Judy Blume: A Life by Mark Oppenheimer

 

 

Judy Blume: A Life by Mark Oppenheimer. Gale, 2026. Large print edition. Adult biography.

Almost everyone in America can tell you that Judy Blume is an award-winning author of books for children and adults. Her children's books totally changed the publishing landscape to include issues that girls really wanted to read about...themselves! This biography delves into the life of Judy Blume, her complicated early family, her three marriages, her daughter and son, and other personal details. By the end, at age 86, Blume and her husband, George Cooper, have opened a bookstore in Key West, Florida and perhaps she is still writing. She is an advocate for free speech and other authors including many of the more contemporary ones who well remember reading Blume's books as children. Many of her works have been adapted into movies, television specials, and theatre productions.

 

Born February 12, 1938, Judith Marcia Sussman entered life in a Jewish family in Elizabeth, New Jersey. This became the nucleus for many of her early children's books, the most famous of which may be Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. 

Oppenheimer has extensively interviewed and researched Blume's life. He provides sources at the end of the book. This work does not gloss over the difficult parts but shows a very human author who cares about her readers, agents, publishers, as well as family and friends. 

Three Queens by Rebecca Connolly

 

 

Three Queens by Rebecca Connolly. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. Historical fiction. 

    Marie Antoinette, Abigail Adams, and Queen Charlotte of England never met in real history. But, in this insightful historical fiction novel. they meet in Calais and find they have much in common. All have powerful husbands, but little power themselves. All have lost children. All wish for more for themselves and their families in a world of turmoil and wars. They form an unlikely bond and communicate with each other through letters.

     Connolly has done a good job with the research on each woman.  A bibliography is included. Beautiful young Marie Antoinette is about to be part of the French revolution. Commonsense filled Abigail Adams wants to be home with her husband but must support him as he looks for political alliances in Europe. Dignified Queen Charlotte must deal with her husband, the King, who suffers from mental problems and her son who wants to take over and is not ready to be a king. Their letters are believable, their situations dire. Most moving is the plight of Marie Antoinette who clings to these two women friends even as she knows her end is coming.

The Royal Insider by Paul Burrell

 

 

 The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King, and Princess Diana by Paul Burrell. Sphere, an imprint of Little, Brown, 2025. Memoir.

     In his sixties now, Paul Burrell is ready to tell the story of his life. Growing up poor, he tells how he got a job at Buckingham Palace and worked his way up to serving the Queen herself. After some years, he chooses to work for Charles and Diana. Paul has married Maria, a maid for Prince Phillip and they want to settle down with their two little boys. Highgrove would enable them to have their own place.  He works for Diana after she and Charles split up. 

      Much later, after the death of Princess Diana, Paul Burrell is charged with stealing some of her treasures and belongings. Only the Queen helps him. Paul tells of how he met and married his husband Coop. He has been on celebrity reality shows in England and has undergone treatment for prostate cancer. He tells all honestly and truly still believes in the royalty he spent so much of his life serving. His perspectives on their current situations is enlightening. 

Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet

 

 Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet. Sarah Barley Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing Division, 2026. Young adult fiction.

     The March sisters from Little Women are back in a contemporary mystery! Their father has written a novel about his daughters and has killed off Beth. The whole family is now on the news and famous. Apparently, the father has taken off to Canada to let the whole situation cool down. 

     If you are familiar with Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, the girls, mostly high schoolers, will seem like old friends, but different, too. They have been updated with modern touches. Mom is a nurse. Rich Aunt March promises to send one of the sisters to study at a tony private school. One wants to study in Paris but doesn't have the money. Beth has a boyfriend, Henry Hummel, while Theodore Laurence still lives next door. Meg is a student at Harvard, still likes John Brooke and rooms with Sallie Gardiner. When Sallie throws a wild party, tragedy happens for real. But, who is responsible? 

     Definitely readers will want to read the original Louisa May Alcott before this novel in order to appreciate the twists and turns here. Creative, bold, and definitely a mystery for young adults, this work is well written. This is Bernet's debut novel and we can only look forward to more by her.

You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate

 

You With the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate. Little Brown and Company, 2026. Memoir. 

Best known for her acting roles in Married With Children, Samantha Who?, and Dead to Me, Christina Appegate tells of her life. Two of her proudest accomplishments are her role on Broadway in Sweet Charity and her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 Diagnosed with breast cancer, she underwent a mastectomy. Now, diagnosed with MS, she has become a spokesperson for living with the disease and has launched a podcast on the subject.

This is not a tell all memoir. Applegate does not give names for some of the main characters who have influenced her life. She does not detail all of the early abuse shown to her. But, it is an honest tale, told from her heart. Journal entries and family tales are part of her journey shared here. Her grit and determination shine through every page.

All the Little Houses by May Cobb

 

 All the Little Houses by May Cobb. Sourcebooks, Landmark, 2026. Adult fiction. Mystery.

Charleigh Andersen is the queen bee in Longview, Texas. She and her handsome husband have money, the big house, and one teenage daughter, Nellie, a truly spoiled brat. When a back to the prairie type family moves in, the Andersen family equilibrium is totally unended. From the beginning, readers know someone is dead and the book builds the story until the very end. Teen angst, adult drama, gay attraction, and small town intrigues are all here. Chapters alternate narration from some of the characters. Details show the 1980's setting.

If you read to find an inspirational figure or to learn something, this is not the book for you! If, on the other hand, you read for a peek into perhaps the way others might live and get revenge, try this one! 

The Museum of Lost Things by Sam Kean

The Museum of Lost Things: True Tales of Fabled Treasures, Legendary Cities, and Mythical Creatures Lost to Time by Sam Kean. National Geographic Books, 2026. Nonfiction. (review from prepublication copy)

The title of this intriguing book really tells it all. Explorer, historian,  and author Sam Kean is known for his deep dives into interesting historical events, people, and artifacts. This title is divided into chapters such as lost cities, lost people, lost civilizations, and lost art. He writes smoothly and no doubt all readers will find some things to learn! It's easy to pick and choose favorite topics, but reading from the beginning to the end is satisfying, too. Who knew that U.S. Representative Sam Houston helped fight a fire at the Library of Congress in December, 1825? Kean does an admirable job of bringing readers up to date on recent discoveries and newer technologies by archeologists, scientists, and others.