Staff Picks

The Lost Library

by Rebecca Stead

With Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass being the authors, this book is a sure winner. When a Little Free Library guarded by a large orange cat, Mortimer, appears overnight, eleven-year-old Evan is the first person to take two books. Surprisingly the books were from the Martinville Library that had burned down 20 years ago. The story is told by Mortimer, Evan, and Al, a librarian. The connection of the town to one of the books, which has Evan’s dad’s name on the check-out card, will change lives in the future as a discovery is made to an event in the past. An entertaining puzzle read.

Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Dinosaur Club – Saving the Stegosaurus

by Rex Stone

Great time travel fiction book packed with lots of adventure! Although this book is fiction it’s filled with lots of dinosaur facts. In the back of the book, it goes through the dinosaur timeline, incorporates a comprehension quiz with answers and a glossary.  Lots of information to keep a dino loving young reader interested!

Recommended by: Lenore Garoufalis, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Lasagna Means I Love You

by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Maureen, who goes by Mo, is in the foster care system since her grandmother passed away. This entire book is written in letter form as Mo writes to her grandmother (in heaven) explaining what’s currently happening in her life. Unfortunately, Mo doesn’t have much family. When she becomes super interested in cooking, she decides to create a blog with much loved family recipes. The problem is getting the recipes. As she meets people with recipes to share, Mo begins to discover a new definition for family. Enjoy the ups and downs of Mo’s journey as you read this book.

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Tales to Keep You Up at Night

by Dan Poblocki

You know how sometimes it is a good idea to follow the advice of a handwritten note such as one telling you to “not read this book”? Especially when the book is found in a dark corner of an attic? Well, Amelia reads and ignores the note and soon finds herself caught up in the book as her life takes on the events in the book. There are thirteen short stories to thrill and chill the reader and Amelia, too.

Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I

Posted in: Youth Fiction

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

The Hearts Invisible Furies

by John Boyne

We follow Cyril’s life told in 7 year spans from 1945 through 2015. Cyril is a wonderful character who makes some shocking mistakes along the way but does good things too. I loved his sense of humor, especially in the face of the ignorance and stupidity he had to put up with. We journey with him as he deals with his peculiar adoptive parents, sexuality, unrequited love, indecision, shame, tragedy, identity, and redemption.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an e audiobook

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphic Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

Secret of the Moon Conch

by David Bowles

A love that transcends space and time. Sitlali finds herself hopeless when her abuelita passes away. Her father disappeared to the U.S. when she was young, and her mother died of heart ache shortly her father left. Her abuelita was her only relative left and with her gone she was left alone to fend for herself against a dangerous gang member who has ties to the drug cartel in Veracruz. She was left with no choice but to flee to the U.S. in hope to find a better future. Calitzo is a Mexica from the 1500s who’s town was recently invaded by conquistadors. Amidst the war they’re prepping for, he is also losing his loved ones to a strange disease brought overseas that the conquistadors call smallpox. Through great adversities both Sitali and Calitzo find great solace in a magical conch that unites them in their struggles.

Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Bandit Queens

by Parini Shroff

One may not think it, but there are perks to being a societal outcast. If you’re not so sure, come along for the ride that is Bandit Queens. Taking place in a remote village, engulfed in traditional values, the story focuses on Geeta, a woman who unintentionally moves through life against the grain. While the story is written with delicious bursts of humor, Shroff delivers a reflective look at female expectations and duty in a world where choice is not much of an option. Suspenseful, entertaining, thought-provoking, and contemporary, there is little to find at fault with this ride of story.

This book is available in the library and OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.

Recommended by: Helen Kametas, Adult Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Adult 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