The Hungry Clothes and Other Jewish Folktales

Written by: Peninnah Schram and Gianni De Conno

First line: Honi the Wise One was also known as Honi the Circle Maker.

Why you should read this book: This short, illustrated collection for children offers an assortment of Jewish folktales from different traditions and different eras, featuring kings, beggars, tricksters, and fools, offering moral lessons and opportunity for thought and discussion. There are the tales from the Talmud, tales from Israeli folklore, and tales from the twentieth century, all retold in the author's own voice, and often revised to suit her purpose. Rest assured, wickedness will be uncovered and forgiven, while faith and honesty will be recognized and rewarded.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Students of Jewish folklore (and even students of folklore in general) have likely already read versions of many or most of these stories. 

Beauty's Kingdom

Written by: Anne Rice (writing as A. N. Roquelaure)

First line: Ah such a long and wearying day.

Why you should read this book: Many years ago, when I was technically too young to be in possession of such materials, I read the original Sleeping Beauty Trilogy, a lush BDSM-themed fantasy series about a kingdom of sexual delights centered around a culture of naked pleasure slaves, which had a formative influence on my adolescent imagination. In this final installment, Rice takes a different angle on her fantasy and her characters, telling the story primarily from the perspective of older, wiser characters with greater personal power and agency, in many cases addressing issues of gender and class that were ignored and glossed over in the first three books, offering more modern and sensible views on the ethics and reality of sexual servitude: roles are reversed, switching is rampant, and morality is a major theme. While this new book is, perhaps, less erotic and less magical as a result, it is still provocative and thoughtful, and, for fans of the series, offers a welcome update on the characters and the world, with a satisfying conclusion that remains true to the heart of the original.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Obviously, if you aren't excited by the idea of a BDSM-theme fantasy series, this is not for you; further, if what you liked about the original was the non-consensual nature of the servitude (or the rigid views of gender and sexual roles, or the liberal views on age of consent) you may be disappointed.

Clorinda Takes Flight

Written by: Robert Kinerk and Steven Kellogg

First line: Clorinda the cow took the sun now and then in the back of a friend's house, the farmhand named Len.

Why you should read this book: Inspired by the flight of birds, Clorinda the cow becomes determined to fly herself, and enlists her friends, Hop the pig and Len the human to construct a flying machine to achieve her dream. Their initial efforts enjoy only limited success, but eventually they settle on the sensible solution of a hot air balloon. The balloon works like a charm, but poor Len is accidentally left behind as Clorinda and Hop fly over the country, across the ocean, and eventually make their way to England, where they take tea with the Queen and bring back a souvenir for Len.

Why you shouldn't read this book: It's very silly. 

Llama Llama Time to Share

Written by: Anne Dewdney

First line: Llama Llama playing trains, driving trucks, and flying planes.

Why you should read this book: This is a read-aloud story in rhyming couplets for very young children, about the importance of sharing and the perils of not sharing. A new neighbor, Nelly Gnu, comes over to play with Llama Llama, and for a while he manages to handle this stranger playing with his toys, but when Nelly involves his favorite doll in the game, Llama finds he cannot share, with disastrous results. Eventually, the catastrophe is rectified and Llama learns it is more fun to share, and that doing so results in making new friends.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You are over the age of seven and you know how to share. 

Leave Me Alone!

Written by: Vera Brosgol

First line: Once there was an old woman.

Why you should read this book: An old woman lives in a small house with a large family, and cannot seem to get a moment's peace to do her knitting without children interfering with the process. Winter is coming and her task is important, so she packs up and ventures through the land, looking for a little peace and quiet, but everywhere she goes, creatures seem determined to interfere with her work, even when she climbs onto the moon (where little green moon-men examine her with handheld scanners that go "beep boop"). Finally, the old woman finds an empty dimension where she can work alone, and the solitude of that strange place helps her appreciate the noise and commotion of her big family when she returns. 

Why you shouldn't read this book: If you found an empty dimension, you would never go back.