List
Book Chat with Library Staff, Part Four
Members of our staff join Allyson and Becca to share what they have been reading, listening to, and enjoying recently.
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Dragon Hoops
2020 by Yang, Gene LuenGet this itemThis graphic novel is for anyone who is a fan of basketball. I really love that throughout the story, the author adds little vignettes, little stories about the history of basketball and how it was invented. Recommended by Jarrett.
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Anti/Hero
2020 by Quinn, Kate KaryusGet this itemIt’s a superhero twist on the old Freaky Friday trope. You will absolutely root for the characters. This book is perfect for middle grade and junior high readers, as well as adults who enjoy a well done, relatively stress-free, superhero romp. Recommended by Caitlin.
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Displacement
2020 by Hughes, KikuGet this itemThis is kind of a time travel book, deeply rooted in generational memory. We so often hear that we need to learn history so it doesn’t repeat itself. However, I think that is impossible to do if our history classes and books don’t acknowledge the horrible deeds of the past. This book will definitely help you with that. The illustrations perfectly set the tone of this book. Recommended by Allyson.
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You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington
2020 by Coe, AlexisGet this itemAlthough this book's title may sound like a romance, it’s actually a biography of George Washington that tells you what the other books about our first president don’t. Coe presents her research with chic and wit, while clearly presenting the facts and busting myths. Recommended by Allyson.
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On a Sunbeam
2018 by Walden, TillieGet this itemThis graphic novel hits on all the things I really love about a book: a coming-of-age story, romance, great sci-fi, it's visually striking, and there’s a lot of LGBTQ+ representation. I come back to this book again and again because it’s such a sweet and moving story. Recommended by Ly.
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Americanah
2013 by Adichie, Chimamanda NgoziGet this itemThis sprawling story is about social commentary, Black experience, Black immigrant experience, and love. It really is awesome. It also has a lot of really good food in it, so if you like recipes, or learning about food in different places, this might really be a great book for you. Recommended by Angela.
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Pumpkinheads
2019 by Rowell, RainbowGet this itemIf you’re a fan of fall, and you have your sweater, your cup of tea, and your decorative gourds out, it’s a great way to celebrate pumpkin season. It's a lovely, sweet, light story. As an adult, I fully enjoyed every bit of this young adult graphic novel. Recommended by Becca.
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Humankind: A Hopeful History
2020 by Bregman, RutgerGet this itemI read this book recently and it's really stuck with me. I was left with a sense that, even if humanity isn’t somehow innately good, there's no need to despair, and that there is something here worth fighting for; which is, I think, a very important message for the times we live in. Recommended by Andrew.
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The Bright Lands
2020 by Fram, JohnGet this itemI personally love reading horror, especially as the nights get longer. This book is a good pick for fans of Stephen King in particular, because it has a great mix of both supernatural horror and scary humans. It is a horror novel, it is graphically violent, so there's a little content warning. Recommended by Leah.
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Dread Nation
2018 by Ireland, JustinaGet this itemIt’s a zombie novel, but not quite in the way that you might normally think about a zombie novel. The writing is fantastic; the world-building is really cool, it’s our history but not, and it’s imagining an alternate history. It's very compelling, and it also goes in a totally different direction from where I thought it was going to go. Recommended by Becca.
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American Spy: A Novel
2018 by Wilkinson, LaurenGet this itemIt’s a thrilling spy novel. It has the danger and the political machinations, but it’s also just a beautiful character study of a woman who’s navigating the complicated obstacles of sexism, race, and family—and all of the lies that people tell, especially when you’re a spy. I also love the audio performance of this book. Recommended by Allyson.
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18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics
2020 by Goldfarb, BruceGet this itemFrances Glessner Lee basically was the person who changed forensics and what it means in America—and beyond, really. She created miniature death scenes that detectives could use to look at, evaluate, and learn forensics. Not to mention, she was also an amazing feminist figure in history that not a lot of people know about, and so I just wanted more people to be aware of her. Recommended by Becca.
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