If you grew up in the ‘00’s, you know Jessica Simpson. From pop music darling to Daisy Duke to reality TV, Jessica’s face was everywhere – including tabloid magazines. When Jessica’s marriage to another pop music star failed, she suddenly found herself the target of rumor and paparazzi attention that cast a negative light on … Continue reading Movie Star: They always say they’re single
Linus Baker is good at being a case worker. He evaluates foster homes for a government agency and determines if they meet standards. He turns in thorough reports, and his desk is kept clean. He keeps to himself both at work and at home and is as happy as a single guy with a cat, … Continue reading The House in the Cerulean Sea
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen might not be a name you know well…but The Red Baron probably is. This German pilot was as well known for arial victories as he was for his plane’s signature paint scheme. In an era where most soldiers were only trained on close combat, The Red Baron and pilots like … Continue reading The Red Baron
Lala’s family is going on a road trip to Mexico to visit the Awful Grandmother Soledad and Little Grandfather Narciso. Lala’s family lives in Chicago where her father works with his two brothers in an upholstery business and those brothers are coming on the trip with their families, too. This is their usual summer trip, … Continue reading Caramelo
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Intercity life can be hard on any kid – especially in Detroit. For Curtis Chin, growing up Asian American in the 1970’s and 80’s in the city was another level of challenge. Chin’s family was … Continue reading Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant
Peg and Abel have just started working this year’s cherry season. The harvesting, sorting, washing, and packing is hard work and doesn’t leave much time for other activities. So when Peg’s niece Hope shows up on her doorstep with a daughter in tow, it has the potential to ruin everything. With the added complexity that … Continue reading The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season
One of my earliest memories is of watching a family walking a rope line in London. There was a gorgeous mom, a dad, and two little boys around my age – The Prince and Princess of Wales and their sons. Living in America, the royal family has always intrigued me. They manage to be simultaneously … Continue reading Spare
As a banking leader in America, John Pierpont Morgan exuded much control over the economy and the way business was handled in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He began as the son of a financier and expected his son to carry on after him. But his legacy is so much more than his … Continue reading The Personal Librarian
Apartheid isn’t something that was well taught when I was in school. I think it was too closely aligned with slavery for teachers in the American South to feel comfortable discussing with their integrated classrooms in the 80’s and 90’s. I do remember some news around Mandela’s release, but no one ever really explained apartheid … Continue reading Born a Crime
Bird and his father live in an apartment on the university campus where his dad works. They have a routine: Bird goes to school, his father goes to work, and they come together for dinner every night. Bird doesn’t play outside much, and his only friend recently went away, just like his mom. It’s a … Continue reading Our Missing Hearts
