It's a Beautiful Day, Brethren

Quick. What did your last two podcasts discuss? Mine? Comedian Kevin Hart talking with Jerry Seinfeld and the other? An interview with Bono and the Edge. Kevin and Jerry spent some time talking about the brotherhood/sisterhood of the comedian world. Reminded me of my book people. Lifelong friendships gained almost instantly. Hence the brethren. And well, today, was just a "beautiful day" connecting with my book people family.

My Sibert honor winning co-host, Steve. I knew Fallout would get a sticker today. My good friend, Alicia, chair of the Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults committee. Proud to call you my friend and co-presenter extraordinaire. My Sibert Smackdown mentor and now honor winner, Melissa. Former fifth grade now retired teacher, Mr. Reischer, who texted me at 4 in the morning sending me positive #ALAyma vibes. Jayce from Fort Worth who texted when Too Bright to See won Newbery honor reminding me that I called that early on. Jacquelyn from Alabama who was thrilled for Watercress and extra excited for Starfish because she knew it could be YA. Val, the stranger I met 15 years ago who suggested I get my school library degree, and texted tonight asking if I liked the Newbery winner. Newbery honor Rajani who has been on Author Fan Face-off, had a virtual visit with our Red, White and Whole book group and just has the most infectious smile and laugh (I imagine she has a beautiful permagrin happening now). My teachers and colleagues who know today is "my day." From getting excited themselves (and making posters and t-shirts) to helping me sticker the ice cream sandwiches to being photographers and videographers, they may not all be book people but they my brethren. My mom, who read and adored Fallout and watched the awards live this morning. And the latest member of my sisterhood, 4th grade teacher Galiah from Queens, who I met over Twitter and now are classes are meeting virtually tomorrow to debrief the Sibert awards. 

Now that the sun has set over this beautiful day I need to make a reading decision for the after. A 2022 book I missed or a January 2023 contender?

Brush Up On Your Shakespeare

I must really like Rajani LaRocca if my first post in a long time is dedicated to her. 

Rajani gets a star for being one of the happiest authors we've had on Author Fan Face-off. She was smiling and giggling all the way through. But don't be fooled.  Her giddiness did not distract her from nearly beating Astrid, her very deserving challenger for Midsummer's Mayhem.

A Midsummer's Night Dream is my favorite Shakespeare play. I had myself convinced that Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson (maybe?) were in the film I loved but after some searching I believe the movie I'm actually remembering is a 1993 version of Much Ado about Nothing.

Which appropriately leads me to Rajani's latest book that comes out next week, Much Ado about Baseball. Who can blame Rajani for her permagrin during AFF when her book was just featured on The Today Show. Make sure you click on the link to hear how Brad Thor gushes over her book. 👇

ICYMI, my MG novel, MUCH ADO ABOUT BASEBALL, was recommended by @BradThor on @3rdHourTODAY yesterday! @littlebeebooks
MUCH ADO releases June 15, and you can preorder a signed personalized copy from @SilUnicornActon: https://t.co/lzKUvTbJTv
Learn more: https://t.co/IuFRzjW8yC pic.twitter.com/FwOBHkG9TY

— 📚🧁🔅 Rajani LaRocca 💗⚾️🧬 (@rajanilarocca) June 4, 2021

I have reserved the book on Edelweiss and pre-ordered from Rajani's bookstore so one way or the other I will be reading it THIS MONTH. 

And speaking of Shakespeare and the Globe, check out this recent article from yesterday's New York Times about a socially distant Midsummer's Night Dream.

Yeah, so if you haven't guessed by now, I just want to be Rajani's friend and meet her for coffee. She's happy, funny and smart (yes, her day job is a doctor!). We are about the same age; both coming of age in the 1980s. You too? Be sure and read her beautiful novel in verse, Red, White and Whole which takes place during that time and brought back so many memories of middle school. The Spotify playlist is in my running rotation. I knew Rajani really didn't want to hear me say that her book is on my Newbery 22 list so bit my tongue as long as I could during our AFF filming. But, if you are one of our regular viewers, you will know that I'm pretty good at predicting winners (just ask Kelly Barnhill). In any event, add that book (and all her others) to your TBR if you haven't already. Then plug in your airpods and take a walk down memory lane. Oh and for Red, White and Whole--keep the Kleenex close. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Broadway Book Birthdays

Donning my Rialto Readers "Chief Bibliophile" hat once again. 

Today we don't have just one singular sensational middle grade book to celebrate, but two.  Crazy.  Thank you libro.fm for bringing the second one to my attention just this weekend. Fearless by Mandy Gonzalez is part of the complimentary audiobooks ALC program for librarians this month. And thank you to Simon & Schuster for answering my desperate call on Edelweiss for a review digital print copy!

CHANCE TO FLY

So...happiest of book birthdays to Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz.  Missed my post about it? Click here.  And even though it's been nearly a month, I'm still very much enjoying my Broadway playlist. Side note: I didn't go full out green, but I did get green highlights last month. Paying homage to Elphaba? Maybe...

FEARLESS

Tween Monica from REEDLEY, CA arrives in NYC with her abuelita to join the cast at the Ethel Merman Theatre only weeks away from opening night. Hold ON--REEDLEY! No one has ever heard of it but can you believe I have! My in-laws live in Kingsburg, my father in law was the director of a Department of Agriculture citrus lab IN Reedley and my half sister works at that lab now! Oh, Mandy, I hope you are reading this--our stars are aligned and we are definitely meant to be friends!

Something is fishy at the Ethel Merman.  Monica ends up the lead (after initially cast as the understudy to the understudy) in Our Time a musical "about four friends--Tony, Froggie, Pax, and Crash--trying to figure out how to save their local arcade, the Tilt, from being bulldozed and turned into a luxury hotel." Hmmm...does this sound like a Tony winner?  Well, maybe not the play but the book definitely is. "One misstep can ruin the whole scene," Monica is told. There are no missteps here.

This will make a great read aloud for both thespians and non-thespians. It's about four friends conquering their fears and working together to solve a mystery and save their show. Of course there are lots of Broadway references (the "Old Broadway" ones make me feel old--yes, I still dress up for a show) but it's filled with so much more--friendship, family, detective work, rats, a trip to the performing arts library, ghosts, telegrams, #legacyrobes, the joy you get from doing something you love, hope... 

"Old Broadway, new Broadway. The entirety of it was mesmerizing. 

It embodied irrepressible optimism, joy, hope. 

When darkness comes, hold it, love it, learn to understand it. 

Let the darkness speak; don't shut it out."

This speaks not only to the novel and the play within the novel, 

but also to our current times.

"Time blurs when you're on Broadway." 

I love this quote because Broadway blurs time for all of us, 

actors and audience.

"...the theater is a place where stories are told and released into the world and given life...Sometimes the messages cross and stir up the energy of a place."  You'll have to read the book to see what kind of "energy" is stirred up and how that energy finally gives life back to the Ethel Merman.

This is being called a series so I'm guessing "the squad" returns for another show in another haunted theatre? Whatever it may be, my Rialto Readers and I will be ready! For now I hope you had a happy book birthday, Fearless! 🎂

Merci Suarez Can't Dance

On a side note, happy book birthday also to Merci Suarez Can't Dance. I love, love, love this book. Who knows, it may even end up on a Rialto Reader list some day. It's better than the first one (which happened to win a shiny gold medal lol). It's a year later and Merci has matured into a typical 7th grade girl. She's got a crush (maybe?); her grandfather's dementia is getting worse; her aunt has a romantic interest; she tries to cover up a mistake and solve the problem herself without her family finding out which we all know isn't the best idea; her little cousins are still annoying; and she can't dance (or can she?). Definitely, definitely put this one on your list.

ICYMI: Meg's Author Fan Face-off

 

 

 

STARFISH

Author Lisa Fipps posted on Twitter the other day a picture of a jar with slips of paper in it.  "Every time someone says something good about STARFISH, I print it off and place it in the jar," she tweeted.  Perhaps this blog post will warrant a print out? 

There are so many things I love about this book in spite of the fact that I had a really hard time reading the bits about Ellie's brother and her mom. But that's what makes the book good, right?  When I fall hard (or don't fall, in this case) for my characters I love it. So many strong feelings one way or the other. Just ask my friend, Alicia. Ellie's mom does everything to get her to lose weight from posting things on the fridge to wanting her, at 12, to get bariatric surgery. And her brother is one of her worst bullies.  It's not that they were unbelievable, just hard for my heart to believe, you know? But, enough about them--Who do I love? Ellie, of course. Her dad. Ahhh...Her old BFF and her new BFF. Yes, the old adage, "make new friends but keep the old" totally fit here, drama free and it worked. Her Doc got a big heart in my notes. I even like her sister, who is trying.

Speaking of hearts, I💜 Julie Murphy and KA Holt and I feel like if you "shipped" (do they still use that term these days?) those two together, you would get Lisa Fipps.  Her verse is so en pointe, like Holt's. And she's got all the fabulous feels of all the Murphy novels I love. Plus all three write in Texas. Period. End of sentence.

Back to mom...there are good mom memories. "I guess I cling to those moments/like a drowning girl to a life preserver/whenever Mom's words/gut me like a fish." Wow. I just wish Ellie didn't have to endure it for so long. Eventually, with the help of Doc she stands up for herself beginning with tossing the family scale. "Untrue, negative thought:/The higher my weight,/the lower my value./True, positive thought:/A scale does not/determine my worth." All I wanted to do was yell, "You got this, Ellie!"

I highlighted a lot more quotes from the book. Trust me they are good.  Take the time you would have read them here to preorder STARFISH now.  I say it's a strong Newbery 2022 contender. Now, the big question: Will my words leap into your jar, Lisa? 😉 🤞