Joanne likes fantasy, dystopia, mysteries, nonfiction and realistic stories and cooking.

   

 

 

 

MARCH 15, 2023: Joanne's pick this week is from international bestseller, Mhairi McFarlane, "Mad About You: a Novel". Once again Mhairi has written another emotionally complex, thought-provoking modern romantic fiction novel with wit, strong characters and an original story. Wedding photographer Harriet turns down her boyfriend's marriage proposal and must find a new apartment. Commiting to a house share arrangement with Cal, a stranger, they both must deal with serious issues while they progress from strangers, to friends to possibly more. Kirkus Reviews says it all: "McFarlane's gift is writing romantic comedy that depicts a recognizable world...without dimming the luster of shining moments of humor, love, and connection."

MARCH 7, 2023: Joanne's pick this week is "Fellowship Point" by Alice Elliott Dark. This sweeping story of the lifelong friendship of two women, one married with children and one who remained single, from Philadelphia and Fellowship Point in Maine and told from both of their POVs. They are still learning about themselves and the give and take of relationships into their 80's. Dark's exquisite language, deep character development, beautiful descriptions and moving story with intricate subplots pulled me in and kept me enthralled. The 600+ pages speed by!

February 23, 2023: Joanne's pick this week, for Black History Month, is the Coretta Scott King illustrator award winner, "Standing in the Need of Prayer" written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Frank Morrison. This "Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual" with lyrical text and impactful drawings, chronicles African American history from 1619 to the present highlighting many pivotal events. This book provides "informative reminders of yesterday, hopeful images for today, and aspirational dreams of tomorrow." #blackhistorymonth #standingintheneedofprayer #carolebostonweatherford

February 8, 2023: Joanne's pick this week is "The House Guest" by Hank Phillippi Ryan. Not every thriller needs a murder, but each one does need a unique story with unpredictable twists and turns. Ryan's skills discovering details developed while she was an investigative reporter inform her creation of this novel with buried clues and plenty of twists and turns. You want to tell newly separated Alyssa (her wealthy husband walked out) to tread carefully getting involved in a new friend's life and mystery, but then her own life gets complicated with an FBI investigation and more. You may think you have it all figured out but then.....

January 25, 2023: Joanne's picks this week are in honor of "World Read Aloud Day" (February 2) are the Geisel Award for beginning reader, "I Did It" text and graphics by Michael Emberly and one of the Honor Books "Fish and Wave" text and graphics by Sergio Ruzzier. The text of each book is simple yet appropriately challenging for begginer readers to read to themselves or out loud. The stories and graphics are entertaining: a fish and ocean wave figuring out how to be friends and a young one figuring out how to do It--ride a bike!

January 18, 2023: Joanne's pick this week is the domestic drama, crime fiction novel "Locust Lane" by Stephen Amidon told from the POV of 5 adults in an affluent New England community. Each narrator's story and actions are biased by his/her relationship to one or more pivotal characters in the unfolding investigation of the murder of 20 year old Eden. As nuances and details are revealed and social media explodes, the story takes unexpected twists and turns.  The prologue will pull you in and the ending is not tidily resolved, both elements adding to this novel's intrigue.

January 18, 2023: Joanne's picks this week are nostalgic. January 18 is National Winnie the Pooh Day and National Thesaurus Day. Do you remember the first time you heard a Winnie the Pooh story--A.A. Milne original or Disney remake? I know I was young and was captured by the innocence and devotion of Pooh and his friends. I was jealous of Christopher Robin! Showing my age--loved the song "House at Pooh Corner" by Loggins and Messina: "It's hard to explain how a few precious things seem to follow throughout all our lives." Now for Thesaruses. A teacher I had in high school, Sr. Ruth, recently passed away at 95 years old. She taught us how to use a thesaurus so as to always use the best word to accurately voice your message. She counseled us to take time to consider what we were trying to share with others in our writings or speech. Life lessons from a children's author and a wonderful teacher: great way to start a new year! #winniethepooh #joannespick #shoplocal

November 2, 2022: Joanne's pick this week is "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The Illustrated Edition" by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay with Neil Packer. Many years ago this fifth book in the series was the darkest yet and truly established the ongoing war of good vs. evil wizards. Joanne remembers refusing to read on for two days after the death of a main character dear to Harry. She needed to let all of the emotions and ramifications settle before continuing.  As just one example of the intense depth and visceral impact of the illustrations check out pages 522 and 523 illustrating this pivotal event. Had to stop reading for a day again!

October 8, 2022: Joanne's pick for Mystery Series Week is just in time for the start of the baseball playoffs...the "Ballpark Mysteries" by David A. Kelly for readers ages 6-9. Cousins Mike and Kate solve mysteries in different MLB parks  from Boston's Fenway to L.A. Dodger Stadium and many ballparks in between. Solve mysteries and learn unique facts about the park and team. Check out some of the 2022 playoff teams with their own books. 

September 22, 2022: Joanne's picks this week are three books that resonate with her interest in history and political science and which have been, in her opinion, inexplicably banned: "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Ibram X. Kendi and Jadon Reynolds. This in depth, thought provoking book for young adults has been banned and challenged because of the author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people. "Kite Runner" written by Khaled Hosseini. This critically acclaimed, multigenerational novel was challenged and banned because it includes sexual violence and was thought to “lead to terrorism” and “promote Islam.”  "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank. This moving diary of a teen hiding from the Nazis has been banned because of sexually offensive language and disturbing subject matter.

August 16, 2022: Joanne's pick this week for Romance Month is "Thank You for Listening" by author, screenwriter, lifelong actor and award-winning narrator of over 500 hundred titles including Emily Henry and Kristen Hannah titles, Julia Whelan. Combine "snowed in", "just one night", "epistolary", "second chances", and "mistaken identities" tropes with 2 romance narrators making connections and life decisions and you get a funny, sexy, poignant and vibrant story. You know it is special when Emily Henry says "I wanted to bask in this book and I also wished I had written it."

July 11, 2022: Joanne's pick this week: Phillipines born journalist/writer Jose Antonio Vargas, with forceful prose, eloquently and emotionally dares to tell his story which echoes the story of so many others who both gain and lose so much living in the undocumented shadows in his memoir, "Dear America, Notes of an Undocumented Citizen".  While this is Jose's personal story of immigration and balancing the people and facts of his life, regardless of your status, there is something in his story that will resonate with you.

April 14, 2022: Joanne’s pick this week for Poetry Month is Amber McBride’s William C. Morris YA Debut Award winning “Me MOTH”, a novel in verse. This impactful story of the joint road trip of two teens (Moth who cannot forgive herself for surviving the car crash that took the lives of her parents and brother and Sani who suffers from depression and has lost his music), will remain in your consciousness long after you finish reading it.  The vivid rhythm of McBride’s succinct and expressive poetry provides the perfect conduit for the emotions, roots and mysteries discovered by Moth and Sani on their journey.

February 23, 2022 Joanne's pick this week is the 2022 Caldecott Honor, Seibert Honr, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre" by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper.  This clebrated author and acclaimed illustrator have joined to tell young readers in a moving and insighful way about the events that must not be forgotten and from which we have much to learn.  Important book not just for Black HIstory Month but for every month.

February 16, 2022 Joanne's pick this week is Ojibwe author Angeline Boulley's debut novel, "Firekeeper's Daughter", a groundbreaking adult/teen thriller. In this Printz award winner, 18 year Daunis has spent her life balancing between two identities. Her father was a hockey star from the Sugar Island Ojibwe reservation, and her mother is the daughter of one of Sault Ste. Marie's most prominent families. Add to her story a fake romance, an undercover drug investigation and twists and turns, as well as racist realities and the result is a strong, engrossing novel from first to last page.

January 10, 2022 Joanne's pick this week is "State of Terror" by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny. This is a writer partnership made in political mystery reader's dreams. Match Penny's mystery writing skills, add one of Rodham Clinton's nightmares that haunted her while secretary of state and include some Three Pines appearances and you have a fast paced thriller from beginning to end.  

October 13, 2021 Joanne's pick this week is "Marie Lu's Duology "Skyhunter" and "Steelstriker", a YA dystopian science fiction fantasy  Lu is a master of this genre with high tension, relatable characters, unique worlds and no perfect endings.

October 5, 2021 Joanne's pick this week is "The Personal Librarian" by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.  It took an amazing collaboration of an accomplished Black author of contemporary literary fiction  with another accomplished writer of strong women historical fiction novels to bring to life with vivid detail and contemporary importance the story of Belle Marion Greener who hid her true Black self to protect her family yet accomplished so much professionally as white  Belle da Costa Greene, the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan curating the Pierpont Morgan Library.

July 28, 2021 While Kendra is away on vacation, Joanne is doing the Wednesday pick.  Joanne loves to cook. Her style is improvisational, different, messy, fun, simple, use whatever is in the refrigerator and pantry, and tweak the recipe as she cooks.  Who would have thought they would make the perfect cookbook for all of us with her style of cooking – “The New York Times Cooking No Recipes Recipes” by Sam Sifton.  She has already made several of the dishes using Sifton’s modifications and hacks and some of her own!  Check out the Pizza Without a Crust recipe! Not to leave out the kids -- Cooking can be such a fun time for family and young friends and what better “cookbook” to use than “Kids in the Kitchen” by Sheila Simmons. It is a memory book, craft book and cookbook all wrapped into one.  Fill in the blanks, make a craft, cook, eat and have fun using this interactive book. Check out the Skillet Spaghetti Pizza recipe!    

July 8, 2021 “Beach Read & More” Teen pick by Joanne: While Hannah Reynolds tells the story of Abby and Noah’s complicated summer romance on Nantucket Island with humor and teen angst in “The Summer of Lost Letters”, she also creatively combines local flavor, researching family roots, World War II and Holocaust history and self-discovery in this entertaining young adult debut novel.

JANUARY 22, 2021-- FIRST PICK OF THE NEW YEAR IS A POWERFUL YOUNG ADULT NOVEL:

While Gary D. Schmidt (Newbery Honor Winner and National Book Award Finalist) has set his latest young adult novel Just Like That in the 1960’s, the same time setting of The Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now, it is a timeless story about Meryl Lee Kowalski, an eighth grader, having lost her best friend to a car accident, “beginning anew” at a girls’ private school in Maine.  It is a story of Obstacles, Resolutions, Accomplishments, friendships, challenges, and clashing society norms told with the backdrop of the Viet Nam War, sit-ins, racial and economic inequality and heart-rending changes intertwined with Matt’s story of struggle, avoiding a cruel criminal and courage all resulting in walls being taken down and demons being faced and love.

SEPTEMBER 11: 

Sometimes books haunt me long after I finish them and sometimes I have to immediately reread them once I finished them.  This weeks' recommendation is one of them: Louise Penny's 16th novel, All the Devils Are Here, per usual, is so much more than a murder mystery. It is a story about family, love, misconceptions, hurts, love, secrets, history, devotion, intrique, slight of hand/eye/mind, family,and love.  Louise Penny's language, subtle clues, intense emotions, heart-stopping events and characters with great strengths and human weaknesses and faults hold you from the opening line to the last word.  A rereading illumiinated so many comments and clues once you know the events in chapters 41 to the end. Armand Gamauche is one of those characters whose actions, words, and foundational beliefs and morals haunt me, in a very good way, long after I finish the book.

JULY 31: 

The first Jordan Sonnenblick novel I read was Notes from the Midnight Driver.  I was moved by the humor, the pain, the joy, the uncertainty, the unlikely friendship and the million of emotions faced by a changing teen. We have all known (or are) an Alex or Laurie.  I was hooked and read his first novel Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie and then each new one when published and recommend them to readers of realistic novels who want to read about believable characters who are facing the same things they are.  Here are a few . . .

Notes from the Midnight Driver for Grades 9. When scheming teen Alex is ordered to do community service at a senior center he is assigned to Solomon Lewis, a "difficult" senior with a lot of attitude, and through their relationship, both are profoundly changed.

Falling Over Sideways for Grades 6 - 8. Claire's life is a joke, but she's not laughing. When the joke becomes serious, the only way Claire, her family, and her friends are going to get through it is if they can find a way to make it funny again.

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie for Grades 7.  When his little brother is diagnosed with leukemia, thirteen-year-old Steven is forced to deal with his brother's illness, his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece, his homework, the band, girls, and Dangerous Pie.

Zen and the Art of Faking It for Grades 7 - 9. When eighth-grader San Lee moves to a new town and a new school for the umpteenth time, he doesn't try to make new friends. Instead he sits back and devises a plan to be totally different.

JULY 24: 

Young people have been, are being, and will always be called to action to speak out, protest, work for change.  In Kent State Deborah Wiles, using stunning, moving poetry, tells the haunting story of the murder of four students and wounding of 9 others on the college campus from every complicated angle, side and person giving a complete picture of the times, not just a “this is what happened on May 4, 1970” recounting.   Whether you vividly remember this 50 year old tragedy or are, in these times of unrest, telling your grandchildren the history they must not forget, this book vividly makes us realize that we each must stand for truth and be brave in our commitment to the tenets of our democracy.

JULY 17: 

Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief novels star the most endearing, intelligent, mischievous, and incorrigible character, Eugenides the thief. This series for 12+ readers began with the Newbery winner "The Thief" in 1996 and includes political machinations and intrigue, intervention of the gods, battles of various kinds, dangerous journeys and multilayered alliances. You have time to read or reread the first 5 books in the series before the long awaited final comes out in October.  Yea!

NONFICTION MUST READ!  STAMPED: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by JASON REYNOLDS AND IBRAM X. KENDI.  This says it better than I can:  "Reynolds (Look Both Ways) lends his signature flair to remixing Kendi's award-winning Stamped from the Beginning...Told impressively economically, loaded with historical details that connect clearly to current experiences, and bolstered with suggested reading and listening selected specifically for young readers, Kendi and Reynolds's volume is essential, meaningfully accessible reading."—Publishers Weekly, starred review  "Jason Reynolds has the amazing ability to make words jump off the page. Told with passion, precision, and even humor, Stamped is a true story-a living story-that everyone needs to know."—Steve Sheinkin, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of Bomb and Born to Fly