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This year, in 2022, books look different. While the relationships in the stories prevail, as well as the lessons learned, there is so much more to unpack in these stories today. From diverse characters to adventurous lives, middle grade contemporaries look extremely exciting and promising this year, full of the type of tales that even adults would devour and share with their little ones. For all this, I am excited to see what 2022 middle grade books have in store....

Baheer, a studious Afghan teen, sees his family’s life turned upside down on September 11th, 2001, when they lose their livelihood as war rocks the country. A world away, Joe, a young Army private, has to put aside his dreams of becoming a journalist when he’s shipped out to Afghanistan. When Joe’s unit arrives in Baheer’s town, Baheer is wary of the Americans, and Joe doesn’t trust Baheer, but they discover they have a lot more in common than either could have realized....

Yusuf Azeem’s been waiting almost all his life for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition in his small Texas town.Only, this year is going to be more difficult than he thought. Because this year is the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an anniversary that has everyone in his Muslim community on edge.With “Never Forget” banners everywhere and a hostile group of townspeople protesting the new mosque, Yusuf realizes that the country’s anger from two decades ago hasn’t gone away....

As we head out of Black History Month 2021, let’s check out some awesome-looking SFF books by Black authors. Preorders are love!

In the words of Lee Child on Gone to Dust, “I want more of Nils Shapiro.” New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning writer Matt Goldman obliges by bringing the Minneapolis private detective back for a thrilling, stand-alone adventure. A prominent lawyer is found dead, tied to a dock by a fishing stringer through his jaw, and everyone wants Nils to protect them from suspicion: The unfaithful widow. Her boyfriend....

Comics are uniquely suited to fall reading: they make it easy to visualize locations and color palettes that are uniquely autumnal. They can wrap you in the sights and sensations of fall like a worn but beloved quilt. And yet, unlike summer, autumn itself does not seem to be the most inspiring of seasons for comic book creators. They may set a story in the fall, since that’s when school and big-time holidays like Halloween begin....

And comics writers are no different! There are many comics and graphic novel writers out there who have branched out, bringing their talent into other genres. Some write for TV or the big screen, others have tackled a novel or two. Some novelists have broken into the comics world, too. It goes both directions, these multi-genre writers of comics. Whether it’s a way to push their writing skills to the next level or to bring in another stream of income, it’s an impressive feat....

Check out nine addictive new thrillers to add to your TBR list in spring 2020. Note that due to COVID-19 publishing challenges, some of the publication dates may have shifted: The Keeper by Jessica Moor After Katie Straw is found dead in a local spot where several people have taken their life, police are ready to believe it’s another open-and-shut case of suicide. But the women at the domestic violence shelter where Katie worked know there’s more to the story....

In young people’s literature, we have everything from graphic novels featuring Deaf characters like a bunny with a superpower or a girl making new friends during a crisis. And new Deaf stories are coming out all the time! In young adult literature, both True Biz by Sara Novic and deaf not Deaf by Christian Fusco are scheduled to be released this spring. And of course, d/Deaf people are the main characters of their own lives, and many d/Deaf and HoH writers have shared their stories through their memoirs and poetry....

What is it about Mister Rogers that resonates with audiences two decades after the end of the show? Although the show’s quiet music, calm narration, and quaint puppetry may seem outdated next to modern children’s television, Fred Rogers’s lessons are timeless. Whether changing his shoes or riding the trolley to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Mister Rogers always found a way to emphasize the importance of kindness, respect, friendship, and being a good neighborhood....

Vivi and Eva are two travelers in a countryside filled with the undead. After a train breaks down, stranding them between safe zones, the young women partner up to stay alive. Vivi is struggling with grief—and guilt—over the loss of her sister. Eva is hiding the start of a horrifying transformation. Together they’ll face heat, zombie hordes, and their own inner demons, searching for signs of life in a land of the dead....

Whenever a woman in fantasy gets her full body armor, one of the demons of chauvinism gets a new ulcer. Then he gets run through the stomach, because the chick has a sword and she can do that. Here are a few badass women of the blade to start your next reading obsession off right. When you’re done with them, go check out some fantasy women who get the job done with less bloodshed over here....

But back to Puppy Maud! She is extremely cute, as evidenced here. She is very funny, as puppies are, and has great hobbies like trying to eat the breath of humans, sleeping on her back with her legs spread, and chewing up my books. Can you guess which of these hobbies I find the least endearing? I can hear you all, trust me: You’re hollering at me, “Puppy-proof your house so your puppy can’t eat your books!...

The Austen tale I know best is, of course, Pride And Prejudice: it is the one talked about the most in pop culture, and I have also watched the famous — and, to some, infamous — 2005 adaptation (which I absolutely loved flexes hand). I was called to the attention of the most recent Persuasion adaptation when its trailer came out, a Netflix production starring Dakota Johnson. Of course, as it always happens when there’s an adaptation of a beloved piece of literature, expectations were high....

In the past few years, feminist spaces, including bookshops, have seen a resurgence as fourth wave feminism hits new highs and opens its arms to new generations. Feminist bookshops existed in the UK during second and third wave feminism right up to the 1990s, when there was a vaguely accepted understanding that feminism was no longer needed. After all, we had Girl Power and equality seemed a given. I’m making an effort to change that, and have been checking out some of the feminist bookshops that are new (or older) in London....

Crochet Fox Bookmark Warning: the sheer adorableness of this crochet fox may distract you from your book. Not recommended for assigned readings. Personalized Leather Bookmark I’m not telling you to hint to your loved ones that you would love one of these leather bookmarks, but I’m not not telling you to. She Believed She Could So She Did Bookmark If you like your bookmarks with a side of empowerment, this beautiful choice will be right up your alley....

First, though, just what is asexuality? Awareness has grown in recent years, but there’s still some confusion, so allow me to provide a quickie explanation. Asexuality refers to a broad spectrum of identities, all of which indicate a lack of sexual attraction to others. It is different from abstinence, which refers to lack of sexual activity regardless of orientation. As I mentioned, asexuality is a spectrum. According to the split attraction model, a person’s romantic (hugging, kissing, holding hands) orientation does not necessarily have to align with their sexual (self-explanatory) orientation....

Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack and Stevie Lewis This is the only romantic love book on the list, but it’s between a heroic prince and an equally heroic male knight, and it delights me more than can be expressed with words (think many exclamation points and a long string of letters that make no sense together). Gorgeous art and an exciting dragon-battling fantasy plot mix with same-sex romance....

But every once in a while, I would get someone who would assume my ignorance went even farther. “Your body really needs sleep. That’s really bad for your health,” they’d tell me, with a look of concern. As if I didn’t know. As if I wasn’t trying. No one seemed to realize that chronic insomnia was not “staying up too late,” not just being a night owl, not the busyness of life keeping me working ’til late....

TBASS is considerably younger than the Best American Short Stories anthology, which launched in 1915. But this pan-Asian anthology brings together writers from across the continent. It focuses both on those who write in English and on those who are translated into the language. This latest anthology—founded by series editor Zafar Anjum—is set to be released during the Singapore Writers Festival on November 8, 2019. 25 Stories, 15 Countries The editor of this year’s TBASS is Jordanian short story writer Hisham Bustani....