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.