BOOK REVIEWS

A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories

Reading the early and previously unpublished fiction of a writer – especially one known mainly for poetry – may produce some surprises, not all of them pleasant. And when the writer in question is a ... Read More »

October 5, 2022 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels, Fiction: Short, Reviews

★ Kumo: The Bashful Cloud

By Kyo Maclear and Nathalie Dion (ill.)

Kumo (which means “cloud” in Japanese) is a touching fable written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Nathalie Dion. Kumo wants nothing more than to float in the corners of the sky unnoticed. She prefers ... Read More »

October 5, 2022 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

Clover

By Nadine Robert and Qin Leng (ill.)

Nadine Robert’s Clover, originally published in French, and translated into English by Catherine Ostiguy and Nick Frost, is set in a bustling rural farm nestled along the forest and mountain range. Bright-eyed Clover, who must ... Read More »

October 3, 2022 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

Holden After and Before: Love Letter for a Son Lost to Overdose

By Tara McGuire

When Tara McGuire’s son Holden died from an accidental opioid overdose at the age of 21, she was flattened by grief. There is no playbook for how to mourn the loss of your child, particularly ... Read More »

September 28, 2022 | Filed under: Memoir & Biography, Reviews

The Vanishing Past: Making the Case for the Future of History

By Trilby Kent

In January of this year, a minor kerfuffle arose down south over a Virginia state bill intended to ban the discussion of “divisive concepts” in schools. Naturally, these included material about civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, ... Read More »

September 28, 2022 | Filed under: History, Reviews

My Name Is Saajin Singh

By Kuljinder Kaur Brar and Samrath Kaur (ill.)

Do you remember your first day of school? The potent mix of excitement laced with the anxiety of an experience that can set the tone for years to come? In My Name Is Saajin Singh, ... Read More »

September 28, 2022 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

Ahiahia the Orphan

By Levi Illuitok and Nate Wells (ill.)

After Ahiahia’s parents are murdered in their igloo, he is raised by his loving grandmother, who teaches him the traditional ways of his people and makes his clothing out of animal skins. To keep him ... Read More »

September 26, 2022 | Filed under: Children and YA Fiction, Kids’ Books

★ We Spread

By Iain Reid

We Spread – the dizzying, stunning fourth novel from Ontario writer Iain Reid – begins in isolation. Octogenarian Penny lives alone in the apartment she once shared with her partner (referred to only as “he”) ... Read More »

September 21, 2022 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels, Reviews

Mukbang

By Fanie Demeule and Anita Anand (trans.)

One statement from a mother to her child – “You scare me” – changes everything. In Mukbang, Fanie Demeule’s sixth book, the author explores the insatiable hunger of those who were raised on the hollow ... Read More »

September 21, 2022 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels, Reviews

★ Night Lunch

By Eric Fan and Dena Seiferling (ill.)

It’s difficult to create stories that plug directly into the looping logic of the minds of very young children that are also smart and engaging enough for adults in charge of bedtime reading. It’s equally ... Read More »

September 21, 2022 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

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