Mari
My Shelf
Apple crush
by Lucy Knisley
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Knisley
Graphic Novels, Kids
"Jen is just getting used to her life on Peapod Farm with her new stepsisters, Andy and Reese, but when the school year starts, there are even more changes in store for her."--
The lodge that beaver built
by Randi Sonenshine
j599.37 Sonenshine
Nonfiction, Animals, Poetry
"Resourceful Beaver and his family work every day to build the perfect lodge in the pond, made of branches from the shore willow and silty mud from the streambed, in a book that introduces the engineering feat of dam-building and the life cycle of beaver families"--Provided by publisher.

A zen, poetic rendition of the "House that Jack Built" featuring soothing colored pencil imagery of beavers, geese, moose and more. If you can't be in the middle of the calm on a lake in the woods, reading this beautiful nonfiction picture book might be the next best thing. -Mari
The last mapmaker
by Christina Soontornvat
jFICTION Soontornvat, Christina
Adventure, Fiction, Fantasy, Kids
A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. This is the story of a young woman's struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. As assistant to Mangkon's most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman - and in a kingdom where the status of one's ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn't the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands - a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining - she must weigh the cost of her dreams. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as intricate as the maps of old.

I recently read a graphic novel by Soontornvat that I enjoyed about cheerleading, and though its a very different genre, I enjoyed both. This is a great adventure story with an element of fantasy and a strong female protagonist! -Mari
True biz : a novel
by Sara Nović
FICTION Novic Sara
Fiction
"True biz? The students at the River Valley School for the Deaf just want to hook up, pass their history final, and have doctors, politicians, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies. This revelatory novel plunges readers into the halls of a residential school for the deaf, where they'll meet Charlie, a rebellious transfer student who's never met another deaf person before; Austin, the school's golden boy, whose world is rocked when his baby sister is born hearing; and February, the headmistress, who is fighting to keep her school open and her marriage intact, but might not be able to do both at the same time. As a series of crises both personal and political threaten to unravel each of them, Charlie, Austin, and February find their lives inextricable from one another-and changed forever. This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, cochlear implants and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy. Absorbing and assured, idiosyncratic and relatable, this is an unforgettable journey into the Deaf community and a universal celebration of human connection"--

My last read of 2022, and possibly my favorite! An interesting character-driven story that illuminates the importance of sign language education. I loved the added history of deaf people and their civil right battles between chapters, and the current issues within the community, such as cochlear implants, the difference between ASL and BASL, and how some parents and schools don’t allow kids to learn ASL in an effort to mainstream them. I love a story about education, and this was great one for the underrepresented deaf community. -Mari
Celebrate with me! : recipes, crafts, and holiday fun from around the world
by
j394.2 Gladwin
Nonfiction
"This joyful collection of recipes, crafts, and activities celebrates holidays around the world."--Back cover

This book has a beautifully illustrate two-page spread for each popular from around the world, including a craft or activity and an easy recipe for a family to create together. I love the contributor for each holiday is a chef, artist or designer who share their favorite traditions, and that the book provides so many opportunities for kids to do hands-on activities to learn about that holiday! -Mari
My Pokémon cookbook : delicious recipes inspired by Pikachu and friends
by Victoria Rosenthal
Explore culinary delights from across the Pokémon universe in this official cookbook. Featuring favorite flavors from every region, dive into dishes that celebrate the world of Pokémon and fuel up for your next battle! Perfect for fans of all ages, My Pokémon Cookbook is the perfect addition to any Pokémon Trainer's kitchen. --

Do I play the Pokémon trading card game? Nope! Have I played the videogames? Nope! Do I watch the show? Not in 25 years or so! Do I love this cookbook? YUP! The first recipe is a Pokémon Poke Bowl, which is both clever and delicious. I found the recipes in this book both irresistibly adorable and delicious, and I think some of the Pokémon are so cute! Look out for an entire week of Pokémon programming the first week of 2023!! -Mari
Salt magic
by Hope Larson
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Larson
Graphic Novels
Twelve-year-old Vonceil Taggart, willing to risk everything to set things right, leaves her family's Oklahoma farm in 1919 seeking the salt witch who cast a spell that turned their spring to saltwater.

Hope Larson can do no wrong really, but even so I loved this unique and intriguing fairytale, and didn't put it down until it was done! -Mari
A brave cat
by Marianna Coppo
jE Coppo
Picture Books
"Olivia, an indoor cat, is a fearless explorer until she accidentally finds herself outside, which tests her adventurous sense of self and results in a brave new outlook."

I love picture books about cats and dogs, they always have such a relatable point of view, depending on whether you're a cat person or a dog person. I'm a dog person, but I still appreciate Olivia the cat's perspective and appreciation of her home. It has short simple sentences and beautiful and colorful illustrations that I was really taken with. And I learned that the author has another book with a heart-melting look into the lives of pets starring a dog protagonist called " Such a Good Boy," that will be a great find for me next! -Mari
Octopus Shocktopus!
by Peter Bently
jE Bently
Picture Books
An octopus falls from the sky one day. It lands on a roof and there it stays. The village's children quickly make friends with it, even though the adults are wary. But the octopus proves very handy indeed, making a perfect slide, helping out with some painting, and even rescuing a cat stuck in a tree. But just when all the neighbors decide they want an octopus of their very own, it disappears. Where has it gone and will it come back?

An imaginative and colorful story set in a idyllic little neighborhood by the sea. I loved the bright color of the Octopus and the rhyming is well-done and easy to read aloud. It gives cozy vibes as Octopus celebrates holidays and enjoys the seasons changing on top of the house The small community mutually benefit from the Octopus, who helps beautify the neighborhood by painting fences and raking leaves, and it in turn loves to play with the children. This book will spark imagination for young readers and wish they also had a giant octopus on the roof of their house! -Mari
Books aren't for eating
by Carlie Sorosiak
jE Sorosiak
Picture Books
Leopold the goat owns a delightful bookstore, and he has a talent for matching his customers with the ideal book--an adventure story for the girl in the rain boots, a novel about gnomes for the man who loves to laugh, and a book of birds for the woman in the feathered hat. But one day, another goat arrives and proceeds to eat every book Leopold offers. Can Leopold find just the right one to tempt this reluctant reader?

I am always drawn to books with goat characters because they are my favorite animal. This is a cozy quick read set in a bookstore with delightful illustrations and calming pastel colors. A love letter to the books, libraries and bookstores set in a world where goats can learn to turn pages instead of eating them, and dress like and live among humans. A world I wanna be in! -Mari
Rock paper scissors
by Alice Feeney
FICTION Feeney Alice
Fiction, Horror, Thriller
"Rock Paper Scissors is the latest exciting domestic thriller from the queen of the killer twist, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney. Think you know the person you married? Think again ... Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can't recognize friends or family, or even his own wife. Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts--paper, cotton, pottery, tin--and each year Adam's wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn't randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn't want them to live happily ever after. Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget"--

This was my spooky read for the season. While the eeriness stems mostly from a couple that struggles to be honest with each other, the twists and turns in the plot will leave any reader unsettled. The characters are haunted by bad memories, the expectations they set upon themselves, and the constant feeling of disconnection from each other, but is someone or something haunting the church they are spending the weekend in? -Mari
Alone
by Megan E. Freeman
jFICTION Freeman Megan
Kids, Dystopian
Perfect for fans of Hatchet and the I Survived series, this harrowing middle grade debut novel-in-verse from a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet tells the story of a young girl who wakes up one day to find herself utterly alone in her small Colorado town. When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She's alone--left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned. With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten. As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie's most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie's stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life?

I love reading survival stories, and this children's fiction book was particularly intriguing with an eerie science fiction element. An "imminent" but unknown threat forces the entire western United States to evacuate, leaving behind a 13-year-old girl in the confusion of sharing homes with divorced parents. I also love novels written in verse, and this story keeps you hooked with this unique storytelling style and the constants threats she encounters as she learns how to live in a completely abandoned town with little survival experience and no way to contact the outside world. -Mari
Measuring up
by Lily LaMotte
jGRAPHIC NOVEL LaMotte
Graphic Novels
"Having just moved to Seattle from Taiwan, twelve-year-old Cici enters a cooking competition to win the chance to see her grandmother again, but she only knows how to cook Taiwanese food."--Provided by publisher.

A patron told me this is his favorite book so I had to see if it measured up to my expectations...and it did! I loved how the protagonist learned to blend her Taiwanese culture with her new American identity, and the illustration style and pacing were just perfect. I love to see a story about kids taking interests and finding passion in their hobbies, in this story, cooking and art. Fans of Master Chef Junior will love this high intensity cooking contest comic! -Mari
If you're a drag queen and you know it
by author Lil Miss Hot Mess
jE Lilmissh
LGBTQ+, Picture Books
Drag queens sing verses of this popular song that encourages everyone to express their fabulousness by singing, posing, and twirling along.

I love both of the sing-along picture books by Lil Miss Hot Mess! They are so fun to act out and sing and the illustrations are colorful and so fun to look at! This one was an absolute hit sung and performed by local drag queen Valencia, especially her dramatic twirling of her dress! This book is a staple for Drag Storytimes and an absolute blast to read at any time! -Mari
Pizza! : a slice of history
by Greg Pizzoli
j641.82 Pizzoli
Nonfiction, Picture Books
From Geisel Award-winning author Greg Pizzoli comes a hilarious and mouth-watering history of pizza. Do YOU like PIZZA? Because right now, somewhere in the world, someone is eating it. Did you know that in the United States we eat 350 slices of pizza every second? Or that in Sweden they serve pizza with bananas and peanuts? All over the world, people love pizza-but where did it come from? And who made the first pizza? Join award-winning author and illustrator Greg Pizzoli as he travels through time and around the globe to discover the mouth-watering history of pizza. Bursting with color, flavor, and fun facts, Pizza!: A Slice of History reveals the delicious story of the world's best food.

This book was added to the collection just in time for a Pizza-riffic storytime with preschoolers this week! Greg Pizzoli's bold-colored (and only the colors of pizza, I might add) and adorable illustration accompany pretty much all of the information about pizza anyone could want or imagine knowing, including the history of the ingredients, the different styles of pizza across the world and factoids like we eat 350 slices of pizza every second in the US. I got so hungry flipping through the pages! -Mari
Miss Quinces
by Kat Fajardo
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Fajardo
Diverse Characters, Graphic Novels
"Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quinceera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do? And how will she survive all this "quality" time with her rambunctious family?"--

Fans of Raina Telgemeier and Victoria Jamieson will love this funny coming-of-age story about family, friendship and expressing your true self! -Mari
Took : a ghost story graphic novel
by Mary Downing Hahn
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Hahn
Horror, Graphic Novels
"They say that a ghost witch lives in the woods, up on Brewster's Hill. They say her companion, Bloody Bones, has a pig skull for a face and stands taller than a man, his skeleton gleaming white in the moonlight. They say that the witch takes young girls, and no one ever sees them again. Daniel doesn't believe the stories about the witch or her beast. He figures the kids on the bus are just trying to scare him, since he's new. But when his sister, Erica, disappears into the woods one day and doesn't come home, Daniel knows something is terribly wrong. Has Erica been 'took'?"--Back cover.

The two most common requests I hear on the bookmobile are "where are your comics," and "do you have any scary books?" Mary Downing Hahn has always been a favorite of mine for ghost stories, so I was so excited to see one of her novels turned into a graphic novel. This creepy story is even creepier with illustrations! And now it can reach a whole new audience of kids who enjoy graphic novels! -Mari
Cultish : the language of fanaticism
by Amanda Montell
306.44 /Montell
Nonfiction
"From SoulCycle to Scientology, we're all obsessed with cults. Linguist Amanda Montell examines the language cults use to draw us in"--

As someone who watched and loved the LuLaRoe documentary series TWICE, this was a comprehensive and interesting overview of the various types of cults throughout history and "Cultish" which is the language used in cults. I am eagerly enjoying the TV, book and podcast trend that dives into this area of pop culture! -Mari
Five magic rooms
by Laura Knetzger
jREADER I Like
Early Readers
When Mia visits the home of her friend Pie, she is amazed by everything she sees, feels, smells, and tastes, but Pie is sure that her home is just as special.

A young kid visits a friend's house that has several "magical" rooms, including a crystal room filled with houseplants and a quilt room filled with crafts! The girl sees how magical her friend's home is and appreciates new food she's never tried, and she gets excited to share the magical rooms in her own home. I just want to live in the pictures! So cute and truly magical. -Mari
Women artists A to Z
by Melanie LaBarge
jE LaBarge
Nonfiction, Picture Books, Biographies
An empowering alphabet book celebrates famous and less-represented women artists in a variety of genres who have transformed the art world, from Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keeffe to Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Xenobia Bailey. --

I was reshelving this book on the bookmobile and my eyes were instantly drawn to the bright colors of the cover and the stylistic illustrations of the female artists. I read through the whole alphabet and learned about several artists I didn't know about and enjoyed learning about art history in the context of women's role in society during each artist's time. It's also very cool how the illustrator recreated each artist's work on their page but kept the same unique style throughout. So beautiful! -Mari
Organizing for the rest of us : 100 realistic strategies to keep any house under control
by Dana (Dana K.) White
648.5 /White
Home
"So you want to keep your kitchen counter clean but you aren't ready to toss the toaster? You want to be able to find your kids' socks but aren't looking to spend your 401(k) on clear bins? You long for a little more peace but minimalism isn't sparking joy? Decluttering expert and self-proclaimed recovering slob Dana K. White offers sustainable ideas to simplify and manage your home in Organizing for the Rest of Us." --

As someone who enjoys cleaning and organizing my home (just don't look at my work desk), I was surprised how much I got out of this book! I also got some gratification from reading some things that I already use as a rule. Mainly I would recommend this book for people who struggle to keep their home clutter-free, clean and organized because she really does offer very practical and useful tips that everyone can follow. -Mari
A flicker in the dark
by Stacy Willingham
FICTION Willingham, Stacy
Fiction, Thriller
"From debut author Stacy Willingham comes a masterfully done, lyrical thriller, certain to be the launch of an amazing career. A Flicker in the Dark is eerily compelling to the very last page. When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath. Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she's worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?"--

Fans of the first season of True Detective will enjoy this gritty serial killer copycat murder mystery set in the South. An unreliable narrator and lots of potential for multiple psychopaths in the story will keep you questioning the truth and changing the protagonist. A very solid debut thriller! -Mari
Kalamata's kitchen
by Sarah (Sommelier) Thomas
jE Thomas
Diverse Characters, Picture Books
"Tomorrow is Kalamata's first day at a new school, and she's nervous! If only Kalamata and Al Dente could go to back to the Indian spice market they visited this summer, then maybe she'd remember how to feel brave when new experiences seem scary. Luckily for Kalamata, all the magic required for her journey is right in her own kitchen! As Kalamata and her alligator friend, Al Dente, transport themselves to a magical land filled with tasty ingredients, she realizes being brave is exciting!"--

"Being brave is delicious!" This is a very unique story featuring an Indian-American girl who is afraid about starting a new school and finds comfort in her mother's kitchen. Kalamata is a great little heroine for foodies, and she has such a vivid imagination. I appreciated a short read, beautiful pretty pictures, and recommend this story for kids when trying new things! -Mari
Only in America! : the weird and wonderful 50 states
by Heather Alexander
j973 Alexander
Nonfiction, Kids
"A state-by-state compendium of weird laws, quirks, one-offs, and unusual records only to be found in the wonderfully wacky US of A. Only in America! explores the strangest claims to fame and the most unusual place names every state has to offer. Visit the city of Dinosaur, drop by the Pizza Museum, find out where it is illegal to feed a pig without a permit, and check out the world's only "carhenge" (that's right, Stonehenge reconstructed using cars)."--

This books is chock full of interesting facts for each state as well as hundreds of beautiful illustrations with bold colors. The highlight for each state for me are the lists fantastic foods, its super interesting to read about dishes unique to each state and makes me want to try them all! I also enjoy the state slang and list of books that take place in each state. -Mari
Marshmallow & Jordan
by Alina Chau
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Chau
Graphic Novels
"Jordan's days as the star player for her school's basketball team ended when an accident left her paralyzed...Now, she's still the team captain, but her competition days seem to be behind her...until an encounter with a mysterious elephant, who she names Marshmallow, helps Jordan discover a brand new sport. Will water polo be the way for Jordan to continue her athletic dreams--or will it just come between Jordan and her best friends on the basketball team?"--

I was instantly drawn to this graphic novel when I saw it on the bookmobile shelf. The illustrations are bright, bold and beautiful and the characters are loveable immediately. I love how strong the protagonist is and that the reader learns about Hindu and Indonesian culture, as well as some exciting sports moments. Plus the elephant Marshmallow is SO CUTE. -Mari
Witches of Brooklyn
by Sophie Escabasse
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Escabasse Witches
Graphic Novels
"Effie moves to Brooklyn to live with her strange aunt and soon discovers that she might be a witch"--

I am beyond obsessed with these aunts! I love the illustration style and the story moves really quickly, just picked up the sequel "What the Hex?!" and can't wait to dive in! -Mari
The dinosaur awards
by Barbara Taylor
j567.9 Taylor
Kids, Nonfiction, Humor
Welcome to the Dinosaur Awards. Fifty fabulous dinosaurs are practicing their acceptance speeches. They're in the running for prizes that celebrate their most award-worth qualities and skills (some will surprise you). Who will win the fuzzy and furious award? Who will win the terrifying toes award? And who will take home the loudest trumpeter award? Who will be crowned the Lizard King? Readers can learn all about the dinosaurs' features, diet and habits as well as discover what makes each one so prize-worthy - and there are 10 comic strips to enjoy, too. With easy-to-understand, humorous text by Barbara Taylor and joyful illustrations from cartoonist Stephen Collins, this is the perfect book for dinosaur-loving kids everywhere. There are pronunciation guides, time periods, and vital statistics for each dinosaur, as well as an index to peruse.

A mixture of clever/hilarious text, adorable and colorful illustrations and as always amazing dinosaur trivia, this book is great one to enjoy during Dinovember! I enjoyed many of the award categories such as "Mom-of-the-Era," "Absolutely Crushing It," the "Scissorhands" award and "King of Rock and Roll." The book is delightfully sprinkled with comic strips, infographics, and tons of little quotes and details to keep you engaged all the way through. -Mari
The unofficial Simpsons cookbook : from Krusty burgers to Marge's pretzels, famous recipes from your favorite cartoon family
by Laurel Randolph
641.5973 /Randolph
Cookbooks
"Everyone knows and loves The Simpsons. Now you can make the food you've seen in the show for thirty-one seasons right in the comfort of your own home faster than you can say, "Mmm...Donuts." Over the years, Simpsons episodes have featured, and sometimes revolved, around countless food items. Thanks to Homer Simpson's unending appetite and a writers' room full of food lovers, the show has a long list of truly iconic dishes. From Chief Wiggum's Chili to the Flaming Moe (a.k.a. Flaming Homer) to Super Squishees to Krusty Burgers, you'll find all those recipes and more in The Unofficial Simpsons Cookbook. Featuring 70 recipes that include many of the most classic Simpsons dishes, this cookbook includes easy-to-follow instructions for chefs of all ages and levels. Finally, you can make all your favorite meals straight from Marge's kitchen in no time!"--

I enjoyed looking through this book for the amazing pictures alone, plus the recipes are hilarious. My favorite recipe to try someday is the Nacho Man Nacho hat! I frequent this author's Instagram account, The Joy of Cooking Milhouse, on the regular. -Mari
The legend of auntie Po
by Shing Yin Khor
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Khor
Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction
"Aware of the racial tumult in the years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei tries to remain blissfully focused on her job, her close friendship with the camp foreman's daughter, and telling stories about Paul Bunyan--reinvented as Po Pan Yin (Auntie Po), an elderly Chinese matriarch"--

I loved the story, the characters, the illustration style and the historical context. -Mari
Northern spy
by Flynn Berry
FICTION Berry Flynn
Fiction
"A producer at the Belfast bureau of the BBC, Tessa is at work one day when the news of another raid comes on the air. The IRA may have gone underground after the Good Friday agreement, but they never really went away, and lately, bomb threats, arms drops, and helicopters floating ominously over the city have become features of everyday life. As the anchor requests the public's help in locating those responsible for this latest raid - a robbery at a gas station - Tessa's sister appears on the screen. Tessa watches in shock as Marian pulls a black mask over her face. The police believe Marian has joined the IRA, but Tessa knows this is impossible. They were raised to oppose Republicanism, and the violence enacted in its name. They've attended peace vigils together. And besides, Marian is vacationing by the sea. Tessa just spoke to her yesterday. When the truth of what has happened to Marian reveals itself, Tessa will be forced to choose: between her ideals and her family, between bystanderism and action. Walking an increasingly perilous road, she fears nothing more than endangering the one person she loves more fiercely than her sister: her infant son."--Provided by publisher.

It was very difficult to stop reading this until I finished. The Troubles in Ireland is such a complicated topic, I found the narrative set within to be very interesting. Plus, there are a lot of surprises. -Mari
Seek you : a journey through American loneliness
by Kristen Radtke
155.92 Radtke
Science, Graphic Novels, Memoir
"When Kristen Radtke was in her twenties, she learned that, as her father was growing up, he would crawl onto his roof in rural Wisconsin and send signals out on his ham radio. Those CQ calls were his attempt to reach somebody--anybody--who would respond. In Seek You, Radtke uses this image as her jumping off point into a piercing exploration of loneliness and the ways in which we attempt to feel closer to one another. She looks at the very real current crisis of loneliness through the lenses of gender, violence, technology, and art. Ranging from the invention of the laugh-track to Instagram to Harry Harlow's experiments in which infant monkeys were given inanimate surrogate mothers, Radtke uncovers all she can about how we engage with friends, family, and strangers alike, and what happens--to us and to them--when we disengage."--

A great mixture of autobiographical and social science examination. I loved this unique graphic format and felt very relevant in the pandemic world with more isolation. -Mari
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team

I couldn't put this book down! A very thorough and accessible to all ages account of the incredible cave rescue that the whole world was captivated by. I learned a lot more about how incredibly precarious the situation was, and how truly amazing the efforts of the global rescue team of military personnel, engineers, medics, cave divers, and other volunteers were...Not to mention thirteen children with incredible resiliency and perseverance to survive through so many days of complete darkness, with no food or clean water. -Mari
The four winds
by Kristin Hannah
FICTION Hannah Kristin
Fiction, Historical Fiction
"Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman's only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa's tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive. In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa - like so many of her neighbors - must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family."--Provided by publisher.

An intriguing historical fiction that demonstrates the total devastation of farmland in the dust bowl, the hardships suffered by the people of the Great Plains, the poverty and disadvantages endured by migrant workers escaping the dust bowl and heading to California in the depression era of the 1930s. A lot of the political unrest and action may resonate for readers of this time as we see some parallels between the depression and our current challenges during a pandemic. -Mari
Successful aging : a neuroscientist explores the power and potential of our lives
by Daniel J. Levitin
612.82 /Levitin
Health, Science
Recent studies show that our decision-making skills improve as we age, and that our happiness levels peak at age eighty-two. Levitin examines the neuroscientific evidence to challenge many of the beliefs that surround aging. He provides realistic plans for how you can make the most of your seventies, eighties, and nineties today-- no matter how old you are now. -- adapted from jacket

Even though I am physically a couple decades away from the 60+ years developmental stage this book is most applicable to, I found the research done and compiled in this book to be both fascinating and enlightening. For me some key takeaways were; 1. Always try new things for neuroplasticity, for example, new hobbies, travel to new places, try new technologies. 2. Be social, particularly intergenerational, every generation has different qualities to offer. 3 Move your bodies, preferably outside. Survival skills are engaged even on a walk around the neighborhood because of the potential for unknown variables, and it keeps your body and mind sharp. This book is full of resilience strategies and practical, cognitive enhancing tricks everyone should do as they age as well as an appreciation for what we can learn from the wisdom of older generations. -Mari
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
by Richard Louv
As children’s connections to nature diminish and the social, psychological, and spiritual implications become apparent, new research shows that nature can offer powerful therapy for such maladies as depression, obesity, and attention deficit disorder. Environment-based education dramatically improves standardized test scores and grade-point averages and develops skills in problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that childhood experiences in nature stimulate creativity. In Last Child in the Woods, Louv talks with parents, children, teachers, scientists, religious leaders, child-development researchers, and environmentalists who recognize the threat and offer solutions. Louv shows us an alternative future, one in which parents help their kids experience the natural world more deeply—and find the joy of family connectedness in the process.

This book presents an interesting examination of why children no longer play outside, the health benefits of interacting with nature and ways to encourage kids and communities to reconnect with and the outdoor world. All of this resonated deeply with me, and I felt grateful for the parts of my childhood spent running around in the woods, in the creek, through the farmlands, on bikes, all unsupervised with the neighborhood kids. Now when I go back to visit my dad at my childhood home, the forest is gone and the rural countryside is developed with new houses, streets, businesses, schools, and even hotels and a sports plex. think it's hard to dispute the author's message of how formative these experiences are to the development of children in becoming productive members of society and personally made me want to be engaged more in nature as adult. It also left me feeling a little sad knowing that most children today and in the future, as quoted by a child in the book, "like to play indoors better 'cause that's where all the electrical outlets are." -Mari
The great influenza : the epic story of the deadliest plague in history
by John M. Barry
614.518 /Barry
Science
At the height of WWI, history’s most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in twenty-four months than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision of science and epidemic disease. Magisterial in its breadth of perspective and depth of research and now revised to reflect the growing danger of the avian flu, The Great Influenza is ultimately a tale of triumph amid tragedy, which provides us with a precise and sobering model as we confront the epidemics looming on our own horizon. John M. Barry has written a new afterword for this edition that brings us up to speed on the terrible threat of the avian flu and suggest ways in which we might head off another flu pandemic.

I found this book to be a generally fascinating account of medical research history. It provides a history of American medicine, especially the development of modern day medical schools, an explanation of viruses, histories of other epidemics. Of course my interest was sparked to read this in order to draw a comparison between this pandemic a century ago and the current one, but this book has a lot more, and provides a great deal of perspective. Lasting from February 1918 to April 1920, the Spanish-flu infected 500 million people–about a third of the world's population at the time. The death toll is estimated between 17 million and 50 million, some even claim 100 million, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. I think this would be a great read for any individuals in leadership roles who have the power to control the outcome of this pandemic, and of course those are simply curious. -Mari
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About Me
Mari has the best job in the library because she gets to plan children's programming, create displays, do preschool storytimes and take the bookmobile out to the Iowa City schools. She enjoys reading kid and adult fiction, true crime and memoirs. Her hobbies include hiking, embroidery and music. Her children are her house plants, and technically she's a millenial so she can get away with saying that.
I read the prequel to this graphic novel, "Stepping Stones" immediately before diving into "Apple Crush," and I enjoyed them both very much. I have read several of Knisley's adult graphic novels, and am always really drawn towards her illustration style. Both of these stories are semi-autobiographical, and I think a lot of children who have gone through their parents divorce will relate to her experience. "Stepping Stones" is about Jen learning how to live and work on a farm, while "Apple Crush" is more about her adjusting to a new school and the social pressures that come with middle school. Jen gets her first job on a pumpkin patch, and I think most readers will feel a longing for crisp, fall weather, hot cider, and trick-or-treating no matter what season it is currently. I can't wait to find out what the next season holds for Peapod Farm! -Mari