Freshly back from the Jersey Shore, debut novelist P.S. Duffy talks about writing her first book at age 10 although she didn’t publish her first novel until she was 65, her inability to ever return to her birth country of China, and how a stranger’s...
“Define moral certainty”: The Great War in P.S. Duffy’s The Cartographer of No Man’s Land “Moral certainty.” “Righteous anger.” “God’s retribution.” The Great War implodes humanity in “No Man’s Land – a cratered landscape of ruin” in P.S. Duffy’s first novel. Published in October 2013 when Duffy was 65, The...
"The way our communities were set up was like a circle," an Elder explains to a group of imprisoned men. "In the middle of that circle were children. Around those children were the Elders, who would teach them. Around the Elders were the women. Keeping the...
For two years, young Leo has worked hard to pay for his bicycle, which he affectionately names Big Red. As rewarding as the boy-and-his-bike relationship has been, Leo is still growing ...
"Spencer loved books." And because he loves them so much, he makes sure to always put his books where they belong so he knows exactly where to find them next time. But one morning, he looks on his shelf and shouts in horror, "WHERE IS...
The Ever After of Ashwin Rao explores grief that lingers long after the bombing of an airliner Two weeks short of the 19th anniversary of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 – which disintegrated off the Irish coast on June 23,1985 – psychologist Ashwin Rao...
If you look up Gary Clement’s Twitter, you'll see just two labels he reveals about himself: "Cartoonist, swimmer." His talent and passion for both are clearly evident here. Artist that he is, Clements' illustrations, of course, speak volumes – the endpapers back and front even include a 'how-to'...
In spite of the thunderous rainy hail that greeted me upon arrival at the Salt Lake City airport on Thursday night, I've convinced myself that summer really is on the way in these here mountainous parts! And mark my words: I'm looking forward to the star-gazing...
"This is the first time I'm taking the bus by myself," Clara announces. With basket in hand – which holds her snack and a red sweater at the insistence of her mother in case she gets cold – Clara is off to visit her grandmother. The number 18...
After yesterday's SuperMutant Magic Academy, here's a Jillian Tamaki bonus for non-kiddie readers. It's lucky #7 in rebel San Francisco-based publisher Youth in Decline’s Frontier, "a quarterly art and comics monograph series," as described on the company's website. "Inspired in part by South Korea's SSE Project...
Canadian Japanese cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki have become quite the award-winning dynamic duo in the graphic industry with their bestselling collaborations, Skim (four Eisner nominations) and This One Summer (a 2015 Caldecott Honor). Both titles have been intensely honest, openly revealing, as well as uniquely engaging examinations...
"We have three souls, or so I'd been told. But only in death could I confirm this." Thus begins Canadian author Janie Chang’s debut novel, Three Souls, in which a dead woman will learn about a life that ended too quickly, and how she might...
Tom's mother spins wool; his father makes nails. As young as he is, Tom works, too, but unlike his parents, Tom wants more ...
Reprising the unique delight he brought to his debut, Work: An Occupational ABC, Canadian artist/author Kellen Hatanaka makes opposites all new, taking the youngest readers on a Drive from "start" to "finish," exploring distance, size, directions, weather conditions, time, age, and so much more. Piled...
Spring is coming! Start sharing the joy of rebirth – and all the small surprises that the new warmth brings – with this wordless, magical book from our northern neighbors. Here, even weeds can be the most thoughtful, transformative of gifts. Daddy and daughter – we'll call her Little Red...
"As the biggest, [Boniface] had to care for the littlest." He's one of the older boys living in a Kenyan orphanage, known for his gentleness and patience. "[A]ll the children in the orphanage were like a family." On one of their outings to fetch water at...
A famous actor, his 8-year-old co-star, and an in-training paramedic walk onto a Toronto stage (actually, the latter rushes on with great force) ...
