Natalie Recommends Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising

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Beyond the edge of the galaxy lies the Unknown Regions: chaotic, uncharted, and near impassable, with hidden secrets and dangers in equal measure. And nestled within its swirling chaos is the Ascendancy, home to the enigmatic Chiss and the nine ruling families that lead them. The peace of the Ascendancy, a beacon of calm and stability, is shattered after a daring attack on the Chiss capital that leaves no trace of the enemy. Baffled, the Ascendancy dispatches Thrawn, one of its brightest young military officers, to root out the unseen assailants.

I'm making an effort to read through the  Zahn's Thrawn books. And since I haven't read much of the newer books, I thought I would read this new release.  I really enjoyed this.  It intersects with Clone Wars briefly and we get to see the Chiss society expanded on since Thrawn has been reintroduced to the canon (when Disney bought Star Wars pretty much all of the novels and games before the merge were designated as "Legends" and no longer canon).  I liked how it was divided into two parts, memories and the present time of the novels.  And while Thrawn's character is explored through characters who interacted with him rather than the character himself, it was still a neat read.  

This can be found in our Adult Science Fiction section, but Teens could also read this.

Jamie recommends The Midnight Library

 

It's the time of year when It's a Wonderful Life is somewhere on television. This novel is the book equivalent of the movie classic. Nora Seed lives a life of regret. Of things she has done and things she has not done. In a fit of despair, she makes a choice that leaves her between life and death; enter The Midnight Library. In the Midnight Library you can examine your life and see what life would be like if you had chosen differently. Once you find complete happiness, you stay in the life you have chosen, slowly forgetting that it wasn't quite the life you lead to begin with. Nora pops in and out of lives, trying on different versions of herself.

This novel was interesting and a very quick read. I was able to read it in an afternoon because it was engaging and interesting. Recommended for adults with the warning that suicide is a plot point.

Meghan recommends "Cobra Kai"

 

Looking for a new show to binge?

Cobra Kai is a reboot of “The Karate Kid” that flips the classic ‘80s movie on its head. The show springs viewers forward 25 years to find Johnny as a washed-up, alcoholic handyman and Danny as a successful car dealership owner. Though they haven’t seen each other in years, their rivalry is rekindled when Johnny opens a new Cobra Kai dojo. However, this time Johnny is the underdog, teaching a rag tag bunch of kids who get bullied at school, while Daniel has all the advantages of money and success.

Johnny is pretty rough around the edges, and his teaching style is aggressive and even offensive. But slowly, he discovers his own heart of gold while trying to get his life on track and repair his relationships. This might make the show sound serious but overall it’s quite funny, gently making fun of the tropes it embraces, and all the over-the-top qualities of teen drama.

The actual actors reprise their roles from the 80s, and footage from the movie is woven in making for silly, funny, nostalgic entertainment.

There is language that parents might find objectionable, as well as some mature situations and of course, lots of fighting to resolve problems, so I’d recommend this show for teens and adults.

 

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

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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.

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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

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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.

Natalie recommends "Batman: The Demon Trilogy"

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Probably my favorite Batman villains is Ra's al Ghul (roughly translating to Head of the Demon), and second to only Deathstroke in DC as a whole, the Demon Trilogy is one of my favorite reads.   This immortal ecoterrorist has been a calculating, but elusive villain since the 1970'sand in the Demon Trilogy, we get three iconic Ra's al Ghul stories: Bride of the Demon, Son of the Demon, and Birth of the Demon.

Bride of the Demon has Ra's al Ghul finding a new love and hoping to end Batman once and for all.  This is also the first time where Ra's al Ghul and Tim Drake (then a Robin in training) meet.  The two would have a few encounters over the years, my favorite being in Christopher Yost and Ramon Bachs' Red Robin series (along with Fabien Nicieza's​ as a writer and Markus To as the major artist after the first six issues).

Son of the Demon has Batman and Ra's al Ghul teaming up to stop a terrorist from unleashing a powerful weapon.  This title itself makes a bit of sense when considering how Ra's sort of sees Bruce/Batman as a sort of son (or at the very least a worthy heir) and is one of the rare times that Batman and Ra's work together.  This story also dabbles into what would later result in the origin/birth of Talia and Bruce's son, and current Robin, Damian.  Son of the Demon also explores Bruce and Talia's (Ra's' daughter) romance once more.

In Birth of the Demon, we get what most would consider Ra's al Ghul's definitive origin.  Here we are introduced to a younger Ra's al Ghul roughly six to seven hundred years ago.  Before he was even called Ra' al Ghul.  Here he was a member of a nomadic tribe and it discusses how he came across the Lazarus Pit, his first love Sora and her demise, the King who came to him for aid, and Ra's descent into becoming the villain he is today.

If you enjoy Batman and/or his rogues gallery, the Demon Trilogy is a set of stories I would recommend.  Especially if you enjoy this particular character.  It can be found in the adult graphic novel section.

Martin recommends "Low Action: Vinyl Detectives Mysteries 5"

This is the fifth and latest book in the Vinyl Detective mystery series (the library has the entire series currently available).  In this one, our record aficionado protagonist and his girlfriend Nevada are hired to find a rare pressing of the first album by an all-female punk rock band.  However, that band's former lead singer Helene Hilditch also has been the target of several murder attempts.  The search for the record and the killer leads through the rest of the band members, their roadie and others that traveled in that particular musical circle.  Can they find the would-be killer before disaster strikes?  

The author Andrew Cartmel hails from Britain and, thus, his novels reflect the colors of that country.  With each book in the series, he expands the cast of characters who inhabit the Vinyl Detective's world.  While each title can be read as a stand-alone tale, the frequent reader is rewarded by the rich tapestry of characters and events that he has established with the series.

I discovered this series very recently and found them all to be very enjoyable, so far.  If you enjoy your mysteries on the lighter side and have an interest in the world of music, I think you will find these books worth a read.

Adult / Mystery

Meghan recommends Chapter One Favorites

 

Twice a year a group of librarians gets together to talk about our favorite books of the last six months – and you're invited! Our Chapter One program takes place in the spring and in the fall, and the fall program was held earlier this month. Here are just some of our picks:

 

 

Erin Recommends: A Cloud of Outrageous Blue by Vesper Stamper

A Cloud of Outrageous Blue is set in 1348 England, when Edyth becomes a conversa at a convent and tries to hide her synesthesia, but only by embracing her gift will she be able to find a solution to the plague that is ravaging all throughout Europe.

 

Kate Recommends: Wade in the Water by Tracy K. Smith

Section two of this wonderful book contains poems created from Civil War era documents, including letters between separated family members and pleas to President Abraham Lincoln. At a time when so much is fast and forgettable, enjoy the magic of reading something that will stay in your heart forever.

 

Meghan Recommends: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age explores the relationship between Mira, 25 and about to be kicked off her parents' insurance, and Alix, the white woman whose toddler she babysits.

 

Nicole Recommends: The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

The Black Kids is a love letter to LA, a brilliant coming-of-age story for a black girl becoming a black woman, and a tale of the timeless struggle for belonging set against the backdrop the LA riots in 1992.

 

Sarah Recommends: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

One to Watch is a sweet and funny rom-com about a plus-size fashion blogger who, after going viral with a takedown of her favorite reality dating show, gets the chance to star on that show and prove that you can find love at any size.
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Find all our favorites here.

Natalie recommends "The Meaning of Mariah Carey"

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Every now and then I'll read a biography as they can be interesting reads.  Mariah Carey, while I can't say I've listened to everything song she's released, is an artist that I do enjoy from time to time.  "All I Want for Christmas" being a rather nostalgic song for me.  So when I found out we had this, I thought I'd give it a read.

While it does dabble in her music career some, this autobiography does discuss her childhood and some of the struggles that came with it.  In her home life, and growing up as a child of a white mother and a black father during the her school years.  As someone who wasn't as familiar with her childhood, or some of the stuff she has faced, I found this enlightening and pretty interesting.  It also goes talks about parts of her life throughout the years.  I also really enjoyed how throughout the book she included lyrics as they fit for each chapter.

As someone who enjoys a good biography, and did learn a few things from this, I would recommend this book.  It does bounce around once or twice as far as timeframe, but it's an interesting read from the perspective of Mariah Carey.  We have a copy at all three branches and it can be found in our Adult Biography section.

Margaret recommends "The Lilac Girls"

 

 

Lilac Girls is inspired by the life of Caroline Ferriday, a New York Socialite. After Hitler invades Poland in 1939 and then heads to invade France, Caroline begins to help orphans but also soon discovers the atrocities of the concentration camps. She hears of the Ravensbrück camp that was specifically built for women where horrible experiments were performed by Dr. Herta Oberheuser on selected women. These women later became known as “The Rabbits.” Lilac Girls highlights the lives of these brave women during WWII but also continues to give voice to their story of what happened after the war.  The story will inspire you to know more about these women that history has forgotten.  Visit the author’s website https://marthahallkelly.com/lilac-girls/ to learn about her inspiration to write this novel.

Adult/ Historical Fiction

 

Alicia recommends "Her Royal Spyness" series

Fans of Phryne Fisher, Maisie Dobbs, and Bess Crawford will enjoy this series of cozy, historical mysteries.  Set between the wars, Lady Georgiana Rannoch is 34th in line for the throne of England.  While she is educated in etiquette and how to curtsey, she has no skills to make money as she is flat broke.  Georgie becomes involved solving a murder when a man is found floating in her bathtub.  The books are filled with famous people such as Noel Coward, Queen Mary, the future Duke of Windsor and more.  To help her along with the mysteries are a set of characters such as her famous actress mother, her beau Darcy, her best friend Belinda, and a goofy lady's maid name Queenie. Written by Agatha award- winning author Rhys Bowen, enjoy this series about a member of the extended royal family set in 1930s London.  

 

Meghan recommends Librarian Picks for Living Well

Maintaining one’s health is a concern for people of all ages, but as we get older, taking care of our physical and mental wellbeing is paramount to ensure a good quality of life. Of course, what it means to “Live Well” can vary from person to person – but we hope you invite the library to be part of your “best life”! On Wednesday, September 23, the library will host its third annual 55+ Living Well at CMPL, all online this year. Visit http://cmpl.libnet.info/events to register for one of our Zoom events:

1pm: Mental Health During COVID 19

3pm: Yoga for Stress Relief

6:30pm: Essential Oils for Health

In addition, visit the library’s Facebook page throughout the day for book recommendations, handpicked by our librarians, to help you live well! Don’t have Facebook? Click here for the full list of librarian picks for health-related titles. Whether you want to be “10% Happier”, learn to cook vegetarian, or improve your strength with Pilates, we’ve got an item for you!

Natalie recommends "Labyrinth: the Novelization"

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This is the novelization of Jim Henson's Labyrinth movie (staring the likes of  Jennifer Connelly and the late David Bowie). The movie is one of my all time favorite movies, so finding out that there was a novelization of it was definitely something I found interesting. The book follows the movie pretty closely, just without all of the musical numbers. So even if you haven't seen the movie, which I would definitely recommend, you don't need to have any prior knowledge of what the book is based on.  

Jim Henson's Labyrinth tells the story of Sarah, a young girl who finds herself pulled into an adventure to save her brother. After making a wish out of frustration, her baby brother Toby is taken by Jareth, the Goblin King. She is given thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth or else Toby will become a goblin himself and stay there forever.  

Along the way she meets Hoggle, a grumpy Dwarf like creature, who's initially unsure if he wants to help Sarah or not, but slowly becomes a friend, even questioning and going against Jareth. There's Ludo, a big red haired beast that Sarah saves from some goblins. Then there's Sir Didymus, a fox terrier knight and his noble canine steed Ambrosius.  

This is a whimsical tale of growing up, learning from mistakes, and changes. It does have the rare swear here and there. I would recommend it for Teens and Adults 

Uma recommends "The bird way: a new look at how birds talk, work, play, parent, and think""

 

 

The Bird Way: A New Look At How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, And Think by Jennifer Ackerman makes you think about the life of birds.

We typically enjoy a cup of coffee sitting in the backyards of our homes during summer.  We listen to these birds chirp and flutter around the bird feed. However, do we ever consider that these birds can also think and act like humans? Jennifer Ackerman meticulously explains  bird behaviors and how it relates to humans as in early birds, lovebirds, jailbirds, odd birds, sitting ducks, stool pigeons, hawks, vultures and so on.

"There is the mammal way and there is the bird way." But the bird way is much more than a unique pattern of brain wiring, and lately, scientists have taken a new look at bird behaviors and dismissed many anomalies or mysteries reversing the traditional views of how birds conduct their lives, communicate, forage, court, breed and survive.

Jennifer Ackerman delivers this in her unique soft writing style that catches the imagination and makes it easy to read. This is a great read for nature and bird lovers!

 

Adult

 

Natalie Recommends Nightwing: The Gray Son Legacy

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I have read through the issues included in this volume and thought they were really interesting.  If you are familiar with the Court of Owls (introduced in DC's New 52 run) and enjoyed it, this would be a great read for you.   

This volume continues the Ric arc, where after being shot in the head, Dick Grayson a.k.a. Nightwing lost all of his memories from when he was adopted by Bruce Wayne as well as his time as Robin and Nightwing.  Over the course of the eight issues (including the second annual) in The Gray Son Legacy, we see the return of Talon, William Cobb (who also happens to be Dick's great grandfather), as he tries to bring him into the fold.   To become the Talon he was originally supposed to be before Dick was taken in by Bruce Wayne.  We get more details about why Dick's not remembering his past and not making any attempt to.  This does have it's fair share of action and a pretty interesting story.

This is a graphic novel that is intended for adult audiences.

Natalie recommends "Moon Sister"

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In this book, we follow Taygete (Tiggy) D'Apliese, a wildlife consult who finds herself in the Scottish Highlands assisting a man named Charlie Kinnard.  Along the way, she meets new people and is introduced an old Romani man named Chilly.  In PA Salts letter to her, he discusses how he found her and how her case was a bit different from the others.  How he was able to adopt her with the promise that one day, she may reunited with her people (the Romani and her family).  As she gets more familiar with Chilly, he believes he too has a part in it.  After some issues arise after she is shot while attempting to protect a rare white stag (a male deer), Tiggy finds herself traveling to Granada, Spain to continue on her self discovery.  She also reunites with the second eldest of the sisters (Ally) and eventually finds love.  



Starting from her birth in 1912, we get to learn about Lucia Amaya-Albaycin, a young Romani girl who is a gifted flamenco dancer making her way in the world.  Even though she is born in a poorer Romani community just outside of Granada, in an area known as Sacromonte, she's destined to go far.  Along the way we find out about the troubles between her parents, he lose of a sibling, and the struggles she faces.  With World War 2 acting as a backdrop for a portion of this segment in Lucia's adult years.



How these two are connected is interesting.  Lucia is a determined dancer and Tiggy an intuitive and generally kind character.



This is the fifth installment in Lucinda Riley's Seven Sisters series, and a book more geared towards Adult audiences.  It can be found in both regular and large print.

Natalie recommends "The Pearl Sister"

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​The fourth installment of Lucinda Riley's Seven Sisters series.  This time, we get to witness the story of the fourth sister, Celaeno, or Cece for short. 



Picking up from her departure in Shadow Sister (the third book), we see Cece traveling to Bangkok for a few days before flying off to Australia to look into the clue Pa Salt gave her about her past.  While in Thailand, she goes from a hotel where an old friends works to a brief stay with a man named Ace after the receptionist kicks her out before Christmas.   There, they get to know each other and a bit of a romance begins to blossom.  Ace decides to do some looking into Kitty McBride, the name Pa Salt gave her to look into when she goes to Australia.  As Cece travels to Australia, she learns more about Kitty McBride while dealing with the discovery that Ace was actually a wanted man and discovering that she had been photographed with him in the newspapers.  She keeps tabs on that for a while, while also looking into Kitty McBride with some help from a woman named Chrissie.  Along the way she will also meet an older gentleman tied to Camira and makes a visit to Ace after Cece's birthday party back at Atlantis (Pa Salt and the girls' home) before returning to Australia in the end.



For this books journey in the past, that's the character we get to follow.  Kitty McBride is the daughter of a clergyman from Scotland.  She is sent to live with an associate of her father, Mrs. McCrombie, not too long after finding out a secret about her father when she witnesses her father in town.  This arrangement brings her to Australia where she meets Mrs McCrombie's nephews, Andrew and Drummond.  Along the way, she is given the opportunity to wed one of them.  After marrying Andrew, she finds herself applaud by the treatment of the Aboriginal people there.  She later brings home a woman named Camira, who like her is pregnant.  We get to see their lives over the course of a few years along with a reappearance of Drummond and the tragedy and turmoil that follows Kitty.  The love and loss her son Charlie goes through and what happens to Camira's daughter.



This story is one about connections, and it was interesting to see the connections both Cece and Kitty made.  As well as how Cece is connected to Kitty and Camira.



This book is meant for an Adult audience and can be found in both regular and large print.

Filippa recommends "Stamped: Racism, antiracism, and you"

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I highly recommend this title by YA author Jason Reynolds and American historian Dr. Ibram Kendi.  This book is a YA remix of Dr. Kendi's book Stamped from the beginning. Reynolds insists this is not a history book, instead it's a book that contains both historical events and current ones in an easy to read and relatable style.   It traces racism to its roots and presents ways for us to defeat it in the present.



Recommended for middle school and high school ages.

Meghan Recommends, "Wow, No Thank You"

If ever you were an angsty teenager in the 90s, now a person who *definitely* used to be cool (right?), but in middle age has to Google memes to keep up with “the kids” – you should check out Samantha Irby’s “Wow, No Thank You.”

This collection of essays follows 2017’s “We Are Never Meeting in Real Life,” after her marriage and move to Michigan. She writes with candor and humor about dealing with new problems like the stress of making friends as a grown-up, the issues inherent in owning a home, and learning to write for a TV show. Also old problems, like bills, her IBS, and how to bail on your friends without making them too mad.

I highly recommend the audiobook, which she reads herself. It’s like she’s making up each story as she tells it, fresh. (l learned in this book she spent years performing and hosting open mics in her native Chicago.) However, the major problem with the audio version is that you can’t mark the pages with the lines that are so delightfully funny they demand to be repeated to whoever will listen to you talk about how funny the book you’re reading right now is. So it’s a hard call.

I am clearly not the only person who wishes we *could* meet in real life, (even though she has made it abundantly clear that she’s not really into that):

“An irreverent, hilarious, and vulnerable dive into the author’s brain.... For all of Irby’s wit, depression over debts, and social awkwardness, there is a deep resounding warmth in her essays, too. A hard-won empathy, a stubborn acceptance of self that invites us to join her and revel in the chaos.” 
—Interview 

“Samantha Irby has an ideal comic voice for this particular moment in time: a little casual, fairly raunchy and always hilarious. Her musings on everything from marriage to bodily functions are eminently digestible even when the food she chooses to eat is not.”
—Wall Street Journal

“No one utilizes hyperbole quite like three-time author Samantha Irby, who can make the most microscopic of indignities feel like atrocities and turn the smallest of details about her favorite show or song into resonant revelations.... To laugh at Irby’s retelling of her move to Michigan or a middle-aged girls’ night out is to laugh off our own fears of change; to worry about her place in a blue town in a red state is to consider a larger clash of cultures. You might never meet her in real life, but reading Wow, No Thank You. provides the most extensive look at Irby’s life yet.”
—A.V. Club, *New Books to Read in March*

Available as a book, eBook and eAudio.

Kate Brown recommends "Dog Songs"

Do you love dogs? If so, you'll probably love poet Mary Oliver's book, Dog Songs. Through poems and a brief essay, Oliver introduces some of the many dogs who have been a part of her life. The deep connection to nature that is evident in all of the poet's work comes alive here, as she describes daily life with these special companions. Most of the poems in this volume are light-hearted and sweet, some are funny, some are sad, and some remind us of the beautiful lessons we learn from our dearest non-human family members.



Dog Songs was published in 2013 and is now available as an eBook through Overdrive.


School
You're like a little wild thing
that was never sent to school.
Sit, I say, and you jump up.
Come, I say, and you go galloping down the sand
to the nearest dead fish
with which you perfume your sweet neck.
It is summer.
How many summers does a little dog have?

Run, run, Percy.
This is our school.

If you enjoy poetry visit the Tomlinson Arboretum (west of the Main library) and look for the seventeen poems placed throughout the natural setting of the park. Contemporary and classic works are mounted on stands at a height that makes them easy to read. Explore with or without your favorite four-legged friend and see if you can find the poem by Mary Oliver. If you'd like to take a more systematic approach there are maps and lists of the poems at both entrances to the Arboretum or print one out here: https://bit.ly/CMPLPoetryWalk

Kate M recommends "The Station Agent"

This independent comedy/drama from 2003 included a breakout role for Peter Dinklage, later known for his unforgettable performance as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones.  In The Station Agent, he plays a reclusive train enthusiast working in a hobby store who prefers a solitary life, or so he thinks.  When he inherits a residence in a small train station, his outlook begins to change.  Although he is at first annoyed by his new neighbors, including a talkative food truck operator and the local librarian, he begins to realize that maybe life can be better with some friends.  Also starring Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Williams, and Patricia Clarkson.  Recommended for Adults and Young Adults.  Available on Hoopla.

Uma recommends " The Last Lecture"

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At Carnegie Mellon University, "The Last Lecture" series was a tradition for professors to present their philosophy of life to their students. For Randy Pausch, who only had months to live, it actually was a last chance. Truly, as an ode to the 3 young children he would leave behind, Pausch captures his life through a legacy of fulfilling childhood dreams. For adults.

Natalie recommends "A Dance with Dragons"

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Finally got to the most recent book (as of this recommendation).   Following up after A Storm of Swords, this book does bring back characters who were otherwise absent in Feast of Crows (Jon, Danaerys, Bron and Tyrion) and fills in the gaps after a Storm of Swords as well as continuing on from A Feast of Crows.  It has quite a bit of action, a solid story, and of course, dragons.



This is primarily for adult audiences.

Meghan recommends Audie Award honorees

Did you know that there’s a special award to honor high-quality audiobooks? The Audie Award “seeks the very best in spoken-word entertainment, selecting winners worthy of what is known as the ‘Oscar’ of audiobooks, displaying excellence in narration, production, and content” (Booklist, 2020).  Last week’s ceremony marked the 25th anniversary of the Audies, given out by the Audio Publishers Association. You can find a list of honored audiobooks from our collection here.

The top honor, Audiobook of the Year, went to The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff, which we have in both CD and downloadable versions (CloudLibrary). The  New York Times Book Review said of this audio, “The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 is a book exquisitely suited to audio format, a detailed cataloging of hundreds of personal stories, read by actors and culled from 5,000 oral histories conducted and archived around the country.”

One of my recent favorite listens is also on this list, Daisy Jones and the Six, which was nominated in the Best Multi-Voiced Performance category. It is a novel, but the structure is also an oral-history style, a behind-the-music documentary of a fictional band. It features a star-studded cast, including Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer, Pablo Schreiber, and many veteran audiobook narrators such as Ari Fliakos, January LaVoy, Robinne Lee and Julia Whelan. The book’s structure was well-suited to audio format, and the multiple narrators brought their characters to life so well, I had to remind myself that it wasn’t about a real band!

Whether you listen to audiobooks all the time, or you’ve been waiting for the right book for your first listen, you’re sure to find something great on the list of Audie Award honorees!

Natalie recommends "A Feast for Crows"

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The fourth book in the Fire and Ice series and a good read at that. Picking up after the events of A Storm of Swords, this story, like it's predecessors, follows several characters. This time, however, we have some new faces and this is the first book where Jon, Tyrion, and Daenerys, are not characters whose perspective we get to see from. However, unlike some (i.e. Ned, Cateylyn, and Robb), they will show up in the next book.  the new faces include Aeron Greyjoy (the Prophet/Drowned Man),  Asha Greyjoy (the Kraken's Daughter), Victarion Greyjoy (The Iron Captain/Reaver), Aero Hotah (the Captain of the Guards),  Arys Oakheart (The Soiled Knight), and Arianne Martell (The Queenmaker/Princess in the ​Tower). Arya and Sansa also go through an alias/name change to Cat of the Canals and Alayne respectively on account of Arya's training and Sansa being in hiding after the conclusion of A Storm of Swords.  



It's a bit of a change up, but it's not a bad one. Personally, Brienne, Arya, and Jamie's are my favorite parts. Cersei's was interesting too. It may be lacking with some of the characters you've come to like, but I would still recommend reading this book. It also covers season 4 as well as 5 and 6. This is for Adult audiences.

Natalie recommends "A Storm of Swords"

This is the third book in George R.R. Martin's acclaimed series Of Fire an Ice.  This one is longer than the previous to.  Not only in terms of action and story, but pages as well.  This is the longest book thus far, if not the longest book in the series.  That shouldn't detour you from reading this, however, as it is still pretty enjoyable.  And much like the previous two books, we get to see differing perspectives from different characters, including Jamie, Daenarys, Tyrion, Jon, Sansa, Arya, Catelyn, and Davos.  We get to see Brienne and Jamie get closer to Casterly Rock, what becomes of Sansa around the time of Joffrey's wedding, and Daenerys building up and army with her three dragons having grown more just to name a few things.



If you're wondering , and have seen the show, the book does outline all of season 3 of the show, part of the fourth, and the remaining possible sprinkled into the fifth.  This is a great book if you're looking for some good fantasy and is primarily for adult audiences.

Phil recommends "The Cold Dish" by Craig Johnson

North Branch’s Mystery Book Discussion selection for February is The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson, the first in the Walt Longmire Mystery series.  The popular Netflix series Longmire is based on these books.  Walt Longmire is the snarky but loveable sheriff of the fictional Absaroka County in Wyoming and is on the verge of retirement.  As you might expect, things don’t go as planned and he soon finds himself in charge of a murder investigation.  The victim is one of a group of four young men charged with a heinous crime - but let off easy - two years earlier and it appears that the lives of the remaining three boys are at risk.  Johnson populates his story with memorable characters, writes with humor and vivid detail, and his love for the American west and Wyoming shines through.  Fans of Clint Eastwood films would particularly enjoy this book and series.

Ann recommends "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander

This book is written in verse and is a story about 2 twin teens and their passion for basketball which they share with their father. The teens are accomplished players on their middle school basketball team. Their father was also a very talented basketball player in his youth. He was all set to go pro, but an injury put a stop to those aspirations. However, he shares his love and knowledge of the game by coaching his sons and giving them “basketball rules”. Each rule is a tip to help make them a better player, but are also life lessons to help them navigate complex family relationships, as well as, the joys and tragedies of life.

Appropriate for upper elementary school age children, grades 4-6.

Kate recommends "Love Poems for People with Children"

These short, funny poems explore the joys of family life and the challenges of keeping romance alive while raising children. Many parents will relate to author John Kenney’s topics, from flying with a baby to the grocery demands of a 26-year-old who seems to have no intention of ever leaving the family home.

This book is best for adults, as alcohol, marijuana, sex and disgusting baby diapers are all mentioned at some point.

Family Vacation

This is relaxing

I think to myself

on the first day of our vacation

as I hide

in the men’s room

of a Roy Rogers

at a rest stop

just off bumper-to-bumper I-95

while the kids

continue fighting

with tennis racquets

in the back seat.

And only five more hours to go.

I don’t want to leave this place

I whisper aloud.

Neither do I

says the man in the next stall.

Gretchen recommends "What Rose Forgot"

Nevada Barr, author of the popular Anna Pigeon series, has written an engaging standalone mystery called “What Rose Forgot.”  Rose Dennis finds herself drugged and trapped in an Alzheimer’s unit in a nursing home which no recollection of how she got there.  She manages to escape and enlist help from her 13 year-old granddaughter Mel, Mel’s friend Royal, and her hacker sister Marion to find out why nursing home residents are mysteriously dying.  Barr writes laugh-out-loud moments in the book as the idiosyncratic Rose wildly outwits the villains while the plot of the book underscores the vulnerability of the growing population of seniors.  A great read for adults.

Filippa recommends "Lucky Broken Girl"

This book takes place in the 1960’s and it centers around Ruthie, a young Jewish, Cuban born immigrant to the United States. She is just adjusting to her new surroundings in NY when her family gets into a car crash that leaves her in a body cast for almost a year. While in this full body cast, Ruthie discovers what true friendship is and that she is stronger than she thinks. It’s a beautifully written story that shows the kindness of strangers in a strange world.

Ruth Behar lives in Ann Arbor so is a local writer too! She was born in Havana, Cuba and raised in New York.

Appropriate for school age children.

Connie recommends "The Lightkeeper's Daughter"

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book - available digitally via the CMPL Overdrive app.  For those of you with newer automobiles that do not have CD players in them, or for those who like to listen in general to audio books, CMPL offers many great (and free!) digital options.  Call us for more details!  

The narration in this audio book was excellent!  Although it is fiction, the book was inspired by those who served on the Great Lakes, tending lighthouses during the early 1900's.  The story is complex and moving and will keep you paying close attention throughout the book.

From goodreads.com:

"Though her mind is still sharp, Elizabeth's eyes have failed. No longer able to linger over her beloved books or gaze at the paintings that move her spirit, she fills the void with music and memories of her family—a past that suddenly becomes all too present when her late father's journals are found amid the ruins of an old shipwreck.

With the help of Morgan, a delinquent teenager performing community service, Elizabeth goes through the diaries, a journey through time that brings the two women closer together. Entry by entry, these unlikely friends are drawn deep into a world far removed from their own—to Porphyry Island on Lake Superior, where Elizabeth’s father manned the lighthouse seventy years before.

As the words on these musty pages come alive, Elizabeth and Morgan begin to realize that their fates are connected to the isolated island in ways they never dreamed. While the discovery of Morgan's connection sheds light onto her own family mysteries, the faded pages of the journals hold more questions than answers for Elizabeth, and threaten the very core of who she is."

Lisa recommends "Stomp"

I love books that encourage movement and action as they make reading a fun experience for kids.  Stomp by Ian Aurora is a new book that fits this category.  The listeners are encouraged to stomp and move throughout the book, whether you are stomping and wiggling your fingers or stomping and touching your nose.  For early child educators, this title is a great title for a crossing the midline activity.

Pair this title with From Head to Toe by Eric Carle and Clap Your Hands by Lorinda Cauley and you will have an entire room moving and grooving through story time.

Meghan recommends "Dora and the Lost City of Gold"

If you’ve been on the fence about watching Dora and the Lost City of Gold, I’m here to say “Go for it!’

This recent movie is a live-action reboot of the animated series Dora the Explorer, which ran on Nickelodeon from 2000 – 2009. In it, Dora lives in the jungle with her parents, who are explorers (and professors) searching for Parapata, a lost Incan city of gold. But when her parents get a lead on its location, they go off to find it while Dora is sent to stay with her Tia and Tio (and cousin Diego) in ‘the city’. First, Dora has some trouble assimilating in high school. Next, she stops hearing from her parents on her satellite phone. Then, she’s kidnapped by villains who are hoping she’ll lead them to her parents and Parapata. Unfortunately, Diego and two of her classmates are also kidnapped!

We watched this as a family and my 5-year old enjoyed the action and fart jokes. My 14-year old thought the representation of high school was spot-on, and got all the inside jokes about Dora, including Boots, songs about her backpack and little asides for the camera. I even enjoyed the self-aware humor and light-hearted fun.

Delicioso!