May Reads.
The Stone Fey by Robin McKinley (illus. by John Clapp)
Stand-alone novella set in Damar long after Aerin (The Hero and the Crown). Beautifully illustrated and well told story full of passion and longing. Romantics may be disappointed with the ending, but I loved it.
Truer Than True Romance: Classic Love Comics Retold by Jeanne Martinet
Slyly silly re-write of those horrible romance comics. I think my favorite was "My Heart Said Yes, But My Therapist Said No," but the advise column ran a close second.
Something Rich and Strange (from Brian Froud's Faerielands series) by Patricia McKillip
Pretty good ... a lot of the story's rhythm and description reminded me of The Changeling Sea. Wasn't keen on Froud's illustrations as many didn't seem to fit (more forest than sea).
Empress Orchid by Anchee Min
While not quite as excellent as all the hype suggests, it's still a fascinating look at a very impressive woman. Similes and metaphors occasionally get a bit overwrought and the overall style is uneven -- sometimes very descriptive and moving, but frequently flat and dry as textbook. Still worth borrowing from the library.
Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia McKillip
What's not to like? Marauding time-traveling kings, librarians, mages, illusion, love ... yummy.
Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French (illus. by Bruce Whatley)
Wonderfully funny tongue-in-cheek look at a week in the life of a wombat. Illustrations, while very cuddly, are realistic -- the wombat is not anthropomorphized into something foolish.
Madras on Rainy Days by Samina Ali
While I am getting a little tired of the recurring gay Indian bridegroom theme, this novel is still well worth reading.
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (read by Scott Brick)
Mormon Fundamentalists, the history of the LDS church, and the Lafferty brothers. Scary. Repelling. And yet, strangely compelling.
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
I'm sure it's all very clever and a true Austenphile would have great fun with it, but I found it rather disappointing. Snobbish and plotless, but hasn't Austen been accused of the same?
Everything I Know About Pirates written & illus. by Tom Lichtenheld
Arrr, me hearties, it's all about pirates, you know. But is it true? You'd have to go find a pirate and ask, I guess. This book is extremely detailed, witty, and filled with hidden jokes. Great fun.
How Smudge Came by Nan Gregory (illus. by Ron Lightburn)
Cindy finds a puppy (Smudge) and smuggles him into her group home only to be found out and told she can't keep him. Deeply touching without being mawkish. Illustrations are really quite lovely. In 1996, this picture book won the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Book Prize and Mr. Christie's Book Award.
Dr. Ernest Drake's Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons by Dugald Steer & illus. by Helen Ward & Wayne Anderson
This is one of the niftiest books I have ever lusted to own. The cover art, the foldout map, cutouts, dragon scale samples, note cards and whatnot are all very clever and amusing. It's the sort of book you expect they read at Hogwarts. A brilliant birthday present for an eleven year old (or a favorite librarian -- all my co-workers are in love with it, too).
Molly's Family by Nancy Garden (illus. by Sharon Wooding)
One of Molly's classmates tells her she can't have two mommies and Molly is very bewildered by that. The treatment of the subject is quite sensible and the illustrations are very soft and friendly looking. The library I borrowed this book from shelves it separately in the "Parents Collection" rather than intermingled with the other picture books. I can see why, but it still annoys me, because it would do more good out in the general collection (but what do I know?).
The Ordinary by Jim Grimsley
Set in the same universe as Kirith Kirin, but you don't have to have read one to enjoy the other. Interesting look at the fine line between magic and technology with a fairly unique treatment of language and mathematics. Contains same sex relationships and religious attitudes which might turn off some readers, but that's their loss. Worth buying? Oh, yes.