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Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors
Got a tween fan of folksy pop music, but maybe you’re not quite yet ready for them to dive into some of the mature themes of many of the songs on the radio today? Check out Every Voice by Kira Willey. Full of catchy music and empowering lyrics, this album settles comfortably in that sweet spot between Laurie Berkner (who makes a cameo on this album, actually) and Taylor Swift, with a hint of mindfulness for balance.
Every year in the fall the library hosts the main events of the Wisconsin Book Festival. But did you know that Festival events happen all year long? It's true! And if you take a look at the Wisconsin Book Festival site you'll see we've already got 10 author events planned for the next few months. With authors from a neighborhood near you (Muriel Sims) and as far away as ones who were born in Nigeria and China (Chigozie Obioma and Ha Jin) this is a diverse and wildly interesting set of events.
Looking for something that will scare your socks off?
Well the votes are tallied and the results for the hashtag #libfaves18 are in. With 1873 votes from librarians across the country the favorite books of 2018 have been picked. Topping the list - in a tie! - are Circe by Madeline Miller and Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover.
It's 1919 in England and the Great War is over, but its shadow still looms large over England and all of Europe. Verity Kent is one of those struggling with a new life and her attempts to find a new normal. She's grounded in the here and now, but when a friend asks that she attend a seance, she agrees. Verity is a skeptic, to say the least, so when the medium channels a woman Verity once worked with in Belgium during the war, her suspicions are raised. Why would the medium make mention of a woman who worked as an anti-german spy?
Have you ever had a truly special pet? Not just a pet that you love and care for, but a pet who profoundly changes you? Naturalist and National Book Award finalist Sy Montgomery refers to "a lifetime dog" even though she's known three or four of these and many more animals that she considers notable. I, too, have had three of these "lifetime" pets in my world, plus a few that were honorable mention.
I know they say don’t judge a book by its cover, but dang, the artwork for Oyinkan Braithwaite’s debut novel My Sister, the Serial Killer is a stunner. Especially when paired with its gag-worthy title.
The good news is that Braithwaite’s satirical thriller exceeds expectations.
Francis the donkey is a shoemaker. He does what he loves and makes the other animals very happy with his beautiful shoes. He has great friends and a comfortable routine.
I posted a couple "best of" lists last week. Today starts the 10 day #libfaves18 countdown. Each day for the next ten days library workers across the land will be posting their favorite 2018 titles, one day at a time. They'll use the hashtag #libfaves18 on Twitter so you can follow along. Tallying is happening each day and at the end of the countdown the biggest vote-getters will be posted.
With a musical rhyme scheme, big, bold illustrations, and a colorful cast of children, Play this Book is a fun, energetic read to cozy up with. Little ones are invited to play along with the instruments on each page. Great for toddlers and preschoolers.
