Why a Winnie-the-Pooh nursery? Winnie-the-Pooh, a timeless classic. For anyone not familiar, Winnie-the-Pooh is a fictional teddy bear created by the English author A.A. Milne. As is so often the case, before they were cartoons, they were bestselling books. Dealing with ideas of friendship, love and being there for each other, there are so many ways you can incorporate this theme into a nursery. Let’s break down some ways for you to do that....
With 13 amazing young novels to choose from, deciding which Marie Lu book to begin with is no easy feat. Honestly, there’s not a wrong choice among the bunch. And, naturally, a lot of your decision will rely on your personal reading taste. If you adore fantasy but feel “meh” about science fiction, you may prefer The Kingdom of Back over Warcross, for instance. Or, if you love DC comics or Batman, then by all means pick up Batman: Nightwalker first, even though I didn’t include it in my list....
Chicago Public Library (CPL) made headlines during the beginning of COVID mitigations for being one of the last major city library systems to close and move to virtual services and to become one of the first to reopen. Mixed and unclear messages abound as to why the system continues to keep its doors open to public use, and employees across CPL are frustrated and scared for their safety and well-being....
Nichole Perkins, the well-known writer and connoisseur of thirst on the dearly departed podcast Thirst Aid Kit, commented on this facet of WandaVision on Twitter as well: “Wait. I just started #WandaVison and the way he leaned in to kiss her in these opening credits had far more heat than I was expecting. Let me find out, Vision…” This particular scene, as well as the various other scenes of Wanda and Vision expressing desire for each other in a couple-y fashion, felt distinct in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because the movies are so desexualized....
I go to author talks the way that music fans go to gigs. Since my early teens, I’ve sat in audiences and listened open-mouthed to authors whose work I’ve loved – Philip Pullman, Jasper Fforde, Malorie Blackman, M.G. Leonard, Philippa Pearce, and, of course, Terry Pratchett. Last week, I got the chance to review a conversation between one of my childhood faves, Garth Nix, and a much more recent addition to my ‘top fantasy authors’ list, R....
I first started reading Nimona back in late 2013, when it was about half finished and beginning to gather a noticeably large and adoring fandom online. At the same time, in my other life as a grad student with no time for reading silly things on the internet, I was learning about the children’s literature publishing industry. Manuscripts, agents, editors, imprints, print runs, age groups, rewrites, distribution, marketing. The pseudo-myth of royalties....
The magic of Encanto flows like the river in the film: strong, ever-present, and able to be re-routed. Like many Disney films, Encanto can be categorized as a fantasy musical, but Encanto fits comfortably under the Magical Realism umbrella. What is Magical Realism? The term is oft confused with urban fantasy, fabulism, and even fantasy lite. That’s not exactly correct. First described as a painting style in 20th century Germany, Magical Realism came to mean having magical/supernatural elements presented in an otherwise mundane setting....
What does a library board member member or trustee do? I asked Cathy Johnson, board member of my hometown library Big Rapids Community Library, what she believes is the role of the library board, and she said: “A library board member is, at the core of the job, an advocate for the library and its mission.” What that encompasses can be anything and everything from creating policies for the library, deciding on capital improvements, determining budget, responding to community input (and challenges), hiring the library director who then oversees staff and implementation of library policies, and ensuring that the library’s mission is being accomplished....
If you haven’t tried Annotated before, a great place to start is The World’s Most Glamorous Librarian. It tells the story of Belle de Costa Greene, who became one of the most influential librarians in America, and lived her entire adult life with a secret that could have ruined her career. You can find Annotated on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever else you like to get your podcasts. Now, on to the giveaway details....
The best known and most accredited form of the “write the book you want to read” saying comes from Toni Morrison. In 1981, she spoke at the annual meeting of the Ohio Arts Council, where she was reported as stating, “Writing to me is an advanced and slow form of reading. If you find a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it....
The characters in these YA books about family may be very different from one another, but they all deal with the trials and worries that come with complicated families. How they let their families make or break them, well, you’ll just have to read to find out. Maybe you can relate to these YA books about family, but regardless, I hope these poetic and deep-rooted young adult stories can take you on an atmospheric journey to your own self discovery....
Created by Book Riot, this smartly designed reading log consists of entry pages to record stats, impressions, and reviews of each book you read, and is a GREAT GIFT for readers this holiday season. Evenly interspersed among these entry pages are 12 challenges inspired by Book Riot’s annual Read Harder initiative, which began in 2015 to encourage readers to pick up passed-over books, try out new genres, and choose titles from a wider range of voices and perspectives....
I love books with queer protagonists! It feels so affirming to see the hero of the story be one of my own people. Often, especially in YA, they are experiencing the same struggles that I went through, or am still going through. That’s when it becomes really nice to have an adult who has “been there, done that” and is ready to help. Queer parents just understand the queer experience that much more, so getting to see them pop in books and be thriving is a wonderful experience....
“Feelings don’t try to kill you, even the painful ones. Anxiety is a feeling grown too large. A feeling grown aggressive and dangerous. You’re responsible for its consequences, you’re responsible for treating it. But…you’re not responsible for causing it. You’re not morally at fault for it. No more than you would be for a tumor.” —Patrick Ness, The Rest of Us Just Live Here “I’ve wasted a lot of time in my life....
at Bustle: 21 LGBTQ+ Authors Recommend Books For Pride Month at Buzzfeed: 28 New LGBTQ+ Young Adult Novels That’ll Add Sunshine To Your Summer at CBR: 10 Amazing Queer Manga From The Past Decade at CrimeReads: The Best Books of the Year (So Far): Crime Fiction in 2021 at Cultured Vultures: 12 Best Psychological Thriller Books at HuffPost: Great Books By Queer Authors From The Last 5 Years at Men’s Health: The 25 Best LGBTQ+ Books to Read This Pride Month at NPR: 5 Books To Read On Social Justice That Go Beyond The Instructive at Riveted: Dynamic Duos in YA Books That Will Capture Your Heart at Tor....
Bowie’s Books by John O’Connell (Bloomsbury) This is one of my most eagerly anticipated books of 2019. In Bowie’s Books, John O’Connell explores the list that Bowie made of the 100 books that transformed his life. Featuring wonderful illustrations and rare insights into the private life of the legend, this book will make for a valuable addition to every reader’s bookshelf. The Topeka School by Ben Lerner (Granta) Another unmissable book of 2019, one of America’s most acclaimed writer is back with a remarkable novel for our times....
Life in Bearmouth is one of hard labor and isolation, where daylight is a distant memory. Newt has lived there since the age of four, and accepts everything from the harsh working conditions to the brutality of the mine’s governors—until the mysterious Devlin arrives and Newt begins to ask, “Why?” Against a background of creeping violence and rising tensions, this question drives a chain of events that confronts both Newt’s identity and the pitiless Bearmouth system....
The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning Princess Amarande of Ardenia is not the type of princess to be told what to do. When her father dies and her kingdom is in jeopardy, she’s ordered to marry a stranger—and then her love, a stable boy, is kidnapped. Amarande must rely on all of her wits to rescue him and keep her kingdom from going to war. I love The Princess Bride vibes coming off of this new fantasy novel!...
Massive as that sum already is, here are ten book deals which dwarf that. I’ve ranked the ten biggest payouts I could find, in descending order, and found only one author of colour who succeeded in meeting the parameters of receiving an advance of $7 million (the lowest figure in the top ten) or more. My main source was this article from the Guardian, as well as an appendix in Nathan Joyce’s recently published compendium of Michelle Obama facts....
