Staff Picks

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

The Greatest Beer Run Ever

by John Donohue

A wonderful story. Well written. Chickie Donahue showed his love & respect for his friends serving in Vietnam during the war by bringing them a beer from New York. His adventures that turned what he thought would be a 3 day trip into a much longer adventure makes for a wonderful read.

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Nonfiction

Ava’s Man

by Rick Bragg

Ava’s Man is the story of Charlie Bundrum, Mr. Bragg’s grandfather, who died before he was born. It is a living story though, vibrant and powerful, showing why Charlie Bundrum is a legend in his own family, but also showing his flaws.

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Biography

Before We Were Yours

by Lisa Wingate

There are two storylines going on in this novel, one in 1939 and one is present day. They slowly unravel and come together. This novel follows the lives of the five Foss siblings who grow up living on a Mississippi River shanty boat with their parents in 1939. They have a unique and wild childhood with parents who shower them with love and affection in unconventional ways.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as a ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

A Gentleman in Moscow

by Amor Towles

This was an enchanting narrative with a charming character. A gentleman, Rostov, has been put under hotel arrest. For the next several years, as he serves his time, relationships are cultivated from employees to guests to the visitors he receives and to a young girl whom he becomes a guardian for.
Very descriptive – I tasted almost every meal he ate – from the crisp and tartness of an apple; to the bitterness of his coffee. This is a man who truly separated himself from others in appreciating the simple things in life. A man who was present, authentic and honorable.

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

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

Victory. Stand!: Raising my fist for justice

by Tommie Smith

A fist in the air. Eighty seconds of a profound symbolic act that will not be forgotten. This engaging graphic novel co-written by Derrick Barnes and the man himself, Tommie Smith, is powerfully illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile and will move readers deeply into a moment in history with such significance that it still resonates today. This is the story of a courageous world record-breaker, from childhood to his stepping into the world stage where he risked all in the name of justice and human rights. The story behind the protesting expression of two black athletes at their triumphant moment at the Mexican Olympic games of 1965 where they decided they had to be seen because they (and many more) were not being heard. Smith’s first-ever memoir for young readers, received the 2023 YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award among many other recognitions. It is also a pick for the 2023-2024 Read For A Lifetime statewide teen reading program.

Recommended by: Fanny Camargo, Youth Services Reference Librarian I

Posted in: Young Adult Nonfiction

Strange Sally Diamond

by Liz Nugent

Posted in: Adult Fiction