The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa



My favorite book so far this year.

Meet the passengers riding the Hankyu Train Line, famous in Japan for the stunning landscape it traverses. I loved Arikawa's characters, the pace, the realism and how their stories over a period of six months, zig zag forward, then back, crossing paths and leaving impressions and reminding us that life rarely does goes smoothly in a completely straight line along the track!

I'd love another train ride with all of them!

Adult Fiction

Growing Home by Beth Ferry

Beth Ferry manages to mix together the loveliest ingredients, friendship, honesty and self- examination, sprinkled with some very useful grammatical knowledge and facts and to top it all off, kindness and love to produce her delightful, funny and clever, Growing Home. None of the main characters are human, they are beings, Ivy the houseplant, Arthur the spider and Toasty the goldfish (I adored Toasty), they all certainly have a voice and opinions and feelings and curiosities AND knowledge to share with one another while organically growing into a family and a wonderful place to call home. 

Whimsical art by The Fan Brothers deserves a mention too.

Children's Fiction

Obroni and the Chocolate Factory by Steven Wallace

A "rollicking love letter to both Ghana and the world of business". Wallace first experienced Ghana as an exchange student in the late 1970s. Years later, as he worked with his father through the demise of their family business, he remembered this country he loved. Merging his manufacturing and legal background with the Ghanaian cocoa bean industry, he created a company and a US/Ghanaian partnership that is still in business 25 years later. A fast and fascinating read which traces the challenges as well as the triumphs of the Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company.

Adult Nonfiction

Robert E Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause by Ty Seidule

Brigadier General Ty Seidule, U.S. Army (Retired) and Professor Emeritus of History at the United States Military Academy at West Point grew up in Virginia determined to be a Southern Gentleman in the vein of Robert E Lee. In this, his first book, he challenges the myths and lies of the Confederate legacy--and explores why some of this country's oldest wounds have never healed. The audiobook is narrated by Brigadier General Seidule.  

Adult Nonfiction

I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang

Jenna is exhausted from living in her perfect cousin Jessica's shadow. Jessica aces all her AP and honors classes, Jessica is beautiful and stylish, everyone knows, admires, and is a little in awe of Jessica. But after wishing one night to be like perfect Jessica, Jenna wakes up to discover herself actually inhabiting her cousin's body and living perfect Jessica's life, which is far more complicated than its appearance.

Teen Fiction

Red by Annie Cardi

This Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award nominee reimagines The Scarlet Letter while convincingly exploring grief, community, abuse of power, bullying, overcoming trauma, and music's transformative healing ability. After Tess loses her father, she and her mother move to smalltown Hawthorne (see what they did there?) to live with her grandparents. Tess becomes active in her grandparents' church's youth group where she makes friends, joins the chorus, and is eventually shunned from the community she grew to love after her school locker is vandalized with a red letter A and an anonymous group chat broadcasts her personal life.

Teen Fiction

On Again, Awkward Again by Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia

Love at first sight isn't real, or is it?! High school freshmen Pacy and Cecil both exude awkwardness during their chance meeting the first day of school and consistently whenever they see each other. When the duo become entrenched in the freshman formal planning committee they have plenty of time to spend together, except mishaps (Star Trek vs. Star Wars fandoms! Family drama! Friend troubles! Health!) keep them apart. Light, hilarious, and fun this book is told in alternating POVs.

Teen Fiction

All Of Us: A First Conversation About Disability by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli

This is a picture book that should be in every family's home. The newest installment in the "First Conversations" series frames disability as part of the natural spectrum of the human experience and "there is no such thing as normal" and uses affirming language and inclusive illustrations to help introduce young children to basic concepts around disability, but also explores more complicated and abstract topics such as independence, ableism, equity, and how to be an upstander. Back matter helps adults with key definitions, age appropriate terms and language, and tips for handling questions. A great tool for starting conversation and building empathy and understanding.

Children's Nonfiction

Splinter & Ash by Marieke Nijkamp

A chance encounter brings a lonely princess and a wannabe squire together - and together, they can save the kingdom. This is the perfect story to hand to readers who aren't quite ready for Tamora Pierce but enjoy a good quest or are seeking boundary-defying heroines.

Children's Fiction

Lion Dancers by Cai Tse

Two years ago, Wei suddenly quit lion dancing after his father, a champion lion dancer, died suddenly. Now, on a whim, he joins a junior lion dance team and his passion for the sport is reignited but unfortunately he runs into his old tail and former friend Hung, who is not happy to see Wei again, and is the current star head on the team. A story of growth, friendship, and trust with lots of interesting facts about lion dancing at the start of each chapter to give those of us outside the sport even more glimpses into the world. A great option for readers looking for friendship stories or sports stories!

Children's Graphic Novel

Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women's Ascent of Denali by Cassidy Randall

A captivating account of the first all female ascent of Mount Denali, North America's highest mountain.

Adult Nonfiction

Sing to Me by Jesse Browner

In the wake of the fall of Troy, an eleven year old boy sets off from his near abandoned farm to search for his father and sister in the ruins of the great city. Most historical books around Troy focus upon the heroes and villains so this slim novel of a boy looking for his family and having no idea what even caused this massive war and bloodshed is relatable and heartfelt.

Adult Fiction

Costumes for Time Travelers by A.R. Capetta

Do you know what is important for time travel? Well, having historically accurate clothing is certainly a must! Calisto lives with their family in a pocket dimension (conveniently called Pocket) that sits separate from time as we know it and exists as a stopping office point for time travelers to gain historically accurate clothing as well as supplies. Although Calisto never dreamed of a life outside of the costume shop, they find themselves compelled to help and travel with a time traveler. This book is a sweet romantic delight.

Teen Fiction

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

Author of a middling suspense book that she's sure not even her family has read, Jane has been married to Dan for going on nineteen years and feels her life has lost its spark. At their anniversary dinner at a famously upscale restaurant, Jane plans to ask for a divorce when armed terrorists burst into the restaurant and take everyone hostage...but the hostage situation continues to plan out hilariously close to the plot of Jane's failed novel. Absurd and laugh out loud, this book is worth the suspension of disbelief.

Adult Fiction

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown

This is a beautiful and haunting graphic novel about Hurricane Katrina and the impact the storm and response continues to have on New Orleans. A good read in honor of the recent twentieth anniversary.

Teen Graphic Novel

The Most Famous Girl in the World by Iman Hariri-Kia

Part mystery, part psychological thriller, part romance, this book is an interesting take on fame and our obsession with celebrity. Anyone who was obsessed with the recent Netflix documentary about Anna Delvey will appreciate and enjoy this novel. Rose Aslani is a great protagonist whose identity and mental health struggles make her a refreshing and fully realized character. The climax of the book veers on the silly side and I didn't entirely understand the ending but, overall, I enjoyed the ride.

Adult Fiction

A Perfect Turmoil: Walter E. Fernald and the Struggle to Care for America's Disabled by Alex Green

Interesting and (at times) disturbing look at the complicated legacy of Walter E. Fernald and the evolution of care for people with disabilities. This book provides context and more understanding for those who are aware of all of the conversations surrounding the fate of the site of the former Fernald State School in Waltham.

Adult Biogaphy

Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden

I have been meaning to read this classic for years. I'm so glad that I finally did knock this one off my To Be Read pile.

For any teen (or adult, for that matter) reading this through a modern lens, I think it's important to remember how remarkable this YA book would have been in the early 1980s, as it not only depicts a teen love story between two girls, but it also doesn't end in tragedy. (despite some bumps). 

It's true that today's readers may find the pacing a bit slow and there is a subplot about an ear piercing scandal that seems kind of silly. However, aside from those two (minor) things, hopefully, teens will still want to pick up this lovely novel.

I recommend the audiobook which concludes with a conversation with the late Nancy Garden.

Teen Fiction