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MADreads

Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors

A deep dive

Cover of Fire and fortitude: The US
A review of Fire and fortitude: The US Army in the Pacific War, 1941-1943 by John McManus
It's an ambitious undertaking to give a deep look at the Pacific theatre of World War II. McManus is giving himself room to complete the task. Here he has written an intense and thorough book covering the first two years of the Pacific War, but he's not done. He'll complete the endeavor in a second volume. Even so, it is a long book and almost too detailed to be absorbed. Caveats aside, it actually reads fairly easily.
Oct 23, 2019

Even Sasquatch needs his space

Cover of Don't Squish the Sasquatch
A review of Don't Squish the Sasquatch by Kent Redeker

Señor Sasquatch, in his ratty fedora and bow tie, steps onto the bus, hoping it won’t be too crowded that morning (since he doesn’t enjoy being squished). As the other passengers board the bus, the driver warns them of Señor Sasquatch’s preference for space, to no avail. He becomes squished! But what to do after the bus goes “Ka-Bloooey”? Clear, bright graphic illustrations in a retro style give this monster story a big dose of wild humor. A fun book for individual sharing or a group read-aloud!

Oct 18, 2019

The last taboo

Cover of The Good Death: An Explora
A review of The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America by Ann Neumann

I don’t imagine that there are many among us who have not had an experience with death: whether the screaming pain of cancer, the slow decline of a body long after the mind has left, the silent passing during sleep. But we don’t talk about it, we rarely face the fact that despite the ads and scientific research regarding longevity, it is still something we will all need to face however reluctantly. Neumann’s book is a good place to start.

Oct 16, 2019

A promising start

Cover of The Long Call
A review of The Long Call by Ann Cleeves

Mystery author Ann Cleeves has long developed a following for her mysteries that are as much about the relationships between her characters as the crimes grounding the stories. Her Vera Stanhope and Shetland series, both adapted for television, have been particularly acclaimed. The Shetland series has ended with the recently published Wild Fire, but fans mourning the loss of Jimmy Perez and the evocative Scottish setting can take comfort in the launch of Cleeves’ new Two Rivers series.

Oct 14, 2019

Write stuff

Cover of A Squiggly Story
A review of A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen

Everyone has stories to write, even if your writing...squiggles a little. All you need to start is a single letter. What will happen next? Preschool kids will love the comic book style of A Squiggly Story, grown-ups will be reminded how easy and fun writing a story together can be!

Oct 11, 2019

This scared me to death last week-end and I've read it before!

Carmilla
A review of Carmilla: A Vampyre Tale by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

'Tis the season for chilling and creepy, ghostly and ghoulish, gory and grisly. This makes it the perfect time to read Carmilla! Victorian writer Le Fanu wrote Carmilla in 1872 and it's considered the first Vampire novel and a precursor to Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's a quick read and the perfect listen if you're driving for approximately 3 hours on a dark and rainy night.

Oct 9, 2019

Don't forget the poetry

Cover of Forget-me-nots
A review of Forget-me-nots by Mary Ann Hoberman

Ready for some rollicking and roaring word play? Check out Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart by Mary Ann Hoberman for some unforgettable poems. This is a wonderful treasury for elementary school kids. The poems are joyful and include bright and colorful illustrations by Michael Emberley. The book has 123 poems by 57 authors (ranging from A.A. Milne to Shel Silverstein to Valerie Worth, and many more phenomenal poets). It is also a great book for reading aloud as the days get shorter and the nights a bit longer.

Oct 4, 2019

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