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“Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild’s classic tale of three adopted girls hoping for – or dreading – a life on the stage, is to be reimagined for the modern era by writer and actor Carrie Hope Fletcher. Endorsed by Streatfeild’s estate, Fletcher’s novel will, like Ballet Shoes, follow three adopted children. But while Ballet Shoes’ Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil are brought together when they are adopted by the eccentric elderly palaeontologist they know as Great Uncle Matthew, Fletcher’s children are found by the eccentric pebble collector Great Aunt Maude....

That said, YA books about sports are some of my favorites. I love the intensity of gameplay and competition which pairs with the other aspects of being a teenager to heighten a plot. And YA sports books are fun, no matter what the major sport at the center of the characters’ lives is—I’ve learned so much about things like football and running that I never knew before (and in books like Ariel Kaplan’s We Are The Perfect Girl, which I’d call a sports-adjacent book since it’s a small, rather than significant, part of the story, lesser-known sports like rowing offer a window into something those who don’t have a vested interest in likely don’t know much about at all)....

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds (April 4, 2019 by Macmillan Children’s Books) This is a love story with a twist. Because the love of Jack Ellison’s life dies…then he gets the chance to go back and start all over again. It might seem ridiculous, but if time travel means the chance to save Kate, Jack’s willing to give it a try. The hardcover (which features a yellow and teal design) was released in March, but this gorgeous yellow paperback edition comes out in April....

In a riveting true crime investigation, journalist Jan Stocklassa follows the trail of intrigue, espionage, and conspiracy begun by Stieg Larsson, one of the world’s most famous thriller writers. For years before he died, Larsson had been amassing evidence on the 1986 unsolved assassination of Olof Palme, the Swedish prime minister. Larsson’s archive was forgotten until Stocklassa was given exclusive access to the author’s secret project. Was Sweden’s most notorious unsolved crime cracked by the author of the Millennium novels?...

In 2015 she was named the Poetry Foundation’s Young People’s Poet Laureate; she is also the 2018–2019 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. In her interview with the Poetry Foundation she tells us that, “I think many people believe and want others to believe that poetry is for the precious, entitled, educated few. And that’s just not true. Our children’s first words are poems—poems we and our listeners are delighted to hear and eager to understand....

Wow am I glad I was wrong about that last bit. Back in January this tweet popped up in my feed: — ✍️ (@miccaeli) January 20, 2020 And look, anyone who has been around my reading life for even a short time, be it here or via social media, knows that I am absolute 110% trash for fictional beautiful, melodramatic, evil assholes with severe abandonment issues. I don’t apologize for that; it fills my life with dramatic delight....

So, as a heads up, if you have not read Circe by Madeline Miller, I highly recommend it! Forewarning, I’ve got Circe spoilers ahead, so tread with caution if you’re planning to read the book. When I first started reading Circe, I didn’t realize it included a motherhood story. I knew the premise, that a Greek goddess gets banished to live on an island that Odysseus later shows up on....

Blind dates with a book have been taking off, whether through Valentine-themed book displays or online shops, and it’s no wonder when you think about why. Combining the thrill of a new book with the excitement and surprise of having a book chosen for you, these books make a perfect treat for any book lover. What’s more, they can be found in a variety of types, from books themed around a holiday or genre, to entire boxes that include not just the blind date book, but also candles, bookmarks, or other treats....

Nothing could tear Detective Michael Bennett away from his new bride—except the murder of his best friend. NYPD master homicide investigator Michael Bennett and FBI abduction specialist Emily Parker have a history. When she fails to show at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, Bennett ventures outside his jurisdiction. The investigation he undertakes is the most brilliant detective work of his career…and the most intensely personal. A portrait begins to emerge of a woman as adept at keeping secrets as forging powerful connections....

“There is not a moment in this book when you are allowed to forget the complexities of a black man’s life in America. There is the quiet, ironic pleasure of life on a cul-de-sac juxtaposed with the tensions of always wondering when a police officer’s gun or fists might get in the way of the black body. The stylistic range of these poems, the wit, and the intelligence of them offers so much to be admired....

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan This book, though written in 1963, remains quintessential feminist reading. Is it a bit dated? Yes. But not as much as you’d think. Frankly, reading this, I was shocked at how much of what Friedan was talking about is still very relevant to the modern world. She breaks down the rather sudden and confusing left turn the women’s movement took post-WWII. In previous decades we were seeing a lot of positive movement, gaining the right to vote, women joining the workforce in droves, and then the 1950s hit and everything shifted....

When Keira wakes in a strange forest, she can remember only two things: she can see ghosts, and strange, mask-wearing men are hunting her. She seeks shelter at a church, and the kind pastor offers to let her stay in the groundskeeper’s cottage for a few days. But the cottage is situated behind the graveyard, and its spirits are only too eager to make themselves known. Keira’s shocked to discover her lost memories may be woven through the town’s bizarre hauntings, and soon, she’s thrown full-tilt into a race to unravel the decades-old mystery…before it’s too late....

The safest way to do that? Through an escapist read that can transport you to new and exciting worlds—or at least better versions of our own. On that note, here are ten fantasy and sci-fi adventures that revel in their many shades of queerness. Young Adult The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune (July 14) When was the last time we had a summer without a line-up of superhero blockbusters? Klune’s upcoming novel aims to fill that gap....

While compiling this list, I pondered why certain books move us. Countless details imbue our reading experience: mood, weather, place, season, hunger, the moon. Perhaps a poem hushed chatter, easing your mind and heart, on a packed plane. Or a collection kept your bedside lamp blazing, kept you awake past midnight. While in the life of a poem, maybe the clouds parted and the sun warmed your face, and whenever you happen upon that piece, you feel heat in your cheekbones....

Note: You’re not going to find any prepper books here, suggesting that you stockpile weapons and ammo or create a bug out bag. That’s not applicable in most survival situations beyond being a secret agent on the run. Disaster isn’t going to hit suddenly enough in one cataclysmic event that you’ll survive long enough to grab a bag and go, and in these events it’s important to band together and create a community that supports each other rather than fighting everyone constantly....

For starters, there’s the endearing characters, along with truly memorable character arcs. In the K-dramas I’ve watched, the characters are so well developed, nuanced, and multi-faceted. We really get to know them and connect with them. The friends and neighbors are hilarious and charismatic, the protagonists relatable, and love interests dreamy. Characters that may seem awful initially can show incredible growth by the end of the season. After watching Mr....

So how can you, a humble reader, help support the webcomics you love? Whether you’ve got cash to spend, or are as penniless as your creator idols, here’s ten great ways you can help support webcomic creators and enable them to keep doing their wonderful work. This isn’t an option for all webcomics, especially new ones getting off the ground that aren’t yet long enough to get bound and printed, or which don’t have the resources to do so....

Muslim Girls Rise by Saira Mir, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel I did not know a nonfiction children’s book could be so exciting! It was heartwarming to see my niece read about Muslim women making positive change now. With contemporary Muslim sheroes like former Master Chef contestant Amanda Saab and Ms. Marvel co-creators Sana Amanat and G. Willow Wilson, Muslim kids can feel empowered and represented to follow their dreams and make a difference....

First things first: what is isekai? “Sekai” is Japanese for “world”, with the prefix “i-” meaning “other” or “different.” So, logically, the isekai genre revolves around stories involving the protagonist being transported to another world in one way or another (including by reincarnation or summoning). You can think of it as something like the Japanese equivalent of portal fantasy. The concept of isekai has been long-standing in Japanese culture, appearing as far back as in traditional folk tales such as Urashima Tarō, the story of a fisherman transported to a palace under the sea on a turtle’s back....

“Any woman who chooses to behave like a full human being should be warned that the armies of the status quo will treat her as something of a dirty joke. She will need her sisterhood.” “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” —Audre Lorde “If any female feels she need anything beyond herself to legitimate and validate her existence, she is already giving away her power to be self-defining, her agency....