“Using rare magic to secure the boundaries around her kingdom, Queen Snowfall gives asylum to refugee dragons of uncertain trustworthiness before considering a high-risk alternate plan to escort hostile tribes out of IceWing territory” — Atlas Publishing
“Travel around the United States of America with twins Finn and Molly in this new chapter book series that highlights a different state in each book! This time, they’re in California!” — Annotation
ADULT FICTION
“The Island of Missing Trees” by Elif Shafak — “Shafak’s novel conveys how our ancestors’ stories can reach us obliquely, unconsciously … Shafak is cleareyed about how difficult it is to reach across the gulfs within our families: At the end of the novel, Ada is only beginning to learn about her history, and her grief.” – Ron Charles, Washington Post
“The Paper Palace” by Miranda Cowley Heller — “Captivating debut… full of lush atmospheric details. This will keep the reader guessing all the way to the end.”—Publishers Weekly
ADULT MYSTERY
“Better Off Dead” by Lee Child and Andrew Child — “The mixture of brute-force and intellectual problem-solving is just right.”—Booklist
“The Bone Code” by Kathy Reichs — “As usual in this venerable franchise, the forensics are grimly detailed, the cliffhanger chapter endings nonstop, and the range of incidents competing for attention with the issues the newest remains have thrown into the spotlight dizzying….Comfort food for fans who are far past the point of being easily shocked.”
—Kirkus Reviews
ADULT BIOGRAPHY
“Warmth: Coming of Age at the End of Our World” by Daniel Sherrell — “Sherrell brilliantly balances despair and hope in his searing debut . . . [with] nuanced reflections on how a caring and thoughtful person should respond to climate change . . . This indelible, necessary work makes a global issue deeply personal.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
ADULT NON-FICTION
“Dear William: A Father’s Memoir of Addiction, Recovery, Love and Loss” by David Magee — “This intensely felt and beautifully delivered memoir written by former Newsweek editor and award-winning writer Magee sheds light on what so many of us have been affected by and what so few of us can discuss with any comparable measure of grace. Shot through with hope, purpose and an unflinching love, it’s a story that must be read.”
—Newsweek
“DIY Guide to Tie Dye Style: The Basics & Way Beyond” by Liz Welker — “Take tie dye to the next level with this in-depth visual guide! Capture bursts of color in intricate waves and patterns with expert tips from the women behind PrettyLifeGirls.” — Annotation
“Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive” by Philipp Dettmer — “Bringing both insight and humor to an important and relevant topic, Dettmer’s book is essential reading, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.”—Library Journal
“Seed Money: Monsanto’s Past and Our Food Future” by Bartow J. Elmore — “A deeply researched and eye-opening history that shows how Monsanto came to have outsized influence over our food system.” — Baker & Taylor
“Three Dangerous Men: Russia, China, Iran and the Rise of Irregular Warfare” by Seth G. Jones — “Three Dangerous Men provides an unparalleled look at how Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran are competing with the United States―through their eyes. It is a cogently argued, well-researched, and elegantly written book on one of the US’s most important challenges ahead.”― General Michael Hayden, US Air Force (Ret.) and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency
“Unstitched: My Journey to Understand Opioid Addiction and How People and Communities Can Heal” by Brett Ann Stanciu — “With compassion, curiosity, and a fine eye for detail, Brett Stanciu takes us on an unforgettable journey into the world of addiction and recovery in rural Vermont. The result is a beautiful and affecting story about the resilience of spirit and of community, at precisely the time we most need an abundance of both.”
— Ben Hewitt, author of The Town That Food Saved and Homegrown
VERMONT NON-FICTION
“A Vermont Year in Sonnets” by Jame Chapados — “The sonnets in this book are meditations of life in Vermont over the course of a year.” — Amazon.com
BLUE/DVD MOVIES
“Fatal Attraction”
JUVENILE FICTION
“Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids” by Cynthia Leitich Smith — “With exceptionally strong writing throughout, and appended with glossary, author notes, and acknowledgements, this makes an appealing choice for those just learning about contemporary Indigenous life as well as readers well versed with the powwow circuit.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Escape from Camp California” by Courtney Sheinmel and Bianca Turetsky — “Travel around the United States of America with twins Finn and Molly in this new chapter book series that highlights a different state in each book! This time, they’re in California!” — Annotation
“Texas Treasure” by Courtney Sheinmel and Bianca Turetsky — “Welcome to the Alamo! PET, the magical camper, flies Finn and Molly Parker to San Antonio, Texas. The twins know they’re more than just tourists–they have work to do! Their mission? Help their new friend, Carlos, find buried treasure. But something’s funny about Carlos’s map, and Finn and Molly begin to think maybe they’re looking for treasure that’s not just silver and gold . . .” — Annotation
“The Show Must Go On” Courtney Sheinmel and Bianca Turetsky — “Say hello to the Big Apple! PET, the magical camper, has surprised Finn and Molly Parker with another mysterious trip–this time to New York City, where they meet kid star Hallie Hampton. Hallie needs the twins’ help to win a scavenger hunt before the curtain rises on her opening night. It’s loads of fun … except that Finn and Molly are doing all the work!” — Annotation
JUVENILE MOVIES
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Historical fiction that is as relevant as ever…A timeless and timely tale of one girl’s journey to save her family and discover herself.” ― Kirkus Reviews
ADULT FICTION
“Civilizations” by Laurent Binet – “An ambitious and highly entertaining novel of revisionist history from the author of the international bestseller HHhH, Laurent Binet’s Civilizations is nothing less than a strangely believable counterfactual history of the modern world, fizzing with ideas about colonization, empire-building, and the eternal human quest for domination. It is an electrifying novel by one of Europe’s most exciting writers.” — McMillan Palgrave
“Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr – “Doerr builds a community of readers and nature lovers that transcends the boundaries of time and space … This is just one of the many narrative miracles worked by the author as he brings a first-century story to its conclusion in 2146. As the pieces of this magical literary puzzle snap together, a flicker of hope is sparked for our benighted world.” —Kirkus, starred review
“Crossroads” by Jonathan Franzen — “Franzen returns with a sweeping and masterly examination of the shifting culture of early 1970s America, the first in a trilogy . . . Throughout, Franzen exhibits his remarkable ability to build suspense through fraught interpersonal dynamics. It’s irresistible.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Light from Uncommon Stars” by Ryka Aoki — “Aoki’s novel is an exciting, wild web of an adventure, an unputdownable book about music, found family, and identity. Diving into the tough subjects, Aoki’s book emerges with a joyful, queer, radical ballad of a story. . .”―Booklist, starred review
“State of Terror” by Hilary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny — “Consistently entertaining….Penny and Clinton demonstrate a sure hand at international intrigue and narrative pacing….The real key to ‘State of Terror,’ though, is its secret weapon: female friendship.” ― The Washington Post
“The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles — “[A] playfully thought-provoking novel . . . [Towles] juggles the pieces of his plot deftly, shifting from voice to voice, skirting sentimentality and quirkiness with a touch of wistful regret, and leading up to an ending that is bound to provoke discussion.” —Booklist (starred)
ADULT MYSTERY
“Nerve Attack” by S. Lee Manning — “Manning writes with such authority about the shady world and shifting loyalties of the intelligence community, it’s a wonder her novels aren’t riddled with redactions. At once terrifying, unpredictable, and all too believable, NERVE ATTACK will leave you breathless.” –Chris Holm, Anthony award winning author of The Killing Kind.
“To Kill the Messenger” by Philip S. Cook — This is the story of Russell Griswold—an itinerant newspaper editor—who came to northern New Mexico after the Civil War to start a weekly newspaper in the small town of San Miguel. He hoped to earn a modest living and help build a thriving and vibrant community.
Griswold’s published comments on activities that he finds unlawful or inappropriate were often cruel and demeaning. Ultimately this leads to a sudden and violent attempt on his life.
There is any number of possible suspects whether aggrieved or not. … So, who would want to kill a newspaper editor?” — Blurb, Inc.
ADULT NON-FICTION
“My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies” by Resmaa Menakem — “My Grandmother’s Hands is full of wisdom and understanding. In it, Resmaa Menakem offers a new way to understand racism and, more importantly, to heal it. This book lays out a path to freedom and peace, first for individual readers, then for our culture as a whole. A must-read for everyone who cares about our country.”―Nancy Van Dyken, LP, LICSW, author of Everyday Narcissism
“Peril” by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa — “Woodward and Costa make a powerful case that America has had a narrow escape. It leaves all Americans, in particular the Republican Party, with some thinking to do”—Justin Webb, The Times, UK.
“To Save The People From Themselves”: The Emergence of American Judicial Review and the Transformation of the Constitutions” by Robert J. Steinfeld — “… Robert Steinfeld examines how the distinctive US form of constitutional review emerged from a background tradition in which legislatures and executives assessed constitutionality in their regular work. Combining institutional, political, and intellectual history, Professor Steinfeld shows how the transformation was both rapid and strongly contested. Seeing judicial review as part of a conservative counterrevolution against the democratic excesses of post-Revolutionary legislatures, this is an important new contribution to long-standing discussions about judicial review in the United States.” — Mark Tushnet, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law Emeritus, Harvard Law School
“Voices from the Pandemic: Americans Tell Their Stories of Crisis, Courage and Resilience” by Eli Saslow — “Saslow has done a sterling job of capturing real people’s experiences of the start of the pandemic.” –Tampa Bay Times
VERMONT NON-FICTION
“Vermont History: Volume 89, No. 2, Summer/Fall 2021”
PARENTING
“Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans” by Michaeleen Doucleff, Ph. D. — “Hunt, Gather, Parent is full of smart ideas that I immediately wanted to force on my own kids. (I wish I’d read it at the start of the pandemic, when I made their chore charts.) Doucleff is a dogged reporter who’s good at observing families and breaking down what they’re doing.”
—Pamela Druckerman, The New York Times Book Review
“Parenting 4 Social Justice: Tips, Tools, and Inspiration for Conversations & Action with Kids” by Angela Berkfield — “Berkfield, a social justice training facilitator and cofounder of the Root Social Justice Center, has written this volume with five co-authors…. Each chapter starts with questions for reflection that can be used as starting points for further conversation with kids. The book teaches how to build seven social justice principles into discussion and action, then shows how to apply these principles to racial, economic, gender, and disability justice. Berkfield asserts that people gain personal power when their basic needs are met; then violence, addiction, or isolation can begin to abate.” — Julia M. Reffner. LIBRARY JOURNAL
“The Life of Fred: Edgewood” by Stanley F. Schmidt Ph. D. — “This is a child-directed course. The student reads the adventure story, does the math problems that occur as a natural part of the story, and checks their answers (the solutions are right there for the looking.) And learns to love math in the process! You will not get the detailed formula explanations that you get in a traditional math book. I am still amazed that kids can read the story and learn the concepts, but they do!” — Amazon.com
“Zillions of Practice Problems: Fractions” by Stanley F. Schmidt Ph. D. — “Practice problems for the first book in the Life of Fred Upper Elementary/Middle School Series. Need more practice with fractions? Zillions of Practice Problems Fractions has you covered” — Amazon.com
ITEMS
Orion StarBlast Telescope
PICTURE BOOK
“A Day with Yayah” by Nicola I. Campbell“
“All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything” by Annette Bay Pimentl
“Bodies are Cool” by Tyler Feder
“Bright Star” by Yuyi Morales
“Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem” by Amanda Gorman
“Einstein: The Fantastic Journey of a Mouse through Space and Time” by Torben Kuhlmann
“How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?” by Margaret McNamara
“Listen” by Gabi Snyder
“Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest” by Phoebe Wahl
“Over and Under the Canyon” by Kate Messner
“Peace Train” by Cat Stevens
“The First Blade of Sweetgrass: A Native American Story” by Suzanne Greenlaw and Gabriel Frey
“The Memory Box: A Book About Grief” by Joanna Rowland
“The Rhythm of the Rain” by Grahame Baker-Smith
“The Tree in Me” by Corinna Luyken
“They, She, He, Me: Free to Be!” by Maya and Matthew Smith-Gonzalez
“Tomatoes for Neela” by Padma Lakshmi
“Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too)” by Keith Negley
JUVENILE BIOGRAPHY
“Chance: Escape from Holocaust” by Uri Shulevitz — “Though touching on many dark and serious topics, this story is totally focused on the fears, triumphs, and sensibilities of a child. It is truly a portrait of an artist as a young man thrust into a maelstrom of a world gone mad and relying on chance to decide his fate.” ―The Horn Book, starred review
JUVENILE FICTION
“365 Days to Alaska” by Cathy Carr — “Carr’s heartfelt debut features classic middle-school problems, like dodging mean kids, as well as Rigel’s vivid feelings of displacement and deep love for nature.” ― Booklist
“Ara Shah and the End of Time” by Roshani Chokshi — “In her middle-grade debut, Chokshi spins a fantastical narrative that seamlessly intertwines Hindu cosmology and folklore, feminism, and witty dialogue for an uproarious novel for young readers. Chokshi comes into her own in this novel, reminding readers of the power of language and of stories.”―Kirkus (starred review)
“Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna” by Alda P. Dobbs — “Historical fiction that is as relevant as ever…A timeless and timely tale of one girl’s journey to save her family and discover herself.” ― Kirkus Reviews
“Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package” by Kate DiCamillo — “As in the earlier books, believable (if eccentric) personalities, sophisticated vocabulary, and polished prose make this an inviting title for emerging chapter- book readers. Fans of this series and the earlier Mercy Watson books will be amazed by Eugenia’s partial redemption and delight that the results are merely temporary.” —Booklist
“Finding Junie Kim” by Ellen Oh — “She seamlessly provides insight into Korean history and culture for the unintroduced and captures the human condition during wartime through frank portrayals of Junie’s modern-day struggles…Oh’s powerful novel sheds light on the devastating effect racism can have, and tells a history often overlooked.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Healer of the Water Monster” by Brian Young — “The deeply grounded and original perspective of this story brings readers into both the worlds of Navajo blessing songs, rain songs, and traditional healing and everyday family relationships. Hands readers a meaningful new take on family love.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Kaleidoscope” by Brian Selznick — “Selznick and Serlin take the easy reader format to new creative heights….The sharp pacing and charming humor also make it an excellent read-aloud choice….as funny as it is elegant. This will be enjoyed equally by youngsters and their grown-ups.” — School Library Journal, starred review
“King and the Dragonflies” by Kacen Callender — “Callender masterfully balances resonant themes of grief, love, family, friendship, racism, sexuality, and coming-of-age…deeply affecting, memorable.”-The Horn Book, starred review
“Let’s Mooove!” by Courtney Sheinmel — “Travel around the United States of America with twins Finn and Molly in this new chapter book series that highlights a different state in each book! … We must be dreaming! That’s what twins Finn and Molly Parker think when they discover a camper in their driveway–and it talks! When the RV transports them to a cattle ranch in Colorado, the twins know something magical has happened. Then the camper disappears, leaving Finn and Molly to wonder . . . how are we going to get home?..” — ONIX annotations
“Long Lost” by Jacqueline West — “In a spooky middle grade love letter to libraries and the mystery genre, West crafts a spellbinding exploration of sisterhood. . . . Alternating a contemporary third-person narrative with the found book’s parallel telling, West draws readers into a supernaturally tinged dual story, simultaneously offering an authentic portrait of sibling angst.” — Publishers Weekly
“Paradise on Fire” by Jewell Parker Rhodes — “Placing biracial boyhood and the struggles of colorism at its center, the novel challenges readers to pursue their own self-definition.”―Kirkus
“Rez Dogs” by Joseph Bruchac — “Hidden throughout this moving novel in verse, old stories are discovered like buried treasures.”—Kirkus, starred review
“Set Me Free” by Ann Clare LeZotte — “Full of adventure and twists, and LeZotte never shies away from addressing racism, ableism, or sexism…the book’s themes resonate today, as Mary fights for the rights of all people and offers hope to readers facing challenges. A gripping tale of historical fiction.” — Booklist
“The Beatryce Prophecy” by Kate DiCamillo — “The incomparable Kate DiCamillo offers a lovely fable of a girl, a monk and a goat, a tale that is a testament of the power of love (as so many of her books are) and the power of the written word to change the world for the better.” —The Buffalo News
“The Ickabog” by J. K. Rowlings — “Once upon a time there was a tiny kingdom called Cornucopia, as rich in happiness as it was in gold, and famous for its food. From the delicate cream cheeses of Kurdsburg to the Hopes-of-Heaven pastries of Chouxville, each was so delicious that people wept with joy as they ate them. But even in this happy kingdom, a monster lurks. Legend tells of a fearsome creature living far to the north in the Marshlands… the Ickabog. Some say it breathes fire, spits poison, and roars through the mist as it carries off wayward sheep and children alike. Some say it’s just a myth… And when that myth takes on a life of its own, casting a shadow over the kingdom, two children – best friends Bert and Daisy – embark on a great adventure to untangle the truth and find out where the real monster lies, bringing hope and happiness to Cornucopia once more.” — Publisher Annotation:
“The Last Fallen Star” by Graci Kim — “From a compelling and endearing supporting cast to the rich and tantalizing Korean cuisine explored in its pages, this pays homage to traditional Korean magic and mythos while infusing it with a contemporary story line and characters readers will fall in love with in an instant. Riley’s unmistakable voice and her relatable search for and exploration of her identity will connect with readers at their cores, offering a truly promising start to a fantastical series.”―Booklist (starred review)
“The Storm Runner” by Jennifer Cervantes — “J. C. Cervantes is about to take you on a trip you will never forget, through the darkest, strangest, and funniest twists and turns of Maya myth. You will meet the scariest gods you can imagine, the creepiest denizens of the Underworld, and the most amazing and unlikely heroes who have to save our world from being ripped apart.”―Rick Riordan
JUVENILE GRAPHIC NOVELS
“Draw a Comic!” by J. P. Coovert — “…With Maker Comics: Draw a Comic! you’ll learn to create and print your own comics books! Follow these simple steps to sketch out your story ideas and ink a comic page. Learn which art supplies are best for drawing comics—you can use a pen, a brush, or even a computer! With the help of photocopy machine, you can even self-publish your own comics and share them with your friends!” — Amazon.com
“History Smashers: The Titanic” by Kate Messner — “Critical, respectful, engaging: exemplary history for children.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Snapdragon” by Kat Leh — “Snapdragon invigorates a classic hero’s journey with magic and heart.”―The AV Club
“The Girl from the Sea” by Molly Knox Ostergag — “Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can’t wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She’s desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great group of friends…who don’t understand Morgan at all. Because really, Morgan’s biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl. Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn’t seem so stifling anymore.But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they’re each trying to hide will find its way to the surface…whether Morgan is ready or not.” — Publisher Annotation:
“The Golden Compass: The Graphic Novel” by Stephanie Melchior-Durand — “Now, in this graphic novel adaptation of The Golden Compass, the world of His Dark Materials is brought to visual life. The stunning full-color art will offer both new and returning readers a chance to experience the story of Lyra, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary role to play in the fates of multiple worlds, in an entirely fresh way. This volume collects the full journey of Lyra to the far north, her rescue of the kidnapped children at Bolvangar, her escape via hot-air balloon, and her crucial role in Lord Asriel s ambitions to build a bridge to another world.” — ONIX Annotations
“The Way of the Hive: A Honey Bee’s Story” by Jay Hosler — “Graphic novel fans, lovers of nonfiction, budding ecologists, and readers looking for their next great obsession will be buzzing around this title for years to come.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“This Place: 150 Years Retold” by various authors — “Ambitious in scope and strong in execution, this collection succeeds in prompting readers to remember (or learn) Indigenous history “ — Elisa Gall ― The Horn Book Magazine
“Tom’s Midnight Garden: A Graphic Adaption of the Philippa Pearce Classic” by Edith — ““[Edith’s] fine-lined figures, sketchy shading, stylish shapes, and muted palette of natural tones balance a modern look with the old-fashioned story. Perfect for fans of time-travel adventures or fantasies with a smidgen of historical fiction.” — Booklist
“Treasure in the Lake” by Jason Pamment — “This story is astonishing enough to leave people speechless.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
JUVENILE NON-FICTION
“Design like Nature: Biomimicry for a Healthy Planet” by Megan Clendenan —
“The approachable text, supported by lots of captioned photos, spotlights some of nature’s more remarkable innovations and some engineering feats inspired by nature.” ― The Horn Book
“Mad for Ads: How Advertising Gets (and Stays) in Our Heads” by Erica Fyvie — “This upbeat, up-to-date look at advertising helps young readers understand just how insidious marketing can be.” ―Booklist
“Master of Disguise; Camouflaging Creatures & Magnificent Mimics” by Marc Martin — “Martin highlights the lives and disguises of one dozen animals hailing from habitats from every continent but Antarctica, with camouflaged-animal searches. Captivating watercolor art immediately draws you in. . . Both art and text enhance scientific accuracy with beauty and playfulness—a rare feat. Sturdy pages, too. Do not hide this book!”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Our World Out of Balance: Understanding Climate Change and What We Can Do” by Andrea Minogloi — “A great starting place to understand climate change and its effects.” —Booklist
“Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas” by Elizabeth Shreeve — “This short book guides the reader from the beginnings of life eons ago through to the present day, beginning with an Earth devoid of life and following water-dwelling, single-celled creatures that develop and change as they move “out of the blue” and onto land. The text explains the adaptations that were necessary for animals to live out of the water, as well as how some animals survived (and how others didn’t) during the several extinction events that Earth has suffered.” —School Library Connection
“Pearl Harbor” by Kate Messner — “Kate Messner serves up fun, fast history for kids who want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Absolutely smashing!” —Candace Fleming, award-wining author
“Pie for Breakfast: A Baking Book for Children” by Cynthia Cliff — “A beautifully illustrated baking book for children featuring recipes for delicious treats along with a powerful message about family, diversity, and helping others.” — Random House, Inc.
“Rescuing Titanic” by Flora Delargy — “This gorgeously illustrated tale of heroes and hope amid one of the most well-known marine tragedies of all time is a must buy for collections serving curious readers of all ages fascinated by the Titanic.” ―Emily Beasley, Omaha Public Sch., NE, School Library Journal, starred review
“Stamped (for Kids): Racism: Antiracism and You” by Sonja Cherry-Paul — “Readers who want to truly understand how deeply embedded racism is in the very fabric of the U.S., its history, and its systems will come away educated and enlightened. Worthy of inclusion in every home and in curricula and libraries everywhere. Impressive and much needed.”―Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“The American Revolution” by Keat Messner — “Critical, respectful, engaging: exemplary history for children.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“The Guide to Woodworking with Kids: Craft Projects to Develop the Lifelong Skills of Young Makers” by Doug Stowe –“… This comprehensive guide offers step by step instruction for teachers, parents and grandparents to offer safe woodworking opportunities to their students and kiddos as a way of developing a wide range of valuable life-skills. … The Guide to Woodworking with Kids is more than a woodworking book, it’s gives parents, grandparents and teachers the confidence, encouragement, and the insight needed to safely engage children in life-enhancing creative arts.” — ONIX annotations
“The People Remember” by Ibi Aanu Zoboi — “This immaculately illustrated picture book walks through a vast swath of history… Zoboi’s poetic retrospective breathes life into Black history narratives and reverently celebrates Black lives.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
YOUNG ADULT FICTION
“Call Me Athena: Girl from Detroit” by Colby Cedar Smith — “This story of an immigrant girl growing up in Detroit in the 1930s hits every mark. Woven into the story are her parents’ histories and all the love and loss the family has faced. It will tug your heartstrings.” — (American Booksellers Association)
“Defy the Night” by Brigid Kemmerer — “The slow-burn romance-between an idealist with straightforward moral beliefs and a pragmatist trapped by duty-will keep the pages turning, as will the scheming of the king’s consuls and the rebellion brewing in the background . . . . The personal and the political intertwine in this engaging series opener.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Lobizona” by Romina Garber — “In a timely work of magical realism featuring references to Borges and Garcia Márquez, Garber tackles issues of nationalism, identity, and belonging…This layered novel blends languages and cultures to create a narrative that celebrates perseverance.” – PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review)
“Me (Moth)” by Amber McBride — “This searing debut novel-in-verse is told from the perspective of Moth, a Black teen whose life changed forever the day a car crash killed her family. … Each free verse poem is tightly composed, leading into the next for a poignant and richly layered narrative. The story builds softly and subtly to a perfect, bittersweet ending. Fans of Jacqueline Woodson won’t be able to put this one down.”―School Library Journal, starred review
“On the Come Up” by Angie Thomas — “With sharp, even piercing, characterization, this indelible and intricate story of a young girl who is brilliant and sometimes reckless, who is deeply loved and rightfully angry at a world that reduces her to less than her big dreams call her to be, provides many pathways for readers.” — Horn Book (starred review)
“The Dead and the Dark” by Courtney Gould — “Gould’s supernaturally spooky debut is filled with all manner of creepy inventiveness…an intriguing read.” – Publishers Weekly
“The Last Legacy” by Adrienne Young — “In this sumptuously rendered historical novel, Young deftly explores concepts of family, loyalty, and growing into one’s destiny.” – Publishers Weekly
“The Dead and the Dark” by Courtney Gould — “Gould’s supernaturally spooky debut is filled with all manner of creepy inventiveness…an intriguing read.” – Publishers Weekly by Charlotte Nicole Davis
“The Wild Ones: A Broken Anthem for a Girl Nation” by Nafiza Azad — “A powerful feminist account of sisterhood, the longevity of pain, and the reclamation of power.” ― Kirkus Reviews
“There Will Come a Darkness” by Katy Rose Pool — “[S]et apart by its immersive worldbuilding and compelling narrators.” ―Shelf Awareness, STARRED review
YOUNG ADULT NON-FICTION
“I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives” by Caitlin Alifirenka — “The remarkable tenacity of these two souls pulled like magnets across the world by their opposite polarities – one committed to helping, the other to surviving – is deeply affecting…It’s quite a little miracle of unexpected genuineness.”―New York Times Book Review
YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL
“A Girl Called Echo” by Katherena Vermette — “Henderson’s realistic art and perfect pacing, particularly in the pages of wordless panels depicting Echo’s daily routine, highlight her silent nature and hint at the source of her unspoken sadness. Solitary teens are likely to strongly identify with Echo and look forward to more of her adventures. ― Booklist
“Nubia: The Real One” by L. L. McKinney — “… with endearing and expressive art by Robyn Smith, comes a vital story for today about equality, identity, and kicking it with your squad.” — Amazon.com
ADULT FICTION
“Beautiful World, Where Are You” by Sally Rooney — “A cool, captivating story . . . Rooney establishes a distance from her characters’ inner lives, creating a sense of privacy even as she describes Alice and Eileen’s most intimate moments. It’s a bold change to her style, and it makes the illuminations all the more powerful when they pop. As always, Rooney challenges and inspires.” — Publishers Weekly (Starred)
“Bewilderment” by Richard Powers — “Powers succeeds in engaging both head and heart. And through its central story of bereavement, this novel of parenting and the environment becomes a multifaceted exploration of mortality.”― The Economist
“Billy Summers” by Stephen King — “[A] tripwire-taut thriller… King meticulously lays out the details of Billy’s trade, his Houdini-style escapes, and his act to look simpler than he is, but the novel’s main strength is a story within a story… This is another outstanding outing from a writer who consistently delivers more than his readers expect.” —Publisher’s Weekly, starred
“Black Ice” by Brad Thor — “We get to see Brad Thor at his best with action sequences that will literally chill readers while simultaneously taking their breath away. Scot Harvath is the hero we need.” ― Bookreporter
“Bolla” by Pajtim Statovci — “Astounding writing distinguishes this portrait of love, loss, and war . . . [Bolla is] an eloquent story of desire and displacement, a melancholy symphony in a heartbreaking minor key. Statovci is a master.”—Publishers Weekly, starred
“Damnation Springs” by Ash Davidson — “Davidson’s impressive debut chronicles life in a working-class community so thoroughly that the reader feels the characters’ anguish as they’re divided over environmental concerns that threaten their lives and livelihoods….The depiction of ordinary people trapped by circumstances beyond their control makes for a heart-wrenching modern American tragedy.”—Publisher’s Weekly
“Hello, Summer” by Mary Kay Andrews — “Andrews can be counted on for beach-worthy depictions of southern women with chutzpah and a talent for finding trouble with humor and romantic interest mixed in. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Kristy Woodson Harvey shouldn’t miss it.” —Booklist
“Matrix” by Lauren Groff — “Just when it seems there are nothing but chronicles of decline and ruin comes Lauren Groff’s Matrix, about a self-sufficient abbey of 12th-century nuns—a shining, all-female utopian community… it is finally its spirit of celebration that gives this novel its many moments of beauty.” –Wall Street Journal
“Nine Lives” by Danielle Steel — A woman who longs to avoid risk at all cost learns that men who love danger are the most exciting in this moving novel from New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel. — Amazon.com
“Songbirds” by Christy Lefteri — “In this heartfelt novel by the author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo, a Sri Lankan domestic worker goes missing from her employer’s home in Cyprus, and the widowed homeowner herself sets out to find her after the police show no interest.”—The New York Times (New and Noteworthy)
“Sunflower Sisters” by Martha Hall Kelly — “A well-researched, realistic narrative . . . It’s the women and their activism that tell the story of the struggle to end slavery. They become the real heroes of the war. Kelly tells this story without either romanticizing or sweeping over the horrors that split the nation in the nineteenth century and continues to do so today.”—The Spokesman-Review
“The Alice Network” by Kate Quinn — “…In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women ― a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947 ― are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.” — Amazon.com
“The Cellist” by Daniel Silva — “The pace of The Cellist never slackens as its action volleys from Zurich to Tel Aviv to Paris and beyond. Mr. Silva tells his story with zest, wit and superb timing, and he engineers enough surprises to startle even the most attentive reader.” — Wall Street Journal
“The Forest of Vanishing Stars” by Kristen Harmel — “In this always compelling, sometimes harrowing tale, THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS draws readers into a singular story of survival and bravery. Set against the backdrop of Eastern Europe during World War II, the resourceful Yona, forced to become expert in the ways of the forest when a sage, prescient elderly woman takes Yona from her German family, must decide whether she’ll rise up to claim the destiny foretold about her when faced with a band of Jewish refugees hiding in her beloved woods.Inspiring and gripping.” — New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict
“The Ghost Clause” by Howard Norman — “…he has a keen eye for the way loss uneasily sticks with those left behind. What opens as a ghost story turns out to be something of a love story instead…he still has a knack for finding emotional resonances in muted, unlikely scenarios.” —Kirkus
“We Germans” by Alexander Starritt — “A thoughtful, unsettling chronicle… Starritt’s gritty depictions of the horrors of war and the moral choices faced by soldiers add intensity to the ruminations on courage. This is a fascinatingly enigmatic addition to the literature of Germany’s coming to terms with the past.”―Publishers Weekly
ADULT MYSTERY
“Dead by Dawn” by Paul Dorion — “Part survival story, part mystery-suspense, Doiron’s narrative is fast-paced and engaging.” –Library Journal
“The Bounty” by Janet Evanovich with Steve Hamilton — The dynamic, often-humorous storytelling won’t let readers out of its grip, and there’s a compelling romantic subplot, to boot. Fans of Evanovich won’t need any convincing here, but also offer this one to fans of The Da Vinci Code, as ancient symbols and academic sleuthing play a strong part in the unraveling of the mystery.”—Booklist (starred review)
“The Finders” by Jeffrey B. Burton — “Action-packed…an intense, graphic serial killer novel with a likable, aw-shucks hero and a remarkable dog.”–Library Journal (starred review)
“The Keepers” by Jeffrey B. Burton — “The follow-up to The Finders sets a relentless pace. Corrupt politicians, the mob, a brutal killer, and a shocking death combine in a fast-paced story of an ordinary man and his extraordinary dogs.”―Library Journal (starred review)
“The Madness of Crowds” by Louise Penny — “Provocative… brilliant… Seamlessly integrating debates about scientific experimentation and morality into a fair-play puzzle, Penny excels at placing her characters in challenging ethical quandaries. This author just goes from strength to strength.” ―Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Trojan Horse” by S. Lee Manning — “Continues the experiences of Jamie, who in 1830 after escaping slavery passes himself off as a wealthy white silversmith, only to risk everything to save a beloved servant who has been captured and sold in the South.” — Annotation
ADULT BIOGRAPHY
“Born a Crime: Stories from South African Childhood” by Trevor Noah — “[Noah’s] electrifying memoir sparkles with funny stories . . . and his candid and compassionate essays deepen our perception of the complexities of race, gender, and class.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Joe Biden: The Life, the Run and What Matters Now” by Evan Osnos — “Evan Osnos reveals how Biden’s trials and tribulations have forged in him an uncommon empathy. The President-elect emerges as a man uniquely qualified to lead America through the next four challenging years.” —Detroit Free Press
“Ladyparts” by Deborah Copaken — “Ladyparts is a first-rate example of the contemporary memoir, harrowing, sad, funny, revelatory, true. Were you to misconstrue the title, you might think this was all simply anatomy, which would be fine, but as with all the best memoirs what this work really anatomizes is how it all feels–in the mind, in the soul, and in the nick of time. Copaken’s memoir is poignant, necessary, and very rewarding.”
—Rick Moody, award-winning author of The Ice Storm and The Long Accomplishment
“Racing the Clock: Running Across a Lifetime” by Bernd Heinrich — “Passionate meditations on the pleasures and pains of a lifetime of running, with greatest appeal to fellow runners.” — Kirkus Reviews
ADULT NON-FICTION
“Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History” by Craig Whitlock — U.S. government and military officials took part in an “unspoken conspiracy to mask the truth” about the war in Afghanistan, according to this searing chronicle. … Whitlock paints a devastating portrait of how public messaging about the conflict consistently belied the reality on the ground. He details internal rivalries in the White House, the Pentagon, and the State Department, and the fatigue and pessimism of soldiers on the front lines. …A costly program to eradicate opium poppy fields in Helmand province backfired spectacularly, turning the region into a “lethal stronghold for the insurgency” and earning harsh criticism from veteran diplomat Richard Holbrooke and others. Whitlock also delves into the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden, the Obama administration’s skewing of statistics to support its war strategy, evidence of Afghan government corruption, and the Trump administration’s complex peace plan with the Taliban. Rigorously detailed and relentlessly pessimistic, this is a heartbreaking look at how America’s leaders “chose to bury their mistakes and let the war drift.” — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY,
“Blue: In Search of Nature’s Rarest Color” by Kai Kupferschmidt — “In readily accessible prose, Kupferschmidt, an experienced science reporter, walks readers through intricate material in chapters that describe blue in stones, vision, plants, language, and animals. . . . The complexities are laid out with wonderful diagrams and illustrations in an engaging and approachable manner. . . . Blue is charming and readable.”—Booklist
“Further Beyond: The Poetry of R. Sheldon Shay” by R. Sheldon Shay
“Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law” by Mary Roach — “This book is such a rich stew of anecdotes and lore that it’s best savored slowly, bit by bit… No matter the situation, Roach approaches it with contagious enthusiasm.”
― Alice Cary, BookPage (starred review)
“House Planted: Choosing, Growing and Styling the Perfect Plants for Your Space” by Liza Munoz — Green up your living space with this bright, fresh, stylish introduction to choosing, caring for, and designing with houseplants. … In House Planted, interior plant designer Lisa Muñoz guides you step by step and room by room through picking the perfect plant for the perfect spot and incorporating plants into your indoor decor….There are creative ideas for displaying plants, tips on caring for your new leafy friends, and primers on potting and troubleshooting.” — ONIX Annotations
“How the World is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America” by Clint Smith — “Both an honoring and an exposé of slavery’s legacy in America and how this nation is built upon the experiences, blood, sweat and tears of the formerly enslaved.”―The Root
“I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year” by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker — “Incisive, dramatic and masterful . . . Leonnig and Rucker capture it all. Just when we think, in absorbing these horrific events of the transfer of power to Joe Biden, that we can’t be shocked any more—we are. The tumult is raw and real and ugly. The Trump Oval Office is a place defiled. As they showed us previously, their reporting is as authoritative and seamless as the legends they have now succeeded—Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein—under the shield of the venerable Post.” —The Sydney Morning Herald
“Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art” by Rebecca Wragg Sykes — “[T]hrough painstaking forensic analysis of an eclectic collection of fragmented artifacts, and in a manner at times achieving the suspense and excitement of a Hollywood thriller, Ms. Wragg Sykes makes a bold and magnificent attempt to resurrect our Neanderthal kin.” ―The Wall Street Journal
“Let’s Make Dumplings!: A Comic Book Cookbook” by Hugo Amano — “This terrific book is perfect for anyone obsessed with stuffed doughy morsels!”—Andrea Nguyen, James Beard Award–winning author, The Pho Cookbook and Asian Dumplings
“Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts In Your Yard” by Douglas W. Tallamy — “To support conservation efforts, you need look no farther than your own backyard… Nature’s Best Hope offers practical tips for creating habitat that protects and nurtures nature.” —National Geographic
“No Spring Chicken: Stories and Advice from a Wild Handicapper on Aging and Disability” by Francine Falk-Allen — “Part of her book is designed to encourage all of her readers―disabled or not―to go out and explore the wider world, hence the amount of practical advice in these pages… She looks squarely at the additional challenges handicapped people face when traveling and offers exuberant encouragement. A fun, spirited book…” ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk and the Bet of the Century” by Tim Higgins — “[Power Play] eschews sensationalism for a high-resolution portrait of how exactly an unusual man and an unusual company managed a meteoric rise…. The tale of Tesla’s ascent is inherently dramatic and compellingly told.” —NPR.org
“Test Gods: Virgin Galactic and the Making of a Modern Astronaut” by Nicholas Schmidle — “A riveting account of the underreported commercial space race, which has up until now lacked a worthy storyteller…The sections of the book that narrate how Virgin Galactic gets to space are replete with white-knuckled descriptions of booster rockets, pilots braving the ‘transonic zone,’ everything you’d hope to read were Mailer or Wolfe alive today to tell the tale…[a] deeply reported and deeply personal book. It is a masterly work, a reminder of what should inspire us all.” ―The New York Times Book Review
“The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power” by Shoshana Zuboff — “A definitive, stunning analysis of how digital giants like Google, Facebook, etc. have single-mindedly pursued data on human behavior as fodder for generating predictions and shaping outcomes salable to advertisers and others…The scope of her analysis is extraordinary; in addition to covering philosophical, social, and political implications she discusses needed privacy regulation…This book is pathbreaking, illuminating, and unnerving.”―CHOICE
“This Is Your Mind on Plants” by Michael Pollan — “Delightful . . . [This Is Your Mind On Plants] aims to collapse the distinctions between legal and illegal, medical and recreational, exotic and everyday, by appealing to the principle that unites the three: the affinities between plant biochemistry and the human mind.” —New York Review of Books
PARENTING
“8 Great Smarts: Discover and Nurture Your Child’s Intelligences” by Kathy Koch — Do you wish your child could see how smart he or she is?
Find hope in 8 Great Smarts. You’ll be empowered and equipped with new language and creative ideas for how to:
PICTURE BOOKS
“A Map Into the World” by Kao Kalia Yang
“Areli Is a Dreamer” by Areli Morales
“Green on Green” by Dianne White
“How to Write a Story” by Kate Messner
“If You Go Down to the Woods Today” by Rachel Piercey
“Jenny Mei is Sad” by Tracy Subisak
“Julian At the Wedding” by Jessica Love
“Love is Powerful” by Heather Dean Brewer
“Made by Hand: A Crafts Sampler” by Carole Lexa Schaefer
“Night Walk to the Sea” by Deborah Wiles
“On the Trapline” by David Robertson
“Outside, Inside” by LeUyen Pham
“Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter” by Eugenia Doyle
“The Night Walk” by Marie Dorleans
“The Old Truck” by Jarrett Pumphrey
“The Tree Guardian” by Lea Vis
“The Water Lady: How Darlene Arviso Helps a Thirsty Navajo Nation” by Alice B. McGinty
“Titan and the Wild Boars: The True Cave Rescue of the Thai Soccer Team” by Susan Hood
“Usha and the Stolen Sun” by Bree Galbraith
“What’s Cooking at 10 Garden Street?” by Felicita Sala
“Wild is the Wind” by Grahame Baker-Smith
“Wishes” by Muon Van
“Wonder Walkers” by Micha Archer
JUVENILE FICTION
“A Good Kind of Trouble” by Lisa Moore Ramee — “Shayla navigates the world of middle school and the troubled world beyond with wit and endless heart. A timely, funny, and unforgettable debut about friendship, facing your fears, and standing up for what’s right.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
JUVENILE NON-FICTION
“Amazing Science: 83 Hands on S.T.E.A.M. Experiments for Curious Kids!” by Aubre Andrus — “…incredibly engaging….Readers will turn their kitchens into laboratories to practice the scientific method, collect data, test hypotheses, and have so much fun getting their hands messy as they explore food science, water, energy, motion, games, slime, grime, and the great outdoors…. Amazing Science is fun for parents and kids alike, who will all appreciate learning and enjoying time together along the way.” — Booklist, starred review
“Monarch Butterflies: Explore the Life Journey of One of the Winged Wonders of the World” by Anne Hobbie — “Monarchs are a favorite and familiar North American butterfly, and their incredible annual migration has captured the popular imagination for generations. As populations of monarchs decline dramatically due to habitat loss and climate change, interest in and enthusiasm for protecting these beloved pollinators has skyrocketed. With easy-to-read text and colorful, engaging illustrations, Monarch Butterflies presents young readers with rich, detailed information about the monarchs’ life cycle, anatomy, and the wonders of their signature migration, as well as how to raise monarchs at home and the cultural significance of monarchs in Day of the Dead celebrations. As the book considers how human behavior has harmed monarchs, it offers substantive ways kids can help make a positive difference. Children will learn how to turn lawns into native plant gardens, become involved in citizen science efforts such as tagging migrating monarchs and participating in population counts, and support organizations that work to conserve butterflies.” — ONIX annotations
“Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas” by Elizabeth Shreeve — “This short book guides the reader from the beginnings of life eons ago through to the present day, beginning with an Earth devoid of life and following water-dwelling, single-celled creatures that develop and change as they move “out of the blue” and onto land. The text explains the adaptations that were necessary for animals to live out of the water, as well as how some animals survived (and how others didn’t) during the several extinction events that Earth has suffered.” —School Library Connection
YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL
“Orange: The Complete Collection” by Ichigo Takano — “Orange: The Complete Collection is a romantic comedy manga series by shoujo author and artist Ichigo Takano. This critically-lauded manga series will tug at your heartstrings with its central plot device about time travel and communication with a future self.” — McMillan Palgrave
“A Good Kind of Trouble” by Lisa Moore Ramee — “Shayla navigates the world of middle school and the troubled world beyond with wit and endless heart. A timely, funny, and unforgettable debut about friendship, facing your fears, and standing up for what’s right.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Thought-provoking….Raises poignant quandaries about the nature of love and selfhood.”―Publishers Weekly
“When a young NightWing has the first prophecy in generations of the end of Pyrrhia, five young dragons are tasked with saving the world.” – Baker and Taylor
“Rendering fugitives after stealing the Book of Clearsight, the SilkWings race to prevent a LeafWing attack while Cricket struggles to stay hidden and uncover the queen’s deadly secret.” — Atlas Publishing