Thursday, June 30, 2022

Charlie Vega Tiene un Problema Gordo

Charlie Vega Tiene un Problema Gordo
Por Crystal Maldonado 
Holiday House, 2022. 368 páginas. Ficción Juvenil

Alcanzar la mayoría de edad siendo una chica gorda y morena en un suburbio blanco de Connecticut es difícil.

Más aún cuando toda tu vida parece estar en llamas.

Charlie Vega es muchas cosas: Inteligente. Divertida. Artística. Ambiciosa. Gorda.

La gente a veces tiene problemas con esto último, especialmente su madre. Charlie quiere tener una buena relación con su cuerpo, pero es difícil. Y no ayuda el hecho de que su madre le deje batidos para adelgazar en la meseta de la cocina. Todo el mundo opina sobre cómo debería ser Charlie: más delgada, más ligera, con la cara más fina, con el pelo más liso. Más flaca. Más blanca. Más tranquila .

Amelia, la mejor amiga de Charlie, delgada, popular, atlética --en resumen, genial--, siempre la apoya. Cuando Charlie comienza una relación con un guapo compañero de clase, Brian, el primer chico que se fija en ella, todo es perfecto hasta que Charlie se entera de que él había invitado antes a Amelia a salir. ¿Charlie es su segunda opción? ¿Él la quiere de veras?

Ya es hora de que la gente la quiera.

«Charlie Vega Tiene un Problema Gordo» es una historia sensible, divertida y dolorosa sobre el crecimiento y la madurez. Con ironía y toneladas de chismes, este libro aborda las relaciones con los padres, con el cuerpo, con las diferentes culturas y con nosotros mismos.

Si le gusta «Charlie Vega Tiene un Problema Gordo» le recomendamos:

Pocho
Por de la Peña, Matt
Vintage Español, 2021. 228 páginas. Ficción Juvenil

Pocho es una historia de amistad, aceptación y la lucha por encontrar tu identidad en el mundo.

Danny es alto y delgado. A pesar de no ser fuerte, sus brazos son lo suficientemente largos como para lanzar un balón de fútbol americano con tanta fuerza, que cualquier cazatalentos lo contrataría sin pensarlo dos veces. Pero Danny ni siquiera es parte de un equipo. Cada vez que se entra en el campo, es como si perdiera sus poderes.

Pero eso no tiene importancia. No es como si en la escuela privada a la que va esperen mucho de el. Danny es morenito. Y crecer en San Diego, una ciudad tan cercana a la frontera, significa que todo el mundo sabe exactamente quien es, incluso antes de pronunciar una palabra. Antes de saber que Danny no habla español y que su mamá es rubia y de ojos azules, ya todos han formado una impresión de el. Incluso el mismo. De hecho, Danny está convencido de que las discrepancias entre su piel y su cultura han sido la causa de que su padre haya regresado a México.

Por eso pasará el verano con la familia de su papá. Pero para encontrarse a sí mismo, primero tendrá que enfrentarse a los demonios que tanto ha evadido, y tendrá que aceptar abrirse a una amistad jamás imagino que formaría.

Violeta
Por Allende, Isabel
Vintage Español, 2022. 400 páginas. Ficción Histórico

La épica y emocionante historia de una mujer cuya vida abarca los momentos históricos más relevantes del siglo XX.

Desde 1920 -con la llamada «gripe española»- hasta la pandemia de 2020, la vida de Violeta será mucho más que la historia de un siglo.

Violeta viene al mundo un tormentoso día de 1920, siendo la primera niña de una familia de cinco bulliciosos hermanos. Desde el principio su vida estará marcada por acontecimientos extraordinarios, pues todavía se sienten las ondas expansivas de la Gran Guerra cuando la gripe española llega a las orillas de su país sudamericano natal, casi en el momento exacto de su nacimiento.

Gracias a la clarividencia del padre, la familia saldrá indemne de esta crisis para darse de bruces con una nueva, cuando la Gran Depresión altera la elegante vida urbana que Violeta ha conocido hasta ahora. Su familia lo perderá todo y se verá obligada a retirarse a una región salvaje y remota del país. Allí Violeta alcanzará la mayoría de edad y tendrá su primer pretendiente...

En una carta dirigida a una persona a la que ama por encima de todas las demás, Violeta rememora devastadores desengaños amorosos y romances apasionados, momentos de pobreza y también de prosperidad, pérdidas terribles e inmensas alegrías. Moldearán su vida algunos de los grandes sucesos de la historia: la lucha por los derechos de la mujer, el auge y caída de tiranos y, en última instancia, no una, sino dos pandemias.

Vista con los ojos de una mujer poseedora de una pasión, una determinación y un sentido del humor inolvidables que la sostienen a lo largo de una vida turbulenta, Isabel Allende nos regala, una vez más, una historia épica furiosamente inspiradora y profundamente emotiva.

MEB
 
Etiquetas: Español, Ficción, Ficción Juvenil, Ficción Histórico, Jóven Adulto

Monday, June 27, 2022

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

by Clare Pooley
Pamela Dorman Books, 2022. 352 pages. Fiction

Each morning, most London Underground commuters from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station observe a few unspoken rules: don’t eat smelly foods, avoid loud cellphone conversations, and, most importantly, ignore your fellow passengers, even the ones you see every day. Iona Iverson, whose colorful life has broken the mold in most ways, generally follows these rules. But when a commuting business man chokes on a grape in front of her one day, it breaks the ice between Iona and a small group of her fellow passengers – Sanjay, a lovelorn nurse; Emmie, a sweet graphic designer; Martha, a struggling teenager; and Piers, a workaholic father (who survives the grape encounter). In the weeks that follow, their unlikely friendship transforms each of their lives. 

If you, like me, are a sucker for stories of lonely people finding community, this book is for you. Each of the characters came vividly to life for me with just a brief introduction, and I loved watching them bond throughout the story. The audiobook reader, Clare Corbett, did a wonderful job at making the characters even more lovable. Though Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting deals with some serious issues (emotional abuse, homophobia, bullying, mental illness, cognitive decline), this is still a gentle, happy, and hopeful read.

If you like Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting, you might also like:

by Clare Pooley
Pamela Dorman Books, 2020. 368 pages. Fiction

Everybody lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth?' This is the question that Julian Jessop, an eccentric, seventy-nine-year-old artist, poses within a pale green exercise book that he labels The Authenticity Project, before leaving it behind in Monica's Café. When Monica discovers Julian's abandoned notebook, not only does she add her own story to the book, she is determined to find a way to help Julian feel less lonely. And so it goes with the others who find the green notebook that will soon contain their deepest selves. It will also knit the group together at Monica's Cafe, where they'll discover the thrill and sometime-risk of being completely honest--and, for some, find unexpected love. With a cast of characters who are by turns quirky and funny, heartbreakingly sad and painfully true-to-life, The Authenticity Project is a novel readers will take to their hearts and read with unabashed pleasure.

by Richard Roper
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2019. 336 pages. 

Andrew's day-to-day is a little grim, searching for next of kin for those who die alone. Thankfully, he has a loving family waiting for him when he gets home, to help wash the day's cares away. At least, that's what his coworkers believe. Andrew didn't mean for the misunderstanding to happen, yet he's become trapped in his own white lie. The fantasy of his wife and two kids has become a pleasant escape from his lonely one bedroom with only his Ella Fitzgerald records for company. But when new employee Peggy breezes into his life like a breath of fresh air, Andrew is shaken out of his routine. She doesn't notice the wall he's been safely hiding behind and their friendship promises to break it down. Andrew must choose: Does he tell the truth and start really living his life, but risk losing his friendship with Peggy? Or will he stay safe and alone, behind the façade? How Not to Die Alone is about the importance of taking a chance in those moments when we have the most to lose. Sharp and funny, warm and real, it's the kind of big-hearted story we all need.

By Marie Bostwick
William Morrow Paperbacks, 2021. 416 pages. Fiction

Celia Fairchild, known as advice columnist 'Dear Calpurnia', has insight into everybody's problems – except her own. Still bruised by the end of a marriage she thought was her last chance to create a family, Celia receives an unexpected answer to a "Dear Birthmother" letter. Celia throws herself into proving she's a perfect adoptive mother material – with a stable home and income – only to lose her job. Her one option: sell the Charleston house left to her by her recently departed, estranged Aunt Calpurnia. Arriving in Charleston, Celia learns that Calpurnia had become a hoarder, the house is a wreck, and selling it will require a drastic, rapid makeover. The task of renovation seems overwhelming and risky. But with the help of new neighbors, old friends, and an unlikely sisterhood of strong, creative women who need her as much as she needs them, Celia knits together the truth about her estranged family — and about herself. The Restoration of Celia Fairchild is an unforgettable novel of secrets revealed, laughter released, creativity rediscovered, and waves of wisdom.

By Abbi Waxman
Berkley, 2019. 352 pages. Fiction

Nina Hill's life may not seem like much, but for a person battling anxiety, it's more than enough. She enjoys her job at a bookstore and her small circle of friends. Until a visit from a lawyer changes everything ... The father that Nina never knew existed has died, leaving behind an enormous extended family. Nina now has innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, and cousins all living within a twenty-mile radius--some welcoming and some not so welcoming, but all demanding her attention. If that's not enough, Nina's talent for worrying is taking the thrill out of falling in love. Tom, a fellow trivia nerd--who's totally into her--is obviously too good to be true. Everything is moving too fast for Nina. Caught in a whirlwind of new people, emotions and experiences, she feels the need to protect herself. But maybe opening her world--and her heart--is a risk worth taking.

SGR

Saturday, June 25, 2022

How Not to Fall in Love

 How Not To Fall In Love

by Jacqueline Firkins

Clarion Books, 2021. 329 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Harper works in her mom's wedding shop, altering dresses for petulant and picky brides who are more focused on hemlines than love. After years of watching squabbles break out over wedding plans, Harper thinks romance is a marketing tool. Nothing more. Her best friend Theo is her opposite. One date and he's already dreaming of happily-ever-afters. He also plays the accordion, makes chain mail for Ren Festers, hangs out in a windmill-shaped tree house, cries over rom-coms, and takes his word-of-the-day calendar very seriously. When Theo's shocked to find himself nursing his umpteenth heartbreak, Harper offers to teach him how not to fall in love. Theo agrees to the lessons, as long as Harper proves she can date without falling in love. As the lessons progress and Theo takes them to heart, Harper has a harder time upholding her end of the bargain. She's also checking out her window to see if Theo's home from his latest date yet. She's even watching rom-coms. If she confesses her feelings, she'll undermine everything she's taught him. Or was he the one teaching her?

This was a fresh take on the old “will they or won’t they” rom-com. I really enjoyed not only the storyline, but the writing. The characters have depth and change believably through the story. This book also tackles some big issues like consent and the emotional repercussions of intimacy. There are some steamy scenes, but nothing explicit. Those scenes become the springboard for the characters to have important conversations about what they really want and if going all the way will actually fulfill those wants. This book walks that fine line between using an issue to add depth to the story and being preachy. I think it is successful in finding that balance. Overall, this is a fun romp in YA rom-com that left me delighted and really made me think.

If you like How Not to Fall in Love, you might like:

The Upside of Falling

by Alex Light

HarperTeen, 2020. 281 pages.

When her former best friend teases her for not having had a boyfriend, Becca impulsively pretends she's been secretly seeing someone. As captain of the football team and one of the most popular guys in his school, Brett Wells should have no problem finding someone to date, but he's always been more focused on his future than who to bring to prom. When he overhears Becca's lie, Brett decides to step in and be the mystery guy.

There’s Something About Sweetie

by Sandhya Menon

Ashish Patel didn't know love could be so...sucky. After being dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up. The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl-- under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he'll be taking his date on "fun" excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. How is this ever going to work? Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she's also fat. To Sweetie's traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death. Sweetie loves her parents, but she's so tired of being told she's lacking because she's fat. She decides it's time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she'll show the world (and herself) what she's really made of. Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there's an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?

AG

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone's Underdog

The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone's Underdog
By Rick McIntyre
Greystone Books, 2019. 304 pages. Nonfiction

In the 1920s, park rangers in Yellowstone killed the last of the wild wolves that roamed the park, and in the following decades the ecosystem changed without this important apex predator.  After they were reintroduced to the park in the mid-1990s, Rick McIntyre, an employee of the park, spent years carefully observing and documenting their behavior.  In this book he tells the story of Wolf 8: born smaller than the other pups in his litter, he was bullied by his brothers in his youth.  But in early adulthood, he meets an alpha female whose mate was shot and builds a bond with her that allows him to become her new adopted mate.  He must navigate raising his adoptive pups, hunting skillfully, defending his new pack, and fathering his own pups.  This is his story, and the stories of his offspring and their neighboring packs.

I became interested in Rick McIntyre after reading the fantastic American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee.  McIntyre has devoted most of his life to studying the behavior of wolves in Yellowstone, and has now written several books that describe much of his findings.  This book in particular details much of the early behavior of the wolves after they were reintroduced to Yellowstone in the 1990s, not just Wolf 8 but his descendants and their interactions and tensions with neighboring packs.  McIntyre's writing sometimes gets a bit bogged down in detailed descriptions of sequential behavior of the wolves, but his overall observations, conclusions, and epiphanies about their behavior are truly fascinating to read.  Recommended for anyone interested in National Parks, wildlife, and wolves in particular.


American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West
By Nate Blakeslee
Crown Publishers, 2017. 300 pgs. Nonfiction


Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995 and since then, park rangers and conservationists have been watching and tracking individual wolves and wolf packs throughout the Rockies.  Using this data so meticulously collected, Blakeslee has written the dramatic story of O-Six, a large, clever alpha female who reigned the Lamar Valley.  But the story of this beloved wolf cannot be told without also introducing wolf watcher Laurie Lyman and park wildlife expert Rick McIntyre who together helped to build O-Six's the celebrity and use her life to argue the case for keeping wolves on the endangered species list and safe from hunters determined to keep their numbers low.

Down From the Mountain: The Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear
By Bryce Andrews
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. 256 pages. Nonfiction

The grizzly is one of North America’s few remaining large predators. Their range is diminished, but they’re spreading across the West again. Descending into valleys where once they were king, bears find the landscape they’d known for eons utterly changed by the new most dominant animal: humans.

 

 

BHG

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea 

By Axie Oh 

New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2022. 325 pages. Young Adult Fantasy 

In this retelling of the Korean legend the tale of Shim Cheong, sixteen-year-old Mina is swept away to the Spirit Realm, where, assisted by a motley crew of demons, gods, and lesser spirits, she sets out to awaken the sleeping Sea God and save her homeland and family from deadly storms. 

Some stories meander and slowly pull you into the plot, but this one throws you right in without hesitation. I enjoyed discovering the Spirit Realm with Mina and found the characters interesting, if a little unexplored. A lovely light summer read with beautiful Korean mythical flair. 

If you like The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, you might also like: 


By Judy I. Lin 

New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2022. 364 pages. Young Adult Fantasy 

Ning enters a cutthroat magical competition to find the kingdom's greatest master of the art of brewing tea, but political schemes and secrets make her goal of gaining access to royal physicians to cure her dying sister far more dangerous than she imagined. 



By Tomi Adeyemi 

Henry Holt and Company, 2018. 531 pages. Young Adult Fantasy 

Seventeen-year-old Zélie, her older brother Tzain, and rogue princess Amari fight to restore magic to the land and activate a new generation of magi, but they are ruthlessly pursued by the crown prince, who believes the return of magic will mean the end of the monarchy.


RBL

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Inheritance: A Visual Poem

Inheritance: A Visual Poem

By Elizabeth Acevedo

Quill Tree Books, 2022. 48 pages. Young Adult Nonfiction

Interweaving a powerful message of self-love, award-winning author and poet Elizabeth Acevedo celebrates the beauty and meaning of natural Black hair through her most famous spoken-word poem. Paired with full-color illustrations by artist Andrea Pippins, this poem can now be read in a vibrant package, making it the ideal gift, treasure, or inspiration for readers of any age. 

I loved both the poem and the illustrations, I only wish it was longer! It is very powerful, honest, and full of love. 


If you like Inheritance: A Visual Poem, you may also like:

For Everyone

By Jason Reynolds

Antheneum, 2018. 101 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and later as a tribute to Walter Dean Myers, this stirring and inspirational poem is New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds's rallying cry to the dreamers of the world.

Hairvolution

By Saskia Calliste

Supernova Books, 2021. 240 pages. Young Adult Nonfiction

Do you love your natural hair? Some of the world's most inspiring black women tell us about their attitudes to, and struggles with, their crowning glory. Kinky, wavy, straight or curly, this book will help you celebrate your natural beauty, however you choose to style your hair. The power is in our hair. And we've come to tell the world what ours can do!

Say Her Name

By Zetta Elliott

Jump At The Sun, 2020. 83 pages. Young Adult Nonfiction

Inspired by the #SayHerName campaign launched by the African American Policy Forum, these poems pay tribute to victims of police brutality as well as the activists insisting that Black Lives Matter. Elliott engages poets from the past two centuries to create a chorus of voices celebrating the creativity, resilience, and courage of Black women and girls. This collection features forty-nine powerful poems, four of which are tribute poems inspired by the works of Lucille Clifton, Audre Lorde, Nikki Giovanni, and Phillis Wheatley.
sr

Friday, June 10, 2022

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife 
By Ashley Winstead 
Sourcebooks Landmark, 2021. 345 pages. Mystery 

Jessica Miller plans to triumphantly return to Duquette University for her ten-year reunion festivities. She's the most successful out of her entire group of friends and she's ready to flaunt her achievements... even though her friend group, known on campus as the East House Seven, doesn't really exist anymore. Ten years ago, Heather, one of their own, was murdered, fracturing the once close-knit group. Then another friend was accused of committing the vile act, shattering whatever friendly feelings remained. Jessica thinks she's coming back to campus to bask in a wave of glory. She and her friends have no idea that someone has set an elaborate trap to catch the real killer and close the cold case for good. 

This book immediately pulled me into the dark academia setting of the fictional Duquette University; its looming campus provided the perfect backdrop for this twisty thriller. I enjoyed diving into the complicated web of friendships of the East House Seven; their mutual deceptions kept me guessing who I could trust...if anyone. I was particularly drawn into the alternating timeline which made me feel like I was part of the investigative process trying to solve Heather’s brutal murder (I didn’t). Overall, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife kept me on the edge of my seat right until the explosive finale. 

If you like In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, you might also like: 


By Vera Kurian 
Park Row Books, 2021. 389 pages. Mystery 

It would be easy to underestimate Chloe Sevre. She's a freshman honor student, a legging-wearing hot girl next door, who also happens to be a psychopath. She spends her time on yogalates, frat parties and plotting to kill Will Bachman, a childhood friend who grievously wronged her. Chloe is one of seven students at her DC-based college who are part of an unusual clinical study of psychopaths. The study, led by a renowned psychologist, requires them to wear smart watches that track their moods and movements. When one of the students in the study is found murdered in the psychology building, a dangerous game of cat and mouse begins, and Chloe goes from hunter to prey. As she races to identify the killer and put her own plan for revenge into action, she'll be forced to decide if she can trust her fellow psychopaths -- and everybody knows you should never trust a psychopath. 


By Riley Sager 
Dutton, 2021. 324 pages. Mystery 

It's November 1991. Nirvana's in the tape deck, George H. W. Bush is in the White House, and movie-obsessed college student Charlie Jordan is in a car with a man who might be a serial killer. Josh Baxter, the man behind the wheel, is a virtual stranger to Charlie. They met at the campus ride board, each looking to share the long drive home to Ohio. Both have good reasons for wanting to get away. For Charlie, it's guilt and grief over the shocking murder of her best friend, who became the third victim of the man known as the Campus Killer. For Josh, it's to help care for his sick father -- or so he says. The longer she sits in the passenger seat, the more Charlie notices there's something suspicious about Josh, from the holes in his story about his father to how he doesn't want her to see inside the trunk. As they travel an empty, twisty highway in the dead of night, an increasingly anxious Charlie begins to think she's sharing a car with the Campus Killer. 

BW

The Cartographers

The Cartographers
by Peng Shepherd
William Morrow, 2022. 391 pages. Fiction

Nell Young's whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell's personal hero. When Dr. Young is found dead in his office, with a seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can't resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existencebecause a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last onealong with anyone who gets in the way.

Jumping between timelines and perspectives, this book has a lot going onnot to mention the fact that this is also a mystery with some lightly fantastical elements thrown in. Shepherd does a great job of keeping storylines straight, and revealing key plot points at just the right time. I especially appreciated the fact that Sanborn maps had a large role to play in this novel, since we have a set of Sanborn maps of Provo in our Special Collections room. Reading this book made me want to pour over those maps in hopes of finding hidden treasures. If you like books with a mixture of magical realism, mystery, and maps, this book is for you.

If you like The Cartographers you might also like:

by Erin Morgenstern
Doubleday, 2019. 498 pages. Fantasy

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a rare book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of cluesa bee, a key, and a swordthat lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to a subterranean library, hidden far below the surface of the earth.


The Ten Thousand Doors of January
by Alix Harrow
Redhook Books, 2019. 374 pages. Historical/Fantasy Fiction

In the early 1900s, in a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place. Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger.

The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep
by H.G. Parry
Redhook Books, 2019. 456 pages. Fantasy

For his entire life, Charley Sutherland has concealed a magical ability he can't quite control: he can bring characters from books into the real world. His older brother, Robhopes that this strange family secret will disappear with disuse, and he will be discharged from his life's duty of protecting Charley and the real world from each other. But then, literary characters start causing trouble in their city, making threats about destroying the world ... and for once, it isn't Charley's doing. There's someone else who shares his powers. It's up to Charley and a reluctant Rob to stop them, before these characters tear apart the fabric of reality.

MB

Thursday, June 9, 2022

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs


The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

By Steve Brusatte

William Morrow, 2018. 400 pgs. Nonfiction.

"The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" is a sweeping narrative scientific history that tells the epic story of the dinosaurs, examining their origins, their habitats, their extinction, and their living legacy. Steve Brusatte, a world-renowned paleontologist who has even consulted on the BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs program, presents a history of the dinosaur eras, chronicling nearly 200 million years of their evolution from small shadow dwellers through the emergences of prehistoric ancestors that became more than 10,000 modern bird species.

This book is absolutely phenomenal. Steve Brusatte masterfully weaves science and story together to create a compelling, informative, and engaging account of the rise and fall of the dinosaurs. It's a great popular literature introduction to paleontology, sure to be enjoyed by amateur bone hunters, longtime scholars, fossil enthusiasts, and curious learners alike. If you are at all interested in reading about dinosaurs, this book is for you.

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The Rise and Reign of the Mammals

By Steve Brusatte

Mariner Books, 2022. 416 pgs. Nonfiction.

This sequel to "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" picks up the narrative in the ashes of the extinction event that doomed the T-rex and its kind. In this narrative, Busatte explores the remarkable story of the family of animals that inherited the Earth--mammals--and brilliantly reveals that their story is every bit as fascinating and complex as that of their predecessors.


Beasts Before Us

By Elsa Panciroli

Bloomsbury Sigma, 2021. 320 pgs. Nonfiction.

This is the story of our most ancient of ancestors: mammals. For most of us, the story of mammal evolution starts after the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs, but over the last 20 years scientists have uncovered new fossils and used new technologies that have upended this narrative. This book reframes the narrative of mammal evolution, and proves they weren't just precursors, they were pioneers.


The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

By Elizabeth Kolbert

Henry Holt and Co., 2014. 319 pgs. Nonfiction.

Drawing on the work of geologists, botanists, marine biologists and other researchers, an award-winning writer discusses the five devastating mass extinctions on earth and predicts the coming of a sixth.

KMC

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: The Art of the Movie


Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse :The Art of the Movie

by Ramin Zahen

Titan Books, 2018. 192 p. Nonfiction

Discover the world of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in this stunning collection of art. The book is packed with concept art, final designs, and artist commentary plus previously unseen storyboards. 

I love taking a deeper look into the art behind movies, tv shows, and other forms of entertainment. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a movie bursting with color, diverse styles, and emotion, so it's no wonder this book was made. I recommend this book to those who love superheroes, movies, art, and animation.

If you like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: The Art of the Movie you might also like... 




The Art and Making of BlueSky Studios The Peanuts Movie

by Jerry Schmitz

Titan Books, 2015. 183 p. Nonfiction

This in-depth book goes behind the scenes of the movie-making process and looks at how the movie continues the tradition and legacy of Peanuts.



by Ramin Zahed

Titan Books, 2015. 159 p. Nonfiction 

This unique treasure trove of production art captures the breathtaking magic of the movie with hundreds of beautiful, never-before-seen images, collected and curated over years of development. See the evolution from initial sketch to final still, enjoy fascinating insights into the creative process and watch an incredible story unfold through its art. For all fans of the Little Prince, this book is truly essential.




NS