Phil recommends "Pumpkinheads"

 

In this beautifully illustrated graphic novel by Rainbow Rowell, high school seniors Deja and Josiah are working together at the local pumpkin patch as they have done every fall.  They have become seasonal best friends and this is their last night working together before they graduate and move away for college.  Deja convinces the unfailingly dutiful Josiah to loosen up and make their last night at the pumpkin patch an epic one.  Their quest involves searching for Josiah’s secret crush while hitting all of the tasty autumnal snack stations along the way.  Their night of adventure turns into hilarious misadventure as we learn more about Deja’s and Josiah’s unique and heartwarming friendship…and wonder if this might be the beginning of something more.

My wife and I both loved this book as the illustrations reminded us of Greenfield Village at Halloween; it really captures the magic and nostalgia of the season.  The humor, camaraderie, and chemistry between the two protagonists are compelling and make this a light, fun, and cozy fall read.

This graphic novel is for young adults but older readers might enjoy it, too

 

Rion recommends "The No-Girlfriend Rule"

Hollis is entering her senior year of high school, and after 6 years of being left out of her boyfriend’s Secrets and Sorcery role-playing game nights due to their “No-Girlfriend Rule”, she decides to join her own Secrets and Sorcery group to prove she’s worth having at her boyfriend’s game table. Her new group, which is an all-girl group, quickly becomes a refuge for Hollis to explore what makes her feel powerful and seen for who she is. As Hollis grows closer with the girls in the group, she’s forced to reckon with feelings for one of them while coming to terms with what has been holding her back from feeling confident in herself. 

This book was a pleasant coming-of-age read that accurately depicted what it’s like to live with severe anxiety. As Hollis establishes her new friend group, we get to see what it means for friends to truly look out for one another and accept each other for exactly who they are. Overall, this was a feel-good, light-hearted queer romance that I would recommend to any teen who enjoys nerding out over board games.

Age group: Teen

Phil recommends "Lunar New Year Love Story"

 

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham is a gentle rom-com about “fate, family, and falling in love.” Val is convinced that her family is cursed when it comes to love.  Generations before her have had bad luck with relationships so why should she even bother? When Val meets two cute lion dancers she decides to give love (and lion dancing) a try, not knowing whether she can succeed where her ancestors have failed. Will she overcome the curse? 

My wife and I both enjoyed this graphic novel. We also learned a few things about Chinese and Vietnamese lion dancing as it features heavily in the story. This book is aimed at a young adult audience and doesn’t, to my recollection, have any strong language or mature situations. There is some mildly spooky stuff.

 

 

Justine recommends the Sheets Trilogy by Brenna Thummler

Brenna Thummler has made a name for herself in the graphic novel scene with her Sheets trilogy.  The books, titled Sheets, Delicates, and Lights respectively, are a middle grade coming-of-age graphic novel series.  They focus on Marjorie Glatt, a practical thirteen-year old in charge of her family's laundromat.  In the first novel, Marjorie discovers that ghosts are real, and they really use sheets as part of their form.  These ghosts, particularly a child ghost named Wendell, are attracted to the laundromat since they can get a good cleaning for affordable prices. Marjorie befriends Wendell and begins to discover more about life, death, and the particulars of ghost culture.

The other two books introduce more characters and plot lines, but a major theme throughout the series is grief.  The series as a whole does a great job tackling this tough topic from many perspectives without making it inaccessible to its targeted age group.  However, I would recommend this series to all ages. The beautiful, unique art style is worth reading them for alone.

Justine recommends "Sunshine: A Graphic Novel" by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Sunshine by Jarrett Krosoczka is the author's second graphic memoir.  His first, known as Hey Kiddo, was about his childhood.  Krosoczka was raised by his grandparents since his mother was a heroin addict and his father wasn't in the picture.  Sunshine, on the other hand, is about his time in high school working at an overnight summer camp for children with cancer.  However, you don't have to read Hey Kiddo to read Sunshine.  Sunshine is a self-contained story that focuses primarily on the camp and Jarrett's relationship to the kids.  

Although this novel is being marketed towards high schoolers, I feel it's a great adult pick as well.  It's a tearjerker that deals with some serious topics.  Additionally, Krosoczka does a great job humanizing the children he worked with, letting readers look past their diagnoses to the people under them.

Kara recommends "Warrior Girl Unearthed"

 

After listening to the audio version of Angeline Boulley’s first novel, “The Firekeeper’s Daughter,” I knew I also had to listen to “Warrior Girl Unearthed.”  It did not disappoint!

“Warrior Girl Unearthed” revisits Sugar Island, and many of the characters I met in “The Firekeeper’s Daughter,” but here we get to know the next generation of Firekeeper girls- Perry and her twin sister, Pauline.

From Amazon:

Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always known who she is - the laidback twin, the troublemaker, the best fisher on Sugar Island. Her aspirations won't ever take her far from home, and she wouldn't have it any other way. But as the rising number of missing Indigenous women starts circling closer to home, as her family becomes embroiled in a high-profile murder investigation, and as greedy grave robbers seek to profit off of what belongs to her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry begins to question everything.

In order to reclaim this inheritance for her people, Perry has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She can only count on her friends and allies, including her overachieving twin and a charming new boy in town with unwavering morals. Old rivalries, sister secrets, and botched heists cannot - will not - stop her from uncovering the mystery before the ancestors and missing women are lost forever.

Sometimes, the truth shouldn't stay buried.

 

This book is best for teens and adults. 

 

Taryn Recommends "Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe"

 

 

Jess has bounced between different foster homes for most of her life so she knows better than to set down roots, so it’s fitting that none of the kids at her new high school don’t give her the time of day. Mostly because they think she’s a witch because she’s goth. There is one kid however that seems to want to spend some time with Jess. Oscar wants Jess to use her style and fashion skills to help his cosplay team compete and hopefully win their competitions. Jess blows him off, until she gets a message from her estranged biological mother through Instagram to see if they can meet. Jess wants nothing more than to meet her mom in New York City, but there is one problem, a bunch of paperwork that would never be approved by her social worker. Once Jess learns that there is a cosplay competition in New York City, she agrees to join Oscar’s team so that she can make it to see her mom. As Jess works with her team to make these cosplay costumes work, she begins to realize that it’s actually fun and so is having friends. As the big competition nears, Jess has to decide just how far she’ll go to achieve the “family” that she’s looking for.

I absolutely fell head over heels for this book! It has everything that I could have asked for: nerdy references, found family, and it didn’t sugarcoat the real issues that Jess goes through as a foster child. Not only is this book set in Detroit, but the author is from Michigan, is a former foster teen herself, and even has a Master’s degree in library science. I found that the author’s personal experience made the book that much better and found that I could not put it down.

This is a Young Adult novel, but I think that adults can appreciate the themes that are touched on in this book.

 

Natalie recommends "Long Live the Pumpkin Queen"

A follow up to the 1993 stop motion animated move, Long Live the Pumpkin Queen was a pleasant surprise. It follows Sally, the now queen of Halloween Town. As she tries to get acclimated to change, she finds herself finding a long forgotten world, Dream Town. When that awakens the Sandman and curses all of the Holiday Towns to eternal dreamless slumber, it's up to Sally to stop him.  Along the way, she learns more about herself, and the truth about her past.

A good Young Adult read and if you like Nightmare Before Christmas, this is worth a read.

Kate B. recommends "No One Goes Alone"

If on a cold winter night you’re in the mood to listen to a ghost story try No One Goes Alone, by popular non-fiction author Erik Larson. Released only on audio and read beautifully by Julian Rhind-Tutt, this mysterious tale is Larson’s first published work of fiction. The story is set in 1905, when new inventions were expanding ideas of human capabilities and contact with “the other side” seemed almost within reach. A group of researchers from the Society for Psychical Research journey to an island in the North Atlantic to investigate strange occurrences at the island’s lone house. They are particularly interested in the disappearance of a whole family who had been vacationing there. As the characters explore all possibilities, natural and paranormal, the house and surrounding landscape seems to respond to their presence. This eerie story will keep you guessing to the end – and beyond!    

No One Goes Alone is best for adults and older teenagers. No swearing, no graphic violence or sexuality, however, some descriptions are frightening and the story is probably a bit complicated for most children.

 

 

 

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.

Meghan recommends "The House in the Cerulean Sea"

 

 

Linus Baker is case worker with the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. His reliable adherence to policy makes him the perfect person for Extremely Upper Management to send to investigate the Marsyas Island Orphanage. The six children housed there, under the care of Arthur Parnassus, could be dangerous. Mr. Baker is expected to make detailed reports on his findings. But he finds there much more than he ever knew to hope for.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune was truly delightful, a feel-good story with enough fantastical weirdness to avoid predictability. In the eAudio version (available through Libby) narrator Daniel Henning does a phenomenal job making each character unique, though the title is also available as a book and eBook.

Recommended for teens and adults.

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

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 "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 

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.

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.

Meghan Recommends "How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse"

In its marketing of the new book “How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse,” the publisher described it as “Princess Leia meets the Princess Bride. ” Well, you had me at Princess Leia, and “Rory Thorne” turned out to be as delightful as described. The narration is an omniscient history style, very tongue-in-cheek, lending a light romp feel to the story. It’s something of a fantasy & science fiction mashup, with princesses, fairies, and magic (described scientifically as “arithmancy”) set on faraway planets and floating space stations.

Rory Thorne is a princess herself, and at the beginning of the book, baby Rory is given gifts by fairies at her naming ceremony (a revival of the ancient homeworld tradition.) These gifts include the usual princess stuff – kindness, grace, skill in playing the harp – but from the 13^th fairy she receives the unusual gift of knowing when someone is lying to her. It is not always convenient skill, but very useful. As Rory grows up and is groomed to become queen one day, he is assisted by two good advisors, the politically savvy scholar and historian, the Vizier of Thorne her practical and physically tough body-maid Grytt.

When she is 16, Princess Rory is betrothed to a foreign prince and sent to live on his space station, as part of a peace treaty to end a war that began when her father was assassinated. The ability to read someone’s intention as they lie to your face is particularly helpful in this hostile environment, and she uncovers a plot that threatens her life, her prince, and her kingdom! To save them,  Rory will have to prove herself both physically tough and politically savvy all on her own.

Recommended for teens and adults.