[BHE 192] Launch of January-February 2016 Reading Theme: Fairytales, Romances, and Happily CYBILS-Afters

Myra here.

Every Sunday, we share the books that found us – either from libraries, discounted book shops, or indie booksellers. This week is extra special as we are just launching our new reading theme for the coming two months: Fairy Tales, Romances, and Happily-CYBILS-Afters.

This widget is extra-special as this was especially hand-crafted by Iphigene for GatheringBooks.

Creative process is as found below:

Tree and woman drawn and watercolored. Butterflies are origami. Fairy wings were paper cut and lined with translucent paper. Words hand written. Assembled and photographed.

This is also a happily-never-after, sadly, as this faery-woman is doomed to wait here under this tree for her lover who will never come.

Essentially, we are looking for the following books:

1. Fairy tales and/or their fractured retellings
2. Nominated CYBILS books for 2015 across all the genres
3. CYBILS finalists from 2014 and older
4. Romantic novels, love stories, happy-ever-afters
5. or happy-never-afters while we’re at it.

CYBILS Books (Fiction Picture Books): Library Finds

Since I am a Round 2 Judge for this category, I thought I might as well go through as much of the nominated titles as I possibly could, not just the finalists.

Weeds Find A Way by Cindy Jenson-Elliott and pictures by Carolyn Fisher, Red by Jan De Kinder, Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith

Juna’s Jar by Jane Bahk and illustrated by Felicia Hoshino, Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina and illustrated by Angela Dominguez.

Yard Sale by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Lauren Castillo, Lenny & Lucy by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Home by Carson Ellis, Greenling by Levi Pinfold (this one isn’t nominated but it should have been).

Miss Hazeltine’s Home for Shy and Fearful Cats by Alicia Potter and illustrated by Birgitta Sif, Here Comes the Tooth Fairy Cat by Deborah Underwood and pictures by Claudia Rueda

The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski, Inside This Book (Are Three Books) by Barney Saltzberg, The Good Little Book by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Marion Arbona, How To Read A Story by Kate Messner and illustrated by Mark Siegel.

I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, Float by Daniel Miyares, I Am Yoga by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, Pardon Me by Daniel Miyares (because I want to read more of his works).

This Is Sadie by Sara O’Leary and illustrated by Julie Morstad, Albie’s First Word: A Tale Inspired by Albert Einstein’s Childhood by Jacqueline Tourville, A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Have You Seen My Monster? by Steve Light, Marilyn’s Monster by Michelle Knudsen and illustrated by Matt Phelan

Wolfie The Bunny by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Zachariah OHora, I Am Henry Finch by Alexis Deacon and illustrated by Viviane Schwarz, The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach

Orion And The Dark by Emma Yartlett, Counting Crows by Kathi Appelt and illustrated by Rob Dunlavey, Toys Meet Snow: Being the Wintertime Adventures of a Curious Stuffed Buffalo, a Sensitive Plush Stingray, and a Book-loving Rubber Ball by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Fairy Tales and their Fractured Retellings

Some Very Grimm Fairy-Tale Comics: Definitely Not For Little Ones by Rotraut Susanne Berner and translated by Shelley Tanaka

The Land Of Neverbelieve by Norman Messenger, The Juniper Tree And Other Tales From Grimm Translated by Lore Segal and Randall Jarrell and pictures by Maurice Sendak

A Tale Dark and Grimm, In A Glass Grimmly, The Grimm Conclusion all by Adam Gidwitz

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin, Jack: The True Story of Jack & The Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff

Little Red Cap by Kveta Pcovska, Love Poems by Carol Ann Duffy

Nonfiction Picture Book – CYBILS Nominees 2015

I, Fly: The Buzz About Flies and How Awesome They Are by Bridget Heos and illustrated by Jennifer Plecas, The Case Of The Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery by Sandra Markle

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond, Feathers Not Just For Flying by Melissa Steward and illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen

Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became The Beatles by Susanna Reich and illustrated by Adam Gustavson

Book Gift!

I was also very excited to receive these lovely book-gifts from a writer-friend from the Philippines, Cyan Abad-Jugo whom we have featured here at GatheringBooks a few years back. These are the new books written by her father, one of our highly-respected, eminent poets in the Philippines, Gemino Abad, who was our Featured Poet for Poet’s Sanctum a few years ago.

Past Mountain Dreaming: New Essays by Gemino H. Abad, A Wanderer in The Night Of The World: The Poems of NVM Gonzalez edited by Gemino H. Abad.

The real is the poem. My heart is full.

Do you have any recommended titles for us given our reading theme? As you can see, we are sorely lacking in love stories or romantic tales (both YA and adult). We would welcome your suggestions.