Happy New Year('s Eve)!

Hello my fellow bookworms, 

(c) Once Upon A Book Blog(ger) 2023

Wishing you a safe and happy New Year's Eve! May your year ahead be filled with many good books!

What are your book resolutions this year? This past year I read 48 books, for a total of 11,750 pages read. For 2024, I am going to keep my "Read 25 Books" resolution. I am going to aim to read a difficult book and a classic book. By the end of this year, I hope to be able to go back to reading in full force! :)

 

Here are my top 5 books from this year (in no particular order - this was a hard list for me this year!):

• An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good by Helene Tursten
• Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon & Shana Knizhnik
• These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan
• Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
• Give Me A Sign by Anna Sortino
  

Here are 5 books I look forward to in 2024 (also in no particular order):

• A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair
• Bride by Ali Hazelwood
• How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
• A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur
• The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
  

Here is some good book news for your new year:

• If you read my blog post from last month, Goodreads has announced their Goodreads Choice Awards for 2023! Did any of the books you voted for make the final cut?
  

• Cardinal Rule Press is looking for new realistic fiction books aimed at children, ages 4-11, that are representative, inclusive, and meaningful to publish! Picture book manuscripts can be up to 1,000 words and must be submitted as a PDF. Click here for more information.
  

• Book Riot has a reading log for their Read Harder Challenge that you can download and use to track your reading this year!
• If you want the actual list of challenges for 2024, check out the Read Harder Challenge here!
  

• There is a new bill introduced called the "Books Save Lives Act," that aims to counteract the book bans across the nation by classifying such bans as a federal civil rights violation. Check out the news article from HuffPost for more information.
  

• A nice act of kindness from James Patterson this winter, Mr. Patterson provided bonuses to 600 booksellers!

One more thing before the new year - did you know I have a Facebook page set up so you can now receive Facebook notifications when I post a new blog post? Check it out (and subscribe)!

Until next time - Happy Reading! Happy New Year! :)

Best of the Best Book Lists

Photo by Ioana Motoc from PexelsPhoto by Ioana Motoc: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sill-life-with-gingerbread-red-berries-and-old-books-lying-on-a-windowsill-19149211/

Hello my fellow bookworms!

How did the time go by so fast? We just had falling leavings and changing colors, and suddenly, SNOW. Ah! I am not ready for it, yet. At least, there are quite a few new cozy reads out to keep you company during the cold season?

Today I have some award winning and best of the year book lists for you!

• The National Book Awards
• According to the National Book Foundation's website:

"The National Book Awards were established in 1950 to celebrate the best writing in America. Since 1989, they have been overseen by the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to celebrate the best literature published in the United States, expand its audience, and ensure that books have a prominent place in our culture. Although other categories have been recognized in the past, the Awards currently honors the best Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature published each year."

• The winners for this year are:
• Fiction: Blackouts by Justin Torres
• Nonfiction: The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History by Ned Blackhawk
• Poetry: from unincorporated territory [åmot] by Craig Santos Perez
• Translated Literature: The Words That Remain by Stenio Gardel, Bruna Dantas Lobato
  
• Young People's Literature: A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat
  
• If you check out the award website, you can also see the finalists and various Longlists!
  

• The 2023 Booker Prize

According to The Booker Prizes website:


The Booker Prize is the leading literary award in the English speaking world, and has brought recognition, reward and readership to outstanding fiction for over five decades

Each year, the prize is awarded to what is, in the opinion of the judges, the best sustained work of fiction written in English and published in the UK and Ireland. It is a prize that transforms the winner’s career.

• The winner of the 2023 Booker Prize this year is: Prophet Songby Paul Lynch
• Check out the Booker Prize website to see the both the Shortlist and Longlist of book nominations!
   
• New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2023
  

• Time's Best Books 2023 
  

• Book Riot's Best Books of 2023
• Check out their selections in science fiction, romance, nonfiction, mystery/thriller, horror, fiction, fantasy, comics, and children's books!

• Goodreads Choice Awards - you can still vote in these for about 2 more days! Check Goodreads in about a week or so to see the final results.
  

I am currently working on a project in my neighborhood that details the top 25 books the community has read. I was surprised by the amount of manga that made the list! I was not surprised that Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus was the #1 book, though! What was your favorite book this year? I still have some time left, so I will leave my choice until next time. ;)

Happy Reading!

Happy Halloween Bookworms!

Photo by Olia Danilevich from PexelsPhoto by olia danilevich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/halloween-cookies-5471990/Photo by olia danilevich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/halloween-cookies-5471990/

Happy Halloween my fellow bookworms!

Hope you are keeping warm and not stuck in the snow, like I was today! This past month was a blur of activity, so this will be a short post this round. Here is some book news for you:

• November is NaNoWriMo! Short for National Novel Writing Month, authors and aspiring authors are challenging themselves to write an entire novel this month. There are many events you can check out, including at your local library, where you can meet others challenging themselves and sit and write together! It is an inspiring movement, and while this year is a bit crazy for me, I hope to be a part of the movement next year! If you are interested in more information, please check out the official NaNoWriMo website.

• Although Banned Books Week is over, you can still be part of the movement by talking to your local politicians and utilizing and advocating your local library. You can also check out the New York Public Library's Banned Books for All campaign for teens, where you can find a toolkit, events, and access to challenged books to read for free!
  

• 

  Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels
  

  The National Book Award Finalists were announced for 2023. As mentioned on the National
  Book Foundation website:
• "Publishers submitted a total of 1,931 books for this year’s National Book Awards: 496 in Fiction, 638 in Nonfiction, 295 in Poetry, 154 in Translated Literature, and 348 in Young People’s Literature. Judges’ decisions are made independently of the National Book Foundation staff and Board of Directors, and deliberations are strictly confidential."
• The winners will be announced on November 15th! 
  

• What have you been reading lately? Bookshop.org released their list of the Best Books of 2023. I'm sure there will be many more lists before the end of the year, but if you want to squeeze some more reading in before then, this could help re-jump start your list!
   

Until next time - Happy Reading! :)

Banned Books Week! (October 1st - 7th)

Hello my fellow bookworms,

Happy Banned Books Week to you! This upcoming week marks an important time for libraries and schools to remind everyone how important it is to be able to have the freedom to read - hence for this year's theme, "Let Freedom Read!" 

(c) 2023 Banned Books Week

According to the Banned Books Week official webpage, the formal description of this week is as follows:

"Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. Typically (but not always) held during the last week of September, the annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas."

The top 10 books that were challenged last year were:

1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe 
1. Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

2. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson 
1. Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 
1. Reasons: depiction of sexual abuse, claimed to be sexually explicit, EDI content

4. Flamer by Mike Curato 
1. Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

5. (TIE) Looking for Alaska by John Green 
1. Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content

5. (TIE) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 
1. Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content, depiction of sexual abuse, drugs, profanity

7. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison 
1. Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie 
1. Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, profanity

9. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez 
1. Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit

10. (TIE) A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas 
1. Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit

10. (TIE) Crank by Ellen Hopkins 
1. Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, drugs

10. (TIE) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews 
1. Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, profanity

10. (TIE) This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson 
1. Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, sex education, claimed to be sexually explicit

How many of the above have you read? I've read two so far, and watched two movie versions of others. I read the backgrounds on all of them, but I think I am going to make it a point for each year to read at least one banned/challenged book going forward. I was lucky enough this past year to be able to read a poem from one of my favorite childhood books at the American Library Association conference - so you may see me on YouTube this week!

What else can you do to show your support?

• Check out the Celebrate Banned Books Week Handbook for ideas on how to celebrate!
  
• Attend your city’s local school board meetings and voice your concerns about book bans.
• Advocate for your local library! Sign up for a library card (if you don't already have one) and become an active visitor.
• Send emails to your local senators expressing your support for educators, librarians and booksellers.
• Read banned/challenged books and support the right to read!

Hope you have a wonderful week ahead full of interesting and fun books. Until next time - happy reading!

Buddy the Bucket Filler by Maria Dismondy & Carol McCloud, Illustrated by Julia Seal

(c) Cardinal Rule Press, 2023

Hello my fellow bookworms!

Fall is just right around the corner and many have already gone back to school! I wanted to share a new children's book that has been recently released that is beautifully illustrated, with a great message to share called Buddy the Bucket Filler, written by Maria Dismondy and Carol McCloud, illustrated by Julia Seal. 

Buddy, a little boy, goes to visit his great uncle for a week during the summer. Uncle Frank acts like a grandfather to Buddy and has him help around the farm, feeding the animals and picking cherries. Uncle Frank later talks to Buddy about helping other using the "filling buckets" concept. They go around doing good deeds and Buddy has a great time and a good story to tell his father when he goes back home.

The "filling buckets" concept is one introduced through a previously released non-fiction book, also by Carol McCloud, titled Have You Filled a Bucket Today? The basic concept is that everyone has a bucket, and sometimes that bucket is full and sometimes it is empty. Anyone can act as a "bucket filler" to treat others with kindness and respect, thus filling the other person's bucket. Negative behaviors, such as bullying count as "dipping the bucket," which shows as an image of a bucket pouring all the happiness out of it. This method is a cute and imaginative way for children to learn about being kind and being generous.

The book is recommend for children between the ages of 4 and 10, and while the younger ones may not quite grasp the "filling buckets" concept, they will definitely enjoy looking at the beautiful artwork and understand the underlying message of being kind. A perfect read if you are looking to read a story about kindness and sharing. You can find the book at your local bookstore, or online as an e-book. If you check out the book directly from the publisher's website, Cardinal Rule Press, you can also download a free Reader's Guide for children, as well as coloring pages!

See the book trailer below:

 

Thank you to Cardinal Rule Press for providing me with a free copy of the book, as well as Ms. McCloud's first book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? I enjoyed the read and will enjoy passing along the message to those I know. I also love the cherry theme, as it makes a great end-of-the-summer read and ties in the message completely!

 

Until next time - Happy Reading!

(c) Maria Dismondy, 2023

About the Author: Maria Dismondy

Maria Dismondy is the founder of Cardinal Rule Press. Before devoting her work to the publishing industry and children's mental health, Maria was a teacher. She finds inspiration for her work in her daily life and strives to make a difference in the lives of children in her work around social emotional learning. Maria can be found walking her dogs and on adventures with her husband and three children in southeastern Michigan.

About the Author: Carol McCloud

(c) Carol McCloud, 2023

Carol McCloud began the series of Bucket Books with the ever-popular Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids in 2006. Her books have sold over three million copies and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. A champion for bucket filling, Carol strives to help people of all ages lead happier lives by growing in kindness, self-management, resilience, and compassion. She lives in Venice, Florida, with her husband, Jack.

                                About the Illustrator: Julia Seal

(c) Julia Seal, 2023

Julia Seal knew from the age of five what she wanted to do for a living - draw pictures! After graduating with a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration and then working in the greeting card industry (and getting covered in glitter every day!) she finally moved onto her dream job - illustrating children's books. She lives in a small village in England with her husband and two children - who provide plenty of inspiration. 

Happy August - here are some book links for you!

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

Happy August my fellow bookworms!

The 1st of August marks the end of summer reading for the year in my neighborhood, is it the same for yours, too? The summer has sure flown by. While I cannot wait for my favorite season to come, I still want to have some more summer fun! I have not yet visited the beach yet, or read by the pool. May everyone have some more warm days ahead to finish their summer bucket list plans!

That said, I have some book news and links for you: 

• Need something good to listen to to help finish up your summer on a thrill? Amazon released a set of original stories you can read and listen to for free if you have an Amazon Prime subscription. Authors include: Nita Prose; B.A. Paris; Minka Kent; Chris Bohjalian; Alyssa Cole; and Julie Clark.
  

• A mystery story come true, a group of tourists were trapped while visiting author Agatha Christie's holiday home due to a fallen tree blocking the only exit, prompting the visitors to compare the incident to the book And Then There Were None. No one was actually hurt during the incident, but they did play croquet and drink tea!
  

• Ever want to visit the White House, but have not been able to secure a tour? Well, now you can visit from the comfort of your home! Check out this link from The White House Association, where you can find a virtual tour.
  

• With school coming, it may be helpful for you to have the link to access JSTOR, a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources, for free, to use for your research papers and so forth.

• If JSTOR does not have what you are looking for, you should try the DOAB, or the Directory of Open Access Books.
  

• One more free resource for you to check out is the Open Library, where you can check out electronic books to read (quite similar to your local library, but this may have more older books for you to reference!).
  

• Many celebrities, politicians, and lawmakers have come forth to defend the freedom to read. Recently:
• Barack and Michelle Obama recently released a thank you letter to librarians
  

• Jay-z and the Chief Executive Officer of the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft, stated they are launching a campaign against book bans along with scholarships for minority students producing artistic works
  

• U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued an injunction this past Friday that blocks a law set to go into effect tomorrow, August 1st. This law would allow librarians and booksellers to be prosecuted for providing "harmful" material to minors. This past year has had the highest number of attempts at book bans and restriction to books than it has been in the last 20 years, according to the American Library Association.
  

• As mentioned previously on this blog, if you would like to be a part of the fight against book banning, please visit the American Library Association's website Unite Against Book Bans, where you can join the campaign, find out information on how you can help, see current statistics, and more. 

Until next time! I hope to catch up on my reading, and I hope to hear from you on what you are currently reading! 

I will leave you with this quote from Barack Obama's letter to librarians:

"Finally, to every citizen reading this, I hope you’ll join me in reminding anyone who will listen — and even some people you think might not — that the free, robust exchange of ideas has always been at the heart of American democracy. Together, we can make that true for generations to come."

The first days of summer

Hello my fellow bookworms!

As of June 21st, summer is finally here! Although, if you live in certain parts of Canada or the United States, you could be subject to wildfire smoke. Stay safe, and be sure to wear those KN95 masks we all stocked up on during 2020 and 2021 while you are outside!

(c) 2023 Little Brown Ink

I recently read the cheesiest graphic novel to date, and I mean that literally, but that helped make it so endearing! The characters all have names that are also the names of different cheeses, which may make this a tough read if you are hungry! The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz is a young adult LGBTQ romance graphic novel that touches upon themes of friendship, acceptance, and being true to yourself.  A quick read, be sure to add this to your to-read list this summer!

I do have some book news for you:

• Tomorrow, June 30th, is "Stuff Your Kindle Day" for you romance lovers. You can choose up to 20 different books on Kindle for free. The event will also happen twice more this year, on September 20th and December 27th. Please visit Romance Bookworms' blog post here for more information! They also have information on a mystery-themed kindle giveaway, so check out the post for more details.
  

• Illinois became the first state in the United States to ban book bans! A historic win for the fight against censorship and librarians everywhere. We can only hope more states will follow in Governor J.B. Pritzker's footsteps!
  

• Penguin Random House is hosting an online summer reading challenge for kids. Download the form and book ideas here!
  

• With the rise in popularity of BookTok (those popular clips on TikTok that showcase the new and popular books everyone is reading today), TikTok is now hosting its own book awards! Check out the article on TikTok here, which lists the categories and information for this year's award ceremony, which was hosted from May 25th - June 4th. 

There are so many new movies and shows that are coming out that are based on books. Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Lye Hye's Webtoon See You in My 19th Life, David Grann's Killers of the Flower Moon, and so much more. What have you been reading / watching so far this summer?

Until next time - happy reading! :)

First name Barbie last name Doll by Maureen Bocka

Hello my fellow bookworms!

(c) Maureen Bocka, 2016

I would like to feature a poetry book this month, as I am super excited for the Barbie movie that is set to come out later this summer - First name Barbie last name Doll by Maureen Bocka. I was very curious to read this short book once I heard about it from the author herself! 

A short collection of 25 poems, each poem features some aspect of Barbie and her universe. Each poem weaves a story that flows throughout the collection. I enjoyed reading each poem and quickly devoured the book in less than an hour. A must read for those who enjoy Barbie, as well as for those who are looking for something good to read to celebrate Pride month this June (or anytime of the year, quite honestly)! 

I hope to read more poetry from Ms. Bocka in the upcoming years! If you cannot find her book at your local library (request for it to be purchased!), you can find it here on Amazon.

About the Author: Maureen Bocka

Maureen Bocka is a recent graduate of University of Illinois Springfield. She has previously served as assistant managing editor of The Alchemist Review and Uproot Magazine. This is her first collection of poetry.

Spring days are finally here!

Hello my fellow bookworms!

Spring weather is finally making its way to my city, and I couldn't be happier! I missed the birds singing (even though they like waking me up at 3 in the morning), the green grass, the blue skies, the sun. It's funny how long we can go without the sun, but how lovely it is to see it more than once a week again! 

(c) Faber and Faber, 2019

This month was crazy busy for me, but I took part in a book discussion for the poetry book Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky. The book has a plot that is good timing for the current war in Ukraine, but you may need to take breaks if the story is too much at once. April is also National Poetry Month, so I hope you enjoyed a poem, or two! 

You can always visit the official National Poetry Month website, hosted by the Academy of American Poets, where you can order a free poster designed by Marc Brown, the author of Arthur. You can also sign up for a free daily Poem-A-Day and enjoy some culture each morning, delivered straight to your inbox.

(c) HarperCollins Publishers Inc, 2023

I also read Meg Cabot's The Quarantine Princess Diaries, which I have been waiting to read since...the quarantine in 2020 when Ms. Cabot was publishing short chapters each week to help us stop from going crazy staying inside. Her plot was well thought out and brought up good points and pandemic background, but that is one time I do not ever want to relive again. I did enjoy visiting Princess Mia's world, though, and cannot wait for a post-pandemic book to come! :)

Since this month was otherwise madness, I thought I would share some book/library tips and news:

• Starting tomorrow, May 1st, the OverDrive ebook application is shutting down, and you will need to upgrade to the newer version, Libby. 

• If you like to read newspapers and hate paywalls, try accessing the title through your local library's website. Many times, you will be able to read it for free outside of the library, or free while you are inside the library. 

• Reader's Digest also suggests using the free website 12ft.io to overcome paywalls. While it is right to support your local and national journalists, sometimes you just need a quick article or ran out of your free ones for the month. By navigating to this website, you do not have to download any software, just insert the URL of the article or website you are trying to access, then click on "Remove Paywall." Hopefully you will be able to access the site without issue!
  

• The Library of Congress named 25 recordings of popular songs to preserve, chosen based on "cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance." The Super Mario Bros. is the first video game theme to be chosen for this honor!

• If you have kids (or know one that likes to read), they may be interested in Andrew McMeel's Summer Reading Game!

I'm currently listening to the audiobook of Spare by Prince Harry. It is a lot more sad than I anticipated. I hope to catch up on more of my fun reading this next month after classes are over. What are you reading / look forward to reading? 

Until next time! Happy Reading!

Book Challenges and Resources

 Hi my fellow bookworms!

As I am in school, I wanted to bring to your attention the fact that libraries are currently undergoing many challenges, one of the larger ones being book challenges. As of 2022, the American Library Association ("ALA") reports that book challenges have nearly doubled since 2021. In fact, it has been at the highest reporting number since data about censorship in libraries was first collected more than 20 years ago. 

(c) 2023, Unite Against Book Bans, Shareable Graphic

Most recently, the Associated Press released an article detailing book bans and school restrictions, which the ALA reports then prompted a group of advocates in the library community to use this news as a platform to write letters to the editor supporting the freedom to read. National Library Week is from April 23, 2023 to April 29, 2023 this year, and you can help join the fight against censorship at your local library through a variety of different resources:

• Join the Unite Against Book Bans campaign and use their toolkit to become a voice in the campaign
  

• Report censorship to the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom ("OIF")
  

• Fight censorship through sharing social media tools, participating in webinars, providing support for library workers, or even checking out your state and local resources!
  

• Host a house party and talk about what is happening in your local area with resources from Unite Against Book Bans
  

• Join the Freedom to Read Foundation and read up on the legislative action that is actively occurring regarding book bans

(c) 2022, Unite Against Book Bans, Shareable Graphic

I hope that you will join me in the fight against censorship, even if it is a small action such as sharing an image on your social media or supporting your local library. We should all have the freedom to read what we choose for ourselves and have access to those materials.

Until next time - happy freedom to read!

Three Pockets Full by Cindy L. Rodriguez, Illustrated by Begoña Fernández Corbalán

Hi my fellow bookworms!

(c) Cardinal Rule Press, 2022

This past December, I was lucky enough to receive an e-book edition of Three Pockets Full by Cindy L. Rodriguez, illustrated by Begoña Fernández Corbalán. This pretty, colorful children's picture book tells the story of a young boy named Beto, whose mom is getting remarried and wants him to wear a guayabera to the ceremony. 

Quick history lesson: A guayabera, according to the author, is a traditional shirt that has either two or four pockets on the front of it, made with fabric to keep the wearer cool in hot weather. The shirt typically is embroidered and/or contains small pleats. According to popular legend, the pockets were made so a Spanish settler in Cuba, approximately 300 years ago, could pick and hold guavas (or guayabas) in his pockets. Today, it is a traditional Mexican wedding shirt, as well as Cuba's "official dress garment" for men (Rodriguez, 2022).

Back to the story!

Beto does not like his guayabera and comes up with fun ways to hide the shirt, along with a note to his mom, explaining why the shirt should not be on Beto. After all of his shenanigans, we find that the reason Beto does not like the shirt is one that requires a talk with his mom about feelings, family matters, and changes in life. In all, the story is a fun, fast-paced, family story with pieces of culture sprinkled throughout. 

The story is recommended for children ages 4 through 8 and I agree. While short, the story has in-depth matters that younger children may not quite understand - but would still appreciate the beautiful, colorful drawings! Best news of all? This book was already released last fall, so you can pick up a copy now at your local bookstore! Need more convincing? Check out the book trailer here or check out the helpful Reader's Guide provided on the Cardinal Rule Press website.

Thank you to Cardinal Rule Press for providing me with a free copy of the book! I enjoyed this cute story. Until next time! :)

 

(c) Cindy L. Rodriguez, 2023

About the Author: Cindy L. Rodriguez

Cindy L. Rodriguez is the author of the YA novel When Reason Breaks, (Bloomsbury 2015) and the essay “I’m a Survivor” from the anthology Life Inside My Mind: 31 Authors Share Their Personal Struggles (Simon Pulse 2018). She has also written Volleyball Ace (2020), Drill Team Determination (2021), and Gymnastics Payback (2021), which are all part of the Jake Maddox series published by Capstone/Stone Arch Books. Upcoming titles include The Doomed Search for the Lost City of Z (Capstone 2022), Three Pockets Full: A story of love, family, and tradition (Cardinal Rule Press 2022), and The Mount Everest Disaster of 1996 (Capstone 2023). From 1993-2000, she was an award-winning reporter for The Hartford Courant and an award-winning researcher for The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team, and, from 2000-2022, she was a public school teacher in Connecticut. She has degrees from UConn and Central Connecticut State University and two teaching certifications. She is a U.S.-born Latina of Puerto Rican and Brazilian descent and a founder of Latinxs in Kid Lit, which has been celebrating children’s literature by/for/about Latinxs since 2013. She has presented at numerous local, state, and national literary festivals and conferences about reading, teaching, and children’s literature. She currently works for an educational publisher. She lives in Connecticut with her family, and is a big fan of the three Cs: coffee, chocolate, and coconut.

 

(c) Begoña Fernández Corbalán, 2023

About the Illustrator: Begoña Fernández Corbalán

Begoña Fernández Corbalán was born and raised in a small town in Spain. As a child, she loved to draw, so when she grew up she knew that she wanted to get a degree in Fine Arts. After finishing her degree, she specialized in illustration, and since then, she has dedicated herself to it. In her free time, she likes to sit in the sun in her garden and observe how the light changes at different times of the day, something that she tries to reflect in her work. She has worked with techniques such as watercolor, gouache, and colored pencils, but she likes digital illustration because of the great advantages it offers when working.

Happy National Puzzle Month!

Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels

Hello my fellow bookworms!

Happy 2023 and the end of National Puzzle Month! I have been treating myself to fun cryptographs, crosswords, puzzle games, but have not yet continued my physical puzzle I bought myself for Christmas. Hopefully I can dedicate some time to it soon!

I am back into the swing of things with the spring semester for school, so this post will not be as long as I hope future ones are. Here is some book and book-related news for you:

• World Read Aloud Day is coming up this Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Learn more about it from LitWorld, as well as possibly joining a live webinar session to hear a children's book read by the author through CardinalPress! Such a fun experience if you have children or are a teacher or librarian!
  

• Her Interactive just released a large Nancy Drew themed crossword puzzle! If you are a fan of the books and video games, you may want to try your hand at their latest puzzle here. 
  

• The National Wildlife Federation is hosting their 2023 National Wildlife photo contest! Try your hand at taking a spectacular photo of wildlife in your area and aim for the chance to be published in their Winter 2024 magazine!

• Are you stuck inside due to the winter weather? Take a tour with 360Cities and go on a free vacation right from your front room! You can even view the different historic libraries around the world with just a click of your mouse.
  

• There are a plethora of new plays and musicals being released this year! Are you as excited for the adaptation for Life of Pi as I am?
  

• FanFiAddict recently had a livestream with sci-fi and fantasy authors, including one of my favorites, Stephanie Burgis! Check out the steam here and check out their uploads and upcoming livestreams to see if one of your favorite authors was or will be hosted next!

I finally had a chance to read a book for pleasure before I buckle down to my school reading. I just read The Deal by Elle Kennedy and thoroughly enjoyed it! Definitely recommend it if you are in the mood for romance that touches on real life topics, yet has that satisfying happy ending.

What are you guys reading lately? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Reading! Stay warm! :)