The list below highlights some of my favourite cultural experiences listed alphabetically by author (books), or alphabetically by title (movies and plays). Those items marked with an asterisk (*) deserve a SHOUT OUT
PICTURE BOOKS
THE UNDEFEATED by Kwame Alexander; illus. Kadir Nelson
THE DAY WAR CAME by Nicola Davies; illus. Rebecca Cobb *
THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX, AND THE HORSE by Charlie Mackesy *
WILLA’S HOUSE by David Booth; illus. Renia Metallinou *
ALWAYS WITH YOU by Eric Walters; illus. Carloe Liu
MIDDLE YEARS FICTION
COUNT ME IN BY Varsha Bajaj
THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS by Ann Braden
BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE by Kate DiCamillo
BROKEN STRINGS by Kathy Kacer and Eric Walters
THE BRIDGE HOME by Padma Venkatraman
YA FICTION
MY BROTHER’S NAME IS JESSICA by John Boyne
THE 10 PM QUESTION by Kate Di Goldi *
HEY, KIDDO by Jarret J. Krosoczka (graphic autobiography)
FREE LUNCH by Rex Ogle (autobiography)
CHICKEN GIRL by Heather Smith
ADULT FICTION
FIND ME by Andre Aciman
THE INNOCENTS by Michael Crummey
THE READER ON THE 6:37 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent
WHEN ALL IS SAID by Anne Griffin
OLIVE, AGAIN by Elizabeth Strout *
MOVIES
CAPERNAUM
JOJO RABBIT
MARRIAGE STORY
PAIN AND GLORY
PARASITE *
DOCUMENTARIES
AGNES BY VARDA
HALE COUNTY: THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING
HONEYLAND *
MIRACLE OF MIRACLES
63 UP *
PLAYS (local)
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
THE FATHER
THE FLICK
THE JUNGLE
PASS OVER *
SCHOOL GIRLS: Or the African Mean Girls Play
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
PLAYS (New York)
THE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME
FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE
JAGGED LITTLE PILL
THE LEHMAN TRILOGY *
OKLAHOMA *
ETC.
YOU WON’T ALWAYS BE THIS SAD by Sheree Fitch (Poetry)
WHITE BIRD by R.J. Palacio (graphic novel)
LOOK BOTH WAYS: A tale told in ten blocks by Jason Reynolds (short stories) *
THE FRONT PAGE (Stratford)
THE MUSH HOLE (Young Peoples Theatre)
THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (Bridge Theatre, London)
THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE (National Theatre / London)