If The Shoe Fits - Julie Murphy

A new Julie Murphy book! If The Shoe Fits is the first entry in a new adult series that is "inspired by the classic fairy tale stories we all know and love, perfect for adult readers who crave contemporary, escapist rom-coms." That's me!

Cindy has a stepmother, two stepsisters (but nice ones), loves shoes and fashion. Hmm, getting an idea yet? There are some balls and …. yes a prince of sorts.

All the elements are in place for an absolutely wonderful escapist fairy tale of a read. Murphy puts her own signature style on this tale. Cindy lands on a reality television show called Before Midnight. She's a plus size woman that viewers adore. Cindy's happy to be a positive model for women. But what about the competition for the bachelor's heart and hand? She's not interested - or is she? I loved Murphy's take on the Bachelor premise.

But it is Cindy that will steal your heart - her love of her family, friends and most importantly - herself. The slow building relationship between Cindy and Henry is just right for a rom-com novel, full of lots of  yes/no/maybe so's. But what will happen at midnight? Will Cindy find her prince - or follow her heart and find her own dreams?

I love Murphy's writing - she tackles real issues in her novels, always creates a wonderful protagonist and her prose keep me eagerly turning pages. Sad to say I finished this one in a day. More please!

Drawn Together - Minh Lê and Dan Santat

Drawn Together is a new children's picture book from author Minh Lê and illustrator Dan Santat.

Before Little Guy and Gramma turned the first page we talked about the images on the cover - what would we find inside. As well as the dual meaning of 'drawn'.

Who do you think the two people on the cover could be?  What about the  'elf' with the wand be? And the 'scary' black and white character? The flyleaf has some crayon scribble illustrations that are so real, Little Guy thought someone had colored inside!

There is very little text in Drawn Together, asking the reader to tell much of the story through observing, imagining and wondering about the illustrations. What a great idea! The Grandpa and grandson have differences - food, language, interests etc. Little Guy is quite intuitive when it comes to facial expressions and really focused on these. We kept turning pages asking each other - what do you think?

They discover they can communicate through drawing. "All the things we could never say come pouring out....and we build a new world that words can't describe." Heroes and mythical creatures illustrate the connection and divide between the two. Little Guy is quite literal and was a bit frightened by the dragon. But subsequent pages have the dragon defeated and the distance between the two conquered.

Gramma thought the concept of Drawn Together was excellent - one that can be used in so many life situations. Caldecott Medalist Santat's illustrations are detailed and very beautiful - a perfect accompaniment.

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe - Preston Norton

Preston Norton's newest book, Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe, releases Tuesday June 5/18.

Now, you might be saying to yourself - with a title like that, what could this book possibly be about? No, it's not a time travelling cave man. Instead, we meet high school student Cliff Hubbard, AKA Neanderthal, based on his 6'6", 250 lb. frame. Neanderthal is not one of the popular kids at Happy Valley High School. And he's not happy - his brother committed suicide, his father is an alcoholic and his mother seems to be simply existing and turning a blind eye. And school is no better. Aaron is the cool kid at school. But, when he suffers a head injury at football, he wakes up saying he saw God and God gave him a list of things to do to make Happy Valley High School a better place. God also said that Neanderthal is the one to help him with the list. This unlikely pair do team up to tackle the list - and much more.

I have to say up front that I really enjoyed Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe. I liked the premise and I was really drawn to the characters, especially Cliff. Norton gives us a large and varying cast of supporting players that pretty much illustrate a high school and the social strata. You'll have no problem deciding who you're behind - and who you can't stand. (Esther is especially despicable)

Norton captures the thoughts, angst, hopes, dreams and disappointments of teens through all of his characters, but Cliff's are especially poignant. I loved the voice Norton has given him. Those currently in school will identify and those of us long past school will remember those days through Cliff's trials and triumphs.

"Some of us are barely swimming, some of us are drowning, and there are some of us still who are being tossed in waves and dashed upon the rocks. And often we feel that we won’t survive. Maybe that ocean is school, and we’re struggling to get descent grades, or to fit in, or maybe we’re just trying to survive the hurtful words and actions of people who don’t understand their own cruelty."

The journey to fulfill the list takes Cliff and company on a journey that touches on and explores friendship, families, relationships, love, hate, grief, drugs, drinking, sex, mental health, bullying, homophobia and more. Some of it may not be for the younger end of the teen set.

Norton tells his story with lots of humour - some of it is a bit over the top, as are some situations, but it suits Norton's writing style. Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe moves along very quickly and is an infectious read. (It will also break your heart in places.) Cliff's revelations and resolutions are relatable for anyone, regardless of age.

An excellent read - one that found me - and I'm glad it did. See for yourself - here's an excerpt.

"Preston Norton is: bisexual, slightly genderqueer, married. His partner, Erin, is trying to put him on a diet, and he's revolting (both contexts apply). He has taught seventh grade and ninth grade English, mentored drug addicts, and mowed lawns (in no particular order). He is obsessed with 2001: A Space Odyssey and Quentin Tarantino." You can connect with Preston on his website and follow him on Twitter.