I borrowed books in this series repeatedly as a girl. I knew exactly which shelves they were on. If that old library was still operational, I think I could find them in an instant. What I wasn't so sure of, was whether I would enjoy the stories as much as
Alissa York's Fauna Random House, 2010 What is so remarkable about Fauna is that it is all-of-a-piece. (It's exactly the kind of book that makes me proud to be a reader.) From its beautifully crafted outer covers: a soft, earthy brown -- imprinted with a turtle. Underneath its rich burgundy
Téa Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife Weidenfeld & Nicolson-Orion, 2011 (Looking for a swallow rather than a full glass? ORANGE Squirt below.) Here are the elements of Téa Obreht’s debut novel that really worked for me: * Her depiction of a society saturated by war, violence, and loss is solid. “We’re
Carol Birch’s Jamrach’s Menagerie Canongate, 2011 (Looking for a swallow rather than a full glass? ORANGE Squirt below.) This is a true story: while being delivered to Jamrach’s menagerie near Ratcliffe Highway, a Bengal tiger escaped. “An eight-year-old boy who walked up and patted it on the nose was knocked
“Oh, I just don’t have time for fiction.” “I want to read about the Real World.” “Novels are a waste when you could be learning something.” Sentiments like these have infuriated me countless times because my reader’s heart belongs to fiction. I collect quotes like these that I imagine tossing out
