Books, Movies, CDs

Lost places : images of bygone America

Heribert Niehues

779.4 /Niehues
Nonfiction, Travel

The United States has been shaped by mobility like no other nation on Earth. The automobile made possible almost limitless development, but there was a dark side: ghost towns and deserted regions emerged due to economic crises, cultural shifts, and catastrophic weather. Heribert Niehues's award-winning photographs trace these lonely places, which elicit strange fascination mixed with melancholy for a bygone era. His Hopperesque images of gas stations, diners, motels, houses, and cars document the rise and former glory of a legendary America. Over the decades, only nature has changed their visage, and the old pioneering spirit is still tangible. Hauntingly beautiful, the photos portray the poetry of transience: from east to west, America as it is rarely seen.

Armchair travelers, take heed! Let me amend that: Armchair Americana-loving road-trippers, take heed! The destination? The middle of nowhere. This photography book takes you around the rural U.S., a "decay porn" tour, if you will. The book satisfies one's fascination with abandoned cars, gas stations, and rural buildings. The subtitle for one chapter reads, "Melancholy you can reach out and touch," but melancholy can be fun, gosh darmit. Each of these photographs has picture-perfect composition and could be picked up and used as a movie still. After flipping through this book, I feel like I need to re-watch Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show or take a trip to the Kill Bill church. Who needs to build up airline miles? This book will take you places. -Melody

The adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi : a novel

S. A. Chakraborty

SCIENCE FICTION Chakraborty, Shannon
Adventure, Fantasy

"The first book of "a new trilogy of magic and mayhem on the high seas in this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, in one woman's determined quest to seize a final chance at glory--and write her own legend ... Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean's most notorious pirates, she's survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural. But when she's tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she's offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade's kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family's future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God's will. Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there's more to this job, and the girl's disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there's always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power ... and the price might be your very soul"--

This book was exactly what I wanted it to be: a swashbuckling adventure that had just enough fantasy in it to keep it from being historical fiction. I absolutely love the characters, and I'm excited to spend more time with them. I recommend this to anyone who needs more piracy on the high seas in their life! -Brian

God Emperor of Dune

Frank Herbert

SCIENCE FICTION Herbert, Frank
Science Fiction

Warner Bros released the trailer for Dune Part II, and it got me interested in continuing my re-read of the series. God Emperor of Dune has always been my favorite--and revisiting it has not disappointed. -Brian

When the moon turns to blood : Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell, and a story of murder, wild faith, and end times

Leah Sottile

364.1523 /Sottile
True Crime

"WHEN THE MOON TURNS TO BLOOD examines the culture of end times paranoia and a trail of mysterious deaths surrounding former beauty queen Lori Vallow and her husband, grave digger turned doomsday novelist, Chad Daybell. When police in Rexburg, Idaho perform a wellness check on seven-year-old J.J. Vallow and his sister, sixteen-year-old Tylee Ryan, both children are nowhere to be found. Their mother, Lori Vallow, gives a phony explanation, and when officers return the following day with a search warrant, she, too, is gone. As the police begin to close in, a larger web of mystery, murder, fanaticism and deceit begins to unravel. Vallow's case is sinuously complex. As investigators prod further, they find the accused Black Widow has an unusual number of bodies piling up around her. WHEN THE MOON TURNS TO BLOOD tells a gripping story of extreme beliefs, snake oil prophets, and explores the question: if it feels like the world is ending, how are people supposed to act?--

With this case in the headlines, this gives a thorough rundown of how the crimes happened and under what circumstances. It's a tough read, but is good background for those interested in true crime. -Amanda

There will be fire : Margaret Thatcher, the IRA, and two minutes that changed history

Rory Carroll

941.60824 /Carroll
History

"A bomb planted by the Irish Republican Army exploded at 2:54 a.m. on October 12, 1984. It was the last day of the Conservative Party Conference at the Grand Hotel in the coastal town of Brighton, England. Rooms were obliterated, dozens of people wounded, five killed. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was in her suite when the explosion occurred; had she been just a few feet in another direction, flying tiles and masonry would have sliced her to ribbons. As it was, she survived--and history changed. There Will Be Fire is the gripping story of how the IRA came astonishingly close to killing Thatcher, in the most spectacular attack ever linked to the Northern Ireland Troubles. Journalist Rory Carroll reveals the long road to Brighton, the hide-and-seek between the IRA and British security services, the planting of the bomb itself, and the painstaking search for clues and suspects afterward"--Dust jacket flap.

With very compelling storytelling, journalist Rory Carroll takes on the IRA's assassination attempt of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at a hotel in Brighton during the Conservative Party Conference. Part-history, part-true crime, this is really a great read. Carroll provides context to the Troubles and the Irish and British political situation at the time, as well as the stories of the people involved in the attempt and the manhunt as well as the lives disrupted by the violence. -Anne M

Fit nation : the gains and pains of America's exercise obsession

Natalia Mehlman Petrzela

306.4613 /Petrzela
History, Health

"Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, a leading scholar and proselytizer for physical well-being, elucidates the political and social implications of America's exercise cult(ure). Delving into the paradox of why so many Americans are physically unfit, despite the power of the exercise industry, Petrzela shows fitness to be both a product and a marker of education, social class, wealth, power, and more. Like much in postwar American life, fitness has been privatized, and the resulting dominant ideology of exercise is a product of neoliberal political and culture choices. Petrzela reveals a story that puts Charles Atlas, Jane Fonda, the Chippendales, and so many lesser-known people at the center of American culture, media, and politics."--

This was a really fun read - giving a swift and entertaining rundown of the history of American fitness and how the culture around fitness, and how we react to it, has evolved over the decades. -Amanda

The moon tonight : our moon's journey around earth

Chang-hoon Jung

j523.3 Jung
Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Nature

"Astronomer Jung Chang-hoon provides easy-to-follow scientific explanations of first- and last-quarter Moons, ebb and flow tides, where the new Moon goes, and more."--

Another new picture book nonfiction title! "The Moon Tonight" is gorgeously illustrated, and the breadth of information is perfect for sharing with younger elementary students. I'm excited to try the included science experiment at home as well! Don't miss this title if you like creative nonfiction or have a little one interested in celestial bodies. -Casey

Numb to this : memoir of a mass shooting

Kindra Neely

371.782 /Neely
Nonfiction, Graphic Novels

Kindra Neely never expected it to happen to her. No one does. Sure, she'd sometimes been close to gun violence, like when the house down the street from her childhood home in Texas was targeted in a drive-by shooting. But now she lived in Oregon, where she spent her time swimming in rivers with friends or attending classes at the bucolic Umpqua Community College. And then, one day, it happend: a mass shooting shattered her college campus. Over the span of a few minutes, on October 1, 2015, eight students and a professor lost their lives. And suddenly, Kindra became a survivor. This empathetic and ultimately hopeful graphic memoir recounts Kindra's journey forward from those few minutes that changed everything. It wasn't easy. Every time Kindra took a step toward peace and wholeness, a new mass shooting devastated her again. Las Vegas. Parkland. She was hopeless at times, feeling as if no one was listening. Not even at the worldwide demonstration March for Our Lives. But finally, Kindra learned that--for her--the path toward hope wound through art, helping others, and sharing her story.

The brilliance of nonfiction in graphic novel form is the depth of emotion that only images can convey. It's one thing to read a paragraph written with literary lusciousness, words that catapult you to a scene and a feeling, but its a completely different experience to look into a character's illustrated eyes and read the expression on her face. While I am a sucker for survivors' tales, I also tend to turn away from horrific news, unable to take in the violence and tragedy and still get my work done. But ignorance isn't healthy! What is healthy is taking time to sit with a survivor's story and absorb it into yourself, learning what panic attacks and PTSD look like up close. It's really hard to put this book down once you pick it up. -Melody

Your cabin in the woods

Conrad Meinecke

690.872 /Meinecke
Nonfiction, Home

"If you've ever imagined a cozy home far from the bustle of a hyperconnected life, you have found a soul mate in Conrad Meinecke. His two classic handbooks, Your Cabin in the Woods and Cabin Craft and Outdoor Living, filled with timeless practical advice and thoughtful philosophy, are combined here for the first time in an heirloom edition. From simple shelters to complex dwellings, from expert guidance on location, materials, and tools to hearty meals to cook in your handcrafted fireplace, Your Cabin in the Woods is both a step-by-step guide to realizing your dream and a vintage escape into the great outdoors for the armchair explorer. " -- Page 4 of cover.

The design of this book is pure nostalgia--the sepia pages, hand drawn illustrations, and a classic camping color scheme. It's been a fantasy of mine to live in a mountain cabin the woods since I was in high school, with 5 dogs. That's not likely to happen (expensive real estate! wildfires!! TICKS!!!), but I *can* live that fantasy out by looking through this fabbo cabin building book. This book tells me all I need to build a 12x14' cabin is 14 softwood logs that are 8" thick and 26' long. I will need a draw shave to strip the bark. Nothing to it! Ah, a girl can dream... -Melody

A fever in the heartland : the Ku Klux Klan's plot to take over America, and the woman who stopped them

Timothy Egan

322.42 /Egan
History

"A historical thriller by the Pulitzer and National Book Award-winning author that tells the riveting story of the Klan's rise to power in the 1920s, the cunning con man who drove that rise, and the woman who stopped them. The Roaring Twenties -- the Jazz Age -- has been characterized as a time of Gatsby frivolity. But it was also the height of the uniquely American hate group, the Ku Klux Klan. Their domain was not the old Confederacy, but the Heartland and the West. They hated Blacks, Jews, Catholics and immigrants in equal measure, and took radical steps to keep these people from the American promise. And the man who set in motion their takeover of great swaths of America was a charismatic charlatan named D.C. Stephenson. Stephenson was a magnetic presence whose life story changed with every telling. Within two years of his arrival in Indiana, he'd become the Grand Dragon of the state and and the architect of the strategy that brought the group out of the shadows - their message endorsed from the pulpits of local churches, spread at family picnics and town celebrations. Judges, prosecutors, ministers, governors and senators across the country all proudly proclaimed their membership. But at the peak of his influence, it was a seemingly powerless woman - Madge Oberholtzer - who would reveal his secret cruelties, and whose deathbed testimony finally brought the Klan to their knees"--

This is a gripping history of the Klan's resurgence in the United States during the 1920's--especially it's control over Indiana state and local government. Of course, I wouldn't expected anything less than an important topic that is well-researched and well-written from Timothy Egan. Yes, it is great storytelling, but it is also an important history that we cannot look away from. -Anne M

Mayumu : Filipino American desserts remixed

Balingit, Abi, author.

641.86 /Balingit
Cookbooks

"A sweet baking book of fantastically imaginative remixed Filipinx American dessert recipes, plus stories of the Filipinx American experience by baker-activist, Abi Balingit When the pandemic started her lonely work-from-home life in 2020, Abi channeled all her energy into the one thing that brought her joy: baking. She started to produce Pasalubong boxes filled with novel treats that blended the Filipino and Asian flavors Abi grew up with and her favorite Western style baked goods, each time selling out within hours and donating the proceeds to support her community in need. Now, Abi shares these cult-favorite desserts with Mayumu (which means "sweet" in one of the 8 major languages in Philippines), an incredibly fresh baking book of 75 recipes for sweet treats, organized in chapters tied to where she discovered these flavors growing up as child of immigrants in a cultural melting pot, from the Philippines, to all around California, to her now home Brooklyn, NY. And she bakes all of these in her tiny, dimly lit, urban kitchen, meaning anyone can do it, too"--

I've been following The Dusky Kitchen on Instagram for a while now, and I love her Filipino-American takes on classic Filipino dishes! Living away from my family in an area with limited Filipino cuisine has been hard, but this cookbook has helped bring a little more of home back into my kitchen as I now make a weekly batch of pandesal to have for breakfast everyday. I appreciate her recommendations for specific ingredient brands as well as different methods to make harder-to-find ingredients like ube halaya from scratch. I have yet to try the more interesting recipes like Kare Kare Cookies or Adobo Chocolate Chip Cookies! -Annie

A gentleman in Moscow

Towles, Amor, author.

FICTION Towles Amor
Fiction, Literary Fiction

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility--a transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel

This is the book in 2023 that I am determined to tackle. It's been on my list for at least four years and I have multiple family members who adore this title. I'm coming for you, Amor Towles! -Casey

Saints of the household

Ari Tison

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Tison Ari

When brothers Max and Jay help a classmate in trouble, they struggle with the consequences of their violent actions and worry they may be more like their abusive father than they thought, so the brothers turn to their Bribri roots to find their way forward.

This is a wonderful read. The relationship between Jay and Max is uniquely explored and I think not often captured enough in YA. The back and forth chapters work really effectively to hold even a reluctant reader's attention and the writer contrasts both brother's psyche in an equal but opposite way that works. Past trauma and nature vs. nurture is a common theme throughout. Characters are well developed and I was fascinated to be introduced to and learn more about the Bribri (indigenous people of Costa Rica and Northern Panama). -Victoria

Community board

Tara Conklin

FICTION Conklin Tara
Fiction

Darcy Clipper, prodigal daughter, nearly thirty, has returned home to Murbridge, Massachusetts, after her life takes an unwelcome left turn. Murbridge, Darcy is convinced, will welcome her home and provide a safe space in which she can nurse her wounds and harbor grudges, both real and imagined. But Murbridge, like so much else Darcy thought to be fixed and immutable, has changed. And while Darcy’s first instinct might be to hole herself up in her childhood bedroom, subsisting on Chef Boy-R-Dee and canned chickpeas, it is human nature to do two things: seek out meaningful human connection and respond to anonymous internet postings. As Murbridge begins to take shape around Darcy, both online and in person, Darcy will consider the most fundamental of American questions: What can she ask of her community? And what does she owe it in return?

Conklin stretches her legs as a writer here through this funny and endearing novel. Darcy and the small town of Murbridge encapsulates a lot of what Americans are experiencing post-pandemic: disconnection, polarization, disillusion, anger, fear, and resentment. But Conklin's tale isn't one of despair. This book is about making connections with others, creating community around common goals, and finding meaning in your life through the process. But this novel also doesn't take itself too seriously. It is laugh-out-loud funny. -Anne M

The climate book

Greta Thunberg

363.73874 /Thunberg

"Greta Thunberg has gathered the wisdom of over one hundred experts - geophysicists, oceanographers and meteorologists; engineers, economists and mathematicians; historians, philosophers and indigenous leaders--to equip us all with the knowledge we need to combat climate disaster"--

I always appreciate Greta's no-nonsense, pragmatic approach to climate change. In this comprehensive manifesto, she's gathered a myriad of inter-disciplinary experts to drop their sage wisdom on a solution-oriented approach to dealing with a rapidly changing climate. I think young adults and fully-fledged adults interested in climate adaptation would enjoy this read. -Victoria

Shadow of the Sith

Adam Christopher

SCIENCE FICTION Star Wars

"The Empire is dead. Nearly two decades after the Battle of Endor, the tattered remnants of Palpatine's forces have fled to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. But for the heroes of the New Republic, danger and loss are ever-present companions, even in this newly forged era of peace. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is haunted by visions of the dark side, foretelling an ominous secret growing somewhere in the depths of space, on a dead world called Exegol. The disturbance in the Force is undeniable ... and Luke's worst fears are confirmed when his old friend Lando Calrissian comes to him with reports of a new Sith menace. After Lando's daughter was stolen from his arms, he searched the stars for any trace of his lost child. But every new rumor leads only to dead ends and fading hopes--until he crosses paths with Ochi of Bestoon, a Sith assassin tasked with kidnapping a young girl. Ochi's true motives remain shrouded to Luke and Lando. For on a junkyard moon, a mysterious envoy of the Sith Eternal has bequeathed a sacred blade to the assassin, promising that it will answer the questions that have haunted him since the Empire fell. In exchange, he must complete a final mission: Return to Exegol with the key to the Sith's glorious rebirth--Rey, the granddaughter of Darth Sidious himself. As Ochi hunts Rey and her parents to the edge of the galaxy, Luke and Lando race into the mystery of the Sith's lingering shadow and aid a young family running for their lives" --

I am not a fan of "The Rise of Skywalker," but this book goes a long way to fill in information that should've been in that movie. Also, it's fun to have Luke and Lando go on a mission together, and the connections to other Star Wars stories--in the comics and elsewhere--are a great payoff. I consider this essential reading for Star Wars fans. -Brian

Metroid Prime Remastered

ON ORDER VIDEO GAME

Get behind the visor of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran in her critically-acclaimed first-person adventure Step into the boots of Samus Aran as you navigate the winding paths and interconnected environments of an alluring-yet-dangerous alien planet. Use powers like the iconic Morph Ball and Grapple Beam to revisit hard-to-reach areas and find a path forward. With revamped graphics, sound, unlockable art, and updated control schemes, Samus’ 3D platforming debut has reached greater heights. Calm and capable, Samus takes on this solo mission…but she is far from alone.

Metroid Prime quickly became one of my favorite games ever when I played it 20 years ago. Remastered shows that the gameplay has aged well while the visuals have gotten an upgrade. Playing this game in handheld mode is immersive and the updated control scheme is a welcome change. This is the best way to experience Metroid Prime. -Brian

A bed of stars

Jessica Love

jE Love
Picture Books

A reassuring picture book about finding one's place in the world follows a father as he takes his child on their first camping trip where he shows, under a blanket of stars, that the universe is a friendly place.

Jessica Love (author of Julián is a mermaid and Julián at the Wedding,) has created another wonderful picture book. A Bed of Stars follows a child's first camping adventure into the desert with his father. I especially love the way Love creates warm and familiar inter-generational relationships that are so authentic and addresses core fears children have, while also presenting real ways to address them (via loving and patient family members). As an added bonus, you can learn about desert flora and fauna; "we say hello: ocotillo, globemallow, agave". -Victoria

Infinity gate

M. R. Carey

SCIENCE FICTION Carey, M. R.
Science Fiction, Adventure

"The Pandominion: a political and trading alliance of a million worlds. Except that they're really just one world, Earth, in many different realities. And when an A.I. threat arises that could destroy everything the Pandominion has built, they'll eradicate it by whatever means necessary. Scientist Hadiz Tambuwal is looking for a solution to her own Earth's environmental collapse when she stumbles across the secret of inter-dimensional travel, a secret that could save everyone on her dying planet. It leads her into the middle of a war on a scale she never dreamed of. And she needs to choose a side before every reality pays the price."--Provided by publisher.

Truly a sweeping epic, Infinity Gate is a face paced read, packed with lots of action and many memorable characters. Taking a different approach to how the multiverse works, there is no effective space travel and movement between realities, using what's termed Step technology, takes travelers to the exact same spot on a variant Earth to where they departed from on there own version Earth. Thrown into the mix are different cultural, historical, and evolutionary paths on each world, some fairly similar, others wildly different. To keep everything from getting out of hand, there is a very larger and extensive government/control structure in place, the Pandominion, which calls all the shots and has a well developed enforcement army. Unfortunately, there is also another force out in the multiverse that has a very different approach to things, especially the idea of sentience. -Paul

Hell bent

Leigh Bardugo

SCIENCE FICTION Bardugo, Leigh
Fantasy, Horror

"Alex Stern returns in #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo's Hell Bent, another tale of murder and dark magic set among the Ivy League elite."

Hell Bent was worth the wait! If you enjoyed Ninth House or the Grishaverse series I highly recommend Hell Bent. -Casey

Star Wars. The Mandalorian, Season 1

Rodney (Producer) Barnes

COMIC Star Wars Mandalorian Season 1
Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Adventure

"Din Djarin, the armored bounty hunter known to friend and enemy as simply the Mandalorian, has agreed to track down a target for a mysterious ex-Imperial client who offers to pay in Beskar, a rare metal revered by Mandalorians. But when Djarin locates the target--an adorable green toddler--all bets are off! Will Djarin follow his Mandalorian code and turn over the Child? And if he doesn't, what will the consequences be?"--Back cover of Season 1, part 1.

This is a beautiful comic version of the hit series. Learn to love Baby Yoda all over again! -Mykle

A library

Giovanni, Nikki, author.

jE Giovanni
Picture Books, Kids

In what other place can a child "sail their dreams" and "surf the rainbow" without ever leaving the room? This ode to libraries is a celebration for everyone who loves stories, from seasoned readers to those just learning to love words, and it will have kids and parents alike imagining where their library can take them. This inspiring read-aloud includes stunning illustrations and a note from Nikki Giovanni about the importance of libraries in her own childhood.

Lyrical and visually pretty the text will keep you and your child entertained to the end. A great book to discuss what makes your local library great. -Angie

The golden spoon : a novel

Jessa Maxwell

MYSTERY Maxwell, Jessa
Fiction, Humor, Mystery

“This delicious combination of Clue and The Great British Bake Off kept me turning the pages all night!” —Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author Only Murders in the Building meets The Maid in this darkly beguiling locked-room mystery where someone turns up dead on the set of TV’s hottest baking competition—perfect for fans of Nita Prose, Richard Osman, and Anthony Horowitz. Every summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for “Bake Week” but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin. The author of numerous bestselling cookbooks and hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, though no one needs to know that but her. She has always demanded perfection, and gotten it with a smile, but this year something is off. As the baking competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s merely sabotage—sugar replaced with salt, a burner turned to high—but when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect. A sharp and suspenseful thriller for mystery buffs and avid bakers alike, The Golden Spoon is a brilliant puzzle filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you reading late into the night until you turn the very last page of this incredible debut.

I reserved this book after I read that it was like as if The Great British Baking Show written with the cast of Clue. Okay, so there's no Professor Plum or Colonel Mustard (savory mustard plum pie, anyone?), but the characters are as hyperbolical and hilarious as the original ensemble. I let out some cackles during the beginning monologues of each character, fully in on the inside jokes of reality TV baking and cooking show fandom. Don't go into this book looking for nuance and subtlety. You will want over-the-topness with this story. -Melody

The devil and Sherlock Holmes : tales of murder, madness, and obsession

David Grann

364.1 /Grann
Nonfiction, True Crime

Collection of the journalist's articles previously published in varous periodicals.

I love David Grann's long-form writing (Lost City of Z, Killers of the Flower Moon), and the short pieces in this collection are like delicious little snacks to tide me over while waiting for my hold on his newest work (The Wager: A tale of shipwreck, mutiny and murder) to come up. I think a lot of folks who find themselves in the business of libraries are really just interested in a little bit of everything, and Grann shows himself to be of a similar ilk here, chasing down random, elusive, interesting stories that he'd heard about and taken note of. His writing is both detailed and effusive, and of course, well-researched. Reading this book is like being told the best stories from a super-smart, congenial friend! -Candice

How to sell a haunted house

Grady Hendrix

FICTION Hendrix, Grady
Horror

"New York Times bestselling author Grady Hendrix takes on the haunted house in a hilarious and terrifying new novel that explores the way your past-and your family-can haunt you like nothing else.... Louise's parents have passed away, and she's returning to the small Southern town where she grew up to get their house ready to sell. It means she'll have to spend time with her younger brother-and their old grudges make that a terrifying prospect. But childhood hurts pale in comparison to the dangers posed by what still lives inside the house"--

Equal parts hilarious and horrifying. I would love to see this turned into a campy movie! -Mari

A career in books : a novel about friends, money, and the occasional duck bun

Kate Gavino

GRAPHIC NOVEL Gavino
Graphic Novels

"Shirin, Nina, and Silvia have just gotten their first jobs in publishing, at a University Press, a traditional publisher, and a trust-fund kid's "indie" publisher, respectively. And it's... great? They know they're paying their dues and the challenges they meet (Shirin's boss just assumes she knows Cantonese, Nina cannot get promoted by sheer force of will, and Silvia has to deal with daily microaggressions) are just part of "a career in books." When they meet their elderly neighbor, Veronica Vo, and discover she's a Booker Prize winner dubbed the "Tampax Tolstoy" by the press, each woman finds a thread of inspiration from Veronica's life to carry on her own path. And the result is full of twists and revelations that surprise not only the reader but the women themselves." --publisher's website.

A coming of adulthood story about three best friends, all three Asian-American women in their 20s, navigating entry level publishing jobs and sharing an small Brooklyn apartment. I enjoyed this wonderfully detailed graphic slice of life story, and particularly identified with their hilarious and pop culture-heavy dialogue, as well as their frequent celebrations of good food and drink. Read this if you want to feel like you are part of this strong friendship of smart women, and/or want to peek into the not exactly glamorous publishing world of New York City. -Mari

The great air race : glory, tragedy, and the dawn of American aviation

John (Journalist) Lancaster

629.1309 /Lancaster
History, Technology

Lancaster recounts the incredible, untold story of the transcontinental air race of October 1919. The contest awakened Americans to the practical possibilities of flight-- and riveted the nation. Most of the pilots were veterans of World War I, flying DH-4s and Fokkers that were almost comically ill-suited for long distance travel. The aviators braved blizzards and mechanical failure, landing in cornfields or at the edges of cliffs. The race was a test of endurance that many pilots didn't finish because of exhaustion, mechanical failure-- or their deaths. -- adapted from jacket

A lot of was riding on this first of its kind coast-to-coast airplane race. Billy Mitchell was hoping to have Congress create an independent air force. The post office wanted to establish an airmail service. Multiple entrepreneurs wanted the public to buy into the idea of air travel. The great transcontinental air race of October 1919 was going to prove these things were needed and practical. Lancaster provides a detailed portrait on the state of aeronautics after World War I, the characters and personalities involved in the race, and the repercussions of a successful, yet deadly contest. Air historians or people who love micro-histories will enjoy this book. -Anne M

Lodge : an indoorsy tour of America's national parks

Max Humphrey

917.352 /Humphrey
Travel, Nature, History

Max Humphrey shines a light on 10 rustic National Park lodges in all their airy, timeworn splendor. No historic photos here; the images of the architecture and interiors are as they look today, highlighting these storied places in a fresh, alluring way. Sure, the lobbies are the main stage, but Humphrey touches on grand dining rooms, guest rooms, and rustic canteens alike. He writes about the buildings themselves in terms of the historical goings-on at the time, why they were built, and the players involved, highlighting notable architectural moments and period-specific furnishings. A smattering of pop culture history adds extra bursts of levity throughout.

I have caught the travel-planning bug and am fantasizing about all the places to go. Surely I'm not the only one who dreams of staying in cozy lodging in one of our nation's majestic national parks? If you're like me in that sense, do take a look at this book. "Lodge" had me at plaid, the buffalo pattern unmistakingly a siren call to join the great outdoors. Really that's all I want in a vacation: the woods, the sweat, and the constant tiny insect bites reminding me I'm alive. (Just kidding. I slather myself in DEET the second I see my first mosquito. Just say No to itchy skin, kids!) -Melody

One of us is dead

Jeneva Rose

FICTION Rose Jeneva

Shannon was once the queen bee of Buckhead. But she's been unceremoniously dumped by Bryce, her politician husband. When Bryce replaces her with a much younger woman, Shannon sets out to take revenge... Crystal has stepped into Shannon's old shoes. A young, innocent Texan girl, she simply has no idea what she's up against... Olivia has waited years to take Shannon's crown as the unofficial queen of Buckhead. Finally her moment has come. But to take her rightful place, she will need to use every backstabbing, manipulative, underhand trick in the book... Jenny owns Glow, the most exclusive salon in town. Jenny knows all her clients' secrets and darkest desires. But will she ever tell? Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead--and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly. --

I couldn't put this down! See how a group of wealthy Georgia ladies live, and get involved in a deadly feud at the same time. It's funny and entertaining, and full of interesting characters you love to hate. -Amanda

Finna

Nino Cipri

Hoopla
Science Fiction

When an elderly customer at a Swedish big box furniture store -- but not that one -- slips through a portal to another dimension, it's up to two minimum-wage employees to track her across the multiverse and protect their company's bottom line. Multi-dimensional swashbuckling would be hard enough, but those two unfortunate souls broke up a week ago. To find the missing granny, Ava and Jules will brave carnivorous furniture, swarms of identical furniture spokespeople, and the deep resentment simmering between them. Can friendship blossom from the ashes of their relationship? In infinite dimensions, all things are possible.

I listened to this book alongside my best friends while on a road trip. We all found it to be engaging while also being fun and witty. Finna was a short read, but an easy one. -Zach

Celebrate with Babs : holiday recipes & family traditions

Barbara Costello

641.568 /Costello

Your adopted grandmother Barbara Costello, a.k.a. Babs, has collected hundreds of recipes over the decades--all living in her old, wooden recipe box--and has curated her family favorites for your own cherished occasions. With seasonal table spreads, time-tested recipes, and motherly advice, this book bestows the key for elevating all of life's festivities into memorable events. Always know what to serve with dishes for New Year's Day festivities, birthday bashes, summer barbecues, Thanksgiving feasts, and lots of celebrations in between. Start new traditions now, and they will be enjoyed for generations to come.

I discovered Babs on social media - she's full of energy and love and loads of helpful tips and tricks for running and household and entertaining. This collection has so many ideas for creating traditions for family and friends and making whatever holiday you want to celebrate a fun and memorable one. And it'll give you the warm and fuzzies while you read it! -Amanda

This bird has flown : a novel

Susanna Hoffs

FICTION Hoffs Susanna
Fiction, Romance

"Jane Start is thirty-three, broke, and recently single. Ten years prior, she had a hit song--written by world-famous superstar Jonesy--but Jane hasn't had a breakout since. Now she's living out of four garbage bags at her parents' house, reduced to performing to Karaoke tracks in Las Vegas. But when her longtime manager Pippa sends Jane to London to regroup, she's seated next to an intriguing stranger on the flight--the other Tom Hardy, an elegantly handsome Oxford professor of literature. Jane is instantly smitten by Tom, and soon, truly inspired. But it's not Jane's past alone that haunts her second chance at stardom, and at love. Is Tom all that he seems? And can Jane emerge from the shadow of Jonesy's earlier hit, and into the light of her own?"--

While I personally found some plot holes and weaknesses in the book--being the seasons rom com reader that I am--I still couldn't put this book down. Come for the plot, stay for the characters, I say, and this book landed well on that front. If you like your romantic leads to have immeasurable pining and longing, pick up this book! Or just pick it up for its well-curated mixtape feel written by former lead singer of The Bangles. -Melody

Wild blue : taming a big-kid bike

Dashka Slater

jE Slater
Picture Books

"Kayla loves riding her pink pony, a three-wheeled bike, up and down the street, day after day. But then Daddy announces that it's time for a big-kid bike, one with just two wheels. At the store, Kayla selects her mount, but when she tries to ride it, she is thrown-again and again. Can she tame this intimidating set of wheels? Or is the new blue bike just too wild?"--

This book is perfect for everyone who has or has yet to tame a big-kid bike. -Casey

Marcel the shell : the most surprised I've ever been

Dean Fleischer-Camp

jE Fleischer-Camp
Picture Books

One morning, Marcel the shell is walking on the blanket when he is suddenly launched high into the air and gets a bird's-eye view of the baby, Nana Connie's house, and more before falling back down.

This book is not in my regular wheelhouse, for sure, but I was lucky enough to have it recommended to me by a colleague who shall remain nameless, but who has a thick Northumbrian accent and is a sassy lass. Anyways, I haven't laughed so hard while reading a book in a long time, and this story--albeit short--is full of elements that I like! A likeable narrator, some suspense, travel, a lot of humor, and of course, a nice ending. I mustn't forget the art--it's no secret that children's books often have absolutely amazing illustrations, and this little tome doesn't disappoint. Kids or no, I definitely recommend taking this book out for a spin! -Candice

Is it okay to pee in the ocean? : the fascinating science of our waste and our world

Ella Schwartz

j612.4 Schwartz
Nonfiction, Science

"Explore the human systems that make pee happen, tackle environmental questions about the impacts of human waste, discover surprising uses of urine throughout history-like in mouthwash and skin creams-and even try out at-home, hands-on experiments (with no bodily fluids required, of course!)"--

Did you know that in ancient Rome, buckets were set up along public streets to collect urine from passersby, to use for laundering clothes? That's right, once enough urine was collected, a person would stand in a giant tub filled with pee and dirty clothes, stomping on them to remove stubborn stains. Maybe next time you spill ketchup down your front, try rubbing a little pee on it. That's just one of the many fascinating facts about #1 you can learn from this new book! I won't spoil it by answering the titular question, but you can read to find out the effects of your waste on various bodies of water, how your body makes and eliminates pee, the scientific makeup of pee, and much, much more. -Anne W

Bleeding heart yard

Elly Griffiths

MYSTERY Griffiths, Elly
Mystery

Is it possible to forget that you've committed a murder? When Cassie Fitzgerald was at school in the late 90s, she and her friends killed a fellow student. Almost twenty years later, Cassie is a happily married mother who loves her job--as a police officer. She closely guards the secret she has all but erased from her memory. One day her husband finally persuades her to go to a school reunion. Cassie catches up with her high-achieving old friends from the Manor Park School--among them two politicians, a rock star, and a famous actress. But then, shockingly, one of them, Garfield Rice, is found dead in the school bathroom, supposedly from a drug overdose. As Garfield was an eminent--and controversial--MP and the investigation is high profile, it's headed by Cassie's new boss, DI Harbinder Kaur, freshly promoted and newly arrived in London. The trouble is, Cassie can't shake the feeling that one of them has killed again. Is Cassie right, or was Garfield murdered by one of his political cronies? It's in Cassie's interest to skew the investigation so that it looks like it has nothing to do with Manor Park and she seems to be succeeding. Until someone else from the reunion is found dead in Bleeding Heart Yard... --

If you are looking for a well-written, breezy mystery, pick up this fun series from Elly Griffiths. -Anne M

Bibliolepsy

Apostol, Gina, author.

FICTION Apostol Gina

"Gina Apostol's debut novel, available for the first time in the US, tells of a young woman caught between a lifelong desire to escape into books and a real-world revolution. It is the mid-eighties, two decades into the kleptocratic, brutal rule of Ferdinand Marcos. The Philippine economy is in deep recession, and civil unrest is growing by the day. But Primi Peregrino has her own priorities: tracking down books and pursuing romantic connections with their authors. For Primi, the nascent revolution means that writers are gathering more often, and with greater urgency, so that every poetry reading she attends presents a veritable "Justice League" of authors for her to choose among. As the Marcos dictatorship stands poised to topple, Primi remains true to her fantasy: that she, "a vagabond from history, a runaway from time," can be saved by sex, love, and books"--

Added by Annie

The Monkey Trial : John Scopes and the battle over teaching evolution

Anita Sanchez

CATALOGING /
Kids, Science, History

"Arrested? For teaching? John Scopes's crime riveted the world, and crowds flocked to the trial of the man who dared to tell students about a forbidden topic--evolution. The year was 1925, and discussing Darwin's theory of evolution was illegal in Tennessee classrooms. Lawyers wanted to challenge the law, and businessmen smelled opportunity. But no one imagined the firestorm the Scopes Trial would ignite--or the media circus that would follow. As reporters, souvenir-hawking vendors, angry protestors, and even real monkeys mobbed the courthouse, a breathless public followed the action live on national radio broadcasts. All were fascinated by the bitter duel between science and religion, an argument that boiled down to the question of who controls what students can learn--an issue that resonates to this day."--Page [2] of cover.

Who controls what students can learn - parents or the government? What takes precendence, science or religion? What happens when scientific evidence is turned into a political battle? Find out in this book for young readers about - you guessed it! - the 1925 trial of science teacher John Scopes, who defied the law by teaching about Darwin's theory of evolution in the classroom. Whether the cyclical nature of these struggles provides a comfort or makes you feel hopeless, there's no doubt that history repeats itself. Find out what lessons the "Monkey Trial" holds for us today in this new book aimed at 8-12-year-olds. -Anne W

Foster

Claire Keegan

FICTION Keegan Claire
Literary Fiction

"An international bestseller and one of The Times's "Top 50 Novels Published in the 21st Century," Claire Keegan's piercing contemporary classic Foster is a heartbreaking story of childhood, loss, and love, now released as a standalone book for the first time ever in the US. It is a hot summer in rural Ireland. A child is taken by her father to live with relatives on a farm, not knowing when or if she will be brought home again. In the Kinsellas' house, she finds an affection and warmth she has not known and slowly, in their care, begins to blossom. But there is something unspoken in this new household-where everything is so well tended to-and this summer must soon come to an end. Winner of the prestigious Davy Byrnes Award and published in an abridged version in the New Yorker, this internationally bestselling contemporary classic is now available for the first time in the US in a full, standalone edition. A story of astonishing emotional depth, Foster showcases Claire Keegan's great talent and secures her reputation as one of our most important storytellers"--

"Foster" is a quiet, brisk novella that packs a punch. Claire Keegan is beginning to be one of my favorite authors. -Anne M

Every City Is Every Other City

John McFetridge

OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Mystery

Behind the scenes, nothing is what it seems. Gord Stewart, 40 years old, single, moved back into his sub­urban childhood home to care for his widowed father. But his father no longer needs care and Gord is stuck in limbo. He's been working in the movie business as a location scout for years, and when there isn't much filming, as a private eye for a security company run by ex-cops, OBC. When a fellow crew member asks him to find her missing uncle, Gord reluctantly takes the job. The police say the uncle walked into some dense woods in Northern Ontario and shot himself, but the man's wife thinks he's still alive. With the help of his movie business and OBC connections, Gord finds a little evidence that the uncle may be alive. Now Gord has two problems: what to do when he finds a man who doesn't want to be found, and admitting that he's getting invested in this job. For the first time in his life, Gord Stewart is going to have to leave the sidelines and get into the game. Even if it might get him killed.

This was a really fun listen! The subject matter is a nice blend of serious and otherwise, with a main character who is both a private detective and movie location scout. The action takes place is Canada, which was part of the reason I gave it a listen--a different setting is always nice. The mystery here is a slow-burner, and worth the wait. The discussion of male depression and suicide is important and nicely done, and then there's a bonus side-mystery involving lots of stake-outs and following, and perhaps the occasional double-crossing and a modicum of violence. The main characters--the aforementioned detective/scout, along with his burgeoning love interest who's a late-30s bit-part actress with an endearing fondness for early-century architecture--are worth following and rooting for. The narration is excellent! -Candice

Gender Queer

Maia Kobabe

306.768/Kobabe
Memoir

In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia's intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

My friend first recommended this book to me because she was reading it while in a class on queer literature. I found it fascinating to hear what she told her and her classmates were able to discuss about the book. It was super quick, but my favorite part were these discussions, they helped me see more of the queer community here in Iowa City, and made me realize more closely what I actually want to do with my life. -Zach

Essex dogs

Dan Jones

FICTION Jones Dan
Historical Fiction

"The New York Times bestselling historian makes his historical fiction debut with an explosive novel set during the Hundred Years' War. July 1346. Ten men land on the beaches of Normandy. They call themselves the Essex Dogs: an unruly platoon of archers and men-at-arms led by a battle-scarred captain whose best days are behind him. The fight for the throne of the largest kingdom in Western Europe has begun. Heading ever deeper into enemy territory toward Crécy, this band of brothers knows they are off to fight a battle that will forge nations, and shape the very fabric of human lives. But first they must survive a bloody war in which rules are abandoned and chivalry itself is slaughtered. Rooted in historical accuracy and told through an unforgettable cast, Essex Dogs delivers the stark reality of medieval war on the ground - and shines a light on the fighters and ordinary people caught in the storm"--

In summer 1346, the Essex Dogs fight their way through Normandy with the English army. Is the suffering, both inflicted and endured, worth it for the spoils of war? The most interesting parts of this story ponder this question and others like it through Loveday's and Romford's eyes. -Tom

I Must Betray You

Ruta Sepetys

OverDrive Audiobook
Historical Fiction, Young Adult

A #1 New York Times and National Bestseller!   A gut-wrenching, startling historical thriller about communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray. Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.   Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.   Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?   Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys is back with a historical thriller that examines the little-known history of a nation defined by silence, pain, and the unwavering conviction of the human spirit.   Praise for I Must Betray You:   “As educational as it is thrilling...[T]he power of I Must Betray You [is] it doesn’t just describe the destabilizing effects of being spied on; it will make you experience them too.” –New York Times Book Review   “A historical heart-pounder…Ms. Sepetys, across her body of work, has become a tribune of the unsung historical moment and a humane voice of moral clarity.” –The Wall Street Journal * "Sepetys brilliantly blends a staggering amount of research with heart, craft, and insight in a way very few writers can. Compulsively readable and brilliant." –Kirkus Reviews, starred review * "Sepetys once again masterfully portrays a dark, forgotten corner of history." –Booklist, starred review   * "Sepetys’s latest book maintains the caliber readers have come to expect from an author whose focus on hidden histories has made her a YA powerhouse of historical ­fiction…Sepetys is a formidable writer, and her stories declare the need to write about global issues of social injustice. For that reason and her attention to detail, this is a must-read." –School Library Journal, starred review * "Cristian’s tense first-person narrative foregrounds stark historical realities, unflinchingly confronting deprivations and cruelty while balancing them with perseverance and hope as Romania hurtles toward political change." –Publishers Weekly, starred review   “Sepetys keeps readers riveted to this vivid, heartbreaking and compelling novel, locked into every meticulously researched detail. I Must Betray You demands a full investment from its audience—through poetic writing, sympathetic characters, revolutionary plot and pacing, it grips the heart and soul and leaves one breathless.” –Shelf Awareness, starred review "A master class in pacing and atmosphere." –BookPage  

I would recommend listening to this wonderfully detailed, young adult, historical fiction novel. Edoardo Ballerini does an excellent job narrating the story and conveying the language and pronunciations. At the end is an enlightening afterword from the author., which I always appreciate getting more information about the writing of a story that deals with history. Sepetys shows us all about a little known, taught or remembered part of communism in Romania in 1989 and the fall of the regimen. All of this and more through the eyes of teenage Cristian, in historical accuracy. Cristian's story is intense, beautiful, tragic, and heartbreaking and Sepetys brings his life and fight and those during this time in Romania, out in the open. -Angie

Bea Wolf.

Zach Author Weinersmith

Kids, Graphic Novels, Adventure, Literary Fiction

A modern middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Beowulf, featuring a gang of troublemaking kids who must defend their tree house from a fun-hating adult who can instantly turn children into grown-ups. Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call! Somewhere in a generic suburb stands Treeheart, a kid-forged sanctuary where generations of tireless tykes have spent their youths making merry, spilling soda, and staving off the shadow of adulthood. One day, these brave warriors find their fun cut short by their nefarious neighbor Grindle, who can no longer tolerate the sounds of mirth seeping into his joyless adult life. As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior―a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded. They call for Bea Wolf.

New middle grade graphic novel alert! Bea Wolf is a modern middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Beowulf. I would have loved to have read Bea's story in school instead of of Beo's. Even still this amazingly creative retelling also mimics the original's language by using alliteration throughout. Kids will enjoy this retelling, and not realize they’re also learning about a great classic! Plus, it was laugh out loud funny in many parts; a true delight! -Angie

The tree and the river

Aaron Becker

jE Becker
Picture Books, Nature, History

"In an alternate past--or possible future--a mighty tree stands on the banks of a winding river, bearing silent witness to the flow of time and change..."--

Aaron Becker is back with another fabulous wordless title--don't miss it! -Casey

Empty theatre

Jac Jemc

FICTION Jemc Jac
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

History knows them as King Ludwig II of Bavaria and Empress Elizabeth of Austria, icons of the late nineteenth century who died young and left behind magnificent portraits and palaces. But to each other they were Ludwig and Sisi, cousins who shared a passion for beauty and a stubborn refusal to submit to the roles imposed upon them. Ludwig, simultaneously spoiled and punished for his softness and "unmanly" interests, falls hard for the operas of Richard Wagner and neglects his state duties in the pursuit of art. Sisi, married at the age of sixteen to her beloved Franzl, bristles at the restrictions of her elevated position, the value placed on her beauty, and the simultaneous expectation that she ravage her body again and again in childbirth. Both absurdly vain, both traumatized by the demands of their roles, Sisi and Ludwig struggle against the ideals they are expected to embody, and resist through extravagance, petulance, performance, and frivolity.

Between the podcast "Noble Blood" and the recent movie "Corsage," you might be familiar with King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his mysterious murder and Empress Sisi of Austria and her beauty habits. Jemc brings these people to life in this historical fiction novel giving meaning to the eccentricities, while also giving us a good dose of humor. Highly recommend. -Anne M

A tulip in winter : a story about folk artist Maud Lewis

Kathy Stinson

j759.11 Lewis
Art / Art History, Kids, Biographies

"A celebration of a beloved folk artist, and her artistic expression of joy and beauty. Known for her vibrant and cheerful paintings of landscapes, plants, and animals, Maud Lewis' iconic folk art is celebrated around the world. Despite her beautiful art, she spent much of her life living in poverty with rheumatoid arthritis. In this stunning picture book, author Kathy Stinson and illustrator Lauren Soloy bring Maud's world to life: how she captured in her art what she loved most, while navigating the mobility issues caused by her condition. From bright paintings of the sea and countryside, to the flowers and birds she painted on the walls of the small house she shared with her husband, Maud's work continues to delight and inspire viewers young and old."--

Maud Lewis' lively, colorful paintings were inspired by the countryside around her tiny house in Nova Scotia. Disabled by severe rheumatoid arthritis, and with options further limited by poverty, Lewis lived in a tiny house she decorated by painting flowers all over the stairs, walls, and many of her belongings, along with creating landscapes on scraps of wood and cardboard from the dump. Today, her house can be seen, in its entirety, inside the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, where it was moved after her death in 1970. -Anne W

Leeva at last

Sara Pennypacker

jFICTION Pennypacker, Sara
Kids

What are people for? That's the burning question on the mind of Leeva Spayce Thornblossom. Fame! says Leeva's mom, the mayor of Nutsmore. Money! says her dad, the town treasurer. With the help of an orphaned badger, a risk-averse boy in a hazmat suit, and the town's librarians, Leeva sets off to discover her own answer--setting off a chain of events that will change Nutsmore forever.

If you enjoy the spirited early-chapter-book Clementine series about an eccentric and opinionated 8-year-old girl and the people in her apartment building, or Pax, the moving middle grade story of the bond between a boy and a fox and the lengths they'll go to in order to reunite after tragedy, try Sara Pennypacker's new middle grade novel, Leeva at Last. Perfectly paired with Matthew Cordell's scratchy illustrations, Leeva at Last is a quest/coming-of-age story that is totally hilarious, profound, and features some fantastic librarians. -Anne W

Legends & lattes : a novel of high fantasy and low stakes

Travis Baldree

SCIENCE FICTION Baldree Travis
Fantasy

"The much-beloved BookTok sensation from Travis Baldree, Legends & Lattes is a novel of high fantasy and low stakes. *The new paperback edition will include a very special, never-before-seen bonus story, 'Pages to Fill.'* Come take a load off at Viv's cafe, the first & only coffee shop in Thune. Grand opening! Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior's life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start filling mugs instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune's shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners, and a different kind of resolve. "Take a break from epic battles and saving the world. Legends & Lattes is a wholesome, cozy novel that feels like a warm hug. This is my new comfort read."-Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart"--

It has been a while since I've read anything that was so delightful. "Legends & Lattes" is a cozy fantasy novel, and it reads like a side-story of someone's pet D&D character. I repeat--it is delightful! Fantasy fans will eat it up, but I think it will also appeal to those who enjoy a gentle, romantic read. -Brian

Beatles '66 : the revolutionary year

Steve Turner

781.66092 /Beatles
Music, Nonfiction

On the fiftieth anniversary of this seminal year, music journalist and Beatles expert Steve Turner slows down the action to investigate in detail the enormous changes that took place in the Beatles’ lives and work during 1966. He looks at the historical events that had an impact on the group, the music they made that in turn profoundly affected the culture around them, and the vision that allowed four young men from Liverpool to transform popular music and serve as pioneers for artists from Coldplay to David Bowie, Jay-Z to U2.

Since the release of the Get Back series I've been on a Beatles kick. This book covers one of their pivotal years and contains a lot of primary source interview quotes. Turner describes local and global cultural and political landscapes to help ground us in what they were dealing with as artists at the time. -Jason

Apple crush

Lucy Knisley

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Knisley
Graphic Novels, Kids

"Jen is just getting used to her life on Peapod Farm with her new stepsisters, Andy and Reese, but when the school year starts, there are even more changes in store for her."--

I read the prequel to this graphic novel, "Stepping Stones" immediately before diving into "Apple Crush," and I enjoyed them both very much. I have read several of Knisley's adult graphic novels, and am always really drawn towards her illustration style. Both of these stories are semi-autobiographical, and I think a lot of children who have gone through their parents divorce will relate to her experience. "Stepping Stones" is about Jen learning how to live and work on a farm, while "Apple Crush" is more about her adjusting to a new school and the social pressures that come with middle school. Jen gets her first job on a pumpkin patch, and I think most readers will feel a longing for crisp, fall weather, hot cider, and trick-or-treating no matter what season it is currently. I can't wait to find out what the next season holds for Peapod Farm! -Mari

East winds : a global quest to reckon with marriage

Rachel K. Rueckert

BIOGRAPHY Rueckert, Rachel K.
Memoir

"Rachel panicked as she lay awake on the first night of her year-long honeymoon-a backpacking trip around the world. Though young and in love, she wasn't sure she actually believed in marriage, let alone the lofty Mormon ideal of eternal marriage. This unconventional honeymoon felt like a brief reprieve from the crushing expectations for a Mormon bride. But this trip also offered opportunities: the chance to study wedding traditions in other cultures and the space to confront what marriage--including her own--meant to her. Along the way, she got kicked out of Peru, escaped rabid dogs in the Amazon, stumbled upon democracy protests in Hong Kong, launched an unlucky lantern in Thailand, and trekked five hundred miles across Spain in sandals. These experiences helped Rachel confront her tumultuous past, question her inherited relationship models, and embrace her restless nature within marriage--exchanging faith in certainty for faith in the day-to-day choice of partnership and faith in herself."

I couldn't put this book down! The journey the author and her new spouse take was fascinating, and the last section of the memoir that focuses on a pilgrimage was especially poignant. You learn how many cultures view and live marriage, and it offers you the space to reflect on your feelings as well. A lovely story. -Amanda

The Agathas

Kathleen Glasgow

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Glasgow Kathleen
Mystery, Young Adult, Fiction

Alice Ogilvie's disappearance last summer is the biggest scandal at Castle Cove High School--until her ex-boyfriend is accused of murdering his new girlfriend, and Alice must pair up with her tutor Iris Adams to clear his name by relying on the wisdom of Agatha Christie.

Give me a mystery any day, but one that pays homage to Agatha Christie and has total Veronica Mars and Nancy Drew vibes, say no more! Great whodunit storyline, that was well paced and kept you along for all the twists and turns. I was hooked and can't wait for the sequel to come out this summer. -Angie

Empress of the Nile : the daredevil archaeologist who saved Egypt's ancient temples from destruction

Lynne Olson

932 /Olson
Nonfiction, History

"In the 1960s, the world's attention was focused on a nail-biting race against time--an international campaign to save over a dozen ancient Egyptian temples, built during the height of the pharaohs' rule, from drowning in the floodwaters of the gigantic new Aswan High Dam. But the massive press coverage of this unprecedented rescue effort completely overlooked the feisty French archaeologist who made it all happen. Without the intervention of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, the temples--including the Met Museum's Temple of Dendur--would now be at the bottom of a gigantic reservoir. It was a project of unimaginable size and complexity that required the fragile sandstone temples to be dismantled, stone by stone, and rebuilt on higher ground. A willful, real-life version of Indiana Jones, Desroches-Noblecourt refused to be cowed by anyone or anything. As a brave member of the French Resistance in WWII she had survived imprisonment by the Nazis; in her fight to save the temples she had to face down two of the most daunting leaders of the postwar world, Egyptian President Abdel Nasser and French President Charles de Gaulle. As she told one reporter, "You don't get anywhere without a fight, you know." Yet Desroches-Noblecourt was not the only woman who played a crucial role in the endeavor. The other one was Jacqueline Kennedy, America's new First Lady, who persuaded her husband to call on Congress to help fund the rescue effort. After a century and a half of Western plunder of Egypt's ancient monuments, Desroches-Noblecourt had done the opposite. She had helped preserve a crucial part of its cultural heritage and, just as important, made sure it remained in its homeland"--

An energetic and astute account of someone I'd never heard of before, but who exhibits all the intellect, daring, humanism, and bravery of the heroic Indiana Jones! No doubt, part of the appeal of this story is seeing a woman blaze her path in a man's world, while also leaving that world better than she found it. But there's also the historical intrigue of exploration and discovery, of war-time cunning, of the changing worlds of academia and societal norms. I'll be first in line to admit that it takes a romantic gaze to look back with enjoyment on this time period and it's colonial trappings, but the author is careful to work in acknowledgment alongside a healthy dose of the understandings of historical cultural relativism. Christaine Desroches-Noblecourt's story deserves to be told, and this book does it well. If you like this, you might be interested in reading the very excellent "The Riddle of the Labyrinth" by Margalit Fox, which recounts Alice Kober's work in deciphering the Linear B script that was used in Mycenaean civilization. -Candice

The City We Became

N. K. Jemisin

SCIENCE FICTION/Jemisin, N. K.
Fantasy

Five New Yorkers must come together in order to defend their city. Every city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? She's got five. But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs beneath the earth, threatening to destroy the city and her five protectors unless they can come together and stop it once and for all.

Released right as the COVID Pandemic was just beginning, I think this book emphasized community in a way that was necessary for everyone during that time. Perhaps that's why the book became so popular. I found it to be a wonderful representation of queer life, while being thoughtful and critical of privilege and oppression. This book is said to be for those who love New York, but as someone who visited the city many times while growing up, and who never had a care for it, I think it can be for anyone who finds community to be one of their values. -Zach

The Whalebone Theatre

Joanna Quinn

FICTION Quinn Joanna

"An utterly enchanting, immersive novel about an irrepressible young heroine who becomes an undercover agent during World War II-a sparkling debut, by turns heartwarming and heartbreaking. One blustery night in 1928, a whale washes up on the shores of the English Channel. By law, all whales belong to the King, but twelve-year-old Cristabel Seagrave has other plans. She and the rest of the household and their guests-her sister, Flossie (known affectionately as "The Veg"); her brother Digby, the long-awaited heir to Chilcombe manor; Maudie Kitkat, maidservant; Taras, a hot-tempered visiting artist-build a theatre within the whale's skeleton. Cristabel is an orphan, mostly ignored by her feckless step-parents and brisk governesses. But within the Whalebone Theatre, she is fully at home and in charge, and her imagination comes to life. As Cristabel grows into a headstrong young woman, chafing against expectations, World War II rears its head. She and Digby become British secret agents working undercover in Nazi-Occupied France on separate missions-a more dangerous kind of play-acting, it turns out, and one that threatens to tear the family apart. The Whalebone Theatre is a sweeping, transporting, completely irresistible novel, full of warmth and charm, humor and poignancy, passion and adventure-a story of love, bravery, lost innocence, and self-transformation"--

This book has a lot of elements to it. Is it a novel highlighting the downward mobility of an aristocratic family that feel crushed by duty to an estate and ancestry? A coming of age tale of three children with some pretty uninterested and uncaring parents? Is it a book about the love of story and finding oneself in the theater or in books? Or is it a spy thriller? It's sort of all of these. While this take may seem disjointed at times, the main characters of Cristabel, Flossie, and Digby carry us through the multiple dimensions of this book. I greatly enjoyed it. -Anne M

Sinkable : obsession, the deep sea, and the shipwreck of the Titanic

Daniel (Daniel Evan) Stone

910.452 /Stone
History

April, 1912. The Titanic has scarcely disappeared before plans to find and raise her began. Yet seven decades passed before it was found. Why? And of some three million shipwrecks that litter the ocean floor, why is the world still so fascinated with this one? Stone spins a fascinating tale of history, science, and obsession, uncovering the untold story of the Titanic not as a ship but as a shipwreck. He takes readers through the two miles of ocean water in which the Titanic sank, showing how the ship broke apart and why, and delves into the odd history of our understanding of such depths. He interviews scientists to understand the decades of rust and decomposition that are slowly but surely consuming the ship. And Stone turns inward, looking at his own dark obsession with both the Titanic and shipwrecks in general. - adapted from publisher info

This is an interesting book for any person who had an obsession with the Titanic in the 4th grade. This gives a broader range of the Titanic tragedy and the various efforts to find it in the decades since. You'll meet some new Titanic-adjacent characters! -Amanda

The wanderer

Peter Van den Ende

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Van den Ende

"Without a word, and with Escher-like precision, Van den Ende presents one little paper boat's journey across the ocean, past reefs and between icebergs, through schools of fish, swaying water plants, and terrifying sea monsters. The little boat is all alone, and while its aloneness gives it the chance to wonder at the fairy-tale world above and below the waves uninterrupted, that also means it must save itself when storms approach. And so it does. We hope that readers young and old will find the strength and inspiration that we did in this quietly powerful story about growing, learning, and life's ups and downs."--Publisher description.

I happened to stumble across this book by accident and was thrilled! What an epic adventure told in intricately detailed panels documenting a small paper boat's trials and tribulations. The illustrations are imaginative, impeccably descriptive and would be enjoyed by many different age groups. -Victoria

Redaction

Titus Kaphar

704.949365 /Kaphar

"MacArthur fellows Reginald Dwayne Betts and Titus Kaphar present a stunning literary and artistic collaboration that confronts the abuses of the criminal justice system. Throughout their award-winning careers, visual artist and filmmaker Titus Kaphar and poet, memoirist, and attorney Reginald Dwayne Betts have shed light on the violences of incarceration and the underexplored contradictions of American history. In Redaction, they unite their different mediums to expose the ways the legal system exploits and erases the poor and incarcerated from public consciousness. First exhibited at MoMA PS1, the fifty "Redaction" prints layer Kaphar's etched portraits of incarcerated individuals with Betts's poetry, which uses the legal strategy of redaction to craft verse out of legal documents. Three prints are broken apart into their distinct layers, illuminating how the pair manipulated traditional engraving, printing, poetic, and redaction processes to reveal what is often concealed. This beautifully designed volume also includes additional artwork, poetry, and an introduction by MoMA associate director Sarah Suzuki. The result is an astonishing, powerful exploration of history, incarceration, and race in America"--

This work is an incredible distillation of official legal jargon into pared-down poetry combined with profound art to explore the history and injustice of mass incarceration. It is visceral, overt and absolutely compelling! -Victoria

We are the ark : returning our gardens to their true nature with acts of restorative kindness

Mary (Gardener) Reynolds

630.2086 /Reynolds
Gardening

"We Are the Ark asks readers to have a sweeping change of vision for our relationship with our gardens. To inspire people to look at what we can do for the earth and all her kin, rather than seeing our patches of the planet as 'outdoor rooms' for our pleasure or 'blank pallets' for our creative visions. To Ark their land and restore a network of native plants instead of 'low maintenance' burdens. It aspires to get all schools on board. From the smallest children up to university level. To inspire them to give their unused land and corners here and there back to nature. To get local governments and commercial and corporate landowners onboard to return unused 'maintained' land back to its true nature, to support life. Ultimately, We Are the Ark asks people to build a patchwork quilt of healed land and water that will wrap its way around the globe and to reform the world of gardening into a network of nature sanctuaries. In a matter of a few short years this will reach a critical mass that will shift the consciousness of the rest of our planet's humans, giving us a real shot at restoring the earth back to health and harmony"--

Although this book is a little simplistic for the avid gardener, it is a great primer for young people and new gardeners. The advice whilst sage, sometimes comes off as a little preachy but overall, this book has a great hopeful message about the positive impact home gardeners, ecologists and those interested in conservation can have on protecting our planet. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and it's worth picking up the book for these alone. -Victoria

Tree, wildflower, and mushroom spotting

Mary Kay Carson

j582.13 Carson
Nonfiction, Nature, Science

"With 448 full-color, highly illustrated pages, Outdoor School is your indispensable tool for the outdoors. This interactive field guide to plant and mushroom spotting includes: immersive activities to get you exploring, write-in sections to journal about experiences, next-level adventures to challenge even seasoned nature lovers. No experience is required--only curiosity and courage. Inside you'll find easy-to-follow instructions on how to: grow mushrooms with cardboard, compare bark types, count tree rings, survey leaf patterns, create fern spore prints, press and preserve wildflowers--and so much more!"--

It's spring! Get out there and look at some flowers! I recommend Turkey Creek Nature Preserve (Bur Oak Land Trust) for bluebells. There's a whole series of these Outdoor School books that are worth your time. -Anne W

The first case

Ulf Nilsson

jFICTION Nilsson Ulf
Mystery, Early Chapter Books

When Vladimir the squirrel's stockpile of nuts disappears, the portly Detective Gordon deputizes his young, enthusiastic friend Buffy the mouse to help him discover the identity of the thieves.

This is the first in a four-book series about the bumbling, often flustered (but totally endearing) Detective Gordon (a frog) and his sidekick Buffy (a mouse). The mysteries (translated from the original Swedish) are clever and funny, gentle but contain enough action to sustain interest, and are heavily illustrated and perfect for those just getting comfortable with chapter books (around first and second grades). They also make great family read-alouds. The newest (and last) book, A Case with a Bang, just hit ICPL shelves. -Anne W

Two color quilts : 8 inspiring designs

746.46 /Two
Nonfiction, Crafts

I want to try making all of these quilts! They're beautiful, simply presented, and easy to follow for semi-experienced and newer quilters like me. If you're in need of some sewing inspiration this might be the book for you! -Casey

Shrines of gaiety : a novel

Kate Atkinson

FICTION Atkinson Kate
Historical Fiction

"1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time. The notorious queen of this glittering world is Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven, whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie's empire faces threats from without and within. For beneath the dazzle of Soho's gaiety, there is a dark underbelly, a world in which it is all too easy to become lost. "--

I’ve always enjoyed Kate Atkinson’s books. She is always able to somehow marry the tragic and the comedic, showing complexity of character or situation. But I loved this book. Perhaps it was the time and place (1920’s London reeling from the aftermath of World War I) or the characters (Gwedonllen Kelling, a librarian now independently wealthy looking for a lost family member of a friend), but I reveled every page. -Anne M

Ancillary justice

Ann Leckie

SCIENCE FICTION Leckie Ann
Science Fiction

On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren - a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy. Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.

Have you ever had a book on your "To read" list, and think to yourself--"Why do it take me so long to start this one?!?!?" "Ancillary Justice" was one such title. I've had my eye on it for a long time. Someone told me that it's a "Murderbot Diaries" read-alike (it kind of, sort of is), so it jumped to the top of my list. It's a fantastic Sci-Fi series opener with interesting characters and a great premise. Seriously, I want to start the next book right now, but I feel like I should ration them out. I highly recommend this to Sci-Fi fans. -Brian

The magic fish

Trung, Le Nguyen, author.

GRAPHIC NOVEL Trung

"Real life isn't a fairytale. But Tíên still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tíên, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through? Is there a way to tell them he's gay?"--

Added by Annie

Greater good

Timothy Zahn

SCIENCE FICTION Star Wars Thrawn
Science Fiction

When a mysterious enemy strikes at the very foundation of the Ascendancy by widening the rifts between the Nine Ruling Families and Forty Great Houses, Thrawn and his allies must decide what matters most--the security of their family or the survival of the Ascendancy itself.

This series continues to be an outstanding Sci-Fi adventure in an unfamiliar part of the Star Wars universe. I've got one book left, and I don't want it to end! I definitely enjoy my Star Wars with a dash of political intrigue and plenty of original characters. -Brian

On a Sunbeam

Tillie Walden

GRAPHIC NOVEL/Walden
Graphic Novels

Throughout the deepest reaches of space, a crew rebuilds beautiful and broken-down structures, painstakingly putting the past together. As new member Mia gets to know her team, the story flashes back to her pivotal year in boarding school, where she fell in love with a mysterious new student. Soon, though, Mia reveals her true purpose for joining their ship—to track down her long-lost love.

I made all my friends read this book and they all agree it is one of the best graphic novels they've ever read. The art alone is enough to get me to reread this book--I would highly recommend trying it out. -Zach

An assassin in utopia : the true story of a nineteenth-century sex cult and a president's murder

Susan Wels

364.1523/Wels
Nonfiction, History

From 1848 to 1881, a small utopian colony in upstate New York, the Oneida Community, was known for its shocking sexual practices, from open marriage and free love to the sexual training of young boys by older women. And in 1881, a one-time member of the Oneida Community, Charles Julius Guiteau, assassinated President James Garfield in a brutal crime that shook America to its core. This is the first book to weave together these explosive stories in a tale of utopian experiments, political machinations, and murder.

I was excited enough about this book that I went and bought a copy before the library got it...I'm hopeful it won't disappoint! For those of you who read Candice Millard's fantastic book about the assassination of President Garfied--"Destiny of the Republic"--and wondered what the heck his assassin had been getting up to before the event, this book might fill in some of those details for you. Turns out he spent a bit of time in the Oneida community in upstate New York, and if you think that it was all about making silverware, think again! There were a lot of interesting communities around this time, working to turn their ideal ways of life into a reality, and Oneida was one of the most successful. If you're a history buff with a penchant for a little of the weird, this book might be worthwhile. -Candice

The lodge that beaver built

Randi Sonenshine

j599.37 Sonenshine
Nonfiction, Animals, Poetry

"Resourceful Beaver and his family work every day to build the perfect lodge in the pond, made of branches from the shore willow and silty mud from the streambed, in a book that introduces the engineering feat of dam-building and the life cycle of beaver families"--Provided by publisher.

A zen, poetic rendition of the "House that Jack Built" featuring soothing colored pencil imagery of beavers, geese, moose and more. If you can't be in the middle of the calm on a lake in the woods, reading this beautiful nonfiction picture book might be the next best thing. -Mari

House of the dragon. 1

DVD TV House s. 1
Fantasy

"Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series finds the Targaryens ruling over the Seven Kingdoms -- and on the brink of civil war within their own house. Prior to the birth of a son, King Viserys sent shockwaves through the kingdom and declared his daughter, Rhaenyra, his heir. Once a healthy boy entered the picture, plans were afoot to make sure she would never sit on the Iron Throne. Now, with schemes hatched on both sides -- and the kingdom in the balance -- viewers will see the house that dragons built and learn how they tore it all down" --Container.

After the garbage fire that was the last few seasons of "Game of Thrones," I was hesitant to watch this prequel series, "House of the Dragon." My worries quickly evaporated as I was treated to phenomenal acting, writing, and visuals. It made me remember why I fell in love with this world in the first place. I highly recommend it to any disillusioned "Game of Thrones" fans. -Brian

When the sky glows

Nell Cross Beckerman

j551.565 Beckerman
Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science

"Sunrises and lightning storms, rainbows and volcanoes, meteors and fireflies-these beautiful, and sometimes frightening, events that light up the sky might seem like magic. But there is a scientific explanation for each natural phenomenon. Find out the science behind the magic in this beautiful and enlightening nonfiction picture book"--

When the Sky Glows is gorgeously illustrated, is the perfect length, and has just the right amount of information for budding meteorologists. Add this to the rapidly growing shelf of fabulous nonfiction picture books. -Casey