May 2025
It is almost Summer Reading season in this librarian² household! Many libraries in the US have Summer Reading for adults, so check it out & sign up if you can!
Chirra & Chirri
I recently discovered an extremely delightful series of Japanese picture books called Chirra and Chirri. They’re fairly formulaic: two sisters go on an adventure through landscapes that are both familiar and fantastic. Sometimes they’re riding bicycles through grass that becomes taller than they are, sometimes they’re under the ocean. They always meet some kind beings and have fun before heading home.
For me, the charm comes from the combination of the casual acceptance of the fantasy elements, and the cozy delights as the girls explore. The illustrations just reinforce the echoes of vintage picture books while providing colorful details to discover. Basically, they’re exactly the kind of thing I adored as a kid and I thoroughly enjoyed reading through all of them now.
Nature Books
One of my goals for the year has been reading at least one book of nature writing every month. It was one I made kind of on a whim last year, because I wanted to read some more non-fiction that’s not history-related. And it’s been a very fulfilling project so far! Here are three of my favorites to date.
The Wildlife Year by Sally Coulthard
With lovely illustrations and a simple, seasonal format, The Wildlife Year is an inspiring little book. It provides tips to identify wildlife around your local area as well as suggestions for engaging with nature. Note for my US friends: many of the species are UK-specific.
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer
I’ve loved Braiding Sweetgrass ever since I first read it several years ago. The Serviceberry, while shorter, has a similar wealth of knowledge and insight. And of course, I especially loved the section about public libraries and the gift economy! In the present moment, it was incredibly enriching to read a book that doesn't just imagine a better future, but points out the ways that another world is possible right here and now.
An Urban Guide to the Plants, Trees, and Herbs in Your Path by Maggie Herskovits
I loved this short guide to many of the plants you might encounter in the city. Herskovits provides the history, common uses, and identifying features of each plant, along with a short reflection about what it can teach us. It’s a wonderful antidote to the xenophobia that’s latent in a lot of native plant groups, and a helpful guide to the natural world hidden within cities.
Also read:
Make Your Home a Nature Preserve by Donna Mullen
Chasing Fog by Laura Pashby
2025 Books I Want to Read
Middle grade
Dreamslinger by Gracie Kim: Fourteen-year-old Aria Loveridge lives at the Resthaven Home for Dreamslingers, a safe haven for children born with a genetic mutation that transports them to a powerfully magical realm while they sleep. But this magic can be unpredictable—even deadly. (April)
Return to Sender by Vera Brosgol: Magic, mystery, and a marvelous mailbox take two kids on a surprising adventure and, even, to a new dimension in this illustrated middle grade from bestselling comics creator Vera Brosgol. (May)
Where There be Monsters by Alby C. Williams: Eleven-year-old Glory Brown is desperate for adventure far from her family’s quaint, quiet life at The Light Inn. Generations of Browns have been stewards of this humble hotel, which acts as a sanctuary in the stretch of monster-filled land called the Seam. But Glory wants nothing more than to learn how to use her Moxie, a special magic only kids have, and to train to become a Spherinaut like her mother, exploring and documenting the perilous depths of the Outersphere. (May)
The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon by Grace Lin: Jin is a Stone Lion--one of the guardians of the Old City Gate who is charged to watch over humans and protect the Sacred Sphere. But to Jin, those boring duties feel like a waste of time. What isn't a waste of time? Perfecting his zuqiu kick, scoring a Golden Goal, and becoming the most legendary player of all the spirit world. (May)
Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology by Angela Hsieh: Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and The Tea Dragon Society, this beautiful graphic novel follows a girl who learns more about friendship and family as she journeys across the fantastical land of Lirrin to tend to its majestic animals. (May)
Young Adult
Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman: A few things to know about the town of St. Muckle's: It's too out-of-the-way to interest greedy lords, and too damp and muddy for marauding dragons to burn. And anyone, from a humble serf to a runaway nun, may earn their freedom by living for a year and a day within the town walls. Seven years ago, Charl and his mother fled to St. Muckle's and made it their safe-haven, building a new life in this so-called Peasant's Paradise. But when Charl sees something impossible — a ghost — soon the embers of his past are threatening to engulf his world in flames. (June)
Adult
Don’t Sleep with the Dead by Nghi Vo: From award-winning author Nghi Vo comes Don't Sleep with the Dead, a standalone companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful, her acclaimed reimagining of The Great Gatsby. (April)
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh: Naomi Novik's Scholomance meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the World Fantasy Award. (May)
Garden updates
Planted: May was a big month for planting! I got all of the seeds I started earlier transplanted, plus lots of seeds. Almost everything is coming up now, just waiting on the last few warm weather stragglers.
Harvesting: the first peas, radishes, raspberries, & strawberries!
Flowering: flag iris, blue star willow, columbine, bleeding heart, sage, bolted radishes (lovely!)
We accomplished one of my biggest garden goals for the year and put a small wildlife pond in the backyard! It still needs a few finishing touches, but we've already seen a cardinal taking a bath.
Other stuff
I unexpectedly got really into watching the second season of the PWHL this winter. Since it's a relatively new league, they've been streaming all games on YouTube (in the US) which makes it easy to access. Unfortunately, the finals did not go the way I wanted at all, but hey! There's always next season. And with two new expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver, there's going to be a lot of trade drama this summer. I can't wait!
My pal Renay has launched a new project: Intergalactic Mixtape is a weekly newsletter rounding up the happenings from around the SFF world. Every issue has been a delight and I've found so many new links to explore!
Wishing you a month full of fresh berries & happy reading,
Maureen