Throughout the past few weeks I slowed down on my reading a bit to dive into some tv shows and films, but now that I’ve nearly finished all three seasons of Hannibal (an amazing show and noteworthy if for nothing other than truly disturbing and beautiful cinematography) I’m getting back to my lengthy to-read list.
Hoopla has gotten some really great new graphic novels that I am so excited to read! Here are my top recently released graphic novels you can read right now on Hoopla- some were new just in the past month and some are releases from earlier this spring that I missed during the chaos that was April and May. Better to read late than never is a mantra I often tell myself.
From sci-fi adventures to superheroes (sometimes hero-ish? looking at you Catwoman) to stories about adorable cats, there is something for everyone in the titles above.
I also just snagged the first five single issues of The Low, Low Woods, a newer comic series put out as part of the Joe Hill presents Hill House Comics of DC. I am quite delighted to crack open issue #1- the series is by the author of one of my favorite short story collections, Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado! If you haven’t read Her Body and Other Parties and you like weird feminist fiction- check it out now here on OverDrive! You won’t be disappointed. And since I generally love anything Joe Hill puts out or helps to publish, this should be a stellar series. Volume one is slated to be released this fall if you are more of a “wait for the collected volume” sort of reader *wink wink*.
I have been reading (and by reading, I mean listening to) a lot of true crime and thrillers lately, but I also read a good amount of YA books. I am the Teen Librarian, after all. Early in the Covid shut down I mostly revisited old favorites, but as I become accustomed to my new normal I am getting back into my old reading habits. So, here’s a quick review of some of my favorite YA reads of the year so far.
These are the first of my 5-Star reads of 2020.
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks: I loved this charming graphic novel so much! Two high school seniors, “work” best friends, face the end of their time at the pumpkin patch they both love. The pair decide to brush off work and hunt down a long time crush. Hilarity ensues. This slim volume perfectly captures the excitement, sorrow, and uncertainty of leaving high school and embarking on the next adventure.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer: This is fun Beauty and the Beast retelling. Harper, the story’s Belle, is tough and determined, and constantly underestimated due to her cerebal palsy. Definitely an interesting addition to the fantasy genre and the world of retellings.
Loveboat, Taipeiby Abigail Hing Wen: Ever Wong’s summer plans are cancelled when her parents inform her she is going to Taiwan to study Mandarin. It’s just the kind of thing they would do in their never-ending quest for the perfect daughter. What they don’t know is that this program is a notorious “meet-market”, nicknamed the Loveboat. Surrounded by teen prodigies and experience freedom for the first time, Ever sets out to break all the rules. You don’t have to be Chinese to relate to this nearly perfect coming of age story.
Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed: A teen book about political canvassing?!? Yes, please! Jewish and Muslim representation, political activism, and romance blend into the perfect book for me. I love anything that inspires young people to get involved in politics!
Displacement by Kiku Hughes: Displacement is an exploration of the Japanese-American and Japanese immigrant experience in interment camps during WWII. Teenaged Kiku Hughes calls her brief trips back in time to experience what her grandmother and great-grandparents experienced displacements. Little is known about their time in the camps because they rarely spoke of it, but Kiku was able to live the confusion and fear, the hunger and grief, the impossible choices people made. This memoir-based book is gorgeous. The art is simple and beautiful and panels are open, sometimes sprawling, like the inhospitable landscapes surrounding the camps. While the main focus is the past, the author pulls no punches when it comes to comparing Japanese internment camps and the political climate that allowed them to occur to our current political environmental. This is a powerful must-read.
Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!
The Beauty in Breakingby Michele Harper – A female, African American ER physician describes how her own life and encounters with her patients led her to realize that every human is broken and how recognizing that and moving towards a place of healing can bring peace and happiness.
Outsiderby Linda Castillo – A follow-up to the best-selling Shamed finds Kate Burkholder helping a friend from the police academy go into hiding among the Amish to avoid vengeful rogue cops who have wrongly accused her of murdering an undercover officer.
The Lost and Found Bookshopby Susan Wiggs – Inheriting her mother’s San Francisco bookshop in the wake of a tragedy, Natalie bonds with her ailing grandfather and hires a contractor to perform repairs before unexpected discoveries connect her to the community and family secrets.
The Shadows by Alex North – Forced by his mother’s failing health to return to the hometown where a misfit friend committed a shocking murder 25 years earlier, Paul learns about an investigation into a local copycat before realizing he is being followed.
The Golden Cageby Camilla Läckberg – Discovering that the privileged husband for whom she sacrificed everything has been having an affair, an emotionally and financially devastated woman orchestrates a daring plot for revenge. By the award-winning author of the Fjallbacka series.
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavorby Hank Green – A sequel to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing finds Andy assuming a late April’s speaking tour in the aftermath of the Carls’s departure, while Miranda infiltrates a new scientific operation that poses consequences beyond her comprehension.
The Lost Art of Dying : Reviving Forgotten Wisdomby L. S. Dugdale – A Columbia University physician shares uplifting prescriptive advice on how to rethink death and the art of dying well, drawing on specialist insights in medical ethics and elder care to outline more qualitative, holistic approaches.
Raising a Rare Girl: A Memoirby Heather Lanier – The award-winning author of The Story You Tell Yourself describes her unique journey raising a daughter with ultra-rare Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, her observations about society’s callous attitudes toward disability and her efforts to help her child walk, talk and survive.
Alice Knottby Blake Butler – A reclusive heiress haunted by family memories awakens one morning to discover several of her prized artworks destroyed before she is implicated in an international conspiracy at the same time she begins succumbing to a hallucinatory cognitive disorder.
Antkindby Charlie Kaufman – A neurotic and underappreciated film critic becomes sole witness to a film he’s convinced will change his career trajectory and rock the world of cinema to its core. By the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Adaptation.
The Heart and Other Monstersby Rose Andersen – A deeply personal exploration of the opioid crisis is an empathic memoir infused with hints of true crime.
The Color of Airby Gail Tsukiyama, Gail – A young doctor finds his arrival home to Hawai’i coinciding with the awakening of the Mauna Loa volcano and its dangerous path toward their village, unearthing long-held secrets simmering below the surface that meld past and present.
Bright Precious Thing: A Memoirby Gail Caldwell – The Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe literary critic and best-selling author of Let’s Take the Long Way Home chronicles the women’s movement from the 1960s through the #MeToo era to evaluate its impact on her feminist pursuits.
Of Mutts and Menby Spencer Quinn – Chet the dog and his private investigator partner, Bernie Little, must investigate after they show up for a meeting with a hydrologist but discover him murdered in the latest addition to the series following Heart of Barkness.
Muzzledby David Rosenfelt – Andy Carpenter investigates the story of a stray yellow lab whose owner is risking his safety to reunite with the dog after faking his death weeks earlier. By the Shamus Award-winning author of Dachshund Through the Snow.
Bonnieby Christina Schwarz – A reimagining of the life of Bonnie Parker traces the experiences of a young woman from a desolate region of Depression-era Texas whose consuming love for Clyde Barrow culminates in a violent and ultimately fatal crime spree.
Quitter: A Memoir of Drinking, Relapse, and Recovery by Erica C. Barnett – An award-winning political reporter and recovering alcoholic shares her story, describing her repeated recoveries and lapses, discussing how Alcoholics Anonymous didn’t correspond to her experience and actually was detrimental and highlighting the lack of rehabilitation options available to addicts.
Survivor Songby Paul Tremblay – When Massachusetts is overrun by a rabies-like virus that is incurable an hour after infection, a soft-spoken pediatrician navigates apocalyptic obstacles to get a vaccine to her eight-months pregnant friend. By the award-winning author of Growing Things.
Once You Go This Farby Kristen Lepionka – Believing that her father, a well-connected ex-cop, killed her mother, Maggie turns to PI Roxane Weary for help, drawing Roxane into a situation that doesn’t add up, and Roxane must find a way to connect the pieces before a dangerous secret gets someone else killed.
This week had me occupied with a book recommendation from my husband. While we generally agree on films, food and other critical-to-marriage subjects, books are where he sticks to nonfiction, but where I enjoy more of the make-believe varieties.
So when he reads fiction and then wants to talk about it, I am in. And, spoiler alert, he was right (and now that I’ve blogged about it, has bragging rights). The King at the Edge of the World by Arthur Phillips is that good. In this book, set in 1601, the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I is dying without an heir. Her likely successor is James VI of Scotland, who outwardly professes to be Protestant, but raised Catholic and with a Catholic wife, whose religious convictions are difficult to decipher. Those who wish to see England’s crown pass to a Protestant heir, including spy and stage actor Geoffrey Belloc, are desperate to know James’ heart on the matter.
A man without a dog in this fight is Ottoman Muslim Doctor, Mahmoud Ezzedine, who, banished to England because of unfortunate events, has been forced to become an expert on the nuances of Christianity and English politics. If Ezzedine has has any hopes of seeing his family again, he must assist Belloc. Ezzedine is made to be a judge of that which he knows little, in order to save a realm of which he cares little, in the faint hope he can return to the world he came from.
Today, it can be hard for some people to see beyond their perceptions of a person’s culture. This is one of the themes in this historical fiction/mystery hybrid novel. The doctor becomes a good spy, because while he might be distrusted for his foreignness, his foreignness also makes him invisible. Unseen, what will this man do to become free?
Not only is this book entertaining on so many levels, it may also have you reconsidering your own preconceptions of other cultures and people. In my opinion, that’s good fiction that educates. ~Carol
Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend and got to spend some time with loved ones. Though many community fireworks displays were cancelled, it seems like there were numerous backyard fireworks that more than made up for the cancellations, though my dog was not happy about it!
Princeton Review Strategy Session– Teens Tuesday, July 7, 3-4:30 pm The experts at The Princeton Review cover everything you need to know about the SAT in this virtual seminar. Learn how the test is built and structured and what that means for you as a test-taker. Catch up on the content tested on the SAT and how the test is scored. Get a sense of how one prepares for the SAT as well as the range of resources available. Registration required at https://www.princetonreview.com/product/offerings/463903
Introduction to Computers II – Part 1 – Adults Wednesday, July 8 and Thursday, July 9 10-10:45 am Already know how to use a mouse and keyboard? Continue learning about computers in this two-part class where you will discover the functions of different computer components and delve into more comprehensive functions of Windows 10. Class is in two parts: Wednesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 9, 10:00-10:45 am. Registered students will be given information on how to attend the class online. Topic Level: BeginningPrerequisite: Attendance in Intro to Computers I or equivalent experience is expected for this class Register online or call us at 440-333-7610, extension 5503. Registration opens on July 1, 2020, at 9:00 am.
Imagine Your Story: Rocky River Story Writing Workshops – Adults Thursday, July 9, 6:30-7:30 pmExplore place-based writing in this special virtual writing workshop series presented by Christine Howey of Literary Cleveland. You’ll use Rocky River as inspiration for your work and gain tips on crafting a piece well-suited for oral storytelling. Each participant will be encouraged to share their videos at our River of Stories event the week of July 21-27.Register and you will be emailed an invitation to join this virtual event. Registration required.
Princeton Review Free Practice SAT– Teens Saturday, July 11, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm Come take a free online full-length SAT practice test with The Princeton Review! Familiarize yourself with the format and the content you’ll see on the actual SAT and get in-depth feedback question by question with a comprehensive score report that helps you identify areas of weakness and evaluate your current performance. Registration required here: here: https://www.princetonreview.com/product/offerings/463950
For additional July program information, click here.
Check out the Information Kiosk in front of the library for more information, including Summer Reading, Summer Events and Summer Reading Slips. Return those Summer Reading Slips to our new Summer Reading Mailbox right outside our door.
You know how sometimes (or fairly often) it can be hard to settle down and read? I’ve found a variety pack of options to entertain myself, and maybe some of these ideas will appeal to you as well…
Magazines! From HGTV to Gourmet to bite sized articles in How it Works that help me learn something new, I’ve been enjoying flicking those pages until something catches my eye.
I’ve also been reading from the Diverse Voices for Younger Readers collection. I 100% think books for teens and younger readers can be as good -or better!- than adult books as they tell stories that are compelling but tend to be shorter (aka don’t get bogged down in wordy, unnecessary extras). Why not give it a try?
Sometimes I just listen to music while I clean or do some crafting…
For July’s virtual book club, we’ve decided to continue our series on difficult topics – this week’s is homelessness and poverty. We’ve curated a book list to spark ideas and conversations, local organizations that need your help and support, and a list of questions and resources to help you examine your own privilege.
If you’d like to check out any of the books below, just click on the cover to be taken to Hoopla, one of our e-book platforms. All you need is your library card and PIN, and you can check any of them out at any time, no waiting!
I assume I will be able to meet my basic needs. I take having necessities for granted.
I buy what I need and want without worry. I can afford luxury items easily.
I do not fear being hungry or homeless.
I am free of the burden of debt.
I have the freedom to waste.
I can manage to know only people of similar class background by exclusively frequenting places where such people gather — neighborhoods, schools, clubs, workplaces, etc.
I evaluate others and recognize those of similar class background because I was taught to do that kind of evaluation.
I can avoid spending time with people whom I am trained or have learned to mistrust and who may have learned to mistrust my kind.
I can hide family secrets and family failures behind the doors of my home.
I am in control of how I spend my time.
The list continues here, in the “Examples of Socioeconomic Status (“Class”) Privilege” document from the University of Michigan.
Find more information on the homeless and homelessness here, from the National Coalition for the Homeless.
Check back next Sunday for a new reading list on another topic that deserves our attention!
Widowed Mitchell Fisher, father of 9-year-old Poppy and former architect, works for the city maintenance department in Upchester, England. It has become a tradition and symbol of love to place a padlock, often engraved, on the city’s bridges. Part of Mitchell’s job is to remove them. While attaching a padlock, a young woman falls into the river. Mitchell rescues her and she takes off. The notoriety following the rescue is intense and “hero” Mitchell is inundated with mail he feels compelled to read and respond to. The rescued woman turns out to be Yvette, a sister of Liza, Poppy’s music teacher. Yvette has been missing for over a year and Mitchell joins in the search to find her again.
A little romance and a little mystery make this a fun summer read!
Welcome back to our RiverCon interview series! RiverCon, our first annual mini-con at the library, was moved to at home activities to keep everyone safe this summer. We have also adapted our summer reading inspired RiverCon panel discussion to blog format so you can enjoy “meeting” great local comic artists and authors from home!
This week is our final week of interviews and I have not one, but two comic creators for you- Dan Gorman and Josh Nealis. Dan has done sequential work for various comics, including AC Comics and Dark Horse, and he also creates weekly cartoons for the Akron RubberDucks. Josh is an artist and owner of Cutthroat Comics and Publishing.
Dan: I always had the ability to draw even as a very small kid. I originally thought I’d be a syndicated cartoonist, which still might happen, some things are in the works. When I was 12 I fell in love with Spider-man Comics and it was at that point that I decided I wanted to be a comic book Illustrator.
Josh: I had previously been in a heavy metal band. We decided to call it quits. Afterwards, I knew I needed to still be creative. I started a review website for movies, video games, and comedy specials. After about a year or so, it wasn’t fulfilling my creative needs. I had always wanted to write a book, and an idea popped into my head and I ran with it. That book became, Stuffed Squirrels & Porcelain Angels. Once the floodgates opened all these ideas started pouring out. So I decided to do all of it. Books, comics, children’s books, even a self help book. I write whatever pops in my head.
Was there a favorite comic book you read in your youth?
Dan: My Mom always bought me Archie’s when I was a kid, but it was The Amazing Spider-man that captured my attention the most. I also loved and still love Peter Porker Spider-Ham and Anything drawn by Mike Zeck. His work on Spidey and Captain America is my favorite.
Josh: As far as specifically comics, I loved the X-Men. I had toys, the comics, watched the shows. I mostly stuck to Marvel, but I do have a soft spot for DC, as well as some mid 90s Image franchises like Spawn, and The Maxx, and WildC.A.T.S. And the always popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, although I never had the comics.
Why do you think storytelling, specifically in the comic or graphic novel format, is important?
Dan: Storytelling helps us deal with issues we ourselves are experiencing. Both as a creator and reader the medium of comic books has inspired me to overcome situations in my own life. When I see my heroes are in trouble but fight to defeat whatever challenge they face, it gives me the confidence I can also defeat my challenges. Whatever form storytelling takes.. whether its comics.. movies.. books.. video games.. whatever it is.. participating in that process.. from either side is therapeutic and cathartic. Stories are meaningful even if they aren’t true.
Josh: Well comics are great for learning how to read. It’s not overwhelming, or overly wordy. Plus you get the art with it. As an artist, writing comics is totally different from a novel. You get to collaborate and see your thoughts come to life right in front of you. Plus, you get two art forms wrapped into one. A well written story with colorful characters, and dramatic art, not only the images but the words and sound effects as well.
How have folk tales, fairy tales, or mythology influenced your work?
Dan: All of our modern heroes are influenced by mythology and folklore. Studying and reading about heroes from the past sparks the imagination. My original character, The Akron Knight, has influences from Greek and Roman mythology, modern day comics, and concepts from film and animation. All of those images and stories can be seen in the mythos of The Akron Knight.
Josh: A lot of my work, has morals and meaning tied in with the story. I don’t often come right out and explain it to the reader. I let them figure out the point. A great story makes you think. Not just about what happened, but why. When you think about the fairy tales and mythology, etc, they are still popular for that reason. The themes stick with you. Depth makes a great story.
Do you have a favorite folk tale, fairy tale, or myth?
Dan: I always gravitated towards Greek and Roman mythology. So many great stories and lessons to be learned in those tales. I don’t know that I can site just one as being my favorite. They all kind of work together in my opinion.
Josh: I love Robin Hood. So much that my son is named after him. But, I love Greek mythology. I like religious mythology as well. King Arthur. Really anything like that has always interested me.
What is a favorite comic book or graphic novel that you have read in the past year?
Dan: I don’t get to read a lot of stuff that I’m not currently working on. That’s the catch 22 of being a busy creator. If it’s not a script you are working on its difficult to find time to read other stuff. With that said, the only GN I sat down and read from start to finish this year was “Kringle” written by David Hayes and published by Source Point Press. I drew the backup story. I will warn you, its not for kids. It’s a very adult-themed book. So certainly read it before you decide to let your children read it. It could ruin Christmas for them for life lol.
Josh: Aside from my books and comics right? I read Mr. and Mrs. X. really liked that. Absolute Carnage was pretty cool. I am currently reading the Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles cross over. It’s pretty neat so far. I also started Saga recently. It’s very creative, but is for adults. Sorry kids.
Pencil drawing by Dan Gorman.
Thanks so much for following along with us here as we got to know some Ohio comic creators and artists just a little bit. I hope you have enjoyed reading these interviews as much as I have enjoyed conducting them!
Fingers crossed for an in-person panel one day in the future. Until then- don’t forget you can read stellar comics and graphic novels without ever leaving your home thanks to your library card and Hoopla! Happy reading and stay healthy.
Read it or Weep 