Brainstorm 306: Top 10s of 2023 Part 1: Nonfiction Books

December is here, which means it is time to start the Top 10s of 2023! Each year I compile a list of my favorite reads of the year in different categories based on genre and target audience. The books can be written in any year, I've just read them in the past 12 months. I read a lot (just look at my GoodReads widget below on the right for my current reading count for the year) so for a book to make one of these lists, it has to be pretty impressive...at least to me. 😁 I kinda, sorta have arranged the lists with my favorites in each division on top, and descending in how much I loved them. But for several of these lists I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favorite, and it is really just a giant tie. I do want to give a shoutout to one book in the lists today, The Watchmaker's Daughter by Larry Loftis. Normally, asking me to pick an absolute favorite read of the year would be a cruel kind of torture, but this year I can easily say that this biography of Corrie ten Boom was hands down the best book I read this year. In the interest of space, I'm not including any summaries here, but you can click on any title to see my full summary & review for that book and any content notes/trigger warnings. Sometimes books appeal to multiple target audiences and could honestly be put in multiple lists. I tried to go with the age of reader I think it best appeals to or the category I felt best fit. A little note on terminology here, Lower Grade means books primarily aimed at PreK-3rd, Middle Grade means books aimed at 3rd-8th grade readers, Young Adult means books aimed at teens, and Adult means books aimed at adult readers. For some of these lists I had to set limiters to help me narrow down the selection, those appear in parentheses after the division heading. I hope these lists help inspire your TBR lists and/or your gift ideas for loved ones.

Here's the schedule for this year's Top 10s:

Dec 1: Nonfiction Books (all levels + graphic novels) 

Dec 8: Top 10s in Contemporary & Historical Fiction (all levels + graphic novels), Leveled Readers (any genre), and Asian Books (any genre)

Dec 15: Top 10s in Scifi/Fantasy Fiction, Lower Grade Fiction (any genre), Lower Grade Fiction Graphic Novels (any genre), YA & Adult Fiction Graphic Novels (any genre)

Dec 21: Guest Post: Mrs. Nat’s Top 10s

Top 10 Adult Nonfiction Books 

(includes poetry, biographies, & graphic novels)

The Watchmaker’s Daughter: the True Story of World War II Heroine Corrie ten Boom by Larry Loftis

In the Waves: My Quest to Solve the Mystery of a Civil War Submarine by Rachel Lance

Our Man in Tokyo: an American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor by Steve Kemper

True Raiders: The Untold Story of the 1909 Expedition to Find the Legendary Ark of the Covenant by Brad Ricca

The Earl and the Pharaoh: from the Real Downton Abbey to the Discovery of Tutankhamun by the Countess of Carnarvon

The Elephants of Thula Thula (Elephant Whisperer, #3) by Françoise Malby-Anthony with Kate Sidley

The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History by Margalit Fox

The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek

Cats in Spring Rain: a Celebration of Feline Charm in Japanese Art and Haiku translated and curated by Aya Kusch

Unnatural Causes: the Life and Many Deaths of Britain's Top Forensic Pathologist by Richard Shepherd

Top 10 Christian Nonfiction Books

(any age, limited to 1 per series, excludes Christian biographical picture books)

Miracles Today: the Supernatural Work of God in the Modern World by Craig S. Keener

Unearthing the Bible: 101 Archaeological Discoveries That Bring the Bible to Life by Titus Kennedy

The God Who Stays: Life Looks Different with Him by Your Side by Matthew West with Matt Litton, foreword by Lysa TerKeurst

At Home in Exile: Finding Jesus among My Ancestors and Refugee Neighbors by Russell Jeung, foreword by Gene Luen Yang

The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party: a True Story about Heaven, Jesus, and the Best Invitation of All (Tales That Tell the Truth) by Joni Eareckson Tada, ill. by Catalina Echeverri

The Christmas Surprise (Little Me, Big God) by Steph Williams

The Creator in You by Jordan Raynor, ill. by Jonathan David

The Gift of Being Yourself: the Sacred Call to Self-Discovery expanded edition (The Spiritual Journey) by David G. Benner, foreword by M. Basil Pennington

Perfectly Suited: the Armor of God for the Anxious Mind by J.D. Peabody

The Holy Ghost: a Spirited Comic by John Hendrix, foreword by Patrick McDonnell

Top 10 Lower Grade Nonfiction Books

(includes poetry, excludes biographies & Christian nonfiction)

The Lights and Types of Ship at Night by Dave Eggers, ill.  by Annie Dills

Blue: a History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, ill. by Daniel Minter

Flowers are Pretty…Weird! By Rosemary Mosco, ill. by Jacob Souva

Pizza!: a Slice of History by Greg Pizzoli

Little Kids First Big Book of Sports (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book) by James Buckley Jr.

Let’s Play Soccer! by Ben Lerwill, ill. by Marina Ruiz

Noodles, Please! (A to Z Foods of the World) by Cheryl Yau Chepusova ; illustrations by Rebecca Hollingsworth

A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis

Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Polar Bear by Candice Fleming, ill. by Eric Rohman

Top 10 Lower Grade Biographies/Autobiographies/Memoirs 

(primarily picture book biographies, limited to 1 per series, includes Christian biographical picture books)

Mr. McCloskey’s Marvelous Mallards: the Making of Make Way for Ducklings by Emma Bland Smith, ill. by Becca Stadlander

On the Corner of Chocolate Avenue: How Milton Hershey Brought Milk Chocolate to America by Tziporah Cohen, ill. by Steven Salerno

Helen Roseveare: the Doctor Who Kept Going No Matter What (Do Great Things for God) by Laura Caputo-Wickham, ill. by Cecilia Messina

Instructions Not Included: How a Team of Women Coded the Future by Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn, ill. by Chelsea Beck

Yes We Will: Asian Americans Who Shaped This Country by Kelly Yang, ill. by Nabi H. Ali, Fahmida Azim, Marcos Chen, Sally Deng, Shreya Gupta, Julia Kuo, Julie Kwon, Nhung Lê, Kitkat Pecson, Dow Phumiruk, Sujean Rim, Dan Santat, Yuko Shimizu, Yuewei Shi, Yao Xiao

The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs by Chana Stiefel, ill. by Susan Gal

Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion by Shannon Stocker, ill. by Devon Holzwarth

J.R.R. Tolkien (Little People, Big Dreams) by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, ill. by Aaron Cushley

Exquisite: the Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade, ill. by Cozbi A. Cabrera

Just a Girl: a True Story of WWII by Lia Levi, ill. by Jess Mason, translated by Sylvia Notini

Top 10 Middle Grade Nonfiction Books

(includes biographies, graphic novels, & poetry)

The Genius under the Table: Growing up Behind the Iron Curtain by Eugene Yelchin

Elephants by Nic Bishop

The Great Wall through Time: a 2,700-year Journey along the World’s Greatest Wall ill. by Du Fei

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy, ill. by Janelle Washington

Operation Pangolin: Saving the World’s Only Scaled Mammal by Suzi Eszterhas

Ultimate Food Atlas by Nancy F. Castaldo

The Universe in You: a Microscopic Journey by Jason Chin

Poems Aloud: an Anthology of Poems to Read Out Loud by Joseph Coelho, ill. by Daniel Gray-Barnett

Irena: Life after the Ghetto (Irena, #3) by Jean-David Morvan & Séverine Tréfouël, ill. by David Evrard, translated by Dan Christensen

Cultured Donuts: Take a Bite out of Art History by Chloe Tyler

Top 10 YA Nonfiction Books

(includes biographies & graphic novels, limited to 1 per author)

Seen and Unseen: what Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams's Photographs Reveal about the Japanese American Incarceration by Elizabeth Partridge, ill. by Lauren Tamaki

Unbreakable: the Spies Who Cracked the Nazis’ Secret Code by Rebecca E.F. Barone

The Woman Who Split the Atom: the Life of Lise Meitner by Marissa Moss

Crash from Outer Space: Unraveling the Mystery of Flying Saucers, Alien Beings, and Roswell by Candice Fleming

In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee

The Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale: Restoring an Island Ecosystem by Nancy F. Castaldo, photos by Morgan Heim

The Whydah: a Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found by Martin W. Sandler

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott

A Curious Collection of Wild Companions: an Illustrated Encyclopedia of Inseparable Species by Sami Bayly

A Man Called Horse: John Horse and the Black Seminole Underground Railroad by Glennette Tilley Turner

Brainstorm 305: Christmas Reads

As promised last week, this week’s Brainstorm has some Christmas reading ideas for you. You can also check out Brainstorm 160 when I shared Christmas reads in 2018. Those are still great reading options for this season too! Whether you want a read that gets you back to focusing on the reason for the season, or you want a cozy Christmas mystery, or a feel good holiday story, I’ve got reading ideas for all today. Click on the titles to see my full reviews plus any content notes/trigger warnings. This is an extra long Brainstorm today because I wanted to share several reading ideas for every interest level.

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

Finn thinks he's just out for a normal day of taxi driving when he gets a call to pick up an old lady at her house. He takes her to her doctor, but during the drive he realizes her memory is not great. She's very sweet, but not always with it. He is torn between needing to drive to get money and making sure she gets seen by the doctor and home ok. In the end his conscience won't let him just let her go, and he goes back to check on her at the doctors. Which opens the door to him chauffeuring her around the city the rest of the week and making sure she is taken care of. This old lady shouldn't be by herself so much. Where is the granddaughter she talks about?

Sydney is fresh out of law school in her first job. As they start laying off people she knows she has to be the hardest working person on staff if she wants to keep her job. But they have her assigned to the stupidest case in the history of man, she knows her grandmother isn't doing well and feels guilty about letting her go to the doctor by herself, but work demands her presence.

Mrs Callie may be old, and her memory may be going, but she is with it enough to be plotting to make sure her granddaughter is not alone after she's gone. She's on a husband hunt for her Sydney with a goal of having a date lined up for her by Christmas.

Target Readers:

Hallmark Christmas Movie Fans, Clean Romance Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Feel Good Christmas Story Fans, Adult Readers (though totally fine for YA too)

 

Christmas Is Coming! by Tama Fortner, ill. by Wazza Pink

Starting from Genesis then moving on to the Prophets, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, and others this looks at how people were anticipating Christmas coming for years, and just what that means to all of us.

I like how this book shows how the Old Testament stories pointed to Jesus’ birth and the longing for a savior.

Target Readers:

Christian Readers, Bible Story Fans, Board Book Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

The Christmas Promise (Tales That Tell the Truth) by Alison Mitchell, ill. by Catalina Echeverri

A retelling of the Biblical Christmas story focusing on how the birth of Jesus fulfilled prophecies and promises of a rescuer king, a forever king coming to save the world.

Like the previous picture book, this one also shows how the Old Testament stories connect to the Nativity, and then goes deeper to show why Jesus was born in a way kids can easily grasp.

Target Readers:

Christian Readers, Bible Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

The Christmas Surprise (Little Me, Big God) by Steph Williams

A simple retelling of Jesus' birth for kids that highlights the main points and why Jesus' birth was important.

This one is perfect for kids with short attention spans, and I think it contains possibly the most accurate (and hilarious) portrayal of Mary’s talk with the angel.

Target Readers:

Christian Readers, Bible Story Fans, Readers with Short Attention Spans, Humor Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries, #3) by Elizabeth C. Bunce

When the village mercantile's Christmas shop window replica of the village is opened for the season, there's an odd addition to the scene - a black well and olives. And the replica's creator is found dead and staged to mimic Socrates in his final moments. Myrtle is, of course, inordinately intrigued by such circumstances. Even moreso when she finds a picture of the deceased in his professor years with her mother and other college students in it. She then learns of a decades old mystery of Olivia Blackwell who everyone saw fall/jump from the bell tower at the local college but whose body was never recovered. As other classical figures get added to the replica display and more people in the village die, Myrtle and Ms. Judson and others find it more pressing to find who is posing as Olivia Blackwell (or could it be her) and why?

A Christmas time mystery adventure with the precocious Myrtle, her equally curious governess Ms. Judson, and the ever-present cat companion Peony that will keep readers guessing.

Target Readers:

Historical Fiction Fans, Mystery Fans, British Setting Fans, Precocious Character Fans, Upper Middle Grade Readers

 

The Girl Who Ruined Christmas by Cindy Callaghan

Brady has gone with her dad and mom to the boondocks of upper New York state just before Christmas while her dad tries to land a real estate deal. It turns out that the tiny town is NOT happy about the Christmas tree farm there going out of business and being replaced by a factory. They are even less happy when Brady takes a selfie that spooks some horses carrying the possible salvation of the tree farm, a tree bought by the White House, that results in a massive disaster. The farm-saving tree goes up in flames, and Brady is hauled off to the local jail despite protests from her parents and the fact that it was an accident. She is sentenced to work at the tree farm for the rest of the Christmas season to make it up to the town. Her parents both have work to get back to in SoCal, so she is left in the care of the Bed & Breakfast couple they were staying with. The other teens who work at the Christmas tree farm are determined to make her pay for her crimes, and Brady feels doomed to a rotten Christmas this year. But will it be so bad?

This is a lighthearted, whimsical Christmas story that starts off goofily and wild, has a believable middle, and ends all feel-goody and warm for all.

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Feel Good Christmas Story Fans, Humor Fans, Hallmark Christmas Movie Fans, Upper New York Setting Fans, Middle Grade/YA Readers

 

Happy Narwhalidays (Narwhal & Jelly, #5) by Ben Clanton

It's winter and Narwhal is feeling festive. Narwhal is convinced this is the season when the Merry Mermicorn comes. Jelly isn't so sure, but they do enjoy a tale about a grouchy jelly bean who finds a friend to sled with, and they exchange presents (and Jelly finds it hard to find a present for Narwhal).

A cute reimagining of festive activities put underwater.

Target Readers:

Graphic Novel Fans, Animal Fiction Fans, Pun Lovers, Fun Christmas Story Fans, Lower Grade Readers

 

Heaven and Nature Sing: 25 Advent Reflections to Bring Joy to the World by Hannah Anderson, ill. by Nathan Anderson

In 25 devotionals, Hannah Anderson invites readers to reread the advent stories of the Bible with new eyes. To take these stories out of the realm of repeated same old and really sit with them, to dig deeper, and ask why certain details are included. She reexamines the stories of angel visits, gifts of magi, and messages to shepherds while weaving in stories and examples from her own life. The goal is to help uncover the ongoing relevance for our lives today, and just why the coming of Jesus was so special and is so worthy of celebration and a pause from the ordinary routine.

A refreshing and revitalizing read to bring in the Christmas season.

Target Readers:

Christian Readers, Devotional Fans, Advent Readers, Those Needing a Fresh Take on Scripture, Nonfiction Fans, Adult Readers

 

Keeping Christmas: 25 Advent Reflections on A Christmas Carol by Allison Pittman

Pittman puts on her English teacher hat and takes readers through Dickens' A Christmas Carol, highlighting elements of Scrooge's redemption that can have spiritual parallels about a life being renewed and redeemed by the Holy Spirit and the implications thereof.

I found this a fantastic Advent read, focusing on the powerful work of God in a life to transform and make you new, which points to the whole purpose of Christmas, as well as reminding readers how God can use redeemed people to powerfully work in others' lives too.

Target Readers:

Advent Readers, Devotional Fans, Christian Readers, A Christmas Carol Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)

 

A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson

Vera Swanson downsized and moved to be closer to her daughter and her family in Eastern Oregon, only to have them move after her son-in-law got a new job 6 months later in California. They’ve begged her to move down and join them, but Vera isn’t sure she’s ready for California. Her son lives far away and is spending the holidays with his wife’s family, so Vera finds herself alone for the holidays for the first time. She is understandably feeling a bit down when a little neighbor girl knocks on her door one day asking her to help because her mama is sick. What follows is a whirlwind that sees Vera quickly jumping in to help the newly relocated Irish/American family as the mother has to have an emergency appendicitis while the father is out of town and 2 elementary age children in addition to 4 year old little Fiona rely on Vera to help out while their mother is in the hospital and then recovering. While spending time with Vera, Fiona sees the beautiful quilts Vera has made and commandeers Vera’s help to make a patchwork quilt for her mama for Christmas. There are only a few weeks until Christmas and Vera doesn’t know anyone in town who could help her quilt. Vera isn’t hopeful, but she also can see Fiona’s family is having a hard time. Pushed by a determined 4 year old, and with some obvious divine providence, Vera manages to find 3 other women in the area interested in learning how to quilt and helping make Fiona’s wish for her mama come true. There’s Tasha, an artsy young woman who helps her aunt out at the florist shop in town and is interested in quilting as an artform, there’s Beverly a bubbly middle age woman whose grandmother was a quilter but passed on before she could teach her, and there’s Eleanor a prickly, retired therapist who needs something quiet to help fill her days since retirement. The group is off to a rough start thanks to Eleanor’s icy personality and the fact that they agreed to meet at her house before they realized what an ordeal that would be. Vera isn’t sure they will meet the Christmas deadline, or if this quilting project will be a blessing or disaster for those involved.

This is a heartwarmingly sweet Christmas story about how acts of kindness benefit not only the helped but the helpers.

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Feel Good Christmas Story Fans, Christmas Carol-Inspired Story Fans, Adult Readers (though totally approachable to YA and even MG readers)

 

Santa Bruce (Mother Bruce, #4) Ryan T. Higgins

Bruce wants to hibernate for the winter, but his family has other plans. They want to celebrate Christmas. And when Bruce gets mistaken for Santa, the mice capitalize on it. Much to Bruce's chagrin.

Despite all Bruce’s protests, he makes the whole forest happy during Christmas, and makes this a feel good Christmas read.

Target Readers:

Bruce Fans, Animal Fiction Fans, Humor Fans, Feel Good Christmas Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

A Star of Mystery (Luke and Bandit, #3) by Paul Regnier

Crystal Falls has been invaded by a movie production cast and crew shooting a Christmas romance. Luke thinks those Christmas romance movies are a joke, but his Mom and best friend Kenny are thrilled. They are big fans of the director and stars of the movie, and Kenny thinks he's about to make it big when they hire him to do drone shots for the production. But when the leading man's assistant suffers a bear attack, someone drugs the leading man, a giant candy cane almost crushes the stars, and the prop director is found dead, things aren't feeling so festive. Who could be behind the attacks and why? The Crystal Clear Detective Agency (the private investigation group made up of Luke, Kenny, Luke's mom, and Luke’s telepathically talking dog Bandit) are hired by the leading man to find whoever is out to get him. And of course police officer Brooke is also on the case, but is willing to work with the CCDA now that they are a bit more official.

This is a fun and funny cozy mystery read with lots of Christmas elements and movie behind the scenes set in a small mountain village. 

Target Readers:

Cozy Mystery Fans, Humor Fans, Dog Lovers, Movie Behind the Scenes Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)

 

A Surprise for Christmas and other seasonal mysteries compiled/edited by Martin Edwards 

A collection of short mystery stories from the Golden Age of mysteries set around Christmas time.

Short story collections can be a mixed bag, but I enjoy almost all of the Christmas mysteries in this book.

Target Readers:

Cozy Mystery Fans, Christmas Short Story Fans, Classic Mystery Fans, Historical Fiction Fans, Adult Readers

 

A Very Mercy Christmas (Mercy Watson Picture Books) by Kate DiCamillo, ill. by Chris Van Dusen

Stella wants to go caroling but no one in the neighborhood seems to want to join her except Mercy, Maybelline, and General Washington. Will they spread joy, like Stella hopes?

A delightful, sweet Christmas read with the Deckawoo Drive community.

Target Readers:

Mercy Watson Fans, Community Christmas Story Fans, Christmas Caroling Fans, Animal Lovers, Humor Fans, Feel Good Christmas Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

Brainstorm 304: Thanksgiving Reads

We just have 2 more Brainstorms this year before we dive into my Top 10s of 2023 in December. It has been several years since I shared some Thanksgiving/Christmas Reads, so I thought it was about time again. This week will be the Thanksgiving reads, and next week the Christmas ones. As always, click on the title to see my full review including any content notes/trigger warnings.

Balloons over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

A picture book biography of a lesser-known artist and inventor, Tony Sarg, as well as being a history of the start of the iconic Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Target Readers:

Picture Book Biography Fans, Macy’s Parade Watchers, Artist Biography Fans, Inventor Biography Fans, STEAM Book Fans, History Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Award Winner Readers, Picture Book Readers

 

Give Thanks to the Lord: Celebrating Psalm 92 by Karma Wilson, ill. by Amy June Bates

A little boy shares all the joys of Thanksgiving day.

This is a soft and cozily illustrated celebration of Thanksgiving day, focusing on how it is good to give thanks to the Lord.

Target Readers:

Thanksgiving Traditions Story Fans, Christian Fiction Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Picture Book Readers

Thank You, Sarah: the Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson, ill. by Matt Faulkner

A picture book biography of Sarah Hale, and how she worked for decades to make Thanksgiving a national holiday in the United States. The back of the book includes extensive further information on Thanksgiving celebrations in America, Sarah Hale, and her time period.

A fascinating read packed with little-known facts that celebrates the power of the pen as much as, if not even more than, Thanksgiving.

Target Readers:

Picture Book Biography Fans, History Fans, Random Fact Sponges, Persistence Story Fans, Power of the Written Word Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Thanks for Nothing! (Mother Bruce) by Ryan T. Higgins

Bruce is trying to cook up a holiday feast, but the mice and a moose are making things...difficult.

A hilarious Thanksgiving story.

Target Readers:

Mother Bruce Fans, Humor Fans, Animal Fiction Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City (Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City, #1) by Jodi Kendall

At Thanksgiving break Josie's big brother comes home from college with a baby piglet he rescued from slaughter. Josie wants to keep little Hamlet, but her parents tell her she needs to find a new home from the pig by New Years. Their home isn't big enough for the big family plus the pets they already have and a pig. Josie instead enlists her friends help in thinking up how to convince her parents to let Hamlet stay, and then Hamlet's status gets put on the back burner for more pressing matters. Josie has a big gymnastics competition coming up but she feels like she's getting too tall to do the moves she's supposed to, and her renewal payment for lessons is coming due. She's brainstorming ways to help pay for it since she knows money is tight at home. Hamlet's status comes back to the forefront of her issues when he causes BIG trouble right before Christmas and Josie doesn't know how to find a happy resolution (or financially possible one).

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Animal Lovers, Gymnastics Fans, Holiday Story Fans, Family Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers 

 

We Give Thanks by Cynthia Rylant, ill. by Sergio Ruzzier

A rhyming picture book that reminds us to be thankful for everyday things, people, and events we might take for granted.

This is a delightful non-country-specific or even holiday-specific story with beautiful reminders to be grateful.

Target Readers:

Gratitude Story Fans, Animal Fiction, Whimsical Story Fans, Stories in Rhyme Fans, Picture Book Readers

Brainstorm 303: Anxiety/Fear Reads

We’re headed into a week in which our Secondary has special sessions each day focused on emotional, physical, and spiritual health. So I thought it would be a good chance to share some books on anxiety helps or which feature characters dealing with anxiety who get help/learn important lessons that are passed on to readers. Click on the titles to read my full review of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings.

Bedtime Jitters (Beak & Ally, #2) by Norm Feuti

Beak is having trouble sleeping at night because of all the strange noises in the swamp. What sorts of scary monsters are out there in the dark? Meanwhile, Ally won't get any peace until Beak is sure there are no monsters. What can Ally do to help Beak?

This engaging graphic novel adventure with Beak and Ally provides a very real way to help readers address bedtime fears.

Target Readers:

Graphic Novel Fans, Animal Lovers, Humor Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Readers with Bedtime/Dark Fears, Lower Grade Readers

 

Before She Ignites (Fallen Isles, #1) by Jodi Meadows

Mira Minkoba is the Hopebearer, the living symbol of the Mira treaty for the people of the Fallen Isles. But when Mira uncovers a secret someone obviously doesn't want made public, she finds herself thrown into the Fallen Isles most notorious prison. Through occasional flashbacks and Mira's account of life in prison, readers slowly uncover just what is going on in the Fallen Isles.

This is a tantalizingly spun fantasy/mystery/political thriller set in a Polynesian-inspired world featuring a character who is discovering she is more than just a pretty face. Mira also provides a tactful, respectful, and authentic representation of anxiety issues that result in obsessive habits (she likes counting). Over the course of the series her anxiety is dealt with more and more.

Target Readers:

Fantasy Fans, Prison Break Story Fans, Polynesian-Influenced Setting/Culture Fans, Dragon Fans, Adventure Fans, Political Thriller Fans, Mythological Fiction Fans, Anxiety/OCD Authentic Representation Fans, Young Adult Readers  

 

Bird & Squirrel All Tangled Up (Bird & Squirrel, #5) by James Burks

Squirrel has developed into a bit of an anxious parent. He keeps having nightmares of bad things happening to Birdie that he can't save her from. When Bird convinces Squirrel to take Birdie bigfoot hunting, nothing could possibly go wrong...right?

The development of Squirrel into a worrywart parent feels very natural based on his past character. (If you haven’t read any of the rest of this series, do! They are a lot of fun!) I really like the lessons Squirrel learns in this book. It's a great read for kids (or parents) with mild anxiety.

Target Readers:

Graphic Novel Fans, Humor Fans, Adventure Fans, Readers with Mild Worry Tendencies, Middle Grade Readers

 

The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling

It's Nora's birthday. Her dad has picked a slot canyon for them repel into and explore. Nora is super excited to be doing something somewhat normal with her father. She and her mom and dad used to go hiking and rock climbing all the time. But ever since the disaster on her last birthday, a disaster that ended her mom's life, they haven't done much and her father has become more and more reclusive. He believes the only safe place is somewhere without any other people. Somewhere like a slot canyon in the middle of the desert. But danger lurks even in the absence of other people, and a flash flood comes and Nora and her dad are separated. The disaster makes all her anxiety and PTSD come to the surface. Can Nora conquer the Beast that stalks her in order to survive and be reunited with her dad?

The intro and concluding chapters of this book are written in normal novel style while all the middle chapters when Nora is on her own are written in free verse poetry. While Nora's situation is dire, she still can see the beauty around her, and it’s an ultimately hopeful book.

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Novels in Verse Fans, Survival Story Fans, Readers Trying to Understand Anxiety/PTSD, Upper Middle Grade/YA Readers

 

Even Superheroes Get Scared by Shelly Becker, ill. by Eda Kaban

Can a bunch of superheroes overcome their fears and encourage readers how to be brave even when they feel afraid?

An excellently done rhyming picture book about tackling fears.

Target Readers:

Superhero Story Fans, Humor Fans, Readers with Fears, Picture Book Readers

 

Flashlight Night: an Adventure in Trusting God by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, ill. by Julia Seal

A boy and a girl talk about how they write their worries on a prayer wall to help turn those things over to God. After a few days Mom takes them back to the wall with a flashlight they turn on prayers that were answered and off over ones that aren't yet answered. The book ends with the kids thanking God for looking out for them.

I like how this gives little worriers an action to help them hand their anxieties over to God in a physical way.

Target Readers:

Contemporary Fiction Fans, Christian Fiction Fans, Little Worriers, Prayer Story Fans, Picture Book Readers

 

Get out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen

The battle for our thoughts is constant and often overwhelming. Inspired by her experience of 18 months of dark, negative, harmful thought patterns, Jennie introduces questions and thoughts to interrupt the negativity and toxicity spirals that worm their way into our minds. By following the steps she outlines (and has worked through herself, and still works through) readers can move their thought patterns from anxious to trusting, from negativity to hopefulness, from anger to peace, from darkness to light, from us-centered to God-centered.

This book is practical, backed up by science (she includes a lot of research about the brain), Biblically based, written from a spirit of humility and ongoing learning, and inspirational.

Target Readers:

Christian Nonfiction Fans, Readers Who Struggle with Anxious/Negative/Toxic Thoughts, Adult Readers (though totally approachable for YA)

 

Lars the Awkward Yeti, Vol. 1 by Nick Seluk

A collection of comics featuring Lars, a blue yeti and his self-care, social, and mental health challenges.

Lars is a relatable character and puts a comic twist on everyday events and thoughts.

Target Readers:

Comic Fans, Relatable Humor Fans, YA & Adult Readers 

 

Living with Viola by Rosena Fung

Livy's family has just moved to Canada from Hong Kong. She finally finds some friends at school, but this voice in her head, Viola, makes her worried they won't like her if they know the real her. Viola also has lots to say about her artwork, how she is doing as a daughter, her schoolwork, and lots of other things. Is Viola right? Or is there a way to help Livy feel better about herself and her life?

Viola is a personification of Livy's anxiety and panic disorder, something the author/illustrator has experienced herself. Eventually Livy's mother and teachers get her to therapy (and her dad gets on board too), and Livy learns some real helps for how to cope with and decrease her anxiety. The book is ultimately hopeful for those who share Livy's issues, and it will be empathy-building for those who know someone with anxiety or panic disorders.

Target Readers:

Graphic Novel Fans, International Moves Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Asian Character Fans, TCK Story Fans, Readers with or Who Know Someone with Anxiety/Panic Issues, Upper Middle Grade /YA Readers

 

Perfectly Suited: the Armor of God for the Anxious Mind by J.D. Peabody

J.D. Peabody shares new things he learned about the Armor of God when he reached a low point in his mental health and was looking at this passage in Ephesians for not only spiritual battles but also emotional/mental battles.

Peabody doesn’t promise any quick fixes, but shares truths readers can cling to. It’s a fresh look at Ephesians 6 with important reminders whether you suffer from anxiety or not. And one man’s story of how the Armor of God (plus counseling/psychiatric help) was instrumental in getting him to a healthier mental/spiritual place.

Target Readers:

Armor of God Studiers, Christian Nonfiction Fans, Anxious Readers, Adult Readers

 

The Whatifs by Emily Kilgore, ill. by Zoe Persico

Cora is constantly thinking about What Ifs. As her piano recital draws near and she becomes more stressed, the What Ifs flock to her in droves. Can she get a handle on these critters or will they take her over?

The steps to help combat the anxiety laid out in this story are practical and easy to implement. I can see this even being helpful for teens or adults with mild to serious anxiety.

Target Readers:

Fantasy Fans, Anxious Readers, Picture Book Readers

Brainstorm 302: Reimagined/Alternative Histories

For today’s Brainstorm I have some reimagined/alternative histories for you. These are stories that take a historical time period and either change what happened in the historical record, or add something in that wasn’t there (like magic, dinosaurs, anachronistic technology, or talking animals). This topic today was largely inspired by me wanting to include Nadine Brandes’ Fawkes with the 5th of November coming up this weekend. Click on the titles to see my full reviews of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings.

Dactyl Hill Squad (Dactyl Hill Squad, #1) by Daniel José Older

The Civil War is raging in the South. Dinosaurs are used as conveyance and messengers. When riots break out in New York City Magdalys and a few of the other orphans from the Colored Orphans Asylum are attending a play. The two actors who were performing get the orphans to a safe spot in Brooklyn after they discover that the home for orphans has been burned and the other orphans scattered. Magdalys and her friends may be safe, but the other orphans out on the streets are in grave danger as there are people who'd try to kidnap them and sell them into slavery. They must find a way to rescue the other orphans with the help of the Vigilance Committee and the kind people they've met in Brooklyn. As they do so, Magdalys explores an ability she discovered she possessed in the midst of their escape from the riots. She can communicate with dinos and get them to obey her with just her thoughts! And whether or not it is safe for others to find out she can do so, is another thing for Magdalys to worry about. And while we're on the topic of Magdalys' worries, she's also found out that her brother was injured in the war.

Older obviously did a lot of research on the US Civil War and incorporates a lot of real history as well as real human rights issues/heroes into this trilogy, just with dinos added.

Target Readers:

Historical Fiction Fans, US Civil War Studiers, Dinosaur Fans, Adventure Fans, Human Rights Issues Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

 

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

Thomas Fawkes is hunting down his father who refused to show up and give him his mask for a special ceremony that would make him a bond to a certain color and be able to perform magic with that color. When he does find his father in London, it is completely by accident. And he quickly finds himself enmeshed in a plot to kill the Igniter King James, end the execution of Keepers, end the plague that is turning people (including Thomas) to stone, and bring a Keeper to the throne so that White Light will be respected but only specific colors used. (Igniters harness the power of White Light which Keepers think is wrong.) As Thomas finds employment in the city as a caddy for Emma, the ward of Baron Monteagle, he hears her side of the plague and White Light debate as an Igniter. And though he won't admit it to anyone, White Light has been talking to Thomas. Thomas has to figure out who is on the right side, the Keepers or the Igniters?

Though this is fantasy, Brandes weaves in quite a bit of historical fact and real historical figures in the plot of November 5. She did replace the Catholic/Protestant conflict with an magical allegorical element, but it works quite well for this reimagined history.

Target Readers:

Guy Fawkes Day Tie-in Fans, Reimagined History Fans, Fantasy Fans, Christian Fiction Fans, Suspense Fans, Young Adult/Adult Readers

 

How to Tame a Triceratops (Dino Riders, #1) by Will Dare, ill. by Mariano Epelbaum

Josh desperately wants to win the Founders Day Race, but the only racing dino he has is the family’s herder for their iguanadons, Plodder. And Plodder is anything but fast in his old age. When his parents send him to town to get a new herder, Josh decides to get a dino worthy of racing in the Founders Day Race, a triceratops. But Josh was tricked. Charger is the most untrainable triceratops in the West. Will he ever get to become a famous dino racer?

An action-packed reimagining of the Old West with dinosaurs.

Target Readers:

Dinosaur Fans, Western Story Fans, Adventure Fans, Humorous Fiction Fans, Historical Fiction Fans, Science Fiction Fans, Lower Grade Readers

 

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise

Owl doesn't seem like the best candidate for knighthood, but he's dreamt of it all his life and he's wiling to work hard. When danger arrives on Knight Owl's night watch, can he protect the kingdom from a big, dangerous foe?

What if in the time of castles and knights, animals could be knights, dragons were real, and pizza was developed just a few years earlier? Owl is a cute little underdog hero, who finds a nonviolent, kind solution to the dangers facing the kingdom. And the illustrations are stunning!

Target Readers:

Owl Lovers, Fantasy Fans, Knights & Castles Story Fans, Perseverance Story Fans, Peacemaker Story Fans, Art Lovers, Kindness Story Fans, Pizza Lovers, Award Winner Readers, Picture Book Readers

 

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen

Under Queen Charlotte's reign, in England in the 1830s certain occupations have been opened up for women. One of them is becoming a Culinarian, a chef at the pinnacle of the food scene. Helena Higgins and Penelope Pickering are in their final years at Culinarian school. Penelope is doing her final project on food from the Americas since she just returned from traveling there with her parents. Helena is yet to land on a project that is challenging enough for her tastes. But then the two young women taste street peddler Elijah Little's empanadas and are intrigued by the flavors. Helena proclaims she could train him up to be fine enough to own his own shop some day, and doesn't think much more of it. But when he shows up at her house the next day for this training, she realizes this could be the most stunning final year project. And getting him skilled enough for his own shop is too little for Helena, she wants to pass him off as a Culinarian himself before royalty. Penelope is a little worried. She considers Helena a dear friend, especially since her half-British/half-Filipina heritage doesn't seem to phase her, but she knows Helena takes some getting used to and doesn't have the best people skills. Will Elijah survive her tutelage? As for Elijah, he knows this is his best chance for a step up in life but he's worried what would happen if Helena or Penelope learn that he's Jewish.

Princess Charlotte was a real person in line for the British throne, but she didn't live long enough to become queen. So this imagines what might have happened if she did live to be Queen instead of Victoria. And in case you didn't figure it out, this is a My Fair Lady musical rewrite focused on cooking skills more than diction (though Elijah also gets some lessons in passing as a gentleman) that also tactfully tackles topics of racial/ethnic/social class prejudice.

Target Readers:

My Fair Lady Fans, Reimagined History Fans, Cooking/Baking Story Fans, Tactful Social Issues Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Light Romance Fans, Young Adult Readers

 

Night Lunch by Eric Fan, ill. by Dena Seiferling

Visit a food cart that caters to the creatures awake all evening and need their lunch in the middle of the night. One creature is a bit scared of the chef, but are its fears warranted?

There’s a touching ending and whimsical, gorgeous illustrations in this book that imagines what if early 1900s nocturnal animals had their own food trucks carts.

Target Readers:

Animal Lovers, Kindness Story Fans, Food Lovers, Art Lovers, Picture Book Readers

 

Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1) by Ryan Graudin

What if the Japanese joined the Nazis in attacking Russia instead of attacking Pearl Harbor? And what if the USA's isolationists won the day and they never entered WWII? Then you end up with Europe and Asia divided between the winning Axis powers, and Hitler still in charge in the 1950s. Each year there is a motorcycle race for teens from Germany to Japan to celebrate the Third Reich's and Imperial Japan's victory. Yael was once a Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz and experimental subject of the Angel of Death. The experiments were horrific but spared her life, and gave her abilities that allowed her to escape Auschwitz as a child. Now a teen operative, she is the underground Resistance's best hope of assassinating Hitler. The paranoid ruler never goes in public any more, but last year he danced with Adele Wolfe, the first female winner of the motorcycle race (she entered as her twin brother and only revealed her true identity upon winning). Yael is going to take Adele's spot in this year's race. But she has to pull off pretending to be Adele throughout the race and also beat the 13 other competitors to have a chance at ending Hitler's evil reign. The race is brutal and anything goes when the cameras aren't filming the competitors.

A compellingly written dystopia that combines real WWII history in flashbacks with reimagined bits, and and an alternate 1950s history.

Target Readers:

Dystopia Fans, Suspense Fans, International Adventure Fans, WWII Story Fans, Reimagined History Fans, Competition Story Fans, Science Fiction Fans, Young Adult/Adult Readers