Hanna

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

by Vicki Myron

OverDrive eBook
Animals, Memoir

Experience the uplifting, "unforgettable" New York Times bestseller about an abandoned kitten named Dewey, whose life in a library won over a farming town and the world — with over 2 million copies sold! (Booklist) Dewey's story starts in the worst possible way. On the coldest night of the year in Spencer, Iowa, at only a few weeks old—a critical age for kittens—he was stuffed into the return book slot of the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat), and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most. As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state and finally, amazingly, worldwide, Dewey became more than just a friend; he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming community slowly working its way back from the greatest crisis in its long history.

I've heard of Dewey the library cat. I think I read an article about him once. This, however, is an entire book dedicated to the antics of a wonderful and very loved library cat. I want to read it today! (Do you think Elsworth Carmen would go for an ICPL cat? Maybe Dewey II? I'm kidding.) -Hanna

The magicians

by Grossman, Lev.

SCIENCE FICTION Grossman, Lev

It starts off like a cross between Harry Potter and Narnia, but the characters are older, and the books include depression, failing relationships, murder, the ghost of a wronged ex-girlfriend, a semester isolated at the South Pole, a mysterious group of magicians hunting the protagonists, a crack house in NYC, and other darker themes. It was a very satisfying read when I was a college student. -Hanna

The Raven Boys Raven Cycle Series, Book 1

by Maggie Stiefvater

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her. His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

Added by Hanna

Wonder Cat Kyuu-chan

by Sasami Nitori

MANGA Nitori Wonder
Graphic Novels, Animals

An adorable, full-color manga series about a young man who rescues a very special cat. There's more to this kitty than meets the eye! Kyuu-chan loves snacks, cuddles, and bow ties, but most of all Kyuu loves Hinata, the young professional who adopted this mischievous wonder cat into his home. As the two adjust to life together, they discover that they have a lot to learn from each other.

I started reading these comics online, and I found out recently that they're excerpts from a manga series. They usually brighten my day! So kawaii :). -Hanna

Autism in heels : the untold story of a female life on the spectrum

by Jennifer Cook O'Toole

618.9285882 /O'Toole
Diverse Characters, Memoir, Nonfiction

"Autism in Heels, an intimate memoir, reveals the woman inside one of autism's most prominent figures, Jennifer O'Toole. At the age of thirty-five, Jennifer was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, and for the first time in her life, things made sense. Now, Jennifer exposes the constant struggle between carefully crafted persona and authentic existence, editing the autism script with wit, candor, passion, and power. Her journey is one of reverse-self-discovery not only as an Aspie but--more importantly--as a thoroughly modern woman. Beyond being a memoir, Autism in Heels is a love letter to all women. It's a conversation starter. A game changer. And a firsthand account of what it is to walk in Jennifer's shoes (especially those iconic red stilettos). Whether it's bad perms or body image, sexuality or self-esteem, Jennifer's is as much a human journey as one on the spectrum. Because autism "looks a bit different in pink," most girls and women who fit the profile are not identified, facing years of avoidable anxiety, eating disorders, volatile relationships, self-harm, and stunted independence. Jennifer has been there, too. Autism in Heels takes that message to the mainstream."--Page [2] of cover.

This book let me see a different side of Autism. The author is an adult woman with a psychology degree who can quote scientific studies as well as she can reflect on her own autistic childhood. It was eye-opening, to say the least. -Hanna

Ramona Quimby, age 8

by Beverly Cleary

jFICTION Cleary, Beverly
Fiction

The further adventures of the Quimby family as Ramona enters the third grade.

Summer Reading is here! This time of year always reminds me of Ramona, because I read this book for summer reading the summer before 3rd grade. My best friend was a higher reading level and zoomed through the book. I really struggled to get through it. But, it was a good book! It's still one of my favorites today. -Hanna

Complete Beatles : piano, vocals, guitar. Volume I

by Beatles

782.42166 /Beatles
Music

I recently joined a band, and we're starting to learn some Beatles covers. Not all the members like using this music format, but I find it helpful to have the melody line written out with the words. I'd recommend it if you want to sing along to the songs, or learn to play and sing them at the same time. -Hanna

The book thief

by Markus Zusak

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Zusak, Markus
Historical Fiction, Young Adult

Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors.

I've heard good things about this book for years, but I've never read it. Recently, it came up in an article, and I thought maybe it was time to give The Book Thief a try. (I do enjoy Mark Zusak's other books. I really can't believe it's taken me so long to get to this one.) Good news, ICPL has several copies, plus audio CDs, eBooks and eAudio, so if you're interested, you also check it out! -Hanna

Junji Ito's cat diary : Yon & Mu

by Junji Itō

MANGA Ito
Graphic Novels

"Hell-o-kitty! Master of Japanese horror manga Junji Ito presents a series of hissterical tales chronicling his real-life trials and tribulations of becoming a cat owner. Junji Ito, as J-kun, has recently built a new house and has invited his financée, A-ko, to live with him. Little did he know ... his blushing bride-to-be has some unexpected company in tow--Yon, a ghastly-looking family cat, and Mu, an adorable Norwegian forest cat. Despite being a dog person, J-kun finds himself purrsuaded by their odd cuteness and thus begins his comedic struggle to gain the affection of his new feline friends"--Back cover.

My co-worker has been reading this book, and it sounds good. Lots of illustrations of cute cats, too! I've been wanting to try reading some graphic novels. It's officially on my list. -Hanna

Where the Crawdads Sing

by Delia Owens

OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Historical Fiction

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life—until the unthinkable happens. Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

Kya is an endearing girl who grows up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina while facing a pile of difficult circumstances. I'd recommend this book, for the setting, the character development, and the deeper thought it encourages about society. On top of that, I'd recommend the audiobook. The soothing southern lilt of the reader brought me back to childhood summers playing on the North Carolina beach. Any audiobook fan will tell you some recordings detract from the story, some fade into the background, and some create a little extra magic. Where the Crawdads Sing is absolutely the latter. -Hanna

The Selection

by Kiera Cass, Read by Amy Rubinate

Fall in love—from the very beginning. Discover the first book in the captivating, #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series.Prepare to be swept into a world of breathless fairy-tale romance, swoonworthy characters, glittering gowns, and fierce intrigue perfect for readers who loved Divergent, Delirium, or The Wrath & the Dawn.For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape a rigid caste system, live in a palace, and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her, and competing for a crown she doesn't want.Then America meets Prince Maxon—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

This book is the first in the Selection Series, an emotional, adrenaline-filled, and somewhat indulgent book about romance and royalty. It was a fairly light-hearted listen that got me through a solo road trip to the east coast one year for the holidays. It is enthralling. -Hanna

Capone : the man and the era

by Laurence Bergreen

BIOGRAPHY Capone, Al
Biographies, History

Bergreen shows the seedy and glamorous sides of the age, the rise of Prohibition, the illicit liquor trade, the battlefield that was Chicago. Delving beyond the Capone mythology. Bergreen finds a paradox: a coldblooded killer, thief, pimp, and racketeer who was also a devoted son and father; a self-styled Robin Hood who rose to the top of organized crime. Capone is a masterful portrait of an extraordinary time and of the one man who reigned supreme over it all, Al Capone.

This is a well-structured, narrative account of Al Capone's career. It's not my usual kind of book, but I picked it up while in the hospital and it got me through some bad days. The small moments about a daughter's first date are just as engrossing as the descriptions of well-known and historical shootouts between the mob and the cops in downtown Chicago. This book was a surprisingly good read. -Hanna

The lightest object in the universe

by Kimi Eisele

FICTION Eisele Kimi
Dystopian

What if the end times allowed people to see and build the world anew? This is the landscape that Kimi Eisele creates in her surprising and original debut novel. Evoking the spirit of such monumental love stories as Cold Mountain and the creative vision of novels like Station Eleven, The Lightest Object in the Universe tells the story of what happens after the global economy collapses and the electrical grid goes down. In this new world, Carson, on the East Coast, is desperate to find Beatrix, a woman on the West Coast who holds his heart. Working his way along a cross-country railroad line, he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those who believe they'll be saved by an evangelical preacher in the middle of the country. Meanwhile, Beatrix and her neighbors begin to construct a cooperative community that suggests the end could be, in fact, a bright beginning. Without modern means of communication, will Beatrix and Carson reach each other, and what will be left of the old world if they do? The answers may lie with a fifteen-year-old girl who could ultimately decide the fate of the cross-country lovers.

At first, this dystopian book hit uncomfortably close to home during the covid-19 pandemic. However, as the characters found hope and community after a flu pandemic and the destruction of the electric grid, it gave me hope for our real-world future. -Hanna