msjamgochian'sinfinitebooklist

Le Cirque des Rêves only comes out at night, is in black and white, and has a loyal group of patrons devoted to following it around the globe. Celia and Marco, two young magicians raised and trained to compete against each other in the ultimate magic-off, fall in love, not realizing that only one of them can survive the dangerous game concocted by their scheming masters. A lyrical, gorgeous romance encased in velvet and set in the late 19th century. Not to be missed. Click here for a full review and don't miss Ms. Morgenstern's website for extras including a playlist.

Remember the golden era of Canadian comics? When cartoonists were the toast of the town? Seth has crafted a lovely, detailed world peopled with eccentric artists who make up the Great Northern Brotherhood of Canadian Cartoonists in what was originally thought of as a sketch book (which also serves as a companion book to Wimbledon Green). In his introduction to the work, Seth states that the book should be filed under the category of an indulgence, and at times, it does wander, but anyone who has enjoyed his previous work will enjoy TGNBCC. Click here for a full review and don't miss this wonderful little documentary on Seth .

Sometimes when struggling to complete a piece of writing, you discover something that facilitates procrastination in exciting new ways. While trying to finish the screenplay for her much-anticipated second film, Ms. July found herself reading the ubiquitous Pennysaver classifieds during longer and longer lunches. Eventually, she contacted some of the strangers with items for sale, and circuitously found the ending for her screenplay (not to mention an unforgettable actor who wound up playing himself in the film). Her home visits to the Pennysaver crew feel like prolonged eavesdropping on a public bus and are just as entertaining. An excellent holiday gift for Miranda July fans.

Levé finished Suicide ten days before killing himself, thereby turning the novella into an extremely public suicide letter. Don't miss Mark O'Connell's thorough review. Required reading for anyone who has survived a suicide.

This collection of "short talks," or, simply put, paragraphs, covers a wide range of topics, including the following Short Talk on Brigitte Bardot : "Brigitte Bardot is on the prowl. What does she want, a slave? to satisfy her hungers and make beautiful photo- graphs. Whose slave is it? She does not care, she will make the slave shine. Per- fect. La folie , she will think to herself." Ms. Carson is the author of The Beauty of the Husband , a fictional essay in twenty-nine tangos, not to be missed.

A Scarlet Letter reimagined in the not-so-distant future, WSW takes on separation of church and state, women's reproductive rights, and criminal justice without ever feeling preachy or forced. After Hannah Payne is convicted of murder for terminating an unwanted pregnancy, she literally wakes up red. Her jail time is televised; watching incarcerated 'chromes,' or convicted criminals (colored according to the nature of their crime), is a popular national entertainment. When Hannah is released, her nightmare begins as she struggles to balance her need for justice with her love for her family and her faith. An excellent choice for units discussing the individual versus society and social injustice, WSW will have special appeal for older teens. A remarkably different story than Mudbound, Jordan's equally successful debut novel. Grade 9+

Anya is up to her ears in annoyances: her embarrassing Russian mother, her chubby thighs, her invisible social status at school, and an omnipresent irritating fellow emigre Dima, to name a few. In the midst of her fuming, she falls down a hidden well, and encounters the century old ghost of Emily Reilly. Once rescued, Anya enjoys the perks of having a ghost for a friend, but their relationship turns a corner when Anya discovers Emily's secret and confronts her. Ms. Brosgol's approachable illustrations are appropriately colored in a moody palette of black, white, and indigo. Her brilliant use of perspective (from close-ups to aerial shots), along with the use of half page panels and insets, strengthen the emotional highs and lows of the storyline. A pleasantly spooky and impressive debut. Give it to fans of Hope Larson's Mercury . Grade 8+

A complex and moving story told by two survivors: Jill, who is stunned by her father's recent sudden death, and Mandy, who has left behind her abusive family in the hopes of making a new life for her unexpected and unborn child. Jill's mother, Robin, agrees to an open adoption with Mandy, who wants a better life for her baby. Jill believes her mother is making a life-altering mistake and simply trying to replace her beloved father. Slowly both girls move towards love and trust while redefining their respective futures. As usual, Ms. Zarr's strength lies in her believable, sympathetic, and honest depictions of troubled yet strong young women. Mandy's sweet naivete pairs perfectly with Jill's tough facade, and a robust cast of supporting characters round out the charming ensemble. Click here for Ms. Zarr's interview at ALA 2011 . Grade 8+

Mix High School Musical with Sweet Valley High then add a dash of Strawberry Shortcake and you'll have something that approximates this little graphic novel full of masochistic mean girl friendships and stereotypical characters. That isn't to say that plenty of young ladies won't thoroughly enjoy watching popular-girl-with-an-arty-side Zoe mourn her love hate relationship with bitchy-glam-boyfriend-stealing Mackenzie. They will. But they should read Paige by Paige instead. Grade 6+

Set in 1996, TFOU tells the story of Emma and Josh, next-door neighbors trying to redefine their feelings for each other after a 'we're just friends but we almost kissed' incident. When Emma and Josh discover a link on her family's new computer called the facebook, they find they can look into their respective futures, and start making adjustments with unexpected repercussions. A fun nostalgic look at life in the 90s and friendship from the authors of 13 Reasons Why and The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. Grade 7+

PIAIL was probably not a clever reading choice for my recent stint in a hospital waiting room. Grim, grim, and more grim. Didion set a new benchmark for depressing novellas set in the 70s when she penned the story of 31-year-old Maria Wyeth, an out of work actress recovering from the mental breakdown she suffered after purportedly participating in a movie producer friend's suicide. Click here for the 1972 film adaptation's trailer, featuring actress Tuesday Weld.

"Only the people with the right genes and the wrong impulses will find its marriage of bold ideas and deplorable characters irresistable" (Endpapers, Boxer Beatle). Perfect for fans of Torsten Kroll's Callisto or anyone who would enjoy a story that involves a guy that smells like fish, a repressed eugenicist, boxing, fascists, Nazi memorabilia, and deadly swastika-adorned killer beatles.