by Sherry Rind
In her learned and mischievous fourth collection, The Store-House of Wonder and Astonishment, Seattle poet Sherry Rind (Between States of Matter) ponders classical and medieval attitudes toward animals.
Rind quotes frequently from Ovid and Pliny in poem epigraphs as she records ancient natural history theories that have since been debunked. For example, Aristotle, unaware of birds' continent-crossing migrations, assumed they hibernate underwater: "Although fishermen may dredge hibernating swallows/ from the
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by Bill Hayes
For Bill Hayes (How We Live Now; Insomniac City), the human body is a source of endless curiosity and delight. His earliest books (Sleep Demons; Five Quarts; The Anatomist) form a captivating library of historical research--on the subjects of sleep disorders, blood and anatomy--filtered through his own experiences. This makes Sweat: A History of Exercise an appealing, essential addition to the shelf.
Sweat is a brisk and amiable stroll through the history of vigorous activity. Hayes brings his resilient good
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by Jessie Burton, illus. by Olivia Lomenech Gill
Jessie Burton (The Miniaturist) reimagines Greek myth in her first title for teens, the bold, empowering and atmospherically illustrated Medusa.
Four years have passed since Athena cursed Medusa, turning her hair to snakes. "Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now!" Athena warned, not explaining further. Medusa fled to an island with her sisters, where they remained alone--until Perseus sails ashore. The lonely, 18-year-old Medusa "wants to eat him up like honey cake," but she convinces him to
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