Staff Picks
September 2021
Bud Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
Some stories we read because we have to and find out we are continuing to read because we want to. Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis is one of those books. Commonly read for school assignments, Bud Not Buddy is an excellent read for its Depression Era story told from the perspective of 10-year-old Bud. After escaping his foster family , Bud decides that he’d much rather search for his missing father instead of being sent back to the orphanage. He embarks on a heroic journey and discovers truths about his family that he never expected to find all while learning that family extends further than a person’s bloodline.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Darnetta Bolton, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
All Thirteen: the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team
by Christina Soontornvat
A fascinating account of the rescue of thirteen people from a flooded cave in Thailand. Experts in different fields from all around the world worked together, against incredible odds, to successfully rescue all thirteen.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Young Adult Nonfiction
If the World Were 100 People: a Visual Guide to Our Global Village
by Jackie McCann
An eye-opening written and visual account using 2021 statistics as if the 8 billion people populating the Earth were only 100 people. Numbers that we can wrap our heads around as to who speaks what language, who is hungry, who has clean water, etc.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Nonfiction
Jude Banks, Superhero
by Ann Hood
From the cover of the book, a young boy in his red cape on a swing with bowed head towards an empty swing through to the Prologue, the reader is immediately caught up in the sadness of losing a well-loved sister. Katie dies unexpectedly at age 11, and Jude lives with the guilt that it was his fault—to the point of even going to the police station to have himself arrested for murder. This poignant book, follows the path of a brother as he comes to grips with the reality of his sister’s death and the impact on him and his family.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
A Hat in Time
A Hat in Time is a loving homage to some of the greatest 3D platformers of all time such as Super Mario 64, Donkey Kong 64 and Banjo-Kazooie. That being said, A Hat in Time make its own mark by being wonderfully unique and charmingly silly. Join the adventure as Hat Kid as she tries to recover her missing Time Pieces to continue her journey home. You’ll discover worlds that have you fighting the mafia, taking sides in a movie award ceremony and even making contracts with a ghost who may not have the best intentions at heart… Equip different hats and badges to give Hat Kid all sorts of new powers like mixing potions, super sprints and turning herself into ice! A Hat in Time’s goofy characters, inspiring worlds and creative platforming challenges turn Hat Kid into the star of the show!
A Hat in Time is available at the Orland Park Public Library on the Nintendo Switch console. A Hat in Time is rated “T for Teen.”
Recommended by: Alexander Pappas, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Video Games
Neo : The World Ends with You
Can you survive Tokyo? Rindo and his friend Fret wake up in the Reaper’s Game in this sequel to the Nintendo DS classic. In the Reaper’s Game, teams are tasked with completing various missions to score points for a whole week. Win the game and have your wish granted, fail and face erasure! The fast-paced battle system encourages you to get in sync with your teammates by equipping pins that activate awesome psychic abilities. Groove together with your teammates to create devastating combination attacks to erase the Noise, which are negative emotions being experienced outside the Reaper’s Game. Neo: The World Ends With You stands out amongst its Role-Playing Game contemporaries by being fully immersed in modern-day Shibuya, Japan and all its culture. It’s a guarantee you’ll be vibing along with the rock/electronic/hip-hop jams of the phenomenal soundtrack, wonder at the art direction deeply inspired by graffiti artists and look for the best equipment that is both fashionable and can give you any edge to survive the Reaper’s Game.
Neo: The World Ends With You is available at the Orland Park Public Library on both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 consoles. Neo: The World Ends with You is rated “T for Teen.”
Recommended by: Alexander Pappas, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Video Games
Dear Sweet Pea
by Julie Murphy
Thirteen year old Patricia, aka Sweet Pea, is dealing with her parents’ recent divorce. On top of that she’s having friend issues. When her neighbor, who writes an advice column, asks for Sweet Pea’s help when she’s out of town, the plot thickens.
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
August 2021
A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer!
by Anika Aldamuy Denise
Rosita Dolores Alverio, a girl who loves to sing and dance for anyone who will watch her. This is the story of Rita Moreno, from her childhood days in Puerto Rico to her rise to stardom. An inspiring picture book biography that portrays her experiences from migration to perseverance, belonging, talent, and triumph. Rita Moreno is a Latina trailblazer and one of only six women with four awards for the arts known as EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony). She continues to be an influential voice that sparks determination and activism. Leo Espinosa’s beautiful illustrations are vibrant and captivating. Rita’s iconic lilac dress in this book will be as memorable for the young readers as for those who have seen her unforgettable Oscar-winning performance in “West Side Story”. This is a great choice for a read-aloud that can be paired with video clips of Rita’s “West Side Story” performance and her Oscar acceptance moment.
Recommended by: Fanny Camargo, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Biographies
Lupe Wong Won’t Dance
by Donna Barba Higuera
Guadalupe (Lupe) loves baseball and is a pitcher on her school team. She REALLY wants to meet her favorite pitcher who is Chinacan/Mexinese just like her but the deal is she needs to get all A’s in order to do that. She’s pretty confident until she finds out that the next unit in Physical Education class is square dancing. She tries to talk the school principal into rescinding the requirement. That idea fails, but Lupe doesn’t lose her can-do attitude.
This book is available in the library and on Hoopla as an ebook.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
White Ivy
by Susie Yang
Ivy Lin’s Chinese grandmother stole to survive, but Ivy did it for fun. After all, it was the only way she could get the nail polish, lipstick and hair clips her teenage-self thought would grab the attention of Gideon Speyer—a glamorous boy from one of Massachusetts’ wealthiest families. But stealth was not yet Ivy’s strong suit, and her parents later punished her by uprooting her entire life. Ivy never saw Gideon again…until one day, as an adult, Ivy runs into his sister. She takes this as a sign of a sure chance at the American dream, the pursuit of happiness. This time, she’s not letting anything get in the way of stealing Gideon’s heart and power. Don’t mistake this as a love story—it’s a suspenseful, dark and compelling examination of character, privilege and what success really means. The writing is lyrical and the plot steady as a drum, you really won’t want to put this down.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an eBook.
Recommended by: Ola Gronski, Youth Services Assistant
Posted in: Adult Fiction