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Harry Potter Fanvids: The Four Houses 1. Hufflepugg House [Technicolour Beat] by LaurenMichelle LaurenMichelle is absolutely one of the BEST fanvidders out there, and her clips are always gorgeously edited. This one is no exception. 2. Cunning Folk | Slytherin by Expecto Patronum Celebrates the dark side of the house we all love to hate. 3. Ravenclaw Pride by Mawrti Although this is a multi-fandom video, it’s completely about Ravenclaw elements and looks beautiful....

You Are New by Lucy Knisley Graphic novelist Knisley applies her signature fun style to the world of babies in this book with simple, rhyming text and colorful illustrations that are basic enough to draw in babies but will also appeal to parents with their inclusivity and humor. A great, modern baby book for babies or expecting families! Who? A Celebration of Babies by Robie Harris, illustrated by Natascha Rosenberg A perfect book for any baby with a favorite blanket, toy, or pet, this book pairs repetitive language that babies will enjoy with sweet stories of the things they love....

If this is your first time observing Disability Pride Month, I understand that it can feel overwhelming. “Disabled” is really just an umbrella term that refers to a wide range of conditions, lived experiences, and communities. How do you know what terminology to use when? What is the difference between deaf and Deaf? What’s the difference between disability rights and disability justice? While you might feel flooded with disability lit recommendations at the moment, here are a few books that I think will help you learn some key points about the disability community....

In addition to being featured in a beloved witch movie or television show from each decade of the past 70 years, witchcraft and dark creatures tend to recapture the zeitgeist during times of eroding interest in public institutions. Magic doesn’t have to follow the rules: it flouts the strictures of capitalist society. Famous works of dark creatures are associated with deeply troubled times in various societies. Frankenstein came from Mary Shelley’s dream of a terrifying creature, and it has become a staple monster that can represent the fears about science going too far, a lack of agency over ourselves, and the general fear of the unknown....

Graphic novels are a relatively young medium, but have a special ability to cut right to the chase of a story. They provide a type of double understanding that helps to reinforce complex ideas. By pairing text with illustration, the art form helps us to experience the work as a whole. Additionally, comics are an important tool for accessibility. A person who may not read a 300 page book may be able to read a 300 page graphic novel with little trouble....

Still, she’s skeptical of the books that I love to read. She doesn’t understand how I could possibly enjoy books that don’t have pictures in them. She thinks they’re boring. I tell her that, one day, rather than agonizing over each word, she’ll be free to paint glorious pictures of a narrative in her mind. But she’s not buying it. I can’t deny, however, that there is a special sort of joy I derive from reading comics....

Horror books are a great way to get in the mood for All Hallow’s Eve. Even if you scare easily, there’s an option out there for you. Check out these ten horror book series recommendations for readers of all ages that will have you sleeping with the lights on. Horror Book Series for Kids and Young Adults 1. Goosebumps by R.L. Stine The classic of all classics! Even the covers of the Goosebumps books gave me the heebie jeebies as a kid....

But for manga enthusiasts looking to dive into the MangaTube sub-genre of BookTube, where should they start? If you’re interested in getting recommendations for what to pick up next, listening to topical discussions to learn more about the community’s thoughts, or just nerding out with fellow readers, check out these creators and start exploring a whole new fanbase! MommaLuvsManga Upbeat and enthusiastic, Aisha hosts loads of livestreams so you can hang out and read manga with others!...

Broadly defined, a fungus, of the kingdom fungi, is a eukaryotic, heterotrophic organism, and while mycology was once treated as a subset of botany, it’s now thought that fungi bear more relation as a kingdom to animals than to plants. What accounts for much of fungi’s fascination is that these organisms can go largely unseen: while some take the form of familiar mushrooms or visible molds, others are located in remote forests or thriving underground....

According to Cults in America, a book I just happen to have on my bookshelf like any regular person might, cults tend to share the following attributes: “an authoritarian structure, the regimentation of followers, renunciation of the world, and the belief that adherents alone are gifted with the truth.” This year’s Cultish by Amanda Montell, a book that explains how cults use language, theorizes that our interest in cults is in part a fear response....

Thanks to tech, a lot of our favourite word games are now available online. There’s endless scrabble boards, crosswords and word searches contained in our singular devices. There are also so many clever variations of these classic games to try out! And then there are word game apps that build on familiar concepts to create something entirely new and unique. I’ve tried every single game recommended here (which means I was playing games on my phone in the name of research for about a week!...

There are many aspects of the book that I think make it appealing to a wide range of readers — the historical backdrop of 20th century Korea, the multigenerational saga with a family secret simmering in the background, and the strong female protagonist. Here I have compiled a list of 12 books like Pachinko that have one or more of these characteristics. Once you’ve read these books like Pachinko, don’t miss the adaptation of the book, which is available to stream....

Sad girl summer is, on the surface, about the sad girl. But it’s what the sad girl does in the long stretches of days that makes the sad girl summer genre. The sad girl lies on the floor, My Year of Rest and Relaxation-style, staring at the ceiling, striving to not be sad anymore. Whether that’s through a project she starts, a person she meets, a medication she’s on, or something else, when the melancholic main character meets the desire to leave the melancholy (whether she’s able to or not), that’s when sad girl summer books shine....

*Red Dead Redemption is itself a sequel, to a mostly forgotten PS2/X-Box game called Red Dead Revolver. 13 Books Like Red Dead Redemption American Hippo by Sarah Gailey A bind-up of their novellas River of Teeth and Taste of Marrow, with additional new stories, American Hippo is THE alternate western of my heart. In an alternate 1890 U.S., Winslow Houndstooth gathers a crew of the “damnedest cons, outlaws, and assassins to ever ride a hippo” and attempts to pull off a heist....

via GIPHY If you’re too busy dismantling the patriarchy to needlepoint your friends’ faces onto pillows, then you might consider gifting one of these feminist books instead. These beautifully illustrated gift books range from brief histories of radical women to pocket-size manifestos to feminist activity books, all designed to help you celebrate the women in your life and around the world. Feminist Books to Gift on Galentine’s Day The Little Book of Feminist Saints by Julia Pierpont, illustrated by Manjit Thapp This petite tome is a great primer of 100 feminist “saints” from around the world....

13 Movies About Authors Becoming Jane (Jane Austen) This lovely movie in which almost nothing happens (but that’s okay) is based on Austen’s letters to her sister Cassandra and focuses on a possibly fictional romance between Jane (Anne Hathaway) and neighbor Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy), which is an…interesting choice, but works nicely. Before Night Falls (Reinaldo Arenas) I include this biopic of Cuban writer Arenas (Xavier Bardem) with a major content warnings for the fact that accused domestic abuser and cis man Johnny Depp plays a trans woman, and for Arenas’s death by suicide in the late stages of AIDS....

The Chinese literary tradition dates back to the 14th century BCE. Now, online literature is key to Chinese literature’s development and popularity. The internet has allowed Chinese authors to explore, express themselves, and experiment, particularly marginalized authors who are less likely to be traditionally published. Chinese literature is increasingly available in English translation. The online platform, Webnovel, has uploaded more than 900 translated Chinese literary works since it was founded in 2017....

However, even if babies lack discerning literary tastes, studies show there are clear benefits to reading to even the youngest infants. Parents.com cites a 2019 study in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics that found that “kids who are read to every day are exposed to around 78,000 words each year — over five years, that adds up to 1.4 million words heard during story time.” The Cleveland Clinic also notes that reading is a great way to bond with a baby, reducing both baby and parent stress....

These 15 compelling cozy mysteries are all set to be published during the first half of 2021. With plenty of series debuts and continuations of old favorites to choose from here, you’re sure to find a book you’ll enjoy digging into this year. Looking for more whodunits with plenty of twists? Check out more cozy recommendations from these lists: Soon, the city developer is found murdered—and Win’s friend is the prime suspect....

But I would be lying if I said that in certain months I don’t try to find ways to add an extra book or two to my reads. Especially since I usually manage to read an average of five books a month, when I pick up tougher reads and I know I’ll be able to finish maybe two that month, I actively search for ways to increase my reads of the month....