Books, Movies, CDs

Sea of Tranquility : a novel

Emily St. John Mandel

FICTION Mandel Emily
Science Fiction, Literary Fiction

"The award-winning, best-selling author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel returns with a novel of art, time, love, and plague that takes the reader from an island off Vancouver in 1912 to a dark colony of the moon three hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and planets. Edwin St. Andrew is eighteen years old when he crosses the Atlantic by steamship, exiled from polite society following an ill-conceived diatribe at a dinner party. He enters the forest, spellbound by the beauty of the Canadian wilderness, and suddenly hears the notes of a violin echoing in an airship terminal -- an experience that shocks him to his core. Two centuries later a famous writer named Olive Llewellyn is on a book tour. She's traveling all over Earth, but her home is the second moon colony, a place of white stone, spired towers, and artificial beauty. Within the text of Olive's best-selling pandemic novel lies a strange passage: a man plays his violin for change in the echoing corridor of an airship terminal as the trees of a forest rise around him. When Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, a detective in the black-skied Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in the North American wilderness, he uncovers a series of lives upended: The exiled son of an earl driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home as a pandemic ravages Earth, and a childhood friend from the Night City who, like Gaspery himself, has glimpsed the chance to do something extraordinary that will disrupt the timeline of the universe. "--

Emily St. John Mandel seems to brilliantly encapsulate all of modern fears in the sum of 255 pages. Or are they just human fears? This book, spanning centuries, from the 1910's to the 2300's, takes on post-traumatic stress disorder, pandemics, technological shifts, and the fragility of Earth and its nations. And like always, St. John Mandel leaves me with more questions than answers. -Anne M

Women in white coats : how the first women doctors changed the world of medicine

Olivia M. Campbell

610.922 /Campbell
Nonfiction, History, Science

Documents the true stories of three pioneering women who defied Victorian-era boundaries to become the first women doctors, discussing how they banded together to support each other and advocate for women's health in a male-dominated field.

For fans of Hidden Figures and Radium Girls comes the remarkable story of three Victorian women who broke down barriers in the medical field to become the first women doctors, revolutionizing the way women receive health care. With gripping storytelling based on extensive research and access to archival documents, Women in White Coats tells the courageous history these women made by becoming doctors, detailing the boundaries they broke of gender and science to reshape how we receive medical care today. -Angie

The book thief

Markus Zusak

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Zusak, Markus
Historical Fiction, Young Adult

Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors.

I've heard good things about this book for years, but I've never read it. Recently, it came up in an article, and I thought maybe it was time to give The Book Thief a try. (I do enjoy Mark Zusak's other books. I really can't believe it's taken me so long to get to this one.) Good news, ICPL has several copies, plus audio CDs, eBooks and eAudio, so if you're interested, you also check it out! -Hanna

All ages welcome : recruiting and retaining younger generations for library boards, friends groups, and foundations

Lina Bertinelli

021.82 /Bertinelli
Nonfiction, Business, Political

"With hands-on worksheets, brainstorming activities, checklists, and more, this planner provides practical tools for libraries to grow and strengthen their recruitment, retention, and training of trustees, Friends, and foundation members"--

Boomers have experience but Millenials and Gen Z have vested interest and they should be allowed/encouraged to create the future they'll have to live in. This book is good advise for seeking out younger board members but I think it can also serve as a call to younger adults that they're valued and desired. -Mykle

Into the forest : the secret language of trees

Susan Tyler Hitchcock

582.16 /Hitchcock
Nonfiction, Nature, Science

"For millennia, trees have offered renewal and inspiration. They have provided for humanity on every level, from spiritual sanctuary to the raw material for our homes, books, and food. In this beautiful and revealing book, National Geographic combines legendary photography with cutting-edge science to illuminate exactly how trees influence the life of planet Earth--from our personal lives to the weather cycle. Beautifully illustrated essays tell the stories of the world's most remarkable trees, from Tane Mahura in New Zealand, the ancient Maori "lord of the forest," to Pando, a single aspen spreading over 100 acres: Earth's largest living thing. You'll also discover how an astronaut carried tree seeds to the moon and back; the reason "microdosing" on tree gas is a sure way to boost your immune system; and why playing in the dirt boosts serotonin, happiness hormone"--Amazon.

This is another book I discovered because I got to catalog it. Perks of the job! It's beautiful. Simply lovely pictures of different species of trees with a short history or factoid of each one. My. Jam. -Melody

Almost nothing, yet everything : a book about water

Hiroshi Osada

jE Osada

Artist Ryōji Arai and poet Hiroshi Osada, the Japanese team behind critically acclaimed Every Color of Light, offer up another meditation on the natural world in this ode to water. A lyrical moment between parent and child in a boat on a river unfolds into an examination of the water that surrounds them, and the nature and life sustained by it: "It's only oxygen and hydrogen. Simple as could be, and yet nothing means more to life as we know it." Arai's lush art and Osada's evocative poetry, beautifully translated from Japanese by David Boyd, work together to enchant readers and refresh their spirit, opening their eyes to the wonders of water, the universe, and life.

What an absolutely stunning book! The text is sparse and the illustrations are riveting; showcasing the importance of one of our most valuable commodities; water! I love how the pictures incorporate us humans as part of nature as opposed to being the overlords of our planet. There is so much wonder and reverence in this book. A perfect read during Earth Month, Earth Day or any day! if you like this title, try A River, by Marc Martin. -Victoria

No nibbling!

Beth Ferry

jE Ferry
Picture Books, Gardening, Humor

Derwood the goat has planted a garden and is prepared to defend it from all nibblers, including Tabitha the bunny, whom Derwood is convinced has designs on his growing vegetables; she teases him as the months go by, but after she helps him with the weeding the two become friends and share the feast.

Puns galore and adorable illustrations make perfect storytime fare! -Casey

A bad day for Sunshine

Darynda Jones

MYSTERY Jones Darynda
Mystery, Romance

"Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o' joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose. Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee--and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff--an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in--and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it's reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter's new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full. Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it's up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free."--

I was kinda hoodwinked into reading this book. I read about it thinking it fit the new and trendy "Sunshine Noir" genre. Think: Nordic Noir but in the sunshine, where the tension rises as the temp does. Turns out, there're snow storms all over this book! Nonetheless, I did find it to be a zippy read that pulled me into the characters and the storyline. I loved the budding love between the new girl and a broody teen poet. Nose-deep into the pages, I followed along eagerly as the detectives followed the tracks of a missing person. I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I'm glad I picked this one up because I couldn't put it down! -Melody

What we do in the shadows. The complete first season

DVD TV What 1st season
Comedy

Four vampires have lived together for hundreds of years. After an unexpected visit from their dark lord and leader, they're reminded that they were initially tasked with completing domination of the New World upon their arrival in Staten Island; over a hundred years ago. But what exactly is the best way to go about achieving said domination?

I have a bad habit of watching TV shows long after they're recommended to me. I usually joke that I'll talk to the person about it in around three years. We're at the three year mark on What We Do in the Shadows Season 1, and, guess what, it's great! It's perfect for people who have or haven't watched the movie of the same name. Familiars, energy vampires, and werewolves abound! -Brian

Five magic rooms

Laura Knetzger

jREADER I Like
Early Readers

When Mia visits the home of her friend Pie, she is amazed by everything she sees, feels, smells, and tastes, but Pie is sure that her home is just as special.

A young kid visits a friend's house that has several "magical" rooms, including a crystal room filled with houseplants and a quilt room filled with crafts! The girl sees how magical her friend's home is and appreciates new food she's never tried, and she gets excited to share the magical rooms in her own home. I just want to live in the pictures! So cute and truly magical. -Mari

Nature's treasures

Hoare, Ben, author.

508 /Hoare

Nature is bursting with objects that are beautiful, useful, and intriguing. But where do they come from-- and what are they for? Hoare helps readers discover natural objects that have amazing tales to tell. From a delicate bird's feather to a glittering rock from space, readers will marvel at minerals forged through time, ingenious structures made by nature, and remarkable features that help animals and plants to survive and thrive. -- adapted from back cover

Nature’s Treasures takes you on a tour of our planet through incredible objects made by nature itself. Objects are shown with truly stunning photography and colorful illustrations to help explain the science behind them. The lively descriptions explore the remarkable tales of each item, and all are packed with fascinating information. It’s the perfect first book about nature for inquisitive children ages 7 and up who love to spot things when exploring outside and want to know more about nature. -Angie

The Lincoln highway

Amor Towles

FICTION Towles Amor

In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett's intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden's car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett's future, one that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite direction-to the City of New York. Spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles's third novel will satisfy fans of his multi-layered literary styling while providing them an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes.

Like Towles' other novels, "The Lincoln Highway" moves at a brilliant pace. Spanning just ten days, the narrative's journey across the U.S. and with varying perspectives had me fully absorbed in the characters and plot. A great blend of wit and intrigue, with some unexpected moments-- highly recommended! -Becky

The Korean vegan cookbook : reflections and recipes from Omma's kitchen

Joanne Lee Molinaro

641.59519 /Lee Molinaro

Korean cooking is synonymous with fish sauce and barbecue, and veganism remains extremely rare in Korean culture. Many of the ingredients are fully plant-based and unbelievably flavorable, and Korean plant-based eating is not a new idea: vegan cuisine prepared by Korean Buddhist monks has been around for more than a thousand years. Lee Molinaro shares recipes (and narrative snapshots) of the food that shaped her family history-- only with a plant-based take. -- adapted from inside front cover and the chapter, The Korean vegan.

This is a gorgeous book of delicious Korean vegan recipes that are easy to replicate. Equally wonderful are the detailed family histories that exemplify how food and family are interwoven and how special signature family recipes can almost feel like we're reviving a sacred time and place at the dinner table with our loved ones who originally created them. -Victoria

The Delish kids (super-awesome, crazy-fun, best-ever) cookbook

Joanna Saltz

j641.5 Saltz
Cookbooks

"This best-ever kids' cookbook from Delish is filled with recipes that make cooking so much fun. Throughout young chefs will learn basic skills, like how to make the gooey grilled cheese (the secret: use a waffle iron!) and upgrade your favorite store-bought foods (Chicken Nuggets! Woohoo!). Chapters include recipes for breakfast (Banana Split Oatmeal!), snacks (Cool Ranch Chickpeas!), lunches and dinners (Chorizo Tacos, Hot Dog Cubanos, and Best-Ever Fettucine Alfredo... do we need to say more?!), and party eats. Plus, two whole chapters include restaurant copycat recipes and desserts and snacks inspired by beloved pop culture characters."--Amazon.ca.

I have personally made the sugar cookie bars and the Big Mac quesadillas and they were indeed delish! Even if you do nothing but leaf through the beautiful food photographs, you're in for a treat! -Anne W

Jailbreak at Alcatraz : Frank Morris & the Anglin Brothers' great escape

Tom (Writer of children's books) Sullivan

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Sullivan
Graphic Novels, Kids

CASE NO. 002: THE ROCK. June 12, 1962. SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CALIFORNIA. 7:18 A.M. A corrections officer at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary tries to awaken inmate AZ-1441, Frank Morris. But when he shakes the unresponsive man, his head rolls off the pillow and crashes to the floor! Soon the guards realize that Morris and two other inmates, brothers John and Clarence Anglin, had done the seemingly impossible: escaped from the notorious island prison. This is the incredible true story of the daring and inventive escape and a decades-long manhunt in a case that remains unsolved to this day. Comics panels, reproductions of documents from real FBI files, and photos from the investigation combine for a thrilling read for sleuths of all ages.

I loved Tom Sullivan's first graphic novel, Escape at 10,000 feet: D.B. Cooper and the missing money, so much that I knew I was going to enjoy his latest historical graphic retelling of a true event! These books are a great read for those reluctant readers in your life or for anyone looking for a good unsolved mystery. -Angie

The diamond eye : a novel

Kate Quinn

FICTION Quinn Kate
Historical Fiction

"The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet bookworm who becomes history's deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story. In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kiev (now known as Kyiv), wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper--a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour. Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC--until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila's past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life. Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever." --

Fast-paced! Action-filled! And a history PhD student that is an expert in 17th-Century Ukrainian history who works in a library and then volunteers as a sniper for the Red Army during World War II! So much of this book was interesting. Like all Kate Quinn books, I could not put this one down. -Anne M

Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem

Rosalyn

133.4309/Schanzer
Religion, History

"Tackling the same twisted subject as Stacy Schiff's much-lauded book The Witches: Salem, 1692, this Sibert Honor book for young readers features unique scratchboard illustrations, chilling primary source material, and powerful narrative to tell the true tale.In the little colonial town of Salem Village, Massachusetts" (From Amazon)

A historical account with just the right amount of flavorful text and illustrations to keep it interesting. A humbling look at what superstition and zeal can do to people when it's not tempered with reason. -Mykle

Women artists A to Z

Melanie LaBarge

jE LaBarge
Nonfiction, Picture Books, Biographies

An empowering alphabet book celebrates famous and less-represented women artists in a variety of genres who have transformed the art world, from Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keeffe to Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Xenobia Bailey. --

I was reshelving this book on the bookmobile and my eyes were instantly drawn to the bright colors of the cover and the stylistic illustrations of the female artists. I read through the whole alphabet and learned about several artists I didn't know about and enjoyed learning about art history in the context of women's role in society during each artist's time. It's also very cool how the illustrator recreated each artist's work on their page but kept the same unique style throughout. So beautiful! -Mari

Stolen skies

Tim Powers

SCIENCE FICTION Powers, Tim
Science Fiction

"Sebastian Vickery has learned something about UFOs that he shouldn't have-and Naval Intelligence, desperate to silence him, orders his old partner, Agent Ingrid Castine, to trap him. But Castine risks career, liberty, and maybe even life to warn Vickery-and now they're both fugitives, on the run from both the U.S. government and agents of the Russian GRU Directorate, which has its own uses for the UFO intelligence. With the unlikely aid of a renegade Russian agent, a homeless Hispanic boy, and an eccentric old Flat-Earther, Vickery and Castine must find an ancient relic that spells banishment to the alien species, and then summon the things and use it against them-in a Samson-like confrontation that looks likely to kill them as well. Sweeping from the Giant Rock monolith in the Mojave Desert to a cultist temple in the Hollywood Hills, from a monstrous apparition in the Los Angeles River to a harrowing midnight visitation on a boat off Long Beach Harbor, Stolen Skies is an alien-encounter novel like no other"--

More non-stop insanity involving 2 of my favorite Tim Power's characters, Vickery and Castine, who once again find themselves having enough adventures and things happen to them in three days than most people would experience in three lifetimes. Can Los Angeles and its surroundings get any more weird or dangerous? -Paul

The woman they could not silence : one woman, her incredible fight for freedom, and the men who tried to make her disappear

Kate (Writer and editor) Moore

BIOGRAPHY Packard, E. P. W.
History

"1860: As the clash between the states rolls slowly to a boil, Elizabeth Packard, housewife and mother of six, is facing her own battle. The enemy sits across the table and sleeps in the next room. Threatened by Elizabeth's intellect, independence, and outspokenness, her husband of twenty-one years is plotting against her and makes a plan to put her back in her place. One summer morning, he has her committed to an insane asylum. The horrific conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois, are overseen by Dr. Andrew McFarland, a man who will prove to be even more dangerous to Elizabeth than her traitorous husband. But most disturbing is that Elizabeth is not the only sane woman confined to the institution. There are many rational women on her ward who tell the same story: they've been committed not because they need medical treatment, but to keep them in line--conveniently labeled "crazy" so their voices are ignored. No one is willing to fight for their freedom, and disenfranchised both by gender and the stigma of their supposed madness, they cannot possibly fight for themselves. But Elizabeth is about to discover that the merit of losing everything is that you then have nothing to lose..."--

This incredible work of nonfiction reads like a fast-past melodrama. -Anne M

The Kaiju Preservation Society

John Scalzi

SCIENCE FICTION Scalzi John
Science Fiction

"The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy. When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls "an animal rights organization." Tom's team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on. What Tom doesn't tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm and human-free world. They're the universe's largest and most dangerous panda and they're in trouble. It's not just the Kaiju Preservation Society whose found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die"--

This was a fun and quick read. It's Scalzi being extremely Scalzi-ish with snarky, witty humor throughout. If you like his other books, you'll like this too. -Brian

There's a ghost in this house

Oliver Jeffers

jE Jeffers

"A young girl lives in a haunted house, but she has never seen a ghost. Are they white with holes for eyes? Are they hard to see? Step inside and help the girl as she searches under the stairs, behind the sofa, and in the attic for the ghost." -- Amazon.

What an incredibly innovative story of a girl, some ghouls and breaking down the fourth wall! The juxtaposition of the gorgeous reality and furniture of an old house with the surreal ghosts is stunning and I've never read a picture book with translucent pages and added surprises before. I love Oliver's picture books but this is definitely one of my favorites! -Victoria

A knock at midnight : a story of hope, justice, and freedom

Brittany K. Barnett

340.092 /Barnett

An urgent call to free those buried alive by America's legal system, and an inspiring true story about unwavering belief in humanity-from a gifted young lawyer and important new voice in the movement to transform the system. By day she moved billion-dollar deals, and by night she worked pro bono to free clients in near-hopeless legal battles. Ultimately, her path transformed her understanding of injustice in the courts, of genius languishing behind bars, and the very definition of freedom itself. Brittany's riveting memoir is at once a coming-of-age story and a powerful evocation of what it takes to bring hope and justice to a system built to resist them both.

After listening to Brittany K. Barnett speak at a conference, I can’t wait to get started on her memoir! Her father’s advice to “Stop thinking about the challenges- think about the possibilities,” gave her the push she needed to focus on her true passion: working to transform the criminal justice system and supporting/nurturing the talents and minds of those behind bars. -Becky

Ain't burned all the bright

Jason Reynolds

811.6 /Reynolds
Young Adult

"Jason Reynolds, using three longggggggg sentences, and Jason Griffin, using three hundred pages of a pocket-size moleskine, have mind-melded this fierce-vulnerable-brilliant-terrifying-whatiswrongwithumans-hopefilled-hopeful-tendere-heartbreaking-heartmaking manifesto on what it means not to be able to breathe, and how the people and things at your fingertips are actually the oxygen you most need." -- jacket flap

2020 was unprecedented. The news rarely had anything good to say and we're still on our way out of a social isolation experiment that has profoundly impacted the way we connect. Melding the pandemic, what has changed and what is painfully still the same for a black family in America, this book delves in and out of living and loving. The sparse text is brought to life when needed and muted at times by explosive and illuminating illustrations. I would read the back of a cereal box if it was written by Jason Reynolds. Though his words are few in this book, he has distilled them into what really matters. -Victoria

A line to kill : a novel

Anthony Horowitz

MYSTERY Horowitz Anthony
Fiction, Mystery

"When Ex-Detective Inspector Daniel Hawthorne and his sidekick, author Anthony Horowitz, are invited to an exclusive literary festival on Alderney, an idyllic island off the south coast of England, they don't expect to find themselves in the middle of murder investigation--or to be trapped with a cold-blooded killer in a remote place with a murky, haunted past. Arriving on Alderney, Hawthorne and Horowitz soon meet the festival's other guests--an eccentric gathering that includes a bestselling children's author, a French poet, a TV chef turned cookbook author, a blind psychic, and a war historian--along with a group of ornery locals embroiled in an escalating feud over a disruptive power line. When a local grandee is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Hawthorne and Horowitz become embroiled in the case. The island is locked down, no one is allowed on or off, and it soon becomes horribly clear that a murderer lurks in their midst. But who?"--

I love this series, and this might be my favorite one so far. The basic premise is ongoing, ie, Anthony Horowitz is an author who follows and documents a private detective, Daniel Hawthorne, in order to give his books a insight and some pizazz. The setting is great in this book--a small island off the coast of England, where they are there for a book festival. This series isn't exactly a cozy by any means--the violence can be graphic, the characters can be pretty awful--but there is a humor and hard-won camaraderie between author and investigator that is kind of heartwarming, in a murder-y sort of way. -Candice

The Maid: A Novel

Nita Prose

OverDrive Audiobook
Mystery

Molly Dunn is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and interprets people literally. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by. Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has had to navigate life's complexities all by herself. No matter--she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection. But Molly's orderly life is turned on its head the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself very dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's odd demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect and she finds herself in a web of subtext and nuance she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, a medley of friends she didn't realize she had refuses to let her be charged with murder--but will they be able to discover the real killer before it's too late?

Boy, this was a fun listen! If you love locked-room mysteries, but like your mysteries to be humorous, this one is for you. -Anne M

The employees : a workplace novel of the 22nd century

Olga Ravn

FICTION Ravn Olga
Science Fiction

"Funny and doom-drenched, The Employees chronicles the fate of the Six-Thousand Ship. The human and humanoid crew members complain about their daily tasks in a series of staff reports and memos. When the ship takes on a number of strange objects from the planet New Discovery, the crew becomes strangely and deeply attached to them, even as tensions boil toward mutiny, especially among the humanoids. Olga Ravn's prose is chilling, crackling, exhilarating, and foreboding. The Employees probes into what makes us human, while delivering a hilariously stinging critique of life governed by the logic of productivity"--

The way this book is laid out is like a collection of puzzle pieces of various sizes and depths that gradually bring the bigger picture of the tale into focus. Overall though, the individual entries noting the individual employee responses and reactions are quite relatable to anyone who works for a living. -Paul

Cats on catnip

Andrew Marttila

636.8 /Marttila
Animals

A humorous collection of dozens of photos of funny and adorable cats as they play with, roll in, and chow down their favorite snack of choice -- catnip.

This book just makes me very happy. Cute cats doing cute things. -Mykle

Solitary animals : introverts of the wild

Joshua David Stein

j591.5 Stein
Animals

"This lyrical, nonfiction text honors animals who live in solitude, in contrast to others who live in groups. Against a backdrop of the specific names of various animal tribes (a parade of elephants, a tower of giraffes, a dazzle of zebras), Stein shines a spotlight on those animals who go through life on their own. With nature at his back, Stein invites readers to draw strength and comfort from the behaviors of fellow mammals. Perfect for children who tend to be alone and their parents...as well as all children, who will be encouraged to respect the "natural" choices of their peers"--

Hi, do you enjoy looking at UNBELIEVABLY GORGEOUS paintings of animals??? Me, too! Learn about animals who roll solo in the fascinating picture book. The text is spare, making it a great read-aloud for young children, but despite being a short book it still contains significant nuggets of information about the little-known topic of solitary animals. These "introverts of the wild" are are non-judgmentally compared to their communal-living peers (a charm of hummingbirds! a fever of stingrays!), sure to spark further questions and independent investigation from animal-loving kids. -Anne W

Fairy houses : how to create whimsical homes for fairy folk

Sally J. Smith

635.967 /Smith
Nature, Nonfiction, Crafts, Gardening

Create the ultimate fairy houses, made with natural materials - just the way real fairies build their homes! Have you ever seen a real fairy house? Not the ceramic ones you purchase, but a real fairy house made from natural elements? Well, now you can build your own miniature magical abode - the perfect addition to your garden. Revealed in Fairy Houses for the first time are the step-by-step instructions for constructing exquisite fairy houses, explained by master fairy house architect Sally Smith. From her home on the edge of the Adirondacks, Smith has been creating one-of-a-kind fairy residencies for years. She uses natural artifacts such as butterfly wings for stained-glass windows, twigs for window frames, and birch bark for walls. Smith reveals her building secrets in Fairy Houses. Readers begin their fairy house project by flipping through an inspiration gallery, deciding what kind of house they wish to create and considering where in nature they'll put it. From there, readers learn about building materials (found and natural), on-site fairy house construction, how to light a fairy house, and how to incorporate stonework into the design. All of Smith's secret tips and techniques are then showcased in a series of step-by-step photos, making fairy house creation easy. The ones featured in Fairy Houses were designed especially for this book and are meant for longer-lasting installations. With this book, fairy houses move beyond "cute" and into beautiful nature-woven works of art. When you're through, you'll find yourself in an enchanted land where a Lord of the Rings-esque mood is magically evoked.

This beautiful book is just the whimsy I need on this rainy day! It's a nice hardcover loaded with colorful photos and helpful instructions. I have ZERO crafty skillz, but that doesn't stop me from looking at this cute mini houses made from bark, sticks, and leaves that you can stumble upon in your backyard. -Melody

Organizing for the rest of us : 100 realistic strategies to keep any house under control

Dana (Dana K.) White

648.5 /White
Home

"So you want to keep your kitchen counter clean but you aren't ready to toss the toaster? You want to be able to find your kids' socks but aren't looking to spend your 401(k) on clear bins? You long for a little more peace but minimalism isn't sparking joy? Decluttering expert and self-proclaimed recovering slob Dana K. White offers sustainable ideas to simplify and manage your home in Organizing for the Rest of Us." --

As someone who enjoys cleaning and organizing my home (just don't look at my work desk), I was surprised how much I got out of this book! I also got some gratification from reading some things that I already use as a rule. Mainly I would recommend this book for people who struggle to keep their home clutter-free, clean and organized because she really does offer very practical and useful tips that everyone can follow. -Mari

The crab ballet

Renée LaTulippe

jE LaTulippe
Picture Books, Nature, Music

When the tide is out, the Crab Ballet begins, featuring anemones, squid, crabs and many other sea creatures, an aquatic corps de ballet performing for the reader.

Beautiful, entertaining, and educational! -Casey

Fresh water for flowers

Valérie Perrin

FICTION Perrin Valerie
Literary Fiction

"Violette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne. Her life is lived to the predictable rhythms of the often funny, always moving confidences that casual mourners, regular visitors, and sundry colleagues share with her. Violette's routine is disrupted one day by the arrival of Julien Sole--local police chief--who has come to scatter the ashes of his recently deceased mother on the gravesite of a complete stranger. It soon becomes clear that Julien's inexplicable gesture is intertwined with Violette's own complicated past" --

This was recommended to me by members of TRAIL. It was a wonderful book! A quiet read, yet layered and complex. It builds upon itself, slowly and intentionally. It is very well-written. A popular book in France and Italy during the depths of the pandemic, this novel resonated with me in a time that we all approach working through grief and loss. -Anne M

Scary stories complete set Scary stories to tell in the dark, more scary stories to tell in the dark, and scary stories 3

Alvin Schwartz, 1927-1992

Horror, Fiction

The iconic anthology series of horror tales that's now a feature film! The three Scary Stories books come together in this eBook collection to form a timeless collection of chillingly scary tales and legends. Folklorist Alvin Schwartz offers up some of the most alarming tales of horror, dark revenge, and supernatural events of all time. The eBooks in this collection feature Stephen Gammell's artwork from the original Scary Stories books. Read if you dare! Includes Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories, and Scary Stories 3

These books are full of classic scary stories. I read them as a child and they still hold up today. I'm not really scared of supernatural stuff but the story about the girl that has spiders hatch from a boil still gives me nightmares. Check them out on Hoopla! -Mykle

Hot and badgered

Shelly Laurenston

FICTION Laurenst Shelly
Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Humor

When her father places her entire family in danger, honey badger shape shifter, Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan, tries to protect her sisters and grudgingly accepts the help of a grizzly bear shifter, Berg Dunn.

I first heard about Shelley Laurenston from an urban fantasy online book group I followed. This book drew me in because the main character was a HONEY BADGER shifter. (And, ya' know, honey badger don't care...) Wolves, vampires, necromancers--I'd thought I'd read through all the paranormal fantasy archetypes. Honey badger shifters were something new. Shelley Laurenston's book are wacky and off the wall, completely ridiculous and not always politically correct. But in my humble opinion, they are wildly entertaining and hilarious. Find her audiobook series on hoopla: https://www.hoopladigital.com/artist/465327044?kindId=8&page=1 -Melody

20,000 leagues under the sea

Walt Disney Pictures

jDVD/Twenty
Fantasy, Science Fiction, Comedy

Based on the novel: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers / by Jules Verne. Originally released as a motion picture in 1954. Special features: all-new audio commentaries with director Richard Fleischer and classic film historian and author, Rudy Behlmer; original 1954 theatrical radio spots; Peter Lorre's ADR tracks, a glimpse into the process of dialogue replacement before final edit; Captain Nemo's organ music; "The making of 20,000 leagues under the sea" featurette; "Jules Verne & Walt Disney, explorers of the imagination" behind-the-scenes featurette; "The Humbolt Squid: real sea monster!"; "Touring the Nautilius"; "Monsters of the deep"; "Nemo's death" script excerpt; "The musical legacy of Paul Smith"; "Lost treasure: the sunset squid sequence"; "Grand Canyonscope"; theatrical trailer; storyboard-to-scene comparison & unused animation.

This is my favorite adaptation of any Jules Verne novel. Kirk Douglas lands a hilarious performance, rebelling against a tyrannical captain and befriending a cute seal (sea lion?) On the other side of the spectrum, James Mason's serious portrayal of Nemo is just as powerful. Peter Lorre's character isn't as creepy as usual but you'll definitely get hints of "Igor on a boat." -Mykle

Post Office

Charles Bukowski

FICTION/Bukowski, Charles
Humor, Historical Fiction

Review by Publisher: "It began as a mistake." By middle age, Henry Chinaski has lost more than twelve years of his life to the U.S. Postal Service. In a world where his three true, bitter pleasures are women, booze, and racetrack betting, he somehow drags his hangover out of bed every dawn to lug waterlogged mailbags up mud-soaked mountains, outsmart vicious guard dogs, and pray to survive the day-to-day trials of sadistic bosses and certifiable coworkers. This classic 1971 novel'the one that catapulted its author to national fame'is the perfect introduction to the grimly hysterical world of legendary writer, poet, and Dirty Old Man Charles Bukowski and his fictional alter ego, Chinaski.

An absolutely wild ride. It's fascinating to wonder how much of this story comes from Bukowski's real-life stint as a postal carrier. I hope none but I have my suspicions! -Mykle

Fix Her Up: A Novel

Tessa Bailey

OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Romance

Georgette Castle's family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven't taken her seriously since. Frankly, she's over it. Georgie loves planning children's birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She's determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means. Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?) Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.) Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!) Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn't been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody's asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that's for sure. Maybe if people think she's having a steamy love affair, they'll acknowledge she's not just the "little sister" who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite. Travis Ford was major league baseball's hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he's flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can't even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his... bat. And then there's Georgie, his best friend's sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What's the harm? It's not like it's real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there's nothing fake about how much he wants her...

Occasionally I'll go on a contemporary romance audiobook binge. "Fix Her Up" is the first novel of the three-part Hot & Hammered series. might recognize Bailey's name from her newest bestsellers--The Bellinger Sisters series--and I can vouch that both series are fun reads. The characters are easy to empathize with, and the themes aren't too heavy if you want a lighthearted read. And as a series, these books are indeed binge-able. Head over to hoopla if you need rom-com stat. -Melody

Nightmare alley

BLU-RAY Nightmare

From visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes a suspenseful psychological thriller about a manipulative carnival man who teams with an equally deceptive psychiatrist to grift the wealthy in 1940s New York society. Del Toro co-wrote the enthralling film with Kim Morgan, based on William Lindsay Gresham's novel.

"Nightmare Alley" is a gorgeous and haunting film noir. It's one of my favorite movies from last year. -Brian

Escape at 10,000 feet : D.B. Cooper and the missing money

Tom (Writer of children's books) Sullivan

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Sullivan
Graphic Novels

"A minute-by-minute account of the only unsolved airplane hijacking in the United States uses reproductions of FBI files and investigation photographs to chronicle the events surrounding an unidentified extortionist's 1971 hijacking and disappearance."--Provided by publisher.

I don't understand why every person alive does not want to read this incredibly compelling, suspenseful nonfiction graphic novel about the ONLY UNSOLVED AIRPLANE HIJACKING IN HISTORY??? (Don't worry, no innocent bystanders were hurt.) Without giving you any spoilers, let me just say that this story is mind-blowing on a NUMBER of levels and you will want to get to the bottom of this immediately. Until you're old enough to join the FBI, start by reading this graphic novel. -Anne W

A flicker in the dark

Stacy Willingham

FICTION Willingham, Stacy
Fiction, Thriller

"From debut author Stacy Willingham comes a masterfully done, lyrical thriller, certain to be the launch of an amazing career. A Flicker in the Dark is eerily compelling to the very last page. When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath. Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she's worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?"--

Fans of the first season of True Detective will enjoy this gritty serial killer copycat murder mystery set in the South. An unreliable narrator and lots of potential for multiple psychopaths in the story will keep you questioning the truth and changing the protagonist. A very solid debut thriller! -Mari

A perfect day

Jennifer Yerkes

jE Yerkes
Picture Books, Nature

"One bright summer day, the animals of the pond create a symphony of sounds"--

Beautiful illustrations, minimalistic text, and ample space for performative storytelling make for a fabulous storytime read-aloud. Just right for sharing and beginning readers! -Casey

I keep trying to catch his eye : a memoir of loss, grief, and love

Ivan Maisel

155.937 /Maisel
Biographies, Memoir

"In February 2015, Ivan Maisel received a call that would alter his life forever: his son Max's car was found abandoned in a parking next to Lake Ontario. Two months later, Max's body would be found in the lake. I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye is the story of Maisel's love for a son who was so different from him, but who he loved so deeply, and how he came to learn that grief for Max was nothing more than a last, ultimate expression of love. Navigating the moments of their complicated relationship, as well as their love each other, Maisel explores the bridges he tried to build to his son and the grief that engulfed him and his family after Max's death by suicide. Taking its title from Max's love of photography--and his tendency to only love the camera when he was behind it, looking away whenever his picture was taken--I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye delves into the tragically transformative reality of losing a child, all with grace, depth, and refinement. But by humanizing Max and humanizing his grief, Maisel evokes understanding instead of sorrow, appreciation instead of anxiety--and love instead of fear"--

This is a heartbreaking memoir, but I found it so beautiful and comforting as well. We get to learn about a close and loving family and the their talented son who was gone too soon. It's a heavy read, but a transformative one as well. -Amanda

Junji Ito's cat diary : Yon & Mu

Junji Itō

MANGA Ito
Graphic Novels

"Hell-o-kitty! Master of Japanese horror manga Junji Ito presents a series of hissterical tales chronicling his real-life trials and tribulations of becoming a cat owner. Junji Ito, as J-kun, has recently built a new house and has invited his financée, A-ko, to live with him. Little did he know ... his blushing bride-to-be has some unexpected company in tow--Yon, a ghastly-looking family cat, and Mu, an adorable Norwegian forest cat. Despite being a dog person, J-kun finds himself purrsuaded by their odd cuteness and thus begins his comedic struggle to gain the affection of his new feline friends"--Back cover.

My co-worker has been reading this book, and it sounds good. Lots of illustrations of cute cats, too! I've been wanting to try reading some graphic novels. It's officially on my list. -Hanna

Ring shout : or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the end times

P. Djèlí Clark

SCIENCE FICTION Clark P. Djeli
Fantasy, Horror

"In this dark fantasy historical novella that gives a supernatural twist to the Ku Klux Klan's reign of terror, The Birth of a Nation cast a spell across America, swelling the Klan's ranks and drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of white folk. All across the nation they ride, spreading fear and violence among the vulnerable. They plan to bring Hell to Earth. Standing in their way is Maryse Boudreaux and her fellow resistance fighters, a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter. Armed with blade, bullet, and bomb, they hunt their hunters and send the Klan's demons straight to Hell. But something awful's brewing in Macon, and the war on Hell is about to heat up. Can Maryse stop the Klan before it ends the world?"--

Have you ever read a novella and wished that it was twice as long or--better yet--a series? That's exactly how I felt about "Ring Shout." I was drawn in by the cover and then hooked by the book's pulpy fantasy horror vibe. I mean, how can you beat a group of women hunting and killing demons that have disguised themselves as humans and joined the Ku Klux Klan? -Brian

Dorothy & Herbert : an ordinary couple and their extraordinary collection of art

Jackie Azúa Kramer

j708.009 Kramer

"A picture-book biography of renowned art collectors Dorothy and Herbert Vogel, who independently built one of the country's greatest art collections, then donated it to the National Gallery of Art"--

A couple of middle-class government employees (she was a public librarian, he was a postal carrier) living in a tiny, rent-controlled apartment in New York City spent the 1960s and ensuing decades building one of the foremost collections of minimalist and conceptual art in the world on a budget. Their apartment was jam-packed - every wall covered floor to ceiling with art - with this style of art, which was all they could afford because it wasn't yet popular. Now their collection, which they donated to the National Gallery, is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Read about this extraordinary couple in a new children's picture book biography and then also watch the documentary Herb and Dorothy (found in adult nonfiction DVDs - DVD/708.0092/Vogel), which describes how this couple "managed to build one of the most important contemporary art collections in history with very modest means." -Anne W

Let's get physical : how women discovered exercise and reshaped the world

Danielle Friedman

613.7045 /Friedman
History, Sports

"A captivating blend of reportage and personal narrative that explores the untold history of women's exercise culture--from jogging and Jazzercise to Jane Fonda--and how women have parlayed physical strength into other forms of power"--

This is a super enjoyable and informative read about the history of women's fitness and so many of the players who started the programs and clothes and mindsets we have today. I couldn't put it down! -Amanda

The Alice network : a novel

Kate Quinn

FICTION Quinn Kate

It's 1947 and American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a fervent belief that her beloved French cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive somewhere. In 1915, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance to serve when she's recruited to work as a spy for the English. Sent into enemy-occupied France during The Great War, she's trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the "Queen of Spies", who manages a vast network of secret agents, right under the enemy's nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn't heard in decades, and launching them both on a mission to find the truth ... no matter where it leads.

Fans of "The Nightingale" will not be disappointed! Kate Quinn writes an engaging historical fiction account that alternates between a British female spy network during WWI and the quest of a young woman searching for family after the end of WWII. -Becky

Where the Crawdads Sing

Delia Owens

OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Historical Fiction

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life—until the unthinkable happens. Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

Kya is an endearing girl who grows up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina while facing a pile of difficult circumstances. I'd recommend this book, for the setting, the character development, and the deeper thought it encourages about society. On top of that, I'd recommend the audiobook. The soothing southern lilt of the reader brought me back to childhood summers playing on the North Carolina beach. Any audiobook fan will tell you some recordings detract from the story, some fade into the background, and some create a little extra magic. Where the Crawdads Sing is absolutely the latter. -Hanna

Tales from the ant world

Edward O. Wilson

595.796 /Wilson

"Summary Edward O. Wilson recalls his lifetime with ants-from his first boyhood encounters in the woods of Alabama to perilous journeys into the Brazilian rainforest." Ants are the most warlike of all animals, with colony pitted against colony. ... Their clashes dwarf Waterloo and Gettysburg," writes Edward O. Wilson in his most finely observed work in decades. In a myrmecological tour to such far-flung destinations as Mozambique and New Guinea, the Gulf of Mexico's Dauphin Island and even his parents' overgrown yard back in Alabama, Wilson thrillingly evokes his nine-decade-long scientific obsession with more than 15,000 ant species. Wryly observing that "males are little more than flying sperm missiles" or that ants send their "little old ladies into battle," Wilson eloquently relays his brushes with fire, army, and leafcutter ants, as well as more exotic species: the Matabele, Africa's fiercest warrior ants; Costa Rica's Basiceros, the slowest ants in the world; and New Caledonia's Myrmecia apicalis, the most endangered of them all. A personal account by one of our greatest scientists, Tales from the Ant World is an indispensable volume for any lover of the natural world"--

As a child, I was an avid collector of woodlice; observing their habits and putting them up in makeshift "habitat hotels" to experiment with their dietary needs and preferences. Needless to say I more than appreciated Tales from the Ant World. Edward O.Wilson is the ant king and instead of painting these insects in a good or bad light, he simply documents them with impeccable accuracy and detail. This is a fascinating read about a fantastically curious mind with almost 50 years of experience. -Victoria

Coffee, Rabbit, Snowdrop, Lost

Betina Birkjær

jE Birkjaer

Stump always has a fantastic time with his grandparents, filled with flowers, puzzles, crosswords, and endless love. But one day, Stump's grandfather starts to lose his memory--and his words, which literally fall from him. Stump tries his best to keep the lost words safe, collecting them in a special box. But Grandpa seems to forget more and more everyday, and the situation comes to a head one snowy night when Stump wakes up to find Grandpa missing. Together, Stump and Grandma must find new ways to connect with Grandpa, and show him that he's not alone. This poignant, tender picture book depicts the struggle of coping with a loved one's dementia with honesty and sensitivity, with a message of hope that affirms the deep bonds of love between grandchild and grandparent. This book includes an afterword to the adult reader about dementia and recollection, written by Ove Dahl, a historian and head of the Danish Center for Reminiscence. He provides some practical tips, as illustrated in the story with Stump, for establishing a meaningful way of being together when caring for a relative with dementia.

This is one of the best children's books I've read about coming to terms with a relative with memory loss. The intergenerational connection between the grandchild and grandfather is realistic and beautiful. The author captures the feelings a family unit has when they witness their loved one gradually becoming a shell of their former self. The illustrations are gorgeous and artistically amplify the hopeful story that unfolds. All ages will appreciate this book. -Victoria

Jailbreak at Alcatraz : Frank Morris & the Anglin Brothers' great escape

Tom (Writer of children's books) Sullivan

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Sullivan
Mystery, Graphic Novels, Kids, True Crime

CASE NO. 002: THE ROCK. June 12, 1962. SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CALIFORNIA. 7:18 A.M. A corrections officer at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary tries to awaken inmate AZ-1441, Frank Morris. But when he shakes the unresponsive man, his head rolls off the pillow and crashes to the floor! Soon the guards realize that Morris and two other inmates, brothers John and Clarence Anglin, had done the seemingly impossible: escaped from the notorious island prison. This is the incredible true story of the daring and inventive escape and a decades-long manhunt in a case that remains unsolved to this day. Comics panels, reproductions of documents from real FBI files, and photos from the investigation combine for a thrilling read for sleuths of all ages.

I loved Tom Sullivan's first graphic novel, Escape at 10,000 feet: D.B. Cooper and the missing money, so much that I knew I was going to enjoy his latest historical graphic retelling of a true event! These books are a great read for those reluctant readers in your life or for anyone looking for a good unsolved mystery. -Angie

Moon witch, spider king

Marlon James

SCIENCE FICTION James, Marlon
Diverse Characters, Fiction, Fantasy

"From Marlon James, author of the bestselling National Book Award finalist Black Leopard, Red Wolf, the second book in the Dark Star trilogy, his African Game of Thrones. In Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Sogolon the Moon Witch proved a worthy adversary to Tracker as they clashed across a mythical African landscape in search of a mysterious boy who disappeared. In Moon Witch, Spider King, Sogolon takes center stage and gives her own account of what happened to the boy, and how she plotted and fought, triumphed and failed as she looked for him. It's also the story of a century-long feud-seen through the eyes of a 177-year-old witch-that Sogolon had with the Aesi, chancellor to the king. It is said that Aesi works so closely with the king that together they are like the eight limbs of one spider. Aesi's power is considerable-and deadly. It takes brains and courage to challenge him, which Sogolon does for reasons of her own. Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man, it is a fascinating novel that explores power, personality, and the places where they overlap"--

Really looking forward to this fantasy sequel to James' "Black leopard, red wolf". Good mixture of adventure, magic, and folklore. TW: the first book had some difficult sections with regards to violence against women and children. -Jason

Barry. The complete first season

DVD TV Barry 1st season
Comedy

A hit man from the Midwest moves to Los Angeles and gets caught up in the city's theatre arts scene.

"Barry" is absolutely hilarious, and it's my favorite show currently on TV (seriously, nothing is funnier than NoHo Hank). Season 3 premieres in April, so now's your chance to get caught up. -Brian

Last night at the Telegraph Club

Malinda Lo

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Lo Malinda
Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+

"Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can't remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father--despite his hard-won citizenship--Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day"--

A lovely coming of age story about finding oneself and understanding that you contain multitudes. If you ever felt pulled in different directions or on a quest to find where you fit in, you'll recognize thoughts and feelings in this book. Well researched, beautifully written, and a joy to read. -Anne M

I'm still here : black dignity in a world made for whiteness

Austin Channing Brown

305.896 /Brown
Black Lives Matter, Memoir

The author's first encounter with a racialized America came at age seven, when her parents told her they named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. She grew up in majority-white schools, organizations, and churches, and has spent her life navigating America's racial divide as a writer, a speaker, and an expert helping organizations practice genuine inclusion. While so many institutions claim to value diversity in their mission statements, many fall short of matching actions to words. Brown highlights how white middle-class evangelicalism has participated in the rise of racial hostility, and encourages the reader to confront apathy and recognize God's ongoing work in the world.

Austin Channing Brown provides an enlightening view of what life in America is like for a black woman. Her account is humbling, informative, and inspiring. -Mykle

Call us what we carry : poems

Amanda Gorman

811.6 /Gorman

The presidential inaugural poet--and unforgettable new voice in American poetry--presents a collection of poems that includes the stirring poem read at the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States.

Amanda Gorman displays such versatility in "Call Us What We Carry." This collection of poems takes on a wide variety of shapes and styles, containing an interesting blend of impact, resonance and fun word play. -Becky

Negative cat

Sophie Blackall

jE Blackall

"Max isn't a typical cat, but his loving owner still sees the best in him"-- Provided by publisher.

A beautifully illustrated book with a calming color palate that sets the scene for a sweet story about a cat loving kiddo and his oddball cat. Cat lovers will relate to the little boy's passion for his less than enthusiastic household companion. -Shawna

The rape of Nanking : the forgotten holocaust of World War II

Iris Chang

951.042 /Chang
History

In December 1937, the Japanese army swept into the ancient city of Nanking. Within weeks, more than 300,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers were systematically raped, tortured, and murdered a death toll exceeding that of the atomic blasts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. Using extensive interviews with survivors and newly discovered documents, Iris Chang has written the definitive history of this horrifying episode.

Iris Chang will be remembered forever for her in-depth documentation of this horrifying episode during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Why couldn’t we forget the history? because “those who failed to learn from history are condemned to repeat it’. -Fang

Baloney and friends : dream big!

Greg Pizzoli

jREADER Pizzoli Greg
Early Readers, Graphic Novels

"Baloney and friends continue their adventures, which include a birthday cake mishap, a tricky bargain, a painting surprise, and the discovery that the best moments are shared with friends"--

Are you ready for some "serious" Baloney? This reader series by Greg Pizzoli gets better with each installment! -Casey

Kalamata's kitchen

Sarah (Sommelier) Thomas

jE Thomas
Diverse Characters, Picture Books

"Tomorrow is Kalamata's first day at a new school, and she's nervous! If only Kalamata and Al Dente could go to back to the Indian spice market they visited this summer, then maybe she'd remember how to feel brave when new experiences seem scary. Luckily for Kalamata, all the magic required for her journey is right in her own kitchen! As Kalamata and her alligator friend, Al Dente, transport themselves to a magical land filled with tasty ingredients, she realizes being brave is exciting!"--

"Being brave is delicious!" This is a very unique story featuring an Indian-American girl who is afraid about starting a new school and finds comfort in her mother's kitchen. Kalamata is a great little heroine for foodies, and she has such a vivid imagination. I appreciated a short read, beautiful pretty pictures, and recommend this story for kids when trying new things! -Mari

Trauma stewardship : an everyday guide to caring for self while caring for others

Laura van Dernoot Lipsky

610 /Lipsky
Nonfiction, Health

Offers a look at the many ways the stress of dealing with trauma manifests itself: feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, diminished creativity, chronic exhaustion, cynicism, and more. This title presents a variety of simple practices that enable us to look carefully at our reactions and motivations and discover sources of energy and renewal.

We know mental health crises are a huge side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. This book is for anyone experiencing secondary trauma while providing services or support to people living with their own trauma. I learned about this book from a webinar about library service, one that acknowledged public service work can have a negative impact on on the worker's mental health. Trauma Stewardship is an excellent guide for anyone working in public service, mental health, or even the school system. It's the serious side of "self-care" (you don't have to be in a bubble bath to get something out of it). Stuffing feelings down after experiencing a traumatic experience with the public you serve will leave you burnt out. This book provides the tools to create space to care for your own mental health. -Melody

Plunder : a memoir of family property and Nazi treasure

Menachem Kaiser

940.5318 /Kaiser
Nonfiction, Literary Nonfiction, History, Religion, Political

When Kaiser takes up his Holocaust-survivor grandfather's former battle to reclaim the family's apartment building in Sosnowiec, Poland, he finds himself on a circuitous path to encounters with the long-time residents of the building, and with a Polish lawyer known as "The Killer." A surprise discovery-- that his grandfather's cousin not only survived the war, but wrote a secret memoir while a slave laborer in a vast, secret Nazi tunnel complex-- leads to Kaiser being adopted as a virtual celebrity by a band of Silesian treasure seekers who revere the memoir as the indispensable guidebook to Nazi plunder. Here Kaiser questions: What does it mean to seize your own legacy? Can reclaimed property repair rifts among the living? -- adapted from jacket

First, this book is beautifully written. Menachem Kaiser's grasp of language to tell a story, illustrate situations, and convey thoughts and emotions is so fluid and engaging. Second, this book is important in many ways, but also very interesting--a real nonfiction win-win. It's a slightly winding story, starting out with particular goals and desired outcomes, but as so often happens when researching and interacting history, the modern world and reality intervene, and make things a lot harder to get hold of and follow. Menachem goes where the story leads him, and the results are so strange, interesting, and profound that you couldn't have imagined some of it. This story is also full of love and learning and respect--for self, for others, for history, and for the stories that survive. -Candice

Courage is calling : fortune favors the brave

Ryan Holiday

179.6 /Holiday
Classics, Self Help

"From Ryan Holiday, the New York Times bestselling author of Stillness Is the Key, The Obstacle Is the Way, and Ego Is the Enemy, comes the first book in a four-book series about Stoic virtues: courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom. As Ryan Holiday wrote in his previous books, Stoicism is a philosophy for the people. Stoicism isn't fraught with complexities, contradictions, or circular arguments about the meaning of life. Rather, Stoicism offers practical, rich guidance about how to achieve imperturbability, strength, perspective, and goodness. At the heart of Stoicism are four simple virtues: courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom. The whole philosophy can be condensed into those four bullet points. Everything else, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, and countless other Stoics believed, flows from these virtues. In Courage Is Calling, Ryan Holiday breaks down the most foundational virtue of all -- courage. Through engaging stories about historic and contemporary leaders, including Winston Churchill, Barack Obama, and Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as some lesser known but equally as remarkable people, Holiday shows you how to practice courage in your daily life."

A very accessible and quick read that really covers the subject of courage from the Stoic viewpoint quite well. A good prescription to help navigate and conduct one's self in these more than "interesting times." -Paul

Twilight man : love and ruin in the shadows of Hollywood and the Clark empire

Liz Brown

306.766092 /Post
History, Biographies

"The unbelievable true story of Harrison Post--the enigmatic lover of one of the richest men in 1920s Hollywood--and the battle for a family fortune. In the booming 1920s, William Andrews Clark Jr. was one of the richest, most respected men in Los Angeles. The son of the mining tycoon known as "The Copper King of Montana," Clark launched the Los Angeles Philharmonic and helped create the Hollywood Bowl. He was also a man with secrets, including a lover named Harrison Post. A former salesclerk, Post enjoyed a lavish existence among Hollywood elites, but the men's money--and their homosexuality--made them targets, for the district attorney, their employees and, in Post's case, his own family. When Clark died suddenly, Harrison Post inherited a substantial fortune--and a wealth of trouble. From Prohibition-era Hollywood to Nazi prison camps to Mexico City nightclubs, Twilight Man tells the story of an illicit love and the battle over a family estate that would destroy one man's life. Harrison Post was forgotten for decades, but after a chance encounter with his portrait, Liz Brown, Clark's great-grandniece, set out to learn his story. Twilight Man is more than just a biography. It is an exploration of how families shape their own legacies, and the lengths they will go in order to do so"--

I was mesmerized by this story, and loved hearing all the scandals and gossip from Old Hollywood. It's a sad and engaging story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. -Amanda

Baby, sleepy baby

author Atinuke

jE Atinuke
Picture Books

"It's bedtime for a drowsy little one, and the whole family takes turns to cuddle and sing this sleepy baby to bed. One by one the baby's sister, grandmother, father, and mother call on the winds, the clouds, the stars, and the moon to sail and rock and delight their little one until dreams take over"--

Our household enjoyed this sweet lyrical bedtime read filled with a calming cadence and dreamy illustrations. Even if it didn't always soothe my toddler before bed, I enjoyed revisiting this story! -Shawna

There's a ghost in this house

Oliver Jeffers

jE Jeffers
Picture Books

"A young girl lives in a haunted house, but she has never seen a ghost. Are they white with holes for eyes? Are they hard to see? Step inside and help the girl as she searches under the stairs, behind the sofa, and in the attic for the ghost." -- Amazon.

This spooky, fun read will delight year-round. Translucent pages make for an unexpected surprise as you enjoy two perspectives of the same tale unfolding. -Shawna

The secret history of home economics : how trailblazing women harnessed the power of home and changed the way we live

Danielle Dreilinger

640.922 /Dreilinger
History, Technology

"The surprising, often fiercely feminist, always fascinating, yet barely known, history of home economics. The term "home economics" may conjure traumatic memories of lopsided hand-sewn pillows or sunken cakes. But obscured by common conception is the story of the revolutionary science of better living. The field exploded opportunities for women in the twentieth century by reducing domestic work and providing jobs as professors, engineers, chemists, and businesspeople that were otherwise foreclosed. In The Secret History of Home Economics, Danielle Dreilinger traces the field's history from small farms to the White House, from Victorian suffragists to Palo Alto techies. Home economics followed the currents of American culture even as it shaped them; Dreilinger brings forward the racism within the movement along with the strides taken by Black women who were influential leaders and innovators. She also looks at the personal lives of home economics' women, as they chose being single, shared lives with women, or tried for egalitarian marriages. This groundbreaking and engaging history restores a maligned subject to its rightful importance"--

I had no idea the field of home economics was so progressive and wide-reaching! I kept having to stop to share a fun piece of trivia I just learned. You'll recognize a lot of the influence today from the women of decades past. -Amanda

The least of us : true tales of America and hope in the time of fentanyl and meth

Sam Quinones

362.293 /Quinones
History, Science

Quinones was among the first to see the dangers of synthetic drugs and a new generation of kingpins whose product could be made in Magic Bullet blenders. In fentanyl, traffickers landed a painkiller a hundred times more powerful than morphine. They laced it into cocaine, meth, and counterfeit pills to cause tens of thousands of deaths-- at the same time as Mexican traffickers made methamphetamine cheaper and more potent. He investigated these new threats, discovering how addiction is exacerbated by consumer-product corporations. Amid a landscape of despair, Quinones found hope in those embracing the forgotten and ignored, illuminating the striking truth that we are only as strong as our most vulnerable. -- adapted from jacket

This book is part history, part science, and part character study. It is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. -Tom

Fans : how watching sports makes us happier, healthier, and more understanding

Larry Olmsted

796 /Olmsted
Sports, Health, Self Help

"Research into sports fandom makes the sometimes counterintuitive case for why being a fan is good for us individually and is a force for positive change in our society"--

This book is for the fan devastated by loss, the skeptic who sees no value in sports fandom, and the fan making the case to that skeptic. -Tom

The fallen star

Claudia Gray

SCIENCE FICTION Star Wars

In this gripping sequel to Star Wars: The Rising Storm, the light of the Jedi faces its darkest hour. Time and again, the vicious raiders known as the Nihil have sought to bring the golden age of the High Republic to a fiery end. Time and again, the High Republic has emerged battered and weary, but victorious thank to its Jedi protectors - and there is no monument to their cause grander than the Starlight Beacon. Hanging like a jewel in the Outer Rim, the Beacon embodies the High Republic at the apex of its aspirations: a hub of culture and knowledge, a bright torch against the darkness of the unknown, and an extended hand of welcome to the furthest reaches of the galaxy. As survivors and refugees flee the Nihil’s attacks, the Beacon and its crew stand ready to shelter and heal. The grateful Knights and Padawans of the Jedi Order stationed there finally have a chance to recover - from the pain of their injuries and the grief of their losses. But the storm they thought had passed still rages; they are simply caught in its eye. Marchion Ro, the true mastermind of the Nihil, is preparing his most daring attack yet - one designed to snuff out the light of the Jedi.

The last adult novel of Phase 1 of The High Republic was a doozy. The writing team said that not everyone would make it out alive, and they weren't kidding. I've really enjoyed all of these Star Wars novels. It has been a treat to explore a new time period. They've announced that the next wave won't begin until October. That's okay, though, cause I need a breather after this one! -Brian

Smalltime : a story of my family and the mob

Russell Shorto

364.1092 /Shorto
Nonfiction, Literary Nonfiction, True Crime, Biographies

"Family secrets emerge as a best-selling author dives into the history of the mob in small-town America. Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a city "in its brawny postwar prime," is where "Little Joe" Regino and Russ Shorto build a local gambling empire on the earnings of factory workers for whom placing a bet--on a horse or pool game, pinball or "tip seal"--is their best shot at the American dream. Decades later, Russell Shorto grew up knowing that his grandfather was a small-town mobster, but never thought to write about him, in keeping with an unspoken family vow of silence. Then a distant cousin prodded him: You gotta write about it. Smalltime, the story of Shorto's search for his namesake, delves into the world of the small-town mob, an intricate web that spanned midcentury America, stitching together cities from Yonkers to Fresno. A riveting immigrant story, Smalltime is also deeply personal, as the author's ailing father, Tony, becomes his partner in piecing together their patriarch's troubled past. Moving, wryly funny, and richly detailed, Smalltime is an irresistible memoir by a masterful writer of historical narrative"--

Shorto takes a deep dive into his own family history, uncovering its origins in Sicily, why Pennsylvania attracted his own great-grandfather to sail across the Atlantic, and why the mob? He unearths family secret after family secret and paints a picture of an American experience. -Anne M