Many people are firm in their stance on Hemingway: love him or hate him. And I get it! He’s a polarizing dude! He was pretty arrogant, racist, and misogynist, among other things. But he also changed the way readers approached books. He didn’t write difficult stories. He wrote with simple words and declarative sentences. His character-driven stories are for everyday people. Sex and gender are always at play. There are no happy endings....
Third grade in particular can offer a real challenge when figuring out a bookish gift. The two main things to keep in mind when picking books for 3rd graders are 1) the wide range of reading capabilities for 3rd graders, 2) that reading needs to be fun for kids who are developing their relationship with reading. Third graders reading abilities can vary widely. In 3rd grade, 7- and 8-year-olds might read a couple of grade levels in either direction, meaning kids could be reading anywhere from what’s considered average for a 1st grader to what’s average for a 5th grader....
Of course, an author doesn’t have to believe that Jesus was divine to write about him. Some writers from non-Christian backgrounds find Jesus a compelling subject for their fiction. The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis Today, many people know this book from Martin Scorsese’s movie adaptation. The novel is still banned, maligned, and misunderstood. It was very controversial for 1955, and the Greek Orthodox Church considered it obscene....
Inspired by a terrifying true story, acclaimed author Guadalupe Garcia McCall creates a twisty tale about a boy desperately trying to survive in a new town with a secret past. James always knew moving from Texas to Oregon was going to be horrible… But no sooner have he and his family arrived in their “perfect” new home in their “perfect” new town than he starts getting mysterious letters from someone called the Keeper....
Book Riot is teaming up with Celadon Books, a division of Macmillan Publishers, to give 10 lucky winners a bundle of all five of their Winter 2021 frontlist titles.
(Disclaimer: I work in children’s publishing in Canada, a much smaller and less glamorous part of the industry than many of these New York-based shows are trying to depict.) Best Honorary Bookish TV Show: Gilmore Girls Okay, so this is not a show about life in publishing, but I couldn’t leave it off my list. Gilmore Girls probably has the most book references of any TV show by sheer virtue of how much Rory is always reading....
Mental health has become an active part of conversations now. People are a lot more aware that mental struggles not only valid but also occur more frequently than we realize. However, the conversation is still being had in hushed tones and careful whispers. There is still stigma and shame surrounding the anguish in our minds. This can make it hard to normalise mental illness and feel comfortable reaching out for help....
Since her father’s death, Cat has taken care of her brother with special needs, for their hardworking mother—but on an unexpected island trip to visit grandparents they never knew, Cat has the chance to be a child again. This beautifully honest, emotionally resonant debut is perfect for readers of Lauren Wolk, Ali Benjamin, and Rebecca Stead. Growing up with siblings is at times a joy, but more often than not, siblings can be a real pain in the neck....
Since a lot of thrilling books with crime or secrets tend to get lumped under the mystery umbrella, for the purposes of this list, I’ve defined mystery as any book where a crime unfolds throughout the book and investigating the crime is the central focus for the protagonist. Not every mystery needs to be about murder — sometimes disappearances, blackmail, and extortion are at the center of these books — but in order to be considered, there is a perpetrator that our teenage sleuth is bent on unmasking....
These 8 YA books with transgender protagonists are all written by trans and nonbinary authors. With a mix of contemporary and speculative fiction, you’re sure to find a book you’ll fall in love with. Looking for more LGBTQ books? Check out these lists for more book recs: When he falls for Georgia, the head cheerleader, he longs to get closer to her. But is a chance at love worth risking exposure of his identity?...
TBR is Book Riot’s subscription service offering Tailored Book Recommendations for readers of all stripes. Been dreaming of a “Stitch Fix for books?” Now it’s here! Tell TBR about your reading preferences and what you’re looking for, and sit back while your Bibliologist handpicks recommendations just for you. TBR offers plans to receive hardcover books in the mail or recommendations by email, so there’s an option for every budget. Visit mytbr....
9 Under-the-Radar Fairytale and Folktale Retellings Want even more fairytale and folklore recommendations? Check out these lists: ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WERE 8 LGBTQ+ FAIRYTALES FROM 2020 100 MUST-READ FAIRYTALE RETELLINGS FOR ADULTS AND YA READERS 10 DARK FAIRYTALE BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS QUIZ: WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR NEXT FAIRYTALE READ? 6 FRESH FAIRYTALES IN YA BOOKS
I think it’s important to acknowledge being That Girl is impossible, really. We’re all going to forget to take our vitamins or fail to stay out of drama or leave our journals untouched for months. Trying to be that perfect can get toxic if you’re not careful. But there are many, many ways you can get closer to a better version of yourself, which is the whole point! Going to therapy, increasing your water intake, partaking in some self-reflection, or taking the time to map out your five-year plan are all great first steps....
Although my heart lies with maternal-child health and oncology, I will read about any and every field of medicine. I’m not picky. If it’s medical, send it my way. Given the popularity of shows like Grey’s Anatomy and House, I doubt I’m the only one. For me, medical books represent some of our most basic ideals: helping others, aiding them through life, helping new life emerge, and guiding others through the end....
“You can follow the echo of blues riffs in the Gulf Coast, forage for poke sallet and turtle soup in Appalachia, solve mysteries in the Northwoods of Minnesota, soak up Chicano lore in Texas, roam the back streets of Baltimore, and laugh alongside good-natured farmers in Nebraska, one page and one book at a time. We compiled a book for each of the fifty states in the US (plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico), ones that will show you a different side of the state, sink deep into the particulars of place, and leave you missing new friends in new cities by the time you turn over the last page....
Last time, we covered an I-90 cross-country road trip from Seattle to Boston. This time, I’ve chosen a well traversed route that meanders roughly through the middle of the country: I-70. While this interstate is not technically coast to coast, it stretches across ten states and 2,150 miles of asphalt between Baltimore and central Utah. As I mentioned for the I-90 road trip, this is a high level sampling of the literary landmarks you could come across on this trip: A complete list of everything bookish along the way would make for a very long post....
That got me particularly intrigued. Jewish superheroes? Tell me more. I had known about the Jewish origins of the U.S. comic book history thanks to Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, but the concept of Jewish superheroes hadn’t crossed my mind. Or how Jewish culture and values may have been intertwined in some of the most foundational characters in the superhero world without being officially Jewish. So in honor of Whistle’s momentous release this month, this is a brief look at the world of Jewish superheroes....
When my parents parted, the separation was bitter. I didn’t have contact with my father for years. What I did have, though, were my children’s Bibles. I poured over them many nights, comforted by the stories that reminded me of my father and had, by then, become familiar. Many memories from that far back exist now as little more than fragments, but I can still very clearly picture the short, square and thick books that contained so many magical stories told with colorful pictures....
With that said, while I love the animated and unique drawing-filled comic stories, I also am a big fan of the Batman cinematic universe and movies. My husband, Sebastian, actually had a wide-eyed moment when I told him I was writing, and excited to write, an essay about Batman on film. “You might get cancelled if you say just one Batman actor is good! Be very careful,” he said, jokingly....
I’ve identified five ways that librarians can use social media to reach new users, engage their audience and have fun. Does your library have social media success stories to share? Tell us about them on the socials! 1. Communication This may seem obvious, but it can be hard to find time to do this properly on social media. It’s worth it, however. I try to share my ideas and the ideas that I’ve “stolen” from other librarians on a daily basis....
