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Book Review: The Doll People

Book Review: The Doll People
Apr 02, 2020 by Erin Yun

I first read The Doll People by Ann M. Marlin and Laura Godwin when I was in elementary school. So when I was on tour a few weeks ago and the owner of Blue Willow Bookshop mentioned the title to me, a couple bells rang faintly in my mind. But I couldn’t quite put a plot to the name. Then, I saw the cover. Immediately, warm memories rushed back to me. Of course, I thought. How could I forget about The Doll People? How could I forget about green-haired Annabelle or the adventure of being cooped up in a single house? Whether you’re in a nostalgic mood like me or you’re someone who is just now encountering this charming series, The Doll People is sure to win you over.

Print & Play Word Games with Pippa Park!

Print & Play Word Games with Pippa Park!
Mar 27, 2020 by Erin Yun

Need home entertainment for your middle schooler? Play Word Games with Pippa Park!

Book Review: Pie in the Sky

Book Review: Pie in the Sky
Mar 26, 2020 by Erin Yun

Cake has always been one of my favorite desserts. Carrot cake, German chocolate cake, and, of course, the best of the best—birthday cake! In Remy Lai’s Pie in the Sky, the main character Jingwen makes an abundance of cakes. Every single one looked absolutely mouthwatering, but I didn’t have so much as a spoonful of frosting nearby! I’m already looking forward to a reread—and this time I’ll be huddled up in a bake shop.

Book Review: Other Words for Home

Book Review: Other Words for Home
Mar 19, 2020 by Erin Yun

Jasmine Warga’s Other Words for Home was recently named a Younger Readers Category Honor Book in the 2020 Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature. Told as a prose poem, the book is full of beautiful and powerful language, and readers will find themselves immediately immersed in the life of a young Syrian girl named Jude.

Book Review: I'm Ok

Book Review: I'm Ok
Feb 20, 2020 by Erin Yun
I first read Patti Kim’s I’m Ok about a year ago, and although I wasn’t reviewing any books at the time, I remember being drawn to the book’s quick-witted, relatable voice. Flash forward to last month. The American Library Association named I’m Ok an honor book in the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature. With that in mind, I felt it was the perfect time to give this heavy but heartfelt middle-grade book another read.

Mini Movie Reviews: Parasite and P.S. I Still Love You

Mini Movie Reviews: Parasite and P.S. I Still Love You
Feb 13, 2020 by Erin Yun

I am a huge book and television person. However, for whatever reason, I tend not to watch as many movies. But the last two films I’ve watched have been Parasite and To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, and although polar opposite in tone, both had me thinking: I definitely need to watch more films. And since Parasite just won the Academy Award for Best Picture, I decided to do a double-feature review.

On Sale Today: Pippa Park Raises Her Game + Thoughts on Being a Debut Author

On Sale Today: Pippa Park Raises Her Game + Thoughts on Being a Debut Author
Feb 04, 2020 by Erin Yun
Growing up, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be an author. Flash forward to now: it is release day of my first book, Pippa Park Raises Her Game. The whole situation feels surreal. Most of the time, I feel like I’m glowing from excitement, but now that the day has come, the nerves have started to set in...

Get To Know Pippa Park!

Get To Know Pippa Park!
Jan 31, 2020 by Erin Yun

Pippa Park Raises Her Game is on sale in five days! So I am sharing five behind-the-book facts about our newest heroine...

Book Review: Spirit Hunters

Book Review: Spirit Hunters
Jan 23, 2020 by Erin Yun

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

Graphic Novel Review: Baba Yaga's Assistant
Jan 16, 2020 by Erin Yun

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

Graphic Novel Review: Stargazing
Jan 09, 2020 by Erin Yun

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!

Need a New Year’s Resolution? Read Aloud More with Your Family in 2020!
Jan 01, 2020 by Erin Yun

From the editors of Fabled Films Press:  

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

Book Review: Grump
Dec 19, 2019 by Erin Yun

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

Comic Review: Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy
Dec 12, 2019 by Erin Yun
I’ve never reviewed a comic before, but the other day, I started to wonder why, exactly, this was true. While I’m not the most well-versed person in the comic world, I do love them, and read my fair share of comics/graphic novels (favorites include The Wicked + The Divine, Spell on Wheels, and basically anything with Harley Quinn in it). Speaking of Harley Quinn...I just finished the first comic in a new series from DC centered around the absolutely iconic duo of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, written by Jody Houser, and with art by Adriana Melo, and thought to myself...well, if I’m going to review a comic, why not this one?  

Book Review: Coraline

Book Review: Coraline
Dec 05, 2019 by Erin Yun

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

Book Review: Pickle
Nov 21, 2019 by Erin Yun

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

NaNoWriMo Tips From Author Erin Yun
Nov 11, 2019 by Erin Yun

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

Book Review: Frankly in Love
Nov 07, 2019 by Erin Yun

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: Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee
Oct 31, 2019 by Erin Yun
So, I don’t know about y’all, but I love horror movies. I love the quality ones, of course, like The Babadook, Train to Busan, and Halloween. But even more than those, I love love loooooove bad horror movies. I’ve watched Zombeavers about five times now, and The Gingerdead Man is next up in the queue. All that to say, I was captivated by Jeff Zentner's Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee from the start.

Book Review: The House in Poplar Wood

Book Review: The House in Poplar Wood
Oct 18, 2019 by Erin Yun
You know how some people celebrate Christmas for the whole month of December? Well, I’m like that, too, except with Halloween. (And okay, Christmas too—I really like holidays, okay?) That means that ever since October arrived, I’ve been knee-high in spooky reads. The Shining, a collection of YA Poe retellings, Coraline—give me more, please! Of course, sometimes I’m feeling the autumnal vibes but don’t want to have recurring nightmares. For times like those, I crave spooky books that aren’t too spooky, and I recently finished a perfect example of such a balancing act—The House in Poplar Wood by K. E. Ormsbee (also known as Kathryn Ormsbee).