In honor of kids being out of school for the summer, this newsletter includes a boatload of reviews from other kids, because we all know that what parents recommend to their kids to read is actually the very last thing they’re actually going to read, even though we’re right.

I get into that below, but first some news on my own books.

Latest News on My Own Books

No, my books aren’t out yet. Yes, they’re still coming.

Launch Parties

I will have two launch parties this summer, one in Maryland and one in Wisconsin. Hope to see you there! Details below:

Reviews

People have very kindly asked how to buy my books in a way that will help me the most.

First of all, thank you!

Second: preorder from your local independent bookstore.

Preordering from an indie is the best way to spread the word about my books. Once the bookseller knows about my books, they’re more likely to stock them on the shelf outside of special orders.

Also, I don’t think Jeff Bezos needs more money.

On to the Recommendations!

Phew! That was a lot. On to the fun stuff.

My kids don’t take my book recommendations anymore—despite me knowing a thing or two about children’s books—because something is Wrong with them.

On the off chance that your kids also do not take your book recommendations but are Bored and Don’t Have Anything To Read, I asked a bunch of parents to ask their kids what books they’d recommend. The list and their amazing reviews are below.

Littles

Moo Hoo by Audrey Perrott and Ross Burach
“It’s so funny.” ~ Elliot, age 3

Red Hat Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
“Because it’s funny.”
~Timothy, age 3

The X Files Earth: Children are Weird
“It’s creepy.”
~Millie, age 5

The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi and Lorena Alvarez Gómez
“It's about how sometimes you cant do things YET. It helped me with my feelings when I was upset.“
~M, age 9

Middle Grade

The Great Rabbit Rescue by Katie Davis and Hannah Shaw
“It was about two kids trying to bring their friend Joe back from his dad's apartment, because there's no pets allowed and Joe got a new rabbit. I loved it because there were some really funny parts.”
~Conner, age 7

Hilda by Luke Pearson or Dragon Girl Series by Maddy Mara
“The characters are brave and magical”
~A, age 7

The 13-Story Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
“I like it because it's super funny!”
~Alexander, age 7

39 clues, One False Note (graphic novel), by Gordon Korman and Hannah Templar
“It's about some kids doing a treasure hunt; the treasure hunt has 39 clues, the treasure allows you to be the most influential person on earth. I like that it is a graphic novel.”
~Cade, age 9

Ranger’s Apprentice Book 6: The Siege of Macindaw, by John Flanagan
“It’s a Medieval book that has a lot of action and a bit of romance. It has some of my favorite characters ever, and the ending ties everything up so well!”
~Luke, age 10
[I’m assuming Luke would recommend the entire Ranger’s Apprentice series, which starts with The Ruins of Gorlan]

Into the Wild By Erin Hunter (the first Warriors books)
“Because its awesome, and its about cats.”
~Z, age 11
[Parents: I was nervous about this series because, yikes, sounds a little violent. But I think my kids started reading them at age 9. Just be aware that there are cats who die, so keep that in mind if you have a kid who might be sensitive to cat death.]

Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland
“Because I like dragons.”
~A, age 11

Blended by Sharon M. Draper
“Blended was about a 11 year old girl whose parent had an ugly divorce and she feels like she has to act one way around her mom and has to act another one way around her dad. It’s like she has two identities. Also, I loved it because the main character parents are divorced and the main character (Isabella) persevered through having two different identities.”
~Liv, age 11

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
“It’s so funny!”
~Robert, Age 11

Masterminds, by Gordon Korman
“It's about these kids, and they are living in a town called Serenity. They find out that they are cloned from criminal masterminds, and that their "father" is the leader of this organization. I love it because it was so interesting, and seeing things from the perspectives of the different characters was really descriptive.”
~Quinn, Age 11

Wild Born, by Brandon Mull
“Brave kids fighting against a bad system. They have spirit animals that help them in different ways.”
~I, age 12

Jujitsu Kaisen manga series by Gege Akutami
“Jujitsu sorcerers who can do magic and kill monsters and curses. I love it because it’s cool and good. It’s absolute cinema.”
~Alex, age 12

Teen

Moon over Manifest by Claire Vanderpool
“I liked the ending.”
~Ben, age 13
[I asked Ben, who I know pretty well, to provide more details. He declined.]

The Bletchley Riddle (Ruta Septys and Steve Sheinkin)
“Its a about a WWII mystery, I like that there are a lot of secret codes and stuff like that.”
~P, age 13

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
“Entertaining & liked the romance”
~Audrey, age 13

Thunderhead, book two in the Scythe arc, by Neal Shusterman
“It was exciting, and I liked the ending. I just enjoyed it and it was a good experience that made me happy. The ending is kinda sad but not really. It depends on your version of sad.”
~E, age 13
[Note: this review was gotten under duress and as payment for taking E roller skating]

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli
“A girl grappling with her sexuality. I thought her inner voice was really well done and you could relate to it.”
~A, age 14

Space Boy graphic novel series by Stephen McCranie
“It’s just good.”
~Jack, age 14

Thanks, kids! Great work.

Adult

Don’t worry, adults, I have your book recommendations covered, too.

• Night Swimming by Aaron Starmer
  Technically, this book is listed as YA, to which I say “is it though?”
  In the summer of '94, after high school graduation, Trevor and his crush Sarah make a plan to sneak into all the pools in town. By the end of the summer, they've made it to almost all of them, and then hear of one more. By page 70, things get really weird, so at least give it until then. This short, eerie, intense book was inspired both by John Cheever's "The Swimmer," one of my favorite short stories, and R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming," one of my favorite songs, and it captures the magical vibes of both. There's a fair amount of sex and pot use, though neither are discussed in any detail. This is one of those books that I think was probably written with a Gen X audience in mind. I loved it, I think other adults who were teens in the ‘90s would love it, too, and maybe a few current-day teens would also love it.

• The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
  A deadly fog has covered the world, killing every living thing. The only safe place is an island in Greece surrounded by the dome that protects it. Everything is going well...until there's a murder that threatens even this last refuge. I've read one other book by Turton and it was pretty good until about 75% through, and then I felt that he didn't stick the landing. This book stuck the landing. A great twist on murder mysteries.

• The Larger Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
  Normally I don't like contemporary family sagas, but this was such a charming book, I couldn't stop listening to it. It tells the story of two sisters and a granddaughter and how their lives are changed by brewing beer. I wouldn't say there's any alcoholism in it, if that's a concern. There is a lot of beer tasting, but it's all approached through the lens of working hard to perfect a craft. The audiobook narrator treats you to all kids of Minnesotan accents, so if you have access to it, that's the way to go for sure.
  

• The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
  This is the sort of book you can take your time with. It's got a tiny hint of an overall plot, but generally, it's short chapters looking at the life of a Native American ex-con bookseller, married to and deeply in love with the ex-cop who arrested her, living in Minneapolis in 2020. Also, the bookshop is haunted. It's a unique perspective, one that Erdrich can present with authenticity. I fell in love with Tookie, for all her faults, and the cast of characters in her life who don't always make sense. But neither does life, sometimes. It's a slightly chaotic book that reflects what 2020 felt like. If you're up for emotionally delving into the pandemic and the protests and riots of Minneapolis after George Floyd's murder, then I highly recommend this one.

Random Other Recommendation

The Kelly Salad Base
Watch the video linked above for directions (here’s some more info), but the basic idea of the Kelly Salad is that chopped raw vegetables are more delicious to eat than larger pieces, and that if you choose sturdy vegetables, they’ll last for three-ish days in the fridge (don’t push it too long). So, you chop up the veggies, put them in a giant bowl in the fridge, and portion it out for lunches or to add to an omelet or whatever. I find that the less juicy veggies work better.

Works Well as the Base

• cruciferous veggies

• sturdy greens (collards, kale, mustard)

• carrots

• raw beets (process these last so all your veg aren’t turned pink)

• herbs

• spring or red onion

• celery

Doesn’t Work Well as the Base

• peppers

• cucumbers

• tomatoes

• avocado

You can still add the veggies that don’t work well when you actually eat the salad; they just don’t keep well.

Other things I add when I actually eat it: leftover roasted veg, roasted beans with flavoring, canned chickpeas, hummus, protein, fruit, nuts and seeds, dressing, cheese.

Tip: if the veggies don’t come pre-washed, try to wash them early and then let them dry out a bit before processing. Moisture is not your friend here!