Seeking your next good read? Emma Snyder, owner of The Ivy Bookshop at 5928 Falls Road in Baltimore, offers recommendations for must-read titles for adults and children.
Fiction
“Lessons in Chemistry” (Hardcover)
By Bonnie Garmus
Berkekely, 400 pages, $29
This story of a fiercely independent female scientist who becomes a cooking show host is funny, incisive and full of energy.
“A Map for the Missing” (Hardcover)
By Belinda Huijuan Tang
Penguin Press, 400 pages, $27
A father goes missing in small town China, and his son, now living in America, returns home for the first time in 15 years. So starts this exceptional debut, which is sweeping in its scope, as it moves back-and-forth between the Cultural Revolution and the early 90s, delving into family, forgiveness, and thwarted dreams.
Nonfiction
“After The Ivory Tower Falls” (Hardcover)
By Will Bunch
William Morrow Books, 320 pages, $28.99
A clear-eyed story of how college functions in 21st century America, as told by Pulitzer Prize-winner, Will Bunch. The book examines the politicization and commercialism of college in the post-war years and how these changes have contributed to the cultural and economic divides that define the present moment.
“Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father, and Me” (Hardcover)
By Ada Calhoun
Grove Press, 272 pages, $27
Ada Calhoun’s acclaimed memoir delves into the obsessive interest her father, the celebrated art critic Peter Schjeldahl, had with the poet Frank O’Hara. As she sets out to complete her father’s unfinished biography of O’Hara, her efforts morph into a deeply personal meditation.
Children
“The Ogress and the Orphans” (Hardcover)
By Kelly Barnhill
Algonquin Young Readers, 400 Pages, $19.95
A charming middle reader fantasy novel that includes, as advertised, orphans and a lovely ogre, as well as important and moving lessons about the power of love and kindness, and what happens to a small town when they vanish. Middle Grade (Ages 9-12)
“Colors in Art” (Board Book)
By Sabrina Hahn
Sky Pony Press, 70 pages, $24.99
An ingenious and beautiful children’s art board book, which uses color as an introduction to classic works of art across the centuries. A genuine delight for adults and children alike! (3-6 years old)
David Bergman's latest volume of poetry deals with the aging process and triumphing against adversity in life.
A Chestertown resident who grew up in Anne Arundel County, Kyle Marisa Roth was a popular producer of celebrity gossip on TikTok and other platforms.
Among this year's offerings will be "Seven Blessings," a 2023 Israeli comedy-drama and winner of 10 Ophir Awards.
In her new memoir, cookbook author Joan Nathan looks back on a life of using food to "break down barriers and bring people together."