A Daring Life: A Biography of Eudora Welty by Carolyn J. Brown

Eudora Alice Welty was born in a small Southern town in 1909. After spending time at school, as a photographer, and exploring other paths, she started gaining recognition for her writing and later became a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. In many ways, she lived a daring life - a life that spanned most of a century. Learn more about this woman, her life, and her writing in this new biography published by the University Press of Mississippi.

For many years I have been meaning to explore the works of Eudora Welty. I don't think that I've actually read any of her writing, although I do have a photograph of her library hanging in my living room. When I saw this new biography, I jumped at the chance to read it. It's concise and direct and informative; it provides not only a great introduction to the life of Welty but also the world in which she lived. There are lots of photographs to illustrate her family, her homes, and her work, and in particular her work as a photographer. I did briefly pause to think of who this book would appeal to; it's positioned as a biography for young adults, but how many young adults have read Eudora Welty? Is she on school reading lists? Is there a demand for a book like this? But then I decided that there is always a demand for well-written and well-researched biographies of accomplished women. It might take some handselling from librarians and booksellers to help people to be aware of this book, but it would be well worth including this in a non-fiction collection to have on hand for the right reader.

Check out Carolyn J. Brown's website.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of University Press of Mississippi.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Jane Austen: A Life Revealed by Catherine Reef
The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty
Eudora Welty: A Biography by Suzanne Marrs

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore and illustrations by Corinne Malvern

 What happens on the night before Christmas? Stockings are hung by the chimney with care, children are nestled all snug in their beds, and there's a visit from St. Nicholas. The poem attributed to Clement C. Moore has gone a long ways towards influencing modern ideas of Christmas and Santa Claus (fun fact: the words Santa Claus aren't used in the poem at all), and in this Little Golden Book edition illustrated by Corinne Malvern you can enjoy all of the sugarplums, all of the reindeer, and all of the Christmas cheer.

I had never realized just how this poem positions Santa as an elf-figure. He has a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer; he's called "a right jolly old elf." Sure, he lives at the North Pole and there are elves in his workshop, but I'm much more familiar with him as a man; I've not thought of him as an elf. Are there cultures that do? Anyway. There are a number of other Little Golden Books editions of The Night Before Christmas with different illustrators, but there's something about the old-style illustrations in the Corinne Malvern edition that particularly resonates with me. I like the fashions that the characters wear, and I like the different framing styles that are used around the areas of text.  The edition that I have is slightly older than the one pictured (not the 1949 original, but reissued in 1982), but it looks like it's been republished again in September 2011.The Night Before Christmas isn't something that's been a part of my family traditions to date (unless it's the Sesame Street version that's shown during "A Muppet Family Christmas" - you haven't experienced the poem until you've heard a Two-Headed Monster say "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night"), but for families looking to start their own traditions, this is a poem and a book with a lot of history behind it.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Find it at  IndieBound.

Read it with:
Frosty the Snow Man by Annie North Bedford
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore and illustrated by Kathy Wilburn

Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists

It's easy enough to find a book of nursery rhymes. They're common in bookstores, libraries, and on the personal bookshelves of babies everywhere. But this is a different kind of nursery rhyme book. Fifty of today's most talented and celebrated cartoonists have joined together to present Nursery Rhyme Comics. With comics from Nick Abadzis, Andrew Arnold, Kate Beaton, Vera Brosgol, Nick Bruel, Scott Campbell, Lilli Carre, Roz Chast, JP Coovert, Jordan Crane, Rebecca Dart, Eleanor Davis, Vanessa Davis, Theo Ellsworth, Matt Forsythe, Jules Feiffer, Bob Flynn, Alexis Frederick-Frost, Ben Hatke, Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez, Lucy Knisley, David Macaulay, Mark Martin, Patrick McDonnell, Mike Mignola, Tony Millionaire, Tao Nyeu, George O’Connor, Mo Oh, Eric Orchard, Laura Park, Cyril Pedrosa, Lark Pien, Aaron Renier, Dave Roman, Marc Rosenthal, Stan Sakai, Richard Sala, Mark Siegel, James Sturm, Raina Telgemeier, Craig Thompson, Richard Thompson, Sara Varon, Jen Wang, Drew Weing, Gahan Wilson, Gene Luen Yang, and Stephanie Yue, this is definitely not your grandparents' books of nursery rhymes.

There's so much wonderfulness to discover and uncover in this volume. Some of the cartoonists have taken a traditional approach to illustrating the rhymes, while others have reinterpreted them in new ways. Some of the standouts for me were "The Donkey" by Patrick McDonnell, "Hickory Dickory Dock" by Stephanie Yue, "The Owl and the Pussycat" by Craig Thompson, "Georgie Porgie" by Raina Telgemeier, "Pop Goes the Weasel" by Scott Campbell, "Pussycat, Pussycat, Where Have You Been?" by Ben Hatke, "The Grand Old Duke of York" by Kate Beaton, "London Bridge is Falling Down" by David MacCaulay, and "There Was a Little Girl" by Vera Brosgol. I was excited to see pages by artists whose work I already know and love; I've also discovered some new artists to look for in the future. Wondering what to get new parents as a baby gift? This is a book that comic fans (or future comic fans) should have on their shelves.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of First Second and Macmillan.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Jelly Belly by Dennis Lee
Hark! A Vagrant! by Kate Beaton
Bake Sale by Sara Varon
My Very First Mother Goose by Iona Opie

Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka and Chad Cameron

It's fall - the time of year where apples turn orange and pumpkins turn red. No? What about trick-or-treating for turkey, and giving thanks over candy? Or bears gathering nuts for the winter, geese hibernating, and squirrels flying south? It might be fall, but everything is all mixed up!

There is an amazing attention to detail in these pages. It's the little touches that I love, like the turkey carved like a jack-o-lantern, the 'up' printed on an arrow pointing down, or the way the hot air balloon floats over several pages. The illustrations are frequently a little off kilter (check out the way the perspective changes in the first few pages) and that adds to the mixed-up feeling that everything is a little... off. The rhyming is clever and ends with a perfect invitation for a second reading. I think this book has a strong chance of becoming more than just a seasonal favourite.

Find it at Lerner Books.

Check out Bob Raczka's website. And don't miss Chad Cameron's website.

Read it with:
Witches by Cheryl Christian
Let it Fall by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
George Hogglesberry: Grade School Alien by Sarah Wilson and Chad Cameron
Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word by Bob Raczka

Addie on the Inside by James Howe

Everyone thinks they know who Addie is. They've created these opinions based on what they can see: what she looks like, what she wears, how she acts in class, who's she's friends with. But does anyone know the real Addie? Her friends, her family, her boyfriend? Can any of them understand who she is on the inside?

Verse novels work so well at showing the inside thoughts and concerns of characters. Do people think in prose or verse? Maybe a bit of both, which is what Addie on the Inside has. It's a strong look at a strong female character who is just starting to think about who she is and what she wants her life to be. She struggles with the pressures of high school, dating, and friendships while wanting to stay true to herself. This book can definitely stand on its own (this was my first introduction to Addie), but I think readers of The Misfits and Totally Joe might understand more of the references than I did.

I read an advance review copy courtesy of the Simon & Schuster Galley Grab.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
The Misfits by James Howe
Totally Joe by James Howe
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
With You and Without You by Ann M. Martin

Think Again by JonArno Lawson

This collection of poetry from a Canadian author (and a Canadian illustrator) follows a young couple as they meet, are together, and then go their separate ways. I was thinking of doing a review in poetry, but somehow my efforts just seemed disrespectful. Most of the poems in this collection are four lines long with various rhyme schemes, perfect for dipping in and out or reading from cover to cover. I just adore Julie Morstad's illustrations. I thought they were a perfect balance to the poetry and would really help poetry newcomers to connect ideas, themes, and emotions together. This would be a great book to give to a teen (or tween) who loves and/or writes poetry or lyrics, but also a good book to share with someone who thinks that poetry isn't for them.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
So Cool by Dennis Lee
When You Were Small by Sara O'Leary
Where You Came From by Sara O'Leary
A Voweller's Bestiary by JonArno Lawson
I Can't Keep My Own Secrets edited by Smith Magazine

I Can't Keep My Own Secrets edited by Smith Magazine

My six-word review:
Teenagers' lives: funny, sad, hopeful, heartbreaking.

Find it at Amazon.

Read it with:
PostSecret by Frank Warren
Tell the World: Teen Poems from WritersCorps
Not Quite What I Was Planning, edited by Smith Magazine
I Lick My Cheese by Oonagh O'Hagan