A novel idea (no pun intended) came up several times in the recent JambaLAya Conference. Several publishing personnel as well as authors mentioned that the perfect home for a book sometimes is a local regional publisher rather than one of the big names that writers often seek out. 

My first memories of “going to see Papaw” meant catching sight of the lilies crowding each other for room along the south length of his house. My sisters and I called them “Papaw’s Lilies.”

Lynne Kelly relies on her twenty-five years as a sign language interpreter for background to construct her middle grade novel featuring twelve-year-old tech genius Iris, who also happens to be deaf. 

Rarely do I get on my soapbox (or soapbench) for this blog, preferring to talk about books and topics I find interesting, but I am making an exception for this one. 

In her novel Mistress of the Ritz, that she says is “inspired by” rather than “based on” a true story, Melanie Benjamin weaves an account of Claude and Blanche Auzello, who keep the Hotel Ritz in Paris functioning luxuriously through World War II. 

Children really do learn what they see modeled, and I have proof. 

My interest in the book, My Dad, Yogi, offered by Net Galley in an advance reading copy came from years of listening to the radio as my father followed his favorite team, the New York Yankees. 

As teacher appreciation week brought comments to Facebook last week, I did a trip down memory lane. One specific incident came to my mind. 

Juana Medina delves into her own childhood in Colombia for her first book Juana and Lucas, winner of the 2017 Pura Belpre Award, and this sequel, Juana and Lucas Big Problemas.

Brian Floca, brought to mind a bit of family lore that came during the period when electricity made its way to the Appalachian foothills and my ancestors in his address to the recent Fay B. Kaigler Book Festival.

As a longtime Anna Quindlen fan, I was excited to see that she had a new book out that addressed a common interest. the book is Nanaville, based on her new personal title, earned when her son had a child named Arthur. 

An interesting statistic on a morning TV show triggered my thinking. I won’t be held accountable for its validity but the quote was, “Only 14% of American families play a significant role in the upbringing of their grandchildren.”

Reading Harry’s Trees came about because of a list of “must-reads” from my daughter who causes part of the mountain of “gonna-get-to-it-any-day-now” books in my life. 

Arbor Day falls on April 26 this year. I protest some labels applied to me, but I am quick to admit that the label of “Tree Hugger” fits. 

Many reasons brought me to Moo, the choice for today’s book review.

Right smack dab in the middle of April’s Poetry Month is Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 18, so you have time to get ready. 

Evan Thomas has written a biography of Sandra Day O’Connor that is well worth reading for many reasons. The title hints at the importance of her role as the first female Supreme Court Justice

This post may qualify as the “not much ‘rithmetic” that I’ve promised in my blog. Social media, like much of life, has its positives and its negatives. Enough people give warnings about the negatives, so I’m going to stick to positives. 

As I promised on Monday, I am reviewing the delightful new picture book, The Wind Plays Tricks,hot off the press from author Virginia Howard. 

A small ongoing confusion bubbled up into a comedy of errors at the recent JambaLAya conference in New Orleans.