Children’s Books
A Library Book for Bear
By Bonny Becker (grades Pre-K)
Reluctantly accompanying Mouse to the library, Bear, who believes that he already has all of the books he will ever need, challenges Mouse with his picky tastes in what becomes a giggle-inducing search for the perfect book.
Related: Book recommendations from the Grandview Heights Public Library
My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not)
By Peter Brown (grades K-2)
A young boy named Bobby has the worst teacher. She’s loud, she yells and if you throw paper airplanes, she won’t allow you to enjoy recess. Luckily, Bobby can go to his favorite spot in the park on weekends to play, until one day he finds his teacher there. Over the course of one day, Bobby learns that monsters are not always what they seem.
Absolutely Almost
By Lisa Graff (grades 4-6)
Albie has never been the smartest kid in his class. He has never been the tallest, or the best at gym, or the greatest artist or the most musical. In fact, Albie has a long list of the things he’s not very good at. But then Albie gets a new babysitter, Calista, who helps him figure out all of the things he is good at and how he can take pride in himself.
Courage for Beginners
By Karen Harrington (grades 5-8)
Seventh grade is not turning out the way Mysti had planned. With the help of a hot-air balloon, her new friend Rama Khan and a bright orange coat, can she find the courage to change? This novel truly captures what middle school is like for girls who aren't part of the “popular” group.
The Year of Billy Miller
By Kevin Henkes (grades 1-3)
When Billy Miller has a mishap at the statue of the Jolly Green Giant at the end of summer vacation, he ends up with a big lump on his head. What a way to start second grade, with a lump on your head! As the year goes by, though, Billy figures out how to navigate elementary school, how to appreciate his little sister and how to be a more grown-up and responsible member of the family.
Adult Books
Heroes Are My Weakness: A Novel
By Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Annie Hewitt is out of options. She returns to her mother’s cottage on Maine’s Peregrine Island
with a mountain of debt, no real job prospects and only her amazing puppetry skills to sustain her. Going into a harsh winter, her future and the landscape look bleak. In this modern Gothic, Annie’s time on the island will be marked with mystery, romance, thrills, love and a sense of belonging from the people she thought least likely to provide it.
The Year of Living Virtuously: Weekends Off
By Teresa Jordan
Founding father Benjamin Franklin was an inventor. At the age of 20, he set himself to the task of inventing a better version of himself. He created a list of 13 virtues, and for the rest of his life, he strove to master them. Author Teresa Jordan follows his example and takes a year to reflect and explore each of the virtues (though with weekends off).
The Soup Club Cookbook: Feed Your Friends, Feed Your Family, Feed Yourself
By Courtney Allison, Tina Carr, Caroline Laskow and Julie Peacock
Four friends get together and start a club to prepare and share meals. This book includes recipes, sides and salads.
The Drowned World
By J.G. Ballard
This exciting post-apocalyptic novel is set in London, which is completely flooded due to solar radiation. Though it was written in 1962, it is eerily similar to the discussion of climate change today. As erath warms to extreme temperatures and the ice caps begin to melt, many people choose to flee north while some are driven by inexplicable urges to journey south into the building heat.
Just Girls
By Rachel Gold
Jess Tucker hates bullies. So when she overhears a group of girls gossiping about a new transgender student on campus, she confronts them and claims that she’s the student they’re gossiping about. Jess’ brave act has far-reaching consequences not only for Jess, but for the student she’s protecting: Ella Ramsey, Jess’ game-loving, science-obsessed roommate. This is a well-written, fast-paced contemporary novel of friendship set at a fictional Ohio college.
Neverhome
By Laird Hunt
In this lyrical Civil War novel, an Indiana woman leaves behind her husband and disguises herself as a man in order to enlist with the Union. Ash Thompson’s journey to war and back is a legendary one, dotted with strange encounters, eccentric figures, near-miss escapes and harrowing flights, as well as persistent questions: Why does she feel she can’t return? Why did she leave in the first place? And is she really telling the truth?
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory
By Caitlin Doughty
This surprisingly fun memoir by a young mortician peels back the veil of mystery surrounding modern funerals. After Caitlin Doughty graduated with a degree in medieval studies, the first job she found was with a California funeral parlor. There, she operated the crematorium and learned the ins and outs of the funeral business. While it’s not for the squeamish, this book is ultimately funny, thought-provoking and heartfelt.
Wiser: Getting Beyond Groupthink to Make Groups Smarter
By Cass R. Sunstein and Reid Hastie
This is a great book for anyone in collaborative decision-making or management situations. Understandable and actionable, this book is about groups comprised of like-minded thinkers who often amplify, rather than correct, errors in judgment. They become more polarized and adopt more extreme positions than the ones they began with. Sunstein’s book has great suggestions on how to correct groupthink and identify vulnerabilities in existing practices.
Written in My Own Heart’s Blood
By Diana Gabaldon
Followers of the Outlander series can breathe a sigh of relief; book eight is available and well worth the five-year wait. Claire (Randall) and Jamie Fraser continue their struggle to survive during the Revolutionary War while daughter Brianna and her family have their own problems to deal with in 20th century Scotland. Even at 800-plus pages with small font, this book, like her others, is a delicious read that ends too soon.
A Sudden Light: A Novel
By Garth Stein
Garth Stein weaves an intricate family tapestry filled with tense multigenerational father-son relationships. Trevor, the 14-year-old son, arrives with his father to spend part of the summer in the family mansion, Riddell House, which holds few good memories for his dad. Inhabited by Trevor’s grandfather and aunt, the house is host to ghostly appearances.
Compiled by the Upper Arlington Public Library (Main Branch: 2800 Tremont Rd., www.ualibrary.org)
