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Best Books for Babies 2017

Research shows that sharing picture books with young children encourages the development of early literacy and language skills.

Who Wrote It Better? Hillbilly Elegy and White Trash

Last year’s notable “twin books” were Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance and White Trash: the Secret 400-Year History of Poverty in America by Nancy Isenberg. The first is a memoir and the second a volume of history, but both examine the plight of poor and working-class whites in America. Hillbilly Elegy has been on the NYT Bestseller list for 39 weeks now, along with making the rounds in media and landing on several lists that purport to explain Trump’s successful run for president to those who thought a Clinton victory was in the bag.

Photo of Cheryl Strayed in a forest, standing by a tent

Cheryl Strayed

Author Cheryl Strayed has been an inspiration of mine since I first read Wild, her memoir about the challenges and grief of her young life and her subsequent solo journey … Continued

The Troubled Girl Named Marlena

Cat, her mother and her older brother, Jimmy, move to Silver Lake, Michigan, after their parents’ divorce. It’s an extremely small town with basically nothing to do. Based on descriptions in the book it doesn’t sound like a place that anybody would want to move to. At some point in the book, Cat’s mom says that she wanted to move as far away from where they were living because everyone knew why the divorce happened. In the beginning of the book, Cat meets Marlena. She is her next door neighbor. Cat is fascinated with her and wants to be her friend.

Cartoons for Adults

Are you an adult who loves cartoons? There are plenty of children’s cartoons that adults can enjoy, but today I want to talk about animated TV shows meant just for grown-ups. Cartoons can be just as engaging as live-action shows, and the format allows them to do things other shows can’t. Most are comedies, but even those can include strong character development and ongoing story lines that beg to be binge watched.