Review: Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez

Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez

Furia
Yamile Saied Méndez
Algonquin Young Readers
Published September 15, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Furia

An #ownvoices contemporary YA set in Argentina, about a rising soccer star who must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams.

In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.

At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.

On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South … Continue reading

Review: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, Leigh Dragoon, and Kit Seaton

Brightly Woven
Alexandra Bracken
Adapted by Leigh Dragoon
Illustrated by Kit Seaton
Disney Hyperion
Published February 2, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Brightly Woven

A graphic novel about discovering your own power.

Extraordinary things just don’t happen to fourteen-year-old Sydelle Mirabil, a talented weaver who dreams about life outside of her tiny village. But that all changes when a mysterious young wizard named Wayland North appears and asks for Sydelle’s help. He’s got a shocking secret that could stop a war between kingdoms-if he can reach the capital with the news in time. North needs a navigator who can mend … Continue reading

Review: Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff

Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff

Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Humans
Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD
Avid Reader Press
Published March 2, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Hunt, Gather, Parent

When Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff becomes a mother, she examines the studies behind modern parenting guidance and finds the evidence frustratingly limited and the conclusions often ineffective. Curious to learn about more effective parenting approaches, she visits a Maya village in the Yucatán Peninsula. There she encounters moms and dads who parent in a totally different way than we do—and raise extraordinarily kind, generous, and helpful children without yelling, nagging, or issuing timeouts. What else, Doucleff wonders, are … Continue reading

Review: Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

Garlic and the Vampire
Bree Paulsen
Quill Tree Books
Published September 28, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Garlic and the Vampire

A farm-fresh debut graphic novel starring a heroine who is braver than she realizes.

Garlic feels as though she’s always doing something wrong. At least with her friend Carrot by her side and the kindly Witch Agnes encouraging her, Garlic is happy to just tend her garden, where it’s nice and safe.

But when her village of vegetable folk learns that a bloodthirsty vampire has moved into the nearby castle, they all agree that, … Continue reading

Best Books I Read in 2023

Best Books I Read in 2023

Best Books I Read in 2023

I feel like I’ve spent the whole last month scrambling to catch up on the things I didn’t get to in December, which means that my January tasks have also gotten pushed back a little later than normal. But, at last, here we are: talking about the best books I read in 2023.

Last year was a really great one for me in terms of books. I read a lot of books that I very much enjoyed, and even more that I thought were good. I’m hoping to feature even more of them in lists over the next few months. We’ll see how that pans out. But, for now, … Continue reading

Review: A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi

A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi cover shows a girl looking back over her shoulder toward the camera. In the background is a tall tree whose leaves form a path, winding around the tree and swirling around the girl.

A Bit of Earth
Karuna Riazi
Greenwillow Books
Published March 14, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Bit of Earth

Maria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places?

Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember–first because of her … Continue reading