Naomi Shihab Nye's There Is No Long Distance Now is a collection of forty short stories that explore the interconnectedness of humanity. In brief tales about various facets of life, she conveys that every person on the planet shares a commonality - whether it be language, religion, family, hardship, or hunger. In fact, everyone worries and changes over time.
Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams is a dark read. It follows the story of thirteen-year-old Lacey who is barely managing to keep her life together. The last time Lacey had a friend was in the fourth grade. Her father left when she was young and her mother, Angela, is sick and suicidal. Furthermore, Laceys mother has an obsession with tragedy and often looks at pictures of destruction and death. Angela sees visions of her own dead father and believes him to be alive. This ghost encourages Angela to harm herself.
The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton by Connie Nordhielm is a fascinating biography that details the famous author's difficult and somewhat scandalous life. A very early reader, Edith Jones was born into a prominent New York family. As a child, she enjoyed voyages overseas to her favorite country, France, and quickly became fluent in English, French, German, and Italian. The next year, she began writing a novel but was criticized by her discouraging mother. She never finished the novel and instead switched to writing poetry.
