An inventive adventure full of wordplay, riddles, and strangely wonderful characters, this book is an utter delight! For readers of all ages who love The Phantom Tollbooth, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, and Alice in Wonderland.
Marika
In 2019's most ambitious novel Ellmann puts us in the mind of one of literature's most neglected characters; an average woman and mother doing her best in a world that respects neither women nor mothers. Rambunctiously political, tenderly personal, and profoundly humanist, Ellmann's simple respect for her protagonist's thoughts, feelings, faults, & successes is revolutionary. And on top of everything else in this towering achievement of a novel, you'll find yourself desperately rooting for a mountain lion.
Josh
Nightmares are bad, but Tiger doesn’t have to worry about that. The Monster under her bed is her best friend and scares them all away. Until one comes that’s so big and scary that even Monster is frightened. Only friendship and teamwork can save the day now!
Shana
Despite his small stature, Truman is a daring adventurer! This picture book is adorable (and also a great back-to-school title).
Rebecca
Rabbit is searching for Lettuce, but finds some weird story-portals along the way in this rainbow-colored gem. Dog Man readers are going to devour this! If I brought this book into my after-school comics class there'd be an epic battle over who got to read it first!
Marika
A strange, funny, and surprisingly touching novel about a family of Floridian taxidermists whose sense of duty and expression of love cuts them open as their knives do the skins of the animals they mount. I couldn’t put it down (and I have a phobia of taxidermy).
Marika
Kind of like Romeo and Juliet except instead of two teens in fair Verona we have two agents from opposing futures fighting across time and space and also it's gay.
Shana
This book will fill the gaping hole in your chest left by Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series. One of the best science fiction debuts of 2019. Fantastic!
Rebecca
Roger lives for words. His sister Dodger lives for numbers. They were created to take control of the world, but first they have to figure out how to do it without losing themselves in the process. Good thing they can rewind and try again however many times they want. I read this book twice since it was published and I know I'll read it again soon. It's like Undertale crossed with Escape from Witch Mountain. It's not like anything else you've ever read.
Shana
Easy to summarize, but impossible to explain Oraefi is a strange amalgamation of explorer’s tale, travelogue, historical fiction, collection of dramatic monologues, and celebration of place names. Ostensibly the story of a scholar who nearly dies while exploring a wasteland in Iceland, the story meanders through multiple layers and narrators like a stream flowing from the glacier to the forest to the sea. It’s a wild ride, unlike anything you’ve read.
Josh
