Categories
Full List of New Arrivals

NEW ARRIVALS – DECEMBER 2016

ADULT FICTION

“The Cottage” by Michael Phillips — “Phillips continues his Secrets of the Shetlands series (The Inheritance, 2016) with the drama of the rightful heir to the island of Whales Reef in the Scottish Shetland Islands…. Phillips’ affinity for and expertise in Scottish cultural heritage enrich this classically structured, well-paced tale. …. While his style is an acquired taste, Phillips crafts a thoughtful story with lovely settings while exploring appealing themes of secrets, vulnerability, and traditional values, including duty to family.” — Campos, Kate. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

“Demelza: A Novel of Cornwall, 1788-1790” by Winston Graham -“In the enchanting second novel in Winston Graham’s beloved Poldark series, Demelza Carne, an impoverished miner’s daughter Ross Poldark rescued from a fairground brawl, now happily finds herself his wife.

Against the stunning backdrop of eighteenth century Cornwall, Demelza sweeps readers into one of the greatest love stories of all time.” – back cover

“Den of Wolves” by Juliet Marillier — “A rich tale that resonates of deepest myth peopled by well-drawn characters who must sort out their personal demons, while unraveling mysteries both brutally human and magical.”—Kristen Britain, New York Times bestselling author of the Green Rider series

“Faithful: A Novel” by Alice Hoffman — “”Deeply moving…[Hoffman] takes us deep into the human heart, and in a relatable story, deftly examines the healing process.”
Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Hag-Seed” by Margaret Atwood – – “Atwood has designed an ingenious doubling of the plot of “The Tempest”: Felix, the usurped director, finds himself cast by circumstances as a real-life version of Prospero, the usurped Duke. If you know the play well, these echoes grow stronger when Felix decides to exact his revenge by conjuring up a new version of “The Tempest” designed to overwhelm his enemies.”—The Washington Post

“Order to Kill: A Mitch Rapp Novel” by Kyle Mills — “This series continues to be the best of the best in the high-adventure, action-heavy thriller field . . . . Flynn’s name, Flynn’s characters, and Mills’ skill will take this one to the top of the charts, territory already familiar to Mitch Rapp.” (Booklist (starred review))

“This House is Mine” by Dorte Hansen — “Hansen’s haunting debut novel spans 70 years, from 1945 to the present, presenting a progression of women who carry their histories with them. Hansen’s passages about the house and its village are fully realized and vivid, allowing for the setting to enhance the characters. Hansen makes this story about the process of healing affecting, real, and memorable.”―Publishers Weekly

“Life or Death” by Michael Robotham — “[A] prison-break tale with a twist . . . The writing is top-notch . . . Plenty of edge-of-the-seat excitement, forcing readers to frantically turn the pages to find out how all these different strands intersect. Robotham’s skill as a writer remains undeniable: He offers memorable characters caught up in an irresistible story.”―Kirkus Reviews

“Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1783-1787” by Winston Graham — “..a weary Ross Poldark returns to England from war, looking forward to a joyful homecoming with his beloved Elizabeth. But instead he discovers his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth — believing Ross to be dead — is now engaged to his cousin. Ross has no choice but to start his life anew……With an unforgettable cast of characters that spans loves, lives and generations, this extraordinary masterwork from Winston Graham is a story you will never forget.” — back cover

“Say Goodbye for Now” by Catherine Ryan Hyde — “Pete Solomon finds a new best friend and an injured mutt on the same day. The best friend, Justin Bell, is sensitive and thoughtful, like he is, but he’s also African American, while Pete is white, and in Texas in 1959, this is not OK. The mutt is rejected by the local vet because he’s actually part wolf, and Pete’s only choice is to sneak out to the remote cabin where a lady doctor is rumored to be more kind to animals than to people. Dr. Lucy Armstrong spends her entire alimony check fixing up strays, so she can’t afford to take in one more that won’t be paying. But something about Pete and the wolf-dog won’t let her turn them away. Then Pete needs some fixing up, and Justin pays a high physical price for their friendship, which brings his father, Calvin, to Dr. Lucy’s door. Pete, especially, has a Scoutesque innocence that immediately endears. A moving story about patience, trust, the families we choose, and the love it takes to let somebody go. And don’t worry–the wolf-dog lives.” — Maguire, Susan.  AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

“Small Admissions” by Amy Poeppel – “After being dumped by her boyfriend …-Kate Pearson is back in New York City to drown her sorrows in her pj’s on the couch. She’s unemployed and depressed, so her sister, Angela, and close friends Chloe and Victoria are determined to turn her life around. While at a school fair for her daughter, Angela meets the admissions director of Hudson Day School (an elite New York City school) and manages to get Kate (who is highly unqualified) an interview for an admissions-counselor position. Despite showing up in a too-short skirt and babbling through the interview, Kate miraculously manages to snag the job, where she is quickly introduced to the cutthroat world of admissions. The admissions season is hot, and everyone wants in. Poeppel gives an in-depth look at the admissions process, with a side of secrets, bombshells, heartbreak, and hope. This novel is a slow burn but has a firecracker ending…” –Holt, Erin. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

“Small Great Things” by Jodi Picoult – ““Small Great Things is the most important novel Jodi Picoult has ever written. . . . It will challenge her readers . . . [and] expand our cultural conversation about race and prejudice.”—The Washington Post

“The Wrong Side of Goodbye” by Michael Connelly – “Former LAPD detective Harry Bosch is running a private investigations business and working as a volunteer detective for the tiny San Fernando Police Department (SFPD) when he is summoned to the home of billionaire Whitney Vance. Nearing the end of his life, the octogenarian tells a story of young love, an unexpected pregnancy, and a relationship cut short by Vance’s father. The old man has decided that rather than leave his fortune to his company’s Board of Directors, he’d rather find out if he has an heir-and that’s where Bosch fits into the picture. With only a name, he sets out to determine what happened to Vance’s lover and her baby. At the same time, Bosch is busy with his SFPD partner Bella Lourdes, trying to track down a serial rapist who cuts screen doors to access his victims’ homes. And Harry’s half-brother, attorney Mickey Haller, makes a brief crossover appearance. Verdict This solid read will please both Connelly’s longtime fans and readers seeking police detective stories.” — Vicki Briner,.. LJ Xpress Online Review. LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2016.

ADULT MYSTERY

“Escape Clause” by John Sandford — “The kidnapping of a pair of rare Amur tigers from the Minnesota Zoo, located in a suburb of Minneapolis and St. Paul, propels Thriller Award-winner Sandford’s outstanding ninth Virgil Flowers novel (after 2014’s Deadline). Winston Peck VI, the pill-popping brain behind the operation, is relying on hired thugs Hamlet Simonian and Ham’s older brother, Hayk, to act fast and process the tigers for ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine–which means Virgil, an agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and his team have little time to waste if they’re to recover the tigers alive. Meanwhile, Virgil’s girlfriend, Frankie Nobles, has a guest, her younger sister, Sparkle. Sparkle’s research for her dissertation into migrant workers at a local canning factory leads to a beating for Frankie when factory thugs mistake Frankie for Sparkle. The rule-bending Virgil must use his wits to resolve the kidnapping and avenge Frankie’s beating in an entry notable for its twisted, inept, and drug-addled bad guys. Plenty of humor leavens the action.” Agent: Esther Newberg, ICM. (Oct.). 400p. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2016.

“The Fisher King: A Jack McBride Mystery” by Melissa Lenhardt — “Lenhardt perfectly captures the intrigue and drama inherent in small town Texas life. Throw a few murders into the dichotomy between the long-time residents and those who’ve just arrived, and you have a satisfying mix of dark, dangerous, and sexy.” —MysteryPeople

“The Marriage Lie” by Kimberly Belle – “After being dumped by her boyfriend…Kate Pearson is back in New York City to drown her sorrows in her pj’s on the couch. She’s unemployed and depressed, so her sister, Angela, and close friends Chloe and Victoria are determined to turn her life around. While at a school fair for her daughter, Angela meets the admissions director of Hudson Day School (an elite New York City school) and manages to get Kate (who is highly unqualified) an interview for an admissions-counselor position. Despite showing up in a too-short skirt and babbling through the interview, Kate miraculously manages to snag the job, where she is quickly introduced to the cutthroat world of admissions. The admissions season is hot, and everyone wants in. Poeppel gives an in-depth look at the admissions process, with a side of secrets, bombshells, heartbreak, and hope. This novel is a slow burn but has a firecracker ending,..” — Holt, Erin.  AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

“Out of Bounds” by Val McDermid – “…17-year-old Ross Garvie and three mates steal a Land Rover after a night of drinking in Dundee. The subsequent high-speed crash on the Perth road kills his friends and leaves Garvie in a coma. Pirie, head of Police Scotland’s tiny Historic Cases Unit in Edinburgh, is intrigued when Garvie’s DNA is a familial match to the 20-year-old unsolved rape and murder case of a Glasgow hairdresser. Complications ensue when Pirie tries to track down Garvie’s male relatives. Meanwhile, Pirie is hung up on the death of Fife man Gabriel Abbott and how his death is–or isn’t–linked to that of his mother in a plane crash 22 years earlier, though it’s not Pirie’s case. Authorities assumed the plane exploded due to an IRA bomb, but Pirie isn’t so sure. Pirie, a tough heroine cut from the same cloth as McDermid’s other fictional stalwart, Carol Jordan, never backs down from a thorny question or a seemingly impossible case.” —  Agent: Jane Gregory, Gregory & Company. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2016.

“Presumption of Guilt” by Archer Mayor — “A cold case … set in and around Brattleboro, Vt. When roofer Henry “Hank” Mitchell went missing in 1970, most assumed he’d abandoned his family and moved west to join the free love movement; 40 years later, though, his body is discovered inside a concrete slab at the decommissioned Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, leaving special agent Joe Gunther and his team at the Vermont Bureau of Investigation to solve the man’s now decades-old homicide. The subsequent murder of Hank’s old business partner and the kidnapping of VBI investigator Lester Spinney’s son suggest Hank’s killer is still at large and won’t go down without a fight. Evocative prose, a strong sense of place, and a simple yet satisfying conclusion elevate this expertly crafted whodunit. …” Agent: Molly Friedrich, Friedrich Agency.  PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2016.

“Ruler of the Night” by David Morrell – “”Stellar writing and storytelling. . . . Real historical figures mix with the heroes, and the thriller elements are both terrifying and grotesque. Morrell’s impeccable research shines. . . . Readers will feel transported to Victorian London with all of the sights and sounds that go with it.”―Jeff Ayers, Associated Press

“Seduced” by Randy Wayne White — “It’s not often that the bad guy turns out to be botanical, but in the latest Hannah Smith mystery (following Haunted, 2014), citrus greening disease is at the root of the fishing guide’s problems. Well, that and the fact that Florida’s former lieutenant governor just died in Hannah’s mother’s bed. When Hannah meets the man who had been hired to manage the lieutenant governor’s orange groves, sparks fly. Kermit Bigalow is unhappily married and makes no secret of his attraction to Hannah. She struggles to keep their relationship platonic … as she takes Bigalow deep into the Everglades to find some centuries-old trees whose immunity to disease may be the key to saving the state’s citrus crops. Fans of mysteries that show an appreciation of the great outdoors will love this gun-toting, plane-flying, boat-living heroine.” — Keefe, Karen. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

BIOGRAPHY

“HItler Ascent 1889-1939” by Volker Ullrich — “Striking… A highly detailed and always interesting critical narrative of [Hitler’s] political life… What mark[s] him out is his conscious abandonment of conventional morality: the monstrous, shameless ease with which he lied, betrayed and murdered…Ullrich’s narrative of Hitler’s rise to power… is full, intelligent and lucidly written.”
—Neal Ascherson, The London Review of Books 

“Picking Up the Flute: A Memoir through Music” by John Elder — “Picking Up the Flute sets to music a former professor’s musings on retirement, marriage, literature, and the natural world. From his home in historic Bristol, Vermont to Ireland’s Connemara coast, travel through John Elder’s exquisite topography and relish his explorations of nature, poetry, and geology.” — back cover

“QB: My Life Behind the Spiral” by Steve Young — “There has never been a QB like Steve Young, and there has never been a football memoir quite like QB: A Life. Young’s battles with anxiety make you forget you are reading about a Hall of Famer, and make you root for him at every turn. This is a revealing, honest, compelling book that any fan will enjoy.” — Michael Rosenberg, Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated 

ADULT NON-FICTION

“Essential New Zealand” — “New Zealand’s sweeping vistas have captured the imagination of travelers around the world. Visitors flock here to sample world-class wines, snap up young designers’ wares, and tour “Middle-earth.” Fodor’s Essential New Zealand, in full color, helps visitors make the most of their time, whether they choose to stay on the North or South Island or island-hop through the country.” — Amazon.com

“The Fix: How Nations Survive and Thrive in a World in Decline” by Jonathan Tepperman -“The Fix is the book we’ve been waiting for, one that tackles the seemingly insurmountable problems of our time—from inequality to partisan gridlock to terrorism. Best of all, it offers solutions. By showing how countries around the world have overcome these problems, The Fix brings hope when we need it most.” —Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive

“Frommer’s Hawaii 2017” — “.. a comprehensive guidebook to all the Hawaiian islands. … The book is fully updated yearly; set in large, easy-to-read fonts; and contains: – Dozens of spectacular photos – Full-color maps throughout including a helpful, pull-out map – Sample itineraries so you can make the most of your time in country – Savvy tips on how to avoid the crowds and save money, whether your are a luxury lover or a backpacker – Opinionated advice on beaches, other nature areas, outfitters, museums and other attractions, with star ratings to help you quickly decide what to see and what to skip. The book also contains dozens of no-holds-barred reviews of hotels, restaurants, nightlife venues and shops, from authors who have visited them all, and so have the ability to compare.” — ONIX annotations

“Listen, Liberal or What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?” by Thomas Frank — “Thoroughly entertaining . . . Frank delights in skewering the sacred cows of coastal liberalism . . . he argues that the Democratic party―once “the Party of the People”―now caters to the interests of a “professional managerial class” consisting of lawyers, doctors, professors, scientists, programmers, even investment bankers . . . A serious political critique.”
New York Times Book Review (front page)

“Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In” by Bernie Sanders – “…Sanders shares his personal experiences from the campaign trail, recounting the details of his historic primary fight and the people who made it possible. And for the millions looking to continue the political revolution, he outlines a progressive economic, environmental, racial, and social justice agenda that will create jobs, raise wages, protect the environment, and provide health care for all — and ultimately transform our country and our world for the better. For him, the political revolution has just started. The campaign may be over, but the struggle goes on.” — inside front cover

“Saving the Family Cottage: A Guide to Succession Planning for Your Cottage, Cabin, Camp or Vacation Home” by Stuart J. Hollander, Rose Hollander & David S. Fry — ” This book tells you how. You’ll find out how to: Prevent a family member from forcing a sale of the cottage. Keep your cottage out of the hands of in-laws and creditors. Develop a legal structure to take care of the business of ownership, freeing you and your family to enjoy your precious time at the cottage. Make a smooth transition from one generations ownership to the next. Saving the Family Cottage explains the problems that almost always pop up when family members with different interests and financial situations inherit a vacation home together. And it offers solutions for families who want to preserve this valuable asset for generations to come.” — ONIX annotations

“We Are As Gods: Back to the Land in the 1970s on the Quest for a New America” by Kate Daloz — “In an engaging, novelistic style, Daloz traces the founding and growing pains of Myrtle Hill Farm — the pseudonym for a real commune in the Northeast Kingdom, and a microcosm of the 1970s movement that reversed America’s urban migration pattern. The book maintains a delicate balance, neither an exposé of back-to-the-landers nor a celebration of them.” —Seven Days

ADULT AUDIO BOOK

“The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead — “[A] potent, almost hallucinatory novel… It possesses the chilling matter-of-fact power of the slave narratives collected by the Federal Writers’ Project in the 1930s, with echoes of Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, and brush strokes borrowed from Jorge Luis Borges, Franz Kafka and Jonathan Swift…He has told a story essential to our understanding of the American past and the American present.” — –Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

MUSIC

“Chapter and Verse” by Bruce Springsteen

BLUE/DVD

“Britain’s Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets”
“Criminal Minds, Beyond Borders, Season One”
“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”
“Love and Friendship”
“Jason Bourne”
“Pete’s Dragon”
“Ratchet & Clank”

BOARD BOOK

“Dinosaur Dance!” by Sandra Boynton
“Happy Hippo, Angry Duck” by Sandra Boynton
“Noisy Dinosaurs” by Jonathan Litton
“There’s a Wocket in my Pocket” by Dr. Seuss

PICTURE BOOK

“Ada Twist, Scientist” by Andrea Beaty
“Also an Octopus” by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
“The Bear Who Couldn’t Sleep” by Caroline Nastro
“A Bike Like Sergio’s” by Maribeth Boelts
“The Bill the Cat Story A Bloom County Epic”
by Berkeley Breathed
“Black Beauty” by Ruth Brown
“The Bossier Baby”
by Marla Frazee
“Calling the Water Drum”
by LaTisha Redding
“The Christmas Boot” by Lisa Wheeler
“First Snow” by Bomi Park
“Freedom in Congo Square” by Carole Boston Weatherford and R. Gregory Christi
“Henry & Leo” by Pamela Zagarenski
“Madline Finn and the Library Dog” by Lisa Papp
“The Mermaid’s Purse” by Patricia Polacco
“A Hat for Mrs. Goldman” by Michelle Edwards
“How Do You Say? ?Como se Dice?” by Angela Dominguez
“How to Find a Fox” by Nilah Magruder
“The Journey” by Francesca Sanna
“Journey: Based on the True Story of OR7, The Most Famous Wolf in the West” by Emma Bland Smith
“It is Not Time for Sleeping (A Bedtime Story)” by Lisa Graff
“The Lines on Nana’s Face” by Simona Ciraolo
“Nanette’s Baguette” by Mo WIllems
“A Night of Great Joy” by Mary Engelbreit
“Pig the Pug” by Aaron Blabey
“Stepping Stones A Refugee Family’s Journey” by Margriet Ruurs
“The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales” by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith
“The Turnip” by Jan Brett
“A Well-Mannered Young Wolf” by Jean Leroy
“Who What Where!” by Olivier Tallec

JUVENILE AUDIO BOOK

“Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom” — “The neighborhood children on Hardscrabble Street are disappointed when someone moves into the vacant house they’ve been playing in. Then the mysterious new occupant, an old man calling himself Dr. Fell, builds an amazing playscape in his front yard. Increasingly, serious accidents begin to occur–with apparently minimal consequences, once the injured child has been treated by Dr. Fell. Jerry, Nancy, and Gail seem to be the only ones who see that something sinister is happening. Author Neilsen is a gifted storyteller, and he narrates his tale by giving particularly evocative voices to Dr. Fell and to the monstrous creature he keeps in his basement…” —  Andronik, Catherine. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

JUVENILE BIOGRAPHY

“Adrift At Sea: A Vietnamese Boy’s Story of Survival” by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch with Tuan Ho — “Skrypuch uses one child’s story to give moving insight into the experience of the many children who escaped war-ravaged Vietnam to start new lives….Deines’s hazy oil paintings poignantly capture the family’s physical ordeal and anguish during their perilous journey.” — (Publishers Weekly)

“Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of the Young John Lewis” by Jabari Asim  — “E.B. Lewis stages the scenes under the bright springtime light of Alabama mornings, giving a full sense of John Lewis’s world, from the dusty henhouse to the sturdy wooden pews of his family’s church, while always emphasizing the tender care he devoted to the chickens. It’s a moving portrait of the power of small actions and ‘learn[ing] to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves.’”Publishers Weekly, starred review

JUVENILE FICTION

“A Boy Called Christmas” by Matt Haig — “The most evergreen, immortal Christmas story to be published for decades. Future generations will receive the same comfort and joy from A Boy Called Christmas that they derive from mince pies, snowmen and creamy liqueurs.” –Stephen Fry

“The Fever Code” by James Dashner — “A prequel to the worldwide Maze Runner phenomenon, The Fever Code is the book that holds all the answers. How did WICKED find the Gladers? Who are Group B? And what side are Thomas and Teresa really on? Lies will be exposed. Secrets will be uncovered. Loyalties will be proven. Fans will never see the truth coming. Before there was the Maze, there was The Fever Code.” — Amazon.com

“The Girl Who Drank the Moon” by Kelly Barnhill – “In a vividly created fantastical realm, a baby is left in the forest, according to an annual tradition of sacrifice. Discovered by a kind witch, who mistakenly feeds the child moonlight, the girl grows up with a potent power she must learn to control. This swiftly paced and highly imaginative title expertly weaves myriad threads into a memorable story that will easily enchant readers.” —  Mahnaz Dar, Shelley Diaz, Della Farrell, Daryl Grabarek, Kiera Parrott, Luann Toth, Kent Turner, Tyl. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2016.

“Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan” — Inspired by a document appraising the value of 11 enslaved people (along with livestock and cotton) in an estate for sale in the antebellum South, this exceptional book presents the imagined faces and voices of individuals whose society, against all reason, regarded them as less than human. … Longing for freedom is a constant theme, made all the more poignant by the appraisal document’s date: 1828, decades before emancipation. Clean and spare, the verse brings the characters to life, while in the radiant artwork, their spirits soar. Rooted in history, this powerful, imaginative book honors those who endured slavery in America.” —  Phelan, Carolyn. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

“The Hidden Oracle” by RIck Riordan — “”Readers longing for a return to Camp Half-Blood will get their wish…. …the action scenes come frequently as the three heroic teens fight monstrous enemies in North American locales….. Flashes of humor lighten the mood at times, but a tone of urgency and imminent danger seems as integral to this series as the last. With appealing new characters within a familiar framework, this spin-off will satisfy the demand for more.”―Booklist

“I Am Drums” by Mike Grosso — “”This is a worthy and entertaining read about how talent develops and what the potential consequences of pursuing it are: drumroll, please, for a fine homage to spirited single-mindedness.”—Kirkus 

“Into the Gauntlet (The 39 Clues, Book 10)” by Margaret Peterson Haddix — “Fourteen-year-old Amy Cahill and her younger brother, Dan, have had enough. Not only do they have to find the 39 Clues first, they’re expected to reunite their backstabbing family – the same people who killed their parents. But Amy and Dan haven’t survived explosions and assassination attempts for nothing. They have a plan to finish the Clue hunt on their own terms. Too bad there’s a final, fatal secret the Madrigals haven’t told them. A secret that could cost Amy and Dan – and the world – everything . . .” — Amazon.com

“A Long Walk to Water”  by Linda Sue Park — “There have been several books about the lost boys of Sudan for adults, teens, and even for elementary-school readers. But [this] spare, immediate account, based on a true story, adds a stirring contemporary dimension. . . . Young readers will be stunned by the triumphant climax.” —Booklist, starred review

“Princess Academy: Palace of Stone” by Shannon Hale — “Hale’s skill as a storyteller will charm her audience . . . nobody else has quite the same knack for seamlessly segueing between the folksy, intimate charm of an extended fairy tale and the larger canvas and more epic scope of high fantasy.” ―Horn Book

“Serfina and the Twisted Staff” by Robert Beatty — “Serafina, protector and guardian of the famous Biltmore Estate, in North Carolina, has only just defeated the terrifying Man in the Black Cloak. In doing so, she uncovered a handful of family secrets, not the least of which is that she and her mother are catamounts, shape-shifting mountain cats who protect the forest. Her newfound wildness, though, is not without cost, and when dangerous men with vicious hunting wolfhounds come to the Biltmore, Serafina is more determined than ever to protect her home and her family. Complicating matters is the discovery of a mysterious, primitive young boy who appears to be living in the forest, and Serafina’s mother’s decision to leave Serafina as she struggles with her shape-shifting powers. Serafina, brave and fierce, is a wild heroine who will continue to appeal to many middle-grade readers. ..” Comfort, Stacey. Booklist Online. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

“Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli — “Though there are realistic moments of tension, the dominant sentiment here is the delicious excitement of finding your best self in the eyes of someone else; not since Levithan’s Boy Meets Boy have readers been treated to such a happy sigh of a book about two boys falling in love.” — (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review))

“Vespers Rising (The 39 Clues: Book 11)” –“The Cahills thought they were the most powerful family the world had ever known. They thought they were the only ones who knew about Gideon Cahill and his Clues. The Cahills were wrong.

Powerful enemies —the Vespers— have been waiting in the shadows. Now it’s their time to rise and the world will never be the same. In Vespers Rising, a brand new 39 Clues novel, bestselling authors Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman and Jude Watson take on the hidden history of the Cahills and the Vespers, and the last, terrible legacy Grace Cahill leaves for Amy and Dan.” — Amazon.com

“When the Sea Turned to Silver” by Grace Lin — “Pinmei’s journey has a compelling urgency that quickens the pace and enlivens the adventure, while the short stories are smoothly integrated and provide sly, subtle connections to plot events, making satisfying the climactic scene in which the elements converge….Lin’s characteristic elegant prose…keeps its enchanting, luminous quality.”―BCCB

JUVENILE NON-FICTION

“All the Dirt: A History of Getting Clean” by Katherine Ashenburg — “…Setting out the facts chronologically, the discussion moves from ancient Greek bathing practices to recent shifts in assessing the risks and benefits of microbes on human health. Along the way, the text includes examples from many cultures outside Western civilization. Each chapter leads off with a fictional story, such as Maryam and her mother visiting their neighborhood bathhouse in Constantinople in 1500. … With its lively writing and presentation, this informative book makes the history of cleanliness unexpectedly fun.” — Phelan, Carolyn. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

“Fannie Never Flinched: One Woman’s Courage in the Struggle for American Labor Union Rights” — Mary Cronk Farrell — “Readers interested in the history of workers’ rights shouldn’t miss this entrée to the subject, which is bolstered by a timeline of labor struggles, source notes, and other resources.” — (Booklist)

“Footloose” by Kenny Loggins — “Loggins’s chart-topping 1984 single, cowritten with Dean Pitchford, returns with new lyrics to fit the zoo setting of this picture book adaptation, packaged with a CD recording. Instead of kicking off Sunday shoes, Loggins invites readers to “slip on their dancin’ shoes” and join a rowdy cast of animals who show off several dancing styles. …the revised lyrics offer a fun way for parents and grandparents to “cut footloose” with a new generation.” — Rubin Pfeffer, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2016.

“Lost in the Pacific, 1942” by Tod Olson — “This is the inspiring and nail-biting true account of eight men (the flight crew and two others), including WWI war hero Eddie Rickenbacker, who were lost at sea during WWII for three weeks after their plane crashed. . … This short but intense story shows how disasters can bring out the best and worst in people as they deal heroically with hunger and thirst and the desperate will to survive.” —  Rawlins, Sharon. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2016.

“Natumi Takes the Lead: A True Story of an Orphan Elephant Who FInds Family” by Gerry Ellis and Amy Novesky — “Glossy, high-definition photos of the baby elephants growing up, playing in the mud, and snuggling with their keepers are beyond adorable, and extensive endnotes add extra information about African elephants and wildlife centers…. The narrative glosses over the events that left Natumi parentless—although the back matter mentions the problems of poaching—making this tale of confidence and family suitable for even younger readers.” — Booklist

“The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes” by Duncan Tonatiuh — “The appealing story, the powerful illustrations, and the celebration of the Aztec culture make this a sure thing for those looking for a story, while an extensive author’s note goes a step beyond, adding to the impact of the tale with a great deal of historical and cultural information.” — Booklist

MUSIC

“Dream Big, Princess”

YOUNG ADULT

“Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo — “This has all the right elements to keep readers enthralled: a cunning leader with a plan for every occasion, nigh-impossible odds, an entertainingly combative team of skilled misfits, a twisty plot, and a nerve-wracking cliffhanger.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review (on Six of Crows)