#there'sabookforthat

Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Young Readers

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and this week—May 3 to May 9 —is also Children’s Book Week with the motto “Every Child a Reader.” Therefore, we are celebrating the following glorious stories, for children and adults to share, that honor the rich cultural history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: 

 THE MAGIC FISH by Trung Le Nguyen

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by the New York Public Library • Kirkus Reviews • Booklist • Publishers Weekly

This beautifully illustrated YA graphic novel follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales. Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It’s hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến, he doesn’t even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he’s going through? Is there a way to tell them he’s gay?

ANY DAY WITH YOU by Mae Respicio

Kaia and her family live near the beach in California, where the fun of moviemaking is all around them. This summer, Kaia and her friends are part of a creative arts camp, where they’re working on a short movie to enter in a contest. The movie is inspired by the Filipino folktales that her beloved Tatang, her great-grandfather, tells. Kaia hopes that by winning a filmmaking contest, she’ll convince her great-grandfather not to move back home to the Philippines.

PATRON SAINTS OF NOTHING by Randy Ribay

A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin’s murder.

THEY CALLED US ENEMY by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, Harmony Becker

A stunning graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei’s childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon—and America itself—in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love. Available in a Spanish edition here.

 THE UGLY VEGETABLES written and illustrated by Grace Lin

In this charming story about celebrating differences a Chinese-American girl wishes for a garden of bright flowers instead of one full of bumpy, ugly, vegetables. The neighbors’ gardens look so much prettier and so much more inviting to the young gardener than the garden of “black-purple-green vines, fuzzy wrinkled leaves, prickly stems, and a few little yellow flowers” that she and her mother grow. Nevertheless, mother assures her that “these are better than flowers.” Come harvest time, everyone agrees as those ugly Chinese vegetables become the tastiest, most aromatic soup they have ever known. As the neighborhood comes together to share flowers and ugly vegetable soup, the young gardener learns that regardless of appearances, everything has its own beauty and purpose. THE UGLY VEGETABLES springs forth with the bright and cheerful colors of blooming flowers and lumpy vegetables. Grace Lin’s playful illustrations pour forth with abundant treasures. Complete with a guide to the Chinese pronunciation of the vegetables and the recipe for ugly vegetable soup! Try it…you’ll love it, too!

 WATERCRESS by Andrea Wang; Illustrated by Jason Chin

Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can. At first, she’s embarrassed. Why can’t her family get food from the grocery store? But when her mother shares a story of her family’s time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress.

The book is illustrated by award winning author and artist Jason Chin, in an entirely new style, inspired by Chinese painting techniques. An author’s note in the back shares Andrea’s childhood experience with her parents.

LAXMI’S MOOCH by Shelly Anand, Illustrated by Nabi H. Ali

A joyful, body-positive picture book about a young Indian American girl’s journey to accept her body hair and celebrate her heritage after being teased about her mustache.

WHEN YOU TRAP A TIGER by Tae Keller

WINNER OF THE 2021 NEWBERY MEDAL

WINNER OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni’s Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal—return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni’s health—Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice…and the courage to face a tiger.

DANBI LEADS THE SCHOOL PARADE by Anna Kim

An Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book

Danbi is thrilled to start her new school in America. But a bit nervous too, for when she walks into the classroom, everything goes quiet. Everyone stares. Danbi wants to join in the dances and the games, but she doesn’t know the rules and just can’t get anything right. Luckily, she isn’t one to give up. With a spark of imagination, she makes up a new game and leads her classmates on a parade to remember! Danbi Leads the School Parade introduces readers to an irresistible new character. In this first story, she learns to navigate her two cultures and realizes that when you open your world to others, their world opens up to you.

FATIMA’S GREAT OUTDOORS by Ambreen Tariq; Illustrated by Stevie Lewis

An immigrant family embarks on their first camping trip in the Midwest in this lively picture book by Ambreen Tariq, outdoors activist and founder of @BrownPeopleCamping. This picture book debut, with cheerful illustrations by Stevie Lewis, is a rollicking family adventure, a love letter to the outdoors, and a reminder that public land belongs to all of us.

THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL by Stacey Lee

By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady’s maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, “Dear Miss Sweetie.” When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society’s ills, but she’s not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.

FRANKLY IN LOVE by David Yoon

An Asian Pacific American Librarians Association Honor Book

Frank Li has two names. There’s Frank Li, his American name. Then there’s Sung-Min Li, his Korean name. No one uses his Korean name, not even his parents. Frank barely speaks any Korean. He was born and raised in Southern California. Even so, his parents still expect him to end up with a nice Korean girl—which is a problem, since Frank is finally dating the girl of his dreams: Brit Means. Brit, who is funny and nerdy just like him. Brit, who makes him laugh like no one else. Brit…who is white. Desperate to be with Brit without his parents finding out, Frank turns to family friend Joy Song, who is in a similar bind. Together, they come up with a plan to help each other and keep their parents off their backs. Frank thinks he’s found the solution to all his problems, but when life throws him a curveball, he’s left wondering whether he ever really knew anything about love—or himself—at all.

Friday Reads: Asian American Rom Coms

In the mood for some light-hearted, yet big-hearted escape this weekend? We are playing matchmaker! Look no further than these super popular new and bestselling Asian American romantic comedies for adult and young adult readers: 

 DIAL A FOR AUNTIES by Jesse Q. Sutanto

A hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com, and a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture set in Southern California, by debut author Jesse Q Sutanto.

CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan

The basis for the hit movie!

When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor. On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers. 

THE KISS QUOTIENT by Helen Hoang

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and much less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old. It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice—with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan—from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…

LAST TANG STANDING by Lauren Ho

At thirty-three, Andrea Tang is living the dream: She has a successful career as a lawyer, a posh condo, and a clutch of fun-loving friends who are always in the know about Singapore’s hottest clubs. And if she’s about to become the lone unmarried member of her generation in the Tang clan—a disappointment her meddling Chinese-Malaysian family won’t let her forget—well, she doesn’t need a man to complete her. Yet when a chance encounter with charming, wealthy entrepreneur Eric Deng offers her a glimpse of an exciting, limitless future, Andrea decides to give Mr. Right-for-her-family a chance.

 THE DATING PLAN by Sara Desai

Daisy Patel is a software engineer in San Francisco who understands lists and logic better than bosses and boyfriends. Ever the obedient daughter, she always follows the rules, but the one thing she can’t give her family is the marriage they expect. With few options left to her, and desperate to escape a parade of unwanted suitors, she asks her childhood crush to be her decoy fiancé. Without rules, these fake fiancés might accidentally fall for each other in this romantic comedy by the author of The Marriage Game.

 FOR YOUNG ADULTS

 FRANKLY IN LOVE by David Yoon

An Asian Pacific American Librarians Association Honor Book

Two friends. One fake dating scheme. What could possibly go wrong?

Frank Li has two names. There’s Frank Li, his American name. Then there’s Sung-Min Li, his Korean name. No one uses his Korean name, not even his parents. Frank barely speaks any Korean. He was born and raised in Southern California. Even so, his parents still expect him to end up with a nice Korean girl—which is a problem, since Frank is finally dating the girl of his dreams: Brit Means. Brit, who is funny and nerdy just like him. Brit, who makes him laugh like no one else. Brit…who is white. In his moving debut novel, David Yoon takes on the question of who am I? —with a result that is humorous, heartfelt, and ultimately unforgettable.

FROM LITTLE TOKYO, WITH LOVE by Sarah Kuhn

Celebrated author Sarah Kuhn reinvents the modern fairy tale in this intensely personal yet hilarious novel of a girl whose search for a storybook ending takes her to unexpected places in both her beloved LA neighborhood and her own guarded heart.

A TASTE FOR LOVE by Jennifer Yen

 To her friends, high school senior Liza Yang is nearly perfect. But to her mom, Liza is anything but. Compared to her older sister Jeannie, Liza is stubborn, rebellious, and worst of all, determined to push back against all of Mrs. Yang’s traditional values, especially when it comes to dating. For fans of Jenny Han, Jane Austen, and The Great British Baking Show, A Taste for Love, is a delicious rom com about first love, familial expectations, and making the perfect bao.

Oprah’s Book Club, April, 2020 Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker

from There’s a Book for That reviewer Debbie:

As we are globally witnessing something only seen before in movies, today’s social isolation - necessitated by COVID 19 -  affords us another grand wonder, Hidden Valley Road. If it were fiction this true story would never make it to the screen, for it is not to be believed!

Who wouldn’t want to be a fly on the wall to witness the unimaginable story of a family wherein half of the children eventually develop schizophrenia? As if giving birth and raising a family of 12 children isn’t crazy in and of itself, the true madness lays in the mental illness afflicting six of the ten boys and what can be considered the neglect of the remaining healthy children.  This is a narrative of profound sadness, suffering, hurt, abuse, neglect, confusion, tenacity, determination, and ultimately acceptance, forgiveness and tinges of hope.

After reading this book, I’m about to have Siri dial Dr. Pearlman to cancel therapy altogether because this story makes me rejoice in my trauma as the middle child of three!  Many might be quick to cast Mimi and Don as villains here, I mean, really, who celebrates the end of WWII for 20 years? Joking (and the not funny subject of mental illness) aside, some of the trauma and abuse in this family is made possible simply because of its size.  I went from admiring matriarch Mimi’s artistic attributes to anger for myriad, obvious reasons and ultimately ended up applauding her fortitude, strength and unwavering commitment. Like many dads of this time, Don is a minor player and he is barely yellow carded for playing hooky as well as playing the field.  And it’s no wonder, thank you Dr. Freud (and the world), that Mimi bears the burden of blame. Sadly, we have a deep-rooted history of faulting mothers for everything from supermarket tantrums to autism and schizophrenia.

Based on one New Yorker Magazine piece I read years ago, I falsely believed - and wanted to - that schizophrenia was a treatable disease so long as the sufferer adheres to his pharmaceutical regimen. However, in the span of 75 years Hidden Valley Road provides a fascinating peek into the way one family copes with the devastation and limited choices brought on by a disease of this magnitude and nature as well as a deep enough history of schizophrenia, its study, clinical research and treatment. Sadly, with the coalescence of many factors, Hidden Valley Road’s saga included, it’s impossible to continue believing in magic pills.

It’s no wonder I quickly passed this engaging page-turner on to my daughter’s girlfriend and the line of, “can I read it next?” is quite long! It’s only apt that Hidden Valley Road be the extraordinary book I grabbed for first during this extraordinary world event.

Watch Oprah’s video announcement here

Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month begun by the Autism Society nearly 25 years ago as a nationwide effort “to promote autism awareness, inclusion and self-determination for all, and assure that each person with Autism Spectrum Disorder is provided the opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life.” With that goal in mind, we offer an illuminating and supportive selection of titles – from groundbreaking research to history to memoir.

  FEATURED TITLES:

 IN A DIFFERENT KEY: THE STORY OF AUTISM by John Donvan, Caren Zucker

Finalist, 2017 Pulitzer Prize General Non-Fiction

An extraordinary narrative history of autism: the riveting story of parents fighting for their children ’s civil rights; of doctors struggling to define autism; of ingenuity, self-advocacy, and profound social change

Nearly seventy-five years ago, Donald Triplett of Forest, Mississippi, became the first child diagnosed with autism. Beginning with his family’s odyssey, In a Different Key tells the extraordinary story of this often misunderstood condition.

 THE PRODIGY'S COUSIN : THE FAMILY LINK BETWEEN AUTISM AND EXTRAORDINARY TALENT 

Ruthsatz and reporter Kimberly Stephens take us from the mystery of prodigy to the cutting-edge of genetics research where scientists are focused not on those who are sick, but on those who are healthy. Stephens and Ruthsatz challenge our understanding of what makes exceptional talent possible, and explore whether a long-awaited breakthrough in autism treatment may come from an unexpected direction.

 THE OUT-OF-SYNC CHILD: RECOGNIZING AND COPING WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER by Carol Kranowitz, Lucy Jane Miller

The groundbreaking book that explains Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)--and presents a drug-free approach that offers hope for parents.

 AUTISM: THE SCIENTIFIC TRUTH ABOUT PREVENTING, DIAGNOSING, AND TREATING AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS--AND WHAT PARENTS CAN DO NOW by Robert Melillo

From the bestselling author of Disconnected Kids, a clear and compassionate explanation of the causes of the autism epidemic—and a scientifically based approach for prevention and treatment.

 AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING AUTISM by Chantal Sicile-Kira

Comprehensive and authoritative, Autism Spectrum Disorders explains all aspects of the condition, and is written for parents, educators, caregivers, and others looking for accurate information and expert insight.

 OVERCOMING AUTISM: FINDING THE ANSWERS, STRATEGIES, AND HOPE THAT CAN TRANSFORM A CHILD'S LIFE by Lynn Kern Koegel, Ph.D., Claire LaZebnik

Since Overcoming Autism was first published more than a decade ago, many theories about autism have fallen by the wayside. But the interventions described in this book have been shown to be the best approach to improving the development and quality of life of children with autism.

 THE REASON I JUMP: THE INNER VOICE OF A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY WITH AUTISM by Naoki Higashida, KA Yoshida, David Mitchell

The phenomenal bestseller that changed our perspective on autism translated and with an introduction by David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas. A remarkable journey into the mind of a 13-year-old boy with severe autism: Naoki Higashida was only a middle-schooler when he began to write The Reason I Jump.

 NEUROTRIBES: THE LEGACY OF AUTISM AND THE FUTURE OF NEURODIVERSITY by Steve Silberman, Oliver Sacks

Wired reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years.  Going back to the earliest days of autism research, Silberman offers a gripping narrative of Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger, the research pioneers who defined the scope of autism in profoundly different ways; he then goes on to explore the game-changing concept of neurodiversity. 

Check out Steve Silberman’s post on Brightly.com Uniquely Ourselves: Inspiring Books on Autism for Kids, Tweens and Teens

#FRIDAY READS: Global Warming

Did you know that 2016 marked the third year in a row of Earth’s highest temperature in recorded history? Government scientists say the cause is mostly man-made global warming with help from a natural El Nino. The announcement came this week from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They said last year passed 2015 as the hottest year on record. This news comes on the heels of one of President Obama’s final environmental actions while in office: He transferred a reported $500 million to the UN’s Green Climate Fund, a key program set up to finance climate change adaptation and renewable energy projects in developing countries.  To further inform yourself on the topic that affects us all, we present the following titles on climate change.

FEATURED TITLES

EARTH CALLING: A CLIMATE CHANGE HANDBOOK FOR THE 21ST CENTURY by Ellen Gunter, Ted Carter, Caroline Myss

Our earliest mythologies tell us we all start as a little bit of dirt. These stories carry a profound message: each of us is born with a deep and abiding connection to the earth, one that many of us have lost touch with. The Silent Spring for today’s environmental activists, this book offers an invitation to reestablish our relationship with nature to repair our damaged environment.

THE WHOLE STORY OF CLIMATE: WHAT SCIENCE REVEALS ABOUT THE NATURE OF ENDLESS CHANGE by E. Kirsten Peters

This book, written by a geologist, describes the important contributions that geology has made to our understanding of climate change. What emerges is a much more complex and nuanced picture than is usually presented.

FINDING HIGHER GROUND: ADAPTATION IN THE AGE OF WARMING by Amy Seidl

In Finding Higher Ground, Amy Seidl takes the uniquely positive—yet realistic—position that humans and animals can adapt and persist despite these changes. Drawing on an emerging body of scientific research, Seidl brings us stories of adaptation from the natural world and from human communities.

FOSSIL CAPITAL: THE RISE OF STEAM POWER AND THE ROOTS OF GLOBAL WARMING by Andreas Malm

The more we know about the catastrophic implications of climate change, the more fossil fuels we burn. How did we end up in this mess? In this masterful new history, Andreas Malm claims it all began in Britain with the rise of steam power.

SIX DEGREES: OUR FUTURE ON A HOTTER PLANET by Mark Lynas

Possibly the most graphic treatment of global warming that has yet been published, Six Degrees uses accessible journalistic prose to distill what environmental scientists portend about the consequences of human pollution for the next hundred years.

FOR YOUNGER READERS

A WARMER WORLD: FROM POLAR BEARS TO BUTTERFLIES HOW CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS WILDLIFE by Caroline Arnold, Jamie Hogan

The golden toad used to inhabit the cloud forests of Costa Rica, but when the weather became too warm and dried up the pools where its eggs hatched, the golden toad disappeared. It has not been seen in more than twenty years. This amphibian is just one of several species in A WARMER WORLD, a thought-provoking and informative account of how global climate change has affected wildlife over the past several decades.

LET’S SAVE THE ANIMALS: A FLIP THE FLAP BOOK by Frances Barry

Bold illustrations, big flaps, and an ingenious die-cut design invite young readers to peek at the lives of endangered animals — and learn how to help.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATES: EXTREME WEATHER: SCIENCE TACKLES GLOBAL WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE by Kathleen Simpson, Jonathan D. W. Kahl

Join the weather scientists who are using modern technology, including satellites and supercomputers, to produce a weather forecast for Earth’s future. Extreme Weather gives readers the expert’s views and highlights the climate changes that may be on the horizon.

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH: THE CRISIS OF GLOBAL WARMING (Middle grade edition) by Al Gore

Dramatic full-color photos, illustrations, and graphs combine with Gore’s effective and clear writing to explain global warming in very real terms: what it is, what causes it, and what will happen if we continue to ignore it. An Inconvenient Truth will change the way young people understand global warming and hopefully inspire them to help change the course of history.

#FRIDAY READS: HOW TO WRITE A POEM

When was the last time you wrote a poem? Elementary school? Yesterday? As Natalie Goldberg puts it in her classic book Writing Down the Bones, “poems are small moments of enlightenment.” There’s a poet in each of us and turning experience and feelings into poetry can be cathartic and fun. Inspiration is everywhere – the subway, the sea, the past, the present… Here are some books to help you cross that bridge and fling open those doors of perception: Metaphors be with you!

 FEATURED TITLES

 YOU, TOO, COULD WRITE A POEM by David Orr

A collection of reviews and essays by David Orr, the New York Times poetry columnist and one of the most respected critics in America today, his best work of the past fifteen years in one place. Orr’s prose is devoted to common sense and clarity, and, in every case, he brings to bear an impeccable ear, a genial openhandedness of spirit, and a deep wealth of technical knowledge—to say nothing of his shrewd sense of humor. Orr’s journalism represents a high watermark in the public discussion of literature, and is as pleasurable as it is informative. You, Too, Could Write a Poem is at heart a love note to poetry itself.

 THE ODE LESS TRAVELLED: UNLOCKING THE POET WITHIN by Stephen Fry

Comedian and actor Stephen Fry’s witty and practical guide gives the aspiring poet or student the tools and confidence to write and understand poetry. He believes that if one can speak and read English, one can write poetry. In The Ode Less Travelled, he invites readers to discover the delights of writing poetry for pleasure and provides the tools and confidence to get started.

 LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET by Rainer Maria Rilke

At the start of the twentieth century, Rainer Maria Rilke wrote a series of letters to a young officer cadet, advising him on writing, love, sex, suffering, and the nature of advice itself. These profound and lyrical letters have since become hugely influential for generations of writers and artists of all kinds, including Lady Gaga and Patti Smith.

 WRITING DOWN THE BONES: FREEING THE WRITER WITHIN by Natalie Goldberg, Julia Cameron

With insight, humor, and practicality, Natalie Goldberg inspires writers and would-be writers to take the leap into writing skillfully and creatively. She sees writing as a practice that helps writers comprehend the value of their lives. The advice in her book, provided in short, easy-to-read chapters with titles that reflect the author’s witty approach (“Writing Is Not a McDonald’s Hamburger,” “Man Eats Car,” “Be an Animal”), will inspire anyone who writes—or who longs to.

 FOR YOUNGER WRITERS

 A KICK IN THE HEAD: AN EVERYDAY GUIDE TO POETIC FORMS by Paul B. Janeczko, Chris Raschka

In this splendid and playful volume — second of a trilogy — an acclaimed creative team presents examples of twenty-nine poetic forms, demonstrating not only the (sometimes bendable) rules of poetry, but also the spirit that brings these forms to life.

 SLEEPING ON THE WING: AN ANTHOLOGY OF MODERN POETRY WITH ESSAYS ON READING AND WRITING by Kenneth Koch, Kate Farrell

This book is specifically for high school students, though it is useful to college students and anyone interested in the art and craft of poetry. Koch and Farrell, experienced teachers as well as poets, write about poetry in such a way that students will find it accessible and interesting.

 Visit Signature to download The Writer’s Guide to Poetry

#FRIDAY READS

To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,

One clover, and a bee.

And revery.

The revery alone will do,

If bees are few.            -        Emily Dickinson

Revery alone indeed will do in reading Emily Dickinson! Currently, The Morgan Library in Manhattan is exhibiting “I’m Nobody! Who are you? The Life and Poetry of Emily Dickinson” and the NEA’s “Big Read” in Los Angeles is The Poetry of Emily Dickinson. So please do dwell in the possibility of picking up one of these books for weekend reading… from her letters to poems as well as biography and fiction for both adults and children inspired by Emily’s life and art.

 LETTERS: EMILY DICKINSON by Emily Dickinson, Emily Fragos

The same inimitable voice and dazzling insights that make Emily Dickinson’s poems immortal can be found in the whimsical, humorous, and often deeply moving letters she wrote to her family and friends throughout her life. The selection of letters presented here provides a fuller picture of the eccentric recluse of legend, showing how immersed in life she was: we see her tending her garden; baking bread; marking the marriages, births, and deaths of those she loved.

 THE SELECTED POEMS OF EMILY DICKINSON by Emily Dickinson; Introduction by Billy Collins

Emily Dickinson lived as a recluse in Amherst, Massachusetts, dedicating herself to writing a "letter to the world"--the 1,775 poems left unpublished at her death in 1886. Today, Dickinson stands in the front rank of American poets. This enthralling collection includes more than four hundred poems that were published between Dickinson's death and 1900. They express her concepts of life and death, of love and nature, and of what Henry James called "the landscape of the soul."

 LIVES LIKE LOADED GUNS: EMILY DICKINSON AND HER FAMILY'S FEUDS by Lyndall Gordon

In 1882, Emily Dickinson's brother, Austin, began an adulterous love affair with the accomplished and ravishing Mabel Todd, setting in motion a series of events that would forever change the lives of the Dickinson family.

 MISS EMILY: A NOVEL by Nuala O'Connor

A poet in seclusion. The friendship that will break open her world.

Fans of Jo Baker and Lynn Cullen will love this novel that brings to life Emily Dickinson, her eccentric family, and the perils faced by her young Irish maid.

 FOR YOUNGER READERS

 MISS EMILY by Burleigh Muten, Matt Phelan; Ages 7-10

Discover the mischievous and affectionate side of a revered poet in this adventure about Emily Dickinson, four young friends, and a traveling circus.

 ANOTHER DAY AS EMILY by Eileen Spinelli, Joanne Lew-Vriethoff; Ages 8 to 12

“Taut, fast-paced, economical, devoid of sham, Spinelli’s book echoes Dickinson’s own deceptive simplicity.”—The New York Times Book Review

Eleven-year-old Suzy just can’t win. Her brother is a local hero for calling 911 after seeing their elderly neighbor collapse, and only her best friend was able to win a role in the play they both auditioned for. Feeling cast aside from all angles, Suzy sees a kindred spirit in Emily Dickinson, the subject of her summer project.

#FRIDAY READS: PRESIDENTS’ DAY

On Monday, February 20th we honor Presidents’ Day. Established in 1885 it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government. The History Channel tells us the holiday was traditionally celebrated on February 22—Washington’s actual birthday—but became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act: “an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers…Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present.”

We hope you enjoy this distinctive collection of presidential fiction and nonfiction – new and notable:

 LINCOLN IN THE BARDO: A NOVEL by George Saunders

The captivating first novel by George Saunders, about Abraham Lincoln and the death of his eleven-year old son, Willie, at the dawn of the Civil War. On February 22, 1862, two days after his death, Willie Lincoln was laid to rest in a marble crypt in a Georgetown cemetery. That very night, shattered by grief, Abraham Lincoln arrives at the cemetery under cover of darkness and visits the crypt, alone, to spend time with his son’s body. Set over the course of that one night and populated by ghosts of the recently passed and the long dead, Lincoln in the Bardo is a thrilling exploration of death, grief, the powers of good and evil.

 SECRET LIVES OF THE U.S. PRESIDENTS: STRANGE STORIES AND SHOCKING TRIVIA FROM INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE by Cormac O'Brien

This updated and redesigned edition of Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents features outrageous and uncensored profiles of our commanders in chief—complete with hundreds of little-known, politically incorrect, and downright wacko facts.

 WASHINGTON: A LIFE by Ron Chernow

The Pulitzer Prize-winning portrait of the first president of the United States from the author of Alexander Hamilton, the biography that inspired the musical. Chernow's biography provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation.

 FOR YOUNGER READERS

 THE PRESIDENTS VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA (DK Children’s) ; Ages 9 to 12

A visual reference guide for kids that presents a unique insight into the lives of each one of the 45 presidents of the United States, from George Washington to Donald Trump. Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution. Kids can explore the lives of America’s 45 presidents, as well as notable first ladies, famous speeches, and major constitutional events.

 GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY: A MOSTLY TRUE TALE by Margaret McNamara, Illustrated by Barry Blitt; Ages 4 to 8

A perfect President’s Day picture book biography from award-winning author Margaret McNamara and New Yorker artist Barry Blitt comes this partly true and completely funny story of George Washington’s 7th birthday. In this clever approach to history, readers will discover the truths and myths about George Washington.

  LOOKING AT LINCOLN by Maira Kalman ; Ages 5 to 8

Who was Lincoln really? This little girl wants to find out. She discovers, among other things, that our sixteenth president was a man who believed in freedom for all; had a dog named Fido; loved Mozart, apples, and his wife’s vanilla cake; and kept his notes in his hat. From his boyhood in a log cabin to his famous presidency and untimely death, Maira Kalman shares Lincoln’s remarkable life with young readers in a fresh and exciting way.