Book-to-movie/television adaptations are everywhere. Apple TV, Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and Hollywood all want content, giving authors more opportunities than ever to sell their screen rights. Not that the idea of turning a book into a film is new; in fact, Cinderella by Charles Perrault (1697) was turned into a six-minute film by Georges Méliès in 1899. More followed, especially when silent films graduated to sound in 1927. In 2025, local author Edward Ashton’s Mickey 7 was released by Warner Bros. as Mickey 17, and Rochester has plenty more fodder to sell. Will one of our picks be the next to hit the screen? Time will tell!
By Mary Rosenberger
Payette Publishing, 2024
Mary’s parents thought they had found their calling at Freedom Village, a Christian home and school where troubled teens were sent for rehabilitation. They had three children, and Mary and her sister became an integral part of the school’s music program. But they also had to follow the rules of Pastor, Freedom Village’s hypocritical leader, or risk being punished. As she grew up, Mary realized the fear Pastor imparted was not necessary in order for her to love God.
This memoir shows how faith can be weaponized for control despite a religion’s emphasis on love and forgiveness. Parts of Rosenberger’s young life gave her joy, such as music and dance, so her later confusion about Freedom Village was justified. Her writing is honest, vulnerable, and healing to herself and others overcoming a traumatic time.
Today, Rosenberger lives with her husband and their three children outside Rochester where she still expresses herself through music and movement. She is a fan of Ted Dekker’s Circle Trilogy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and movies with amazing soundtracks. Rosenberger says the best part of being an author is “the satisfaction of expressing exactly what I feel and know to be true.” Instagram: @maryrosenberger87
By William David Thomas
Charlesbridge Moves, 2024, hardcover, $17.99
Allen doesn’t remember his parents; all he has are the nightmares that don’t match the story he was told about their death. Eight years later, Allen and his grandmother move to a small Adirondack town where he’s finally making friends. But when a day trip leads him to a llama who he can communicate with, the truth about his parents’ death comes to light.
This concise novel offers quick satisfaction to questions about Allen’s past. His talent for communicating with llamas through hums is a unique twist that readers will believe is possible. The short chapters may attract reluctant readers seeking a middle grade adventure with an animal theme.
Thomas, the author of more than two dozen nonfiction books for kids, loves doing school visits to chat about books and writing. He is also fond of Casablanca, author Kate DiCamillo’s work, Durand Eastman Park, and the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery. This father and grandfather once lived on a small island in the South Pacific but now resides with his wife near Lake Ontario. He’s traveled to six continents and still dreams of visiting the icy seventh. williamdavidthomas.com
By Kristen Felicetti
Shabby Doll House, 2024, paperback, $19.00
Six years ago, Ellora’s mom left her in the care of her boyfriend, Brian, and never came back. Now sixteen-year-old Ellora navigates family and friend highs and lows through her LiveJournal entries. She reconnects with a classmate, acts in a play, and breaks through to Brian for long-awaited answers, sharing it all with her online friends in the early 2000s.
The song references reinforce the time period, from Tori Amos’s Boys for Pele to Fiona Apple’s “Limp,” and effectively convey Ellora’s moods. The LiveJournal format and references to the Gore/Bush “Choose and Lose 2000” election will bring back memories to the forty-plus crowd. Late Gen Xers and early Millennials will particularly enjoy—and relate to—this novel.
Felicetti is the editor-in-chief of The Bushwick Review, head of support for Substack, and fan of Rochester’s local music scene (check out provocateur Beef Gordon and country band Candy). When she’s not traveling, you can find her at Bookeater, Tryon City Tavern, and Katboocha. She loves hearing from readers and writers. kristenfelicetti.com
Our Last Walk Home: Love, Cancer, and the Agony of Letting Go
By Jennifer Sanfilippo
Jennifer Sanfilippo, 2024, paperback, $19.99
When her fifty-six-year-old husband, Jim, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive leukemia, the author struggled to support him and their two sons. Jennifer navigated the hospital, the COVID-19 pandemic, and her own mental health with mixed results. Six months later, Jim died, leaving Jennifer to process the overwhelming whirlwind of a year and find a path forward.
This memoir is written with beauty, wit, and despair and will make the reader smile and cry. Jennifer’s descriptions of the difficulties in getting straight medical answers not fueled by insurance companies will ring true to anyone who has cared for a hospitalized loved one. The book is a concrete and caring tribute to Jim and their marriage.
Jennifer is now an “end of life” doula, helping others process their feelings about loss. She also grows pawpaw trees at her Rochester home, noting they are locally indigenous and “Jim used to sell the fruit at the Westside farmers market.” Jennifer enjoys meals at Pat’s Coffee Mug and the Southwedge Diner, and, during the snowy season, she ice skates at RCSD’s No. 12 school pond. She loves her Rochester community. Jennifer-sanfilippo.com
Say it with a Beautiful Song: The Art and Craft of the American Songbook
By Michael Lasser* & Harmon Greenblatt
Rowman & Littlefield, 2024
*Are you a fan of mid-twentieth century films? How about a musical theater junky? Then the 1920s through 1960s songs, composers, and artists discussed in this work will have you itching to catch a show. The American Songbook’s repertoire is analyzed to see just how the hits stuck with listeners for the past century. The authors explain how the tunes, often with Black and Latin roots, merged into new songs, using rhyme and humor that appealed to post-WWI white audiences looking for an escape from reality.
Readers will learn about Irving Berlin, Dorothy Fields, George Gershwin, and many others. Song lists at the end of each chapter may inspire readers to listen along for a full multimedia experience. Michael Lasser hosted the syndicated public radio show Fascinatin’ Rhythm for more than forty years, so it tracks that his favorite movies include Casablanca, All About Eve, and Singing’ in the Rain. Locals may have seen him grabbing a bite at Jine’s Restaurant or reading in the Rundel Memorial Library. His latest book, Sweet Freedom’s Song, was released October 2.
*In loving memory of Michael Lasser (1936–2025)
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of (585).
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