Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors
The Wisconsin Book Festival is pretty good at predicting the best books of the year! If you got to see some of these authors during the Fall Celebration or during standalone book events in 2024, maybe you already knew you were in the presence of greatness.
In his history of Chicago in the 19th century Cronon's primary thesis is that rural and urban growth/development go hand in hand with one another. The two worlds are interdependent and rely on one another to continue to exist. And in the case of the rise of Chicago these connections are especially true.
I've been thinking a lot about gratitude and family so I'm really excited to share two new picture books especially for young readers ages 4-8 that combine these concepts to beautifully illustrate one of the oldest and most human arts of all: fixing something precious with the help of someone who loves you.
Every month there are new titles purchased for the Too Good to Miss collections at our libraries. If you're not familiar with TGTM (as we call it here in library-world), it's a special collection of popular books that are truly too good to miss. Some are new and popular titles, others are older titles that might not have had as much media attention as a bestseller or celebrity book club selection but are still great reads that deserve another look.
Kaveri Murthy has recently joined her doctor husband, Ramu, in Bangalore in 1921 India. And while Kaveri is happy with her new husband, she's chafing a bit under the watchful eye of her new mother-in-law and her expectations of what a "good" wife should be. Kaveri is smart and has dreams of continuing her education, but knows that much will depend on what her husband may allow. When Kaveri witnesses strange interactions at the club and a murder occurs directly after? Kaveri is determined to investigate.
Part guessing game, part counting book, part an environmental warning - it all adds up to another great book by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.
Richard Osman scored a massive hit with his 2020 mystery The Thursday Murder Club, spawning equally successful sequels and earning a big Hollywood adaption, due out next year. So when Osman announced that he was introducing a new series as his 2024 title, there was a sense of trepidation. Would it carry much of the same humor readers loved about the earlier books?
"Congratulations to the finalists for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. The two medal winners will be announced by 2025 selection committee chair Allison Escoto at the Reference and User Services Association’s Book and Media Awards live-streaming event, held during ALA LibLearnX on Sunday, January 26.
Every month there are new titles purchased for the Too Good to Miss collections at our libraries. If you're not familiar with TGTM (as we call it here in library-world), it's a special collection of popular books that are truly too good to miss. Some are new and popular titles, others are older titles that might not have had as much media attention as a bestseller or celebrity book club selection but are still great reads that deserve another look.
In this very darkly funny adventure (think way amped up Deadpool humor), Carl is saved from annihilation by aliens because his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend's prizewinning cat, Princess Donut, has escaped their apartment. While he's freezing outside in the wee hours of the morning, barefoot in his boxer shorts and a jacket, trying to re-capture Princess Donut, Carl sees every physical structure flattened, literally. Anyone who was in those buildings? Gone. He knows that because an alien announcer tells him so.
Chris Nickson really, really loves his hometown of Leeds, England. The music journalist and mystery novelist has written, by this point, four detective series spanning two hundred years set in Yorkshire’s largest city. While each series could loosely be considered police procedurals, what makes Nickson’s series stand out is the portrait of the city itself—a place largely off the beaten path for many crime readers—as it progresses from a regional center of the wool and agricultural trade to sprawling industrial boom town bursting with late Victorian optimism.
Tessa, a young Cree girl, wants to learn beading from her grandmother, or Kohkom. But her mother informs her that first, she must learn why beads and beading are important to them. The two of them visit Kohkom, and she proceeds to lovingly teach Tessa all about the stories behind the beads. Written by a Nbisiing Nishnaabe author, What's in a Bead? shares indigenous words and customs alongside clear, bold illustrations.
It's that time of year again where the best of the year lists start appearing. Have you started your lists? Publishers Weekly has just released their best books of 2024. The categories include: Top 10, Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, Poetry, Romance, SF/Fantasy/Horror, Comics, Nonfiction, Religion, Lifestyle, Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult. There is something for everybody.
It seems like a perfect meet cute: wide-eyed debutante Eve Ojukwu, fresh from the hinterlands of Kepler, bumps into wealthy bachelor Esteban Mendez-Yuki of megacorp MYCorps on a half-gravity dancefloor on the ritzy satellite of New Monte. Except this is all part of a carefully orchestrated con game, hatched by Ruthi Johnson—our innocent Eve—in revenge for Mendez-Yuki’s jilting of her sister Jules, now expecting Esteban’s child back on Kepler.
At a recent book discussion of the Mystery Book Group at Lakeview we talked about Dennis Lehane's powerful (though incredibly tough to read) novel, Small Mercies. One description of the books says "this novel dives into the dark heart of American racism, weaving a complex tale of family, power, and revenge set against the backdrop of Boston's tumultuous history.
"I would never eat a child. What do you think I am...a monster?" proclaims the main character of this book who, admittedly, looks an awful lot like a monster.
The orange creature stands in a line with a bunch of kids. Ten kids, to be exact - this is important, so pay attention. Each kid has some sort of accessory - a kite, a soccer ball, knitting needles, etc.
Don't miss these new fall-themed picture books that showcase the season:
Is it November yet? While the air might be filled with anticipation about a major event on November 5, there is the anticipation that comes of finding something new to read. With October offering an abundance of big titles and notable debuts, November and December might be a bit thin by comparison, but there’s still plenty look forward to. The highlights:
Feel the playful and rhythmic beat in One, Two, Grandpa Loves You. The story starts with a child packing her unicorn backpack for a visit with grandpa. They are ready for many outdoor adventures! They hike, explore, find baby birds, and munch trail mix. All the while repeating the phrase: “One, two, Grandpa loves you!” like a sweet reassuring hug. The illustrations are bold and colorful and show each vignette of the grandpa and grandchild’s time spent together. Green and leafy trails, star-filled skies, and majestic purple mountains set the scene.
Every month there are new titles purchased for the Too Good to Miss collections at our libraries. If you're not familiar with TGTM (as we call it here in library-world), it's a special collection of popular books that are truly too good to miss. Some are new and popular titles, others are older titles that might not have had as much media attention as a bestseller or celebrity book club selection but are still great reads that deserve another look.
