Taryn recommends "That's Not My Name!"

 

Mirha is excited to go to school and make some new friends. However, when she gets there no one can pronounce her name correctly, even the teachers! She’s too scared to correct them. When a fellow classmates asks if he can call her Maya because it will be easier for everyone, she wants to shout, “That’s not my name!” She thinks it might just be easier to change her name. That way people can always pronounce it correctly, she can find keychains with her name on it, and maybe she can even make a friend. After school that day, Mirha tells her mom her plan to change her name to something else. Her mom tells her the special meaning behind her name and that if people can remember other famous difficult names there’s no reason that they shouldn’t be able to say hers. The next day at school she tells her classmate that he hurt her feelings and even gives him a lesson on pronouncing her name the correct way. Mirha even makes friends with some classmates who also have special names. In the end Mirha is proud to tell others “that’s not my name,” when they mispronounce or get her name wrong.

I can relate to Mirha because when I was growing up (and even now) people had a hard time pronouncing my name and I could never find my name on personalized items. I always dreading a new teacher in class since I would always be embarrassed to correct them on how to say my name. Like Mirha, I wanted to change my name to something that was easier for others to pronounce. Also like Mirha, I found out the special meaning behind my name and now I love having a name that is unique. There are even times where it makes things easier! I wish that this book had been around when I was younger so that I could have known that it is okay to tell people that’s not my name.

While this is a picture book, I think this book would be good for any child who might be struggling with how they feel about their own name.

Kara recommends "Garlic & the Witch"

 

 

This new middle grade graphic novel will get readers in the seasonal spirit without giving them nightmares.

Garlic loves spending time with Witch Agnes, Carrot, and her new friend, the Count, who has proven to be a delightful neighbor to the village of vegetable people rather than a scary vampire. But despite Agnes’s best attempts to home-brew a vegetarian blood substitute for Count, the ingredient she needs most can only be found at the Magic Market, far from the valley.

Before she knows it, with a broomstick in hand, Garlic is nervously preparing for a journey.

But Garlic is experiencing another change too—finger by finger, she appears to be turning human. Witch Agnes assures her that this is normal for her garden magic, but Garlic isn’t so sure that she’s ready for such a big change. After all, changes are scary…and what if she doesn’t want to be human after all?

This book is a standalone companion to Garlic & the Vampire, and is best for children ages 8-12.

 

Uma recommends "Ghosted!: Exploring the haunting reality of paranormal encounters"

 

 

“Ghosted!: Exploring the haunting reality of paranormal encounters” by Laythe, Brian, author. 

Just in time for Halloween, “Ghosted!” is a spooky read all about “The Haunted people Syndrome Theory”.  Psychologist Brian Laythe is one of the five study collaborators and Ghosted authors. (The others include Jim Houran, Neil Dagnall, Kenneth Drinkeater, and Ciarán O’Keeffe, with a foreword by Chris French and an afterword by Loyd Auerbach).

This book details all that is investigated by a cutting edge research program devoted to understanding who has ghostly experiences and why. With new insights both on a global scale and multidisciplinary in scope, this collaboration between five researchers uncovers consistent evidence that abnormal experiences represent a very real "Haunted People Syndrome.”

ADULT

 

 

Kathy recommends" Cabin Fever" by Michael Smith and Jonathan Franklin

It is March, 2020. Awareness of the Corona virus is growing.  The cruise ship Zandaam is setting sail from Argentina with 1200 passengers and 600 crew members from America, Europe and South America for a tour of the South American coastline. Most of the passengers are retirees, many in their seventies and eighties. So begins the riveting true story of the personal lives of passengers and crew members, each one of them unprepared for the devastating ordeal ahead of them.

Within days, people begin to fall ill. The world’s ports shut down and safe harbor is denied by nation after nation. The plight of the Zaandam becomes headline news. Food and water supplies are dwindling. There are only two doctors on board and few medical supplies to test or treat Covid. This story has all the elements of a horror story, portraying the fear, resourcefulness and heroism of those on board. But tragically, it is true. This book is a true page turner.

 

 

 

Taryn recommends "Gustavo, the Shy Ghost"

Amazon summarizes this book as: 

Gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. And he loves almost nothing more than playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo is shy, and some things are harder for him to do, like getting in line to buy eye scream or making friends with other monsters. Whenever he tries getting close to them, he realizes they just can’t see him. Now that the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, what can he do to make them notice him and to share with them something he loves? With fancifully detailed artwork and visual humor, debut picture-book creator Flavia Z. Drago’s vivid illustrations tell a sweet and gently offbeat story of loneliness, bravery, and friendship that is sure to be a treat for little ghouls and goblins everywhere. This book is great for this time of year and is a great read aloud for families. 

As someone who was a very shy kid, and kind of a shy adult, I find that Gustavo is very relatable in the struggles that he experiences throughout the story. While this is a picture book and is targeted for children, I think that it is great for families to share together.

Justine recommends "Warbreaker"

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson is a rare standalone novel in the fantasy genre.  If you're looking to get into Brandon Sanderson but are daunted by his long series, this is a great place to start! Mel's Bookshelf describes the book:

Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and a man who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made years ago.  Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.  By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery; and the mysterious Vasher.

With Sanderson's newest novel, The Lost Metal, coming out in November, now is a great time to get into his books and their wider universe, the Cosmere.