BOOKSHELF
March Books
FICTION
Now I Surrender, by Álvaro Enrigue
In the contested borderlands between Mexico and the United States, a woman flees into the desert after a devastating raid on her dead husband’s ranch. A lieutenant colonel in service to the fledgling Republica, sent in pursuit of cattle rustlers, discovers he’s on the trail of a more dramatic abduction. Decades later, with political ambitions on the line, the American and Mexican militaries try to maneuver Geronimo, the most legendary of Apache warriors, into surrender. In our own day, a family travels through the region in search of a truer version of the past. Part epic, part alt-Western, Now I Surrender weaves past and present, myth and history, into a searing elegy for a way of life that was an incarnation of true liberty.
The Creek, the Crone, and the Crow, by Leah Weiss
Summer, 1980. Kate Shaw has lived in Baines Creek for 10 years, teaching in a one-room schoolhouse on the brink of closure. A skeptic by heart, she rejects superstition and the belief in Appalachian folklore, much to the chagrin of Birdie Rocas, a lively and reclusive witch with a trove of secrets. Yet when Birdie dies and leaves Kate her Book of Truths and a trunk of illuminated manuscripts and journals, Kate is thrown into a mystery, overwhelmed by a collection that spans centuries back to Scotland. Enter Lydia Brown, a psychic with a curious birthmark whose visions stopped the day her parents died. Grief-stricken, without her gift, and in need of spiritual guidance, she travels to Appalachia in search of Birdie. From there, the two women’s stories intertwine, as they investigate the questions surrounding Birdie’s death and legacy, through secret rooms, underground tunnels and back-country graveyards.
NONFICTION
Judy Blume: A Life, by Mark Oppenheimer
To know the name Judy Blume is to know and love literature. Her influential novels turned classics — including Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing; Deenie; and Summer Sisters — touched the lives of tens of millions of readers. For more than 55 years her work has done something revolutionary: It rewired the world’s expectations of what literature for young people can be — frank, candid, earthy, and unafraid to show the messier sides of humanity. Oppenheimer pens a beautiful, multidimensional portrait of the acclaimed author through extensive interviews with Blume herself, invaluable access to her papers and correspondence, and thoughtful analysis of Blume’s beloved novels. Oppenheimer peels back the curtain to reveal the woman behind the literary empire in all her complex, multifaceted glory.
The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love,
edited by Alice Hoffman
Fourteen beloved authors celebrate the life-changing bond with their canine companions in this heartwarming essay collection. Anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to share their life with a dog knows the experience is both profound and transformative. Here, in this charming collection of essays, celebrated authors share unforgettable tales of the dogs who left their pawprints on their hearts. With contributions from Isabel Allende, Chris Bohjalian, Bonnie Garmus, Roxane Gay, Emily Henry, Ann Leary, Tova Mirvis, Jodi Picoult, Elizabeth Strout, Amy Tan, Adriana Trigiani, Nick Trout, Paul Yoon and Laura Zigman, The Best Dog in the World captures the full range of the canine-human connection, from the joy of welcoming a new puppy to the heartache of saying goodbye to a beloved friend.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Goldfinches, by Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver, winner of the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize, is one of America’s most beloved poets. Introducing her unforgettable words to children for the very first time, her poem “Goldfinches” joyfully observes the power of the natural world as only Oliver can. Illuminated by the exquisite mixed-media artwork of Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet, Goldfinches fills the reader with wonder for the beauty around them and gratitude for the ability to bear witness to it. (Ages 4-8.)
The Future Book, by Mac Barnett
Every other book was written in the past. But this book? This book was written in the future. Do you want to know what the future is like? Turn the pages to get a glimpse at the world of tomorrow and its unexpected words, strange social customs, and mind-blowing colors! From the award-winning duo Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris comes a funny, visionary picture book that kids will want to read again and again. (Ages 4-8.)
Wings of Fire, The Hybrid Prince, by Tui Sutherland
Umber was never supposed to be a hero. As the youngest sibling of his MudWing hatching, Umber doesn’t have the responsibilities of his bigwings, Reed, nor the heroic destiny prophesied for his brother, Clay. He’s always been content with his role as the cheerful, goofy little brother. But when his sister, Sora, causes a tragedy at Jade Mountain Academy, Umber finds himself on the run and thrown into a whole new role — protector. Umber and Sora fly south in search of a place where they can live far away from other dragons . . . until a kind, hybrid dragon named Mulberry saves him from a kraken attack, and Umber realizes they don’t have to survive alone after all. There’s an entire community living on a forgotten island, full of dragons hiding from their own dark pasts. As the two MudWings settle into the Court of Refuge, they start to realize that nothing in this place is quite what it seems, and the protection it offers comes with a price. In Wings of Fire, Book 16 Umber learns he must find a way to unlock the past of this mysterious island to ensure he and Sora have a future. (Ages 8-adult.)