Seasons Readings: Book Recommendations from KUA

There are choices for children and adults alike, so bookmark this list for the next time you’re hunting for a new read.

 

 

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger is a story for fans of Huckleberry Finn. It follows a group of four orphans who escaped from indigenous boarding schools and make their way along the Mississippi River during the Great Depression.

 

Trejo, Danny Trejo’s autobiography, details the hardened criminal’s life prior to his becoming an actor. Go for the audiobook version, which Trejo reads himself. While the story is definitely not kid-friendly, it is totally campy, pulpy, and amazing.

 

 

Have You Seen Luis Velez? by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a story that follows two strangers who find that kindness is a powerful antidote to fear. Raymond, the protagonist, is a misfit whose best friend has recently moved away. He befriends an elderly blind woman in his building, Mildred, whose caretaker has disappeared. The two form a surprising and heartfelt bond while learning that there’s always hope if you have someone to hold on to.

 

 

The Wild Robot series by Peter Brown delivers a heartwarming and action-packed story for middle grades about Roz, a robot who opens her eyes for the first time only to discover that she is all alone on a remote, wild island, and must survive among the island’s unwelcoming animal inhabitants. This series has been described as Wall-E meets Hatchet and is sure to keep young readers engaged.

 

The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander is another young-adult read in which a young girl becomes a warrior for the forces of knowledge. Lenora, the main character, discovers a secret doorway into a library containing all the universe’s wisdom. Every book ever written, and every fact ever known can be found within its walls, but all of it will be destroyed in Lenora can’t find a way to save it. If you know a young reader who enjoys whimsical tales or reminds you of a young Neil Gaiman, The Library of Ever makes an enthralling gift!

 

 

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi was a gift that KUA faculty member Anne Peterson gave to [my daughter] Winnie and it’s one of her favorite books! This picture book empowers parents and children to uproot racism in our society and in ourselves. It includes discussion prompts to help guide conversations and reflection on bias in their daily lives.

 

 

For lovers of sci-fi, I recommend Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. This novel has great crossover appeal for young adults as well. Weir is known for his very scientific, carefully researched sci-fi work.

 

For fans of fantasy and fairy tale retellings, I recommend Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim.  Come for the gorgeous cover art, stay for Lim’s intricate world-building and bold heroine!

 

If you’re obsessed with true crime, check out the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series by Holly Jackson. As Good as Dead: The Finale, the third and final book in the series, has arrived, so now is a great time to dive into the whole series and not have to wait with bated breath between publication dates! This is a great choice or fans of true crime, mystery, detective novels, and murder shows. Good for ages 14 and up.

 

 

A wonderful book I am reading now is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Amor happens to have been a classmate of mine at Nobles! This is a beautifully written novel about an aristocrat who is sentenced to live out his life in a grand old hotel right after the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. 

 

My family has some children’s books I would also like to recommend: first, the Bill and Pete series by Tomie dePaola, which are amusing stories about a young crocodile named Bill and his best friend “and also his toothbrush,” a bird named Pete. Among their adventures are visits to the museum with their teacher, Miss Ibis, and trying to track down the Bad Guy of Cairo, who kidnapped Bill’s dad to “turn him into a suitcase.” Second, I recommend Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. It’s a beautiful picture book showing a little girl going owl spotting in the woods with her dad on a full moon night.

 

 

I love cookbooks, and I recommend The Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman. The author lives in New York City and spent years trying to improve on good meals she ate in restaurants. She worked out of a tiny kitchen, and she hasn’t steered me wrong yet.

 

A Children’s Bible. A subtle and brilliant story about apocalypse and rapture that has an edge of reality that is both unnerving and energizing. A short book, it will keep your attention until the very last page.  

 

Apple Seed.  This is a large but worthwhile read about the different ages of environmental change and disaster told through the tale of Johnny Appleseed and other mythical tales. Michael Pollan consulted and influenced this book. So powerful I’ve given it to others in the Climate business to read. 

 

Monsters of Templeton. Lauren Groff’s first novel (her most recent, Matrix is on The New York Times bestseller list). I loved this book in every way. Set on Glimmerglass Lake in Cooperstown, New York, Groff weaves present-day characters with their ancestors and throws in the Leatherstocking tales as well. Beautiful story written with emotional investment.  

 

 

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty has well-developed characters, and oh, the problems they have! The characters felt a health resort was the correct answer, and maybe it would have been if they had chosen a different one. This was an easy read on vacation.

 

 

Taste by Stanley Tucci is a fun read, especially if you are a foodie or a fan.

 

 

Every year, I give away at least two copies of On Writing by Stephen King as gifts. It transformed the way I thought about writing in every context, both casual and professional. Although King wrote it as a guide for aspiring novelists, it reads like an autobiography full of chuckle-worthy anecdotes and interesting side stories about King’s life. I’m neither a horror nor a thriller fan, so King’s novels aren’t on heavy rotation at our house, but On Writing is one of those books I revisit annually. You need it no matter how often or infrequently you sit down to write.

 

Hearing Stanley Tucci describe food in his new book Taste is just as delightful as watching his character discuss couture in The Devil Wears Prada. It’s an easy read and packed with personality and good reminders of the importance of family and the power of food. If you’d prefer a TV version, his show Searching for Italy is also fantastic.