Ann Patchett's Blog, page 20

The Shop Dog Diaries: Father Dog Day

Boss dog: Opie and a special book selection.

We, the shop dogs of Parnassus, have had very good lives. We’ve got our pack, we’ve got our people, we’ve got all the books any dog could ever dream of napping in front of. Still, there is one small, nagging sadness in our lives: None of us knew our dads.

You may say, that’s not surprising for a dog who got his start at the Humane Shelter (Sparky) or on the side of the road (Opie), but even the fancy purebreds among us (Marlee and Barnabus) never knew their dads. Where were they! It’s hard not to curl up in a dog bed at 10 o’clock in the morning and wonder.

No one taught us how to fetch a tennis ball or beg for treats or bark at the UPS truck. We had to figure those things out on our own. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not feeling sorry for ourselves, but we have long wished for someone to call Pops. That’s why Father’s Day has always been a wistful holiday for the Shop Dogs. If we knew where our dad was, we’d fetch some slippers for him to tear up. We’d bring him a biscuit in bed.

Greetings! Charles (left) and Opie welcome you to the shop.

But thanks to Charles, this year feels different around the store. As soon as Charles came on staff, we started talking about it. We’re not saying that Opie is Charles’ dad — he probably isn’t — but don’t you see a pretty strong resemblance? Opie certainly saw it. Right away, he stepped up to show Charles the lay of the land. He taught Charles how to greet customers, how to wander with authority, and when to take some time for himself in the backroom. He showed Charles what it means to be a truly great shop dog. In short, he treated Charles like a son, and, in doing so, filled up the empty place in Charles’ heart where his dad should have been.

Guess which supplies Opie and Charles are hoping to get from the closet?

And what did Opie get out of this arrangement? He got a pup to call his own. What could be better than that?

Nothing.

Nothing could be better than that.

So if you’ve got a dad, the shop dogs urge you to celebrate him. And if your dad is gone, we say, there could be some father-like dog, or father-like human, who you might want to acknowledge. All the fathers should be celebrated, biological or otherwise, known and unknown, because it’s a beautiful thing to be alive. Thanks, Dad.

Opie’s shop person, Andy, is our go-to specialist for Father’s Day recommendations. He sat down with Opie and Charles to make up a list of books that the fathers and father stand-ins would appreciate. (In all fairness, Andy did most of the book picking, since Opie and Charles were pretty worn out from all the petting and attention and treats they’ve been getting.)

Reader Dad Under the Wave at Waimea

By Paul Theroux

Sooley

By John Grisham

Grilling Dad Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day: A Cookbook

By Rodney Scott & Lolis Eric Elie

Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue

By Adrian Miller

Travel Dad World Travel: An Irreverent Guide

By Anthony Bourdain & Laurie Woolever

National Geographic Atlas of the National Parks

By Jon Waterman

Sports Dad A Course Called America: Fifty States, Five Thousand Fairways, and the Search for the Great American Golf Course

By Tom Coyne

Gods at Play: An Eyewitness Account of Great Moments in American Sports

By Tom Callahan

The Optimist: A Case for the Fly Fishing Life

By David Coggins

Business Dad Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

By Adam Grant

Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity

By Scott Galloway

The Family Business: How Ingram Transformed the World of Books

By Keel Hunt

History Dad Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II

By Daniel James Brown

The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History

By Margalit Fox

Current Events Dad The Premonition: A Pandemic Story

By Michael Lewis

Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service

By Carol Leonnig

Music/Pop Culture Dad The Magic Years: Scenes from a Rock-And-Roll Life

By Jonathan Taplin

Rock Me on the Water: 1974-The Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies, Music, Television, and Politics

By Ronald Brownstein

We’ve also got cards and fun sidelines as well in store.

And hey, if you’re running late, or aren’t near Nashville, no worries! It’s never a bad idea to give a pre-paid gift subscription to the Parnassus Books First Editions Club (you can sign up online at any hour of any day, even on a Sunday morning), and we’ll give the father figure in your life the gift of a signed, first-edition hardcover book deemed the best new release each month by our team of expert book-lovers. Available in 3-, 6-, or 12-month subscriptions! Get more details or sign up here.

School’s Out: 19 Shining New Books for the Young and Young at Heart

Summer break time! (Nashville families, remember we have our special summer reading section in the store, near the memoirs.) OK, maybe these aren’t “beach reads” in the typical sense but let’s see here: We’ve got an octopus, a starfish, sunshine, a girl from the sea and a song below water. And that’s just breaking the surface! Close enough, right? (We see you, ghosts, unicorns, princes and all the rest.) Whether you’re taking your little ones off to a body of water or relaxing in the shade at home, this month’s edition is full of bookseller-recommended reads to get the adventure started!

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Ann The Octopus Escapes

By Maile Meloy & Felicita Sala

This gorgeous book is a wonderful way to teach children just how clever and resourceful an octopus can be. Pay attention to the little clam who lives near his cave.

Recommended by Rae Ann
Memory Jars

By Vera Brosgol

In this imaginative picture book, a girl tries to save all of her good memories — and even her favorite people — in jars. This is a funny, heartfelt and relatable story.

Recommended by Sarah Nerdycorn

By Andrew Root & Erin Kraan

Fern is a creative unicorn who loves math and science, but the other unicorns think she’s a nerdycorn. What will Fern do when her peers need her help? This is a great story about embracing who you are and being a good friend.

Recommended by Chelsea Not Yeti

By Kelly DiPucchio & Claire Keane

Yeti knows he’s different from the other monsters; instead of destroying, Yeti likes to create, even if this means he’s alone sometimes. Bold lines and dynamic illustrations bring Yeti and his fellow monsters to light in this heartwarming story about kindness and being yourself.

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Sarah Sunshine

By Marion Dane Bauer

This heartwarming story has the perfect blend of big adventure, big questions, and big feelings. It would be a great read-aloud book for the whole family.

Recommended by Becca Starfish

By Lisa Fipps

This perfect summer read is perfect for any kid struggling with body image issues, or struggling to love themselves in a world that constantly wants to point out imperfections. Written in verse, this is the story of a young girl who loves to swim, and is ready to cast aside the “Fat Girl Rules” that have been keeping her from being her best self.

Recommended by Brad The Shape of Thunder

By Jasmine Warga

The Shape of Thunder is sure to leave its mark on readers of all ages. Jasmine Warga delicately explores the many versions of grief and does not shy away from the big and heart-heavy questions young readers might have. With themes of friendship, loss, sadness and, ultimately, hope, The Shape of Thunder should be required reading.

Recommended by Brad Ophie’s Ghosts

By Justina Ireland

Ophie’s Ghosts is a heartfelt, eerie and compelling story about a young girl with the ability to see ghosts, and those who want to use her powers for both good and wicked purposes. With social commentary woven in throughout and the personified locations and inanimate objects to bring more life to this tale, this is not only a clever story — it’s a timely and important one, as well.

Recommended by Gavin, age 10
Best Nerds Forever

By James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein

Finn dies and has to leave his friends, but the story is just beginning. Along the way he meets another classmate who has died. Finn keeps wanting to be around his friends who are still alive. His new friend, Isabella, keeps hanging around their school. They work together to figure out why they can’t move on. My mom liked this one, too.

YOUNG ADULTRecommended by Rae Ann
Tokyo Ever After: A Novel

By Emiko Jean

A girl finds out her father is the Crown Prince of Japan! When she travels to meet him for the first time, royal life is not all she expected. Reading this fun book feels like watching a movie or traveling vicariously through the characters.

Recommended by Kay Ace of Spades

By Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Set against the backdrop of a prestigious private academy, this tense and twisty story features two teens struggling against an anonymous foe determined to ruin their lives. Àbíké-Íyímídé does a phenomenal job making every character a suspect, with chilling secrets around every turn, all building to an ending you’ll never forget.

Recommended by Brad Instructions for Dancing

By Nicola Yoon

Nicola Yoon makes her triumphant return in this beautifully written and poignant novel about love and forgiveness. With Yoon’s lyrical prose, Instructions for Dancing tackles the question, “Is love worth the risk of heartbreak?” I smiled, I laughed, and I most definitely cried. If you’re looking for a sweet romance for this summer, I have no doubt that Instructions for Dancing will sweep you off your feet!

Recommended by Jordan The Lucky List

By Rachael Lippincott

Emily had always felt lucky, until her mother passed away when she was 14. Three years later, the summer before her senior year, she is feeling stuck and alone until she reconnects with Blake, a childhood friend. After the two girls find the bucket list Emily’s mother made the summer before her own senior year, they decide to complete it together. A fun summer read for YA fans.

Recommended by Brad Pumpkin (Dumplin’)

By Julie Murphy

Bold, extravagant and fearless, Pumpkin takes the crown for the most fun novel this summer. Julie Murphy’s books never fail to make me laugh, bring tears to my eyes, and dare me to find my own inner superstar. This is the novel I wish I’d had when I was in high school, and I’m so thankful a story like this exists in all its beautiful glory.

Recommended by Kay A Song Below Water: A Novel

By Bethany C. Morrow

Out in paperback just in time to welcome its companion novel, A Chorus Rises, this is one of the most unique fantasies of last year. With a mix of magical and contemporary elements, Morrow’s story of sirens and strength is a perfect summer read.

Recommended by Kay You Should See Me in a Crown

By Leah Johnson

What can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said? It’s a happily ever after rom com with a queer Black girl in the starring role and an endless string of prom shenanigans that will keep you turning the pages. It’s charming, romantic, inspiring, and now out in paperback!

Recommended by Kay The Girl from the Sea

By Molly Knox Ostertag

When a young closeted girl falls for the selkie who saves her from drowning, she begins a romantic journey of self-acceptance. Beautifully illustrated, this graphic novel will no doubt resonate for many teens feeling trapped between the life they have and the life they hope to find.

Spark Book Club: June Selection Hollow Chest

By Brita Sandstrom

The Spark Book Club selection for June is Hollow Chest, the debut novel by Brita Sandstrom.

Charlie is excited for his brother to return home to London after WWII. But his brother, Theo, has changed. Charlie sees wolves everywhere. They claim to have eaten his brother’s heart on the battlefield. Together with his grandfather, an eccentric neighbor, and a wounded veteran, Charlie is determined to do whatever it takes to overcome the wolves and get his brother’s heart back. This historical fantasy is a heartfelt tribute to family, community, and resilience.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“A worthwhile exploration of the emotional costs of war.” —Kirkus

“Hollow Chest is remarkable on so many levels — its exquisite writing, its startling originality, its deep empathy. But what lingers most is its unwavering heartbeat: in the darkest of times, what will carry us through is love.” —Anne Ursu, award-winning author of The Lost Girl

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 June Selection Indestructible Object

By Mary McCoy

The June ParnassusNext selection is Indestructible Object by award-winning author Mary McCoy.

Lee Swan is devastated after breaking up with her boyfriend on the final episode of their collaborative podcast, and her parents’ looming divorce is only making matters worse. When she stumbles onto some mysterious objects that prove her parents are keeping secrets, she launches a new podcast investigating their failed love story. As Lee asks hard questions about her family and herself, she will find there are no easy answers in love.

Early praise for the novel:

“A thoughtful exploration of love and identity.” —Kirkus

“[Indestructible Object] is a layered and vulnerable examination of everything that makes a heart beat—or break.” —Bookpage (starred review)

“A moving and masterfully drawn love letter to art, found family, and all of the messy but always wonderful shades of love, filled with as much soul as the city of its setting.” —Jeff Zentner, Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King

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.

Resistance Is Beautiful: 34 Great New Reads for June

We know we’re preaching to the choir here, but the corporate behemoths don’t need your money and they certainly don’t actually read the books they try to sell you. A primer on all the other reasons (and there are many) to resist the algorithmic overlords is but one of the nearly three dozen hand-picked books on Musing this month, courtesy of our indefatigable booksellers — who’ve been reading, shelving, packing and pretty much breathing books every day. You want recommendations with real people behind them? Look no further.

FICTIONRecommended by Karen Swimming Back to Trout River: A Novel

By Linda Rui Feng

Linda Rui Feng pulls you in with four intertwined stories, starting during China’s Cultural Revolution in the ’60s and ending up in America in the ’80s. You will love these characters and be moved by the storytelling in this engrossing debut.

Recommended by Lindsay The Other Black Girl: A Novel

By Zakiya Dalila Harris

Zakiya Dalila Harris’ debut novel is a searing satire of race relations in the workplace. Nella is a young editorial assistant at a publishing house where she’s the only Black employee — until Hazel shows up. With Hazel’s arrival, Nella finds herself navigating between kinship and rivalry before suspecting something more sinister might be happening.

Recommended by Chelsea One Last Stop

By Casey McQuiston

Heartfelt, hilarious and tender, McQuiston’s sophomore novel is a splendid summer read for 2021. The prose is perfection, and I dare you not to fall in love with the characters.

Recommended by Rae Ann
Our Woman in Moscow: A Novel

By Beatriz Williams

This is a complex spy story of two sisters caught in the web of Cold War espionage. Full of family drama and high stakes decisions.

Recommended by Chelsea Malibu Rising: A Novel

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising is an engrossing read about siblings, their bond and shared trauma, and the desire to escape it all. Reid masterfully alternates between previous decades and one day in 1983, and her attentiveness to detail and character instantly transports readers.

Recommended by Hannah The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: A Novel

By Marianne Cronin

From the very first page of this stunning debut, I was charmed by these vivacious characters. Appropriately doleful but ultimately uplifting, this novel is both a celebration of friendship and a meditation on legacy — all framed by beautiful prose.

Recommended by Erin A Peculiar Combination: An Electra McDonnell Novel (Electra McDonnell Series #1)

By Ashley Weaver

Weaver has written a pitch-perfect opener for a new historical mystery series set in WWII London. When Ellie and her uncle get picked up after a little late-night larceny, they’re offered a choice: go to prison, or help stop a traitor working with the Germans. I’m already looking forward to the next adventure of Ellie, her family of patriotic crooks, and the upright (and uptight) Major Ramsey.

Recommended by Marcia Mary Jane: A Novel

By Jessica Anya Blau

If you lived in the 1970s, but especially if you grew up in the ’70s, you will relate to this coming-of-age of novel. Mary Jane finds her best self in a neighborhood family who is nothing like her own strict family. This book, which comes with its own playlist (search for the author on Spotify), will take you right back to the grooviest decade!

Recommended by Kathy The Night Always Comes: A Novel

By Willy Vlautin

Willy Vlautin made me care so much about Lynette and her mother trying to earn a living wage and stay in their rental home while all around them Portland is becoming gentrified and more “progressive,” pushing out individual homeowners and small business. Watch out, Nashville, it’s coming — or already here!

Recommended by Sissy That Summer: A Novel

By Jennifer Weiner

A young woman’s experience with sexual assault grips her with anxiety and fear for years. Will she be able to take her power back and reclaim the coast she wants to call home?

Recommended by Sissy Bewilderness

By Karen Tucker

Irene and Luce are best friends in rural North Carolina. Their young lives are a whirlwind of poverty, grief, heartbreak and NA meetings. This is a decidedly unsentimental yet beautiful novel about the opioid epidemic.

Recommended by Patsy An Unlikely Spy: A Novel

By Rebecca Starford

Evelyn is recruited by MI5 following her graduation from Oxford with a degree in German in 1939. She is able to infiltrate a group of Nazi sympathizers in London for love of country, though her duplicity clashes with her loyalties to those dear to her. This twisting tale of the weight of our choices makes a great summer read for LeCarré fans.

Recommended by Kathy The Plot

By Jean Hanff Korelitz

Should a writer steal a plot of his former (now dead) writing student and claim it as his own? Jake Bonner does, to best-seller success. But someone knows he did it and threatens his life and reputation. An unusual and mesmerizing thriller ensues, as Jake tries to figure out his antagonist and their agenda before they ruin him. I couldn’t put this one down.

Recommended by Sarah A World Between

By Emily Hashimoto

It’s Pride Month, so I wanted to bring back one of my favorite LGBTQ+ books from last year. Picture Normal People, but with two queer women of color on a roller coaster of a relationship from the moment they meet in college. You’ll be thinking about Eleanor and Leena for a long time to come.

Recommended by Kay The Album of Dr. Moreau

By Daryl Gregory

Introducing a bite-sized mystery about a boy band of half-human half-animal hybrids who all become murder suspects when their manager turns up mauled in a Las Vegas hotel room. The quirky premise is executed perfectly, with just the right balance of intrigue, angst and humor.

Recommended by Chelsea Hang the Moon: A Novel

By Alexandria Bellefleur

Filled with some of my favorite tropes — there’s only one bed and formal clothes meet body of water — Bellefleur’s sophomore novel is a sweet, sexy must-read for the summer. I especially love that rom coms play their own part in Brendon’s plan to woo his sister’s best friend. Bellefluer has moved onto my automatic read list!

Recommended by Heath The Prettiest Star

By Carter Sickels

In 1986, a young man with AIDS leaves New York and moves back with his family in small-town Ohio. Told from the points of view of the main character Brian, his mother, and his sister, The Prettiest Star does a good job of evoking the time period and lack of knowledge people had about the disease. And while this is a sad story, it is compulsively readable. For fans of Rebecca Makkai’s The Great Believers.

Recommended by Andy Under the Wave at Waimea

By Paul Theroux

Acclaimed travel writer and author Paul Theroux delivers the best beach read of the year. Following an aging surf champion Joe Sharkey around the globe is right in Theroux’ wheelhouse. After an unfortunate accident, Sharkey is forced to examine his place as an aging veteran in a young man’s sport.

NONFICTIONRecommended by Ann The Book of Delights: Essays

By Ross Gay

Where have I been? This little book that considers the small delights in any given day has been out two years. I read a little bit every night before falling asleep. Sweet dreams.

Recommended by Karen How to Resist Amazon and Why: The Fight for Local Economics, Data Privacy, Fair Labor, Independent Bookstores, and a People-Powered Future! (Real World)

By Danny Caine

Congress has been investigating the monopoly power large tech corporations have over their many marketplaces. Amazon in particular controls layers of multiple business sectors, blocking out competition and making it hard for entrepreneurs to introduce their products to the world. This book is a great primer in the reasons you should support your legislators in breaking up Amazon.

Recommended by Lindsay Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir

By Ashley C. Ford

Like many others, I’ve been following Ashley Ford’s writing online for years and hoping for a book-length project from her. I’m so glad it’s finally here! Ford’s memoir tells the story of her relationship with her family, including her father who has been incarcerated most of her life. I’m confident this will be the memoir everyone’s talking about this summer, so put it on your TBR list now!

Recommended by Steve House of Sticks: A Memoir

By Ly Tran

Ly Tran’s coming of age memoir centers on growing up in an immigrant family, working long hours doing piece work in an unheated New York City apartment and the aftershocks of intergenerational trauma. It’s a hard won story with a novelistic sensibility, heartbreaking and beautifully told.

Recommended by Ben Lost In Summerland: Essays

By Barrett Swanson

I appreciate the intelligence, patience, and humor on these pages. Ranging from the dusky Midwest to Florida’s octogenarian coast, Lost in Summerland explores masculinity, ecological and political reality, spiritualism, and how to connect with others when we’ve moved past grand collective narratives. Fans of Ben Ehrenreich and David Foster Wallace will find much to admire here.

Recommended by Patsy World Travel: An Irreverent Guide

By Anthony Bourdain & Laurie Woolever

Ah, a final taste of Bourdain’s astute observations, sardonic wit and acerbic commentary for the gastrotourist and armchair traveler alike. Longtime assistant Laurie Woolever intersperses practical travel, lodging and dining tips, while his friends and family contribute essays about passing time with him in some near and many far-flung destinations. I devoured it!

Recommended by Sissy Sunshine Girl: An Unexpected Life

By Julianna Margulies

I had no idea what to expect — I just knew I loved Margulies and wanted to know more about her. What a unique upbringing she had! You’ll finish this book in one night.

Recommended by Hannah The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet

By John Green

In his first work of nonfiction, John Green thrills readers with sage, witty, delightful essays reviewing facets of the human experience on a five-star scale. From viral meningitis to Diet Dr. Pepper, Green unpretentiously demonstrates how a steady gaze, if held long enough, can reveal the beauty (and complexity) in anything.

Recommended by Becca Yearbook

By Seth Rogen

If you are looking to take a break from being bummed out and just want to read some funny stories about celebrities from a slightly stoned celebrity, this is absolutely the book to pick up! As a side note, Rogen apparently enlisted 80 of his friends as guests on his audiobook, delaying the release by a few weeks, so be sure to download that from Libro.fm if you need an entertaining road trip soundtrack!

Recommended by Becca Bress ‘n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer

By Matthew Raiford, with Amy Paige Condon

James Beard Award winner Matthew Raiford celebrates his home and highlights the history of his family in this beautiful exploration of the history of Gullah Geechie cooking, and the tremendous impact that it had on what we, as southerners, still eat today. I have used the Mess o’ Greens recipe so many times already this spring, and even gifted a copy of this to my mom for Mother’s Day!

Recommended by Jordan Period. End of Sentence.: A New Chapter in the Fight for Menstrual Justice

By Anita Diamant & Melissa Berton

An Oscar-winning 2019 documentary follows Indian women fighting the stigma of menstruation. Co-producer Melissa Berton tells the audience, “A period should end a sentence, not a girl’s education.” Berton collaborated with bestselling author Anita Diamant on this essay collection to inspire period activism and illuminate the many ways menstrual injustice dehumanizes and limits opportunities.

Recommended by Patsy Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest

By Suzanne Simard

The daughter of generations of loggers, Simard, now a leading forest ecologist, weaves her memoir of growing up in the forests of British Columbia with her compelling research on communicative forest life. From managing forest land to eradicating pine beetles, Simard demonstrates the social nature of the forest. Fans of Rachel Carson will enjoy this book.

Recommended by Andy Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day: A Cookbook

By Rodney Scott & Lolis Eric Elie

James Beard Award-winning pitmaster Rodney Scott shares his love of BBQ. From his humble beginning at his parents restaurant to his now legendary joint in Charleston, Scott shares his love of life and BBQ. The book is written for novices and experienced pitmasters alike.

Recommended by Andy Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II

By Daniel James Brown

As with The Boys in the Boat, Brown sheds light on the valor and heroic deeds an lesser known group of Americans. He writes of the Japanese American soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. While their parents were being held in internment camps, these men fought on the battlefields of Europe. In riveting fashion, Brown reveals an aspect of the Second World War that is too often forgotten.

POETRYRecommended by Ann Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude (Pitt Poetry Series)

By Ross Gay

Follow up Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights with his award-winning book of poetry, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude. If you haven’t read a book of poetry in awhile, this is the one you’ll want.

Recommended by Ben Twice Alive

By Forrest Gander

Drawing upon the landscape of his native California and the aesthetics of India’s Sangam poetry, Gander is playfully inventive with form and formatting, while pondering how our human intimacies transform (like lichen) as they intermingle and combine with others. Organic and mycelial, serpentine and sensual, this is an assured follow-up to his Pulitzer-Prize winning collection Be With.

First Editions Club: June Selection Great Circle: A novel

By Maggie Shipstead

Dear Friends,

It’s summer, friends, and time to kick back with a sweeping epic that will no doubt be the Big Book of the season. Maggie Shipstead’s Great Circle has something for everyone. There’s a modern-day movie star dealing with the fallout of, shall we say, a poor decision, and a scrappy female aviator who’s determined to overcome the hand life dealt her by charting a course through history. If that’s not enough, there’s a bootlegger, an artist, a stealthy guide, a ship’s captain, a bad mother-in-law, and a drunken uncle, and that’s just for starters. This book features pretty much the entire globe. There are so many people covering such a wide swath of time and space you’ll wonder what kind of polymath Shipstead must be to have written so convincingly about all of them. You also may wonder how they’ll tie together, but trust me, they do. Sentence by sentence this book is snappy, fresh, delightful. Get on board the plane and take a spin.

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.

Donut Miss These: 17 New Books for the Young and Young at Heart

It’s into the home stretch for Nashville’s public school students, with just a few more weeks until summer break, when the days are long and so are the reading hours. Until then, there’s still weekends and nights. (Huddled under the blanket with a flashlight after lights-out? We won’t tell!) And for all those story cravings, late-night or otherwise, we’ve got another great round of books for readers of all ages, whether you’re reading out loud together or stealing away on your own literary adventures. Our booksellers are always reading with recommendations in mind. Check them all out!

PICTURE BOOKS

Recommended by Rae Ann

Wishes
 

By Mượn Thị Văn & Victo Ngai

A family’s immigration story is told through a child’s wishes in this picture book about kindness and bravery.

Recommended by Chelsea


Yes & No
 

By Elisha Cooper

Illustrations take center stage here as the reader joins a dog and cat throughout their day. Warm and serene, this would make the perfect bedtime book at the end of a busy day!


INDEPENDENT READERS

Recommended by Rae Ann

What Ollie Saw
 

By Joukje Akveld & Sieb Posthuma, translated by Bill Nagelkerke

Ollie and his sister don’t see things the same way. His parents and teacher are sure Ollie needs glasses. But does he?

Recommended by Rae Ann

Donut Feed the Squirrels (Norma and Belly #1)
 

By Mika Song

Norma and Belly are squirrels who would really like a donut from the food truck. When the cranky donut seller says no, they resort to extreme measures to get what they want. This graphic novel for young readers is a fun madcap adventure.

Recommended by Kay

Trouble in the Stars
 

By Sarah Prineas

Following an amnesiac shapeshifter as they flee an enemy they don’t even remember, Trouble in the Stars is a unique sci-fi adventure about family and empathy. Trouble’s shapeshifting powers make them a fascinating and entertaining narrator, as each of their forms has its own quirks and senses. Funny, charming and heartfelt from beginning to end.

Recommended by Chelsea

Finding Junie Kim
 

By Ellen Oh

Seventh grade is off to a rough start for Junie, especially when racist graffiti is found in the school gymnasium. Junie’s friends want to do something, but Junie just wants to fit in. Then Junie learns of her grandparent’s experiences during the Korean War, and Junie decides to make her voice heard after all.

Recommended by Brad

The Last Fallen Star (A Gifted Clans Novel)
 

By Graci Kim

Riley, an adopted Korean American girl, wants to follow in her sister’s footsteps of joining a powerful witch clan. When the two devise a plan to get Riley powers, everything goes wrong and Riley must find a powerful artifact to save her sister. With sweet familial relationships, nail-biting action scenes and a deep look into Korean mythology, this adventure is not one to miss!

Recommended by Madeline

The Chance to Fly
 

By Ali Stroker & Stacy Davidowitz

Defying odds, chasing dreams, and overcoming seemingly impossible circumstances — this beauty of a book is for every dreamchaser. It’s a story of what it looks like when a young girl is determined enough, and never gives up despite the circumstances.

Recommended by Gavin, age 10

Cat Kid Comic Club: From the Creator of Dog Man
 

By Dav Pilkey

A good and very funny book! If you like the Dog Man books then you will definitely like this one. It will keep you in stitches!

YOUNG ADULT

Recommended by Rae Ann

Luck of the Titanic
 

By Stacey Lee

Stacey Lee’s latest book inspired by the Chinese survivors of the Titanic is a fresh take on a familiar tale. Valora Luck dreams of a new life in America and a place in the circus. She convinces her twin brother to join her in her quest, but tragedy strikes just when her dreams are within reach.

Recommended by Rae Ann

Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All
 

By Laura Ruby

Two girls in a Chicago orphanage narrate this tale of WWII-era Chicago. This National Book Award finalist is a gripping story of a girl searching for a better future for herself and the ghost who watches over her.

Recommended by Kay

Victories Greater Than Death (Unstoppable #1)
 

By Charlie Jane Anders

Victories Greater than Death is a colorful, character-driven space adventure that puts a fresh spin on classic sci-fi tropes. Tina, cloned from a famous alien war hero and secretly raised on Earth, is called on to rejoin the fight that ended her last life. With the help of a diverse crew of teenage prodigies, she must brave a bigger, stranger universe than she could have imagined and find her place within it.

Recommended by Chelsea

The Sky Blues
 

By Robbie Couch

When Sky’s promposal plan is e-blasted to all seniors and their parents with homophobic and racist slurs, Sky never wants to set foot in his high school again. When his classmates come up with the ultimate revenge plan, Sky learns that maybe he has more supporters than he anticipated. This sweet, charismatic story was the perfect read I didn’t know I needed.

Recommended by Brad

Witches Steeped in Gold
 

By Ciannon Smart

Two sworn enemies fueled by their own vengeance must unite to take down a corrupt ruler in this incredible debut novel, filled with magic, shocking reveals, and fantastic world-building. I truly could not put this book down. I’m counting down the days to when I can get my hands on the sequel!

Recommended by Chelsea

Kate in Waiting
 

By Becky Albertalli

Kate and Anderson, best friends with a history of mutual crushes, do everything together, but when their summer crush turns up at their school, will their friendship survive? A heartfelt exploration of the relationships teens have: romantic, platonic and family.

 



Spark Book Club: May Selection
The Adventure Is Now
 

By Jess Redman

The Spark Book Club selection for May is The Adventure Is Now by Jess Redman. Milton P. Greene hates school and loves playing the video game Isle of Wild. When he’s sent to Lone Island for the summer to stay with his scientist uncle, he and his new friends find a field guide that sends them on a wild adventure that may save the island.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“Redman renders compassionate characters in Milton and crew, placing an emphasis on honesty and emotional directness that makes for an affirming adventure.” —Publishers Weekly

“Magic blooms as thick as Truth-Will-Out Vine on every page of this story. I adore Milton P. Greene, his wild adventure, his magical island, and his brave, daring heart.” —Natalie Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic and The Problim Children series

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 May Selection
Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses: A Novel
 

By Kristen O’Neal

The May ParnassusNext selection is Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O’Neal. When a diagnosis of Lyme disease forces Priya to come back home from Stanford’s pre-med program, she takes solace in her online chronic illness support group and her online BFF Brigid. When Brigid stops answering all texts and emails, Priya steals the family minivan to track down Brigid. Priya just wasn’t expecting to find a giant animal locked in Brigid’s basement.

Perfect for fans of contemporary friendship tales, Kristen O’Neal’s young adult debut sheds light on daily life with a chronic illness.

Check out our Instagram Live with Kristen!

Early praise for the novel:

 “A heartwarming, quirky take on chronic illness in all its hairy detail.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A fresh and original twist on the werewolf legend.”—Booklist

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.

Mother Mais Oui — 21 Great New Reads for Spring Time

If this week in Nashville is any indication, April showers bring … May showers. And some flowers, too. More importantly for our purposes, May brings another whopping batch of handpicked staff picks to go along with those flowers that have, indeed, begun to pop open everywhere. The occasion of this post also represents your very last chance to get an extra-special gift for that mom in your life: a handwritten card from Ann Patchett! Sign her up for a 6- or 12-month membership to our First Editions Club, and Ann will write her a note. Simple as that. More about FEC, along with this month’s pick, are down at the bottom of this post. But first, some recommended reading!

FICTIONRecommended by Karen
Whereabouts: A novel

By Jhumpa Lahiri

Set in Rome, this slim novel portrays the interior life of a single woman in middle age who chooses to live a life on her own. What is the price paid when you live a solitary life?

Recommended by Karen Nives

By Sacha Naspini, translated by Clarissa Botsford

After finding her husband face down in the pig pen after a fatal stroke, Nives finds that Giacomina, a chicken, is her only comfort. When one night Giacomina is accidently hypnotized by a television commercial, Nives frantically calls her old friend, the town’s veterinarian to figure how what to do. The conversation they have ends up being about a lot more than a chicken.

Recommended by Karen Project Hail Mary: A Novel

By Andy Weir

The author of The Martian gives us another entertaining read. Ryland Grace is the unlikely choice to save humanity, but when he finds out he is the only one left alive on his interstellar mission that is exactly what he must do.

Recommended by Karen Ariadne: A Novel

By Jennifer Saint

I’ve become obsessed with novels featuring women in Greek Mythology. Here Jennifer Saint expands the stories of the princesses of Crete, Ariadne and Phaedra, the sisters of the Minotaur and daughters of Minos. It is so fun seeing how Saint weaves new tales of these women through the old.

Recommended by Lindsay Such a Fun Age

By Kiley Reid

One of my favorite novels of 2020 is now out in paperback! Such a Fun Age opens with Emira, a young Black woman who nannies for a white family, being accused of kidnapping the toddler she’s watching over. From there, things only get more complicated. This debut has some of the sharpest writing on race, class and gender in America that I’ve read in a long time.

Recommended by Elyse Secrets of Happiness

By Joan Silber

A beautifully written story of life’s complexities, told from the perspective of six very different but related characters. Silber’s book, only 288 pages, uses an economy of words that made a big impact on this reader!

Recommended by Chelsea Dial A for Aunties

By Jesse Q. Sutanto

Mix an accidental murder in with Crazy Rich Asians and you get Dial A for Aunties. This was the hilarious, endearing read that I needed.

Recommended by Sarah Things We Lost to the Water: A novel

By Eric Nguyen

This debut novel is about a mother and her two sons who flee Vietnam, leaving their husband and father behind, and settle in New Orleans in the late 1970s. Nguyen powerfully describes the immigrant experience, shifting family dynamics, and loss as we follow the family through several decades. He approaches LGBTQ issues and racism with care and poignant insight. I only wish I had more time with these characters!

Recommended by Sissy The Absolutist: A Novel

By John Boyne

A gay English boy too young to fight manages to join the army during the Great War. He’s haunted for the rest of his life by events before and during the fighting. I could not put this novel down.

Recommended by Ben Thirst

By Amélie Nothomb, translated by Alison Anderson

This super-slim French novella is told in the voice of a first-person, corporeal Jesus, opening with people complaining how they’ve been worse off since he worked miracles for them. The prose is irreverent and comedic, while also humanizing and philosophical. In fewer than 100 pithy and wise pages, Nothomb meditates unforgettably on desire, loneliness, friendship, death, connection.

Recommended by Hannah The Dictionary of Lost Words: A Novel

By Pip Williams

Calling all word and language lovers! This spellbinding historical fiction debut has gorgeous writing, dynamic characters and a memorable storyline. Based on the true events of creating the Oxford English Dictionary, this is an empowering novel that will forever make you ponder our words and how they came to be.

Recommended by Ben The Everlasting: A Novel

By Katy Simpson Smith

An ambitious and strikingly original book I loved is out in paperback! Four lives that play out in four time periods of Rome subtly interlock, exploring the different ways desire shapes and haunts our human hearts. Also, a heartbroken and relatable Satan interjects throughout the book, which is a tad weird but quite entertaining and thought-provoking.

Recommended by Sissy The Girl Who Died: A Novel

By Ragnar Jonasson

The Turn of the Screw gets a modern twist. I had no idea what was going to happen and I read all night to find out. Rural Iceand is a perfect setting for this chilling tale.

Recommended by Kathy Zorrie

By Laird Hunt

Zorrie’s life of hard work, sacrifice and living close to the land spans the 20th century. You feel her joys, sorrows, struggles and triumphs as she lives a life of quiet dignity. This wonderful book reminded me of Carol Shields’ The Stone Diaries and the novels of Willa Cather.

NONFICTIONRecommended by Steve Crying in H Mart: A Memoir

By Michelle Zauner

Michelle Zauner (aka the musical mastermind behind Japanese Breakfast) confronts the death of her mother and its aftermath. I’m so grateful for how this book walks through grief not as a way to leave it behind, but as a way to remember its exact shape. I love its funny, self-deprecating and wise observations, and its difficult beauty.

Recommended by Sissy You Can Do Anything, Magic Skeleton!: Monster Motivations to Move Your Butt and Get You to Do the Thing

By Chuck Wendig, illustrated by Natalie Metzger

Is your mom … different? Does she roll her eyes when something is too sentimental? Does she like a little gross humor here, a few motivational (not cheesy) quotes there? This is the perfect Mother’s Day gift for her.

Recommended by Patsy Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain

By Shankar Vedantam & Bill Mesler

The host of the popular podcast Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantan, adeptly demonstrates the hidden influences that shape our lives. This study of delusion, using case studies and other research, shows its effects on individuals, groups and societies, with particular attention to the placebo effect and cognitive dissonance. Anyone who’s been asking “How can they believe that?” will appreciate this engaging book.

Recommended by Sissy The Unfit Heiress: The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt

By Audrey Clare Farley

Hewitt and her mother were locked in a years-long court battle after her mother had her sterilized against her will. What makes this story so fascinating is how the public’s ideas of reproductive rights change throughout Hewitt’s life. This is a timely and fast-paced read.

Recommended by Ben Refugee: A Memoir

By Emmanuel Mbolela, translated by Charlotte Collins

In this timely, direct book, Mbolela recounts his harrowing experiences fleeing political instability in the DRC, including crossing the Sahara Desert only to be marooned in Morocco for years. With a clear eye on the horrors female migrants face and the West’s role in propping up regimes that lead to such crises, this inspiring account sheds light on how far people will go for a chance at freedom, safety and opportunity.

Recommended by Becca Why We Swim

By Bonnie Tsui

As someone who grew up on the coast, spending every summer as a lifeguard, water is the thing that I miss most in my day-to-day life. I miss seeing it, I miss hearing it, and I really miss swimming. This book (now out in paperback) is a celebration of water for and about people who, like me, are called to swim.

POETRYRecommended by Steve I Am Not Trying to Hide My Hungers from the World (American Poets Continuum #185)

By Kendra Decolo

The first poem in this profound, sometimes daffy collection is titled “I Pump Milk Like a Boss,” and the very last word in this book is “need.” Between those two endpoints, Kendra DeColo does with the sacred and profane what few others can do, in poems that are as sacred and likely much more profane than any you’ll read this year.

View our virtual event with Kendra DeColo, in conversation with Ciona Rouse!

First Editions Club: May Selection Secrets of Happiness

By Joan Silber

Whenever I’m sure I know what a story is about, it turns out I’m wrong. Or I’m not wrong exactly, the book is about what I thought it was about, but it’s also about a hundred other things I never considered. I’m not just talking about novels here, I’m talking about life. And I have a real fondness for novels that operate more like life and less like … well … novels.

Welcome to Joan Silber’s Secrets of Happiness, which at first appears to be the story of Ethan, a young New York lawyer who discovers his father had a second family. And that is the story, but as the book unfolds it turns out to be so many other stories as well. Like life, Secrets of Happiness shows us our connections to people we never suspected were essential to our narrative.

You may wonder how Silber could improve on her last novel, Improvement, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award AND the PEN/Faulkner, and all I can tell you is I have no idea. That book was amazing, and this one is even better. I regard her as the great unsung genius of this literary age.

I’m betting you’re going to love it.

Yours in reading,
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.

 

Three Collections for the End of Poetry Month

As National Poetry Month draws to a close, we’re still buzzing from our virtual event with former Parnassian Kendra DeColo (which you can watch here), for her new collection I Am not Trying to Hide My Hungers From the World. That is of course just one of many titles that we are excited to keep on our shelves. A few highlights: Amanda Gorman’s The Hill We Climb, Kwame Alexander’s Light for the World to See, the Kevin Young-edited African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song, Don Mee Choi’s DMZ Colony, Ross Gay’s Be Holding, Francine J. Harris’ Here Is the Sweet Hand and Leanne Couch’s Every Lash, to name but a few.

For this post, bookseller Ben Groner wanted to spend a little more time with a few books than our must-fit-on-a-shelf-talker Staff Picks will allow, so he’s fleshed out his recommendations with more detail. We should mention here that Ben is himself a published poet — check out “Three Minutes in Nijmegen,” “Pillars of Light, Hills of White” and two poems in Delta Poetry Review.

Without further ado, here’s Ben on three recent collections:

We the Jury: Poems

By Wayne Miller

In his latest collection, We the Jury, Miller looks out at his world as a husband, a father, a citizen, and asks with honesty and rapture: “What is this America, what is this life?” A keen observer, Miller is not disheartened by past atrocities and current struggles, but is compelled to hold them in front of him and be candid about what he sees. His refusal to shy away from hard truths is evident throughout, as in a passage describing how the ringing of cell phones in the pockets of dead night clubbers was “the best image we had / of what made us a nation,” and how the current director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum must “visit the ovens / must inspect the barbed wire / for rust and replace it.” On the other hand, he is equally aware of the wonder that is at all of our fingertips, in poems such as “Lens” where he glimpses futures that “lay just beyond the door / open and luminous,” and in “Notes: History” where he notices the way “tap water / will draw up through the stem / and compel the petals / to continue opening.”

There’s an engaging wry humor and frankness to these lyrical narratives, especially when he’s musing about class and wealth disparity in “From the Afterlife of the Rich” and “Song From the Back of the House.” In the former, a deceased wealthy person gazes out and sees that “down in the orchestra pit / the musicians were clothed in our / sustaining contributions,” and in the latter, a chef questions if the guests are “so middle class, / what are those of us / working back here? / Oh.”

Oh, indeed.

One of the most impressive aspects of this collection, to me anyway, was that no matter the subject, the poems never hover around a single tone or paint with a single shade, not even when they’re interrogating difficult history and truths. Miller is insistent on tenaciously dangling threads of hope along the taut line breaks. The world he finds himself a part of is about more than simply surviving; it involves being large-heartedly present and open to love. When he sees a bird hopping around inside an airport in the poem “The Future,” he asks, “If only / she could be coaxed / down the jetway / and onto the plane / to take to the sky / inside our human / endeavor, wouldn’t that / be a kind of release?” Throughout the book, Miller tackles plenty of tough topics — miscarriage, heroin addiction, housing crisis, middle age, war — but all with a measure of gentleness and abundance. As he observes wisely, “Bomb craters” with time become “ponds / exploding with lilies—.”

American Wake

By Kerrin McCadden

Taking its apt title from the Irish concept of a vigil “for the living, the leaving” — those setting off for better fortunes in America — McCadden weaves delicate familial webs, unearths ancestral stories, searches for home, and ruminates on her relationship with her brother.

This brother is being poisoned and erased by drugs, a topic she returns to in many of these poems. In “Portrait of the Family as a Definition,” she explores this loss through the etymology and connotations of the word “soon,” writing: “When / the needle is inserted, soon the body tingles like sleep and the brother / nods off. How did it get so late so soon?” In “When My Brother Dies,” she comes right out and asks, “Which death are my parents crying about, now? […] Hypodermic needle / death is the one I know it always is, though. […] We cry like our eyes / are needles, the plunger pressed. We cry like sugar / water and dirty apartments. There he goes again.” These types of imagistic and emotional seeds she sows throughout the book swell in resonance toward the end in powerful poems like “reverse overdose,” and “Ashes.”

Of course, the subject matter McCadden sifts through goes beyond this particular grief. In “Street View,” she drags the yellow man icon of Google’s technology all over Ireland as she seeks to visualize the land her family belongs to, while “The Magpie: A Key” reads like precious folk wisdom as she ponders what 20 different behaviors of the bird could possibly mean. She’s equally dexterous with metaphors and similes, noting that “In the lumberyard of the heart, the materials / are strange,” and how “texts from an ex-husband” are “like a flying saucer / landing on earth, so close,” like pings from a brandished “blaster, phaser, rocket-grenade, / the phone lighting up at night with him, lasers blasting / the bedroom blue.”

In these poems, Station Island and Cruach na Míol blossom into view, ancient saints hold their heads in their arms, boats and islands and seas populate the pages, hearts go about their unseen workings as rivers thaw, a vintage planetarium illumines a darkened bedroom, a brother is loved and lost and looked for time after time. In “Shaking the Sheets,” she “let[s] the morning disappear as if disappearances / were kind, as if windmills were some kind / of measure.” Mornings and windmills may fail us, but these poems are generous, offering ways to weigh loss, to rediscover what it means to find a home and create a life.

Visiting Hours

By Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum

Visiting Hours isn’t as new as the previous two collections (it was published last spring), but seeing as I missed it in the stunned numbness of the early-pandemic months and the paperback released recently, I hope you’ll allow me to draw attention to it below.

These poems revolve around Mary Interlandi, McFadyen-Ketchum’s dear childhood friend who leapt from the 7th floor of a parking garage to her death in 2003 at the age of 19. Elegiac and imaginative, he writes to mourn and search for her, to wrestle with blame and understanding. The poems whirl from Blacksburg, Virginia to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky but mostly to the Nashville of their shared youth: a land of honky-tonks and quarries and a “Land of the twang and tremolo / Of steel guitars, Land of churches rising / from every corner.” He employs childhood memories, dream sequences, multi-page meditations on grief and recollection, those longer poems often being among the most emotionally-charged.

In one section of the nine-page title poem, “Visiting Hours,” he recalls visiting her in the mental ward and how he “watched a rhombus of daylight scroll / Across Mary’s star-turned face, her eyes / Fluttering, the hardback she’d been reading / Perched like a little roof on the house / Of her chest.” In another, he eschews punctuation, using the word “blame” forty-three times as if in a frantic rush to figure out that unanswerable question why: “blame blame blame the parking garage’s easy access blame the voices no one heard but she.” In the dream world of “Marysarias,” another long, multi-section poem, he thinks of their younger selves when they “were two kids who should’ve been in love,” but then poses questions like “Do I tell you how fiercely I loved my wife?” or “Do I tell you how they [the two policemen] stood there in the door, their blue hats / held before them like the orbs of all life and the fate of mankind grasped / in the hands of God’s first clergy?”

By the same token, Mary is no silent ghost on the page. Though the poems return repeatedly to her death and gaping gone-ness, at times she is fiercely alive on the page when her voice rises, italicized and immediate, from his. In the final poem in a series of consecutive ones told from her perspective, “I Too Grow Tired of Winter,” she describes her spirit self passing through the keyhole of her childhood home:

In the dark I riffle curtains
Only to watch them smooth themselves back to order.

In shadow I remove all the novels and neatly-accordioned maps
From their spots on the shelves
And place them on their faces on the floor like tarot

Only to watch them open their spines, test
Their paper wings, and flutter back to their designations
Between bookends.

Night after night,
I practice fourth notes and fifths on the baby grand.

Always it ends the same:

My mother startling awake from sleep,
My father certain “it’s her” practicing scales a floor below
Like I did in life,

And just as they turn the corner in their nightclothes,
I vanish

All over again.

I kept being impressed by how cohesive these poems are in concept and imagery. In “Smith Lake,” he mentions swimming together beneath moonlight as kids—“her hair / held suspended by the water’s hundred hands” — then in “Mare Orientale” explores the perspective of an impact crater on the far side of the moon, paying admirable attention to assonance and consonance in passages like “Moon: An oculus, sabled / And socketless. Mene: Our keeper, cragged / And craven.” He calls desperately to Mary on one page, and she answers from a dream on another.

This collection is heartrending, though not one-dimensionally depressing. There’s life on these pages, both Mary’s and his, language bringing her brightly into focus, “ribbons of reeds, unraveling from her ankles, Mary surfacing / So slowly it was as if she climbed not water but sky.” These are the poems of a friend who has lived so many years saturated in thoughts and emotions that they’ve steeped into a complex, potent tea of ache and wonder and longing. In all of them, he “offers [his] heart / To the muscular dark.” So, reader, drink deeply. Traverse these pages. Perhaps you’ll find yourself alongside the poet as he searches. Perhaps you can find her too.

20 Great New Reads for the Young and Young at Heart

One of our favorite things about being in the bookstore, even with limited capacity, is hearing the giggles and curious voices emanating from our children’s section. We are grateful to all the parents, grandparents, caregivers, friends and other guides who bring their youngsters of all sizes and supply them with one of childhood’s most essential resources. We are also delighted to once again tap our booksellers for their favorites — everything from sturdy board books to hefty YA novels. Have fun!

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Rae Ann
The Old Boat

By Jarrett Pumphrey

A boy and his grandfather set sail in the old boat catching waves and wishes. Soon the boy guides the boat on his own, away from home and the familiar. The Pumphrey brothers new picture book is a celebration of family and nature.

Recommended by Chelsea Big Dog and Little Dog

By Dav Pilkey

An adorable story introducing Big Dog and Little Dog, best friends who do everything together, even nap! Follow Big Dog and Little Dog in their next adventure here.

Recommended by Kay A House for Every Bird

By Megan Maynor & Kaylani Juanita

An artist is shocked to find the birds in her drawings rebelling against the carefully color-coded houses she designed for them. A fun story full of colorful, quirky birds that demonstrates the importance of actually listening to people instead of making assumptions about them.

Recommended by Madeline Sunny-Side Up

By Jacky Davis & Fiona Woodcock

A girl wants to play outside, but the rain keeps her in. Pillow forts and building blocks help for a little while, but all she wants to do is go for a walk with her family. A beautifully illustrated picture book about patience and family.

Recommended by Kay Out of Nowhere

By Chris Naylor-Ballesteros & Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

Striking high-contrast illustrations tell a sweet story about two best bug friends who find themselves separated, then reunited. A simple story with simple charm. Sometimes that’s exactly enough.

Recommended by Madeline The Dance of the Bees

By Fran Nuño, Zuzanna Celej & Jon Brokenbrow

This special treat of a book, featuring lyrical haiku, follows an elderly woman and her granddaughter on a stroll along a countryside. The grandmother teaches her granddaughter and the reader about the lives and importance of bees in nature. Each illustration is touching, the words enrapturing.

Recommended by Chelsea Someone Builds the Dream

By Lisa Wheeler & Loren Long

Someone Builds the Dream follows the people who carry out the dreams of designers, architects, and engineers. Beautiful illustrations (inspired by 1903s WPA murals) and gentle rhymes will make this a read-aloud favorite for all.

Recommended by Alisha I’ll Meet You in Your Dreams

By Jessica Young & Rafael Lopez

This rendition of a parent’s love for their child and the everlasting nature of deep connection will touch the hearts of both child and adult. I’ll Meet You in Your Dreams is a gorgeous story with breathtaking art that can help us appreciate the time we have together and the unending bond that nothing can break.

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Chelsea Oddity

By Eli Brown & Karin Rytter

In an 1800s alternate history United States where the Louisiana Purchase never happened, an oddity is a magical item that defies logic and nature, often used as a weapon in war. Oddities seem to find Clover, the daughter of a physician who lives on the edge of civilization, despite her father’s warning about their danger. Perfect for lovers of both history and adventure stories, this page turner is also filled with thoughtful characters and powerful prose.

Recommended by Patsy The One Thing You’d Save

By Linda Sue Park & Robert Sae-Heng

Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park pens a challenge to have us all, children and adults alike, consider the question of what matters most in our lives. This refreshing exercise in an age of semmingly unchecked consumerism requires us to consider the background and origin of our material goods and to reflect upon what we value and why.

Recommended by Rae Ann
Mars Is: Stark Slopes, Silvery Snow, and Startling Surprises

By Suzanne Slade

Photos of Mars take us closer to this intriguing planet and uncover surprises. This book can be read as picture book or serve as a more in-depth exploration for older readers.

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. Stacey Lee’s historical page turner is now available in paperback!

Read our interview with Stacey Lee here on Musing!

Recommended by Kay Firekeeper’s Daughter

By Angeline Boulley

This intense and intricate story follows Daunis, an Ojibwe teenager who joins an FBI investigation into the dangerous meth operation hurting her community. Boulley’s debut is both a carefully crafted mystery and a nuanced examination of community, exploring both the most joyful and most painful parts of Daunis’s life as a Native teen in unflinching detail. There’s a good reason everyone is talking about this one.

Recommended by Becca Yolk

By Mary H. K. Choi

Jayne Baek is flighty, superficial and paralyzingly self-aware. Nothing like her twin sister June, the perfect businesswoman. Both moved to NYC from Texas to elude the watchful eyes of their parents and the congregation of their local Korean American church. But when one sister’s life is at risk, the estranged pair must re-merge their lives and explore the deepest depths of their histories and identities to survive.

Recommended by Kay Can’t Take That Away

By Steven Salvatore

This story follows a genderqueer teenager named Carey as they navigate prejudice and self-doubt to land the part of Elphaba in their high school’s production of Wicked. Carey’s intense relationship with music, amazing support network, and unshakeable ideals all work together to drive a story that is equal parts empowering and entertaining.

Recommended by Becca Lost in the Never Woods

By Aiden Thomas

Wendy Darling is a true crime buff who spends most of her time volunteering at the hospital where her mom works. That is, until one night she hits a shadowy figure on her way home from work, and begins to unravel the secret behind the children that have been disappearing from her small town for years — starting with her younger brothers.

Recommended by Chelsea Tigers, Not Daughters

By Samantha Mabry

This story of sisterhood and survival is now out in paperback! When the eldest sister mysteriously falls to her death, the already fraught lives of the Torres girls become that much harder. Marby’s strong command of varying narrative perspectives throughout the novel and the slightest hint of magic left me breathless as I raced to find out the sisters’ fates.

Spark Book Club: April Selection How to Save a Queendom

By Jessica Lawson

This fantasy adventure takes readers on an epic journey with an orphan, a pet chicken, and a tiny wizard. One day a wizard appears in Stub’s pocket claiming he’s a royal wizard to the queen. Soon Stub and her pet chicken are off on an adventure to return the wizard to the castle before the Peace Day celebration and stop an evil Queen trying to take over the land.

Early Sparks for the novel:

This jam-packed fantasy from Lawson (Under the Bottle Bridge) brims with delicious language—“humming honey,” “blue smoke smackers”—while enchanting characters, rich worldbuilding, and energetic pacing frame its rousing action. —Publisher’s Weekly

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 April Selection The Cost of Knowing

By Brittney Morris

This emotional page-turner follows Alex Rufus, a teen boy burdened with both a tragic past and constant, inescapable visions of the future. When Alex has a vision of himself standing before his younger brother’s grave, he must find the courage to take control of his family’s story.

Early praise for the novel:

“A timely, poignant page-turner about grief, love, and facing your fears.” —Kirkus (starred review)

“A resonant story of fraternal love that first compels, then devastates, and will be remembered for a long time.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The Cost of Knowing is a tense and timely portrayal of powerful Black boys growing up too soon with knowledge that the past and future are aligned against them. Morris writes the best kind of speculative fiction, the kind where reality is close enough to touch.” —Lamar Giles, author of Not So Pure and Simple and Spin

No Fooling: 22 Great New Reads for April

Hey, we don’t know about you, but we’re feeling just a little bit hopeful these days. Maybe it’s the sun, or booksellers getting vaccinated, or just the season of renewal kicking in. “The bees are flying,” Sylvia Plath wrote, “They taste the spring.” With that in mind, we present 22 books of many persuasions — fiction, poetry, history, cookbooks and more — hand-picked by our booksellers and ready to kickstart your warm-weather reading. Hope you enjoy.

FICTION

Recommended by Lindsay

Detransition, Baby: A Novel
 

By Torrey Peters

This debut from Torrey Peters is messy, y’all, and I mean the best kind of messy — the kind with characters whose impossible choices make you question your preconceived notions, the kind that keeps you reading into the early hours of the night. Peters is one of the first trans women to land a fiction deal with a Big 5 publisher and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Recommended by Rae Ann

The Last Exiles
 

By Ann Shin

A university student in North Korea risks everything to find her boyfriend after he disappears. This epic debut novel by award-winning documentary filmmaker Ann Shin is inspired by true stories of resilience.

Recommended by Elyse

Eternal
 

By Lisa Scottoline

Eternal is Scottoline’s first foray into historical fiction, but it still has Lisa Scottoline written all over it! A wonderfully engaging story of loyalty, family, loss, love (and food), set against the backdrop of the Nazi invasion of Rome during WW II. It has her authentic voice and is a page turner like all her other works. As a side note, have a bowl of pasta close by as you read the book. You’ll thank me!

Watch our virtual event with Lisa Scottoline, in conversation with Paula McLain!

Recommended by Steve

Klara and the Sun: A novel
 

By Kazuo Ishiguro

This spare wonder of a tale is narrated by Klara, known in the world of the novel as an artificial friend (AF), which in other contexts we might call a robot or cyborg. In characteristically restrained style — not a wasted word here, really — Ishiguro makes you wonder so much whether Klara’s neural network is capable of compassion, but whether humans have programmed it out of ourselves.

Recommended by Chelsea

The Windsor Knot: A Novel (Her Majesty the Queen Investigates #1)
 

By SJ Bennett

This is the delightful first volume of a new series detailing how Queen Elizabeth II discreetly solves crimes while carrying out her duties as a reigning monarch. If you love royalty and Murder, She Wrote, don’t miss this! Jane Copland’s audio narration makes this a great listen to distract from the everyday.

Get the audiobook from our partner Libro.fm!

Recommended by Rae Ann

The Kitchen Front: A Novel
 

By Jennifer Ryan

A BBC cooking contest is the backdrop for this WWII homefront story about friendship, forgiveness and resilience.

Recommended by Sissy

Northern Spy: A Novel
 

By Flynn Berry

Two sisters struggle with loyalty as IRA violence escalates in Northern Ireland. I thought this was even better than A Double Life.

Recommended by Rae Ann

The Memory Collectors: A Novel
 

By Kim Neville

Ev can sense emotions in objects. Harriet is a human magpie with a collection growing out of control. When the two women meet, they create a museum of memory to help others, but their alliance may also be the key to the secrets of Ev’s past.

Recommended by Becca

Act Your Age, Eve Brown: A Novel (The Brown Sisters #3)
 

By Talia Hibbert

This final installment in Talia Hibbert’s Brown Sisters trilogy is everything it needed to be and more. Eve, the youngest Brown sister and the queen of chaos, crashes into a small town in search of a job and an opportunity to prove herself. What follows is a classic enemies-to-lovers story that is laugh-out-loud funny, wildly sexy and extremely sweet. Read all three books and thank me later!

Recommended by Sydney

Astrid Sees All: A Novel
 

By Natalie Standiford

This novel is a thrilling coming-of-age story set in the 1980s New York City club scene. Phoebe, 22 and grieving the loss of her father, seeks a path of self-destruction. After escaping to the East Village with her best friend, Phoebe finds work reading fortunes in a popular nightclub as Astrid the Star Girl. Dark, moody, and the perfect escape from 2021.

Don’t miss our virtual event with Natalie Standiford, in conversation with Ann Powers, on April 20!

Recommended by Kathy

We Begin at the End
 

By Chris Whitaker

My husband thinks this is one of the top five reads of his life. I tend to agree. The book has it all — mystery, suspense, family, love — that will keep you reading in a big gulp.

Recommended by Ben

The Lowering Days: A Novel
 

By Gregory Brown

When an obsolete paper mill is set on fire along the Penobscot River in northern Maine, it magnifies bonds and rifts between the Ames and Creel families. Wise, tender, and with a knack for pacing, this swirling debut explores the interrelatedness of nature, wonder, brotherly bonds, fathers, Native communities, violence, forgiveness, grief and love.

Recommended by Kathy

Sunflower Sisters: A Novel (Woolsey-Ferriday)
 

By Martha Hall Kelly

An ancestor of Carolyn Ferriday of Lilac Girls is one of the main the characters, along with an unforgettable “mistress of the plantation” and her house girl. These three tell the story of the Civil War coming to Virginia and to northern cities, and how it upended life for all. This is historical fiction at its best.

Watch our virtual event with Martha Hall Kelly!

Recommended by Ben

Brood: A Novel
 

By Jackie Polzin

This interior, journal-esque novel follows a woman and her husband as they care for a brood of chickens over the course of a year. The lessons learned after a particular aching loss end up expanding the experience of reading, achieving a broader profundity that is replete with lyrical insight and marvelous vision.

Recommended by Madeline

The Many Lives of Pusheen the Cat (I Am Pusheen )
 

By Claire Belton

Pusheen is a worldwide phenomenon, loved in all her majestic forms. This book is perfect for not only Pusheen lovers, but also for the sarcastic and young at heart. Pusheen reminds us all that growing up is never fun, desserts are best, and so much more with colorful comics! A perfect pick-me-up gift.

NONFICTION

Recommended by Steve

A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance
 

By Hanif Abdurraqib

As ever, the personal is both the political and the poetic — a lens through which, at a dizzying number of focal lengths, music, pop culture and Blackness look sharper, fresher and more nuanced. A Little Devil in America braids history, criticism and fandom into the kind of book only Hanif Abdurraqib could have written.

Recommended by Sissy

Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice 1967-1975
 

By Richard Thompson with Scott Timberg

This short book is a wild ride and full of cameos I did not expect! The perfect music nerd book.

Recommended by Steve

Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story
 

By Rachel Louise Martin

A deep fried deep dive into the history of Nashville’s most famous food. Hot, Hot Chicken explores the origins of the dish and its place in the city’s tangled history of race and segregation.

Read an excerpt on Musing!

Recommended by Becca

Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food
 

By Julia Turshen

The tag line kind of says it all: really easy, mostly healthy and definitely comforting. The back matter includes lists of Julia’s favorite pantry organization tips, menu suggestions and an index of dietary-restriction-friendly recipes (in addition to a dedicated section of one-pot vegan meals). Julia Turshen cooks the way I want to cook for myself and my family.

Recommended by Patsy

Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage
 

By Anne Lamott

In the witty, self-deprecating, thoughtful language we’ve come to know her for, Lamott offers a timely message of hope in these trying times. She writes with humanity and candor, calling us to focus on moments of grace, connection and the beauty of nature.

POETRY

Recommended by Ben

We the Jury: Poems
 

By Wayne Miller

From the communal (a public hanging in Kentucky) to the personal (burying the family dog in the backyard), Miller asks: What do you see? He inspects what it means to be a father, husband, citizen — how to not only survive, but be present and love. Even when interrogating tough subjects, he weaves threads of hope, noting, for instance, how “bomb craters” with time become “ponds / exploding with lilies.”

Recommended by Ben

American Wake
 

By Kerrin McCadden

How many other poets make metaphors as multifaceted, as capacious? Taking its title from the Irish concept of a vigil “for the living, the leaving” — those setting off for better fortunes in America — McCadden uses colloquial and inventive forms to probe delicate familial webs, ancestral stories, her relationship with her beloved drug-addled brother, questions of home.

 



First Editions Club: April Selection
The Souvenir Museum: Stories
 

By Elizabeth McCracken

In 1990, I arrived at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts, having no idea that the greatest gift of that seven-month fellowship would be the start of a lifelong friendship with Elizabeth McCracken. Almost as soon as we met, we were passing pages back and forth, marking them up, staying up late to talk about what we wanted to do with our work and our lives. I learned how to be a better writer by watching Elizabeth. At every turn she was smart, fearless, inventive. She met her characters with curiosity and kindness. To quote the final page of Charlotte’s Web, “It is not often that someone comes along who
is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.” Well, so is Elizabeth.



As the years went on, we’ve stayed close, both as friends and as writers. We’re still swapping pages. I’m still marveling.

So when I tell you that The Souvenir Museum is my favorite McCracken book, rest assured that I speak with authority. These stories are her very best, which is a high bar, considering her last collection, Thunderstruck, won the Story Prize. I also think that stories are just the right thing for this moment (springtime, pandemic), especially these stories, because they’re so good.



Settle back and enjoy.



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.

 

Heat Map: An Excerpt From Hot, Hot Chicken by Rachel Louise Martin

Rachel Louise Martin’s new book Hot, Hot Chicken explores the history of Nashville’s most famous food: volcanic spice-encrusted fried chicken. The book expands on a story Martin wrote for The Bitter Southerner, exploring the origins of the now-classic dish, and how those origins had escaped her view when she was growing up. The fiery bird is all but ubiquitous now from one end of Music City to the other, and as far away as Los Angeles and Australia. But not long ago at all, it was mostly known only among Black Nashvillians.

“Focusing on a single dish and the branches of the Prince family who created it, Rachel Louise Martin uses Nashville’s signature, world-famous hot chicken to guide us through the history of a quintessential southern American town,” writes chef, author and Parnassus favorite Carla Hall. “This book serves as a comprehensive guide to a great city and to the people who were positively influenced by the very African American culture it sought, so often, to undermine.” We could hardly say it better. The following excerpt is taken from the introduction.

My Nashville roots go three generations deep, but I had never eaten hot chicken — or even heard of it — growing up. I moved away for graduate school in 2005. I came back eight years later to a new Nashville where everyone hung out in neighborhoods that had been called “blighted” when I left. Folks said a hundred people a day were moving to the city, and all the transplants ate Nashville-style hot chicken. This local dish I didn’t know had become internationally famous.

Embarrassed I didn’t even recognize this dish everyone else loved, I turned to Google hoping an image search would jiggle loose a memory. The web was full of photographs of fried chicken slathered in hot sauce a stomach-curdling shade of orange, served on a slice of Bunny white bread and topped by a crinkled dill pickle slice. None of it looked familiar.

I asked my dad if he had ever eaten it. “Nope,” he said. But he taught school in the 1970s, and he remembered that some of the Black teachers carried their own bottles of hot sauce. Sometimes they’d prank him by spiking his cafeteria lunch.

This was not the answer I wanted. Was hot chicken a part of the city’s history that had been invisible to me as a white woman? I asked Denise, an older African American woman in my church who was raised in the city, what she thought. “Of course you didn’t eat hot chicken,” she said, shaking her head. “Hot chicken’s what we ate in the neighborhood.”

Rachel Louise Martin

Still hoping I was wrong, I went to the downtown public library to do a very unscientific survey of what they had on hand. I sat in their second-floor reading room, surrounded by stacks of cookbooks published by the Junior League and the extension agency and local restaurateurs, searching for a recipe proving that in Nashville we didn’t choose our chicken style based on race. I walked away with several new ways to fry a chicken. One of them added some black pepper. Several of them mentioned serving chicken while it was still hot. None of them showed me how to make my chicken spicy enough to ignite the interest of foodies and hipsters.

Denise was right. For almost seventy years, hot chicken had been made and sold primarily in Nashville’s Black neighborhoods. Most of that time, it was sold exclusively at Prince’s.

Since I’ve come back, I’ve learned to see multiple different Nashvilles. My city chooses which face it shows each person. There have been moments when we’ve tried to unify ourselves, but our efforts usually end in failure because we’ve built our divisions into our government, our schools, our food, our very landscape.

Not all Southern history dates from the Civil War, but that’s where this story begins. The Civil War was Nashville’s first urban planning initiative, ad hoc and piecemeal though it was, and it created the neighborhoods where hot chicken incubated for perhaps half a century, vastly popular among Black Nashville but unnoticed by all but a handful of white eaters. Since the Civil War 150 years ago, Nashville has weathered five more waves of change. The projects have had different names — slum clearance, urban renewal, Model Cities, Enterprise Zones, gentrification — but each one has had the same goal, to unwind the independence that planted itself in the spaces the refugees claimed when they stole themselves away from slavery and declared their freedom. Today, new Nashville is spreading those divisions even further apart.

***

Excerpted from Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story by Rachel Louise Martin. Copyright © 2021 by Vanderbilt University Press. Excerpted by permission of Vanderbilt University Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Imagine the World! 15 Great New Reads for the Young and Young at Heart

Rainbows, baseball, allergies — this month’s Staff Picks sure seem to anticipate spring! We won’t get ahead of ourselves here, but no matter what the weather does, it’s nice to know we always have books to help us imagine our world in new ways. Our booksellers are all thawed out from the recent ice and snow, and they’ve got another fantastic batch of reads to help usher in warmer days. Enjoy!

PICTURE BOOKSRecommended by Rae Ann
Best Friend in the Whole World

By Sandra Salsbury

Roland the rabbit finds a new pine cone friend during a trek through the woods, but later finds clues that someone else may have lost their best friend. A hard decision leads to an expanded circle of friends in this delightful picture book.

Recommended by Rae Ann
Shy Willow

By Cat Min

Willow receives a letter in her abandoned mailbox home meant for the moon. She rises to the challenge to deliver the letter with help from a few strangers. Beautiful illustrations highlight this story of courage and taking chances.

Recommended by Rae Ann
Milo Imagines the World

By Matt de la Peña & Christian Robinson

Milo imagines the lives of strangers on the subway and transforms them into art. At the end of his journey, he realizes their lives really aren’t that different from his own in this uplifting picture book.

Recommended by Sarah Rainbow Boy

By Taylor Rouanzion & Stacey Chomiak

Rainbow Boy wonders why adults think we can only have one favorite color. Why not have a favorite for each day of the week? This story spreads a warm message of acceptance and reminds us that we are all so much more than just one thing.

Recommended by Chelsea Mel Fell

By Corey R. Tabor

Turn the book sideways and follow Mel’s first flight (or fall) from the nest! Mel’s can-do attitude encourages readers to take the leap and soar.

Recommended by Chelsea Starla Jean

By Elana K. Arnold & A. N. Kang

When Starla Jean sees a chicken at the local park, her dad tells her that she can keep it if she can catch it. Starla is never one to shy away from a challenge! With adorable illustrations and lots of humor, this is a perfect read for those just starting to enjoy chapter books.

INDEPENDENT READERSRecommended by Rae Ann
City Spies

By James Ponti

Sara is a computer hacker. When she gets caught, she is tapped by a secret MI6 agency to be a real live spy. Now out in paperback! Read it before the second book in the series, Golden Gate, comes out this month.

Recommended by Kay Allergic: A Graphic Novel

By Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter

All Maggie has ever wanted is a puppy, but when she’s diagnosed with a serious animal allergy she has to process what the “new normal” means: new shots, new rules and no furry pets. Ever. This is a beautifully crafted story about dealing with a hard truth and still finding hope for a bright future.

Recommended by Kay The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother)

By David Levithan

This emotionally charged story follows a boy grappling with his older brother’s disappearance and the strange story he tells when he comes back. Did Aidan actually find a portal to a fantasy world like he claims? Or is that just a lie he’s telling to avoid talking about his trauma like the police and their parents suspect? Fantasy worlds and real pain collide in this mysterious family drama.

Recommended by Patsy From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler: Special Edition

By E.L. Konigsburg

This beautiful deluxe edition of the Newbery award-winning classic recounts Claudia and her little brother Jamie’s sojourn at the Metropolitain Museum of Art, where they have run away to teach their parents “a lesson in Claudia appreciation.” The children undertake a great adventure wherein they encounter a mysterious angel statue and the woman who knows its secret. This new keepsake edition makes a wonderful gift to 3rd-7th graders for an escape from pandemic life.

YOUNG ADULTRecommended by Kay Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke

By Andrew Maraniss

Glenn Burke’s lively personality shines through in this expertly crafted biography of one of baseball’s unsung icons. The inventor of the high-five comes alive on the page as Maraniss tackles both the joys and the tragedies of Burke’s life.

Watch our virtual event with Andrew Maraniss!

Recommended by Chelsea Fat Chance, Charlie Vega

By Crystal Maldonado

Charlie struggles to find her exact place in a world that wants her to be thinner, whiter, and quieter. This endearing debut will tug at your heartstrings and make you giggle all on the same page. I thought about Charlie for days after I finished her story.

Recommended by Kay The Stolen Kingdom

By Jillian Boehme

In this richly detailed fantasy story a lost princess must overcome dark magic, court intrigue, and her own conflicted heart to reclaim her rightful place on the throne. Perfect for fans of classic fairy tales and charming royal romances.

Spark Book Club: March Selection The Elephant in the Room

By Holly Goldberg Sloan

The Spark Book Club selection for March is The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan. Sila’s mom was supposed make a quick trip to Turkey to get the immigration paperwork that would allow their family to remain in the United States, but it’s been almost a year since she left. A special class project, a lottery winner who rescues an elephant, and a new friend give Sila a summer adventure like she never expected. This heartfelt middle grade novel, told from the point of view of humans and animals, is a story of connection, humor, and hope.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“Sloan captures the importance of compassion and bravery when facing life’s challenges … themes of collectivity and community in the face of isolation and stigma are brought to the surface and themselves offer depth to this heartfelt and sincere story.” —Kirkus

“Sloan (To Night Owl from Dogfish) fully builds the emotional interiors of each character, including Veda. This heartfelt tale thoughtfully conveys the agony of family separation, the beauty of nature, and the power of friendship to overcome tremendous difficulties.” —Publishers Weekly

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 March Selection Your Heart, My Sky: Love in a Time of Hunger

By Margarita Engle

The March ParnassusNext selection is Your Heart, My Sky by the former Young People’s Poet Laureate, Margarita Engle. This stunning novel-in-verse tells the story of two teens in 1991 Cuba. The government calls this time the special period in times of peace, but in reality the people are starving. Liana and Amado scavenge for food to help their families and community, hoping to create a new reality for their future. This tale of love and survival, with the help of a stray dog, showcases the courage of two former strangers to stand up and speak out.

Margarita Engle is a multi-award-winning author with books ranging from picture books to young adult novels. This book is based on the author’s visits to her family in Cuba.

Early praise for the novel:

“A deeply touching read that will stay with readers long after they turn the last page.” —Kirkus (starred review)

“At its heart, this is a tender love story, lyrically presented in alternating poetic voices” —The Horn Book Magazine

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.