why me?” into “Why not me?,” 33, Brem’s mom was diagnosed with breast
schizophrenia, Down syndrome, autism, and to experience beauty and awe, and to open cancer. When Brem was 37, she got tested for
genetic mutations increases with paternal age. herself to gratitude. Sethi freely shares her set- the BRCA mutation, learned she had it, and
With lots of interesting tidbits—it takes sperm backs, challenges, and breakdowns as well as scheduled prophylactic surgery. Two weeks be-
about ten minutes to travel from the penis into her moments of joy as she moves toward pain fore her bilateral mastectomies, she learned she
the uterine canal—Schrock’s coverage lives up rather than fleeing from it. She describes ses- already had breast cancer. Despite not carrying
to the promise of the subtitle. This is a defini- sions where participants make breakthroughs a BRCA gene, Teal, whose mother had breast
tive and highly useful guide to reproductive by acknowledging their feelings and writing cancer, got prophylactic mastectomies. The
health. —Karen Springen their own, new story. Sethi doesn’t claim the authors frequently refer to studies as they help
journey will be free of pain or effort, but her women make the best choice. It’s vital. In 2020,
If It Sounds like a Quack . . .: A Journey wise counsel, written so lovingly, will certainly breast cancer became the most common cancer
to the Fringes of American Medicine. help readers heal themselves as they face life in the world; one in eight women are diagnosed
By Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling. challenges. —Candace Smith with it. The good news: 40 percent fewer wom-
Apr. 2023. 336p. PublicAffairs, $29 (9781541788879); en die of breast cancer now than two decades
e-book (9781541788862). 615.8. A New War on Cancer: The Unlikely ago, largely because of advances in detection,
Hucksters have convinced vulnerable Heroes Revolutionizing Prevention. hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.
Americans try crazy treatments; leeches, By Kristina Marusic. Reconstruction is far better, too. An invaluable,
anyone? In this well-reported look at current May 2023. 224p. Island, $28 (9781642832198). 614.59. forthright, upbeat resource. —Karen Springen
dubious non-traditional medicine, award- In this series of engaging profiles linked by
winning journalist Hongoltz-Hetling an overarching investigation into the negative Say Anarcha: A Young Woman, a
presents a motley cast of characters on the impacts of chemical pollution, readers will find Devious Surgeon, and the
furthest fringes of health and healing. Meet themselves learning from researchers, health Harrowing Birth of Modern Women’s
Toby McAdam, a failed gubernatorial candi- advocates, lawyers, and com- Health.
date from Billings, Montana, who marketed munity activists about the By J. C. Hallman.
Bloodroot Toothpaste, created supplements many insidious ways cancer June 2023. 448p. illus. Holt, $29.99 (9781250868466);
to treat his mom’s cancer, and who believes has been invited into our dai- e-book (9781250868473). 613.
that a bad person can turn others into zom- ly lives. Grounded in decades Hallman tells the appalling stories of J.
bies with an easily transmissible virus, like of published studies and re- Marion Sims, a ruthlessly ambitious physi-
rabies. Scarily, McAdam notes that it’s legal search, the men and women cian from South Carolina,
for registered researchers like him to order whom environmental health and the enslaved woman
up to five vials of anthrax and smallpox. and justice journalist Maru- known as Anarcha, who
Consumers are gullible. One study showed sic writes about look beyond the obvious into made possible Sims’ ac-
that illegally selling the erection-improving how low-dose exposures to tens of thousands claim as the alleged “father
drug sildenafil through a bogus online phar- of unregulated chemicals can combine to dis- of modern gynecology” by
macy was 2,000 times more profitable than rupt natural hormone processes and result in repeatedly enduring his
selling cocaine and less likely to result in a variety of cancers. These chemicals reach us brutal and reckless experi-
criminal penalties. Hongoltz-Hetling revels through the food we eat and its packaging, the ments. Sims was determined
in the weirdness as he recounts a variety of personal care products we put on our bodies, to attain wealth and fame with a cure for
questionable alternative treatments touted the environments in which our children learn the miseries of obstetric fistula, no matter
by the so-called medical freedom movement, and play, and our building materials. This is how horribly Anarcha and other enslaved
with Donald Trump tapped as its “game critical, painstaking work that requires years of women suffered during his surgeries. Hall-
Spotlight
won him renown in Europe during the Civil revelation after another. The author’s mastery oirs about friends and relatives who died of
War as he supported the Confederacy. Hall- of her chosen subject is impressive, while it COVID-19 from 2020 to the present. This
man assiduously tracked down every shred is her ability to not only enlighten readers re- book gathers several dozen of these brief,
of documentation pertaining to Anarcha, garding the obvious—fashion, she notes, does touching stories in which, revealing close
but to fully align her life with Sims’, he cre- not come with an ingredient list—but also ties and sweet personal details, the authors
ated what he describes as a “comprehensively to drive home the seriousness of her research pay tribute to those they miss. The often-
researched work of speculative nonfiction.” that makes this a crucial book. The fact that wrenching voices include sons and daughters,
That is, he imagines the details of Anarcha’s 40 to 60 thousand chemicals sisters, and brothers; survivors of the virus
experiences as an historical novelist would, are used in the U.S. without whose relatives weren’t so lucky; and a Navajo
following her path from plantation to plan- having been tested for their woman who lost 42 family members to the
tation, Richmond, New York, Philadelphia, impact on humans is equal pandemic. Contributors share dreams of their
and back to Alabama as she became a pro- parts enraging and terrifying loved ones, favorite recipes, and happy recol-
ficient herbalist, midwife, and nurse, as well and, as Wicker repeatedly lections. Their work is joined by health care
as a wife and mother, all while she struggled proves, absolutely cause for workers reporting on their own experience of
with fistula and the cruelties of slavery. concern. The dyes, she notes, the pandemic. Greenwald also includes help-
Though Hallman goes overboard in this are used in everything, and ful pages of advice for those looking to make
graphic, exhaustive, tangent-prone exposé, yet consumers have no idea what they’re made their own contributions to the ongoing proj-
his righteous passion and galvanizing prose of. Her gripping and deadly serious investi- ect. The collection, with many hopeful notes
are commanding and affecting; the realities gation of this long-overlooked topic hits all among its heartbreaking ones, should serve to
he reveals are harrowing, tragic, and grimly the right marks. To Dye For should be widely connect readers who might feel alone in their
relevant. —Donna Seaman read and has the potential of being a game losses and may inspire others to join the proj-
changer in an increasingly scrutinized industry. ect. —Margaret Quamme
Taking Care: The Story of Nursing and —Colleen Mondor
Its Power to Change Our World. YA: Teens are way ahead of the curve You or Someone You Love:
By Sarah DiGregorio. with sustainable fashion, and they will Reflections from an Abortion
May 2023. 336p. Harper, $32 (9780063071285); e-book appreciate this smart investigation. CM. Doula.
(9780063071308). 610.73. By Hannah Matthews.
DiGregorio’s experiences with health care The Well-Lived Life: A 102-Year-Old May 2023. 336p. Atria, paper, $18.99 (9781668005255);
as the parent of an extremely premature baby Doctor’s Six Secrets to Health and e-book (9781668005262). 362.1988.
and daughter of a cancer patient inspired her Happiness at Every Age. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June
to explore the history of nursing. The result is By Gladys McGarey. 2022, the realities of reproductive health care
uniquely fresh and expansive as she spans cen- May 2023. 256p. Atria, $27.99 (9781668014486); e-book in the U.S. have been turned
turies and cultures. DiGregorio tells the stories (9781668014509). 613.2. upside down as well. In an
of nurses who push past all stereotypical imag- You are here for a reason. All life needs to attempt to shout human
es, looking to the distant past and far beyond move. Love is the most powerful medicine. truths above the abstract
hospital walls to profile diverse caregivers You are never truly alone. Everything is your din, abortion doula Hannah
who forged new paths and had tremendous teacher. Spend your energy wildly. These six Matthews offers this fierce,
if unrecognized impacts. She recounts how concepts form the backbone of McGarey’s beautiful, compassionate
knowledgeable and trained people of color, inspiring book about how to live life fully book, equal parts memoir
those working outside the lines of established and holistically. McGarey, cofounder of the and informative nonfiction.
health care, and women were all kept from American Holistic Medical Association and Matthews, a reproductive health-care worker,
providing their expertise in mainstream insti- mother of six, is more than100 years old and writer, wife, and mother, also works as an
tutions. Even when the military was desperate still practicing medicine in Arizona. Reading abortion doula for people looking to become
for qualified nurses, for example, many had between the lines, one can tell that she has un-pregnant. Many people are familiar with
to fight for their right to serve. DiGregorio seen and lived through a lot! The “secrets” she birth and death doulas, who guide patients
links two nurses, a couple in rural Tennessee, shares aren’t really secrets. Rather, they make through the emotional and physical processes
guiding community members in diabetes care perfect sense as she takes readers through vi- involved with childbirth and the end of life.
to community nursing in turn of the century gnettes from her extraordinary life and offers Abortion doulas perform similar tasks for
New York’s tenements. She profiles a nurse re- practices and exercises related to each chap- people undergoing the stress of a surgical or
searcher battling the effects of climate change ter’s focus. McGarey’s remarkable anecdotes medical abortion. Matthews starts by sharing
among migrant workers. DiGregorio succeeds genuinely bolster her message. Additionally, her own abortion experience, comforting read-
in offering a new, eye-opening perspective on she makes it clear that each secret may not ers and building trust with her brave, heartfelt,
the significance of nursing and nurses’ power pertain to everyone and encourages readers and gorgeous prose. The details of her proce-
to better lives. —Cynthia Dieden to focus on what means the most to them. dure also form the framework for the rest of the
The Well-Lived Life is refreshingly simple and book, wherein she outlines the real truths of
To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is practical. The good doctor’s sound advice feels abortion in general: deeply complex emotional
Making Us Sick—and How We Can achievable, and readers will feel inspired and experiences, logistical difficulties, social inequi-
Fight Back. energized. —Patricia Smith ties, political and legal repercussions, and the
By Alden Wicker. heroes sacrificing everything for the reproduc-
June 2023. 304p. Putnam, $29 (9780593422618). 613. Who We Lost: A Portable Covid tive freedom movement. Readers will leave
Fashion journalist Wicker opens this in- Memorial. with much knowledge—and a new role model
vestigation into the dangerous chemicals in Ed. by Martha Greenwald. and friend in Matthews. —Courtney Eathorne
clothing dyes with a shocking discussion of May 2023. 201p. Belt, paper, $18.95 (9781953368539). YA: Teens who are passionate about
flight attendants who recently became ill from 155.937. reproductive freedom will rejoice at
their uniforms. Interviews with airline employ- Kentucky-based poet Greenwald (Other Matthews’ candor and heart. CE.
T
hese books are recommended by BlueInk Review, a fee-based review
service. Every month, BlueInk will compile a list of their favorite
self-published titles for Booklist, as a service to librarians hoping
to incorporate self-published work into their collections. BlueInk was
founded by Patti Thorn, former book review editor of Denver’s Rocky
Mountain News, and Patricia Moosbrugger, a literary agent who represents
several best-selling authors. The company delivers professional, unbiased
reviews of self-published books written by critics drawn largely from major
mainstream publications and by editors from prominent publishing houses.
Stars reflect the decisions of BlueInk reviewers and editors. Booklist is
happy to bring this curated collection of the best in self-publishing for
adults and youth to our audience.
Adult Molly Lambert, a manipulative woman who struggling to solve the mystery of her own
will stop at nothing to rise above her im- sister’s killing. Tom, Marshall, and Hannah
Along Came Hell, or So I Thought. poverished past. The story begins as Molly’s each work a different end of the case, and
By Lois Young. husband, Clay, catches Molly and his (former) as the investigation reveals that Megan led a
2022. 220p. Xlibris, paper, $17.99 (9781669835158). 248. friend Richard in the act. Clay threatens to double life, they all face an invisible, disrup-
Young chronicles her journey to a life shoot Richard, then supposedly sets him up tive force: Megan’s murderer. An effective,
of peace in this compelling memoir about as the perpetrator of a crime. Clay’s discov- plausible, and immersive thriller, the novel
trusting God through life’s darkest days. Af- ery doesn’t change Molly’s ways, and the pace reveals the potential killer’s identity early on;
ter 44 years of marriage, Young’s husband, gallops on as Clay’s medical school classmate, rather than puzzling over whodunit, readers
a respected leader in their church, was con- Preston, invites Clay to join his practice. Little will be engrossed by the thrill of the why.
victed of child molestation does Clay know that Preston and Molly are
and sentenced to 10 years old friends, now rekindling their dalliance. The Human Paradox: It’s Time to
in prison. In this deeply in- As the affair heats up, the morally bankrupt, Think and Act as a Species.
spirational memoir, Young gold-digging Molly makes it clear to Preston By Gilbert E. Mulley.
shares how she believed that she will stop at little until he leaves his 2022. 292p. Xlibris, paper, $17.99 (9781669821090). 301.
“this is hell,” but through wife and marries her. This is a raucous, rapid- In this exciting and exceedingly well-
patient faith and obedience fire tale rich with metaphor and witty banter. written book, Mulley illuminates the
to God arrived “at a point of The writing is vivid, and the story is filled interconnectedness of a host of problems
contentment in [her] life.” with tart humor and lively characters. While humankind faces today. Mulley, a retired
With vulnerable honesty, Young shares her the characters are sometimes stereotypical and writer-editor, succinctly
thoughts, including her challenges: depres- one-dimensional, few will care as this engag- describes sources of issues
sion, self-pity, loneliness even in a room full ing romp unfolds, satisfying those who like like pollution, poverty,
of people, and an inability to feel emotions. fast action, characters that never bore, and racism, and diminishing
With beautifully illustrative personal stories, wicked fun. natural resources. While
she shows readers how God’s faithfulness most of his examples come
helps her overcome each struggle and slowly The Fear of Winter. from U.S. politics, he
“molt” away wrong thinking. It took over a By S. C. Sterling. highlights the role democ-
decade, but Young rejoices that “what seemed 2023. 234p. No Bueno, paper, $12.99 (9780997017526). racy and capitalism play
impossible to me was indeed possible for Tom Floyd’s daughter, Megan, disappeared worldwide in these man-made ills, without
God.” Typographical errors as well as a section after leaving her job in Fraser, Colorado. A villainizing them. Mulley says the problems
where her husband’s name changes from Ed year later, the mystery remains unsolved. exist because humans love to differentiate—
to Gary mar the book’s polished professional Desperate for answers, Tom hires a private Black from white, Christians from Jews, elites
presentation, but Young’s ability as a writer investigator to find his daughter and hopes from the rest of us—when we should instead
and storyteller make these glitches forgivable. to also repair his marriage, as Megan’s ab- focus on our commonalities and act in our
Anyone walking through the aftermath of sence has divided Tom and his wife, Lisa: shared interests, starting with preserving the
betrayal will find this inspiring, encouraging, Tom wants to keep looking for Megan, planet. The “human paradox” is, thus, that
and worth sharing with others. while Lisa believes she’s dead and feels they we are all essentially the same yet also unique
should move on. Former detective Marshall and all too eager to celebrate our subtle dif-
Briefly Borrowed. York and his assistant, Hannah Jacobs, are ferences with others who share them. With a
By Loryn Kramer Staley. eager to help solve the case for their own rea- light touch and absence of rancor, Mulley ac-
2022. 406p. Archway, paper, $23.99 (9781665716284). sons. Marshall lives with the guilt of failing knowledges humans would be pretty boring
Staley’s humorous novel pivots around to save a missing child, and Hannah is still without differentiation. What can bring us
Intergenerational
Relationship Fiction
by Susan Maguire
G
enerations clash, sure, but they can also learn from one Summer on the Bluffs. By Sunny Hostin.
2021. Harper, $16.99 (9780062994189).
another, as these tales of intergenerational relationships Once a Wall Street tycoon, Ama is
attest. From humorous to heartbreaking, the tone of now a beloved grandmother figure to
these novels varies, but the lesson is the same: you can’t go it three beautiful, successful, grown god-
daughters, one of whom will inherit her
alone, and there is wisdom to be had in both youth and age. beautiful home in Oak Bluffs, a promi-
Black Candle Women. By Diane to her grandmother’s Paris apartment, nent Black community on Martha’s
Marie Brown. 2023. Graydon, $27.99 untouched since the 1940s, to uncover Vineyard.
(9781525899911). the family’s past and break the cycle of Swimming for Sunlight. By Allie Larkin.
Four generations of Montrose women mother-daughter estrangement. 2019. Atria, $15.99 (9781501198489).
navigate secrets and a family curse—any- An anxious divorcée decamps with her
The Lost Ticket. By Freya Sampson.
one the women fall in love with will die dog to her beloved Nan’s house, where
2022. Berkley, $17 (9780593201411).
prematurely—in a novel with multiple she offers to make the costumes for Nan
An elderly man who is facing the fact
narrators and a hint of spiritual magic. and her friends, who are reliving their
that he may not be able to live indepen-
Haven Point. By Virginia Hume. 2021. dently anymore enlists his punk rock youth as “mermaids” at a roadside attrac-
St. Martin’s, $17.99 (9781250266545). carer and a misfit young woman to help tion.
Three generations of women contend him find the love he lost 60 years ago. Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop.
with their complicated feelings toward By Roselle Lim. 2020. Berkley, $16
The Love Story of Missy Carmichael.
Haven Point, an upscale summer commu- (9781984803276).
By Beth Morrey. 2020. Putnam, $17
nity on the coast of Maine. A woman’s prophetic abilities have
(9780525542452).
Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting. By A lonely elderly woman who feels like her spoiled weddings and ruined relation-
Clare Pooley. 2022. Pamela Dorman, $27 life is over is invigorated by new friends: a ships, so she flies to Paris to hone her
(9781984878649). woman and her spirited young son, a big- skills with her aunt, who is keeping se-
An aging advice columnist has one rule hearted neighbor, and a lovable mutt. crets of her own.
for commuting—never talk to the other The Vibrant Years. By Sonali Dev.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner
passengers—which she breaks when one 2022. Mindy’s Book Studio, $28.99
& Louise. By Colleen Oakley. 2023.
of her fellow riders chokes on a grape, and (9781662509261).
Berkley, $27 (9780593200803).
soon the varied cast of commuters inches The lives of an Indian woman, her
This lively odd-couple caper full of clev-
somewhere toward friendship. daughter-in-law, and her granddaughter
er surprises follows octogenarian Louise
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel. By and Tanner, her ex-soccer-player caregiver, change course when a Bollywood movie
Elyssa Friedland. 2021. Berkley, $16 as they run from the law after Louise’s mogul shows up in their Florida town
(9780593199725). past catches up to her. with a secret and a crush.
When someone offers to buy the ram- Well-Behaved Indian Women. By
Secrets in Summer. By Nancy Thayer.
shackle Catskills resort the Golden Hotel, Saumya Dave. 2020. Berkley, $16
2017. Ballantine, $17 (9781101967089).
multiple generations of the two families (9781984806154).
After an ugly divorce, a librarian de-
who own it must decide if it’s worth one last Three generations of Indian women liv-
camps to her grandmother’s house in
summer in this witty and incisive novel. ing in India, New Jersey, and Manhattan
Nantucket only to find her ex staying
Lost in Paris. By Elizabeth Thompson. nearby, but she forges a friendship with try in vain to do what is expected of them
2021. Gallery, $16.99 (9781982149086). his bookish stepdaughter as well as an and all fail by following their dreams in-
A woman and her mother venture elderly neighbor. stead.
www.booklistonline.com April 15, 2023 Booklist 33
Continued from p.32 Asha reevaluating her career, her life, and her revelations about the role Camp Holly Springs
distant relationship with her family. Patel has has played in her life), the book will appeal to
room in a warehouse, Jess sees the potential written a touching tale of one young woman’s Mary Kay Andrews and Katherine Center fans,
Spotlight
of this collection of belongings and convinces reckoning with her family’s generational legacy, who will revel in the support the women dem-
a reluctant Alex, the new owner of the ware- staying true to her roots and traditions while at onstrate for one another. —Tracy Babiasz
house, to give her six months to turn it into the same time forging a path for herself. Full of
a real museum; but as Jess works to make the warmth and humor, this book is recommended Tell Me How This Ends.
museum a reality, she must also reevaluate her for all fiction collections. —Lynnanne Pearson By Jo Leevers.
own path in life. Moving and heartwarming, May 2023. 358p. Amazon/Lake Union, paper, $16.99
this is a story about love and loss and holding The Second Ending. (9781662506383); e-book (9781662506376).
onto the memories that make us who we are. By Michelle Hoffman. Two lonely women form a tender bond in
Fans of character-driven relationship fiction by June 2023. 352p. Ballantine, $28 (9780593599136); e-book this melancholy yet hopeful debut. Henrietta
Clare Pooley, Rachel Joyce, and Freya Sampson (9780593599143). Lockwood feels like she has failed. Having been
will want to pick this one up. —Halle Carlson Middle age is hitting Prudence Childs hard. let go from several jobs, she is now struggling
Her husband, Stuart, desperately wants to help to find something new. When she comes across
Same Time Next Summer. her, so he arranges to have her childhood piano an ad for the Life Story project, an organization
By Annabel Monaghan. delivered to their home. Prudence was a child that helps terminal patients write books reflect-
June 2023. 320p. Putnam, paper, $17 (9780593544969). prodigy who spent her youth ing on their lives, she applies, not realizing the
When Sam Holloway was a kid, she relished touring, until her grand- position will change her forever. Henrietta
her summers at her parents’ Long Island beach mother’s abuse drained the meets weekly with Annie Doyle, who has can-
house, surfing and making out in the tree joy out of performing. She cer, at a drop-in center for patients called the
house with next-door neighbor Wyatt. Now, as wants nothing to do with the Grief Café. Annie is still recovering from her
an adult, she dislikes how the visits disrupt her Steinway or the memories it dead husband’s abuse and has never fully pro-
perfectly ordered life. But this carries, so she decides to auc- cessed her sister Kath’s mysterious disappearance
year she’s bringing her per- tion it off—only to realize, at back in 1974. Each week, Henrietta becomes
fectly ordered dermatologist the last minute, that music more and more compelled to investigate what
fiancé, Jack, and she’s wor- belongs in her life. The news of the auction really happened to Kath, knowing that if she
ried about what he will think brings Prudence’s past out of the woodwork doesn’t find the truth, Annie will die without
of the hippy-dippy surround- and presents a unique opportunity: an invi- it. The novel is both a character-driven mystery
ings. To make matters worse, tation to perform on the hit television show and a heartfelt examination of what it means to
Wyatt is back, writing songs Alexei Petrov’s Dueling Piano Wars, hosted by be alive; people can connect even when facing
in the tree house. This is the a Russian-born piano virtuoso. The timing is death. For readers of Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor
first time Sam has seen him since he broke her good—Prudence is being blackmailed by her Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Jodi Picoult’s
heart when she was 17, but she’s determined ex-husband, who is out to prove that Prudence The Book of Two Ways. —Cari Dubiel
not to make it weird, despite the still-electric plagiarized her most famous commercial jin-
chemistry between them. Monaghan’s follow- gle—but returning to the stage won’t be easy. Watch Us Shine.
up to Nora Goes off Script (2022) alternates Hoffman’s entertaining debut features a cast of By Marisa de los Santos.
between Sam and Wyatt’s childhood summers memorable characters, and Prudence, with her June 2023. 304p. Morrow, $27.99 (9780063095601);
and Sam in the present, presenting her heart- dramatic turns and frequent overreactions, is e-book (9780063095625).
breakingly believable path to getting her life a standout. Despite some heavy themes, the Cornelia Brown, a recurring character in de
under control. At the same time, Monaghan overall tone is lighthearted and frequently los Santos’ novels, returns in this moving story
makes the perfect case for Sam losing that con- funny, with unexpected comic turns through- about the bond between sisters. After an ac-
trol, however frightening the prospect is. With out. Fans of Amy Poeppel’s Musical Chairs cident, Cornelia’s mother, Eleanor, develops
likable, realistic characters, a breezy, beachy (2020) and Aja Gabel’s The Ensemble (2018) cognitive issues. One eve-
setting, and an ideal balance of humor and will revel in this top-notch musical comedy. ning, Eleanor asks Cornelia
emotional depth, Same Time Next Summer is a —Nanette Donohue to bring her the northern
moving love story about a woman finding her lights, inspiring Cornelia to
way back to herself. —Susan Maguire The Summer of Songbirds. look into Eleanor’s past to
By Kristy Woodson Harvey. understand why her mother
Scent of a Garden. July 2023. 368p. Gallery, $27.99 (9781668010822); e-book would make such a request.
By Namrata Patel. (9781668010846). Chapters alternate between
June 2023. 300p. Amazon/Lake Union, $16.99 Harvey reminds us that sisterhood can take Cornelia’s recovery from a
(9781542039086); e-book (9781542039093). many forms in her latest (after The Wedding traumatic incident and the story of Eleanor’s
Born with a heightened sense of smell, Asha Veil, 2022). Fast friends from the moment they young adult years, when she and her older
Patel has been guided by her mother and grand- met at Camp Holly Springs as six-year-olds, sister, Martha, sheltered each another from
mother to a career as a perfumer. After messing Daphne and Lanier and Mary Stuart wove their their abusive mother. When Martha moves
up an important client pitch, Asha leaves Paris lives into a tangle that could only be described to northern Minnesota, it’s an opportunity to
and travels home to her family in Napa Valley. as family. Now in their thirties, secrets threaten start over, until she meets a mysterious man
Asha, though, has a secret: after a mild case of their relationships as Daphne is forced to choose who changes her life in ways that Eleanor
COVID-19, she lost her ability to smell. Hop- between friendship and her career, and Lanier cannot fathom, leaving a secret Eleanor has
ing to get her career back on track, she submits realizes that her past actions may destroy her hidden from her daughters. Fans will enjoy
to her grandmother’s smell experiments and chance at the future she wants. When Daphne’s revisiting these well-crafted characters, and
her mother’s doctor recommendations. Distant Aunt June, who owns Camp Holly Springs, readers new to Cornelia and her family will
from her father, Asha begins to see him in a reveals that the camp will have to close down, feel right at home. De los Santos draws readers
new light when he asks for help at the family’s the one thing that pulled the friends together in, slowly revealing both Eleanor’s secret and
hotel. Asha also spends time reconnecting to as children could be the very thing that keeps the act of violence that has shattered Cornelia’s
her best friend, Millie, and Neel, Millie’s hand- them from falling apart as adults. With a strong sense of security. This heartfelt, character-driv-
some brother and Asha’s former childhood dose of nostalgia and multiple narrations from en novel will appeal to fans of Jojo Moyes and
sweetheart. The extended time at home has Daphne, Lanier, and June (who has her own Katherine Center. —Nanette Donohue
Doodles from the Boogie Down. Parachute Kids. Wizkit: An Adventure Overdue.
By Stephanie Rodriguez. Art by the author. By Betty C. Tang. Art by the author. By Tanya J. Scott. Art by the author.
Apr. 2023. 208p. Penguin/Kokila, $20.99 (9780451480651); Apr. 2023. 288p. Scholastic/Graphix, $24.99 Apr. 2023. 144p. Atheneum, $20.99 (9781665900836);
paper, $13.99 (9780451480668). Gr. 4–7. 741.5. (9781338832693); paper, $12.99 (9781338832686); e-book, paper, $12.99 (9781665900829). Gr. 3–6. 741.5.
In this semiautobiographical novel, readers $12.99 (9781338832709). Gr. 4–9. 741.5. Wizkit is a kitten-like wizard and a total
follow Steph, a girl from the Bronx who has The term parachute kids refers to immi- homebody. When she finds herself in a rut, her
dreams of becoming an artist. She has her grant children who come to the U.S. while teacher gives her an enchanted, animated, and
heart set on attending LaGuardia, an arts- their parents stay behind in their home coun- overdue book (named Book) to return to the
focused high school in Manhattan, and with try. Inspired by New York Times best-selling library. Adventure ensues, and Wizkit learns
the support of her teacher Ms. Santiago, illustrator Tang’s own child- about being confident and enjoys meeting and
she feels like she has a real shot at being ac- hood experience, her latest helping new people. This is a great little fantasy
cepted. The only problem is that her mom graphic novel is about three read about not just being yourself but accept-
doesn’t want her to attend a public school, siblings trying to make it on ing others the way they are, too. The pacing is
and hasn’t been very supportive of her art. their own in America after nice and even: readers will see Wizkit go from
Even without her mother’s support, Steph their parents return to Tai- a wizard in training who uses magic for selfish
decides to move forward with the process wan. In 1981, 10-year-old reasons, such as to conjure snacks or bewitch
of applying and hatches a plan to convince Feng-Li is at first excited brooms for cleaning, to a responsible wizard
her mom to let her attend. As she carries out when her family visits Cali- who thinks beyond her own needs. The simple,
her plan, she learns that to live the life she fornia for vacation. Her older brother and stylized drawings let the reader focus on the
wants, she must be truthful to those closest sister (Bro and Sis) are as shocked as she is characters and Wizkit’s journey with Book to
to her. Rodriguez’s coming-of-age comic is when their parents tell them that America is the library, while dynamic panel layouts make
full of vivid, expressive, and colorful cartoon their new home. Only Sis speaks English, and it so readers can enjoy some background set-
artwork that depict what it was like grow- all three suffer the isolation of a new culture ting in between scenes, too. There aren’t too
ing up in the early 2000s. Tweens who are and language—all without their parents. Tang many side characters, and all of the speaking
feeling the pressure and challenges of school, tackles the emotional and logistical complexi- characters are distinct and easy to place and fol-
friends, and family will find Steph’s story es- ties that undocumented children face from low in the story. Hand it to any kid who loves
pecially relatable. —Michelle Ortega the unique perspectives of three siblings rang- fantasy adventure stories. —Kristina Pino
T
hank you, Charles Dickens; where would we be without would say without fear of contradiction that we’ve seen the
your immortal lines, “It was the best of times; it was the greatest number of these books since 2012, the year Rachel
worst of times,” for they make a perfect opening to a Gold published Being Emily, the first novel about a trans char-
column about young adult literature with transgender content acter and written by a trans author.
(the best) and the rampant transphobia that is poisoning ratio- I’d like to draw attention to four particularly notable YA
nal discourse in America (the worst). This phobia increasingly novels published so far this year that star trans characters who
finds expression in anti-transgender state legislation. Consider are models of empathy. In Michael Gray Bulla’s If I Can Give
that in 2020, some 60 pieces of such legislation were filed; in You That, the author, himself a trans man, writes of white high-
2021 the number grew to 131 and through October 2022 to a school senior Gael, who is secretly transgender and whose home
disquieting 155, more than at any other point in the nation’s life—not to put too fine a point on it—sucks. But then he meets
history. Three months into 2023, the Human Rights Cam- Black biracial Declan and, after many vicissitudes, the two form
paign is already tracking 410 LGBTQ+ bills that have been a loving relationship. Robin Gow offers a moving novel in verse,
introduced in statehouses across the country. Of these, 175 A Million Quiet Revolutions, following the story of Aaron and
would specifically restrict the rights of transgender people, the Oliver, two trans teens whose loving relationship is interrupted
highest number of bills targeting transgender people in a single when Aaron’s family moves to New York, and the two decide
year to date. to correspond in the style of Revolutionary War soldiers. The
Importantly, an increasing number of these bills deal with gen- Wicked Bargain, by Gabe Cole Novoa, is a toughie to synopsize;
der-affirming health care. According to PBS, in 2023 more than suffice it to say, it is a combo historical novel and fantasy that
two dozen bills seeking to restrict transgender health-care access involves teen trans pirate Mar and Bas, himself the son of a pi-
have been introduced across 11 states. Gender-affirming health- rate, who fall in love, while Mar is dealing with the devil! Finally,
care providers and parents of trans youth are the primary targets Edward Underhill, who is queer and trans, writes affectingly in
of these bills, many of which seek to criminalize helping a trans Always the Almost of trans teen Miles, a gifted pianist who meets
child obtain what doctors and psychologists widely consider a new boy, Eric, who accepts him as he is.
medically necessary care—but to opponents, such life-affirming But that’s not all: see also (in alphabetical order by author)
help is widely regarded as child abuse. The youth being denied Felix Ever After, by Kacen Callender; Too Bright to See (yes, a
access to health care are typically teenagers but not always. Okla- middle-grade novel, unlike the rest, but one too exceptional
homa seeks to ban gender-affirming care for patients under 26 not to mention here), by Kyle Lukoff; Self-Made Boys (one of
years of age, well into adulthood. my top 10 books of 2022), by Anna-Marie McLemore; Beating
How does all this affect transgender and gender nonbinary Heart Baby, by Lio Min; Birthday, by Meredith Russo; Can’t
youth? A recent Trevor Project survey showed that 85 percent of Take That Away, by Steven Salvatore; Between Perfect and Real,
them say their mental health has been negatively affected by the by Ray Stoeve; Cemetery Boys, by Aiden Thomas; and Both Sides
current wave of legislative attacks. I have yet to see such statistics Now, by Peyton Thomas. There are many more, not to mention
curb the actions of the state legislators introducing these bills, the wonderful influx of gender-identity-affirming picure books
which evidences a shocking absence of empathy on their part. and middle-grade novels.
So, where do the books come in? I, and others, have argued While I recommend all of these enthusiastically, I acknowledge
that books have the salutary effect of cultivating empathy in a gaping hole in the list, which is reflective of the overall scope of
readers, and while it’s probably too late to introduce those trans literature for teens: only one (Birthday) features a trans girl,
lawmakers to empathy, it’s not too late to introduce it to teens, the rest are all trans boys. (As a bonus, Ashley Rhodes-Courter’s
some of whom will grow up to be legislators themselves. Any- picture book Sam Is My Sister also features a trans girl protagonist.)
one who has ever read one of my columns will know that I Interestingly, this imbalance is a historic problem with non-trans-
am a passionate believer in the life-affirming and even -saving gender LGB+ books, too; the number of male protagonists far
power of empathy, which becomes even more tremendously outweighs the number of female protagonists. It’s only in the last
important in this situation, since evidence shows that trans five or so years that a balance has finally visited and enhanced the
kids who are refused life-affirming care—a direct consequence, literature. Here’s hoping that transgender lit will follow suit.
I’d argue, of a lack of empathy—are more likely to become For these books to engender the lifesaving empathy they can
suicidal. Now, thankfully, we can turn to the best of times, ex- offer, they of course need to be in libraries, where teens who
emplified by the wave of life-affirming books with transgender need to see themselves and teens who need to open their eyes to
content and characters that have been appearing over the past the feelings and circumstances of their peers can easily and freely
several years. As a keen (I hope) observer of literary trends, I find them.
Learning
through the
T his year’s top 10 list of health and wellness titles, reviewed
in Booklist between April 15, 2022, and April 1, 2023, covers a
wide range of modern physical, mental, and practical challenges.
—Ronny Khuri
Power of Play! Attention Hijacked: Using Mindfulness to Reclaim Your Brain from
Tech. By Erica B. Marcus. 2022. Lerner/Zest, $39.99 (9781728404677).
Gr. 8–12.
Educator Marcus offers advice and information about mindful-
ness, geared specifically toward maintaining healthy relationships
with social media and technology.
Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression. By Iris Gottlieb. Illus. by
the author. 2022. Chronicle, $19.99 (9781797211978). Gr. 9–12.
Gottlieb’s updated, appealingly illustrated primer on gender, identity, and sexuality cov-
ers terminology; explains intersectionality, discrimination, and mental health; and more.
M
y secret weapon in the fight against efforts to censor students’ information needs” around gender and sexuality. Dr.
students’ access to gender and sexuality information Christina guides my professional journey and eases my distress
in school libraries is my sex therapist, Dr. Christina by providing biological, psychological, and sociological research
McDowell. regarding gender and sexuality. I can now do what librarians do
Dr. Christina’s professional qualifications enable her to speak best: provide reliable, vetted information sources that defend
intelligently and truthfully, without personal bias, about topics gender and sexuality titles, freeing me from the responsibility of
related to gender and sexuality. Her expertise contradicts the becoming a human sexuality subject-area expert.
traditional mythology that many Americans have been raised Dr. Christina also models professional conversations, which helps
to accept: namely, that humans are asexual creatures until (after me identify and overcome my personal conversational “red flags.”
age 18) we are kissed by our one-true-love, releasing our fully I’m gaining confidence discussing all kinds of gender and sexual
formed sexual desires and prowess to mesh perfectly with our practices (not just those I personally identify with) without shame.
partner’s, whom we will then live with in sexual bliss—no con- Most importantly, Dr. Christina reminds me that the world of
versation required—for the next sixty years. human sexuality is as vast as human curiosity, and that restrict-
Spoiler alert: promoting this myth hasn’t resulted in the ing access to information doesn’t stop an information seeker; it
elimination of sexually transmitted infections, unplanned preg- just degrades the quality of information they locate. Think of
nancies, or sexual violence. But that’s not to say it isn’t powerful; the difference between Let’s Talk about It and the standard online
this myth inhibits the development of positive gender and porn that teens are using as sexuality research. Which seems safer
sexual identities, and it restricts an inquisitive growth mindset to you?
about how these identities develop over our lifetimes. The myth Ultimately, puberty is a biological process that can’t be stopped
also helps label certain gender identities or safely conducted just because we adults are uncomfortable with our teens’ emerg-
sexual practices as deviant, or even just outside of the “norm,” ing sexualities. My role as a school librarian is not to participate
dehumanizing and rendering large segments of our population in the effort to arrest human development. Instead, my ethical
vulnerable to multiple types of exploitation. responsibility lies in providing information access that allows
If this disinformation mythology campaign were related to my teens to independently develop their own identities and
heart disease, cancer, or self-harm, there would be an outcry. But decision-making capabilities.
societal messaging that frequently labels gender and sexuality as The dehumanizing censorship efforts related to gender and
taboos restricts such conversations. Research shows that many sexuality titles require new resistance tools, and I hope that this
people have difficulty talking about sex, even with a trusted column ignites a movement toward librarian–sex therapist col-
partner. So it’s only logical that we librarians may be uncom- laborations as an accepted professional development practice.
fortable with the prospect of discussing teen sex with an angry, A list of resources—including scholarly articles, blog posts,
pro-censorship community member who is also hurling personal informational texts, podcasts, and documentaries—I’ve been
accusations at us. Accusations designed to ruin us personally and exploring are available in a Google Drive document here:
professionally—accusations that we librarians are pedophiles, bit.ly/3mrtT01. The “research” is fascinating and often fun,
groomers, sexual deviants, and even felons. and you just might find personal benefits as well. Let’s ex-
School librarians also face an additional obstacle: school ad- plode the current sexuality mythology and partner with other
ministrators. Few administrators have backgrounds in library information professionals—our sex therapists—to develop
science, and many view preventing community controversy as sexual-literacy programming that aligns with our public-health
a key job priority. They may encourage, expect, or even force and information-access missions. We adults deserve healthy,
school librarians to unofficially censor collection development pleasure-filled sex lives that are informed by safety and consent,
and book promotions to avoid even the potential of public scru- and our teens do too.
tiny and controversy.
Librarianship in this world of pro-censorship politics can A former English teacher, Shelly McNerney now lives her best high-school librarian
be overwhelming. I’ve struggled to interpret our collection- life. She hopes her library collection helps her students feel seen and valued. Shelly’s
development policy, to understand unspoken book-promotion always grateful to her husband, Charlie, for keeping their lives functional while she’s
guidelines, to fully understand what it means to “serve my lost in another world reading.
and his parents sued the school and—after a audience. —Michael Cart University after earning her PhD, and ex-
year in and out of court—won, but people perienced snubs throughout her career from
continued to treat him as an outcast until the Never Give Up: Dr. Kati Karikó and the peers who felt her work would never yield
family moved away. In the meantime, Ryan Race for the Future of Vaccines. any useful results. Throughout, Dadey em-
told his story to the media, and it appeared By Debbie Dadey. Illus. by Juliana Oakley. phasizes Kariko’s conviction that mRNA
that there may be hope after all. Though it’s a 2023. 40p. Lerner/Millbrook, $21.99 (9781728456331). K– could be used to teach cells to produce
bit didactic and largely sidesteps the sad ending Gr. 3. 572.092. compounds useful to the body. Oakley’s col-
(the author’s note mentions Ryan lived until Dadey profiles Hungarian American bio- orful pencil-and-digital illustrations depict
age 18), Moreno’s story is clearly written and chemist Kati Karikó, whose pioneering mid- to late-twentieth-century styles and
straightforwardly deals with Ryan and AIDS. work with mRNA led to the development of fashions, lab settings, and include several di-
Abbo’s cartoonlike illustrations are serviceable, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna’s COVID-19 agrams of mRNA. Some of the illustrations
employ COVID molecule–shaped frames
that allow multiple scenes to be depicted in
one spread, and relevant quotes from Karikó
and other scientists are included in the art.
Generously appended with an illustrated
time line, stages for U.S. vaccine approval,
a glossary, source notes, and a bibliography,
this is a fascinating and up-to-date choice
for primary science, health, and women’s
history units. —Kay Weisman
Spotlight
Stories That Smash Mental Health By Joy McCullough. sources like diapers and tampons are prized
Stereotypes. June 2023. 240p. Atheneum, $17.99 (9781534496262). commodities, Eden sews reusable pads and
Ed. by Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Gr. 4–7. works with Marisol’s sister to draft an initia-
Callen. Sometimes you don’t get it until you get tive funding menstrual supplies in schools.
Apr. 2023. 336p. Candlewick, $24.99 (9781536224146). it. Thirteen-year-old Eden left gymnastics Eden’s mother runs a massive menstrual-
Gr. 9–12. after an injury, and her newfound free time product company and objects to Eden’s
This YA collection showcases 16 short highlights relationships and experiences new friends and political action, which
stories featuring characters with mental- she missed during competitive training raises thoughtful consideration of Eden’s
health conditions. The stories vary in genre (including getting her first period). As she
and setting, from realistic contemporary tentatively befriends classmate Marisol, Continued on p.52
fiction set in the boxing ring to a paranor-
mal high school to a fantasy about a fallen
star. Many entries in the anthology come
in the conventional short-story format, but
some are poetry or comics. The foreword
emphasizes that the anthology includes a
cast diverse in racial, cultural, and gender
identities and sexualities, identities of- Support Social and
ten underrepresented when talking about
mental health. Although all of the stories
spotlight characters who struggle with men-
Emotional Learning
tal health, the stories themselves are not From Self-Awareness to
necessarily about that struggle—they are
about family, friendship, sports, grief, and Responsible Decision-Making
fitting in. Some name specific conditions
and center medication or therapy, while
others do not. All of the contributors have
lived experiences with mental health, and a
short blurb from each writer discusses these
experiences. This collection will appeal to
readers who are struggling with or interest- Building Character
ed in mental health and prefer fiction that (Early Bird Stories™)
is written by someone who has been there. 6 Book Series
—Marija Lukic Grades PreK-3
No Perfect Places.
By Steven Salvatore.
May 2023. 384p. Bloomsbury YA, $19.99 (9781547611072).
Gr. 9–12.
When Alex and Olly Brucke’s father passes
away in prison, the twins deal with grief in
their own separate ways. Alex turns to alco-
hol and a toxic relationship, and Olly seeks
refuge in a film project about his family
and in his supportive boyfriend. But Olly is
also keeping their father’s last secret—they
have a half brother, Tyler. After Olly starts Grades 2-5 Grades 4-8
corresponding with Tyler, he delays telling
Alex because she is already having so much
difficulty coping. When Tyler unexpect-
edly shows up and the secret threatens to
be revealed at any moment, the growing
rift between the twins may become un-
bridgeable. Salvatore’s (And They Lived . . .,
2022) contemporary YA deals sensitively
with heavy themes of grief, addiction, and
mental health. Both the main characters and
those whom Alex meets at a support group
for teens with incarcerated parents represent
Grades 4-8 Grades 5-12 Grades 7-12
people from a range of backgrounds with
different identities. This book will appeal to
MK140-0423
Focus on SEL
Bear Is Never Alone. at a children’s hospital, she enjoys playing the game with the other
By Marc Veerkamp. Illus. by Jeska Verstegen. Tr. by Laura kids on her floor. Finally, she returns home and goes back to school,
Watkinson. but when she tries to share the game with her classmates, it doesn’t
Apr. 2023. 32p. Eerdmans, $17.99 (9780802856036). PreS–Gr. 2. go well. The kids seem older now. She stops playing cloud babies,
Talented musician Bear delights the other woodland creatures with though it makes her sad. Erin returns to the hospital periodically.
his piano playing. Eventually, though, he’d like some quiet time to When the class visits her there, they play the cloud-baby game with
himself, but his audience insists Bear continue. Even when he flees, Erin and the other patients. Through the game and her classmates’
they follow, persistently demanding, “More, more, Piano Bear!” until new understanding of her experiences, she can finally reconnect with
Bear’s had enough—and, with a roar, sends them scurrying. All except them. Inspired by the illustrator’s family’s experiences of childhood
book-carrying Zebra, that is, who praises Bear’s music, then offers, illness, the story is matter-of-fact, informative, and remarkably up-
“How about I do something nice for you in return? I’d like to read you beat. The digital art is appealing, and, in creating outdoor scenes, it
a story.” Initially, Bear’s grumpy and uninterested, but he eventually incorporates photos of landscapes, clouds, and other elements into
reconsiders—“Let’s be alone together.” Enchanting, mixed-media il- the pictures in a seamless way. Colfer’s introduction offers practical
lustrations in black and white with pops of red depict the forest setting advice for young patients and their classmates. A heartening, helpful
and expressive animals in eye-catching silhouettes; Zebra’s typed-print picture book. —Carolyn Phelan
stripes make her stand out. Originally published in the Netherlands,
the book features sympathetic, eloquent touches that further illumi- Goodbye, Balloon.
nate Bear’s sometimes-big emotions throughout. Kids who feel put on By Adam Ciccio. Illus. by Magriet van der Berg.
the spot or overwhelmed are sure to find common ground with Bear, 2023. 32p. Clavis, $18.95 (9781605377711). PreS–Gr. 2.
and they’ll appreciate the relief Bear feels when he finally finds a peace- A young girl ties her glittery pink balloon to her bicycle, but it is
ful moment and an understanding friend. —Shelle Rosenfeld quickly taken by the wind. Instead of that being the end of the story,
however, she begins to think of what adventures her balloon might
Big. be experiencing, and to demonstrate the balloon’s change, from then
By Vashti Harrison. Illus. by the author. on it is drawn as a clear, somewhat ethereal outline. In her imagina-
May 2023. 60p. Little, Brown, $19.99 (9780316353229). PreS–Gr. 3. tion, the girl and balloon ride the wind into the mountains and then
Award-winning author-illustrator Harrison paints a striking portrait even up to the stars beyond. When a storm brings darkness, bravery
of a Black girl standing tall and standing up to the biased judgments sees them through. While the book is not subtle in its messaging,
of a world that tries to cut her down in size. As an infant, adults praise its gentle tone and soft colors extend the feeling of comfort. Phrases
the main character, remarking, “What a big girl you are!” As she grows, such as “enjoying every possible moment” and “follow our hearts
these same words are used to make her feel small. When she gets stuck to find the right direction” underscore the book’s bibliotherapeutic
in a swing, a teacher admonishes, “Don’t you purpose. Eventually, the girl knows she must let go of the balloon,
think you’re too big for that?!” The child’s pain but she likes to think of it as happy and having a new friend to love.
and sadness are palpable in the nuanced chalk For young children coping with loss or grief, the book provides an
pastel and digital illustrations. When she stands opening for discussion. —Lucinda Whitehurst
self-consciously in front of a mirror, the sting-
ing words of playground jeers are printed on her I Feel the World.
body. At ballet class, her radiant pink leotard By Zanni Louise and Ameika Johnson. Illus. by Nina Gould.
and tutu are muted in a shade of “husky gray,” Apr. 2023. 32p. Five Mile, $17.99 (9781922677297). PreS–Gr. 1. 152.4.
and she becomes background scenery. With The authors explain in rhyming couplets that emotions can take on
mounting anxiety, the young girl grows bigger and more constrained many “shades, sizes, colours, textures, [and] shapes,” which will be
on each page as she internalizes unsolicited advice and negative com- helpful in beginning a dialogue about feelings between a caregiver and
ments (“Aren’t you too big to be crying?” “Why can’t you just fit in?”). child. Readers learn that some emotions can be gentle, floating away
Through self-love and self-acceptance, she is able to push out and hold after a short time, while some can be prickly, and others tend to stick
space for herself. In an intimate author’s note, Harrison shares per- around for a long time. “Sometimes, feelings work so hard, protecting
sonal reflections and her own childhood experiences of sitting “in the like a bodyguard. Feelings sometimes make me dance. They make me
crosshairs of adultification bias and anti-fat bias.” This emotionally and wear my fancy pants!” And if it all gets to be a bit much, one suggested
socially resonant picture book stands out with its exceptional strength, remedy is simple: breathe. Throughout the book, colorful illustrations
beauty, and grace. —Linda Ludke effectively reveal the emotions felt by a small brown bear while a par-
ent bear looks on with concern. Youngsters will learn that emotions are
Cloud Babies. OK and should be accepted as an ordinary part of life. Strategies for
By Eoin Colfer. Illus. by Chris Judge. dealing with certain feelings will empower children to be in control.
July 2023. 40p. Candlewick, $18.99 (9781536231076). K–Gr. 3. Back matter presents more information about feelings, activities for
Erin loves to point out “cloud babies,” animals she sees within understanding them better, and tips for dealing with intense emotions.
cloud formations. When she becomes ill and spends a long time —Maryann Owen
48 Booklist April 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com
My Elephant Is Blue: A Book about Big, Heavy Feelings. Button, Percy feels alone when he attends a children’s party. He stops
By Melinda Szymanik. Illus. by Vasanti Unka. feeling lonely when he spots Miss Petticomb, a pink plush cat, who
Apr. 2023. 40p. Flyaway, $19 (9781947888418). PreS–Gr. 2. he prefers over his peers. When he begins to make her a drawing, the
Spotlight
This picture book dramatizes the kind of depression that can come out other children take her from him to a tea party. At first, he is defensive
of the blue and ways to make it go away. A young narrator wakes up one but soon learns that this is Miss Petticomb’s party—it’s her birthday!
morning to find a comical-looking blue elephant sitting on their chest. The cheerful artwork warmly depicts a classic preschool classroom in
This elephant does not budge. She clings to the child, making it hard for the middle of open play, and the kids realistically appear in a variety of
them to do anything. The elephant doesn’t respond to the family’s plead- skin tones and gender presentations. The large facial expressions nicely
ing to get off, saying she’s comfortable. The mother gets books from the portray emotions, particularly when Percy contemplates how to react
library, including Sad Elephants for Dummies. The father calls an expert when he learns about the party and comes up with the perfect friendly
on elephants. Finally, the parents convince the child to take a short walk, solution. This story about making friends, stepping out of a shell, and
then a longer one, then to go a family-picnic outing. The illustrations are building confidence will pair well with Gustavo the Shy Ghost (2020),
brilliant in showing the progression of the child’s moods by having the by Flavia Z. Drago. —Vivian Alvarez
landscape change from gray winter to multicolored spring. The elephant
moves off the child, then to their side, finally playing football with them. The Seasons within Me.
The resolution, in which the child learns to live with all the colors of dif- By Bianca Pozzi. Illus. by the author.
ferent moods, fits beautifully. —Connie Fletcher Apr. 2023. 48p. Penguin Workshop/RISE, $18.99 (9780593522912). K–Gr. 3.
One morning, a little girl wakes up “feeling gray,” a stream of rain-
A New Day for Umwell the Gray. drops pelting down only on her. Her mother and sibling do not notice,
By Nathaniel Jenks. Illus. by Rebecca Evans. and despite her mother’s reassurance that the feeling is temporary, the
May 2023. 32p. Tilbury, $18.95 (9780884489443). PreS–Gr. 2. girl’s sadness continues to grow. The subdued palate of gray, ochre,
Not only does William live in a gray world with gray thoughts, a and washes of slate blue enhance the feeling of her isolation. On a
gray sky, and gray clothes, but his aunt suggests that all his moping day when the storm clouds could not be much darker, the girl finds
will give him gray hair, too. Gray, washed-out watercolors with blue a wounded dog, and in it she recognizes a kindred spirit. As she cares
undertones reflect his ongoing mood, and William’s dark hair and eyes for the dog, the rain ceases, and an autumn sun “[warms their] souls.”
contrast with the unnatural white of his skin. The dreariness of this The story’s message of the ebb and flow of feelings and the consistency
particular rainy day changes when he spies a brown-skinned girl wear- of seasonal change is an old one, but here it is rendered with a fresh
ing a purple, polka-dotted poncho. When William hesitates (“Um . . . tenderness that will appeal to all readers who have found comfort in a
well”) when telling the girl (aptly named Purple) his own name, she friend when feeling alone. A lovely read-aloud with bibliotherapeutic
begins calling him Umwell the Gray. William follows Purple through potential. —Amina Chaudhri
the woods and to a beach, and, along the way, she encourages him to
find the beauty, or the “new,” in his surroundings, from falling leaves Way Past Sorry.
to the waves at the shore. In response, the hopeful illustrations depict By Hallee Adelman. Illus. by Josep Maria Juli.
more color as William, a healthy pink entering his skin, eventually June 2023. 32p. Albert Whitman, $18.99 (9780807581056). PreS–Gr. 2.
finds newness in himself. The book’s intentional ambiguity makes it On a class field trip to the planetarium, Kat breaks her promise to
adaptable for discussing depression, loneliness, or grief. A good selec- Sage and sits on the bus with Meera instead. Afterward, Kat is sorry,
tion for SEL collections. —Angela Leeper but Sage is too hurt to forgive and forget. Following a difficult morn-
ing full of regrets and hard feelings, Kat and Sage finally reconnect
Percy’s Perfect Friend. at lunch, where Kat listens as Sage expresses her hurt feelings and
By Lana Button. Illus. by Peggy Collins. Kat explains how truly remorseful she is. Adelman’s latest title in the
Apr. 2023. 32p. Pajama, $18.95 (9781772782813). PreS–K. Great Big Feelings series offers a believable scenario that highlights
Making a friend is a matter of approachability, but it’s not so simple a common friendship issue. Emotions are clearly expressed (“I told
if it takes you time to warm up to others. In this story by educator Sage what I knew I did wrong. And promised I wouldn’t make those
mistakes again”) and the situations described ring true. Juli’s cartoon
illustrations feature deeply saturated hues, simply drawn characters,
and unadorned backgrounds. Emotions are conveyed through patch-
es of color on cheeks: red represents hurt feelings or anger, while light
pink signifies happiness. This will be useful for primary classes learn-
ing to identify emotions and understand behavioral consequences.
—Kay Weisman
I
by Julia Smith
n recent years, we’ve noticed an influx of books that portray
children dealing with having a sick parent. The emotional
and practical demands of having a loved one with a mental
or physical illness are complex, and these middle-grade novels
take nuanced looks at kid characters finding inner strength and
external support to weather unforeseen health crises.
Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year. By Nina Hamza. weaves Kenyan culture with preteen prob-
2021. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, $16.99 lems.
(9780063024892). Gr. 5–8. Before the Ever After. By Jacqueline
Ahmed is in for a tumultuous sixth- Woodson. 2020. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen,
grade year when his family suddenly $17.99 (9780399545436). Gr. 5–8.
moves from Hawaii to Minnesota so his Woodson’s poignant novel in verse ex-
father can receive lifesaving treatment for plores one family’s struggle to adjust to
health complications due to hepatitis C. life after ZJ’s football-star father begins
While Ahmed uses humor to cope with having health issues due to head injuries
these circumstances, it doesn’t diminish suffered while playing professionally.
their seriousness, making his resilience all Though the boy initially fights his new
the more admirable. reality, he comes to find much-needed
Auma’s Long Run. By Eucabeth support in his close-knit community.
Odhiambo. 2017. Carolrhoda, $17.99 Ghosts, Toast, and Other Hazards. By
(9781512427844). Gr. 6–8. Susan Tan. 2023. Roaring Brook, $17.99
Auma dreams of winning a high-school (9781250797001). Gr. 3–6.
track scholarship that will take her out Mo’s mom is having trouble getting out
of her Kenyan village; however, when of bed following a recent divorce, leav-
her father grows seriously ill with AIDS, ing the sixth-grader to take care of her
she must decide whether to continue her little sister and worry about being an ad-
schooling or work to feed her family. In ditional burden. When an elephant starts
this gut-wrenching look at the 1990s haunting Mo’s dreams, her search for its
AIDS epidemic, Odhiambo flawlessly meaning uncovers troubling things about
Spotlight
$16.95 (9781646031702). Gr. 6–9.
Fourteen-year-old Ceti is a soccer
phenom, but her homelife is incredibly
unstable, mostly due to her mother’s drug
addiction. Told in verse, Sullivan’s novel
offers starkly descriptive images of Ceti’s
mom’s drug paraphernalia and portrays
the desperate pressures this young woman
feels. Her coach and other supportive
adults help Ceti’s story end hopefully.
Hurricane Season. By Nicole
Melleby. 2019. Algonquin, $16.95
(9781616209063). Gr. 4–7.
When Fig’s father’s erratic behavior
prompts her teacher to call Child Protec-
tive Services, the girl feels an inordinate
amount of pressure to prove everything
is okay at home, when it most assuredly
is not. Art becomes a conduit for under- control can be regained, and find the abil- the love and care from classmates, friends,
standing and healing in this emotional ity to forgive. and family.
story.
Patina. By Jason Reynolds. 2017. The Science of Breakable Things. By
Julia and the Shark. By Kiran Millwood Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy, $16.99 Tae Keller. 2018. Random, $16.99
Hargrave. Illus. by Tom de Freston. (9781481450188). Gr. 5–8. (9781524715663). Gr. 4–7.
2023. Union Square Kids, $18.99 Patina “Patty” Jones is the fastest girl Natalie is convinced that the prize
(9781454948681). Gr. 4–7. on her track team, but an angry outburst money from winning a science-project
Julia admires her scientist mom, Maura, lands her on a relay team to learn to be a contest could dispel her botanist mother’s
but she can’t help noticing her mom mak- team player. Reynolds reveals significant depression. How? By using the funds to
ing some questionable judgment calls stressors in Patina’s life, including having fly Mom to New Mexico to see the Co-
in order to secure funding for a research to live with her aunt and uncle because balt Blue Orchid. Keller crafts a winning
project. As Maura’s passion grows into her mother lost her legs to diabetes. With- story full of rich characters, heart, and
reckless obsession, Julia struggles to make out ever feeling like an “issues” book, this action that balances the weighty subject of
sense of her mom’s behavior, which is re- title deftly tackles topics like isolation, a child dealing with a parent’s depression.
vealed to be mismanaged bipolar disorder. living with illness, and losing a parent. Where the Watermelons Grow. By
Appended with mental health resources.
Playing the Cards You’re Dealt. By Cindy Baldwin. 2018. Harper, $16.99
Life in the Balance. By Jen Petro- (9780062665867). Gr. 4–7.
Varian Johnson. 2021. Scholastic, $16.99
Roy. 2021. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 Amid stifling summer heat, 12-year-old
(9781338348538). Gr. 4–7.
(9781250619730). Gr. 4–7. Della endeavors to come to terms with
Ten-year-old Anthony “Ant” Joplin has
Life at home is challenging for Veronica, her mother’s schizophrenia. While her
always been captivated by the game of
whose mother is spending eight weeks in dad struggles to keep their North Caro-
an alcohol rehab center and whose father’s spades, and he’s determined to prove his lina farm going during the drought, Della
busy work schedule leaves little time for prowess at an upcoming tournament. But takes on more responsibility for her tod-
his daughter. Eventually, Veronica con- change lurks in the form of a crush and dler sister. Yearning for normalcy, Della
fides in her best friend and joins a support puzzling behavior in his father. As obser- seeks out some reportedly magic honey to
group. A clearly written narrative that vant Ant awakens to issues of alcoholism, cure her mother.
avoids suggesting that alcoholism is easy he is unsure of how best to help the peo-
ple he loves, particularly if they hurt him Worser. By Jennifer Ziegler. 2022.
to manage or to live with.
in the process. Holiday/Margaret Ferguson, $17.99
The Natural Genius of Ants. By (9780823449569). Gr. 4–7.
Betty Culley. 2022. Crown, $16.99 Red, White, and Whole. By Rajani William Orser is struggling after his
(9780593175774). Gr. 3–6. LaRocca. 2021. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, mother experiences a devastating stroke
Harvard is used to finding solutions $16.99 (9780063047426). Gr. 5–8. that leaves her incapable of caring for
for things, but coaxing his dad out of Already struggling to balance the him. To make matters worse, his aunt Iris
a depression is proving difficult. The American and Indian sides of her identity, has moved in and disrupted their calm,
well-intentioned protagonist is driven to Reha finds her world shattered when her yet insular lifestyle. In an unexpected
distraction with anxiety about his dad and amma is diagnosed with leukemia. Reha’s move, he joins the Lit Club and makes
other problems, but the story meaning- reaction to the devastation wrought by new friends, but those relationships are
fully examines how to identify the things her mother’s illness is realistic and heart- endangered when the changes in William’s
in life one can’t control, figure out where breaking, but she also finds strength in life become too much to cope with.
Cullough (Across the Pond, 2021) tackles (9781250864710). Gr. 5–8. Grateful, Sasha tries to befriend the boy, who
period poverty with her usual feminist flair, Thirteen-year-old Sasha deals with general- is a year older, but is rejected. So he hires Eli
yet the conversations—particularly those ized anxiety and panic attacks, which he has as his bodyguard and agrees to help him at the
between Eden and her crush, Will, who is dubbed “The Gray.” They get worse when he horse ranch where the older boy works, trying
trans—bring along readers who may be less spends too much time on his electronic devic- to tame a wild horse called—wait for it—The
familiar with issues around menstrual eq- es, so his concerned parents decide a device-free Gray. Baron’s often-quiet story is well-plotted,
uity. Changemakers eager to go against the month upstate with his great-aunt Ruthie will and the characters are empathetic, especially
flow will appreciate the paths Eden explores be a tonic. Sasha disagrees: “This will be the Eli. The theme, change, is well-handled and
to increased self-awareness, advocacy, and worst summer ever.” Nevertheless, country, perhaps will change readers as much as it does
social activism. —Kit Ballenger here he comes. Happily, once there he quickly Sasha in the end. —Michael Cart
Shannon in the Spotlight.
By Kalena Miller.
Apr. 2023. 272p. Delacorte, $16.99 (9780593486054);
lib. ed., $19.99 (9780593486061). Gr. 4–7.
Twelve-year-old Shannon always enjoys
working behind the scenes at her town’s sum-
mer musical, but she’s mostly there to spend
time with her theater-loving friends. Elise
adores acting and is hoping for a starring role,
while Fatima is taken by the technical aspects
of production. Shannon prefers to be backstage
and assumes that her obsessive-compulsive dis-
order may not lend itself to long rehearsals and
performing to packed audiences, but when the
director overhears her singing, she finds her-
self cast in a leading role, and life gets more
complicated as she navigates a jealous Elise, a
budding crush, family upheaval, and a new-
found love of the stage. Miller spins a winning
story that offers an insightful introduction to
OCD. A diverse cast of friends and family pro-
vides a warm, supportive core to the story, in
which Shannon is allowed to take chances and
make decisions about her therapy and treat-
ment. It’s an inspiration and joy to watch her
step into the spotlight and let her voice truly be
heard. —Emily Graham
Will on the Inside.
By Andrew Eliopulos.
June 2023. 304p. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, $19.99
(9780063228702). Gr. 5–8.
In Eliopulos’ (The Fascinators, 2020) latest,
there are few things middle-schooler Will loves
more than soccer. But his time on the field is
threatened when he discovers he has Crohn’s
disease, like the book’s author. On top of being
incurable, Will’s condition comes with painful,
sometimes embarrassing symptoms and forces
him to find new ways to connect with his peers,
which leads him to begin questioning his au-
tonomy, his place in his family, his sexuality,
and his community’s attitude toward gay peo-
ple. Character-driven with a much-conflicted
narrator, this brings a conversational tone and
a gentle approach to difficult topics while still
clearly depicting the conflict of Will’s frustra-
tion and discomfort. Readers will appreciate the
variety of perspectives from the people in Will’s
life and the empathetic narrator at the helm; the
reality the story reflects will reach a broad swath
of readers, from jocks to gaming nerds to those
exploring religion. Hand to fans of Maulik Pan-
choly’s The Best at It (2019) and Rob Harrell’s
Wink (2020). —Abby Hargreaves
“Exquisitely disturbing.”
— E M I LY X . R . PA N
NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author
M
Gr. 7–10.
erMay is just around the corner, and although this In the wake
neologism typically refers to a month-long celebration of her parents’
during which artists draw new mermaids every day, divorce, Morgan
there’s no reason why you can’t improvise on this trend. You can starts a secret re-
encourage readers to read books about mermaids. You can make lationship with a
a mermaid display at your library. You can even provide drawing selkie who saved
materials and encourage patrons of all ages to create their own her from drown-
mermaids! Let’s get you started with some scaly, slippery, and ing. This expressive
fishy adult and YA books! graphic novel is
both a coming-of-age
Adult and a coming-out tale.
Chlorine. By Jade Song. 2023. Morrow. Mermaid Moon. By Susann
In this unsettling, female-driven work of body horror, a com- Cokal. 2020. Candlewick.
petitive swimmer strives to transcend human concerns and Gr. 10–12.
become a mermaid. When a struggling mermaid discovers that her
The Deep. By Rivers Solomon and others. mother was landish, not seavish, she studies magic and sets out
2019. Saga. on a quest to learn more about her past. Printz Honor–winner
Solomon’s beautiful novella, in- Cokal explores matriarchy and femininity in this literary choice.
spired by a song by the hip-hop Out of the Blue. By Jason June. 2022. HarperTeen. Gr. 9–12.
group Clipping, explores the A merfolk starts fake-dating a heartbroken lifeguard. What’s
world of aquatic beings de- not to love!?
scended from women cast off
Skin of the Sea. By Natasha Bowen. 2021. Random. Gr. 9–12.
ships during the Atlantic
Simi, a Mami Wata, is supposed to collect the souls of those
slave trade.
who die at sea, but the haunting memories of her former life
The Mermaid of Black compel her to save a boy from drowning, setting off a chain of
Conch. By Monique events that threatens all Mami Wata.
Roffey. 2022. Knopf.
Song below Water. By Bethany C. Morrow. 2020. Tor Teen.
When a mermaid is
Gr. 8–12.
caught during a fishing
In this modern fantasy set in Portland, Oregon, Tavia’s siren
competition, a gentle fish-
magic slips free during an altercation with the police, and her
erman who also plays the
and her BFF’s lives are turned upside down.
guitar sneaks her home, away
from the other greedy, lustful
fishermen.
Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters.
By Aimee Ogden. 2021. Tor.com.
This novella, both a dreamy fairy-tale re-
telling and a space opera, emphasizes Hans Christian
Andersen’s themes of choosing between two worlds and
sacrificing for love.
Thirsty Mermaids. By Kat Leyh. Illus. by the author. 2021.
Gallery.
From the creator of Snapdragon and coauthor of the Lumber-
janes series, this buddy-comedy graphic novel follows a trio of
mermaids who swap their tails for legs so they can get drunk on
human alcohol.
Where the Drowned Girls Go. By Seanan McGuire. 2022.
Tor.com
In the seventh book in McGuire’s Wayward Children series,
a mermaid transfers to Whitethorn Institute in a desperate at-
tempt to escape the whispers of drowned gods.
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