Staff Picks
March 2022
Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life
by Richard Louv
Looking for a way to connect to nature? Then this book is for you! It has over 500 activities for adults and children to get you out and about in the natural world. This book will help boost your mental acuity and creativity, promote wellness, and overall help you have a great time outside.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Adult Nonfiction
How It All Blew Up
by Arvin Ahmadi
Amir knew that coming out to his Muslim family would be hard. So when a bully blackmails him and threatens to tell his parents that he is gay, he decides that easiest thing to do is run away to Italy. This leads to months of self-discovery that ends in an airport interrogation room. Will things work out for Amir? And what will happen between him and his parents after it all blows up?
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
Check, Please! Book 1, #Hockey!
by Ngozi Ukazu
A graphic novel featuring hockey, vlogging, baking, friendships, and a touch of romance! It’s a cute story about a figure skater turned hockey player’s first year of college and all the ups and downs that come with it. This is a quick LGBTQ+ read that will get you excited for book 2 in the series.
Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Still Mine
by Jayne Pillemer
A sweet book for young and old readers to remind us that those we love and have died can live in our hearts and memories. Showing special moments between diverse people, the book exemplifies how love and grief and the perspective of those moments can be healing.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers and Other Gruesome Tales
by Jen Campbell
The author set out to have the princesses not be beautiful and some of the characters having disfigurements to offset the more common fairy tales. Being beautiful is replaced with being clever and brave. Also, the happy ever after is definitely gone. Fourteen fairy tales from around the world are retold with original grisliness and often deadly details. Middle grade readers who like scary stories will like this one. Not for the faint of heart in words or illustrations.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
February 2022
Give Me Back My Book!
by Travis Foster
There’s an awesome book in this story and both Redd and Bloo want to claim it as their own. It is, in fact, a great book and is no wonder why these two hilarious characters would fight for it. Soon, they engage in a heated debate with arguments that true book lovers would understand. But you know the saying, you snooze, you lose. The cutest little bookworm seizes the opportunity and makes it her own. The two now have to come up with a plan to get the book back and they do so in a clever and adorable win-win for all. Simple, yet humorous text in dialogue format with large appealing and highly expressive illustrations.
Recommended by: Fanny Camargo, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
On Account of the Gum
by Adam Rex
Posted in: Youth Fiction
How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love With the Universe
by Rachel Vasquez Gilliland
Star and Moon are twins. They prefer the Spanish versions of their names, Estrella and Luna, but their mom insists on the American ones. Star has achieved social media stardom and Moon basically tags along as her helper. Moon has secretly applied to college but has told no one. The twins leave on a tour with Moon filling the role of ‘merch girl’. The other person filling the same role is a very attractive guy named Santiago. The two start off as arch enemies but that gradually changes as they have more contact with each other. Will Moon discover her own path? Will she find a life separate from Star’s?
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Negative Cat
by Sophie Blackall
This little boy never gave up and after 427 days of nagging to adopt a cat he finally got the okay from his parents but only after following certain rules in the house. This book reminded me of when my kids wanted to adopt a cat from a shelter and I started putting rules in place for them to follow before agreeing to adopt one. I believe the negative cat is a very smart cat who made the little boy love reading and achieve good habits. Honestly, this easy book is a very good choice for little kids to make them love to read.
Recommended by: Ghada Rafati, Patron Services Clerk
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Lost Language
by Claudia Mills
Two best friends named Elizabeth go by the nicknames of Lizard and Bumble. Lizard is definitely the more dominant of the two girls but they still have a strong friendship. When Bumble branches out and starts doing things with another girl, Lizard becomes jealous. When Bumble gets a part in the school play, Lizard gets more jealous. Now the friendship is in trouble. Meanwhile, there is trouble afoot in Bumble’s house that she is not even totally aware of. This book in verse asks the question: Can this friendship be saved?
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction