Natalie recommends "Robin: 80 Years of the Boy Wonder" and "Robin the Boy Wonder: a Celebration of 75 Years"

​

This year marks the most iconic sidekick's 80th birthday.  And what better way to celebrate than a collection of 80 years of comics.  This serves as a collection of Robin tales over the years.  Starting with the introduction of Robin in 1940's Robin the Boy Wonder (Detective Comics #38) and includes issues from the Silver and Bronze Age, Modern Age Comics and a few issues from various New 52 and Rebirth titles.  We get to see the five main Robins for an issue or two.  Those being: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, and Damian Wayne.  Robin: 80 Years of the Boy Wonder is an enjoyable commemorative of an iconic DC character.  

Fun Fact: I believe the Robin on the cover is Jason Todd.  It could be Dick Grayson as both had a pretty identical outfit back in the day, but how the two pieces in the front curl, that was a distinct feature of Jason Todd's Silver Age Robin look.

Robin the Boy Wonder: A Celebration of 75 Years collects a number of the iconic Robin stories over the first seventy five years of Robin's real world life (1940 to 2015) and includes pretty much everyone who took the title of Robin (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, and Damian Wayne as well as Carrie Kelley) gets their own section.  These include Robin's first appearance, the iconic end to Jason Todd's run in Death in the Family, Tim's introduction in Lonely Place of Dying and Damian's introduction in Batman and Son to name a few.  An for those of you who are staunch defenders of Stephanie Brown as Robin, there is an issue or two of her time in here as well.

Fun Fact: The Robin on the cover is probably the first Robin, Dick Grayson.

Robin: 80 Years of the Boy Wonder can be found in our Adult Graphic Novel section at South while Robin the Boy Wonder: A Celebration of 75 Years can be found in out YA Graphic Novel section at Main.  Both are good reads for Teen and Adult audiences.

Uma Recommends "Mehndi for the Inspired Artist"

Mehndi for the Inspired Artist by Heather Caunt-Nulton (Author), Alex Morgan (Author), Iqra Qureshi (Author), and Sonia Sumaira (Author).

What image comes to your mind when you think of Mehndi? This plant-based dye, also called henna, is used on the skin to create intricate designs. Primarily meant for girls/women, brides in India wear mehndi on their hands and legs as part of the wedding look. Mehndi often signifies a celebration or rite of passage and wedding guests may also wear mehndi. This tradition is not just seen in the Indian culture, but in many other cultures around the world as well.

"Mehndi for the Inspired Artist" presents artists with a step by step approach for creating a variety of traditional and modern mehndi designs.  Artists can learn to incorporate their designs into DIY art projects for a personal touch. This is a perfect holiday gift for your loved ones this season - you can create mehndi designs on candles, mason jars, jewelry and stationary.  This book, with contemporary mehndi designs, is sure to inspire henna enthusiasts and artists of all ages!

ADULT

Kara recommends "A Kids Book About Racism" by Jelani Memory

This book is a great way for adults to start a discussion about racism with children.  It provides a description of what racism is, how it makes people feel, and how to recognize when it happens.  It is appropriate for children of all ages.

Kate M recommends "She Come By It Natural"

One of several recent releases pertaining to Dolly Parton, She Come By It Natural by Sarah Smarsh takes on the iconic Country Music artist’s prolific career, more specifically how it relates to women.  The author argues that, though Parton doesn’t specifically categorize herself as a feminist, her songs and work espouse feminist values without using the label.  She’s a self-made woman, unapologetic for her personal style and talent, and confident enough to take criticism in stride with humor and grace.  Coming from an impoverished family of 12 children in rural Tennessee, Dolly speaks not for the wealthy, but rather the hard-working and likely less privileged women that share a semblance of her early experiences.  Her story is warm and relatable, and her hilarious one-liners certainly don’t hurt.

Recommended for Adults and Teens. Available as a book, Audio CD, eBook, and eAudiobook.

​

Natalie recommends Avatar: The Rise of Kyoshi

This Young Adult fantasy novel takes place in the world of Nickelodeon's acclaimed Avatar the Last Airbender series.  This follows Kyoshi, the Earthbending Avatar, one of Aang's past lives (each time an Avatar dies, a new Avatar is born in the next element in the cycle).  This follows Kyoshi's journey after the sudden passing of Kuruk, the Waterbending Avatar before her.

The discovery of Yun, a young Avatar, brought stability to the four nations until Earth Kingdom-born Kyoshi, Yun's friend and servant, demonstrated remarkable bending during a mission to the South Pole. When growing unrest among her allies turned to violence, Kyoshi was forced to flee the Avatar mansion with her fiery friend Rangi, taking little more than the metal war fans and headdress her parents left behind. Finding unlikely supporters in the criminals and outlaws living the shadows of the Earth Kingdom, Kyoshi and Rangi are torn between following the traditional paths of an Avatar, and seeking vengeance for those she has lost. -- adapted from jacket

This is a story about loss, fear, vengeance, justice, and finding what it means to be the Avatar.  Avatar: The Rise of Kyoshi also has a direct sequel in Avatar: Shadows of Kyoshi, both of which we own.

Natalie recommends Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times

​​

Another new biography I decided to pick up.  This time about ol' Honest Abe.  Abraham Lincoln is a president that I enjoy reading up on from time to time, so I thought this would be an interesting read.

 "ABE is a cultural biography of Abraham Lincoln, following Lincoln's monumental life from cradle to grave while weaving a narrative that includes Lincoln's cultural influences and the nation-wide and regional cultural trends and moods and happenings of his day, and how Lincoln both shaped and was shaped by his America. The music, humor, literature, and fashions of the time and their impact on Lincoln's life are explored as well, and analysis of other important figures such as Lincoln's wife, his assassin, his professional partners, etc., also draw on this culturally focused style"-- Provided by publisher.

This is an interesting and informative biography on an iconic US president and if you like a slow/longer read, this is the book for you (as it clocks in at 1088 pages including things like notes and acknowledgements).  You can find Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times in our Adult biography section.