Heartseeker.  Melinda Beatty. First book of a fantasy trilogy. I know—me recommending a fantasy. Who’da thunk? But it’s a lovely book.

Rebound. It’s Kwame Alexander. What’s not to love?

The Night Diary. Veera Hirandani. Family forced to leave home after India is partitioned in 1947.

The Train of Lost Things. Ammi-Joan Paquette. Boy searches magical train full of lost possessions, lost memories, and lost relationships for the last gift his father ever gave him.

Ghost Boys. Jewell Parker Rhodes. Boy shot by police speaks from beyond the grave.

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl. Stacy McAnulty. Math savant tries to hide her abilities.

Bob. Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead. Girl finds small zombie in a chicken suit looking for home. Odd but sweet.

We Americans have been commemorating our war dead with flowers and speeches for more than 150 years. Each year we hope there will be no more soldiers to bury, but still we send our sons and daughters into battle.

Lately I read that 2018 has been deadlier for school children than for soldiers. It’s a hard truth to face.  More than twice as many people have been killed in school shootings than in all combat and non-combat deaths this year. Will we have to have a new holiday for remembering our murdered children?

When will we ever learn?

I like the early research that give the flavor of a time, a few interesting facts, and a place for me to stand.

It gets harder later when I search for specifics such as, “Was there mail delivery at Mission Beach, San Diego, 1941?” Never did find that answer. Do you know?

In 1965 and many years after, I attended Renaissance Faires and was enchanted by the color, the music, the people, the language and food and life.  I transported the fair in my mind to the middle ages and held the memory tightly for 25 years until it blossomed in Catherine Called Birdy.

Obituary Note: Katherine Kellgren

“Katherine Kellgren, who narrated more than 200 audio books and was winner of multiple Audie Awards, died on January 10 after a long battle with cancer. Robin Whitten, founder of Audiofile Magazine, called Kellgren ‘a brilliant narrator… Her wonderful performances are known and loved by listeners. Her work was celebrated with every audio book award—Golden Voice, Earphones, Audie Awards, Odyssey, Voice of Choice, and more. Her kindness and indomitable spirit were loved and cherished by her colleagues and friends. We will miss her greatly. However, Katy leaves us with the enduring treasure of her audio books.’ In lieu of flowers, please donate to Hispanic Federation to help the people of Puerto Rico.”

Katie Kellgren narrated my books Grayling’s Song, Will Sparrow’s Road, and Alchemy and Meggy Swann, for which she won numerous awards. We had many phone calls as we worked together on the books, and Katie was always delightful, warm, funny, and brilliant at inventing voices and accents that made me laugh out loud right there on the telephone. The book world will be a sadder place without her.