I’m back! I missed our weekly literate love letter last week because I was recovering from COVID. Progress has been slow, but I’m happy to be back in a place where I can write this email to all of you. So, here’s what I’ve been reading and writing over the past few weeks.

What I'm Reading:

You might think that I’d have spent all my time recovering from COVID reading, reading, reading, but my headaches kept me away from books for a while. But, the two books I have to share with you were TOP NOTCH! And while they are considered middle grade novels, I think every adult needs to read both of these.

To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan & Meg Wolitzer was an amazing middle grade epistolary novel with a contemporary twist: rather than exchanging letters, the main characters exchange emails instead. The adventure begins when Bett and Avery discover their fathers have been secretly dating and plan to send them to a summer camp together to bond. These characters are so relatable on so many levels, from their anxiety and impulisveness to their creativity and collections. While their original purpose was to avoid summer camp and halt the relationship, a true friendship develops over time, a friendship that turns into a different kind of family. While it might not have the kind of ending you might expect, it’e even better and shows how a family is what you decide it is. 

Next up? Starfish by Lisa Fipps. Ah, this book. Honestly, this book is one of the most compelling, emotional, heart-piercing books I have ever read. Lyrically told in verse, Fipps tells Ellie’s story of heartbreaking bullying for her size, her internal struggle to find her own self-worth and her quest to claim her deserved space in her family and in the world. This book will make you think, make you cry, make you cheer and make you rethink everything you’ve ever known about how the world works. I still need Kleenex and will be sifting through my collection of beautiful quotes from this book from days to come. 

What I'm Writing:

I was OBSESSED with The Babysitters Club when I was younger. I read every book, displayed my collection proudly and devoured every other text Ann M. Martin wrote, too. So when I saw this book: I knew I had to have it: We Are the Babysitters Club: Essays and Artwork from Grown Up Readers. In it, writers and a few visual artists from the original BSC generation reflect on the enduring legacy of Ann M. Martin’s beloved series. While I may not have a published piece in this book, my notebook has an essay on the very topic now. Any of you devout BSC fans, too?

What I'm Learning:

This blog seemed quite fitting for me over the last few weeks: The Isolation Journals. =) And since I’ve spent the better part of the last few weeks in pajamas, I loved this piece on the power of getting dressed. As we went deeper and deeper into quarantine, my cute clothes and high heels were replaced with comfy jeans and hoodies and I am having a hard time returning to those lesser-used sections of my closet. But this piece reminded me the power of choosing our outfits carefully for many reasons, including the memories they can evoke on the page. Suleika Jaouad recommends trying this: Pull one piece of clothing from your closet. Interrogate that piece of clothing. Use it to access a memory of when you wore it or when you bought it or when you almost wore it and decided on something else. Feel the material, take in the scent, remember how it felt to be seen in that piece of clothing. Write your way back into the scene.

Which pieces of clothing stand out for you? Head to your notebook and capture them!

What I'm Loving:

I haven’t been able to focus as much when I’m looking at screens, so my browsing time was limited this week. But I did find a few gems to share with you:

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?