Staff Picks Youth
September 2023
The Lighthouse Cat
by Sue Stainton
An intriguing story with excellent illustrations inspired by the real lighthouse at Plymouth, England. The lighthouse was lit by a 24-candle lantern that had have its wicks trimmed every half hour. The lone lighthouse keeper finds a cat in the supplies whose coloring reminds him of a Mackerel. Together they run up and down the stairs keeping the boats safe from the jagged rocks. Until one night in a terrible storm, the candles were all blown out. What is a cat to do?
Recommended by Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
First grade, here I come!
by Nancy Carlson
For kids leaving kindergarten and going to first grade this year, I really recommend this cute picture book which can remove the anxiety of new students on the first day of school and the fear of meeting new friends and teachers like what happened with first grader Henry the Mouse on his first day At school.
Recommended by: Ghada Rafati, Patron Services Clerk
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Where Echoes Die
by Courtney Gould
Flashbacks create an atmosphere of suspense as in episodes of the Twilight Zone or in A Wrinkle in Time, in which Beck travels from Washington to Arizona with her sister Riley to uncover the reason for the hold on their dead mother that the town of Backravel exerted. Once they arrive there, they find themselves caught up in the strangeness of the town, the people who seem to be “slipping”, and the odd treatment center that overlooks the town. Despite the misgivings of Riley, Beck convinces her to stay the full two weeks as they had planned as Beck tries to unravel the notes and drawings that their mother left behind about this town. As Beck explores the town she keeps wondering how the people can seem like robots, the town is so neat, and all seems to be staged.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian
Posted in: Youth Fiction
August 2023
April & Mae and the Tea Party
by Megan Dowd Lambert
April and Mae are best friends, and so are their pets. On Sundays they have a tea party where Mae prepares the table and April puts on a show. Unfortunately, on this particular Sunday things go awry when April tries out a new act and accidently upsets Mae. April & Mae and the Tea Party by Megan Dowd Lambert tells the story of how these best friends work through their argument and save their friendship. There is a book in the series for each day of the week where the two best friends experience different activities, emotions, and challenges together. Beginner readers who enjoy Cynthia Rylant’s Annie and Snowball series or Eve Bunting’s Frog and Friends series will be sure to love this friendship too!
Recommended by: Erin Cady, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Something Wild
by Molly Ruttan
Posted in: Youth Fiction
One last shot : the story of wartime photographer Gerda Taro
by Kip Wilson
This novel told in verse covers the short life of Gerda Taro, a German photojournalist and the first woman photojournalist killed in combat. Told in the first person point of view, Taro’s activism to expose fascism is connected with her relationship with photographer André Friedmann (later known as Robert Capa).Their photographs were in great demand and they found themselves covering the Spanish Civil War up close at the front of the fighting. Taro was forgotten until 2007 when a “Mexican Suitcase” (3 boxes) collection of 4500 Spanish Civil War negatives was discovered. The boxes had been in storage in Mexico City for decades. A Doodle commemorating her birthday led the author to write this book.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian 1
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Underground Fire: Hope, Sacrifice, and Courage in the Cherry Mine Disaster
by Sally M. Walker
The town of Cherry, Illinois still exists and is the setting for the latest non-fiction book written by Sally M. Walker. On Saturday November 13, 1909 a fire began in part of the mine that eventually killed hundreds of men. The rescue efforts continued for eight days until the mine was sealed. Walker’s account relates the tragedy from the miners’ efforts to survive as well as the rescuers’ efforts to save them. The Cherry Mine Disaster remains one of the worst coal mining disasters in United States. The disaster led to changes in mining and labor regulations.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian 1
Posted in: Youth Nonfiction
Small Spaces
by Katherine Arden
Lately, Ollie’s only comfort is in books. After a fiasco at school that involves a thrown rock and her classmate’s injured head, Ollie just wants to get to her favorite spot by the creek and read. What she finds when she arrives at the creek both shocks and unnerves her. A woman, crying uncontrollably, is trying to throw a little black book into the creek. Ollie just can’t let that happen. She steals the woman’s book and runs away, with just one warning from this mysterious woman: “Keep to small spaces at night.” After staying up late reading this new find, she discovers the story tells of a someone known as the Smiling Man. But morning soon arrives, and Ollie has a field trip to attend. When the bus breaks down on the ride home, suddenly Ollie’s watch reads just one word: “Run.” Ollie listens, and only two of her friends join her. They run into the woods, unable to shake the feeling that all the scarecrows they pass are watching them. As the three of them run, keeping to small spaces at night, Ollie realizes that this little black book might be able to explain whatever evil is taking place in her town, and how to stop it. If you are looking for something creepy and hair-raising, Small Spaces should be your next read.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e sudiobook.
Recommended by: Stephanie Visser, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Monsters in the Mist
by Juliana Brandt
A creepy ghost story that takes place at a lighthouse overlooking Lake Superior, “the lake, it is said, never gives up her dead when the skies of November turn gloomy”. Glennon McCue finds himself with his Mom and sister on an island that seemingly doesn’t exist on any map yet there are inhabitants who may or may not be real. To try to save his mother and sister before the Waning, the family must confront the emotional and physical abuse the father exerted on the family for years and haunts them. Monsters can be living and dead.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Violets are Blue
by Barbara Dee
Renata, called Ren, is having a hard time dealing with a bully at school at the same time that her parents seem to be arguing a lot. When her parents announce their divorce, Ren is not surprised but is having difficulty adjusting to her dad living in New York while she remains with her mom in Chicago. When her mom decides to move to a neighboring town to give both Ren and herself a new start, Ren is initially hesitant, but ends up fitting in and finding her niche. When her mom installs a lock on her bedroom door and begins to keep odd work hours, Ren excuses it as normal since her mom is a nurse. As things begin to spiral downwards Ren is forced to confront the truth.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction