A Marker To Measure Drift: A Novel

Gasp. That is the only sentiment I have for Alexander Maksik's A Marker to Measure Drift.

A woman sleeps in a cave only accessible at low tide. She has seen things that would would stunt even the strongest human. Her mother speaks to her often and guides her on the desperate search for a place to sleep at night, food to fill her belly, and peace to accept what life has handed her. In the beauty of the Aegean, Jacqueline must find her basic sanity in order to carry on with life.

Oooooohhhhhh eeeemmmmm ggggeeeeeeee. This novel was haunting. It was all-consuming. It owned my head and my heart for a time. It was completely arresting and alternately horrifying and heartbreaking. It was like peeling away the layers of an artichoke to get to the heart. I was completely curious, overwhelmingly desirous even to figure out was this woman and how she ended up here in the most beautiful place on earth. Why did she leave her family behind in Liberia, and why does she choose to stay on the island she has found?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its heavy-handedness and lack of boundaries on Jacqueline's spiral into loneliness. I cared about finding out who she was, where she came from, and where she was going. I also cared about from where she would get her next meal, and I had specific opinions on when and why she should, or shouldn't, move. I was so happy when she found a home and wary when she found a friend. She was a compelling character that drove the story, humanizing a tale so heartbreaking.

Kindle version on the left, hard copy on the right.

Wish You Were Here: A Novel

I thoroughly enjoyed Stewart O'Nan's Songs for the Missing, so Wish You Were Here has been on my to-read list for quite some time. I finally picked it up this week for a cold-weather read.

After losing her husband to cancer, Emily gathers her family at the lake house for one last visit. Her two children come with their families, and her sister in law is present as well. As the family says goodbye to the house in Chautauqua that been in their family for generations, they also deal with their own personal crises. Meg is getting divorced and her children are adjusting; Ken and his wife Lisa are struggling to make ends meet while Ken follows his dream. Each Maxwell comes to the table with their own baggage and must deal with losses much greater than their own.

This book was so lovely. I have to say, I found it the perfect length for a vacation read. It's a tad on the long side but not too thick that you can't sit out on the porch or take it to the beach. The story is incredibly in-depth with full and complete character arcs. You will close the book astounded that you only spent a week with the Maxwells--you feel like you have known them your whole life.

I was able to dive into the pages and completely give myself over to this week at the lake house. I was able to experience the trip from every person's perspective. I understood Arlene's loss of love at a young age; I understood Emily's bitterness and need for control; I understood Meg's frustration at her mother and the continuation of the fraught relationship; I understood Lisa's disdain for her mother-in-law. This book was really beautiful and lovely, and I am glad I spent my week in the pages.

Pick this up before your summer vacation. Kindle on left, hard copy on right:

A Really Awesome Mess

Want something funny and kooky and completely off-beat? Try Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin's A Really Awesome Mess.

Emmy finds herself thrown into Heartland Academy after a rough patch which included threatening a classmate on Facebook and poor decision making. Justin finds himself there after a very unfortunate incident involving his father walking in on a teenage boy's dream come true followed by an overdose of Tylenol. Neither has a desire to be there, and no one seems to be terribly welcoming. They are on a journey to find themselves (which is the only way they can get out), on which they find what they never knew they were always looking for--friends, acceptance, and love.

This book is categorized under YA lit, but I found myself enjoying it immensely as an adult novel. We have all been there as teenagers making decisions that might not be the best ever, even though it seemed innocuous back then. I most definitely cringed thinking back on the poor decision making I made at that age, and it was so easy to relate to the frustration, the attitude, and the emotions of the ragamuffins in the reform school.

I really enjoyed watching the character arcs of all of the characters, but in particular Justin and Emmy. Over the course of the novel they both grew in ways that they might not have if not for Heartland Academy. I would never wish that kind of reform school experience on anyone, but it sure can be a boon for self-discovery for those who need it. My favorite scene involves a county fair, an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink hotdog, and a pig heist. Just trust me--it will have you giggling like a fifth grade girl with a crush on the cover of Tiger Beat in 1987.

Kindle version on the left, hard copy on the right.

Countdown City

Countdown City by Ben H. Winters is the second book in The Last Policeman trilogy about the last days of the earth. [Happy squeal.]

Henry Palace is no longer a cop, which is just fine as far as he's concerned since an asteroid is scheduled to hit and destroy earth in 77 days. He spends his days hanging out with his dog, Houdini, and missing his sister who has joined one of those end-of-the-world cults. When his childhood babysitter calls in desperate need of help finding her missing husband, Henry agrees to find him out of an old loyalty. What the search leads him to find is unbelievable and completely normal all at the same time.

I. Loved. This. Book. It was weird and awesome and nail-biting and creepy and just like every day life except gone off the rails a bit since, you know, everyone is going to die and it will all be for the same reason at the same time. The asteroid hangs over everyone's heads as they go about their everyday lives--it is the often unspoken character in the book. It lent an ominous feeling to the writing which only enhanced the story and my love for it.

Winters is a fantastic writer, one whom I hope to keep seeing more from in the future. He reminds me a lot of some of my favorite writers; he has a way for writing in a realistic and a raw style that I eat up with a spoon. The action of the story was completely unexpected--in fact, we know what happens to the husband half-way through. It's just one peg in the board of insanity of the last days of Earth.

I feel a pull to go pick up the first book of the trilogy now because I just need to get more of his prose. (I picked up Countdown City pre-release at BEA.) I can't wait for the third book in the trilogy to come out. (Mr. Winters, may I puh-leeeeeeze get my hands on a copy this very second??? I can wait until tomorrow if I have to.)

I would like to encourage you all to check out Countdown City this month. If you love great writing, you will not be disappointed. If you love doomsday stories, thrillers, or otherwise crazy shenanigans, this book will be up your alley. You will not be let down.

Kindle version on left, hard copy on right.
 

An Ordinary Toad's Extraordinary Night

An Ordinary Toad's Extraordinary Night by Joanne McGonagle and illustrated by Rachael Mahaffey is an extraordinary children's book with which I fell immediately love upon opening the front cover.

Andrew, a young toad, is going through an ordinary identity crisis--he wishes he could be a frog. After all, they don't have warts, they are a brighter shade of green, and their lithe figures are much more attractive. Andrew heads off to spend an evening with his grandfather, who explores these wishes with him and teaches him to appreciate everything that he does have. Loving who you are is the moral of the story--and it's what makes you extraordinary.

Whether or not I like a children's book depends on the moral of the story being: 1) present, and 2) weaved into the story so that it is not preachy or overwrought. I absolutely adored this story and the character of Andrew. I found him to be absolutely relatable and positively adorable. Everything I love about animal characters is encompassed in this book, and Andrew as protagonist is wonderful and down-to-earth.

Now let's turn to the illustrations. Gorgeous. There was so much care and love put into this book that I found myself squealing while reading. (Yes, a thirtysomething actually let out squeals while reading a children's book.) It's colorful and realistic while being very child-friendly. I much prefer illustrations to photographs in children's books, so this was a win.

A final note for parents and other book-buyers, this book is chock-full of facts on animals. They are intertwined in the story to enhance the narrative while still passing on information about animal habitats and animal characteristics. It's an excellent feature of this book, and I am so happy I picked it up. I am looking forward to giving copies of this book as gifts as the tiny people in my life become merely small people.

For the toddler of any size in your life:

Oh Brother! A Nico and Tugger Tale

Oh my goodness gracious--I am in love with these dogs. Oh Brother! A Nico and Tugger Tale by Kimberly Sentek and illustrated by Eumir Carlo Fernandez stole my heart.

Nico and Tugger are brothers, and each has a story of how they came to be. The first half of the book is Nico's story--he was an only dog and things were just fine until his parents brought home Tugger. Nico must learn to live with Tugger and eventually love him, because that's how siblings are. The second half of the book is Tugger's story--he is an innocent pup brought home to his new family, and he is beside himself to have a sibling! Tugger must learn to respect the boundaries of the relationship with his new brother.

Together these stories explore the meaning of family relationships. No matter how much your brother or sister drives you nuts, they are your family and you love them no matter what. I adore the illustrations in this book--the dogs are just too stinkin' cute. I love how similar yet how different they look, and I smiled through the whole book. What a great gift this is for a young child expecting a new baby brother or sister. Watch out, friends! You know what gift is coming your way soon...

Kindle version on left, hard copy on right.

Bully Bean

I picked this book up at Book Expo America because I loved the concept and illustrations--and I wanted to tell you all about it! Bully Bean by Thomas Weck and Peter Weck, illustrated by Len DiSalvo.

Bully Bean is mean. He picks on his fellow beans, he plays tricks on them, and he makes them all very scared. One day Bully Bean makes a poor choice and finds his life in danger. When those that he has terrorized choose to help him instead of ignore him, Bully Bean learns a valuable lesson and begins treating others with the care and respect everyone deserves.

I am so excited to give this book as a gift to a young man just entering the world! (Welcome to life, Killian!) I love the story overall--the length, the reading level, the poetry integrated into the story, and the moral. The illustrations are kid-friendly and beautiful, and the writing hits the nail on the head. This is a great book to use to teach children to be kind to one another while also encouraging them to help those in need regardless of how they treat you. Bullies are everywhere; it's up to you to be kind.

What is the most valuable about this book series, however, is the last few pages of the book which feature activities and learning extensions for you to do with your small people on the topic of bullying. They are age-appropriate and can be done in an adult-child dyad to take the topic and reading to the next level.

Pick up a copy:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

I loved the movie--yes, I was one of those. I picked up Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret as a baby gift for a friend (I believe in small humans reading at advanced levels) and decided to read it for myself before wrapping it.

Hugo Cabret is a young man living in the attic of the Paris train station. He winds the clocks everyday; this job used to be his drunk uncle’s until the day he disappeared. Hugo continues the work without anyone knowing in order to have a place to live and food to eat. Hugo spends his spare time rebuilding an automaton that his father worked so very hard on reconstructing before he died; it’s the only thing Hugo has left of his father. When the owner of the toy store in the station catches Hugo stealing, Hugo is led on a journey of self-discovery that could only happen in the most serendipitous of ways.

I lovelovelove this book. It’s my favorite children’s book that exists anywhere, because the story is so rich and so fulfilling, and about half of the story is told through illustrations. I love when a story can be told through pictures; I find graphic novels so powerful for this very reason. The illustrations in Cabret are gorgeous pencil sketches that are expressive and lovely. I adore the narrative, and I love that it is enough to keep adults interested while being full of intrigue and depth for kids. Anything that can entertain all generations at once is simply marvelous as far as I am concerned. (Yes, I also loved the movie, thanksforasking.)

Get this for the short person in your life.

Stuck in the Doldrums and If You Were Me and Lived in Mexico

Today I have two books by children's book author Carole P. Roman. First up, we have Stuck in the Doldrums: A Lesson in Sharing. This is part of her Captain No Beard series, which follows the adventures of the captain and his crew as they sail the high seas.

Captain No Beard and his crew find they are marooned in the doldrums this particular day. When the captain pulls a power play and takes a telescope from Mongo the monkey who is using it to while away the time, the crew decides they have had enough of the captains bossiness and that he is on his own. But when Captain No Beard discovers that a squid is attacking their ship, he must make amends quickly and learn to share, or he must say goodbye to his beloved mode of transportation. No one likes a bossypants.

I absolutely adored the illustrations in this book. Roman is very talented, and I felt that illustrations were very well-done and were colorful and busy enough to capture the attention of any rowdy toddler. Also, who doesn't like pirates? (No one, that's who.) I found the moral of the story to be important and timely; if you can't share with others, you can't expect them to help you out in your time of need--but, on the other hand, if someone is mean to you and needs your help, you should consider being the bigger person and helping them regardless of what they have done to hurt you.

The second book I read by Carole P. Roman was If You Were Me and Lived in Mexico, which is part of her larger series that describes what life would be like if you lived in different countries. This one focuses on Mexico, and it includes what you would call your parents (mama and papa), what money is called (pesos), where you would learn things (escuela, or a school) and what popular names you might be named (Alejandro and Sophia, for example).

Um, I am madly in love with this series. Like, whole hog. How amazing is this--a series of books, others of which currently include France and South Korea, that creatively share information about other cultures with lovely illustrations and plain language for kids of all sizes. The information Roman has chosen to share is the right amount (not too much, not to little) and right on the money (names, titles, and things that are relatable to children). I can't wait to pick up a copy of the rest of the countries to give for an upcoming baby gift! (Could I put in a request for Germany, Australia, and Canada? Pretty please?)

Stuck in the Doldrums (Kindle on left, hard copy on right):

If You Were Me and Lived in Mexico...

The Stella Batts Series

This week I am going all themey-like on you guys--it's children's book week! Since I have so many friends who are popping out small humans as of late, I wanted to make sure everyone knows how thrilled I am that they are passing down their awesomeness. What better way to do this than to dedicate a whole week to children's books for a variety of ages?

Ladies and jellybeans, I have a new love. Her name is Stella Batts; she's eight years old, precocious as anything, and utterly magnificent.

Stella Batts, by Courtney Sheinmel and illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell, lives with her mother, father, sister, and soon-to-be-born baby brother in California. Her father runs a candy store, Batts Confections, and her bestest friend in the world is Willa.

In Stella Batts Needs a New Name, we are introduced to Stella and her younger sister, Penny. Stella decides to write her autobiography, and this is where we begin. We learn about Stella's family dynamics, we accompany her on a class field trip to her father's candy store, and we witness Stella deal with being bullied by a classmate who calls her "Smella". When the bullying gets to be too much, Stella decides to choose a new name for herself--but can she learn that her name is exactly what she needs?

In Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow, Stella is so excited about the new gum at Batts Confections (it's glow in the dark--you would be too!) that she chews it late into the night regardless of her parents' instructions to the contrary. She wakes up in the morning with gum in her hair, and she decides to take action by cutting it out, hoping her parents won't notice. Oh no! This only increases the teasing from the bully at school. Just when Stella thinks things can't get worse, her best friend Willa announces she is moving clear across the country. Can Stella weather these storms, or will they make her hide under the covers forever?

I had the pleasure of meeting Courtney at Book Expo America this year, and I have to tell you, she is as lovely as her books.

I was not exaggerating when I said that I am in love. From, like, page five of the first book I was sold on Stella, and I only grew more fond of her as the books went on. I can not wait to pick up these books for the young ladies in my life--they are perfect for upper elementary readers, even as young as  7 or 8 if you have an advanced reader on your hands. I loved the characters, all of Stella's friends and even Joshua, the class bully. The stories are super appropriate for young readers and they all have a moral without being preachy. I would have enjoyed these books immensely as a young girl.

I can't wait for you to read these for yourself and grow to love Stella as much as I do!

Stella Batts Needs a New Name (Kindle on left, hard copy on right):


Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow (Kindle on left, hard copy on right):