Some YA classics!

Already, the third week of July draws to a close. August is just around the corner, and I find myself daydreaming about Fall. This week, I thought I'd take a moment to look at some of the real classics of YA literature, books that I have read over and over and over. Some of them are likely books you know, or have read, but you'd be surprised at how many books are wonderfully written masterpieces that still manage to slip under the radar! A little mix of new and old, all expertly crafted, for your consideration this week.

Firstly, one of my absolute all-time favorites: A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Le Guin. If you like fantasy at all, or if you enjoy musing about philosophy or morality or spirituality, you will love this book. On the surface, it is easy to mistake it for a book that follows the same formula as HP, a world suffused with magic that only some people can control, a school that teaches the art of magic, and a bunch of traditional fantasy ideas (dragons and the like). However, these similarities are completely superficial - Earthsea uses the coming-of-age plot to explore deeply rich and profoundly moving ideas about the nature of things. In this, it is much more like The Hobbit but, much shorter and without as much dense prose. I read this book over and over for the ways it tackles deep issues and the incredible world that I want to lose myself in. I admit that, being published in 1968, it isn't nearly as modern as most YA in terms of its language, but this is a book that is written. Even if fantasy isn't your typical genre, or if you didn't care much for HP, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Read it.

Next up on this week's list is Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram. This is a powerful slice-of-life tale that is both beautifully written and powerful. One of my favorite books about the notion of 'fitting in', Darius has one of the best voices of any main character ever, in that it so perfectly captures the awkward voice of an outcast who, while dealing with depression and the weight of his world, has become embittered and sometimes cruel. As the story progresses and the beautiful and painful truths of the world unfold to Darius in his travels to Iran, it becomes so easy to root for him and his growing friendship with Sohrab. I read this book over and over for its compelling narration and the weight it places on friendship. If you read it, I think you will, too.

I know that book in verse are not everyone's cup of tea, but Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is an incredible work of storytelling. Fiercely quick, and powerful enough to linger long after the last page ends, this is a work that a reader can return to again and again. Telling the tale of Will and his elevator ride towards vengeance, armed with his dead brother's gun and the Rules, this work paints a moving portrait of a boy caught in a web society has spun for him. The violence he means to unleash at the pull of his finger is senseless, and he knows it, but he is bound. I read this book over and over for its supreme sense of tension and the way my gut drops at the ending of the story. This is a book worth reading poetry for.

Speaking of trends in YA, the idea of the dystopia has been repeated, revisited, rehashed, re-imagined, and redone over and again in young adult stories. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy imagining these sorts of futures, but too often these stories fall into ruts of imagination and end up same-y. Not so for Scythe, by Neal Shusterman, which examines the idea of death in a society that has made itself immortal. While many sci-fi authors have examined this particular aspect of the dystopia, Scythe stands out thanks to an absolutely stunning plot, which twists and weaves through the alternating perspectives of Citra and Rowan. Again and again, the story surprises and delights, and even some of the more predictable twists are written with absolute flourish, making events satisfying to read. I read this book over and over again for the absolute joy a number of the scenes induce with their detail and execution.

Finally, another of my all-time top favorite books, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, is a wonderful, wonderful story. The story examines a simple event from the point of view of Christopher John Francis Boone, who is a person with autism. Draped in the disguise of a mystery novel, the story is really about Christopher coming to grips with some serious truths about his life, while pushing we the reader outside of our neurotypical perspectives. Few books so well capture my attention and empathy. I read this book over and over again to remind myself of the perspective of others, and to enjoy an incredibly documented journey of growth and self-discovery.

Well, that's it for this week. I hope you pick up one of these books and find one of my favorites as enjoyable as I do! Next week, I'll be back with another set of recommendations, so I hope you'll stop by! Remember that even though the NFPL is closed for renovations, these books can be checked out electronically through Libby and enjoyed on any e-reader or phone.

Graphic Memoirs about America

Welcome to the second week of July! Hopefully, you're doing your best to stay cool as the heatwave continues. For this week's list, I wanted to continue the conversation about graphic novels and draw some attention to one of my personal favorite subgenres, the graphic memoir. For me, they are the perfect blend of art and history (serious Hamilton vibes?) and are always fascinating to read. I wanted to narrow my focus a little bit and look at a few memoirs that explore what it means to be an American. These stories, each told from different perspectives, help us grapple with the complexity of the American experience. Let's get started!

First up is the brilliant They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, a powerful personal story penned by one of the most compelling speakers of our times. While Mr. Takei is best known for his hot takes on social media (or his groundbreaking role in Star Trek if you're a science fiction nerd like me!), this story speaks of the reflections of his time spent in the Japanese internment camps during World War II. Unquestionably one of the great shames of our nation in the 1900s, this story tells a deeply personal account of courage and loyalty expressed by these Americans (and, as the story goes, by some of the people manning the camps.) The line illustrations of Justin Eisinger capture the facial expressions and tone of the story in well-crafted and intelligent ink, adding depth and detail to an already moving account of an American's journey. A powerful piece.

Next on this week's list is I Was Their American Dream, by Malaka Gharib. It is a shorter and more whimsical memoir that covers some familiar ground - an immigrant family learning to adapt to their new life as Americans. However, this story has a few components that make it really stand out to me. The first is that the family is not mono-cultural. Malaka's father is Egyptian and Muslim, while her mother is Filipino and Catholic, and much of the story revolves around the difficulties of trying to fit in three different cultures and ideals into one family. As Malaka grows and comes into her own, she also has to grapple, a little, with the reality that America is more than what it appears. Add on the expectations of her parents, who see her as a vessel to live out the American experience, and there's no shortage of complications! Another component that I enjoy is the art style. Intentionally whimsical, the book even invites the reader to cut out pages or dress characters with paper dolls (please don't do this if you have a library copy!). The light and fun art provide a compelling contrast to the relative severity of the story and does some pretty amazing things (it only uses three colors - can you guess which ones?). I highly recommend it if you're a fan of stories that balance well!

The next book on this week's list is less of a coming of age story, and more of a travel montage, and is one of the longer titles I've ever seen! It's The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66 Discovering Dinosaur Statues, Muffler Man, and the Perfect Breakfast Burrito by Shing Yin Khor. In it, Shing, a Malaysian-American who has lived on the West Coast the whole of her life decides that she needs to see more of America than just the coast and big city life she's known. In a reversal of a usual trope, she decides to see the middle of America for herself, traveling along the famous Route 66. Along the way, she interacts with a great deal of Americana, from the clutter of tourist traps to the ghost towns that dot America's oldest highway. The author slowly reconciles her image of the two Americas, rural and urban, and makes some powerful insights into the heart of America. As a resident of a so-called fly-over state, I really loved this book's willingness to break the mold of the big city as being the final destination for any 'real American' and explore the quiet, kind center through an intelligent and observant lens. The watercolor art makes the dream-like qualities of the book stand out even more, and flow so well with the words and ideas on the page. While travelogues aren't for everybody, this one really grabbed my attention!

Lastly this week comes No Ivy League, a different sort of memoir by Hazel Newlevant. It tells the story of privileged, affluent, home-schooled Hazel stepping outside her comfort zone and coming face-to-face with her assumptions and beliefs as she takes on a summer job pulling ivy (an invasive plant) out of a forest near her home of Portland. Richly illustrated and compelling, this book really pushes readers outside their comfort zones through an active examination of privilege and the role it plays in shaping who we are and what we believe. Tack on some hidden history of the racist origins of the city of Portland and a fuller picture is revealed of the depth of Hazel's ignorance. It also manages to avoid lingering too long on guilt and doesn't feel overly burdensome to read.  I enjoyed watching Hazel slowly become more self-aware, and the story is just light enough to keep pages turning. Highly recommended!

 

Alright, that's all for this week's list! I hope you continue to spend these hot summer days cool and comfortable, with a book in hand! Next week, I'll be back with another set of recommendations, so I hope you'll stop by! Remember that even though the NFPL is closed for renovations, these books can be checked out electronically through Libby and enjoyed on any e-reader or phone. Graphic novels look great on screens, too! I hope to see you again next week!

Great Graphic Novels to Enjoy in July!

Hey everyone! Welcome to the heart of summer! This week, I want to take a look at some of my favorite graphic novels from the last couple of years. Graphic novels are a great way to interact with a story in a compelling and meaningful way while using multiple media to really get a message across! For me, a graphic novel is the perfect light read, something I can read in an afternoon while lounging or even while distracted by other things. I am intentionally avoiding comic books and manga in this list as I really want to shine some light on the lengthier and non-episodic pieces, which sometimes get lost in the shuffle.

Without further ado, then, some great graphic novels to carry you through these sweltering summer days!

First up, Almost American Girl, written and illustrated by Robin Ha. A beautifully illustrated memoir about Robin, who comes to America from South Korea with her mother on what appears to be a vacation. However, the vacation turns into a relocation when Robin's mom - the person she's closest to in the whole world - reveals her intentions to marry a Korean-American and immigrate the two of them, and Robin's world takes a rather wild turn. Full of ideas about what it means to belong and searching for a sense of meaning, Almost American Girl is a great work about the power of art. This, in turn, is served by the amazing artwork used by this graphic novel! I loved so much about this story, but its clever and beautiful art really sells it for me. A worthy use of an A/C afternoon!

Next up on this week's list is Bloom, written by Kevin Panetta. A splendid blend of slow and sweet romance and the importance of the consequences our choices carry, Bloom centers around Ari, who is struggling to find his place in the world. By rights, he is to inherit his family's bakery, but it's fallen on hard times and Ari doesn't really want to be chained to sourdough starter for the rest of his life. He dreams of playing in a band or, really, anything miles away. Enter Hector, a stalwart, even-keeled gentleman who happens to love baking. As the slow-burn romance unfolds, the leading lads' characters are wonderfully developed by intelligent and able prose. This story, coupled with an amazing monochromatic style at the hands of the incredible Savanna Garucheau was a novel I disappeared into for a few hours and emerged from feeling better about things - what more could one ask for?

While Bloom does wonderfully with the beginning of a relationship, my next pick, Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki, does wonderfully with the ways in which a relationship can end. Not that the end of a relationship is anything close to wonderful, however this beautiful book examines with earnest candor the messy ways in which a toxic relationship harms a person. This book is must-read material for, well, everybody, but especially for people who've been through a messy breakup! We see the dysfunction Freddy, in her obsession over Laura Dean, brings to her life. Freddy's other relationships with friends and family suffer, and this book pulls no punches in exploring the depths of love gone sideways. Not to mention the incredible art, illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell, which takes advantage of the subtlety of design to do some truly incredible things that help tell this story. This is a graphic novel I have a hard time imagining without the pictures, which truly makes it stand out. The best of both worlds!

Okay, this next graphic novel is a little bit of a cheat, as it's more like a one-shot comic book or a graphic short-story, but it's too good not to include. I refer to Rainbow Rowell's Pumpkinheads. It's tempting to call this a perfect autumn read because it so strongly summons the best parts of fall, but I think that'd be underselling it. This is a book about the magic of one purposeful day. The best kind of story that details the celebration of the end of one great thing before the start of something new and unknown. A lot of the magic of the story comes from the amazing illustrations, crafted by the incredible Faith Erin Hicks, which really capture the setting. I love a good story about living in the moment, and this is one of the best of them. It's short but full of potent memory and well-crafted characters, and I enjoyed so much the friendship between Deja and Josiah. I'm thinking about reading it again just talking about it!

One of my favorite aspects of graphic novels is the way in which they can express emotion. As so much of how we communicate is non-verbal, having facial expressions and body language illustrated really helps communicate a tone or feeling. Hey, Kiddo, written and illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, is a deep and heavy look at family, at grief, and at growing through difficult circumstances. It is a masterwork at the art of conveying emotions, and at coming to terms with the difference between perfection and acceptance. The loose, flowing watercolor illustrations contrast well with the heavy and concrete topic matter, and I love the attention to detail that happens in key moments throughout the story. While it's not a typical summertime read, it is extraordinarily good, full of moving and sometimes difficult scenes that deal with Jarrett's family struggle with drug addiction. People looking for a pick-me-up should maybe look elsewhere, but for folks who want a great story, even if it hurts a little, this is an excellent choice. Also, it uses art as a coping mechanism, and I love it!

Finally, I've saved my favorite for last. Those of you who know me already know how I feel about Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak as a work of great importance to the field of YA novels. Speak: The Graphic Novel came out in 2018, so it's a little older than these other books, but the graphic novel edition so greatly enhances one of my favorite works for people to read that I had to include it. The stark, monochromatic illustrations provided by Emily Carroll place a powerful emphasis on Melinda's struggles with her trauma, and the subtle changes in her that promote her growth. A compelling and satisfying read from start to finish, Speak stands as a testament to what a graphic novel could be - the merger of two forms of art so flawlessly symbiotic that the story is enhanced page after page. Read this book.

As the first days of July wind down and the Fourth of July holiday fast approaches, I hope you'll pick up a graphic novel or two from this list - they really are exceptional, and I love that art and written word merge so well to create something more than the sum of its parts. Next week, I'll be back with another set of recommendations, so I hope you'll stop by! Remember that even though the NFPL is closed for renovations, these books can be checked out electronically through Libby and enjoyed on any e-reader or phone. Graphic novels look great on screens, too! I hope to see you again next week!