booktalk Archives - Page 4 of 1352

Window Music
by Anastasia Suen (Author) and Wade Zahares (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Window music is an old railroad term for the scenery outside the window. When I found these words in a library book, I knew I had to write this 80-word poem about the scenery between my hometown Los Angeles and the seaside town of Santa Barbara.

The illustrator lived in Maine, so he added snow! I was surprised at first because it doesn’t snow on that route, but as you can see in the illustration below, it’s a nice touch.

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After Window Music came out in 1998, it was a Book of the Month selection and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book! (I’m not the only one who likes to look out the window!) In 2014, thanks to Liz Nealon, it was published as an e-book, the format it still exists in today.

It’s #ThrowbackThursday!
Copyright © 2026 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved. (*bookstore affiliate)

Mari and the Great Market Swap
by Janelle Springer-Willms (Author), Juliana Eigner (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop

Booktalk: Mari loves to help Granny sell their ripe guavas at the weekly market. Every week, she hears the cheerful chorus of Miss Hyacinth singing “Come fa yuh mangoes, sweet and juicy,” Fitzroy shouting, “Fish, fish flying fish, one ah dollar,” and Mamee calling “Sugar cakes? Tamarind balls? Guava cheese?” On Saturdays, they are one big family.

But today, Mari’s friend brings news that a sugarcane truck toppled over on the main road, so customers can’t reach the market. Without customers, the vendors won’t make enough money to buy what they need for their families and businesses. But Mari is a problem solver, and she has an idea. What about… a great market swap!

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