Staff Picks

Skulduggery Pleasant is a story about a girl and a skeleton detective who solve mysteries together, after the death of her uncle. It takes place in Ireland and is filled with humor, action, and magic. The author is a brilliant writer, who excels at witty banter and fight scenes.

 

Publisher description:

Stephanie's uncle Gordon is a writer of horror fiction. But when he dies and leaves her his estate, Stephanie learns that while he may have written horror it certainly wasn't fiction. Pursued by evil forces, Stephanie finds help from an unusual source--the wisecracking skeleton of a dead sorcerer.

 

Before It's Gone is an honest look at the climate disasters we face today and eventually tomorrow, told from the perspective of a reporter who has covered disasters such as the Paradise Fires. Vigliotti examines the role the news media plays in covering disasters while informing other areas of high risk how to prepare and respond, while at the same time trying to navigate how to support the communities of the current disaster they are covering.

 

Publisher's description:
Before It's Gone traces Vigliotti's travels across the country, taking him to the frontlines of climate disaster and revealing the genuine impacts of climate change that countless Americans have already been forced to confront. From massive forest fires in California to hurricanes in Louisiana, receding coastlines in Massachusetts and devastated fisheries in Alaska, we learn that warnings of a future impacted by climate are no more; the climate catastrophe is already here. This is the story of America, and Americans, on the edge, and a powerful argument that radical action on climate change with a respect for its people and traditions is not only possible, but also the only way to preserve what we love.

 

Four Brooklyn middle schoolers race against time to save a baby robot after it crash-lands from outer space. Funny and action-packed, the story centers on Mimi Perez, a 12-year-old coping with the recent loss of her Papi to deportation. Mimi has always loved tinkering thanks to Papi's electronics repair shop, and she and her friends must use all their tech and street smarts to outwit government agents and reunite the little robot with its parental units. From hidden-robot hijinks to hilarious money-making schemes, the scrappy friend group is impossible not to root for, while a supporting cast of caring adults adds warmth and humor. This book will appeal greatly to both striving and precocious readers around 8-12 years old, and would make a terrific follow-up for fans of The Wild Robot.

 

Publisher's description: 

E.T. meets cult classic The Iron Giant in this middle grade light sci-fi from Emmy Award-winner Oz Rodriguez and New York Times best-selling author Claribel A. Ortega, perfect for fans of Witchlings.

 

Patrick Bringley introduces readers to art in a unique way when he becomes a museum guard in the wake of his older brother's death at 26. Needing to be surrounded by calm and beauty in that wake of that tragedy, he goes on an emotional, cultural tour of one of the great Museums of the world. Lovely!

 

Publisher's description:

Millions of people climb the grand marble staircase to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art every year. But the guards who roam unobtrusively in dark blue suits, keeping a watchful eye on the two million square foot treasure house have unrestricted access to every nook and cranny. Caught up in his glamorous fledgling career at The New Yorker, Patrick Bringley never thought he’d be one of them. Then his older brother was diagnosed with fatal cancer and he found himself needing to escape the mundane clamor of daily life. So he quit The New Yorker and sought solace in the most beautiful place he knew. To his surprise and the reader’s delight, this temporary refuge becomes Bringley’s home away from home for a decade. We follow him as he guards delicate treasures from Egypt to Rome, strolls the labyrinths beneath the galleries, wears out nine pairs of company shoes, and marvels at the beautiful works in his care. Bringley enters the museum as a ghost, silent and almost invisible, but soon finds his voice and his tribe: the artworks and their creators and the lively subculture of museum guards -- a gorgeous mosaic of artists, musicians, blue-collar stalwarts, immigrants, cutups, and dreamers. As his bonds with his colleagues and the art grow, he comes to understand how fortunate he is to be walled off in this little world, and how much it resembles the best aspects of the larger world to which he gradually, gratefully returns.

 

A very cute story that has a really refreshing take on death that I hadn't seen before. The theme takes a gentle and meaningful approach to dealing with grief and the unanswered question of what comes next after death, endearing you to its characters to the point where you feel like you yourself are experiencing their feelings, all in a cute and cozy setting, taking place primarily in a tea shop with a bunch of kooky and interesting characters popping in for a drink away from busy life. FUN!

 

Publisher's description:

A ... queer love story ... When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he's definitely dead. But even in death he's not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days. Hilarious, haunting, and kind; an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.

 

In I Might Be in Trouble, Daniel Aleman delivers a gripping, darkly humorous debut that will keep you on the edge of your seat. As the story dives into the chaos of navigating your career, relationships, and family in your 20s, it raises the ultimate question: what would you do if you woke up next to a dead body? With a mix of suspense and laughs, this novel makes you reconsider everything you thought you knew about life, decisions, and consequences.

 

Publisher's description: 

A few years ago, David Alvarez had it all: a six-figure book deal, a loving boyfriend, and an exciting writing career. His debut novel was a resounding success, which made the publication of his second book-a total flop-all the more devastating. Now, David is single, lonely, and desperately trying to come up with the next great idea for his third manuscript, one that will redeem him in the eyes of readers, reviewers, the entire publishing world...and maybe even his ex-boyfriend. The issue is, good ideas are hard to come by, and the mounting pressure of a near-empty bank account isn't helping. But when David connects with a sexy stranger on a dating app, he figures a wild night out in New York City may be just what he needs to get his creative juices flowing. Lucky for him, his date turns out to be handsome, confident, and charming-everything David's been looking for, really-not to mention the perfect distraction from yet another evening staring at a blank screen. After one of the best nights of his life, David wakes up hungover but giddy-only to find prince charming dead next to him in bed. Horrified, completely confused, and suddenly faced with the implausible-but-somehow-plausible idea that he may have actually killed his date, David calls the only person he can trust in a moment of crisis: his quirky literary agent, Stacey. Together, David and Stacey must untangle the events of the previous night, cover their tracks, and spin the entire misadventure into David's career-defining novel--if only they can figure out what to do with the body first.

 

This beautifully written and poetic book addresses the complexities that came about for Palestinians and Jews before, during, and after the establishment of Israel. Ultimately revealing the human nature that ties us all together, this deeply moving and profound novel shines light on the ripple effect that harm can do to a person, a city, a state, a culture, and a world. The book begs the reader to determine that passion can blur the lines of love and hate and blind us to an exit of a cycle.

 

Publisher description:

This is Amal's story, the story of one family's struggle and survival through over sixty years of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, carrying us from Jenin to Jerusalem, to Lebanon and the anonymity of America. It is a story shaped by scars and fear, but also by the transformative intimacy of marriage and the fierce protectiveness of motherhood. It is a story of faith, forgiveness, and life-sustaining love. Mornings in Jenin is haunting and heart-wrenching, a novel of vital contemporary importance. Lending human voices to the headlines, it forces us to take a fresh look at one of the defining political conflicts of our lifetimes

Young Angie translates a lot of things for her Cantonese-speaking dad when they move to Canada. Together, they navigate new experiences and learn more about each other in this sweet, community-focused story.

 

Publisher description: A young girl helps her dad navigate life in a new country where she understands the language more than he does, in an unforgettable story about communication and community. Angie is used to helping her dad. Ever since they moved to Canada, he relies on her to translate for him from English to Chinese. Angie is happy to help: when they go to restaurants, at the grocery store, and, one day, when her dad needs help writing some signs for his work. Building off her success with her dad's signs, Angie offers her translation skills to others in their community. She's thrilled when her new business takes off, until one of her clients says he's unhappy with her work. When her dad offers to help, she can't imagine how he could. Working together, they find a surprising solution, fixing the problem in a way Angie never would have predicted. A gorgeously illustrated picture book from up-and-coming author-illustrator Jack Wong (When You Can Swim, Scholastic) that is at once a much-needed exploration of the unique pressures children of immigrants often face, a meditation on the dignity of all people regardless of their differences, and a reminder of the power of empathy.

 

Find The Words We Share in the online catalog.