Story Tags

Not Your Dream Girl

Fall in love with some weird, rude, gross and otherwise complex ladies in these insightful page-turners, all written by female authors.

Podcaster Whitney Reynolds lit Twitter on fire when she suggested that women describe themselves as a male author would.

When you want to get away from it all, but you just don’t have the leave; when you want to be your own and only boss, but your boss does not agree; when you want to have a heart-stopping adventure, but not the lifelong injuries, do so vicariously with these books about solo wilderness adventure. Some, but not all, of these protagonists survive. Some, but not all, of them learn important life lessons. But all of them step out of the everyday and fling themselves into the extraordinary.

Tournament of Books 2019

It's back!

I like to read all the books in The Morning News' Tournament of Books annually, so that I can ensure I've read at least some well-regarded adult fiction. This is my favorite way to do that, as the list is usually diverse in terms of genres, perspectives and styles. You can find my picks from last year's tournament here. I have to admit, this year's overall list was not my favorite - three of my top five picks are from the play in round!

The Shelter of Each Other

Picture Book Stories of Resilience and Hope Amidst Displacement

War, climate change, persecution and economic hardship are forcing many children and families worldwide from their homes to seek refuge elsewhere. Leaving behind a home and country, often never to return nor knowing where the journey will lead, can be traumatic. These picture book stories about displacement, all of which are true stories or based on true events, will resonate with children who have had similar experiences. They also introduce children without such experiences to the plight of refugees, in a way that fosters understanding and empathy.

Andrew Carnegie Awards 2019

During the American Library Association (ALA) Mid-Winter meeting, the winners of the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Non-Fiction were announced. The winners officially will receive their medals in June. Below are the winning titles. Copies are available to check out and download from the library. Fiction

To See the World in a Grain of Salt

Microhistory Books Looking at Small Things With Big Impacts

Naturally, it’s important to study the grand, sweeping moments of history and analyze why they were so eventful—they were grand moments for a reason, after all. But it can be equally enlightening to practice microhistory, the study of a smaller unit of research, often a single person, family, event or village in excruciating detail so as to extrapolate larger questions about history, humanity and social change during a particular period.

Science Fun 101

Engaging intros to science topics for preK-2nd graders

Why is the sky blue? Why do dogs wag their tails? Why don’t I float away when I hold a balloon? Why? WHY? WHYYYYY? If you have a kiddo in your life, you probably encounter questions like these all the time. These questions are beautiful proof that children are budding scientists, eager to explore how and why things work. But, um, they’re really dang tough to answer.

Winter Horror

Spooky things hide in the snow.

The snow makes it seem peaceful and quiet… almost too quiet. Weird things abound in the coldness outside. What’s out there? I think I see something in the distance, but the snow is too thick. Is there something moving out there? You go check. I’m going to stay inside by the fire, and drink my hot cocoa. All is quiet. Nothing is moving. What’s scarier than that?

Wintery Picture Books

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

I have a confession: I love snow. Okay, so I prefer to be inside while it's happening, but I love the way snow looks as it descends on the city. Here are some picture books that reflect and showcase the childlike joy snow can bring. Walking in a Winter Wonderland illustrated by Tim Hopgood

Year End Reads

As the official winter season gets closer, the weather slows things down and instills a heaviness that really makes us feel ourselves in our bodies. When we are not as frenetic, books are a great companion to the new (but cyclical) rhythm. It’s a vista from which to take stock, particularly with a new year on the horizon line. The books below offer characters or writers who are speaking to a centeredness, steadiness, or timeliness.