What I've been reading / book recs
There was one of those meme/surveys that @tochira low-key tagged me in (what are you up to, what fandoms are you into lately, what are you reading) and-- I figured all y'all know I basically live in FF6 fandom on the internet as a coping mechanism whilst raising small children in the World of Ruin-- I realized I've been reading rather prolifically since my kid has taken an interest in reading together at bedtime. I know, he's not even 5 and really into audiobooks on yoto (abridged (2-ish hours): Peter Pan, Anne of Green Gables, Treasure Island, Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, Wizard of Oz, Robin Hood) and picks out, on his own, chapter books.
(I think I have managed to write these out without truly spoiling anything.)
Of course, I insisted on starting him on things from my own childhood, like Charlotte's Web by EB White (fantastic, aged well, A+) and Stuart Little (not remarkable, 6/10), and he chose Curse of the Werewolf Boy by Chris Priestley (which the kid enjoyed it, but I did not (2/10)). Matilda by Roald Dahl was another one of those disappointing revelations; I loved the book as a kid but not so much as an adult (4/10, being generous here). But I have found some real gems that you may not have heard of. Also, I will specify "comfort reading" for books I found that are just good vibes/soft.
First up: the 3-book series (so far, hopefully there will be more) Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake is my absolute favorite. The attention to detail (i.e. there is never a 'hand', everything is a 'paw'), puns galore (New Yak Times Book Review, because Yaks are apparently very good at reviewing books, who knew?), and lots and lots of chickens. I am completely in love with both Skunk and Badger. We started on Book Three before finding and reading books One and Two. I am saying with complete and utter sincerity that I will read this series over and over again with both my kids as they get older and find new things to love. 100/10 This book is probably for kids in upper elementary school. Comfort reading.
Next is the Princess Hamster series by Ursula Vernon. A friend recommended this author (aka T Kingfisher) and I have not been disappointed by any of her work. Princess Harriet Hamsterbone books are absolutely 100% delightful, hilarious, and clever retellings of fairy tales in a rodent-centric world. The author illustrates them and the pictures correspond and interact with the text so perfectly, which is just *chef's kiss*. Kiddo always wants to read these books before any of the other books we bring home, so I think he enjoys them a lot. Tons of word play, feminist AF, characters are extremely lovable. We have been reading out of order, and we've finished 2 of the 7 titles and can't wait to read more. 100/10 I think mid-elementary school would be a suitable age for kids, but even older readers can get a lot out of it. Comfort Reading with lots of humor.
I have really been enjoying the Clementine series by Sara Pennypacker. Clementine is never outright diagnosed with ADHD but this child reminds me so much of how I was at that age (3rd grade?) but with adults who love her and really work hard to listen and understand so that they may guide her well and provide accommodations. She is set up for success in each of the 3 books I've read so far, and she shows up in the Waylon trilogy (which we read first, but happens in 4th grade). The story is told from Clementine's perspective, and I just-- I love these books as a parent, kind of like how I love Bluey, for guidance on how to be a good human to tiny humans. Kiddo seems to enjoy them as well. 10/10 Mid-elementary aged could read this book.
Clementine shows up in the Waylon series also by Sara Pennypacker. This book had me from the very beginning with a Sagan quote and references to living scientists-- and there's a dog. I'm not gonna say more, but I cried reading each of these books. I love how characters are developed in Pennypacker's work; I love how there is room for growth, for people to be wrong, to forge friendships. And I especially grew to love Clementine, and the kiddo wanted to read Clementine after she showed up once very briefly in the first book. I think that's a solid recommendation. 10/10 mid-to-late elementary readers
Princess Pulverizer series by Nancy Krulik-- my kid loves these stories and I think he enjoys the illustrations. It reads like a cartoon, is illustrated very stylistically like something you'd see mainstream or indie. While I enjoy the illustrations, and I like the feminist message that girls can go to Knight school (lol), I think there's a lot of humor that appeals to kiddos (farts, burps etc) that I don't enjoy. The characters are somewhat one-dimensional. 6/10 for younger readers, mid-elementary
Kiddo also enjoys the Super Pets DC comic books by John Sazaklis for 1st-2nd graders (if I had to guess). I'm not a fan, but he gravitates to them whenever I take him to the library. They have vocabulary in the back with definitions.
The Newest Gnome by Lauren Soloy - this book is delightfully illustrated! You get to see what the world looks like as a gnome, and see what other gnomes look like and what kinds of things they do. LGBTQ+ affirming. 10/10 Comfort reading.
The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson - this was very sweet. Read like a Beatrix Potter book (Pika memorized all of them), with cute illustrations. Chibi enjoyed it so much we read it thrice. 10/10
The Tea Dragon Series by K. O'Neill - The art is so soft, the writing is soft, the story is soft, I love everything about it. Perfection. LGBTQ+ friendly and affirming. Comfort reading. 100000/10
The Stuff of Stars by Marion Bauer - beautifully written and illustrated. Chibi gravitated toward this book every night before bed that we had it. This is the perfect atheist bedtime story, imho. 10/10
Astrid and Stella series by Sabrina and Eunice Moyle - my kid enjoys them, and the illustrations and wordplay is great. I am not a fan of the fart humor though. (Chibi loves their book "Go get 'em tiger!" which she got for Christmas last year and we have memorized)
The Night Chef by Mika Song - I loved the art, loved the story, loved the universe that it takes place in. 10/10
Punycorn by Andi Watson - similar to Astrid and Stella, Super Pets- my kid enjoyed it, but I was not really much of a fan of the style.
The Nightlights and Hicotea by Lorena Alvarez - I love this artist so much-- I found her via several books we own from an advent calendar of little books. The story was ok, but the illustrations were vibrant and beautiful. Recommend for older readers.
Acquicorn Cove by K. O'Neill - a book about being kind to the environment for kids. Soft style, soft writing, beautifully done. 10/10
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by K DiCamillo - recommended for young readers by a librarian, but I did not like the art nor the story. Pika was actually kind of afraid of the characters and the illustrations.
Things I have been ingesting aurally for my own pleasure:
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher - the first book by her and I enjoyed it a lot. There was one thing I didn't care for, and it pertained to something very minor and nuanced that isn't age-appropriate, so it's a me-thing. I enjoy the world building that Kingfisher does, and I found myself really enjoying the characters. 9.5/10 good for a high schooler, maybe a precocious middle-schooler.
The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan - I caught an interview with Dr. Hassan and Trevor Noah from this year (2026) and wanted to learn more. This guy wrote this before the pandemic, before the 2024 election, before generative AI became mainstream. There are some eerie things that he predicted. Mostly I read this book because I wanted to understand cults. Hassan is extremely empathetic and intelligent and was ensnared in a cult as a college student; he managed to escape and has dedicated his entire career to helping others free themselves from cults. 10/10
Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson - it is no secret that I am an enormous fan of HCR and my kid knows her full name. XD;;; This is a fantastic overview of history that is easily digestible, not condescending, and really points out (as she does in her daily letters and politics chats) how we have been through the BS we are currently going through and how we must continue to fight the good fight because it has worked in the past and can work in the future. 10/10
Apostles of Mercy by Lindsay Ellis - after being completely and totally gutted by the previous book in the Noumena series, I was never going to read any more of this series. I was done. But the books I was waiting for on hold were not available and this one was, so.... What a ride. There are new characters and old characters that get fleshed out. I fell in love very easily with several characters, understood different perspectives, and I am so ready for the next installments. Unfortunately, Ms. Ellis gave birth to her second baby roughly around when Chibi was born, and she also has a kid Pika's age, so we can expect the next novel to happen when she gets a minute to herself. Which is probably not for another thousand years. 10/10
Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher - MY CATNIP. There is world building. There are amazing characters. I loved every character that was introduced. I loved the writing. I NEED MORE OF THIS SERIES. I don't think my library has any more. I NEED MORE. 1000000/10 (This is the book where there is a Sabin character, btw, @paintscroll)
Furies of Calderon (series) by Jim Butcher - While I like the story and the characters, the writing is... by a mediocre white dude. (Sorry, white dudes) After reading the first Legendborn book and after finishing Paladin's Grace, it was slow to get into at first and it was hard to feel empathy for any of the characters. That being said, once I got into it, I really enjoyed the story and characters, and I want to know what happens and see more of the world. I've read Academ's Fury and am waiting on the next installment to be available from the library. 7/10
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn - read by Joniece Abbot-Pratt -- and I need to specify that the reader here is *fantastic.* This book takes place at UNC in Chapel Hill, and one of the first locations in the story is the quarry in Hillsborough. That is one of the first places I took my dog Lady, an iconic swimming hole where the youth go. Anyway-- the story is read by someone with a southern accent that feels and sounds like home. The story is about a 16 year old girl dealing with grief and finding out about secret societies that she gets into. Race definitely plays a part, and it gives the reader an inside perspective about how to be an ally, what it's like to be Black in the South. (A me thing: there have been a few parts in the story where I am angry at the adults in her life because her brain is still developing....) But the characters in this book are very well fleshed out. LGBTQ+ affirming, modern, fast-paced. 10/10
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher - the horror genre is not for me, but once I realized that this is meant to be a series (I found out at the end of the audiobook with a preview of the next book), I'm on board. The main character is NB from a fictional country living in 19th century (?) Englahd, and their cohorts are unlikely and delightful. 8/10
