Ann Patchett's Blog, page 13

The Shop Dog Diaries: Happy Howloween!

Let it be known: Halloween is not a holiday shop dogs enjoy spending at home. The doorbell rings incessantly, and you know how we feel about the doorbell. People not much bigger than we are arrive with rubber heads and sparkly wings but we are repeatedly admonished not to bark at them. Clearly WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. Then these little ghouls demand treats. “Tricks and treats, tricks and treats,” they scream, and our people rush to fill their sacks with treats, even though tricks are not in evidence. Guess what? We know plenty of tricks: sit, shake, roll over. We’d be happy to show you, but in return we’d like a treat because that is the sacred covenant between us. No? You’re too busy handing out treats to total strangers to notice the efforts of your best friend?

Captain Sparky of Parrrrrrrrnassus

This is why the shop dogs of Parnassus prefer to stay in the shop when things get spooky. Peter gives us all the biscuits we need (we need a lot) and then we can settle down with a good book to chew on.

Since he’s just a little guy, Sparky likes his Halloween fare on the sweet side. There’s a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers has transparent pages that show us how the ghost moves through the house. He’s also a fan of Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel by James Howe and Andrew Donkin, because seriously, how scary can a rabbit be? This rabbit theory holds strong with Creepy Crayon by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown, about a rabbit who gets hold of a sinister crayon. It’s creepy but not too creepy because it’s about a rabbit and a crayon.

Barna-Bumblebee

Barnabus and Roxy can often be found wrestling in the back office. They disagree on who should be petted first and who should get to use the fluffy blue dog bed, but when it comes to scary young adult novels, they are in complete agreement. Sara Farizan’s Dead Flip is all about friends who used to be friends who have friends who’ve gone missing. No bunnies in this one. Equally scary are Erica Waters’ The River Has Teeth (more girls missing), Victoria Lee’s A Lesson in Vengeance (the haunting of a girls’ school), and Patrice Caldwell’s Eternally Yours (vampires, merpeople, angels, demons). It’s enough to keep a couple small dogs up at night.

Of course, resident grown-up dog Opie has his own Halloween favorites. He follows in the footsteps of his shop person Andy and prefers nonfiction. It hard to imagine a better seasonal read than Stacy Schiff’s book The Witches (the ones in Salem. Things don’t turn out well.) He also gives a dew-claw up for Colin Dickey’s The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained (way to go, subtitle!), and Hayley Campbell’s All the Living and the Dead: From Embalmers to Executioners, an Exploration of the People Who Have Made Death Their Life’s Work (ditto).

Barnabus isn’t sure about Opie’s costume. It reminds him too much of Sparky’s spooky bunny stories.

Opie has also been known to pick up a novel every now and then, thank you very much. He’s a dog of many tastes, and he prides himself on being game for some pretty spooky stuff. Still, Grady Hendrix’s The Final Girl Support Group shook him up (there was a massacre. He doesn’t want to talk about it). Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Daughter of Doctor Moreau (a new twist on The Mysterious Island of Doctor Moreau, which was scary enough to begin with) and Simone St. James’s The Book of Cold Cases (a true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for. Don’t they always?) both had the fur on the back of his neck standing up.

Winnie the Pooh!

If you’d like to take a step back from the abyss, follow the reading recommendations of shop-dog-in-training, Winnie, who’s just here for a good time and some cozy autumn vibes. He’s loving Juneau Black’s Mirror Lake (the third novel in the Shady Hollow mystery series in which Vera Vixen investigates the alleged murder of a rat. That’s more our speed), Hazel Beck’s Small Town, Big Magic (a witchy rom-com. Now you’re talking!), and Bianca Marais’s, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor (“Why were we taught to fear witches, and not the men who burned them?” is what it says on the cover. GOOD QUESTION!)

All this scary talk has stirred us up. We, the shop dogs of Parnassus, have decided the safest thing to do is cram ourselves under Sissy’s desk in the back room. All of us at the same time. We’ll check in at Thanksgiving. Now that’s our kind of holiday.

Traditions and Tributes: An Interview with Ana Aranda

We love picture books at Parnassus, and with Day of the Dead approaching, we can’t think of a better person to talk to than Ana Aranda, author and illustrator of Our Day of the Dead Celebration! Our Director of Books and Events for Young Readers, Rae Ann Parker, chatted with Ana about her new book and her creative process. Orders for Our Day of the Dead Celebration will come with a signed bookplate while supplies last. Want to share this beautiful book with someone who celebrates Day of the Dead but doesn’t live in the US? No problem! We ship internationally.

Ana Aranda | Photo by Rachel Styer

Rae Ann Parker: Congratulations on your beautiful upcoming picture book, Our Day of the Dead Celebration. This book is a tribute to your childhood celebrations in Mexico. What is the biggest inspiration for the book and how did the story develop?

Ana Aranda: Thank you so much for having me here! I’ve always been fascinated by the Day of the Dead celebration and how, as Mexicans, we view death. I wanted to create a book to celebrate this day, those who left before us, and my family. It started as a simple story on how a family celebrates the day and the different elements in it, based on traditions and stories from my family. With every draft, more layers started coming out. I am very blessed to have worked with my editor, Nancy Paulsen, who helped so much in finding the heart of the story.

I wanted the book to have some of the Day of the Dead elements such as marigold flowers, sugar skulls, papel picado, pan de muerto, calaveritas poems, cooking the departed’s favorite dishes, and altars — but at the same time to have another layer of why it is that we do all of this. Why we remember and why it is important to remember.

RAP: This book is about holiday traditions and family connections. What do you hope readers experience when sharing this book with someone special?

AA: I hope that readers can also relate and think about things that make their experience unique and special. I also want to share a little bit of my love for Mexico, hoping that especially Mexican children and families can enjoy and see themselves in the book.

RAP: You have illustrated picture books and created murals. How do you approach each project differently? Or do you? How did you create the artwork for this book?

AA: Every project has its own way of working, and for every work I like to create little games for it. I think that looking for that play element is very important for me, and in this book, it was present in many stages. It all started way before I knew that this book would exist, since 2008 when I started creating many images for the Day of the Dead.

When the book was sold and I was doing research, it involved a trip to Pátzcuaro in Michoacán, Mexico, where I was very interested in their Day of the Dead traditions. It also involved going to many museums in Mexico, talking with family members about departed loved ones, requesting pictures of departed loved ones in my family and friends that are family. While creating the art, I tried using all of that to honor the departed and to honor this very special day. Some of the pictures that I took in Pátzcuaro helped to create the setting in the book, and some pictures from home and from departed loved ones and what they loved also appeared in the book. For example, my grandfather’s accordion, my grandmother’s cookies, old pictures and frames, decorations and more details are part of the book.

One of the buried paintings

While researching the technique for the book I was looking for a way to visually convey the passage of time. I started doing paintings and experiments based on old pictures from my family in different papers. I buried the paintings in my friend’s garden, and I would go check on them every week and water them. Some of the textures were amazing although many paintings didn’t make it after a couple weeks. Ultimately, I didn’t end up using this technique or textures for the book, but I very much enjoyed the idea and process of watering paintings and allowing nature to take over. Color also played an important part in the process and I decided to use concentrated inks, watercolor, gouache and pink Himalayan salt to get saturated colors and different textures.

RAP: You illustrated Moth and Butterfly: Ta Da! and The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra written by other authors. How was the creation of this book a different experience since you were both author and illustrator?

It was a lot more complicated than I thought but very cathartic! I wasn’t sure if I was someone who wrote with pictures or needed to write in text and then make pictures for the story to unfold. In the end it was a little bit of both and I really enjoyed the process and the many turns that the story took until becoming whole and ready.

RAP: And finally, we ask everyone, what’s your favorite thing about indie bookstores?

AA: They feel like home!

Our Day of the Dead Celebration is on our shelves now. Signed bookplates are available while supplies last!

Notes from Ann: An Interview with Jeff Kinney (plus a new Wimpy Kid excerpt!)

Ann Patchett and Jeff Kinney may write pretty different books, but they have more in common than you might think. The Wimpy Kid series author also owns an indie bookstore! (Shoutout to our pals at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA!) These two friends got together to chat about Jeff’s forthcoming book, sibling dynamics, and rock & roll. Enjoy the interview, check out the excerpt from the upcoming Diper Överlöde, and then make plans to join us for our event with Jeff Kinney (plus a special appearance by the legendary Wimpy Kid rock band, Löded Diper!) on October 28 at 6:00pm! Grab your tickets before they sell out!

Jeff Kinney | Photo by Filip Wolak

Ann Patchett: The great thing about you, and I say this as someone who knows you a little bit, is that you love your job. This is the seventeenth book in the Wimpy Kid series and you’re bringing as much enthusiasm and heart to Greg as you did in your first book. How do you keep things fresh?

Jeff Kinney: Thank you, Ann! I really can’t believe I’m releasing my seventeenth book. I think what keeps the series exciting for me is that I’m writing about childhood, and childhood is a big universe. In each book, I cover one aspect of the growing-up experience. I keep hoping I don’t run out of material to write about!

AP: You’re great at reinventing book tour and making what can be a grueling experience look like fun. Will you be tapping into your own rock and roll dreams this time?

JK: I really will! We have a full rock and roll stage setup. We’re bringing a live band of teens who will transform themselves into the members of Löded Diper. I might even sing a song myself.

AP: Are your two sons good models for the brother dynamic?

JK: At times, yes. I can see the seeds of the relationship they’ll have as adults. But they do butt heads with alarming regularity!

AP: I think about how many times Charles Schultz drew Snoopy over the years, and how Snoopy got so much more interesting because of it. Do you feel that way about Greg, that you have a deeper understanding of him?

JK: Quite frankly, I’m a little confused by Greg. He’s a person who’s not fully formed. But at his core, he’s a funhouse mirror version of myself. So when people have a negative reaction to him, I think, am I a bad person? My understanding of Greg, and myself, is a work in progress.

AP: An Unlikely Story is one of my all-time favorite bookstores. It’s a community center and a tourist destination, but it’s also a great place to meet authors and buy books. What do you love about independent bookstores and how has owning one changed your life?

JK: Thank you so much! You’ve been a wonderful champion of my bookstore. And of course I love Parnassus! I love learning from the authors who come to my bookstore. Last night we had an author whose book was about “undefining” masculinity. I learned a lot by reading his book and interviewing him, and I never would’ve encountered his book had we not built a bookstore. And I’ve learned from so many fascinating authors, including yourself!

AP: What are you reading and what are you recommending these days?

JK: I loved Kwame Alexander’s The Door of No Return. I got a lot out of Justin Baldoni’s Boys Will Be Human. And I’m digging in to Maggie Haberman’s Confidence Man now.

Enjoy this excerpt from Diper Överlöde, courtesy of Jeff Kinney and Amulet Books. The book will be released on October 25. We hope you’ll join us for our event with Jeff Kinney on October 28 at 6:00pm at the Blair School of Music!

***

Published in 2022 by Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS. Wimpy Kid text and illustrations copyright © 2022 Wimpy Kid, Inc. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID®, WIMPY KID, and the Greg Heffley design and the design of the book’s cover are trademarks and trade dress of Wimpy Kid, Inc. All rights reserved.

Meet Malinda Lo, author of A Scatter of Light, at the Southern Festival of Books

Malinda Lo is nothing short of a trailblazer. Since 2009, she has been writing unapologetically queer stories and forging a path for other queer authors, particularly queer authors of color, in traditional publishing. The magnitude of her contributions to the young adult queer literary canon cannot be overstated — her 2021 novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club was the first LGBTQ+ YA winner of the National Book Award, as well as the first F/F winner of that honor. In addition to her novels, she has done meticulous research about LGBTQ+ representation in YA books, and her statistics have been widely circulated and cited as part of the effort to raise awareness about the lack of representation of queer folks in YA literature.

Lo’s new novel, A Scatter of Light, is a companion novel to Last Night at the Telegraph Club but leaves 1950s San Francisco for the more modern setting of the summer of 2013, when the Supreme Court first made major decisions in support of same-sex marriage. Adults and teens alike won’t want to miss this gorgeous coming-of-age story or the chance to hear about it from the author herself at the Southern Festival of Books on October 15 at 12:30pm. Musing editor Sarah Arnold chatted with Malinda ahead of her Southern Fest event!

Malinda Lo | Photo by Sharona Jacobs

Sarah Arnold: Last Night at the Telegraph Club was an immediate staff favorite, and we certainly weren’t  alone in our love for it! It won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, a Stonewall Book Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature, and a Printz Honor (!!!). A Scatter of Light is another queer story set in the Bay Area, but this time it takes place in the modern era. What inspired you to move from a historical novel to one set much closer to present day?

Malinda Lo: I actually started writing A Scatter of Light in 2013, so that’s why it’s set in that year. It came to me before Last Night at the Telegraph Club, and it was supposed to be a contemporary novel. But when it went on submission in 2014, it was rejected by almost two dozen editors, and I couldn’t get it published. 2013 was a different time for LGBTQ YA, and while some editors complimented my writing, they were also very uncomfortable with the queer sexuality on the page. Although I wasn’t able to sell A Scatter of Light in 2014, I did find an editor who wanted to work with me (Andrew Karre at Dutton), and I wrote a psychological thriller called A Line in the Dark. Then I had the idea for Last Night at the Telegraph Club, and when Andrew offered to buy that novel, he also offered to buy A Scatter of Light. At the time, I thought that Scatter was finished, but I couldn’t turn down the chance to work on it again. We agreed that Telegraph Club should come first, because at the time it was early 2017, and it seemed as though the 1950s actually had quite a bit of relevance to what was going on. However, it took me three years to write Telegraph Club! And while I was writing it, I realized that it was connected to A Scatter of Light. When I finally went back to revise Scatter in 2020, I was able to weave in those threads. We also decided to leave it set in 2013 so that I would not have to deal with the pandemic. So this book has had quite a convoluted journey!

SA: Your books have such a strong sense of place. I can almost feel the chill of the fog rolling over the San Francisco Bay when I read your prose. What is the significance of the Bay Area for you? Are there other places that hold a special place in your heart that you’d like to write about?

ML: I lived in the Bay Area for 15 years – 15 incredibly formative years of my life. I found a wonderfully welcoming lesbian community, made close friends, and I met my wife there. So obviously the place means a lot to me. I live in New England now, which also is quite meaningful to me because I went to college here, where I made the most enduring friendships of my life. A Scatter of Light is dedicated to eight of my closest friends from college. I’ve written about New England in A Line in the Dark, and the main character of Scatter is from Massachusetts. I always want to give my books a strong sense of place, so if I don’t have a personal connection to a place I try to visit there and learn about it. I imagine that’s what I’ll be doing in the future, because I know that I want to write about some places that I’ve never lived in.

SA: Aria’s queer coming-of-age journey in A Scatter of Light is one that I think a lot of young, queer people will find relatable and cathartic, in both the moments of thrilling discovery and of quiet conformity. So first, I want to thank you for your work in bringing this beautiful and authentic representation to a broad audience. And then I’d love to know more about your creative process when developing characters like Aria. How much of your personal experience lives in your characters?

ML: I’m certainly in every single character I write in all my books, but none of the characters is me. I tend to draw on emotional experiences I’ve had to inform what I’m writing, but very rarely in a one-to-one correlation. For example, Aria’s relationship with her paternal grandmother is inspired by the one I had with my paternal grandmother, but our actual relationships are quite different. The way I felt about my grandmother, though, is reflected in the way Aria feels about Joan. Similarly, the queer community that Aria meets in Scatter is definitely informed by the friends I made in San Francisco, but that means that characters like Mel are kind of amalgamations of people I knew. There is one direct correlation in Scatter, though. Analemma, Joan’s black lab, is one hundred percent my dog Spygirl, who died in 2018. I missed her so much I had to write her into the book!

SA: We always like to finish up with this question: What is your favorite thing about indie bookstores?

ML: Ever since I was first published in 2009 with my novel Ash, indie bookstores were often the only places where I could find my books consistently. As an author, it can be really sad and hard to go into a big bookstore and not see any of your books anywhere; it often makes the book shopping experience kind of horrible. But I always knew that my books were much more likely to be carried at independent bookstores. My books haven’t always been seen as popular or mainstream, so I’ll always value indie bookstores for seeing my work before it became more widely known. You all supported me for so long! I just want to say thank you for that. It really made me feel like a real author.

Malinda Lo will appear at the Southern Festival of Books on October 15 at 12:30pm, and a signing line will follow at 1:30pm (you can view the full schedule here). We’ll see you on the Plaza!

Beginnings and Endings: 25 New Reads for the Young & Young at Heart

Oh, autumn. How we’ve missed you! The leaves are changing, that first chill is in the air, and we can’t imagine anything better than getting cozy with a good book. Snuggle up with a new favorite read-aloud or snag a spooky book to read under the covers with a flashlight this month!

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Ann Farmhouse

By Sophie Blackall

Farmhouse is the story of a house where twelve children were born and grew up and moved away. Using bits and pieces from the actual property, Sophie Blackall creates the most extraordinary imagined memory of what life in the farmhouse must have been like. That memory is now my new favorite picture book.

Also loved by Chelsea, Sarah, Cheryl, & Patsy!

Recommended by Rae Ann Beatrice Likes the Dark

By April Genevieve Tucholke, Khoa Le (Illustrator)

Beatrice likes the dark, but her sister Roo loves the light. Their distinct personalities shine in this beautifully illustrated book about love overshadowing differences.

Recommended by Chelsea Beginning

By Shelley Moore Thomas, Melissa Castrillon (Illustrator)

Beautifully illustrated by one of my favorite illustrators, Beginning traces a father and child pair as they explore how the ending of one experience is the beginning of another. This is perfect for readers who may be embarking on new adventures.

Recommended by Madeline Nine Color Deer

By Kailin Duan, Jeremy Tiang (Translated by)

This is a special treat of a book, translated from Chinese and the carved murals created 1,500 years ago in the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, China. A traditional tale reimagined by Kailin Duan about great kindness even when wronged.

Recommended by Rae Ann Night Lunch

By Eric Fan, Dena Seiferling (Illustrator)

When the midnight lunch truck arrives, a mysterious cook whips up meals for busy owls while a hungry mouse looks on in this dreamlike picture book.

Also loved by Sarah!

Recommended by Cheryl Maya’s Song

By Renée Watson, Bryan Collier (Illustrator)

Bryan Collier’s expressive art is easily recognizable in this story of Maya Angelou. The telling is lyrical and will be enjoyed by all ages.

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Rae Ann MapMaker

By Lisa Moore Ramée

Walt has the magical ability to make maps come to life. When he gets stuck in a world he designed, he will need all of his new powers to battle an evil mapmaker, with the help of a flying dragon. A fun, magical adventure.

Recommended by Chelsea The Vanquishers

By Kalynn Bayron

Boog loves to hear the stories of the Vanquishers, a group of vampire hunters who wiped out the last coven in San Antonio years ago. When the new kid Aaron goes missing, Boog and her crew realize that vampires may not be a relic of the past. An adventure story with just enough eerie details, Bayron’s middle grade debut explores friendship, family, and the cost of protecting those we love. A spooky and sweet read.

Recommended by Sissy The Black Slide

By J.W. Ocker

Ocker is back for another round of middle grade spookiness. The playground is NOT safe, for now… Kids are disappearing. Griffin and his friend Laila can sense it. Can they DO anything? Will THEY disappear next?

Recommended by Madeline The Hanmoji Handbook: Your Guide to the Chinese Language Through Emoji

By Jason Li, An Xiao Mina, Jennifer 8. Lee, Jason Li (Illustrator)

Struggling to learn 汉字 (hànzì, Chinese characters)? Look no further than The Hanmoji Handbook! It compares different pictures and emojis to 汉字, making learning easy. What better guide to learning Chinese than an image-centered guide for a pictographic language!

Recommended by Ashby Play Like a Girl

By Misty Wilson, David Wilson (Illustrator)

The title reveals the story…but it doesn’t provide the details. Misty plays on the football team and faces all the things you would expect, BUT it is how she handles it that makes this story. This is the author’s story of her 7th grade experiences. It is genuine, funny, painful, but, mostly, real.

Recommended by Patsy The Door of No Return

By Kwame Alexander

You are only fine until you’re not, young Kofi Offin discovers in this novel in verse, the first in a trilogy of the Asante people in Ghana. It’s a coming of age story set in a fictional village in the 1860s, a lyrical tale that interweaves folk wisdom from Kofi’s grandfather, a tragedy during an inter-village festival, and the revenge neighboring villagers take. I predict this will become an instant classic.

Recommended by Sissy Billion Dollar Girl

By Megan Shull

The Swap by Shull is my favorite middle grade rec, and this book is SO different BUT – I could not put it down. A terrible day in a suburban middle school leads to a wild adventure on the coast in the Pacific Northwest. I did not want to leave Great Bear Island. Girl-power vibes.

YOUNG ADULTRecommended by Rae Ann Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First US Women’s Olympic Basketball Team

By Andrew Maraniss

Inaugural Ballers is a fascinating look at the first women’s basketball team to compete in the Olympics, in 1976 Montreal. Pick this up for your sports fan or anyone who enjoys an inspiring story.

Recommended by Chelsea A Scatter of Light

By Malinda Lo

The summer of 2013 is a big one for both the United States (with California legalizing gay marriage) and Aria, though it is not going according to her plan. Instead of spending it with friends, she is sent to live with her artist grandmother. The friends Aria makes that summer change her life’s trajectory. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking novel that perfectly captures the exploratory growth that is adolescence.

Also loved by Sarah!

Recommended by RJ Eternally Yours

By Patrice Caldwell

This anthology of paranormal romance short stories features work from an all-star line up of authors writing swoony, diverse stories of vampires, mermaids, angels, and more. From sugary sweet meet cutes to love stories with a horror edge, this collection has an impressive range of approaches while remaining remarkably cohesive.

Recommended by Aly Spells for Lost Things

By Jenna Evans Welch

Practical Magic meets David Levithan in this earnest and lovely romcom set in Salem. Family secrets and first love are the glue to this truly charming tale.

Recommended by Chelsea Rust in the Root

By Justina Ireland

Justina Ireland’s latest fantastical story is is set in 1937 America that is reeling from the Great Rust, an event that decimated the magical system and countryside. A young mage may be the key to restoring the balance needed to rebuild the country, but her mission is plagued by issues from the start. Ireland explores race, power, and technology in this alternate history that reminded me why I love all of her work.

Recommended by Hannah Seoulmates

By Susan Lee

I devoured this in a single sitting. If you love childhood-best-friends-turned-enemies romances, this will be your jam. Though it obviously appeals to those who are very into K-Pop and K-Dramas, as someone who knows only the barest of bare minimums about that whole world, I still enjoyed this sweet story!

Recommended by RJ Bone Weaver

By Aden Polydoros

This haunting epic fantasy is set in a world where monsters lurk on the edges of society, while political turmoil reveals the monstrous cruelty humans themselves are capable of. A girl driven to save her undead sister joins forces with a dethroned tsar and a boy accused of witchcraft. Aden Polydoros’s richly atmospheric writing brings both the setting and the emotions of this dark and heartfelt story to life.

CLASSICS & BACKLISTRecommended by Sarah The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

By Julie Andrews Edwards

Written by THE Julie Andrews in 1974, this remains one of my most beloved childhood reads. Professor Savant and the Potter children go on a magical adventure to find the long lost Whangdoodle, who was once the kindest, wisest, and most peaceful creature in the land. The Whangdoodle isn’t easy to find, especially with the “oily” Prock standing in the way. It will take curiosity, wonder, and whimsy to track him down!

Also loved by Ashby!

Recommended by Rachel The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, Book 1)

By Maggie Stiefvater

My favorite YA book of all time. A perfect blend of psychic powers, tarot cards, magical forests, found family, young love, dark academia, Latin class, small town diners, boarding school, ghosts, murder, dream creatures, treasure hunting, and a raven named Chainsaw.

Also loved by Ashby!

Sprout Book Club: October Selection A Library

By Nikki Giovanni, Erin K. Robinson (Illustrator)

The October 2022 Sprout Book Club selection is A Library by author Nikki Giovanni and
illustrator Erin K. Robinson. This beautiful book invites us to accompany the main character to her neighborhood library where dreams abound. This book is a love letter to libraries, to storytelling, and family.

Early praise for the book:

“Vibrant, carefully composed digital illustrations, with bright colors that invite readers in… A lushly illustrated homage to librarians.” –Kirkus (starred review)

“Powerful… Playful and inspiring. Every lover of books, young or old, will see themselves in
this story.” –Booklist (starred review)

Sprout Book Club is the book subscription box for picture book lovers. Every month members will receive a first edition picture book.  Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite picture book lover for 3, 6, or 12 months. 

Spark Book Club: October Selection A Rover’s Story

By Jasmine Warga

The October 2022 Spark Book Club selection is A Rover’s Story by Newbery Honor-winning author Jasmine Warga. This is the story of Resilience, a Mar’s Rover who begins to develop human emotions while still in the lab on earth. This charming novel is narrated by both Res and the daughter of the lead NASA scientist on the mission to send him to Mars. The author’s research on NASA’s Mars Rover program makes this story soar.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“Warga follows her cybernetic narrator from first awareness to final resting place—and stony indeed will be any readers who remain unmoved by the journey. The intelligences here may be (mostly) artificial, but the feelings are genuine and deep.” –Kirkus (starred review)

“A touching, fact-filled novel [that] centers the maturation of gutsy Mars rover Resilience.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Spark Book Club is the first editions club for middle grade readers.  Every month members will receive a first edition middle grade novel — plus a letter written by the author especially for club members. Makes a great gift for the independent reader! Sign ups are available for 3, 6, or 12 months.

ParnassusNext: October Selection After Dark with Roxie Clark

By Brooke Lauren Davis

The October 2022 ParnassusNext selection is After Dark with Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis. Roxie Clark has turned her family’s curse into a lucrative ghost tour in her small Indiana town. A year after her sister’s boyfriend is murdered, Roxie is desperate to help everyone move on, ultimately teaming up with her sister to find the killer. This fast-paced mystery delivers twist after unexpected twist that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Early praise for the novel:

“Carefully building tension until the end.” –Kirkus

“This book is a wonderful change of pace for thriller lovers—a slower burn, but a rewarding
one.” –Booklist

“The narrative’s suspenseful ambiance and Roxie’s distinct, loyal-to-a-fault voice make for a
riveting meditation on generational trauma and fierce female relationships.” –Publishers Weekly

ParnassusNext is the book subscription box for YA lovers. Every member of ParnassusNext receives a first edition hardcover of each month’s selected book, signed by the author. There is no membership fee to join — and no line to stand in for the autograph. Not only will you have one of the best YA books of the month when it comes out, you’ll have it straight from the author’s hands, with an original, authentic signature! Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite YA reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.

More of Less: 33 New Reads for October

How does a book stay warm in the fall? It puts on a jacket! Get it? Because book covers are called dust jackets… Listen, fall is a busy season here at Parnassus, and we don’t have a ton of extra time to come up with better jokes. What is better is this new roundup of October reads, and we won’t let any more bad jokes keep you from these great staff picks. Now book it to the store like you have no shelf control! (Okay, so maybe one or two more bad jokes.) Happy browsing!

FICTIONRecommended by Ann The Book of Goose: A Novel

By Yiyun Li

A strange and haunting novel about two best friends who live on farms in rural France at the end of the Second World War. Fabienne dictates a novel to Agnes, but when it’s published to enormous acclaim, she makes Agnes take all the credit. Agnes is sent away to a ridiculous finishing school when all she wants is to be with Fabienne. Li is a singular and beautiful writer.

Recommended by Ann The Hero of This Book: A Novel

By Elizabeth McCracken

Oh, I love this book! A writer is thinking about her mother after her mother has died. As she walks the streets of London, she recounts her mother’s wit and obstinance and good cheer. Her mother was an almost pathologically private person but the writer longs to celebrate her in the best way she knows how: by writing. What to do? (Write the book!)

Also loved by Cheryl!

Recommended by Ann Less Is Lost (The Arthur Less Books #2)

By Andrew Sean Greer

I loved the Pulitzer prize-winning Less. Did there need to be a sequel? Did we need more of Arthur Less? The answer is a resounding YES! This book manages to be cheerful even when nothing cheerful is happening. That’s because Less Is Lost is thoughtful, buoyant, and every bit as captivating as the original.

Also loved by Lindsay, Elyse, and Patsy!

Recommended by Ann Lucy by the Sea: A Novel

By Elizabeth Strout

If you loved Elizabeth Strout’s three previous Lucy Barton novels ( I LOVED them), Lucy By the Sea is full of warmth and familiarity. Lucy and her ex-husband William go to Maine to wait out the pandemic. You’ll want to go with them.

Also loved by Cheryl!

Recommended by Lindsay Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm: A Novel

By Laura Warrell

I adored this debut from Laura Warrell! Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm follows a jazz musician and all the women who enter (and exit!) his life. In Circus Palmer, Warrell has given us an unforgettable character, but even better is the rich cast of women who give this novel its heart and soul.

Recommended by Rae Ann The Matchmaker’s Gift: A Novel

By Lynda Cohen Loigman

This charming novel weaves the stories of divorce attorney Abby and her grandmother Sara, a professional matchmaker. It shows how we are linked to our past and future through the generations. A thoughtful and delightful read.

Recommended by Cat Lark Ascending

By Silas House

For those who don’t know Silas House, remedy that right now. This near-future dystopia follows the titular Lark as he flees a Handmaid’s Tale-esque America for refuge in Ireland, only to find that the welcome he expected isn’t quite the reality. It’s harrowing, yes, but also about creating the community you need against all odds.

Recommended by Jake Our Missing Hearts: A Novel

By Celeste Ng

Set in a disturbing dystopia in which legislation is enacted in order to preserve American culture and criminalize any activity deemed “unpatriotic,” Ng’s newest novel follows a twelve year old boy named Bird who has grown up under this authoritarian rule. After receiving a mysterious letter in the mail, Bird decides to seek out the mother he hasn’t seen in years, even if it means leaving his old life behind.

Also loved by Hannah!

Recommended by Sarah How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water: A Novel

By Angie Cruz

Told in a series of 12 sessions between a career counselor and our narrator, Cara Romero, this is the equally heartwarming, heartbreaking, and laugh-out-loud funny story of Cara’s life as a Dominican immigrant in New York. Cara’s vivacity and unabashed confidence are infectious, and her growth as she faces her flaws is unexpectedly touching. I can’t recommend this book (and the audio version on Libro.fm!) highly enough.

Recommended by Jennifer Spells for Forgetting: A Novel

By Adrienne Young

In Adrienne Young’s adult fiction debut, an island enchanted with ancestral magic is the home to an eerie unsolved murder. Over a decade later, the return of the primary suspect pushes this haunted community over the edge. A book about the strength of love and the mysteries that bind us together, Spells for Forgetting immerses you in the deep and dark world of Saoirse.

Recommended by Jenness People Person

By Candice Carty-Williams

The messy, impromptu reunion of five half-siblings raised apart leads to a thoughtful yet funny tale about how family shapes us – in presence and absence. Over the years, the extended Pennington clan clash and unite, fight and forgive, and learn what it means to be connected to others.

Recommended by Cheryl The Marriage Portrait: A novel

By Maggie O’Farrell

A historical novel about Lucrezia de Medici’s marriage to Duke of Ferrara. It was an arranged political and uncomfortable marriage resulting in a mysterious death before an heir could be provided. It is almost a thriller.

Recommended by Jenness The Bullet That Missed: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery

By Richard Osman

The charming gang is back to solve the cold case of a television producer driven over a cliff, though nothing is ever as it seems. I love this smart, cheeky quartet of pensioners – the banter, the backstories, the friendships – and their ability to crack any case the officials can’t. This third offering of the Thursday Murder Club is a warm, witty, and welcome romp!

Also loved by Ashby!

Recommended by Ashby Marple: Twelve New Mysteries

By Agatha Christie, Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M. McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse, Ruth Ware

I love Jane Marple. I believe she is real. When 12 writers choose to each write a new Marple mystery, I am giddy. All 12 recreate her spectacularly, indicating they love her too! Of the twelve, my favorites are also my favorite writers: Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, and Ruth Ware. I read each slowly, like how slowly it often took those around her to realize Jane was much more than a little old lady.

Recommended by Hannah When in Rome: A Novel

By Sarah Adams

Adams’ newest is a Roman Holiday-inspired romcom featuring a grumpy small-town pie shop owner and a sunshiny pop princess looking to escape her bustling life. It’s also the first-ever pick for our brand new romance book club, Between the Covers!

Sign up for the Between the Covers newsletter to stay up to date on all the newest selections and meeting times!

Recommended by Katie Drunk on Love

By Jasmine Guillory

Jasmine introduces us to a whole new cast of characters to fall in love with. How lucky are we?! When Margot needs to blow off some steam after a stressful day running her family winery, she meets Luke, the perfect one night stand. That is until Luke shows up to work the next day as the new hire her brother made while she was traveling. Set in beautiful Napa Valley, this story is love at first sip!

Recommended by Sydney Motherthing

By Ainslie Hogarth

When Abby marries Ralph, she looks forward to his mother, Laura, moving in with them. Abby yearns for a mother figure, but doesn’t find it in Laura. Instead, even after her suicide, Laura continues to haunt and terrorize Ralph and Abby in her afterlife. While Ralph continues to spiral from his mother’s torment, Abby decides she must shut Laura up—once and for all. Motherthing paints a disturbing, domestic horror.

Also loved by Jake!

Recommended by Ashby Killers of a Certain Age

By Deanna Raybourn

I am a true Raybourn fan. This book is a new twist: assassin retirement. How do you force assassins to retire? By assassinating them of course. The all-expense paid vacay for Billie, Helen, Mary Alice and Natalie with 40 years of experience is about getting rid of them so they turn against their boss. It’s either kill or be killed. Getting old isn’t easy! Read to see if their old-fashioned methods prevail.

Recommended by RJ What Moves the Dead

By T. Kingfisher

This new twist on Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” balances creeping horror and charming characters. A short, macabre delight you can devour in one sitting.

Recommended by Cheryl The Whalebone Theatre: A novel

By Joanna Quinn

Initially this debut novel appears to be a group of unsupervised children enjoying a creative frolic developing a theatre from whale bones. This English troupe grows up using their skills in disguise during the WWII resistance. Becomes richer as the story progresses.

Recommended by Elyse The Net Beneath Us: A Novel

By Carol Dunbar

Elsa goes from a life of privilege to a life off the grid learning to cope with all the challenges. It’s a story of love, loss, grief, friendship, family and resilience. Dunbar draws from her own life experience in this beautifully written debut novel.

Recommended by Ashby Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match: A Novel

By Sally Thorne

If you can’t meet the man of your dreams, make him! Angelika and her brother Victor turn corpses into suitors. Angelika’s needlework skills and Victor’s scientific skills allow them to swap heads and bodies to reanimate two men who run around and away while Angelika tries to capture them and their hearts. Witty characters and humorous adventures that might end in a betrothal…

Recommended by Rachel The Atlas Six (Atlas Series #1)

By Olivie Blake

The world’s top six mages are chosen to join a secret society. Problem is, only five of them will remain after the initiation. In the year they spend together preparing, the six form complex and codependent relationships. You won’t be able to tell whether they love each other or love to lie. Pick it up for the plot, stay for the slow exploration of character and attention to minute details in this unique magical world.

NONFICTIONRecommended by Jordan I’m Glad My Mom Died

By Jennette McCurdy

This might be the best memoir of the year, and it should be required reading for all young millennials who grew up watching child stars on networks like Nickelodeon and thinking they were living the dream. McCurdy will open your eyes and break your heart as she does not hold back on sharing the ugly truths of childhood fame and the mountains she was forced to climb to please her abusive mother.

Also loved by Aly, Jake, Maddie, Sarah, Hannah, Chelsea!

Recommended by Ashby The Mediterranean Dish: 120 Bold and Healthy Recipes You’ll Make on Repeat: A Mediterranean Cookbook

By Suzy Karadsheh

Karadsheh shared her dad’s saying: Make it your job to put a smile on someone’s face. The bright colors and fresh tastes of her Mediterranean recipes will make you smile. The book is my favorite cookbook combination: stories, traditions, easy-to-follow recipes, and pictures that make looking at the book an enjoyable experience.

Recommended by Sissy The Family Outing: A Memoir

By Jessi Hempel

Fans of Lauren Hough and Jenn Shapland will enjoy this memoir of a perfect-on-the-outside family that struggled with secrets until it was all too much to keep hidden. 4 out of 5 family members came out over the years, as society’s view of queerness changed. Jessi wrestles with what shame does to relationships and whether those wounds can heal.

Also loved by Sarah!

Recommended by Katie It Won’t Always Be Like This: A Graphic Memoir

By Malaka Gharib

A wonderful follow up to I Was Their American Dream, It Won’t Always Be Like This follows the author during the summers she spends with her father and his family in Egypt. Navigating the usual pitfalls of growing up (crushes, fashion, school) while struggling with cultural, religious and language barriers, Gharib deftly invites us to share in it all. The good the, bad and the angsty. Such a great read!

Recommended by RJ Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

By Kate Beaton

This graphic memoir traces artist Kate Beaton’s time working in Alberta’s oil sands. Beaton’s story is an honest, nuanced reflection of a complicated and difficult time and place. It’s about being a woman in a male-dominated environment. It’s about the ways work changes us, the sacrifices it demands, and the things desperate people will do in search of better opportunities. It’s a powerful story, masterfully told.

Recommended by Ashby Dinner in One: Exceptional & Easy One-Pan Meals: A Cookbook

By Melissa Clark

One pot, one pan, one can, or something like that. During the pandemic, I spent hours cooking. Now, I want quick and easy. Clark has simple versions of things I thought would be complex: saag paneer, spicy turkey larb, and crispy kimchi fried rice. Also, she has simple versions of “ordinary” dishes: rice and beans or bacon and egg spaghetti. Each recipe leads to ONE delicious meal.

Also loved by Cheryl!

CLASSICS & BACKLISTRecommended by Lindsay The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie: A Novel

By Muriel Spark

Each year when fall rolls around, I treat myself to a reread of Muriel Sparks’s classic novel, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. It’s sharp, it’s witty, and you can read it in a day.

Recommended by RJ The Troop: A Novel

By Nick Cutter

Reading this horror novel will make you feel physically ill. (This is a compliment.)

Recommended by Patsy Less: A Novel (The Arthur Less Books #1)

By Andrew Sean Greer

Upon receipt of an invitation for a former boyfriend’s wedding, struggling author Arthur Less escapes the country, stringing together a series of mediocre literary events. I adore this character for all of his bumbling and especially for his humility and ability to land on his feet, no matter the crazy situation in which he finds himself. Greer’s writing is sharp and witty; this book is a gem!

Recommended by Rachel If We Were Villains: A Novel

By M. L. Rio

After 10 years in jail for murder, Oliver Marks is released. The detective who put him there begs to know the truth of what really happened. Oliver tells the story of his college years, where he studied Shakespearean acting with a close-knit group of seven. Their relationships are messy, passionate, and violent, especially after their director casts them in roles they didn’t want. The perfect descent-into-madness October read.

First Editions Club: October Selection Less Is Lost

By Andrew Sean Greer

Dear friends,

I love Andrew Sean Greer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less to the point of distraction. Less is the story of one man running around the world to avoid an awkward wedding, while at the same time avoiding figuring out who he is and who he loves and what to write and what it means to turn fifty. The book is so big-hearted

and fresh, it feels like taking little sips of helium (and yes, I know we’re not supposed to do that). Arthur Less’s kindness and confusion consistently inspire feelings of joy.

So I was thrilled when I got my copy of Less Is Lost, because more of Less was exactly what I wanted. How this book managed to live up to the first one is an utter mystery to me, but it did. I was rooting for my hero again. I was experiencing joy.

What I didn’t know was whether or not I loved Less Is Lost so much because I already loved Less. I knew the book was perfect as a sequel, but could it stand alone? I scoured my address book to find a few friends who had NOT read Less, and let me tell you, they were hard to come by. Then I gave them Less Is Lost and asked if it worked on its own. The answer was a resounding YES. Yes for Less, no matter which book you start with.

So here it is, Less Is Lost. Because what the world needs more of is Less.

Ann Patchett

More about our First Editions Club: Every member receives a first edition of the selected book of the month, signed by the author. Books are carefully chosen by our staff of readers, and our picks have gone on to earn major recognition including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Plus, there’s no membership fee or premium charge for these books. Build a treasured library of signed first editions and always have something great to read! Makes a FABULOUS gift, too.

Meet Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Rogues, at the Southern Festival of Books

If you’re a fan of true crime, chances are you already know the name Patrick Radden Keefe. Known for his meticulous research and compulsively readable writing style, Patrick has brought to light stories about the devastating consequences of The Troubles in Ireland, the greed that drove the opioid epidemic, and the underground economies that exploit immigrants in America. His newest collection, Rogues, is a compilation of his best reporting from The New Yorker, along with a brand new introductory essay.

Bookseller Chelsea Stringfield caught up with Patrick ahead of his appearance at the Southern Festival of Books on October 15th at 3:00pm (view the full schedule here). Make your plans to hang out with us, Patrick, and a whole bunch of other amazing authors on the Plaza!

Patrick Radden Keefe | Photo by Philip Montgomery

Chelsea Stringfield: Rogues includes profiles of not just criminals but a wide variety of people, including household names like Anthony Bourdain. What initially piques your interest in a person? How do you decide to pursue writing about a person or their story?

Patrick Radden Keefe: I’m interested in charisma – in big, forceful personalities, people who live right at the edge of convention, or outside it. Sometimes, these are criminals, people who have a very warped sense of right and wrong, but at other times they are people like Bourdain, who have just have a rebellious nature.

CS: This is a curated collection of your previously published articles and profiles. Were there any articles that didn’t make the book that you wish had been included? Is there anyone you haven’t written about yet that you are interested in?

PRK: The stories in Rogues are selected from about a dozen years of work, and I was surprised by some of the recurring themes that run through them. But when we started pulling them together, my editor said, “This is a greatest hits album—not a boxed set,” so of course there were stories that I love that couldn’t be included. One, “The Idol Thief,” involved a man in Rajasthan who smuggled looted religious antiquities out of India that ended up in many prominent museums in the West. In terms of other people who I would love to write about, there are so many. This is the downside of writing pieces that take months or even years to put together: there’s never enough time!

CS: The process of writing is so unique to each individual author. Can you describe your process? Does your process include any steps done by hand versus digitally?

PRK: I spend most of my time researching, and when I’m researching I am often working with printed out documents and old fashioned notebooks. I am fiendish about structure and am always thinking about how best to organize all that research, how to deal each card out to the reader in such a way that it will be possible to assimilate complex information clearly and thrilling to follow the story. When it comes to writing, I get up very early in the morning and drink a lot of very strong coffee and tend to write very quickly. But importantly, I’m not just composing on a blank page. At the point when I sit down to write, I have a very detailed road map—my outline—which tells me precisely where I’m going.

CS: Can you say anything about your next project? Any more podcast episodes in your future?

PRK: I’m trying to figure that out! I’m on the lookout for a new book topic, so if you know of any intriguing stories that need investigating, do let me know. As for podcasts, I do have an idea for another one, and I’ve just started to talk with my producers from “Wind of Change” about whether it seems worth exploring.

CS: We always like to finish up with this question: What is your favorite thing about independent bookstores?

PRK: I’m a lifelong devotee of independent bookstores. Any time I’m in a new city, I seek them out. What I love most—and what cannot be replicated online, or at larger corporate bookstores—is the sense of curation, the favorite books on display, the recommendations that feel personal and sincere and thoughtful, rather than algorithmically generated. As an author, I feel doubly grateful to independent bookstores, because much of the success of my last few books has been driven by booksellers who have championed the books and recommended them to customers. When that happens, the whole encounter of buying or selling a book is not just some sterile transaction, but a communal experience that binds us all together, as readers.

Patrick Radden Keefe will appear at the Southern Festival of Books on October 15 at 3:00pm. We hope to see you on The Plaza!

Meet Ada Calhoun, Author of Also a Poet, at the Southern Festival of Books

A literary obsession, a fraught father-daughter relationship, and a reckoning with the past make up Ada Calhoun’s moving and tender memoir, Also a Poet. When Ada set out to finish the biography of poet Frank O’Hara that her father, celebrated art critic Peter Schjeldahl, had started forty years earlier, she came face to face with her father’s past, her own childhood, and the complexity of her family bonds.

Our own Lindsay Lynch chatted with Ada about the book and her writing process ahead of her appearance at the Southern Festival of Books on October 14 at 12pm (view the full schedule here). We hope to see you on the Plaza October 14 – 16!

Ada Calhoun | Photo by Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet

Lindsay Lynch: Also a Poet isn’t just a biography of Frank O’Hara, but also a memoir and a story of you, your father, and the NYC literary scene you were raised in. Can you tell us a bit about how all these narrative threads connect?

Ada Calhoun: Yes! My father tried to do a biography of his hero Frank O’Hara in the 1970s, when I was a baby. When I found his old interview tapes a few years ago I was sure (because I ghostwrite a lot and get called on often as a “fixer” and am generally obsessive and eager-to-please) that I could finish the book. So Also a Poet is about me trying to do the book and reckoning with my childhood and my father as I try and fail to do this thing I went in thinking was a lock. 

LL: I’m fascinated by the research process for this book–I can’t even imagine how you worked through all those years of recorded interviews and transcripts. Without getting too into the weeds, were there any pieces of research or stories that didn’t make it into the book, but you still can’t stop thinking about?

AC: Well, the silver lining of lockdown was that I suddenly had the time to spend many, many hours a day listening through all the old tapes and going through a ton of archival material. Without those miserable, lonesome months, I don’t know that I’d have gotten it done. As for what was left out, there’s nothing I can’t stop thinking about, fortunately. Though I haven’t actually looked at my cuts file (I keep one for every book) since I finished it. Let me see, looking now… Huh, I actually feel good about all these cuts. But I do like this line that got left out: 

John Button: I remember one lunch with John Ashbery when I was working [at MoMA] and they each read a poem to the other. I remember John saying, ‘Do you think there’s too much gold in my poem?’ Frank said, ‘No, darling, I think it’s very summery.’ I remember thinking, My God, what kind of literary criticism is this anyway?

LL: If you could make everyone read a Frank O’Hara poem, which one would you pick and why?

AC: At a book event at Skylight in L.A., champion interlocutor Nicola Twilley (quick, everyone buy her book from Parnassus, out now in paperback!) suggested we read the audience my father’s favorite O’Hara poem (“Poem [‘Lana Turner Has Collapsed!’]”) and mine (“To the Harbormaster”). I think those two provide a good range of O’Hara’s wit and spiritual depth. 

LL: We like to finish up with this question: What is your favorite thing about independent bookstores?

AC: My favorite thing about independent bookstores is booksellers. I second everything in Jeff Deutsch (the Seminary Co-op director)’s beautiful book that came out this year, In Praise of Good Bookstores. There is no group of people on earth more fun to talk about books, gossip, and listen to book playlists with. I count booksellers around the country as some of my best friends, and I’ve begun to think that a big part of my motivation in writing books is that publishing gives me an excuse to go visit stores like Books & Books in Miami or Moe’s in Berkeley. One reason I’m so excited to go to Nashville for the Festival is that I’ll finally get to make a pilgrimage to Parnassus!

Ada Calhoun will be at the Southern Festival of Books, presented by Humanities Tennessee, on October 14 at 12pm. The Festival runs October 14 – 16. Check out the full schedule of author events and signings!

30 Essential Reads for Banned Books Week

It feels like we’ve heard more about banned books over the past year than usual, but it’s not just your imagination. According to PEN America, educational gag orders that prevent teaching about topics like race, gender, and American history have increased by 250% this year compared to 2021 and have been more likely to include punishments, such as fines, loss of state funding, or even criminal charges against teachers. As a result, many books that address politically charged topics have either been banned or challenged in school districts across the country. Books that aim to educate about race and LGBTQ+ identities have been disproportionately impacted.

You may have heard about the bans against Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech and Maus by Art Spiegelman in our home state of Tennessee, but this is far from an isolated incident. In fact, PEN America has put together a comprehensive list of over one thousand titles that have either been banned or challenged in libraries and schools across America in the past year.

This Banned Books Week, we wanted to feature just a few of our favorite banned and challenged books. Some are old, some are new, but all are stories worthy of being told and shared.

“Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.” -Laurie Halse Anderson

ADULT FICTIONRecommended by Lindsay Call Me by Your Name: A Novel

By André Aciman

This was one of the first books I read as a young adult where the characters’ queerness wasn’t tied to some form of trauma. Call Me By Your Name is a beautiful meditation on art and love–it’s a book I return to year after year.

Recommended by Kathy To Kill a Mockingbird

By Harper Lee

I’ve taught this book probably 25 times to 10th graders. It never fails to open eyes to people’s prejudices and attitudes. It also happens to be my favorite book of all time.

Also loved by Hannah, Patsy, and Cheryl!

Recommended by Jenny The Kite Runner

By Khaled Hosseini

I teach The Kite Runner in my AP Lit class every year. It is one of the most important texts I’ve ever read, and it’s always a class favorite. Following the pathway of a young boy thrown out of Afghanistan before 9/11, it is a difficult story, but one that needs to be told and read. It’s a tale of humanity– the tears, the heartbreak, the joy, and the hope that comes with being human. I cannot recommend it enough.

Also loved by Sarah!

Recommended by Hannah Brave New World

By Aldous Huxley

An engrossing, scathing critique of an all-powerful regime, consumerism, social hierarchy, technology as a means to control, and more, Brave New World is a must-read dystopian novel. I devoured it back in my AP Lit class, and it remains one of my favorites today.

Recommended by Jenness The Handmaid’s Tale: A Novel

By Margaret Atwood

There’s a reason why this dystopian novel about a society which views women as reproductive functionaries first and humans second (or last) has been infuriating and terrifying readers for nearly 40 years – the threat feels icily real. As America deals with fallout from the recent SCOTUS right-turn on reproductive rights, this book remains incendiary and vital. Read the book, fight the power.

Recommended by Cheryl The Color Purple: A Novel 

By Alice Walker

Celie, a young black woman in early 20th century Georgia, really didn’t have a voice or control of her abusive situation. Her story is told through letters to God and later her sister, Nettie. Despite the dictates of society, Celie finds a sisterhood of women, her voice, and finally a safe, loving home. Won both the Pulitzer and the National Book Award.

Recommended by Chelsea Middlesex: A Novel

By Jeffrey Eugenides

I borrowed this while staying at a friend’s house and promptly stayed up until 3 AM reading this. The narrative voice is unlike anything I’ve read, and I believe this should be required reading for all.

Also loved by Jenness and Patsy!

Recommended by Sarah Fahrenheit 451: A Novel

By Ray Bradbury

This one speaks for itself. If you haven’t read it yet, now is the time.

ADULT NONFICTIONRecommended by Lindsay In the Dream House: A Memoir

By Carmen Maria Machado

Not only is In the Dream House one of the most innovative, lyrical memoirs I’ve ever read, it’s also a necessary resource on domestic abuse. I’m so grateful this book exists and hope it can always get in the hands of readers who need it.

Also loved by Jake!

Recommended by Katie Heavy: An American Memoir

By Kiese Laymon

Laymon is one of the brightest talents in today’s literary scene and he writes so beautifully and honestly about what it means to live in a fat Black body. It doesn’t surprise me that it was banned, but that only makes me want to push it into the hands of absolutely everyone.

Recommended by Cheryl A Raisin in the Sun

By Lorraine Hansberry

This play is about a Black family getting the chance to move to a white neighborhood in the 1950s. It deals with the aftermath of slavery, abortion, and differing views of three generations. It’s uncomfortable, daring and necessary. As a little girl, the Black woman who wrote it and her family were the first in an unwelcoming white neighborhood. Their case went all the way to the Supreme Court to be able to stay.

Recommended by Jake Between the World and Me

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

Structured as a series of letters to his son, Coates’ writing intertwines autobiographical elements with a frank discussion of race in America and the manner in which the history of the United States is built on the backs of minorities. A National Book Award winner and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, this book is among the most illuminating I have ever read.

Recommended by Patsy Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

By Marjane Satrapi

This moving graphic novel depicts the Iranian Revolution from the eyes of a young girl as she lived through it and tried to understand extremism under Shah. She addresses family life, education, and the systematic torture of dissidents (the reason for which it was banned in some US schools). Like Spielgelman’s Maus, Persepolis is essential reading for a broader understanding of world history.

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Rae Ann Saturday

By Oge Mora

Saturday is the best day because Ava and her mom spend the entire day together. One special Saturday, things don’t go as planned. Caldecott honoree Oge Mora’s beautiful story paired with collage art is a delight.

Recommended by Sarah Prince & Knight

By Daniel Haack, Stevie Lewis (Illustrator)

A prince is told that he should find a worthy bride, but he follows his heart instead. I love this sweet story about a prince and his knight in shining armor.

Recommended by Katie Julián Is a Mermaid

By Jessica Love

I cannot get enough of Jessica Love’s BEAUTIFULLY illustrated books. I want to crawl inside and live out the rest of my days with Julian and their Abuela. And after reading this book, attending the Cony Island Mermaid parade is on my bucket list.

Also loved by Chelsea and RJ!

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Ann Brown Girl Dreaming

By Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming is so big-hearted and open that there’s room for the reader to walk right into the story and experience what it’s like to live and dream alongside the author. I’ve bought a dozen copies of this book and given it to people as young as 10 and as old as 92. Every single person has loved it. I love it.

Also loved by Chelsea and Cheryl!

Recommended by Aly Walk Two Moons

By Sharon Creech

A timeless story about growing up and the difficult but beautiful relationships between mothers and daughters. This is a striking story with so much heart.

Recommended by RJ King and the Dragonflies (Scholastic Gold)

By Kacen Callender

Devastating and beautiful and devastatingly beautiful, King and the Dragonflies is a story of grief, identity, abuse, love, and friendship that cuts powerfully to the heart of every emotion it tackles.

Recommended by Cheryl Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

By Judy Blume

This book was an answer for young girls as they were developing into women. All the changes to their bodies, sex, God and their thoughts and fears. This caring book let them feel okay about all of it and that it was normal. As a mother of girls, it made me angry that it could be banned.

Recommended by Aly Junie B. Jones #1: Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

By Barbara Park, Denise Brunkus (Illustrator)

This series will always hold a special place in my heart. Junie B. Jones is precocious and determined and stubborn and everything they try to tell you a little girl shouldn’t be. But she is also endearing and funny and an amazing friend. More of us should aspire to be Junie B.

YOUNG ADULTRecommended by Rae Ann The Downstairs Girl

By Stacey Lee

The Downstairs Girl tells the story of Jo Kuan, lady’s maid by day and pseudonymous advice columnist by night. In 1890 Atlanta, Jo lives in a secret underground basement with her uncle as they make their way in the margins of society.

Also loved by RJ!

Recommended by Jenny The Hate U Give

By Angie Thomas, Amandla Stenberg (Foreword by)

Told in the perspective of a teenage girl who experiences a traumatic example of police brutality and prejudice firsthand, this story examines the complexities of important racial and social issues in our country. If you are looking to be inspired to make the world a better place, look no further than this teenage girl.

Also loved by Cheryl!

Recommended by RJ The Black Flamingo

By Dean Atta

This is a gorgeous and honest coming of age novel in verse about a mixed-race gay teen. This book had me from the first page and never let go.

Recommended by Jake Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

By Jesse Andrews

Greg and Earl are lifelong best friends, or rather, co-workers. They both aspire to be filmmakers and spend most of their free time making films together, never daring to show anyone else. But when Greg’ s mom pressures him to reconnect with Rachel, a classmate recently diagnosed with leukemia, the duo elect to make a film just for her. A moving story, this is my favorite young adult novel ever written.

Recommended by Rae Ann Out of the Easy

By Ruta Sepetys

Josie is the daughter of a New Orleans prostitute. She works in a bookshop and wants to escape her mother’s shadow to attend Smith College. When she is caught in a murder investigation, Josie must make a difficult choice. This propulsive novel is my favorite story by Ruta Sepetys.

Also loved by Sarah!

Recommended by Sarah The Perks of Being a Wallflower

By Stephen Chbosky

I typically keep my books in nice condition. I try to not dog ear pages, bend the cover back too far and such. When I first read The Perks of Being a Wallflower as a teenager, I couldn’t help but underline and highlight all of my favorite lines and dog ear the pages with my favorite passages. My copy is well worn, and it still occupies a special place on my shelf today.

Recommended by Cat Speak

By Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda is beginning high school, but just before school starts something happens at a party and Melinda is the one to call the cops to have the party shut down. As the year progresses, Melinda becomes more and more of an outcast, but somehow must find a way to heal. This story is a classic for a reason and an amazing example of using fiction to discuss very real problems.

Recommended by RJ Ace of Spades

By Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Ace of Spades is terrifying and twisty story set at an elite prep school where two teens are being targeted by an anonymous threat seemingly set on destroying their lives. A smart thriller that both keeps readers guessing and engages with the horrifying objectives of racism.

Recommended by Chelsea Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

By Becky Albertalli

When an email falls into the wrong hands, Simon is blackmailed into playing wingman for the class clown, lest Simon’s crush (and sexual identity) be exposed to the school. Albertalli has a knack of writing characters that you swear are real people. I adored Simon and his circle of friends.

Pizza and Potions: 16 New Reads for the Young & Young at Heart

Upon close, scientific inspection, we have identified two key themes in this month’s staff picks for the young and young at heart: (1) spookiness and (2) pizza. Frankly, we can’t think of a better combination. Serve up a slice and start spooky season off right with one of these staff favorites!

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Chelsea A Friend for Ghost

By Suzanne Kaufman

Ghost is a bit lonely until a red balloon bobs past him one day. A sweet story about friendship, this charming picture book is perfect for those who want to embrace the fall vibe without the spooky side.

Recommended by Rae Ann Pizza!: A Slice of History

By Greg Pizzoli

A fun book full of facts about a favorite food. Pizza!

Recommended by Aly Parfait, Not Parfait!

By Scott Rothman, Avery Monsen (Illustrator)

A fresh take on a classic rhyming picture book. So simple, but will have you laughing until the end.

Recommended by Chelsea King Kong’s Cousin

By Mark Teague

Junior feels like he lives in the shadow of his famous cousin until one day Junior gets the chance to play the hero. The illustrations had me laughing out loud, and Junior’s story immediately lifted my mood.

Recommended by Rae Ann Elephant’s Big Solo

By Sarah Kurpiel

Elephant loves playing in the school band because it’s something she can do with her friends. When it’s time to solo, she must decide if it’s the best way for her to shine. Charming and relatable.

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Sissy Stories to Keep You Alive Despite Vampires

By Ben Acker

Acker was a writer for Supernatural. Kids will love these hilarious stories that have a hint of spooky. Parents will CRACK UP while reading them aloud as well. Check out the viral video of Bobby Singer reading “The Chase!”

Recommended by Rae Ann Pizza My Heart: (A Graphic Novel) (Norma and Belly #3)

By Mika Song

Norma and Belly are back in a new food adventure. This time the squirrel friends will do whatever it takes to get a slice of delicious pizza in this fun graphic novel.

Recommended by Madeline Lemon Bird: Can Help!

By Paulina Ganucheau

A fun graphic novel for young readers who learn the power of kindness even when others aren’t so kind (which is especially hard when you’re lost!)

YOUNG ADULTRecommended by RJ The Sunbearer Trials (The Sunbearer Duology #1)

By Aiden Thomas

This spectacular start to a new duology features a vivid setting, exciting mythology, and a large cast of entertaining characters. Ten half-god teens compete in a series of challenges where the loser will be sacrificed to maintain the magic that protects their world. Perfect for anyone looking to get lost in a stunning fantasy world, where the friendships are delightful and the stakes are high.

Recommended by Jennifer The Drowned Woods

By Emily Lloyd-Jones

Mer is a daring water diviner—a woman with the power to control water. Joined with a rag tag group of thieves, spies, and even a corgi, Merry hopes to obtain the treasure of a lifetime, with a little justice added in for good measure. When the quest proves to be more than she bargained for, Mer must summon the courage to become who she was destined to be. A tale full of adventure, action, love, and magic!

Recommended by Katie The Dragon’s Promise (Six Crimson Cranes #2)

By Elizabeth Lim

In a world that constantly wants to make us wait for a many-booked series to be complete, I cannot overstate how much I appreciate a duology. I loved reconnecting with Princess Shiori and her sweet paper bird best friend as they attempt to honor her step-mother’s dying wish and return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful place.

Recommended by Aly The Weight of Blood

By Tiffany D. Jackson

This retelling of Stephen King’s Carrie, set in small town Georgia, is beautifully grim and horrifyingly believable. You won’t be able to look away.

Recommended by RJ The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror

By Erica Waters, Chloe Gong, Tori Bovalino, Hannah Whitten, Allison Saft, Olivia Chadha, Courtney Gould, Aden Polydoros, SMP Alex Brown, Shakira Toussaint

At turns atmospheric and gruesome, heartfelt and terrifying, this collection of horror short stories is the perfect way to kick off your fall. With a spectacular line-up of talent, readers can hope to find some new favorite authors among the nightmares and chills.

Sprout Book Club: September Selection Farmhouse

By Sophie Blackall

The September 2022 Sprout Book Club selection is Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall. This month’s picture book invites us inside a farmhouse and introduces the reader to the family who lives there and their daily life. The book was inspired by a real family who lived in the farmhouse in the book.

Two-time Caldecott medalist Sophie Blackall used salvaged objects and artifacts from the farmhouse in the art for this stunning book.

RSVP for a free in-store event with Sophie Blackall, in conversation with Ann Patchett, on September 16th at 6:30 pm.

Read Notes from Ann: An Interview with Sophie Blackall to learn about the process of making Farmhouse.

Early praise for the book:

“A lovely, tender reimagination of people in a long-past time and place.” – Kirkus, starred review

Sprout Book Club is the book subscription box for picture book lovers. Every month members will receive a first edition picture book.  Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite picture book lover for 3, 6, or 12 months. 

Spark Book Club: September Selection The Vanquishers

By Kalynn Bayron

The September 2022 Spark Book Club selection is The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron.

The Vanquishers, masked vampire hunters, wiped out the last of the undead years ago. These heroes are legend in twelve-year-old Malika “Boog” Wilson’s town. But what if the vampires are back? And what if the school counselor knows more than he’s willing to share? This is a fun adventure story and the start of a new series.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“Combining mythology and science to produce a fresh take on modern vampire lore, Bayron erects a fantastical San Antonio that is as chock-full of personality as each of the story’s characters. Pithy dialogue and sensational description make this a speedy, eerie read.” – Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

“This warm, witty friendship story with a healthy dose of vampire adventure is a page-turning read . . . A lively, appealing addition to the genre.” – Kirkus

Spark Book Club is the first editions club for middle grade readers.  Every month members will receive a first edition middle grade novel — plus a letter written by the author especially for club members. Makes a great gift for the independent reader! Sign ups are available for 3, 6, or 12 months.

ParnassusNext: September Selection My Second Impression of You

By Michelle I. Mason

The September 2022 ParnassusNext selection is My Second Impression of You by Michelle I. Mason.

Maggie expects a promposal, but gets a breakup instead. When she leaves the disastrous non-date, she breaks her leg. In a post-anesthesia daze, she clicks on a DO OVER app that promises to let her revisit her Best Day Ever. It comes with a new perspective on “best” and reveals new friends and possibilities.

RSVP for a FREE in-store event with the author on September 21st at 6:30 pm. Michelle will be in conversation with Jennifer Lynn Alvarez.

Early praise for the novel:

“Equal parts sweet romance and thought-provoking story of self-discovery.” —Kirkus

ParnassusNext is the book subscription box for YA lovers. Every member of ParnassusNext receives a first edition hardcover of each month’s selected book, signed by the author. There is no membership fee to join — and no line to stand in for the autograph. Not only will you have one of the best YA books of the month when it comes out, you’ll have it straight from the author’s hands, with an original, authentic signature! Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite YA reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.