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What Does a Corn Maze Have to Do With Minecraft—and a Trilogy?

on September 10, 2026

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LET'S TALK BOOKS

lorisbookloft@gmail.com

Hi, I'm Lori

I’m a lifelong reader, a Midwestener, book lover and the person behind Lori’s Book Loft. Here you’ll find book reviews, author conversations, bookstores worth visiting, books being adapted for film, and the occasional story about how a particular book found its way into my hands.

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Birdbrains: A Book That Reminded Me to Look Closer

Earlier this year, I received a copy of Birdbrains: A Lyrical Guide to Washington State Birds from Raven Chronicles Press via Shannon O’Grady. I have to admit, I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first opened it. I love books that bring together different pieces of a story, and this one immediately caught my attention because it isn't simply a book about birds. It is a collection of poetry, stories, observations, artwork, and facts that encourages you to look a little closer at the birds we so often take for granted. Birdbrains is a 314-page anthology featuring 107 species of birds from Washington State, along with other species from across the United States and around the world. It was edited by Washington State poet Susan Rich, with original pen-and-ink sumi-e paintings by artist Hiroko Seki and bird facts and notes from Stephanie Delaney. But what really makes this book interesting is the collection of voices inside it. Ninety-eight poets and writers contributed thei...

What Stayed With Me After Ham’s Heaven

\ I don't think we can look at the early days of space exploration without understanding how much courage, curiosity, and determination went into figuring out whether humans could actually survive in space. I have to admit, when I first picked up this book about Ham, I wasn’t sure how I’d get through the story. Before Ham, there were rhesus monkeys known as Albert I through IV. These monkeys were part of Project Albert, which aimed to study the effects of space travel on living organisms. None of them survived. Reading that part of the story is important. It shows that the risks were already known. By the time Ham came along, there had already been loss, and the people involved in the space program had learned some lessons from those earlier attempts. That stayed with me as I continued reading about Ham. There was already a history behind what he was being asked to do. Before he was Ham, he was simply known as Number 65 . Captured in Cameroon in 1957, he became...

When Stillness Brings Clarity: What the River Knows by Ashya Khan

I recently finished What the River Knows by Ashya Khan, a beautiful book that stayed with me in a quiet way. The writing drew me in through its conversations between a seeker and a river and the questions we carry quietly within ourselves. It speaks to the importance of finding clarity by returning to our own nature and taking the time to truly listen to what is within us. But it was the watercolor illustrations that gave me another feeling altogether. There was such softness and peace in them. As I moved through the pages, I found myself wanting to slow down, be still, and sink myself into the illustrations. They seemed to create a little space where I could breathe, feel more at ease, and simply let go. I think that is what I appreciated most about this book. The writing gives you something to think about, while the illustrations give you permission to pause. Together, they create a feeling of stillness that can be hard to find in everyday life. Sometimes we need that reminder—that...

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