Melissa recommends "Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood"

Although Gary Paulsen's book, Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood, is catalogued as juvenile biography, I thoroughly enjoyed it. My familiarity with the author was limited to my children's experience reading his books as elementary and junior high school students.  One of my daughters found Hatchet, in particular, difficult to read due to its visceral descriptions of a plane crash and a young passenger's subsequent fight for survival.  

Once I began reading Gone to the Woods, however, it became clear to me that Paulsen's themes of childhood loss and abandonment were rooted in his own tragic upbringing. With the exception of a short idyllic period living with a loving aunt and uncle in northern Minnesota and the  influence of a sensitive and nurturing librarian as a teenager, Paulsen's life was a continual struggle to survive.

This biography will interest readers for it's historical detail and inspire them by it's ultimately redeeming conclusion.  

Paulsen handles the gritty details of his life with discretion and tact, but I would recommend this book only for mature middle schoolers and above.​

Meghan recommends the 2021 Audie Award Nominees

        

 

The 2021 Audie Awards, presented to  “the very best in spoken-word entertainment” were presented earlier this month.

We own audio versions of several of the audiobooks nominated for the top honor, including More Myself by Alicia Keys, The Mountain Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai, and We’re Better Than This by Elijah Cummings. A few of my favorite listens from the last year were also nominated in various categories. Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby is a hilarious essay collection (she reads it herself), and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (read by Daniel Henning) is a light and sweet fantastical romance. I’ve heard great things about both The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (read by Carey Mulligan), and Deacon King Kong by James McBride (read by Dominic Hoffman.) Both were nominated for Audie Awards, so I’ve also moved them from my “To-Read” list to my Libby (Overdrive) eAudio list!

Listening to an audiobook is a great way to make your morning walk, afternoon gardening, or nightly dishwashing a lot more enjoyable, and you’re sure to find something great on the list of Audie Award honorees. Visit this link to find a full list of honored audiobooks in our collection.

 

 

Lisa recommends "A New Day"

With it being March is Reading Month, I am always on the lookout for picture books that would make a great classroom read.  This new book by Brad Meltzer fits that to a T.  Sunday quits working and the other days try to come up with a replacement. Their suggestions are hilarious. If you are looking to read a book to K-3rd graders, pick this one up!

Martin recommends "We Could Be Heroes"

"Jamie woke up in an empty apartment with no memory and only a few clues to his identity, but with the ability to read and erase other people's memories - a power he uses to hold up banks to buy coffee, cat food and books. Zoe is also searching for her past, and using her abilities of speed and strength... to deliver fast food. And she'll occasionally put on a cool suit and beat up bad guys, if she feels like it. When the archrivals meet in a memory-loss support group, they realize the only way to reveal their hidden pasts might be through each other. As they uncover an ongoing threat, suddenly much more is at stake than their fragile friendship."

Author Mike Chen delivers a refreshing take on the super-hero genre. This story is told with just the right amount of details, and the pacing is steady and focused. The characters are relatable, and their motivations and actions are logical.  As a lifelong fan of stories such as these, I enjoyed his approach as well as his infusion of personal elements into the world of the fantastic. This is more than just a story of super-humans; it is a story about being human and about being heroes.

Adult - Fiction/Science Fiction

Natalie recommends "A Promised Land"

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In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency--a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil-- Provided by publisher.

I picked this book up because it sounded like an interesting read and I do enjoy a good biography from time to time. I felt that this would be an interesting book to hop into, even though I would not consider myself a political person. This isn't a memoir solely focused on politics, as it does provide information from Obama's younger years, but it does provide a solid insight in to his early political years and first term from his perspective. It's a longer read, but one that I would recommend if you're interested or curious.  I can say that I've learned a few things that I hadn't known prior to reading this. This autobiography can be found in our Adult section in both regular and large print.

Melissa recommends "Just As I Am"

 

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I highly recommend the late Cicely Tyson's memoir, Just As I Am.  I found it compelling reading, notable for just the right amount of honesty and raw emotion.  Without gratuitous detail, she informs and entertains the reader about the struggles and triumphs of her life.  She is particularly protective when writing about her daughter, Joan, whom she gave birth to as a teen.  

This book expanded my mind and heart and gave me a fresh appreciation and admiration for the legacy of this legendary actor.  When reflecting upon the untimely death of her fellow actor, Chadwick Boseman, Tyson writes, "Rest in power,​ Chadwick."  I can only echo her words, "Rest in power, Cicely, rest in power."

Recommended for mature young adults to adults.