Month: August 2017

Posted on by Jen Hubert

One Last Word by Nikki Grimes



As summer swings to an end, we could all use a little inspiration (especially after THIS summer) as we head back to school or work. Luckily, we don’t have to look far. Award winning poet Nikki Grimes has created a unique little book BIG on art, history and imagination that will pump up your heart and brain for the challenges of fall. Added bonus? It will fit neatly into that square front pocket of your backpack or briefcase. Because these poems aren’t just for kids or teens. They’re for anyone looking for a light in the darkness.

Using the “Golden Shovel” form, Grimes took lines from famous Harlem Renaissance poets’ work and used them to craft her own original poems that reflect the chaos, complications and hope of our current world, and of the African American struggle in particular. Grimes also asked several of today’s leading African American illustrators (including Christopher Myers, Brian Pinkney, and Javaka Steptoe) to lend their visions to the pages, so each poem is accompanied by an original artwork that further uplifts the work. My personal favorite is this poem by Georgia Douglas Johnson, which in turn inspired an ode to family and endurance by Grimes called “Bully Patrol.” Short biographies of both poets and artists are included in the back in case you want to find out more about these titans of words. I’d honestly be shocked if you didn’t want to read more, or try the Golden Shovel for yourself. Happy reading, writing and autumn-ing!

Posted on by Jen Hubert

A Sense of the Infinite by Hilary T. Smith



“I had known Noe for only ten minutes, but already I could feel that protecting her would give me a purpose, give my tortured energy somewhere to go…I could be a normal human as long as I was interacting with Noe.”  Shy, awkward freshman Annabeth found a best friend and savior in Noe, a vivacious gymnast whose social capital kept them both afloat through high school.  Now it’s senior year and their solid friendship is starting to falter. Even though she would much rather be camping or hiking, Annabeth joins the gymnastics team and reluctantly strikes up a bantering relationship with Noe’s boyfriend Steven just to keep Noe close. But Noe continues to pull away, spending more time with the “gym birds” and deciding to apply to a different college. As Annabeth struggles with the legacy of a brutal family secret, a possible eating disorder and the consequences of one romantic night, she realizes she needs a real friend to help her get through it. But after closing herself off for so long, can Annabeth find the strength to trust someone new? This character-driven, emotionally intense tale about the slow uncoupling of a friendship will hit way too close to home if you’ve ever lost a BFF to time, distance, or someone else. Hilary T. Smith has only written two novels, and each one is a complex, lyrically written examination of a human being struggling to understand her place in the world against huge emotional odds. Prepare to be devastated, in the best way possible.

Posted on by Jen Hubert

Berserker by Emmy Laybourne


In a small village in Norway in 1883, Hanne and her three siblings live a hardscrabble life. Their hopeless father drinks away what little money he makes from butchering, and their mother left long ago. There is no time for school, play or friendships. It is up to Hanne, and her brothers Steig and Knut, to keep the family farm afloat and care for their frail youngest sister Sissel. All of this would be difficult enough, but Hanne’s family also carries the burden of being Nytteson, descendants of ancient Vikings who are each blessed (or damned) with a special power. Knut is a stout Oar-Breaker, a strongman who can lift and carry many times his own weight. Steig is a Storm-Rend who can control the temperature and winds. And Hanne is a Berserker, a fearless warrior whose senses and physical strength become so heightened when anyone in her family is threatened that she can effortlessly kill grown men with her bare hands. And that is exactly what happens when a group of angry village men come to collect on her father’s gambling debt. Horrified at what she has done, Hanne flees and books passage to America with her brothers and sister in hopes of finding a distant Berserker cousin who may be able to train her to tame her deadly gift. On their way out West, they meet Owen Bennett, a kind young cowboy who offers to be their wilderness guide, and things finally begin to look up for the cursed family. But what they don’t know is that they are being pursued by the law in both countries, and by a mysterious scholar who holds the key to both their prosperity and their DOOM. Folks, I don’t mean to overstate my love here, but this shockingly original book is a full-on UNICORN. This singularly unique reading experience combines super-cool settings, real history and and jaw-dropping action sequences in a way that that is as rare as a pearl in an oyster and just as perfect. I have really enjoyed the author’s other books, but this is some next-level stuff. Darn you, Emmy Laybourne! You have spoiled the rest of my summer reading stack! You’ll be able to take this one-of-a-kind read for a spin yourself when it comes to a library, bookstore or e-reader near you October 2017.