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30 Debut Authors Pick Fave Books Of Decade
Bustle asked 30 authors who had a debut book in the last decade what their favorite book of the decade was to create this very eclectic and awesome list of books. Bonus: the authors explain why they chose their pick.
Charles Dickens And The Literary Pirates That Kept Stealing His Work
Watching or reading your annual rewatch/reread of A Christmas Carol? Why not also read about the pirating of Charles Dickens’ famous ghostly Christmas story in the 1840s and how the trial affected his later work.
A Warm Welcome To The Library
The nonprofit organization Operation Warm has organized the event A Warm Welcome to the Library with participating libraries, helping librarians teach families the resources available to them along with giving out new coats and books. “‘These events attracted families who had never been inside their neighborhood library,’ McChesney says. ‘We find that if we can get a child into their neighborhood library, they are very likely to return.’”
We feature a *lot* of awesome bookish goods each year at the Riot. Here are a few of the most popular items from the year that was!
This sweet Winnie the Pooh quote print comes in at #1 and sells for just $11 and up.
Keep your spot with a personalized bookmark, starting at $8.50.
Of the approximately one floppity jillion Harry Potter-themed gifts we featured this year, this downloadable bookmark ranked highest.
Take note with these cheeky reading-themed pencils, $12 for a set of 5.
Tis the season of big adaptations! If you’re always Team “The Book Was Better,” here’s your uniform.
These beautiful personalized bookplates will help you keep your collection intact and (accidental) book thieves at bay.
See more of the most popular bookish goods of 2020 in the original post at Book Riot.
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Hi Kid Lit Friends,
This is the last newsletter of 2019, and what a wonderful year for children’s literature! Thank you for subscribing and sharing your love for children’s books with me. I am including the remainder of the new releases for the rest of the year. The Kids Are All Right newsletter will be on break for the holidays and will be back on January 5th with my most anticipated children’s books for the first half of 2020. Stay tuned!
As always, all book descriptions come from the publisher. Happy reading!
Board Book New Releases
Kindness Makes Us Strong by Sophie Beer (12/24/19, Dial)
Kindness is a friendly hello. A roaring cheer. A quick boost. Kindness is what makes us strong! This joyful board book shows various children as they extend kindness in all kinds of situations: on the playground, at lunchtime, on a bike path, and on a neighborhood street. This sweet preschool read-aloud shows the way kindness helps build friendship and community.
Backlist Bump: Do Cows Meow? by Salina Yoon
Early Readers and Chapter Book New Releases
Surf’s Up! by Luke Flowers (12/26/19, Scholastic)
Moby Shinobi and his dog Toby are excited for a day at the beach! Moby tries to use his ninja skills to build a huge sand castle, catch some fish, and save a leaking sailboat… but each try ends in a mess! What if Moby isn’t right for the job? But with some help from Toby, he discovers that teamwork makes every job easier! With easy-to-read rhyming text and full-color artwork throughout, this early reader series is sure to be a hit with beginning readers!
Backlist Bump: Mac and Cheese by Sarah Weeks and Jane Manning
Don’t Worry, Bee Happy by Ross Burach (12/26/19, Scholastic)
Bumble and Bee love to buzz around the pond and make mischief. Their cranky best friend Froggy prefers the peace and quiet of sitting on a lily pad. They may be an unlikely trio, but no matter what these friends dream up — from picture day problem-solving to a comical cure for the hiccups — you can count on hilarious, unexpected FUN!
Backlist Bump: Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin
Baby-Sitters Little Sister by Katy Farina, based on the novel by Ann M. Martin (graphic novel) (12/26/19, Scholastic)
Karen Brewer lives next door to Mrs. Porter, who wears long robes and has wild gray hair. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight and always seems to be working in her garden. Karen isn’t supposed to spy on her neighbor, but she’s determined to prove that Mrs. Porter is a witch named Morbidda Destiny! Mrs. Porter is getting ready to have a special meeting at her house, and Karen is sure the meeting is for witches. Are they going to cast a spell on Karen? Or will she be brave enough to send them away — once and for all?
Backlist Bump: Bad Kitty: Kitten Trouble by Nick Bruel
Diary of a Pug: Pug’s Snow Day by Kyla May (12/26/19, Scholastic)
It’s a snow day, and Bella is thrilled. There’s no school, so she and Bub can play outside all day. Trouble is, Bub does not like the snow – it’s slippery, freezing cold, and wet! What’s even worse, there’s a new kid next door, and he has a scary, monster-sized pet. Can Bub get past his fear of the snow and make a new friend at the same time?
Backlist Bump: My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O’Hara
Picture Book New Releases
Lola Dutch: I Love You So Much by Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright (12/31/19, Bloomsbury
This is Lola Dutch, a delightfully creative girl who loves her friends SO much. When they’re having a bad day, Lola knows just what to do to make each of them feel better: She sews cozy pajamas for Gator, constructs the perfect reading nook for Crane, and takes Pig to the park! Lola loves showing her friends how much she loves them! But there’s one special friend she’s forgotten–Bear! Can Lola decide on the perfect way to express how much he means to her
Backlist Bump: How Are You / ¿Cómo estás? by Angela Dominguez
Middle Grade Books New Releases
The Fierce 44: Black Americans Who Shook Up the World by Staff of the Undefeated, illustrated by Robert Ball (nonfiction) (12/24/19, HMH)
Meet forty-four of America’s most impressive heroes in this collective biography of African American figures authored by the team at ESPN’s TheUndefeated.com. From visionaries to entrepreneurs, athletes to activists, the Fierce 44 are beacons of brilliance, perseverance, and excellence. Each short biography is accompanied by a compelling portrait by Robert Ball, whose bright, graphic art pops off the page.
Backlist Bump: Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
A Girl on Schindler’s List by Rena Finder with Joshua M. Greene (memoir) (12/26/19, Scholastic)
Rena Finder was only eleven when the Nazis forced her and her family — along with all the other Jewish families — into the ghetto in Krakow, Poland. Rena worked as a slave laborer with scarcely any food and watched as friends and family were sent away. Then Rena and her mother ended up working for Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who employed Jewish prisoners in his factory and kept them fed and healthy. But Rena’s nightmares were not over. She and her mother were deported to the concentration camp Auschwitz. With great cunning, it was Schindler who set out to help them escape.
Backlist Bump: Refugee by Alan Gratz
Mac B. Kid Spy: Mac Cracks the Code by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Mike Lowery (12/26/19, Scholastic)
Ravens have been stolen from the Tower of London! Mac B.’s top-secret mission? Travel to Iceland and retrieve the ravens… or Britain is ruined! In Iceland, Mac discovers secret submarines, hungry polar bears, mysterious blueprints… and his old archnemesis! Is the KGB man behind this birdnapping? Can Mac get the ravens to safety? It’s time for an epic, top secret smackdown between these two secret agents!
Backlist Bump: El Deafo by Cece Bell
Beetle Battles by Doug Emlen (nonfiction) (12/24/19, Roaring Brook)
Doug Emlen is a scientist. He studies beetles. Specifically, he studies the evolution of beetle weapons―how their horns and armor change to better suit them in different environments. This book starts with a mystery: Doug wanted to know why a particular type of beetle developed a massive evolutionary weapon. He wanted to know how these changes happened and what advantages these enormous weapons gave the tiny dung beetles. So, he went to visit. Part travel diary and part scientific exploration, Beetle Battles takes you deep into the South American rainforest to monitor beetles in their own habitat.
Backlist Bump: Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating and Marta Alvarez Miguens
What are you reading these days? I want to know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.
Until next time!
Karina
*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*
Carrie Is Back
Another Stephen King adaptation is in the works: Carrie is being adapted into an FX limited series. While there isn’t a lot of info yet, the one thing coming from sources is that “Carrie White will likely be played by either a trans performer or an actress of color…” Give me #ownvoice writer(s) and all the popcorn will be made.
Another Remake Of An Adaptation
Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity was adapted to film in 2000 starring John Cusack as the heartbroken list making man and Lisa Bonet as his love interest. Now Hulu is adapting the story into a series starring Zoë Kravitz, Lisa Bonet’s daughter, in the titular role. I see what they did there and I like it! You can check out the teaser trailer for the show that will premiere February 14th.
Terrifying
Ijeoma Oluo, writer and author of So You Want To Talk About Race, was recently swatted: trolls called 911 with a false report of a double murder in her home. The goal of swatting is to have police basically show up swat style endangering and terrifying the target. In order to stop this process of weaponizing of the 911 system “Seattle police are sharing their know-how with law enforcement agencies throughout the country, while calling on lawmakers to make swatting a federal crime.”
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Welcome to Check Your Shelf! This is your guide to help librarians like you up your game when it comes to doing your job (& rocking it).
This is my last newsletter before Book Riot goes on break, so I hope everyone has a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season with lots of reading time!
Collection Development Corner
New & Upcoming Titles
Best Books of 2019
Best Books of the Decade
RA/Genre Resources
On the Riot
All Things Comics
Audiophilia
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
Adults
On the Riot
Level Up (Library Reads)
Do you take part in LibraryReads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen created a database of upcoming diverse books that anyone can edit, and Nora Rawlins of Early Word is doing the same, as well as including information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.
All right, everyone! Catch you on the flip side!
Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading Magic For Liars by Sarah Gailey.
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Happy Tuesday, shipmates! We’ve almost powered through the home stretch of this year. Just a few more days (and an obstacle course composed mostly of cookies and fudge if your life is like mine) stands between us and a bright new year of new books! It’s Alex, with one last book celebration for the year, and just a little news on the side.
If you need an absolutely delightful Twitter thread for your day, here’s one of scientists explaining what they do in all-too-plain terms.
Also, there will not be a newsletter coming to you next Friday (December 27th) or Tuesday (December 31st), so I’ll see you in 2020!
14 Small Press and Indie Books From 2019
Of Dawn and Embers by Kyoko M – This is the third book of a series about conservation, dragons, and bad people cloning dragons. The first book is Of Cinder and Bone.
Retaking Elysium by M. Darusha Wehm – Jules Morales takes a trip out to Mars, a planet “caught between capitalist exploitation and human exploration” intending to just make a buck, maybe have an adventure. They get more than they bargained for.
The Demon Door by Kim Alexander – This is a whole four book series, and I love Kim’s quick summary: “Two worlds, a hot depressed hero, a fierce and passionate heroine, his mother, her sister(s), his best friend, his best friend’s boyfriend, a bunch of evil wizards, a snotty little girl who is also a wizard, and a whole lot of poor decision making!”
Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove edited by E.D.E. Bell is anthology of flash and short fiction and contains stories like this gorgeous one by Jasre’ Ellis: By the Light of the New Moon
The Evolved Ones: Awakening by Natasha Oliver – Humanity seems more curious than afraid of the Evolved Ones among them, with scientists trying to discern why some humans are developing abilities while others do not. For humans, it’s exciting. For the Evolved Ones, it’s hide or disappear.
The Trans Space Octopus Congregation by Bogi Takács – A collection of LGBTQ SFF stories that go from space opera to a bit of body horror.
Strangers by V.S. Holmes – the third book of a trilogy about lesbian archaeologists in space. The first book is Travelers.
By Dark by T. Thorn Coyle – Part of the Witches of Portland series, which is paranormal urban fantasy with a little bit of romance in it, set in (yup) Portland. Book one is By Earth.
Trinity Sight by Jennifer Givhan – An anthroplogist pregnant with twins wakes up to find herself in a terrifying wasteland, a post-apocalyptic New Mexico. As volcanoes erupt and long-dead monsters wake, she must reclaim the heritage she once denied if she’s to have a hope of saving herself or her children.
Salvage by R.J. Theodore – Floating island nations, aliens, gods, and airships. Book one is Flotsam.
Double Edged by Jessie Kwak – When your arch nemesis dies, it’s incredibly rude of them to leave one last puzzle sitting on your doorstep. When it’s a puzzle that could stop a civil war or maybe just kill everyone, that’s even ruder.
The Hammer Falls by Travis Heermann
– A gene modified pit fighter has to save the woman he loves–before his heart, damaged by too manny injuries and resurrections, gives out.
Caleuche by Jonathan Ward – The last ship of refugees to escape a world ruined by self-replicating killing machines is the Caleuche. Those on board are frightened, traumatized, and face a new fight for their lives as they try to survive.
The Best Vegan Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories of 2018 edited by B. Morris Allen – Metaphorosis has several anthologies out this year, but this one caught my eye because of the concept. Vegan SFF stories are ones that involve no meat, no hunting, no leather, no use of animals for things such as horseback riding, etc.
News and Views
After thinking about it, I’m not linking to any The Rise of Skywalker news for this week, since I know there are a hideous amount of spoilers floating around out there.
2010-2019: A Decade of Change in Science Fiction and Fantasy
An art exhibit that brings together Star Wars and Southwestern Indigenous artists: The Force is With Our People
The Pen Ten did an interview with Amal El-Mohtar, and you must read it. Amal is half the team that brought you This Is How You Lose the Time War, and you should also check out The Honey Month.
How genre is inspiring Season 18 of Project Runway.
Hulu will not be adapting Anne Rice’s vampire novels after all.
This is an interesting one from the Mary Sue – all of the bestselling books this decade have had female leads.
Looking for Leia is now streaming on SYFY.
A really chewy piece here for us SFF fans: The Decade Fandom Went Corporate
On Book Riot
6 Book Recommendations for Douglas Adams fans
15 of the Best Night Circus quotes from Morgenstern’s Classic
JK Rowling no. JK Rowling why. (CW: Transphobia)
19 Magical Books Like The Night Circus
See you in the new year, space pirates. You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.
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Happy Tuesday, readers! It’s my last newsletter of 2019 and I am having SO MANY EMOTIONS. What a year it has been. But despite everything else that has been going on, the books were amazing. But enough about that – there’s a whole new year of incredible books just a week away! And today’s newsletter is about 20 of the books coming out in 2020 that that I’ve read and recommend.
You can hear about even more books coming in 2020 on this week’s episode of the All the Books! In our first show together, Patricia and I discussed several upcoming books that we’re excited to read, including Little Eyes, Wow, No Thank You, The Truants, and more!
And now, it’s time for everyone’s favorite gameshow: AHHHHHH MY TBR! Here are today’s contestants:
Network Effect: A Murderbot Novel (The Murderbot Diaries Book 5) by Martha Wells
This is a continuation of the awesome novellas, about the awesome self-aware securitybot, and its awesome adventures, and yes, it’s AWESOME.
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
This is a charming, funny story of an 11-year-old boy named Scoob. He has been suspended from school, and his dad is really mad about it, so when Scoob’s grandmother shows up in an RV and asks if he wants to take a road trip, he says yes. He will learn the history of the segregated South, and a lot about his grandparents along the way.
The Return by Rachel Harrison
THIS BOOK. It is so scary and amazing! It’s about four college friends and what happens when one of them disappears for two years…and then returns with no memory of what happened or where she was. To celebrate her being back, the friends plan a weekend getaway, but things are going to get really weird and uncomfortable really fast.
Deacon King Kong: A Novel by James McBride
McBride returns with his first novel since the National Book Award-winning The Good Lord Bird. This one starts off with a cranky old church deacon known as Sportcoat, who murders a local drug dealer, and how the killing affects different people involved.
The Unsuitable by Molly Pohlig
A young woman – whose dead mother lives in a scar in her neck and talks to her – butts heads with her father over appropriate suitors and her future until she meets an eligible bachelor with silver skin, who just might be the answer she has been looking for.
Interior Chinatown: A Novel by Charles Yu
This is a funny and sharp send-up of Hollywood tropes and Asian stereotypes, about Willis Wu, who sees himself as the Generic Asian Man of his own life.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Linus Baker is a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He’s tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.
I Hold a Wolf by the Ears: Stories by Laura van den Berg
The always-incredible van den Berg is back with a new collection of wry, razor-sharp stories about women and the “misogyny, violence, and the impossible economics of America.” I loved it.
The Only Child: A Novel by Mi-ae Seo
Criminal psychologist Seonkyeong gets double the uneasiness when a serial killer requests she speak with him, and her husband’s creepy stepdaughter comes to live them after her grandparents die in a mysterious fire. I love a great evil kid book.
Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit
This is a fantastic historical novel based on the first murder that took place in the newly established colony of Plymouth, Massachusetts among the Mayflower pilgrims. But it’s told through the eyes of the women there, instead of the men.
Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
I am so obsessed with this book. It got me right in the feels. It’s about a young girl named Ella who has the power to see things in the future, and as she grows up, her powers mutate and change, and grow stronger. When her little brother is incarcerated, she must decide how she wants to use her powers to help him.
Kingdomtide by Rye Curtis
The seventy-two-year-old sole survivor of a plane crash fights to survive in the Montana wilderness, as a park ranger with struggles of her own, races to find the lost woman before it is too late.
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Four American Indian men from the Blackfeet Nation find themselves fighting for their lives against a spirit that seeks revenge for what they did on a hunting trip ten years earlier.
Godshot: A Novel by Chelsea Bieker
This is a remarkable debut novel about mothers and daughters, and the damaged world, both within and around us. Fourteen-year-old Lacey moves in with her grandmother after her mother runs off, who goes in search of her mom to help heal the lands. This is gritty brilliance, and you’ll be hearing about it everywhere soon.
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
And this is another fabulous debut novel, about a young man from Alabama who is trying to find his place in a Midwestern university town, and the challenges he faces in figuring out what he wants, and what is expected of him.
Bent Heavens by Daniel Kraus
This is a great, creepy YA novel about a teen girl whose father comes apart after claiming to have been abducted by aliens. Years later, she finds evidence that maybe her father wasn’t mistaken about what happened during his disappearance after all.
We Ride Upon Sticks: A Novel by Quan Barry
The 1989 field hockey team of Danvers, Massachusetts, site of the original Salem Witch Trials, decide to try and invoke their own magic to help them have a winning season. I ate this book in one bite, I loved it so.
The Unwilling by Kelly Braffet
Judah and Gavin were both raised in the castle, but as they grow up, it is certain that Gavin will rule, while Judah has no place in the kingdom. But there is an evil lord who has use for her and her mysterious past. Political intrigue! Foundlings! Magic! Treachery! This has everything you want in a high fantasy novel and more.
The Black Cathedral: A Novel by Marcial Gala, Anna Kushner (translator)
This is Gala’s English-language debut about a pastor who moves to the Cuban coast on a mission from God: Build the biggest, most wonderful cathedral Cuba has seen. As he goes about attempting to complete his task, the book is told, oral history-style, by many members of the community (and a ghost.)
The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood
An orc priestess who knows when and how she will die changes her fate when she accepts an offer from a powerful mage to go away with him and become an assassin, and help his bring down an empire.
You made it to the bottom! Thanks for reading.
xx,
Liberty
We’ve got a 6-month subscription to the Fresh Fiction box to give away to one lucky reader, courtesy of Macmillan’s Reading Group Gold newsletter!
Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the image.
This sweepstakes is open to residents of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico and all other US territories). Entries will be accepted until 11:45pm, December 31, 2019. Winner will be randomly selected. Complete rules and eligibility requirements available here.
