Table of contents for December 2021 in Booklist Reader

From the Editor & Publisher It’s December, and here in Chicago that means cold weather, winter coats, shivers, and snow. But it also means the warmth of holidays and celebrations are upon us, and, in this issue, we observe this special time of year with the comfort of cooking, holiday-romance reads, and, for those who are traveling this season, 8-hour audiobook recommendations. The end of the year and beginning of the next is also a time for resolution-making (I have a long list!). One of my own resolutions is to shore up my To Be Read list. I’ll note here that a great way to do that is by checking out Booklist’s starred review issue. Publishing in mid-December, this issue lists all 2021 Booklist starred reviews. Look for it on…

Adult Books Read-alikes Tree-Centric Novels Elif Shafak’s The Island of Missing Trees (review below) is a many-limbed family tale that is narrated, in part, by an immigrant fig tree and encompasses the trauma of ethnic divides and civil war as well as the marvels and solace of trees and all the lives they support. In each of these novels, characters face grief and upheaval, while a cherished tree or forest shapes and reflects human struggles, hope, and concern about the future of life on earth. By Donna Seaman And the Mountains Echoed. By Khaled Hosseini. 2013. Riverhead. An immense, ancient oak stands in a village in Afghanistan, emblematic of the complexly branching lives of Hosseini’s vibrantly realized characters in this deep and spellbinding saga of family bonds and unlikely pairings forged with…

Books for Youth The Essentials YA for Foodies Teens with an appetite for adventurous eating, cooking-competition shows, and experimenting in the kitchen are the perfect pairing for these YA novels all about food—making it, eating it, turning it into a career, and, for many of these protagonists, developing meaningful relationships around it. Many have recipes (one has dishes with insects!). Others feature stiff contests of culinary prowess. Others still follow teens aspiring to be kitchen professionals. Readers preoccupied with food are sure to find something tasty here. by Sarah Hunter Bloom. By Kevin Panetta. Illus. by Savanna Ganucheau. 2019. First Second. Gr. 9–12. Desperate to find a way out of working at his dad’s bakery, Ari hires Hector, the adorable cooking-school dropout who’s absolutely perfect for the job. Over baking, deliveries, and…

Books for Youth The Essentials Winter Holiday Picture Books The holiday season is in full swing, and there’s no shortage of picture books about some of the many celebrations families will be enjoying over the coming weeks. These titles, some told with rollicking humor, others with quiet sweetness, showcase a variety of holiday season highlights, including traditions old and new, the spirit of sharing, and—of course—plenty of delicious food. by Sarah Hunter All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah. By Emily Jenkins. Illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky. 2018. Random/Schwartz & Wade. PreS–K. Gertie, the youngest sister in a Jewish family living on the Lower East Side at the turn of the twentieth century, is upset that she’s too young to help make latkes, but Papa saves the day in this warm, energetic story about family.…

Audiobooks Audiobook Narrator Spotlight Shayna Small Shayna Small consistently delivers impressive narrations across genres and age ranges. A New York actress and musician “by way of Chicago,” Small was named Booklist’s 2020’s Voice of Choice and continues to impress. by Heather Booth Booklist: Though diverse, your audio performances share a common thread: a great emotional sensitivity to characters who are expressed with nuance, depth, and respect. What is creating such characters like for you? Small: Because I’m an actor first, I get so much joy from voicing characters I would never get cast as in theater, film, or television. And the approach is much the same as it would be if I were performing live on a stage. I try to understand who each character is, what they want, what…

Adult Books Trend Alert Mindfulness in the Kitchen Mindfulness has become a bit of a buzzword, but there’s a reason for that. Staying aware of ourselves, our needs, and our connectedness with our environment is always a good thing. The mindfulness trend finds itself at home in the kitchen, where we can focus on the present moment through meditative tasks and be conscious of where our food comes from and how to use it wisely. These recently published cookbooks share culinary mindfulness through homesteading techniques, seasonal awareness, food history, and time-consuming, contemplative recipes. by Annie Bostrom The Art of Preserving: Ancient Techniques and Modern Inventions to Capture Every Season in a Jar. By Emma Macdonald. 2021. Watkins. While both encouraging beginners and inspiring preserving experts, Macdonald decodes the processes of creating…

Books for Youth The Essentials Cooking Up Community The universe of picture books is well stocked with stories about food, and it’s no wonder: essential for survival, nourishment is a part of everyday life. But food can nourish a spirit as well, and there has been a surge in the past few years of stories that emphasize the ways food can bring people together, not just by enjoying a meal (though there’s plenty of that) but by sharing the ways food can be both a warm cultural touchstone and an inviting opportunity to share those touchstones with others. The following picture books tell such stories from a variety of perspectives and in a wide range of styles, but the power food and cooking have to build community is an ingredient they…

Audiobooks The 8-Hour Round Trip The winter holidays are upon us, and with them the joy of trekking home to visit family. Since a full quarter of American adults live about four hours from their parents, Booklist wants to help with the driving (and TSA line-waiting). There is an audiobook for your 8-hour round trip, no matter what terrain you’re tackling. by Heather Booth Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. By Eric Idle. Read by the author. 2018. 8hr. Books on Tape. The Monty Python comic reads his own memoir with all of the self-effacing humor and quirk that you’d expect (character voices! song snippets!) but also gives listeners insight into the flip side of the “bright side” with stories about his youth in an orphanage and coping…

Audiobooks Classics on Audio Audio is an ideal format for absorbing the rich language in classic literature and for revisiting and connecting with old favorites in a new way. As winter sets in, curl up with a cup of tea and some of our reviewers’ favorite recent classics on audio. Finnegans Wake. By James Joyce. Read by Barry McGovern and Marcella Riordan. 2021. 29hr. Naxos. Two Dubliners achieve the seemingly impossible by navigating Joyce’s enigmatic tongue-twisters and scant punctuation while breathing sense and sensuality into every word. Whether you read along or simply surrender yourself to the irresistible flow of Joyce’s language as it pulses, swirls, and eddies its meandering course, this recording provides unprecedented access to an incomparable yet forbidding masterpiece. Both narrators’ rich voices and innate lyricism…