Sponsored by The Experiment / Workman Publishing
When Trystan Reese was just a year into his relationship with Biff, the couple learned that Biff’s niece and nephew were about to be removed from their home by Child Protective Services. Immediately, Trystan and Biff took in one-year-old Hailey and three-year-old Lucas, becoming caregivers overnight. Next came marriage and building a happy home while learning to parent on the job. Their family grew when Trystan, who is transgender, became pregnant. Their family welcomed baby Leo in 2017. Through crisis, adoption, and pregnancy, Trystan shows that more important than getting things right is doing them with love.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf. Someone I was talking to recently said something along the lines of “The days are too long, and the weeks are too short,” and boy, ain’t that the truth? I feel like I spend half my time wondering how the heck it’s not Friday yet, and then panicking that there’s only a couple days left to get stuff done. But as we all know, time is a flat circle, and pandemic time is just completely messed up.
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
(TW: violence towards library staff) Six people were injured and one woman was killed at the Lynn Valley public library in North Vancouver after a man started stabbing people. This is just horrifying on so many levels.
A Pennsylvania representative introduces the GRINCH Bill to “safeguard” kids books from the “woke horde.” (I hope the sarcasm is coming through in my quotation marks.)
As Louisville’s public libraries welcome patrons back inside, staff worry about safety.
A man was arrested for assault after refusing to wear a mask in a Salt Lake City library.
Recent funding cuts to accessible books for Canadians with print disabilities will be devastating.
Cool Library Updates
How libraries are expanding internet access.
The Association for Library Service to Children launched their Book & Media Awards Shelf, listing almost 2,000 titles that have won ALSC awards over the last century.
The Free Black Women’s Library in Brooklyn, New York has found a permanent home.
Worth Reading
Building staff morale during a pandemic.
Libraries are key tools for people getting out of prison, even during a pandemic.
Book Adaptations in the News
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is being adapted as a TV series for Hulu.
David Duchovny is planning a series adaptation of his latest book, Truly Like Lightning, with himself in the leading role.
Liane Moriarty’s forthcoming Apples Never Fall has already sold adaptation rights.
American Gods has been canceled after three seasons, but it could return as a TV movie.
George R.R. Martin is extremely busy not writing the latest book in the Game of Thrones series: he’s working on a stage version of Game of Thrones for Broadway, and he signed an enormous deal with HBO to develop more Game of Thrones-adjacent content.
Casting updates for The Good Nurse, The Terminal List, and The Lincoln Lawyer.
The trailer for Shadow and Bone just dropped, and readers have some questions.
Books & Authors in the News
Beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary has died at the incredible age of 104.
Larry McMurtry, author of Lonesome Dove, has died at 84.
This is a devastating article about author Sara Gruen’s fight to free an incarcerated man, which left her broke and critically ill.
Award News
The winners of the National Book Critics Circle Award have been announced.
Shortlists for the Agatha Awards, the Dublin Literary Award, and the Dylan Thomas Prize.
Carmen Maria Machado wins the Rathbones Folio Prize for In the Dream House.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o is the first writer to be nominated for the International Booker Prize as both author and translator of the same book. He’s also the first nominee writing in an indigenous African language. Here’s a look at the rest of the longlist.
Pop Cultured
Jessica Walter, iconic actress and star of Arrested Development and Archer, has died at 80. (Yes I know I posted about this in the last newsletter, but I’m still sad about it!)
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
BookClub, a virtual book club platform driven by author-led book discussions, is planning on a spring launch.
All the questions about Book TikTok you wanted to know, but felt too old to ask.
On the Riot
8 books about mobile libraries.
How I learned to be less productive and feel okay about it.
Our pettiest bookish nitpicks.
Have a good weekend, everyone. I’ll see you on Tuesday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas.
