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Air date: Jan. 21, 2024
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JESSICA:
Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I’m the assistant director of collection services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz.
Today's reading recommendations include a book of short stories and a fantasy adventure.
First, let’s travel to southern Africa, with Jude, library manager of the Snohomish Library. Go ahead, Jude.
JUDE:
“Call and Response” by Gothataone Moeng tells stories of living between. Her vivid language about life in Botswana in the time after colonial rule is crisp and engaging. At the heart of the stories are people who are all too aware of boundaries in their own lives. In this passage from the first chapter, Boikanyo cares for her aunt:
I went to my old room, the patient’s room, and cracked open the door. It was November, yet she lay on her mattress on the floor – asleep? -- under a sheet and a blanket. Above the blanket, her head poked out. What used to be a full head of hair was now just dust-brown and reddish fibers. She was on her side, facing the wall. Sometimes we lay face-to-face, I realized, with only the wall coming between us.
“Call and Response” draws the reader into a world with experiences of place that challenge perspective. Moeng describes living with autonomy in her ancestral home where foreign people ruled until recently. She focuses on the people and their relationship with one another and their environment. Expressions like “With which mouth are you eating, and with which are you speaking?” prompt reflection about living with integrity in a changing world.
This book merits re-reading. With each reading, you’ll encounter characters who invite you to a world new, fertile, and potent.
JESSICA:
Thanks, Jude! Such rich storytelling blended with cultural insight.
Next, let’s change gears to hear about a teen graphic novel from Michael, library associate at the Mariner Library. Take it away, Michael.
MICHAEL:
The art in “Wynd, Book 1” is vibrant, and the story is complex, but retains an easy reading flow as it weaves the story of Wynd, a normal boy. Or so we think… His story changes quickly as we learn that he may not be as normal as first indicated. By the mid-way point we learn that he has special abilities and can change the course of a kingdom fraught with deceit and terror.
Wynd struggles with the ideas of friendship, family, and how to mentally deal with hardship. His child-like demeanor changes into a leader throughout the journey of the book that readers can relate to and empathize with. The trials and tribulations in the panels have some parallels to what teens and students might face in everyday real life, and gently guides him through the hardships to a cliffhanger ending. I couldn’t wait to get to book two to find out what happens to Wynd and his friends.
The author James Tynion IV is an award-winning author and “Wynd” was nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids in 2022. The Eisner is the most prestigious award you can be nominated for as a graphic novel. I encourage you to fly to the library and pick up “Wynd.”
JESSICA:
Thanks, Michael! You don’t have to be a teen to enjoy this coming-of-age tale.
Our recommendations this week are: “Call and Response” by Gothataone Moeng and “Wynd, Book 1” by James Tynion IV.
Join us next time, when we’ll explore more great reading recommendations — interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library.
Until then, I’m Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries.
Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz on KSER.
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Join us each Sunday as Sno-Isle Libraries staff discuss the latest buzz-worthy titles on our weekly radio program, Book Buzz.
