Chapter 16 - Part 165

Lois Lowry Broadens Her Horizons

After two Newbery Medals and more than 40 books, Lois Lowry writes her first book in verse

By Julie Danielson | April 6, 2020

In On the Horizon, acclaimed children’s author Lois Lowry explores the history of World War II through the stories of those who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor and the bombing of Hiroshima. Chapter 16 talked with Lowry about writing in verse for the first time, what she thought of the film adaptation of The Giver, what surprises her about children’s literature after decades in the field, and more.

Dog in the Bottoms

A four-legged role model shows me how to live in the moment

By Lyda Phillips | April 3, 2020

Each time I regain consciousness, I look for Zo’s white tail. Usually, I spot it flicking back and forth — ahead of me, to the left, to the right, sometimes behind. If I don’t see that waving beacon, I call. Soon I hear, then see her racing toward me at full speed, 45 pounds of solid enthusiasm.

Hidden Tennessee

Cave expert Larry E. Matthews takes readers on a remarkable tour of the Middle Tennessee underground

By Michael Ray Taylor | April 2, 2020

For over 40 years, Nashville resident Larry E. Matthews has produced a slew of specialized books chronicling some of Tennessee’s 10,000 known caves. His latest, the lavishly illustrated Caves of the Highland Rim, may be the most accessible to general readers, revealing hidden worlds through Matthews’ clear prose and detailed photographs by Bob Biddix.

Death Is the Mother of Beauty

Poet Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum talks with Chapter 16 about grief, memory, and healing

By Lauren Turner | April 1, 2020

Nashville poet Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum’s second collection, Visiting Hours, is an invitation to join him in communing with and grieving for the spirit of his longtime friend Mary Interlandi, who took her life in 2003. It is at once sweeping and focused, grand and intimate.

“Forsythia in February”

Book Excerpt: Visiting Hours

By Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum | April 1, 2020

Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum, a Nashville native, is the author of Ghost Gear and editor of Apocalypse Now: Poems & Prose from the End of Days. He’s the acquisitions editor for Upper Rubber Boot Books and the founder and editor of PoemoftheWeek.com and the Floodgate Poetry Series.

The Paradise, The Grave, The City, The Wilderness

The characters of Katy Simpson Smith’s The Everlasting span the long, winding history of Rome

By Emily Choate | March 31, 2020

Readers who love history for its grand, sweeping scale will find the premise of Katy Simpson Smith’s novel, The Everlasting, irresistible: a quartet of characters whose stories span almost 2,000 years and whose experiences delve into the chaotic, multilayered, enduring heart of Rome.

Camilla and the Caterpillars

By Frances Figart, illustrated by Matt Brass
Smokies Life
68 pages
$14.95

A young girl’s encounter with an extraordinary caterpillar in the Great Smoky Mountains leads her and her family on a quest to plant a national park right in their own backyard.

This environmentally themed chapter book for ages 6 through 11 introduces young readers to important ecological concepts including habitat loss and the interdependence of native species and offers a compelling grassroots solution through native-plant gardening that invites anyone to take part in addressing the growing biodiversity crisis.

~the publisher