Book Review: Spirit Hunters
I adore haunted houses. Actually, let me rephrase. While I would never want to go inside a haunted house, I find them fascinating and enjoy researching and watching videos about them from the safety of my own bed. So when I picked up Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters while browsing Powell’s Books and saw that it features both a haunted house and a Korean protagonist, I nearly did a little happy dance right there in the store. Korean shamanism plays a role in this book too—something I haven’t seen explored in other horror novels. I wanted this book so badly. Have no fear (ha)—it didn’t disappoint.
Graphic Novel Review: Baba Yaga's Assistant
Baba Yaga lives in a hut that moves around on chicken legs. She rides through the air in a mortar driven by a pestle. She eats children. If any of those things entice you, you’d definitely be a fan of Baba Yaga.
Graphic Novel Review: Stargazing
We’re now in the thick of winter, and just as I bury myself in blankets and sip steaming hot tea to stave off the cold, sometimes I need books to help melt my icy insides as well. While Stargazing, a graphic novel by Jen Wang, delves into issues such as feeling different within your own community and parental expectations, it’s told with such sweetness that this relatable and intimate story about friendship warmed my heart.
Need a New Year’s Resolution? Read Aloud More with Your Family in 2020!
It’s the time of year for making resolutions, whether your goal is to start a regular workout routine or to try more teas in 2020. This year, we have a resolution for you that will strengthen your relationship with your children, encourage reading and learning, and motivate you to spend quality time with your family: read together!
Book Review: Grump
I’ve always been a big fan of retellings. I love returning to characters or plots or tropes that I’ve heard before but experiencing those elements in a completely new way. That’s why I knew I had to pick up a book by Liesl Shurtliff, the best-selling author of several fractured fairy tales. Grump was the first book of hers that I picked up, and after racing through this fun, exciting Snow White retelling, I know I’ll definitely be back for her others.
Comic Review: Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy
Book Review: Coraline
So, I have a secret to admit. Don’t tell anyone...but I just recently finished Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Really, I have no excuses. I adore Neil Gaiman. American Gods? Legendary. The Graveyard Book? Magical. Neverwhere? More like right here on my shelf. I’ve even watched the Coraline movie at least three times. And yet, somehow, someway, I just never got around to actually reading Coraline until now. Was the wait my own fault? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
Book Review: Pickle
I’ve never been great at coming up with prank ideas. Back in high school, it thrilled me to watch the creativity other students displayed during Senior Week (from blasting that “Peanut Butter Jelly” song on the speakers to having a professional band follow around the principal), so it’s not that I ever disapproved of a good prank, it’s more that I just never knew where to start. For those in a similar boat, Kim Baker’s middle-grade book, Pickle, will definitely get the inspiration churning.
NaNoWriMo Tips From Author Erin Yun
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1. Outlines Can Be Your Friend: I know there’s a great divide between Pantsers and Plotters, but as somebody who has the urge to write on the edge of her seat but has to remind herself to do some plotting, I have to say that an outline can be immensely helpful—especially for NaNoWriMo, when you need to get down a lot of words in such a short amount of time. Outlines help save time in the long run because you catch a lot of plot holes from the start, and you (hopefully) won’t have to delete as many scenes during the editing stage. Plus, outlines need not stifle creativity during the writing process. If you find that your characters are taking the plot down a different route, it’s entirely possible to follow a new path! But having some direction from the start can be reassuring and makes sure that you’re never entirely lost.
Book Review: Frankly in Love
Now that the weather in New York has finally reached that perfectly crisp temperature, I’ve been craving snug evenings spent buried under a massive pile of blankets, with a good book in my hands, and a cup of tea to the side. And what goes better with a cozy night like that then a little romance? With that in mind, I picked up David Yoon’s debut novel, Frankly in Love. I’ve been hearing tons of buzz about this book lately, and what with the Korean representation and rave reviews, I had a feeling that I, too, would be . . . well . . . frankly in love with it. However, while I was expecting a fluffy love story, this book delved into deeper issues, balancing family matters with struggles of navigating identity. If you’re anything like me, Frankly in Love will bounce you back and forth between laughter and tears.
Book Review: Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee
Book Review: The House in Poplar Wood
Q&A with Pippa Park Author Erin Yun
Why did you become a writer?
There wasn’t a particular reason; it’s just something I’ve always done and always loved. I’ve been writing for longer than I can remember—first, in old notebooks with such terrible handwriting that no one, not even myself, would ever be able to decipher it, and then later, on the family computer whenever I could fight off my siblings for computer time.