I’ve been a fan of Cassandra Khaw for awhile now. As part of our Lite Reads short story club we read their story “These Deathless Bones” (intro post here and review post here), which I loved, and I reviewed their novella Nothing But Blackened Teeth in 2021, which I also loved. When I got the chance to read an advanced copy their new fairy tale horror novella The Salt Grows Heavy from Netgalley, I jumped at the chance. My reading pile is a bit absurd at this point, so I didn’t get to it as quickly as I would have preferred, but luckily for those reading this review it means the book is available to read right away!
The Salt Grows Heavy is a 2023 horror novella written by Cassandra Khaw and published by Tor Nightfire. A loose retelling of The Little Mermaid and Frankenstein, the story follows a nameless carnivorous mermaid as she moves on from the carnage wrought by her daughters and a mysterious plague doctor who accompanies her from the now destroyed kingdom of her husband. They come across a remote community of bloodthirsty children who follow the whims of a trio of “saints” who will resurrect them at will. With the saints as powerful enemies and countless children manipulated into being their heedless followers, the mermaid and the plague doctor must do everything they can to survive the danger that will result.
As a fan of fairytale horror, I was glad to see Khaw return to the genre. I love stories that recognise the inherent darkness of fairytales and strive to make them darker, and Khaw is brilliant at this. They have a very florid style of writing that really suits the genre, and it helps make the fairy tale aspects feel all the more chilling. They make even the scenery feel as though it’s part of the horrors to come, and that particularly works very well for a fairytale horror setting. The Little Mermaid and Frankenstein are unconventional stories to blend, but they make it work very well, especially as a subversion of the original Little Mermaid story (and of most adaptations of the story since).
Just as “These Deathless Bones” was a subversion of fairytale tropes, The Salt Grows Heavy is as well. Things that are supposed to be beautiful are monstrous, things that are meant to be weak are deadly, mermaids that dissolved into foam actually turn into strong avenging creatures. I wouldn’t consider it to be a subversion of the Frankenstein story, but it’s definitely a fresh and bold take on it, especially pairing it with an unconventional mermaid tale and shifting it to embrace its inherent queerness.
Khaw is an absolute artist when it comes to fairytale horror. Their story “These Deathless Bones” is a prime example of that, and this is an excellent successor to their short story. In fact, they even allude to “These Deathless Bones” within the story of The Salt Grows Heavy as something that exists within the fairytale canon of this universe. It not only makes the short story an excellent companion piece to The Salt Grows Heavy, it also serves as something of a tester: if you enjoyed “These Deathless Bones” you are almost certain to enjoy The Salt Grows Heavy.
The Salt Grows Heavy really knocked it out of the park for me. I loved reading this, it delivered more than I even knew to want. Cassandra Khaw is definitely becoming a must-read author for me, and I hope to read more of their work in the future (and I especially hope to see more fairytale horror from them)! I would definitely recommend this one.
Every year I recommend a list of songs by LGBTQ+ artists to add to a Pride Month playlist (links to all of which are available at the bottom of this article). I think music is a wonderful way to celebrate queer artistry and to protest against those who would rather we don’t exist. I think that as homophobia and transphobia levels continue to rise and we continue to be attacked for who we are that more vocal protest is necessary, but I also think that embracing our queerness with joy and exploring queer media is a protest of its own that we should all engage in whenever possible. And so, I’m happy to once again share a collection of music from LGBTQ+ artists that has brought me joy, and I hope it helps you celebrate Pride!
Bea Duarte – Lilith
Bea Duarte is a pansexual pop artist from Brazil.
Iniko – The King’s Affirmation
Iniko is an agender alternative soul artist from Brooklyn, NY.
Dusty Springfield – Closet Man
Dusty Springfield (1939-1999) was a queer pop and soul singer from England, best known for her rendition of Son of a Preacher Man.
kiwifrooot – Go to Work
kiwifrooot is a nonbinary rapper from Florida.
Liturgy – Haelegen II
Liturgy is a black metal band from Brooklyn, NY. Frontwoman Haela Hunt-Hendrix is trans.
Lesley Gore – You Don’t Own Me
Lesley Gore (1946-2015) was a pop singer and songwriter from NYC, best known for songs such as I’ll Cry if I Want To and You Don’t Own Me. She was a lesbian.
Kimmortal – Sad Femme Club
Kimmortal is a queer Filipino-Canadian singer, rapper, and songwriter.
Chavela Vargas – La Llorona
Chavela Vargas (1919-2012) was a Costa Rican folk singer and gender-nonconforming lesbian.
Skunk Anansie – 100 Ways to Be a Good Girl
Skunk Anansie is a British rock band led by bisexual frontwoman Skin.
Vivek Shraya – Hate Club
Vivek Shraya is a Canadian pop singer and writer. She is a bisexual trans woman.
2022 saw countless wonderful picture books released, and it has brought me great joy to read through as many of them as I was able to manage. I’ve compiled this list of my favourite picture books published throughout this past year.
If I’m missing your favourites it may be that I haven’t had the chance to read them (as I mostly read picture books based on library availability for budget reasons) or that I just didn’t have space to include them here. Let me know in the comments if you don’t see your favourites, I want to make sure I get to them! I hope you find a few new favourites off this list.
Note: Apologies for the unintentional lateness of this post, some unexpected new health issues have made it a bit harder to keep up with posts lately. Hopefully you’ll see more content as I learn to manage the new issues with the old!
Magnolia Flower by Zora Neale Hurston, adapted by Ibram X. Kendi, illustrated by Loveis Wise
Magnolia Flower is the picture book adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston’s short story “Magnolia Flower,” which was originally published in 1925 in The Spokesman, and later featured in her posthumous short story collection Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick (2020). The adaptation was done by Ibram X. Kendi and the art is by Loveis Wise. This beautiful, tender, romantic tale of love despite everything else going on works wonderfully as a picture book introduction to the classic short story. The gorgeous illustrations really help to bring it to life.
Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Hyewon Yum, is the story of a young immigrant girl at an ESL preschool where the children have a hard time bonding due to none of them sharing a language. Luli decides to help the process along by bringing tea for everyone to share. It has cute and warm illustrations that help bring a range of tea cultures to life. The story is a lovely one of kids bonding over tea, something all their cultures share, and it’s a great chance to learn about different customs surrounding tea around the world.
Berry Song by Michaela Goade
Berry Song by Michaela Goade is stunningly illustrated story sharing the power of berries as food, medicine, Tlingit culture, and markers of the seasons. The poetry of the berry song flows off the page, and it’s a pleasure to read aloud. This is Goade’s first work as both author and illustrator, and while I’ve read several books she’s illustrated in the past, this may be her best work yet. It’s a great educational resource, but it’s also beautiful poetry and art about berries and seasons.
Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Yas Imamura
Based on the author’s family history, Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Yas Imamura, is about two Japanese-Americans who were incarcerated by the US government during WWII, simply because they were of Japanese descent, who met while one of them worked at the library in the incarceration camp. They fell in love, got married, had a family, and are the grandparents of the author. It’s a tender story of love blooming in a terrible time and place, with a strong sense of hope. The art has a warmth that really adds to the feeling of hope despite the terrors of our world.
Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, illustrated by Daniel Minter
Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky is a fascinating picture book that tells the history of different cultures’ views of the colour blue, historical methods of making blue dyes (including the enslavement of Africans in indigo plantations), and the development of a chemical blue dye that makes the colour affordable and usable for all. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond beautifully shares a multifaceted history that is fascinating for all ages, and Daniel Minter’s art is truly breathtaking.
Powwow Day by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight
Powwow Day tells the story of River, a young jingle dress dancer who is excited for the upcoming powwow but can’t participate as she normally would because of a serious illness. The story is a beautiful and tender portrayal of childhood illness and powwows, and Traci Sorell also offers up some helpful and informative educational information and resources at the end. This was my own first experience with Madelyn Goodnight’s illustrations, and they are gorgeous and vibrant.
The Year We Learned to Fly by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López
The Year We Learned to Fly follows two siblings as they use their imaginations, at their grandmother’s behest, to escape boredom. The story acknowledges Black imagination and storytelling traditions as a powerful and beautiful force that have carried Black people through history. Woodson provides gorgeous text, and Lopez offers up gorgeous and vibrant illustrations that help the imaginative scenes come off the page.
Finding My Dance by Ria Thundercloud, illustrated by Kalila J. Fuller
Finding My Dance is Ria Thundercloud’s picture book biography. Thundercloud shares her own personal history, her relationship to dance (both classical styles and traditional styles), and how her relationship to dance reinforced her relationship to her cultures, Ho-Chunk and Sandia Pueblo. Fuller’s art features gorgeous images of dance and regalia, and Thundercloud’s story is sure to feel especially relatable to children who have a love for dance.
One Wish: Fatima Al-Fihri and the World’s Oldest University by M.O. Yuksel, illustrated by Mariam Quraishi
One Wish is a picture book of Fatima al-Fihri, an Arab and Muslim woman in 9th century Morocco who founded al-Qarawiyyin Mosque, which is the oldest continuously operating higher learning institution in existence. Fatima al-Fihri’s story is powerful and touching, sharing how she used her privileges to ensure that everyone had a place to worship and learn. The art is gentle and beautiful, and the notes at the end give lots of extra fun facts for the curious.
Still This Love Goes On by Buffy Sainte-Marie, illustrated by Julie Flett
Still This Love Goes On was originally a song by Buffy Sainte-Marie (which you can listen to on youtube), and has now been adapted into this gorgeous picture book. The beauty of the seasons and the love we feel when we miss each other make the book so easy to connect with, and Julie Flett is probably one of my personal favourite illustrators out there right now.
Eyes That Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho
Eyes That Speak to the Stars is a companion piece to the beloved 2021 picture book Eyes that Kiss in the Corners. A young boy connects with his brother, his father, and his agong over their shared features and shared culture. The art is breathtaking and the story and message are lovely. Anyone who enjoyed Eyes That Kiss In The Corners should definitely give Eyes That Speak to the Stars a read.
Pizza!: A Slice of History by Greg Pizzoli
Pizza! is a fun and vibrant picture book history of pizza. Anyone who has enjoyed a slice of pizza will find plenty of fun facts about the delicious food, including plenty of fun facts that even adult readers aren’t familiar with. The art is cartoonish and fun which makes the book feel like an accessible introduction to a fun bit of history.
Fighting for YES!: The Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger, afterword by Judith Heumann
Fighting for YES! is a picture book biography about Judith Heumann, disability rights activist. Not only do we follow Heumann’s life story from childhood, we learn about the activism she has engaged in throughout her life to ensure that disabled people like her (and me!) not only can access the world but are treated equitably within that world. There’s a particular focus on Heumann’s sit-in protest to have Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 passed into law. Her afterword and the author’s notes add some extra context. The art is gentle and grounding. As a disabled person, this is the kind of disability representation I love to see in picture books.
The Astronomer Who Questioned Everything: The Story of Maria Mitchell by Laura Alary, illustrated by Ellen Rooney
The Astronomer Who Questioned Everything is a picture book biography of 19th century astronomer Maria Mitchell. The book shares the details of Mitchell’s life, what life in the 19th century in general was like, and the science of astronomy. It also shows us how even though Mitchell started out devaluing traditional “women’s work” she did come to see the value in those things. This beautifully illustrated book is perfect for kids who like science or history.
Phoenix Gets Greater by Marty Wilson-Trudeau with Phoenix Wilson, illustrated by Megan Kyak-Monteith
Phoenix Gets Greater is about an Anishinaabe child who realises he is Two-Spirit and learns more about these identities. Marty Wilson-Trudeau is the parent of Phoenix Wilson, and the story is based on Phoenix’s experiences. It is both tender and vibrant, and shows how Phoenix views his queerness and his indigeneity as being intertwined.
Hope Is an Arrow: The Story of Lebanese-American Poet Khalil Gibran by Cory McCarthy, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Hope Is An Arrow is the picture book biography of Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran. McCarthy, also of Lebanese descent, shares the details of Gibran’s life and works, featuring quotes from his poetry throughout. Holmes is a talented illustrator who brings this story to life with warmth. There are plenty of notes on additional information about Gibran at the end. It’s an ideal picture book biography for older children who are learning about Kahlil Gibran for the first time.
Jubilee: The First Therapy Horse and an Olympic Dream by KT Johnston, illustrated by Anabella Ortiz
Jubilee is a picture book biography about Lis Hartel who became disabled as a result of polio, but was aided in her recovery by a horse that she trained especially. Jubilee is considered the first therapy horse. Lis Hartel also went on to fulfill her Olympic dreams, becoming the first woman to stand next to men on an Olympic podium and the first civilian to medal in a horse event in the Olympics.
Gibberish by Young Vo
Gibberish tells the story of Dat, a young boy starting school in a place where he doesn’t understand the language. We follow him through a world of gibberish until he begins to learn the language with the help of a kind and creative friend when they start drawing together. It’s a beautiful story of friendship across cultures and languages. Vo uses multiple art styles in the book, which creates an incredible contrast that helps the story feel alive.
Beautiful You, Beautiful Me by Tasha Spillett-Sumner, illustrated by Salini Perera
Beautiful You, Beautiful Me is about a young mixed race girl who realises that she doesn’t share many features with her mother and feels sad, but learns that their differences don’t change their love for each other or how each of them is beautiful in their own way. The repeating refrain, “You’re part of me, and I’m part of you. I’m beautiful like me, and you’re beautiful like you,” carries the message of this gorgeously illustrated book.
Sam’s Super Seats by Keah Brown, illustrated by Sharee Miller
Sam’s Super Seats is about Sam, a young Black girl with cerebral palsy (just like author Keah Brown) as she goes out for a fun day of shopping with her best friends. In some ways it is an ode to the variety of seats that can make living life as a disabled person more accessible, with Sam personifying the seats affectionately. The story is a fun every day adventure that simply allows disabled kids to just be, and has equally fun pictures.
2022 has been a great year for new music releases in a variety of genres, and I’m excited to share thirty-five of my favourite music videos that have come of that. While it won’t include videos released in late November or throughout December, I’ve pulled music videos released throughout the year that particularly struck a chord with me. I hope I’ve included your favourites (and if I missed it, let me know in the comments so I can check it out!) or that you find something here you love.
FKA Twigs – Killer
MC Soffia – Papo Reto
Ash-B feat Lee Young-Ji – Girls Back Home
Witch Fever – Blessed Be Thy
Tanya Tagaq – Colonizer
Hyolyn – Layin’ Low
Tinashe – Naturally
Orville Peck – The Curse of the Blackened Eye
(G)I-DLE – Tomboy
Mitski – Love Me More
Jordan Occasionally – Lie Lie Lie
Pixy – Villain
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Damn Right
Oceans of Slumber – The Hanging Tree
Bibi – Animal Farm
While this is age-restricted (Bibi fights pigmen with a sword) and only available through going to youtube directly, it is too good to miss featuring here.
Spooky Season is one of my favourite times of year! I love the excuse to engage in all my favourite spooky media and while I don’t ignore those things the rest of the year it’s really great to be so focused. While I do love horror, I think sometimes I just want wholesome Halloween vibes or things that feel spooky without getting into anything too horrifying. I’m also aware of many people who enjoy this time of year without enjoying horror as a genre at all. I’ve put together this list of graphic novels that have great Halloween vibes without being intense horror stories.
Note: I’ve personally read and enjoyed all of them, but I’ll note any stories that were intended for younger readers (although I recommend them for older readers as well, middle grade comics are an amazing way to get the full Halloween experience without having to have the pants scared off of you), as well as which stories are more for older teens or adults.
The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor by Shaenon K. Garrity, illustrated by Christopher Baldwin
The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor is a young adult graphic novel about a teenage girl who is obsessed with classic gothic literature who gets pulled into an alternate dimension populated by the stereotypes and tropes of that very classic and gothic literature the heroine adores. It’s a great play on gothic lit, it’s very fun and funny, and it’s an enjoyable use of a portal world. While it has its creepy moments, it’s pretty gentle over all, leaning more towards the funny aspects than the scary ones.
Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse
Witches of Brooklyn is a middle grade graphic novel about a young orphan girl who is adopted by two elderly aunts only to find out that not only are her aunts witches, she is a witch too and will get to learn magic from the aunts who have fully welcomed her into their house. It’s a very gentle story, perfect for readers who want something more comforting with their Halloween vibes. It’s also the first in a series.
Hollow by Shannon Watters and Branden Boyer-White, illustrated by Berenice Nelle
Hollow is the most recent release on the list, having just dropped a few weeks ago, but it’s a fantastic Halloween story for when you want to have a good time but not an intense time. It’s a YA graphic novel that serves as a queer modern day sequel to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, where Sleepy Hollow is a real place and the people who live there are the descendants of the “real” people that made it into the story. Something suspicious and ghostly is really going on, and we follow a trio of teens as they try to solve it all before the stakes become serious.
Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
Beetle & The Hollowbones is a middle grade graphic novel set in a world populated by goblins, sorceresses, and ghosts, and we follow the story of a young goblin witch as she investigates the mystery of why her ghost best friend is trapped haunting the mall and getting reacquainted with one of her oldest friends as chaos seems to ensue as a result of all of this. It reminded me a lot of Halloweentown (1998), which is a childhood spooky season favourite for me personally, so I mean this in the best possible way.
Taproot: A Story About A Gardener and A Ghost by Keezy Young
Taproot is about a gardener who can see ghosts who happens to meet a ghost who he becomes dear friends with, a gentle romance blooming between them despite one being living and the other dead. Unfortunately there seems to be something dangerous tied to this gardener’s abilities and the ghost begins to fear for his love’s safety. The romance is sweet and queer, the ghostly aspects are cute and spooky, and the art gives us many gorgeous plants. I read this awhile ago, but there’s a brand new edition with a gorgeous cover that came out earlier this year. I’ve seen it marked as both adult and YA, and I think it’s great for either audience.
The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag
The Witch Boy trilogy is one of my favourite middle grade comics trilogies, and I’ve actually reviewed all three books here before (The Witch Boy review here, The Hidden Witch review here, The Midwinter Witch review here). The Witch Boy follows a young male witch whose family expects girls to be witches and boys to be shapeshifters. This gorgeous book gives us a challenge of the gender binary while also giving us a great spooky witch story.
Cat’s Cradle: The Golden Twine by Jo Rioux
Cat’s Cradle: The Golden Twine was first published a decade ago, but it’s finding new life with a new edition, kicking off the Cat’s Cradle series for middle grade readers today. The story follows an orphan girl who travels with a circus in a fictional world to earn her money and keep but yearns to be a monster hunter in a world where monsters are very real. It’s a great fantasy adventure for the Halloween season.
Hotel Dare by Terry Blas, illustrated by Claudia Aguirre
Hotel Dare is graphic novel (with middle grade and YA crossover appeal) about three adopted siblings visiting their grandmother in Mexico at her sinister hotel. There is much creepy fun to be had with magic and technology and alternate worlds, while the story drives home just how important family is, even if you aren’t related by blood.
Grimoire Noir by Vera Greentea, illustrated by Yana Bogatch
Grimoire Noir is a YA graphic novel set in a town where all the girls and women are witches. The story follows a teenage boy who has to investigate the source of all this when his younger sister is kidnapped for her powers. It is very much reminiscent of modern and classic witch stories in content, and 40s film noir in visual and writing style, which makes it a great story to read for spooky season.
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks
Pumpkinheads is a great YA graphic novel for readers who want to get the fall vibes while staying far away from anything spooky. It follows two teenagers on their last night of their last year of working in the local pumpkin patch and during their fall festival as they decide to make their last night of this job an occasion to remember. It’s very cute and funny and perfectly captures the feeling of fall and Halloween by simply being about fall and Halloween.
Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola, illustrated by Emily Carroll
Another middle grade / YA crossover graphic novel, Baba Yaga’s Assistant retells the Russian fairy tales of the witch Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is looking for an assistant and we follow our young protagonist through all the trials Baba Yaga puts her through to prove her worth as an assistant. The story is creepy and fun, with Carroll (whose work often veers more towards horror) providing illustrations that really amp up both of those feelings.
Crema by Johnnie Christmas, illustrated by Dante Luiz
Crema is an adult graphic novel about a woman who is both a barista and coffee addict who happens to see ghosts when she drinks too much coffee (which is all the time). She begins to fall in love with a glamourous heiress to the coffee plantation that provides her work with the coffee they sell, but there’s a sinister ghostly drama attached to the plantation that can’t be ignored. It’s both a cute lesbian romance story and a creepy ghost story.
Bloodlust & Bonnets by Emily McGovern
Bloodlust & Bonnets is an adult / YA crossover graphic novel set in the early 19th century novel following a debutante, a mysterious nonbinary bounty hunter, and Lord Byron as they hunt down vampires (with their eyes on one vampire in particular). It’s a bit on the bloody side, but it isn’t graphic at all, and is filled with slapstick and jokes at the expense of early 19th century gothic literature, which makes it fun to read if you aren’t up for anything too scary or gruesome but are interested in something in the vein of horror comedy.
The Feminist Bibliothecary 