Happy Almost Summer! (I have book links for you!)

Hello my fellow bookworms!

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Gift of Edward Hodgson Smart, 1907

This has been a crazy time so far, has it not? I have had a hard time falling back into my pattern of reading, which has been compared to Belle from Beauty and the Beast (always a book in my hand). If you find yourself at a lost to dive into a book, you are not alone. An article from Vox "Why it's so hard to read a book right now, explained by a neuroscientist," contains an interview with a neuroscientist that explains why a good portion of us are feeling this way. Journalist Constance Grady interviewed neuroscientist and psychologist Oliver J. Robinson, who is based at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. The basic conclusion is that while there are many factors that are contributing to our state of mind right now, our higher level of anxiety is changing the way we think, adapting our brain function to a state that promotes harm avoidance. It is harder to concentrate and so, it becomes harder to read, enjoy hobbies, etc. The article is a quick and interesting read, if you are interested in the basic science of why we feel the way we feel right now.

On a lighter note, I have some book-related links to share with you!

• The Comics Relief Festival released the recorded sessions of the last event online and announced that the next Comics Relief Festival will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2020! Can't wait!

• BookExpo has gone online this year. From May 26 - 29, you can join them for free sessions, such as Author Breakfasts and Buzz Books. Find the outline of events here.

• BookCon is hosting a virtual event called BookColine, a virtual book convention on May 30 - 31, that will have author panels, trivia quizzes, ARC giveaways, and more! Check out the official website here. 

• Smithsonian Magazine has a "Books of the Week" post, see their picks here. Speaking of the Smithsonian, they are also offering an option for you to ask them questions! Try your chance to be featured with an inquisitive question about science, life, books, etc. here.

• Taco Bell has a literary magazine available for all to read. I never thought I would write or read those words together, but here we are! Visit Taco Bell's website for a chance to read fan stories and poems about the franchise in their first ever literary magazine, Taco Bell Quarterly, online here. Volume 2 is live as of February 2020!

• Barnes and Noble is hosting a short story contest for children, ages 6 - 12, that is running from April 27 through May 29. The winners will receive a signed book from one of my favorite authors, Gail Carson Levine! Parents and legal guardians can read more about the rules and guidelines here. Have fun!

• With the release of SCOOB!, the animated film, DC is offering the chance for fans to read Scooby Doo comics all summer!

• If you are looking for things to read and cannot check books out from your local library's website(s), OverDrive offers an Instant Digital Card to those who need one! Check out the OverDrive website for more information. Once you have a library card, you have access to so many digital platforms of information! These include OverDrive / Libby, Recorded Books / RB Digital, Flipster, Hoopla Digital, and more (depending on your library)! From audio books, to eBooks, to movies, to comics and graphic novels, there are a variety of options online that can allow you to leave your home, without actually leaving.

• If you are looking to support independent booksellers, look no more! If you cannot find a particular book in a bookstore close to you, try bookshop.org, a website that was created to help financially support local, independent bookstores. You can find specific stores on their map, or help contribute to an earnings pool that will be evenly distributed among independent bookstores. You can even sign up to be an affiliate if you are an author, website, magazine, a fellow booklover, etc.! If you are an affiliate, you will receive 10% commission on every sale and a matching 10% to independent bookstores. Check out their FAQs if you have questions!

• If you are looking for something new to read with your children, or are a child at heart, take a moment to read The Book of Hopes, a collection of stories, poems, essays, and pictures from more than 100 children's authors and illustrators. It is free to read online only at the present, with an anticipated published book in the fall by Bloomsbury Children's Books. 

I hope that you are all doing well and have found ways of reading among the anxiety. I myself have finally started reading again this past weekend. It was a pleasant feeling to be lost in a world that has nothing to do with a pandemic. I wish you all well and hope that with the warmer weather, we can all get lost in a book!

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Gift of William T. Evans, 1890