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Category: –Staff Picks

--Staff Picks Kids

“Fighting Words” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Amanda read Fighting Words and this is what she thought… Della, and her older sister Suki, escape an abusive living situation and end up in a foster home. They learn that there are adults in the world they can trust, and that they deserve to be happy children in a loving home. I loved The […]

--Staff Picks

The Archer by Paulo Coelho

Having previously read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, I felt compelled to read his latest book The Archer. As with The Alchemist, Coelho’s writing strives to inspire the reader, in this case, through the metaphor of practicing archery. The story starts off with a foreigner seeking Tetsuya, who is known as the most gifted archer […]

--Staff Picks

Thirsty Mermaids by Kat Leyh

Thirsty Mermaids is the latest graphic novel from writer/artist Kat Leyh (Snapdragon, Lumberjanes). This book starts with three tipsy mermaids who have run out of beer and decide that in order to get more, they should conjure themselves some legs and head to dry land. After a night of debauchery in a human bar, they […]

--Staff Picks

Good Omens (TV Series)

Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and Crowley (David Tennant) are an angel and a demon, respectively, who have become well acquainted during the last several millennia on earth–one could almost say…friends. They share similar job duties, although on opposing sides. Although their story begins at the beginning of everything, the plot of this series begins as they covertly […]

--Staff Picks Kids

“The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart” by Stephanie Burgis

Colleen read The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and this is what she thought… Aventurine is a dragon, the fiercest thing in her mountains, but her family will not let her leave their cave until she is stronger. She sets off on her own to prove she is ready, only to be tricked by a […]

--Staff Picks Kids

“Bayou Magic” by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Joan read Bayou Magic and this is what she thought… The story follows 10-year-old Maddy when she spends a summer with her grandmother on the Louisiana bayou. It is a great blend of whimsical adventure and serious issues such as environmental awareness and parent/child relations. I loved how the book took the serious issue of […]

--Staff Picks

Die vol. 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker

Kieron Gillen’s Die is like Dungeons & Dragons meets Jumanji. In 1991, six friends Solomon, Dominic, Matt, Angela, Chuck, and Isabelle gather to play a roleplaying game. Solomon, the designated game master, reveals that he has created a new game for them to play. They all create their characters and choose a die. Suddenly, they […]

--Staff Picks Kids

“Closer to Nowhere” by Ellen Hopkins

Amanda read Closer to Nowhere and this is what she thought… Hannah and Cal discover they are more alike than they realized as they work together to save the family they care about. It is told from alternating perspectives. Ellen Hopkins is my all time favorite author, so naturally I had to read this. The […]

--Staff Picks Teens

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Concrete Rose is New York Times Best-selling author, Angie Thomas’s third book. A prequel to The Hate U Give, Concrete Rose tells the story of Maverick Carter (father of Starr) as a teenager in the ’90s. At 17 years old, Mav is in a gang (his father was the leader before being sent to jail) […]