The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Candlewick Press, 2021. Children's chapter book.

Is this a fable? Maybe. Is it a fairy tale without fairies? Perhaps. Is it my new favorite book? Absolutely! Beatryce is a small girl who is found in the pen with a goat by Brother Edik, a monk with a wandering eye and a wish to hear a tale about a mermaid. The girl, the goat, the monk, a boy named Jack Dory, and Cannoc, a weird man with a long, gray beard, go on a quest like no other. Beatryce, at first, knows only her name. But, the girl can READ in a medieval time when girls cannot. And Brother Edik knows a prophecy about her. And, soon, the king himself is after her. As Beatryce begins to remember her past, the tale really takes off for Beatryce is about to discover her future. 

I cannot fathom DiCamillo's imagination as she creates unique and memorable characters like these. I can only envy her smooth writing as it pulls readers in and gives more clues. I admire the way she gives characters love, light, and an appreciation for books and reading. Sophie Blackall's black and white illustrations really beg for full color; they are sparse and few, but add to the story. The gorgeous endpapers of gold and ivory make me wish for wallpaper like it. The combination is stunning, comforting, and truly a tale for our times.

"We shall all, in the end. be led to where we belong. We shall all, in the end, find our way home."   ---p. 185 

Mrs. March: A Novel by Virginia Feito

 Mrs. March: A Novel by Virginia Feito. Liveright Publishing Corporation, An Imprint of W.W. Norton and Company, 2021. Adult fiction.

George March looks like a man who has it all. His latest novel is very successful. His wife throws the perfect family dinners. And, he has a son, Jonathan. Their family lives in a high rise on the Upper East Side.

But, Mrs. March notes every detail of everything and when the baker says that her husband must have based the female character in that latest book on Mrs. March herself, she is indignant since she has not read the book, but knows that character is not a quality person like she is. She soon begins to find fault with George as she did with his first wife and his grown daughter. Her own sister and mother live far enough away that she doesn't have to visit. She has time and money to eat take-out well and go to museums. She allows Jonathan to play with a boy upstairs and seems rather distant with them all.

Readers will be interested in the little snippets that tell of Mrs. March's background. As the plot really gets going, there are clues that George and his editor may have been involved in a murder in Maine. What has George really been doing on those "hunting weekends"? Who is the trustable one in this marriage? Not a thriller, but gradually and steadily building to an unpredictable conclusion, this is one great exploration of the little things that make a life.