This story about an okapi-talist whose pursuit of profit ravages a community--and the noodle-loving animals who come together to stop him--feels appropriate for October 2020. Packed with puns, delicious food, cute creatures, and heart. Kids and adults alike should give it a read.
With a deft hand, Strelow weaves together three compelling stories, spanning a century and set in the grandeur of the Pacific coast. Her prose is gorgeous, especially the way she lovingly renders the natural environment (including the titular birds). This is a book about both finding ourselves as individuals and the ways in which we are connected to the larger world around us. I adored it.
Kate
Linda Hogan, the current Chickasaw Nation Writer in Residence, is (in addition to being an incredible writer) an environmentalist, historian, and activist. These facets all shine through her newest poetry collection. A History of Kindness examines the violence that has been done to the American landscape and its peoples, and responds to it with beauty, compassion, and hope. If you enjoy Mary Oliver or Braiding Sweetgrass, or if you just need a book to feed your spirit and anchor you to the natural world right now, pick this one up.
Kate
For her entire life, Manuela has had to make herself invisible--as an undocumented immigrant in Miami, an escapee from her father's crime family back in Argentina, and someone whose strange yellow eyes make it impossible to fit in. But when her life is torn apart, she finds refuge in a world that, like herself, was always lying hidden in the shadows of our own: a world of brujas, werewolves, lush magic and lurking danger. Garber, who is from Buenos Aires, weaves a compelling adventure from Argentinian folklore while addressing real-world issues. Can't wait for the sequel!
Kate
Felix Ever After is a joy. Read it and dream of spending these hot summer days in Brooklyn with its lovable cast of young queer artists. This is a heartfelt exploration of love and identity, with enough drama to keep you compulsively reading. What can I say? This book just made me happy!
Kate
Stephen Graham Jones draws on Blackfeet culture (and the myriad ways in which indigenous culture exists in the modern United States) to create a masterful horror novel about guilt, grief, and revenge. These characters are haunted, both figuratively and literally, by both tradition and the ways they've broken from it. And the prose is just gorgeous (and gory--this is the most beautiful book I've ever read that also made me cringe, set it aside, and sleep with the lights on. I'm wary around motorcycles now!).
Kate
I've been searching for a book with the same vibe as A Knight's Tale forever, and fellow readers, this one delivers. This fun modern take features a diverse cast and a gutsy protagonist who's ready to smash the patriarchy with a stick. ("It's called a lance... hello!")
Kate
Feel like the end of the world? Fear not: with this handy (and hilarious) guide, you can completely rebuild civilization from scratch--and even take some shortcuts and avoid some of the missteps of our forebears. This book somehow manages to be a fascinating primer on science history and a witty page-turner. Essential reading for the post-apocalypse.
Kate
I turn to this book whenever I need to be comforted or inspired, to laugh or cry, to feel understood and be reminded that we are not alone. Every time I pick it up, I find something new in it, and it's always what I need most to hear at the time. In fact, I've already staff picked it! But I'd like for you all to have the chance to have a copy with you right now. Plus.... if you want..... it can double as a quarantine coloring book.
Kate
With its tender, lyrical text, gorgeous illustrations, and fun die-cut windows on each page, this book is the perfect reminder that the earth keeps turning and spring will come again. Send it as an Earth Day present to someone you love, or pick it up for yourself and let it transport you to prairies, mountains, forests, and oceans.
Kate
