Welcome to Litsy!

Dr. Hirsch once said, and I'm sure he learned it somewhere, "wisdom is seeing the edge of what you know and reaching for questions that take you toward what you don't know." While reading the Ogress we suffered 3 mass shootings. It was a lovely book to visit, but I frequently had to put it down. I can't read and grieve at the same time. I hope to visit Stone in the Glen again.

I normally don't read graphic novels, but I think this book demands some illustrations.

What does it mean to be a good neighbor? What is the impact of simple kindnesses? These are the two questions at the very core of this lovely book. If you love Barnhill's, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, I think you will also enjoy this one! Beautifully written, whimsical, and poignant! 📚🌺

Enjoying some morning reading before heading into work! 😺💕📚 #catsoflitsy #littenkitten #rumpel

Up next! 📖♥️ I must be on a Kelly Barnhill kick, since I just finished her new adult book and now I'm moving on to her newest middle grade book! 📚💕

“this broken world isn‘t going to fix itself” // a lovely tale about the importance of community and taking care of one another.

Slow pacing. Easy tell where plot is going. Yet written so beautifully. This town was happy, once, before the library burned down. One act of bad caused the town to get worse md worse. But. One act of kindness fought to bring it all back. I really felt these orphans desire to do goo, to help their town. Same with the Orgress just wanting neighbors. She made me cry, near the end. The crows are funny addition, they‘re good showing changing thinking

No act of kindness goes unpunished.

New class read aloud.

This is such a sweet children's fantasy. A beloved, kindly ogress is accused of a crime when a child goes missing in a small village, leading to a group of orphans to clear her name. From Newberry award winner Kelly Barnhill comes this Howl's Moving Castle-esque type of storytelling.

This was more internal and slower than I think I was expecting. It has Barnhill's excellent voice, but can read a little heavy-handed at times. Still, it is the strongest when paying attention to the emotional lives of the orphans, and I think it's going to offer validation for a lot of kids dealing with the world not being good all the time in different ways. https://youtu.be/rCn28MqEMNg

I never win these. I really hope I win this time. I'm looking forward to reading this new book. 😀

“Neighbors cared for one another once upon a time. Back when it was a lovely town.” I have barely started and Kelly Barnhill is always cutting deep.

Inspired to write into reality the neighborly love she found lacking in our current climate, Barnhill writes a warm, magical world of compassion and friendship into being. A little overly descriptive in places but sure to warm your cold, cold heart. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance reader copy. Release date: March 8.