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Why We Broke Up written by Daniel Handler with art by Maira Kalman

Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman spoke about their new book, Why We Broke Up, at The Seattle Public Library's Central Library earlier this month. They were pretty hilarious together, so I immediately placed a hold on the book and began reading it on Valentine's Day, which I relished.

Min (short for Minerva- it's a long story), and Ed have broken up. In a final dramatic effort to finalize things, Min dumps a box of artifacts from their relationship, accompanied by a very long letter explaining how the origins of each item in the box contributed to why they broke up.

Each keepsake item has been depicted by Maira to convey the exact amount of whimsey and sentiment that one would expect of the debris of a failed relationship. Beer caps from the Bitter Sixteen party where Min and Ed met. Ticket stubs from their first date. A sugar shaker they stole from a diner. All of the items add up to what they had, and why it had to end.

Daniel Handler is the witty genius behind Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. That's right, Lemony Snicket is Daniel Handler. Or maybe Daniel Handler is Lemony Snicket. It's hard to say. Either way, Why We Broke Up is just as funny as Snicket fans might expect. It's what to read next for Snicket fans in high school & up.

It's mid-February and Punxsutawney Phil thinks we've got six more weeks of winter ahead of us. I plan on passing those six weeks of sweater weather with some good books so there could not be a better time for a brand new batch of Alex Award winners to be announced! You may remember from last year that the Alex Awards are given each year to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to teens. Learn more about the award and this year's winners at the American Library Association's website.

My first read from this list is going to be The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens by Brooke Hauser.

What will you read?

Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link

With the promise of "unhelpful wizards, possibly carnivorous sofas, a handbag with a village inside it, Tennessee fainting goats" and more, Pretty Monsters is no ordinary story collection. Accompanied by the hauntingly surreal drawings of Shaun Tan, each story will swiftly and expertly deliver you from reality.

In "The Wrong Grave," Miles Sperry digs up his dead girlfriend's grave to get back the poetry he had buried with her, only to find the wrong dead girl inside. The wrong dead girl makes him agree to write a poem about her and won't let him escape her presence until he does.

"The Faery Handbag" is about the bag that Grandmother Zofia's entire village moved into to escape from raiders. "If you opened it one way, then it was just big enough to hold a chicken and an egg and a clay cooking pot, or else a pair of reading glasses and a library book and a pillbox. If you opened the clasp another way, then you found yourself in a little boat floating at the mouth of a river."

Pretty Monsters is a great introduction to the linguistic sorcery of Kelly Link. If you want a lush dose of magical realism, look no further.

Suggested for readers in high school & up.

Did you miss book group this month? Too wrapped up in discussion to write stuff down? Don't miss the books (& films & tv show) we discussed (and what we thought about them).

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray -  Really great but overly satirical.
Going Bovine by Libba Bray - Loved it.
Downton Abbey created by Julian Fellowes - One "loved it" and two shrugs.
Vermeer's Hat: the seventeenth century and the dawning of the global world by Timothy Brook - Recommended.
Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw (a play) Loved it, though the colloquial language was a challenge.
The Tempest directed by Julie Tamor (film) - Not recommended.
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater - Disappointed in ending's lack of resolution.
Macbeth directed by Rupert Goold (watch the filmed for television version at PBS Great Performances online)

Stay tuned for more suggestions (and warnings) after our next meeting!

The Time Traveller's Guide To Medieval England by Ian Mortimer

I went to Medieval England during last week's snow days! Turned out to be a great way to wait out the storm.

Many people have their own ideas about what life was like in Medieval Times, as evidenced perhaps, at your local Medieval Fair(e): dark, dirty, and definitely smelly. While these facts of life were much more difficult to conceal without the availability of electricity or city water and sanitation, Ian Mortimer explains why a look at Medieval life should consider more than a lack of our own modern day conveniences and standards of living. He makes a time "traveller" of his reader, taking them on a journey through fourteenth century England without the bias of say, our own relative standards of hygiene. For example, fourteenth century kitchens may not be wiped down with modern detergents, but we're reminded that women took pride in keeping their homes as clean as we believe our own to be.

You'll visit a city, noting how it's organized into residential or commerce districts, and who lives in each kind of home. You'll learn how you would make a living, what you would eat, where you would stay during your travels, and what you would do with your free time. Mortimer leaves no detail unexplored and, for better or worse, by the time you've finished, you will be familiar with the sights, smells, tastes, and feel of Medieval life.

This is a super readable and complete survey of daily life in fourteenth century England; it even made me laugh more than a few times. My only criticism is that there aren't enough illustrations. Several inserts of color plates are included but I wanted more images of architecture, clothing and household objects. Give this book a try if you want to take a trip into the past. 

P.S. I am now super revved up to tackle The Canterbury Tales because I think maybe now I'll have a better understanding of what's going on! Stay tuned....

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

If you've ever watched The (American) Office, you might have noticed that it's pretty funny. What you might not have noticed though (unless you actually read the credits), is that Mindy Kaling, the actress portraying ditzy Kelly Kapour, is also a writer, director and producer for the show. As you might guess, her new book is also pretty funny.

Mindy shares stories about how she paid the bills before becoming super famous and what it's like working on The Office, among other important topics, like karaoke etiquette and the difference between men and boys.The section titled "My Appearance: The Fun and the Really Not Fun" is hilarious (she recalls being a kid dressed in the style of Bert from Ernie and Bert by her parents), horrifying (stylists hiding her body beneath all kinds of ill-fitting garments) and triumphant (Mindy stands up for her style sense- and wins!).

Just as The Office is an adult show, this is an adult book so I suggest it for adults and teens in high school who are reading adult books.

Chime by Franny Billingsley

There's been a lot of talk about this book lately so I finally got my hands on a copy. Whoa. The language is lush and it's completely atmospheric. I was torn between rushing through it because I couldn't stand the thought of putting it down, and pacing myself to savor the story. I ended up finishing it in a day. This is one of those times when I kinda want to pull the librarian card and just say give it a try but I'll at least give you a taste of it:

"I've confessed to everything and I'd like to be hanged. Now, if you please.

I don't mean to be difficult, but I can't bear to tell my story. I can't relive those memories--the touch of the Dead Hand, the smell of eel, the gulp and swallow of the swamp. How can you possibly think me innocent? Don't let my face fool you; it tells the worst lies. A girl can have the face of an angel but have a horrid sort of heart.

In any event... the story of a wicked girl has no true beginning. I'd have to begin with the day I was born."

Like its cover, the story of Chime has a touch of paranormal romance but it is so much more than that and all of it is completely delicious.

Click Here (To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade) by Denise Vega

Erin is a little worried about starting seventh grade. She's just found out that all of the seventh graders are going to be split up into different tracks, and she is going to be separated from her best friend, Jilly. To make matters worse, all her parents have to say about it is "You'll live." That's pretty high on The List of Annoying Things Parents Say. Clearly, they have no idea how awful school is going to be without the one person who has been in all but one of Erin's classes in elementary school.

Since she doesn't have anyone to talk to (and since there are some things she can't tell Jilly anyway), Erin starts a blog that only she can view. It's better than keeping a diary because it gives her practice for when she grows up and becomes a webmaster. She writes about her crush, vents about a certain mean girl, and confesses jealousy of her best friend. It's all very therapeutic until Erin accidentally posts her blog to the school's Intranet page. Can she face the school now that her most private thoughts have been made public?

Try Click Here if you like books that read like diaries or blogs, or if you like Lauren Myracle's TTYL. 

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

In a harsh future America where oil is scarce and fierce storms frequently ravage the Gulf Coast, a teen boy named Nailer makes a living as a ship breaker. This world has forced him to become a scavenger, picking valuable parts off of grounded ships to survive.

One day, Nailer finds a stately clipper ship full of silver, gold and other riches. But that's not all: on board he finds the ship's only survivor- a mysterious girl. She could change his life forever, if Nailer makes the right decision.

Bacigalupi creates a tough, terrifyingly believable world where difficult choices must be made.

Ship Breaker is a great pick if you're looking for your next dystopian science fiction read.

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

I just finished reading Hold Still by Nina LaCour and am still drying my eyes- it's heartbreaking.

After her best friend commits suicide, Caitlin is left with her own crushing sadness. Reading Ingrid's diary may be painful, but it might be the only way to understand what was really going on before Ingrid's death.

Watch the official book trailer on YouTube to learn more.

Try it if you like books by Sara Zarr, Deb Caletti or Sarah Dessen and have a box of tissues on hand.