Lynn and Cindy: Happy New Year from Bookends! ALA Midwinter and the big Youth Media Awards for the 2018 publishing year are just a few weeks away. Here at Bookends, we are simultaneously winding up our 2018 reading recommendations and ramping up for hot-off-the-press 2019 books. Watch for our annual “Bookends Favorites” lists, which are […]
Willowdean, the protagonist of Julie Murphy’s Dumplin‘ (2015), never set out to be the “Joan of Arc of fat girls.” Yet three years after Dumplin‘s release, Willowdean remains the poster child for fat positivity in YA, with readers of all ages ready to ride under her banner of self-acceptance and fabulousness. The novel’s film adaptation, starring Danielle Macdonald and […]
Lynn: Like the picture books in our earlier post, several graphic novels published this year also offer the opportunity to walk in the shoes of refugees and immigrants. Aimed at middle-school and teen readers, these books combine outstanding text and dramatic visual images to provide reading experiences that make a deep emotional impact. The Unwanted: […]
Cindy: IMHO the best deal over the Thanksgiving weekend is having a good book to read! I saw a Pinterest post with an 8 1/2 x 11″ sign advertising a “Black Friday Deals All Week Long” display of books with black covers. It made me laugh. I have two 8-foot long bulletin boards in one of […]
Cindy: After last week’s midterm elections concluded, one issue had bipartisan support: everyone applauded the end of the political TV ads and robocalls. I figure we have six weeks or so before the 2020 ads appear and perhaps some of you don’t know what to do with your free time, now that you’re not fact-checking lies […]
Lynn: I thought I had some tough dilemmas to deal with lately but those are nothing compared to what 17-year-old Elena faces in Shaun David Hutchinson’s new book, The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza (2018). Here’s the deal: Elena has heard voices emanating from everyday objects her whole life, so it’s not a huge surprise when […]
Three curses. A collection of hearts buried under the ocean floor. Mermaids born of human tragedy. A coastal town’s worst nightmare that rolls in with the mist. These 2018 YA debuts center on the sea creatures sailors feared—seductive and strong, and out to lure you to the bottom of the ocean. Follow the siren song […]
Lynn: Looking for a great spooky book to hand teens as Halloween approaches? Cherie Priest’s The Agony House (2018) is a perfect choice! High-school senior Denise, her mom, and new stepdad are the newest residents of Argonne House in New Orleans. Over 100 years old and standing alone on a hurricane-ravaged block, the house is literally falling down […]
In book-world news, Booklist alumnus and all-around good guy John Green has started a book club (in conjunction with his friend and colleague Rosianna Halse Rojas), called Life’s Library. The difference between it and other celebrity book clubs? All the proceeds from this one go to a charity called Partners in Health, a Boston-based nonprofit […]
Our readers are often curious about the process of writing books, and we’re happy to provide access to the experts! In this installment of our Publishing U series, Amy Giles, author of the YA novel That Night, asks what, exactly, constitutes a controversial topic in YA and argues that the most challenging subjects can spark the most necessary conversations. A […]