Staff Picks

Mary’s Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein

by Lita Judge

Written in free-verse, this captivating biography is not only intriguing and moving, but also visually mesmerizing. The black and white watercolor illustrations complement the author’s narrative of Mary Shelley’s life as if it were told in her own voice. Full of passion and drive, this pregnant teen runaway created much more than just a horror story. Shelley was a pioneer of science fiction to be celebrated for her remarkable legacy. Judge delivers in her own work biographical poetry paired with such astounding art that truly evokes the essence of Mary and her legendary Monster.

Posted in: Young Adult Nonfiction

Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins!

by Karina Evans

When puberty hits for Tahlia Wilkins, the hits just keep on coming! School’s out for the summer, she has the best friend a girl could ask for, and she has a foolproof plan to become popular this summer before eighth grade, so what could go wrong? Everything. Literally, everything that could go wrong is going wrong in this hilarious middle grade novel by Karina Evans. Tahlia and her best friend, Lily, spend days dealing with one disaster after another, until the biggest disaster of all threatens their friendship. If you’ve ever felt some serious growing pains, this book reminds you you’re not the only one. Fans of Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever. by Betsy Bird will find this story just as entertaining.

Recommended by: Erin Cady, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Youth Fiction

We Are Wolves

by Katrina Nannestad

Liesl, Otto and Mia are siblings living in Germany in 1944 with their mother, father and grandparents. The war affects them only in small ways until their father is forced to join the army and then they are told to leave their home as the Russian army is coming. They struggle to survive but one by one they get separated from their group. Fortunately, there are good people everywhere and the three children use all their wits just to survive. 

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Youth Fiction

All Eyes on Her

by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

A boy and a girl go into the woods…. only the girl comes out alive. Some say that she pushed him off of a cliff. Others think it was he accidently slipped and fell. This is the story of the events that led up to that fateful night, and what happened after, told by her sister, her best friend, her enemy and more. Everyone has their own opinion on the mystery. It’s time for you to figure out your own.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

1000 Hours Outside: Activities to Match Screen Time with Green Time

by Ginny Yurich

The perfect book to help you and your children get outside more this year. Challenge yourselves to see how many hours you spend outside each month. Can you reach 1000 in a year? Even if you don’t hit that high of a number, you still win! This book is full of ideas to help get you started with the challenge. There are ideas for all ages and abilities including building bug hotels, forest games, painting with nature and more. Pick it up today and start enjoying outside.

Recommended by: Erin Faxel, Youth Services Teen Librarian

Posted in: Adult Nonfiction

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling

by Wai Chim

All Anna wants is to live a life of a normal teenager, but her life is anything but normal. Being a teenager in a prestigious school is already hard since they have high expectations on their students but Anna shoulders so much more than what her teachers and advisors think. If only her parents could be present in her life, things would be easier to handle, but her mother lives confined to her bed and mental demons, and her Baba works long hours at the family restaurant they own. The reality is that she knows her Baba doesn’t want to come on Mama’s bad days but will she be able to continue being the pillar holding her family together or will she crumble under all the pressure?

This book is available in the library and on Hoopla as an e audiobook.

Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Honestly Elliott

by Gillian McDunn

Elliott is having a rough year. His best friend moved away, his parents got divorced, he’s having trouble transitioning to middle school AND his ADHD is hard for him to keep under control. When his ‘friends’ don’t want him to join their group for a school project, Elliott is feeling pretty low. Luckily one of the smartest girls in his class, Maribel, is willing to work with him on the project. As Elliott and Maribel learn more about each other, Elliott’s year begins to get better.  

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Youth Fiction

The Killing Code

by Ellie Marney

Kit Sutherland is a codebreaker working in Arlington Hall with other women to decipher the secret messages of the enemy during WW II. She, however, has her own secret. She also finds herself working with three other codebreakers to discover the killer who is targeting young women working for the government. A well- researched murder mystery that also incorporates inequality across class, race, and sexuality.

Submitted by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Winterborne Home for Vengeance & Valor

by Ally Carter

This action packed book caught my attention right away! The story revolves around five orphans who are brought to live at the Winterborne home. Little do they know, they will become immersed in a mystery of a missing family heir. Great read aloud for middle school. It has you thinking and guessing the whole way through!

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and eaudiobook

Posted in: Youth Fiction

The Poet X

by Elizabeth Acevedo

The path of adolescence for Xiomara Bastista is a roller coaster full of questions, doubts, and emotional up-and-downs. She is a first generation Dominican-American Afro-Latina who is trying to figure out life as she navigates her place in society. This poignant coming of age novel-in-verse mirrors the reality that many young girls experience in regards to self-awareness, self-esteem, and relationships. Set in the urban setting of Harlem life, Xiomara discovers the power of writing, poetry and spoken word. 

Alicia Acevedo is a National Poetry Slam Champion and The Poet X became the winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award, among other prestigious awards. Highly recommending the audiobook version, narrated by the author herself.

This book is available in the library, on Hoopla as an ebook, OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and eaudiobook and in Playaway format.

Recommended by: Fanny Camargo, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction