Staff Picks
June 2022
Echoes Between Us
by Katie McGarry
Sawyer is one of the most popular guys at school, but he has a secret. He’s an adrenaline junkie. Veronica has a secret too. She sees her mother’s ghost. Or maybe it’s just a side effect caused by the brain tumor. When the two meet, will they be able to conquer their demons together? A perfect realistic (with a touch of supernatural) romance for Teens.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Chasing Lucky
by Jenn Bennett
Looking for a cute romance? Pick up Chasing Lucky. Josie is forced to move back to her hometown to run the family bookstore after years of being away. In walks Lucky, bad boy of the town, and her ex best friend. When some poorly executed plans for revenge gets Josie in trouble, Lucky takes the fall for her instead. Determined to find out why he helped her and to return the favor she starts spending more time with him. In doing so she find out there is much more to the bad boy then anyone knows.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
The Cousins
by Karen McManus
3 cousins receive letters inviting them to work at their Grandma’s island resort for the Summer. The catch is they don’t know each other, and their parents have all been disinherited by the Grandma before any of them were born. Of course the cousins all go, and as soon as they show up, they realize things aren’t always what they seem. As family secrets are revealed, will the three cousins be able to work together and survive? Or will the family secrets tear their lives apart? Check out this 2023 Read For A Lifetime book today!
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Be Not Far from Me
by Mindy McGinnis
Ashley enjoys the outdoors. But things change when she goes out partying with her friends in the Smoky Mountains. When she catches her boyfriend with another girl, she runs off alone in a drunken rage and falls down a steep hill. Hurt, by herself, with no one knowing where she is, she has to figure out how to survive. Will she make it to safety? Or die alone? Check out this 2023 Read For A Lifetime book today!
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook and on Hoopla as an e audiobook
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Project Hail Mary
The future of the Earth is on shaky ground as a newly discovered alien species is eating away at the sun. Junior High science teacher Ryland Grace is tapped to help create a solution due to a research paper he wrote long ago. Now he finds himself alone, on a spaceship far from Earth with no memories, including his own name. As his memory slowly starts to return, he realizes that he is the Earth’s only hope for survival. This science fiction adventure story is told through dual timelines where the reader only knows what Grace remembers. A must-read that will hook you immediately.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.
Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager
Posted in: Adult Fiction
Turtle Boy
by M. Evan Wolkenstein
Will is tired of being the subject of bullying at school. He especially despises the nickname ‘Turtle Boy’. When his rabbi introduces him to a terminally ill boy, Will begins to appreciate things and opens himself up to new things as he hadn’t before. While preparing for his bar mitzvah, Will encounters helpers all along the way that he hadn’t realized were there.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The School for Whatnots
by Margaret Haddix Patterson
In this middle grade science fiction thriller, Margaret Haddix Patterson does what she does best: create an alternate reality. Fifth grade just ended for Max and his best friend Josie. It is summer and Max is ready to relax before middle school starts. Max’s life flips upside down when he finds an ominous note from Josie. The strange note has him questioning his reality. It seems that everything he thought he knew about his school and classmates was a lie. Max is unsure who to trust but he knows he must find Josie and the truth fast. The School for Whatnots will keep you guessing until the last page.
Recommended by: Malorie Carpenter, Youth Services Assistant
Posted in: Youth Fiction
It’s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World’s Family Tree
by A.J. Jacobs
Posted in: Adult Nonfiction
Pride: A Pride & Prejudice Remix
by Ibi Zoboi
Pride: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Ibi Zoboi’s is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic novel. Zuri Benitez takes immense pride in her Brooklyn neighborhood and is devastated by the gentrification taking place. The love she has for her neighborhood is in sharp contrast to the new Darcy boys that have moved across the street from Manhattan. While she aims to prevent her sister from falling for the oldest son, she finds herself in a situation that flips everything upside down. Her neighborhood is changing before her eyes which is causing her to look at people with a fresh perspective.
Recommended by: Darnetta Bolton, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Alphabreaths: The ABCs of Mindful Breathing
by Christopher Willard
Do you and your little one need a short break to recharge or calm down? Practice your ABCs while doing super simple and adorable breathing exercises. Each page presents a letter and a beautiful illustration with an exercise evoking playful visual imagery. Have your child pick their favorite letters or do them all if they are enjoying the mindfulness connection. A great resource to take a moment to be present and enjoy a book together.
Recommended by: Fanny Camargo, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Nonfiction