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34 new books in our spring 2025 preview to add to your TBR pile

It’s already been a tough year. But spring means rebirth and renewal — and also an opportunity to enjoy a good read on a park bench, in your backyard, or just about anywhere else. No matter how you’re feeling, there’s bound to be a book to lift your spirits, make you think, or just give you a much-needed laugh.Whether you’re looking for funny essays by one of America’s most popular comedians, a thoughtful look at the career of a hip-hop legend, a biography of one of the nation’s foremost authors, or an appreciation of the birds that remind us what it means to be mindful and grounded, we’ve got you covered with 34 books coming in the next three months that will be well worth your time.SEE ALSO: Like books? Get our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and moreHere is a look at some of the books that will be published in Spring 2025. (Covers courtesy of the publishers)“Big Chief”Author: Jon HickeyWhat It’s About: Debut San Francisco author Hickey’s novel follows a young Anishinaabe lawyer who runs a casino with his friend, the tribal president. Their grip on power is threatened by an activist who has been making national waves. Hickey is already drawing comparisons to Tommy Orange and Louise Erdrich.Publication Date: April 8— “My Documents”Author: Kevin NguyenWhat It’s About: The latest from The Verge journalist and novelist Nguyen (“New Waves”) follows four Vietnamese American cousins whose lives are thrown into disarray after the U.S. government imprisons people of their heritage following a series of terrorist attacks. Two cousins are sent to prison camps, while two remain free.Publication Date: April 8— “Vanishing World”Author: Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley TakemoriWhat It’s About: From the Japanese author whose darkly funny “Convenience Store Woman” and disturbing “Earthlings” were both hits stateside, this one follows a woman who was conceived naturally by her parents — in a version of Japan in which artificial insemination is the norm, and sex is taboo.Publication Date: April 15—“One Death at a Time”Author: Abbi WaxmanWhat It’s About: In the latest novel from Waxman (“The Bookish Life of Nina Hill”), a former actress with a drinking problem, smart mouth and bad temper is falsely accused of murder, and teams up with her zoomer sobriety coach to clear her name.Publication Date: April 15—“Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools”Author: Mary Annette PemberWhat It’s About: Ojibwe reporter Pember’s debut book is a history of so-called “boarding schools” in the U.S. from the mid-19th century to the 1930s, in which Native children endured unspeakable brutality. One of the children sent to a school was Pember’s mother, whose trauma she writes about in the book.Publication Date: April 22—“Zeal”Author: Morgan JerkinsWhat It’s About: The latest from acclaimed author Jerkins (“This Will Be My Undoing”) is a sweeping epic about multiple generations of descendants of Harrison and Tirzah, two star-crossed lovers who led separate lives in the days after the Civil War.Publication Date: April 22—“The Golden Hour: A Story of Family and Power in Hollywood”Author: Matthew SpecktorWhat It’s About: L.A. author Specktor (“Always Crashing in the Same Car”) returns with a cross-genre book about the film industry, informed by his experiences growing up with his parents, CAA agent Fred Specktor and screenwriter Katherine McGaffey Howe.Publication Date: April 22SEE ALSO: Sign up to see Matthew Specktor and Meghan Daum appear on SCNG’s Bookish on April 18—“Better: A Memoir About Wanting to Die”Author: Arianna ReboliniWhat It’s About: In her new memoir, novelist Rebolini (“Public Relations,” written with Katie Heaney) tells the story of her long battle with suicidal depression, which at one point led her to write goodbye letters to her husband and son, and considers how we might help people who want to take their own lives.Publication Date: April 29—“The Sea Gives Up the Dead: Stories”Author: Molly OlguínWhat It’s About: From beloved Pasadena indie publisher Red Hen Press, a short story collection that blends fairy tales, fantasy, and horror. The book won the prestigious Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction.Publication Date: April 29—Here is a look at some of the books that will be published in Spring 2025. (Covers courtesy of the publishers)“Turning to Birds”Author: Lili TaylorWhat It’s About: Taylor, familiar to moviegoers for her roles in films including “Say Anything” and “I Shot Andy Warhol,” took a break from acting and found herself fascinated by the birds that surrounded her. This essay collection urges readers to practice mindfulness and pay attention to the world that surrounds us — including our friends in the sky,Publication Date: April 29— “Everyday Intuition: What Psychology, Science, and Psychics Can Teach Us About Finding and Trusting Our Inner Voice”Author: Elizabeth GreenwoodWhat It’s About: What exactly is intuition? That’s the question Greenwood tackles in her latest book, which takes a deep dive into the mysterious ability. Greenwood uses data to explain how intuition isn’t the same thing as anxiety or wishful thinking and examines the role it plays in our everyday lives.Publication Date: May 6—“My Name Is Emilia del Valle”Author: Isabel Allende, translated by Frances RiddleWhat It’s About: California-based Chilean American author has been a literary superstar ever since the publication of her 1982 debut novel “The House of Spirits.” Her latest follows the title character, a 19th-century journalist in San Francisco who covers the Chilean Civil War of 1891 and reconnects with her estranged father.Publication Date: May 6—“Words for My Comrades: A Political History of Tupac Shakur”Author: Dean Van NguyenWhat It’s About: It’s been nearly 30 years since rap legend Shakur was shot and killed in Nevada, leaving a lasting sense of loss in the hip-hop world. Music writer Nguyen explores Shakur’s cultural impact in this book about the political influences on his music.Publication Date: May 6—“The Director”Author: Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross BenjaminWhat It’s About: The latest from the acclaimed German author (“You Should Have Left”) is a historical novel about G.W. Pabst, the Austrian filmmaker who returned to his home country from Hollywood during World War II and was ordered by propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels to make movies for the Nazi regime.Publication Date: May 6—“Poetry Is Not a Luxury: Poems for All Seasons”Author: AnonymousWhat It’s About: The title of this poetry anthology comes from the late, legendary poet Audre Lorde — it’s also the name of the Instagram account with more than 840,000 followers that inspired the book. It contains poems from some of today’s best working poets, including Ross Gay, Rita Dove, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Victoria Chang.Publication Date: May 6—“Big Dumb Eyes: Stories From a Simpler Mind”Author: Nate BargatzeWhat It’s About: “Reading, I believe, is the key to smart,” joked stand-up comedian Bargatze in his first “Saturday Night Live” monologue. His debut book is a humorous (of course) essay collection in which he writes about his life as a “non-genius.”Publication Date: May 6—“Sympathy for Wild Girls: Stories”Author: Demree McGheeWhat It’s About: The debut book from San Diego author McGhee, published by the award-winning Feminist Press, collects short stories that explore the lives of queer Black women as they search for intimacy and places to belong.Publication Date: May 6—“The Dark Maestro”Author: Brendan SlocumbWhat It’s About: Musician and teacher Brendan Slocumb has made a career out of writing classical music-themed thrillers (“Symphony of Secrets,” “The Violin Conspiracy”). His latest novel follows a cello prodigy who has to enter witness protection with his family after his father turns state’s evidence against a group of criminals.Publication Date: May 13—“Bochica”Author: Carolina Flórez-CerchiaroWhat It’s About: The debut book from Colombian author Flórez-Cerchiaro is a Gothic horror novel that follows Antonia, a woman who returns to the possibly haunted mansion where she and her cursed family used to live after it is converted into a luxury hotel.Publication Date: May 13—Here is a look at some of the books that will be published in Spring 2025. (Covers courtesy of the publishers)“The Emperor of Gladness”Author: Ocean VuongWhat It’s About: Poet Vuong stunned readers with his bestselling 2019 debut novel, “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous.” His latest work of fiction follows Hai, a 19-year-old who plans to take his own life, but meets an elderly widow with dementia who talks him out of it; he becomes her caretaker and friend.Publication Date: May 13—“Mark Twain”Author: Ron ChernowWhat It’s About: Acclaimed biographer Chernow, whose book “Alexander Hamilton” was the inspiration for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster musical, returns with an account of the life of one of America’s most important authors.Publication Date: May 13—“It All Felt Impossible: 42 Years in 42 Essays”Author: Tom McAllisterWhat It’s About: McAllister, who earned rave reviews for his novel “How to Be Safe,” gave himself a literary challenge: Write an essay for every year of his life, each one no more than 1,500 words. This book collects these touching and funny essays, with topics as varied as learning to ride a bike as an adult and working long hours at a cheesesteak shop.Publication Date: May 14—“Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson”Author: TourmalineWhat It’s About: Artist and filmmaker Tourmaline tells the life story of Johnson, the pioneering performance artist and transgender activist who famously threw the first brick in the Stonewall uprising, a watershed moment for the LGBTQ+ in the U.S.Publication Date: May 20—“Things in Nature Merely Grow”Author: Yiyun LiWhat It’s About: Li, author of novels including “The Vagrants” and “The Book of Goose,” is one of the country’s most deservedly acclaimed writers. Her latest book is a memoir that reckons with the unthinkable: the loss of both of her teenage sons to suicide. Publication Date: May 20—“Frontier: A Memoir and a Ghost Story”Author: Erica SternWhat It’s About: In this hybrid-genre book from indie press Barrelhouse, author Stern writes about her own experiences with complications during labor, and intersperses her story with a fictional tale of a woman who died during childbirth in the Wild West.Publication Date: June 3—“Charlottesville: An American Story”Author: Deborah BakerWhat It’s About: Baker, who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her biography of poet Laura Riding, tells the story of the deadly violence that unfolded in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August of 2017, when racist and neo-Nazi groups held a rally in the college town.Publication Date: June 3—“Flashlight”Author: Susan ChoiWhat It’s About: One of the most anticipated books of the season, Choi’s follow-up to her National Book Award-winning “Trust Exercise” follows the aftermath of the disappearance of a Korean-Japanese man who was walking on a beach with his 10-year-old daughter.Publication Date: June 3—“Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told”Author: Jeremy Atherton LinWhat It’s About: UCLA-educated Atherton Lin won the National Book Critics Circle Award for his previous book, “Gay Bar”; his latest is a memoir that chronicles his relationship with a British man that began in 1996, as the U.S. Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act.Publication Date: June 3—“Midnight at the Cinema Palace”Author: Christopher TradowskyWhat It’s About: The debut novel from the Minnesota-based writer and artist follows a group of three queer friends in 1990s San Francisco as they explore the city during the height of the AIDS epidemic and before the dawn of the Internet.Publication Date: June 10—“Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers”Author: Caroline FraserWhat It’s About: Fraser won critical acclaim — and the Pulitzer Prize — for “Prairie Fires,” her biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her latest book tells the story of murderers including Ted Bundy, Gary Ridgway, and Richard Ramirez, and argues that environmental destruction might be to blame for the way they turned out.Publication Date: June 10—“This Is Not a Ghost Story”Author: AmerieWhat It’s About: The first novel for adults from the singer-songwriter (“1 Thing”) is a satire about a Black man who dies and finds himself resurrected as a ghost — the first verifiable one in human history — in Los Angeles.Publication Date: June 10—“The Girls Who Grew Big”Author: Leila MottleyWhat It’s About: Oakland author Mottley shocked the literary world with her 2022 novel “Nightcrawling,” which she published at the age of 19, and made her the youngest author to ever be longlisted for the Booker Prize. Her latest follows a group of teenage mothers living in the Florida panhandle.Publication Date: June 24—“Fresh, Green Life”Author: Sebastian CastilloWhat It’s About: Castillo (“Salmon”) is one of the most original authors working today; his darkly funny latest novel follows a writer — also named Sebastian Castillo — who breaks his self-imposed yearlong exile to attend a New Year’s Eve party, where he hopes to connect with his former love interest.Publication Date: June 24—“Television for Women”Author: Danit BrownWhat It’s About: Brown brings more than a touch of dark humor to this novel that follows Estie, a woman who gives birth and finds that motherhood is not the fulfilling experience she hoped it would be. The book is drawing comparisons to Rachel Yoder’s “Nightbitch.”Publication Date: June 24

34 new books in our spring 2025 preview to add to your TBR pile

It’s already been a tough year. But spring means rebirth and renewal — and also an opportunity to enjoy a good read on a park bench, in your backyard, or just about anywhere else. No matter how you’re feeling, there’s bound to be a book to lift your spirits, make you think, or just give you a much-needed laugh.Whether you’re looking for funny essays by one of America’s most popular comedians, a thoughtful look at the career of a hip-hop legend, a biography of one of the nation’s foremost authors, or an appreciation of the birds that remind us what it means to be mindful and grounded, we’ve got you covered with 34 books coming in the next three months that will be well worth your time.SEE ALSO: Like books? Get our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and moreHere is a look at some of the books that will be published in Spring 2025. (Covers courtesy of the publishers)“Big Chief”Author: Jon HickeyWhat It’s About: Debut San Francisco author Hickey’s novel follows a young Anishinaabe lawyer who runs a casino with his friend, the tribal president. Their grip on power is threatened by an activist who has been making national waves. Hickey is already drawing comparisons to Tommy Orange and Louise Erdrich.Publication Date: April 8— “My Documents”Author: Kevin NguyenWhat It’s About: The latest from The Verge journalist and novelist Nguyen (“New Waves”) follows four Vietnamese American cousins whose lives are thrown into disarray after the U.S. government imprisons people of their heritage following a series of terrorist attacks. Two cousins are sent to prison camps, while two remain free.Publication Date: April 8— “Vanishing World”Author: Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley TakemoriWhat It’s About: From the Japanese author whose darkly funny “Convenience Store Woman” and disturbing “Earthlings” were both hits stateside, this one follows a woman who was conceived naturally by her parents — in a version of Japan in which artificial insemination is the norm, and sex is taboo.Publication Date: April 15—“One Death at a Time”Author: Abbi WaxmanWhat It’s About: In the latest novel from Waxman (“The Bookish Life of Nina Hill”), a former actress with a drinking problem, smart mouth and bad temper is falsely accused of murder, and teams up with her zoomer sobriety coach to clear her name.Publication Date: April 15—“Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools”Author: Mary Annette PemberWhat It’s About: Ojibwe reporter Pember’s debut book is a history of so-called “boarding schools” in the U.S. from the mid-19th century to the 1930s, in which Native children endured unspeakable brutality. One of the children sent to a school was Pember’s mother, whose trauma she writes about in the book.Publication Date: April 22—“Zeal”Author: Morgan JerkinsWhat It’s About: The latest from acclaimed author Jerkins (“This Will Be My Undoing”) is a sweeping epic about multiple generations of descendants of Harrison and Tirzah, two star-crossed lovers who led separate lives in the days after the Civil War.Publication Date: April 22—“The Golden Hour: A Story of Family and Power in Hollywood”Author: Matthew SpecktorWhat It’s About: L.A. author Specktor (“Always Crashing in the Same Car”) returns with a cross-genre book about the film industry, informed by his experiences growing up with his parents, CAA agent Fred Specktor and screenwriter Katherine McGaffey Howe.Publication Date: April 22SEE ALSO: Sign up to see Matthew Specktor and Meghan Daum appear on SCNG’s Bookish on April 18—“Better: A Memoir About Wanting to Die”Author: Arianna ReboliniWhat It’s About: In her new memoir, novelist Rebolini (“Public Relations,” written with Katie Heaney) tells the story of her long battle with suicidal depression, which at one point led her to write goodbye letters to her husband and son, and considers how we might help people who want to take their own lives.Publication Date: April 29—“The Sea Gives Up the Dead: Stories”Author: Molly OlguínWhat It’s About: From beloved Pasadena indie publisher Red Hen Press, a short story collection that blends fairy tales, fantasy, and horror. The book won the prestigious Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction.Publication Date: April 29—Here is a look at some of the books that will be published in Spring 2025. (Covers courtesy of the publishers)“Turning to Birds”Author: Lili TaylorWhat It’s About: Taylor, familiar to moviegoers for her roles in films including “Say Anything” and “I Shot Andy Warhol,” took a break from acting and found herself fascinated by the birds that surrounded her. This essay collection urges readers to practice mindfulness and pay attention to the world that surrounds us — including our friends in the sky,Publication Date: April 29— “Everyday Intuition: What Psychology, Science, and Psychics Can Teach Us About Finding and Trusting Our Inner Voice”Author: Elizabeth GreenwoodWhat It’s About: What exactly is intuition? That’s the question Greenwood tackles in her latest book, which takes a deep dive into the mysterious ability. Greenwood uses data to explain how intuition isn’t the same thing as anxiety or wishful thinking and examines the role it plays in our everyday lives.Publication Date: May 6—“My Name Is Emilia del Valle”Author: Isabel Allende, translated by Frances RiddleWhat It’s About: California-based Chilean American author has been a literary superstar ever since the publication of her 1982 debut novel “The House of Spirits.” Her latest follows the title character, a 19th-century journalist in San Francisco who covers the Chilean Civil War of 1891 and reconnects with her estranged father.Publication Date: May 6—“Words for My Comrades: A Political History of Tupac Shakur”Author: Dean Van NguyenWhat It’s About: It’s been nearly 30 years since rap legend Shakur was shot and killed in Nevada, leaving a lasting sense of loss in the hip-hop world. Music writer Nguyen explores Shakur’s cultural impact in this book about the political influences on his music.Publication Date: May 6—“The Director”Author: Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross BenjaminWhat It’s About: The latest from the acclaimed German author (“You Should Have Left”) is a historical novel about G.W. Pabst, the Austrian filmmaker who returned to his home country from Hollywood during World War II and was ordered by propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels to make movies for the Nazi regime.Publication Date: May 6—“Poetry Is Not a Luxury: Poems for All Seasons”Author: AnonymousWhat It’s About: The title of this poetry anthology comes from the late, legendary poet Audre Lorde — it’s also the name of the Instagram account with more than 840,000 followers that inspired the book. It contains poems from some of today’s best working poets, including Ross Gay, Rita Dove, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Victoria Chang.Publication Date: May 6—“Big Dumb Eyes: Stories From a Simpler Mind”Author: Nate BargatzeWhat It’s About: “Reading, I believe, is the key to smart,” joked stand-up comedian Bargatze in his first “Saturday Night Live” monologue. His debut book is a humorous (of course) essay collection in which he writes about his life as a “non-genius.”Publication Date: May 6—“Sympathy for Wild Girls: Stories”Author: Demree McGheeWhat It’s About: The debut book from San Diego author McGhee, published by the award-winning Feminist Press, collects short stories that explore the lives of queer Black women as they search for intimacy and places to belong.Publication Date: May 6—“The Dark Maestro”Author: Brendan SlocumbWhat It’s About: Musician and teacher Brendan Slocumb has made a career out of writing classical music-themed thrillers (“Symphony of Secrets,” “The Violin Conspiracy”). His latest novel follows a cello prodigy who has to enter witness protection with his family after his father turns state’s evidence against a group of criminals.Publication Date: May 13—“Bochica”Author: Carolina Flórez-CerchiaroWhat It’s About: The debut book from Colombian author Flórez-Cerchiaro is a Gothic horror novel that follows Antonia, a woman who returns to the possibly haunted mansion where she and her cursed family used to live after it is converted into a luxury hotel.Publication Date: May 13—Here is a look at some of the books that will be published in Spring 2025. (Covers courtesy of the publishers)“The Emperor of Gladness”Author: Ocean VuongWhat It’s About: Poet Vuong stunned readers with his bestselling 2019 debut novel, “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous.” His latest work of fiction follows Hai, a 19-year-old who plans to take his own life, but meets an elderly widow with dementia who talks him out of it; he becomes her caretaker and friend.Publication Date: May 13—“Mark Twain”Author: Ron ChernowWhat It’s About: Acclaimed biographer Chernow, whose book “Alexander Hamilton” was the inspiration for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster musical, returns with an account of the life of one of America’s most important authors.Publication Date: May 13—“It All Felt Impossible: 42 Years in 42 Essays”Author: Tom McAllisterWhat It’s About: McAllister, who earned rave reviews for his novel “How to Be Safe,” gave himself a literary challenge: Write an essay for every year of his life, each one no more than 1,500 words. This book collects these touching and funny essays, with topics as varied as learning to ride a bike as an adult and working long hours at a cheesesteak shop.Publication Date: May 14—“Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson”Author: TourmalineWhat It’s About: Artist and filmmaker Tourmaline tells the life story of Johnson, the pioneering performance artist and transgender activist who famously threw the first brick in the Stonewall uprising, a watershed moment for the LGBTQ+ in the U.S.Publication Date: May 20—“Things in Nature Merely Grow”Author: Yiyun LiWhat It’s About: Li, author of novels including “The Vagrants” and “The Book of Goose,” is one of the country’s most deservedly acclaimed writers. Her latest book is a memoir that reckons with the unthinkable: the loss of both of her teenage sons to suicide. Publication Date: May 20—“Frontier: A Memoir and a Ghost Story”Author: Erica SternWhat It’s About: In this hybrid-genre book from indie press Barrelhouse, author Stern writes about her own experiences with complications during labor, and intersperses her story with a fictional tale of a woman who died during childbirth in the Wild West.Publication Date: June 3—“Charlottesville: An American Story”Author: Deborah BakerWhat It’s About: Baker, who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her biography of poet Laura Riding, tells the story of the deadly violence that unfolded in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August of 2017, when racist and neo-Nazi groups held a rally in the college town.Publication Date: June 3—“Flashlight”Author: Susan ChoiWhat It’s About: One of the most anticipated books of the season, Choi’s follow-up to her National Book Award-winning “Trust Exercise” follows the aftermath of the disappearance of a Korean-Japanese man who was walking on a beach with his 10-year-old daughter.Publication Date: June 3—“Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told”Author: Jeremy Atherton LinWhat It’s About: UCLA-educated Atherton Lin won the National Book Critics Circle Award for his previous book, “Gay Bar”; his latest is a memoir that chronicles his relationship with a British man that began in 1996, as the U.S. Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act.Publication Date: June 3—“Midnight at the Cinema Palace”Author: Christopher TradowskyWhat It’s About: The debut novel from the Minnesota-based writer and artist follows a group of three queer friends in 1990s San Francisco as they explore the city during the height of the AIDS epidemic and before the dawn of the Internet.Publication Date: June 10—“Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers”Author: Caroline FraserWhat It’s About: Fraser won critical acclaim — and the Pulitzer Prize — for “Prairie Fires,” her biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her latest book tells the story of murderers including Ted Bundy, Gary Ridgway, and Richard Ramirez, and argues that environmental destruction might be to blame for the way they turned out.Publication Date: June 10—“This Is Not a Ghost Story”Author: AmerieWhat It’s About: The first novel for adults from the singer-songwriter (“1 Thing”) is a satire about a Black man who dies and finds himself resurrected as a ghost — the first verifiable one in human history — in Los Angeles.Publication Date: June 10—“The Girls Who Grew Big”Author: Leila MottleyWhat It’s About: Oakland author Mottley shocked the literary world with her 2022 novel “Nightcrawling,” which she published at the age of 19, and made her the youngest author to ever be longlisted for the Booker Prize. Her latest follows a group of teenage mothers living in the Florida panhandle.Publication Date: June 24—“Fresh, Green Life”Author: Sebastian CastilloWhat It’s About: Castillo (“Salmon”) is one of the most original authors working today; his darkly funny latest novel follows a writer — also named Sebastian Castillo — who breaks his self-imposed yearlong exile to attend a New Year’s Eve party, where he hopes to connect with his former love interest.Publication Date: June 24—“Television for Women”Author: Danit BrownWhat It’s About: Brown brings more than a touch of dark humor to this novel that follows Estie, a woman who gives birth and finds that motherhood is not the fulfilling experience she hoped it would be. The book is drawing comparisons to Rachel Yoder’s “Nightbitch.”Publication Date: June 24

Innovative BSL book for children published in Welsh

Amara and Manon Steffan Ros (Photo: Geraint Ros)
Amara, a new book for children under 7 years old is the first of its kind to be published in Welsh and BSL – introducing two new ethnic minority characters, one of them being deaf.
The book, which was published on 31 March, is the result of a project between Atebol press, The National Eisteddfod, Disability Arts Cymru and Taking Flight theatre company. It was inspired by the need for access toresources where Welsh and British Sign Language sit side by side.
According to the book’s publishers, Atebol, there is a demand for such resources for children and their families or guardians in Wales, as well as a need to promote communication between different cultures and communities
The first steps of the project came from panel talks in the Literature Tent at the Eisteddfod.
Following these, celebrated writer Manon Steffan Ros and award winning actor and director Stephanie Bailey-Scott were commissioned to hold creative workshops with deaf and hard of hearing children and young people with Taking Flight theatre in order to create a collection of stories.

Representation
Jac Jones shared: “This is an important book. It was a pleasure to be part of it.”
The book is full of beautiful pictures by the iconic children’s books artist Jac Jones, telling a story about thefriendship between two girls.
Femi is shy and keeps to herself, away from the excited children in the park. But the confidence of a colourful, smiling girl called Amara manages to draw her out of her shell.
Femi is amazed at her new friend’s amazing powers, and her ability to communicate through BSL.
Amara – the innovative BSL book from Atebol
A BSL video has been made to accompany this groundbreaking book. Any reader whether a child, parentor guardian can have access to it by scanning a QR code on the back of the book.
Stephanie Bailey-Scott from Taking Flight theatre translated the story into BSL for the film. She shared:“I’ve loved being a part of the project, especially for the deaf representation it will open up to Welsh speaking young people, Deaf AND hearing.
“From the workshop with Manon Steffan Ros with our Youth Theatre for Deaf and hard of hearing people, to now, it’s been a wonderful journey.
“Having BSL and Welsh together within Amara is something to be celebrated!”

Lack of knowledge
There’s still a lack of knowledge of BSL according to Elen Elis, Artistic Director at Wales National Eisteddfod and the person who had the original video for Amara.
She said: “It has been an interesting personal journey for me as I learnt more specifically about the lack ofunderstanding that exists of BSL. We started to discuss to see how we at the Eisteddfod could start making adifference and contribute towards transforming things.
“There’s a lot of excitement that this will pave the way for others to follow in our footsteps.”
Manon Steffan Ros (Photo: Geraint Ros)
Meanwhile, Manon Steffan Ros shared: “Working on Amara has been a complete pleasure and an education for me as well.
“The process which has been a long one and has included individuals and groups who were willing to give time and energy to help me get this story right and I appreciate that so much.
“It was a pleasure to work with Jac Jones and I’m very proud of this warm and lovely story.”
The book’s editor Sioned Erin Hughs explained on behalf of Atebol: “The process of co-ordinating Amarahas been great. I want to hold these characters tight.
“They are kind and curious and they care for one another. There are quiet lessons here on how easy it is to veer towards kindness and that celebrating out differences should feel like the most natural thing in the world.”
You can buy a copy of Amara online or in all good book stores.

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Innovative BSL book for children published in Welsh

Amara and Manon Steffan Ros (Photo: Geraint Ros)
Amara, a new book for children under 7 years old is the first of its kind to be published in Welsh and BSL – introducing two new ethnic minority characters, one of them being deaf.
The book, which was published on 31 March, is the result of a project between Atebol press, The National Eisteddfod, Disability Arts Cymru and Taking Flight theatre company. It was inspired by the need for access toresources where Welsh and British Sign Language sit side by side.
According to the book’s publishers, Atebol, there is a demand for such resources for children and their families or guardians in Wales, as well as a need to promote communication between different cultures and communities
The first steps of the project came from panel talks in the Literature Tent at the Eisteddfod.
Following these, celebrated writer Manon Steffan Ros and award winning actor and director Stephanie Bailey-Scott were commissioned to hold creative workshops with deaf and hard of hearing children and young people with Taking Flight theatre in order to create a collection of stories.

Representation
Jac Jones shared: “This is an important book. It was a pleasure to be part of it.”
The book is full of beautiful pictures by the iconic children’s books artist Jac Jones, telling a story about thefriendship between two girls.
Femi is shy and keeps to herself, away from the excited children in the park. But the confidence of a colourful, smiling girl called Amara manages to draw her out of her shell.
Femi is amazed at her new friend’s amazing powers, and her ability to communicate through BSL.
Amara – the innovative BSL book from Atebol
A BSL video has been made to accompany this groundbreaking book. Any reader whether a child, parentor guardian can have access to it by scanning a QR code on the back of the book.
Stephanie Bailey-Scott from Taking Flight theatre translated the story into BSL for the film. She shared:“I’ve loved being a part of the project, especially for the deaf representation it will open up to Welsh speaking young people, Deaf AND hearing.
“From the workshop with Manon Steffan Ros with our Youth Theatre for Deaf and hard of hearing people, to now, it’s been a wonderful journey.
“Having BSL and Welsh together within Amara is something to be celebrated!”

Lack of knowledge
There’s still a lack of knowledge of BSL according to Elen Elis, Artistic Director at Wales National Eisteddfod and the person who had the original video for Amara.
She said: “It has been an interesting personal journey for me as I learnt more specifically about the lack ofunderstanding that exists of BSL. We started to discuss to see how we at the Eisteddfod could start making adifference and contribute towards transforming things.
“There’s a lot of excitement that this will pave the way for others to follow in our footsteps.”
Manon Steffan Ros (Photo: Geraint Ros)
Meanwhile, Manon Steffan Ros shared: “Working on Amara has been a complete pleasure and an education for me as well.
“The process which has been a long one and has included individuals and groups who were willing to give time and energy to help me get this story right and I appreciate that so much.
“It was a pleasure to work with Jac Jones and I’m very proud of this warm and lovely story.”
The book’s editor Sioned Erin Hughs explained on behalf of Atebol: “The process of co-ordinating Amarahas been great. I want to hold these characters tight.
“They are kind and curious and they care for one another. There are quiet lessons here on how easy it is to veer towards kindness and that celebrating out differences should feel like the most natural thing in the world.”
You can buy a copy of Amara online or in all good book stores.

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Babe at 30: why this much-loved film is one of the best cinematic translations of a children’s book

This spring, Babe is returning to cinemas to mark the 30th anniversary of its release in 1995. The much-loved family film tells the deceptively simple but emotionally powerful story of a piglet who saves his bacon through intelligence, kindness and hard work.

Babe becomes the trusted ally of both farmer and farmyard animals and, like so many Hollywood heroes before and since, he refuses to stay in his lane.

It’s a film which, on paper, really shouldn’t work and which sounds alarm bells to any self-respecting children’s literature scholar like me. It takes an expertly crafted English children’s book with tasteful black-and-white illustrations – Dick King-Smith’s The Sheep Pig (1983) – and turns it into an all-singing, all-dancing technicolour extravaganza.

Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

The film inserts new episodes and characters – an evil cat, a plucky duck and (most alarmingly) a brace of brattish kids. And it replaces a perfectly good, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin book title with the cutesy moniker of the piglet star.

Dick King-Smith, author of The Sheep Pig on which Babe is based.
PA / Alamy

It shouldn’t work … but it really, really does. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it’s one of the most successful film adaptations of a children’s book of all time.

It met with both commercial and critical success, making over US$254 million at the box office and being nominated for no less than seven Academy Awards, one of which it secured for visual effects.

So, what exactly is so special about Babe? It was one of the first films which, thanks to the then-cutting edge combination of animatronics and visual effects, delivered convincing talking animals who, endowed with the gift of speech, could themselves “look like movie stars”. But with all the jaw-dropping technological advances of the last 30 years, how has this film managed to stand the test of time so well?

The answer in part is that its source material is exceptionally strong. The Sheep Pig is written with restraint and economy, but also great warmth and relish. King-Smith has immense fun, wallowing in words like the proverbial pig in muck, and putting it all to the service of a story whose core values are easy to get behind. The Sheep Pig is a soft-power parable which advocates for brains over brawn, for respectful communication and common decency.

But the excellence of a film’s bookish bedrock is no guarantee of success. Indeed, the brilliance of a book can often be something of a liability. Think of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, or any of the film and TV adaptations of Noel Streatfeild’s superb Ballet Shoes. With Babe, though, the book is catalyst rather than straitjacket, an enabling prompt which initiates a new work of equal strength and quality.

The pacing is well judged, the look of the film lush, and there are several actual laugh-out-loud moments – including the duck’s panicked realisation that “Christmas means carnage!” Above all, it’s a film with immense emotional intelligence and power.

Recognised for its visual effects, it also succeeds in large part because of the strength of its soundscape and score. There’s one scene in particular which really soars, and which takes on the elephant in the room: the human habit of eating pigs.

Babe is so shocked and upset on learning this fact from the evil cat (who else?) that he loses the will not just to win in the sheepdog trial, but to live at all. The supremely taciturn Father Hoggett must act to make amends and save his pig protégé.

In an astonishingly moving act of love, this man of few words takes the sickly and sick-at-heart pig onto his lap and sings to him. At first a gentle crooning, the farmer’s expression of care and affection soon swells to an out-and-out bellow, accompanied by a wild, caution-to-the-wind dance.

It’s difficult to imagine a more lyrically apt song than the 1977 reggae-inflected hit based on the powerful tune of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C Minor: “If I had words”, it begins. It’s a moment of huge emotional force and intensity, in which the gaping abyss of age and species difference are bridged through music and dance.

Puffin Books

James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, here and throughout the film, is tremendous, his reserved performance a key factor in its success. The role – which he almost didn’t take because of the paucity of lines – was career-defining, and prompted personal epiphanies which flow naturally from this scene.

First, Cromwell never ate meat again. Second, he has spoken (with visible emotion) of the delivery of the film’s final pithy-but-powerful line of approbation – “That’ll do pig, that’ll do” – as a moment of communion with his father on catching sight of his own artificially aged reflection in the camera lens. “My life changed, and I owe it to a pig,” the actor concludes.

Babe is a film and an adaptation with many qualities. It’s wholesome without ever being sickly. But above all, it has an emotional force which worked on actors and audiences alike and which, 30 years later, remains undiminished.

Babe at 30: why this much-loved film is one of the best cinematic translations of a children’s book

This spring, Babe is returning to cinemas to mark the 30th anniversary of its release in 1995. The much-loved family film tells the deceptively simple but emotionally powerful story of a piglet who saves his bacon through intelligence, kindness and hard work.

Babe becomes the trusted ally of both farmer and farmyard animals and, like so many Hollywood heroes before and since, he refuses to stay in his lane.

It’s a film which, on paper, really shouldn’t work and which sounds alarm bells to any self-respecting children’s literature scholar like me. It takes an expertly crafted English children’s book with tasteful black-and-white illustrations – Dick King-Smith’s The Sheep Pig (1983) – and turns it into an all-singing, all-dancing technicolour extravaganza.

Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

The film inserts new episodes and characters – an evil cat, a plucky duck and (most alarmingly) a brace of brattish kids. And it replaces a perfectly good, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin book title with the cutesy moniker of the piglet star.

Dick King-Smith, author of The Sheep Pig on which Babe is based.
PA / Alamy

It shouldn’t work … but it really, really does. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it’s one of the most successful film adaptations of a children’s book of all time.

It met with both commercial and critical success, making over US$254 million at the box office and being nominated for no less than seven Academy Awards, one of which it secured for visual effects.

So, what exactly is so special about Babe? It was one of the first films which, thanks to the then-cutting edge combination of animatronics and visual effects, delivered convincing talking animals who, endowed with the gift of speech, could themselves “look like movie stars”. But with all the jaw-dropping technological advances of the last 30 years, how has this film managed to stand the test of time so well?

The answer in part is that its source material is exceptionally strong. The Sheep Pig is written with restraint and economy, but also great warmth and relish. King-Smith has immense fun, wallowing in words like the proverbial pig in muck, and putting it all to the service of a story whose core values are easy to get behind. The Sheep Pig is a soft-power parable which advocates for brains over brawn, for respectful communication and common decency.

But the excellence of a film’s bookish bedrock is no guarantee of success. Indeed, the brilliance of a book can often be something of a liability. Think of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, or any of the film and TV adaptations of Noel Streatfeild’s superb Ballet Shoes. With Babe, though, the book is catalyst rather than straitjacket, an enabling prompt which initiates a new work of equal strength and quality.

The pacing is well judged, the look of the film lush, and there are several actual laugh-out-loud moments – including the duck’s panicked realisation that “Christmas means carnage!” Above all, it’s a film with immense emotional intelligence and power.

Recognised for its visual effects, it also succeeds in large part because of the strength of its soundscape and score. There’s one scene in particular which really soars, and which takes on the elephant in the room: the human habit of eating pigs.

Babe is so shocked and upset on learning this fact from the evil cat (who else?) that he loses the will not just to win in the sheepdog trial, but to live at all. The supremely taciturn Father Hoggett must act to make amends and save his pig protégé.

In an astonishingly moving act of love, this man of few words takes the sickly and sick-at-heart pig onto his lap and sings to him. At first a gentle crooning, the farmer’s expression of care and affection soon swells to an out-and-out bellow, accompanied by a wild, caution-to-the-wind dance.

It’s difficult to imagine a more lyrically apt song than the 1977 reggae-inflected hit based on the powerful tune of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C Minor: “If I had words”, it begins. It’s a moment of huge emotional force and intensity, in which the gaping abyss of age and species difference are bridged through music and dance.

Puffin Books

James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, here and throughout the film, is tremendous, his reserved performance a key factor in its success. The role – which he almost didn’t take because of the paucity of lines – was career-defining, and prompted personal epiphanies which flow naturally from this scene.

First, Cromwell never ate meat again. Second, he has spoken (with visible emotion) of the delivery of the film’s final pithy-but-powerful line of approbation – “That’ll do pig, that’ll do” – as a moment of communion with his father on catching sight of his own artificially aged reflection in the camera lens. “My life changed, and I owe it to a pig,” the actor concludes.

Babe is a film and an adaptation with many qualities. It’s wholesome without ever being sickly. But above all, it has an emotional force which worked on actors and audiences alike and which, 30 years later, remains undiminished.