A beautiful picture book for the changing seasons. The colorful illustrations remind me of Eric Carle and I love the sound words that make reading aloud to kids so much fun.
Fox by Isabel Thomas, (List Price: $18.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547606924, November 2021)
Reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Families are hard to live with, even more so when it seems like everything you do tears you apart further. The Ivory Key opens with a family torn asunder, tossed to four separate lives, yet they’re still as connected as ever, and they need each other, even though they refuse to admit it. I loved every single second of this book, but mostly, I loved the realistic nature of every relationship. I loved that the true backbone of this story was a family, that even though the plot was something much greater than them, they were the most important thing. Raman has a gift for storytelling, and it shines brightly from within the pages of The Ivory Key.
The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman, (List Price: 18.99, Clarion Books, 9780358468332, January 2022
Reviewed by Caitlyn Vanorder, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Honor is the kind of book that makes me want to sit for hours and read. Thrity Umrigar transports the reader to India through both the eyes of an Indian American journalist and the subject of her article, a Hindu woman who was the victim of a horrible attack at the hands of her own family. The result is powerful and poignant.
Honor by Thrity Umrigar, (List Price: $26.95, Algonquin Books, 9781616209957, January 2022)
Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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I’m Hungry! / ¡Tengo Hambre! is a great picture book with two adorable characters at its center. It’s an excellent teaching tool for Spanish or English, and would make for a great introduction to bilingual books for young readers. Easy to follow, clear, and cute as a button, this book is sure to be a beloved addition to any library.
I’m Hungry!, ¡Tengo hambre! by Angela Dominguez, (List Price: $18.99, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 9781250779960, January 2022)
Reviewed by Lauren Kean, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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This cookbook is excellent if you’re ready to level up by learning to cook without recipes (like my husband) or if you are terrible at cooking and just think it’s interesting to read about (like me). Highly recommend to cooks/eaters of all skill levels.
Cooking at Home by David Chang, (List Price: $35.00, Clarkson Potter, 9781524759247, October 2021)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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This is a fun twist on an alphabet picture book, with each letter conjuring up the parts of the orchestra, from the tuning A given by the oboe to the well-earned snoozing after a successful performance. My favorite thing about this book was the way it highlighted so much more than just the instruments of the orchestra—even the music librarian gets to make an appearance!
A is for Oboe: The Orchestra’s Alphabet by Lera Auerbach and Marilyn Nelson, (List Price: $17.99, Dial Books, 9780525553779, December 2021)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Detective Galileo is back in another compelling puzzle-box mystery from the great Keigo Higashino. Whether you are a big fan of the series or a newcomer, Silent Parade is a excellent entry point into these engrossing mysteries. Set in Tokyo, a murder suspect has been able to avoid conviction twice because of lack on concrete evidence. Now the murder suspect has turned up dead during the community’s annual parade and Galileo is on the case to finally uncover the truth. Methodical, full of wonderful characters and an excellent sense of place, Silent Parade is a winning mystery experience.
Silent Parade by Keigo Higashino, (List Price: $27.99, Minotaur Books, 9781250624819, December 2021)
Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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This picture book serves two purposes: teaches about a figure from Indian history and demonstrates the benefit of peacefulness and goodwill over ferocity and conquering one’s neighbors. As Ashoka the Fierce becomes Ashoka the Great, his reign as emperor transforms from one of terror to one of healing. I love seeing more nonfiction picture books for kids that explore different parts of the world.
Ashoka the Fierce by Carolyn Kanjuro, (List Price: $17.95, Bala Kids, 9781611808544, December 2021)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Frida Liu is a single mother who, exhausted and alone, has a lapse in judgment one day parenting her child. That decision leads to a child welfare trial, where the state sentences her to a year at school for mothers, where government educators will retrain Frida and other mothers they deem unworthy how to be good mothers in the eyes of the state. Best described to me as “1984 for mothers,” The School for Good Mothers is a terrifying look at an overreaching government that feels all too real today and the lengths that parents will go to in order to be with their children. It will both disturb you and make you think!
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan, (List Price: $27.00, Simon & Schuster, 9781982156121, January 2022)
Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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I love Mustache Baby! This series is my favorite to gift to new parents, because the stories are hilarious for adults, while kids adore Billy (aka Mustache Baby) — because what is funnier than a baby with a mustache? I loved that this adventure added a pink unicorn to Billy and Javier’s crew.
Good Knight, Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos, Joy Ang (Illus.) (List Price: $17.99, Clarion Books, 9780358434689, 12/7/2021)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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A beautiful and unconventional book capturing what the year 2020 felt like to the youngest child of a fictional Black American family, told in three long sentences and a notebook’s worth of art. Haunting and gorgeous, the unnamed narrator’s observations speak powerfully to a wide range of emotions, from the despair felt watching the world crumble and seeing the country’s betrayal of its Black citizens, to the balm that family connections can provide in the darkest times.
Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, Jason Griffin (Illustrator) (List Price: $19.99, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 9781534439467, January 2022)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Booze Over Broadway combines two of my favorite things: Broadway and fun drinks! Needless to say I was overjoyed to stumble across this book. The names of the drinks are witty, the commentary is deeply amusing, and the content of the recipes are tasty and fun! I can’t wait to buy myself a copy of this book for my cookbook collection.
Booze Over Broadway by Tiller Press, (List Price: $19.99, Tiller Press, 9781982160005, December 2021)
Reviewed by Mary Louise Callaghan, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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This book is exactly everything I’ve been craving from a vampire book. Been starving for, even, because I’ve been digging for at least a year now for a vampire book that scratches every itch the vampire academy series gave me many years ago as a young teen, but one that I can really appreciate as an adult. Isolde and Adrian are the most perfect, incredibly vicious pairing of human and vampire, and those twists and turns of the plot just set them up so well. I love that Isolde is heavyset and muscular and confident in her body and sexuality, while Adrian is just so very aware of the monstrosity of his nature, and does not care that people are scared of him. And the fact that Scarlett does queernorm society so well is just, chefs kiss. I felt so utterly comfortable while reading this book. It might sound strange, but reading King of Battle and Blood felt like coming home. A very bloody, very sexy home, but a home nonetheless.
King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair, (List Price: $16.99, Bloom Books, 9781728258416, November 2021)
Reviewed by Caitlyn Vanorder, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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I really enjoyed this mashup of travel writing, musings on Greek mythology, and thoughts about climate change and its effect on our natural environment. On the surface, this combination of things shouldn’t work, but it really does. Peter Fiennes drew me in with his study of Lord Byron and from there I was happy to pop in on his travels through Greece, all the more poignant due to his trips taking place during the pandemic.
A Thing of Beauty by Peter Fiennes, (List Price: $27.95, Oneworld Publications, 9780861540617, November 2021)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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This charming and fun book emphasizes the value of friendship, even when we’d rather be alone! Bear just wants some space and is frustrated that his brand new house is filled with animal friends. But when he asks them to leave, he realizes he is lonely. Young readers can learn that sharing brings joy to the sharer, too!
The Me Tree by Ashley Belote, (List Price: 4.99, Penguin Workshop, 9780593384824, November 2021)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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