Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors
Makiia Lucier wowed me a few years ago with a book I've re-read many times. Her Year of the Reaper was set in a fully realized fantasy world and featured a flawed, but honorable, protagonist facing impossible choices with much grace and compassion. Since reading it, I've been eagerly waiting for Lucier's next. And here it is.
“Why be one of many when you can be one of a kind?” Pa Sheep asks Sheepy as they choose his Halloween costume. Sheepy will not be dissuaded.
Greetings, readers. September has something of a valedictory air to it, as the close of summer and the waning of the year, but for the publishing world, it’s
They are short and rewarding and you will feel accomplished when you're done.
In a battle between the blustering north wind and the warm shining sun, who do you think would win? Would anyone win? In this Aesop's fable, re-imagined by author/illustrator Philip Stead, three sisters go out in their patched-up coats—colored yellow, blue, and red—to take a walk before the weather changes. At first, the sun shines sweetly upon them, but then the grouchy north wind takes over, blowing cold, harsh air across the sisters' path and the whole world! Will the north wind manage to turn the sisters' coats to rags after all? Or will the sun's rays prevail?
A bit ago I read Emma Southon's A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and loved the deep dive into how murder and assassination were viewed in ancient Rome. Not long after posting that review I heard about another book about ancient roman history. The podcaster mentioned how much they'd enjoyed a biography about Agrippina, a woman who was a descendant of Julius Caesar. She was also a sister, niece, wife, and mother to three other emperors.
Though Berney's novel is called Crooks and centers on folks who aren't shy about bending (or breaking) the law, it's not really a crime novel.
This is the last completed work from beloved picture book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola.
Every month Madison Public Library hosts a variety of book discussions and each of them warmly welcomes newcomers.
Cozy has been a hot sub-genre in fantasy fiction in recent years. And I've been happy it's so. I'm equally happy when I find a cozy science fiction novel (and yes they do exist).
Nicola Bridge can be excused for wondering whether all the decisions she has made have been mistakes.
If you've always wanted to try birdwatching with your kiddo but are not quite sure how to start, this is the book for you!
In this heartwarming, character-driven novel, the author explores the ways in which people navigate and (hopefully) survive deep grief.
Gosh, I loved this book. I really, really loved it. I am so happy that it exists. A sincere thank you for the ARC, @KokilaBooks!
I don't know where picture book authors get their ideas from. But I can tell you that if you asked me for what I might want to write about, the couch, is probably one of the last things I would have come up with. Luckily for everyone, Adam Rubin thinks a bit differently than me.
There are cases that are cold and then there are cases that are so cold they might as well be frozen.
Chelsea Handler is growing up and I appreciate this. It took Jane Fonda getting mad at her for being obnoxious at a dinner party and calling her out on it to wake her up.
Last year I discover James Byrne's Dez Limerick action thrillers and read all three in quick succession (see review of book
