Staff Favorites

“Fat Vampiree is a deft, simultaneous skewering of several sets of pop culture conventions: teen vampires, lovelorn nerds, high school group dynamics, and clashes of cultures, real and imagined. It is also the most authentic, original riff on geek culture that I can remember reading. That it manages to do all that and also be an engaging story with great characters and sterling dialogue that just kind of explodes off the page is something like a miracle.” ~ Frank Portman, author of King Dork

Ages 14 & up

Why we like it ~ Funny, original, insightful look at the struggles of being a teenager.

Inexplicable events start to occur when 16-year-old twins Tennyson and Bronte befriend a troubled and misunderstood outcast, aptly nicknamed the Bruiser, and his little brother, Cody, in a psychological thriller about friendship, family and the sacrifices we make for the people we love.

Ages 14 & up.

Why we like it ~ This is a book I couldn't stop mulling over. It is full of surprises and questions about the nature of compassion and selfishness and how we choose to move through life.

It's 1962, and it seems everyone is living in fear. Twelve-year-old Franny Chapman lives with her family in Washington, DC, during the days surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis. Amidst the pervasive threat of nuclear war, Franny must face the tension between herself and her younger brother, figure out where she fits in with her family, and look beyond outward appearances. For Franny, as for all Americans, it's going to be a formative year.

Why we love it ~ Reminiscent of my own childhood, it evokes the political and social tensions of the time as well as capturing the usual challenges of growing up. Deborah Wiles doesn't white wash some of the things that make us cringe now but were commonplace then - like the cigarette-smoking that occurred without much thought. That's how it was!

Discovering a seemingly magic bag of chalk while visiting the park on a rainy day, three children are astonished when their drawings of the sun, butterflies and a dinosaur amazingly come to life, in a wordless tale told through acrylic paint and colored pencil artwork.

Why we love it~ In the tradition of Jumanji and Flotsam, this book is pure imagination! For a great gift, include a package of sidewalk chalk. 

Ages 4 & up.

With kid-centric descriptions and irresistible artwork, this gentle picture book explores all the different quiets that can fill a child’s days from morning to night.

Why we love it~ Beautiful use of language, an amazing collection of instances of quiet - a seemingly simple book that gives you much to think about -  with perfect illustratoins to match!

Ages 5 & up. Also a great writing prompt for older children (& adults!).

Tashi lives in a tiny village at the foot of the mountains, below the tea plantations where her mother works. When her mother falls ill, Tashi goes alone to the plantation, hoping to earn money for the doctor. But she is far too small to harvest the tender shoots, and her clumsy efforts anger the cruel Overseer. She is desolate, until — chack-chack-chack! — something extraordinary happens. Inspired by a centuries-old legend of tea-picking monkeys, here is a richly told tale full of vivid characters: the heartless Overseer, the enigmatic Royal Tea Taster, and — far away — an empress with a penchant for tea.

Why we love it~ Great storytelling done in a classic style matched with wonderful illustrations.

Ages 7 & up.