Greensboro Free Library
“Tom Lake is about love in all its many forms. But it is also about death and the ephemeral and how everything goes by so damned fast. It is an elegy of sorts but also a promise that there will be magic no matter what.” — Los Angeles Review of Books
“Monsters and Mold” by Asia Citro — “Citro takes the “girl helping animals” trope of beginning chapters to a whole new level. Filled with scientific language and experiments, including a helpful glossary, Zoey is encouraged to make mistakes, fail, and get up and keep trying. There’s no lack of child appeal either; both boys and girls will delight in the magical creatures and brisk storytelling and will be eager to try some of their own scientific experimentation, even if they can’t find a dragon!” — Jennifer Wharton, Jean Little Library
“The Long March Home” by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee — “Inspired by a true story, three best friends from Mobile, Alabama are captured in the Philippines during WWII–they vow to return home together. They struggle to survive against impossible odds that becomes known as the Bataan Death March”– Baker & Taylor
ADULT FICTION
“Palazzo” by Danielle Steel — “The head of her family’s haute couture Italian leather brand, Cosima Saverio, partnering with France’s most successful handbag company, must make an impossible choice when her brother loses a hefty sum at the casino and his debt must be repaid with money or his life”– Baker & Taylor
“The Beach at Summerly” By Beatriz Williams — “Full of evocative, whip-sharp dialogue… [T]he author’s deft exploration of many thought-provoking issues, from social class to personal responsibility and regret, make this one a winner. A well-researched exploration of love and redemption against the backdrop of post-World War II New England” — Kirkus Reviews
“The First Ladies” by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray —
“While the depictions of the women’s activism are inspiring, the novel really shines in the behind-the-scenes moments when the women support each other during personal struggles with marital infidelity, illness, and loss. This impeccably researched, relevant novel is a must-read and destined to be a book-club favorite.” —Booklist (starred review)
“The Ice Harp” by Norman Lock — “In The Ice Harp, Norman Lock deftly takes us into the polyphonic swirl of Emerson’s mind at the end of his life, inviting us to meet the man anew even as the philosopher fights to stop forgetting himself. Who will I be when the words are gone, the great thinker wonders, and how will I know what is right? I gladly asked myself these same impossible questions on every page of this remarkably empathetic and deeply moral novel.” —Matt Bell, author of Appleseed and Refuse to Be Done
“The Long March Home” by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee — “Inspired by a true story, three best friends from Mobile, Alabama are captured in the Philippines during WWII–they vow to return home together. They struggle to survive against impossible odds that becomes known as the Bataan Death March”– Baker & Taylor
ADULT MYSTERY
“Dead Man’s Wake” by Paul Doiron — “Doiron creates an array of colorful, well-drawn characters, writes in vivid, graceful style, and accurately portray investigative procedures ― this time including the handling of underwater crime scenes. He spins his tale with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the end.” ―Associated Press
BLUE/DVD MOVIES
“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”
JUVENILE FICTION
“Monsters and Mold” by Asia Citro — “Citro takes the “girl helping animals” trope of beginning chapters to a whole new level. Filled with scientific language and experiments, including a helpful glossary, Zoey is encouraged to make mistakes, fail, and get up and keep trying. There’s no lack of child appeal either; both boys and girls will delight in the magical creatures and brisk storytelling and will be eager to try some of their own scientific experimentation, even if they can’t find a dragon!” — Jennifer Wharton, Jean Little Library
JUVENILE GRAPHIC NOVELS
“Adventuregame Comics: Leviathan” by Jason Shiga — “Shiga captures that thrill of limitless possibility in this choose-your-own-path style maze of a comic book wonder… The tantalizing glimpses of un-had adventures as you flip through pages on your current quest; and the labyrinth-winding, squat-figured, goggle-eyed fun of Shiga’s art all invite many return reads.”―Booklist
“Making Friends” by Kristen Gudnuk — “This charming graphic novel features full-color, manga-inspired illustrations and a breezy plot that blends wish fulfillment and fantasy with an approachable and contemporary storyline. With a broad brush, Gudsnuk hits many of the angst-y issues of middle school, including popularity, bullying, family relationships, body image, and fandom, creating appeal for a large swath of readers… A nifty pastiche of middle school matters.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Schnozzer and Tatertoes: Take Hike” by Rick Stromoski — “If you like funny, silly dogs (and who doesn’t), this book is for you!”—Patrick McDonnell, Mutts cartoonist and author of Me . . . Jane
“The Mighty Bite” by Nathan Hale — “In this quirky graphic offering, two extinct creatures team up with a human reporter. Hale’s tale, executed in blue and white with strong black linework, is unapologetically zany, replete with poop jokes, an adorable talking kitten head, a giant hair dryer, and a gorilla deity sporting a halo that is also a portal, making this a perfect choice for those who find joy in madcap comics in the vein of James Kolchalka. Kooky charmer. An exuberantly goofy romp.” — Kirkus Reviews
JUVENILE NON-FICTION
“Search for a Giant Squid: Pick Your Path” by Amy Seto Forrester and Andy Chou Musser — “An engaging, fun, and deep guide to how sea research happens.” ― Kirkus Reviews
“Based on the writings of an historical Ming dynasty female physician, See’s accomplished novel immerses readers in a fascinating life lived within a fascinating culture.” ― Starred Booklist
“Breathe Like a Bear teaches kids how to flex their mindfulness muscles and be calm, focused, imaginative,energized and relaxed. Kira Willey offers up fun activities that are sure to captivate young audiences and start them developing positive energy-producing habits for their physical and mental well-being. … Accentuating the engaging exercises are delightful illustrations of animals and nature portrayed in strikingly bold colors. This enjoyable, interactive book is a sneaky way to promote a healthy approach to life with the small people you value most.” –Shelf Awareness
“Johannes is a highly engaging narrator whose exuberance and good nature run like a bright thread through the novel’s pages…. There is a deeper story here, too, about being yourself and finding freedom.” —New York Times
“Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World” by Lauren Fleshman — “A close-up look at the uncertain and often unhealthy climb toward stardom for women in organized sports . . . The rawness of Good for a Girl serves as a push to demand that the next crop of female athletes has it better.” —The Washington Post
“From “The Triangles of Babylon,” dated around 1900 BC, to “Achilles and the Tortoise,” a famous mathematical paradox devised by the Greek philosopher Zeno, here are some of history’s premier puzzles. These brainteasers come from the finest minds of the past and from around the world; placed alongside the best riddles and puzzles of recent generations, they create an irresistible challenge for any solver.” — Amazon.com
“Engaging, timely novel. . . . Maldonado (Tight) paints a vivid, relatable picture of an adventurous boy learning the rewards and dangers of straying out of his lane against the backdrop of an unfair system that could see him killed or arrested for the behaviors his white peers easily engage in. The characters are warmly realistic, by turns impulsive and regretful. In relatively few words, Maldonado elucidates matters related to racial profiling, police violence against black people, and allyship, all through the eyes of a brave kid trying to figure out who he is and where he belongs.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review