Telling Tales: A History of Literary Hoaxes

Written by: Melissa Katsoulis

First line: From disgruntled Mormons and fake Native Americans to bored students and lustful aristocrats, the bizarre history of literary hoaxers is every bit as revealing as the orthodox rollcall of Western writers, as is their acute appreciation of what inspires, frightens and resonates with their generation.

Why you should read this book: This is not an exhaustive catalog, but rather a touristy journey highlighting some of the most remarkable and entertaining cases of literary hoaxes, perpetrated for various reasons. Some hoaxers are out for money, others for fame; some are trying to impress their parents, and other are attempting to discredit entire organization. It's interesting to learn their methods and their motivations, and of course, their inevitable unmasking. 

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're considering perpetrating your own literary hoax and looking for advice on how to get away with it. 

Marco Polo Brave Explorer

Written by: Cynthia Lord and Stephanie Graegin

Why you should read this book: This short easy chapter book tells of the adventure of Marco Polo, a mouse-shaped Christmas ornament who is repurposed as a children's toy that can be checked out of the public library, except that no kid ever checks him out because he's so small every adult is sure that he will be lost. Finally, a little boy named Seth overcomes his father's objection to Marco Polo because he has a secret: Seth is afraid to attend his first sleepover, and also afraid that his friend will make fun of him if he brings his primary love object, an old gray bunny, for comfort. Marco Polo, being small enough to hide in Seth's sleeping bag unnoticed, does indeed go on a tremendous adventure, and Seth learns that your real friends don't make fun of you, and are probably afraid of the same things you're afraid of. 

Why you shouldn't check out this book: You wouldn't let your child play with a plushie that every other kid in town had played with.

Love in the Library

Written by: Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas Imamura

Why you should read this book: Tama, like most of the Japanese-Americans interned in the Minidoka Incarceration Camp during World War II, is not happy with the circumstances of her life surrounded by desert dust, barbed wire, and guard towers. Every day she goes to work in the camp library, even though she knows nothing about being a librarian, and every day, George, a Japanese-American man her age comes to the library to read, check out books, and smile. Tama has nothing to smile about until George comforts her in a low moment and she realizes that the thing he has been smiling about the entire time is her, Tama; the story ends with them getting married and giving birth to the author’s uncle while still in the camp.

Why you shouldn't read this book: This book mentions truths about American history that some people would rather not deal with.

Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin

Written by: Megan Rosenbloom

First line: The brass, wood, and glass cases gave the main exhibition hall of the Mütter Museum a warm and cozy feeling—which was odd, considering it was a room full of corpses.

Why you should read this book: This seems to be the definitive work on the controversial subject of anthropodermic bibliopegy: the art, science, and history of binding books in human leather. Rosenbloom, a medical librarian, finds herself in the strange position of collecting small samples of such books for her colleague to test for authenticity, as it is only very recently in human history that chemical tests could distinguish the origin of a tanned sample of mammalian skin. In her journeys, she delves deeply into the past, particularly into the evolution of medicine and medical ethics, and connects her findings to the present and future of medicine. 

Why you shouldn't read this book: A lot of people automatically assume that this is going to be about Nazi atrocities, but Rosenbloom's research never uncovers a single example of a human-bound book from the Third Reich.

The Altered History of Willow Sparks

Written by: Tara O'Connor 

First line: Samuel? What are you...? 

Why you should read this book: When Willow Sparks stumbles upon a secret library housed within the public library, she is astonished to learn that everyone in town has a novel of their life shelved in alphabetical order, and that she can change the particulars of her life by writing revisions into the book. Suddenly, her skin is clear, her wardrobe is cool, she doesn't suck at dodgeball, the hot guy wants to walk her home, and the mean girls aren't quite so mean. But, of course, there are side effects to such potent magic, including the fact that Willow's best friend Georgia can't follow where Willow's headed, and in pursuing popularity, she could lose Georgia for Good. 

Why you shouldn't read this book: There's not a ton at stake and it's not exactly a brand new conceit for a fantasy story.

Hold Fast

Written by: Blue Balliett

First line: It was the bitterest, meanest, darkest, coldest winter in anyone's memory, even in one of the forgotten neighborhoods of Chicago.

Why you should read this book: Early's idyllic family life is shattered when her kind, smart, beloved father disappears under mysterious circumstances and strangers invade and rob her home, and the police don't seem to care. Now she, her mother, and her brother are broke, homeless, and desperately adapting to a new way of living, but Early is determined to use every resource available to find her father and make her family whole again. A smart story about love and family, which is also a clever mystery. 

Why you shouldn't read this book: Kids will likely identify with Early's determined optimism, but as an adult, I couldn't help but put myself in her mother's shoes, terrified that her husband has been murdered and that she won't be able to protect of care for her children as their world gets bleaker and bleaker, and this book wrecked me.

Year in Review, 2019

Well, I fell just a bit short of the goal of reviewing 100 books this year. In fact, I did start some picture book reviews on paper and then lost the paper and forgot about the books, and I actually have 4 unread or partially read library books on my desk, but the end of December was particularly strange this year, and here we are: 95 is also a respectable number.

The middle grade/YA number includes all those terrible Warriors books I read to my stepdaughter. (they are objectively awful, unless you are interested in a poorly written but extremely predictable feral cat-based soap opera) as well as most of the delightful Worst Witch books. The graphic novel category includes several graphic nonfiction memoirs, and comprises graphic novels written for adult, teen, and child audiences.

Here come the numbers.

Dragon's Library Year in Review, 2019

Picture books: 13
Middle grade/YA: 25
Non-fiction: 2
Novels: 14
Graphic novels: 34
Short story collections: 2
Memoir/bio: 3
Poetry: 1
Art: 1

Total: 95 books reviewed.

Happy New Year! Keep reading voraciously and indiscriminately!

Year in Review, 2018

For me, as for many people 2018 was a difficult year, but it was a good year for reading books. I well exceeded my goal of 100 reviews, read more books for adults, reread some kids books I hadn't looked at in quite some time, and consciously read more books by authors who were not straight, white men. I've also been chipping away at reading the Harry Potter series (out loud) to my stepdaughter; we're almost through Chamber of Secrets. I didn't review as many picture books as in previous years as I did not do kindergarten story time last semester, but I do have something in the works that, if it comes together, will mean I'll get to read even more books in 2019. If it comes together, I'll let you know.

Here's the final tally:

Picture Books: 40
Middle Grade/YA: 29
Non-fiction: 2
Novels: 15
Graphic novels: 18
Short Story Collection: 4
Memoir/Bio: 4

Total: 112 books reviewed!

As always, this list does not reflect the fact that there are certain books that I read over and over. In general, I only blog books once (although I have blogged books that were apparently so unmemorable that I forgot I had already read and reviewed them).

The Book of Gold

Written by: Bob Staake

First line: Isaac Gutenberg wasn't interested in much.

Why you should read this book: It's a perfect story for modern kids, who, in my experience, often are so jaded they can't find any excitement in anything, although the story in this book is about a kid who isn't interested in anything in 1935. Somehow bored to death at the New York Public Library (for shame!) young Isaac only develops a taste for books when an old shopkeeper tells him that somewhere in the world, there is an ordinary-looking book that contains the answers to every question ever asked, and also turns to gold when you open it. Inspired by greed, the protagonist begins opening every book he can get his hands on, and over the course of seventy-five years, eventually develops and interest in the ideas that are found inside the books, becoming a very well-traveled and well-educated human being in the process.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're tired of reshelving all the books that little kids pull out and drop on the floor without reading.

Maisy Goes to the Local Bookstore

Written by: Lucy Cousins

First line: Today Maisy is going to the local bookstore.

Why you should read this book: Exactly what it says on the tin: a popular cartoon mouse visits a hip local bookstore where the bookseller apparently doesn't care if little kids come in and treat the place like a library where they can take all the books down from the shelf and read them in entirety without buying. The bookseller even offers storytime, in case the kids haven't gotten enough free books, and of course there's a café, because you can't spend a day reading new books without tea and pastries. Eventually Maisy actually does buy a book, probably to the bookseller's great relief, which she then gives to her only friend who didn't happen to be in the store with her that day.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're not hanging out with a 3-year-old.

Good Riddance, 2017

Welcome to Dragon's Library's 10th Annual Year in Review!

As I take a moment to reflect back on my year in books, I can't help but think about how difficult 2017 was in general, and how much everyone seems to be looking forward to putting its misery behind us and harnessing the momentum of the New Year. I also can't help but notice that my reading habits are not that impressive (thank you very much, Netflix) and that I need to focus more of my overall energy on serious reading.

As always, this isn't an exhaustive list of everything I've read. I know I missed a dozen picture books, at least, and possibly some short middle grade novels, and I don't blog books that I've already blogged before, so favorite novels that I reread often aren't included in the count. Plus there's at least one book I read in ARC that won't be available until next year, so I'll blog it later. Single issue comic are not included in the count, only trade paperbacks (and one Gary Larson collection).

And now, Dragon's Library Year in Review:

Picture Books: 57
Middle Grade/YA: 21
Non-fiction: 2
Novels: 6
Graphic novels: 17
Short Story Collection: 1
Memoir: 2
Not easily categorized: 1

The Walls around Us

Written by: Nova Ren Suma

First line: We went wild that hot night.

Why you should read this book: This dark and cunning ghost story weaves a tangled thicket of murder and revenge, twisted through time and sprouting from the fertile soil of the Aurora Hills Juvenile Detention Center in upstate New York, almost all the way to the Canadian border. Told in dual point of view, the story splits between the quiet and detailed observations of Amber, a girl long locked up in the facility for the murder of her abusive stepfather, and Violet, a talented ballerina with her sights set on Julliard, with nothing in her way except for the memory of her one-time best friend, Ori, who was sentenced to Aurora Hills for murdering two girls behind the dance studio. In the place where their worlds collide, both girls will find justice, although perhaps not in the way they hoped to find it.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You've forgotten your own crimes.

Lucky Penny

Written by: Ananth Hirsh and Yuko Ota

First line: Hey, so.....you're fired.

Why you should read this book: After losing her job and her apartment in the same day, Penny has ample time to consider the possibility that she's cursed, especially since her new job involves working at the laundromat under a twelve-year-old manager and her new apartment is a storage unit that people keep trying to break into. In need of shower facilities, she inadvertently romances Walter, the guy at the front desk of the gym, until they're both completely confused as to the nature of their relationship and what they should expect from one another. With only her love of cheesy romance novels to guide her, can Penny navigate her feelings for Walt, her belief in her own bad luck, the punks outside the storage unit, an arm-wrestling champion, and, of course, the intensity of a friendly game of Dungeons and Dragons?

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're one of those people who's acted forty since they were twelve.

A Child of Books

Written by: Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston

First line: I am a child of books.

Why you should read this book: In a short, experimental children's book, a little girl reminds her new friend, and her readers, that books offer transport, through the imagination, to anywhere in this world, or any other. Many of the images--mountain, oceans, monsters--are created from words, and not just any words, but the text of favorite books like Alice in Wonderland  and Grimm's Fairy Tales. A fun read for thoughtful kids.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You don't trust a bridge of words to hold your weight.

Emily's Runaway Imagination

Written by: Beverly Clearly

First line: The things that happened to Emily Bartlett that year!

Why you should read this book: For a book written more than fifty years ago, and set about a hundred years ago, this story remains remarkably fresh and charming. Emily's natural childish enthusiasm is infectious, and her relationship with herself, her family, and the culture and technology of her world is still relatable as it ever was. I can't remember when I last laughed at a scene in a book as I did when, in her efforts to follow instructions, she inadvertently gets her father's pigs drunk.

Why you shouldn't read this book: No interest in being completely charmed by a children's book.

Born to Read

Written by: Judy Sierra

First line: In the town of Sunny Skies/A tiny baby blinked his eyes/At dragons dancing overhead/And letters painted on his bed.

Why you should read this book: In bouncy, attractive rhyme, a young boy finds that every problem can be solved with the knowledge gleaned from books. Even in the case of traumatic and unusual emergency, in which no books list the solution, books are still the solution. Great for love of reading initiatives.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're illiterate.

 

2016 Review

This was a weird year, similar to last year's weirdness, but not identical. Looking back, I feel like I did very little serious reading. I also did not write a novel, although I did write and illustrate hundreds of webcomics and blog posts, and publishe numerous articles on Panels.net. Writing for panels explains why I read so many graphic novels this year, but I'm still disappointed because I obviously spent a lot more time screwing around on the Internet than was strictly necessary, and very little time actually reading.

Pretty sure I'll write a novel next year, though.

My stats, FWIW:

Picture books: 31
Middle/YA novels: 12
Graphic novels/comics: 37
Non-fiction: 4
Novels: 1
Short story collections: 2
Memoir: 1
Poetry: 1

I'm retraining my mind to not depend on the Internet by learning to play the ukulele and folding 1000 paper cranes. (So far I have folded 234 paper cranes and I can play Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" very slowly without looking at the tabs, and a few other songs very slowly with looking at the tabs.) I'm giving myself permission to do things I'm not good at, but I'm also ready to get back into some big projects. I just have to figure out how to balance all the things I want to do with the number of spoons that are available to me as a person with a chronic disability and a lot of domestic responsibilities.

If you're reading this and you're not reading my art blog, I'd like to know why.

Yoko Learns to Read

Written by: Rosemary Wells

First line: Yoko and her mama loved to read their three books from Japan.

Why you should read this book: Japanese-American kitty cat Yoko's teacher rewards students for every new book that they read, but in Yoko's house there are only three books for children, and they're all in Japanese. To keep up with her classmates, Yoko must venture to the library and learn to recognize individual words. Of course, Yoko soon learns to read well enough that she can help her mother learn to read in English as well.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Brainwashed by anti-immigration rhetoric.

The Book Thief

Written by: Markus Zusak

First line: First the colors.

Why you should read this book: In a German suburb on the eve of World War II, an orphan girl struggles with the pain of her world: the loss of her mother and brother, the confusion of her foster family, her own inability to read, the physical and intellectual violence of the Nazi party. With the arrival of a young Jewish man desperate for a hiding place, Liesel begins to learn what she needs as a human being: books and relationships. To be honest, I only read this book to check up on my stepson's summer reading, and I think it starts a little slowly, but it's beautifully written and begins to speed up after a few chapters until the reader is caught in its current.

Why you shouldn't read this book: It's about World War II. The body count is pretty high.

The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics

Written by: Dennis O'Neil

First line: Here's what I'd like you to do for me: Make me laugh.

Why you should read this book: While this book won't teach you how to write, it will provide all the basic data you'll need to know if you wish to write a comic book script. Although it does begin with a chapter called "What Are Comics?" it's written at a fairly high level and assumes that the reader has probably read quite a few comics in his or her life, and is actually looking for professional information and definitions, not wondering what a comic is. I particularly liked the many different scripts, all taken from actual, published books and showing different styles of writing, that the author chose; in addition, his illustrations come from popular DC titles through time, so even if the reader is unfamiliar with the particular issue, there's an excellent chance to still understand the single pages presented here and there, because the characters and themes are likely familiar.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You don't want to write comics.