Tag storytelling

The three novella coves in a row, in pinks, oranges, and blues.

The Singing Hills Novellas

Kristen B. Leave a comment
The three novella coves in a row, in pinks, oranges, and blues.

by Kristen B.

Novellas have gained in popularity recently, and I suspect it’s because you get the satisfaction of a complete story without committing to a doorstop of a book. This holds particularly true in the speculative fiction genre, where 500+ page tomes are the norm. Nghi Vo is a master of this short form.

She has crafted a series of stories that follow cleric Chih of the Singing Hills Monastery as they travel, collecting stories as they go. Singing Hills specializes in history and folklore. The most reliable way Chih can elicit a story from someone happens when they tell one version of a tale. Their listener often says something to the effect of, “that’s not how I heard it,” and proceeds with the “correct” version. Chih is accompanied by a talking hoopoe bird with perfect recall named Almost Brilliant – but their interactions are entirely so. You can enjoy three installments to date, with a fourth coming this fall.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune (which won Hugo and Locus awards for best novella) is an amazing story of empire and ambition, with important details found in what is omitted as much as in what is overt. Chih visits a mostly abandoned country estate, where the only person living there happens to be the maidservant (and lover) of the former empress. She certainly has a story to tell our Singing Hills cleric! It’s one well worth the price of mild disorientation as you put the pieces of a major event together with Chih. Vo recounts this seemingly unimportant woman’s story in elegant, poetic language and imagery.

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain may offer the best example of survival by asking for the corrected version of a story. As long as Chih keeps the tigers talking, they stay (mostly) safe until an expected contingent of mammoths can arrive to scare the hunters away. Tigers, you see, are proud creatures, clearly superior to humans. Just ask them. They also fall in love and prey to tricky foxes. The glory of this installment comes from understanding tigers as people – who are also hungry animals who regard Chih as a snack. It’s a wonderful story about relationships, empire, and living up (or down) to expectations.

Into the Riverlands brings Chih into the orbit of a group of travelers. This time they are in the riverlands, a delta area full of braided streams and marshlands where many rival martial arts masters co-exist – sometimes peacefully, often not. Here, Almost Brilliant shines by having a familiarity with the legendary personalities and combat styles involved. Again, beginning a story often elicits other versions and corrections. This installment offers more adventure, starting with the initial brawl in a tavern and ending with a spectacular battle. Many clues and inferences come together for an entirely satisfying conclusion.

I can’t wait to see where Chih and Almost Brilliant go next. Several colorful threads stitch these stories together: a non-Western milieu in the fantastical empire of Ahn; mostly humble, working-class protagonists, who nonetheless make a difference in their world; and cheerful acceptance of a generally queer outlook on the world. Beyond Chih’s non-binary identity, the books celebrate that love comes in many forms. We must all be true to our hearts, which is not a bad theme for some light-hearted books.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball in season (but not all at the same time).

The cover shows a royal blue bluebird against a pale blue sky and a cityscape of buildings in shades of white and grey.

Wordless Joy

elianahcls 2 Comments
The cover shows a child and dog at the edge of a marshy pond, surrounded by trees, with herons and deer in the foreground. The pond is in shades of turquoise and the child, animals, and trees are in shades of grey and white with a hint of the turquoise blue; only the dog has a pop of yellow, on its collar and leash.

By Eliana H.

Many stunningly beautiful picture books are available to readers these days. Even if you don’t have young children in your life, you might be surprised at how much you appreciate picture books as an adult! Picture books can include a wide range of writing styles, sometimes with sparse or rhyming text aimed at younger readers, and sometimes with denser, more complex language. For this post, though, I want to highlight wordless picture books. 

The cover is a father and child walking hand-in-hand down a city sidewalk. The illustration is done entirely in shades of black and grey, except for the child's red coat and flowers in blue, yellow, and pink. The father carries a basked of groceries and their are parked cars and historic-looking buildings in the background.

Wordless picture books offer appealing illustrations that tell the creator’s story on their own. They tend to include abundant details that provide renewed enjoyment every time the book is read and reread. If you are a caregiver for a young child, you can use wordless picture books to practice important pre-reading skills. Look through the book together. Talk about what is happening in each of the pictures. Ask the child what they notice on the page. Teach sequencing ideas and language by showing the order of events in the story. Promote the child’s confidence by inviting them to read the story to you! 

The cover depicts the dog, Daisy, a white dog with brown ears and tail and a black nose. She is shown in two scenes: standing on hind legs as if alert for a treat, and chasing a red ball. There are bands of blue, red, and yellow, with the title and white and the two pictures of Daisy, as well as the gold Caldecott medal for this award-winning book.

Even with older children, opportunities abound for wordless picture books to enhance their literacy experience. As their vocabulary and comprehension develop, children will be able to tell more detailed and complex stories to accompany the images. Repeated experiences with reading other picture books together may inspire them to create a story that sounds very much like a published book! Children can begin analyzing literature by comparing the way a story may be told without words to a version that does include text. 

Of course, the main factor that will determine the impact of sharing a wordless picture book, or one with text, is the connection between a caring adult and a child exploring the story together with joy and love. Take a look at a selection of wordless picture books from our catalog below, or ask library staff at one of our branches on your next visit.

The cover shows a royal blue bluebird against a pale blue sky and a cityscape of buildings in shades of white and grey.

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Bluebird by Bob Staake

Delivery by Aaron Meshon

Draw! by Raúl Colón

Field Trip to the Moon by John Hare

The Fisherman & the Whale by Jessica Lanan

Float by Daniel Miyares

Flotsam by David Wiesner

Fossil by Bill Thomson

I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

The Paper Boat by Thao Lam

At the Pond by Geraldo Valério

Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson

Wave by Suzy Lee

Eliana is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Elkridge Branch. She loves reading, even if she’s slow at it, and especially enjoys helping people find books that make them light up. She also loves being outside and spending time with friends and family (when it’s safe).