Completely Full Bookshelf

Hi everyone! It's been so long since I've posted, since I haven't really been reading much. Instead, I've been doing the following: Graduating from grad school Applying to jobs Stressing More stressing LOTS OF STRESSING Becoming increasingly interested in architecture Becoming re-interested in Taylor Swift (she's so good ) Listening to the new Frankie Cosmos album Going to the movies (see the end of this post) Taking a trip to Boston with my dad! That last bullet deserves expanding upon! Much of my family history took place in Boston, and I was born there, though we moved across the United States when I was a toddler and have stayed put since. Because of things that are kind of complicated to explain and therefore I'm not going to, I haven't taken a plane trip or left my current U.S. state since I was 5. As you can imagine, I am definitely now older than 5, so finally  taking a plane trip across the country was a big deal! It was also immensely  fun. We went...

Why, hello there! It's been a busy few weeks for me, but I'm mostly getting accustomed to grad school. On one hand, I feel like I'm less anxious than I've ever been at the start of a semester—on the other hand, that certainly doesn't mean I'm not anxious! Anyway, I'm glad to poke my head out to share a few random thoughts with you, as well as a review of a book that nothing was going to prevent me from reading... Let's dive in! Middle Grade: The Lost Library Written by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass 2023 Add it on Goodreads · · · The publisher says: · · · When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.  Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys star...

Why, hello there! I'm feeling pretty jovial, because I totally love books and forgot (as always) how helpful they are for staying hopeful and fulfilled, especially when the stress of life and the world gets heavier. I've got three reviews of three excellent stories for you today, so why hesitate? Let's dive in! Middle Grade Invisible Written by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and illustrated by Gabriela Epstein Graphic novel · 2022 Recommended by Michele Knott , Lisa Maucione , and Laura Mossa Add it on Goodreads · Preview the illustrations · · · The publisher says: · · · Can five overlooked kids make one big difference? There’s George: the brain Sara: the loner Dayara: the tough kid Nico: the rich kid And Miguel: the athlete And they’re stuck together when they’re forced to complete their school’s community service hours. Although they’re sure they have nothing in common with one another, some people see them as all the same . . . just five Spanish-speaking kids. Then they meet ...

This is so nerdy, I'm not sure if anyone else will even want to read it, but it's one of those things I have to put out into the world, because I've been having so many thoughts  about it recently! (And FYI, Thursday Thoughts are not making a permanent return—just a temporary one, for this post!) The facts: Rebecca Stead is an author of middle grade fiction. Besides two novels cowritten with Wendy Mass (one coming this summer!), she's written five novels solo: First Light , When You Reach Me  (winner of the Newbery Medal), Liar & Spy , Goodbye Stranger , and The List of Things That Will Not Change . Importantly, Rebecca Stead is also  my favorite author of all time (which isn't news if you've been reading this blog for a while). I believe I've read Goodbye Stranger  8.5 times (and reviewed it 3 times), and I've read When You Reach Me  somewhere around 5 times. I was actually re-reading When You Reach Me  during the middle/end of this college semester...

It's been off-the-rails in my personal life lately, but amidst the mess is exciting news: I GRADUATED COLLEGE!!! I can't believe it. The ceremony is coming up soon, but all the assignments are done, and my grad school program is on the horizon. So that's an exciting thing! And now it's summer, which means the most important thing: BOOKS! So many books. I've already devoured some picture books, and I have some semester reading to report on as well. So let's dive in! Picture Books Kumo: The Bashful Cloud Written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Nathalie Dion 2022 Add it on Goodreads · Preview the illustrations · · · The publisher says: · · · The uplifting journey of a bashful cloud ("kumo" in Japanese) who discovers the rewards of feeling seen. Kumo is a cloud whose only wish is to float unseen. When she’s assigned cloud duty for the day, she feels overwhelmed by self-doubt and her fear of being noticed. But after learning that closing your eyes isn’t ...