Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.
Call It a ‘Book-cation’ or a ‘Readaway,’ Literary Travel Is Having a Moment
The New York Times dives into the growing interest–and offerings–when it comes to literary tourism. According to the travel website Skyscanner, 55% of users have or would consider traveling somewhere because of a book. I can’t say that I’ve planned a trip around a specific book, though while on a trip, I have definitely made a detour to visit a bookish place (and while Alliance, Nebraska, wasn’t quite as it was portrayed in my favorite book, The Magician’s Assistant, it was darn close).
It’s not surprising more readers want to “get away” so that they can indulge in reading and books away from their home lives. We’re so distracted by everything we have to do that it can be easy to forget there are things worth doing because we want to.
The Heartstopper Forever Trailer
Heartstopper has been a hit on Netflix, and when the new landed that the finale would be a film, rather than another season, the intrigue was sky-high. The trailer for the film Heartstopper Forever hit today and it looks great. It’s been so refreshing to have great queer adaptations, and this looks like it’ll be a solid addition to that canon (not to mention its own previous adaptations!).
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This Children’s Author Helps Young Readers Make Sense of Big Feelings
TIME Magazine has pulled together a rad roster of people they’re naming among their visionaries, and readers who are familiar with children’s literature will see a familiar face among the honorees. Renée Watson has more than earned this honor, as well as all of the other incredible honors that have come her way in the last several years.
From the story:
Watson, 47, has spent much of her nearly two-decade career helping young readers understand the complicated feelings that come with growing up. In 2010, she released her debut, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, a picture book in free verse inspired by her time as a college student workingwith children grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. That same year, she published her first middle-grade novel, What Momma Left Me, about a 13-year-old Black girl trying to make sense of the sudden death of her mother. “There are all kinds of ways in which our young people are grieving,” she says. “It’s so important to teach [kids] empathy and imagination, but also how you show up for someone and hold space with them.”
A Powerful Exploration of Female Friendship
While the real identity behind the pseudonym Elena Ferrante is still known, one thing is for certain: My Brilliant Friend took the world by storm when it was released, and it’s a book that’s still worth exploring as among the most influential of this century. Join Jeff and Rebecca in their deep dive into this story of female friendship on Zero to Well Read.
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