I have a librarian and past bookseller friend, Jamie Pittel,
who has always found great joy in planting one subversive book in every display she creates. As a fellow student in Vermont College’s Writing for Children and Young Adults’ program, she would often talk about the elements that make great books great reading that also makes you think, whether they’re picture books or adult novels. I came to the program as a young adult writer and that is still where I live most of my imaginary life. But Jamie made me contemplate picture books and middle grade novels in a different, more broad, way. Consider That Curious George portrays elements of colonization and imperialism; thanks to Little Nell’s nasty behavior toward Laura, Little House on the Prairie teaches middle graders how to deal with bullying; and what mother would ever, ever wish a wildly partying babysitter for their kids like The Cat in the Hat? Jamie loved to display these classics in the midst of other new and classic books that reflect issues of poverty, racism, gender, family problems, war and genocide. She’s one of my heroes and someone who I believe should take responsibility for encouraging me to write about tough topics, flawed heroes, and the way life really is — always with the goal to open readers’ eyes to social justice issues in the world. It is in sharing these ideals that most of us at The Pirate Tree have come together to tell readers about the amazing new books that arrive on shelves each day. We believe that we can change lives by making readers aware of the way the world really spins. And we believe you can change lives and encourage readers to grow their social consciences by offering books to help them think about how they might advocate for change in their own communities. 
One book that stands out for me this year because it made me think seriously about the way development is depleting our natural resources is Kathi Appelt’s True Blue Scouts of Sugarman Swamp. One the surface, this is just a book about two raccoons, fried sugar pie and a swamp. But it is also about the destruction of natural resources and the real need to conserve the environment. Since reading this novel I’ve taken a keen interest in a local quarry that developers wanted to use as a dumpsite for concrete and asphalt from a freeway renovation and I’ve paid closer attention to national stories about fracking and genetically enhanced foods and, of course, global warming. Kathi’s raccoons have expanded my world in significant ways. Another book made me consider the role of television in our culture. A.S. King’s Reality Boy, a young adult novel about a boy who grew up in front of television viewers on a “nanny” reality show. His “marginal” behavior was captured for all the world while his dysfunctional mother and borderline sister were able to hide behind his problems. But how many of us have sat mindlessly before a television and watched reality disaster play out for our entertainment? Have we considered how these reality shows distort reality?
This year, why not make a resolution to pick up a book that might shake up your world view. Maybe it’s a book you would normally overlook because the topic seems a bit different, or too bleak, or even weird. But try it. Let the books you choose open broader worlds, provide different ways of thinking, and allow you to consider how much you take for granted that might go away tomorrow if you don’t protect it. And, please feel free to let The Pirate Tree know what you’re reading and why it’s blowing your mind in amazing and good ways!
Happy New Year!