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When I was a kid, I pored over books about animals, reading every detail about their habitats, diets, and life cycles. My mom gave me a binder with dozens and dozens of different animal info pamphlets with beautiful photos and illustrations. I’d become absorbed with animal facts, forgetting where I was sitting or what time it was. I still love to read about animals, which continue to amaze me with all of their wonder and mystery. So today, we’re looking at two books all about creatures of the natural world. But first, it’s time for bookish goods!
Bookish Goods
Cat in Plant Charm Bookmark Paperclip by NylaBooks
Cats. Plants. Books. Looks like the perfect little bookmark to me! $8
New Releases
Everything to Play For: How Videogames are Changing the World by Marijam Did
After years spent in the field of video games, Marjam Did is here to argue that video games can be used for good. From the early days of Pong to the current world of online gaming, Did believes the role of video games is more than entertainment. Video games can illustrate and bring out the best in humanity.
The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir by Kelly Bishop
Kelly Bishop is probably best known for her role on Gilmore Girls, but long before she played Emily Gilmore, she had a long career on the stage and in film. Bishop gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at her life. It’s a celebration of all that she’s faced and overcome.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
Back in 2015, H Is for Hawk was everywhere. All of my bookish friends were talking about it. Acquaintances who knew I worked in books were asking me about it. Family members created impromptu book clubs to discuss it. H Is for Hawk is more than a nature book. That’s what everyone says, anyway. But for me, I think that as human beings, we are part of nature, not separate from it. So Macdonald’s unique way of connecting her grief from the death of her father and the training of her new Hawk made sense to me. That process of grieving and embracing this new creature in her life just worked.
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
When I first read Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s World of Wonders, it was like magic. She had this way of describing creatures and elements of nature in such a unique way. With each chapter, I felt that deep emotional connection she had for everything from peacocks to narwhals. She also discusses what it was like growing up not seeing many people of color in nature, and how that deeply affected her. Each essay is a gem, giving new insights with every chapter.
You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra
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