Welcome back to our series, 20 QUESTIONS!,

where we answer questions about writing, reading, and author life.

(Note that we enjoy the series so much we’ve decided to just keep the questions coming!)

This month’s question:

What kind of books do you enjoy reading, just for fun?

“Let me preface my answer with all my reading is just for fun—even scientific studies I read to research my books. When I have time to browse the shelves in a bookstore or library, though, I gravitate toward the literary fiction section, but not exclusively. I just finished (and loved) Happiness Falls by Angie Kim, Music of the Bees by Eileen Garvin, I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, Isola by Allegra Goodman, and Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire (environmental nonfiction). Peace Like a River by Leif Enger is one of my all-time favorites. Likewise anything by Jane Austen. Maybe I should take a picture of my bookshelf instead of writing all these words :-)” 

—Patricia Newman, Sibert Honor author + environmentalist

“I’ve been a huge mystery reader since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie. One of my favorite current series is Finlay Donovan by Elle Cosimano. Finlay Donovan is a suspense novelist and single mom turned amateur sleuth, who solves cases along with her nanny sidekick, Vero. The books are a riot!”

—Kirsten W. Larson, author of Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book (Both/And)