The Last Bloodcarver
Author: Le, Vanessa
Narrator: Nguyen, VyVy
Call number: NEW Y FIC LE and Libby
Reviewer: Randy Morgan
Date: July 18, 2024
The Yarongese people, Nhika’s people, once revered the affinities for bloodcarving. In Theumas, this healing ability labels bloodcarvers as highly coveted monsters. After the Butchers capture Nhika, she is auctioned off to the highest bidder. Instead of tasking Nhika with assassinations, she is offered a job- to heal the last person to see her buyer's father alive.
The investigation unfolds amid Theumas’s wealthiest and most powerful. All signs point to Ven Kochin, a physician's aid intent on casting Nhika out of his opulent world.Nhika inexplicably finds herself within Ven Kochin’s orbit. Once she discovers who Kochin is, Nhika must face a greater, more terrifying evil. Her quest for justice turns into a fight for her life.
Vanessa Le captures readers' hearts and minds with a relatable young adult book. I have a soft spot for healing magic and Vanessa Le’s descriptions of the healing was comforting. She depicts the intersections between homeopathic, modern medicine, and technology. Le also shares the story of a minority group who sought refuge in a neutral country when the homeland was procured for colonization.
Supercommunicators
Author: Duhigg, Charles
Narrator/ illustrator: Duhigg, Charles
Call number: Libby and MeL
Reviewer: Randy Morgan
Date: July 18, 2024
People who can effortlessly navigate conversations are supercommunicators. These people steer conversations to a satisfying conclusion and discuss difficult topics without giving offense. How is this possible?
According to Charles Duhigg, anyone can become a supercommunicator. The book Supercommunicators unpacks varying styles of conversation to pinpoint how conversations are successful. Charles unfolds the techniques so everyone can connect, no matter how tricky the situation.
I will give you a hint: stay connected by asking a lot of open ended questions, listen to answers, and reiterate the takeaways.
Daddy Day, Daughter Day
Author: Larry King and Chaia King
Call #: EASY KIN
Reviewer: Sarah Humphries
Date: July 10, 2024
Chaia is just a normal little girl, who loves both her mommy and daddy. She dreams of having what she sees other children have; parents that live together. Except her mommy and daddy are divorced. Luckily for Chaia, she has a good mommy, and a wonderful daddy that always reminds her that she is loved and cared for by him.Please Love Me At My Worst
Author: Michaela Angemeer
Call #: 811.6 ANG
Reviewer: Sarah Humphries
Date: July 06, 2024
It's 2020, everything is uncertain, scary, strict. Loved ones cannot be near each other, all human contact avoided. The world is shut down and everyone is shut inside. It's a time for people to stop and reflect on their pastHow to Tell a Story
Author: The Moth
Narrator: Catherine Burns, Jenifer Hixson, Sarah Austin Jenness, Suzanne Rust, Chloe Salmon, and Kate Tellers
Call number: 808.5 HOW and Libby
Reviewer: Randy Morgan
Date: June 21, 2024
Stories are versatile, allowing people to forge lasting connections with colleagues, relatives, friends, and everything in between. And you are full of stories, so why not learn how to optimize stories for situations such as: interviews, toasts, networking, or casual interactions.
How to Tell a Story gives insight on how The Moth continues to captivate audiences, and how you can make any story captivating. Stories produced by The Moth are like being put into a trance to share the experience of the storyteller.
Listening to the audiobook is captivating because you can listen to the original stories included in the book. However, it is easy to get distracted because you are building or working on your own story, so I recommend doing a combination of both to maximize the experience.
For more information please visit themoth.org
The Rhine: Following Europe's greatest River from Amsterdam to the Alps
Author: Ben Boates
Narrator: Ciaran Saward
Call #: CD 914.34 COA
Reviewer: Sonja Downey
Date: June 20, 2024
With a length of 800 miles, the Rhine River is one of the greatest rivers on Earth. It flows through picturesque countryside and delicious wine country passing attack-defying castles sitting high up on mountains and majestic palaces displayed in the splendour of the surrounding forest.
Ben Coates delivers an entertaining book, part travelogue, part lesser known history. He vividly describes landscapes, people and architecture and puts his own spin on it.
Ciaran Saward reads this audio book with a wonderful twinkle in his voice. With the right pacing he moves the narration along like the waters of this amazing river.
The Memory Thief
Author: Mansy, Lauren
Call number: Hoopla / MeL
Reviewer: Randy Morgan
Date: May 22, 2024
One touch can take the most precious of memories, flood you with the most destructive memories, or leave you a shell of who you once were. After her mother’s accident, Etta has cut her allegiance with the Shadows and suppressed her abilities to manipulate memories. When her mother’s memories are up for auction, Etta finds herself at the mercy of the Shadows. She must travel to secure the memories of the Maze, a formidable prison created by the bloodthirsty ruler.
The Memory Thief is a simple young adult fantasy created by Lauren Mansy after treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and her mother’s heart condition. Anticipatory grief is caused by a caregiver’s struggle to manage appropriate care while being tormented with thoughts of death, a topic Lauren dives deep into. Even though Etta has all these big emotions, she also has an incredible adventure ahead of her. One with a mostly happy ending.
Native American Heritage
Book Recommendation List
November is National Native American Heritage Month. Our community has a rich history of this culture. Join us in celebrating by reading a title from this list of books selected on the Native American experience.
Native American Heritage Book List
BIBI
Author: Jo Weaver
Call #: EASY WEA
Reviewer: Mary Beth Reasoner, Children's Librarian
Date: May 24, 2023
Bibi is an elderly flamingo who looks out for the flock, and especially the babies - but when it looks like she may not be able to migrate, the rest of the flock tells her it is their turn to look out for her.
I love this picture book! The story is gently told with a lot of respect and mutual love between the generations.
As I finished reading it, I said to myself, "Yup! This is one I will buy for my personal collection!"
Children's DVDs
CHILDREN'S DVDs
Mary Beth Reasoner
Children's Librarian
The Children's DVD Collection contains
stories, documentaries, and cartoons
of current interest as well as favorites from the past!
SAVING FIONA
This is the amazing true story of Fiona, the baby hippo born prematurely at the Cincinnati Zoo, the team that nursed her back to health, and the community who loves her.
CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST
Follow Casper's misadventures as he scares most adults he encounters, but delights babies and animals;
includes all 81 short films and episodes of "The New Casper Cartoon Show" made between 1945 -1963.
SCAREDY SQUIRREL
Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. It's way too dangerous out there! But one day his worst nightmare comes true and he finds himself out of his tree and discovers something really surprising.
(I love Scaredy Squirrel and how he ends up dealing with his phobias! Very funny!)
PINKALICIOUS & PETERRIFIC: PINKAMAGINE IT!
Follow Pinkalicious and her brother Peter on their adventures in the town of Pinkville!
This animated series, based on the beloved books by Victoria Kann,
encourages children to engage in self-expression
and to explore the arts, including music, dance, and visual arts.
MAGILLA GORILLA AND FRIENDS
Direct from Mr. Peeble's Pet Shop habitat, Magilla Gorilla swings into action in this hilarious collection. Showing that primates and humans share similar situations, Magilla becomes an Army draftee,
a football player, a movie star and more. It's chock full of silly predicam
Leo Lionni's Friends
BOARD BOOK series: Leo Lionni's Friends
Reviewer: Mrs. Reasoner, Children's Librarian
Leo Lionni is a legendary children's author and illustrator.
I am delighted with this new series presented in the Board Book format (with sturdy pages)
for our younger patrons! The illustrations are full of colorful details.
A LITTLE BOOK ABOUT SPRING
Spring is a time of budding trees, chirping birds, and croaking frogs.
Discover the wonders of spring!
A LITTLE BOOK ABOUT COLORS
Each doublespread reveals the color name in its color along with the traditional Lionni mice illustrating the color.
(GREEN: A crisp, crunchy pickle. PINK: Bubble gum that pops on your nose)
A LITTLE BOOK ABOUT ABCs
The traditional Lionni mice Introduce each letter of the alphabet with delightful illustrations.
BOARD BOOK series: Little People, BIG DREAMS
by Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Reviewer: Mrs. Reasoner, Children's Librarian
Told in simple sentences,
this series is perfect to read out loud to little dreamers.
ADA LOVELACE
Follow Ada from her childhood in England and her studies in mathematics
to her development of the first computer programming language.
AUDREY HEPBURN
Presents information about Audrey Hepburn, from her youth in Nazi-occupied Europe, through her rise to stardom in some of the era's most popular films,
to her dedication to UNICEF.
ELLA FITZGERALD
Ella Fitzgerald grew up near Harlem, in New York, where she was surrounded by music and dance. After winning first prize in a talent competition at the Apollo Theater,
she went on to tour the world with her pioneering voice.
Follow her rise to stardom as one of the top jazz singers of all time.
FRIDA KAHLO
When Frida was a teenager, a terrible road accident changed her life forever. Unable to walk, she began painting from her bed. Her self-portraits, which show her pain and grief,
but also her passion for life and instinct for survival,
have made her one of the most famous artists of the twentieth century.
Other longer titles in this series can be found
in the Juvenile Non-fiction 921 Biography section:
Agatha Christie, Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, and Coco Chanel