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MCL Books

The Best Books of 2016

Multnomah County Library's guide to this year's great reads

“In this 1920's alternative history, "sorcerer's shine" is prohibited instead of alcohol and two young people get ...”
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
A Criminal Magic
“When Hee Jun's family moves to West Virginia from Korea, English words feel like stones in his mouth, but ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
A Piece of Home
“The daughter of mercurial poet Lord Byron grew up to become the world's first ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science : The First Computer Programmer
“The editor of Tin House presents a radiant memoir that will resonate deeply with any restless soul who has ever ...”
Read Darcee M.'s full recommendation »
All Tomorrow's Parties
A heroine disguised as boy, a villain to thwart and a family to save.
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
Arabella of Mars
“Time travel, a dystopian future, a utopian pocket universe, a tweedy Tolkienesque lit professor, a deranged (? ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Arcadia
“A guide to the world's most unusual places, from the fanciful (a bay full of glowing squid! elf school!) to the ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Atlas Obscura
“Runway aficionados, DIY fashionistas, RuPaul fans, here's a blast of colorful bios of women to emulate. Covers ...”
Read Cathy C.'s full recommendation »
Bad Girls of Fashion: Style Rebels from Cleopatra to Lady Gaga
“Barnacle is bored and jealous of sea creatures who have mobility - until he witnesses an eel eat a fish. Humor ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
Barnacle is Bored
“Hired to assist a famed reclusive writer, Alice becomes obsessed with Frank, her employer's precocious 9 year ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Be Frank with Me
“Space creatures Yelfred and Omek, who live on the planet Boborp and speak a language slightly different than ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
Best Frints in the Whole Universe
“What's with all the bikes in Portland? Local bicycle activist and fan Blue presents the upside of life on two ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save the Economy
This is a high-contrast winner for little ones whose eyes are just discovering the wonders of color!
Read Jeanie D.'s full recommendation »
Black Cat White Cat
“Twelve-year-old Nick excels in soccer but struggles with his parents' divorce in this touching yet humorous ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
Booked
“If you have kids in your house, these essays about parenting will make you laugh-- a lot-- and help you feel ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Catastrophic Happiness
A young girl walks us through a city full of shapes and sounds.
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
City Shapes
“Cocktails lead to a kiss, which leads to an affair, and ultimately a blended family. Much later, a family secret ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Commonwealth
“A coyote hunts during a moonlit night in a place very like Portland. Silky, silvery illustrations ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Coyote Moon
“This gem is published for babies and toddlers, but it's a whole zoo of fun for older kids, who can mix and match ...”
Read Jeanie D.'s full recommendation »
Crocopotamus
“Fifty celebrities from Jodi Picoult to James Franco were asked to write about their first crush. Reading their ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Crush: Writers Reflect on Love, Longing and the Lasting Power of Their First Celebrity Crush
Underpants are always hilarious. Kids who love the Elephant and Piggie books will love this too.
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Dance! Dance! Underpants!
“A page-turning, mind-bending story of a professor who is kidnapped at gunpoint and taken to an alternate ...”
Read Cathy G.'s full recommendation »
Dark Matter
Because we need more stories about space smugglers with hearts of gold. Don't you miss Firefly?
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
Dark Run
“History goes down sweet with this beautifully illustrated collection of women who should be household names. The ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Dead Feminists: Historic Heroines in Living Color
“Use design principles to choose a career, or just improve the job you have or the life you're living. Identify ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Designing Your Life
“Follow a group of insects through the seasons as they talk in a made-up language. By the end, you will know a ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Du Iz Tak?
“This groundbreaking natural health book addresses chronic health issues pertaining to the digestive tract ...”
Read Melissa R.'s full recommendation »
Eat Dirt: Why Leaky Gut May Be the Root Cause of your Health Problems and 5 Surprising Steps to Cure It
“Originally a self-published book, this story of a twin who loses her sister in a terrible accident and then ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Eleanor
“"This is kind of goofy, isn't it? Retelling Jane Austen in a modern setting?," I asked myself more than once ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Eligible
“A must read for any native Pacific Northwesterner, whether you were alive for the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt St ...”
Read Sarah A.'s full recommendation »
Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens
“Hit the road with sonic genius Juan GarcĂ­a Esquivel, as he reinvents popular music. Marvel in Duncan ...”
Read John C.'s full recommendation »
Esquivel!: Space-age Sound Artist
“This steampunk-ish alternate history is set in Africa, where a haven called Everfair holds the predations of ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Everfair
Time travel to the most influential concerts of the 80's in this quirky love story.
Read Neri R.'s full recommendation »
Every Anxious Wave
What do you do when the one place you ever belonged throws you out?
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
Every Heart a Doorway
“You're finally settled in an apartment that costs more than half your pay check when your son causes some damage ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
“Two young adults are on the run from bounty hunters during the last year of the Civil War. They endure ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Fallen Land
“When Katya is kidnapped, she is abruptly disconnected from the AI network that records her experiences. All that ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Forest of Memory
“A boy and his dog learn about math, science, geography and more in this delightfully humorous story. Kids will ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
Frank and Lucky Get Schooled
“As the middle child, Abbie Wu knows that being in the middle is the worst, now she is about to start the worst ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom
“In this poignant novel which explores the power of poetry, Sasha and her brother dream of escaping their West ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
Free Verse
“Starting and ending with a gunshot, this book follows young Ghost, who aspires to be the fastest sprinter on the ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Ghost
“Evocative art depicts the murky, deep-sea environment of this mysterious creature, along with verse detailing ...”
Read Brianne W.'s full recommendation »
Giant Squid
“When Mission Control falls inexplicably silent, the crew on a return flight from Jupiter struggle to understand ...”
Read Katie O.'s full recommendation »
Good Morning, Midnight
“Cass Neary continues her adventures, this time travelling on a stolen passport and running low on drugs. In ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
Hard Light
“A fast-paced romp through the concurrent histories of psychedelic exploration and the Grateful Dead with detours ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America
“A fascinating portrait of an incredibly talented performer, tracing her evolution as an actor from a New Jersey ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep
“The divisive political climate of recent years illustrates how little we understand one another in America. This ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
“Piskor continues to impress with the latest addition to his illustrated history of hip hop and rap music. Nimbly ...”
Read John C.'s full recommendation »
Hip Hop Family Tree. 4, 1984-1885
“Visceral and intimate, this debut is impressive in scope (three centuries on two continents) and ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Homegoing
“It's bad enough bear Bruce is the begrudging, adopted "mother" to stray baby ...”
Read Natasha F.C.'s full recommendation »
Hotel Bruce
“From inception to creation, here is the story of the building of the National Museum of African American History ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
How to Build a Museum: Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture
A rambunctious look at Pan, the Greek god of the wild, shepherds, music, hunting and misrule.
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
I Am Pan
“Through lively and colorful illustrations, a diverse group of toddlers explores their five senses. This ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
I Hear a Pickle: And Smell, See, Touch, & Taste It, Too!
“Still haunted by the trauma, a reporter investigates the life of the man who assaulted her two decades earlier ...”
Read Christopher C.'s full recommendation »
I Will Find You: A Reporter Investigates the Life of the Man Who Raped Her
“The biggest surprise for Sarah wasn't that she died and ended up on the fifth floor of the Mall of America. It ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
I Woke Up Dead at the Mall
Neuroscientist and stand-up comic Dean Burnett explains all of the quirks and messiness going on in our brains.
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Idiot Brain: What Your Head Is Really Up To
“Emotionally intense from the get-go, this vivid story of innocence lost tackles difficult themes with ...”
Read Christopher C.'s full recommendation »
In the Fat
“The freshest mystery of 2016 finds an underground detective in East L.A. on the run from the very assassin he's ...”
Read Katie O.'s full recommendation »
IQ
“Having moved several times between Iran and California, Zomorod, a.k.a. Cindy, is starting middle school just as ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
It Ain't So Awful, Falafel
“This darkly humorous tribute to Jane Eyre is truly wicked entertainment, and early in the book the narrator ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Jane Steele: A Confession
“Whether you think jazz is a sound, an emotion, a vision, a state of being, or just a category of music, this ...”
Read Natasha F.'s full recommendation »
Jazz Day
“Juana loves playing outdoors, drawing, and her hero Astroman. What she doesn't like is learning English, with ...”
Read Brianne W.'s full recommendation »
Juana and Lucas
“After coming out to her family, Juliet hops on a plane headed for a strange city that she knows very little ...”
Read Alicia T.'s full recommendation »
Juliet Takes a Breath
“A fearless heroine leads us on a rollicking adventure that's mixed with science fiction, fantasy and romance ...”
Read Sue A.'s full recommendation »
Just One Damned Thing After Another
“The suburbs? Hip hop's new source for raw talent? Really? Seemed unlikely in the early 90's. Karp's tale of the ...”
Read John C.'s full recommendation »
Kanye West owes me $300 : and other true stories from a white rapper who ALMOST made it big
Shows the human side of a man who is so often known only for his crazy eccentricities.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Kill 'em and Leave
“This dream-like story set on the streets of Portland explores the relationship between two sisters and the ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Klickitat
“Two gentle and flawed botanists find each other and become work partners for life, scrounging and pilfering lab ...”
Read Tama F.'s full recommendation »
Lab Girl
A tragic moment has heart-rending repercussions for a small Ojibwe community in North Dakota.
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
LaRose
“What do grandchildren, animals, and even moon-men do with a ball of colorful yarn? Grandmother's had enough and ...”
Read Shannon L.'s full recommendation »
Leave Me Alone!
“Some kids learn the violin or knitting or martial arts. But not you--you're taking lion lessons! Get ready to ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Lion Lessons
“Lucy is a stray dog. Eleanor is a girl who loves to feed the neighborhood animals. And Eleanor's father is a ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
Lucy
“Born without hands or legs, Matthias Buchinger was a magician, a micrographic calligrapher, had 14 kids, and ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Matthias Buchinger, "The Greatest German Living"
“Ming hosts "pinkie-lifting tea parties" and makes new friends in this new place called preschool where "growing ...”
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
Ming Goes to School
“Thirteen year old identical twins, Pearl and Stasha are placed in Auschwitz's "zoo"—the laboratory of Angel of ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Mischling
“Joey wants to be an origami master. Though it drives his family crazy, Joey's practice, patience, and ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
More-igami
“Giant viking ladies in combat are just one reason why this book rules. A soaring and satisfying conclusion to ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Morning Star
“Ms. Marvel vs. gentrification! Ms. Marvel vs. overextending oneself! Everything about this is just completely ...”
Read Ross B.'s full recommendation »
Ms. Marvel Vol. 5: Super Famous
“A fascinating memoir by a writer piecing together his painful Kentucky childhood by cataloging the work left ...”
Read Darcee M.'s full recommendation »
My Father, the Pornographer
“What are friends for? That's an underlying question in this dystopian twist on The Iliad. This time two women ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
New Charity Blues
“Texas 1870. 71 year old Civil War vet, Captain Kidd agrees to return Johanna, a 10 year old girl and Kiowa ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
News of the World
“Imaginative space opera that creates a unique set of rules for reality. Strong characters and plenty of twists ...”
Read Rod M.'s full recommendation »
Ninefox Gambit
“The family that raids together can also read together… with this story of a dungeon ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Nobody Likes a Goblin
“A well-rounded and accessible introduction into how opression plays out in everyday life in our communities and ...”
Read Katie J.'s full recommendation »
Nobody: Casualties of America's War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint and Beyond
“Marty devours self-help books and golly does she need help, as she thwarts her success with humiliating ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Not a Self-Help Book
“Three hearts, seven seas, nine brains go on a fascinating counting journey through the amazing and ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Octopuses One to Ten
“Beautiful, philosophical writing that takes history, wildlife and technology all into account. Though the author ...”
Read Tama F.'s full recommendation »
On Trails: An Exploration
“1940's England -- most peoples' minds are on the war but Lottie's dad is focused on time travel, and Lottie is ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
Once Was a Time
“25 read-aloud stories for kids, by Oregon authors and illustrators. These tales are packed with local topics ...”
Read Cathy C.'s full recommendation »
Oregon Reads Aloud: A Collection of 25 Children's Stories by Oregon Authors and Illustrators
“Who's afraid of the Library of Alexandria? Everybody, because the Library owns all knowledge. The new librarians ...”
Read Edna K.'s full recommendation »
Paper and Fire
“1988 -- four papergirls are on their routes early on Nov 1st. Some spooky stuff starts to go down--is it just ...”
Read Andrea D.'s full recommendation »
Paper Girls
“Laugh out loud memoir about becoming comfortable in one's skin... and also about working at MTV during the ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Party of One: A Memoir in 21 Songs
“A time travel murder mystery full of retro-futuristic weirdness rendered in a psychedelic pepto-bismol palette ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Patience
“Think you know pink? Think again! Pink is for Blobfish is chock full of facts about pink ...”
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
Pink is for Blobfish
Told through song and facts follow the the North American prairie dogs' historical demise and hopeful future.
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Prairie Dog Song: The Key to Saving North America's Grasslands
“An overbearing neon pink squid wants to be president for all the wrong reasons. As he says, "presidents talk ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
President Squid
“A dilapidated bookstore in Scotland becomes a haven for two troubled women: one whose husband has left her, and ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Quiet Neighbors
“He may have horns, and fangs, and clompy feet. He may roar, and whoop, and cackle. He may even have a big toothy ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Quit Calling Me a Monster!
“I came for the interstellar trains, and I stayed for the far-out ideas, the diverse characters, and the ...”
Read Ross B.'s full recommendation »
Railhead
“Three words had me hooked: 1990s. Female. Rapper! Rani Patel (aka MC Sutra) lives with her family on a remote ...”
Read Alicia T.'s full recommendation »
Rani Patel in Full Effect
A beautiful, wrenching graphic memoir about the death of the author's young daughter. It's sad and honest.
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Rosalie Lightning: A Graphic Memoir
“Revenge vs. love: the characters in this book can't have it both ways (although they sure try...) Lots of ...”
Read Ross B.'s full recommendation »
Ruined
“Bombs, spies and survival! This WWII story is a fascinating account of the effort to sabotage the Nazi's atomic ...”
Read Ruth A.'s full recommendation »
Sabotage: The Mission to Destroy Hitler's Atomic Bomb
Alternating chapters tell the story of Joe and Ravi who are both bullied by the same student.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Save Me a Seat
“In a decade of formidably funny women, Seattle's West is one of the best: the brainy, big-hearted former Jezebel ...”
Read Markrid I.'s full recommendation »
Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman
“When a giant mechanical hand is unearthed, governments and shadowy cabals race to decipher its workings and find ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Sleeping Giants
“Basic shark-science in a beautiful, sophisticated package make this a perfect introduction for shark fans... and ...”
Read Tama F.'s full recommendation »
Smart About Sharks
A warm-hearted biography of one of the most beloved authors of all time: E.B. White.
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White
An awesome version of the original three movies in graphic novel form. Beautiful colors!
Read Shane W.'s full recommendation »
Star Wars: Original Trilogy: A Graphic Novel
“Frightening, powerful prose poems written in a plural feminine voice that fights its own suppression as it ...”
Read Phoebe W.'s full recommendation »
Style
“To help a sad captain repair his decaying ship, a child makes a series of trades to get the needed ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
Swap
“Anna is plagued by a voice no one else can hear, and a sociopath husband who is determined to use his wife and ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Sweet Lamb of Heaven
“Smith is a genius at creating rich characters--and then they start talking to each other and have wonderful ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Swing Time
“Follow a family on their airplane trip and see others traveling too. There are so many details (even Easter eggs ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
The Airport Book
“When 14-year-old Oscar Dunleavy goes missing, everyone assumes he's dead and it's just another teenage tragedy ...”
Read Ruth A.'s full recommendation »
The Apple Tart of Hope
“Intriguing and beautifully written story of a Czech immigrant who imagines himself the great grandson of a ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Attempt
“This fantastic re-telling of HP Lovecraft's The Horror at Red Hook subverts the original. Set in Jazz Age ...”
Read Katie J.'s full recommendation »
The Ballad of Black Tom
Humor, science and PINK come together in this book about fascinating creatures of the deep!
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
The Blobfish Book
“Harlan moves to Harlem with his parents where he is raised among the greats of the Harlam Renaissance jazz age ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
The Book of Harlan: A Novel
“From papyrus scrolls to parchment, the journey of wood pulp papers from East to West, from ancient writing to ...”
Read Christopher C.'s full recommendation »
The Book: A Cover-To-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time
“Nina is a British librarian who is made redundant. What to do? Buy a van and open a traveling bookstore! The ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Bookshop on the Corner
“So you think Lizzie Borden killed her parents? What if nearly everything you thought you knew about Lizzie was ...”
Read Ruth A.'s full recommendation »
The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century
“In this sweet, snappy memoir, Betsy sets out connect with her mother's generation through the beautiful game of ...”
Read Ross B.'s full recommendation »
The Bridge Ladies
“A love story unfolds through space and time between an Irish scientist trying to distance herself from her past ...”
Read Katie O.'s full recommendation »
The Comet Seekers
“Fairytales have always captured Mary's imagination, so when she is adopted by mysterious Madame Z she's longing ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
The Door by the Staircase
“A math professor from a women's college in the city of Ulthar must journey to the waking world to rescue a ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
The Dream-quest of Vellitt Boe
“Haunting yet poignant sketches drawn by a man who spent more than 50 years in a state mental hospital in ...”
Read Laura S.'s full recommendation »
The Electric Pencil
“A timely, powerful, thought-provoking collection of essays and poems about what it means to be black in America ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race
“Storytellers within storytellers drive this Lovecraftian tale of loss, perseverance, friendship ...”
Read Nick K.'s full recommendation »
The Fisherman
“Olivia always believed that her father disappeared after killing her mother 14 years ago, but is shocked to ...”
Read Cathy G.'s full recommendation »
The Girl I Used to Be
“In this novel, based on the Manson Family, Cline expresses vividly and beautifully things about the ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
The Girls
Realistic, stark story of Jean Gilman, married to one brother, but obsessed with the other.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Good Divide
“When Summer arrives, Quinn's best friend decides to get him an air conditioner, a boyfriend, and a life. Quinn ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
The Great American Whatever
“GW the hamster performs a jail break--from his cage in a classroom. Now he's off to rescue his former partners ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
The Great Pet Escape
Character-driven and fast-paced. Arachnophobes beware because it's, you know...killer spiders!
Read Nick K.'s full recommendation »
The Hatching
“A fast, entertaining read. Ben gets lost on a hike and soon discovers he is trapped on "The Path". He and his ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
The Hike
“The grandson of Jews seeks his grandmother's "soul place." Finding the house, he also finds the people who lived ...”
Read Janet I.'s full recommendation »
The House by the Lake: One House, Five Families, and A Hundred Years of German History
“When Dawn MacKeen finds her Armenian grandfather's handwritten account of his escape from the Turkish genocide ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Hundred-Year Walk: An Armenian Odyssey
Good morning, it's 2046. Have a look at the road map for the next 30 years.
Read Patrick P.'s full recommendation »
The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future
Thought-provoking historical fiction to challenge your assumptions about Muslim culture and faith.
Read Darcee M.'s full recommendation »
The Kindness of Enemies
“Tells the story involving the lawsuits over the patent rights to the light bulb and both AC and DC electrical ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
The Last Days of Night
“Fans of Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White will find much to love in this creepy story that checks all the ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Loney
“A series of interconnected tales create a chilling tale that mixes the very real horrors of racism in the Jim ...”
Read Alicia T.'s full recommendation »
Lovecraft Country
“Follow a surprising and whirlwind composition of notes, sounds, and one long wail of a clarinet as ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
The Music in George's Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue
“When William sneaks out of his orphanage one night, he meets the Night Gardener, who has been turning trees into ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
The Night Gardener
“A man hiding from his own past must fight evil and the elements in this historical thriller set on a whaling ...”
Read Christopher C.'s full recommendation »
The North Water
“Complex characters and geological magic! There are no elves here, just humans, some transformed by time. Come ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
The Obelisk Gate
“Warrior Popoca must vanquish the king's enemy in order to marry the princess. This folktale ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
The Princess and the Warrior : A Tale of Two Volcanoes
“Dreams, magic and richly drawn characters (facing down an all-consuming demon here) make this series-ender ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
The Raven King
“With his signature wit and flair, Bryson travels from southern England to the northernmost post of Scotland ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain
“Illuminati. Freemasons. A murdered Meriwether Lewis, found with his bloodied Masonic apron in his pocket. UFOs ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
The Secret History of Twin Peaks
An astonishingly messed-up-childhood memoir to rival The Glass Castle, beautifully told by one of Oregon's own.
Read Darcee M.'s full recommendation »
The Sound of Gravel
“Yoshio delights in the sounds of Tokyo, but when he learns a musician's favorite ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
The Sound of Silence
Two teens.Twelve hours to fall in love. Will science, love and hope win before the clock runs out?
Read Alicia T.'s full recommendation »
The Sun is also a Star
“Papillon is so fluffy he floats. One day he floats right out the window. Then he needs a friend to help him get ...”
Read Amy C.'s full recommendation »
Papillon: The Very Fluffy Kitty
You've won the throne of the empire? Great. Now hold onto it if you can!
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
The Wall of Storms
“10-year-old Ada, born with a clubfoot and the worst mother in literary history, finds a new life when she's ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
The War that Saved My Life
“This charming and whimsical picture book teaches children the importance of selecting the right gift for a ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy
“Sumptuous language, an intricate dance of characters, and deeply cultural references. A fascinating, decadently ...”
Read Stephen P.'s full recommendation »
The Year of The Runaways
“Technology rewrites our future daily. Will we allow rapid growth to obliterate an economy that benefits us all ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus: How Growth Became the Enemy of Prosperity
“An exuberant boy is tired of being in his father's shadow and is ready for his own name…Not Afraid of Ten ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Thunder Boy Jr.
“I loved the wild Alaskan setting in this novel about explorers in the 1880s, the threads of magical realism that ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
To the Bright Edge of the World
Compelling and honest story of one the greatest rock and roll bands to walk the earth.
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements
“The lives of an Argentinian artist, an art critic with synthesia, and a bartender who has recently moved to New ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
Tuesday Nights in 1980
"Unman didn't make me do what I did. He made me realize I wanted to do it."
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Twenty Questions for Gloria
“A troubled woman delves into her sister's brutal murder in Oxfordshire. This moody psychological thriller has a ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Under the Harrow
“Fans of 1970's grindhouse Italian horror will gorge on this. A film crew in South America. A clash of cultures ...”
Read Nick K.'s full recommendation »
We Eat Our Own
“In this thoroughly-researched account drawn from primary sources, readers learn about Hans and Sophie ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler
“On weekends, third-grader Max visits his dad's new apartment and has adventures as he begins to adjust to his ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
Weekends with Max and His Dad
“Concrete poems (which are shaped like their subjects) are some of children's favorite types of poetry, both to ...”
Read Jackie P.'s full recommendation »
Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems
“Why doesn't Noah's Grandpa remember how to do all the things they love? With help from Grandma, Noah discovers a ...”
Read Amy C.'s full recommendation »
What a Beautiful Morning
Intense emotion and erotic longing permeate this tragic story of mismatched lovers.
Read Christopher C.'s full recommendation »
What Belongs to You
“Companion book to the Netflix biopic about Nina Simone, one of the most original singer/performer/civil rights ...”
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What Happened Miss Simone?
“What makes a life worth living? Neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi contemplates this question, not just in terms of his ...”
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When Breath Becomes Air
“A diverse group of children experience the seasons in poems that make strong use of sensory language to describe ...”
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When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons
“You've probably played with a Super Soaker, but do you know who invented it? Here's the story of how African ...”
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Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions
“In World War II era Pennsylvania, Annabelle defends a veteran who has become the target of attacks by a bully. A ...”
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Wolf Hollow
“Gorgeous, colorful portraits accompany biographies of female scientists from ancient times to present day, from ...”
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Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
“Sometimes you just want to sit down with someone smart and charming for a conversation. If Ursula K. Le Guin ...”
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Words Are My Matter
“Worm and Worm are in love--time for a wedding! Of course, there has to be cake. Flavor? Dirt! Rings are tricky ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
Worm Loves Worm
“A prophetic dissection of the human condition: death, legacy, and the release of control. The lyrical elegance ...”
Read Nick K.'s full recommendation »
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