Staff Picks

You Know I’m No Good

by Jessie Ann Foley

Mia gets into trouble one to many times when she punches her stepmom, and is sent to Red Oak Academy for “Troubled Girls”. It’s supposed to be a place for healing and self-discovery. Will Mia finally have the opportunity to figure out if she really is “bad” or if there is something behind all of her actions? A fantastic realistic read that you won’t be able to put down.

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

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

The Quiltmakers Gift

by Jeff Brumbeau

At this time of year, it is especially important to teach our youth about the joy of giving. The illustrations in this picture book are stunning! Even more beautiful is the message about generosity and happiness. Additionally, there are games online that go with the story which brings it to another level of enjoyment!

Recommended by: Lenore Garoufalis, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Ophie’s Ghosts

by Justina Ireland

Ophelia, known as Ophie, ‘sees’ her father but he has just been killed. This is how Ophie finds out she has the ability to see and talk to ghosts. Her father’s ghost saves both her and her mother’s lives. When they are forced to move in with relatives when their house is burned down, Ophie has to leave school and work for a rich family. When Ophie is at her new job, she sees ghost everywhere. Ophie asks questions of both the staff and family in order to determine how she can help the ghosts find closure. 

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Glass Slippers

by Leah Cypess

Did you know Cinderella had a third wicked stepsister? Tirza was only a little girl when the prince discovered Cinderella, so when she became queen, Ella didn’t hold her family’s evil ways against her. She took Tirza under her wing and let her live in the castle, so she never thought Tirza would betray her. Then, just before the annual ball to celebrate the magic of the glass slippers, they go missing, and Tirza is immediately accused as the thief. Tirza knows she didn’t steal the slippers, so who did? This story is one cliff hanger after another! Action packed with magic, suspense, betrayal, and rivalry, you don’t want to miss this one! Glass Slippers is the second book in the Sisters Ever After series by Leah Cypess.

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

Recommended by: Erin Cady, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Youth Fiction

The Holloway Girls

by SUSAN BISHOP CRISPELL

What do you do you when you’re a Holloway girl and instead of giving good luck with a kiss you instead curse someone and almost kill them in the process? That’s right you seal your lips never to kiss anyone again after that traumatic event but Remy finds herself attracted to Tobin. It’s hard to keep her promise of not kissing a single soul with a boy so sweet like Tobin coming into her life. With her falling everyday harder and harder she hopes to break the curse before she’s shunned from the town and even from Tobin’s heart.

This book is available in the library and on Hoopla as an ebook.

Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

With a Dog and a Cat, Every Day is Fun. Vol. 1

by Hidekichi Matsumoto

Are you a cat or a dog person? It’s not a secret you can be both, especially when furry friends have their own unique, sometimes cute and sometimes frightening personalities. This is definitely the case in Matsumoto’s dog and cat manga. Whether you have pets or not, this fun and quick read will have you smiling and laughing out loud. The black and white illustrations capture relatable expressions that reflect situations almost straight out of a meme. It is a great pick for those looking to explore the manga genre for the first time. 

Recommended by: Fanny Camargo, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Consider the Octopus

by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Twelve-year-old Dr. Sidney Miller is not actually a doctor. She’s a girl with a goldfish longing for adventure since her best friend moved away. And twelve-year-old Jeremy “JB” Barnes makes a few mistakes that connect the two in some major scheming! JB’s mom is a scientist aboard a research ship desperately trying to clean up the Pacific Ocean. In a last ditch effort to help their mission, her team organizes an Emergency Global Summit and puts JB in charge of invitations. How long will it be before everyone realizes JB invited the wrong Sidney Miller? Can the two new friends make an impact before then? STEM enthusiasts, ocean lovers, environmentalists and tweens alike will all find something to love in this endearing middle grade novel full of mix-ups!

Recommended by: Erin Cady, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Scattered Showers

by Rainbow Rowell

A collection of nine sweet love stories by the beloved author Rainbow Rowell. Each story focuses on the different ways people fall in love and even feature some familiar characters from some of her other books and series. From being best friends to something more, meeting someone unexpected while waiting in line for a movie, or a college student consoled by her roommate, to even a troll being romanced by a prince! These short stories will make you laugh, cry and swoon.

Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

by Carrie Ryan

Mary is a girl who lives a very simple life and yearns for something more. Living in a town dictated by the Sisterhood leaves a lot to desire when everything is chosen for you. To make matters worse the village is closed off to the forest of hands and teeth by a fence. No one is ever to venture outside and disobey the Sisterhood for if you do you will be devoured by the unconsecrated. That is until the fence is breached and she is forced to venture outside to a world unknown to her.

Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Pokémon Legends: Arceus – The classic Pokémon formula gets a shake-up in Pokémon Legends: Arceus! Waking up in a mysterious new world, you are tasked with researching Pokémon for an organization. This new world is one where Pokémon are not considered the cute, helpful allies we know but a mysterious threat that humanity is mostly ignorant and even afraid towards. Explore open worlds and catch Pokémon to expand your research. New mechanics encourage sneaking, dodging and interacting with Pokémon in new ways to catch them, though traditional battling is included. As a member of Team Galaxy, your passion for Pokémon will help forge new friendships, heal old wounds and carve new paths in this mysterious new world! Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available at the Orland Park Public Library on the Nintendo Switch system. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is rated “E for Everyone.”

Recommended by: Alex Pappas, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Video Games