I am back on Wisconsin Public Radio! Here, I am sharing how, when I was displaced at the beginning of the pandemic, I returned to my hometown of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, only to have to learn how to drive their dang roundabouts. Join me in this heartwarming, three-minute story about how the pandemic brought a mother and daughter closer together.
And WPR put me on their landing page! Can you find me?
Friends: Crystal is going to be taking a break from being on the road for 2020. Even the earth needs fallow seasons to rejuvenate, and so does Crystal. Feel free to contact her for events and her availability in 2021. Here is to nurturing the creative spirit!
Toronto Public Library chose ALL THAT I CAN FIX for a roundup for mental health books. Huzzah, my Canadian friends! And, of course, lots of other terrific books on an important topic, too. The reviewer said:
“I liked [how this book shows]…how one person’s mental health affects others. A central teen character is holding things together while a parent is struggling with poor mental health. The teens’ feelings about it are pretty authentic, and this could be a great thing for other teens to be able to read, particularly if it reflects their own experience and can show them they are not alone in this.”
Mental health + zany dark humor + exotic zoo outbreak + social critique = ALL THAT I CAN FIX.
https://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/bookbuzz/2019/01/books-about-mental-health-staff-picks-for-the-2019-reading-challenge.html
I like the words Bookriot uses to describe ALL THAT I CAN FIX: “Compelling”. “Strange.” “Heartwarming.”
Yup. That’s about it.
“Romney and his family are known in their small Indiana town. They’re mixed race and Romney’s father tried to kill himself. That would be enough, of course, but the story adds even more to it: there’s a zoo that’s on the loose. That’s literal. Oh, and with that comes those who want to shoot the dangerous animals and those who are advocating animal rights and gun control. Makersville is making quite a name for itself in this story that throws together many compelling and strange pieces in a heartwarming, worthwhile way.”
https://bookriot.com/2019/02/11/young-adult-books-set-in-each-us-state/?fbclid=IwAR0l-iaYQLAJeb678OhMjC5k08l05Ia7vTeQK15_bdQfn7F3xXt-kklbC4Y
I’m very happy to announce that I will be an adjunct professor at Benedictine University for the spring semester of 2019.
Buzzfeed’s Books You Will Devour This Summer
Bustle: The 11 Best YA Books to Read in June
Brit and Co: Books Featuring All Types of Fathers
Young Adult Books Central: Prom Looks Inspired by Asian-American New Releases!
Huzzah! Buzzfeed has included ALL THAT I CAN FIX on its lineup of fantastic summer books.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/farrahpenn/ya-books-youll-want-to-devour-by-the-pool-this-summer?utm_term=.kqxb7wd6P3#.hjm19JOk2P
The BCCB gave ALL THAT I CAN FIX a starred review – it’s third one!
Here’s the lineup of starred review so far:
Kirkus
School Library Journal
BCCB
http://bccb.ischool.illinois.edu/stars/
School Library Journal’s review for ALL THAT I CAN FIX:
“This quirky coming-of-age novel is full of hardships that the protagonist must endure, while still maintaining a lighthearted tone. VERDICT A strong choice for YA collections, this complex selection with a variety of relatable characters in extraordinary circumstances will win over teens.” –Caitlin Wilson, Meadowdale Library, North Chesterfield, VA
