Staff Picks
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab
To escape an unwanted marriage, Addie Larue, a girl in 18th-century France, makes a deal with the devil, asking to be free to live forever. Luc, her incarnation of the devil, interprets that to mean that she will live each day as if it is her only day. She is...
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
I rarely read a book that compels me to recommend it to friends; this is one of those rare books. In the depths of the Depression, four orphans on the run from a cruel boarding school take to the river in search of safety and home. Their encounters along the road are...
Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton
I love the HONY Facebook and Instagram page and fell in love with photographer Brandon Stanton’s no-judgment interview style. This isn’t a book to sit down and read in one sitting, but rather a coffee-table style book to pick up and examine as time permits. Some...
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam M. Grant
I am a huge fan of organizational psychologist Adam Grant. This book highlights a set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. He challenges readers to embrace being wrong but also continue to be lifelong learners. You don’t have...
The Ickabog by J.K. Rowling
I heard about this book last year during the initial COVID outbreak. Rowling published the story on her website and asked children to publish various scenes. She then published the book with the winning illustrations and donated all her royalties to help medical and...
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
This book kept coming up on my social media newsfeeds and it is gorgeous. Created by a British illustrator, this book features 100 black-and-white drawings and handwritten prose about kindness, hope, friendship and love. The four titular friends share adventures and...
Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
The Discworld books by Terry Pratchett are a wonderful maze of interlocking stories. Packed with wit and charm, all of his books are hard to put down. I really enjoyed the Witches books and became very familiar with each of their stories within these 6 books. I found...
Young Reader Picks
Magic Tree House: Dingoes at Dinnertime by Mary Pope Osborne – Chase
Jack and Annie are ready for their next fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series, the Magic Tree House. Wildfire! That’s what Jack and Annie are up against when they are whisked away to the land of Australia. And they’re not alone! Jack and Annie must...
Magic Tree House: Perfect Time for Pandas by Mary Pope Osborne – Brendan
Time-traveling brother-and-sister team Jack and Annie are whisked off to a village in the mountains of southeast China, close to a world-famous panda reserve. Will it be their easiest adventure yet? Not a chance! Jack and Annie don’t know it, but they’ve arrived on...
Magic Tree House: Night of the Ninth Dragon by Mary Pope Osborne – Paige
Magic Tree House is the #1 bestselling chapter book series! In their NEW adventure, Jack and Annie return to Camelot! In this thrilling adventure steeped in history, Mary Pope Osborne introduces readers to classic Welsh legends and continues her own story of King...
Beast Quest – Warrior’s Road: Targo the Arctic Menace by Adam Blade – Todd
The Warrior’s Road is perilous, and Tom must face an enemy from the air. Linka the Sky Conqueror is here to battle the heroes! Does Tom have the strength to survive another Beast attack? Tom must brave the mysterious Warrior’s Road to prove that he is Master of the...
George Brown Class Clown: How do you pee in space? By Nancy Krulik – Allura
A real-life astronaut is coming to Edith B. Sugarman Elementary School, and one lucky kid gets to interview him! Not only that, a trip to a space adventurer program is also up for grabs. To win the contest, students must complete a physical fitness challenge and come...